"Cat got your tongue?" Morro asked.
"That's enough, Morro," Lloyd said.
"Ha! You're just another clone, aren't you?" Morro stated, "Lloyd would've retorted back at that."
Lloyd turned back to Garmadon, ignoring Morro. More darkness flowed out of Garmadon, forcing him to cry out.
"Stop it, Lloyd!" Misako said, calling out. "There's no need to hurt your father like this. Pin all the blame you want on me. But please, don't hurt him."
More and more dark matter flowed, causing Garmadon to feel more and more pain. It became increasingly painful to watch. Soon, the dark matter began to turn purple, and Garmadon's pain subsided. Or rather, transferred.
"It looks like Lloyd stopped," Blue said, looking out from his cage. "Although, he's starting to seem weird now."
"I'm just glad all that screaming is gone," Black said. "I was getting all sorts of shivers."
"Is that what he's going to do to us?" Water asked.
"I doubt it," White said. "It looked more like he was absorbing it than releasing it. Although, if dark matter was killing him, why would he absorb it?"
"Hey, look," Skylor pointed.
OG walked over to Lloyd. Lloyd stood bent over in front of his unconscious father as he absorbed the strange purple matter coming from him.
"It looks like they're saying something," Morro said to the ninjas. "Kai. Your white ninja is a robot, right?"
"Yes?" Red answered, suspicious. "What do you want with a member of my team, Morro?"
"Nothing," He answered slyly, "I was just wondering if he had an in-built speaker or something. I'd like to know what they're talking about."
"He does have something like that, but why should we lend it to you?"
"I don't mind us all using it," White said, "The issue would be placing a mic where they are."
"Leave that to me," Morro volunteered.
Red looked at Morro skeptically before sighing. "Fine. Set up a mic hidden near the two."
White opened a compartment in his arm and took out a mini earpiece.
"Handle with care," White said, handing it over to Morro.
Morro took the earpiece and, without warning, threw it. The ninjas looked at him wide-eyed.
"You threw it?!" They exclaimed.
"Shh," Skylor said, whispering. "Morro is just like you guys. He's an elemental."
"That doesn't explain why he just threw it," Red stated.
"Also," Blue said, "What's an elemental?"
It was Morro and Skylor's turn to stare wide-eyed.
Suddenly, they heard some radio static. Everyone turned to White, who seemed to be fiddling with the buttons on his arm.
"chhhh -sure you're- chhhh-"
"Can you get it working, White?" Black asked.
"I'm just about done," White said. "Here we go."
"I keep telling you. I'm going to be just fine. It's taking a toll on my body but not as bad as we expected."
"That doesn't make things better. What of plan C?"
"I can't tell who's talking," Water said. "Their voices are too similar."
"This is going to be annoying," Skylor said.
"We won't need it. I'm just about done with Garmadon."
"That should be Lloyd's," Morro said.
"What does he mean "just about done" ?" Blue asked, "What is Lloyd even doing to him?"
"Taking his memories away?" Skylor concluded.
"You mean we're going to experience pain?!" Blue said, frantic and panicked. "I can't die from the pain. I haven't peed yet!"
"Calm down," White said, "OG said Lloyd's doing all this to release the dark power building up inside him. A means of that would be converting the dark matter to energy and spending it."
"But why did he have to think of taking away our memories?" Water said, "I might not like the time I spent dealing with Lloyd, but I don't want my mind tampered with."
"Yeah. Aren't there other and much better ways?"
"I'm assuming it's an idea spawned from guilt," White suggested.
"Guilt?" Blue wondered aloud, "Nah, that makes no sense."
All the lights in Ninjago City went out, and things seemed to be at a standstill.
"What's happening?!" Black asked, panicked.
"Stay back! I won't let you have this!"
"Is something going on with Lloyd?" Misako asked.
"I can't pick the locks," Skylor said, "It's like it's held stiff by something inside."
"My feet won't move!" White exclaimed.
"Mine won't either!" Red said, panicking. "What's happening?"
"Okay, everyone," Misako said, "Calm down. We can't get out of this mess without calming down first. Deep breaths."
Everyone took some time to calm down. Misako looked around but everywhere was surrounded by a thick dark fog.
"Okay," Blue said, "I think our priority should be getting out of the cages. Like right now!!!"
"Shh!"
"Don't shush me!"
"Shhhh!!!"
"I'm not sure why you guys are putting yourselves on the line." A deeper, raspier, new voice spoke.
"Lloyd!" Misako, Skylor, and Morro exclaimed at once.
"Huh?"
"That's-" Skylor said. "That's the real Lloyd Garmadon!"
"But what about- ?" Red asked, cut off.
"She's right," Misako said, "That's exactly how my son sounded before he started introducing all these clones."
"Really?" Blue asked. "Then, if that is the Lloyd, why do you guys seem weird?"
"I guess it's because we haven't heard that voice in two years."
"At this point, you've lost me," Black said, sitting down. Having given up, he pulled off his mask and sighed.
"Black?!" Blue almost screamed.
"Cole?!"
"Why did you do that?" White asked.
"The same reason Kai did. I'm fed up, confused, tired, and hungry. If this isn't torture, then what is?"
"I'm not hun-" Kai said, "Hey, wait! How come everyone's more surprised by Cole's reveal than mine?"
"That's what's bothering you?" Water asked, her eyebrow raised. She pulled off her ninja mask and sighed. "I don't think I've had this on for so long."
"Nya?!" Blue screamed. He turned his head away from everyone and shut his eyes. "No. I mustn't look. If I don't look, I won't be able to confirm what I saw. Plus, it was dark. Yeah, there's no way that that was Nya."
Most of them rolled their eyes.
"Hey-"
"You've taken and reset all of Ninjago's memories just as planned. All that remains are those in the cells."
"Hand over my father's power."
"No. We can't let that happen. We can't give you such harmful power. Not when you've managed to get rid of most of it."
"Hand it over while I'm asking nicely."
"What are they talking about?" Morro asked.
"I think what that fake Lloyd did was take Garmadon's dark power," White concluded. "And the real Lloyd wants it."
"So," Nya said, "They're arguing over who gets the power of an evil warlord. Tell me that doesn't sound evil itself."
"No!"
"How about we get out of this place?" Blue suggested, "I don't want to get caught up in this mess. We can use the dark fog as means to sneak out quietly."
"Chhhhh, chhhh..."
Footsteps echoed across the fog. It turned quiet, and everyone became on high alert. Immediately, the dark fog disappeared, revealing a person's silhouette.
"Stay back!" Kai said to the figure.
"They left you guys conscious," The person said. "So reckless."
"You're Lloyd, right?" White asked.
"Yeah, it's been one clone after another all night. I'm tired." Cole complained, standing up.
"Let me guess," Kai said, "You're going to take our memories which will help you release all your dark power and stop you from dying?"
"Is that what they told you?" The person asked, "It's a bigger mess than I thought."
"What are you saying?" Morro asked, skeptic.
"Lloyd," Misako asked, "Is that you?"
Dark matter emerged from the person and wrapped itself around Misako and Morro.
"You two can be so annoying sometimes."
"What are you doing to them?!" Skylor screamed, "Stop it! I won't let you hurt them!"
Skylor's eyes glowed a bright orange. "Kai, give me your hand."
"W- wait! What?!" Kai said, confused and slightly flushed. He stretched his hand awkwardly between the bars as he tried to avoid the weird glances he got from the others. Skylor grabbed his hand, and the glow turned into a bright red. She let go, and fire erupted from her hands.
"You're a fire elemental?!" Skylor asked, surprised.
"I don't know what you're talking about," Kai said. "Although that sounds strangely familiar."
The dark matter released an unconscious Misako and, after that, released Morro. The person fell to their knees, panting as if he'd just run a marathon.
"So that's what they did."
Skylor melted the bars with the flames in her palms. However, the bars returned almost as immediately as they came.
"What the?"
"Try all you want, Sky," The person said, barely standing up.
"What are these things made of?" Skylor asked. "And what did you do to them?!"
Dark matter wrapped itself around Skylor suddenly. The ninjas didn't even have time to process what happened.
"Skylor!"
"You're going to pay for that!" Kai said.
The person scoffed. "Let me finish off with your little crush, and I'll get back to you."
"Why you- !"
"Red! Calm down!" Blue said, "We need to get out of here before he's finished!"
"But-"
"Blue's right," Cole stated.
"All that remains is how," Nya said, scratching her head.
A thud echoed as Skylor's unconscious body dropped to the floor. They all turned, mortified.
"Almost forgot," The person said, exhausted. White's cage door opened up. "You... the robot... come out."
"White, don't do it!" Cole told him, "There's no telling what he'll do to you if he gets your hands on you."
White stayed put in the cage, unsure of the person's intentions. The person sighed, standing up straight.
"Can't you guys give me a break? Do I have to do everything myself?"
The dark matter grabbed hold of White's lower buddy and pulled him. Blue caught on fast and held White back by his arms. Cole held onto Blue, and the others followed suit.
"Let him go. Or, you might as well just break your friend in half." The person told the ninjas. "I don't mind if he ends up in pieces, but I'm sure you do."
"You wouldn't dare," Nya said, "White was your friend too. Even if you were only a clone."
"My clones might come from me, but they're much different than I am. If we were the same, all this would've ended sooner."
"So, you admit that you're the real Lloyd," Kai said.
"Let the robot go. I'm trying to reduce as much force as possible to prevent flinging him."
"No!"
"This is becoming uncomfortable," White said.
Blue's fingers were beginning to lose their grip. His body could only move so much since it was behind metal bars.
"Guys... !" Blue told them, "I'm not sure how much more I can hold on. My fingers are slipping! Also, I just remembered that I need to go..."
"Blue!"
"Sorry! It's not like I can tell my body not to do its job!"
The dark matter tugged slightly harder on White's body, forcing it out of Blue's grip.
"Put me down," White demanded.
"I sincerely apologize, White. I've involved you and your friends in my matters. Allow me to clean up after myself."
Dark essence wrapped itself around White.
"Back to you, Kai."
The ninjas looked traumatized.
"S- stay away from me!" Kai backed away to the edge of the cage.
"I, once again, apologize. I messed things up, but I'm going to make things right.
"You're sick!" Nya told him. "You know that?!"
"Look at the bright side," He grabbed Kai using the dark matter. "It'll be as if you never met me. The life you could have led is what you'll get to enjoy."
"Let Kai go!" Cole said. "Why don't you face off with me, huh? Fist to face!"
"You're not listening to me." The dark matter wrapped itself around Cole.
"Cole!" Nya and Blue exclaimed.
"Don't worry, Nya. You'll see your brother and your friend again. Although, I'm sorry I won't be able to return your parents to you."
"Why, you!!!"
"Nya, please, calm down," Blue said. "Uh, I mean, the person who isn't Nya, please, calm down."
"Really, Blue? Really?"
"I- I was just saying!"
Kai and Cole both dropped to the floor, unconscious. Blue and Nya turned in shock before noticing the person fall to the floor too.
"Um, I know he's the enemy and all," Blue said, "But I thought doing this stuff was supposed to be helping him."
"Me too,"
"I'm fine. I just have to finish up with the two of you and one last person. Then, I can officially call this night over."
"Oh, no," Blue said. "He's standing up again. What do we do?!!! I haven't even gone to use the bathroom yet!!!"
"Blue, I think it's your turn to calm down."
"Calm down?! But how?! I'm on the verge of death!!"
"How are you being so dramatic, right now? Just calm down. We can get out of this."
"That's what I thought five minutes ago. But look. All our team members have fallen and even the others with us have fallen too. We're doomed!!!"
"Blue-"
"If only Sensei were with us..."
"I don't know what's going on between the two of you," He said, "But, I'd appreciate it if no one cries. Let's get this over with before Garmadon wakes up."
"How is that important-" Blue was taken over by the dark matter.
"Blue!!!"
"I'd appreciate no screaming too." Nya found herself enveloped by the dark matter.
A minute later, the two remaining ninjas were unconscious on the floor of the cells. The person collapsed on the floor unconscious.
"And me?"
The person turned to the Nindroid who was barely operating.
"Right..." He stood up and walked over to the white ninja. A screwdriver emerged from his hand.
"W-what are you planning to do to me?"
"Well, it's not like I can clear a robot's memory using magic."
A laptop appeared beside them on the floor.
"H- how did you do that?"
"Do what?" The shadows began clicking away at the keyboard while the person continued to tinker with the ninja's body.
"The making stuff appear out of nowhere."
"I just had them teleported here using the shadows. Think of it as an elemental power."
"Our sensei told us about elemental powers. However, for some reason, we forgot about it."
The person pulled out a component from White's system. Then, he plugged it into the computer.
"That was me. I didn't like the idea of you guys knowing something like that, so, I removed it."
"When?"
"You know, you ask a lot of questions."
"Why don't you think of it as repayment for tampering with my internal systems?"
". . ."
"So, when?"
"Sigh, During the winter formal. I was tired of watching my clones being mistreated and bullied at school. I thought it would be best if no one even knew "Lloyd" attended the school."
"So, you are Lloyd Garmadon."
". . ."
"You don't want to answer?"
The person pulled out a bright glowing device from the shadows and fixed it into one of White's compartments.
"W-what is that?"
"I borrowed it sometime back. I'm returning it now."
"But, w-what is it?"
"You'll figure that out later."
The person unplugged the part he took from the Nindroid and placed it back. He then began to reassemble the parts he took out.
A gust of wind blew hard in the person and White's direction. The person looked towards the source of the wind and noticed someone carrying all those unconscious away.
"S- sensei..."
"How annoying. He's here."