So just a heads up I'll almost certainly not be updating tomorrow (definitely not this, maybe a one shot) since I'll be at an amusement park all day.

Review replies:

ninjachief: Lloyd needs therapy.

KRR: Because I'm always evil.

Kat: Thanks! :D

Ebony: ...yes. True. Also yes, since his body would regenerate, his vision would be fixed. Unfortunately, he doesn't know that.

Windy: The poor kid needs a time out. Have fun on your vacation!

Ninjagirl8: He's always had issues. Kai needs a break from him. They all do.

Amber: Not without compensation.

Chapter 27

Morro didn't struggle as he was lead back to his cell, simply focusing on putting one foot in front of the other. Even though he walked without looking at his feet all the time, it was suddenly ten times harder with his sight gone. He felt like he was about to trip, or crash into something. Which, of course, was unrealistic, since there was nothing to try over in his double's immaculate dungeon hallways, and the guards escorting him wouldn't deliberately crash in the wall.

Still, he couldn't shake the feeling, and he stumbled a couple times over his own feet, which fortunately didn't matter much since the guards holding his arms caught him when he did. Finally, he heard a door unlock, then he was shoved forward, landing on his hands and knees on the stone floor. The door was closed and locked, but he stayed there for a few minutes, not moving, as he tried to calm his nerves.

He was blind.

Finally, he crawled over to the wall, reaching out to touch it so he didn't crash into it before curling up in a corner. What was going to happen to him? The evil him was right, he couldn't escape blind like this, much less make it back to Stiix or even out of the city. Would he double continue torturing him like he did last time? Or did he have other plans for him? Even if he didn't, and just left him down here to rot, he might never see his friends again.

He might not see them again either way.

He would never see anything again, now that he thought about it The full weight of what had happened to him crashed down on him, and he felt a lump growing in his throat. He was scared, sad, and angry. He would never see daylight again. Never see his world again. Never see his friends again. He let out a soft sob, covering his face with his hands. He might be trapped here forever. And he was immortal, hundreds of years could pass and death would not free him from this cell.

He had to trust in the others. Trust in God. He wouldn't be stuck here forever. Even his sight could possibly be restored. Letting out a shaky breath, Morro rubbed his sleeve across his face. He needed to calm down. Panicking and crying wouldn't help anything.

He concentrated instead on counting the guards' steps as they paced back and forth outside his cell. That helped him calm down, and he lifted his head, trying to think. Would the others come for him? It would be harder for them to rescue him this time, since he was blind.

But would they even try? Or would they just stay in the base? Wait… the base was destroyed. Which reminded them… how many of them were still alive? Bansha and Indigo were undoubtedly dead, in the Cursed Realm somewhere. Thought, which Cursed Realm, he didn't know. Would they be able to make it back? What about the others? They had two water masters, maybe they had managed to save them.

With a tired sigh, Morro leaned back against the wall, closing his sightless eyes. Maybe, if he waited long enough, his eyes would just heal.

Maybe.

TheDarknessReturn

Garmadon winced at the sound of his son's angry screams, followed by a door slamming shut. A few moments later, Cole and Jay reentered the room, followed by a depressed-looking Kai who was pressing a hand to the ugly bruise on his forehead. Nya 1 frowned when she saw it, clicking her tongue.

"Come and sit down, I'll get your some ice." She lead him over to a chair, then left to get the ice. There was silence for a few moments, then Garmadon heard Jay 1 say,

"He doesn't really hate you."

"I hope not." Kai mumbled.

"Lloyd's just upset. I think he's going crazy from the stress." Cole 1 agreed, putting a hand on the brunette's shoulder.

"I know I am." The fire ninja shook his head. Nya came back with a block of ice wrapped in a towel, and Kai pressed it to his forehead, closing his eyes as he leaned his head back.

"I'm going to go talk to him." Garmadon said at last, standing up from his seat on a wooden bench.

"Lloyd?" Jay frowned. "I dunno… he's pretty worked up, you might wanna let him blow off some steam first."

"I'm his father. I'll be fine." The grey-haired man headed down the hall towards the small prison, pausing outside the door to listen. He heard nothing at first, then a faint sob. Frowning, Garmadon pushed the door open to see his son, curled up in the corner of one of the cells as he sobbed into his knees. He had somehow managed to get his cuffed hands around in front of him, and was hugging his knees to his chest as he cried. When he heard the door open, he looked up, his eyes red and face splotchy, before hiding his face in his knees again.

"G-go away…" He whispered.

"No." His father took the keys from their hook on the wall, noting how Lloyd's head shot up at the sound of them clinking together, then fit one into the lock for his son's cell. He almost expected Lloyd to bolt for the door when he pushed it open, but the blond stayed in the corner as he locked it up again and tossed the keys out of the cell. Now they were locked in together. If need be, he could get to the keys by reaching through the bars, but Lloyd couldn't with his hands cuffed. Lloyd cried into his arms for a while, not acknowledging his presence except for a peek up at him from time to time. Finally, he whispered,

"T-tell Kai I'm s-sorry… r-really sorry… I d-don't hate him. I w-was being stupid. I'm sorry…" He let out a sob. "It's o-okay if he d-doesn't w-wanna forgive m-me…"

"Lloyd, you can Kai have best been friends for years. One harsh word won't change that." Garmadon shifted closer. "I'm sure he'll forgive you."

"B-bit I s-said I hate him! A-and hit him!"

"He forgive you when you were a kid, who turned Cole against him and freed the serpentine, didn't he?"

"But-"

"Didn't he?"

"Y-yeah… b-but we w-weren't friends them…" Lloyd sniffled. "I j-just wanna go help them h-help Morro! I j-just wanna s-see him and make s-sure he's o-okay!"

"It's not safe." His father shifted closer again, running a hand through his hair. "You'll be able to see him as soon as they get back."

"B-but if they f-fail? W-what if they d-don't m-make it b-back? W-what if I n-never-" He let out a sob. "n-never see Morro again?!"

"Lloyd, I promise you that they will make it back." The elderly man scooted closer again, putting an arm around his shoulders.

"H-how can you kn-know th-that?"

"How could they fail? Evil Morro doesn't know they're coming, they have two water ninja, and they have Bansha to show them exactly where to go. They have every upper hand. How could they fail?" Lloyd was silent for a few moments, then burst into tears ago.

"I d-don't kn-know! B-but I'm s-scared! I j-just wanna s-see Morro, j-just want him t-to be o-okay!" He sobbed.

"Shh…" Garmadon pulled him into his arms, and Lloyd buried his face in his chest, squeezing his eyes shut as he sobbed. It took a while, but Lloyd finally calmed down enough to speak, his hands reaching up to clutch his father's shoulders.

"I w-wanna get out o-of this c-cage." He stammered. "I h-hate being in a cage. E-everyone p-puts me in a c-cage. Th-the Overlord p-put me in a c-cage, Ch-Chen put me i-in a cage, P-Pythor put me in a c-cage, e-even Morro put m-me in a c-cage…" He started to cry again. "P-please, I w-won't try to r-run away, I s-swear, a-as long as you g-get me out…" His father sighed.

"I'll talk to the others about it. I don't think they trust you not to run away."

"O-oh…"

"You can't exactly blame them. You've run away twice, and tried to do it a third. And hit Kai when he tried to restrain you."

"Y-yeah, I don't blame th-them…" Lloyd sniffled. "I won't… w-won't leave the b-base…"

"I'm not sure I trust you."

"Oka, f-fine! J-just leave me!" The blond let out another sob, pushing him away. "I d-don't c-care!"

"Yes you do. Lloyd, you're overreacting. Calm down."

"I'm n-not overreacting!"

"You are in a cage. You are chained up. But you are not in danger. No one is going to hurt you. Calm down." Lloyd sniffled, then rubbed his sleeve across his face.

"O-okay."

"Good. Come here." Garmadon pulled him up against him again, and Lloyd leaned his head on his father's shoulder. After a moment, he whispered,

"C-can I have the cuffs off at least?"

"I suppose." The grey-haired man reached through the bars to take the keys from the floor, fitting them into the locks on Lloyd's cuffs and taking them off, tossing them on the cell floor. Instantly, Lloyd kicked them away, rubbing his wrists where the cuffs had been.

"Th-thanks…" He leaned back against his father's shoulder, closing his eyes as he wiped the remaining tears off this face. Within a couple minutes, he was asleep. He must've been exhausted. Poor boy. He was too young to have to deal with things like this. Putting his arm around his shoulders again, Garmadon leaned back against the wall. He would wait until someone came and checked on them to leave, then he could ask them about letting Lloyd go free. Perhaps all he needed was some rest.

+Garmy: He also needs therapy. And lots of hugs.

~FFF