Ninjago Oneshots

Growing Up

From the horizon, the sun's warming rays glimmered over Ninjago City, outlining buildings and streets with its smiling glow. While the people slept, the cosmos seemed to hold it up proudly like a masterpiece, presenting its beauty to anyone who will witness it. While the ninja slept, Sensei Garmadon sat upon a cliff near the monastery, reflecting. His deep thought prevented a distant approaching figure from grazing his senses until it had landed upon the cliff's edge skillfully from above. After a startle, the sensei smiled his greeting.
"It's a nice view, isn't it?" Lloyd said, sitting down next to his father.
"It's beautiful," he commented.
For several moments, the two enjoyed the company of the morning sunlight and each other's comfortable silence. Without redirecting his gaze from the city, Lloyd spoke first.
"I've been coming here a lot recently. I'm not sure why."
"The early morning is the best time for meditation, and meditation comes easiest in times of peace. That's why I'm here," Garmadon responded.
His words dissipated among birdsong and faint skittering. His thoughts, after some time, had begun to lead him down a lengthy, troubled path. He looked down with concern. His son acknowledged it with a face of sympathy. Several seconds passed before he could meet his gaze. He sighed.
"I'm so proud of you, Lloyd," he said.
Slightly taken aback, Lloyd tilted his head a bit.
"I have this specific memory of you when you were a baby. It was one of the last times I saw you before I succumbed to evil. I had tried whittling a few toys for you, some animals and people, and when I finished them, I set you on the floor, and pulled each one out of a bag one by one," he chuckled a bit, "and you were terrified of every single one. Looking back, they were probably sharp enough to cut you, so it was good judgment, but then, I was just getting frustrated. I kept putting them closer, trying to get you to like them, but it didn't work. And y'know what you did? When you felt unsafe, you crawled straight for me. You would grab at my arms and force me to hold you, even when I put the things between us."
He looked at Lloyd with a pitiful paternal fondness that he could only return an awkward concern to. He continued.
"And I tell you that because for the longest time that was the image I had of you in my head. When I became ruler of the underworld, when I came back to Ninjago, or found myself, or joined the departed realm, when I was summoned back, then found myself again- during all that time, Lloyd, you were still this little thing to me."
He struggled.
"I didn't realize you were growing up."
Lloyd broke his gaze for a moment, pensively staring into a middle distance. With a sigh, he glanced down. Garmadon rested a hand on his shoulder. His voice sagged with regret.
"I know I've been weird since I broke out of my Oni form. I selfishly assumed that for all these years, you were just waiting for me to come back, so that I could start raising you again."
With a deep, even breath, his son sighed.
"I tried."
His voice was so gentle that it seemed the slightest disturbance would shatter it entirely.
"Oh, son."
He pulled him in for a hug. No such words existed that could describe what he had taken from him. Lloyd pulled away first, yet he met his eyes again.
"You've become so much more than anyone could've ever expected from you."
He smiled something small, shifting uncomfortably.
"There's always something left to learn."
As his tone communicated a resistant optimism, his eyes desolately pleaded for it to be true.
"Of course," Garmadon said with factual assurance, "and that means more training for you."
To his relief, Lloyd's smile seemed lighter this time. He finally focused back to the sun, now fully raised above the horizon.
"Can't wait," he said simply.