Garmadon lay on the couch, staring up at the ceiling with a blank expression.

Ochre is gone.

It wouldn't leave him. He didn't even know what to think anymore…

Why do I always lose everyone?!

Because you're a murderer. A monster. A villain.

He could probably call himself a lot of other things as well, but those seemed to always stand out the most. Ichor was right.

He sighed quietly, letting out a breath. He'd cried almost all night, not having any control over his emotions. And last night, he hadn't really cared, either.

Now…he didn't know.

Ochre is gone.

What did he have left? Besides memories. Pain. Guilt.

"I told you so. He'll amount to nothing but a criminal. A villain."

Mystake was right. She was usually right.

Nothing but a criminal. A villain.

And a murderer.

Father should have listened to her. He probably could have ended me then, but he didn't listen.

Garmadon winced. Why?

"I told you so. He'll amount to nothing but a criminal. A villain."

"Mystake, he's still young. He won't become a villain. That's a bit far."

Garmadon scowled, crossing his arms. The old tea lady's voice and his father's echoed down the hall. Garmadon leaned against the wall, outside of his father's study room. Where the scrolls were. Both adults didn't know he was there.

This is wrong. I shouldn't be eavesdropping…

But…they ARE talking about me. Garmadon huffed quietly, lifting his wrist up. He pulled his sleeve back, eyeing the fang marks. A permanent reminder of his stupidity. Stupid Wu.

It wasn't even that big of a deal. It was a small thing, anyway. No one would miss it.

Why are they so upset?

"First he almost started a war, WITH dangerous weapons, and now this? And you don't think he's a criminal?"

"No. He's still young."

"I don't want him near my shop. I have dangerous teas there."

"Mystake, it won't happen again—"

"Never heard of it. It will happen again. And especially with that venom in him, it'll just go downhill from here."

"No. We'll find a cure. I've already begun researching."

"Hmph. I doubt it. He has an evil in his veins, one I don't think can just be quenched from some 'cure'."

"It can. There's always hope."

"Even if you 'cure' him, he'll still become a criminal."

"Why?"

"Remember that he almost started a war."

"That was both boys. And it WAS an accident, even if what they did was wrong. They're young, as well. They'll learn from their mistakes."

"You're just denying the inevitable."

"Please don't quote him…"

"It is true, though. And you know it."

There was silence.

Garmadon's teeth clenched. I won't become a criminal! Or a villain! They're wrong! He glanced back at his arm, eyeing the marks. That snake didn't even do anything to me. They're just paranoid.

The door slid open—

Garmadon stiffened in panic, then bolted down the hall, keeping his footsteps light like his father had taught him. He slid open the door to his and Wu's room, shutting it gently behind him.

Wu sat up in his bed, looking at him. "What are you doing?"

"Nothing…" Garmadon muttered. He lay down on his own bed, facing the wall, and pulled the blanket over his head. He stared at the fang marks on his wrist, biting his lip.

They're wrong. I know it.

"Garmadon?"

He jumped, knocked out of his memories. He looked over as Wu came around the back of the couch, looking at him.

"Did you have breakfast?"

Garmadon stared at him for a moment, then looked back at the ceiling. "Yes."

He hadn't.

The hollowness in his stomach hadn't bothered him in a while. He didn't really care that he was starving, or probably quite literally starving to death.

Ochre is gone.

Wu eyed him, frowning. "That's good to hear. Are…you alright?"

Garmadon didn't reply. He was not alright, but he didn't want to admit that to Wu.

"Hmm. You seemed to be doing well the past couple days."

He bit his lip, taking a steadying breath. Of course he was doing fine! Ochre was there! How oblivious can you be—?!
"What happened?"

Garmadon looked away, jaw clenched.

Wu sighed. "I don't understand…" When he still gave no response, Wu turned, walking away. "I'll be back to check on you later, alright? If you need anything…just ask…"

Garmadon blinked, listening as the door opened and shut.

He gripped the couch with one hand, taking a shuddering breath.

Ochre is gone.

"Garmadon?"

Garmadon fiddled with his glove, eyeing it. He didn't look up as Wu walked over.

"How are you doing…?"

He shrugged.

Wu stared down at his gloved hand. "I've…been meaning to ask you something…"

Garmadon frowned, keeping his gaze down. He observed the glove—now a bit self-consciously at Wu's stare—and felt the leather and the first strap that buckled it to his wrist, felt the wires and metal underneath. It had been a while since he'd thought about his hand—or lack, thereof.

"What…?" he finally asked.

"Why…do you only have one glove?"

Garmadon stiffened. His hand clutched his gloved one tightly, avoiding Wu's gaze.

"Garmadon?"

His jaw clenched. The dull, sensation-less feeling of his fake arm suddenly became more apparent, not being able to feel anything, only the dull pressure of something when he touched it. It felt unreal.

He stared down at his hand, biting his lip…and then a sharp pain flared at his shoulder—

A loud whirring sound filled the room.

He caught a glimpse of silver in the machine, spinning too fast for him to make out. It looked flat, round, and metal. It glinted off the light.

And then a sharp, fire-like agonizing pain swept through the beginning of his arm and partly into his shoulder—

There was an agonized scream—

"Garmadon?"

He jerked, taking a breath. "What?"

"Are you alright…?"

"Yes." He clenched his jaw even more, his headache worsening.

"You never answered my question… I don't mean to pry, but I'm a bit worried. Did you just lose your other glove…?"

He didn't reply, taking another breath. It's okay. He won't know. He won't know. I'll be okay. He's pried before, but he'll leave eventually. I just…have to wait it out.

Don't break down. Not now.

"Is your hand alright?"

He tried not to freeze, tried not to flinch—

Yes, it's GONE—!

A loud whirring—

A scream—

Pain—

Calm down! It's okay!

He took another breath, not daring to look up. He moved his hands to gripping the couch instead, trying to avoid the attention to his robotic hand.

"It's fine."

"Are you sure…?" Wu still sounded worried.

"Yes."

"May I take a look at it?"

"No." Garmadon moved his hands, the one fingering the glove again. He couldn't help it. His hands needed to move, before he went insane.

"Brother…I'm worried. Why do you only have one glove? Are you hiding something?"

"No." He took another breath. This was worse than usual. He usually leaves me alone by now…

"Garmadon, may I see your hand?" Wu's tone was harder now, no longer asking.

"No." Please don't hurt me, I'm sorry, you don't understand!

Wu held out his hand. "Garmadon, please? If you're really fine, then why won't you let me take a look at it?"

"I just don't want you to. I'm fine."

"I know you've tried to hide injuries before. Recently. I just want to know if you're really alright. I haven't seen you take that glove off since I found you."

Garmadon didn't reply, gaze fixed to the floor. His hair went partially in front of his face, hopefully obscuring his expression.

"Brother."

He knew he was no longer asking. His voice implied an order now, a demand. "Please…leave me alone." Garmadon winced. That…was supposed to stay in his head… He took a strained breath.

There was suddenly a flash of movement—

Garmadon flinched back, letting out a surprised, fearful gasp.

Wu took a hold of his robotic hand, expertly undoing the straps and pulling off his glove.

Garmadon tried to yank his hand back, eyes widening in alarm. No, no, no—!

Wu let out a strangled sort of gasp, eyes widening in shock as he gaped, still gripping his wrist. "What—?"

Garmadon tried to jerk out of his grasp again, his throat closing up in panic. He can't know, he can't he can't he can't—!

Wu still didn't release him, eyes on the wires and metal. "Garmadon…what happened…?"
Garmadon couldn't help the whimper that escaped him, and he sucked in a breath. His gaze traveled to his hand—

A whirring sound—

He trembled, jerking his eyes away and to the side. This was why he had the glove. So he didn't have to see it. He hated seeing it. It reminded him of…him.

Wu brought up his other hand, tracing the wires and the metal.

Garmadon flinched, trying—again—to jerk away. "Please, leave me alone."

Wu took his hand away, though the other still held him. He gazed at his robotic hand for a moment, before his eyes traveled up to his wrist, to where his sleeve hid the rest of the atrocity. He lifted up his sleeve a bit, and he let out a quiet gasp. "Garmadon…"

Garmadon winced, biting his lip.

"How…how far up does this go…?"

He jerked his arm again, and this time Wu released him. He didn't reply to his question, tucking his robotic arm to his stomach and hiding most of his hand behind his side. He held out his other hand to Wu, the one that was still intact. "Please, give it back…"
Wu frowned. He still held his glove in one hand, after taking it off. "Are you alright? How did this happen?"

Silence for a moment.

"Please…?"
Wu shook his head. "Maybe…maybe I should take a look. How far up does this go?"

"I'm fine. Give my glove back. Please."

"Garmadon, I just want to help…"

I don't want your help. Garmadon gestured to the glove again with his hand, biting his lip.

Wu let out a breath. "Fine. But this conversation isn't over." He handed him his glove.

Garmadon lunged for it, slipping it back onto his hand in lightning speed. He strapped the buckles on, sighing quietly in relief. He bent his fingers a few times, relieved that he could no longer see the wires and metal. Then he tucked his arm around his stomach again, hiding the glove—and his hand—out of sight. He put his other hand over his arm protectively.

Wu stared at him a moment. "Are you sure you're alright?"

"I'm fine." He kept his head down.

"Is…there a reason you wear the glove?"

He didn't reply.

"Why don't you have two?"

Garmadon shrugged.

Wu sighed. "Alright…but I just want to help…"

There was silence.

Wu hesitated, then turned, walking away.

Garmadon let out a breath.

He knows. He's not supposed to know.

He bit his lip, sucking in a shaky breath. Everything was falling apart again.

He's going to find out

Find out what happened.

Wu walked to the scroll room, frowning. He…didn't know what to think… What had happened to his brother? Why wouldn't he tell him? Why was he so secretive about it?

He needed answers.

He opened the scroll room door, his gaze traveling to the sorted piles of books and scrolls. Though there were fewer, now, and they were more even and organized. He looked up, seeing Misako standing by the reading table. He walked over, nimbly avoiding tripping over the piles. "Misako?"

She didn't turn, eyes glued to a book. "Yes?"

At least she'd responded right away. She seemed to be doing better, now…

"I…" His mouth felt dry, words leaving him. He found he was still in partial shock over his discovery, a confusion, and…an anger…over what had happened to Garmadon swirling in his gut. Though…he really had no clue what had happened to his brother. It was obviously bad, though.

Misako glanced at him, looking worried. "Wu? Is something wrong?"

"Um…I…" He blinked. "I…just made a…concerning discovery."

She frowned, brows knitting. "Concerning? What do you mean?"

"I… It's about Garmadon."

"Garmadon?" She turned around fully, one hand holding the book open so she didn't lose her page. "What happened? What did you learn?"

"Um…" He frowned. "It…he's…missing a hand." Normally he'd have more tact, but he was still in shock.

Misako's eyebrows rose, surprise and alarm flashing over her face. "He's…what?"

"Missing a hand."

"What?! Is he alright? What happened?"
Wu shifted uneasily. "I…don't know. And he's missing part of his arm, too, though he wouldn't tell me, or let me see, how much of it."

Misako gaped for a few seconds. Then she shook her head. "Hold on, we would have noticed he was missing a hand and part of his arm."

"Well…yes. Normally. But he has long sleeves and he wears that one glove, remember? I had become curious why he wore only a single glove instead of a pair, and so I questioned him on it. He of course wouldn't tell me, and so I took off the glove myself. He…"
She blinked. "Oh…um… He what…?"

"His hand and arm…they're…robotic. Like Zane, and P.I.X.A.L."

She sucked in a quiet breath. "I…knew there was something suspicious about his one-glove thing…I just…never took the time to really think about it…"

Wu nodded. "Me neither…"

"Is he okay?"

"I…don't know. He didn't want me looking at it."
She frowned. "Oh… I still, just…how could we not have noticed? Have you never touched his hand, or arm?"

Wu frowned as well. "Um…well, yes…but only once, I think… He's usually pretty guarded about that side of himself. I always just assumed it was because it's his blind spot, since he's missing an eye…"

"Oh…but you said you touched his hand or arm once?"

"Yes."

"Then why didn't you notice?"

"Well…it was when I first found him—in Jamanakai. At the time, I was too concerned about him, and…well…shocked that he was even there. And looking…like himself again. Aside from the scars and metal over his eye, anyway…"

"Hmm…" Misako turned back to her book. "That's…odd."

Wu sighed, coming to stand by her. "Yes. What are you researching?"

"Well…I've actually been trying to figure out where Garmadon has been these past seven months."

"Oh." He blinked. "And you're searching for that in books…?"

"Not only in books. I've been searching the internet, as well. But books are helpful for additional information that could be useful."

"Alright…I suppose I'm not an expert at that sort of thing…"

"Mhmm."

"What have you found so far?"

"Not much…it's like he just…vanished. There's no trace of him anywhere… I called Vinny, to see if he'd gone back there, but he hadn't see him either. And neither had Dareth, or Skylor, or Ronin, or anyone else I called."

"That's…worrisome. And odd…"

"I know. And frustrating."

"Hmm. Well, I wish you luck. If you need any help, just let me know."

She nodded, eyes once again glued to the book.

Wu turned, walking back to the door. "Well…I just wanted to let you know. To keep you updated."

"Thank you."

Wu nodded, walking out. Though this made him wonder…what else was his brother hiding? And could it be any worse than what he'd already found out?

Because there was still the 'how' this had all happened in the first place.