Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

LONG BEFORE TIME HAD A NAME
THE FIRST SPINJISTU MASTER
Before creating Ninjago- went on a little vacation
to a lovely sunny land of deep valleys and high mountains
happy people, happy dragons, peace all around.
They treated him well, and though being a very simple place with not much to offer
The king was kind, he always wished to personally greet travelers, and he said to each
“Any who come here are welcome to make it home.”
The first master explained he could not stay long
but he appreciated the hospitality.
As his days in the kingdom passed, everyone in the town came to know him and call him a friend.
He then saw the small kingdom, though full of light, was quietly struggling.
There was not enough to sustain this growing kingdom.
So, upon his leaving, he came to the king and offered a gift,
He planted a tree.
Right in the center of the castle garden, its branches grew taller than the gates surrounding and
everyone in the kingdom could feel its roots beneath from where they stood.
“This,” he explained, “will give your kingdom the growth it needs.
It will become the place it deserves to be and your people will thrive.”
Besides that promise, he also offered this,
“And to your family..” he said, “I give the elemental power of light. This will pass down to your children and grandchildren, for as long as time has a name.”
With that, he said his goodbyes, but not before the kingdom had a festival under their new tree. celebrating the gifts, hope for growth and light to come…

Chapter Text

In the afternoon on the outskirts of Ninjago, at a chill, foggy, gray and rocky, isolated peak; Misako softly fixes the pale blonde hair of her 6-year-old son. Lloyd adjusts the backpack he carries. He wears a slightly too-big black hoodie and a sad smile.

They both look up from the metal gate where they stand, to a stone and tall, stretched-out pyramid-shaped building, with many eaves and a xieshan roof currently nesting a few dead brown leaves while other, more lively ones, continue flying about with random gusts of wind. The schoolhouse has a large door, small windows near the top of the first level, and an old clock on the face of the second story.

Lloyd looks back to his mother, “So that’s where I’m staying?”

He asks in a concerned and disappointed tone that suggests he would rather walk all those hours back just to stay in an empty house alone.

Misako crouches down with a soft huff, putting her hands on her knees.

“Yes. Only until I’m finished with my travel and studies. They’re very important.”

She waits for Lloyd to nod and confirm he's following.

She eyes the sign at the gate ‘Darkley’s boarding School’ and turns back to her son with a more serious look “You’ve been a bit of a troublemaker lately too, so while I can’t take you with me, I expect you to behave here.”

He nods again inhaling like he wants to argue something but knows better. It does feel like something more should be said, but Misako stands, taking Lloyd's hand and walking towards the entrance.

At the end of a few lofty steps, she raises a fist and gives 3 firm knocks. A bit of shuffled walking can be heard and then the door creaks open wide enough to reveal Mr. Darkley himself.

He looks between the two guests and nods speaking gruffly even after clearing his throat “you’ve come to register your son.”

Misako nods in return “yes, I’ll have to be away for a while with work- I’m not sure how long yet, but I’ll be able to pay in advance now for the first year, and send more while I'm gone.”

The gray haired man steps aside “Why don’t you come in and we can talk about the rest, the forms are simple and we’ll get him settled.”

She does, pulling Lloyd by his sleeve with her “That's good, I can’t let this take long.”

Lloyd watches the whole interaction. It seems to go by too simply, too casually; as if this deal isn't going to change his life forever- or at least, however long it is he’s supposed to be trapped here.

It feels more like buying some groceries than handing your son off to total strangers. Go in, run your errand, and get on with your day. This errand in particular was being done in quite a rush.

The boy follows as his mother paces down the hall behind the mildly friendly man. Yes, he was only mildly friendly, and that was when he was clearly forcing it. Lloyd felt he must not be friendly at all. Something about him gave off a familiar feeling as to the last time Lloyd saw his father. That was a while ago now.

Misako was only ready to get in the office and do what needed to be done. Failing to take in any surroundings… not that there were many to take in. The inside was just bare beige walls and halls, all the wood classroom doors shut, and all the posters or flyers carefully tucked into nonexistence.

Misako sits Lloyd down at a chair outside the office. She faces him and pats his shoulders, “Just wait here,” she smiles and ducks inside.

He’s slightly disappointed he can’t go in the room to look around at the various objects an office should usually have. Even a bookshelf or degree frame would have been more entertaining than empty halls. He sighs and kicks his legs. Back and forth, back and forth. One forward, one backward. Kick. Kick. Kick. together forward and back. Kick. kick. Kick. separate side to side. Kick. Kick. Kick.

He looks around, hoping to see another kid. It's getting boring in the hallway, not to mention lonely. It's going to get lonelier once his mother is gone.

Lloyd can’t tell yet if it exactly bothers him that Misako is going to leave. Anytime she has left him somewhere, she's come back to get him. He would always find a way to preoccupy himself until then.

Then again…he thinks to himself. I’ve never had to stay the night anywhere but home…I think I must miss her then.
And at the thought he slowly stops kicking his legs.

The tight feeling is shooed away when the door finally opens and his mother steps out. She crouches down once again holding his arms at his sides “Alright Lloyd, I’m going now.”

His small hands desperately reach out to hug her “you’ll be back soon?”

A frown tugs at the side of her mouth as she pulls back “I…hope so.”

She glances up at the principal and informs Lloyd “Mr. Darkley here is going to show you around and give me lots of updates,” then she looks back at his soft and helpless green eyes “so you’ll take care, stay safe, and behave right?”

He looks down “..ok” he mutters.

Misako lifts his head so their eyes meet again. He leans into the feel of her hand.

She speaks in a more caring way now “You’ll be fine. Better than that, great actually…you’re going to be great.”

She sounds so determined on that last part, Lloyd is able to give her a real smile. Mouth still closed but he looks happy enough now. At least that's how he hopes to look.

She pulls him into a final hug and he returns it.

After a breath, she lets go, stands, shakes hands with Mr. Darkley and walks down the hall, waving one more time before going out the door.

Lloyd looks up at his new guardian and the guardian glares back. “Alright then, follow me. I’ll show you where things are and where you’re meant to be.”

The man starts walking without confirmation, but Lloyd trails behind, sticking his hands in his pockets, searching the walls for an awaited piece of personality.

Mr. Darkley strictly explains this floor contains the entrance, staff room, food hall, a couple of classrooms and library. He points and gestures while they walk towards a set of stairs and doesn't bother to speak while going up. Lloyd tries to make some conversation, at least to find out if he is allowed to do so.

He picks up his pace to match the principal, “so are all the other kids in class?”

The principal doesn't bother to respond out loud to a question with an answer that should be so obvious, but he does give a small gruff nod over his shoulder.
And the answer to whether Lloyd should be chatty or not is no.

On the second level the principal walks forward past a few more classrooms and opens a door.

“This is one of the bedrooms. You will come back here at 8:30 pm and not come out until breakfast which starts at 6:30 am.”

It’s just as dull as the rest. Dark gray brown walls, wood floor, a long line of beds with dark brown wood frames and beige sheets.

The only thing giving the room more life than the rest were the small belongings of other students poking out from matching drawers between the beds and bags that lay at the sides or hung on the posts.

Mr. Darkley points to the end of the room “The bed there is vacant. Go set your things down. If you have anything that is going to end up distracting you we’ll take it away so don't let that happen.”

Lloyd walks over to set down his backpack. It’s almost only filled with distractions, but Lloyd promises to keep them safe.

Mr. Darkely explains further “The bathrooms are right over there, easy enough to find.”

The principal walks ahead out of the room and notices Lloyd looking over to another set of stairs.

Before the boy can ask, Darkley sighs “I won’t bother showing you that way, you aren't allowed up there, it’s only rooms you don't come near unless we say so. The staff also have their rooms on the next level. So, if you need someone, you don't. Figure it out.”

Lloyd frowns and scrunches his eyebrows at that but flattens the expression when Mr. Darkley checks over his shoulder once more while they continue to walk.

They stop at a classroom door. Mr. Darkley points to its label.

“This is going to be your main class, #5. The teacher here will explain anything else you must know.”

Lloyd smiles as Mr. Darkley opens the door and he glares down at Lloyd letting out a low sharp “quit that.”

Caught off guard, he does in fact quit smiling. Still he can’t help but let his eyes light up as he steps into the class and is relieved to finally see other children and a teacher.

Every face in the room turns to the door but looks unimpressed. Almost annoyed. Still, not bothered fully. Until Lloyd is introduced.

“This is your new classmate. Lloyd Garmadon"

The room creaked in uncomfortable silence. Lloyd sighed understanding they of course now knew his father was a man who went crazy, supposedly possessed by an uncontrollable need for destruction and became such a monster he wreaked havoc on Ninjago to the point everyones only solution was to have him banished.

After a beat the other children begin to murmur on that topic exactly.

Lloyd also knows they must be afraid and weary of him, so he looks to the ground.

But then out of the corner of his eye notices that’s not the look they’re giving him.
They were almost disgusted.

Some scrunched their noses, some scoffed and some started to make quiet jokes to snicker at.

As confusing as this was, he realized whatever was going on was worse than them being afraid. Rather he was the one starting to feel that way.

He tried to take a step back but bumped into Mr. Darkley.
In that moment he realized how fast his heart was beating and he searched the room again, frantic to find one face that wasn't ready to punch his own. That was not found so he looked down again.

The teacher of class #5 gives Mr. Darkely an eyebrow raise that says “woof this one’s in for it,” as he shuts the door on his exit, the principal gives back a shrug that says “good luck with that.”

The teacher puffs a breath and points Lloyd to an extra seat against the wall “we will get a desk for you later. For now sit down.”

He raises his voice “Everyone else shut up- you can tease our new chum, after class”

One kid is still giggling to himself and beginning to lean over and whisper another joke to the boy in the desk next to his.

“QUIET!” he slams his fist down “next time my hand isn't hitting the desk.”

Lloyd pulls back in his seat, fearing for the other child. Not that he isn't used to raised voices or yelling. He’s had his fair share by now to tune it out as background noise, but he didn’t imagine this happened at school. He was wrong in that assumption. He concludes it would be noted and he would adjust.

After a moment of dead silence. Mr. short temper, clears his throat.

He glowers at Lloyd, “I’m. Mr. Nadir, you call me either that or sir”

“..Yes”

“What was that? Didn't hear you.”

“Yes sir.”

“Ok now the rest of you. Let's get back to the lesson. Pay attention Lloyd, I'm not starting from the beginning.”

Mr. Nadir coughed again. His voice must already be sore, that was clearly not the first time he had yelled today. He wasn't old. He was much younger than Mr. Darkly but the thinning hair was still visible from where Lloyd was sitting.

Lloyd scans the board in an attempt to catch up. He still hadn't fully learned how to read, he loved comics but he was not yet much of a book reader.

But on the board he could see an idea web. Since he’d never been to school before though it took some time to figure out what was going on, and from his angle, stuck against the wall he had to tilt his head past the teacher to see.

Luckily even though Mr. Nadir promised not to recap he refocused on the lesson by reading the contents of the web aloud

“Ok here’s what we’ve got so far in key tools and qualities for villany: -knowledge -power;strength,control,fear -deception;manipulation,fear(again) -adaptability -hate”

What kind of lesson was that supposed to be? What subject was this? …Maybe english. Maybe we’re writing stories on bad guys.

He finished clearing his throat “can anyone guess one more?”

A second or two passes and only a couple hands are raised

“Cass, go on”

“uh..like when you only…Like when you go by yourself, Um I forgot what its called bu”

“Ok you don't know. Never do that again. Harlow you try–lets see if you at least have a working mouth.”

“...Indipendance”

“Mhm. lets connect that to…” he waves the marker between adaptability & power “lets put that at power too..”

“Now how can we explain Independance? why is that important?”

This is getting pretty detailed…

A few more hands raise for this question

“Neven”

“Because you can’t need other people if you want to be in charge if you can't do anything on your own and if you always need the other people to help you then yeah you can't be in charge.”

“That was a messy explanation but yes. Did we all get that?”

A few weary nods wave through the room.

“Ok before I give you your assignment let me add one more.”

He uncaps the marker again and jots down “L-E-G-A-C-Y” drawing a line between that and fear, and power.

“So what is a legacy? Yes, Gene”

“It’s how everyone knows about you by what you did and what you leave behind.”

“Exactly. It makes you more than a myth. It makes you a legend.”

“I also want you to notice something here…” he caps the marker and points with it

“Where does it look like almost all our lines lead to?”

Lloyd still doesn't fully understand the lesson yet, but he wants to participate like the others so they’ll stop looking at him weird. As he’s still trying to sound out the word another kid’s hand is picked.

“Yep, Brad.”

“They point to power.”

“That's right.” Mr. Nadir nods.

“Ok so here’s what you all have to do. You’re all going to take the paper on your desk and pencil, and you’re going to write out all these words you see on the board here. Then you’re going to explain how each of them works and how each of them helps you to be a better villain. Simply, in a sentence or two. And then explain why all of them connect to power, because thats not a coincidence. Ok? Got it? Hope so because I'm not taking any more questions, I’m taking a bathroom break.”

Mr. Nadir starts to slide out of his chair and Lloyd raises his hand.

“You heard me didn't you?”

“..yes but I don’t have a paper or pencil..or desk”

“Find them. We’re in a school for crap’s sake, it's not like I said everyone needed a unicorn to get the assignment done. Tch.”

With that Mr. Nadir was out the door and all the other students besides Lloyd we’re scribbling away except for the ones who were still side eyeing and snorting at him.

Lloyd noted it never would be a good time to mention that he also did not have something he couldn't just come across. He still didn't have the full ability to write. It seems he would just have to figure that out himself.

First things first, he needed paper and a pencil; he saw some supplies on a shelf on the opposite wall. As he got up his chair scraped backwards loud enough for a few heads to pop up. Lloyd avoided eye contact and locked in on his target. He awkwardly took a few slow steps forward holding his hands behind his back.

When he got to the stack of paper and pencil cup he took one item from each and then looked back to his chair. There was no empty desk in the class but the room looked like it could fit one more in a row of students.

One black haired and blue eyed boy sat up noticing Lloyd trying to figure out his next move.

“What are you doing?” he asks out loud towards Lloyd, and as if he had asked the question for every other kid there, they all peeped up towards the boy who forgot how to breathe.

“...I don't know”

“You don't know?”

“Well, I’m only standing here…”

“...Ok?”

That rough cough from earlier could be heard on the other side of the door and Lloyd's feet disagreed on where to go, one stepped forward then back while the handle turned.

Mr. Nadir blinked unamused when he saw Lloyd frozen and wide-eyed, gripping the pencil and wrinkling the lined paper.

He was so unamused he rolled his eyes for fun, “Just write against the floor.”

Lloyd exhaled and sat down in front of his chair at the wall. He got on his elbows and picked up his pencil, fiddling with the grip for a moment. He found it. Good. Now…what was the assignment again?

He revised the board. Right. Write. Yes, he could copy down those words. And he began to do so. Meanwhile, the other students were starting to finish their own papers and take them to the front, leaving them on the teacher's desk.

Lloyd felt his heart sink deeper as they, one by one, went to deliver their work. After each delivery was made, Lloyd would look down at his own page.
Still not even halfway through.

The finished students were expected to sit in silence as Mr. Nadir looked over their papers.

The black haired boy from earlier got tired of sitting in silence, and he squinted at the clock.
“Dinners at 5 right?”

Mr. Nadir lowered the paper in his hand, upset the mute music to his ears was interrupted.
“Don’t worry about that. You’re not going”
He glared at the child’s tightening lips, then got back to his own business.

Lloyd shifted on his stomach a little and tightened his legs around each other.
I’m not gonna have time to finish…

All the others handed in their work and waited for the final bell of the day to ring. Lloyd dreaded to be told his time was up, but also wondered what it would sound like. That would be the first school bell he had heard today. He didn't have time to imagine how he’d react when he had to blink his eyes wide and jerk his head back.

Mr. Nadir stood, tucked his chair in with one hand and pointed with the other to stop Brad from sneaking into the line of students forming at the door.

“Brad, you go to your room. Lloyd, you will stay writing until you are finished.”

Not as bad as I thought…

Lloyd nodded. He was probably the hungriest in the room, but who could say being left in peace to figure out your work was such a horrible thing?

On the other hand, Brad did not like the idea of no dinner; he much less liked the idea of going to bed. But he also had questions about this blond kid.

“..can I stay in class instead?”

“If you want to clean it.”

“Uh no, never mind.”

“Too bad, now you’re going to wipe down the board and tables, then go to bed when you’re done.”

He left no room for argument and marched the other boys out to the hall. leaving two grumbling stomachs behind.

Grumbling stomach number 2 gained a matching grumbling expression and was opening the classroom's back cabinet to find a cloth. He started wiping down the tables at the back, brushing little eraser bits and dust off each.

Lloyd watched him quietly.
… Is he going to say something?

Brad's eyes flick over to Lloyd’s

“So you have the same name as Garmadon right?”

Lloyd stops watching and pretends to be focused on his paper.

The cloth stops wiping.
“Did you hear?”

Lloyd sighed, surrendering his defense instantly.
“Um..yeah, that’s my dad. Or he was.. I guess.”

“You don't look like him.”

“…He looked different before.”

“Like what?”

“Like me.”

“Why’s he like that now?”

“I don't know. No one will tell me”

“But he's evil right?”

“That's the only thing they do tell me.”

“You don't seem evil like him either. You look kinda sad down there.”

Lloyd huffed, “...I’m not.”

After that little, einiy meine miny mo between Brad and something in front of himself on the floor, Lloyd chose the floor. It was becoming the only familiar friendly face here. But he didn't seal his decision before looking up at the other boy one more time, annoyed now. He didn't get annoyed easily but this kid was a little more judgy than Lloyd was used to.

Instead he was ready to actually focus on the paper and get out of there. He had finished copying down the words. Now he had to explain each of them. He barely knew how to say some of these. How could he find the next words he wanted and then know they should be spelled?

He gains the courage to face Brad once more and ask a question himself.

“Will you help me?”

“Pft–no.”

Ok then..

Brad decided he wasn't going to volunteer to do Lloyd's homework. He didn't need more work. And speaking seemed to really be getting him in trouble today so he kept his lips zipped for the rest of his time there.

Lloyd promised himself two things: number one, no matter what, he would learn to write and read. Number two was, by the way his elbows were aching, he really needed to find a desk by the end of the day.

Chapter Text

By the end of the first year, Lloyd had been used to finding his seat, lifting his head, and making it appear that he was wide awake with attention.

Though this morning with classes officially beginning once again, he found that he needed to put in more effort to keep his hands still and eyes pointed towards the front of the room even if he wasn’t looking at anything in particular.

Instead he let his gaze wander to each of the students as they spoke words they didn’t intend to share with him and for now he didn’t intend to tune into.

He watched their faces though and decided that was enough because by the looks of their teasing and gossiping expressions, smug smiles and and side glances, he knew he wouldn’t enjoy the conversations anyway.

He was so utterly bored trying not to daydream and watching the room live on without any of his contributions, Lloyd didn’t notice what it was the teacher was passing out to each desk until his inspection of the room had come to an end and led him back to the desk he sat at.

Which now, in addition to his pencil and paper, lay an empty envelope. And more interestingly, an envelope sent by someone else.

Lloyd’s seat was in the second to last row, and final desk on the left side of the room. He looked to the right and paid attention now as his teacher passed out an empty envelope and full one to each of the other classmates.

He noticed the full envelopes all looked slightly different in color and size, probably from all kinds of far places. As other students began to pick their letters up the teacher began to speak.

“Starting this year we have a new project. I’ll explain in a minute- for now don’t mess with your envelopes.” And Mr. Nadir continued to pass them out along the next two rows.

Lloyd could never get over how blunt introductions were here. He wasn’t exactly expecting a ‘welcome back’ or ‘good morning’ but that didn’t make their absence any less strange.

“Each of you has been paired with a student from a different school” he announced setting the last envelopes down on his own desk at the front.

“You will be writing back and forth throughout the year, presenting at the end what you learned about them, their culture and daily life.”

The teacher has something on his face that looks like the edge of a smirk as he blinks and he clasps his hands.

“That is where the assignment stops for the students in those other schools but as for us; you know our school isn't like theirs. We will have a few more steps to our side of the project.”

He pauses for a moment to look around the room seeing a mix of menacingly eager or confused faces.

Lloyd himself is more focused on the fact that he probably won't do well in this because his writing and reading was still somewhat behind.

“By gathering all of this information, you will also need to think of how it can be used to your advantage. Find the flaws and weaknesses in these people and their families. Just by gaining their trust. You may write as many or as few letters as you think you need. After today this will all be done outside of class. All you need to do is put them in the mailbox at the entrance door. What you will be marked on is how foolproof your end plan is to get something from them. What that something is- we leave up to you. Obviously there is no need to follow through with the plan as these children live too far for us to bother sending you there and this is just for practice. By NO means whatsoever are you allowed to expose the school or truth of our project. You won't want to see what happens otherwise because it's not so sweet as dish duty or even the cellar. If you’re curious as to what happens, try and use your imagination. Maybe ask yourself why this school is on the edge of a cliff.”

The teacher went on explaining how these would be presented, how they would allow you to keep your letters, how you would need to show a list or diagram of sorts in your final project, and how if you already succeed in getting them to tell you about information that should usually be kept secret, this would be useful. And so on and so on.

When Mr. Nadir finished the instructions he gave a shooing wave, while turning to sit down. “You may open your envelopes and get started. When you finish, seal your letter and put it in the box to be mailed.”

The sound of tearing paper started spotting through the room. Lloyd picked his envelope up and turned it over once or twice, trying to hide his curiosity before slipping his thumb under the seal.

After picking out the two-page letter, he stopped enjoying the content once he got to the second page.

The first paper was covered in little doodles and drawings- that part actually made him give a soft smile but reading the next few words were what made him realize this was going to be more trouble than he thought.

Dear new friend!
I’m so exited to get to be your pen pal!
My teacher said that in our first letters we should start by asking you some questions so here are mine.
What’s your name?
What's your favourite color?
If you had a dragon what would you name it?
What do you like to do for fun?
When you grow up what do you want your home to look like?

And I’ll also tell you a little bit about me. So, I’m Ami. My favourite color is lavender.
I’m asking you what you would name a dragon because my family is getting a new one soon and I have no more ideas after they rejected “starlight sparkle scales” and that was honestly the best thing I could think of so let me know if you can come up with anything along the lines of that. Next what I like to do for fun-is draw! Thats my favourite but I like lots of things like reading, looking for bugs, climbing trees, baking, and now I think I’m really going to like writing to you! I’m already kinda having a blast. Oh and when I grow up I think I’d still like my home to be where I live now. BUT I think our garden could use some more flowers and the town could use a petting zoo cafe- even though whenever I mention the idea, everyone agrees thats not sanitary. Well, maybe it's not but….ok yeah, no it's not. Ok I think when I grow up I’ll come up with a better plan and the sheep of the kingdom will get the muffins they deserve. Maybe I’ll implement “bake your pet a muffin day” and that should satisfy everyone. So yeah those are my answers to the questions!
I can’t wait to hear back from you buddy and see what questions you have for me.
~Love Ami!

He gave the letter a half frown, flattening it on his desk. Of course this is how it goes.

His pen pal sounded like a little goody two shoes who would say things like “pretty please with whipped cream on top” and probably went around all day picking flowers and petting baby sheep and wearing purple bows and kissing younger kids ‘boo boo’s’. She didn’t sound like she was seven either, her penmanship was too nice and she didn't get bored after writing 3 sentences. What did “implement” mean? And- the paper even smelt like blossoms or baby powder or warmth or something… off he went picking apart the letter and its author.

Looking back at his page after flicking around his pencil for long enough he wrote down a little introduction tyring not to think about it much.

“Hi Ami its nice to meet you, heer are my answers to yor questions.
my name is…”

He paused and thought of his name…
“Lloyd Garmadon”

He hated that name a little. It sounded cursed in his head and made his pencil hesitate. The fact he shared it with his father made him compare himself to his father. Also thinking of his father lead him to think about his mother and that whole situation was just saddening and hopeless in his eyes.

No, no he would use a different name. Plus that would be even better in regards to the assignment! Lying about his own identity would certainly be the kind of thing they’re looking for. Maybe that was actually part of the instructions in the first place. Really, how could he know? his mind had trailed off halfway through the explanation. But he got the gist of it.

He decided on something with no strings attached and, in his mind at least, something cool “Rex blade”

…Now number two, well, he didn't see the point in lying about his favourite color and really, he hadn't thought much about the topic until now.

He looked around “ 2. green” he wrote down, it was the color he missed most in his bare surroundings.

But then, reading the next question, he wasn't liking this anymore. He did enjoy the idea of having a dragon and played around with that for a moment or two, but he wanted to get this over with and so again he scribbled the word “green”. That could be a name right?

What he did for fun?...now he was about to write down ‘green' once more but he didn't want to make this other kid think he was completely stupid.

Worse if she complained to the teachers at her school, they would probably tell the teachers at Lloyds school. Then Lloyd would fail immediately and be punished for not taking his assignment seriously.

He sighed and realized it was time he wrote an actual sentence. so he started with “4. I also read sometimes,”

He looked over her page of drawings. He liked them. He was jealous. They were mostly butterflies and flowers, which he found a little corny, but the tree in the center was nice. His favourite was the dragon in the corner.

“I draw a lot too but im not very good at it yet” he erased that confession about his art; she didn't need to know that.

“4. I also like to read, I don’t draw so much,, but I do make my own comics sometimes. I’ll send you some.” he looked around hoping it was true teachers wouldn't be checking all the letters. It was a little embarrassing that he wanted to win over her approval. Maybe he finally had someone to show his interests to. He debated erasing ‘I’ll send you some’ worried it somehow sounded desperate. But he left it.

After putting enough effort into his latest answer he couldn't be bothered with thinking about the next. Did he want to? Yes. would he let himself? No. So the answer to question #5 was once again… “green”

Chapter Text

After making it back to his old home, Lloyd sat alone in the living room.

Criss-cross on the ground. Half resting, after the long walk. Half taking everything in.

But still avoiding to catch sight of any family photos.

The draft from the door he didn't fully close blew the dust and the smell of it around the room.

The sun had nearly set by now and the breeze eventually got cold enough for him to stand and lock the door closed.

He didn't know how to react.
He didn't know what to do.
But he was hungry, so he went to the kitchen and found an old can of soup in a cupboard.

Lloyd lit the stove to heat the soup. He tried not to make a mess or get burned. That awareness finally got him feeling awake for once today. When he searched for a spoon it still felt like his hands and head were being dragged along like a sleepwalker. Then he slowly pushed the spoon next to the pot.

He noticed the difference in his height compared to the counter. He could see over the top now.

Quietly, that's all he looked at or thought about for the time until the soup was done.

Lloyd walked to the table where he could look out the window to the tree house he was so sad to leave behind 4 years ago. It seemed sad too. The broken ladder and bird-dirtied roof made it look like an unkempt tombstone of joy in the cloudy dusk.

Looking down he continued to stir the spoon long after the soup cooled off.

He didn't eat fast. Each bite made his stomach twist.

He took another and it teased a gag at the base of his throat.

The sick feeling turned into something else by each spoonful.

It was confusing for a minute. The soup wasn't filling him. It wasn't making him nauseous anymore either.

His core remained empty. The empty space was pulling at his chest, begging to grow.
He let out a sharp exhale as if trying to squeeze the empty space. Make it smaller. He shut his eyes too as he breathed hard.

He huffed again. It wasn't working. He sipped the last bit of runny pale-orange liquid and held the bowl tight.

The next huff was shaky and his eyes blinked while closed.

The empty space was filling now, and this time the feeling was heavy.

He had been forced out of every place he tried to call home.

His mother had never come back for him.

His school friends, if he should ever call them that, they didn't have his back.

His only real friend was in a place he didn't know how to get to and now that the letters had stopped, she would soon think Lloyd had abandoned her.
Maybe she would think he was lying about being her friend.

So many days in that school. In that prison. He was convinced he was going to die.
So many beatings and torture after ridicule and humiliation from other students.
So many nights locked alone in a cellar or worked to exhaustion.
That barely covered the least of it, but always given him; as punishment for things he never meant to do but he did.
Because he was a bad kid- as they told him.

But not bad enough to do all they wanted.
Not bad enough to blame a mess on another kid.
Not bad enough to lie to his friend he’d never met face to face.

But still bad enough to be called every name under the sun.
Bad enough to make the same mistakes over and over.
Bad enough to ruin everything he had worked for.

Still there was no desire for chaos, there was no appetite for destruction, there was no hate in him at all.

Maybe it was never that he was bad.
Maybe he was just weak.

That's all he felt now. He resented the weakness with all the parts of him that felt it.
When he opened his eyes, he saw the bowl was no longer empty but had a few drops in the bottom. He pushed the proof of his weakness away from him and wiped it off his face.

He clutched both arms around his stomach and clenched his jaw.

Trying so hard to stay good all this time got Lloyd nothing and nowhere.

His father wasn't weak. And he didn't bother with such things; trying to be good or bad or anything. He just did what he wanted. He probably would have let Lloyd join if he hadn't been in the way.

That was it; the only option he saw left was to get his father's attention and find him again. Show him that they were alike. They could be together.

Lloyd was going to go to sleep and in the morning he would do just that
He also felt like he deserved desert for once after all this time, no one would let him have dessert for breakfast but that was what he was going to have…he wanted candy.

Chapter Text

Guess who's back baby That's right the mailman! (this is not proper book narration. Should I get rid of that?…meh) About midday that good old friendly smile appears with the sound of his steps coming up the mountain. Lloyd is on his way inside after feeding the dragons and he pauses at the feeling someone's coming up behind him.

He turns and smiles “Heh, Long time no see.”

The mailman hands him a small stack of papers and nods his rice hat “Well just finally getting back into the swing of things after the merge. You wouldnt believe how messed up addresses have gotten!”

Lloyd nods “oh I can only imagine.”

The mailman smiles “lot’s of help though, some real hard workers- two called Nelson and Antonia said to say hi”

Lloyd grins “Really? Well we also say hi. Thats nice to hear.”

The mail man agrees and takes a setp backward “well I best be getting back. It's a long walk but that’s alright I still need my exercise! Good to see you.”

Lloyd starts to head back inside “good to see you too.”

He steps past the front gate walking past Arin, Sora, Frak and Wildfire training in the front. He watches them jump up, kick back, whip and spin around each other.

As soon as he steps indoors he can hear Kai, Cole, and Jay playing video games and the fact that Kai is losing.

“I SWEAR YOU TWO ARE GANGING UP ON ME!”

Jay laughs “I swear we’re not!”

zane looks over at them from the table he’s sitting at “It’s a team game, ganging up on you wouldn’t benefit them if their goal is to complete the level”

“it sure is funny though…” Cole mutters.

At that Kai lets his controller drop and he lifts his hands “pft I’m done with this”

Lloyd smirks sitting down at the table with zane and he looks around the room “are Nya and Pixal still in the basement doing repairs?”

Cole looks over his arm resting on the back of the couch “Yeah.”

Jay leans over to open a new bag of chips “Even when we can take it easy for now, they insist on working.”

zane smiles at the mail in Lloyds hands “you too it seems?”

Lloyd shakes his head “Well the mailman just handed it off to me on my way inside so-”

Kai notices the stack too “Do you guys ever get fan mail anymore? I swear we used to get loads.”

Jay nods “Right? Back when we saved Ninjago like every week.”

Cole sighs “Now we’re lucky to get a pizza coupon.”

“Letters are simply... less fashionable now.” Zane explains.

Lloyd smiles slightly, flipping through the mail “I actually love writing letters.”

Kai raises an eyebrow “when was the last time you wrote a letter?” he smirks “you only write in your little journals”

Lloyd blinks worried “..you didnt read those did you?”

Kai rolls his eyes shaking his head “pft no faith in me”

Cole nods his chin towards kai “We wouldn’t put it past you”

Lloyd side eyes kai in agreement with Cole “tch.. nevermind” he taps the stack down on the table “anyway yeah—to be fair— I haven’t done it in forever, but back in the boarding school I went to as a kid, they made us all have pen pals. So I spent a lot of time writing to her.”

Everyone perks up a bit.

Zane tilts his head at Lloyd “I don’t believe you’ve ever mentioned this before.”

Lloyd shrugs, quieter now “Yeah..I dont know, felt a little silly. After I got kicked out I never got the chance to write again so by now I assume she forgot about the whole thing.”

Everyone is about to start asking their own question when Nya and Pixal walk upstairs together.

“Is Sora training outside? We need her for assistance on a blueprint revision” Pixel explains as Nya walks over to snatch a soda out of her brothers hands.
“Hey-”

“Well,” she takes a sip ignoring Kai's glare “maybe the work can wait until we get our fill of snacks- want some pix?”

Nya gestures to the coffee table with the soda still in hand.

Jay takes a bite of popcorn as the video game screen loads and the others who were training walk back in to join.

Wyldfire grins and leans against the couch “I’m in for next round!”

Arin and frak stand together in the entryway, resting their hands on their hips breathing in. Sora crosses her arms and lets her back fall against the wall as she closes her eyes.

“I’m headed for the shower” Arin announces as the other two exhausted trainees follow in his direction as Wildfire grins and squints towards them as they trail down the hall. She instead takes a seat.

Lloyd sighs, looking around the room, “and I’ll get started on dinner…”

Cole catches him with a question before Lloyd can leave “Wait- so what did we get?”

Lloyd sifts through, “ok a newspaper, a flyer for a new tea shop and…hey a pizza coupon!”

Chapter Text

Mr. Frohicky sets the table alongside Lloyd, he and Zane helped out in making dinner. After all, with 8 people, 2 nindroids, a snake, and a frog living in the monastery, not to mention the dragons- theres a lot to take care of.

Zane walks out of the kitchen balancing a few bowls of noodles and nods back towards the door “there are 8 more bowls, and Arin's pie is still in the oven”

Mr. Frohickey walks in to grab the rest and Lloyd steps out of the dining room to find the others and tell them the food is almost set. Lloyd lets those in the living room know before continuing down the hall.

Cole doesnt need to be told twice and gets up off the couch nearly pushing kai over as he does so.

“Woah watch it!”

Cole chuckles and offers a hand in apology to help Kai stand “what? I’m just hungry”

Kai rolls his eyes “well don’t act like you’re starving you just spent the whole afternoon hogging every snack in sight”

Cole crosses his arms and smirks “tch thats not true”

Kai crosses his arms in return "Absolutely yes. it is.”

Nya rolls her eyes and drags them forward “yeah yeah you can keep flirting over there-”

she pushes them towards the dining room and looks over at jay and wildfire who’re still wrapping up their progress on a boss level as Sora and Pixel walk past. Nya waits for jay to realise shes still standing there; he and wildfire sit criss cross on the rug, backs against the bottom of the couch and controllers in hand.

Jay notices her staring and looks up with a smile “yes?”

She deadpans “foods Done.”

Wildfire is paying attention now, she and Jay’s eyes light up and he stands taking Nya’s hand as wildfire runs past them “why didnt Lloyd say anything sooner?!”

Nya shakes her head smiling “he did.”

Lloyd walks back with Frak and Arin letting the rest take their seats. Everyone gathers at the table and Lloyd looks around to make sure nothing is missing.

As he confirms to himself he should be allowed to sit down now, he hears two soft quick knocks at the front door.

End of episode one

Chapter Text

After two days of flying Hikari slides off Tala the minute they land; resting her forhead on the opal blue scales of her dragon's neck.

“Ok here we go…just sit and rest my girl, thank you for getting us here.”

Tala shifts into a more comfortable resting position expecting to wait the rest of the night. Hikari paces over to the entrance carefully noticing each brick and stone her feet press against in the monastery's front yard and looks around the moonlight plaza. At the door she knocks a little softer than intended. She hopes to herself she isn't interrupting dinner.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Lloyd hears the soft knocks and starts dragging himself by the first step before Arin smiles and reaches for Lloyd's arm “Don’t worry, I’ll get it. You go eat dinner.”

Lloyd takes a step back sighing with relief. “Thank you Arin.” He pats Arin's hand and walks to the kitchen to enjoy his first actual meal today.

Arin takes hold of the handle not sure what to expect. He regrets getting the door as soon as he doesn't know what to do looking over this tiered traveller whose surprised face looks like she was about to give up and go, a far far way back it seems, before attempting a second round of knocks. “Hey, uh- good evening, what brings you here?”

She takes a breath in and steps closer smiling. "Hey, Hi- thank you. My name is Ayame Hikari Amaya, or just Hikari, or- sorry yes, um princess of the kingdom of Solaria. I need to ask for your help."

she tightens her hold on the satchel at her side and looks towards Tala who gives a bit of a “go on” nod.

Arin tries to gather what he can from that and straightens up “Hikari, yes of course we can help- maybe I should just- Uh gimme a sec. You can come in.” He steps aside for her to follow. He closes the door and they stand together in the entryway.

Arin silently prays for forgiveness and calls towards the dinning room with a wince “Hey Lloyd could you come here for a minute-”

Lloyd pauses. Inhales and exhales through his nose. Putting down the chopsticks before he was even able to get a bite in. He should've known this break wasn't going to last long.

He scratches the back of his neck walking into the monastery's entrance. “Mhm just let our lovely guest know they’re sotra interrupting din..”

He stops himself catching sight of her and realizing its not just a badly timed salesperson.

Her expression hits him as soon as he sees it. She looks like shes trying just as hard as he is not to fall to the ground and finally sleep. But shes waiting. Hopeful. And a little embarrassed to show up in her current state.

Her bag is so packed you’d think she shouldn't be standing straight but tipping sideways, her cold hands shift it over her hip, that’s covered by a practical layered outfit but it now has the rest of her starting to feel too warm and her long usually bouncy hair is so windblown the curls have been pulled straight, well, more into wavy fluffs which her attempt to tie back can’t hold it all together.

Lloyd and Hikari look each other over in a second of silence.

Hikari’s heart is pounding, she blames that on the fact she was anxious to knock on the door. She spent nearly the whole journey playing the sanario over in her head on the way; preparing her explanation. Making sure it would be convincing and coherent and now she even can't find the words to start. The weight of it all is finally setting in. She’s here now. The help is right infront of her, but she’s already intruded. She feels it would be wrong to start ranting as soon as she’s let inside. She needs more permission than that, and it is, for whatever reason, taking longer than she expected.

Lloyd stands quietly. Comfortably enough considering he's in his own home with the others right in the other room. But he also finds himself hesitating for a moment.

Arin, the only one not watching everything play out in slow motion realizes it's up to him to get the ball rolling. “She says she needs help-” he steps to the side gesturing between them.

Hikari nods quickly, stepping forward “yes sorry. Hello, My name is Hikari.” she offers her hand.

Lloyd blinks. Eyes on the small tilt of her smile. he takes her hand. “Lloyd.”

She squeezes his hand once before letting go “Perfect. Just who I was looking for.” and breathes out part of the anxiety shes been holding onto for hours.

Now Lloyd knows tonight isn't going to play out how he hoped. But for whatever reason he’s not so bothered by it. After all he doesnt feel so tired anymore. “Really? Ok, what can we help you with?”

She swallows and starts to explain. "...back home, the merge caused our kingdom's very important tree to be damaged. The roots had shifted and broken. It wasn't a big deal at first– I mean no one could notice, until our last year of farming. When the harvest came it was the worst we’ve ever had. And that's what made us realize the tree was dying.”

Lloyd nods while feeling a little guilty to find out about another issue the merge had caused.

“This tree is our main pollinator, the roots spread through the entire kingdom and fertilizes our farms. The tree dies, or farms die. And we use it for more than that, the leaves and petals for medicine and tea and preserving food. Not just for us but for our dragons too. Most royal ceremonies and events are held there. Wonderful things that are a big part of our culture. It’s very important to us and the kingdom would never be the same without it.”

Lloyd still doesn't realize what he’s supposed to do about that. He doesn't even understand why shes put in so much effort to come in person and tell him this. But this is an entie kingdom's source of life it seems. It’s important. He nods again ready to hear her out.

Arin is listening too but more focused on Lloyd whose doing that thing where he’s quiet but not in the peaceful way. Quite and focused, where he’s thinking so hard his pupils are dilating. Or at least that must be what's happening. Arin doesn't want to get in the way with any questions yet so he looks back to hikari.

she shifts on her feet, looking over Lloyd's polite(?) demeanor wondering if this is making any sense. She brushes her palm over her knuckles before pulling them apart to continue explaining.

“Point is, we’ve spent months doing all we could think of to get the tree back to good health but even with the roots recovering, it's missing something. like it’s missing the spark it once had… and so, the reason I’m here and asking you for help..”

She steps closer seeing the curious look on Lloyd's face grow.

“It's because, well, your grandfather was the first spinjistu master, right? and that tree was a gift to us. To our realm. When it was one. He named it the realm of light. He planted the tree. He had the elemental power of energy, and now you have that so…I’m thinking maybe you can just…kinda wake it up or something?”

Lloyd shakes his head and blinks “He did?”

Arin leans towards Lloyd and slowly shrugs “you did say Wu wasn’t the type to mention universally important stories until they came up”

He turns to arin with a tired but fond smirk “True.”

He reaches towards hikari “The thing is as far as I know that’s not really how my powers work..”

“Have you ever tried?”

“…well no”

She smiles softly at his answer “would you be up to?”

“Yeah?” He shrugs and returns her expression, surprised at how easy his answer came out “yeah if theres a chance it helps of course…”

She grins squeezing her hands together “Thank you.”

Lloyd steps closer “but…you say the realm was named the realm of light. Shouldn't we be looking for the elemental master of light?”

She shakes her head “I am the elemental master of light” and lays out her hands to show them.

The way they glow leaves no room for denial but he doesn't understand.

He looks around lost “But Mr. pale is the elemental master of light..”

She raises an eyebrow “Mr. who now?”

Lloyd tilts his head “Y-You know- He turns invisible?” and can't figure out how to gesture that.

She brings a hand to her chin and shakes her head “I can’t do that…”

He sighs looking up “oh Wu, why wouldn’t you ever just explain- uh-”

She waves her hands smoothing out the air “It's ok, we’re not trying to make the tree invisible, it just needs energy. Just you. I’m sure.” She smiles, convinced Lloyd is all this needs.

He softens and listens as she goes on.

“It might really be so much easier than we’re all imagining because believe me everyone back home is so disappointed and all the farmers are kinda terrified- so if it turns out all you need to do is kick it like a vending machine, well that would just be..”

she smiles again looking to the side, getting distracted by the sound of the others in the dining room, loudly lost in conversation and digging in. She shuffles her hands searching for the word.

Lloyd tips his head grinning “anticlimactic?”

She huffs a little laugh “yeah sure” and shrugs one shoulder “not worth stressing over is what I mean but I like your definition better.”

“Well ok then, I guess it shouldn't be too much trouble for me to come along and kick your tree. How far is…where did you say you were from?”

“Oh yes- Solaria, it took me two days, I came on my dragon she’s outside.”

Lloyd freezes. Where have I heard that name before? Ok ok not the time to focus on that…

He turns his head at the sound of Kai cracking another dumb joke that someone inevitably burts at and starts a chain. hopefully they haven't already all finished their food. Knowing Lloyd’s family though, they like seconds.

“Lloyd?” His focus is pulled back by Arin who's just been standing quietly the whole time watching their conversation like a tennis match and knowing dang well they started to forget he was there.

“Ok lets go uh discuss this with the rest, see who wants to join.” Lloyd smiles Then leans in a bit more towards hikari. “…Hungry?”