#not even surprised welcome back garmy

[lovely-english-rose]

the ninjago watching experience

[amonoff]

Ah, memories

My first contribution to Ninjago and first writing in awhile, so...it’s stale, I’ll admit. I’ll probably work on other things to practice.

Slightly different events with the movie!Garmadon family just before Koko left.

“And that’s when the super wimpy, super pathetic, skeleton general appeared atop the mountain! He said some mumbo jumbo about beating us…the pathetic worm, am I right, Luh-Lloyd?” Garmadon cooed, rubbing the hand puppet version of himself on Lloyd’s face. Lloyd squealed with joy, right arm raising up to try and grab it. Garmadon grinned making little baby noises as he booped his son’s nose with the puppet.

“Absolutely! Anyway, back to my story,” Garmadon raised the puppet of himself and the skeleton general high for him to see. “Now see here, Luh-Lloyd the first important thing about being evil is breaking the rules. Like y’know how heroes actually let their enemy finish their speech? Well, obviously bad guys don’t do that!”

He threw his puppet self over to the general, smacking it around and using fingers in the arm sleeves to punch the general. Lloyd giggled, cheering at his father. “I fought and kicked him halfway in! Even stole his sword to beat him with it, and then I punched him with my four arms! You should’ve been born then, Luh-Lloyd. It looked cool-”

Garmadon made to show himself strangle the general when he heard the soft creak of the door behind him. He turned and of course there was the most beautiful, bravest, most accomplished woman in all of Ninjago; his wife. Just looking at her as she took off her helmet made him feel weak. He got up from the floor, taking Lloyd into his arms and brought him to his mother. Lloyd immediately let out a small, excited cry for her. It made Misako smiled. She walked over with open arms to take her son while Garmadon kissed her.

“Welcome home, Koko. I trust everything went smoothly on your side with dealing with the rebels?”

“Of course, Garmy. They were just a few small, disorganized groups. No big threats.”

“Excellent. Now everything will be set!” Garmadon walked over to the room window, looking through the glass and out to the glowing city, sitting just beyond the coast of his volcano. His smile was the brightest it had been in awhile. He didn’t notice the sudden falter of his wife’s gaze at him, or how her arms shook as she carried their child, who had gone quiet.

She walked over beside the freakishly tall man. “Garmy, I’ve been meaning to ask, what’s all this for, exactly? The towns we’ve captured are hardly rich with money or resources. I don’t see them becoming very big in the future.”

“Hmm? Ah, well…” Garmadon thought for a tentative moment, actually hesitating for a moment before he felt Misako brush her hand over his face. He looked down to see her and Lloyd.

“C’mon, Garmy. You can’t have me running your army around without knowing why any longer.” Then she bobbed Lloyd up and down a little to get a cute cry from him.

Looking at the two...any doubt cleared. They were already so close anyway.

“Oh, alright. I wanted it to be surprise, but I don’t know what might happen. You should know.” He takes Lloyd from his wife using his bottom two arms, and the opens the windows for a full, unobstructed view on Ninjago with his upper arms. He brings Lloyd up to better see the brimming city. “Koko, I’m going to conquer Ninjago City!”

“W-What?” Misako asks, a lot quieter now. Garmadon looks at her with concern sees her wide eyes and hanging lips. Yes, of course she would be surprised and concerned. He immediately goes over to her and lays his hand on her shoulder to assure her. “I know it sounds crazy, Koko. But I’ve thought my plan through!”

“That’s what many before you said too, Garmy.” Misako sighed, lifting her hand as she softly held husband’s hand. “Though there’re only five elemental ninjas guarding the city, they’re all powerful. Masters of combat, and the elements of fire, water, earth, lightning, and ice. And your brother Wu is among them.”

At that, Garmadon frowned, mostly in annoyance at the mention of his annoying little brother. He let go of his wife and crossed his arms behind him as he turned back to the city, staring with a narrowed eyes now. “I know. That is why I’ve placed spies in the city. To watch the Ninjas’ activities and Wu. They recently told that my brother will set off on a trip soon in five days. When he is gone, that is when I plan to strike.”

“So you’ll fight the Ninjas in the assault?”

Garmadon shakes his head. “No. I plan on sending my army as a diversion. I will set off in secret alone on a small air vehicle to top of the Ninjago Tower and set my flag on top. Once it’s planted, I will be Ninjago’s official conqueror.”

Misako looked at him in shock. It was understandable since such a tactic wasn’t very glorious or epic one. Garmadon hated it, but it had the best chance of granting him victory. No one would expect it, especially the Ninjas. He was sure Misako understood this too when he saw her nod quietly “Garmy, why do you want to conquer Ninjago? Aren’t the other cities we’ve already conquered enough?”

“Ninjago isn’t for us, Koko.” Garmadon explained, then turning down to little Lloyd, who still had his eyes on what probably was strange bright light of different colors, very much unlike torches that lit up Garmadon’s castle. “I want to conquer it for Luh-Lloyd.”

“Lloyd?”

“Yes. Luh-Lloyd is weak, puny…bald. And can’t even walk. Just hiding my face makes him cry.” Garmadon sighed. He shook his head to get those thoughts out and back on his point. “But someday, eventually, he’ll learn how to walk and talk. Hopefully when he finally grows his hair. And when that time comes, I want to pass to him an empire.”

“And the towns and cities we’ve already conquered aren’t enough?”

“No, that’s not it, Koko. They’re okay, but like you said, none of them will be very big in the future. Ninjago, though, is vibrant, brimming with life, and filled with strong warriors, just like our son. That place has a far more prosperous future compared to that. It’s the only fitting place for our son to rule.”

“But...he’s still only just a baby, Garmy. Don’t you think this is too fast?”

“Nonsense! I had to start learning Spinjitsu since the day I was born! And besides, Luh-Lloyd is already making great strides to becoming a great ruler! Look!” He brought Lloyd up closer to his face and cleared his throat, as loud as he could manage to get his attention. Of course, Lloyd turned up, making small sound.

“WAHAHAHA!” he bellowed. It was a generic evil laugh, he had to admit, but then he heard his son giggle excitedly and then-

“Wahahaha!” he squeaked, mimicking his laugh albeit maybe laughing too quickly. Still, an evil laugh was an evil laugh!

“See, Koko! Maybe it’s not maniacal yet but in a few years, it will be dripping with pure evil! He will be the most vicious, dangerous, and feared evil ruler of Ninjago.” He explained gleefully, and he laughed a little at the thought. His son growing up to become just like him and his mother.

But as he looked to his wife for a smile or at least some sign that she was reassured of Lloyd’s capability, she only looked...lost. He lips still hung a little and her eyes remained only Lloyd. There was depth to it he hadn’t seen before. Usually there was a fire in his wife’s eyes. It burned bright when she was happy, and exploded when infuriated. In them now, he saw nothing.

“Koko?” He asked, and suddenly she jolted in surprise.

“S-Sorry. I guess I was lost in thought.” she apologized. She never apologized.

“Misako, are you feeling alright? You’ve been strangely these past few days as well.” Garmadon inquired, remembering how less energetic she had been of late, or how she took less glory at the face of felled foes amidst combat. He had always chalked it up to post-pregnancy, but now he worried it was something else. All the same, Misako smiled at him and placed her hand on his shoulders.

“I’m fine, Garmy. I guess…” she stared at Lloyd again, who looked at his mother confused, wondering why she looked so sad. She wrapped her arms around him and carried him off Garmadon’s hands. “I guess I’m just worried about Lloyd. If he can really do it, y’know?”

At that, Garmadon smiled widely. “Of course he can, Koko! He is our child, after all! He will grow up a strong, proud, accomplished warrior like you. And take my handsomeness and leadership!” He gave his wife another kiss to the cheek, earning from her a small laugh.

“I suppose you’re right.” she said to him, smiling a little now. “Anyway, it’s getting late. It’s Lloyd’s sleeping time.”

“Wait, already?!” Garmadon turned behind him and indeed, the time was now close to nine. “Aw man! Can’t he stay up a bit longer? I was telling him about our battle with the skeleton general!”

“No, Garmy. He needs his sleep.” Misako chuckled, leaving to get Lloyd’s formula. Garmadon groaned, but he conceded to his boy getting stronger.

“Well, that only gives me more time to prepare all the stuff for a grander tale. I’m gonna go to our room and prepare it all. Oh, and work! Yes, work!”

Garmadon hastily collected the puppets, with exception to two, of course. The puppets of himself and Koko. Those he placed in Lloyd’s crib.

“I’ll see you later, Koko.” He bidded. 
“Bye, Garmy.” she said. Just before he could leave, he heard her continue. “And I love you.”

It sounded different. Heavier, if he could put it. He turned to his wife to see her beginning to bottle feed Lloyd, still smiling. He pushed the thought away. “I love you too, Koko.”

Garmadon stared at the photos spread on the wall, all hung in an orderly fashion. Despite all the dust, they were in a clean state almost untouched from the centuries that passed. He supposed they must’ve been handled with care before...the owners passed.

Lloyd stood by his side, no longer an infant but now a grown young man of sixteen years. He stayed quiet as he listened to his father’s story. Garmadon imagined how hard it must be to believe every word. That there was a time where the three lived together, and were blissfully happy.

“That was the last time I saw your mother.” Garmadon finally continued after his brief pause, sighing a little as he focused on the photo with him, Misako, and baby Lloyd. “It wasn’t until midnight that I grew worried. She never stayed up late. I went to your room to see if she was still there, but there was only a note in your crib. She left and took you with her to Ninjago. She wanted you to have a normal life.”

Garmadon paused again, getting lost once more in his memories. The day he met Misako, every battle together, the day Lloyd was born, the day they named him. “...I could’ve changed.” he whispered quietly, as if it was to himself.

“What…?” Lloyd asked.

“I could’ve changed, Luh-Lloyd. Become a better man for Koko. But I didn’t, and lost you both.”

Silence filled the room. Garmadon’s story was finished and now...it was actually getting kind of awkward. He looked around for the other ninjas to say something but he realised that it was only him and Lloyd in the room.

“Uh, Dad?” Lloyd asked, turning to his dad. “Did...mom take anything with her when she left? I mean, aside from me. Like, a toy or something?”

“Hm, I don’t really know.” Garmadon admitted, stroking his helmet as he tried to recall. “I became so focused with conquering Ninjago after that that I never went back to your room for months. By then, it was cleaned up.”



“Oh. Um, coz... I think-”

“I THINK I FOUND IT!!” Jay suddenly screamed from wherever he was, causing the to jump a little in surprise.

“W-Where, Jay?!” Lloyd yelled.

“In the hall, over here!” Jay yelled back, a little excited. “C’mon!”

“All right, we’re coming!” Kai said, suddenly coming out of the kitchen to follow where he thought he heard Jay. Nya, Cole, and Zane began to run in to go to wherever Jay was too. Seeing this, Lloyd and his father followed, deciding to put the conversation off till later.

It was a memory from a long time back, so most of what he could recall was hazy. He hadn’t remembered what happened that day, but he remembered being upset and crying about it in his room. He had his head stuffed under a pillow so no one would see when he heard someone call him.

“Luh-Lloyd~? Hey, are you okay, Luh-Lloyd~?” It was a low but whimsical voice. Lloyd couldn’t help but poke his head out to see who it was.

It was his mom, with the black samurai puppet on her hand.

“Hey there, Luh-Lloyd! Tell me what’s wrong!” the samurai asked, still with the goofy voice. Lloyd wiped away the tears, not wanting his mom to see them.

“N-Nothing’s wrong!”

“Aw, are you sure?” the samurai tilted sideways. “Well, then I suppose you don’t want ice cream?”

Lloyd perked up. “No, I want ice cream!!”

His mom laughed, then bringing up a full-bowl, chocolate-flavored with fruits, for him. Lloyd grabbed it and quickly got a spoonful. Just like that, he was already smiling.

“See? Feeling better already?”

“Yeah!” Lloyd answered. His mother laughed, and he took another bite when she carried him off the bed. She brushed his hair aside to give him a kiss on his forehead. She was smiling at him.

“I love you, Honey.”

Lloyd beamed back at her. “Love you too, Mom!”

And suddenly, she brought the black samurai up again, who piped, “Aw, not me~?” He drooped to look sad. Lloyd couldn’t help laughing.

“You too.” Lloyd patted to puppet’s head.

After that, his mother brought him to the living room where they watched some shows together before he did his homework. Then he had dinner, did more homework, and watched TV again.

If Lloyd had to be honest, that day was basically his normal everyday life, even up till now. Heck, the only difference was that he actually had friends this time, and the puppet...he outgrew it years ago.

He had it for as long as he knew his mom, so never thought about where it might’ve come from. 

If he was right, it should still be in his closet, tucked away with the other toys he had forgotten. Maybe...he should show it to dad once they got back?

...yeah. Why not?