Hello, my amazing friends! This was a fanfiction requested by an amazing writer (if you're reading this, I hope that I've lived up to your expectations :)!). Also…I was near the end of writing this when I realized that a ghost's weakness is water, and this is all set in water….so big whoops. But I'm determined, so I tweaked it, and we're all going to pretend that Morro can create air-bubbles underwater (while of course being in an air bubble himself).
So yep, there are quite a few potholes (I'm so sorry), but do please enjoy. It would bring me so much happiness! Have an amazing day, and onward!
*I do not own Ninjago, nor the cover picture :)*
NINJAGO
Lloyd hated getting groceries with a burning passion
It's not as if he hated getting food for his family, but the crowds he could do without. Being the famous green ninja came with perks, but fame was not really one of them. Every time that he went to get something as simple as food, everyone would sense his presence and ask for autographs, pictures, far too many pictures. Sometimes he even got date proposals, gosh knows he needed another lover after Harumi.
Coincidently, he sometimes left without any groceries. The ninja would laugh often, then send Zane to do the job that he couldn't do. A few weeks would go by, and then it would be Lloyd's turn yet again. In fact, it was a Tuesday afternoon when he was nudged to once again endure the horrors of the grocery store. He was reluctant to say no, but their faces said yes.
Taking a bag with him, and of course his car keys. Lloyd turned the ignition, wearing a smile when he heard the joyful sound of his car starting. It had been a rather new edition, Zane mentioning how it had bullet-proofed windows and could provide a little oxygen if the car was too ever be submerged.
What a poor foreshadowing that would be
Lloyd hummed to himself as he turned out unto the freeway. It was the fastest, yet easiest route to avoid attention that could accumulate at any second.
'In then out' he thought to himself. Then laughed at the prospect of such a wish. If he saw the legendary green ninja, he would be awed himself to.
"Breaking news! A ghost has appeared in Ninjago City, he appears to be nice but…"
He shut off the radio faster than he liked to admit it. The thought of his time with the infamous ghost in possession of his body…...it was….
It had been terrifying to say the least
Hiding his fear from that time had been hard and still was to this present day. Morro had messed him up more than he liked to admit. Then…then the ghost who had given him nightmares for weeks, shows up to help his team on the Day of the Departed.
At least Morro redeemed himself there
But that still didn't fix all the damage that had been done. Lloyd still was always living in fear that his body might not be his someday. Or that he would be helpless to save his family all because he allowed someone to control him.
The others said he should give Morro a chance
And he did and still was. Though that didn't erase all the trauma inflicted. Lloyd was confident that he would be able to fully forgive Morro one day, but that day was not today.
The green ninja was so in thought that he forget to look for other cars when he merged. The honk of a horn startling him, forcing him to move back into his lane. Kai had once told him that he wasn't the most observant when it came to driving, which was sadly far too true.
Turning left unto the bridge, Lloyd turned back on the radio, willing to give another chance. Plus, it wasn't so bad to hear what they had to say about Morro.
'The ghost appears to be in pursuit of something! He's moving fast, quickly follow him! …oh no, it seems that we've lost him folks. We'll let you know when we locate him next.'
Lloyd felt bad for Morro, he knew how it felt to be hunted. But the thought of curiosity did ping him, as it made him wonder what the ghost could possibly be pursuing. He secretly hoped that it was something of worth, but not too worthy. Turning into another lane, Lloyd made way to exit the freeway and off the bridge.
But then it happened
A rough rock of the car, a loud sound. And far too many cars flying up into the air while people screamed from whatever force was being applied. Lloyd only saw a few before his own car went flying.
To where?
He didn't know because before he could process anything, his mind went dark. Lloyd knew this feeling very well. It was sadly not a very delightful feeling.
He was unconscious before his car hit the water
-0-
A smack against his car was the first thing that Lloyd woke up to, that and the pain riddling his body. But the pain wasn't the most concerning thing. He raised his vision. And there it was, the sudden realization that turned his blood cold. Instead of a clear blue sky, there was only clear blue water. There were no cars, but groups of fish passing his vehicle, that had – by some miracle – not been damaged except for a slightly cracked windshield. He was extremely lucky that the car was able to equalize itself to the crushing weight of being underwater so far deep.
But the biggest issue was that his car was on the bottom of the fricken sea floor. It was at least a 372 feet (A/N: Yes, I did in fact have to look that up) climb. Lloyd knew his limits and knowing himself, he would only be able to swim up 30 feet without falling unconscious.
He punched the car window without thinking about the consequences, which coincidentally happened a lot more than he liked to admit. The windows only snuffed under his punch, getting out seemly even more hopeless than before.
'Falling'
Lloyd paused, his eyes growing wide. A former memory was entering the surface, and it was not a very good one.
'Kai and Cole running down while he fruitlessly tried to swim'
That day had single-handedly changed his life
'Dipping into the water, thinking that the ninja wouldn't catch him in time'
Now he was stuck underwater yet again, but with fried comm's and no way out
'Seeing Morro yet again a few years later'
It hadn't been the best feeling seeing his enemy once again, but Morro had changed for the better. Now he and Lloyd had been on the same team, fighting for the same cause. He never really got to say his thanks to the ghost.
His breathing picked up at an erratic rate, the situation at hand finally getting to him. Naturally, his hands went up to grip his blond locks. While his legs curled up to his chest.
'I can't breathe; I'm stuck underwater. And nobody knows' Lloyd thought to himself, almost laughing how a simple grocery run had turned into a life-or-death mission far too quickly.
What a ride-
And what a horrendous day
The pain seemed like the last thing on his mind, because the ninja would probably never be able to find him…and he would die…starve…be thirsty even though – ironically – he was underwater. Bad things had happened before, but at least he wasn't considered to be remotely alone doing them.
Now, all he had were groups of fish and plants that he couldn't even put a name to
At least the radio was still working to some degree. There were fuzzy voices, but if he listened hard enough, words could be formed.
"…host….in….water…car….explosio….hit….bridge. Choa….car's…water…submerged."
It seemed that his car wasn't the only one submerged, the thought making his stomach twist and ache. He was fortunate enough to have a highly built-up car, but others were not so lucky.
Lloyd whimpered while digging his nails into his hand. It wasn't fair, it wasn't fair, it was…his life. How sad was that?
He was in such deep thought that he almost jumped when he saw a wisp in the water, if he could even call it that. Now that he was clearly paying attention to it, it seemed more of a figure. The seemly wisp of the figure was underwater in an air bubble.
That would only make sense to one particular individual that couldn't go underwater without using their power of wind to create an air bubble to avoid their weakness of water.
Morro
The features presented clearly indicated that Morro was in the same water as he was. Though he'll admit that he wasn't as fearful as thought on previously. The ghost has helped his team once, he could possibly help out the green ninja once more. It was a far-fetched idea, though the only one that made remotely sense.
"Morro," his voice weaker than before. "Please."
The older ghost turned towards him and smiled. After all these years, and all Morro presents is a smile? At least it was better than if he was still on the wrong side of war.
"Lloyd, why do I have to always find you like this?" Morro chuckled. "Can't I come say hello without having to come rescue you?"
"Har har har ha-" Lloyd gasped, hands going to his throat. It seems the oxygen supplied through the car was starting to deplete out. The air quickly becoming far too thin to inhale properly. It was then that the green ninja found himself becoming way less talkative with Morro, all for good reason.
"Lloyd?" Morro questioned. "Are you ok?"
The question surly seemed rhetorical, because if he couldn't see how being hundreds of feet underwater, in a car with less far oxygen than before, and trying not to freak out…it didn't take a fool to know that the green ninja was far from ok.
"I need air…" Lloyd practically clawed at the sides of the car, not caring if he was making his situation worse.
The body did miraculous processes to survive, including if someone was starting to become air starved. Nobody could've blamed the young hero for trying to do anything to relieve him of his current problem.
Morro's eye's widened. "Oh, oh Lloyd we need to get you to the surface!"
He summoned another air bubble using his life-saving power of wind. Then casted another look to the green ninja, but unlike this time, it was far more fearful than before.
"I need you to open your car roof, that's the only way that this plan will work. You'll have to trust me," Morro spoke sternly.
"Are you serious?"
Lloyd didn't know who to choose, himself or the ghost in front of him. This was a serious decision with even more serious consequences if it went wrong. But then again, he really didn't have another choice. Rubbing his forehead, the green ninja nodded.
This was either going to work very well in his favor
Or…or really not
Lloyd was too air-starved to care
Pushing the button, the roof opened as water quickly forced him to hold his breath. He remembered Morro putting an air bubble over his head, but other than that, he knew nothing.
The next thing being was him hacking up enough water to fill up a sink, while he helplessly laid on the cement sidewalk. Paramedics immediately came over to assist him, Kai and the others running over with seemly worried looks on their pale faces.
And the three-hospital day stay
It hadn't been fun to say the least
But when he returned, Lloyd was sure to tell the others about his savior, whom saved him from certain death. Kai and Cole had been hesitant to believe him, but then again, there was reason involved.
In a few days though, it didn't matter. Because whoever saved Lloyd was a true hero in all their hearts. But Lloyd believed, oh yes, he did. Morro had saved him that day, by some amazing grace.
Morro might've been a villain for a little bit, but really, wasn't everyone? All that mattered was the he had turned a huge corner, choosing to ultimately accept that being the elemental master of wind was far more than enough.
And for that, Lloyd would always be grateful to the ghost as long as he breathed and lived. The others would eventually forgive Morro to, Lloyd was sure of it.
If he could, then everyone else could as well
