Work Text:
Everything hasn't really been the same ever since the incident occurring after the Tournament of Sources.
After that whole fiasco of getting wrapped up in a game once again by getting your elemental powers taken, stopping Lord Ras and his evil schemes, failing to be the perfect mentor and master his very own had once been— Lloyd just couldn't get over the fact that Arin was gone.
How could he have missed this— remembering all the chilling visions and dreams he's had, he remembers the dream of Arin straight up about to punch him that made his skin turn numb and cold.
He failed, his first ever student had turned from him, going off with the very person who caused all this chaos in the first place that made him question his ways of teaching, had he been too hard on him? Lloyd thought about all this while in his room, a faint light was shining through the crack of the window.
He knew he wasn't ready to become a master yet— yet with everyone's comments and praises of him going to be a just a good of a master as Wu it had made him burn with pride, but he just couldn't see it now.
’Wu—' His hands clenched at the sound of his former master's name. Cole had told them about his spirit in the monastery and the ninja couldn't believe it themselves, their very own master— master of the team of ninjas that had protected Ninjago for so many years had caused such a phenomenon of disaster that he wanted to punch something to ease his anger with his uncle.
Cold hands tugged at his already messed-up hair as he tried to hide the tears that wanted to spill through of his now tear-glistening eyes and let out uncontrollable sobs that threatened to burst out. He had a role to play in the team— he was supposed to be a master that guided his students, to protect his students, he always hated the feeling of crying and he tried to hide the sobbing whimpers that were starting to make their way out of his burning throat.
Maybe if he'd actually had the time to properly train Arin— making an effort to helping him perfect his halfway Spinjitzu and maybe none of this wouldn't have happened, all this happened because he was so careless, so adamant about his thoughts and teachings towards the boy.
He had tried to live up to uncles teachings and lectures and wanted to implement them during when he had his own students someday, but obviously it didn't work out and he hated himself for it. He stood up and made his way to his closet, where he had hidden pictures of his former student that looked up at him, and the old hood he had once had from Lloyd ever since he saved him from the merge. Slowly picking up the dirty hood and running it through his hands, all his bottled-up emotions he'd had suddenly came down like an avalanche as racked sobs filled the room. The door suddenly slid open to reveal Kai's head sticking from the side, "Hey Lloyd, I was wondering if—" But he stopped talking and his face fell at the sight of the sobbing mess in front of him. "Oh Lloyd, I didn't mean—" He quickly shut the door behind him and quickly made his way over to blonde who was still holding the dirtied ninja hood in his hands, in front of frames of Arin and Kai suddenly understood.
"Hey buddy, it's alright..." He whispered, wrapping an arm around him and he made them sit on his bed and Lloyd leaned into him, sobbing uncontrollably into his gi. Kai looked down at the sodden mess that clutched onto him for dear life and he ran a hand through his locks of soft blonde. "K-Kai— I-I'm sorry you have to see me like this— I just—" But Lloyd couldn't continue through the cracked cries he let out that were muffled, and Kai felt his heart shatter from the sounds coming out of him. Not once had he ever thought of how Lloyd must have felt ever since the merge had taken place, ever since finding Arin and Sora, training them as his own students and having visions and what-not. The sight of Lloyd crying was unusual— especially not like this. "Kai—" He suddenly choked out, "Hm?" The brunette hummed, "Kai... do you think we'll ever find him?" And his voice cracked, making Kai feel more hopeless than ever. "Yes Lloyd, we will find him. And we will get Ras back for this." He said in a hushed voice as he pulled the boy closer, with warm arms wrapped around him as he let out broken words and sentences of his doubt. "I've been a terrible teacher—" and Kai told him it was going to be okay as they stayed wrapped up on the boys' bed.
Two doors down Sora was in her own room, not having come out for a week and refusing to eat anything and as she heard the cries of Lloyd just a few doors from her, made her ball up in her bed, her eyes starting to prickle with tears at the memory of the loss of her only— and best friend, as she silently let them stream down her sunken cheeks.
Why Arin...?
.