"Are there people down there?" Kai asked, looking down at the monastery as they approached.
"It sure looks like it," Jay commented, looking out the window.
"Let me see," Cole said, leaning over Jay to look out the window.
"Hey, personal space," Jay complained.
"Not my fault you stole the window seat," Cole retorted.
"I called dibs first," Jay banted.
"Technically, Kai called it first," Lloyd smirked.
"You're not helping, Captain Obvious," Jay glared.
"Not trying to," Lloyd grinned.
"Would you three cut it out," Nya groaned. "You're acting like children."
"She's right," Kai agreed.
"You're only agreeing with her because she'll hit you again," Jay glared.
"She wouldn't hit me," Kai taunted. "I'm injured- ow. What was that for!?"
Nya smirked, sitting back against the bench, "just to prove a point."
"Not cool, sis," Kai grumbled.
"All of you are children," Garmadon grumbled. "How did your sensei put up with you?"
"He didn't," Lloyd mumbled.
"Lots and lots of tea and meditation," Jay corrected.
"Yeah, meditation when you and Kai hadn't caught something on fire," Cole retorted.
"Hey, I only did it once!" Kai argued.
"Yeah, you were the first one," Nya laughed.
"In my defence, I'm the one with the element of fire," Kai countered. "Makes sense that I'd catch something on fire at some point. How do you explain why Jay had done it multiple times?"
"My powers can be just as chaotic, ya know," Jay glared.
"I have so many questions," Garmadon shook his head.
"It doesn't matter anyway; we're here," Nya pointed as the carriage pulled up to the monastery doors.
The group piled out of the carriage. Jay wrapped an arm around Cole, supporting him as the group approached the doors. Garmadon pushed the doors open to see people gathered in the courtyard.
Not just random people.
The ninjas' parents.
"Where have you all been," Lynn demanded, with Maya and Misako at her side.
"You better have a good explanation for this, Garmadon," Misako frowned.
"I tried to assure them everyone would be ok," Maya shrugged. "Maybe I shouldn't have told them, but they were asking and worried."
"It's alright, Maya," Garmadon sighed.
"Jay?" Lynn's eyes lit up, spotting her 'son' with Cole around his shoulders. "What happened to you guys? Are you alright?"
All the parents were now looking at the ninja with worry. Although they were their kids, it still felt like the ninja were their kids.
"Kai, my boy," Maya ran to her son, panicked. "What happened to you? Your arm."
"I'm fine, Mom," Kai assured.
"No, you aren't," Maya huffed, turning to Nya. "What about you, Nya, dear? Are you hurt anywhere."
"I'm fine, Mom," Nya assured.
"I just want to make sure," Maya huffed, grabbing Nya's arm. She turned, holding Kai's good arm and dragging them towards the monastery. "Come on, I'm looking you both over for injuries."
"Mom," Nya groaned.
"Mom, we're fine," Kai pleaded. "Someone already checked us out; it's fine."
"Nonsense," Maya insisted. "You aren't going anywhere until I look you over."
Meanwhile, Lynn was fussing over Jay. He made a noise of protest when he was pulled away from Cole as his mother frantically checked him over for injuries.
"Mom, stop," Jay pleaded. "I'm fine, I swear."
"Lynn, I'm sure if he says he's fine, he's fine," Cliff assured, trying to help his son.
"I just want to be sure," Lynn said. "You can never be too careful."
"I'm sure he's been through a lot and just wants to rest," Cliff tried to assure his wife.
"He can rest once I know he's ok," Lynn argued.
Garmadon watched Lynn frantically looking over Jay, before turning to his own wife, who was asking Lloyd a billion questions.
"Are you ok? Are you hurt? Where did you go? What did you see? Did you take any pictures?"
"Mom, calm down," Lloyd laughed. "I'm fine; everything is fine."
"Where were you?" Misako asked. "How come you guys didn't think to bring me? I could've helped."
"The Ivory City," Lloyd answered.
"You went to the Ivory City without me?" Misako cried. "You should have known I've always wanted to go there. How could you just leave and say nothing?"
"It's not like it was for sightseeing, Mom," Lloyd pleaded, watching Garmadon slip back out towards the carriage. Ray seemed to be following him, probably to check on his friend.
"Look, you have to tell me everything," Misako said. "It's every explorer's dream to be there. What were you doing there anyways?"
Cole watched with a smile as the other ninjas dealt with their mothers' overbearing love and worry. His smile faltered, remembering how his mother was no longer with them, neither in this world nor his own. He'd never be able to hold her, hug her. He'd never hear Lilly fussing over him like that again.
"Cole?"
Cole turned, seeing his father looking at him.
"Is that really you?"
"Dad?" Cole asked. A smile grew on his face as he stepped towards his father before pulling him into a hug. "Dad!"
Lou laughed, holding Cole close. "It's been so long, son. You've grown so much."
"I'm not your son, but I'm sure your Cole has grown too," Cole laughed.
"Right, right," Lou nodded, pulling away from the hug and dusting himself off. "You're from another world. I know that."
"Hey," Cole smiled. "That doesn't mean I don't see you as my dad. And I'm sure your son will want to get to know you, too."
"How do you know?" Lou asked. "Lilly could have changed his mind on me, made me out to be the bad guy and-"
"You're going to be all he has now," Cole sighed.
Lou looked up, processing the comment. His expression shifted from confusion to pain to sorrow.
"She's gone?" Lou asked.
Cole nodded.
"I'm so sorry you had to go through that," Lou sighed.
Cole nodded, looking down. Lou then noticed the bandages around Cole's leg.
"You're hurt," Lou pointed out.
"I'm fine," Cole assured. "It doesn't hurt as much as it did yesterday."
"Regardless, you shouldn't be standing if you're hurt," Lou insisted. "Come on, let's go find you somewhere to sit and rest."
Cole smiled as Lou wrapped his arm around him. Cole followed his father as they walked inside.
Outside the Monastery, Garmadon stood behind the carriage, looking at the casket tucked under the carriage.
"So that's where Wu is, isn't it?"
Garmadon looked up as Ray walked over to him.
"He didn't make it out, did he?"
Garmadon shook his head. Ray sighed and moved to help Garmadon remove the casket. They carried it over to the wall and set it down in the shade of the monastery.
"He'd be happy the kids got out alive," Ray sighed.
"I know," Garmadon nodded. "I don't think he'd forgive himself if one of the ninjas were killed."
"Where were you going to put him?" Ray asked.
"I figured under the tree here," Garmadon pointed towards the tree near the cliff.
"His favourite spot to sit with his tea and meditate, right?" Ray clarified.
"Sure was," Garmadon smiled. "Seems right to lay him to rest there."
"Sure does," Ray agreed.
The two stood silently for a few minutes, unsure what to say.
"Thank you for talking some sense into me before," Ray sighed. "I didn't realize how bad a father I was to Kai."
"I'm just glad I could be there for Kai," Garmadon replied. "Hopefully, I can help you two rebuild that relationship."
"Hopefully, he's willing to try," Ray sighed.
"I'm sure he will," Garmadon assured. "Maybe not right away, but eventually."
Ray nodded. He looked down at the casket below them.
"Want help digging?" Ray asked.
"I'd appreciate it."
As both turned to walk inside, the roar of a dragon echoed around them. The two looked up as an elemental dragon approached them. The dragon landed as Jay and Lloyd came running out.
"Zane!" Jay cheered.
Zane smiled, taking Dr Julien's hand as the dragon dispersed into energy. Both landed on the ground, Dr Julien stepping back as Zane was tackled by Jay and Lloyd. The three landed on the ground, laughing.
"Where have you been?" Jay grinned, sitting up.
"Showing my father around Ninjago City," Zane replied. "He's been locked in the lighthouse this entire time."
"Really?" Lloyd asked. "I guess if we never had to go to the Dark Island, no one would have found him."
"This is your missing friend?" Garmadon asked.
"He's a robot?" Ray frowned.
"I am an android created to protect those who cannot protect themselves," Zane nodded. "Although the other ninja called me Zane."
"Our nindroid," Jay grinned, wrapping his arms around Zane from behind, his head resting on Zane's shoulder. Jay gasped as an idea popped, "We need to tell the others. They'll be so relieved you're ok."
"Right, come on!" Lloyd grinned.
The three ninjas ran back inside the monastery, leaving Dr Julien with Ray and Garmadon.
"You must be the one who built him?" Ray turned to the elder.
"Yes, although not that version of him," Dr Julien nodded. "I'm Dr Julien."
"I'm Sensei Garmadon, and this is Ray," Garmadon smiled. "You're welcome here anytime."
"Thank you both," Dr Julien smiled. "Would you mind if I go inside and rest? It's been a long time since I've been able to relax."
"Be my guest," Garmadon smiled.
Dr Julien excused himself, walking inside to get some peace and quiet he had long deserved.
"Shovels?" Ray turned to Garmadon.
"Yup," Garmadon sighed. "Never a dull moment with these kids."
"You got that right," Ray hummed.
Later that evening, everyone was gathered outside the monastery as the sunset. Each family held a floating lantern as they stood around the freshly moved dirt of the grave. Lloyd leaned against his father, the father and son holding a lantern.
"It's hard to believe he's gone," Garmadon mumbled.
"We're all here for you," Ray said, offering his friend a soft smile.
Garmadon nodded, looking to his wife and son. He smiled before turning and walking to the edge of the cliff. Lloyd and Misako moved to stand next to him, whispering to each other as they watched the sun disappear below the horizon.
"Hard to believe we're saying goodbye to another Sensei," Kai mumbled.
"I know," Nya agreed. "At least we still get to go home to ours."
"At least our alters are returning to one," Jay commented. "Even if their worlds will be turned upside down for a while."
"You can say that again," Cole sighed.
"At least we are all together again," Zane smiled.
"And that's coming from the one who didn't just battle their way out of a mountain," Kai chuckled.
"Regardless, it is nice to be back together again," Nya smiled, leaning against Jay.
"Too bad our alters aren't here to say goodbye," Cole mumbled.
"I don't think they knew Sensei Wu that well, if at all," Kai commented. "If anything, Lloyd's alter will probably have it the roughest, but he's going to be surrounded by people who care about him."
"Just like our Lloyd," Nya smiled.
"What are you guys talking about now?" Lloyd asked, walking over to them.
"Nothing," Kai smiled, tussling the blond's hair.
"Well, Dad's ready to release the lanterns," Lloyd hummed.
"We're coming," Cole nodded.
The ninja joined the Garmadon Family at the edge of the cliff. The other parents gathered around as they prepared to set off the lanterns.
"Goodbye, Brother. You'll be missed here in the Monastery and around this land our father created by many. I hope you are happy wherever you are now."
Garmadon released his lantern, watching it float into the darkening sky. Lloyd and Misako released theirs shortly after, watching them float away. The sky was quickly filled with lanterns as the others released them, letting them float away.
It was over.
They could finally find peace after everything.
Everyone could finally rest easy that night.
