Location: Destiny Bounty
(Lloyd's pov)
It happened every night. Every dream, every time he closes his eyes... It was the same...
"Thats it, you got it." A voice spoke.
Kick after kick, punch after punch, huff after huff. The young boy continued until his strength grew drowsy and he fell to his knees.
He still remembered it all, the old familiar Destiny Bounty before it was destroyed by the Great Devourer. The green suit Wu and Nya had to fix so it would fit his small young self. He remembered how some of it still felt a little big, practically baggy. But did he complain like any other kid would've? No. Because he was wearing the suit that led to his destiny. The green warrior who would strike darkness down. But now he wondered, was this truly worth it?
Kneeling down to the young boy.
Lloyd looked up to his trainer of the day. The warrior in red.
Giving a small laugh, he placed a hand on top of his head, ruffling his blonde hair. "You're getting better. That or you're just always feisty with your feet." He said with a smile.
The blonde boy looked up at him and smiled before moving their hand away and repositioned his legs so they were in front of him.
Lloyd stared at the fire ninja's smile, remembering how uplifting it was. Like a warm gift he had hoped to have after waiting that he never thought he needed.
The soft brotherly look Kai gave him that filled him with comfort, that assured him it would all be okay, that his older brother would always have his back, that he had faith in him, and he knew he would succeed.
It wasn't long before his younger self leaped towards the other, wrapping his arms around him and trying to push him over.
It worked, until Kai placed a hand down and held his ground before easily moving the young boy away only to be tackled again as Lloyd fought desperately to push him back.
Using his feet to try and push him forwards, Lloyd tried to move the other over, even though the odds were obvious in this game of pushing.
Nonetheless, the red warrior gave in and fell back only to be met by a pair of elbows that immediately fell down to his stomach. Kai immediately gave a pained grunt and curled up as his arms wrapped around his lower body. He groaned with a small pained hiss as he moved to his side.
Lloyd stood up as he looked down at the other and tilted his head, wondering if he had gone too far. But a thought told him that he would be fine and so he placed a foot up on the other and placed his arms up victoriously. "I win!" He said with a laugh.
Kai, faking his defeat, took the ten year old's leg and flipped it over to pull the boy and wrap an arm around him before he could have time to react.
Lloyd, immediately yelped and before he could try to pull away, he was already lifted off the ground and placed underneath the warrior's arm as he was immediately given a noogie.
"Hey! Stop that!" Lloyd whined as he immediately began kicking his feet and squirmed from Kai's grip.
Kai smiled as he looked at the other. "Make me." He said until his arms relaxed where the boy would finally slip through and fall to the ground.
Lloyd backed away, glaring at the other, waiting for him in case he might strike again. But he never did as they just laughed at him and folded his arms. Seeing that the other had his fun, he relaxed. He breathed as he was quite exhausted from the playful roughhousing.
"You good?" Kai asked, tilting his head towards the other.
The younger boy nodded. "Yeah, I'm good." He said as he took a minute before sighing. He then paused to stare at the other and glanced away as a thought came across his mind. "Hey Kai? Could... I ask you something?" He asked.
Kai paused as he stared at the other before nodding. "Yeah, sure, ask away." He said, giving the boy permission.
"Do you think I'll be a great green ninja?" He asked.
Kai paused as he stared at him before a smile crept on his face. "Course you will." He said before walking over to his side and wrapped an arm around him. "You got four of the destined, not to mention, greatest elemental masters training you." He said, smiling at him.
Lloyd looked at him and smiled before turning away as he frowned. "Hey Kai, do you still wish it was you the golden weapons chose?" He asked, staring back at the male.
Kai froze as he looked at the other before turning his head and gave a small huff. "Yeah, I think everyone else wished they were picked. But the weapons chose you." He said, giving a forced smile. "And I know you'll do great."
Lloyd looked at him and wrapped his arms around him as he hugged the other. It was nice until everything got dark and cold...
"Nothing that you don't deserve..." a voice whispered to his ear.
And he woke up.
Opening his eyes wide open with a small gasp as he came back to reality. Oh yeah..., it was just a dream. He huffed, rubbing his face with his hands and sighed. He wasn't sure how many times he's had this dream. Seven times...? Ten times? No matter how many times he's had it, it still startled him.
Staring up at the ceiling, he noticed it was still dark as the moon's light shined in the dark room from the nearby window.
Lloyd stared out the window before falling back down and closed his eyes once more. But deep down, he didn't want to see that dream again. It was like trying to figure out a riddle. A repeating dream of memories that just wouldn't stop. And every time he woke, he would remember that Kai wasn't here.
He huffed before finally sliding off the bed. Bare foot and in his pj's, he walked out of his room and down the hall as he left to get some fresh air.
Opening the door, he was welcomed by a cold breeze as it blew past him, welcoming him outside.
He closed the door behind him and walked to the edge of the ship and leaned against the gunwale and stared off at the cloudy landscape and dark sky.
He still couldn't help but feel bothered at the question why he kept having these dreams. Was it because all he could think of was failing to rescue Kai? His thoughts were interrupted as he watched as a certain thief laid his arms down right next to him of the gunwale.
"Can't sleep? Yeah, me neither." Ronin spoke as he looked out at the sky before taking a deep breath. Breathing in the fresh cold air before letting it all out with a happy sigh. "Refreshing, isn't it?" He asked before looking at the young boy.
Lloyd looked at him before slowly nodding and turned his gaze away. "Yeah..." By the tone of his voice, it was clear he was the last person on this ship that he wanted to speak to. He just hoped he mistook his tone as tired. Or maybe he didn't want it to be. So that the thief would get the memo he wasn't up for a conversation.
Ronin looked at him as he did indeed get the message but ignored it. "Hey... uh, about this whole situation. I can see it's really weighing you and your teammates down and-"
"I don't care what you have to say. If you came here to help me and get over it then you're wrong." Lloyd snapped.
Ronin stared at him and huffed. "Myeah, You're right, I don't know what it's like. As a lone...... person." He said as he tried to find the proper word for himself. "I don't know what it's like. But I do know something. The fire one means alot to ya. He's the older brother in your life and now it's hard because he isn't here with you to help you through this." He said as he waited for an answer.
But Lloyd said nothing as he continued staring away, refusing to look at him and ignore his words.
Ronin watched him before noticing the boy's hands slightly shaken and grip at the wood of the gunwale. He was clearly troubled. No... scared.
"Hey, it's going to be alright. You probably have been getting this alot from everyone else. But... we will get him back." He said gently as he looked at the boy again.
Nothing...
Lowering his gaze, he turned away and sighed. "Are you scared about Morro? Or are you scared to fail and lose?" He asked before noticing how Lloyd's hands stiffened at those last words. So that was it.
"Listen..., you're a strong kid. Believe me or not but... you have been able to push through anything. Like... how many times have you saved ninjago and never lost? You stopped a giant dark dragon and united all of ninjago and the elemental masters together to protect it. I say that's pretty impressive. I can't think of any other special, brave, kind, and stubborn brat that could've done it better." He said as he folded his arm and glanced over at the other. "Everyone has faith in ya that you are going to succeed in this. Because they'll be right with you every step of the way." He said in a soft tone. "And you need them and they got you. So.... how about you cut your worries and have some faith, huh?" He told him sincerely.
Lloyd stared at him before turning his head with a warm smile on his face and spoke. "Thank you. I-"
"Thank Skylor, not me." He said as he interrupted the boy before he could finish. "I kinda owe her for pretty much harming her boyfriend like that." He said, referring to the fog accident. "That and kinda setting things off with your teammates with the whole stop worrying about Kai thing. I see you aren't ready for that kinda step yet. Where you'll need to make sacrifices. But I see from looking at the earth one that maybe you're starting. But I see now, even when bad things happen to you. You always get back up to your feet and find a way through it. All of you. Because how do you put it again? Ninja never quit?" He asked as he thought about it before looking back at the other. "Have you ever asked yourself why you never quite?" He asked before looking at Lloyd. "I know Nya is still trying to figure that question out." He said, recalling all those times she gave up after her failed attempts with trying to control water from the start. "But I also see it in you team. You never quite on each other when one of you is in danger. And you're friends, they never quite on you when you were in danger and so... they aren't gonna quite on you to get Kai back. So... make sure you don't quite on them."
Lloyd stared at him before looking out and into the sky and the field of clouds below them.
Patting the teenager's shoulder, Ronin gave him a small reassuring smile before turning his gaze, his expression faded as he walked away, heading back and towards the inside the bounty. H
Ronin continued walking giving a huff as that was quite too exhausting from his liking.
He walked towards, heading inside before meeting with a certain elemental master who was standing by the door.
"So? Did I do well? Is my debt paid off?" Ronin asked in a quiet tone as he looked to the master of amber as she leaned against the door frame.
Skylor looked at him and gave him a proud smile. "Mhm, I'm glad you haven't lost it." She said as she looked at the other.
Ronin looked at her and huffed with a smile and turned away, looking back to Lloyd. "You think so huh? Guess I pulled it off like how I did all those years ago with a certain little girl." He said before looking back at her.
She looked at him and just smiled. Watching him walk past her and look back to Lloyd one last time before following the other inside.
Lloyd stood there as he thought about what Ronin had said. 'Ninja never quit.' But do those words mean the same for him? Being the green ninja? Could his life have been different if he was just another ninja instead of the destined green ninja? He wasn't sure... he stayed up there before feeling a strong strength of hope rise inside him.
He was going to get Kai back. And he wasn't going to stop.
After some time, the blonde teen finally turned as he made his way back inside the Destiny Bounty, where he would wait for daylight.