I do not own Ninjago, it belongs to Lego and Cartoon Network.


Chapter Thirty-One

"How strange." Dr. Lee mumbled as he stared up at the X-ray photos in confusion, comparing the one before his surgery, after his surgery, and the one they just took for his check up. Glancing at each other, Wu and Misako exchanged worried looks, Lloyd furrowing his eyebrows in confusion as he subconsciously rubbed the sling out of nervousness. Wu cleared his throat, stepping forward.

"Is something wrong, Doctor?" He asks, and Dr. Lee winces.

"You know, I can't really be sure."

"What do you mean?" Misako asks. "Did the pins not take? Did it worsen?"

"No..." He steps aside and points at the middle X-ray. "This is the image we took last before his surgery for the pins. And this one is today's. There is no sign of any fracture and it's... healed. Somehow." They stare at him for quite a minute before Misako and Wu turned to look at Lloyd, who suddenly looked very giddy and gestured to his cast.

"How is this possible?" Wu asks and Dr. Lee shrugs, looking as lost as they felt.

"It could have just been an incident that boosted his dragon blood to healing him faster, but I am not sure." He smiles softly at Lloyd. "But, good news, because of this development, you can get your cast off. But I recommend sleeping with a brace for a couple of weeks just to make sure that the fracture does not break again. I will go get a nurse to come help us, and then we will set up a new therapy plan. I'll be back in a few minutes." After taking down the new images, he sets them on the desk and then leaves, and Lloyd tugs on his mother's sleeve, gesturing to his board.

what do you think happened?

Misako lets out a thoughtful hum. "Like he said, it could have been your dragon blood boosting the healing. Have you done anything different in your meditating?" Lloyd shakes his head, and then stares down at the whiteboard, thinking about the previous night when he and Alyx hugged and he asked her to be his friend again. Had that action healed their bond? Had she healed him without realizing it? If so...

Maybe she could also heal his voice.


Having his cast off felt so freeing, and that meant he was one step closer to returning to training and fighting. It felt weird to say, but he felt as though his power was simmering, as if waiting for him to return to action. And seeing his friends' reactions made it even better. The moment it registered to them that his cast was off, they swarmed him, checking out the still pink surgery scars. As they swarmed them, Morro and Alyx hung back, trying not to let on that Lloyd had secretly confronted both of them and forgave them, but until they were sure that Lloyd was mentally healed, they would not let on that they were on good terms.

"How does it feel?" Lloyd contemplated that question for a second before he managed to sign for the word good. Since he couldn't speak, Zane and his mother had taken to teaching him sign language, and he knew the basics. The others were also learning, and it felt good to communicate with something other than a whiteboard. But, he liked it for longer sentences and conversations in the long run, anyway.

Kai chuckles and pats his shoulder. "It's good to see you healthy again." Lloyd beamed at him, and after a moment, they all headed to the dining room for some much needed lunch. As Zane and Pixal set out the food on the table, Lloyd picked up his whiteboard and begin writing. At that, the room silenced, waiting patiently for whatever he had to say.

After a moment, he held it up, and Wu let out a sigh.

"Lloyd..." Giving a glare, he tapped on it more sternly.

has there been any sign of the oni or my father? what about the other elemental masters?

Misako reached and laid her hand on his arm. "If he believes he is capable enough to handle this information, we must be open to telling him." Wu let out another sigh and nodded. He sipped his tea as he thought carefully about his next words before meeting Lloyd's gaze.

"After the Wailing Alps, we have seen little to no activity of the Oni. Your father has completely vanished, so has the Oni. The scouting that Alyx went to check out was the only sighting we have seen, where she and Morro found the Temple. Ray and Maya," he gestures to them, the two smiling softly at him in reply. "Have been working on a new project that we have deemed Project Legacy. As for the other elemental masters, we have been in close contact with them. They are doing their own scouting while we have focused on making sure you heal, and that the others are getting along. As it is, their teamwork, and powers, have started to come together." The table nods, and Lloyd softens as some tension relieves his shoulders. Erasing his sentence, he writes out another as they serve, Misako setting a plate down for him just as he held up the board once more.

morro is being accepted, i hope.

Pink tinted Morro's cheeks and he shied into himself, poking at his chicken as he averted his gaze. Wu smiled softly and let out a chuckle.

"Eh, for the most part." Kai grumbled. "I still haven't forgiven him for what he has done to you, and us, for that matter, but yeah, I guess he's fine." Lloyd jabbed him in the ribs with his elbow for that, giving him a glare, and Kai rubbed his side.

"Hey, what was that for?" Lloyd gave him an even more intense glare, then quickly wrote something out.

if i can forgive him, so can you.

The table went silent, and Morro and Alyx winced.

"What do you mean, you forgive him?" Cole asks slowly, and Lloyd lets out a sigh through his nose. It takes some time as he writes it out, but once he's done, he holds it up, looking at Morro directly.

because I saw into his mind, just like he was in mind. he was never bad. he was influenced since he was a child, being told he could become something great, and he did, just not in the way he wanted to. i forgive him, and i want to be his friend, and i want all of you to do the same. i know some hurt will never go away, we all will have scars, and some will never go away, but i want a new chapter. we are stronger together.

No one could reply to that, so, satisfied, Lloyd gave Morro a soft smile before they all turned to their food, talking amongst themselves, and Lloyd managed to catch the softest smile and look from Alyx, and his heart flipped and his stomach fluttered.

Oh.


Wu gave them the rest of the day off to celebrate Lloyd's cast removal, and they spent the day with some games, some light sparring between a few of them, and catching him up on their progress they were making with each other. After that, Lloyd was able to finally soak in the big sauna now that he didn't have to wrap his arm anymore, and after saying goodnights, they all headed to bed, happy and more relieved than ever. Some hope had returned.

But, once he knew the others were asleep, he snuck out of his room, quietly crossed the courtyard, and into the girl's side of the monastery. Like muscle memory, he didn't even have to look at the symbols on the doors to know where he was going, immediately making his way to Alyx's room. Knocking just hard enough for her to hear, he waited patiently for her to open the door. He could hear movement, so she must still be awake. Hopefully she would answer this late, though.

A couple of minutes later, the door opened, and once again, his heart fluttered. Now that he looked at her, her hair had grown out a little bit since before the alps, framing her face rather cutely, and the white in the midst of the black was fascinating. She looked sleepy, and he felt a bit bad that he might have woken her up, but upon seeing him, she seemed to wake up. Looking around to make sure no one was around, she stepped aside to let him in. She shut the door before whirling on him, looking at him incredulous.

"Lloyd, if you were caught sneaking over here, both of us could be in some serious trouble. And I don't want a lecture." He frowned at her and slightly pouted, signing that he missed her and she let out a soft sigh, before shaking her head softly.

"Alright... What do you want?" She says, going over to her bed and plopping down, the covers pulled back for bedtime. Misty slept curled up on the foot of the bed, seemingly adjusted to the new move and place. Fidgeting with his hands, he looked down at his wrist and pointed at it before looking at her. "I'm happy you got it off. Think your dragon blood had something to do with it?"

He nods, before pointing at her, then at himself and she furrows her eyebrows curiously. "You think it also had something to do with us?" He nods again. "What do you mean?" Looking around her room, he spotted the cup on her nightstand and walked over, pointing at it then at her.

"Uh..." Frowning, he pointed at the water itself. "Oh, you mean... my healing aspects of my powers. You think you forgiving me made my powers... turn on without realizing it?" He nods excitedly, finally happy she was getting it. Walking up to her, he took her left hand, the same one that had wrapped around his throat, cutting off his air and destroying his voice in the first place, and panic corrupted her face as he gently placed it on his neck, giving her an encouraging look.

"L-Lloyd, what are you-" He pressed his throat into her hand better, looking at her reassuringly. "You... You want me to try to heal your voice? But the doctor already said your vocal chords and everything was fine, it just might take some time for it to return-!" He squeezed her wrist, encouraging her, and while he could feel her trembling, he trusted her. In his heart and his mind, he knew that it wasn't Alyx herself that hurt him, and by doing this, confronting her head on by putting her in the same position the first time meant that he was showing that same trust as before.

"Lloyd, I..." She trailed off as he cupped her cheek, sliding his thumb over the pretty freckles of her cheek, and at his touch, she softened, leaning into it. After a moment, he pulled away from her, adjusting his hands to get ready to sign. After a moment, he did just that and she practically melted.

I trust you.

Then he took her hand again, this time helping her up and then replacing her hand on his throat, offering her a reassuring smile to help. She stared at him for a good few minutes before sighing softly, taking his other hand and squeezing it to ground herself.

"It won't work immediately, but... I will try." With that, he squeezed her hand for confirmation, and then relaxed into her touch. Alyx inhaled shakily as she stared at his throat, the awful images of that day flashing through her brain like flashcards on a board, and she forced herself to relax. Taking a breath, she focused on her abilities, and thought about his sweet voice and his adorable laughs, and how she missed something she hadn't even known.

A cooling sensation cascaded around his throat before seeming to settle through his skin and he could feel it in his throat, like he just swallowed a nice sip of cold water. It seemed to expand into the rest of his body, and he found himself mesmerized by her, how the same hand could be so destructive yet so repairing at once. After a moment, the cooling feeling faded and her hand loosened, and he let go of her wrist to settle on her hand, allowing her to pull away, but he did twine their hands together when she did.

Alyx shook her head, partially in amusement and just absolute disbelief of this man. "You sure are something, Green Ninja." She jokes and he just smiles brightly in return, gently tugging on her hand to pull her toward her bed and she blushes lightly.

"Geez, did you wake up with a new sense of boldness?" She mutters as he lets go of her hand and crawls into her bed, settling by the wall and looking at her expectantly, the covers pulled back for her. "Lloyd... You know if you sleep here, there is a great chance of you being caught, and I don't exactly want either of us getting lectures about this." He just stared at her, then patted the bed more insistently. Well... She always did seem to sleep better with him by her side, and she has missed his presence...

Damn it.

"Fine, but I'm putting all of the blame on you if we get caught, you understand?" He simply grinned at her and settled down in the bed as she turned off the light and crawled in next to him. Misty jumped down from the bed with the disturbance, but was most likely going to get some water and food. Alyx settled and tried to keep a slight space between them but Lloyd had other ideas. As soon as the covers were over, he scooted up to her and practically latched onto her like some sort of leech, allowing her to get comfortable before holding onto her like she was his lifeline. It made her heart burst, and she couldn't help but sink into his embrace, adjusting just enough to where she was comfy. A couple minutes later, Lloyd was asleep, his breathing soft, and Alyx couldn't help but run her fingers through his hair, her nails gently running along his scalp. He let out a soft sigh as he sank into her embrace, and Alyx shut her eyes, knowing they would definitely get in trouble for this later.


When Alyx woke the next morning, she opened her eyes to see snow inching the window's sill outside, and wisps of white-gold hair in her lower eyesight. When she blinked the grogginess away, she met the vision of Lloyd cuddled up to her, the extra blanket that had been at the edge of the bed wrapped around him. His back pressed against her front, and inwardly, she laughed. Of course he would be the little spoon. Being the leader and the most powerful of the group... Sometimes it was nice to just take down that wall and just be himself for a while. Guess Alyx was the same way.

Nuzzling the back of his neck, she breathed in a comforting scent of linen, something akin to a forest smell, and just... Lloyd. This pull to him, and the connection they had with each other, was something she couldn't figure out. To others, their friendship might have seemed forced and rushed, but there was a strange pull that she couldn't figure out and it made her mad, because she always figured things out! But this one just seemed to slip from her grasp.

Not that... she minded, to be honest. She liked having this mystery connection to Lloyd. And she's pretty sure he didn't mind it either.

Pfft, not with the way he was cuddled up to her like so.

She lay awake for a while before Lloyd begin to stir, letting out a soft groan as he woke up, adjusting his head and hand, gripping hers over his stomach gently. She let out a soft giggle, and maybe it was just because she had slept better than she had since she woke up from her coma, but at the moment, she felt light, like she could walk on clouds, and squeezed his hand back, shutting her eyes and pressing her forehead to the top of his spine.

"Good morning, greenie." He let out a soft chuckle and laid his head back against the pillow.

"Mm... g'morning..."

It took them a moment to realize it.

But as soon as they did, they both shot up from their positions, facing each other and staring at each other in shock. He slowly raised his hand to touch his throat, and taking a deep breath and exhaling it, he met her eyes.

"A...Alyx?" Hearing his voice, while still hoarse and slightly raspy, like he was getting over a sore throat, was so relieving, she couldn't help but wrap him in a hug.

"It worked! I cannot believe it worked!" Together, they dissolved into giggles and gentle voice workouts, and tension seemed to seep from his body.

"Oh... I knew you could do it." He smiles at her and for some reason it makes her shy. She ducks her head, playing with the edge of the blanket.

"I... I guess there are aspects of my powers I haven't unlocked yet."

"There is a lot to Elemental powers we have yet to discover." Lloyd says, leaning back against the wall, looking at his hands. "My powers seem to have simmered while I've been recovering, like they're... waiting for me to use them. And when I was asleep... I kept dreaming of the elements, flowing and connecting and... While I was recovering, I was thinking of ideas on how to strengthen all of our powers. Now that my wrist is healed, it will be a short time until I can return to training."

"Doctor Lee will probably want you to gain some more strength before you can even lift a sword." She says and he nods.

"I know. But I know I will be at full strength again soon. I don't know why, but I just... know. Is that weird?" Alyx smiles, shaking her head.

"Not at all. Being in tune with your powers is a great feat. Trusting that intuition saves your life, too." Lloyd nods, then rubs his throat.

"Think the others are gonna flip when they hear me speak again?" She smirks, laying back down and waves at him.

"I bet you ten coin that they all dogpile you." He catches her hand before she can smack him, intertwining their hands together, and laid back down, chuckling to himself.

"Yeah, they probably will, but... I won't mind. I've missed them, and... during my recovery, they've been amazing." He sighs as he shuts his eyes, pressing his forehead to her shoulder as he cuddles up to her again. "I can't wait to fight with them again."

Smiling softly, Alyx took in his peaceful face and relaxed, and maybe was going to take a lesson out of his book.

Focus on the now and not the future.


Snow was about ankle high by the time Alyx emerged from her room, taking in the white blanket over everything. Good thing she decided to put on her uniform. Lloyd decided to make his way back to his room before the others woke, but... looking around, she didn't even see his footprints. Surely they would have showed up, right? Unless he ran across the walls, which is a possibility with his training, but even still...

"Whoa, look at all this snow!" Camille popped up behind her, followed by the other girls. Across the courtyard, the boys emerged, taking in the snow as well. Kai shuddered and wrapped his arms around himself, despite the warmth his gi offered.

"Zane, clear the snow."

"Why? You are the fire elemental, I would only make it an ice rink." Jay let out a gasp, grabbing his arm and shaking him.

"Oh my god, can you!?"

"Good morning, ninja." The groups turned their heads to Wu and Misako as they emerged. Maya, Ray and Pixal followed, and Lloyd came right after, and it felt like a relief to see him in his old ninja gi. At least he got out in time.

"Lloyd! You're in your ninja garb!" Nya pointed out and he waved.

"Morning, guys." He greets, and Alyx purses her lips as the area goes silent, before the boys and girls shout, rushing him. The adults move away quickly as they dogpile him, but Alyx goes to stand by her parents, and her mother and Wu look at her suspiciously, but she says nothing, just shrugs and watches as they hug him.

"What happened? Did your blood heal you?" Kai asks as he pulls away but keeps ahold of his arms.

"Uh, it's... no, it wasn't my blood." He glances over at Alyx, and they look over at her, and she shrugs.

"He's the one who has the powers of persuasion and who can say no to those damn eyes in the first place?"

"Fair enough." Cole murmurs, and everyone nods in agreement. He smacks his shoulder, smiling at him. "It's good to hear you again, Lloyd. This is just one step closer to getting you back to fighting."

"Oh, trust me, I can't wait for that either. I have some... ideas on how we can get better with our elemental powers as a team."


Over the next few days, it's like Lloyd was miraculously getting his strength back. Between good sleep, being able to eat solid meals, and actually working out his body, he was getting stronger every day. He also instilled new training techniques. Every morning after breakfast, they did Sunrise Exercise, but on Lloyd's terms. Then, throughout the day, he had them switch sparring matches, until eventually, they had all fought together or against each other. After the weather cleared and there was to be no more snow in the forecast, he started to make them all use their elements in their own climates. Cole in the mountains, Kai in the largest lava flows in Ninjago, Zane in the deep arctic and Jay in the largest storm climate also in Ninjago. He even had Morro go into the canyons with the second most powerful winds, since the Wailing Alps were out of the question.

He did the same thing for the girls as well. He had Diana travel into the most dense forest. Camille into the richest mining depot that supplied all of the metal supply to Ninjago. Ashe... Well, she had to get as close to the atmosphere as possible, and that was an interesting feat. He even made Alyx train too, once with Kai, and then had her go with Nya to one of the deepest parts of the ocean to harness their elemental powers. He had them do this for a week straight until he himself tested their strength.

He tested the girls first, and quickly showed why he was the Green Ninja. Despite the last few battles, between almost being kidnapped by the Oni to being tossed around by Harumi, he quickly made up for all of that. Alyx and Morro were the only two that hadn't faced him yet, which was slightly unfair but until he said he was ready they would not push to fight him, just in case something happened.

The boys were lasting much longer than the girls had, considering they were the ones who had actually trained him. Lloyd was right when he had felt like his powers had been simmering because he was sharper, more focused, and more in tune with the environment surrounding him.

Alyx was intrigued, and so was Master Wu, who hummed thoughtfully as he watched them fight, stroking his beard while his eyes showed his thinking. "He seems different."

"Well, he just kicked all of our butts without any hesitation! Seriously, like what was all of that training for in the first place?" Camille pouted, and Alyx couldn't help her frown, lifting her gaze back to the fight. What was Lloyd planning?

The ninja had now surrounded him, their hands lit up with their respective powers, as were Lloyd's, but he stood calmly in the middle, awaiting the first move.

Cole attacked first, slamming his fists down in an attempt to destabilize his footing but Lloyd jumped, twirling in the air before landing a hard kick to his chest, sending him flying into one of the Monastery's posts. As he was midair, Zane placed his hands on the ground, freezing the spot where Lloyd would have landed, if he hadn't decided to use one of the training posts as a richocet jump off, and tackled Zane onto the floor. He rolled off of him before jumping away to dodge a lightning bolt and a fireball, landing on top of the roof.

Running along the edge, his hands lit up once more, before he turned into his Spinjitzu tornado, flying off the roof and hitting Jay hard with it, knocking him to the other side of the Monastery. The blue ninja landed with a hard grunt, and dazed, he did not make an attempt to get up again.

Lloyd came to a stop in front of Kai, whose eyes narrowed as he focused on Lloyd's next move. They stared at each other for some time before Kai attacked first, throwing a few punches and kicks, forcing him to dodge before turning on his powers. His hands lit up with fire and he threw a punch, but to their shock, Lloyd caught his fist, then caught his other when Kai used it, squeezing them and extinguishing his flames with his power, before letting go of one hand to land a punch to his stomach, stumbling him back, and then tackled him to the floor. His hand lit up with energy and as he fisted Kai's gi, he raised his hand.

His eyes flashed purple.

Wu slammed the butt of his staff on the ground, and that seemed to knock Lloyd out of whatever... that was. Alyx felt her stomach roll uncomfortably as Lloyd shook his head, almost dazed, and got of Kai, taking off his hood before offering him his hand. It was so brief, that she hoped no one caught it, but the side eyed worried look Morro threw her way told her at least a couple of them had. Hopefully, though, no one would comment on it, just so they didn't make Lloyd anxious.

"I'm sorry, Kai, I don't know what came over me." Lloyd apologized as he helped him up, and Kai simply chuckled, patting his shoulder.

"Ah, don't worry. Fighting like that just a couple weeks after recovery is amazing."

"Yeah," Jay agrees as Nya helps him up. "Go into a coma for a few weeks and you come back like a damn demon on steroids. What is up with you?"

"He's probably got all sorts of energy from being on bedrest. But it's good, that means he's healing and he'll be back to normal soon. And his teachings, surprisingly, are helping our powers. I didn't know there was more to it than what Alyx had showed us." Diana says and Wu smiles as he strokes his beard.

"Full potentials often exceed what we normally think they are, but yes, Diana is right. He has had much time to think about all of this. Very good, Lloyd. I know by the time we are ready to face the Oni and Garmadon once and for all, this team will be a force to be reckoned with." Wu says, and Lloyd blushed, his pretty freckles immediately getting covered by the redness, rubbing his arm bashfully.

"That's what I am hoping for." Kai gently hit his shoulder with his fist before pushing him down and capturing him in a headlock for a noogie.

"Don't worry, Master Lloyd," he teases. "We will be ready. But for now, lunch!" Everyone shouted their agreements, Misako and Pixal shaking their heads as they rushed past them into the dining room. Alyx fell back to walk beside Wu, lowering her voice.

"Master, I apologize for my bluntness, but may we speak after lunch? I have... I have some concerns to voice."

To her surprise, he nods in agreement. "Yes, perhaps we share the same sentiment. After lunch."


Alyx settled comfortably on the mat as Wu poured a gracious amount of tea into a cup. Bowing her head in thanks, she added two sugar cubes before stirring them in, then took the cup and sniffed, smelling a sweet undertone to an otherwise earthy smell, and blew on it gently, letting the cup warm her hands. Wu sat across from her, the incense burning something akin to lavender and vanilla, soothing her anxieties for a moment.

"Tell me what troubles you, young Alyx." Shifting on her knees, she bowed her head.

"You... saw the look that passed on Lloyd's face earlier, right? The... purple hue to his eyes?" Wu lets out a soft and weary sigh, bowing his head as he takes off his hat.

"Yes, I did."

"I'm worried about him... and his Oni side. His power seems stronger in some way, and I'm not sure why." She sighs, staring at the muddled reflection of herself in her tea. "Morro and I... We, well, I wasn't entirely truthful about what we found in the Temple."

"No? What else did you find?"

"Besides the creepy portraits... Underneath Lloyd's was a sarcophagus. On it were magical runes that I have been researching and it seems to be apart of some ancient spell. And then..." She shifts again, thinking about the dread she felt reading that prophecy. "There was an additional inscription on it."

He raises his eyebrow. "An inscription."

"Yes. Of... Of a prophecy, I think. On Kai, Cole, Jay and Zane's portraits also had an inscription, Guardian of the Green Master, and Lloyd's read the Green Master. Not ninja, master. And no one else's had it. Just them for."

"Hmmmm..." Wu hums as he sips his beard thoughtfully. "This is most concerning and interesting. What did the prophecy say?"

Alyx went quiet, hesitating, and he bowed his head as he waited patiently, and so, she took a deep breath, reciting it as she had been for the last few weeks in her head.

"Those who deem,

make it keen,

for when it comes,

hide,

for the Halfblood has been born,

and will bring disaster and pain,

for the Age of the Green Master is upon us."

The smoke of the incense stuttered as the last word left her tongue, and Wu frowns deeply, lowering his gaze to the sticks.

"And why didn't you tell us when you and Morro came home?"

"Lloyd had just woken up a couple days previously and I didn't want to overwhelm him until we knew of his mental state. I apologize, Master Wu. I should have told you before."

"It's alright, young one. But now that he is getting better, we must tell everyone if we want to look into this prophecy more."

"Right..." She sighs, looking down at the warm golden tea, thoughts beginning to swirl in her head once more. What did guardian mean? And... is it really possible to bring the Oni side out of him?


The rest of the day was followed by some light sparring before everyone retired for the night, going to their own devices before eating dinner, then headed off to bed after cleaning up the kitchen and dining room and saying goodnight.

Alyx slept solid, and woke up the next morning a little earlier than normal, and before anyone else. Deciding to get a head start on the day, she rinsed off, got dressed, did her normal stretches and routine before heading out of the hallway to the kitchen to make some coffee. Maybe she'd meditate then analyze the power she had extracted from the Temple more. However, when she exited their side of the monastery, she saw the front gate slightly ajar and frowned to herself. No one else was awake yet, as far as she knew, but maybe it was Wu? Or Zane or Pixal and woken up early, too...

Glancing at the kitchen, wishing for coffee, her curiosity won over her need for caffeine. Quietly, she approached the door and peeked out, looking around carefully before she spotted him. To her surprise, Lloyd was underneath the tree in the grassy part a little ways down, in a meditation form. The morning sun was now peeking over the mountains to illuminate his form, making him almost ethereal looking with the way it made his hair shine gold. Smiling to herself, she ducked back inside and went to go make two mugs instead.

Carrying the two mugs, she slipped by the doors again, and carefully stepped down into the grassy area, approaching him and making sure she made enough noise so he didn't get startled. He turned around, and when he recognized who it was, he visibly relaxed, smiling softly at her.

"Oh, good morning." He greets softly, watching her as she came to stand next to him, offering his mug, a dark green tall one with gold splotches, and she made sure to make it extra sweet, as he had confessed to her that's the only way he liked his coffee, and still had a major sweet tooth. Then she carefully sat down, crossing her legs and taking a slow sip of her own.

"You're up early." She says and he eyes her out of the corner of his eye.

"So are you.

"Mm, I'm always up early."

"I somehow don't believe that."

"Ask the girls. Besides, I sleep in when you sleep with me, so it's proof that I normally get up earlier." He blushed and looked away, taking a sip of his coffee before looking up at the rising sun. It was still cold, but for some reason, it felt good. And she may or may not be using her fire to warm her own body.

"You don't have to lie to me, Lloyd." She says gently. "If you wanna talk about it, I'm here."

They sat in silence for some time, just drinking their coffee and watching the sun rise. Then, Lloyd let out a soft sigh, making Alyx look over at him curiously.

"I... to be honest, I'm not... doing too great. I know it seems like it, but I'm not." She kept silent, waiting for him to continue patiently, but she reached and took his hand in hers, squeezing it gently for encouragement.

"While I was... in my coma, I kept dreaming. Or, at least I think they were dreams, maybe they were even visions, I'm not sure." He lets out another sigh, shifting uncomfortably. "And then, lately, I've been having this... recurring nightmare."

"Nightmare?" She asks softly and to her dismay he pulls his hand away from hers, lowering his head and looking away. "What kind of nightmare?"

"It... starts out kind of normal. We're fighting against the Oni, before I fall into his pit of darkness. When I come to, I try to find a way out but I can't, all I see is black. Then... I see a reflection of myself. I look normal, but then... I..." He swallows thickly, hunching his shoulders as his eyes squeeze shut. "I change."

Her gut seems to start to wrap around itself, and she reaches, laying her hand on his thigh, letting him know she was there. "Change how?"

"It starts slow, but noticeable. My eyes change color, and then... A horn sprouts from my head, like a dragon horn, then these... wings sprout from me. My hands turn into claws, and I... When it's done... I look... awful. I don't even look human anymore. Like, an Oni and a Dragon had a baby, a really ugly baby and that baby turned into me." He shudders. "And it happens all the same, and then I wake up just as I feel like I'm about to lose control." He sighs again, shaking his head.

Alyx remains quiet for a moment before she looks at him. "You felt that yesterday, didn't you? That's why you had the nightmare again."

He nods. "When I had Kai pinned like that, I... I just felt this weird bubble building up in me. Normally when my power grows, it's like when you have adrenaline rushing through your veins. This... it felt like I was going to throw up. It felt gross, like when I held the Oni mask."

"Dark power."

"Yes. Do you ever feel like that when you use your magic?"

"When I first learned, yes." She sets her empty mug down, then ignites her fist in the purple aura, focusing on a simple growing spell and pointed it at a tuft of dead grass. The area lit up in purple before changing to pure white, and the yellowed grass turned green with the spell. Shutting it off, she leaned back on her hands.

"It's kind of similar to how we use our elemental powers, just with a little bit more thinking and, uh, chanting."

"Skylor told me that the Oni's magic is dark power. Which is... opposite of my power." He lit up his fingertips, the green light dancing across, a gold hue to it as it shone. "I'm scared, Alyx. What if somehow my Oni side comes out? That's... it's one of my biggest fears."

"Of turning into an Oni?"

"No... of turning into my father."

Alyx softened, reaching and taking his hand again, lifting it up and pressing it to her chest, making him feel her heartbeat. "Lloyd, you are nothing like how your father was, or is. You are like your father when he was good, wise, discerning and kind. You have the First Spinjitzu Master's blood, too, and he was a good man. I mean, from legend. I don't know how he was personally, but I like to imagine he was a lot like Master Wu. But..." She squeezes his hand as he looks up at her. "There is something we have to talk about. But we need to get the others together for it, too."

"What is it?"

"I think I may know how to prevent your Oni form from happening."