Can you believe we're at chapter 50 already

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"So Reena put you up to it." Lila mused, rubbing her chin as she sat cross-legged on the floor outside Mira's cell.

"Yeah." The illusionist nodded. "She approached me on our way to Bansha's castle, and reminded me of a debt I owed her. I had to obey. She had me make the ghosts look like they were immune to water, then get Kai to take the Realm Crystal. The whole thing was a setup. If not for Indigo, she might have pulled it off."

"Stupid, bratty little ghost." Charlie muttered from the next cell. "She ruins everything."

"I agree, she has foiled a lot of evil plots lately." Nico nodded next to Lila. "It's almost as if some higher force is having her play a more important role in preparation for something greater." The three girls stared at him for a few moments.

"Nah." Mira dismissed it after a few moments. "It's probably just dumb luck."

"That's more likely." Nico agreed.

"Well… I believe you, Mira, but…" Lila shook her head. "I don't think the others will. Especially Lloyd B and Indigo."

"That's understandable." Mira shrugged. "I'll make it up to them somehow. I imagine Lloyd's pretty pissed that I tried to murder our newest ally."

"More than that. He seems like he really likes Morro A." Nico commented. "Lloyd is one weird kid."

"Yeah. He's a nice guy. Too nice. I'm not sure how he can keep up being nice to everyone for so long." Lila shrugged. "I know I'd've cracked by now."

"Yeah." Mira nodded, and the three were silent for a moment.

"Well, the others are leaving for the Cursed Realm soon. We've gotta go up and join them." Nico broke the silence, standing up. "Have fun with your roommate."

"I'll do that." Mira watched as they left the dungeon, leaning back against the back wall of her cell and pillowing her head on her arms. Good luck, ninja. In the Cursed Realm, they were going to need it.

TheDarknessReturn

"I don't wanna go to the Cursed Realm." Morro mumbled, hiding under his blanket.

"I know you don't." Came Lloyd's reply. "But we need your help."

"No. No you don't." The former king peeked out from under the blanket to glare at him. "You have all the others going with you, why would you need me? I'm just a wind master, not something useful like water."

"You're wind, yes. Which actually affects ghosts, unlike things like fire." Morro smirked.

"Kai almost beat me in the tomb with fire."

"Well, yes, but… not directly. He tricked you." Lloyd sighed. "Just… please come."

"Not until you admit you don't want me for my contribution to the team.

"What- what do you-"

"I know the ninja can do perfectly well without me. You don't want me to help, you know as well as I do that they don't trust me anyway. Why are you trying to get me to come?" Lloyd hesitated, then sighed.

"Alright, fine, I… I wanted to keep an eye on you." Morro bristled.

"You don't trust me?"

"No, no, of course I trust you! I didn't mean it like that!" The blond put up his hands to calm him. "I meant… the last time I left you alone and unguarded, Mira tried to murder you. The time before, Charlie attacked you. The time before that, my Morro beat you. I want to keep you safe."

"By bringing me to the Cursed Realm?"

"Better than someone killing you while we're gone! If you come with us, you'll be with a large group, but if someone kills you, you'll appear somewhere, alone. The Preeminent will track you down, and you'll be captured, and it could be forever before we can get you back. With us, you'll be safer." Morro hesitated.

"But… Harry and Nico are staying. Couldn't I stay with them?"

"Can we really trust them?" Lloyd asked in a low voice. "After Mira?" The ghost hesitated again, then sighed.

"I… I guess you're right. I'll come."

"Thank you." Lloyd smiled, but his expression faltered as Morro stared dejectedly at the bed. "Look, I just want what's best for you. I don't want to leave you here, it's not safe. I won't be able to go knowing you're here unprotected."

"Then stay." Morro pleaded. "Stay with me." Lloyd smiled a bit, shaking his head.

"They need me." The former king sighed. He was right about that, at least.

"Okay. When do we leave?"

"Very soon. Come on." Lloyd beckoned him out of bed, and the ghost sat up, hugging his arms to his chest as he stood.

"How are they gonna react to me?" The wind master asked softly as Lloyd took his arm and lead him towards the door. "Most of them still see me as an enemy."

"It'll be fine." The blond promised, leading him out into the hall. "They won't do anything to you."

"That's not what I'm afraid of." The ghost mumbled, but Lloyd didn't have a chance to respond as they entered the meeting room. Immediately, all eyes were on him, and he stared at the floor, stepping behind Lloyd as heat rose in his cheeks.

"Why is he here?" Jay B demanded.

"He's coming with us." Lloyd replied coolly.

"What?" Cole A exclaimed. "No way!"

"Yes way." The blond folded his arms, unfazed. "I need to be able to keep an eye on him. If we leave him here, there could be more attempts to kill him."

"And why is that a bad thing?" The blue ninja folded his arms.

"Because, Jay, if he is evil, killing him will send him back to the Cursed Realm and free him. And if he's not evil, it's not fair to leave him vulnerable." Lloyd snapped. "Use your brain." Jay made a sound like a strangled turkey.

"Did you just- did he just tell me to-"

"At least chain him, then." Cole interrupted. "If you think I'm going anywhere with him running around free…" Morro hunched his shoulders, covering his face with his hands as he tried to make himself less visible.

"Then you can stay." Lloyd said firmly. "Because if we're attacked, he needs to be able to defend himself. And before you spout some nonsense about how he's secretly plotting to kill us all, Bansha went to all the trouble to have Reena send Mira to kill him. That was in no way a faked attempted murder. He's on our side." Cole groaned, but fell silent. "Anyone else?" Silence. "Good." Morro heard soft footsteps, then a hand touched his arm, and he peeked out from behind his hands to see Nicole looking up at him in concern.

"Are you okay?" She whispered. He nodded, rubbing his eyes.

"I'm fine." He mumbled. She pulled her hand away, smiling a bit.

"Alright, now that that's straightened out…" Kai B spoke up, holding up the Realm Crystal. "Let's get this show on the road." The others backed away as Kai held out the Crystal, creating a large, swirling portal in the middle of the rom. Morro backed away a bit further as the others began to file through. He really, really didn't want to go back to the Cursed Realm. He didn't have a choice, however, as Lloyd grabbed him by the arm and lead him towards it.

"You'll be fine." The blond assured him one more time. The ghost swallowed, then nodded nervously. Together, the two jumped through the portal and into the Cursed Realm.

Warning: The next chapter contains pain

just a head's up

:)

~FFF