A/N:  ....hi... I've been AWOL for 90 years and I can explain, I swear I can, but y'all don't wanna hear my excuses so I'll just admit that I'm a bit of a terrible human.

Here ya go; chapter twenty

[if anyone is even still alive to read it]

Lizz jumped, forgetting about Ronin's mere existence up until that point, "Shut up, you," she grunted, looking as if she were preparing to fight.

Zane took gentle hold of her shoulder, "Inside, Lizz. You need to be looked over."

"Looked over?" Misako stuck her head out from below deck, "Looked. Over? What's wrong that she needs to be looked over?"

Lizz groaned internally, "Mum, there's nothing-- I'm fine--"

Zane cut her off, "Her right shoulder has been both dislocated and reset, but her right arm still has three fractures in it. They appear to be hairline, however the worse one seems to be borderline spiraling."

And my ankle's sprained and I have at least one broken toe... Lizz added mentally. Verbally she wheezed out, "I'm fine."

"Not fine," Misako met her and Zane halfway and took hold of Lizz's other arm, "Not fine at all. How did this happen?"

"Avalanche," Zane told her, "It destroyed the others' mechs. When Lizz's hit a rock--"

"It broke into a bajillion pieces and ejected me and sent me flying through the air. I just landed wrong, but I'm f-"

"If you say you're fine one more time, so help me--" Misako began, gently pushing Lizz onto the kitchen table, "What else is wrong?"

"Foot," Zane answered, "Sprained ankle and three broken toes," he dragged his gaze up Lizz, checking for more damage, "There also seems to be some broken ribs-- ribs two, three and four on the right side. Her collarbone is also greenstick fractured near her shoulder joint." his scanning-eyes clicked off, and he fixed his gaze on Lizz's face, "You really took a hit, Lizz. Why were you so bent on continuing on the mission in such critical condition?"

"I'm not in critical condition, Zane," she muttered stiffly, "Few broken bones, maybe a concussion. Nothing I can't handle."

He gave her a disapproving look, taking a step to the side as Misako began wrapping Lizz's hand in gauze, weaving it between her fingers to ensure minimal movement, "I can't believe you were stubborn enough to continue on with the mission!" she huffed.

Lizz lolled her head to the side to look at her mother, "Ma, it was fine. I didn't push myself past my limit, and I was being carried most'a the time, anyway."

Zane nodded, "It's true, Misako. She was very good about her injuries," he gently grabbed Lizz's arm and held it up for Misako so she could finish wrapping the black medical wrap around it.

"That's not the point," Misako turned and left the room, back into the kitchen to grab more equipment.

Lizz looked at her gauze-wrapped arm. It wrapped up past her elbow, and down around her hand. She tried to wiggle her fingers, but it didn't really work, and she could just barely move her arm, "Goddamn this sucks."

"Don't move your arm," Zane chastised, "You'll worsen your collar fracture."

Lizz huffed at him, "You guys are making a big deal out of nothing, I'd be fine without all this extra-ness."

Misako came back into the room, carrying more wrap, gauze, tape and an ankle brace, now, "No you wouldn't-"

"Stop worrying over me!" Lizz snapped, whipping her head to face her mother. Some of her hair was now hanging in front of her livid, brown eyes, "It's Lloyd you guys should be worrying about! Instead of spending time on me, you should be spending time looking for Morro's whereabouts and how to get him out of my brother!" he voice cracked and she took a shaky breath.

Misako set her armful of stuff on the table -- where Zane grabbed the stuff and knelt down, out of sight -- and Misako gently placed a hand on Lizz's cheek, "We're doing both, Lizz. We'll get him back, don't worry."

Lizz pulled herself out of Misako's grasp, looking away, "Do it faster."

No matter if Lloyd was biologically three years older than her, she sees him as younger and more vulnerable and is protective of him as a younger brother. And he's out there, by himself, in the centre of ghost territory.

Her leg kicked out involuntarily, almost knocking Zane in the face, "Whoa, whoa, whoa! What are you doing?!"

He stood up to look her in the eye, "I was splinting your toes with gauze. I then wrapped your entire foot in more medical wrap and placed the ankle brace on. If you tried to wiggle your toes, or move your foot at all, you'll find it quite impossible."

She tried it. It didn't quite work, and she smiled a little, "Thanks..."

"I'm going to go speak with Wu," Misako stepped out of the room, calling back, "Keep an eye on her, Zane."

Zane offered his right arm for her, "We're landing. I suspect we're back at the tea shop. Care to join me above deck?"

"I'd love to," she responded lightly. Lizz grabbed his arm and gently slid herself to the floor, stepping gingerly on her wrapped foot, "Ooh, ow, ow... ow, okay, the wrap helps a ton, I guess. Foot's fallen asleep, though, that's not fun..."

"Would you prefer me to carry you?"

Lizz shook her head, "No. No, I'm fine to... limp... my way up there."

"Lean on me," Zane reminded her.

Slowly but surely, they made their way up the stairs. About halfway up, though, Lizz started very hesitantly, "Zane...?"

"Yes, Lizz?"

She took another shaky step up, "Do... do I have a concussion?" or any other brain damage? I don't feel right up there...

He shook his head, "I picked up no change in your usual cognitive patterns. You are as normal as ever in regards to your brain."

She nodded, "Thank you."

Cole met them as the top of the stairs, "There you guys are-- whoa," he jumped down four steps and made a grab for Lizz's other arm, "Lizz, you're a wreck."

She batted his hand away, and even went as far as to start to pull away from Zane, too, "I'm not made of glass, Cole."

Zane pulled her back into him, making sure she was stable while she walked, "There was something you were going to say, Cole. What was it?"

He backtracked up the steps, again, "We're at the tea shop, setting traps for ghosts. I can't help, so they're looking for you two. But since Lizz-"

"Is perfectly capable of existing on her own," Lizz interrupted, finally stepping onto the sunlit deck. She blinked against the light, flinched against the warmth, "she can help, too. Shall we, Zane?"

"We shall," Zane looked over Lizz's head at Cole, trying to silently convey a message without using words; she's not going to sit by and rest. We may as well go with her wishes and make sure she stays away from further harm.

Lizz tried to reach up her arms towards her head to pull her hair back, but when it proved difficult and painful -- and Zane gave her a disapproving look -- she lowered her arms again, "Zane, could you do my hair, later?"

"Perhaps," he chuckled, "For now, let's set to ghost proofing the shop, shall we?" he stepped off the stairs and onto the ground, turning and holding his arm for Lizz.

She, however, stepped down without his help, "I'm not made of glass," she repeated, standing tall to look around the place. Trees, waterfall, pond, river. Small little shop. The general area had been cleaned up since their heartbreaking loss against Morro so long ago.

When she and Zane went around to the front of the shop, though, it was absolute chaos due to the construction that was currently going on. Jay tossed a wooden sign at Zane, "Hey, bud. Can you go hang that under the archway?"

Lizz leaned on the corner of the shop and watched Zane head across the lot, careful of everything that had been changed. There was a moat, now, running the perimeter, and buckets of water above doors. Five water-balloon catapults had been set up, too, aiming towards the archway.

Zane stepped back from his handiwork, "There. This should keep customers away; closed for renovations."

"More like fortifications," Lizz corrected, uncrossing her arms to go help the boys, be useful to society.

Kai hopped down from his chair in front of the shop doors; he'd just finished setting up a bucket of water on one of the doors, "If Morro and his ghouls show up here lookin' to steal the Sword of Sanctuary, they won't know what hit 'em."

Suddenly the bucketed shop door was pushed open, and instinctively Lizz's hand went out, trying -- and failing -- to control the water that was now falling. Cole, luckily, had good reflexes, and leaped backwards to safety, letting out a scream. He got back to his feet, peeking around the still closed door, "Careful! You know not all of us are immune to water!" he pushed open the door, stepped onto the bucket and hopped over the water puddle.

Halfway across the bamboo-covered moat, and he hopped back to dry, solid land, too, "I for one would like to stick around long enough for Misako and Sensei Wu to figure out the last clue."

Lizz took an armful of bamboo and began doing Jay's job of completely covering the moat, while Jay started chit-chatting again, "We got Cyclondo. We got the Sword. Now they just have to figure out where the Tomb of the First Spinjitzu Master is."

"Let's just hope they figure it out soon," Lizz nudged some bamboo over, spreading it out a bit more, "I don't know-- Ow!"

All the boys jumped, looking worriedly over at her, "What's wrong?!" Kai asked.

She held up her slightly bleeding finger, "Splinter."

They all relaxed, "Ah. Nothing too serious, then," Jay acknowledged, going back to bamboo-shuffling.

"Don't get a splinter," Lizz warned dryly.

Everybody yelled when a bell inside the shop began ringing, "The frick...?" Lizz stood up, her spine cracking, "Ow... what the hell is that?" all the same, though, she followed suit with Zane and Cole and stepped up behind one of the catapults.

"Intruder!" Kai shouted.

Jay looked back to Cole, Zane and Lizz, "Let 'em have it!" he raised his arm up, "Pull!"

One by one, they each let their water-balloon fly -- Jay and Kai had taken up arms behind the two empty ones, too. Each balloon hit its mark on the slab of wood that had been hung on the archway, exploding and drenching the intruder in water.

However, the so-called "intruder" was actually the -- now very disgruntled looking -- mailman. Lizz followed the boys over to him, all the while apologizing profusely to the purple-clad man. He handed Kai a piece of parchment, "No wonder you're going out of business," he huffed, before turning on his heel to leave.

"You're the one going out of business," Jay sassed, "Hmph. Who sends letters anymore, anyway?"

Lizz peered over Kai's shoulder, "Guys, he's right, though. We're gonna get shut down unless we drum up some business."

"Well... don't tell Ronin," Cole whispered, finally catching up to them, "If he finds out this place is worthless, he's not gonna stick around, and we need all the help we can get."

He does know that I can call up about... twenty-ish other Elemental Masters, right...and have them over here at the snap of my fingers... Lizz pondered. She decided not to say anything, though, starting -- very slowly -- after the boys on their quest to find more water balloons.

Though, as soon as Lizz finally made it across the yard to the shop doors, Misako had them gathered, "Thank you for gathering on such short notice."

Lizz leaned on the doorway, "No problem, Mama. What's shakin'?"

"Lizz, you should be resting," Misako gave her a disapproving look.

Lizz, however, completely disregarded Misako's words, instead fixing a glare on Ronin, who was behind the counter, "Looking for something?"

He turned around and started fiddling with the stocked shelves, "Just... making sure the tea plants are in... alphabetical order... Ah... yup. A to Z. All good."

Jay kicked the doors shut and scared the bejeezus out of Lizz, and then apologized, "Sorry, Lizzi," he offered his arm, "C'mon. The others are back there."

She allowed him to lead her into the back of the shop, and Jay spoke up as soon as they were near, "Figure out where to Tomb is?"

"Not yet," Misako told him, "But we think we know how to locate it," She looked to her right, "Zane."

Zane, who was standing with Falcon perched on his left arm, clicked the bird on, sending a projection at the wall. It was the third clue, the creepily-drawn skull. A shudder rippled up Lizz's spine, and she screamed a little when someone clapped and sent the lights off.

But then she came back to her senses, turning to the one who clapped, "Wait, Uncle Wu, you spent extra money to put a clapper-switch in here just to be extra dramatic?"

He smiled broadly at her, "Perhaps. Now pay attention to your mother."

"To bring you up to date," she was saying, "the skull symbol refers to the tomb's entrance."

"We also know my father's resting sight, where the Realm Crystal resides, is protected by three deadly tests, designed to keep anyone unworthy away," Sensei Wu added on, "And only the Sword of Sanctuary can see past its riddles."

"Yeah, but where is it?" Cole voiced the only question everyone's been asking.

Misako answered, "We've started to wonder if the Scroll and the Sword combined held a secret," she looked away from the projection, back towards Kai, "That's when Kai reminded us there was a map on the back of the Scroll--"

Kai pushed forward through the group of people, "And if you use the Sword on the map, the blade's reflection will reveal the Tomb's location!"

"Exactly," Misako whispered.

"That just means that we'll have to get our paws on that map," Lizz threw her hands up, "Great."

"We can do it," Jay assured her, "Don't worry."

Lizz wasn't paying attention, "Motherfu--"

"Language!" Zane and Misako chastised her.

"Fothermucker!" Lizz snapped, stomping towards the door in an angry huff, "Where's Ronin?!"

The boys all ran past her with an aire of anger, getting out the front door and into the yard before her. By the time she did reach the irritatingly bright outdoors, she was very disappointed in herself. What she thought was going to be a good fight, a quick and easy fight against Ronin, turned out to be a ridiculous fight -- that the boys were losing -- against the ghost-proofing equipment .

Zane was stuck in limbo between two catapults, Jay and Kai were getting hit with water balloons and Cole was running to and fro for his life, looking akin to a chicken with no head.

Lizz sighed heavily, facepalming, and went to go find Ronin -- who, unbeknownst to Lizz, had just gone back into the shop. Que the dumb whistle here, and there goes Rex. Kai's Airjitzu spluttered out right before he could grab onto the ship, and he fell onto the roof of the shop, bouncing once before getting his Gi caught on a spire, "He's getting away with the Sword! To the Bounty!"

"Are we sure that's the wisest choice?" Sensei asked. He ran out to the centre of the courtyard, jumping high before landing in a superhero-type pose, his bamboo staff hitting the cobblestones with a definitive sound. All around him, the ground began glittering gold, and suddenly a large, gold and white, bearded dragon appeared beneath Sensei. He was perched on its head, and the beast bowed towards Misako.

Sensei held out his hand, "Care for a ride?"

How come Uncle Wu never showed us that before? Lizz scowled, watching both the dragon and the Bounty soar into the distance. She looked over at Nya, "Yo."

"Hiya, Lizz," she smiled, "How ya feelin'?"

"Busted up all over the place," she shrugged, "But my spirit still has a smidge of life, I suppose. Yourself?"

Nya shrugged, "Could be better, could be worse."

Lizz was about to reply when she tensed up, her senses heightening a considerable amount. She took a deep breath, narrowing her eyes as she turned to face the tea shop. Nya's eyebrows furrowed, "Lizz...?"

I felt that. Lizz started towards the building with slow, light, purposeful steps. Stalking. Lizz was stalking. She was as quiet as a cat. I felt the river's surface shift. Why?

It was true. Before it was a gentle lulling within her that she hadn't even noticed, but something splashed the surface and sent her internal rhythm into a frenzy. It was something unnatural, something man-made that disturbed the river.

It continuously disturbed the river, headed downstream, with the flow, and Lizz's stalking became quicker, but no less quiet. It was a boat, she could feel it gliding across the waves. And there was only one other person that could still be at the tea shop.

But... that means... "Shhhiiii..." Lizz muttered, picking up her stalking-speed even more. She pushed through the thicket and onto the slippery bank of the river. She winced -- honest to God winced when she felt something wooden dip into the river. Oar...

She grit her teeth and growled, glancing downstream in search of whoever it was, and what should her eyes find? Ronin, sailing gently away on a little sail boat with the Sword of Sanctuary laid gently at his feet, "Ronin!" she shouted.

Lizz was taken aback at how different her voice sounded. More angry, and throaty. Downstream, Ronin stopped his jolly whistling and turned his head to look over his shoulder. He did a double take when he saw who was standing there.

"Get back here!" Lizz took off after him as fast as she could without getting more injured than before.

"Yeah right!" He scoffed.

"Ronin, I swear on your grave--" she picked up her pace a little, "This isn't helping anyone, you asshole!"

"It'll help me," he yelled back, "Giving Morro the Sword is the only thing that'll save me," he reasoned in a more gentle tone.

"What about my brother!" Lizz's pace slowed down a little more. It was no use to try to keep up; the river was carrying Ronin's boat too fast, "You know you can't trust Morro, dammit!"

"I have to," Ronin sighed, "It's my only shot."

"I will not let you get away with that Sword!" Lizz panted, "Lloyd is more important than your lousy soul!"

Ronin sighed even heavier, "Just give up. You'll hurt yourself even more if you keep that up. Go back to the shop, rest yourself, kid."

Lizz snorted and slowed to a stop. Why am I running after him when I can just bring him back to me? She grit her teeth and focused as much as she could on the river, on how it was moving and where it was going. She strained against the current, fighting it, willing it to move in the opposite direction.

She struggled to keep her breathing even -- really, just struggled to keep breathing at all. Fighting to use an Elemental Power that's not even there... a shudder ripped up her spine and she curled her fingers in another attempt to move the river. Focus. She told herself. Relax and freakin' focus.

But as much as she reminded herself, to calm down and focus and stay calm it didn't work. But something was working because ever so slowly, the river slowed to a stop and began moving in reverse -- at a snail's pace, but it was pulling Ronin backwards nonetheless.

Ronin suddenly looked frantic, "What? How are you--" he sighed heavily, disgruntled, "Water Master. You've got to be kidding me."

Think of Lloyd. Think of Lloyd... Lizz urged, panting with how much energy this was taking. She felt like she was under miles of water, the sound in her ears muted, an invisible force crushing her ribs, her lungs. Think of...

She did, though. She thought of Lloyd. But her thoughts flipped from happy thoughts of being able to save him, to thoughts of how he was now; scared. Alone. Possessed.

Something snapped and she fell forward, the river returning to its original state, her hold over it fading. Suddenly Nya was there, helping Lizz to her feet, "How did you do that?"

Lizz paid no attention. She struggled from Nya's hold and started after Ronin, again, "Ronin!"

"Face it, kid!" he shouted back, "You're not strong enough."

Nya had to reach and grab Lizz's arm to prevent her from trying to continue after Ronin. Lizz yelled, a half growl, half shout type noise that ended in a broken sob. Ronin shook his head, "I'm sorry, girls. I wish it didn't have to come to this."

Lizz took a deep breath and a threatening step towards the disappearing boat, "You're going to pay for this, Arlott!" she yelled, knowing fully well he heard her. Then she added under her breath, "Next time I see him, he's dead."

Nya only turned Lizz around to look her in the eye, "Lizz...How did you do that?"

"Do what?"

"You don't have any Elemental Power but you were moving the river," Nya stressed, "How?"

"I don't know," she brushed past Nya, headed back to the tea shop, "And frankly, at this point in time, I really don't care."

A/N: I swear Imma try to stick with my promise of regular updates this time