"Lloyd Montgomery Garmadon, we talked about this already! I forbid you to be with her!" Akuma Garmadon, the elemental master of destruction, scolded his son.
About a week ago, Lloyd's mother, Misako, had died in a car accident. But everything changed when Lloyd met a girl named Harumi Cassandra Valentine at a New Year's festival in Ninjago City just two days later. But his father refused to let them be together. Garmadon feared that he would lose his child, just as he did with his wife.
"But I love her!" the energy elemental pleaded, remembering the wonderful moments he shared with the white-haired teen. Tears started to well up in his eyes. Although it hurt to speak against his father, he knew he had to follow his heart, rather than being restricted by the overprotective hold of his only parent. "I wish you weren't my father!"
He ran.
Away from the pain.
Away from the prison that was his home.
To the safety of Harumi's arms.
Garmadon was devastated. Was he really going to lose his son to the Jade Princess? And he just said that he wished they weren't related. "Lloyd, wait!"
But by then, Lloyd was already gone, away from his father. Why was his love forbidden? Did he do something wrong? Was he just not allowed to love?
"Lloyd Montgomery Garmadon!" His father called out, worried about his son's safety. His father set out to go look for him.
"RUMIIIIII!" Lloyd sobbed, collapsing into the Jade Princess's arms.
"H-Hey, greenie, what's wrong?" Harumi ran her fingers through Lloyd's hair, whispering sweet nothings into his ears.
"I-I just... I just wish our parents would let us love each other..." Lloyd looked up at Harumi with a frown. "I don't want our love to be forbidden."
"Me too..." The Jade Princess murmured, kissing him on the forehead. "You're not alone..." Her face darkened slightly.
"Are you okay?" Lloyd asked.
"N-No...It can't be..." She gasped.
"Rumi, what is it?" Lloyd looked at her, a worried expression on his face.
"He's back..." Harumi mumbled.
"Who's he?" Lloyd only grew more worried.
"My real father. The Overlord."
Lloyd knew who she was referring to. His father had told him stories about the demon. His true name was Yakunan and Lloyd's grandfather, Hikari, the First Spinjitzu Master, fought with him for control of the realm of Ninjago all those years ago.
"He's your WH-" Lloyd's mouth was covered by a dark presence.
Well I'm screwed.
"Lloyd! Where are you!" Garmadon cried out, tears welling up in his eyes.
Silence.
He felt an energy. A dark energy.
And Lloyd's powers slowly fading away.
No, Yakunan, please... It can't be...
Garmadon was now fighting the urge to hold his tears back.
He had to get to Lloyd before it was too late.
Maybe dad was right...I shouldn't be with her...
"FATHER! LEAVE HIM ALONE!" Harumi screamed, trying to pry her father's slimy, black hand off of Lloyd's mouth.
"Join me, or I will kill him!"
"I-I..." What do I do? If I join him, Lloyd lives, if I don't join him, he'll kill Lloyd. Both situations are bad! Why can't I be with him when he's alive?! It's so hard to choose...
"What will it be, princess?" The Overlord chuckled as Lloyd desperately tried to squirm out of his grasp.
"Don't call me princess." Harumi snarled.
"Time's ticking. So what'll it be?"
Harumi grit her teeth and clenched her fists. Do I join him? Why does this have to be so hard! I don't want to join father but I want Lloyd alive... I think I'll have to join father...
"I-I'll join you!" Harumi wanted her love to live, she would do anything for Lloyd.
"Wise choice. But who cares, say goodbye." The Overlord smirked as he pierced Lloyd with a dark matter knife in the chest, vanishing instantly.
"LLOYD!" Harumi fell to her knees, feeling nothing but grief and sorrow. This is all my fault... I could've done something, ANYTHING!
Garmadon had heard Harumi scream his child's name, and he rushed to the origin of the noise.
And there he saw Harumi sobbing over Lloyd's body.
The Overlord had dropped Lloyd's body onto the ground.
"L-Lloyd..." Harumi rushed to her lover's weakened body.
"R-Rumi..." Lloyd managed to choke out. "I love you, I always have. Don't let anyone say I never did, I always have, and always will..."
Harumi stroked Lloyd's hair. "I won't, I promise, Lloyd..."
"Rumi, smile for me... Always smile no matter what..." Lloyd managed a small little smile. "And tell my father I love him...that I didn't mean what I said..." he started tearing up. "That I regret disowning him so much..."
"I will..." Harumi wiped some of her tears. "Don't go..."
"Rumi, I have to... I'll see you soon, I promise..." Lloyd reassured his lover.
"Lloyd, please, no..." Harumi choked back sobs. "I love you..."
"I-I love you too..." Lloyd coughed up some blood, desperately gasping for air. "G-Goodbye..." Lloyd wiped one of Harumi's tears away.
Harumi smiled as she held Lloyd's hand. "G-Goodbye, Lloyd... I-I'll miss you..." She let tears escape.
Lloyd closed his eyes as he took his final shaky breath, his hand slipping away from hers.
That was it.
He was gone.
Harumi was on her own from that day forward.
Garmadon rushed over to where the couple was.
He was too late.
"Lloyd..." The destruction elemental was trying to hold tears back, denial coursing through his aching heart. But the moment he neared his unmoving son's side, reality hit him in the face like a crashing wave.
The master of energy had died.
"No..." Garmadon sobbed. "It c-can't be... IT CAN'T BE!"
"I'm sor-"
Anger quickly rose towards the person who caused all this. "Oh, you're sorry?! Sorry for taking my son away from ME?! Just because you're sorry doesn't mean everything will magically go away! I lost my son! My only child! To YOU!"
Harumi lowered her head down in shame. "I never meant for this to happen..."
"I feared this all along... T-That was why I forbade him to be with you...so I wou-wouldn't have to lose him...but now..." Garmadon's chest clenched in overwhelming emotion. "He's gone... H-HE'S GONE!" He broke down sobbing once more, holding his son's body close to his chest. His world was shattering instantly into a billion pieces.
"Garmadon..." Harumi whispered. "Lloyd wanted me to tell you something... He's sorry for disowning you..."
"W-What?! You mean..."
"Yes, he loves you... He didn't mean what he said to you... Lloyd loves you so dearly..."
"I-I... I'm sorry, Harumi..." Garmadon opened his arms for Harumi.
Harumi ran up to Garmadon and embraced him tightly. "I'm so sorry..."
"I'm sorry too... But...I felt the Overlord... How was he involved in all of this...?"
"The Overlord is...my real father... He came here for me, he wanted me on his side... I reluctantly accepted, thinking he would spare Lloyd, and then all of a sudden, he grabbed him and pierced a dark matter blade through his chest... I love Lloyd as much as you do, but he used your son through our relationship to get me back... I'm sorry... This is all my fault..."
"No. It isn't. I should've known... Father always told me that Yakunan would do anything to get his way..."
"Lloyd told me that you would tell him about my father... Lloyd really does care for you... He would always tell me how devastated he was because you couldn't accept us...and now...he's gone..."
"Let's go."
"I-I..."
"Leave her alone! Harumi is staying."
"You fool. She's mine, not yours."
"Try me. I dare you!" The Overlord laughed. "You're too weak."
"I'll show you who's weak!" Garmadon let out a yell of frustration. "You killed my child! You'll pay for that!"
"You insolent buffoon! Nothing will stop me from taking over this world!" Yakunan sneered at the destruction elemental with a violent glare.
Garmadon growled lowly, summoning dark purple swords from his elemental powers, "I swore to protect this world my father created! And you will NOT be the one to take Hikari's creation from me and my family! Or anyone living here for that matter!"
Lloyd had told Harumi about his father's outbursts, but she had never seen it firsthand. It was shocking to see his father so upset and infuriated.
With a battle cry, Garmadon charged forward, purple fire igniting behind him. His eyes glowed purple as well, burning in anger and devastation. The Overlord summoned pitch black swords in his hands, changing into a physical form.
Harumi's eyes widened in shock as this happened. Oh. My. Gosh.
Garmadon closed his eyes momentarily, remembering the precious moments he did share with Lloyd. And those memories empowered him.
"What are you doing? Are you giving up?" Yakunan purred sadistically.
"NEVER!" Garmadon shouted, his eyes burning with unrelenting ferocity "YOU SHALL NEVER GET AWAY WITH THIS!" He pushed the Overlord back with an energy beam, leaving enough time for him to talk to Harumi alone.
Harumi turned to him. "I'm sorry..."
"You as well... Lloyd meant a lot to you..."
"He did... He really did... He was sweet, kind, and funny. He was unique. I loved him for being him, not anyone else." Harumi smiled softly, remembering their moments together.
Garmadon lowered his head in guilt as he softly replied, "Harumi, forgive me for my past actions."
"I... I forgive you..."
"Harumi, forgive me for this..."
"For wha-"
Garmadon had pierced a knife into her heart, instantly killing her.
Harumi coughed up blood before she fell flat on to the ground.
"I'm sorry, Harumi..."
The Overlord let out a distraught yell as he charged forward. "YOU WILL PAY FOR WHAT YOU'VE DONE!"
Garmadon dodged the Overlord's attack. "Try me." Garmadon summoned his destruction elemental power, his true potential unlocking. "Say goodbye, Yakunan." And with that, Garmadon aimed at the Overlord.
And fired.
"AAARGH!" The Overlord had disappeared.
Two weeks later...
Garmadon was still completely distraught, he wanted to move on, but he couldn't. He decided that it was time to try and move on from what had happened. Garmadon had thought of adopting two children, a girl and a boy. To him, Lloyd would never be replaced, Lloyd would always have a place in his heart. Garmadon having to murder Harumi haunted him—the thought never left him.
He stood up and got ready, he stopped to look in the mirror. "Gosh... I've changed..."
Garmadon had finished dressing and getting ready. He walked outside of his house for the first time in months. The fresh breeze and air was something he really missed. He had shortly arrived at the orphanage, he plastered on a smile as he walked in. He immediately spotted a girl and a boy together. They looked like twins.
They ran up to him.
"Adwopt us, pwease?" The young boy pleaded.
Garmadon thought for a minute or two. Are these the children I really want? I think I actually want them.
"Hewwo?"
Garmadon had snapped out of his thought. He knew what he had to do. "Sure, wait here." Garmadon walked up to the caretaker.
"Hello, how may I help you?"
"I would like to adopt these two children." Garmadon pointed to the young boy and girl.
"Are you sure? They're troublemakers."
"Oh, I'm sure."
"Alright."
Garmadon filled out the paperwork he had to do to adopt the children.
"Thwank you!" the two kids cheered in unison.
The destruction elemental beamed in delight. "You're welcome, now let's go home, as a family."
It had been seven years since Garmadon had adopted the children.
The boy was name Zack.
The girl was named Kaitlynn.
Zack and Kaitlynn were playing with the Ninja minifigures.
Zack was playing as Lloyd. "I don't wanna fight you, but I will if I have to. This is about more than us. This is about what is right."
Garmadon was playing as himself for this scene.
"I've saved you once, I'll save you again."
"There is nothing left to save!"
A few minutes had gone by, they were on another scene.
Kaitlynn had come in and played with them. She was playing as Kai.
"I used to be nothing but trouble, but then I met you guys. You took me in, showed me the importance of being brave, the importance of being strong, and most importantly, the importance of being good. When this battle first began, when the first Spinjitzu master fought the Overlord, and his back was up against the wall, and he knew it was all over, did he quit? No. He found a way to keep the fight going. He passed his elemental powers to us. Of all people, bunch of kids. But there must've been a reason he chose us. I'd like to think it's because he knew we'd never back down, we'd never give up. We've learned the ancient ways of the Ninja, and Ninja never quit."
Garmadon had recognized what Zack said, he didn't think much of it, but he did think it was strange.
"Fear, fear isn't a word from where I come from!"
Garmadon had started to get a little more suspicious. "I'll be right back, you two continue playing."
"Yes, daddy." The twins both said in unison.
Garmadon was near by, taking a little break as he watched the twins play.
Kaitlynn was playing as Harumi now. "We have to live up to a role that was bestowed to us. We never chose these mantles we hold."
"I know. It's hard to live a normal life. At least I wear a mask, but you-"
"I wear my own masks. Sometimes painted, sometimes the kidnapper of princesses! Mwahaahhahahhah!"
A few more minutes had passed, the twins were on another scene.
"The Sons of Garmadon want to bring back my father from the dead."
Kaitlynn-as-Harumi gasped.
Later...
"The Resistance never quits!"
Garmadon kept listening, each line they said got him more and more suspicious.
Kaitlynn was Nya for this one scene. "Come on, Lloyd! Ninja never qui-"
"The Ninja quit! Their lives quit..."
"Lloyd..."
Kaitlynn was playing Harumi again. "You're not our protectors, just a bunch of little kids playing dress up."
Garmadon shifted to another area near the twins.
"No Lloyd, there was never anything between us."
Zack had Lloyd stay silent, staring at the ground.
"Ahh, it hurts, doesn't it? There's nothing more powerful than a blow to the heart."
Few more minutes had passed, they were on their final scene.
"You didn't have Ninjago's greatest villain as your parent. It's the one you never knew who was there in the first place. The one that gets away."
"You said the greatest villain was the one that got away... Then what am I?"
That was all it had to take for Garmadon to recognize this all. Is this really Lloyd and Harumi?
Zack and Kaitlynn stopped playing, they stood up and walked to Garmadon. "Is something wrong?"
"You kids seem...familiar."
"Huh?"
"Wait..."
"Even in the darkness, we have the choice to reflect the light."
Garmadon gasped.
"Lloyd..."