Chapter Text
Walking down the hallway, towards the courtyard with a half asleep Yang on his back and a tiny blue dragon refusing to leave his side, due to his heritage was not how Lloyd expected his morning to be like. But alas, he didn't make the rules. The blonde sighs, looking down at Riyu whom kept crawling at the same pace Lloyd walked.
The young master came to a halt, staring blankly at the door infront of him. Does he put down Nila? or does he suffer through it and try to open the door?
The option was quite easy, He'd open the door. Bending over and trying to open the door with his mouth.
"Do you require assistance?" Lloyd flinched, causing Nila to stir. "Hm..?" The ravenette hummed, lifted her head up as Lloyd turned around. The blonde sighed, seeing his elder Brother, Zane. "Please?" The almost silent plea made Zane crack a small smile, grabbing the door knob and pulling it open.
"Thanks Zane." Lloyd thanked, stepping out in the courtyard and seeing his students. Arin waved before geasturing to Riyu to go play. The said dragon however cuddled closer to Lloyd, brushing his head on Lloyd's calf, causing Sora to stifle a laugh.
"Good morning Arin and Sora. Has anyone seen Wyldfire, Nya or Kai? i can't find them." Lloyd questioned, earning two shake of their heads from his students.
Lloyd released a sigh, strolling over to the bench beside the self portrait of His Uncle, gently laying his Yang down on it. The ravenette cracked an eye open and glared at him. "Cruel Yin." Lloyd shook his head with a smile.
"Alright, Um... Zane, could you start with the warm Ups?" After a nod from hs brother, Lloyd made his way to the dragon stables, Riyu still choosing to follow him.
Walking down the steps, he noticed a strange sound coming from the stables. Lloyd sped up and sprinted to the said stables, swiftly turning at the corner and coming face-to-face with Heatwave. "Woah! heh, you scared me, Heatwave." Lloyd muttered, gently patting the red dragon and looking to the side, smiling as he saw Wyldfire and his two older siblings.
"My apologies,Youngling." Heatwave growled. Lloyd smiled. "It's alright." The blonde bowed his head, bending down and pick up Riyu, whom by now wanted Lloyd to hold him. Heatwave moved over to the other dragons, allowing access to Lloyd, so he could pass.
"Hey kiddo, what was that about?" Kai questioned. "Nothing important, though training should be beginning soon and I'd gladly appreciate it if Wyldfire joined, since we're talking through the topic of Elementals powers." Lloyd spoke, handing Riyu over to Nya. "Oh Yeah, i forgot that was the main reason we came to the stables.." Nya explained, a sheepish look laced her face. Lloyd chuckled.
"Well i beileve we shou-Agh!" Lloyd yelped, falling back and landing on the ground as Riyu lunged at him with full force. "Woah, you okay greenbean?" Kai asked, extending a hand out to his brother, the blonde eagerly took it, standing back up and looking down blankly, at Riyu.
Lloyd swiped dirt off his pants before sighing and picking up the blue dragon. "He keeps following me." Lloyd muttered. "Maybe he finds comfort around you?" Wyldfire suggested, Lloyd shrugged. "I dunno, I might have to ask my great grandmot- I mean um FIrstbourne." Lloyd spoke, clearing his throat.
"You know FIrstbourne? isn't she the suppose mother of dragons?" Wyldfire questioned, tilting her head. Lloyd's eye twitched 'Suppose'?
"I do, an she is. She's even shown me a few things." Lloyd answered. He never did like saying it out loud that he was a descendent of The mother of all dragons, nor that he still could communicate with her from time to time, Only his siblings knew and eventually his students would to. But not now. "Anyways! why don't we head to the courtyard?" Nya spoke up, before Wyldfire could say anything. Lloyd sent her a thankful smile.
On the way back to the Courtyard, a loud "Watch out!!" Was heard before something collided with Lloyd's chest and drenched him in cold water. The blonde stared pointedly at his now wet gi, looking up and eyes locking with wide Amethyst ones. Arin turned around and eep'ed, watching carefully at Lloyd's reaction, however the blonde only removed his Gi top and quickly went to walk inside. As he walked he past by Nila, a small smirk found his way to his face, when he caught her staring.
The Ravenette heavily blushed and the blonde abruptly stopped walking. "Quit staring, Honey. It's not a good look on ya." He winked, running inside when Nila sent him a death glare, only her mother was capable of doing.
Kai pinched the bridge of his nose. "Remind me again Why we have a little brother who is mentally like nineteen?" He asked, earning a shrug. "Because once he first boraded the bounty we all eventually began to think of him as one." Zane spoke up, Nya hummed. "He's got a point." Kai smiled.
"Kai." Wyldfire spoke up, The master of Fire looked down at the young elemental. "Yeah?" He asked, raising a brow. Wyldfire crossed her arms. "Why does Lloyd have Oni markings?" Kai stiffened, along with Zane and Nya. "Oh um... There- there scars! ...yeah, Scars." Nya sent Kai a pointed Look, to which he bit his lip at.
"Why are you lying!?" She exclaimed catching the attention of Nila, Nya made eye contact with Nila, Mouthing. "Get Lloyd." The master of Telekinesis Noded, quickly walking inside.
Nila quickly reached - their shared - Lloyd's bedroom, Opening the door and quickly closing it. Nila blushed, clearing throat and knocking. "Um, Lloyd?" She said. "Yeah?"
"Can i speak to you for a moment? it's urgent." She said, pointedly. "Come in, I'm only looking for a shirt." Nila sighed, opening the door and walking in. "So um... wait, why is it so dark in here?" She questioned. "It is? heh... i didn't notice." Lloyd replied, shrugging. Nila squinted her eyes, looking for the light switch. After a moment she found it. "Aha!" She called out, switching it on. Lloyd hissed, immediately covering his eyes.
Nila pursed her lips. "Sorry..." She mumbled, watching as Lloyd rubbed his eyes. She then walk towards him and opened a drawer, picking out a random black t-shirt and slipping it over his head. Lloyd blinked, slightly dazed from the bright lights as he pulled the shirt through his hands.
"Thanks" He muttered, walking over to the bedroom door. Suddenly a light flickered in Nila's brain. "Oh wait, Wyldfire saw your-!" Lloyd opened the door and was immediately greeted with a flame. Too late.
The blonde stepped back, eyes wide as Wyldfire glared at him. "Who are you? and where's Lloyd!?" She shouted. Lloyd frowned, pointing towards himself. "Uh, I am. Wyldfire are you alright?" He asked, concern lacing his voice.
Nila could hear Kai calling out for the young elemental as well as Nya. "Don't act like you care, Oni!" Lloyd felt himself slowly grow stiff. "Aha! that's right! I know what you are! Now where is Lloyd!?" Wyldfire exclaimed, When Lloyd didn't reply She lunged at him, throwing them both to the ground. Nila quickly snapped out of it, sprinting towards the young elemental and pulling her away from her Yin.
"Wyldfire, That's enough." Nila spoke, her usual Kind and calm voice towards the Girl, Gone and replaced with firmness. Wyldfire stopped struggling from Nila's tight hold around her wrists and chose to instead glare at her.
"Don't you get it!? He's an Oni! A monster!!" Nila pushed Wyldfire back, letting the young teen Fall on her bottom as she glared heavy daggers at her. "Don't you dare call him that. Lloyd is no Monster. Yes, he may be part Oni but that doesn't mean he's a monster!"
"He's an Oni! There all the same! They kill and destroy things for fun!! it's only a matter of time before he kills You and the dragons. I will not stand here and let that happen!" Wyldfire screeched, her eyes wide with rage.
Nila felt torn and was left speechless as Wyldfire exclamation, The fact that she'd even care to think of that, to think of Lloyd hurting or possibly killing his family broke Nila. The ravenette heard movement behind her and froze, immediately remembering that Lloyd was still behind her on the ground.
"...Um, Okay..." Nila didn't dare turn around, her heart shattering at Lloyd's small and broken voice. After a few more moments of Silence, Wyldfire was dragged out by an angered Looking Nya and Zane. Kai stood by the door. his arms crossed, he didn't spare a single glance at Wyldfire as he walked into the room. Nila cleared her throat and quickly excused herself from the room, locking the door to give the boys they're space.
Lloyd was still on the floor, knees up to his chest a he hugged them tightly, his breathing uneven. Kai sat beside him, only having to do so before Lloyd tackled him, tightly wrapping his arms around Kai's torso. It was only then that Kai actually realized how badly his brother was shaking.
"Am...am I a monster?" Kai shook his head.
"Nope, only my little brother. I'm sorry for what she said to you." Lloyd shrugged. "It's fine..." Kai tightened his hold around his brother.
"It's Not. Sh- she called you a mon-"
"It's true though... I've been in Oni form, Kai, why do you think I have the markings? I'm a monster..." Lloyd muttered, closing his eyes when Kai stroke a warm hand through his hair, an old habit Kai had of doing when Lloyd was on the verge of a breakdown.
"You did? when? i don't recall you ever telling me that." Kai admitted. Lloyd sighed, tightening his hold over Kai's torso. "When i fought the overlord... remember the mysterious stretch marks? below my arms and stomach? or the ever-growing migraines i had? After-effect of Using it." Lloyd admited, phantom pain making his sides start to ache.
Kai stared at his brother with a horrified look. "Wh- why didn't you tell us? or atleast Me? come on Lloyd. Why'd you let yourself go through that alone?" The said blonde shrugged, his side flaring with pain, making him hiss.
Kai frowned. "What? what's wrong?" He questioned, Lloyd shook his head. "No- nothing..." Lloyd rasped out, shutting his eyes, tightly shut.
The brunette frowned, seeing as Lloyd swiftly recoiled his arms from around Kai's torso and wrapped them around his own. The pain was familiar to Lloyd, one he felt so very often after the attack with the overlord, one he locked himself in his room for hours on hours on end.
"Kai, get- get out." He rasped out, a small whine of escaping his lips. Kai instead placed his hands on Lloyd's side and let his elemental powers flow to his hands, allowing Lloyd to fall limp for a moment, before twisting in agony as the pain grew. "Lloyd, you gotta be honest right now with me bud, What's happening?" Kai asked, his voice layered with concern. Lloyd opened his mouth to reply but a groan escaped him instead.
He felt his spine twist and stretch in within him, bones reforming to make way for the new appendages. Lloyd held back tears of agony as he tightened the grip around his sides.
He gritted letting out a strangled Gasp as he felt something tear from his side, eyes widening when he saw blood covering his hands. "What-?" He breathed out, interrupting himself as a scream ripped through his throat. "Oh shit, Lloyd what the fuck is happening!?"
Lloyd writhing in pain as he felt a stabbing pain in his head. Black spots danced around in his vision, eyes threatening to slip shut as he blinked, tears dripping from the corner of his eyes.
His breathing coming out in short and ragged gasps. Kai softly ran a warm hand through his hair, easing out some pain on his temple.
Kai tried his best to stay calm, refusing to glance at the pool of Blood his brother laid in as he twisted in agony. Lloyd bit his lip to hold back a sob, but yelped when he felt his teeth Fangs impaled his lip.
Small bumps made there way onto his head, before bursting out. Two horns emerging from his head, The boy couldn't keep in his scream of anguish, his face pale as he stared at the celling. A sob broke through his throat and suddenly he couldn't keep in the tears that fell with it.
From the other side of the wooden door, banging was heard as Nya and Nila banged on it. Both girl's having heard the scream of terror. Lloyd could barely make out their shouts of worry.
Soon, he stopped screaming, his transformation had been completed, leaving him drained and pained. Kai called out to him numerous times, but he couldn't find it in him to respond. A numbing sensation ran through him, numbing each pain filled spot in his body. He felt his body slowly start to slip into Unconsciousness, his body went limp before he fully let his eyes slip shut.
"He'll be fine, Nila." The said girl, pulled her knees up to her chest as she watched her yin's chest slowly raise and fall. "I know." She mumbled in response, hugging her knees tightly. Zane patted her shoulder before walking to sit at the far side of the room. Nila glanced over at her future brother-in-law, Kai had been silent ever since both She and Nya found him holding onto Lloyd, blood covering the both of them.
The scene wasn't the best scene to see, an image Nila, herself knew wouldn't be leaving her mind anytime soon. Kai was the same, he couldn't get Lloyd's agonized screams out of his head nor the scene of his baby brother pale and limp in his arms.
The Ravenette stood up from her seat beside Lloyd, walking over to Kai and stting beside him in a small couch. Kai and Nila made eye contact for a few minutes before Nila side hugged him, closing her eyes when Kai wrapped an arm around her shoulders. The younger Ninja released a shuddering sigh, curling up closer to Kai.
She smelt and felt the dried blood on kai's gi - Lloyd's blood. Fighting to control her tears, she relaxed at Kai's hand stroking through her long raven hair.
They stayed like that for while, both silent as the rooms only noise was the small heart monitor Lloyd hand attached to his finger, it's small beeps faint and slow.
Soon the room door opened, revealing Nya. The ravenette marched up to her brother sitting on the other side of Kai, resting her head on his lap as she silently stared over at her younger brother.
Silence lingered by, no one moved an inch as they were all left in they're thoughts to process it all. Nila was about to drift off to sleep when she heard an almost incoherent groan. Zane stood up, walking up to the cot. Kai tightened his grip around Nya's and Nila's shoulders as they watched Zane scan Lloyd. The Nindroid quickly finished scanning him, looking up at Kai and smiling.
"He's waking up."