SUPER LONG CHAPTER WARNING!!!
*You have been warned...*
Willow focused on her breathing and heartrate. Mostly breathing. This was a breathing exercise anyway. The last exercise of her training. (Sorry I didn't show her other training exercises but you'll thank me. This is where it gets really good!!!) She opened one eyes to look at Lloyd, sitting between herself and Garmadon, his hands folded together and breathing deeply.
"Willow," He said, smirking."Concentrate." She frantically closed her eye and tried to remember what she was supposed to be doing. She focused on syncing her breathing with his, her hands shaking. She was scared; terrified. What would happen if she lost her focus? What if she heard the strange voice again? What if--
I cannot be destroyed...
Only contained...
Willow... I want to help... but there is... a MONSTER inside of me...
Willow saw a strange image flash across her mind. She saw herself in a tube, shouting and falling to her knees.
"Alright," Wu said."That's enough breathing for now." They all stood and Lloyd took Willow's hand.
"You okay?"
"Yeah," She said. She looked at Garmadon."Sensei Garmadon... I've been hearing this weird voice in my head. I can't..." She sighed.
"I know how to help." He smiled."Come with me." He motions her to follow him and Willow does after looking at Lloyd over her shoulder.
"How long have you been hearing these voices?" Sensei Garmadon asked.
"A few days, at least."
"Alright... Think of the sound of rain. Drown out the voices by imangining the sound of rain."
"Rain?"
"Try it."
She thought of the thousands of millions of raindrops falling from the dark grey sky, pitter-pattering onto the leaveless trees. She felt relaxed like she never wanted to leave this amazing world. But sadly she was snapped back to reality.
"That was..." She started but she couldn't of anything else to say. They walked over back to Lloyd and Wu. Lloyd was firing spheres of golden energy into the distance. Willow stared at him, her eyes scanning his body. Heat rushed to her face and her eyes locked on his face. He was panting with a look of pure determination on his face. Willow had only seen him like this one other time; when he saw Steel for the firsttime, when he thought Willow had gone to the evil side. Why would he think that? He didn't trust her that's why.
She heard something disturb her thoughts... Like... and echoing.
"Willow!" Lloyd shouted. He is in front of her now with a concered look on his face. She shook her head.
"Yeah?"
"You okay? I shouted your name, like, eight times."
"Oh," She replied."Yes... I'm fine."
"Lloyd. Willow." Wu said. They looked at the two senseis.
"We're off to collect some supplies." Gamradon said."Stay safe."
"Okay." Lloyd said. Willow didn't say anything. She only looked over at Lloyd, who stared back at her. Garmadon and Wu vanished down the mountain.
"Willow," Lloyd muttered. She turned to him.
"Yeah?"
He didn't reply, he only leaned in and kissed her.
"Willow! Lloyd!" Four voices shouted. They quickly broke away from each other and saw Kai, Steel, Cole, and Jay run to them.
"Guys?" Lloyd said."What's going on?"
"I..." Steel panted."I had a vision..."
"The Overlord's back..." Kai mumbled between breaths."And... He's... Stealing all... the Darkness... out of...Ninjago."
"What?!" Lloyd cried.
"It was weird... It started..." Steel's voice escaped Willow's train of thought as she felt dizzy and light-headed. She stumbled, slowly blinking. She felt like all her strength had gone... She felt... hot then cold then hot again then she didn't feel anything... she felt... numb. The world was spinning now and her legs were shuddering; her entire body was shuddering. She wanted to sleep... forever... She was just so tired... and dizzy... and... numb... and sleepy... dizzy... sleepy... tired... and sl...eepy...
Her ankles lost their feeling and she collapsed to her knees then to her stomach, the impact stinging her head and shoulders.
"Willow!" Lloyd screamed. Everyone rushed around her and she groaned. He turned her on her side and panted."Willow! What is it? What's wrong?"
Steel gasped."If the Overlord is taking all the darkness... Wouldn't that include Willow?"
"But... Why would losing her power effect her like this?!" Jay freaked out.
"The darkness isn't just her powers... It's... her."
"So..." Cole said."It's like she just... lost all of her powers and strength?"
Steel only nodded.
"Well," Lloyd said, flustered."H-how do we fix her? Th-there's gotta be a way."
"If... Well..." Steel said."If only there was away to get the darkness back in her..." (I guess Steel is the smart one now...)
Wait a second... Willow's vision... That was her... having the overlord put into her. What if that was the way to stop him. To contain the Overlord inside of Willow.
Little did she know... She had said that out loud.
"Willow," Lloyd said."That's a crazy idea."
"It would work," Steel said."But with that much power you couldn't control... you would fall asleep and not wake up again." Willow slowly blinked, trying to process what he just said.
"Then," Lloyd stated."We don't use that idea."
"But Lloyd," Willow choked out."It's the only thing that would work."
"I told you I don't want you sacrificing yourself for us."
"Everyone would do fine without me... It'll be fine."
"Who cares about everyone?" Lloyd whispered, tears in his eyes."What about me?" They received giggles from the others.
"OooooOOOoooo..." They muttered.
"Lloyd," Willow said sternly."This is what needs to be done. I don't like it any more than you do."
"Lloyd," Steel mumbled."Maybe she's right." Lloyd stood and faced them angrily.
"How could you say that?!" He scolded."First I lost my mom, then I lost my dad, then I lost Zane! I don't want to lose Willow too! It's not fair! All the people that I care about... are gone the next day!"
Willow felt her heartbeat everywhere, even in her fingertips.
But still...
"Lloyd," Willow said and he went back to her, laying her head in his lap."It's either me or everyone in Ninjago." Lloyd failed to stifle a sob.
"Okay," He said finally."We'll tell Cyrus Borg to trap him in the Digiverse. We'll put you in there with him and..."
Lloyd nodded, too many times."Okay, Lloyd." He stood and created the Golden Dragon. Jay, Kai, Cole, and Steel leaped on and Lloyd carried Willow onto it with him. Willow fell into unconsciousness as she rested her head against Lloyd's chest.
LLOYD
Willow's breathing became even and he knew she was asleep. They had called Borg. (Steel has a cell phone or something.)
"So... Lloyd," Kai said."Have you kissed Willow yet?"
Lloyd turned red. Yes. Three times.
"No," He lied.
"Then what was with all that 'who cares about everyone? What about me?' thing?" Cole kidded.
"Well..."
"And for the fact that you were the most concerned about her than all of us." Kai mused.
"That... I uh--"
"And that you blush whenever we talk about her." Jay said. Lloyd's face was unusually warm. They laughed.
"We're here." Lloyd spat and they were quiet.
Once they reached Cyrus Borg's office, Willow moaned and woke up, gasping. Cyrus nodded at Lloyd.
"We've caught the Overlord in the digiverse. Please do this fast. The Overlord could crash the system and escape."
"Okay." Lloud mumbled. He put Willow in a chair and P.I.X.A.L fastened the two parts of the head rest on either sides of Willow's head. She groaned. Lloyd didn't feel right doing this. He took her hand and she looked weakly at him. She smiled.
"It'll be okay, Lloyd." She said." Cyrus pushed the red button and Willow closed her eyes, a screen appearing in front of her. Lloyd sighed, the guilt tearing him apart inside.
"Lloyd," Steel sighed. Lloyd turned to Cyrus.
"Put me in the digiverse with her." He blurted.
"What?!" They all cried.
"Lloyd," Jay shouted."Are you nuts?! You could be killed in there!"
"And so could she." He sat in a chair and did what P.I.X.A.L. did and the world vanished in front of him.
"Lloyd!" Everyone shouted. Lloyd didn't care. He had to get to Willow. He had to see her again. He had to. Just one more glance, one more kiss, one more.
To be concluded...