Heads-up: the chapter is long and it's like a two part squished together.
The special chapter is coming out sometime next week. It's young Lloyd and Harumi bonding time.
(Lloyd's Pov)
When I opened my eyes, I was met with my crying younger self. It looked like my younger self didn't realize I was here with him. I looked around to see that we were in an alleyway. The only light was from the faint silver glow both of us were surrounded with, but I could see with no problem.
My younger self looked... not great. Almost all of his body was transparent, even his horns and tail. He had cracks and dried blood all over his skin. I grimaced when I realized that this was what I looked like right now, but just older.
"Hey," I said, my voice sounded weird. Instead of a normal voice, it sounded more like an echo. Little-me looked up, his eyes red and full of tears.
"I don't want to leave," little-me chocked out, wiping his eyes to try to stop the tears, "I want to go back to dad, uncle, mom, and Morro. I- I want to stay. Please, please don't make me leave."
"I don't want to," I sighed, getting closer to little-me.
"But I have to. Don't I?"
"Yeah," I nodded as I hugged little-me. My own transparent body becoming solid just like little-me's did just as I hugged him.
"Does it hurt?" Little-me asked, hanging on to me like it was his life line.
"A lot."
"Does he come back?"
"Sadly, yes."
"Will I get to see the others?"
"In a long time, yes."
"Will I have to leave afterwards again?"
"Maybe."
"Are we still cursed?"
"Yeah."
"Are we happy?"
I kept quiet. I didn't know what to say. Little-me looked up at me, his emerald eyes still had life and hope in it unlike my dead and hopeless one. I just hugged him tighter.
"Are you happy?" little-me asked again, but his voice sounded more distant than before. I could feel his body becoming transparent and slowly fade away, "Are you happy?"
"I don't know," I chocked out as little-me faded away and I fell into darkness.
I walked through the darkness. My body screamed in pain but I kept going. Blood and my power kept pouring out of the cracks in my skin but I kept going. My vision was blurry and my mind was foggy, but I kept going. Finally I fell when my legs gave up.
The darkness welcomed me with open arms and started to consume me.
'I'm tired. What's the point anyways?' I thought to myself.
"Lloyd... Lloyd you got to get up."
'Great, I'm hearing voices now.'
"Lloyd," I felt something on my cheek. Something warm and bright. I looked up to see a glowing person. "Lloyd, my grandson."
My eyes widened at what he said. Suddenly all the pain I was feeling disappeared and the light from the FSM lightened up our surroundings. I felt grass instead of cold darkness underneath me and sunlight instead of nothing. I saw clear, beautiful sky instead of pure darkness.
"The First Spinjitzu Master..." I muttered under my breath as he helped me sit up.
"Lloyd, it's been a long time since we've seen each other. Last time we saw each other, you were only around 50 years old," FSM said warmly.
"60, not 50... grandpa," I corrected him.
"Now your around 3000 years old?"
"I don't know honestly. I lost count after 1293 years old," I said as I looked around. I was now in a place where there were floating islands with yellow flowers that I guessed was daffodil.
"I remember you loved daffodil when you were younger," my grandpa explained when he noticed me stare at the yellow flower. "Did you know that daffodil represents a new beginning?"
I shook my head as I gently touched one that hasn't bloomed yet. I noticed that it was the only one that hasn't bloomed yet in this island.
"Why isn't this bloomed yet?" I asked.
"Every flower in this island represents every new beginning of one person, Lloyd. While the other flowers in the other island represents what the flower represents for another person. This is the realm of belief after all."
"Realm of Belief? I thought that was just an empty void?" I asked as I recalled what his uncle and dad was talking about centuries ago.
"Oh it was an empty void. Until a specific person came along and started to create this realm into something else."
"Who?" I tilted my head.
"You, Lloyd. You created this place. This island is your island."
"What!?" I yelled as I stood up, turning back to my grandfather.
"Of course, it was very chaotic at first. But after a while with some help from me, it started to become... well this," he said as he waved to the other islands behind him, "Your power has grown."
"Grown to cause me all sorts of pain," I muttered under my breath.
"I know that you don't exactly love your power, Lloyd. It had brought you pain and suffering," He said as he place his hand on my shoulders.
"You got that right. Because of that power, I can't love anyone. I can't feel that emotion anymore no matter how much I want to because of the curse that power has brought me! I can't go near anyone or love anyone or they will pay the price!" I exclaimed, getting out of my grandfather's grip, tears pouring down my face.
"What else does the world want from me? I gave up everything for the world! I gave up being with people I love no matter how many times the world threw at me! I did everything they asked, I did everything you asked! I helped multiple generations of ninjas in the shadows, I balanced the good and evil whenever there was no evil by becoming the evil! I even went back and pushed my feelings for my family aside to keep them and the world safe! What else do you want from me!?"
I stopped, my anger disappearing. I wanted to yell at the FSM, hit him, shout at him, dump all my anger on him. But I couldn't, I didn't know why, I just couldn't.
"You have done so much for everyone and I'm am very sorry for leaving you to deal with my problems along with the other's too. And I'm very thankful for that too," he smiled, warmly, "So now I'm giving you a choice."
I stared at him, waiting to hear what he was going to say next.
"That daffodil that hasn't bloomed yet.... Lloyd you have gone through multiple new beginnings and now, you have to go through another one again," he waved his hand in the air. A scene of Morro seating in a meditation position in front of my unconscious body showed up in the air. The strange thing was that he had horns and markings, just like an oni.
"Your cousin had unlocked his oni form to try to help you. It was in the deepest part of him and he woke it up without noticing. He had created a way for you to go back. But the final choice is yours. You can go back or stay here. If you go back, you'll know what to do to defeat the onis and the outcome of it. If you don't, you'll be safe here, no pain just in you realm looking after it." My grandfather said as he offered his hand. "What will be your choice?"
I looked back at the daffodil that hasn't bloomed yet, the realm itself, and the scene with Morro. The bracelet that I gave him was still on his wrist.
"I..."
That's it!
Sunflower Out!