The Partling

over

It was in the middle of the night. Lloyd woke up, unable to sleep anymore. He was nervous. Wanted to get out. This castle in the middle of Ninjago was not what he wanted. It was so wrong. People were thrown into a dungeon so he and the other oni could feed.

God, when did his life become so complicated? He used to be a small child, not worrying about anything in the world. Then the ninja came and with them his burden of the green ninja.

Sometimes he asked himself, what would've happened if they never found out he was the green ninja. What if it had been one of the others? He wouldn't have had to fight his father, or the overlord. None of the foes they had faced.

But when he thought about it again and again, he would never want to change anything. He found his mother, had friends, and for a long time in his life, there were people that cared.

But everything changed when Harumi came. She was the reason he had learned about his oni heritage, and the dragon too. Since then he didn't feel normal anymore.

Staring at the ceiling, Lloyd asked himself if they should head out already. It would be safer. The longer they waited, the faster his mind would change. He had already caught himself loving the taste of the fresh blood he had gotten from the woman. He had promised not to kill her, but it was harder than he had expected.

He wanted to stop, but he couldn't. He wanted more of it.

Lloyd sat up, shaking his head. They had to go. He couldn't waste time. And he was afraid of the thoughts he could get once the venom had spread far enough. He pulled down his shirt to look at the mark. In the beginning it had been rather small, barely there. But now it was covering the whole upper right side of his chest.

The dark moon seemed to pulsate with power and darkness. He dared to touch it, only to withdraw his hand immediately. It burned, but in a good kind of way. Odd. His father had never said anything about the mark, not clearly.

The blond thought it was just a way to show what the oni had done, but maybe there was more to it. For a short moment his head began to hurt. It was only for two minutes, maybe a bit more. And he had his suspicions where it came from. No matter. It would have happened sooner or later. This one sign.

Lloyd took out his contact lenses, stuffing them into his pocket. He wouldn't need them anymore once they got the crystal. When he left the room, Morro was already standing there, waiting for him. Going in the middle of the night would be the best. No one watching them leave. Safest option.

So they left the large castle, and to their surprise there were no guards anywhere. Kind of strange. Lloyd would've bet there would be at least some of the oni guarding the large place. But no such thing. He could live with it.

Once they were a few feet away from the castle the former ghost finally spoke.

"You can take them out now. They won't see it here. Not like we're going back"

Lloyd averted his gaze. He just looked at the streets and the buildings, hoping the other would just leave it alone. Getting that he didn't want to talk about it. Then again, this was Morro he was talking about. He had never been the patient kind of person. And since he had lived inside his head a few weeks, the blond was sure he would be able to read him like an open book. Time for an excuse.

"I'd rather not. It's better to leave them in place for now. Just in case some of the oni are walking around the city" he lied. And he begged, oh he begged the gods the other would buy it.

"I don't believe you. You have been eager to get them out since you started wearing them. What's wrong?" the other asked.

Lloyd sighed. Of course he wouldn't buy it. Why did he ever think this would work on him? Trying to lie to the guy that had been living in your head long enough to know you. As if it would have worked.