We spent a lot longer than half an hour in the kitchen, just talking and having tea and cookies. Auntie Maya and Uncle Ray called in Kai and Nya after they caught them trying to spy from the doorway, and afterwards entertained us all with stories of Garmadon's antics when he wasn't, as they put it, 'actively evil'. Turns out Kai and Nya hadn't known about their parents' past with Garmadon either.

Now that I was calmer, I was able to listen to Kai and Nya's stories about becoming the new Fire and Water Ninjas without freaking out. Turns out it had been them that witnessed that whole embarrassing scene with Koko, though they didn't dwell on that, thankfully. The mechs were their parents', but they had all sorts of ideas for future modifications.

I'd already figured out from Auntie Maya and Uncle Ray's stories that Cole, Jay, and Zane were the other current Ninja. Which I was still struggling to wrap my head around, but it made a weird sort of sense. My entire life was basically a lesson in irony, after all.

Like this whole prophecy thing. Which I refused to talk about. Nya tentatively brought it up, but let it drop when I shook my head.

"Um, you don't have to be a ninja," began Kai, all sorts of awkward. "But would you like to see the warehouse again? For real this time? 'Cause I kinda told the others what was going on and they said they'd meet us there. If you want."

"It's so weird seeing you nervous," I just had to comment, slightly entertained at his over-careful attempts to be considerate. "Give me a moment."

I thought about it, closing my eyes and going back to that... messy... morning. My uncle, my... her, all sorts of screaming and chaos and fighting and the ninjas... Panicking and worrying about betraying my dad and just overall not good feelings. I barely even remember the warehouse. A vague memory of lots of space and the Ninja's mechs. I don't even remember where it was - I'd just started running as soon as I was able. Would I really be okay going back there?

A part of me wanted to whine no. I didn't want to. It was scary and unknown and they wanted and expected things I just couldn't be or give or do.

Another part of me was saying to relax. These were my friends. Yeah, they fought my dad, but they'd never really hurt him. They'd known who I was the first time we officially met at the mech club, and befriended me almost immediately anyway, and with such amazing understanding. We'd had so much fun at our sleepover.

I thought about Cole's steadfast presence, just being there whenever I felt unsettled. Zane's kindness, always so happy to help out. Jay's zealous attempts to involve me and cheer me up. And of course Kai and Nya, who had become such constants in my life that I couldn't imagine going back to being alone.

It would be kind of awesome to really know them. To be trusted with that kind of secret. To hang out at the warehouse. To play with their mechs. Maybe even to help them find ways to hold my dad off, hopefully without anyone being hurt. I didn't have to fight my dad, and he didn't have to know who they were.

Like Uncle Ray and Auntie Maya said, he could know who they were - he deliberately chose not to. It was okay.

But... I opened my eyes and looked over at Kai. "Is my uncle there?" I asked softly, almost a whisper. "My..." I still couldn't say it. "Her? Koko?"

Kai and Nya exchanged glances. I didn't look over to see Auntie or Uncle's expressions, not wanting to see pity. I just stared at my tea.

"I'll text," said Kai.

A couple seconds later, his phone buzzed with the reply.

"Yes," he answered my question, a little sadly. Obviously thinking this meant I wouldn't go.

I took a deep breath. I'd have to see them eventually. "I don't have to talk to them or anything," I mumbled, mostly to myself. "But it's good to know. Thank you, Kai." I finished the last of my tea and stood up.

"Okay. I'm ready."

~~ ! Go Ninja Go ! ~~

Jay was so nervous about Lloyd knowing, about Lloyd coming, on purpose, to the warehouse to hang out with them, that he could not sit still for the life of him. He paced back and forth. He fidgeted, rocking on his heels and bouncing on his toes, drumming his hands and tapping his fingers.

Master Wu was beginning to look a little irritated, a frown on his face as he tried to meditate in the corner. Lady Irondragon was practicing moves with her spear off to the side - she was clearly wasting time, looking for excuses not to leave. Had been since she overheard them confessing to their master that something had come up and Kai was going to tell Lloyd everything. That they were going to wait here with the hope that Lloyd would come over afterwards.

Eventually even Cole had enough, though he seemed more understanding than irritated when he suggested they wait in front of the warehouse instead of inside it. They were in casual clothes, so it wouldn't matter if anyone saw them. Not that anyone was ever in this area, thus it being perfect for their HQ.

In front of the warehouse, they would be able to see when the car drove up. Apparently Ray and Maya were coming as well, though Kai said they just were just going to talk to Master Wu, plus give the teens a ride.

Kind of funny that they still relied on their parents for rides when they all were excellent mech pilots. It was that or ride the bus or skytram. Maybe if their secret identities came out to the public the mayor or someone would waive the driver's test for them to get their licenses? Zane thought that made perfectly logical sense, but then politics rarely seemed logical to him.

The car drove up. Kai and Nya's parents came out, shortly followed by Kai and Nya, and then Lloyd.

He looked like that first time he'd come to the mech club. Anxious, like he expected to be driven out, his figure slightly hunched defensively. But determined at the same time, his hands in tight fists and his jaw clenched.

That all dropped when he looked up and saw his friends waiting for him. Smiling, waving, excited for him to be here. Not acting any differently from the Cole, Zane, and Jay he'd bonded with so quickly.

Jay hurried forward to grab Lloyd in a hug, rambling about how this was so awesome and they were going to have so much fun. Zane naturally joined in the hug, squeezing a little too tight, but neither had the heart to tell him so. Cole stood off to the side, but lowered his headphones and smiled.

"Come! Come!" cried out Jay eagerly, probably too excited really, but that was just Jay. Cole and Zane exchanged smiles with Kai and Nya as Jay practically dragged Lloyd over to the entrance, chattering a mile a minute about his Lightning Mech and what he wanted to show Lloyd.

Wu and Koko must have heard the commotion, because they'd stopped what they were doing and were hesitantly standing just in the entrance, where they couldn't be missed.

Jay obliviously ran right past them in his excitement. "It's over here, Lloyd! See, you've gotta take this ladder to the catwalk for my mech, so I can take off right away instead of fighting for space with Cole, Zane, and Kai's!"

Lloyd looked over his shoulder at his uncle and mother, who looked a little crushed at being ignored. He swallowed but couldn't bear to say anything. Only turned his attention back to Jay's chattering and his admittedly totally awesome flying mech.

He didn't notice Master Wu sigh and head back to a corner to return to meditating. He didn't see Koko squeezing her spear like she was trying to kill it, nor when she spun around and brushed past the rest of the Ninja as they entered. He didn't see her eyes, firmer and stronger than they'd been in years as she made her decision.

~~ ! Go Ninja Go ! ~~

Koko headed straight for the main docks of the city, where all the fishermen worked and the tourist traps sold and rented boats. She bought the first little boat she laid eyes on and headed straight for the volcano. Her mind was made up.

Garmadon had been right. There was only one way to fix this. She had to be there.

Her husband's minions stared at her, recognizing her immediately and too scared to get in her way. That she was in her armor and carrying her spear certainly went a long way towards earning their respect and making sure they left her alone. It was just as well she'd been practicing, keeping herself in shape.

The volcano looked almost exactly like how she'd left it over a decade ago. Some newer ocean-themed mechs lined the inner docks, and those winches were larger than she remembered, but really it hadn't changed much.

She rang the little used doorbell at the entrance to the private elevator that ran up to Garmadon and Lloyd's rooms.

"Hello?" asked a confused Garmadon over the speaker.

"I'm home," she replied softly.

She heard crashing and smashing and could easily picture her husband tripping over himself in his excitement. He'd been waiting for her. He'd waited for her for all these years. A smile twitched at her mouth.

In less than a minute, the doors to the elevator swished open and Garmadon was hauling her into his arms, all four of them.

"Whoa, Garm!" She couldn't help but laugh, careful to hold her spear out of the way.

"You're back, you're back, you're back," he kept murmuring, eyes closed in bliss as he squeezed her tight.

All his minions were absolutely staring. Koko blushed bright red. She'd known this would be her husband's reaction, but honestly a small part of her kind of wanted him to be mad. To throw her out. To scream at her for how she had hurt both him and their son.

Not to instantly forgive her and welcome her home.

"Garm, we've got an audience," she warned, squirming to get down.

"Let them stare! They're all just jealous!" he boasted, but set her back on her feet.

"And an awful lot to talk about," Koko added sadly, her smile dropping as she stared at her feet and fiddled with her spear. "Before Lloyd comes home, preferably."

That sobered Garmadon's mood. He nodded and gestured for her to join him in the elevator to head back to their rooms.