A/N: Thank you so much to everyone who commented/reviewed, it really made my day! I hope you like where the story goes. I know how late this is and I apologize, I was trying to write a novel :P
The rising sun cast a pretty glow through the glass window panes as two figures argued in the kitchen.
"No! Absolutely not! Are you crazy?" Lloyd stared at Morro with an expression of utter disbelief. "You want to go play double agent for Bansha when we have no reason to trust you?"
"Look, I know I messed up," Morro said pleadingly. "A lot. And I know seeing Aura brought it all back," he conceded. "Believe me, there is nothing I regret more than the past. But if I can get into Bansha's good graces, then maybe we can find out more about her plans."
"Nope." Lloyd crossed his arms, leaning back against the wall. "Wait for everyone else. If they agree, go for it."
"You know they won't let me leave the monastery," Morro scoffed.
"Exactly," Lloyd finished. Cole walked in, scrubbing sleep from his eyes, and sighed when he saw the ghost in the kitchen.
"Yeah, I'll be back. You two sort out whatever… tension you got going on." He turned around and walked back out, and Lloyd squawked indignantly.
"We do not have tension! Are you telling me you want him to go meet up with Bansha?" He yelled after Cole.
"That's a big no!" Cole called back. "You're not going anywhere, bud!" Morro sighed.
When Aura woke up, the room was already empty. She felt slightly less on edge than she had the previous day, and took a second to examine her surroundings. From the look of it, Nya had already made her bed and left.
Aura clambered into a borrowed outfit and attacked her head with a comb, aggressively brushing dry strands of hair until she no longer resembled a zombie. She deftly braided it, feeling a little lighter than usual. Wow, this haircut really was a good idea. I definitely look more awake, even though I haven't taken a shower yet.
Hesitantly, she snuck down the hallway, hoping with all her heart she wouldn't run into Morro again. It had been terrifying when she had accidentally seen him the other day, and although she had successfully avoided him since, she didn't want to take any chances.
He seems different, she pondered, not for the first time since their last encounter. His eyes were green, not red, and missing that deadly rage. Aura drew her arms around herself, pushing away the old memories and trying to be on her guard. Even though he says he's working with the ninja, I know better than to let my defenses down. It still feels like yesterday that he threw me into a wall and slammed that cell door for the last time.
She stepped into the kitchen, where it looked as though she was interrupting a team meeting. Aura felt a flicker of movement out of the corner of her eye and saw a dark green gaze shift away quickly.
Great. Morro's here too. She exhaled sharply. I was hoping to avoid him completely for a few more days, at least.
Despite them being highly trained, she went unnoticed by the rest of the room this time as she drank some water, not daring to make eye contact with anyone. It had only been days since she had returned to the world, but the most important question was still echoing in her mind, albeit less frequently than before. When would she get home? Would she get home?
Something about worlds being thin had been mentioned, but she was still having a hard time trying to make sense of Ninjago as a separate universe. Aura knew that the ninja had to deal with whatever ghost problem Morro was talking about before anything else, but she could feel herself growing restless every second she spent in a world that had torn her from her home and then tossed her away.
She had been overwhelmed with relief and joy when she had been rescued, and had been able to put the events of her kidnapping out of her mind's reach. But realistically, she knew she couldn't ignore what had happened forever.
Aura eventually began to realize the conversation was getting more tense. She shook her head distractedly and tried to make sense of the overlapping voices.
This must be really important if they haven't noticed me yet, she thought, unconsciously edging further away from Morro and towards Lloyd. She smiled grimly when she noticed that Jay, Kai, Cole, Zane, and Nya had all put themselves between Lloyd and Morro. Even they still see him as a danger.
"You want to do what?" The near-shout was oddly high-pitched, so it was likely Jay.
"Look, it's still raining outside, and if I don't find Bansha she'll probably come looking for me. None of us want that, so I don't think there's a choice." That was Morro, Aura thought, staring at the floor. She would know; she had spent enough hours huddled in a corner terrified what new horrors would accompany that voice.
However, again, she noticed the differences. He sounded scared instead of angry, his composure masking anxiety instead of hatred. Anger had been his most defining trait, and without it he almost seemed like another person entirely.
Listen to the conversation, Aura reminded herself. I can think about him later. Hopefully, in a room as far away from him as possible.
"What are you saying?" Kai's tone was controlled to a sharp point that sent a chill down her spine.
"One of you will have to come with me," Morro sounded decisive, but one glance towards him showed her that he was clearly bracing for a standoff.
She repeated his words in her head. Come with me. Her blood ran cold. He couldn't possibly mean…
"That is highly dangerous." Zane spoke up this time. "Then again, if one of us must volunteer, I am the most logical choice." His words were clipped, nervous.
"What the heck, Zane?" Cole slammed his hand down on the table. "No way! Just because you're a Nindroid doesn't mean you're invincible!"
"I can do it." Nya's tone was almost bored, but she had to have been just as terrified as the rest of them. "I'm the master of water." She matched Morro's gaze confidently. "If anything goes wrong, I can handle it."
"Absolutely not!" Kai was panicked and urgent, moving in front of his sister. He shoved a finger in Morro's face, his hand shaking. "You're not touching her, you hear me?" Morro backed away slowly, glancing at the window behind him, his hands hovering cautiously in the air.
"Kai, don't be overprotective. Morro's helped us before," Jay said, trying to take Nya's side.
"I'm not being overprotective! Working together once is one thing, but letting him possess you voluntarily for some recon mission is madness! You do know what he did to the girl, right? The one who's living with us?" He motioned towards Aura, who set her glass of water down on the counter before she dropped it.
Awesome. They noticed me, Aura groaned, still staring at the floor to avoid making eye contact with Morro. She still saw him flinch and look away. No way, she wondered. He can't actually regret what he did to me, can he?
"Hey. Everyone." Lloyd was calm, resigned. The rest of the team turned their glares upon him, and Aura knew there was absolutely no way they would let him go into Morro's clutches alone.
Lloyd will try anyway, she realized. He'll figure out a way to convince them eventually. She knew from the stories she had heard that Lloyd would sacrifice himself easily if it meant saving his family.
We don't have time for this. If they wait too long, Bansha will find us first, and then I'll be in danger too. As she saw it, there was only one way to stop the argument and avert possible disaster. Aura looked down at herself. She had grabbed a nondescript t-shirt and black hoodie from Nya's closet, and there was a mask tucked into a pocket that could hide her face.
I'm not seriously thinking of volunteering for this, am I? It would be madness. It would mean I have no self-preservation instinct whatsoever. But…
She tried to dissuade herself, but the idea remained in her mind as the bickering continued next to her.
This is my fight too, isn't it? They saved me. Not only is this the only way I can go home, but I can't let them put themselves in danger when they're so much more valuable than I am. Maybe if I prove myself, I can join the fight and get home sooner.
"I'll do it," she announced before she could convince herself otherwise. Her mind continued ticking away, and Aura mentally screamed at herself. Do you want to die? Would you really stake your life on whether Morro has changed? He could be biding his time, hiding his true goals.
Lost in her thoughts, she didn't notice six ninja and one ghost staring at her, absolutely shell-shocked.
"What." Lloyd said flatly, at a loss for words. "What?" Six more voices echoed the same sentiment.
"I said I'll do it." She tried to stand up straighter, pulling her hands out of her hoodie. "I'm the least conspicuous." And the most expendable, she didn't add. But they seemed to understand her unspoken words. Kai's expression held a new admiration and a glint of caution, while the rest shook their heads back and forth with wide eyes. Nya walked forwards and put her hands on Aura's shoulders.
"Look, this is a really bad idea. It's gonna dredge up old memories and you'll end up even more traumatized."
"Didn't you say that facing and accepting what happened to me is the only way to get over it?" Aura replied, ignoring the chorus of voices in her head going no, no, no, listen to her!
"I didn't mean this!" Nya exclaimed.
Aura shut her eyes tight and opened them again. This is the only way, she reminded herself. I have to help them so I can go home, or they'll keep fighting until we get attacked.
The rain had not ceased.
"Ok." She crossed her arms and adjusted her stance, feigning confidence. "I'm doing it." Zane began to say something, and then thought better of it. Kai, Cole, Jay, and Nya realized that her mind was made up.
Evidently, Lloyd had not, as he stepped forward.
"I don't want you to get hurt," he said.
"I don't want to get hurt either," Aura answered, trying to keep too much fear from leaking into her voice. "But someone has to go if you guys want to know what Bansha's up to, and you're all too valuable."
"You're valuable too," he repeated stubbornly, looking around for support. Lloyd's teammates wouldn't meet his eyes, not willing to sacrifice their family for a near-stranger. "Come on, guys, really?"
"I believe she has made her decision, Lloyd," Zane said apologetically. "I do not think Morro would harm her." He leveled a blue stare at Morro, the veiled threat clear. The ghost heaved a sigh again.
"I swear on whatever's left of me, I won't." He still didn't look at Aura, but his words were clear enough. Kai rolled his eyes.
"Fine," Lloyd conceded. Finally, Aura thought, both relief and abject terror spiking in her mind. "Okay." Jay covered his eyes with his hands.
"I can't watch this." Nya put a hand on his shoulder and pulled him out of the room. Zane, Cole and Kai followed, leaving Aura alone with Lloyd and Morro.
Lloyd ushered her to the other side of the room, away from the ghost.
"There's a mask in your pocket with a tracker in it," he explained to her, worry showing on his face. "We'll be able to see where you are." Aura nodded blankly. She began trembling once she realized what she had agreed to.
Lloyd pulled a knife out of his belt and she backed away, but he flipped it around, handing it to her hilt first.
"This is Deepstone," he warned. "Lethal to ghosts if you hit them right. If anything goes wrong, summon as much willpower as you can to break free from his hold. Either use this, or let the rain do it for you."
"Okay." Aura gulped and accepted the knife.
"You can still back out. We'll understand," Lloyd pleaded one last time.
Aura shook her head, not wanting her words to betray her. Lloyd held her gaze once more and nodded, retreating to the doorway.
The remaining two figures stared at each other. One short, one much taller. One human and the other decidedly not.
Morro held out a hand and she flinched instinctively. He lowered his gaze, as if steeling himself.
What does he need to prepare for? I'm the one facing my doom.
"I won't hurt you," he whispered earnestly as if talking to a scared animal, so sincere and achingly different that Aura almost believed him.
You've hurt me enough that I know you're lying.
"I don't know why you're doing this," he continued, "but you have no obligations towards any of them. The ninja, that is." He paused. "Do you still want to do this?"
Of course not.
Why would I?
What other choice do I have?
"Yes." Her voice came out thin and crackly. Don't cry, you idiot. Nothing good will happen if you do.
"I'm going to come closer, okay?" His words were even softer than earlier, and Aura's head spun.
Why is he acting like this? She thought frantically. What's he trying to do? Aura tried not to move, but couldn't help backing away as Morro approached her, a hand still extended. Her back hit the wall and she closed her eyes. Not wanting to delay it any longer, Aura nodded jerkily, inviting him to continue.
After several infinite seconds, she opened her eyes again to find herself alone.
"Morro?" she said aloud, her voice wobbling. "Where are you?" There was no insistent, forceful presence invading her. Did he leave?
I'm here, a voice in her head murmured, and she yelped, her blood turning to ice.
Not again, she thought. Aura moved away from the wall and braced herself, expecting to be shoved to the back of her mind, but nothing happened.
You're right that we have to leave, Morro said without actually speaking. But don't try to rush yourself. She was confused once again, but didn't respond.
If you're trying to toy with me, I'm not playing your game. She was shivering, lost in her fear.
There was a tug on her hand, pulling it towards the window, and Aura was suddenly back in the past. She braced for her nerves to be set on fire, pain to flood her limbs for trying to resist.
Nothing happened.
I'm sorry, Morro whispered. I'm not going to hurt you, I promise. We have to leave through the window. It's the only way to get down the Mountains of Impossible Height. There's not enough time to take the stairs. I can control the wind to land us safely, and there's a bike at the bottom of the mountain we can take into the city.
Aura didn't respond, still shocked at the absence of pain and rage, at the soft whispers filling her mind instead. Lloyd, she redirected her thoughts. Nya. I'm doing this so they don't have to.
Okay, she thought back hesitantly. She didn't want to push Morro's patience any longer, and opened the window, stepping onto the ledge. The air was cold and bitter, rain still falling from the sky. He still hasn't hurt me, or yelled at me. She closed her eyes again.
Jump, she told Morro, hoping he was listening. I won't be able to.
Are you sure? There he went again, offering her choices.
"Yes," Aura said aloud, gritting her teeth, the rain erasing any nervous tears from her face. "Please, get it over with." Her feet leapt from the windowsill, and against her better judgement, she let them.
Then they were falling.
She was too startled to scream, wind whipping through her hair as gravity gripped her and relentlessly tugged her downwards. I'm going to die. I'm going to hit the ground and it'll all be over. Strangely enough, the thought almost felt less frightening than spending another second with Morro.
Aura didn't hit the ground. Halfway down the cliffside, the winds slowed around her, funneling her safely onto the wet grass.
You didn't let me fall.
Of course I wouldn't let you fall, Morro said. In his voice, she heard sadness, regret, and anger, although for once, she didn't think it was directed towards her.
I have the rain, she realized. If anything happens, it'll work in my favor. God, I hope he doesn't hear this. Though he had been true to his words so far, Aura still feared Morro's reaction to any kind of resistance or thoughts of escape.
He stayed silent, and they set off towards the city, both apprehensive about what they would find.
A/N: Fun fact, this entire story was inspired by a dream I had. I dreamt one particular scene from this chapter, and then ended up spending literal years fleshing out how it could have come about and continuing the story. To whoever's still reading this, thank you so much, I'm sorry, and I swear the next update will be faster.