Morro's POV

I collapsed onto my bed as the last of the Shadow Riders filed out of the room. There was really no reason for me to be this tired, but somehow every bone in my body ached. Though I had taken a big trip with Toran to the apothecary then spent the last hour or so helping the Shadow Riders with their various injuries, it shouldn't be so draining.

It was fine, though. I'd decided I needed to form better relationships with the Shadow Riders, since more enemies would not play in my favor and maybe I could even leverage any acquaintanceships I made.

Ruby wasn't speaking to me. By the time she'd found out I'd released the others five days ago, they had been gone for hours and she knew they weren't stupid enough to try and "hide" in plain sight. But what could she do? After all, she couldn't be mad at me since we still had everything we needed and it wasn't as if the Crystal Blade was going to stop recharging if it wasn't in the lair. We were going to find the Ninja at the North Tower in due time anyway, and destroying the magic source was much harder than they would think. Ruby also couldn't hold me against my will, since if worse came to worst, I could still endure the pain and blurt everything out.

Even as the all-powerful Shadow Knight, she was still unable to mind-control people. Which was a good thing, of course. I could reveal everything if I wanted to regardless of how much pain she was willing to put me through.

Not that I was going to. Still, I needed to have something I could hold against her.

I snapped my fingers, conjuring a greenish flame with blue sparks popping up around it. Grinning, I watched as the multi-element flame danced in the palm of my hand. I'd expected more side effects after gaining control of everyone's powers, but there was nothing. At least not yet.

If I suddenly got random cramps and unbearable pains, I wouldn't be surprised. I just hoped I wouldn't suddenly lose control of myself the way I used to whenever I had those weird spasms. Even now I could still remember the look on Harumi's face the first time I attacked her.

Her face flashed before my eyes, and though it was free of any emotion on the surface, in her eyes I could still see the scared little girl from the Great Devourer attack, the hopeless villain standing at the top of the crumbling building, and the confused teenager after waking up in my—or more accurately, my father's—house. I remembered driving her nuts, and couldn't help but grin, but the smile quickly dissipated as I wondered what this would entail.

Though we only knew each other for a few short weeks, it was apparent that she desperately needed something, or someone, to hold onto. She was still wounded, and I found myself wishing I could be there with her. Maybe it was out of pity or sympathy, but either way, I wanted to give her a second chance. Her actions weren't excusable or justified, but then again, neither were mine, and Wu had extended a hand regardless. I'd hurt Lloyd just as much as she did...

Suddenly I didn't want to kill him anymore.

I nearly jumped into the air, feeling the blood rushing to my head. We could simply go to Ninjago, then live as normal people until we died of old age. Harumi could be like my little sister, and I could give her the stability she needed. We could help those in need and go to charity events, as well as helping out the Ninja as vigilantes in the background. She'd slowly forgive herself, realizing that all she really needed was for someone to be there for her, and live a happy life. It would be perfect.

It was weird how you could feel like you'd known someone forever when you only met them a month ago.

Harumi's POV

"Is this all we have?" I asked weakly, massaging my ribs. Zane laid out what he claimed was the rest of our food onto the rock we all sat around.

"Where's the next village, Zane?" Nya said, her voice only a whisper now.

The only reason we had food at this point was because of Nya's powers, which she used to put on a performance around the fountain for curious passersby. Only then had I realized how slim and sunken her face had become compared to what she looked like when we first met. I also couldn't help but notice how similar everyone was starting to look, with the same musty hair that no longer had a distinctive color, bloodshot eyes, and grayish skin.

"I cannot be certain," he replied, no longer sounding as confident and assertive as he used to, "I can only speculate, as we do not have our maps."

"Do we even know where we are?" Jay sighed, his eyes drooping.

"Sadly, no."

"We're screwed," I whispered, wishing Morro was here. If he was here he'd know what to do. If he was here we wouldn't be such a lost cause.

Nobody denied it.

"Is it just me, or are you guys too scared to sleep nowadays?" Lloyd asked after a prolonged period of silence.

"Ha, other than being PARANOID ABOUT A PSYCHOPATH WHO MURDERED TWO OF OUR FRIENDS HUNTING US DOWN? No," Jay said, for a second regaining his old demeanor.

I shuddered, rubbing my arms to try and get rid of all the goosebumps. "How do you think Ruby and Morro are faring?"

"Not gonna lie, Rumi, I don't think she's gonna make it." Nya said, no emotion present in her tone. I didn't blame her.

For some reason, I no longer cared. Maybe I never cared in the first place. It was probably just the notion that she was my sister which made me think I cared at all. Or maybe it was the fact that she somehow came out unscathed every time something happened to her... Now that I thought about it, there was no way this was pure coincidence. Maybe they didn't want her dead for some reason, and though I couldn't figure out why, that would make a lot of sense.

But Morro, on the other hand...

I imagined him tied up in chains, kneeling at the edge of a prison cell with his clothes torn and whip lashes all over his back. They were probably torturing him as punishment for our escape, despite the fact that he did nothing wrong. I could picture him gritting his teeth while the leather cracked across his blood-streaked back as the Shadow Riders demanded answers he couldn't provide. The only reason they weren't killing him already was because he needed to be kept alive, just barely, to provide fresh blood at the ceremony.

If I were in his position I'd try to kill myself. However, knowing him, he wouldn't.

I wondered if he was scared. I wondered if he would manage to come out at all... then shoved the thoughts out of my head.

He would, and I had to hold out hope. I couldn't give up right now, especially since we were so close to destroying the portal.

But then if we did, and the Shadow Knight found out, would he kill him?

Why couldn't Morro have been the Chosen One? Why me?

I felt an urge to pound my head against a wall for still thinking these selfish thoughts. Morro was probably still getting tortured, but wouldn't say a word as he believed he was sacrificing everything for our freedom.

Yet here I was, wishing my petty problems onto him. And my subconscious was simultaneously justifying it by saying he wouldn't be tortured in this case.

Chills ran down my legs and I shuddered, then curled up into a ball by wrapping my arms around them. Nobody paid attention to me as usual, and somehow even the fire's light was pale and cold.

I closed my eyes and at once the memory of me awkwardly clinging to him as we flew over the gulf came to mind. A throbbing ache in my chest that appeared out of nowhere reminded me of the warm feeling of holding onto him, and when my stupid heart realized that was never to happen again, it plummeted into my stomach.

It deserved to go die in a hole. I was messed up enough and I didn't need stupid emotions to mess myself up even more.

Sucking in a chattering breath, I felt the cold air temporarily freeze my throat and loudly coughed. The others turned to me in alarm.

"Sorry," I choked, barely able to form words, "I'm stupid."

There was a pause.

"You okay?" Lloyd asked, and I couldn't help but notice how much dimmer his bright green eyes had gotten. They were now more of a gray.

When I didn't answer, he reached over and gently put his hand on mine. "We'll get out of this," Lloyd whispered quietly, then gave me a quick smile. A light blush spread across his cheeks again, and his grin widened. For a second his eyes gleamed green again.

Feeling a tightening in my chest, I pulled my hand away from his and looked in another direction. Why even was he concerned with me at this point? I wasn't worth his time.

And because of me, Kai and Cole had died. Because of me, there was a possibility that Morro would end up with the same fate.

Yet despite all this, the others were still treating me like a human. Even though I felt like I was anything but.

What had I ever done for them in return? Nothing. Lloyd was the one who got the Crystal Blade. Morro was the one who traded his freedom for ours. My only purpose was to perpetuate the endless suffering they endured.

Shaking, I buried my face in my knees and closed my eyes. Maybe a part of me deep down wanted Lloyd, or anyone, to try and comfort me again, which would explain why I felt an odd sense of disappointment when nobody said anything else.

I guess I really was an attention-seeking, manipulative, and self-absorbed psychopath.

Morro told me to forgive myself. But how could I?

He was right about many things, but was he right about this?

Sucking in another chattering breath, I pictured his face framed by his thick black hair. His eyes were a dark green that would look unnatural on anyone's face but his, and when he smiled, it was in almost a taunting manner. I remembered how he was flossing his teeth with his hair while staring into the water while we were on the raft when he thought nobody was looking, and despite myself, I broke into a grin.

Even when he attacked me, a part of me loved the sudden closeness. And now that I knew he and Ruby were the only ones still in the Shadow Knight's lair, I despised the idea of the two sharing alone time together, as much as I knew how isolation was a form of torture itself and could drive someone to insanity.

Before I could stop myself, I found my stupid brain complaining about how I couldn't get to kiss him at least once. And the more I tried to stop thinking about it, the more I wanted to. I quickly pushed the forming images out of my mind.

Well, what made me feel better was the idea that Ruby hadn't kissed him yet either, or at least not to my knowledge. But then I began visualizing it and it was just as painful as if I'd witnessed it in real life.

Though he had insisted that there was nothing between them... stupid boys.

I couldn't believe myself. How could I be so selfish and think such things when he could be dying this very moment?

Of all the people I could've developed feelings for, it just had to be him.

Ha, welcome to part 24985 or whatever of Harumi feeling sorry for herself while other people were going through much worse, me.

❧

"Ahh thank you!" I squeaked, trying to sound as childish as humanly possible.

Since Lloyd and I were the youngest and therefore most likely to evoke sympathy from the passersby in the group, we were tasked with begging while Nya continued to perform her "magic tricks" and Zane and Jay did whatever they could. We were nothing but skin and bones after at least two weeks of hiding in the woods (or was it two weeks? I didn't know anymore, and Zane had lost track of where we were ages ago; he could only say we were getting close), and as I watched the Water Ninja from afar, I found myself staring at her wide-eyed as she still hadn't collapsed.

Morro had always been the one to get food for us... I quickly focused my attention back to the beggary before I could start daydreaming about sitting behind him on his Wind Dragon again while praying that he couldn't hear my thundering heartbeat, which sounded really cheesy even in my own head but whatever.

The bell chimed six times, and that was my cue to meet up with everyone at the edge of town. A red-faced Nya stumbled over from the village square, her bone-white knuckles tightly clutching a bag of coins.

"I... uh, didn't get much," Lloyd mumbled, dumping all the contents of his bag onto the ground.

"I went fishing in the fountain," Jay said, blushing, "The stares I got were really uncomfortable but hey, ya gotta do what ya gotta do."

"I don't think I looked pathetic enough," I said, dumping what little I had on the pile.

"Oh trust me, we all look pathetic enough," Nya sighed, lifting her shaking hands up to eye level, "Ugh, I swear, I never knew you could get finger cramps."

"I'll go buy food," I volunteered, seeing how tired everyone else was, "You guys stay here and I'll be back as soon as possible."

"I'll go with you," Lloyd said, "Just in case anything happens."

"Okay." I didn't have the energy to argue, and if I was being totally honest, I was quite thankful for the offer as I probably wouldn't be able to defend myself if something actually happened, however it hurt my pride to admit.

We headed towards the shops in silence, broken only by the occasional rock one of us kicked.

"My dad used to say that talking is a good stress reliever. Helps take the burden off your shoulders, you know?" Lloyd said suddenly, and I raised an eyebrow.

"I know this is a lot to deal with, but just know that we're all in this together, Rumi. You don't have to overly stress yourself out, and whatever happens, we're here for you. Even if you don't know us that well, I hope you'll trust us enough to talk it through. And if you blame yourself for all this, well, I don't think anything I say will convince you otherwise, but just remember that if you defeat the Shadow Knight it'll prevent a lot more you know... so for now we should focus on that? I'm just saying, we all have a common goal, so if you need to talk, we're here."

When I didn't answer, he continued, "Like, I know you used to talk to Morro, and... I'm not saying I can serve as a replacement or anything, but at least you can try to open up a bit? Wait that didn't make sense I think―"

I reached over and took his hand in mine, and he stopped talking mid sentence. "It made perfect sense. Thank you for the offer, I'll... think about it."

Lloyd smiled, his cheeks adorably flushing pink.

"You know, I have something I need to tell you guys," I said after a deep breath.

It was about time. 

A/N: 

Hi, new chapter posted! Hope you all enjoyed, and have a great Christmas!