Work Text:
“Mama, look at my drawing!” a rather hyper Lloyd exclaimed, shoving a picture into Misako’s face, who was at her desk trying to read through some scrolls.
“What is it- ah!” She exclaimed, as he tossed the scrolls onto the floor, instead replacing them with his drawing. “Look mama, it’s dada!”
Misako sighed irritably, but fixed her glasses and tried to make out exactly what Lloyd had drawn so she could get back to the scrolls.
The five year old seemed rather proud of his work, as he had drawn Garmadon, though the image hardly resembled him at all. On the canvas was a huge black figure, with evil red eyes and fang-like teeth, giant claws on his many hands, and spiky horns on the tip of his head, as well as down his back. Beside him was some cracked boxes that resembled destroyed buildings and x-eyed figures for dead people. It wasn’t the best of drawings, and certainly not accurate, but considerably good for a five year old.
Lloyd smiled once more and declared, “it’s dada! He’s evil monster! I be evil monster!” He then smiled mischievously and pretended he was a monster as well, getting down on all fours and exclaiming, “grrr! I destroy all, I hate all! Mwahaha!”
Upon seeing this, Misako clutched the paper in horror and tears began welling up in her eyes. “Oh, Lloyd, this isn’t you. And this isn’t your father. He’s not…. this monster”.
Lloyd got up and tried to process this, and once he did, responded, “you….you no like it?” He sounded so disappointed, that Misako quickly corrected, “no, no, it’s not that, honey. It’s a wonderful drawing, really”, she patted Lloyd’s shoulders in reassurance, but added “I just don’t understand why you see him like this”.
Lloyd tilted his head, as if reviewing his drawing very carefully, then asked, without much confidence, “Is dada?”
Misako sighed, then lifted Lloyd into her lap. “Your father is, well, not a monster. He may look like one, and act like one…. but it was the evil of the venom that took him from us”.
Lloyd nodded, processing whatever his tiny brain could handle. She continued, “And he tried to fight off the evil. He really did. But it was too much. He wanted to stay and….and be a good father. Because Lloyd, oh….” she then hugged Lloyd close, a single tear leaking from her eyes, as she declared, “….he loved you very much. And nothing can change that.”
Now Lloyd felt like crying as well. He didn’t mean to hurt his mom. So he hugged her back and said, “ I sorry mama. I no want you to be sad”.
“No, no, it’s not your fault. It’s mine…. I shouldn’t have let him leave, let his son grow up without knowing who his father truly was.”
After a moment her eyes suddenly widened and she placed Lloyd back on the floor, started picking up her scrolls and muttered, “all the more reason I need to find a solution. An antidote, a wish, anything….”
Lloyd knew his mother was once again busy, so he walked away, off to do whatever five year olds did. He hardly took note of or remembered this conversation, just that maybe he shouldn’t draw his dad anymore. It made mama sad.
~
Later that night, Misako tucked Lloyd into bed, and although he only fell asleep after she read him five bedtime stories, she wasn’t that tired herself. Misako went to her study and decided to clean up a little before going to bed. As she was sorting her books, however, she accidentally stepped on something. She picked it up and unwrapped the crumpled paper.
It was the picture of Garmadon Lloyd had drawn. Misako observed it carefully, then stepped out onto the balcony of their apartment, sighing as she looked ahead into the starry night.
“Our baby boy misses you, you know.” She said to the open air, but her words were directed strictly at the figure in the paper. “I wish you didn’t have to leave. I wish you would just stay and look after your son. Give him the childhood he deserves.”
She sighed, her eyes watering. “I know it’s not your fault, it’s just….” She looked down at the picture, tears staining the evil Garmadon and the destroyed city. “I miss you. And so does Lloyd.”
She paused, thinking, then wiped a tear with her hand and exclaimed, “I’ll keep trying to turn you back. I’ll keep trying to raise our child. I’ll keep trying to be the best wife and mother I can be.”
She then walked back inside the study, placing the picture aside. She then sat down at her desk and said, “But that means I have to keep looking, I have to keep trying to find a way to make our family together again.”
She then pulled out a book and some scrolls, hoping to find an answer in there somewhere, a way to stop the final battle.
For if she didn’t, she knew what would have to happen between the two people she loved the most. And she couldn’t let destiny pin them against each other…. She wouldn’t let it. She looked towards Lloyd’s bedroom and whispered, “I won’t let it happen, I promise. No matter what it takes….”.
~
The days passed by faster and faster. Misako studied hard while taking care of Lloyd, but the more research she did, the more she realized this would eventually require her full attention. And as much as she hated it, she was beginning to understand that she would have to completely break her family apart in hopes of one day making it whole again.
And though it pained her, there was only one school who was willing to accept the son of the Dark Lord. Misako picked up a brochure, looking through it carefully, muttering, “Darkleys, huh? I guess this will have to do….”