Ray and Maya stood nervously on top of Lloyd's rooftop, waiting for Master Wu and Misako. This was the most private place they could think of, the one place they were sure Garmadon knew nothing about.
A part of them maybe kind of hoped Lloyd would show up. Even while they knew it was extremely unlikely. Even if he couldn't possibly recognize them in civilian clothes.
It had been years. Years since they ran away. Their children had become young adults in that time, as had Lloyd. Instead of pride, the weight of those years felt like guilt.
They'd had to cut Lloyd off back then, or so they'd thought at the time. If Garmadon had suspected anyone, anything, threatened his relationship with Lloyd, the consequences were too terrifying for even trained Ninja to consider. That night he'd gone on a rampage...
They still had nightmares of the insane glint in his eyes as he recognized them. The maniacal leer as he asked where their children were as his laid in the hospital. The bloodthirst in his voice as he demanded they hand over the ones who had attacked his son. The escalating threats as they refused, as they tried to reason with the unreasonable.
It was the first time they'd truly seen Garmadon as Evil.
After such a display, Wu had suspected Lloyd's death or abandoning his father would be what would ultimately transform his brother into the great Evil the First Spinjitzu Master had warned of. So the previous Ninjas had broken their promise to always be there for a lonely little boy. For nothing, as it turned out. Because Misako had been right.
What if Lloyd becoming the Green Ninja was what turned Garmadon into the Great Evil? It seemed inevitable, and certainly not a prophesied Good.
What if Lloyd couldn't handle being the Green Ninja, could not face fighting the one person who'd never betrayed him? This tragically seemed very likely, but then would Evil win?
Maya shivered. Ray knew why, but pretended not to, slipping off his coat and setting it over his wife's shoulders.
Hopefully Misako had found what she abandoned Lloyd and Garmadon to look for. Back then, they'd all thought her crazy, insisting her baby was the Green Ninja with no more evidence then strange eyes and a few odd stories that they accounted to a new mother's lack of sleep.
Wu and Misako were taking longer than expected. Probably waiting for the dust to settle after Garmadon's last invasion, as short as it had been. Ray grumbled and began walking around the roof.
"He was here!" he suddenly called out. Maya rushed over, finding the disturbed dust that her husband had noticed. Others would say it could've been anyone, but she had seen a small little boy huddled up in that exact spot so many times. Sometimes excited and eager to talk, sometimes crying and hiding bruises. He would sit right there and wait for them, and his face would light up whenever those darling eyes fell on them.
It had hurt so much to leave him. To picture him alone on this rooftop. To wonder when he would stop coming.
And now, despite all their efforts and hopes, it looked like the weight of the world would sit on those small shoulders.
"Why did it have to be Lloyd?" asked Ray, his thoughts running along the same line as his wife's. "Fate could have chosen anyone. It's just not fair to use the one person that can still love Garmadon."
"Maybe we should have stayed," Maya whispered. "Even, even if... we should've seen the signs. He was always... special. So very, very special, in a way I couldn't define. Just so... good."
"We had no way of knowing Misako was right. We thought it was crazy talk," her husband tried to comfort both her and himself. "And we had to look after Kai and Nya. As sweet a child as Lloyd is, we couldn't risk our own children for him."
"I feel like a failure. That all of our years as Ninja were for nothing. That we failed and now we're forcing our children to do our dirty work."
Ray hushed Maya and pulled her into his arms. But he felt the same.
Master Wu and Lady Irondragon landed on the roof behind them.
"Ray. Maya. It has been a long time."
The retired Fire and Water Ninjas immediately turned and bowed to Wu. He would forever be their master, regardless of where they went or what they did.
"Master Wu. Misako," they greeted in return.
"Did you-?"
Ray interrupted Wu, gesturing to the disturbed dust next to the parapet. "Lloyd was here."
Wu frowned, and he and Misako approached the dust.
"Yesterday, I'd say," said Misako, choosing not to comment any further. Trying not to think of her son huddled up on this cold roof, all alone. "Before or after he helped all those people?"
"After, I'd say," answered Wu, far too sure of himself from what Misako could read of the dust.
He leaned into the shadow cast by the parapet and pulled out a neatly folded green gi. "I knew it was too soon," he sighed.
"He quit. He hasn't even started and he quit," whispered Maya, and she broke into tears.
"This is our fault," said Ray heavily. "He needed us and we weren't here."
"Destiny-"
"I don't care about destiny or prophecies or fate or any of that!" cried out Maya. "I care about a child who believes the world is against him, sitting all alone on a cold rooftop, deciding he can't be a hero. Even after saving over a dozen lives and helping how many others!"
"It was caring too much for destiny and legends that got us into this mess!" Ray added his own angry voice to his wife's. "We care about Lloyd! We never should have left him alone!"
Koko covered her mouth with both hands, visibly reeling even though the comments hadn't been directly aimed at her.
"Then you are in good company," interrupted Wu. "Let us all calm down. We have much to discuss, and must come to a mutual decision on how to proceed from here. Especially in regards to the children."
~~ ! Go Ninja Go ! ~~
*"Good morning, Ninjago! The topic of the day for once has nothing to do with Lloyd Garmadon! Imagine that, Robin!"*
*"Absolutely, viewers! Today, we're ecstatic over the return of our Fire and Water Ninjas! But there's still the burning question in the back of all our minds - where was the Green Ninja?"*
*"Does he not have a mech yet? Was he injured? Is he still in training? Join us as we discuss the -"*
I groaned and grabbed the remote to turn off the TV. Yeah, it was important to me to watch the news every morning, mainly to prepare for what sort of abuse would be thrown at me that day. But I couldn't handle them talking about the Green Ninja. It wasn't me, and I wouldn't be doing that again.
Why couldn't they just be happy with the return of Fire and Water? Why did they need more and more and more? I can't do it. I won't.
I finished brushing my teeth and combing my hair. There were much better things to focus on anyway.
Sleepover!
Yes! Today was Friday, and my new friends were coming to the volcano after school to hang out and have dinner and eat goodies until we're all sick! We could stay up all night watching movies and listening to music and playing with Green Dragon! Cake and candy and laughing and everything else I'd never thought I'd be able to do with kids my age! Nothing was going to ruin this for me!
I stepped off the elevator into our kitchen, to find my dad hard at work... writing a letter? With pen and paper, even?
"Dad? What are you doing?"
"Writing a letter to the mayor of Ninjago City!"
"... Why?"
"A suggestion from one of the generals I fired yesterday! It's a stupid idea, so I fired her, but then I got to thinking, why not!"
I covered my mouth to hide my silent laughter. Once I'd recovered, I asked, "So, you're just writing to politely ask her to give the city over to you?"
Dad frowned at me. "Don't be silly, son! Of course not!"
"Then-"
"I am challenging her to a contest! Winner rules Ninjago!"
A terrible, yet hilarious, idea occurred to me. I didn't know whether to laugh or beg him to just not.
"Golf?"
His mouth dropped open. "How did you know?!"
Yep. Totally trapped in this weird space between laughing and crying. I wonder if it'd be easier or harder if my dad was just evil and not, well, crazy! At least a golf tournament couldn't possibly be more dangerous than an invasion. Right? Actually, with how much fate hates me, I really shouldn't be giving it any ideas.
"Sounds... interesting," I finally replied. After all, that wasn't a lie or tempting fate. A golf tournament for the fate of Ninjago City would definitely be just that.
I went ahead and got my breakfast. Fresh fruit and egg sandwiches today. So he was thinking about nutrition and vitamins and all that. Probably feeling guilty over the excessive sugar and carbs lately, heh. Maybe reread some of his children's health magazines.
My dad loves me. I smiled happily as I ate, content to listen to him mumbling his thoughts aloud as he tried to word his challenge letter just so.
"And may the highest score win!" he finished off triumphantly, elaborately signing his name at the bottom.
Should I...? Nah.
~~ ! Go Ninja Go ! ~~
"What's that?" Lloyd asked Zane, taking the cake box from him so Zane could have one hand free to climb into the cockpit of the shark mech. His other hand held what looked an awful lot like a birdcage with a towel thrown over the top.
"A birdcage," replied Zane simply.
"He means what's IN the birdcage, you goof!" laughed Jay from where he was stashing candy and board games below the seat he'd claimed as his in the shark mech. Then he suddenly looked up. "Wait - you brought him!" he cheered.
"Yes, I brought Falcon," confirmed Zane, pulling the cover off the cage and revealing a large silver bird of prey. "My father made him for me when I was only a few years old," he explained to Lloyd, who was putting the cake in a mini-fridge. The bird gave a sharp, shrill call and leaned against the bars to nuzzle against Zane's hand. "No, Falcon! You cannot come to school with me! Mom said, no pets at school."
"Oh, neat! I love playing with Falcon!" called out Cole, the next one up the ladder. He was carrying a turntable, a huge box full of records, plus a duffle bag with his essentials. And didn't seem to need the slightest bit of help, bringing back memories of yesterday that Lloyd wasn't sure if he wanted to dwell on or keep buried. He set his stuff down at the very back and rushed over to see the bird.
Kai and Nya were the last up the steps into the cockpit, each carrying a large backpack and a rolled up sleeping bag. They quickly tossed their stuff aside and rushed over to join the others clustered around Zane's robotic pet, which was preening with the attention.
"He's so cute!" laughed Lloyd, as Falcon nibbled at his fingers. "Is it okay to let him out?"
Zane thought about it, then nodded. "But we'll have to put him back in his cage before we leave, or he'll follow me to school."
"So he's done that before?" asked Kai, holding the cage door as Zane reached in. Falcon hopped on his metal arm and ducked his head as he was pulled out.
"Oh, yes. Father found it quite funny, but Mom and the school were both quite insistent that school is no place for falcons. Especially since he attacked Chad."
"Best day of my life," sighed Jay, and Lloyd too visibly brightened up at the picture of the bully being mauled by a bird.
Cole scratched Falcon under his beak. "You have excellent taste," he cooed.
"You know, I think I remember that! I didn't get to see it, but the next day there was that really weird announcement-" began Lloyd.
"Birds of prey, such as eagles, hawks, falcons, and owls, live, robotic, animatronic, holographic, or otherwise, are unwelcome within Ninjago High!" finished Jay, Cole, and Lloyd all together. They all started laughing, and Kai and Nya joined in happily.
"I did wonder about the 'holographic'," giggled Lloyd.
Zane shrugged in embarrassment, and Falcon climbed up on top of his head looking quite satisfied with itself. "I believe they were concerned about my father giving Falcon an upgrade. Oh - should I have asked permission of your father first, Lloyd? I always bring Falcon on sleepovers with Cole and Jay, so I didn't even think to ask. I promise he's no trouble at all, if unprovoked."
"It's totally cool," replied Lloyd casually. "Makes an interesting change from sharks. Now those guys make a mess! And I don't even know what's up with the dolphins and crabs Dad's been collecting lately."
Silence. Falcon gave a questioning sort of peep sound.
Lloyd glanced up and seemed to realize what he'd said. "Oh! Don't worry! Our home is in an entirely different part of the volcano! No sea-life zone, I promise!"
"He actually keeps all those sharks and dolphins and crabs and everything IN the volcano?" asked Jay, eyes wide.
"Well, it's sort of an aquarium thing under the volcano? They're free to come and go, but a lot of them choose to stay for the free food? And now I'm hearing myself talk and realizing how really, really weird that..."
"COOL!" shouted all his friends at the same time.
"Can we get a tour?!"
"Do you think we can feed them?"
"Did he hire an oceanologist to help with that? Appropriate habitats for sea life are notoriously tricky to maintain!"
Lloyd was again reminded that his new friends were not at all normal. He smiled happily. "It shouldn't be a problem. The great whites like belly rubs."
Another explosion of excited questions and requests and comments. Nya especially was sparkly eyed at the thought.
A beeping sound went off and Zane frowned. "We have to leave for school now, or we will miss the bus." He put a grumbling Falcon back in the cage and again covered it. "Don't worry. He'll just go into standby," he explained to a concerned looking Lloyd.
Everyone double checked their things before climbing down. Lloyd locked the mech. They collected their school bags from where they'd left them outside the mech and got on their way.
There's something to be said about safety in numbers. Taking the bus to school with a group of six was tremendous fun, and in such a large group of teens, people sometimes didn't even notice Lloyd Garmadon in the middle. And when they did, they were more likely to silently scurry away then make a nasty comment.
Cole smirked as Chad and his fellow bullies gave them a wide berth. The others continued chatting obliviously.
~~ ! Go Ninja Go ! ~~
Author's Notes: If anyone's interested, I do have another Ninjago movie-verse fic with show elements up! It's a typical Lloyd getting captured for his powers fic, but I've been told that it's an original enough spin to be worth the read! Hope those of you that check it out enjoy!
Special thanks to Sunny Lighter for reviewing every chapter, replying to every PM, and bouncing around endless Ninjago ideas with me - including some great Garmadon + golf ideas! In the future tournament chapter(s), many of the ideas used will be from that conversation we had!
Also thanks to EMPFangirl02, Watcher321, Beaner97, Johanna03, Carrie2sky, Bookkeeper2004, lanoa1, Delta prime2, Pitch'snieceanddaughterofMew, Little-BluWhale, Nightlybirdie, Angel Talon, and all you anonymous reviewers, for your support and encouragement! Some of you for every chapter!
Coming up next, the sleepover fluff chapter you've all been waiting for! For once, I promise actual fluff - no bullies, no kidnapping, no invasions! No guarantees once the sleepover's done, but Lloyd will get his one night of happiness!