Nya eyed her brother, sighing before exiting the temple for a moment, sitting down in the garden outside. She took off her samurai helmet, placing it on the ground beside herself. Her heart sank at the clouds of smoke that surrounded the area because of the Oni's destructive nature. Yes, she was on a mission to take down those unreasonable monsters that dared lay a hand on her family and her home.

Lloyd was like a little brother to her. Even despite his troubled past, she saw a broken child who needed a place to stay, a place to call home.

She took out a locket from inside her shirt, gazing down at it with a soft smile when the pendant was opened. Inside was a picture of her and her brother.

"Do you remember when we were little, and you decided to imitate my voice saying 'I'm not stupid, Nya, I'm not stupid', right?" Lloyd chuckled, coming outside to join her.

Nya silently nodded in remembrance as the green ninja sat beside her, but she didn't answer him.

"That time…" she remembered, watching the dark clouds descend on the area. "When your little face matched the sky so beautifully. You were so surprised when you heard my big brother yelling across the Bounty, just to be able to burst out laughing."

With a soft laugh, Lloyd grinned again. "Yes, I remember that."

"Now you look older," Nya said with a soft smile, brushing a hair away from his face. "Your father must be so proud of you."

"I just...wish he could be a bit happier, y'know..." Lloyd replied, giving her a small squeeze in his arms. "Dad...hasn't been the same since I purified him. He's always been thinking about his past and how much the evil affected him. But he's a good man and a proud father. I just wish he would give me more time. More time for us to spend together. As it should be."

Nya gently placed a hand on his shoulder, sensing his heartbreak at the words. It broke her heart too, knowing that Lloyd's father was trying to fight the shadows within his own mind. "Lloyd..." she said softly, wanting to comfort him. "I know it's hard, but try your best to be a man, okay? When I get stronger, I'll look out for you like I always have."

She heard Lloyd softly sob, as tears began to pour down his face. Even through his own sorrow and pain, he tried to smile at her.

"Thanks, Nya," the energy elemental said, his voice hoarse. "I promise I will...even if I just...want to forget about this and be happy..."

Nya just shook her head. "No, it's not too late for you to be happy," she said, gently squeezing his shoulders. "Just let me be your sister."

Lloyd smiled, finally drying his tears away. "Thank you, Nya..."

"It's not for you to thank me," Nya said, turning away from her brother. "It's only for my sake, and for the sake of those I've sworn to protect."

She slowly looked at the cloud-shrouded world before her. "Now...shall we head back inside? We have a lot of things to do, and I don't want you to get lost in the dark, okay?"

Lloyd nodded and gave her a slight smile. "You're a great friend," he replied. "You're like an older sister to me."

She just smiled again, gently placing a hand on his head and tucking him into a hug. "We'll get through this, I'm sure."

Lloyd laid his head against the samurai's shoulder, letting his eyes fall shut. It'll be okay… It'll all be okay…

It was Nya's soft voice whispering into the energy elemental's ears, "You won't be alone ever," she told him.

"Son, are you alright out there?" Garmadon opened the temple door just slightly, tilting his head a little in Lloyd's direction.

"Yeah, I guess…" Lloyd shrugged, reaching forward towards his father, squeezing his hands tightly. "I'm just worried about you…"

"It's for the best," Garmadon responded, putting a hand on his son's shoulder. "Worry about keeping yourself safe, especially with those creatures on the loose."

"Wow, I sound like a little kid again," Lloyd responded, chuckling a little.

"That's fine," Garmadon said, entering the temple with his son and Nya following close behind, making sure to close the door securely.

Garmadon let out a deep breath, before turning to his son, bringing him aside. "Lloyd, I need you to do me a favor."

"What is it, dad?"

"Don't go outside again. It's too dangerous out there," Garmadon said, turning to face Lloyd. "The last thing I want to tell you is thanks for freeing me from my past."

"Huh?" Lloyd said with a confused smile, crossing his arms. "But we freed you from the shadows... and made you into a father again."

"That was my choice," Garmadon responded. "I know I made a lot of mistakes, but I'm glad you and the others were there to help me learn from them. It would have been a lot worse for me, had you all not played this role. But…"

"What's wrong, dad? You're not going to tell me what you're talking about, are you?"

The elder man was quiet for a moment, before responding with a slow sigh. "The thing about being a father is, you make mistakes, and you want to fix them. But sometimes, no matter how much you want to fix them, someone else gets hurt in the process. But then, you learn whatever it is that you did wrong, and try to make sure it never happens again." Garmadon turned away from his son, clenching his fist. "I love you, Lloyd," he said, looking at him once more with a concerned look. "Please make sure you're safe if you can. And promise me you'll never do something so foolish again."

"But..." Lloyd began, before Garmadon interrupted.

"Promise me."

"I promise…" Lloyd responded, unconsciously gripping his father as the barrier around his heart broke and a river of tears flowed over his face. "I'm so sorry..."

"I'm sorry too, Lloyd..." Garmadon responded, shifting his gaze away to prevent his own tears from escaping from his eyes. "...there's so much I wish I could've done... I'm sorry… I just don't want to lose you again..."

"I'm not going to go away," Lloyd replied, putting a hand on his father's shoulder. "I promise I'm not going to leave again..."

Garmadon looked at his son, nodding as he turned away. "Good," he said. "We'll get through this. I know we will."

Lloyd turned to look at his father as a single tear fell from his eye. "But I'm scared," the boy admitted, feeling a lump in his throat. "I'm scared of what we'll eventually go through..."

"Fear will keep you from facing your problems," Garmadon told his son, giving him a reluctant smile. "But we will endure it together."