remember when i said this would be updated in december aha

yeah sorry about that. my interest was consumed by other stuff, but now its back to ninjago! also i wasn't very happy with the quality of my writing so i'm going to rewrite the old chapters.

Misako had wanted to be a good mother. Her whole life, she'd imagined raising her children under a loving hand, teaching them to walk and read and explore. She'd dreamed of sharing her love of archeology with them, taking them to dig sites with her, showing them the importance and interest of history. Misako had wanted to help her children flourish.

But life seemed to have a way of hijacking everything good that ever came her way, and her newlywed husband was banished to the Underworld just a few short weeks after the birth of their first child.

She'd thought Wu was joking, at first, when he'd told her. But then Misako saw the deep grief in his eyes, the wounds on his body, and she knew. Garmadon had been valiantly battling the venom in his heart for nearly his entire life, and he had finally succumbed to it. She'd hoped...she'd hoped that their child, a beautiful little boy named Lloyd, would help drive out the wickedness in his veins. She'd hoped, but as always, it had been in vain.

And all she could do was hold her child and weep.

Misako had wanted to be a good mother, but in her grief, she found herself unable to even give Lloyd basic care. She found herself unable to do much of anything, actually, even as Wu gently told her that it had been weeks since Garmadon's banishment, that she should get out of bed and eat something.

When she looked at Lloyd, all she could see was his father's red eyes in his own, Garmadon's fanged grin in Lloyd's laughing smile. She loved her son. She really did, and yet she could hardly even bring herself to look at him.

Wu, at long last, did convince her to get up and walk around the monastery, but all she could do was remember when she and Garmadon had walked those halls, laughing and happy. As they passed his now-empty room, all she could do was weep.

"You must think I'm weak," She sobbed as Wu put an arm around her. "Garmadon was your brother, and you're not such a mess."

"I knew that this would come to pass," He said quietly. "I had time to prepare, is all."

oOo

Misako left the monastery the next day, taking nothing- including her child. She'd left a note on his crib, telling Wu that she'd return once she'd composed herself. It wasn't supposed to be for very long, just a few weeks. Then she would return and try to live her life happily with Lloyd and Wu, try to heal and move on with them.

It wasn't supposed to be for very long, but as the weeks turned into months, Misako hardly even noticed. She'd met up with a few of her friends, who'd told her about a new temple they'd partially unearthed, and, desperate for a distraction, Misako had offered to help. It was arduous, backbreaking work, but it was a welcome outlet for the pain in her heart.

But the night after they'd finished, Misako had a dream. The exact details were clear as crystal when she woke up, but faded so quickly that she was left with only one piece of information: Lloyd was the Green Ninja.

It was almost laughable at first- especially since Garmadon had been banished, and was likely the Dark Lord. There was no way that life could be so cruel as to destine Lloyd to fight his own father to the death, right? But the feeling did not leave her, and Misako knew that if any family could end up with such bad luck, it was her's.

If Lloyd was the Green Ninja, then perhaps leaving him in the monastery where the Golden Weapons were housed wasn't such a good idea. But Wu wouldn't let an infant by weaponry, would he?

It occurred to her that Lloyd wouldn't be an infant anymore. In fact, there was a good chance that he'd already said his first word, and Misako had missed it. Maybe he'd already started walking. No, no- she hadn't been away that long.

Misako wondered what she could ever hope to do if Lloyd was indeed the prophesied savior of Ninjago. She couldn't let her child and husband kill each other, that was for sure. Perhaps it would be wise of her to research the prophecy itself a little before she went back to the monastery, so she could recognize if her son really was the chosen one.

It sounded like a good idea when she'd thought it, but when Misako actually tried to look into it, she realized what a monumental task it would be. Her first stop was the Library of Domu, and although the monks were very helpful and kind, she still turned up empty-handed after months of fervent searching. Not a scrap of information on the prophecy in the entire place, somehow.

The Ninjago City Museum seemed like a good place to try next, but Misako had no luck there, either. She even tried the Explorer's Club, but was similarly denied. If she were a bit younger, she'd consider looking for the First Spinjitzu Master's tomb in the hopes there would be some information there, but her joints weren't up for it anymore.

Maybe, then, the Spirit Coves? According to legend, that was where the First Spinjitzu Master first came to their realm and began creating it. Misako was at a loss of where else information could be found, so she decided to take the shot.

oOo

A year and a half later, Misako had way more grey hairs but no more info. It had been a guess, but for all the effort and stress it had cost her, she had at least hoped to get something. Which she did, she supposed, if you counted wrinkles and about a decade off her lifespan. She'd also gotten a letter, once she arrived back in Ninjago City, from a boarding school called Darkley's. They'd heard that Lloyd was the son of the 'Dark Lord', and wanted them in their school.

So all that was left to do was crawl back to the monastery and pray that the First Spinjitzu Master would not be so cruel to her family. But as she stared down the red double doors, also prayed that her family would not be cruel to her, after she was gone for so long.

With a shaking hand, she clutched the brass knocker and banged on the wood. A few moments later, they swung inward, and there stood her old friend, who also looked quite a bit older than she recalled.

"Misako," He gasped quietly, but the woman's eyes were fixed on the head of bright blond hair behind Wu. A little boy clutched the old man's hand, gaping up at Misako with big red eyes, and she felt a surge of love. That was her child- the eyes were unmistakable.

"It's been a while," Misako said, turning her gaze back to Wu's own golden eyes. "I- I'm sorry. I was gone for so long…"

"We cannot undo what has been done," Wu said gently, then stepped aside. "Please, come in. I've missed you."

"Who is she?" Lloyd asked, pointing a stubby finger at Misako.

"That is your mother, Lloyd," Wu answered, leading the two into the monastery. Lloyd looked at her once more, and Misako reached down to ruffle his hair. The second she touched him, though, her mind flashed bright green.

Misako gasped, recoiled like she'd been burnt, even as her mind cleared. Wu and Lloyd were staring at her, someone was speaking, but-

Lloyd was the Green Ninja.

He couldn't stay at the monastery, not while the Golden Weapons were housed there. Wu couldn't find out about his nephew or else the prophecy would be inevitable.

Nausea rose up in Misako and her head spun. She needed to get out, and she needed to take her son with her.

"I'm sorry," She whispered, eyes growing wet. "I'm sorry, Wu."

"Misako, are you alright? Do you-"

Misako shut out Wu's words and scooped up her son, who immediately began to bawl. She hurried towards the still-open gate, ears buzzing, eyes stinging.

"Misako, please-"

Had she not been so overcome with grief and panic, she might have been able to fear the pleading pain in Wu's voice, the crying screams of her son, her own frantic sobs. But the only thing Misako could think was that she had to get Lloyd away from the weapons.

oOo

As Misako wandered the streets of Ninjago City with her still-crying child, she realized that it might have been a bit...brash of her to run away with no steady home and no place safe to keep Lloyd while she worked.

And then she was hit with the knowledge that, despite her lifelong wishes, Misako was not a good mother. Fate had given her one child, one chance, and she'd ruined it. Her son was almost 4 years old and he had no idea who she was, other than the stranger who'd taken him from his home and uncle and everything he'd ever known.

She let out a heavy sigh, weighing her options. Although it pained her to admit it, Misako knew she wasn't situated to be a good mother, and Lloyd certainly couldn't go back to the monastery. So where…?

Misako remembered the letter she'd received just a few weeks ago. The boarding school had specifically asked for Lloyd to attend. He'd be kept safe there, fed and warm and away from the Golden Weapons.

It wasn't ideal. It wasn't even something she would have considered just a few hours ago, but now...now, what else could she do?

Misako had wanted to be a good mother, but now she just prayed that she'd chosen the lesser of two evils.