The Prodigal Son – Ninjago Style

Not long after the Final Battle, it came as a complete shock to everyone when the following invitation came:

"Please join us for dinner to celebrate our family's reunification. Yours sincerely, Garmadon, Misako, and Lloyd."

"We must go," Sensei Wu decided. "It is the only thing to do."

Almost everyone agreed, except for Kai, who just huffed and turned the other way.

Everyone stared in disbelief at that. "Kai?" Lloyd slowly approached and put a hand on Kai's arm. "Are—are you all right?"

"It—it doesn't seem possible!" Kai snapped, turning to face Lloyd. "We've been fighting him all this time, and now—now he's a good guy? Who—who's to say something won't happen and—and he becomes evil again?"

"We don't know that for sure," Lloyd admitted, "but won't you come—if not for me, for Mom—for Uncle Wu?"

"Kai, the five of you are always with me, and everything I have is yours," Sensei Wu said, approaching. "But we should celebrate and be glad, because this brother of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found."

Deep within his heart, Kai knew Sensei Wu was right. A single tear rolled down his cheek. When he had found the voice to speak, he looked into Lloyd's eyes and whispered, "All right—I'll come."

"You won't regret this, Kai," Sensei Wu said, smiling softly as he laid a hand on his shoulder. "Somehow I sense your presence is especially anticipated."

When they arrived, they were in for a shock. The table had been set, with settings for nine. Everyone oohed and aahed as they circled, noticing the nameplates at each place. Kai was especially touched to see that he did indeed have a setting.

When everyone had found a seat, Garmadon stood up. "My friends," he said, "it is good to see you all. It was a long, hard fight between good and evil, and I never meant to cause anyone harm. I never even wanted to become evil in the first place," he added, glancing at Sensei Wu. "But now that the balance has been restored, I will do everything in my power to help you keep it that way. If I have offended anyone during my reign of evil, or even by this invitation, I humbly beg your forgiveness."

Deeply touched by Garmadon's moving speech, Kai stood up. "No, Garmadon," he said, afraid to meet his eyes, "it is I who should beg your forgiveness. I didn't even want to be here," he admitted, looking at Lloyd, "but your son convinced me that I should give you a chance."

A collective gasp went around the table at this. Garmadon walked around the table to where Kai was standing. "I don't blame you," he whispered. "You were only doing what was right—fighting evil, and I—or rather, the evil in me—was doing my best to thwart it."

Before he could stop it, the corners of Kai's mouth turned up into a small smile. Extending a hand, he looked Garmadon in the eye and said for all to hear:

"Welcome home, Garmadon."