Chapter 9: Sucks to be You

"Don't even think of trying anything, Morro," Lloyd growled at the smarmy ghost. He and the other three ninja were all in fighting stances, glaring at their hated and most recent enemy. "You can't escape that chalk circle on the ground, but if you make one move to try and fight us or escape, Nya will blast you back to the Realm of the Departed before you can even blink."

Water bubbled in Nya's palms angrily to prove it.

Ignoring the threat, Morro raised an eyebrow and studied the circle surrounding him, then smirked at the ninja like they were mere entertainment. Just as Lloyd moved to order Nya to go ahead and blast him if only to wipe that cocky look off his face, Morro shrugged.

"Thanks but no thanks. I'm not really interested in the whole 'taking over the world' thing anymore. It's too cliché." He explained, voice dripping with insouciance. "So, you can stand down."

All of them blinked and turned helplessly to Lloyd. Without taking his eyes off Morro, he gestured for everyone but Nya to relax. The water ninja kept her hands at the ready, eyes smoldering with resolve.

"Oh, 'not interested,' huh?" Lloyd placed his hands on his hips, raising a critical eyebrow at the ghost. "And, why's that?"

Morro crossed his arms, "Let's just say I found what I was looking for in the Realm of the Departed."

"A green ninja gi? A new Preeminent?" Kai guessed mockingly. "An army of mindless followers?"

"No." Morro snapped, glaring. It was at least gratifying to know they'd finally gotten under his skin.

"Peace."

Kai cut himself off before he could begin.

The ghost shifted his weight, almost like he was- well, embarrassed- and a more familiar, irritable expression took up residence on his face. "Look, you summoned me. And, if it's so bad you had to call me, I imagine it's time sensitive. So, what is it that you want?"

"Morro." Zane stepped closer to the circle's bounds. "We were hoping you could provide us with information. Cole- you remember Cole, right? The ghost? - fell into a pool of water. He eventually returned, but he is extremely weak and has lost all of his memories. Jay had Cole possess him a little over a week ago, and now…," the nindroid gestured at the figure on the bed, who was lying very still.

Morro leaned around Lloyd so he could see Jay blinking sleepily back at him. "Okay, first of all, what makes you think I can help? And, second of all, why should I care what happens to your friends I had honestly forgotten the names of?"

Zane continued, knowing he was the most level-headed when it came to dealing with vexatious antagonists. "You can help, because we know you are a powerful- possibly the most powerful- ghost in the Departed Realm. If anyone knows what happened to Cole, you do, or you at least know someone who does. As to why you should care…," The nindroid took a deep breath before continuing. "You said you had found peace. Perhaps you would also like to find redemption?"

Morro appraised Zane for a long time, his expression unreadable, before rolling his eyes. "I guess I could take a look at him. Bring him over here."

"What?! No!" Kai shouted, rushing to stand between Morro and Jay protectively. "You'll try to possess him or do some freaky ghost thing to him!"

Morro yawned. "Look, it really doesn't make a difference to me whether he lives or dies, so if you don't want my help, I'd like to get back home now. If you do want my help, I have to be able to examine him."

Lloyd joined Kai by the bed and whispered, "I don't like it any more than you do- I like it even less than you do- but this is what we signed up for when we decided to go through with the worst idea on the planet."

Kai nodded, gritting his teeth, and together he and Lloyd hoisted Jay up between them and helped him over to the circle.

But Morro shook his head. "Not him. The other one- Cole." Suddenly, the ghost laughed. It was a truly terrifying sound. "Wait, his name's Cole? And, he's the earth one, right? That's hilarious!"

"Shut up," Jay mumbled weakly, leaning heavily on Kai. "I'm supposed to let Cole near this guy?"

"Just for a minute, Jay," Kai reassured. "It might be our only chance to save him."

The blue ninja closed his eyes. He gasped with pain, and a moment later, Cole appeared in front of Jay, leaning away from Morro with a terrified look in his eye.

"What?" Morro smiled, reminding everyone a little too much of a shark that just spotted an unsuspecting school of fish. "I don't bite."

"You're bad," Cole stated simply.

"Yeah. Someone just are."

"It will be alright, Cole," Zane nudged the ghost forward gently. "Morro knows what the consequences will be if he tries anything."

Cole glanced at his teammates uncertainly. When his eyes landed on Jay- pale, sweating, feeble Jay- he became powered with resolve. He stepped confidently into the chalk circle, into the lion's den.

"Hm…," Morro hummed, roughly grabbing Cole's chin. The others tensed in anticipation, but all he did was turn Cole's face this way and that. Then, he stuck a hand through Cole's stomach. The ninja gasped with horror, but the ghost in question only looked down at the arm in puzzlement.

Finally, Morro released Cole- and laughed a cruel laugh. "Sucks to be you."

"So, you know what's wrong with him?" Lloyd asked eagerly, then cursed under his breath for sounding so passive in the presence of his mortal enemy.

"Of course I know what's wrong with him."

All six ninja gaped at each other, then grinned with pure, unadulterated joy. Even Jay in his weakened state brightened with hope.

"Okay, what is it? What do we do to fix it? Where do we go? Who do we contact?" Zane asked, rapid-fire style. "Wait, let me get a pen…,"

"Not so fast, Shiny," Morro interrupted, slinging a friendly arm around Cole's neck for the sole purpose of irritating them. The black ninja grimaced but didn't pull away. "Information like that is going to cost you."

"I knew it!" Kai exclaimed, pointing at Morro accusingly. "You're a real piece of work, you know that?"

"Well, now you're just flattering me," Morro bat his eyelashes, and Kai recoiled in disgust. "Nothing's free in the Departed Realm. Just ask Ronin." He chuckled darkly.

"What do you want?" Nya spoke up for the first time but did not lower her hands. Her tone was ice cold.

Morro whipped Cole around so he was in Nya's line of fire- er, water. She immediately dropped her stance.

"What do I want?" He tapped his chin with the hand not locked around Cole's shoulders. Cole looked at the others beseechingly. They trembled with barely contained rage but didn't rush Morro. Yet. "I… decline to answer at the moment."

Kai sputtered. "But… How can we trade you something if we don't know what it is you want?! How do we know we'll even be able to get it for you?!"

Morro stared unflinchingly back at him. "I know for a fact you have it. I want it. Those are the terms. Take it or leave it."

The five of them huddled.

"I'm not buying this new hippie version of Morro," Kai announced, his eyes narrowed in suspicion. "He'll probably want to possess Lloyd again. Or he'll want the Realm Crystal. Or to make us his minions. Something like that."

"But, what choice do we have?" Lloyd asked. "Look, we should agree to his terms, and, if it turns out to be something that's totally not going to happen, we just don't give it to him."

"But, what if that is part of the trap?" Zane pointed out. "Morro knows we are severely lacking in knowledge of ghost laws. What if, by not upholding our end of the bargain, we somehow set him free? Or, he then owns our souls? There are a number of possibilities."

"We'll deal with the consequences when the time comes," Nya decided. "But, Cole needs help now. Nothing else matters."

Jay nodded. "Nothing else matters."

"Tick tock," Morro sang from his circle. "I'll have to return to the Realm of the Departed soon, and when I do, I'll take all my information with me…," the ninja continued arguing, but increased the pace of said argument. Morro shook his head regretfully, patting Cole's chest sympathetically. "Friends. They tell you they love you, but when it comes down to the wire, they won't put up. That's why I don't have any."

Kai glared over his shoulder. "Yeah, that's why."

Morro made a face.

Cole cocked his head. "You don't have any?"

The other ghost grinned. "You could learn a thing or two from me, kid. People are tools; friends are obstacles. I've never needed anybody, and I turned out just fine."

"Stop being a bad influence!" Jay shouted. "And, your definition of 'fine' is very messed up!"

"Aren't you guys supposed to be huddling? Not eavesdropping?" Morro snapped.

"Also, I'm pretty sure you're younger than us, so it's weird to call him 'kid.'"

"Well technically, I'm like forty, so there."

Cole appeared unperturbed by the interruptions. "So, you weren't forgotten?"

"Cursed, hated, feared," Morro listed off on his fingers. "But, no, never forgotten."

Cole stared at him with that eerie gaze of his. "That's so sad," he shook his head mournfully. "You remember, but you're still lost like me."

Morro blinked.

"Fine, Morro," Lloyd said, huffing in exasperation. As one, they all turned to face him once again. "We agree to your terms."

Morro shook off the weird feeling. "Good. So, here's what happened to your friend. He touches water, and what happens? He never died, so his soul can't cross over into the Realm of the Departed and it stays here. Exhibit A," he gestured to Cole. "But, he's a ghost, and since you destroyed the Cursed Realm, ghosts have to return to the Realm of the Departed once they 'die.' So, he crosses over."

Kai cleared his throat. "Am I the only one not following?"

"Cole's soul is split in two, airhead," Morro snapped. "Half is here, and half is back home."

There was a moment of silence as they let that sink in.

"So, that's why I can't remember?" Cole asked quietly, looking at the ground. "Why I have to go into the long sleep?"

"And, why your friend gets so sick when you possess him. Your soul isn't whole so it sucks energy from his. It almost makes you the person you were, but it's killing him in the process. You're a parasite."

Cole's face fell. "Oh."

"Don't listen to him, Cole," Kai said, glaring with all the intensity of his element at Morro, who only shrugged as if it to say, "well, it's true." "You're not a parasite."

Cole nodded, but it was clear he didn't believe Kai.

"Is there any way to fix it?" Jay whispered. "To make his soul whole again?"

Morro turned to the blue ninja with a hand on his chin. "Well… you could… potentially… travel into the Departed Realm and retrieve the other half, but to do that you would need," another shark- like grin, "a guide."

"No, no, no!" But, Kai's protests were drowned out by the furiously whispered debate going on inside the huddle.

Zane looked up. "And, we're assuming your guidance would cost us a second favor?"

"Yep."

"And, we're also assuming you won't reveal what that favor is at this time?"

"Right again, Shiny."

"My name is not Shiny. I am Zane. I was built to-"

Nya grabbed him and pulled him back into the huddle.

Cole pointed at Morro. "You're fading."

The ghost looked down at himself to see his image flickering in and out of visibility. "That I am. Your friends will have to decide quickly or else you're screwed."

As the icy wind tore through the room, Lloyd shouted over its roar, "Fine, Morro, you win! Just tell us what to do!"

"Get the Realm Crystal so you can cross into the Departed Realm," Morro explained, struggling to make his voice heard now that he was being pulled out of his existence here. "I'll be waiting for you when you get there."

Cole reached a hand toward the more powerful ghost. "Morro-"

But whatever he was going to say was drowned out by the rumbling of the earth. The candles blew out, and when the lights came on once more, Morro was gone.