Lloyd and Morro were currently under the monastery watching the camera footage around the city. Well, Lloyd was watching the footage, Morro has fallen asleep awhile ago since the two had been up all night. Pixal walks into the area noticing Lloyd.
"Have you been up all night?", Pixal asked as she wakes over to Lloyd.
"Yeah, just monitoring the surveillance footage for any sign of the criminals who broke out of Kryptarium last month", the blond replied.
"I was told the police made an arrest", Lloyd pressed a button on the control panel to see. Fugi-Dove was shown on screen. "Fugi-Dove", Lloyd confirmed. "They caught him feeling pigeons in the park".
Pixal took a closer look at the second picture on screen and noticed, "is that Ronin?", she couldn't believe it.
"Yeah, the police hired him to help round up the criminals. I don't like how the police keep using a Bounty Hunter like Ronin but . . .", the alarm started beeping which quickly woke Morro up from his light sleep.
"Who is that?", both Pixal and Morro asked when Lloyd changed the camera footage to show the outside of the monastery where a mystery man was holding a box full of random items.
•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•
"Cecil Putnam, manager of the Explorer's Club", he spoke politely to everyone already getting on Morro's nerves slightly but he didn't say anything. "I regret to inform you that Misako Montgomery Garmadon's membership has been cancelled. Effective immediately. Here are the items emptied from her club locker", he handed Lloyd a box.
"On what grounds?", Zane asked not understanding what exactly was happening along with everyone else.
"Can we know why?", Morro asked at the same time then turned to Zane and chuckled since they both said the same thing just in different ways.
"I'm afraid it's club policy", Cecil told Zane and Morro mouthed what he said with hand gestures as a mock which earned him a glare form the manager. Cecil coughed slightly so he wouldn't sound mad and continued, "Whenever a member is missing or presumed lost at sea, the club revokes their membership".
"What are you taking about?", Nya asked him almost angry.
"Oh, there's no need for panic", Cecil wasn't worried about Misako at all, only the club. "Her position will be given to another worthy applicant. The club will prevail", he said proudly.
"I'm not worried about the club!", Lloyd threw the box down mad.
"We're worried about our mother and Master Wu!", Morro continued.
"Where are they?!", both of them asked Cecil in an outrage and Kai took a small step back fallowed by Cole and Jay.
"She was leading an expedition with Professor Powers to attempt to navigate the storm belt and prove her theory about an uncharted island", Cecil started.
"Our theory", Morro corrected since he was the one to tell Misako and she also believed it so they promised to share the credit if it was true.
"Right", Cecil glared at Morro then relaxed. "But as we haven't heard from them in several weeks, the expedition is presumed lost".
"The storm belt?!", Pixal asked concerned and looked at Morro. "What were you two thinking?!".
•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•
"The storm belt is an area off the southern coast plagued by violent storms", Pixal explained. "Numerous ships and airplanes have gone missing in the region", she faced Morro again. "It is considered very dangerous.
"Can you stop with silently blaming me! I didn't tell her to go visit, mother did that on her own!", Morro felt attacked.
Zane stepped in before Morro started to blow up at Pixal, "to my knowledge there is only one person ever to have emerged from the storm belt".
"Correct", both Morro and Pixal said both glaring at the other for stealing "their" line.
"A man named Timothy Batterson", Pixal stated as Morro was being pat by Kai to calm down his anger. "Batterson was part of a balloon tour which was blown off course. He claims it was blown into a storm belt and eventually crashed on an uncharted island", she crossed her arms.
"Pixal, ready the Bounty. Zane pull up whatever information you have on this man. The rest of you, pack. We don't have a moment to lose", the others all left but Morro and Lloyd.
"It's not my fault", Morro mumbled to Lloyd.
"I never said it was", the blond placed his arm around Morro's shoulder. "Let's pack so we're not behind".
"Yeah, sure . . .", Morro didn't look at Lloyd.
•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•
The Bounty had arrived at the man's place they were looking for and dropped the anchor so they wouldn't fly away on accident. This startled Timothy off of his chair and from his sleep, the male looked up at the Bounty as all the ninja one by one jumped down from the ship. Morro slowly glided down since his half ghost leg can't handle a fall from that height.
"Hiya, fellas", Timothy said joyfully. "What'll it be? Leaded or unleaded?", he asked them making Morro cringe slightly at the words "Hiya" and "fellas".
"Are you Mister Batterson?", Lloyd asked him.
Timothy made a scoff sounding noise then spoke, "Yep. But nobody calls me that".
"Oh, what do they call you?", Cole asked.
"Twitchy Tim", he told them a little to proud. "Twitchy for short".
"Well, um . . . Twitchy", Lloyd started a bit uncomfortable calling someone by a nickname that sounded like an insult. "My mother was part of an expedition to try and map an unknown island off the southern coast and she's missing", Timothy twitched at the words. "We're going after them. You're the only one who knows what's out there and we could really use your help", Timothy continued to twitch but more this time causing Morro to moved behind Cole as protection since it reminded him to much of the Preeminent.
"I'll tell you what's out there!", Twitching told Lloyd as he quickly made his way up to him. "Storms! Monsters! Doom!", he almost yelled as he had his hands on Lloyd's shoulder plates making Morro tense. "I was struck twelve times by lightning trying to escape that nightmare, and you want me to go back?!", Twitchy told Cole now quickly going over to him.
"Twelve? Really?", Cole asked surprised.
Twitchy shivers making Morro more afraid and Jay as well, "Y- yeah".
"You could get a world record for that I feel like", Morro joked to cover up his slight fear as he was still hiding behind Cole.
"Twelve, luckily, it didn't affect me but I-", Twitchy then started to get electrical shocks and spun quickly. "Hiya, fellas", he said again making Morro cringe. "What'll it be? Leaded or unleaded?", he asked.
"Didn't affect him that much he says", Morro mumbled in almost anger since he was so afraid for nothing. Cole pat Morro's side and the wind master moved out from behind him.
Lloyd looked at the others then back at Twitchy, "you already asked us that".
"I did?", Twitchy asked having no memory of it.
"We're not hear for gas", Lloyd explained again still somehow having patients for this guy that Morro will always look up to Lloyd for having. "We're here for your help. Remember?", Lloyd was concerned for Twitchy's health.
"Yeah, we were talking about the uncharted island. We were asking you to come with us", Cole said and Morro facepalmed himself and groaned knowing he'll have to hear the guy complain again.
"The uncharted island?!", Twitchy asked nervous. "Are you nuts?!".
"Yes, apparently", Morro said plain as he shut stared off into the desert beyond reminding him of Aspheera's pyramid and her "take over".
"You want me to go back?!", Teitchy continued, again ignoring Morro's statement. "Well, you can forget it, the answer's-", Twitchy started to walk away but was stopped by the electrical shocks again and Morro almost yelled at him in frustration. "Hiya, fell-", Twitchy started but was interrupted by Morro.
"What is going on?!", Morro asked him in a low yell. "You said that twice!".
"I did?", Twitchy asked again still have no memory.
"Oh my Grandfather yes! We're not here for gas! We just want you to come with us to the uncharted island to find me and Lloyd's mom!", Morro was in so much frustration at the moment.
"Going back to the island? I swore I'd never do it but what can I say a deals a deal", Morro relaxed breathing heavily as he calmed down. "You're driving, right?".
"Yes!", Kai told him as he lead Twitchy to the ship fallowed by all but Cole and Morro.
"You doing okay?", Cole asked his friend.
"I'm doing just fine", Morro spat. "The stupid sun is in my face, it's hot and dry here! My body still isn't used to feeling things and that man scared me just because of his twitch!", Morro crossed his arms looked away from Cole.
"So you don't like Timothy?", the earth elemental asked raising an eye brow as he moved his head to be in Morro's line of sight.
"No I-", he uncrossed his arms now softening his voice. "I didn't mean it like that", he sighed. "The Preeminent would always twitch before she yelled at me or tried to hurt me so I've just", he looked away again. "I've just developed a fear of twitches I guess . . .", Morro looked back at Cole. "I'm sure Timothy is a great person and all but I just need to keep my distance so I don't accidentally punch him", Cole gave a snort of a laugh. "You know I use anger to cover up my fear!", Cole nodded and took Morro's wrist in his hand leading him back to the Bounty again.
•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•
The ninja flew a long, long way to the storm belt. Morro felt sick when he saw the dark purple clouds in the window which reminded him of Garmadon and Harumi's take over. Morro and Lloyd looked at each other and both nodded knowing what the other person was thinking.
"Interesting, our radar is unable to penetrate the fog bank", Pixal told all the ninja and Twitchy.
"How is that interesting?!", Morro asked worried. "We could fall into the ocean!".
"It's the island. She doesn't want you too I see her secrets", Twitchy whispered to them loudly.
"Or he, or them", Nya said naming other pronouns often used which earned a smiled from Morro and he walked to her.
"How did you reach the island the first time?", Lloyd asked Twitchy in wonder.
"It was a freak accident", Twitchy started to explain and Morro rolled his eyes as he noticed a story was about to be told. "I was taking a hot-air balloon tour, but the balloon blew off course. It got caught in a storm", Twitchy explained as his imaginary thunder sounded and he shielded his face then twitched making Morro tense again. Twitchy went to Zane quickly and grabbed the nindroid by the shoulders, "I tried to ride it out! Felt like hours, days, being tossed around in that fog", he said as he looped his arm around Zane's shoulders then spun him for emphasis. "Then suddenly-", he twitched again.
"Then what?", Zane asked wanting to hear more while Morro wanted the story to stop desperately.
"Lightning struck it. It crashed! I must have blacked out 'cause I don't remember that part", Morro rolled his eyes. "But when I woke up . . . I was on a beach. A blue sand beach".
"Blue sand?", Jay asked in disbelief.
"You must have hit your head pretty hard", Cole told him worried.
"It was blue, I tell ya!", Timothy told them slightly outraged and pointing at Jay. "What do you think, I'm lying?!", Timothy yelled at the others. "I'm telling the truth-!", he was cut off by the lighting twitches again.
"I wouldn't surprised if you were", Morro said walking to Lloyd's side and laying his chin on the blond's shoulder board.
"Lloyd I am picking up a rise in electro-static levels", Pixal told the green ninja. "I do not think it would be wise to proceed any nearer", Morro chuckled.
"When you say that you mean not go any further in the Bounty but use our small little boats that could be ripped apart in seconds!", Morro told her.
"Precisely", Pixal nodded at Morro. "I suggest you lower the catamarans and approach by sea", Morro groaned.
"Right, let's mount up and break some waves", Lloyd told the others.
"Just when I thought this was going ti be a simple rescue!", Morro complained as Twitchy fainted.
"Uh, he's going to need a life jacket", Cole stated as he held up the unconscious body making Morro chuckle.
"I'm getting one as well!", Morro told them since he was never taught how to swim and he hated getting into the water so they never had time to teach him. Morro being a ghost for so long had affected Morro more than he'd like to admit, even the "hot tub" Morro was stay by the latter sitting on it.
•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•
"Deploying water vessels in three, two, one . . .", Pixal pulled the level to release the catamarans. One by one each catamaran was released into the water while each ninja held on the poll with the sail tight.
"Pix, we're down. Proceeding into the fog bank", Lloyd told Pixal through the communicator as Morro let go of Lloyd since he was holding onto the blind instead of the poll.
"Good luck, Lloyd. Be careful", Pixal responded back.
"As careful as you can be on an unknown island where your mother went missing at and a man got struck twelve times with lightning!", Morro joked but also meant honestly.
•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•
Morro looked over at Jay, Kai and Cole's mini boat where Jay and Cole were dating something to each other then Kai also.
Nay seemed to understand whatever Kai said with whatever sibling superpower Morro will never know since he's an only child and an orphan. "Waves. We must be getting close", Nya told the four on the mini boat with her.
"Close to what?", Lloyd and Morro asked in unison. Thunder sounded in the background and spiked rocks came into view making Morro almost fall from surprise.
"Look out!", Lloyd yelled.
"Hart to port!", Nya told Lloyd.
The ninja continued on their way and both the mini boats moved along the water like a river rapids water cruse. "Here we go", Twitching said frightened slightly.
"Hold on!", Nya said using her arm as a barrier so Twitchy wouldn't fall off the boat and Morro just grabbed Lloyd again earning a smile from the blond green ninja.
"Watch our for the lightning!", Lloyd yelled when he was snapped back to reality.
"Fascinating", Zane said which was barely audible over the crashing waves and thunder. "The rocks seems to attract the lightning".
"How is any of that fascinating?!", Jay asked Zane while yelling.
Lloyd kept driving the boat and then saw a rock which was the only way to make it safely to where they needed to go. "Nya, we're to wide! We won't fit!", he told her casing Nya to press a button that brought the sides of the boat in so they could fit through the gap.
Zane saw this and went through the same gap in between the rock that Lloyd went through. Since his boat was the smallest boat he could fit easily.
"Here we go", Jay said to Cole and Kai and he pressed the button that was supposed to bring in the boat's sides like Lloyd, Morro, Nya and Twitchy had done but the button didn't work.
"Push the button! We're to wide!", Cole told Jay in a panicked yell.
"I am pushing the button! It's not working!", Jay complained to Cole as he continued to press the button over and over again.
Zane went back to his friends' boat to help them and jumped onto the side. "Everyone, get to starboard! Lean back into the catamaran up on on its side!", he ordered. They all did and as they went through the sail was knocked off. Luckily just the sail and not anyone.
"Whoa!", Jay exclaimed in shock of how the island looked.
"Wow", Lloyd agreed as Morro released him again.
"What was I thinking offering to come back here?", Twitchy asked himself.
"You technically didn't offer it. We asked you and after your third time finding out have in and said yes though you didn't say yes before ever", Morro said plain.
Once they all landed on the shore Morro rushed to Kai, Jay, Zane and Cole. "Are you okay?! Any concussions or scratches or-?!", Kai placed a finger over Morro's mouth.
"We're fine, don't worry", Cole promised.
"Good", Morro said as Kai removed his finger. "Smart thinking though Zane!", Morro praised warning just a nod.
"I guess we're walking from here", Kai told them.
"Maybe not. Pixal, do you copy?", Lloyd asked and Morro whipped around to see Lloyd his eyes shining already knowing what's about to happen.
"I copy, Lloyd", Pixal's voice was a but staticky through the communication device.
"We're on the island. Can you fix on my location and deploy the Jungle Choppers?", Lloyd asked making Morro give a small jump in excitement.
"Affirmative. Deploying now", Pixal said then a cargo looking iron box was blown out of the sky and onto the beach.
Lloyd took one step back before the iron box hit the ground as his arms were crossed and Morro made a noise of excitement and praise. Two more iron boxes were deployed and then the walls came off falling to the ground.
Kai and Morro both laughed, "that's what I call air-mail!", they both stated then jumped for a high five.
"This is going to be amazing!", Morro said to Kai his mood now completely changed from his frightened and sarcastic one. The wind master raced over to Lloyd and climbed onto the Jungle Chopper smiling.
•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•
The ninja were now grouped in two to three in their Jungle Choppers racing through the beaches edge. They saw a tint and immediately assumed it was Misako and her group's.
Both Morro and Lloyd quickly jumped out and raced to the tint yelling, "mom?!".
Lloyd arrived first and skidded to a stop, "hello?", he asked worried then walked a foot inside.
Zane walked past Lloyd and Morro, "look, that rock formation, it spells out help", Zane said motioning told the rocks that were laid on the sand.
"What happened here?", Kai asked.
"What do you think?!", Morro said worried again. "Mom is missing, so is master Wu and the rest of their expedition group! We're on an unknown island that's not on any maps in Ninjago and you can't reach it through GPS!", Morro sat on his bottom bringing his knees to his chest. "We're doomed!".
"You know I will never understand your mood swings", Cole said placing a hand on Morro's shoulder.
"If you get a girlfriend you will", Nya promised.
"But how does Morro have to do with a girl- oh", he gave Morro a soft smile. "That sucks for you right now, huh?", Morro nodded wishing he was just born a male instead of female.
"They must have left this behind in case someone came after them", Nya said as she walked up to the rocks.
"Mom?!", Lloyd shouted again. "Master Wu?!", his voice echoed.
Twitchy ran up to Lloyd and covered his mouth earning a growl from Morro and a death glare. Twitchy was shushing Lloyd, "are you nuts?! You want those things to know we're here?!", he asked Lloyd panicked.
"They're not things", Morro corrected Twitchy. "Nothing is a thing unless it's an object", he was stern and harsh with his words.
"Uh, what thi- creatures", Kai asked correcting himself so he wouldn't make Morro more mad.
"The monsters in the jungle!", Twitchy told him as he spun Lloyd when he let the blond go causing Lloyd to fall.
"See, monsters not things!", Morro stated as Cole helped him up.
"They look like statues! But it's a trick. They're alive", the others were silent for a bit.
"Great", Morro crossed his arms.
"Well, what are we waiting for?", Lloyd started.
"A plan?! Perhaps a safe area to continue on?!", Morro asked Lloyd sarcastically who sighed and went over to Morro. "Just come on", was all he told him as they climbed back inside their Jungle Choppers and drove off fast off the beach.
((End of this chapter! I'll see you in the next chapter which I will start writing now! Hope you have a great day/night! Bye!))
Word count: 3434