Chapter Text
He'd always known it would end this way
One form or another. It really didn't change anything. He was a ninja, he was the leader, he was everything to everyone. But to himself, he knew it would have to end this way. Or nothing else would've felt complete.
Lloyd Garmadon was more than just his color
It was hard to know at first, but eventually, he got the message. He was born a hero. Even if by some miracle, it had been a rough start. And someday, he knew that he would have to die as one. Or nothing else would've lined up as it should have been.
The rest of the ninja knew it too
But they never said anything
It almost made it too real to know that one of their brothers in arms would die someday. As ninja, it sometimes made them feel invincible. This was the non-perk to it all.
Lloyd was going to go first
Then the rest would fall in line
It was ironic really, how much hope they had all gained. They were two worlds apart, two whispers away. Their roles were different, yet their mission was not. How did one say that they all felt different when they were meant to be the same.
Never did they know it would happen so soon
The first petal to fall
The first one was always doomed
Every morning, they would look each other in the eye, say good morning. But never goodbye. They said they never needed to, that they would all see each other very soon. But it was as before, nothing really changed.
Someday, all this was never meant to stay the same
The weather would change, as the seasons often did. Relationships never stayed the same. There was really no fun in that. It was a timeline, full of surprises that nobody knew.
When Lloyd fell
He knew
Everybody knew
His petals were falling with him, tearing up any hope, joy, that could've come from any victory. The ground was the first thing he hit, then came the rage of every ten-fold. Kai called for him to wake up, his blood coating the fire ninja's heart.
Zane pulled him back, saying that nobody could've survived that fall. That Kai needed to let go, needed to finally move on.
But Kai never let go
And he certainly never moved on
The funeral was fast, and so was everyone else. Except the ninja, that is. They never let go, even the nindrioid himself forced his emotion button to stay on. He needed to suffer, just like them all. It wasn't fair to pretend that Lloyd's death was nothing at all.
He was their guiding light
The savior in arms
When he died, so did everyone else
Cole disappeared, the very next. Nobody saw anything, except the news, that he jumped. That he didn't even think to look back.
Jay was next, his temper short. Nya tried to ring him back in, saying it was all worth it. But the electrifying one, never let go. Got in a car accident, couldn't be revived. People say that's the end of that.
Nya knew
And she didn't forget
She was the next to go
Cancer was something that no one knew was in her cards. But as devastating as it was, she was excited to see Lloyd. Her final breath was given only two short weeks later, leaving everyone behind.
Kai and Zane
The only two petals left. Zane turned off his emotion button, and didn't return. Kai was just as lost as before.
"How could you leave us, Lloyd?!" He cried out. "You left us, then so did everyone else."
The memories so long forgotten, in picture graphs of old. Stood on the dresser, singing their sad tune. Of something that was once was. But taken away, starting with the green ninja.
He couldn't tell where to start
First it was the dreams, then it was the nightmares. Waking up in a house full of nothing but dust was a little hard to comprehend. Then it was a knock from someone in the past. Who hadn't given up, who moved on from all the deaths.
"Skylor?" Kai asked. "What are you doing here?"
She smiled. "I came to say hi, it's been a while."
"Yeah…it has."
"I also wanted to check up on you. Did you see the news?"
"What news?"
Skylor handed him the phone, which had the heading. Nindrioid found dead in a ditch, with nothing but the metal on his back. It was self-inflicted, is what everyone else is saying.
Kai shrugged. "Cool."
"You're not sad?"
"I've seen too many deaths, Skylor. I'm just done." The fire ninja started to close the door, but Skylor blocked it. Frowning to herself.
"How could you say that? He was your brother." She spoke, hyping up her motions.
"Jay, Cole, Lloyd were also my brothers. But they died as well. Nya was my sister, and she died the same fate. I'm just done, Skylor. Which means I'm done with people."
Skylor pushed the door open wider. "Kai…"
"WHAT? What Skylor? You're going to just magically come in here and say everything is ok, when it's not?! Their dead, Skylor! And I can't bring them back. So don't you dare tell me that they are here. Because I for one, sure have not felt a single ounce of them here." Kai's cheeks lit aflame, tears crusading down like wildfire.
"I can't do this anymore Skylor, I can't get close only to lose someone else. I'm alone, and that's how I want to stay."
"Kai, this isn't good for you," Skylor sighed. "You're not going to lose me."
"But I lost them."
"You didn't lose them; they are still here." She brought her hand to his cheek. "You never lost them for a minute."
Kai sobbed. "But I miss them, Sky. I miss them so fricken much."
"And what do you miss?"
It was harder to remember. Not because he couldn't, he knew exactly what to say. But because it meant that it was real, that his only family was truly gone. That he wouldn't be able to witness anything more but photographs.
This was something he had to do
Even if it forced him to cry his only remaining hope away
"I miss Jay's witty attitude, his laughter, his ability to make me feel lighter. I miss Cole's hugs, his hard love that's kept me grounded. I miss my Zane's loving nature, his naturing, and pestering. Even if it was annoying at times. I miss my sister's ability to remain calm, her sense of humor, but mostly her love for me. I miss that the most. And I miss Ll-" His voice caught in his throat.
"I miss Lloyd's brotherly love. I could go to him for anything, for comfort, for advice. He was always there for me. I miss him the most."
Tears fell down his pale cheeks, his heart hurting for something so far gone. His brothers, gone. His sister, gone. His sensi, gone.
What else did he have left?
"Come here," Skylor whispered. She extended her hands out wide, letting the sobbing boy cry into her chest.
His pain was deep
And it might never heal
But for now, this was something she could do. And for that, she was eternally grateful