#but all of these aus are greenflower aus

[twigs-sprigs]

You

I’m throttling you

YOU CANT JUST PUT A PERFECTLY GOOD ANGSTY AU CONTINUATION AND N O T ELABORATE

Void

The darklies kids

Hngn

Ok but honest question sorry for being stoopid is the darklies kids group sometbing that happens after the initial “final” battle in the PA au? And how do they meet Lloyd?

If these four are the focus of the continuing PA au, then are the other ninja just off doin their own thing?

Again sorry if this sound stupid I am… actually stupid

HHUDWJDW I HOPE THIS CLEARS UP ANY CONFUSION I MAY HAVE CAUSED ON PA AND RPA. your questions aren't stupid at all!!! as for your questions! yes! the darkleys kids do end up taking the main role in pa for the time being (part 2). after the "final" battle of part 1, lloyd is found to be alive and rescued by zane, who helps him keep a low profile. lloyd meets brad because he's a barista at the coffee shop lloyd frequents, brad takes a liking to lloyd (unknowing of his troubled past) and lloyd meets sally and gene thru brad. things somewhat go downhill from there. the ninja take a step back as they are kidnapped by the overlord-possessed brad in part 2, but they return to the focus in the part 3 i have yet to work on. and about the three aus, i do *not* plan to make them all into fics or anything like that, as that would be way too challenging for me and i simply do not have the time to do so, as passionate i am about them, and as much as i'd love to. i would be happy to post about them from time to time though! like, little bits and pieces. you can send asks about them, but i do not guarantee an answer all the time, as making long written posts about it all proves very exhausting! not to say i wouldn't love to see any questions you all have! it's just that i can't exactly say for sure i'll answer each and every one! (still would love to see tho!! :D) hope this clears stuff up! (OH! and also!! P.A. and the two R.P.A.s both have tags! if you want to look through i'll leave them both (the rpas share a tag) down there, but remember that most of the info about pa is unreliable, since i have changed a lot about the au since i made a majority of the posts about it)

transparent stickers under the cut!!!

[astro-nomaly]

Things Brad Tudabone has done, as just a Regular Dude, in my new Sword and Shield AU, not in chronological order:

Found out a legendary magic sword was actually a demigod

Was immediately super attracted to said demigod sword

Stayed at an abandoned monastery for a week just to spend time with the demigod sword

Decided “fuck it why not” and went on a cross-continental journey to round up a bunch of elemental masters

Learned how to use a dozen different weapons without actually needing to

Fought an Oni general, won

Fought Garmadon, won

Did one of those boss rush/tower rush things, won

Used the green element bc he got a demigod to fall in love with him

Punched Kai in the face

Climbed the worlds tallest mountain bc there MIGHT be a sword at the top

Broke a 50 year curse with, and I am not joking, the power of love

Also, I’m not lying. He isn’t an elemental master, he can’t do Spinjitzu, he isn’t half Oni or dragon or a formling or anything. Brad is literally just Some Guy

[bonefall]

are the descendants of Thistleclaw treated any different for their ancestor basically coming up with a violent right-ist philosophy? Is there any expectations for them to "take up the mantle" or smth?

Not at all; Thistleclaw's only child was Whitestorm, who was notoriously distant from him. As soon as he was an apprentice, he was spending time elsewhere.

Shocking! Controlling, violent, petty founder of Thistle Law makes a bad parent!

BB!Whitestorm speaks about him like a politician when it comes up. "Brutus was an honorable man," type grindset. He is also a bit older than Tigerpaw, Redpaw, and Spottedpaw. He was just graduating or already a young warrior; Thistleclaw had already given up to focus on Tigerpaw.

Sorreltail, Rainwhisker, and Sootfur consider themselves Whitekin in honor of their father, who considered himself Bluekin.

It would have been wise for Whitestorm to handle Bramblepaw. But unfortunately, Fireheart's paranoia won out.

Thornclaw might have tried it with one of his nespring, had Firestar not utterly punished him for his "mixed clan" stunt. But, circumstances have lead to Tigerkin cats being associated more strongly with inheriting Thistle Law as a legacy.

[srwgrin]

HEAR ME OUT…

GREENFLOWER AU BUT SETTING IS THE NINJAGO HIGH SCHOOL MOVIE AND THE NINJAS ARE SOULMATES (platonic) AND THEYVE ALL SLOWLY STARTED REVEALING THEIR IDENTITIES TO EACH OTHERRER EXCEPT LLOYD

and because lloyd is so dead set on hiding his identity he usually deals with his injuries by himself or hides them and one day BRAD (from a different school) stumbles upon him in an alley or smthg and they become best ish friends. brad helps him when he can and all that jazz and he’s the only one who knows everything abt lloyd for a while.

so like the greenflower is minor. platonic ninjas soulmatism is major. but they make my heart hurt.

[askthatoneanacondraikaiguy]

Hi!! Im really curious about your opinion on lavashiping! Becouse i personally really like it but i want to see your perspective of it.

Thats all! Have a nice day/night!!

I like Lavashipping too! I honestly like most Ninjago ships (I don't really get Greenflower but I do think it's cute), I've been a multi-shipper for most fandoms I've been in. The varied dynamics between all the characters mean that each relationship would be different in a romantic sense and I find that very interesting in different ways. Like, a romantic relationship between Kai and Skylor would be very different from a romantic relationship between Nya and Skylor or Kai and Cole, especially in the Permanent Anacondrai AU.

While I've talked a lot about the relationship between Kai and Skylor in the Anacondrai AU, I don't think about them in romantic terms in this AU. They're friends, bonded by a shared traumatic event and their shared ways of dealing with it. Kai is one of Skylor's first real friends, since her dad controlled so much of her life for so long. In this AU, Skylor is a good influence on Kai, because she's doesn't have the same expectations of Kai that his friends do and she is able to draw him into doing things like trying on new clothes and foods that may be different to them now that they're Anacondrai.

Even without an added layer of them being romantic, it's a very fun and interesting relationship to explore. (It's helped me work out some more aspects of my HCs for Skylor's childhood too)

No ship is, like, "canon" in this AU to me, simply because that would exclude other relationships and other interesting dynamics, and the platonic relationships are already full of story and angst potential.

That doesn't mean I'm against any of the shipping stuff though. I love it and I'll happily engage with it.

[greenflowerceo]

Hi so just wondering, how does the greenflower ship work? Is Lloyd still aged up or did he aged normally. And if he did get aged up wouldn't there be like a big age gap between the two?

I'm not hating or anything I like this ship alot but I was just wondered how it works. Sorry if you already answered this kind of qns already

typically, in my aus, lloyd doesn't get tomorrow's tea so he grows with brad and stuff

for canon compliant lloyd, i have a headcanon for it, and i'm aware that not everyone may have the same thing and i completely understand, but i do view the effects of the tea differently

i don't think a tea can alter his mind entirely to be whatever the age his body grew into. sure, he started acting all mature, but i just think he feels the weight of the prophecy and tried his best to act accordingly

he's still some lost kid who was JUST kicked out of school a while ago. i'd like to think the tea just affected his body but it completely freezes until he reaches that age. like his hair, fingernails, and other things completely stop growing ( ˙▿˙ )

literally just looks the same but he develops throughout the years mentally and slowly fit into his body's sudden growth

same with how when the ninja got turned into kids, they still had their memories and, even if they indulged in "childish" things, they were still the same until their bodies got back to normal

so he's still relatively the same age-wise with his classmates from darkleys!

i never thought that he got fully aged up, but if i did, i would have never shipped him with brad (＃￣0￣)

(ah, what i also mean by "fully aged up" is that like, i don't think the tea changed him entirely to be as psychologically developed as an adult is, so he's still a kid, just in a taller body)

[legendsoffandoms]

Thinking about two Lloyd Dr aus rn

1. Is like a mercenary/bounty hunter(though he refuses to hunt dragons and oni) instead of staying at the monastery, because he needs money to buy food and supplies. So he starts doing bounty and/or letting people hire him. Though he doesn’t do jobs that kill people and/pr creatures at first, but over time he slowly starts taking them. But he only kills people who he thinks deserve it, so he’s a relatively good guy. He also doesn’t take jobs from clearly bad people, and doesn’t go through with a job once he realizes the person who hired him is bad.

But he still ends up finding Arin and Sora(and Ryu), and becomes their dad :). But oh no, he finds the ninja. And they aren’t supportive of the whole job, so that’s a big plot point. Oh and maybe Imperial (or however you spell it) try and hire Lloyd, another plot point. Arin and Soea get nervous thinking he’ll accept. Blah blah angst

He also looks like a bad ass, has horns because yes. Though his long hair hides it, because coolness. The kiddos love putting his hair up to reveal his horns and side shave. Oh, he also has dragon features like ears and a tail that he hides.(Fun fact: I gc them as dark green and black because his oni side is gold and purple. And I want them to be opposites but also really not)

Also the reason to me why he could not stay the monastery despite still being dumped there, is because he is traumatized. He doesn’t want to be in the place where he lived with his family. Because honestly, he doesn’t even know if they’re alive. And that thought alone convinced him to find somewhere else, now he didn’t settle far. In cause he did find the Ninja, but he hadn’t touch the place since he packed up his things and left. Just random check up’s to make sure no one tried to stay there. (This is just my hc for this au, you can have a different reason or him just not landing there at all. I honestly don’t mind if you don’t like the reason and go for something else, whatever you feel is right)

2. Is like an au where the events of the merge happen a lot sooner, and at the end of crystallized I hc Lloyd as 16(which is says on the fandom wiki but idk if that’s cannon or not). So instead of being in his early 20s Lloyd is like 14.

Because this happens before seabond, so Lloyd is 14. And trying to navigate the world(now to make this au line up, Arin and Sora are gonna be a bit older than they would be. So like 8-10)

And now Lloyd is a dad with two kids and a baby dragon, he has no idea what to do. And is on the verge of a meltdown 24/7 like dr Lloyd is.

Oh and he hasn’t unlocked his oni powers yet cause of the timeline, so angst anyone??

There’s my aus, do what you will with this lol

And have fun out there! Oh and I would love if someone would rope in Greenflower/Forgiven Shipping in to these aus, I don’t feel like it cause I gtg write chp. 2 of my Greenflower fanfic. Which is based off a ninjago hc post I saw lol

Anyways have fun! And be safe with these traumatized kiddos

[iunpackmyadjectives]

A Ninjago Heathers AU Idea

I adore Heathers with my whole soul(candy store, meant to be yours, dead girl walking and seventeen all ended up on my top songs of 2023 playlist for context), and I love ninjago with my whole soul(70k words of fics in my Google docs, so many hours spent reading and drawing for it, and multiple cosplays), so naturally I want to combine them. But I(probably)don’t have the patience for writing all that, so the skeleton of it is landing here

Cast:

Veronica: Lloyd

JD: Harumi(but like she’s the perfect JD change my mind)

H. Chandler: Kai

H. Duke: Cole

H. McNamara: Jay

Kurt and Ram: Nya and Skylor

Martha: Brad Tudabone

Ms Fleming: Dareth(it just…I don’t think I need to explain it)

Notes:

If you can’t tell, the whole thing is gender bent. tinylifeboat123 has a lovely gender bent Heathers au I used for inspiration/reference 

And to clarify it’s still set in 1989

Okay but Kai definitely gives Heather Chandler. Like he would be popular, a mythic bitch, and sing lead in candy store

Similarly, I think Jay would make a great Heather MacNamera. Also, this would be a Gordon situation, as he is loaded because his dad’s an actor

Look, Llorumi isn’t a popular or generally liked ship(for good reason, I don’t ship them at all when it comes to canon), but idk to me they fit for Veronica and JD??? Like, especially Rumi being JD? She already blew up a building and murdered people in canon

Give me big fun at the Smith house please

Dead Girl Walking would play out differently specifically because I hc Lloyd as hella ace. It still ends in him and Rumi becoming official, but no sex

Blue would also play out differently since Nya is taken(yes by Jay) and Skylor just had her bf(?) die. They would try to convince him to do stuff with a girl(probably Akita but it doesn’t really matter), and when he refuses they spread a rumor that he said no because he’s gay. Cue Rumi using an uno reverse card in Our Love is God(idk maybe a mention about how they both are queer but the world doesn’t love them for who they are and people saying stuff like that are the problem?)

Dead Gay Son could go whatever way you want, but I would probably have it be about scruffshipping(Dareth/Ronin) because I hc Ronin as becoming Nya’s functional uncle post season 5

The dead trio would have a lot more dynamics with each other, considering there’s a pair of best friends, a couple(?), and a pair of siblings(something something Kai and Nya could have been the older siblings Lloyd never had something something)

I definitely could see Dareth leading shine a light. Seems like a very in-character thing for him to do.

Give me Jay having a breakdown over how he rides the bus because all his rides to school are dead. Give me Jay singing lifeboat. Give me Lloyd stopping Jay from doing that one thing in the bathroom. I need it. I NEED it.

The kindergarten boyfriend was Lloyd. He didn’t die, but he has so strongly left Brad behind that in his eyes he might as well have. This also makes the line “I’m so sorry” sooo much worse

Is 90% of this au just for the last 5 songs? Absolutely. They just fit the Llorumi dynamic. Like Lloyd realizes that she is crazy and her being stopped is far more than their relationship being saved. Does Lloyd wish they could have work out? Yes. Does he still try to save her until the very last second? Yes. Is there remorse from both parties? Yes. But in the end she's “beaten fair and square” and dies, and there isn’t a shoved in rushed redemption arc I’m looking at you Crystalized you butchered my girl.

Greenflower in beautiful(reprise)? Maybe a kiss???

[finn-m-corvex]

Masterpost!

Brand new and shiny masterpost! Let's see what I can do!

Ao3 Fics

Would You Like To Enter Prime Empire? - My rewrite of Prime Empire! Words: 53k Chapters: 4/16

Survivors - Jay and Lloyd bonding over survivor's guilt Words: 17k Chapters: 3/3

Blue Goes Boom - Rewrite of the later parts of S4 if Jay had actually gotten injured when the mech blew up Words: 14.1k Chapters: 2/?

Even the Earth Trembles - Cole angst involving touch starvation after DotD! Words: 7.2k Chapters: 1/2

Hugs When You're Blue - Collection of smaller things involving Jay getting hugs from the others! Written for @/sharksandjays based on his incredible artwork here! Words: 6.7k Chapters: 1/1

Mechanical Hearts - My college Jaya AU! Cole and Jay are adopted brothers, and shenanigans ensue when Cole has to play matchmaker between a lovesick Jay and an oblivious Nya! Words: 13.6k Chapters: 2/?

Blue and Green Make Aquamarine - first Greenflower fic! Written as a gift for @/phantombasketofmuffins for Han's Secret Santa event! Words: 4k Chapters: 1/1

Tumblr Fics / Snippets

Sounding Sea - Jay angst revolving around Edgar Allan Poe's poem Annabelle Lee! Very proud of this one! Words: 1.8k

Someone You Loved - songfic with Someone You Loved by Lewis Capaldi and Jaya mixed together. Has the MondotheBombo seal of approval! Words: 2k

Shopping for Wires - Snippet from Ch3 of my rewrite! Probably won't understand unless you've read it. Written as a request for @/juniperjellyfish! Words: 1.4k

Lightning in a Cubicle - My take on what happened to Jay after the Merge in Dragons Rising (very much an AU) Words: 9.4k Part 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6

Aftershocks - 5+1 series involving Jay and his sensory issues! Words: 3.7k Cole | Nya | Kai | Zane | Lloyd | Jay

Falling Sleeves - Cole fluff and angst over MotO! Words: 4.3k

Headcanons

The hoodie headcanons used to be here but I'm going to redo them so soon to come!

Moodboards

Would You Like To Enter Prime Empire? - here!

Chapter 4 - First Contact Beta Jay-137 | Dee-Jay 081 | Talon - 066

Chapter 5 - Forest of Secrets The Father

Challenges

Jaya Week 2023 - Days 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 Words: 17.6k Find the full version on ao3 here!

Whumptober 2023 - Days 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 31 Words: 68.5k Find the whole version on ao3 here!

Memes

Office Jay memes!

WYTYAA memes! Made for @/mondothebombo

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

PLEASE let me know if I'm missing something super important. I know there were a couple things here and there (esp art-wise) that I'm missing but I either don't have it or I'm going to rework it. This should be all of the fics though!

[likeapro42]

The Forgivenshipping/GreenFlower Language of Flowers AU

(Where I become incredibly self-indulgent and mash like 65% of my headcanons into a single story)

In which Brad was a tad more open about his love of plants to Lloyd. Lloyd isn’t all that interested until Brad reveals the language of flowers. When Lloyd learns about how plants can be used as a secret code, he starts getting into plants, too. Then, Brad and Lloyd start exchanging origami bouquets to talk to each other (because paper is easy to get your hands on; flowers will get you in trouble). Also, they develop mutual crushes, but both don’t know it yet (they’re like ten or eleven).

And then Lloyd gets kicked out. Brad secretly misses his old roommate (can’t get emotional at Darkley’s, or you’ll get eaten alive) and his friendship with Gene gets strained because of how indifferent Gene seems (he isn’t indifferent but, again, Darkley’s. Gene just doesn’t know how to express the warnings of getting too emotional without belittling Brad for being so emotionally open)

Durring Lloyd and Pythor’s joint-attack on Darkley’s, Lloyd places a bouquet of flowers on Brad’s bunk, complimenting the other boy platonically. However, the meanings of the flowers can also be read as romantic. After the attack, Brad reads it as romantic and immediately starts blushing.

Brad definitely presses/preserves those flowers and hides them in a floor board under their shared his bunk

Meanwhile, when Lloyd is adopted by the Ninja, Lloyd immediately wants to create a garden. So, while no one is watching him (due to the Ninja vs Samurai thing), he starts sneaking soil, fertilizer, and seeds on board, in the back corner of a storage room that gets lots of sunlight.

Wu figures this out almost immediately, and he only confronts Lloyd after a few weeks into his stay onboard the Bounty. However, Lloyd is embarrassed (he was taught that liking flowers was shameful all his life, after all), so Lloyd tries to lie about it until Wu start complimenting it. Lloyd finally admits to the garden being his and asks if he can continue taking care of it. Wu agrees, even giving Lloyd money specifically for his garden.

Nya finds out about a week later and asks him about it. Lloyd feels extra defensive and uses his knowledge on Nya being The Steel Samurai to blackmail her into not saying a word. Nya isn’t really intimidated (he’s too small and floofy and addicted to candy to be), but realizes he’s terrified of other people finding out. So she agrees, but only he promises not to say anything about The Steel Samurai in return. They strike a deal and Nya will occasionally help Lloyd out when the boys are gone.

A few more weeks pass and Kai starts to get suspicious. The runt keeps unexpectedly leaving from the boys room in the middle of the night. He must be up to something nefarious!

So Kai using his super ninja stealth to follow Lloyd one night, but instead of an evil plot or a horrible prank, it’s a tiny garden filled with all sorts of flowers and veggies and herbs and-

That’s around the time Lloyd realizes Kai is there and belatedly tries to hide the garden. Lloyd eventually realizes it is futile and Kai asks why Lloyd is hiding such a thing. Lloyd explains (in a manor that is very horrifying, and even worse Lloyd thinks this behavior is normal).

Kai tells Lloyd that the others won’t think less of him for having a garden. Lloyd doesn’t believe him and makes Kai promise not to tell the others. Kai agrees.

When they’re alone a few days later, Kai asks what got Lloyd into gardening in the first place. Lloyd explains with a blush on his face. Kai figures out Lloyd’s crush, but doesn’t let Lloyd know, assuming Lloyd already does (and Lloyd already shared something he viewed as embarrassing to Kai. No need to make it worse by teasing the brat about his super obvious crush).

Maybe throw in a a few instances where the ninja and/or Nya feel crummy (before they know [besides Kai and Nya, of course]) and the mysterious bouquet that appeared on their bed or pillow. Wu translates the first bouquet which leads to everyone rushing the flowers to him in a translation. They start to try and figure out who is leaving the bouquets, but never suspect Lloyd because he’s, well, Lloyd.

A few weeks later, Lloyd gets kidnapped by the serpentine. Kai, after a lot of research, (and enlisting Wu for help,) starts taking care of Lloyd’s garden until Lloyd is found again.

In the process, he bumps into Nya, who is doing the same, and they do the Spider-Man-pointing meme before working together on the garden.

Over time, the other ninja, one by one, stumble upon the garden and Kai swears them all to secrecy (after explaining everything and trying to convey Lloyd’s fucked up thought process. And Kai’s efforts to gain Lloyd’s trust so he can hopefully settle in and be more comfortable/open with everyone else).

That person then also starts helping out with Lloyd’s garden.

Once the last person discovers it, Kai gives up and it’s no longer a secret, so they work together to maintain he garden. Well, until Wu returns with Garmadon.

Kai is already pretty protective of Lloyd due to the unexpected bonding pre!kidnapping, so he makes sure that Garmadon doesn’t even come anywhere near Lloyd’s secret garden. (Kai knows Lloyd looks up to Garmadon [it’s all over his clothes for Pete’s sake!], and Lloyd would be crushed if his father insulted the kid for it. Kai wasn’t about to take that chance.)

Lloyd comes back (like in canon) and, while coming to terms of being the prophesied Green Ninja, he sprints to his safe space: his secret garden. He is immediately in awe of how much all of plants have grown, the expansion of the garden’s size, and all of the new additions.

The ninja and Nya all go to find him and comfort him (after talk of the Fangblades and what to do next), immediately heading to the garden. They reveal who did what and why they helped to take care of the garden. (“Because it’s important to you Lloyd, and your family. Which makes it important to us”). They also thank Lloyd for the amazing bouquets from before and how much it meant to them.

Lloyd cries and they have a huge group hug.

When the group hug breaks, Jay ruins the mood by demanding to learn about the language. Lloyd agrees to start teaching them (he doesn’t really get around to it until Season 2)

When the Ninja head off to steal back the Fangblades, Garmadon finally stumbles upon the garden (thanks to Kai, he thinks that is where some of the ninja’s secrets/weaknesses are hiding) with Lloyd taking care of it.

The two have a heart to heart about how Lloyd isn’t pathetic and how Garmadon will always love him, Green Ninja or not, etc., etc.

(Which makes the stealing of secrets thing that more heart wrenching)

When Garmadon goes to leave, Lloyd begs for him to stay a minute and rushes to the garden to pluck to few flowers to apologize for his outburst earlier as well as saying farewell. Garmadon actually stays (they need a tad bit more closure, TOMMY) and promises to treasure it.

(Lloyd doesn’t know it, but Garmadon presses the bouquet and stores it in a picture frame, now hanging in the old house Garmadon, Lloyd, and Misako used to live in.)

Maybe have a short introspective moment either during “The Day of the Great Devourer” or afterwards, Lloyd’s grief over not only the only home he’s ever known, but the amazing garden he had.

The ninja find out why he’s so upset and promise to help him set up an even better garden that is 10x better in a more permanent location.

(They don’t make good on the promise until after S2)

When they finally move into the crummy apartment: Lloyd buys a few pots and has a small assortment of tiny plants that sit on the windowsill.

As the ninja train Lloyd, Lloyd teaches the ninja the language of flowers.

(He also sneaks a few more pots into the Mojo Dojo)

A few months pass and the Lloyd gets invited to Darkley’s. Lloyd freaks out (but for more than one reason this time), and starts going through his entire collection of plants to debate on which one to give to Brad.

Gene became Brad’s new roommate sometime during S1, btw, because he’s still a bit of a troublemaker and Brad would keep rein him in (the staff doesn’t know that Brad is also a harbinger of chaos and sometimes helps Gene cause trouble). After Brad hears Gene crying at night over missing Lloyd, Brad confronts Gene. They argue, they fight, they emotionally break down, they help each other pick up the pieces, they hug, they forgive each other, they have a better understanding of one another, and the two become besties

When Brad greets the ninja, there is a lot more blushing and stuttering between the two (Brad is a year older and has shot up in height and his voice is deeper and smoother; Lloyd hasn’t grown much, but he has definitely gained some muscle mass)

(Unbeknownst to the two, the ninja are storing the knowledge for later and definitely going to tease Lloyd about this)

(And, unbeknownst to the everyone, part of Gene’s ploy to turn Lloyd back to the “evil” side is to tempt Lloyd with Brad. Gene even makes Brad look his best and forces the kid to greet the Ninja when they first arrive [not that it was that hard to convince Brad]. After all, Gene put together that his two best friends are down bad for each other AGES ago)

When the ninja are packing up to leave, Brad catches Lloyd. Brad gathers some courage and (while blushing profusely) shoves his confession bouquet in Lloyd’s arms. Brad compliments Lloyd for being so brave and pecks Lloyd in the cheek. Brad then quickly thanks Lloyd for believing in him before scurrying away.

Lloyd freezes, putting a hand to his cheek, and that’s when it clicks where he’s in love with Brad. He’s the reddest he’s ever been and walks in a daze back to the others who start teasing and congratulating Lloyd.

Lloyd sends Brad a letter with a couple of pressed flowers and the two awkwardly flirt while talking about hilarious pranks and hijinks the two have in their day to day lives

Unfortunately, Lloyd never has a chance to really act on his feelings because he suddenly finds himself half a decade older and far more responsibilities on his shoulders.

Add a scene where the baby!ninja prove who they say they are by shouting out flowers names which roughly translate to (trust us, we’re your friends, just younger)

Lloyd tells Brad this through a letter, so the two remain friends (while secretly mourning what could’ve been)

From here on out, it’s training, training, training for Lloyd with a smattering of interruptions in between of:

Letters between Lloyd and Brad that are much more stilted and platonic

Lloyd dealing with speedrunning puberty

Lloyd dealing with the stress of the situation via frantically planting

Brad definitely sneaks out of Darkley’s (with a reluctant Gene) to give Lloyd a send off to the Dark Island

The rest of the story I have “plotted out” is just an assortment of moments here and there that aren’t super cohesive and coherent yet. Just know this is a MEGA slow burn. Like the slow burn of the century, folks. (Legit, from my obsessive planning, I figured out they won’t get together waaay until after March of the Oni because Harumi trauma). And when the story isn’t focusing on Brad and Lloyd, it’s found family fluff from both angles of the city (Brad and the family he’s building at Darkley’s and Lloyd and the Ninja).

(Also, I’m sorry Sally fans. I wrote a majority of this AU before Crystalized came out. I’ll figure out how to work her in eventually. But she’ll definitely be one of the boys at Darkley’s and will have a mini coming of age arc in the background of her realization of being transfemme and bisexual [because that’s the only explanation my brain will accept about how a girl ended up in an all-boys school. Because she didn’t know she was a girl to begin with, which: mood])

[memory-redacted]

Lloyd questioning how someone who was so good to him in school and respected all of their secrets could still be on the bad side.

Little do they know brads only on the bad side to protect this little child. He was going to run when he was 18 but then he figured out about the plans for the lab rat and decided to stay to protect it if their plans did work.

Some greenflower remembrance in the rewritten au. Cute flower friendship bracelets that theyve kept after all these years. Ill probably rename the au to secrets bloom into lies.

[sillylloyd]

have i ever talked about this greenflower merge inspired au????

soso 3 days before the merge, lloyd was practicing in secret some old techniques from what the fsm has wrote on scrolls( smth with elemental energy,creation and destruction) he practices,, and then BAM everything becomes super shiny and the technique is like PULLING things like CO2 and HO2 ans shit ykyk it forms an orb,, then two orbs. a purple one and a blue one. BUUUT the orb had also pulled one of his and Brad's hair into em. leaving lloyd after he approaches the two orbs , with two babies made of magic!! one with black hair and blackish purple eyes (oni heritage) one with dirty blond hair and blue eyes (dragon heritage) and from a fic lloyd knows where brad is(he works at a small flower shop and healing idk teas and all with an old man) so what if what if lloyd plays the role of FSM, Blondie wu and black hair garmadon but they r actually having a good childhood. (also lloy_ didn't get to reveal it to the ninjas and hid the babies for 3 days and was about to say ut but kaboom merge) imagine kai finding lloyd with two kids and a finance or boyfriend..HUSBAND???? would be better for raising kids. also obv they r older since it took years for the ninjas to find each other

i was think blondir had some..creation and emptying ppls brains and spirits for truth with jellyfish looking tech Rubens thingy power and dark hair is just shadows and possession. he can cut islands in half cuz ur dad isn't god™ for nothin and blondie creates or like absorbs everything he destroys AND dark hair can teleport while blondie somewhat time travels or smth

[astro-nomaly]

Sword and Shield (greenflower)

jfc i feel insane. i had to get this au out of my head so i wrote this first draft thing in two days anyways this is probably all i'll write at least for a while bc i don't have an actual set storyline and i really need to write tkal lmao. this is technically 2 chapters but whatever they made sense together

anyways @morroodle this is for you dude and uh sorry if this crashes anyone's browser. no cw for this

Brad Tudabone is 17 years old – almost 18 (if ‘in seven months’ counts as ‘almost’) - and is currently climbing the tallest mountain in Ninjago.  

Now, the Realm has its fair share of mountains. The Golden Peaks of the West (the existence of which is not confirmed) in the Endless Sea are supposed to be taller than the sea is deep. Less impressively, the Shintaro Mountain range in the Southern Province stretches dozens of miles high, and the Caves of Despair are the most treacherous peaks in the world. But Brad is conquering something a little more difficult - the Mountains of Impossible Height.  

Honestly, the name was an exaggeration. It was, at best, the Mountains of Incredibly Dangerous Do Not Attempt for Fear of Death. Brad had only almost died, like, five times. And his arm was probably fractured, but whatever.  

He huddled against the cave wall, wincing as the sharp edges dug into the thin fabric of his shirt. Dammit, he should’ve brought a coat. He scowled at his fraying boots, one cold toe poking through. Should’ve brought better boots, too. Who knew climbing the world’s tallest mountain was such hard work?  

Brad was taking shelter in a small cave carved into the side of the Mountain of Impossible Height, which was a mouthful, waiting for the rain to pass. This high up, a light shower could kill him. He was already freezing.  

Brad shuffled a little closer to the small fire he had going, huffing into his hands. Next time, he would bring gloves that covered his fingers. Man, fingerless gloves looked so cool though! Though, it’s not like anyone else he knew wore them.  

To pass the time as he warmed up, Brad pulled an ancient scroll from his bag of assorted supplies, most of which he needed more of. Climbing mountains sucked.  

The scroll was fraying, yellow and browning around the edges. The thing was only a few decades old, but hadn’t been preserved well. Brad had found it only a month or two ago while poking around a half-destroyed museum, courtesy of the Oni army.  

Ugh. Brad hated the Oni. They’d shown up, what, fifty years ago?  So far, the army had been kept at bay by the holders of the Golden Weapons - weapons people didn’t know even existed - and Wu, the son of the First Spinjitzu Master – supposedly. No one knew if the god was real or not, but the dragon demigod of creation pointed to ‘yes’. The army had come out of a strange portal from the First Realm, a place no one was sure even existed before the arrival of the four-armed demons. They were led by yet another legendary figure; Garmadon, the Oni demigod of destruction and the first son of the FSM.  

There was a running theme here. Fifty years ago, several ancient legends were confirmed to be true as magic and elements were thrust into their realm. So, Brad felt confident about this legend as well.  

The Sword of Sanctuary. The scroll Brad scavenged from the museum rubble illustrated a lustrous golden sword surrounded by elegant text. The sword was, supposedly, the legendary weapon of the FSM himself, and super powerful to boot.  

It made sense, didn’t it? If demigods of creation and destruction were real, and other realms were real, and the elemental Golden Weapons then didn’t it stand to reason that the guy who made those weapons and fathered those demigods existed? If the FSM was real, then the sword was too, and that meant it could be useful.  

Everyone Brad reported his theory to – his overworked mom, his friends, the cops – laughed in his face. After fifty years of war that went almost nowhere, no matter how many dragons showed up to help, people were tired and low on hope. Every day the Oni army got closer to capturing the capital city, and if they did, they’d have easy access to the other four provinces. People needed practical solutions, not fairytales.  

But Brad knew that this wasn’t a fairytale. The sword was real, he just knew it. Was it a little presumptuous to assume that he could use it? Maybe. Brad was a normal guy – he played basketball, he gardened, and he was self-taught in using any kind of weapon. He didn’t know a single martial arts form, and his go-to for winning fights was the kick the other guy in the crotch and run. (Which, by the way, totally worked.) But even if Brad himself couldn’t use the sword, couldn’t someone else? One of the elemental masters, or even Wu? It didn’t matter who had the sword - if Brad found it, he could find someone to use it and win the fight.  

He’d be lying if he said he didn’t want the sword, though. Brad hated feeling so useless all the time. His mom worked day and night to keep their apartment and put food on the table, half of which Brad grew in their own house. All his friends were either enlisted or contributing to society somehow. But Brad... didn’t really want to be in the army. Sure, fighting demons sounded cool, but he wanted adventure, not barracks and boot camp.  

If Brad found the Sword of Sanctuary, not only could the humans win the war, but Brad would be a hero.  

Besides, how cool would a magic sword be? Brad’s thinking lasers.  

He traced the thin letters around the illustration. He should, if the scroll isn’t lying to him, find some sort of temple at the top of the mountain, and the sword inside. Just like the last few days on this mountain, the scroll strengthened his resolve. He wasn’t just doing it for the adventure – though, if Ninjago weren’t in such dire straits, he would probably still do this – he was also doing it for Ninjago. For his mom, for Gene, who worked all the time trying to develop better technologies, and for all the citizens of Ninjago City who wanted just one good day.  

He tucked the scroll back into his bag, careful to make sure it wouldn’t crease or tear, and settled on his side. The rain wasn’t letting up any time soon. Might as well sleep.  

Brad dreams of Green. Not green, like the color, but Green. It’s life, it’s beauty, it’s the forest floor dappled in sunlight and the tall field grass swaying in a gentle breeze. It’s the shine of a bright grin and the adrenaline of a race. The Green is everywhere, all-consuming and shining like a star. Sheer gold peeks through the cracks, brighter than the sun itself.  

It’s crying.  

“Let me out,” the Green and Gold begs. The words don’t exist. They’re a compilation of feelings, hopes and dreams and everything else the universe can’t quantify. It’s like Brad has been granted a window into the soul of the realm itself, only to find that it was looking back.  

The words come in a melody, sweet and bright and lulling him to an even deeper sleep despite the sheer desperation leaking through.  

“LET ME OUT!” The Green and Gold screams, but Brad can only dip further into sleep.  

For the rest of the night, he dreams of darkness. 

Brad hates mountains. He’s been on this damned mountain for five days, ran out of food two days and has been random fruit since, and has no idea where he is. He briefly entertains the thought of dying up here before shaking it from his mind. He knows he’s getting closer – this mountain can’t get too much taller, can it?  

He shivers, clutching his arms as he stalks up the natural pathway. It’s overgrown and treacherous, but he’s lucky nonetheless that a path exists at all. It only supports his mission – at some point, people were here.  

“’Course, they probably had coats,” he muttered. He’s been talking to himself lately, which isn’t ideal, but whatever.  

He cut through a particularly nasty bramble patch in his way with his katana. It was an old, chipped thing, supposedly belonging to his father at some point. He didn’t have any attachment to the guy; he died before Brad was born. Still, a sword was a sword.  

Not as cool as the Sword of Sanctuary, though. 

Surprisingly, though, today seems to be a good day for Brad. For the past five days, the mountain had only gotten more and more treacherous, trying its best to kill him at every turn. He’s had to dodge wolves, evil birds, navigate horrendously narrow pathways and climb vertical cliff faces. Nothing so far has been easy – except now. The path levels out, the jagged rocks become smooth- 

Water. 

Brad laughs in disbelief. There’s a river! Oh, he’s missed water. He bends at the bank, scooping water in his mouth. It’s cold as it slides down his throat, and he drinks greedily.  

He wipes his mouth, sated, and takes another second to look around. The mountain is starting to level out, and greenery fills the area. The trees are lusher than they have any right to be, bearing fruit that definitely isn’t in season. It’s warmer now, too, which is weird so high up. The ground is crawling with bright green vines, flowering in shades of unnatural gold.  

“...huh,” he says. The Mountain of Impossible Height has been inhospitable to a fault so far. Why is it suddenly so nice? A refreshing river, fruit-bearing trees, smooth pathways?  

“Either something is horrifically wrong or terrifically right,” Brad said, adjusting the strap of his bag as he stood. He followed the path, holding his katana cautiously. But nothing came out at him. Birds literally sang in the treetops, a few does bound through the increasingly thick trees, hell, a butterfly literally landed on his nose at one point. It was as if he’d crossed a threshold.  

Brad soon came to an actual pathway, made up of cobblestone overgrown with moss. He followed the winding road, growing more and more excited as lamps began to dress the grass along the path.  

Then- a monastery.  

Brad gaped at the sight. A large red Torii gate stood before him, and further down the path, a grand monastery. It was gated by a tall solid stone fence, overgrown with flowering vines and moss. Brad whooped, running along the path until he reached the entrance, throwing the double doors open with a laugh.  

He came into a courtyard with a golden dragon statue in the middle. If he wasn’t sure of this place before, he was now. This had to be it. The home of the Sword of Sanctuary.  

He stepped forward carefully, looking around the courtyard. It was wholly abandoned and overgrown in greenery. It was beautiful, yes, but eerie as well. Like a school at midnight, or a graveyard at night. Otherworldly.  

“Hello?” He called, just to be safe. He didn’t want to upset a possible deity or something.  

Nothing. He shrugged and poked around on the wrap-around porch. He slid open the doors inside and recoiled at the smell of dust. Yeah, this place hadn’t been touched for a while.  

He stepped inside, feeling as though he’d come into another realm entirely. Yeah, this had ‘school at midnight’ vibes. The halls were dark, lit only by the fading sunlight that shown through the aged walls and grimy windows. Every step he took made the floorboards creak and groan.  

He followed the hall, humming nervously. He poked his head in every door he came across but just found abandoned bedrooms and bathrooms. There was a large kitchen, a couch and TV – weird – and a small armory. He made his way around the entire monastery, and didn’t find anything of note.  

He sighed, flopping down on the couch. Dust rose up around him, settling on the disturbed surface.  

“Think, Tudabone,” he muttered, running a hand through his hair, pulled back by a red bandana. There had to be something here that would lead him to the sword.  

“A basement!” He exclaimed, smacking his forehead. Of course! Who would leave a mega-powerful legendary sword laying around for anyone to nab? There had to be a hidden room or basement or-  

“Or not,” he said, staring at the ceiling. Outside, he’d made note of the way the roof accommodated what seemed to be two extra rooms stacked on each other above the entrance doors, featuring round windows.  

He vaguely recalled a faint light coming from the very top window, what he’d assumed to be sunlight.  

Well, he’s looked everywhere else.  

Brad quickly ran back outside, looking up at the extra two stories, rising into a tower. The sun was going down now, but the golden light remained in the uppermost window. He grinned and looked for a way to get up to it. The stone around the double gates was crumbling, revealing convenient footholds.  

He crossed the courtyard, hauling himself up the wall until he stood on the narrow shingles, balancing carefully. He slowly put one foot in front of the other, making his way over to the wider part of the roof. When he did, he scrambled over the roof to the second story, holding the red column that supported the roof.  

Brad stretched on his toes, trying to grasp the edge of the second story’s slanted roof. He was a tall guy, but damn! When he finally got his fingers over the edge, he jumped the extra few inches to grab on with his other hand. Brad breathed heavily, swaying lightly from the roof. He grunted as he pulled himself up, using the shingles as leverage until he could awkwardly kneel on the second story roof. The third story was small, and the window was too grimy to see through. But up close, he could definitely tell that the golden light was emitting from this room.  

He fumbled with the round window, searching for a latch. The latch was on the inside, but a little jiggling got the run-down window to slowly creak open. Brad tumbled through, landing on his knees and cutting up his palm with splinters. He hissed, drawing his hand to his chest.  

Inside the room, he felt warmth as golden light bathed his body. He looked up just for his breath to catch in his throat with a gasp.  

The Sword of Sanctuary.  

Brad didn’t need to reference the scroll to know that this was the sword. It gleamed in the sunset, emitting a soft golden light from its spotless blade. The blade seemed to be painted with every color of the waning and rising sun, thrumming with light. Warmth emanated from it, bathing the room in honey. The hilt curved inward elegantly, and in the middle rested a magnificent green gem. Brad couldn’t tell if it was emerald – it seemed too ethereal to come from the earth.  

The sword was held downward by a statue. The statue was a simple androgynous person with intricately carved feathered wings draping their body like a chiton, and a crown resting upon their brow. Otherwise, they were bare. Their eyes were closed, and their expression seemed to leak with sadness as they clutched the sword by the hilt.  

Brad stepped forward, enraptured by the sight of the sword. The green gem, originally inactive, pulsed and light up with light like it had sensed him. Brad stopped, holding his breath. The gem simply continued to glow.  

“Right, right,” Brad whispered, strangely short of breath, “watch out for boobytraps.” He looked around for tripwires or plates but found nothing. The walls were decorated with woven tapestries of the Golden Weapons, and behind the statue on either side were an Oni and a dragon. Otherwise, the room was empty.  

Okay. No boobytraps – maybe it was a test of character? He’d seen books like that.  

“Hey... sword,” he said, feeling a little dumb, “I’m not going to use you for, like, evil. I’m here to save people, so please don’t kill me.” 

He left his katana and satchel on the floor, slowly walking toward the statue. The green gem, somehow demanding more attention than the ethereal blade, thrummed in time with his footsteps, glowing brighter as he got closer. He hoped that wasn’t a bad sign.  

Brad hesitated, reaching for the sword. His hand curled, hesitant, before he used both hands to grab the sword by the curling hilt. The second he laid hands on it, the sword lit up even brighter, shining brighter than the sun.  

Brad shut his eyes against the onslaught of light, grunting, but didn’t let go. The sword was hot, now, but it wasn’t painful. It was like a melty cookie, or a space heater – warm, comforting, soft.  

He squinted, and tugged. The statue’s hands held the sword tightly. Brad braced his feet, trying to adjust for more leverage. “Come on,” he said, tugging again. “Please,” he whispered, “I need you.” 

With each increasingly hard tug, the sword somehow became brighter and brighter. It was audibly humming now, filling the air with a strangely familiar melody. The smell of flowers filled the air, wafting in the dusty room. Wind ruffled the tapestries as Brad pulled at the sword harder and harder.  

He grit his teeth, tightened his hold, and pulled as hard as he possibly could.  

The stone hands around the sword cracked and fell, releasing the sword. With one final burst of light, the sword fell forward, and Brad toppled from the momentum of his pull.  

He stumbled back, breathing heavily, as the sword dimmed, slowly ceasing the thrumming and humming. The wind died down, and the scent of flowers settled with the dust.  

Brad stared down at the sword, its blade gleaming like new, breathless. He laughed, little bursts falling from his mouth. “I did it,” he whispered, disbelieving, “I did it! I got the sword!” 

The winged statue crumbled to pieces. Brad flinched, jumping back, as the stone fell away in chunks. “Ooh,” he winced, “that’s... that’s not a great sign.” 

He waited for something else to happen, but nothing did.  

“...huh. Okay." He looked down at the sword. “You're not going to disintegrate me, right? We’re chill?” The sword did not respond.  

He grinned, readjusting his grip to hold the actual handle. He noticed, belatedly, that the pommel is a second, smaller green gem encased in gold. He holds the sword up high, tilting it back and forth to catch the fading light.  

“Heh,” he laughs, swinging it in a slow arc through the air. He hears an audible swish, and laughs again. He feels so cool! Him, regular old Brad Tudabone, wielding the legendary Sword of Sanctuary with ease! He even feels stronger for it, like he could sprint a hundred miles or punch straight through a mountain. “This is so cool,” he says, cutting another arc through the air. He twirls the sword, taking it the way the light creates a kaleidoscope.  

Brad wonders what the sword can really do. Does it shoot lasers? Is it telekinetic, somehow? Or- ooh, he saw an anime where the sword duplicated itself once, that would epic. He traces the blade reverently, imagining everything the sword could possibly accomplish against the Oni. He notices soft green vines, thin and fragile, curling up from the golden hilt against the sunset blade. He smiles.  

“I bet someone was real lucky to have this,” he thinks aloud, “you’re going to help so many people, y’know. Ugh, I wish you could talk. I want to know everything.”  

As if he’s said some kind of code word, the blade begins to shudder. Brad makes a startled noise, holding the sword at arm's length. The green gem begins to glow brighter than ever, thrumming violently. The blade itself warps, the previously soft hues becoming eye-scorching shades of burning violets and yellows. Brad feels nauseous just looking at it, but he can’t seem to let go.  

“No, no, no-” he gasps, arms shaking from the strain as the sword grows more violent by the second, “please, stop, no, no, no-” he begs, but the sword isn’t listening anymore. It’s gone from elegant and soft to nauseating as colors blend into each other. The hilt itself begins to warp, curling inward as the metal melts into itself. Glowing cracks emanate from the green gem as bright, scorching cracks appear in the sword. Brad gasps, frantically shaking the sword as if he can make it stop.  

Then light like a flashbang overtakes the entire room, blinding Brad, and he falls on his butt.  

Brad comes to slowly, still blinking rainbow spots out of his eyes. He’s pinned to the floor by something on his stomach and legs, and quickly realizes that the weight is moving. He rubs his eyes, propping his upper half up.  

There is a person on his lap.  

Brad gapes, once again speechless. By now, the moon is up, framing the person in a halo of cold light that only accentuates the sheer warmth leaking off of them. They have long golden hair that curls down to their shoulders, fluffy and soft and shining. A light gold and green diadem rests on their head, secured in their thick hair. They’re dressed in a white, sleeveless sort of shirt, ruffled and flowing at the end. The top folds over their shoulders, lined in green and tiny little emerald gemstones. Their legs are covered by a long white cloth that’s secured by another silky material with a gold chain. Their legs are otherwise bare and freckled. Their skin is a soft tan, golden in the moonlight.  

They’re really, really cute. And they’re on Brad’s lap.  

Okay Tudabone, don’t mess this up.  

The person groans softly, face twitching. Their eyelashes are as golden as their hair, and underneath their eyes are soft golden markings, curly and elegant. He can respect the color scheme.  

Brad watches as their eyes flutter open, confused and dazed. Their irises are a beautiful emerald green, shining in every shade Brad can think of. Their pupils are shaped like miniature twinkling stars, again golden. Golden pupils – strange. As they slowly adjust, making confused noises, their pointed ears twitch rapidly.  

That’s really cute, Brad thinks, face hot.  

They seem to realize that they’re sitting on Brad, and stare up at him with giant green doe eyes. Brad’s face gets even hotter the longer they make eye contact.  

“...hi,” they whisper softly. Their voice is oddly familiar, like a melody he’s heard before.  

He swallows thickly. “Hi,” he responds softly, not willing to break the strange spell over the room.  

The blonde looks around, and they don’t seem to recognize their surroundings. “Wh- who- where-” they mutter, and Brad starts to get concerned. He holds them by the arms gently, trying to corral them up off of him.  

“Are you okay?” He asks. The person nods vaguely, slowly wobbling to their feet. Brad notices that their feet are bare with a grimace. They could easily cut their skin on splinters.  

They stare down at their own freckled hands, inspecting their skin. Now that Brad’s had a few seconds to get his bearings, he’s getting really freaked out. Ten seconds ago, he was holding the Sword of Sanctuary when it suddenly began warping and glowing. Now there’s a blonde person dressed in oddly ancient-looking clothes, acting as if they've never seen their own hands before.  

“Hey, are you okay?” He asks again, because he might be freaked out, but this person is obviously not okay. They hum, twisting around to look at him with those giant green eyes. They’re practically glowing in the moonlight.  

“Where are we?" They ask. Brad blinks, surprised.  

“The- the Mountain of Impossible Height. Seriously, are you feeling alright? You seem confused.” 

They touch their forehead, eyes shutting like they’ve encountered a sudden headache. It draws Brad’s attention to the strange golden tattoo imprinted on their forehead like a little tiara.  

“How- who are you?” They demand.  

“Brad,” he answers gently. “Look, I don’t mean to push, but twenty seconds ago I was holding a magic sword. Now you’re here. Where did you come from?” 

“A sword?” They’re suddenly staring at him with intensity. “What do you know about the sword?”  

Brad holds his hands up, trying to calm them. “Hey, I just found it here. It freaked out and boom, here you are. I’m just as confused as you. Here, look.” Brad scooped his bag off the floor, brandishing the worn scroll to the stranger. “Look, this is what I was looking for.” 

They snatch the scroll, eyes raking over it. “...does anyone else know about this?”  

“No, no one else believed me. Why? Really, you just came out of no... where...” Brad trails off slowly. The sword was golden, inlaid with green gemstones that seemed to come from the stars themselves.  

This person speaks with a melodious voice, just as soft and ethereal as the sword. They’re dressed in white, yes, but marked with golden tattoos. Their eyes are such a pure, glittering green that Brad can’t stand to look at them for too long.  

His eyes inadvertently lock onto their chest. Two sparkling green gemstones are imbedded in their skin, softly thrumming.  

“You’re the sword,” he says dumbly.  

They stiffen, eyes wild like a deer in headlights. The two stare at one another, frozen. The blonde – the Sword of Sanctuary who is a person – goes from a terrified stare to a glare. “What do you know about this?” They demand, waving the scroll at Brad. “Why did you come looking for me?” 

“I just found it!” Brad defended, “I was looking for the sword- for you because you’re supposed to be really powerful! Look, you belonged to the First Master, right?” 

“I don’t belong to anyone,” they snarled. Brad nodded.  

“Okay, okay. But still, you’re all about justice and whatnot, right? Look, there’s this huge Oni army, and they’re hurting people. I came looking for you because you were supposed to help.” 

“Oni army?” They ask, their gaze intense.  

Brad nodded. “Yeah, and they’re close to taking over Ninjago City. Can’t you do anything?” 

They hum, tapping the parchment. “How long has it been?” 

“What?” 

“How long has the army been in Ninjago?” 

“Oh,” Brad hummed, “about... fifty years, give or take. It’s been a while.” 

Their eyes grow huge, pupils shrinking. “Fifty years?!” They cry, their harsh grip creasing the scroll. Brad nodded, confused. They clutch at their hair, breaths suddenly coming in sharp gasps. “It’s been fifty years?!” They whisper to themself.  

Brad steps forward, but they recoil as if he’d threatened them with a knife. “Don’t touch me!” They shriek. Brad freezes as they shake in place. Tears begin to grow in their eyes, and their shoulders fall as their face crumples.  

“Fifty years...” they mumble, holding their face in their hand.  

“Have... have you been in that sword this entire time?” Brad asks incredulously. “Why?” 

They shake their head. “I didn’t have a choice,” they mumble miserably, shoulders shaking.  

Brad makes an affronted noise. “Somebody did that to you? Why?! Did you do something evil?” 

“No, I’m not evil!” 

“Then I’ll punch them in the face,” Brad decided, punching his fist into his palm and looking around like the culprit would suddenly appear.  

They let out a startled laugh through tears. “Y-you definitely can’t do that,” they say, wiping their eyes. Brad scoffs.  

“Yeah? Why not?” 

“He’d probably kill you,” they mutter. Their expression crumbles all over again, misery etching their face. “Fifty years...” they mumble, sniffling. “And nobody came for me. Not my uncle... not my brothers and sister... nobody except you.” 

Brad grimaced. “...I do my best?” 

They make a sound between a laugh and a sob. “I-I’m sorry. Brad, right? You probably want an explanation.” 

He shakes his head, reaching out tentatively. When they don’t freak out again, he rests his hand on their arm. “It’s okay,” he says, “you’re upset. You don’t have to explain anything. Actually, I can just fuck off if I’m stressing you out-” 

They shake their head, wiping away any lingering tears. “It’s okay. You came all this way.” 

“Well... okay,” Brad pulls them to the floor so they can sit down. He lets go of their arm once he’s sure they’re not going to topple over. “So, how are you a sword? Or, I guess, how is a sword a person. Which came first, the person or the sword?” 

They shake their head, mixed between amusement and that ever-present misery. “It’s not like that,” they say, “I wasn’t always a sword. I used to be a person.” 

“Oh,” Brad says, “so someone turned you into a sword. But if the sword belonged to that Spinjitzu guy, shouldn’t you be... older?” 

“Nice to know I look young,” they joke. “But yeah, I’m only sixteen. I wasn’t turned into a sword so much as I was fused with it. Like a curse, kind of.” 

Brad nodded. So, this person, whoever they were, was fused with the FSM’s sword? Why the hell would anyone do that just to leave them in some dusty monastery? “Well, if you’re a person first, what’s your name?” Brad asks, tired of not knowing. They blink, surprised, like they hadn’t conceived that Brad would care to ask for a name.  

“...Lloyd Garmadon.” 

Brad gaped. “Garmadon? As in Emperor Garmadon?!” 

Lloyd made a face. “Is that what he’s calling himself? Ugh, my dad is cringy. Yes, I’m the son of Garmadon. He’s... actually the one that fused me with the sword.” 

“His own son? That’s- really fucked up,” Brad didn’t even know how to react. Who does that to their own kid? Was it some sort of twisted immortal being punishment? What could Lloyd have possibly done? 

Lloyd drew his knees up to his chest, resting his head in the soft white fabric of his tunic. “It’s complicated,” he mumbled, picking at the fine golden threads lining his clothes. “My dad was banished to the First Realm when I was four after he tried to steal the Golden Weapons. I grew up with my uncle and his students, the elemental masters. I became the Green Ninja when I was fourteen, and Garmadon returned when I was sixteen.”  

“You were a ninja? What’s your element?” Brad leaned forward.  

Lloyd smiled wistfully. “The Green element.” 

“What... what is that.” 

He laughed, and Brad blushed at the sound. “I can’t explain it to you. The words don’t exist in a language mortals can comprehend. The closest thing is... energy. The energy within everything.” 

“Wow,” Brad breathed, “it must’ve been epic.” 

“It was,” Lloyd agreed, “it was incredible.” 

Brad hummed, picking at the floor. “If you were so powerful, though, how did Garmadon... swordify? Is that the term? How’d he swordify you?” 

Lloyd’s face spasmed in a mix of embarrassment and regret. “It was my fault,” he mumbled, eyes downcast, “Uncle Wu didn’t want me to fight him. He wanted me kept far away from Garmadon. But after months of no progress, I... I confronted him. I thought I could get him to listen. Instead, he put me in a sword.” 

“But... how?” 

“I was stupid,” Lloyd said, “I refused to fight him. I let myself get tricked, and he... it doesn’t matter,” Lloyd fiercely wiped at his face, erasing any sign of tears before they could appear. “M-my uncle saved me, that’s the point. He stole me back, and changed the curse. Uncle Wu made sure that nobody could use the Green Element, and so long as I’m here, I have free will.”  

Brad’s face screwed up, confused. “Free will? What does that mean?”  

Lloyd’s expression spasmed again, and he stared at the floor, eyebrows furrowed. “I- okay. My father turned me into a sword to use my element. When he did, he stripped away my free will. Basically, whoever picks me up as a sword becomes my wielder, and they control whether I’m human. I physically can’t disobey them.” 

Brad struggled to wrap his head around it. “Like... Ella Enchanted?” 

“Excuse me?” 

“That movie! The girl has to obey everyone, and can’t say no. Like, the stepsisters-” 

Lloyd let out a dry laugh, sniffling. “Actually, yes. Except only my wielder controls me, and they turn me into a sword. I can’t switch by myself.” 

Brad snapped his fingers, “hey, doesn’t that mean that your uncle was your last wielder? Why’d he leave you like this? What a dick.” 

Lloyd shook with laughter. “Good question. Maybe he wanted to protect me, or make sure I didn’t run away again. Not that I could. If I get too far away from a wielder, I just turn back into a sword.” 

“Speaking from experience?” 

Lloyd bit his lip and nodded. Brad scoffed. “I’m going to punch Garmadon in the face.” 

“Good luck with that,” Lloyd said, smoothing out the creases in his tunic. “I, for one, would love to punch my father.” 

Lloyd’s words gave Brad a sudden idea, and he shot to his feet, pacing back and forth. Lloyd watched him from the floor, somewhat wary, but Brad was too caught up in his head.  

“That’s it,” he muttered, running a hand through his disheveled hair, “wait, that’s it!” 

“What is? Punching Garmadon? I’m all for it, but-” 

“No- well, yes, but no,” Brad turned back to Lloyd, who’s head was tilted to the side in confusion. Brad blushed briefly at the sight, before shaking it away. “Lloyd, I’m your new wielder, right? I picked you up, I think I made you human-” 

“It doesn’t work in here,” Lloyd snapped defensively, crossing his arms over himself protectively. “You can’t order me around in the monastery, and I’ll kick your ass if you try.” 

“No!” Brad waved his hands, “No, I wouldn’t do that! I mean, if I’m your wielder, and someone can only control you if they pick you up as a sword, what if I just never turn you into a sword? Loophole!” 

“For what?” Lloyd asked, exasperated. Brad grinned.  

“If no one – especially Garmadon – can ever steal you, then you’re free to use your element without anyone controlling you! I get that you can’t get too far away from me – so we’ll stick together. I’ll take you to Ninjago City, and you’ll kick Garmadon’s ass with your epic element! I can cheer you on in the background, it’ll be great!” 

Lloyd’s eyes grew big as his face went straight back to miserable. “I- I can’t.” He hugged his legs to his chest, looking at anything but Brad as if he was ashamed. Brad deflated, staring down at him.  

“But... why? You’re a ninja, aren’t you? Isn’t fighting evil emperors your whole thing?” 

“No, I can’t use my element,” Lloyd corrected in a small voice. “My element was sealed away in the sword. And since Uncle Wu made it so that nobody could use my element, that means that the Green Element is gone. Nobody, not even me, can use it anymore. I can’t even do Spinjitzu.” 

Brad’s shoulders fell as his excitement flew out of him. “...oh. Well, that sucks.” 

Brad sat back down across from Lloyd, who was curled into himself as if he could hide in the white swathes of clothing. Brad felt kind of silly, now. Like, no duh! Why would an evil warlord leave his prisoner’s power unchained?  

Lloyd sniffled. “I’m sorry, Brad,” he said quietly. “I wish I could help. But I- I can’t leave and let people use me. I can’t just give up my body so people can swing me around and kill people with me. I just...” 

“Hey, it’s okay,” Brad said, scooting closer to Lloyd. He laid a hand on Lloyd’s freckled shoulder, and froze when Lloyd fell into him, leaning on his side. Hesitantly, he wrapped his arm around the demigod, letting Lloyd leach off of his warmth. Lloyd himself was warm to the touch, and Brad’s skin reflected the glow, ever so faint. 

Brad sighed. He was fucked, wasn’t he? Well, at least this wasn’t for nothing. He looked down at Lloyd, and let a smile cross his face. At least Lloyd wouldn’t have to be trapped inside of that sword forever.  

“We might still win anyways,” he mused aloud, mostly just to fill the silence, “I mean, dragons show up all the time to help out, and we still have the Golden Weapons. We’ll be fine.” 

Lloyd hummed, tracing the wood of the floor idly. “Still... I hate to let you down.” 

“No let down here! I came here for a sword and found a friend. Uh... are we friends?” 

Lloyd turned his face up to smile at Brad, green eyes crinkling. The tattoo on his forehead glowed briefly, like Lloyd’s smile couldn’t be contained to his mouth. “Yeah,” he said, “we’re friends.” 

Brad’s face grew hot, and he coughed, looking away before he spontaneously combusted. Lloyd didn’t seem to notice, and drew himself up, dusting off his tunic.  

“Hey, I know I’ve been kind of disappointing-” 

“Not at all!” Brad jumped to his feet, and immediately felt stupid for yelling. Lloyd froze, eyes wide, before he laughed, a light blush covering his cheeks.  

“Anyways. Stay for a while? It’s lonely up here.” 

Brad hesitated. He’d left his mom, who was surely wondering where the hell he was, and Gene was probably worried as well. But looking at Lloyd’s hopeful expression, he couldn’t say no.  

“Sure. You have a garden?” 

Lloyd’s bright golden smile made it all worth it.  

Lloyd led him through the monastery, introducing him to a bedroom that once belonged to Cole Brookstone, the Master of Earth. Brad was astounded to learn how long Elemental Masters truly lived – the same ones Lloyd grew up with over 60 years ago were still kicking, wiping Oni ass.  

“Sorry for the mess,” Lloyd said, gathering the dusty comforter up, “ugh, I hope the washer still works.” 

Brad chuckled, shaking dust off of the pillows. “We’ve got some cleaning ahead of us. I can start on laundry.” 

Lloyd seemed surprised at the offer, before his eyes crinkled in a smile as the little gemstones imbedded in his chest glowed, twinkling like happy little stars. Brad couldn’t help the pink that spread across his cheeks. Man, if Lloyd continued smiling at him like that, Brad thinks he would do anything for him.  

Oh wow, he was whipped. Gene was going to make so much fun of him.  

That is, essentially, how Brad spends the next several days. He and Lloyd unearth ancient cleaning supplies and do their best tackling the dust and grime settled over the monastery. Lloyd, surprisingly adept with technology, tackles the appliances and power while Brad curb stomps the overgrown garden into submission. They both spend hours in the sun and crisp breeze cleaning the courtyard, and every night they do dishes together.  

Just two weeks ago, Brad was adrift. He didn’t know what he wanted from life – just that he wanted more. Now he spends his days in a monastery on the world’s tallest mountain with the oddest boy he’s ever met, and it’s the happiest he’s ever been.  

Lloyd is funny. He’s wry, and sharp, and through his hesitance is cheeky humor that Brad can’t help but find endlessly endearing, even when it’s used to dump buckets of water over his head.  

Somehow, Lloyd Garmadon has made this one of the best weeks of his life.  

Even if he has to leave soon.  

Brad splayed over a sofa in the library, idly flicking through scrolls and books. Lloyd was in the courtyard practicing katas and what Brad thinks might be Spinjitzu – minus the magic tornado.  

His thoughts are all over the place. On the one hand, he has to go. His mom and Gene will be worried, and he hates worrying them. On the other, all Brad wants is an adventure. Lloyd is quickly becoming a close friend, despite them not really sharing that much about themselves. Brad is just so easily drawn to him – or maybe that’s his raging ‘cute boy’ radar.  

He groaned, staring at the ceiling. If he left, he’d be doing more than leaving behind a close friend – he'd be leaving Lloyd all alone. In fifty years, Brad was the only person to come up here. Who would Lloyd talk to about Starfarer, or beat in Mario Kart, or do the dishes with? He’d be up on this tall mountain all alone.  

He wished there was a way to give Lloyd freedom. He saw the way the demigod looked at into the distance sometimes – like there was nothing he wanted more than to run out of this monastery as fast as possible and never look back.  

“I’m so punching Garmadon,” Brad grumbled, picking up the random scrolls he’d been looking through. Boring stuff, honestly. As he was setting them back in their respective nooks, his eye caught on one, seemingly disturbed. Curiously, he unfurled it.  

A sketch, done in quick, fluid pencil, of the four Golden Weapons. Those things were old news, but what interested Brad was the Sword of Sanctuary in the middle. His eyes roved over the words, and startled as he made out the characters spelling Lloyd’s name.  

“Holy shit,” he whispered, rereading the text in astonishment. He laughed, bouncing in place. “Lloyd! Lloyd, holy shit!” 

A few seconds later, the doors to the library slammed open, and Lloyd burst through the door with his fists up. He deflated when he saw Brad with the scroll.  

“Is... something wrong?” Brad grinned, holding out the scroll.  

“Lloyd, you’ve got to see this. It’s the solution!” 

Lloyd took the scroll, reading carefully. His eyes widened the more he read, clutching the scroll tightly. “This... oh, grandfather.” 

Brad grabbed Lloyd’s wrists, causing the blonde to look up at him. “Lloyd,” he breathed, “this is our answer. We can cure your curse and beat Garmadon.” 

“The Golden Weapons... can break the curse,” Lloyd whispered. A small, hesitant smile grew on his face as hope shined in his eyes. “They- they can get me out of the sword.” 

Hypothetically. The scroll was vague, and seemingly all hypotheticals, but it was hope. Hope for Lloyd, and Ninjago.  

Brad held Lloyd’s hands to his chest. “Then let’s go get them,” he urged. Lloyd shrunk away a bit.  

“But if I leave...” 

“Lloyd, please,” Brad begged. “I’m your wielder, aren’t I? Well, I promise, I will never make you shift. I won’t ever order you around, and I won’t ever ignore you if you don’t want to do something.” 

“But...”  

Lloyd was terrified of losing his free will. From his perspective, Brad could be lying. His words didn’t mean much when they’d known each other for a week.  

“Do you really want to wait around for your uncle to do it?” Brad pressed, desperate. He felt bad for pressuring Lloyd, but he also knew that if they could make this work, then Ninjago would be safe. “Lloyd, we can do this, can’t we? One kickass demigod and a swordsman!” 

Lloyd gave him an unimpressed look. “Are you even trained?” 

“I am... self-taught.” 

Lloyd drew back, staring down at the scroll. Brad sighed, and retracted his hands. “I won’t make you,” he said softly, “If you really don’t want to, then I won’t try to make you. But don’t you want to be free?” 

“And how do I know you won’t just turn me into a sword the second I step out that door?” Lloyd demanded. His voice cracked. “It’s what anyone would do! I- I'm not even a person to you.” 

Brad crossed his arms. “Okay, rude.” 

“What?” 

“Rude! Man, when I have acted like you’re not a person? I mean, you’re a mega powerful demigod, but that’s different than ‘not a person’. I mean it, Lloyd – I won’t force you to do anything.” 

Lloyd furrowed his brows. “I make a pretty kickass sword,” he warned, “you’ll be very sorely tempted. Not to mention all the people that will be after me.” 

“They can’t do anything to you,” Brad reminded with a smile, “not if I never turn you into a sword. Which I won’t, because you’re my friend.” 

Lloyd hummed thoughtfully. “...I’ve been wanting to kick my dad’s ass for a while,” he muttered vindictively.  

“Come on,” Brad said, “adventure of a lifetime!” 

“We’ll have to cross the entire continent.” 

“Road trip!” 

“We’ll be facing down my father’s worst soldiers, and neither of us have powers.” 

“We’ll be crafty. You’re a ninja, aren’t you?” 

Lloyd hesitated, and Brad could tell he was on the precipice. He softened his gaze. “Lloyd,” he said quietly, “you could wait for someone else to come along and free you... or you can free yourself.” 

“Why?” Lloyd muttered. He seemed genuinely curious. “Why risk your life for me like this? You realize that you’ll be in constant danger.” 

“Dude, why wouldn’t I? We break your curse, you get your powers back, and boom! Garmadon defeated, Ninjago saved. Besides,” he blushed, “an adventure? With you? Sign me up.” 

Lloyd fell quiet, his green eyes calculating. The gemstones on his chest betrayed his growing excitement as they began to light up, thrumming with their own melody.  

“Okay,” Lloyd breathed, his eyes brighter than Brad had ever seen them. The sight took his breath away.  

“Okay?” He said. Lloyd nodded vigorously, bouncing in excitement.  

“Yes! Let’s do it!”  

Brad laughed, tackling Lloyd in a hug. The shorter blonde startled, letting out a surprised laugh.  

“I am,” Lloyd said when they pulled away, “so ready to leave this monastery.” 

They find themselves, hours later, at the gate of the monastery. Brad shoulders the bulk of the bags, full to the brim with clothes and food they’d hurriedly packed. They were both itching to get out now. Maybe Brad hadn’t thought this over enough – but how could he deny the chance to stop the Oni army? How could he pass up such a big adventure?  

Lloyd hesitated on the steps, just within the boundaries of the monastery. Brad wordlessly held out his hand for Lloyd to take, smiling softly.  

Lloyd looked down at him, framed by the sunlight shining through his golden hair like a halo. He took a deep, shuddery breath, and grabbed the hand.  

[bonefall]

What’s Whitefang up to in your au? Does he still exist? Does he have a family? I would like to know everything >:D

Also I drew something for your millie collar au but idk if it got eaten by the void or not, I sent it in I’m pretty sure

[ID: Dragonclaw and Whitefang from the Better Bones AU. Whitefang is laying on his back with a smug grin. Dragonclaw is looking at him with love.]

Your background blorbo got married to the cat with the coolest name in warriors. I needed them for the RiverClan Family Tree to make sure I had enough diversity to cross the Missing Generation Fog and ended up making a neat little power couple out of them!

Their children are Duckfur and Greenflower. Duckfur is killed in a fight over Sunningrocks in early TNP, and Greenflower was Sedgecreek's mate for many years before a cat divorce in late TNP.

Whitefang

His sister was Brightsky, making him Leopardstar's maternal uncle!

I think he has one of the coolest canon designs in warriors tbh so I didn't stray much. I just gave him this sleek, doberman-ish face with cool teeth.

Also his back paw boots go up a little further because Catboy Stockings is a VERY funny concept.

You ever notice how much Whitefang looks like a fanon design for a lynxpoint Hawkfrost? I dooo

He wasn't very scheming though, in fact he was a straightforward dude and a good teacher.

He helped his wife when they were young, she was a drypaw just like Leopard so Crookedstar hoped he would work his magic again.

I do not respect Leopardstar's Hacksaw and I'm willing to totally overhaul his death, but dying in a battle for Sunningrocks is fitting.

The patrol that kills Sunfish has been totally redone. It was THISTLECLAW taunting RiverClan as Redtail tried to tell him to knock it off, and Leopardfur killed him for mauling Sunfish.

So there's not really a need for Whitefang to be on that particular run.

It's likely that Whiteclaw died sometime in TPB, either during TigerClan or just before.

His specialties were teaching and hunting.

Dragonclaw

She is a rescued Missing Kit! Dragonflykit was the stillborn child of Greenflower, along with her brother Duckkit. Instead, I've made them her mother and a brother.

I dropped the 'fly' part of Dragonfly. In Clanmew it's all one word anyway. They're beloved and respected animals, excellent and agile hunters.

It is suspected that Dragon was the result of a half-clan crossing, or maybe found somewhere. She looks nothing like a RiverClan cat.

HUGE and sleek-furred, she's all muscle with a short tail and really big teeth, with huge ears that make her get cold really fast.

She is a trash-tier swimmer because of that, she sinks like a rock and can barely steer.

She was terrified of water for a while, but Whitefang was there to help her out. She can stay safe in the river but prefers marsh hunting and net-fishing.

Probably taken out by sickness, sometime shortly after Duck and Green became apprentices.

Her specialties are construction and brawling.

[srwgrin]

GREENFLOWER MODERN HS FLOWERSHOP AU

technically lloyd works at the flower and tea shop combined with a dojo his uncle and dad created (w/ the other ninja but thats besides the point) !! and lloyd originally doesnt really like the flower & tea side of it bc its boring, plants are so boring, i do not care, UNTIL brad waltzes in one day, and he’s just UNBEARABLY nice.

eventually lloyd keeps noticing him until he cant help but start crushing and he starts studying all this extra stuff abt plants and flower arrangements and meanings just to go up to brad and be all “do you need help” and seem remotely competent at his job and maybe even impress him.

AND BRAD, captain of gardening club, owner of a bajillion plants, is so shocked that LLOYD, his long time crush from middle school to hs, who is not supposed to know he exists, who only went to the shop to maybe bask in the atmosphere after soccer practice and silently admire lloyd, is talking to him that he jumps at the chance and pretends to not know anything abt plants so he has an excuse to talk to him more! and he pretends to get excited to try a bunch of different tea and love it even though he HATES tea (he is a coffee man) because he likes seeing sensei wu, sensei garmadon, ninja, & lloyd’s reaction to him trying the tea. they’ve become very avid tea lovers.

[colesstar]

greenflower frozen au

Instead of two sister, we got two childhood friends, Brad and Lloyd, which everyone assumes is platonic but definitely isn’t.

Elemental power doesn’t exist here, instead it’s magic which only the highest members of society have access to like Prince Lloyd and definitely something son of the gardener/a low-ranking noble Brad shouldn’t have.

Brad has secret flower power. Instead of the kingdom being frozen, a bunch of flora is overgrown that risks destroy the land

Other things are Lloyd gets poisoned, Harumi is the mastermind behind this all, and Gene and Sally are respectively Kristofff and Sven

THANK YOU VES !!!