Arrival

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"So. How'd you get a beauty like that?" Gene asked
"What?" Lloyd replied confused
Last time Lloyd checked he was still single.  Unless there was some insane chick claiming to be his "one true love/soulmate".
"You know... That mansion!" Sally said
"Yeah dude. Didn't you hear me the first time?" Gene asked
"No. I have a lot on my mind." Lloyd said his voice seeming hollow.
"Uh, why? You're dead." Sally said sassily.
"I literally live with two people who tried to kill me." Lloyd said bluntly.
"Which ones?" Brad asked
Sally gave him a disgusted look.
"What? We got to know what we're working with!" Brad exclaimed
"I don't know...You might plot against them. I mean you were the best in the lesson about revenge. I was such a terrible student."Lloyd sighed
"You weren't all that bad. You got pretty good grades in Stealth and Survival. The class you failed was General Villainy. " Brad responded
"Imagine if Lloyd took Elemental Magic before becoming a Ninja." Gene teased
"I can't imagine the outcome." Sally said
"Sal, you've know us for years. It's ok, if you don't know Greenie over here. You can talk to him later." Brad said nonchalantly as he rested an arm on her shoulders.
"Well excuse me for not being interested in a history course." Lloyd said sassily
"Could have been useful." Gene muttered
"So who are your roommates?" Sally asked
"Morro and Harumi." Lloyd said bluntly.
"Wait, Really?! How'd you get stuck with them?!" Sally shouted
All heads at the café looked at them.
"You look familiar!" someone shouted
"Golly, you're right!" another dude shouted
"Well, you know, I am the Green Ninja." Lloyd said smugly.
"Not you! THEM." A older woman said pointing at someone behind him.
Lloyd turned around the only people that were behind him were his crew.
"What the hell, did you do?" Lloyd whispered to Brad and Gene.
"Let's just say, after the school shutdown, things weren't all that pretty." Gene said
"We've done a lot of bad things." Brad agreed
Lloyd looked to Sally to see if she had anything to say.
"I have a complicated relationship with my parents." Sally said before coughing to divert the conversation back to Brad and Gene in the awkward silence.
"Yeah, we gave her a glow-up. Taught her the Darkley ways, things like that." Brad said
Lloyd face went blank. He was speechless, but he wasn't mad. Brad and Gene were literally the only two people he had in this realm.
Of course, there's also Morro, but that dude still gives him nightmares from time to time. Lloyd clearly remembers waking up sweating constantly with his heart racing.
Lloyd stuffed the muffin in his face that he was currently eating, wrapper and all.
"West gho!" Lloyd shouted his voice muffled and his speaking distorted.
"I'm not gonna let you choke!" Brad yelled as he gave money to the waitress.
"Wure dad. Gut used tu et." Lloyd said sarcastically as he continued to bite and swallow the muffin.
"How are we friends again?" Gene asked
"I done know." Lloyd said much more clearly than the last two times.
"You're fucking insane." Brad shouted
Lloyd grabbed Sally arm and dragged her out.
"What the hell, Garmadork! I was still eating!" Sally shouted
"Unless you want to get a limb chopped off, and wait a unspecified amount for it to regenerate go ahead." Lloyd offered sarcastically
"Wait what?" Sally asked
"Let's just say I've seen things ever since I've died." Lloyd said recalling how many times he's see arms, neck and heads being chopped off and regenerating back.
"So what happened before you died?" Lloyd asked
"Ultraviolet, the Mechanic, and some crazy dude called Fugidove escaped prison, Samurai X wasn't there, and the other ninja are missing!"
"What?!" Lloyd screamed
His friends, missing? Lloyd couldn't believe those words could be in a sentence together. Usually, it's him. It's always been him. But now that he's dead... Oh FSM, he wanted the best life for his brothers and sister.
"Tell me Everything." Lloyd said sternly.
Brad, Gene and Sally glanced at each other. They had one heck of a story to tell.
———-
Morro and his teammates were rushing to put things together.
Madeline sharpened her Katana. The blade clinging with every stroke.
James prepared his crossbow and arrows. He placed his newest arrows into his quiver. He could see the Preeminent raging from many miles away.  With his skills, his aim was precise and quick.
Kiara filled her pouch with smoke bombs. Just like an illusion, the smoke bombs can provide her a great distraction for the squid bitch. Sure she can turn invisible, like Morro, because they both spent time as ghosts for a long time. Madeline and James have not. Or if they have, they never bothered to mention it or weren't that skilled.
Morro held a sword in his hand. The sword was quite unique. It was an amalgamation of two destroyed artifacts he wielded before. Fused together, this sword could bring allies from any realm. Morro was unfortunately, lacking in that area but it is a useful sword.
"We're almost at the docks!" James shouted swinging down from the mast like a pirate.
"Define almost, James." Morro said
"Ooh, someone salty." Kiara said smugly
"Like your any better." Madeline replied reminding Kiara of her constant complaining.
"Hey! I did some thinking and self reflecting. I'm much better now." Kiara argued
They arrived a the dock a few minutes later. And there was the sign that separated the sea from the town.
"When we enter don't panic." Morro advised
"I seriously having some concerns, now." Madeline said nervously.
Morro and Kiara walked in with ease.  They turned back into their ghostly forms. Madeline and James were speechless and staring at both Morro and Kiara.
"What are you looking at?!" Morro said defensively
"How did you get so short, Morro?" James snickered
"I'm not short!" Morro said offended that his friend would say that.
"No wonder your other friends call you a munchkin. Your cheeks are so chubby. " Madeline said babying him.
"Put me down!" Morro complained
"Fine, Fine." Madeline said placing Morro down.
Madeline hesitated before walking to the other side.
James was even more hesitant. But he was nessesary, because she knew just as much as he did. Madeline pulled James through the entrance.
All around them wood creaked. Some of it even collapsing. Ghost towns like these never had enough access to resources. It saddened Madeline to see people constantly hungry and existing in fear. If only she could locate her immediate family perhaps they could help.
"I've spotted her." James said as his eyes glew as they walked.
"Can you like describe where?" Morro asked
Morro wanted to pinpoint The Preeminent's location as quickly as possible. But before he could fly and look around he needed a general description.  Morro chuckled at the thought of his own joke.
"An orphanage." James said
Morro froze.
"Excuse me?" Morro said like it struck a nerve.
"You should save the souls, Morro." Harumi advised
"You don't think I know that?" Morro shouted
"Look I'm just saying, we don't need the orphan wants to take over the realm trope." Harumi sighed
"Are you feeling bad for what you did to Lloyd?" Morro teased
"What? No! I don't care about him! I care for you, and you care about him, so to make you happy, I have to care about him and accept him unfortunately. But it's so hard!" Harumi complained
Morro dodged a broken wood plank flying through the air.
"Look Princess, can't you say anything useful right now?" Morro asked
"Yeah! Like...where is the orphanage!" Kiara shouted impatiently.
"I think I found it!" Madeline shouted
on top of one of the roof.
Madeline felt something slimy wrap around her leg.
"You're a new one. Come to challenge me, child?"

A/N
Translating Lloyd:
West gho=Lets go
Wure dad. Gut used tu et.= We're dead get used to it.
I done know.= I don't know

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