SKIRMISHES MIGHT BE OUR ONLY HOPE

I GOT THE MOVES

SO I WON'T LOSE

Review replies:

Ebony: *photoshops Garmadon's head on superman*

Zena: Not as much angst as there was good things happening.

Entity: MAKE MY DAD A SUPERHERO- xD No I haven't read that. I'm told it's good though.

Monile: HAHA no.

Kat: We'll be getting some more doubles in just a few chapters xd

Windy: Haha of course not. They have to go all the way across the Cursed Realm. There's no way that's going smoothly xd

Jayden: xd


"I have to say," Lloyd B remarked as the group set up camp. "This trip into the Cursed Realm has been way less eventful than our last one."

"We're almost been killed twice already." Kai A pointed out, raising an eyebrow.

"Yeah. Only twice. And only one of those actually came close to doing damage." Kai shook his head.

"And I thought our lives were dangerous. You'll have to tell me about that trip sometime."

"I'll be sure to do that." The Ninja, after giving Gin A a quick explanation of their situation, were forced to flee as the Preeminent collapsed the stairway and the bit of mountain they were standing on, which honestly didn't do much since they just flew away. The flock of dragons had flown until past nightfall before landing in a forest, making camp in a clearing. Most of them were too tired to fly any longer. Lloyd still had to be carried wherever he went, which was annoying. Hopefully they would get home tomorrow and they could make him a new leg.

Clouse and Chen were chained to a tree at the edge of the camp, since none of the ninja trusted them not to attack them or run away. They had gone back to get Chen after the mountain had collapsed and Clouse reminded them, then chained them both up and had them fly with the Zanes.

They hadn't lit a fire in their camp, passing out dried meat, fruits, and crackers instead. Sensei had fortunately had the foresight to have them pack a little food even though they didn't expect to be gone long. Their meager supplies wouldn't last them much longer, though. They better get back tomorrow.

"Remember that talking food machine?" Jay B said in a faraway voice. "That thing was wild."

"Yeah. I wonder where she is now." Indigo nodded.

"Probably with her inventor." Kai B shrugged, staring up at the stars through the ever-present green fog.

"Probably." Indigo agreed. Nicole frowned.

"I feel left out."

"It's a really long story." The ghost girl waved her off. "We'll explain it to you sometime."

"Well, why not now?"

"Well…" Indigo paused. "Good point. Why don't we just tell them now?"

"Some of us are asleep." Cole A pointed out, gesturing to Andreea, Morro A, and Garmadon B.

"Well, Dad already knows, I can tell Morro later, and Andreea already knows some of it true." Lloyd's double countered. "We might as well tell the tale, we've got nothing else to do. Everyone gather around." The group moved closer to Lloyd B, Lloyd A trying and failing to do the same. He had to tug on Kai's sleeve to get him to move him close.

Over the next hour, Lloyd B told them everything. Everything that had happened in his world, from the time they defeated Morro to the time they jumped to their timeline. He told them about Morro's redemption, their journey through the volcano, Tara and Ming, their imprisonment, and the bridge falling. He told them about their mad chase across the Cursed Realm, their meeting Andreea, their battle with the ghosts they almost lost, and Tara saving them. About Garmadon's freedom, then their escape from the volcano as it erupted.

He told them about Chen and Soul Archer joining with the Overlord. About Kai's infection and the golden armor curing it, Morro's capture, and Tori. About his near-fatal fall onto the island, his capture, and his freedom. About Nadakhan, and his wish to make his father invincible. About the shadelings, Bansha switching sides, and the Guardian of the Cursed Realm. He got really self-conscious when he told them about how he ran away. He told them about how Chen convinced the good guys he was dead, and Nadakhan helping them rescue him. He told them about the final battle, and trapping the Overlord in the void.

By the end, most of them were starting to nod off. Indigo and her Morro had fallen asleep in the middle of it, and one of the Nyas had dropped off to sleep as well. When Lloyd B finished, Lloyd A crawled a little farther away, lying down and starting to doze off as the others asked his double some questions about his tale.

"Son?" Lloyd blinked, lifting his head at the voice beside him. His father was sitting a few feet away, looking a bit worried. "I'm sorry to disturb your sleep, but… you said one… one of the 'Morros' was a prisoner, but… which one?"

"Uhh…" Lloyd pushed himself up a bit to locate Morro A. "The one behind the other me."

"But he's not chained. Neither one is." His father frowned, confused.

"Well… technically he's our prisoner. But the other me likes him. He's convinced he's changed." Lloyd's voice took on a bitter note. "He spends his time either with him, or arguing on his behalf. Look!" He gestured at the ghost across the camp, who his double had laid down behind and was now hugging him around the waist.

"I take it you don't agree." His father raised an eyebrow.

"Of course not. He chopped off my leg."

"Oh. I was wondering what happened there."

"Yeah." He hesitated. "I guess I should tell you what happened since you were last here."

"Mmm." Dad nodded.

"Well… after you got banished, Morro got out somehow. He used to be Sensei's student, but he discovered he wasn't the green ninja, and-"

"I know who he is." His father said quietly. Lloyd paused.

"Did he tell you?"

"Yes… a long time ago."

"Wait… what?" Did he mean near the beginning of his banishment…? Dad sighed.

"Long ago, I… I met him when I he was a young man. I… was the one who banished him." Lloyd's eyes shot wide open.

"W-what?"

"It's… it's a long story."

"It's been a night for long stories. Tell me."

"Very well." Dad hesitated, then began his tale. "I worked under Chen at the time. He gave me the staff of elements, and sent me out to steal elemental powers. I had the Devourer's venom in my blood, so… I did it." He self-consciously brushed a lock of his shoulder-length hair behind his ear. "I met Morro in the city. The green in his hair reminded me of a previous wind master I had met, likely his father, so I approached him.

"He told me was trying to find the tomb of the First Spinjitzu Master, to prove himself as the Green Ninja. I… I knew the prophecy of the green ninja. I thought I was the dark lord, destined to be defeated. So… I lead him to his death." Lloyd stared at him in shocked silence, and his father continued.

"I told him I knew where the tomb was, and I lead him to the Caves of Despair. There, I knocked him out and stole his element. He and I fought, and he nearly beat me, but I cursed him, stalling him long enough for my to seal off the chamber and leave him to die." The blond just stared at him for a few moments.

"Too bad you had to curse him." He said at last. "Then we wouldn't be in this mess."

"Nor would we if I didn't kill him."

"He would've found a way to ruin things." Lloyd lay down again, rolling over to face the trees. His father sighed.

"You really hate him."

"Yes I do."

"And I understand that, but… Lloyd, you need to forgive him. If you leave this anger and hatred unchecked, it will destroy you."

"As long as I take Morro down with me, I'm fine with that."

"Lloyd-"

"Dad. I'm not going to forgive him. He's done so much to me, you don't have any idea."

"He hurt you, I know. But-"

"He killed Mom." The blond hissed. That shut him up. There was silence for a few moments, then his father said in a wavering voice,

"Misako… dead?"

"Yes." The blond mumbled. "Morro… he drowned her. He executed her. He wanted everyone to know how ruthless he was. So he kidnapped her, tied a weight around her neck, and threw her into the sea. On live TV. We couldn't do anything. We could only watch." His father was silent. "Her body washed up on shore a few days later. We buried her near your Monastery." He felt tears welling up in his eyes, but he angrily blinked them back. "That's why Morro needs to suffer. Why I have to hurt him, like he's hurt so many people. Actions have consequences." He rolled over, glaring daggers at the sleeping ghost on the other side of the camp, who seemed to huddle a bit closer to the other Lloyd under his gaze.

"Do you think your mother would want her memory to inspire hatred?" His father asked softly. Lloyd frowned.

"I don't know. It's Morro. He killed her."

"I know he did. But your mother was a kind and gentle soul. She did not hate even those who wronged her."

"But he-!"

"I know, Morro has done so many horrible things. But everyone is worthy of forgiveness. Even him.

"But I can't!"

"'I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me'." His father quoted. "Philippians 4:13, I believe." Lloyd huffed.

"Fine. I just don't want to forgive him."

"When does anyone want to forgive one who has wronged them? Forgiveness is hard, I know. But it is important."

"Fine. I'll think about it." The blond lied, rolling over to face the tress again. He wasn't going to think about it, he just wanted to get Dad off his back so he could sleep. Closing his eyes, the exhausted ninja soon nodded off.

He didn't notice Nicole sitting quietly nearby, listening to their entire conversation.


Well she clearly has something up her sleeve

and yes I killed someone off for good are you proud of me xd

AND ONE MORE THING: Garmadon has been in the Cursed Realm for over a year now

so he has long hair

xd

~FFF