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Lloyd stepped out of the monastery with a mug of warm tea in his hands. As he entered the cool night air, he lifted a hand to his face, wiping at a stray tear track leftover from crying earlier. He wondered how much longer he could go on like this. It had been almost three weeks since he’d woken up alone outside the monastery following that big, unnatural storm that tore through Ninjago. He still didn’t know what had become of the others, but when no one else showed up at the monastery after the first few days, he’d begun to fear the worst.
He didn’t know what else to do. He’d torn through every half-destroyed scroll in Wu’s study, but nothing had given him any hints as to what could have happened to the others in that strange tempest, nor how he alone had ended up back in the monastery. He’d tried checking long-range communications but had found their whole computer system to have seemingly been reset with it only connecting to internal functions like doors and security cameras. With no vehicles available to him and the area and town surrounding the base of the mountain completely unfamiliar, it had seemed like the best course of action was to wait and hope the other ninja found their way back home. After all, it was basic survival logic when people got lost to make their way to a familiar landmark where they knew they’d be found.
However, Lloyd could tell the uncertainty, stress and isolation were starting to get to him. What if he waited months and still never saw another person show up? What if he tried looking for them and someone arrived at the monastery while he was gone? What if there was no one out there trying to find their way back here at all? What if he really was the only survivor?
It was exactly this sort of emotional downward spiral that had prompted Lloyd to seek out some fresh air and hopefully prevent another nervous breakdown. He figured anything would help him better than curling into the beds of his lost siblings while sobbing into the sheets for hours on end.
He had just settled down on the monastery steps outside and taken a sip of tea when something caught his eye. His body froze and his eyes widened in disbelief at the sight before him. His mug clattered to the ground, the drink forgotten as he rushed down the steps. After weeks of no outside contact of any kind, the sight of the Destiny’s Bounty anchored down in the monastery courtyard was enough to raise Lloyd’s spirits as much as it did put him on edge.
Lloyd wasted no time as he quietly climbed up the ship's anchor chain, peeking over the edge when he reached the top. Seeing no one, he pulled himself up and over the railing, his feet landing silently upon the wood. He continued to scan the Bounty’s upper deck while cautiously making his way toward the helm, searching and listening for any signs of life.
So far, he could detect no one on board other than himself, but Lloyd wasn’t convinced. There was no way the Bounty could have drifted here on its own, much less lay anchor. The most likely case scenario was that it had been found or hijacked by someone after it got lost in the storm. Knowing his luck, it was probably someone with bad intentions. The fact that whoever it was had piloted it to the monastery of all places meant that they likely knew what this place was—and who would be here.
Lloyd shoved away the flickering hope of it possibly being a lost family member finally come home. He’d spent too much time mourning their loss during the past few days to give in to such a fragile hope that easily. Besides, if it really was one of the other ninja, wouldn’t they have announced their presence by now?
What if it was a past enemy coming to seek revenge? Or some villain gang trying to take possession of the monastery in the ninja’s absence? An animalistic growl rose up in Lloyd’s throat at the thought of some no good lowlife thinking they could steal his family’s ship and invade his family’s home just because the rest of the ninja weren’t here anymore. Over my dead body, he thought grimly.
Lloyd reached the top of the short staircase leading to the helm only to stop as he detected the sound of faint footsteps. They were coming from somewhere to his left, within the shadow cast by the control bridge. He remained in place, setting his gaze on the steering wheel as he pretended not to hear what was now approaching him from behind. He could tell by the sound that whoever it was was trying to sneak up on him. Luckily, whoever it was hadn’t taken into account his sensitive hearing.
He waited until the being was just out of striking distance before spinning into spinjitzu, grabbing the figure, and tossing them over the helm’s railing and down onto the main deck. Before they could recover, Lloyd charged up his element in a fist—acting more on instinct than anything else—and leapt off the same railing, intending to bring it down upon the prone intruder.
As he fell down toward the figure, he caught sight of their face as they flipped onto their back. His heart skipped a beat and he came up short, dismissing his element and nearly falling over in his attempt not to hurt his brother.
Because it was Kai. Kai, his family, and one whom he’d begun to think he’d never see again. Pure joy and relief began to bubble up inside of him. However, it never made it to the surface as Lloyd noticed the Fire Ninja’s expression.
Fear. Cold, hard fear mixed with an underlying drive to defend himself was plastered across Kai’s face and he was staring at Lloyd like he was the most horrifying beast he’d ever seen. For a split second, Lloyd had his own moment of terror as he wondered if, in his sudden burst of aggression, he’d unintentionally awakened some of his darker heritage and altered his appearance.
He didn’t have enough time to fully process the idea, however, as the fear in Kai’s eyes was soon replaced by white-hot fury. Both of Kai’s feet suddenly met with Lloyd’s chest in a hard kick that sent the Green Ninja flying back before landing hard on the deck.
Lloyd looked up, shocked at the sudden turn of events, and barely had enough time to roll to the side in order to dodge a direct hit from Kai’s sword.
Scrambling to his feet, Lloyd faced the other ninja, fear grappling with confusion as he cried out in desperation, “Wait, Kai, it’s me Llo-” he was cut off as he was forced to dodge another swipe of Kai’s sword, the metal blade now alight with elemental fire (since when could he do that!?).
“Please, Kai, just listen!” Lloyd tried again, backing up to put some distance between him and the crazed fire ninja. “It’s me! It’s Lloyd!”
Kai growled in frustration and squinted his eyes shut as if trying to block out the sound of Lloyd’s voice. “Stop it! I know you’re lying!” He choked out. His voice was harsh and raspy as if it hadn’t been used in days, but it was still Kai’s voice, Lloyd was sure of it.
“I’m not. I promise it’s me, Kai. I’m sorry I attacked you, I didn’t realize who you were. Just… try to calm down,” he pleaded, holding up his hands and taking a tentative step toward his brother, who was looking more and more like a cornered animal. Kai noticed the movement and raised his sword with both hands, pointing it directly at Lloyd.
“Stay back! You’re not him! I won’t be tricked again!” He was breathing hard, and his eyes locked on Lloyd with a fiery intensity. He seemed to be fighting an internal battle, and Lloyd could see that somewhere in there, Kai wanted to believe that the person in front of him was who they appeared to be. So why couldn’t he?
Lloyd obliged in taking a step back, and for the first time got a good look at Kai’s appearance. His brother’s normally styled, spiky hair was messy and unkempt, and his whole body was covered in dirt and grime. His pupils were dilated and his eyes had a general wild look about them. The tattered gi he wore hid his frame, but Lloyd could see the signs of malnourishment in his shaking limbs, pale face and sunken cheeks. In short, his brother looked like he’d crawled straight out of the mouth of death.
“...What happened, Kai?” Lloyd asked in a soft whisper that was laced with sorrow.
Kai stiffened in surprise. He’d expected the illusion or doppelgänger or whatever it was pretending to be his brother to continue trying to convince him of their identity, or say something in an attempt to get him to lower his guard. Unless it wasn’t a…
Kai tightened his grip on his blade. No. He couldn’t afford to let himself start to believe it, because the second he did, it would only be a matter of moments before he was lured into the disguised beast’s hungry jaws. An image of him wading into deep water where he would drown before his body could be devoured by what lay beneath the surface flashed before his mind.
And yet, he couldn’t shake the possibility that maybe…
After all, it had been a couple days since he’d stumbled upon the Destiny’s Bounty, and he hadn’t come across any other monsters since boarding it and punching in one of the few commands he still knew by heart: return home.
However, that didn’t mean that monsters couldn’t still be prowling this far out, nor did it confirm that the Lloyd in front of him was really his brother. It was too good to be true. The one member of his family which he had the strongest urge to protect and embrace besides his sister just happened to be waiting for him at the place he called home? He didn’t think so. The last time he’d let himself be blinded by his emotions and overwhelming desire to reunite with his family had almost gotten him killed.
Even so, he had to be sure.
“Tell me-” he inhaled sharply as his dry throat stung with the effort of talking. “Tell me something only you would know- but that I wouldn’t!”
The Maybe-Lloyd blinked in confusion before saying, “Wait, shouldn’t it be something that we both know?”
“No, because then you could have just gotten it from my mind!”
“Then how will-”
“Just do it! If you really are him!” he screamed. His hands were shaking as he tried to hold the sword steady, causing the flames on the blade to flicker.
Meanwhile, Lloyd racked his brain, trying to think of what it was that Kai wanted to hear. “Okay, uh… remember that time you wanted to make dinner because Skylor was coming over, but the stir fry was ruined because someone mixed in too much vinegar?”
“That was Cole.”
“No…” Lloyd said, rubbing the back of his neck. “It was me.”
“What? But Cole admitted-”
“He took the blame because he said it would be better for you to get mad at him instead of me, especially while Skylor was over, and it wasn’t like it would’ve been the first time he tried ‘improving’ the food while no one was watching.”
“But- but why would you- ?”
“I wanted to get back at you for ignoring me for the few days leading up to the dinner because you wouldn’t stop talking about Skylor. It was childish, I know, and I’m not proud of it, but I mean, it was a really long time ago, and-”
“W-where are the others?” Kai asked in a shaky voice, fighting to maintain his composure.
They’re here, just come inside and you’ll see them, was what he half-expected to hear. That’s what someone trying to lure him into a trap would say.
Instead, Lloyd’s face became downcast and he said, “I don’t know. You’re the first person I’ve seen in weeks. I- I thought you might be dead….” The Green Ninja barely managed not to choke on the last word.
Lloyd’s head was bowed and so he didn’t see Kai as he finally lowered his sword.
“Lloyd?” he said in a voice that was so small and yet so full of underlying hope as every fiber of his being both feared and yearned to accept what was standing before him.
Lloyd looked up and nodded. There were tears in his eyes and a small smile fighting to be seen against the sadness. He looked as if he wanted nothing more than to run toward Kai and embrace him but held himself back.
A few seconds passed before the younger ninja slowly began closing the distance between the two. Kai raised his sword again, but it came up slower this time and his stance was more cautious than defensive. Lloyd stopped when his chest was just inches away from the burning blade, his hands raised where the other ninja could see them.
Kai could only stare, searching those familiar green eyes for any hint of deception while a voice in his mind hissed for him to strike down the monster in front of him before it was too late.
But what if it’s not a monster? What if it is Lloyd?
It would be so easy, so quick, a sudden thrust and there would be a pool of blood forming on the ground within seconds.
Would a real monster ever allow itself to be put in mortal danger like this when it could have just attacked already?
“It’s okay,” Lloyd said wetly, pulling Kai away from his thoughts. “If hurting me will help convince you…” he let out a shaky breath, “then do it.”
Kai’s breath caught in his throat. Lloyd forced a smile.
“It’s like I told you once. If it came down to it, I’d trust you with my life any day, because I know that in the end, you’ll always do the right thing.”
Blood was pounding in Kai’s ears as Lloyd was suddenly kneeling on the ground before him, sword point following him along with the red ninja’s gaze. He sat in silence, head bowed, and completely at the Fire Ninja’s mercy.
A second passed…
Then another…
Kai’s sword clattered to the ground, flames extinguished.
Kai dropped to his knees and grabbed the other boy’s shoulders in a hard grasp, finding him to be solid. He began touching Lloyd all over, both to confirm that he was real and to check that he was unharmed as the thought of almost having hurt his baby brother was wreaking havoc on his conscience. He checked his arms, his throat, his hair, his face and then stopped to once again study his eyes, finding them to be bright and familiar, like something from a faded dream yet all too real.
Kai let out a heart-wrenching sob as he dragged his little brother forward into a tight embrace.
“It’s you, it’s really you,” he cried into Lloyd’s shoulder, gripping his little brother’s gi and cupping the back of his head like the other boy might disappear if he let go.
Lloyd could only nod as he hugged his brother back. He was hardly able to believe that the Kai in front of him was real too. He sobbed as well, tears streaming down his face as he tightened his own grip.
For a while, both brothers simply sat in silence as they cried in each other’s arms.
Later, they would have to talk about everything that had happened since they got separated following the mysterious storm. Kai would need to get dragged into the kitchen before he collapsed of hunger or exhaustion. Lloyd would have to reevaluate the possibility of the rest of their family being alive, and they would have to figure out how they were going to move forward.
However, for the time being, all either one could think about was the moment they were currently in. At that moment, the rest of the world, the world of loneliness and hardship that they had both endured to different degrees since losing each other, was nothing more than a faded dream.
Kai had done it, he’d found his way home. They’d found each other. And right now, that was all either of them needed.