"I know you're there, Ice," said Lloyd casually, not even turning around.
Cole was talking to Master Wu about reorganizing the training schedules and exercises for the Ninja. Lloyd had made himself comfortable on the couch with his sketchbook when he felt the familiar presence behind him.
It didn't take much effort. The temperature always dropped, literally about five degrees, when Ice was nearby. Odd that Zane didn't do the same, now that Lloyd thought about it.
The old man came around from behind the couch to stand before Lloyd, appraising him head to foot.
It was odd for Lloyd, seeing Ice without his mask and gi. Right now he looked like any other old man, though granted he was dressed like a university professor or something, in tweeds and corduroy. Patches on his elbows, ink on his calloused hands. Thick gray hair and a neatly clipped beard completed the look.
"You should be training. Not playing," accused Ice, with none of the warmth of the other previous generation Ninjas. But then Lloyd hadn't expected any. It had never been Ice's way.
Lloyd shrugged, but closed his sketchpad and set it aside.
"Why? I'm not a ninja."
"Then why are you here?"
"A video clip with my mom is going around on the Internet. People were acting weird and it was getting to me."
Ice blinked, then frowned. "You are the Green Ninja. You should be training as much as possible for the great battle."
Anyone else would hear a snob looking down on a stupid child. Lloyd smiled slightly, seeing the disguised concern, even though it was a topic he wanted nothing to do with. He'd learned long ago to watch the movements of Ice's eyes and mouth, not the tone of the words coming out.
Ice didn't want Lloyd to die. He wanted Lloyd to train, so that he wouldn't lose this supposedly inevitable battle. Lloyd had seen that look in his eyes before. Worry. Fear. Concern. Close to desperate. How the other Ninja had never really seen it, had often accused Ice of being callous, cold, Lloyd had no idea.
"I'm not going to die, because my dad's not going to kill me, because I'm not this Green Ninja."
"You are."
That's not to say that conversations with Ice were ever easy. The man was always just so, so... Ice!
Lloyd groaned. "Seriously, Ice? Let's backtrack. Hi, hello, nice to see you alive and well after so many years. Haven't seen you since, oh, since my uncle gave that order to not contact me after that whole mess."
Ice blinked and folded his arms. "I didn't not contact you because of Wu's orders," he answered gruffly. "Did I not tell you what I would be busy with?"
Lloyd's eyes flew to Ice's face in surprise. "What? No, you never said anything. None of you said anything."
"I'm sure I did, and I was sure you were conscious when I declared that I would not rest until I found out who was responsible for putting you in the hospital. In between Garmadon's attacks and training Zane, I have been investigating the crime. This last year especially I have made great progress."
Lloyd froze. His face carefully went blank.
"I know why you never told anyone. Especially not your father. I know what happened."
Lloyd carefully did not flinch. Did not even glance up at Ice's face. Ice was altogether too skilled at reading people, and Lloyd didn't dare confirm any hypotheticals.
"Her name was Raila."
"Don't," whispered Lloyd shakily. "Please."
Ice sighed, unfolding his arms. "You should not be alive, even with her help. And I think you know it was more than your bloodline that saved you. You've surely seen your father get injured."
"No," denied Lloyd, shrinking in on himself.
"It was your power. Green saved your life. You are the Green Ninja, beyond any doubt. And you know it."
"No!" shouted Lloyd. Cole and Wu actually stopped talking to look over in alarm. They both looked surprised to see Ice there.
"You don't know what you're talking about!" continued Lloyd angrily, now on his feet. "Just, just shut up! I'm not your stupid Green Ninja! I'm not even A ninja! I'm Lloyd Garmadon, Son of Lord Garmadon, and I'm never going to fight him!"
"I can prove it. Beyond any doubt," replied Ice, completely calmly. So confident and placid that Lloyd's blood boiled.
"Go to the Cursed Realm. You don't care about me," growled Lloyd, and this time Ice's eyes actually flickered with hurt. "You left me. Everyone left me. Nobody actually cares. I'm going home."
"Lloyd!" called out Cole, but his friend had already snatched up his backpack and taken off. The Earth Ninja chased after him.
Wu turned angry eyes on his once-student. "That was unnecessary and hurtful, Gerald. Lloyd is not ready to be the Green Ninja."
"He has no choice."
"There is still time!"
"There is not."
Wu drew himself up, eyes fierce. "I gave Lloyd my word that I would speak no more of the Green Ninja until he is ready to don the gi himself."
"Then you are a fool. Lloyd is a child. If we wait for him to decide when to begin his training, he will die."
"He already has training. He is a splendid ninja."
"Oh? So he has mastered Green?"
Wu just glared. Ice glared right back.
Wu closed his eyes, and took in a deep breath. After letting it out, he opened his eyes and met Ice's cold gaze.
"Lloyd must learn to trust and love others besides his father, or he will never be able to fight him," he said softly, reasonably. "He can already fight. Green will come in time. But he must learn to open his heart if he is to carry the burden of being Ninjago's only hope when the time comes. If he is to truly represent Good and take a stand against Evil."
Ice looked thoughtful, stroking his beard. "So, in short, you have no sense of urgency, and care more about Lloyd's emotions than his life."
Wu visibly swallowed back his first choice of words, instead saying, "Gerald. What is life, without a heart? Good is not an obligation - it is willing, and joyful. It is Love. Perhaps we forgot that, in our struggle against Garmadon."
Gerald looked thoughtful at that. Wu wasn't sure if that was a good or a bad sign. He never had been able to read the master of ice.
~~ ! Go Ninja Go ! ~~
"Lloyd!" shouted Cole, chasing after me. I hadn't gone far, just to my Green Dragon mech still parked next to the Destiny's Bounty.
I waited for him, staring at the grips I'd designed to climb up into the pilot's seat of the mech. I'd have to take Green Dragon home to the volcano, since my usual shark mech would still be in our dockyard.
Cole reached my side. Not saying a word, just setting a hand on my shoulder as he waited for me.
"I said I was going home," I mumbled, just as much to myself as to Cole.
He continued to say nothing, but his hand squeezed my shoulder for a second.
"But that means... I'll probably have to see her."
No reply, thankfully. I was grateful it was Cole at my side right now, and not Jay or Zane. Though a Kai and Nya twin hug sounded pretty good right now. I felt myself shrinking back and reached for my hood, only just catching myself before pulling it up. There was no one here but Cole. No reason to hide. I took a deep breath instead.
"I told my dad I wasn't coming home until tomorrow, but it's not like he'll be upset I changed my mind... But she..."
I again held myself back from grabbing my hood, instead squeezing the straps of my backpack.
"I hate this stupid Green Ninja thing," I almost whimpered. But Cole wouldn't judge me. "Why does it have to keep coming up? It can't be true. But..."
I chewed my lips, wanting to cry. "Ice is never wrong," I whispered. "And he's never lied to me. Even when everyone else tried to spare my feelings, he just told me like it is. But if, if I am, and the reason, the reason she left, but..."
And now the tears were actually falling. Rats.
"It explains a lot," I confessed, barely getting the words out. "But I don't want to hear it. I don't want to believe it. It hurts. I can't fight my dad. I can't. He's the only one... the only one... and, and, he loves me so much and..."
"You choose your own destiny," interrupted Cole softly.
I looked over to him. Wanting to believe him so, so badly.
"Maybe you are the Green Ninja," whispered Cole, just as confidentially as my own confession. "But destiny can't force you to fight your father, and it certainly can't force you to kill him. All it can do... is bring us together."
I blinked at him, bewildered.
"You're already our brother, Lloyd. Accepting the gi would just make that official. Nothing more, nothing less." Instead of hugging me, he took my hand and held it in his, our fists pointing upright and arms pressed against each other, woven together. It was a strange gesture but... I understood what he meant. Brothers.
If my dad were to break his promise and invade tomorrow, I suddenly knew I wouldn't be able to do nothing as my friends, my family, went out to fight.
I wouldn't be able to do nothing, but what... what would I do?
"If you were to fight your father, Lloyd, it wouldn't be to kill him. Not even to stop him."
I stared at Cole, heart twisting painfully with all this sudden hope and fear at the same time.
"It would be to save him."
Forget bro victory holds. I lunged forward and grabbed Cole in a tight hug, sobbing against his shoulder. Wanting his words to be true so, so badly. But still so scared that I didn't, couldn't, have that kind of power.
No one did. Right?
~~ ! Go Ninja Go ! ~~
Garmadon was making dinner.
Koko sat at the kitchen table, sipping a hot tea while she sketched in her notebook. It was a rough sketch of Garmadon at the kitchen island, complete with apron. She smiled, thinking how cute her crazy husband could be, as she outlined his giant fanged smile and happy slitted eyes.
The elevator dinged and the doors swished open. Garmadon and Koko didn't even have time for more than a "who?" glance at each other before they turned and saw Lloyd.
Garmadon rushed over, sweeping Lloyd up in a hug and asking all about Lloyd's evil plans and how his minions were getting along and what he wanted for dessert. He didn't seem to be waiting for any answers, moving right along to talking about what he and Koko had been up to the last few days. The pot on the stove began to boil and he set Lloyd down and rushed back over, still asking questions he didn't wait for answers to and talking about things Lloyd missed, as if desperate to fill in every second they'd been apart.
"Dad?" interrupted Lloyd. "I want to talk to K... Mom. Upstairs. We'll be right back?"
Koko dropped her pen in surprise and had to fumble for it, incredibly ungracefully.
"Of course! Dinner will be ready in about half an hour, but take your time! Get to know each other! See you in a bit!"
Lloyd glanced over to Koko, who had quickly closed up her notebook and got to her feet, ready to follow. Desperate look on her face. He bit his lip, then gestured awkwardly for the elevator.
They rode up together in silence. Lloyd got off on their bedroom floor and led the way to his own room.
~~ ! Go Ninja Go ! ~~
Author's Notes: Which leads us right into next chapter, with Koko and Lloyd FINALLY having a good heart to heart! It won't be a full reconciliation, but it will definitely be a step in the right direction.
For now, what did everyone think of Ice's intro? He has a very different personality from the rest of the previous Ninja - I was going for something almost Sherlockian. He's not actually cold, but he is certainly arrogant.
And personally I loved the Cole and Lloyd scene. It's the culmination of a lot of back and forth with Sunny Lighter about the role destiny plays in Ninjago, particularly in regards to poor Lloyd. Lol, and Cole's kind of stealing the show, isn't he! I'll try to make a point of giving the other Ninja more chances to shine!
As part of my usual thanks to my amazing beta Sunny Lighter, I've actually posted the first of my gift-fics for her that take place in the Grass is Greener universe! It's titled Greener Gift-fics, and this first oneshot is called First Fight. Note, this oneshot might not make sense if you haven't been following her stories Grass is Greener and Greener Pastures.
Shout-outs this week go to: Sunny Lighter, Beaner97, Carrie2sky, Hue (Guest), Watcher321, EMPFangirl02, Silvermags, Dyphen, and Pitch'snieceanddaughterofMew. Thank you all so much for your support!