Hidden Away || Ninjago AU

S:2; Ch:20

"Misako, welcome," Wu stated as Misako walked into the room. The ninjas were surprised and curious as to why she was there. It wasn't every day they met with the famous Lady Iron Dragon. Water could barely contain her excitement.

"Thank you, Wu," Misako said. She looked at Garmadon, who then immediately left his seat for her. "I hope you're going to explain everything to me properly."

"What's going on?" Red whispered to the others.

"Are you asking us?" Blue whispered back.

"Well..."

"I think this might be bigger than we thought," Orange whispered, "The Lady Iron Dragon is here for FSM's sake."

"Yeah, isn't she amazing?!" Water whispered happily, "Look how tense the room became once she stepped in. I wish I were like her."

"Now's not the time to daydream, Water," Wind said, "You can wish for that after the time has passed."

Water shot Wind a glare.

Wind shrugged.

"Why is she here?" The person's voice echoed quietly across the room.

"Is he talking about me? Where is he anyway?" Misako looked around.

"I thought we had a deal." He appeared in front of Wu. His face wasn't visible with the hoodie he had on, but it was clear he wasn't happy.

"The deal has changed," Wu said as he stood up. "Maybe next time, don't hide something as big and heavy as the essence of evil."

" . . . "

"The essence of evil?" Misako wondered. Then she gasped.

"Why am I craving popcorn right now?" Orange whispered to the other ninjas.

"Same," Black whispered back.

"Firstly," Garmadon said. "Brother, calm down. Secondly, everyone, this strange person is my son."

The room turned silent. The shock was apparent on everyone's faces. Misako was the most shocked. Her face was also filled with confusion.

"Koko," Garmadon continued hurriedly. He had no intention of letting his wife, and students misunderstand the situation. "He is your son too. You gave birth to him though you don't remember anything."

Garmadon looked to Wu for help. Wu had his head turned away.

"... h... how old is he?" Misako asked. Anyone could tell she was finding it hard to process.

"I'm... not sure," Garmadon said, "I don't remember much about him."

"He's-"

A dark shadow enveloped Sensei Wu before he could finish his statement. He found himself inside a dark empty space with Lloyd right before him. The only light was a golden light that emitted from a band around the two of their wrists.

"-eighteen..." Wu ended.  He wasn't the least bit startled by this sudden change of environment. He was expecting it even.

"Stop telling them things about me. You said you would get me what I wanted in exchange for me telling you things. I fulfilled my end."

"And I'll fulfill mine," Wu said, "Didn't I say I needed to reintroduce you to the ninja? They are the ones getting what you want."

"All that's fine, but why is she here?"

"Your mother can't know you exist?"

"No, uncle. She can't. You weren't supposed to know. My father wasn't supposed to know. She wasn't supposed to know."

"Clear this darkness bubble. I have plenty to discuss with all of them this evening about you."

"Do you even plan on giving me what I'm here for? If not, let me leave. Don't waste any more time."

"Lloyd, I can't let you leave. Not again. We will resolve this situation."

"Don't call me -sigh- there's nothing to resolve. Give me what I want, and let me go. Or let me go right now."

Wu shut his eyes for a moment and sighed. He opened them and stared intensely at his nephew. Lloyd wasn't paying any attention and seemed to be thinking of something.

"Nephew," Wu said finally, "Must you take this path?"

"Is there anything wrong with the path I'm on?" Lloyd's voice sounded almost half-hearted. However, Wu could tell there was something more to that statement.

"Maybe not as you see it, but there is a better path. A path with family and friends who want to help you. We have been and will always be here. You don't have to deal-"

Lloyd scoffed before bursting into a fit of laughter. This caught the old master by surprise. When Lloyd quietened down, the entire space was filled with an uncomfortable silence.

"L-"

"DON'T! Don't say that name!" Lloyd's sudden outburst caught even himself by surprise. He held his head and walked a bit.

"Why you don't want us calling you by your name? It's your name."

"That's not anything important. I'm taking you back."

"Is it really nothing important, nephew?"

"I said it's nothing important. Stop trying to care. We're past that."

"What?"

"Don't act oblivious. Telling me I have family and friends who have always been and will be there, would've never worked. Not back then and definitely not now."

"What are you saying, nephew? All of them back there are-"

"They are nothing to me," Lloyd's voice came across as cold. Wu watched and listened cautiously as he felt the atmosphere around him slightly change.

"If you're referring to the mother who left me behind to go exploring, the father who turned me into his experiment, or those ninjas that bullied me the entire time they knew me, then you are sorely mistaken."

"Your mother didn't-"

"Yes, I know she didn't go exploring," Lloyd cut in, "You and she were searching for a cure to the venom that affected my father. It's too bad she only returned when I was 16. That's like 8 to 10 years since she left, right?"

"You have to understand, nephew," Wu stated, "These kinds of things take time."

"I spent 8 to 10 years in a boarding school overrun by naughty kids, being experimented on by my father, and being Ninjago's most infamous outcast. I completely understand."

Wu couldn't find the words to say. He had already realized all this earlier, but hearing the words left him mute.

"Are you doing all this because of the poor decisions made by two adults? Please, reconsider. If it's an apology-"

"I don't want something like that. You already know what I want."

"Nephew, I know you must have been through so much before all this, but you don't have to be anymore. We've made mistakes, but we can make up for them."

"Or you could let me go. We can each continue to live the peaceful lives we have."

"N-"

Wu found himself back where he was standing before. He looked around and saw that the ninjas had fanned out.

"Sensei!" Blue said. He noticed Wu from the stairs where he and Black stood, "Where did you go?! You just disappeared."

"Yeah, we thought Green Bean had kidnapped you!" Black said. He turned from where he stood and walked over to meet Wu. The other ninjas saw this and went to meet Wu as well.

"Green what? Nevermind. Where is my brother? And Misako?"

"They're talking inside the small room," Water said, "Sensei Garmadon said to tell you to meet them when you're back."

"Not yet," Wu said, "There's something I have to discuss with you, ninjas."