Chapter 8 - The Wish

Cole stood still, listening to every one of Wu's words.

The teapot sounded just as dangerous as he had imagined. If Garmadon got ahold of it, nothing good would come of it. Cole knew his Captain could be more than stubborn, but perhaps his brother's words would make him see reason.

He remained in the hall moments after the story ended. He listened to Nya's determined plan and couldn't help but smile. The little object they were searching for was within Cole's fingers. Hard as they searched, they wouldn't find a way out. Of course, Cole could always slide it back towards the cells. Then, eventually, they would all rush out, aiming to stop Garmadon before he committed the biggest mistake of his career.

Instead, Cole slid the metal hook into his pocket. Regardless of the danger Garmadon was set on sailing towards, the man was still his Captain. Besides, he couldn't trust Wu. If he were to defeat Garmadon, he would no doubt aim to do the 'right' thing by dragging him back to Ninjago. Then the pirate captain would face punishment for the crimes he'd committed throughout the years. Cole couldn't allow that.

Garmadon was a criminal, yes, but he wasn't truly a bad person. Cole knew Garmadon deserved a chance, and a chance wasn't something the Admiral would offer him. Step by step, Cole trudged up onto the deck, embracing the warm breeze. The sky had begun to darken, but before the sun set completely, Cole spotted the island.

They would no doubt make it there by the time daylight returned. Which meant Cole only had a couple of hours to convince his Captain to turn the vessel around and sail as far away as possible. To other treasures, to other islands. Other adventures that weren't set on ending with misfortune.

Cole's eyes studied the shape of the island. If the wishes were safe to make, would he dare make one? And what exactly could he wish for? The only thing Cole truly regretted was storming off the island without making peace with his father, but if he were to wish for a second chance, too many things would change.

He would have never met Garmadon. Would never have learned how to handle himself in battle. All the memories of the places he'd seen would vanish in an instant. The things he had learned about himself and the world around him would return to nothing more than muddled thoughts in an inexperienced mind.

No. Cole couldn't see himself wishing for anything. There wasn't really anything he couldn't eventually fix himself. Magic was unnecessary. With a shake of his head and a silent vow to stay away from wishing, Cole turned away from the island, heading towards Garmadon's quarters.

Garmadon sat back on his desk, happiness pumping endlessly throughout his body.

He couldn't remember the last time he felt quite as good. Raiding ships and unearthing treasures was utterly satisfying, but he now found that there was nothing better than listening to Lloyd ramble on for hours on end about life in Ninjago.

Hearing about Misako now and again caused a dull ache to spread throughout Garmadon's chest, but aside from that he couldn't have asked for a more pleasant way to spend an afternoon. Lloyd's knowledge of ships and the pirates throughout the ocean was rather impressive, as was his mastery of the layout of Wu's pompous mansion.

A powerful knock on the door ripped Garmadon away from his thoughts, causing him to cringe. His eyes turned towards Lloyd's small sleeping form, but the small child didn't stir. Satisfied, Garmadon moved towards the door. Cole stood just outside and Garmadon groaned inwardly. He didn't feel like dealing with the issues of his current life. For now, he longed to step back into the room and back into the illusion that things were perfectly alright.

"Lloyd's asleep," he said. Cole noticed his eyes were tired, but they also had a bright glint of joy that was hard to miss. "And I wasn't too far behind. What is it, Cole?"

"Captain, sir." Cole stepped back, inviting Garmadon to do the same. "I was wondering if I could talk to you, about. . . the teapot."

With an annoyed sight, Garmadon stepped out onto the deck, gently closing the door behind him. "You still don't believe me? You wouldn't be the only one. Half the crew is wondering if I've finally lost my mind, but I'll show you all the truth come morning."

"No. . . I believe it," Cole responded. And it wasn't a lie. At first, he'd doubted the tale, but after hearing the fear in Wu's voice, Cole couldn't help but believe. "But I heard your brother speaking of it. I don't think it's a good idea to seek it."

"Oh, what did he say, exactly? That I'd probably destroy the world if I had it in my grasp? That I'd throw him off his little pedestal, and lead Ninjago into disaster?" Garmadon laughed. "Don't worry, Cole. Surprisingly enough, I don't plan on destroying anything. All I want is a chance to be with my family."

Cole looked at the door behind them, where Garmadon's son was sleeping. After hearing the heartbreaking tale of how his Captain became what he was, Cole couldn't blame him for his wish. But the creature within the teapot was not to be trusted.

"That's not it, no." Cole shook his head. "He shared the story of how he first came to find the lamp."

"I'm listening."

So Cole spoke. He shared every bit of the story, hoping to show Garmadon how the creature could twist words and desires, using the things you wanted most to destroy you. But once Cole finished his words, there was only one emotion in Garmadon's eyes. And it was not fear, or even concern about what was to come.

No. Garmadon's eyes shone with rage.

"Wished to have me out of the way, huh?" Garmadon muttered. "And I played right into his wish, didn't I?"

"He was very wrong to wish that, yes," Cole said, regretting the way he'd gone forth and shared everything. Wu's wish hadn't been very necessary to the point Cole was trying to convey. And Wu's wish was the only thing Garmadon had taken from the story. "But that was not the point I was trying to make. The. . . This Djinn, he'll most likely find a way to-"

"I know what I'm doing Cole," Garmadon hissed, leaning closer to the back-haired man. "Now I advise you to return to your post. Unless you'd rather join the prisoners in their cells?"

Cole opened his mouth, then slowly shut it with a brief shake of his head. He then turned, heading back into the belly of the ship.

Once he was out of sight, Garmadon leaned back against the door, his body fighting between rage and anguish. He wished he could blame Wu for everything, wished he could simply tear apart everything his brother had built and feel satisfied.

But then there was Misako. Wu had said she'd already loved him.

Hearing those words tore the old wound open once again. Garmadon could see it all so clearly. Misako's glowing eyes, just as she pulled Wu into a loving embrace. When had it all happened? When had she slipped away? And why? He'd trusted her, and loved her. More than anything, and more than anyone.

It hadn't been enough.

With a shake of his head, Garmadon stepped back into the room. He looked at Lloyd and knew that wishing his family back together was still his ultimate goal. But now there were also other wishes brewing in his mind. He needed to destroy his brother. And most of all, he needed to hear the truth in Misako's own words.

Not that it would be a problem. After all, the Djinn would offer him three wishes.

And three wishes was all Garmadon needed.

For the second time in a matter of hours Cole found himself standing just outside the cells.

Cole had hoped Garmadon would eventually come to his senses, if he was left to think on it for a long enough, but he had been wrong. By the time Cole had woken from a fitful sleep, they'd reached the island. And Garmadon had gone.

"I think we're at the island." Jay's voice reached Cole. "The ship doesn't feel like it's moving much."

"Great. We're at the island and we're still trapped in here." That voice belong to the man he'd fought. His voice was followed by a dull clang, and Cole imagined the man had slammed an angry fist against the bars of the cell. "I can't believe there really isn't anything we can do."

"Yeah," Nya sighed. The determination from the night before had completely vanished, leaving a void in her voice. "Nothing."

"I mean. . . Maybe he'll lose his nerve and not wish," Jay said, without much real hope. "Or maybe. . . I don't know."

Cole willed himself to move forward. These were the only people that truly seemed to understand the dangers the teapot possessed. Whether Cole liked it or not, they were his only shot at stopping Garmadon in time. With Wu's knowledge of the island, he should be able to pinpoint the location faster than Garmadon would. And with all of them together, they would be able to overpower the infamous pirate without much struggle.

Still, Cole felt the disloyalty of his actions like a dark stain across his mind.

"Maybe someone will come to let you out." Cole responded to Jay's statement, finally stepping into the small hall between the cells.

"Cole!" Jay sat up, then squinted his eyes at the man before him. "But. . . Wait, why would you let us out? You put us in here in the first place."

"Did Garmadon send you here?" Kai hissed, standing before his sister.

"No." Cole shook his head. "I. . . Well, I heard everything. About the teapot. I tried to convince Garmadon to leave it all alone. But of course, he didn't listen. He's headed into the island on his own. I don't know how far he's gotten, but we might still be able to catch up."

"If you heard the story, why didn't you let us out earlier?" Nya stood, stepping closer to look Cole in the eyes.

"Garmadon is the captain, despite everything," Cole responded, his gaze unwavering. "Of course, I would be hesitant to stand against him, but I can't let him do this."

Nya gave a small nod, satisfied with his answer. Kai, on the other hand, was not.

"How can we know this isn't a trap? You could be leading us to our death for all we know."

"If I wanted to kill you, I would have done it earlier," Cole said, slipping the keys from within one of his pockets. "But you're welcome to stay in your cell if you prefer."

Kai scowled, but didn't respond.

"We don't have to trust him, Kai," the Admiral pointed out, "but this might be the one chance we have to stop my brother."

"Well I trust him." Jay shrugged, stepping out of the cell before anyone else.

"Well I don't exactly trust your judgement," Kai replied, but stepped out of the cell all the same. Nya followed her brother.

Cole turned, using a different key to unlock the cell the Admiral now stood in. With a brief thankful nod, he stepped out. Cole took in the sight of his permanent allies, wondering if he was doing the right thing at all.

"Well. . ." Cole turned away, leading them out onto the deck. "Like I said, I don't know how far he's gotten. He could be anywhere on the island, but we should be able to find the lamp first, with Wu's knowledge. Then we can wait."

The Admiral nodded. "Yes, that plan could work. I believe I can guide us to the cave."

"Now all we have to do is hope Garmadon wasn't smart enough to find it first," Kai muttered. "I don't like the odds."

"It might be our lucky day." Jay shrugged.

The small group reached the deck without waking the still sleeping crew, but a shout froze them in their tracks before they were able to climb down onto the island. "Hey!"

Everyone turned in unison, just in time to watch Lloyd run out of the captain's cabin. His hair and clothes were ruffled with sleep, but his eyes shone with energy. "Where are you going? Where's my dad? Where even are we?"

"Lloyd." Wu stepped forward. "Return to your father's cabin."

"No," Lloyd said firmly. "Where is he? What is this?"

"We're trying to stop him from finding this silly teapot before he can wish himself out of existence so we really need to hurry, you know, before he finds it." Jay blabbered, his words spilling out fast. Kai elbowed his side, rolling his eyes at Jay's outburst. "Ow. . . Well sorry. No one told me it was supposed to be a secret."

"Teapot?" Lloyd's eyes widened. "You mean, the Teapot of Thyran? He can't do that!"

"Precisely." Wu nodded. "We will prevent him from reaching it, but you will stay here."

But, of course, Lloyd wasn't listening. He headed to the edge of the ship, and began to climb down. "I'm not going to stay. He's my dad."

"The jungle isn't a playground, Lloyd. It is not safe."

Kai began to climb after Lloyd. "I think he's set his mind to come. We can make sure he's okay. Besides, he's right. It is his father. If I'd had a chance to help my dad, I wouldn't have let anyone stop me."

With a sigh, Wu admitted defeat. "Very well."

They headed into the island together with Wu at the lead. The man tried his best to remember the path he'd taken into the cave. Despite his somewhat muddled memories, Wu believed they were making acceptable progress.

The problem was, Garmadon seemed to have been making progress too.

Again and again, Wu spotted his footsteps. Sometimes they would stray away from the path to the cave, but they would always reappear before them. It was as if something was tugging the pirate Captain forward, whispering the right steps into his ear.

But Wu held onto hope. In more than one way, the things occurring now could all easily be traced back to him. He wondered what caused him to move faster with each step. Was it the heavy guilt he'd carried for years, or genuine care for his brother's well-being?

"There's the cave," Wu exclaimed with relief. He hadn't seen any more trace of Garmadon's steps. They'd done it.

At the sight of their goal, the small group moved faster. Lloyd began to run easily surpassing everyone, his small steps splashing mud every which way. Before stepping into the cave, the small boy skidded to a stop. He felt his stomach ache, as he spotted the telltale footprints at the entrance of the cave.

"Lloyd, wait!" Wu shouted.

Lloyd didn't. Couldn't. He began running again, knowing it wouldn't be too long before the others reached him. Lloyd could almost feel arms wrap around him and pull him back, as Kai had done once before. But no, Lloyd couldn't let them stop him. Not again.

Not when his father was in danger. The teapot was one of the first things he'd found himself reading about, sitting alone in his mother's library. Lloyd knew the dangers of it all. He knew the lamp had the ability to snatch his father away again, this time for good.

"Dad!" Lloyd shouted, his eyes finally falling upon Garmadon's figure. "Dad, don't!"

With the mud mushed against the bottom of his shoes, Lloyd slipped against the wet stone floor, falling against it with a dull sound. Garmadon looked away from the teapot. "Lloyd?"

"Don't do it." Lloyd stood slowly. "It's dangerous."

"That's what Wu told you, isn't it?" Garmadon shook his head. "Well don't worry, Lloyd. I know far better than he did. I'm going to finally set things right."

"You don't need the lamp," Lloyd stated, moving closer. "We're finally together! I don't. . . I don't want to lose you. Not again."

Garmadon watched the emotion swim through his son's eyes, and slowly lowered the lamp. Maybe Lloyd was right. Maybe he truly didn't need to wish for more.

Footsteps grabbed Garmadon's attention, and he looked up to find his brother, running into the cave.

At the sight of him, Garmadon found himself once again fueled with rage. He did need to wish. If only to make sure his brother suffered just as much as Garmadon had. He rubbed the side of the teapot. The Djinn made his appearance almost instantly, his shape forming from thick smoke. "Ah . . . It's been a while since someone has summoned me. Now, what is that you wish?"

"No!" Lloyd shouted.

But Garmadon waved the sound away, his mind set on revenge. What would be the best way to ruin as much of his brother's life as possible? He thought of Ninjago, and the powerful position Wu held. His brother had always been passionate about keeping the island safe, and the people within it happy.

With a somewhat sinister smile, Garmadon made his wish. "I wish every one of Ninjago's soldiers was loyal to me."

The Djinn smirked.

"Your wish is yours to keep."