Garmadon watched Ichor. The night was quiet, Ochre softly snoring, the monastery still. But he was tense.

Ichor was awake.

The psychopath, apparently, didn't need much sleep. He'd been laying there, staring at the ceiling, for hours—while he twirled his dagger and fiddled with it.

Which just made Garmadon even more anxious. He stroked Ochre's back, blinking tiredly. He had been going to wait until Ichor fell asleep, but since he was still awake, Garmadon didn't dare go to sleep. Who knew what he might do to him?

Ichor looked at him, smirking. "May as well go to sleep, Garmadon. I can stay up all night."

He bit his lip, tensing more. "You're really not going to sleep at all?"

"Nah." He shrugged, smiling. "Sleep is for the weak. Of which you are."

Garmadon frowned. "Everyone needs to sleep."
"Not me. I've mastered the art of staying awake." He chuckled. "I'm talented."

He couldn't tell if that was supposed to be a joke or not.

Ichor ran his finger along the dagger's blade, head cocked slightly. "You know, this place is interesting."

"In what way?"

He shrugged.

Garmadon frowned. His eye almost shut, but he blinked rapidly, yawning.

Ichor chuckled darkly. "Funny—even when I'm not actively torturing you, I still am. I wonder how long you can stay awake?" He grinned at him. "Maybe you'll wake up at my lab. Better be careful, Garmadon."

He shuddered, stroking Ochre more. He bit his lip hard, then pinched his arm, desperately trying to stay awake. He couldn't fall asleep, not around Ichor—he'd hurt him.

Ochre's soft fur was at least a little comforting. At least the dog was here. He'd notice if Ichor tried anything… He yawned again, blinking slowly. I need to stay awake. You'd think the adrenaline would help… It only helped a little…

Something tapped his arm.

Garmadon shifted slightly, faintly aware of reality but still half asleep. His heart quickened a little.

"Hello, Garmadon."

He jerked awake, flinching.

Ichor grinned. He stood next to him, an ice cream scoop in hand.

Garmadon's eye widened. He scrambled away, but felt the couch at his back, trapping him. "W-what are you doing?!" His heart thudded in his chest, adrenaline surging.

Ichor shrugged. "Nothing much." He tapped the ice cream scoop to Garmadon's face, by his right eye.

He flinched, sucking in a shuddering breath. He clamped his jaw shut, tense.

He smirked, head cocking slightly. "Interesting."

There was something in his gaze. Something…he couldn't make out. Garmadon frowned. He'd had the look before, but he'd never understood what it meant. It made Ichor unpredictable though. He was more angry, more reckless, more dangerous when that gaze was in his eyes. It was something dark, haunting…painful?

Ichor laughed, slipping the ice cream scoop in a pouch he kept it in. "You're so entertaining."

He frowned, watching him tensely. Though now that he paid attention…was Ichor really not tired? It was faint, barely noticeable, but he did seem to have darker circles under his eyes. His hair was more unkempt than usual, and his gaze…seemed tired.

If he was tired, then why was he awake? Was this really just to torture him and scare him?
Ichor walked back to his couch, laying down. He smirked. "What a long night. I'm bored."

Garmadon bit his lip. He relaxed slightly, laying down again. He looked at Ochre, who was now awake, growling at Ichor and hackles raised. "Ochre, stop it," he hissed. Ichor had already threatened to kill the dog if he didn't behave, and he knew he'd been serious.

Ochre walked over to him, tail wagging uncertainly. He licked Garmadon's hand.

Garmadon patted his head. "Go back to sleep."

The dog laid down, eyeing Ichor, the fur on his back still raised slightly.

He tried to pat it down.

Ichor smirked at him. "Garmadon, why do you have that mutt, anyway? Dogs are useless. You really are that desperate for someone to like you, hmm?"

Garmadon bit his lip. "No. He's a friend. And he is useful."

"Ha. Dogs are jerks."

He looked at him. "Not usually…"

"Pfft." Ichor scoffed, sheathing his dagger. He stared at the ceiling again.

Garmadon watched him uneasily. He didn't dare go back to sleep. That could end…very badly. So he pet Ochre, glancing at Ichor every so often and jumping every time he moved.

"Good morning."

Garmadon started, sitting up on the couch.

Wu looked at him, frowning. "Are you alright?"

"Y-yes…"

Ichor twirled his dagger, already sitting up on his couch. He looked at Wu. "Good morning."

"Did you both sleep well?" Wu walked over, sipping his tea.

Ichor nodded, sheathing his dagger. "Yes. What is for breakfast?"

Garmadon almost scoffed. You didn't sleep all night. But he didn't dare do that—Ichor would kill him. Or worse.

"Zane made waffles." Wu smiled. "There's berries to put on top, plus butter, syrup, whipped cream, and chocolate chips."

Ichor nodded, standing. "Hmm."

Wu looked at Garmadon. "Brother, are you coming?"

He reluctantly stood. "Yes…" Wu wouldn't take a no, anyway.

His brother nodded, then headed out of the room.

Ichor followed him, and so did Garmadon, but at a distance. He didn't want to be anywhere near Ichor. Ochre came as well, staying at Garmadon's heel.

"I made some tea, if you'd like some." Wu looked at Ichor.

Ichor shook his head. "No, thank you."

He nodded, then walked into the kitchen, Ichor, Garmadon, and Ochre following.

Inside, the ninja were gathered at the table, already eating.

"What did I say about waiting?" Wu sighed, shaking his head. "We have a guest."

"Sorry, we were hungry." Cole shrugged.

Jay poured some syrup on his waffles before passing the bottle to Lloyd. "And we all had to get to them before Cole ate them all!"

Lloyd nodded, dumping syrup onto his waffles.

Wu narrowed his eyes, an exasperated look on his face.

Ichor walked past him. "It's fine. I don't mind." He got himself a plate and one waffle, sitting down where he had last time.

Jay scooted over for him.

Garmadon sat down where he usually sat as well, tense.

Zane had managed to sit down this time on the other bench, with Kai, Lloyd, Nya, and P.I.X.A.L squeezed on. Lloyd and Zane, on the ends, were only half on.

Misako looked at Garmadon. "How did you sleep?"

He carefully got himself a waffle, then stroked Ochre. "Um…fine."

"You look tired."

He shrugged, then started eating.

"Do you want anything on that…?"

"Um…no." He just wanted to eat quickly and then get out of here.

Misako frowned, watching him.

Breakfast passed quickly. Cole ate the remaining waffles, Kai tried to interrogate Ichor again—which was stopped by Wu—Jay and Cole fought over food, and Ichor sat calmly, observing everyone.

Kai and Nya were on clean-up duty, which they started on before everyone had finished eating. Nya claimed it was efficient—Kai claimed everyone was too slow, so too bad for them.

Garmadon stood, taking his plate and fork and setting it in the sink. Then he fed Ochre.

Ochre started eating, tail wagging a little. The dog had been watching Ichor almost the whole time, while begging for food from Garmadon.

Wu started making some more tea on the stove, looking at Ichor. "Are you sure you wouldn't like any tea?"

Ichor nodded. "I'm fine. I was never really a fan of that stuff."

"Hmm…alright, then."

Ochre finished eating, licking his jaws, and looked at Ichor. His hackles raised a little, a small growl rumbling in his throat.

Garmadon quickly patted his head. "Ochre, no," he hissed. He anxiously glanced at Ichor.

Ichor stared at the dog, expression unreadable.

He pulled on Ochre's collar, trying to drag him out of the kitchen.

"Why is Ochre growling like that?"

Garmadon jumped, looking at Misako. She'd suddenly stood behind him—or maybe he'd run into her, he wasn't sure.

She watched Ochre, then Ichor. "He doesn't like him?" Her eyes narrowed slightly.

He swallowed. "U-um…well…" She can't know about Ichor. "Well, Ochre is just…cautious."

"He's always seemed friendly, though."

"He's—"

Ichor walked past, heading for the door. "Maybe he just senses my element. Animals are skittish of it." He shrugged.

Misako frowned, watching him. "Why is that?"

"It's dangerous." He walked into the hall, disappearing.

She looked at Garmadon.

Garmadon quickly stared at the floor, trying to breathe, hide his anxiety. She couldn't know about any of this. He stroked Ochre's head, taking a breath.

"Garmadon? Are you alright?"

"Y-yes." He hated how his voice wavered. He needed to leave before she asked more questions. He quickly turned, striding out of the kitchen and down the hall.

Ichor walked in the other direction, already far down the hallway, hands folded behind his back.

Garmadon shuddered, quickening his pace. Maybe he could just hang around outside… Ichor had been headed in the other direction, so maybe outside would be safer. He bit his lip, glancing down at Ochre.

The dog wagged his tail, looking up at him with his piercing yellow eyes.

He smiled a little, then sighed.

The ninja had finished cleaning up the kitchen and had headed outside to train. Chickenetta Betty, Wu's chicken, ate from a small food bowl of chicken feed. Wu had waited to feed her until Ochre was done, since he'd been worried the dog would eat the chicken's food.

Misako looked at Wu. "Did anything seem…odd to you?"

"Odd? With what?" He looked at her, sipping tea.

"With Garmadon, Ochre, and Ichor."

"No…not really. Why?"

"Ochre growled at Ichor. He doesn't normally growl at people. And Garmadon has seemed…tense."

"He's usually tense." Wu walked towards the door. "We'll continue bringing him to therapy. He'll be alright, it'll just take time."

She frowned. "That's not what I mean. And there's something else."

He paused, looking at her. "What is it?"

"I never met Ichor during the war. This is the first I've seen him. But…there's something about his voice…" She frowned. "Something familiar."

"Familiar?" He rose an eyebrow. "Hmm. Maybe you had met him during the war?"

"No. I've never seen him before yesterday. But…" She sighed. "Never mind. He probably just sounds similar to someone I've met."

"Possibly." He nodded, leaving the kitchen.

Misako frowned, staring at the doorway. Unease swirled in her mind, but she tried to block it out. Wu was right—he usually was.

Author's note: Yes, I've finally finished a chapter...after like, two months. I'm sorry about the long wait. At the beginning of November I got a bad cold that lasted until the middle of December, which I found out was actually pneumonia and strep throat. During that time I was also swamped with schoolwork, and I recently got a job. So that's why this took so long... But, I finished two chapters today! The second of which is kinda long, so I hope it's been worth the wait XD