~....Not The Same....~

Chapter 7

***

Wu drew open the delicate paper doors of the monastery, and took in a deep breath of the clean, spring air. Birds at onto of fallen tree branches in the courtyard, and a few squirrels hurried around melting piles of snow. The sun shone off of the wet stones, and a gentle breeze blew through. Wu stepped out into the brisk morning, and began picking up fallen sticks, and creating a pile. The gate opened, and Wu spun around on the balls of his feet, eager to see his brother. The postman jumped back, surprised by Wu's sudden movement.

" You boys enjoy scaring me don't you?" He sighed. Wu sighed, and took his mail from the postman, and he turned to begin his descent down the mountain but gasped.

" Goodness, you two....Pop up everywhere don't you?" He mumbled, Garmadon walking past him, and running into the courtyard.

" Brother!" Garmadon shouted, embracing his brother. Wu laughed, dropping the mail onto the wet stones." It has been too long! What happened to the cellphone I got for you?"

" I ran out of batteries..." Wu said, chuckling. " Where are Misako and Lloyd?" Just as Wu asked this, Misako walked in, Lloyd in her arms. The baby giggled happily, pointing at the birds flying in the sky.

" Look, Lloyd...We're home..." Misako told him sweetly. He looked around, and laughed once more, resting his head on his mother's shoulder. Misako smiled at Wu, and Wu smiled back.

" Welcome back, guys." Wu said. " Misako, You can head in and get settled...Garmadon, I could really use your help with cleaning up the courtyard." Garmadon nodded, and Misako headed inside with Lloyd. Garmadon took a broom, and began sweeping the stones

" So, how's Lloyd doing?" Wu asked, taking an armload of sticks to a trashcan he had dragged in. Garmadon chuckled, shaking his head in disbelief.

" Well, you just saw him, so fine, I suppose...He has green eyes like I did..." He shrugged. " His hair is really light, but it may darken in time..." Wu nodded, and a thought crossed his mind.

" It'd be funny if he became the Green Ninja, huh?" Wu said. Garmadon stopped, anger etched across his face.

" Stop there." He said, his voice so quiet you could hear a pin drop. " Don't even say that. Why would that ever be considered funny?! " Wu nodded, regretting what he had said.

" Sorry..." He muttered. " Thought you'd find it kinda ironic-"

" How would my own son defeating me be funny, Wu?" Garmadon shouted. " Answer me that." He leaned the broom against the stone wall and walked into the monastery.

" Oh, come on..." Wu sighed, running a hand through his hair. " I need to learn to shut my stupid, big mouth.." He sighed, and continued sweeping the stones.

***

Garmadon sat quietly in the sitting room, a scroll of paper in his hand, when Misako came in with Lloyd. She gave him a weary smile.

" Garmadon, can you please keep an eye on Lloyd? I'm exhausted, and I need sleep..." She yawned. Garmadon nodded, rolling up the scroll.

" Don't see why not..." He shrugged. Misako sighed a sigh of relief, and handed Lloyd to Garmadon.

" Thank you so much..." She said, tiredly kissing him on the cheek. " I'll relieve you in an hour or two..."

" Don't worry." He called as she left the room. He looked down at Lloyd, and the little baby looked back up at him. He smiled, and Lloyd smiled back, grabbing a piece of his Father's hair. Garmadon laughed, gently taking his hair from Lloyd's grasp.

" Let's not play with daddy's hair, alright?" He said. " How about I tell you a story instead?" Lloyd laughed, clapping his hands together. Garmadon smiled, and began to tell his tale.

" Once upon a time...There were two young dragons..." Garmadon began. " And, they were the best of friends...Until one day, when they were playing, something happened to the older brother, and he got hurt. He began down the road of darkness, while his brother stayed on the path of light. Their father was mad at the older brother, and began favoring the younger brother. It drove a wedge between the brothers, and they weren't as good of friends again..." Lloyd looked up at his father, and yawned.

 " But, one day, their father fell ill, and he passed. It broke the heart of the younger brother, and he hid in his room for many days, until one day, the older brother went to talk to him. For the first time in ten years, the siblings spoke, and they comforted each other. From then on out, they were great friends...." He smiled down at his sleeping son, and sighed. " Hope that if you one day have a younger sibling, you won't fight like I did with Wu..." Garmadon whispered, bringing Lloyd to his crib. He placed the sleeping baby gently in the crib, and stood over the crib for a moment, watching him peacefully sleep. Then, a thought slipped into his mind. He tried to forget it, but it wouldn't fade. It drilled itself into his every thought, and he wanted to scream. He couldn't fight it. He leaned against the wall, and pressed the heels of his hands over his eyes. No...don't do it....He chided to himself, the will to do so growing stronger by the second. You promised! Tears stung his eyes, and his head began to pound. His breaths came out raspy, as he began to give in. I can't, not now...

I don't want to..

 He removed his hands from his eyes, as Lloyd began to cry. Garmadon picked him up, Lloyd looking up into his father's red eyes.

" Good bye, my son..." He whispered. " Be a good boy, alright? Don't give your mother any issues, alright? I hope I can see you again some day.." He laid Lloyd back down, and left the room without another word.