This is... a really long chapter
Review replies:
Rwbygirl: Agreed.
Ebony: Reena is my favorite girl.
Entity: Agreed
MNM: I heard from another source that the people in charge say he's never coming back...
warning: very long
Reena strutted across her new bridge, a satisfied smirk on her face as the ninja watched her in shock. She was- she was a ghost, for starters, and, if her crown was any indication, she had taken over ruling Ninjago in Bansha's stead. She looked very confident – a bad sign. Lloyd knew from the moment he saw her that he could no longer trust his senses.
The boy walking next to her – though Lloyd barely recognized him – was Gray, the plant master. He must have created the bridge. His hood was down, revealing a head of pale, blond hair, and he was smiling. He looked happy. Why anyone would be happy to have Reena hanging onto them like a leech was beyond him, so presumably she was tricking him somehow. Manipulating him.
The third figure was Claire, Gray's partner. She looked pretty much like she normally did, which was… bordering on insane. And the last figure was-
"Kai!" Lloyd 2 screamed, and Lloyd 1 recoiled in nearly equal shock as he recognized him. Kai 2 was walking towards them alongside Reena, a cold expression on his pale face. Lloyd shook his head. No. Kai would never join the Preeminent.
"It's not- it's not Kai." He called to the others. "It's an illusion."
"I'm not an illusion." 'Kai' snapped. "You- all of you – shunned and mistrusted me. Because I'm a ghost. Because I died for our cause. All of you…" He trailed off as he met Lloyd's eyes and looked away.
"Kai, what are you talking about?" Morro 1 demanded. "None of us have even considered-"
"Morro, don't bother. It's just an illusion." Indigo interrupted. "It has to be. Kai's…" She turned around to scan the group, and her voice faltered. "Has… anyone seen Kai 2?"
"Not since yesterday night, when he took over for me on watch…" Lloyd trailed off. "Kai, you didn't-"
"Indigo, I was honestly surprised when I saw you siding with them." Kai crossed his arms, his voice cold. "You're a ghost, after all. I thought you'd get it. But I guess it makes sense that you'd side with your boyfriend."
"Kai, you're not making any sense." Lloyd protested. "'Her boyfriend'- Morro's a ghost too! And if this is about me asking if you becoming a ghost made you more sympathetic to the Preeminent, I'm sorry, I didn't mean-"
"No, Lloyd, no," Kai hastened to say, dropping his arms from where they were crossed across his chest. "You're the only one who didn't turn against me. That's why I got the Preeminent to spare you." Lloyd's heart dropped into his stomach.
"You- you joined the Preeminent?"
"Well I wasn't going to stay here, with all of them!" Kai gestured accusingly to the rest of the good guys. "They barely even tried to hide how much they hate me!"
"Kai- if you're not an illusion-" Cole 2 started. "You're being manipulated by Reena, you can't trust her!"
"As if I'd believe anything from you, Cole." Kai snapped. "When you and Jay were the ones who started all this." Cole looked wounded.
"Kai, what are you talking about? You're our brother. We love you."
"Shut up!" Kai yelled, his hands bursting into flames and causing Claire to jump back. "I know what you think of me- all of you! Which is why you deserve this. For betraying me. Because I was your brother, I died for you. But apparently it wasn't enough." His face darkened. "It will never be enough." He stepped back, apparently finished, and Reena smiled, lifting her free hand. Immediately, smoke filled the air, blocking their view of one another, and Lloyd found himself cut off. Alone.
"MORRO! DAD!" He yelled in alarm, head whipping back and forth as he looked for anyone, anything, really, in Reena's smoke. No response.
"You'd do well to sit this one out, green ninja." A voice made him whirl around, and assume a fighting stance as he spotted Reena's form through the smoke. "Kai has ensured your safety after the Preeminent's victory, but your immunity may not last if you keep on trying to resist. Besides, it's too late to stop her now."
"In your dreams." Lloyd snapped, charging towards her. She smirked as he got closer, then vanished, leaving Morro 2 in her place.
"Ahhh! Lloyd?!" The wind master stumbled back, lifting both hands to protect himself. "Don't hurt me! It's me!"
"I'm sorry!" The blond apologized, jerking back. "I thought you were Reena, she-" He was rudely cut off by Morro spinning around and punching him in the face.
"Are you sure I'm not?" The illusionist reappeared, a coy smile on her face as Lloyd pressed a hand to his throbbing cheek. "Or is it just your imagination?" Reena vanished again, leaving Morro, staring at him in bewilderment.
"Lloyd?" He asked in concern, reaching towards him. "Are you okay?"
"No, I'm not." The blond hissed through gritted teeth, backing away from him. He had no idea if Morro was real or not.
"Come on, Lloyd, hit me." Reena taunted, appearing in Morro's place once more. "Come on! Don't be chicken!"
"No." Lloyd growled. "Get away from me."
"Wh- what?" He blinked, and it was Morro again. "'Get away', what- what did I do?"
"Reena, quit it!" Lloyd snapped, spinning around to glare at the smoke. "It's not funny!"
"No, no, this is hilarious." When Reena's voice sounded behind him once again, he whirled around and punched her as hard as he could… only to see Morro go flying a couple feet back and thud to the ground on the wooden bridge.
"Lloyd, wh-what…" Tears filled Morro's eyes, and he stumbled to his feet and fled into the smoke.
"M- oh, Reena, I'm going to kill you!" Lloyd screamed into the obscuring smoke.
He could almost swear he heard it laughing.
TheDarknessReturn
Fighting Claire reminded Indigo of a very complicated, high-stakes game of tag.
The two girls walked in a slow circle around each other, eyes locked on each others' bodies as they waited for the other to strike. They knew what each other could do. It was a race to see who could touch the other first.
"So Claire, I thought you weren't a big fan of doing what the Preeminent says." Indigo said conversationally, trying to distract her. If she could get her attention off her for one second, she could turn invisible and get her before she had a chance to react.
"I'm not. I'm a big fan of lots and lots of money." Claire said with a giggle and a flip of her hair. "Reena-darling has promised me a share of the entire world's wealth. Can you imagine that? All that money..." The human girl got a faraway look in her eye, and Indigo raised an eyebrow. She had her now.
"What would you spend it all on?" She asked, edging a bit closer.
"Well, I'd probably sink some into buying my own little country, if I wasn't just awarded one for my help winning this battle." She frowned, pressing a hand to her chin. "A few dozen peasants, too. My own little country to rule. Build myself a nice little castle, and live out eternity there." Her frown turned into a smile, and she let out a dreamy sigh. Indigo took her chance. Turning invisible, Indigo charged at her, jumping at her to tackle her to the ground. As long as she didn't move…
"Oh come on, I'm crazy, but I'm not stupid." Claire sidestepped her attack and Indigo thudded to the ground with a yelp. How did she-?! "The smoke moves when you do, dummy." Claire poked her with her foot, and her heart sank. Stupid smoke. Rolling over, Indigo dropped invisibility and raised her hands in the air.
"Alright, you win." Claire tilted her head.
"What, are you- are you surrendering?"
"Why not?" The ghost girl shrugged. "I can't beat you. Not since you touched me. I know what your powers are." The jinx master huffed,
"You're no fun." But unhooked a pair of vengestone cuffs from her belt and knelt down next to her, reaching them towards Indigo's wrists.
It was then that a foot slammed into Claire's head and knocked her out cold.
"Sorry about your luck." Morro 1 quipped as he walked out of the smoke. Indigo snickered, trying to get to her feet, but stumbled and crashed back down on the bridge.
"Ow. Oops. Stupid jinx." She muttered. Chuckling, Morro made his way over to her, helping her to her feet before kneeling down and chaining Claire with her own cuffs. Instead of getting back up, however, Morro just turned to face his girlfriend, still down on one knee.
"Indigo, I have something I need to ask you." Indigo stared blankly at him as he reached into his pocket and pulled out a plain, copper-colored ring.
"Are we- doing this- now?" She asked haltingly, her eyes wide with shock.
"I'm afraid we might not get the chance later." Morro gestured to the smoke – the chaos – around them, and Indigo understood. "Indigo, would you make me the happiest ghost in all of the Sixteen Realms, and do me the honor of becoming my wife?" Indigo pressed her hands over her face, unable to hide a grin.
"You dork, you don't even have to ask." She ran and tackle-hugged him, almost missing and forcing him to catch her. Stupid jinx. "But since you did, and so nicely at that, what can I say except yes?" Morro laughed out loud, almost sounding relieved as he hugged her tight to his chest and kissed her hair.
"Give me your hand." He instructed, and she held up her left hand, watching as he slid the copper band onto her ring finger. It was a perfect fit. How did he manage that? She quickly forgot to ask, however, as he pulled her close and kissed her.
"I love you, Indigo." He murmured after a moment, pulling away. Indigo grabbed him by the front of his shirt, pulling him closer so she could kiss him back.
"I love you too, Morro."
TheDarknessReturn
"I'm not being manipulated. You're the manipulator." Kai A growled, his hands glowing with the flames he held as Nicole slowly removed her earring.
"I can't make you see things, Kai, and you know Reena can." She replied as she carefully lowered the vengestone jewelry into her pocket. "You know how Reena works, and you have to believe me when I say she's working very hard to turn you against your friends."
"I don't 'have' to believe anything you say!" The fire master snapped, hurling a fireball at her. Nicole scrambled to dodge it.
"Kai," She reached out towards him, pressing him to believe her. To be more receptive to what she was trying to tell him. "We are not your enemies. Reena is."
"You're in my head!" The ghost boy shouted. "I know you are! Stop it!"
"We are not your enemies, Kai. I am not your enemy." Nicole pushed harder, but he didn't budge.
"You have always been my enemy! I don't know why Lloyd ever let you into the base, but you've been nothing but trouble!" Kai launched another fireball at her, and this one singed her hair as it flew past. She needed to pick this up.
"Alright, if you won't listen…" Nicole lifted her other hand towards him. "…sleep."
"Huh?" Kai tensed up more. "What are you…"
"Sleep." She ordered, and he stumbled back as the force of her powers hit him.
"Stop it!" He yelled as his body began to sag from exhaustion. "GET OUT OF MY HEAD!"
"Sorry, Kai, but you're not yourself." Nicole shook her head. "Sleep." She snapped her fingers, and Kai was out like a light, crumpling to the ground as the fire in his hands went out. Nicole sighed, taking her earring from her pocket and re-fastening it in her ear.
"Is it bad that I kinda enjoyed that?" She asked Kai's motionless body. No answer. "I thought as much."
TheDarknessReturn
"Why are you doing this?" Morro A demanded, vaulting over a vine that was snaking towards his foot and landing on one of the bridge's support posts. "I know you don't like us, but why work for Reena and the Preeminent?"
"I don't know who this 'Reena' is," Gray replied, sounding unfazed as he sent tendrils of strangleweed shooting up between the boards of the bridge. "But Emma and I are finally reunited, and I am not losing her again."
"Emma…? Your girlfriend? The one who was killed?" Morro jumped off the post, hovering in midair on a gust of wind.
"She's a ghost. She found me." The platinum-blond shot an admiring glance in the direction of the others' fight. "I'm never letting go of her again."
"That… that girl you crossed the bridge with… that's Emma?" The wind master asked with a frown, shoving a vine away as it tried to wrap around his ankle. Gray's face brightened.
"Yes, that's her."
"Gray… that's Reena. She's using you." Gray was a pawn. Just like he had been. Had Reena been manipulating him in the same way, he wondered?
"What? You lie." The plant master's face darkened again, and the vine shot back up with renewed vigor, grabbing Morro's ankle and jerking him down towards the bridge. "Reena… that's the name of the girl who used to work for you. Dark hair, haunting eyes – not my Emma." The strangleweed began to coil up Morro's legs as he was dragged down further, and he shuddered, trying to yank free, but having no luck against the strong vines.
"Gray, Reena is an illusionist- an elemental master. She made herself look like Emma so she could use you, use your power for her gain." Morro tried again to explain. "Ask her something only Emma would know. I promise you, she'll get it wrong." Gray hesitated, and the vines stopped pulling him down. "She's using Emma, Gray." Morro added. For a long time, his attacker was silent, before finally yelling into the smoke,
"Emma!" After a few seconds, Reena emerged from the shifting smoke.
"Yes, darling?" She fluttered her eyelashes at him, but his face only hardened.
"Emma, what is your favorite flower?" He asked quietly. She blinked, looking stunned, before her eyes alit on the rose growing I his hand.
"…roses, of course." She tried.
"Wrong!" Gray crushed the flower in his hand, and strangleweed sprung up from the ocean around her, wrapping her into a cocoon and making her yelp in shock. "Emma doesn't have a favorite flower. She loved every flower equally." His face was cold, and all traces of the happy man he had been just minutes before was gone.
"She was not a flirt, she'd never call me 'darling'. She never hung off of me. I was so blinded by the thought that Emma might- might – be alive, that I let myself be tricked. You…" His voice lowered to a growl. "You used me. Used Emma." Gray clenched his fist tighter, and the bridge underneath her collapsed, dragged into the sea by the strangleweed and leaving her suspended in midair by a solid mass of the plant. "I'm going to drown you like the rat you are." He ground out as Reena struggled in her restraints, but Morro cried out as she was dragged down towards the water.
"Gray, stop!" He stopped. "She'll just come back. We need to get her in Vengestone and lock her up, so she can't affect the battle anymore." Gray gritted his teeth, but nodded, releasing Morro and turning his full attention to Reena. "Keep her here. I'm going to go get help, okay? But whatever you do, don't let her go. No matter what you see." Eyes narrowed into slits, Gray nodded. Stumbling to his feet, Morro headed off in search of Lloyd. He'd know where to find something vengestone. Once Reena was captive, the greatest thing standing in the way of their victory would be gone.
TheDarknessReturn
"…did was put him to sleep. He's not hurt."
"He'd better not be."
"Oh, come on, 'Dreea. You still don't trust me?"
"Honestly, no."
"Great. Thanks." Kai A stirred at the sound of voices, and blinked his eyes open to see Nicole and Andreea sitting beside him on the hard bridge. They looked down at him when he moved, and he was struck by the hatred in their eyes.
"G-get away from me!" The fire ninja yelped, scrambling to his feet and backing away.
"Kai, get back here." Nicole ordered. "Or I'll knock you out again."
"I'm not afraid of you!" Kai snapped, lighting his hands aflame.
"Don't touch him! We've got Reena." A voice sounded through the smoke, and Kai looked up to see Lloyd B, Morro A, and Gray come into view, dragging a well-wrapped Reena behind them. Gray had turned traitor?!
"Andreea, vengestone?" Lloyd held out a hand towards the diamond master, who unhooked a pair of the black cuffs from her belt of her gi and offered them to him. Nodding his thanks, Lloyd turned and snapped the cuffs onto Reena's wrists.
Immediately, the cloud of smoke vanished, but it wasn't all that disappeared.
Kai's hands went out, and he stumbled back in confusion, falling back onto his knees as the rest of the good guys were revealed nearby, running back to join them. A lot of them were watching him, and they looked… concerned. Not angry, and definitely not hateful.
"Kai!" Cole – his Cole – ran towards him, skidding to a stop a few feet in front of him. "Are you okay? The smoke was so thick I lost you!"
"I-I'm fine," Kai stammered, but his head was spinning. Had he… had it all been a trick? Were they telling the truth?
"Kai, Reena's not influencing you anymore, so do you… believe us?" Cole knelt in front of him, and Kai edged back. He still wasn't sure if this was some sort of trick, he knew what he saw, and…
…and with Reena, that meant nothing.
Kai felt tears well up in his eyes and covered his face with his arm, choking out "I'm sorry," as his brother reached forward and pulled him into a hug. The fire ninja buried his face in his shoulder as Cole squeezed him tight, whispering, "I'm so sorry, I'm sorry…"
"It's okay. It's not your fault, Reena took advantage of you." Cole tried to reassure him, patting his messy hair.
"No, y-you don't get it." Kai protested tearfully. "I told the P-Preeminent everything."
"Everything?"
"Everything. The Preeminent knows all our plans." He let out a sob. "And I'm the one who t-told her." Cole took a deep breath, then let it out.
"This might complicate things a bit."
For the record, Morro's proposal? completely unplanned. they did that entirely on their own. I'm out of the loop at this point.
~FFF