Hey guys hope y'all had a Merry Christmas! I'm back again with a new chapter. I'm so sorry I took so long to update, I just got caught up in with a ton of school stuff I had to do before my holiday break.

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Itsyogreengirl : You'll receive answers sooner than you think ;)

Fallingtoast: Yeah, Lloyd and Morro might need to be ready for what's about to happen that's really all I can say.

Flame009 : Thank you! I hope you enjoy where this story goes.

Guest : Thank you, me too honestly I'm going through all of the ideas I have for this story and I hope you enjoy the ones I go with.

Rtheauthor: Thanks and welcome, :). I promise I'll try and also any helpful criticism you have please share, I promise I'll listen.

Phetiamwantip : Thank you! And yeah maybe, first though Lloyd and Morro have to learn they shouldn't be so mean to each other ;P

Warning! This chapter features, talks of death, starvation, and child abuse

Chapter 12

Koso ran steadily for about thirty miles all the way through the thick forestation surrounding the meadow and he was now in the process of making his way over the considerably smaller hills that resided beside the gargantitiun mountain range he originally entered from with that little blond brat on his back. It was as he was running at near inhuman speed, Koso noticed the sun sinking beneath the valley's horizon. As the moon rose, he came to the conclusion that it would be best for him to stop and make camp, since he was certain running blindly at his outrageous speed in the dark would almost certainly lead to him getting lost, or should his heightened senses fail him, an accidental injury (though it would not matter much if he did since, his skin was never easily pierced due to its sheer thickness that was a result of his dragon infused dna).

'Besides' Koso thought to himself as he slowed his running to a dead halt 'Now would most likely be a good time to address her' The black haired male let out a very audible sigh, " Alright, C'mon on out, I know you're there,...Greta" He said as he turned around to be met with the sight of the woman whose livelihood he had all but destroyed just a little while ago.

The old woman was dressed in simple brown cloak. Her eyes had bags under them that were undoubtedly a result of more than just her old age. She remained silent as Koso narrowed his reptilian eyes at her, before his stony expression broke into a fake charismatic grin.

"I'm actually quite surprised you managed to keep up with me."

Greta inhaled a deep breath before she replied. "Well, though it could never compare to yours my knowledge of sorcery has not been completely forgotten."

Koso stared at the old woman in surprise, he had expected a little more hostility to be present in her calm expression considering he had nearly killed her just weeks ago. Still even in the of his confusion Koso managed to speak. " I figured that. As well practiced in it as you were back then, I'd imagine it would be very hard for you to simply forget all that knowledge."

A moment of silence once again the pair, before Greta gathered her courage to say, " Koso,...As much as you might expect me to, I hold no grudge against you for what you did to my shop."

Koso scoffed in reply. "You say that as if I care."

Greta ignored him and continued on, " Koso, I ...I can't begin to imagine what you're feeling at the moment and I'm sure I wouldn't want to ,but what you're doing...it..it cannot continue."

Koso frowned flatly at the old woman. "So is that why you used magic to locate and follow me, to try and stop me?"

Hurt flashed in Greta's eyes as she replied. "You know I wish to do no such thing, if that were true, I would have waited until you were far away enough from that cottage and freed those boys."

Koso rolled his eyes. " Please, I knew where you were the second you came within a hundred miles of this place. Now I believe I didn't ask for your opinion on the matter, I asked what course of action you were going to take."

Greta looked to the ground as she sighed. " I truly don't understand why you're doing this. It won't change the past and I doubt it will bring you any peace! Besides, how do you think Tera feel about you're actions?"

The quiet exhale of her own breath was the old woman's only reply before she looked up, to see Koso's eyes filled with utter rage, though his calm expression didn't falter. After a second more of silence, Koso spoke through gritted teeth. " You have no right to speak her name."

Greta didn't realise how hurt those words made her feel until she was already shouting back at the man, "How can you say that?! I was her sister I have every right to say her na-"

"Oh yes the darling sister you turned out to be." Koso spat interrupting the old woman. " After all you took such good care of her daughter,..oh.. wait." He said flatly with biting sarcasm.

Greta inhaled, whilst looking once again at the ground. She was too old for this, this incredibly foolish arguing ,but even still, she found she just couldn't help herself, seeing this man, after so many years brought out so many feelings she had long since buried onto the surface to be exposed fully. They affected her so strongly, that she was thrown into emotional turmoil that clouded her mind and would not allow the most vicious retort she could think of to not pass her lips in a gentle murmur. "Well maybe, if her husband didn't get himself killed, her daughter wouldn't have been so consumed by misery to the point she threw her life away."

Greta gasped as the words left her mouth. When she looked up at the dark haired man once more she expected to see indescribable rage present on his face.

However, little had changed his previous calm expression. He looked so calm it was almost ominous. For what felt like the millionth time neither spoke to each other, as Greta's breathing was the only thing to fill the uncomfortable silence. Koso's eyes took on an aura of eeriness that made the old woman shrink back slightly when the straw hat wearing man crept towards her until they were only a small space apart.

Koso stared down at the old woman as he spoke.

"Yes, you're completely right, I'm very aware that had I still been alive Elizabeth would still be here." He admitted though, his cold tone did little to make the old woman feel any less weary. " However, I don't think it appropriate to blame me for that, after all, it's not as if I stabbed the sword into my chest myself. "

Greta's eyes widened and suddenly she felt her old stomach begin to ache. She had never been told about what truly happened that day Koso had dropped Elizabeth off at her home.

"I...I didn't know that's how it happened."

"Did my dear little brother not tell you all about it, or did you simply not care to ask?"

"Of course I cared and so did Elizabeth! It's just that,... he refused to speak of it. It saddened him greatly just to hear your name."

Koso couldn't stop an eye roll. "Yes, I'm sure he was just devastated after murdering me!"

Greta felt a small lump grow in her old throat as she looked once again at the ground. "Listen, Koso I, I don't want to fight you and I didn't come here to, I was hoping I could reason with you."

Koso sighed in reply. " Of course, I shouldn't be surprised you always were more for diplomacy than battle." The black haired man looked up at the moon hanging benevolently from the starless sky. "However, I'm afraid you're foolish if you believe I'm going to stop my plan now. Honestly I don't even know why you're so concerned, it's not as if I am trying to take over Ninjago, I am just giving those brats what they deserve. It's their birthright."

Greta sighed "Koso,...you've kidnapped two teenage boys, one of them has friends and family that desperately want him back. Besides that, he is the Green Ninja, the protector of Ninjago, without him there to lead his allies, Ninjago could fall into great p-"

"Peril, yes, yes, I'm familiar with that old diatribe." Koso said cutting her off. "A lot of expectations placed on the lad

isn't there? Anyway, forgive me, but I fail to see how him being gone for a little while will really affect Ninjago that much."

Greta narrowed her eyes.

"How long is a little while, Koso?"

The straw hat wearing man shrugged in reply. "I'm not exactly sure, really it depends on him and how long it will take him to summon, my-I mean his elemental power."

"And have you thought of what the ninja will do if they were to find this place?"

"Those fools? Please don't make me laugh Greta, you and I are both aware that I could easily put those brats in their place should they interfere."

Greta looked to the side, her head downcast. " Of course I am aware, that's why I didn't come into contact with them after you destroyed my shop."

Koso raised his chin slightly as he stared the old woman down. "Then is it safe for me to assume that you were not planning on revealing my location to them?"

The tired woman looked back at Koso her brown eyes gleaming. "No, Koso I am not so foolish." Greta paused to inhale, "However, as I stated before I was hoping we could come to a nonviolent solution."

"Pray do tell old friend, what 'solution' were you hoping for?" Koso asked skeptically as he folded his long arms across his broad chest.

"Well, I was thinking perhaps, you could be persuaded to at least agree to release Lloyd Garmadon should a new threat to Ninjago arise."

"...…."

"Koso, there was a time you cared about Ninjago as much as your brother did, is it really so much to ask that you keep the fate of this world in mind as you continue to hold its greatest protector hostage."

"...…perhaps" Koso said quietly.

Forgottenfamily

The atmosphere between the ninja as they flew their dragons out into the night in search of Lloyd was more than a little tense. They had been searching since morning throughout all of Ninjago city. None of them could find it within themselves to speak to each other about the continued failure they were met with everytime they checked a different place for their lost brother.

As Kai flew his dragon alongside his brothers', he decided to put his headphones on and start blasting some random pop song into them. Music had always helped the fire ninja whenever he needed to concentrate.

'Where are you Lloyd? We looked for you everywhere in Ninjago city, even the sewers!'

Kai took a deep breath as the song began to pick up in rhythm. 'Ok Kai, calm down this isn't the first time he's been possibly kidnapped,( not even the second or the third), and he's always come back just fine. Besides you haven't even looked outside of Ninjago city yet, he's got to be somewhere.' The red ninja thought to himself. 'Yeah, we'll find him, just like all the other times!'

ForgottenFamily

The bright red color of the fruit's skin stood out like a sore thumb against the dreariness of that back alley. It contrasted even more against his dirt covered hands.

He didn't think he had ever held something that looked so….beautiful.

'What is this called again. A eipple, no that's not it,..oh well, food is food' He thought to himself. He had to run pretty fast in order to steal this. Thankfully the shop owner that was chasing him wasn't able to keep up with the agile legs of a ten year old. He was a little disappointed he had to drop that bread, but hey, he still had this! It was bright and shiny so it must be ten times more delicious! He felt so excited to take a big bite of the juicy looking fruit he didn't notice that a shadow was lurking beside him.

He only realized there was someone near him when the shiny fruit he had in his grubby hands was suddenly snatched from his tight grasp. The thin boy looked up to see the stranger whose appearance was shrouded behind a large brown cloak, was now holding his prize in a very tight hold.

The boy furrowed his eyebrows as he watched the stranger begin to turn away. Before he could stop himself, he said, "Hey! That's mine!" The person paid him no mind as they started to dart away.

Something inside the boy urged him to run after the thief. He sprinted as fast as he could, until he was able to catch up with the stranger as the two of them ran further and further down the alley. Eventually the boy was able to snatch a handful of the person's cloak and managed to give it a powerful enough tug that they were sent tumbling onto the ground.

Once the stranger was momentarily debilitated, the boy used this as his chance to launch himself onto them as he tried to wrestle the fruit out of their tight grasp.

The two fought with each other with as much viciousness as two stray dogs, both trying their best to push the other onto the ground so they could claim dominance over the small fruit. The young boy was actually surprised out how much he was matching this person's strength who was at least a foot taller than him. It felt like he was fighting another ten year old. It went on like this for a little while longer before finally the stranger managed to land a hit on the boys face that sent him flying backwards. The young gave a small gasp as he fell against the opposite wall of the narrow alley.

When he looked up, he saw that the perpetrator's hood had fallen down and he was a teenage boy a little older than him, he looked like one of the guys that would push him around and steal parts of his food whenever he managed to steal some. The teenager picked up the fruit from the ground not caring that it was slightly dirty now. His hungry eyes bored into his prize like a predator would its prey and then it was as if time itself had slowed for the young boy he had stolen it from as the teenager took a giant juicy bite. It was such a big bite only about half of the fruit remained after he assaulted it. For a moment the teenager looked as if he had just been allowed into heaven as his eyes gleamed over with unbelievable satisfaction.

Meanwhile, the boy on the ground's face twisted into a horrified expression as he watched. Suddenly the bruises he had sustained earlier when the shopkeeper tried throwing stones at him in an effort to slow him down hurt a lot more as did his aching feet that he put through the torture of running over endless loose nails and sharp rocks. His stomach hurt the most though. It ached with the kind of hunger he was all too familiar with.

Then suddenly an anger he had not felt before erupted inside him as a mantra of 'It's not fair' began to be recited inside his head, gaining more and more volume each repeat. The boy's face morphed into an enraged expression as he shot to his feet.

The teenager meanwhile had just begun to take his second bite. He never got to though...because before he could the boy he had defeated just mere moments ago had now launched himself onto the teenager's shoulders and knocked him to the ground on his front. The boy then proceeded to wrap his fingers into the teenager's hair before he began to slam his face into the pavement, hard. The young boy repeated this action over and over and over and over and over again. The teen had tried to struggle ,but for some reason was unable to push him off. The boy didn't care though, all that he cared about was bashing the guy's face into the ground as hard as could. This action repeated for so long the boy began to feel his arms tire. His anger began to recede and he soon stopped. The young boy took deep breaths in order to calm his racing heart beat. Then a familiar flash of red caught his eye.

The boy had been so lost in his rage he had forgotten the source of his anger. The fruit still retained its beautiful red color that made his mouth water despite it's missing section. The boy reached out to grab a hold of the fruit.

Whilst he held it up to his face the boy closed his eyes as he took his own giant bite out of the fruit.

It was amazing, more delicious than anything he had tasted before. It was rich and juicy and wonderful! The boy became so lost in its amazing flavor that, he didn't notice the thief that had tried to steal it from him, was not moving.

He didn't notice that simple fact until he had taken the last bite of the small fruit and he had stood up. The boy was going to just run off now, but something inside him, made him feel uneasy about leaving the teenager here like this. Something just seemed off. After a moment of inner, debate the boy decided to take small step towards the fallen teenager and reach out a hand towards him.

The boy's heart beat once again to pick up as his hand came into contact with the teen's neck. He wasn't quite sure what he was doing, but he thought if he could just see the older boy's face….

As he turned the teenager's face upwards, away from the dirty ground, what he saw made him not feel very well.

The older boy's face was smashed in, with blood running out numerous giant gashes caused by being thrown against the rocky pavement. His eyes were open,but…..they looked….empty. As if….As if…As if…...

'NO! Nonononononononononononononono!' The boy thought in his panicked mind. 'You can't be dead! No please please please please don't be dead!'

The boy couldn't bear to look at the teenager's face anymore and he had to yank his hand away. As he did this though, the sleeve of his worn shirt got caught on the teenager's cloak and as a consequence was pulled away from the dead older boy's body with the young boy's hand.

The sight the boy was met with made the fruit he had consumed earlier rise to his throat, threatening to spill out onto the pavement. The only thing clothing his body was a short dirty cloth tied around his waist. The term skin and bones was an understatement concerning the dead teenager's body, his entire rib cage was visible as was his spine and his legs looked like twigs. As the boy looked upon his pale skin that was dotted everywhere with blue and purple bruises, he found that he couldn't contain the bile rising in his throat.

In a disgusting display, the young boy threw up, more than just the fruit he had consumed, but a whole week's worth of scraps. When he finished after what felt like an eternity he found he couldn't remain there a second longer.

Without a second glance, the boy sprinted away as fast as he could, not caring that tears were beginning to cloud his vision. From that moment on, as much as he would try to push this awful, awful memory to the deep recesses of his mind, he would always be haunted with the knowledge that he murdered someone,...over an apple.

"Morro Wake Up!"

The wind master jolted awake, his body was covered in sweat and felt like he had been just fished out of the ocean. With the phantom memory he had lived through again, forgotten and pushed back down into his subconscious where it belonged, Morro looked around the small bedroom to see where the source of his awakening had come from.

Lloyd was standing in the doorway, looking somewhat….frazzled?

"What's goi-

"We have a problem!"

Ahhh so sorry I have to leave guys on a cliffhanger for now. Thank you guys for reading! Be honest how many of you knew it was Morro who was remembering that alley scene?