NinjaGo - Random Stories N' Stuff

The Dream Realm

GreenStorm if you squint.

Morro's POV

Lloyd had been having nightmares again. Nightmares of when I had possessed him. Nightmares of his father perishing before his eyes. Nightmares of a future he could not protect.

I felt sorry for him. I was the only one he felt he could trust when talking about the nightmares, or even saying the word "nightmare." Sometimes he would wake up screaming. Other times he would wake up crying his eyes out. But I'm always there, and honestly, if feels good to help someone for a change.

Then, I remembered something I had been taught by Sensei Wu long ago. It was an ancient practice, and I knew he hadn't taught it to the Ninja, but it was worth a shot.

"Hey, Lloyd?" I asked him softly one night.

"Y-yeah?" His voice broke. He had been having the nightmares again, no doubt.

"I want to try something with you. I think it will help you rid yourself of these nightmares."

"What is it?"

He sat up forward, and I sat across from him on the bed. I demonstrated a meditating position, and he mimicked it.

"This will take a bit of practice, for you and me. My skills are a little rusty," I clarified. "I haven't done this in years."

"What are we doing?"

"We are going to enter the Dream Realm," I explained. "It's one of the sixteen realms. It's where everyone's dreams and nightmares happen. It exists, and yet it doesn't.

"Ages ago, back when I was Sensei's pupil before I died... Twice... He taught me an ancient practice. This would allow me to enter my own dreams as well as someone else's dream to try and make peace with myself."

"And look how that turned out," Lloyd joked.

"Ha ha, very funny," I said sarcastically. "Anyway, what you wanna do is close your eyes and focus only with your mind. Allow the rest of your body to sleep, but keep your mind active."

There was a moment of silence, before Lloyd said, "Okay."

"Now focus on your inner power, and allow it to enter your mind." Lloyd did as he was asked again. "Keep the power within your mind as you sleep."

Lloyd drifted off to sleep, and I hoped he had done it right. I tapped into his mind as I fell asleep, and met Lloyd on a circular stone platform with sixteen runes on it. The rest of the area was a black void.

"I think you did it," I said. "Now recall your nightmare, and we shall defeat the demons that lay within."

Lloyd recalled his most recent nightmare, which involved yours truly. We were now standing in a dark room, watching Lloyd's nightmare take place.

Lloyd was back against the wall, panting heavily, like he was afraid of something. The door to the room swung open, and a creature of shadow that looked like me entered. Only, it wasn't me.

The creature had my face and hair, and my outfit, but it also had a whip-like, black, scaly tail, as well as sharp horns protruding from its head. It also had black wings similar to a dragon's, and the whole creature radiated a thick, black, shadowy aura.

Its eyes were mine. Its eyes had not been altered by the nightmare.

The demonic creature swiftly walked up to Lloyd and bared a set of fangs similar to my own, only this creature's whole mouth was lined with pointed fangs. I only had six. It stuck out a very reptilian tongue and finally spoke. "So, you're the one Wu chose to be the beloved Green Ninja."

I remember saying those exact words to Lloyd the day we had met. The day I possessed him.

I looked over to the actual Lloyd, the one with me in the Dream Realm. "You need to now act as though this demon does not frighten you."

Lloyd concentrated hard, and the Lloyd in the nightmare looked the creature straight into the eyes. "I am the Green Ninja. You don't scare me."

Lloyd must've broken focus right then and there, for I was transported back to the stone platform from earlier and Lloyd was absent.

I awoke to find him sitting across from me, shaking.

"I can't do that again."

"Yes you can."

"N-no, I can't..." He then bit his lip, a tear falling from his eye."

I looked at him softly. "Lloyd... Is that what you see me as?"

"Y-yes..." He was on the verge of tears at this point.

Lloyd Garmadon, the Green Ninja, was genuinely afraid of me. He saw me as a creature of shadow, of darkness. A demon who only wants to hurt others.

"You know I've changed, right?" I said softly. "I would never hurt you again. Not after I almost killed you several times."

"But I'm always reminded by the nightmares of how evil you once were."

"I'm sorry, Lloyd. If you want me out of your life, you have the right to say so."

"I don't! I want you in my life, closer to me than ever because I know it will make me stronger."

"There's the Lloyd I know," I said. "Goodnight, Greenie. You've earned yourself some sleep."

"C-can you stay here with me?"

"Of course."