Archive of Our Own ^beta

The air was cold with chill nipping at Lloyd's skin. His fingers were turning blue, so he shoved them in his lap.

He had been in the cage for almost a whole entire day without food or water. He had been in Morro's possession for at least 3 days. He wasn't sure. His thoughts had become jumbled after a while.

Lloyd curled up into himself, shivering from the temperature and the cold metal against his skin. At this rate, he would either starve to death, die of dehydration, or freeze. He wondered which one was less painful.

He was obviously in no shape to try and escape. He had attempted to before, but to no avail. All the hope left in him was channeled into one thought: where were the other ninja?

They promised him they would find him. He promised he would bring Lloyd back safe. How long was it going to take?

Maybe he would die of impatience instead.

“How's my favorite vessel?”

The hair on the back of Lloyd's neck stood up. Morro had entered the room.

“Aww, giving me the silent treatment?” Morro smirked snidely and strode his way towards the cage, chained to the ceiling.

“Shut the fuck up, Morro,” Lloyd scowled from behind the bars.

“Oh, getting feisty, aren't we? Well, I was going to bring you some water, but I guess I've changed my mind,” Morro grinned.

Lloyd swallowed hard, his throat felt like sandpaper. This motherfucker. Of all the shit that could've possibly happened to him, it had to be a vengeful wannabe ninja ghost with a thirst for power. Of all the shit.

“Banshee suggested I torture you, actually,” Morro spoke up with an absent tone, catching Lloyd off-guard. Well, that was quite the confession.

“But I dunno. Considering how close I am to freeing the Preeminent, I need you to keep your strength up. Just until we find the realm crystal. Then I'll fucking kill you,” Morro's casual tone morphed into something darker, as his ghostly transparent eyes flicked over to the blonde.

“I'd like to see you try. My friends will-”

“How many fucking times are you going to say that? It's pathetic how you actually believe they haven't given up trying to find you. They're more worried about stopping me than saving you,” Morro moved closer to the cage.

“I-” Lloyd started.

“See, you can't even deny it. They aren't coming for you, Lloyd. They don't care about you-”

“YES THEY DO!” Lloyd lunged for the ghost through the bars of the cage, banging on the metal fiercely. His eyes sparked, shifting from his usual dull green to a vibrant pink.

“Oh… This is interesting,” Morro grinned, not so much as flinching.

“Shut up. You don't- you don't know anything, you stupid ghost,” Lloyd growled, voice layered and majorly pissed. His teeth bared, revealing fangs that Morro could've sworn hadn't been there before.

“Oh, I know plenty, Oni,” Morro patted the boy mockingly on the head, before turning to walk away.

“NO! LET ME OUT!” Lloyd screamed at the retreating spirit, gripping the cold steel of his cage hard enough to turn his knuckles white.

In a split second, he slammed his body recklessly against the metal bars. Then he did it again. And again. And again, and again, and again…

“No… let me out…” Lloyd murmured, slamming his head against the bars with little strength left. Not moments later, he fell unconscious.

Morro watched this spectacle from the doorway, eyes wide. He knew the boy was oni, obviously, because his father was. But shame him for never seeing one up close like this, much less possessing their body. It seemed as though the boy was completely unaware of his full transformation as he threw his body against his cage.

Morro was going to have some fun with this.