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Lloyd gasped upon stumbling on his father holding onto the Earth Driller with his mech, shaking them up and down.
“Let them go!” He yelled, using his green energy to blast the mech back, the Earth Driller and the mechanical arm holding it falling in the process.
“Ow! Watch it Floyd!” Jay’s irritated yell came and Lloyd winced.
“You did that on purpose you little punk!” Kai yelled as Nya got the hatch open, all four ninja jumping out while Lloyd contemplated running.
He just wanted to help! He didn’t mean to-
“Look!” Nya yelled, pointing out Garmadon who emerged from his busted mech, holding an injured arm as he limped forehead.
“Well?” Zane says and Lloyd looked towards him confused, making him facepalm. “Garmadon is injured! Attack him you stupid little gnat!” He snapped and Lloyd flinched at his harsh tone.
“What are you waiting for?!” Cole yelled and Lloyd rushed forward in front of his father, looking back at them wearily as tears stung his eyes.
“This is the whole point of you being the green ninja! You’re so useless! One of us should have been the green ninja! We would have taken down Garmadon ages ago!” Jay yelled at him and tears streamed down Lloyd’s cheek as he gathered a weak energy orb in his hands.
“Leave him alone! He’s trying his best!” Nya yelled at them, hopping out of the Earth Driller.
“Yeah? Well it’s not good enough!” Kai spat, glaring at his sister for daring to defend him. “He literally only has one job and he’s just standing there, bawling like a little sissy! God I hate him!” He yelled, throwing his hands up as the others shared his sentiments.
“Attack him already!” Misako yelled at him as Lloyd shook with suppressed sobs, looking at his injured father, one of few who were kind to him, who- dare he even hope?- loved him.
He couldn’t. He knew he couldn’t. Even if he wanted too, their harsh tones and sharp words were too painful and it showed in his weak, unstable energy orb.
“How dare you speak to my son like that!” Garmadon growled, having enough.
He may be on the side of evil but he will not-
“You’ve wasted your chance! The Stone Warriors are coming! We need to move!” Misako yelled and Lloyd dropped his arms, looking at his father who reached for him.
He wanted to stay but if he did, it’ll be so much worse for him.
“Get in the damn Driller before we leave you here!” Kai yelled and Lloyd turned away, running over to the Driller.
He hopped up and Cole pushed his leg once he did, making him yell as he went off balance, putting his hands up to protect his face from slamming into the side of the driller and oofing once he landed on his back, Kai, Cole, Zane and Jay’s laugher sounding as he picked himself up. What’s stopping him from leaving them here and taking his father’s side? At least then-
“Woah!” He yelled once his legs were grabbed and he was tossed back into his seat before they sped off, the Stone Warriors emerging then.
“How can one boy be so clumsy.” Misako says with a scowl, holding the Helmet of Darkness in her lap.
Lloyd looked down in his lap. He hated this. If only he could be better… Be useful… Maybe then, they wouldn’t hate him… And maybe he wouldn’t hate himself too.
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“The Horns of Destruction. We’re too late.” Misako says horrified.
“And it’s all your fault.” Wu says seethingly, hearing what had happened from his precious students.
Lloyd only looked at them blankly as their hateful gazes turned to him, shutting down a little.
“If you hadn’t been such a crybaby brat, Garmadon would have been defeated and we wouldn’t even need to worry about the stupid clock!” Kai yelled as Kozu and the other Stone Warriors began closing in on them, all of then pulling out their elemental blades.
They all looked down when the ground cracked below them when suddenly, a huge chunk of the ground collapsed, leaving Nya to scream as she was left with the army.
“Nya!” Jay yelled, reaching up for her but the distance between them was too great.
“Sis!” Kai yelled as Kozu grabbed hold of Nya.
“Let her go!” Jay yelled with a venomous glare as she struggled against Kozu uselessly.
“Or what? You will make a big splash?” Kozu taunted as the slab of earth beneath then destabilized further.
“Shit! The groun-” Cole was cut off as they were all sent into freefall.
“No!” Jay yelled over their screams as they fell.
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Moments later, Lloyd emerged from the water, coughing. He climbed out before standing and hunching over, trying to catch his breath. He looked up once he heard Nya scream, Kozu dragging her away. Guilt hit him hard.
“This is all my fault. I should have taken the shot.” Lloyd whispered, hanging his head.
He didn’t see Jay coming at him but he sure felt the intense bloom of pain in his jaw as he stumbled back then fell.
“This is all your fault! If you haven’t been such a coward little brat, Nya would have been kidnapped!” Jay yelled down at him as Lloyd held his cheek, in a state of shock.
He… He hit him…
“If anything happens to my sister, I swear I’ll make you pay!” Kai growled, stomping towards him and Lloyd curled up in a protective ball, squeezing his eyes shut as his breathing picked up with an oncoming panic attack.
“Enough!” Wu yelled, stopping Kai from getting his hit in. “We have lost enough. We can’t afford to lose our focus.” He told them.
“Focus?! We have to get my sister!” Kai yelled at him.
“By the time we get back up there, they’ll be gone. We will get your sister but the clock has reached zero and the final battle could start at any moment.” Misako told him and Kai frowned. “We must head back to the Bounty so that next time, he will not fail. Again.” She says, looking down at her curled up son with nothing but disappointment.
“Come. Let’s head home.” Wu says, looking to his ninja who glared back at Lloyd as they walked ahead. “Do not hold us back.” He says to Lloyd before following behind his students.
Lloyd uncurled himself, holding back his sobs but unable to stop the hitching of his breath. He forced himself to his feet and swiped the blood from the corner of his mouth. They were right. This was all his fault. If he had just attacked… If he wasn’t such a coward… If he wasn’t so useless… All he did was hold them all back. He should have never been the green ninja. Kai, Cole, Zane or even Jay would be better at this than he was. But no. He lowered his head and followed after them. They were stuck with him.