Ray and Maya, Kai and Nya's parents, were watching the news feeling a mix of hope, excitement, and a twinge of sadness. The Green Ninja has arrived. The great hero of legend, come to rid the world of evil. Garmadon's reign of terror was near its end. But at the same time...

They'd known Garmadon, before. Before he gave up fighting the venom of the Great Devourer. His time as a hero was actually before their generation, over forty years ago, but they'd known him as children. He'd been a friend of their parents. They'd even fought alongside him once, about twenty years ago, shortly before he started recruiting his Skulkin army and invading villages. They'd attended his wedding to Koko, rejoiced with the couple at news of Lloyd's birth. Hoped being a father and husband would renew Garmadon's battle against the venom.

Lloyd and the twins had actually played together as babies. Maybe a part of them had recognized each other, for truly they'd seemed to bond much too quickly.

But then Garmadon had truly gone insane. Koko had started her crazy stories and left. Maybe they could've, should've, stepped up to help, but Garmadon had seriously started becoming a threat, and they had the twins to worry about and Ninjago to protect.

Things had just escalated so quickly. Years flew by, combating ever increasingly complicated and destructive invasions. Eventually things had gotten so dangerous for their children, they'd actually quit.

Now the end was finally in sight. And, while they pitied Lloyd and mourned the loss of their fallen hero, they couldn't help but hope at the knowledge that Garmadon's threat would soon be gone.

They were preparing dinner together with the news still playing in the background when Kai and Nya got home. The twins seemed as cheerful and excited as anyone else in Ninjago City at the footage of the Green Ninja's escapades that afternoon, maybe even more so.

"That's Lloyd!" shouted Kai excitedly, gesturing to the green figure on the tv screen.

"Lloyd's the Green Ninja!" added Nya. "Master Wu gave him that gi!"

Their parents froze, identical looks of horror crashing over their faces. Their earlier excitement died. At least the kids were still too excited to notice.

"What... what are you talking about, hon?" asked their mom, disguising her sudden shakiness quite well.

Between Kai and Nya, they spilled the whole story. It was quite a long story with an awful lot of talking over and interrupting each other, but eventually they got to the main point.

"Master Wu offers him the green gi again, and he looks TERRIFIED and he runs off-"

"Then later we're watching the news and see the Green Ninja! Leaping around and saving babies and helping random people-"

"And Master Wu says he slipped another gi into Lloyd's bag-"

"So the Green Ninja is Lloyd!"

"Should we, like, tell him we're ninjas too?"

"This is going to be so cool! We can all be ninjas together!"

"Okay, okay," finally interrupted their father, taking a deep breath before continuing. "What did Master Wu and Lady Irondragon say?"

"Nothing much. When we asked about the prophecy Lloyd mentioned when he was all upset, Lady Irondragon said something about not being ready until we master our elements," answered Kai.

"And Master Wu spouted some metaphors that I don't remember," replied Nya. She looked over at Kai, who shrugged. He didn't remember either.

Their parents met eyes.

"They don't want to tell the kids yet," said their father.

"They are the current Ninja," answered their mother. "They deserve to know, if..." Her voice trailed off, not quite ready to speak of such things around their children.

"Isn't this a good thing? I mean, Lloyd came around in the end."

"Was he just mad at his uncle and mom for abandoning him? Which, yeah, is really bad, but..."

Their mom gave their father pleading eyes. He sighed.

"Let us talk to Master Wu about this first, kids. Your mom's right, as Ninja you deserve to know, but there might be information the two of us just don't have. We haven't been Ninja for years now, and haven't spoken to Misako in over a decade."

~~ ! Go Ninja Go ! ~~

As I fled across the rooftops, I found myself crying again. What was with me today? I didn't even know what for.

For meeting the uncle and mother I never knew, and finding they weren't terrible people out to kill my dad? Or so they claimed.

For betraying my father and donning the garb of a Ninja? But I hadn't actually done anything against him.

For helping people that didn't deserve it? That normally ran from me and murmured abuses? But... they were so nice to the Green Ninja. Maybe it wasn't them, but me?

Crap. I needed to talk to someone. I wanted the Ninja. Those heroes who had laughed and taken me under their wings when I was just a brat, fleeing stupid problems I had caused. That told me not to worry. They would handle the Serpentine. They would stop Pythor. They wouldn't let me get eaten or injured. They would take me home to my dad.

But I hadn't seen any of them, not in person, since the hospital. The only people, besides my dad, to visit. Even if it was in secret. Even if they thought I was unconscious. Even if they later claimed on television that keeping me safe was for a higher cause. I know what I heard.

I heard the Lightning Ninja ranting. The Water Ninja crying. The Fire Ninja and Earth Ninja cursing. The Ice Ninja vowing he would find out what happened and see that it never happened again.

I heard them defend me. Defend my dad. They cared.

Or... they had.

I often wonder if, how, everything changed after he took them all on barehanded that night. The fight was never broadcast, and supposed witness interviews contradicted each other. All anyone knew is that the Secret Ninja Force released an official statement condemning the attack on and any future violence against Lloyd Garmadon. And that the Fire and Water Ninjas hadn't been seen since.

I had nightmares that he killed them. Eventually I even asked my dad, who gave me a confused look and said no. But he wouldn't say anything else. When I pushed, he just shook his head and said it was private adult stuff. Which probably means they talked, argued?, fought? about me.

As if my feet were following my line of thought without any conscious direction, I realized I was on top of my rooftop. Our rooftop.

When the Ninja brought me back to Ninjago City after the Serpentine mess, they left me on this rooftop and told me to call my dad. They had to run off to stop Pythor and didn't stick around. I refused to call my dad to rescue me, so it took me hours to find my way down.

After that, I'd periodically sneak up here to watch and wait for the Ninja. I wasn't always lucky, but every now and then one or two of them would drop by to chat for a bit.

I'd tell them all the things I couldn't talk to my dad about. About all the kids being mean to me. The teachers giving me bad grades even when I studied so hard. Getting threatened by policemen. Having to open my wallet for shopkeepers and cashiers to prove I had cash. Being told to leave the museum and the library because I was scaring people. All the things that would've made my dad murderous and livid and I didn't want that.

They encouraged me to kept trying to be good. Told me it would be a fight, but that eventually people would see the real me. Said they'd always be there if I needed them. That everything would work out.

Then the hospital happened. And the fight.

They stopped coming to the rooftop.

That's the real reason I thought the Fire and Water Ninjas were dead. Because they stopped coming.

And eventually I stopped coming. Because it hurt. Like I'd been abandoned all over again, and I didn't know why.

Because I'm not evil. I think. I hope. But maybe that's not something you have a choice in. I'm no good at it, but I don't seem to be any good at being good either.

I took a seat on the rooftop, leaned back against the parapet. Stared at the massive air conditioners and electrical boxes and stuff.

It's been years since I was last here.

I miss them. I never even knew their real names. Never saw their faces, just their eyes. I have all five sets of eyes locked in my memory, tightly sealed away.

I hope my dad didn't lie. I kind of thought maybe he had. That that's why they stopped coming.

No. I remembered the warehouse this morning. Five. Water and Fire were back.

They weren't dead. I just... what? Wasn't important enough?

Wow. I'm really arrogant.

It was all hitting me now and it kind of made me want to giggle at how stupid I was. I'd been so sure I was special. That they thought I was special. That these superheroes were willing to sacrifice time helping good people and saving the world and whatever they did in their 'real' lives for the spoiled brat of their worst enemy.

And then this morning my... my uncle. Telling me I wasn't evil. That I could have a place alongside those great heroes. My... Ko... her. Saying something about a stupid prophecy. Honestly the only thing I really remembered through the haze was something about sorry and trying to save my dad.

Bad memories. It just confirmed yesterday all over again. She hadn't left for me. She hadn't returned for me. At least she loved my dad, but...

I'm so selfish. There's no reason for it to hurt like this. Shouldn't it feel good that she still loves Dad? I mean, he still adores her, despite everything.

I curled up tighter and the arms of the green gi caught my eyes. I leaned back and examined them, then the rest of the ninja outfit. A hero's costume. Like they always wore.

I'm so stupid.

I stripped off the mask and the rest of the gi that I'd thrown over my usual clothes. I carefully folded the outfit and placed it in a corner of the rooftop I'd once thought as ours.

I couldn't do this. I had no right to do this. This was all a terrible mistake.

Everything is a stupid mistake. I'm a stupid mistake. If they hadn't had me -

Nope. Not going there. That was too dark and if I went there I wasn't sure I'd be able to claw my way back.

I pulled up the hood of my sweater, hopped down from the roof, and endured the usual insults and whispers as I walked through the city back to the cove. Each hissed slur and growled curse seemed to strike twice as hard as before. For the first time, I felt like I deserved every word.

Lloyd Garmadon.

What is HE doing here?

Demon spawn.

Everything's his fault!

He's just like his dad.

Don't look! He'll curse you!

Evil brat.

Freak.

He's not even human!

Why can't those monsters just leave us alone?

I completely forgot General Number 16. Dad found this hilarious, only pausing in his laughter to assure me she'd just steal a boat to get back. No big.

The pizza bagels were perfect, and if I hugged my Dad a little too hard for a little too long he just squeezed me back.