Hi, Dustine here, I won't keep you long. I have a few things I'd like to mention before we get started, mostly pertaining to world-building.
1. This is a retelling of Ninjago Season 1. The pilots are just backstory for this, and I don't plan on going back and telling those stories unless someone really wants them.
2. As mentioned above; retelling. Set in our world. How does this work, you ask? Well, I essentially ripped the Ninjagian Islands out of their own world and placed them in this one, a sort of mix-up of the TV and show universes mixed with a solid dose of our reality and history, because, y'know, why not.
3. I am a Christian. The Faith will feature in several chapters. Also, note to any other Christian readers out there; please don't take the theology in this too seriously. Obviously, 16 Realms aren't real and Oni/Dragon/Human hybrids could never exist in real life. (I'm only mentioning it because I over thought it and it took me to some weird mental gymnastics, so I know that others could too)
4. The point of this project is for it to become a series; cohesively connecting the seasons of Ninjago into novel-length installments of a series.
TWs Will be placed at sensitive chapters, I'm hoping to post a new chapter every Saturday, and I'll do my best to reply to reviews. Thank you for clicking, May the LORD bless and keep you, and if you enjoy leave a review! :)
-Dustine
TW for brief mention of miscarriage.
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"We spend precious hours fearing the inevitable. It would be wise to use that time adoring our families, cherishing our friends and living our lives."
-Maya Angelou
(O)
Ray Smith is far from oblivious. He does, actually, know for a fact that he's one of the most observant people in the Elemental Alliance, because few of the other Masters can pick up on Garmadon's moods like Ray can. He can't, of course, claim all the credit for this-Enmei Bishido's tricks certainly are worth something, of course, he thinks with a scowl-but some of it does, indeed, come from just being plain observant. Ray's always been good at reading people.
But things can still slip past him, like now.
"Misako's pregnant." Garmadon says bluntly, leaning against the post that serves as a sort of barrier between the forge and the house, though it's still impossible not to hear the pounding from inside.
Ray promptly drops the knife he'd been mending in shock, cursing-a bad habit picked up from Garmadon-under his breath as he laments over the loss of the last half-hour's work.
But this is more interesting anyways, so Ray's perfectly good handicraft can wait.
"Seriously?" He asks.
Garmadon nods, picking at the hem of his sleeve, eyes darting around the forge and then to the open door inside, where Maya, Ray's wife, and Misako, Garmadon's wife, are sitting at the kitchen table, talking animatedly about something probably baby-related while Kai and Nya-Ray's toddler children-fight over a particularly loud, flashy toy that Ray's been trying to subtly dispose of for months.
"So you're just going to leave me with that, and say nothing else?" Ray prompts, raising an eyebrow.
"What'd you like to hear?" Garmadon retorts.
Ray glances at him. Garmadon looks like he hasn't slept in a week, dark circles under his eyes and the faint red they always glow dull and muted. Which is typically a good thing, it means the venom isn't bad today, but right now it just seems to prove the point; Garmadon hasn't been sleeping, and is going to be a grump because of it.
"I don't know, something a little more than 'Misako's pregnant'. I would've thought you'd be more excited."
"I am!" Garmadon insists, "I'm also just…."
"Over-thinking and rationalizing?" Ray suggests.
"Yes." Garmadon sighs.
It's coming together in Ray's head, now. Sure, it wasn't like he hadn't also freaked out throughout both his wife's pregnancies, but they'd both been smooth, and modern medicine made giving birth much safer and easier than it used to be. Garmadon is a different story.
Misako isn't the one with serious health complications, Garmadon is. And they're unfortunately genetic, or might be.
"You're worried the kid might get a few too many of your genes." Ray states.
Garmadon nods curtly, a clear warning sign that he's been stewing over this without saying anything for far too long. Where's Wu when you need him. Ray sighs, he's not good at the whole comforting hurt/angry/sad/worried/insert unpleasant emotion people, even if he can read the general human populace like an open book. (A quiet voice in the back of his head reminds him that Garmadon isn't exactly human anyway, but he ignores it). But he's going to try. And call Wu and beg for help later today, probably, but he's going to try anyway. Because this is his best friend, and Ray isn't the type to abandon people who need him.
"The doctors'll run tests. It'll be fine," He tries.
"Misako's not far enough along yet for that." Garmadon replies.
Good grief, Ray thinks, I can't handle moody Garmadon until then. Isn't this the reverse of what usually happens? "Listen, didn't the doctors say that the only thing that might be genetic were the physical defects?"
"Yes." Garmadon sighs, submitting to the facts and looking miserable about it.
"Then you don't even have to worry about passing the venom down."
"I know. It's irrational." Garmadon glares at the bandages wrapped tightly around his wrist and hand, the one that was bitten so long ago. The cursed bite never healed. "But I'm worrying all the same. Even if my son doesn't receive the curse, he'll still have it's mark."
Ray blinks. "You just said that the doctors can't do tests quite yet, then how do you know the gender?"
Garmadon shrugs. "Misako's certain." He replies simply.
Ray shakes his head. Of course, that would be all he needs. "Have you told Wu yet?"
"Yes. Morro's ecstatic about getting a cousin."
"What, Kai and Nya aren't enough for him?"
"This is Morro we're talking about." Garmadon replies, shaking his head with a laugh.
"What about Wu?"
"Equally, if more quietly, excited." Garmadon answers.
That's good. Ray thinks. After all the nonsense it took to get here….at least he's letting go of it somewhat. Hopefully.
"I never thought I'd have kids." Garmadon says after a minute of silence. Ray glances at him, having just taken up his mangled knife to examine it. "I never even thought I'd get married."
Ray snorts. "How many of us really did, between the war and all."
"You know what I mean. It was different for me."
Ray concedes to that. "What about the rest of the Alliance? Have you said anything to them?"
Garmadon shakes his head. "We've…..kept it quiet."
Sounds like you two. "When are you going to tell them? I bet Maya's already organizing a baby shower."
"I'm sure. We'll probably make the announcement soon. Misako's just been…apprehensive." There's a deep shadow that passes through his voice in that moment, a painful grief that Garmadon rarely even alludes to.
Ray can understand why, Misako's had miscarriages before, though neither she nor Garmadon has ever specified how many. Even Ray is kept in the dark about some things.
"But this time is different." Garmadon says, after a moment, tone determined. "I can…I can tell."
"For the record, I think you'll make a great Dad."
Garmadon snorts. "Thanks."
"Hey! I'm not joking." Garmadon still doesn't look like he believes him, and Ray resists the urge to roll his eyes. For all the Bishido brothers are, they sell themselves pathetically short. Ray's been trying to get their sense of self-worth up for years with little success. "Seriously," He continues, determined to push on until Garmadon gets the message through his thick skull. "I mean, you didn't mess Wu up too bad, did you?"
"Bad example." Garmadon says dryly. "Really bad example."
"What, are you saying that your little brother is messed up?"
Garmadon makes a face. "I'm saying you're messed up and Wu's messed up and I'm definitely messed up. And being forced to raise your siblings because your Dad's neglectful hardly qualifies as decent experience in being a good father."
Ray sighs. "You're really a pain to cheer up, you know that?"
"I've been informed." Garmadon retorts, crossing his arms.
"Fine. I still say you'll be a good Dad." Ray rolls his eyes, returning to re-heat the metal. "Listen, if Wu of all people can raise a kid to be a half-decent adult with morals and such, so can you." Garmadon opens his mouth to protest, but Ray doesn't let him. "And you know how I know? It's because he cares, and I know you'd rather die than do anything to hurt your own kid, and that's something we call love, which happens to make the world go 'round."
Garmadon rolls his eyes at the cheesiness, but some of his bad mood has alleviated so Ray knows that at least some of what he's saying is getting through. Garmadon's a sap anyways, somewhere. Underneath the venom.
"Besides, they say it takes a village to raise a child anyways."
"I don't have a village, Ray. I barely have a family."
"Hey, what's the Alliance, chopped liver?"
Garmadon rolls his eyes again, but doesn't respond.
"Seriously, Garmadon." Ray says, finally giving up on his work, setting down his tools, and calming the fire in the forge down a few degrees. "Quit over-thinking. Everything'll be fine." Even as he says the words, Ray knows that 'fine' has never been a word capable of being used to describe Garmadon's life.
Garmadon nods, wounded hand fisting and un-fisting involuntarily.
"Do you have a name yet?" Ray says after a minute, eager to change the subject.
Garmadon nods, and for the first time that morning a genuine smile crossed his face. "Lloyd."