Wu took a deep breath before opening Lloyd's bedroom door. "Lloyd?" he called stiffly.
When there was no reply, the sensei stepped into the room and went over to Lloyd's bed, where the green ninja was lying. He frowned as he noticed the green ninja's unsteady breathing and gently shook him. "Lloyd," he murmured. "Wake up."
Lloyd didn't move.
Wu walked around the bed until he could see Lloyd's face. "Lloyd?" he repeated.
The green ninja didn't open his eyes.
Raising an eyebrow, Wu grabbed Lloyd's blanket and began drawing it away from the ninja, and it was only then he spotted the deep gash in Lloyd's side. The untreated wound had dried blood encrusted around it, as well as turning the blankets surrounding it red. Wu's eyes widened in alarm and he snapped his gaze back to Lloyd's face. The green ninja wasn't at all sleeping.
He was unconscious.
Wu gently rolled Lloyd onto his back until he got a clear view of his wound. He drew in a sharp hiss. It's bad, he thought. He rubbed his beard. Kai really gave this to him?
Sorrow flooded over Wu as he gazed down at the green ninja. He looked so limp and helpless, and the sensei couldn't bear the sight. Good or bad, he's still my nephew, he thought. And he needs help.
Just then, Garmadon walked into the room. His eyes flashed suspiciously as he spotted his brother, but Wu spoke first.
"We have to get Lloyd to the hospital room," he told him.
Garmadon was immediately at his son's side. He stared down at the ninja, worry raining down on him as his gaze fell on Lloyd's injury. He nodded. "We do."
The brothers each took one of Lloyd's arms, heaving him off the bed. Then Lloyd began to stir. His eyes slightly blinked open and he let out a soft groan. "D-Dad?" he rasped.
"It's okay, Lloyd," Garmadon soothed. "We're going to help you."
Lloyd's eyes rolled around and his head fell back limply on Wu's shoulder. He drew in a sharp breath as his eyes closed again, falling unconscious once more.
Carrying Lloyd in between them, the senseis headed out of the room and down the hall toward the hospital room.
* * *
"Brother, you have to understand," Wu said desperately.
"I know what I saw!" Garmadon growled, pacing the floor angrily. "My son, helplessly being strangled by that... that ungrateful, little—"
"We both know Kai wouldn't hurt anyone in cold blood," Wu interrupted.
Garmadon's eyes blazed. "Oh, but Lloyd would?"
Wu stared at him seriously. "Lloyd is after the elemental weapons," he stated. "You know that."
"How can you say that?" Garmadon exclaimed in outrage. "Lloyd wants to be one of us again! He's really trying, but people like Kai can't see that!" He turned around. "All they see when they look at him is a traitor, and that's not fair. Lloyd shouldn't be judged by his past." He furrowed his eyebrows. "And neither should Kai."
Wu spotted a deep pain in his brother's eyes. Frowning, he walked over to his brother and laid a hand on his shoulder. "You love him, Brother," he murmured. "That's why you're so upset."
Garmadon gave a frustrated hiss, clearly trying to hide his feelings. "How can I, when he tortures my son like that?" he retorted.
"But he's another son to you, and you're a father to him," Wu went on. "He'd never do anything to hurt you on purpose."
"Oh, yeah?" Garmadon hissed. "Well, he did. And I don't want anything to do with someone who hurts the person I love most in the world."
Wu felt helpless, but he tried one more time. "Kai only wants to be loved," he breathed.
"Well, he's not getting it from me," Garmadon snapped back.
"But he—"
Garmadon turned on his brother. "Lloyd is twice the son Kai will ever be!" he snarled.
Wu winced, mouth drying for words.
Panting angrily, Garmadon whipped around and pounded out of the room. As he halted in the doorframe, he turned around to see someone standing beside him.
Kai.
The red ninja stared up at the sensei with shock, eyes rounded and jaws gaped. Garmadon furrowed his eyebrows, the anger burning inside of him. "You," he growled, stalking closer to him.
Fear leaped into Kai's eyes and he staggered backward, heart racing. Garmadon took one last step toward him before raking his blazing gaze over the red ninja. Kai stood frozen still, afraid of what the sensei would do. With a hiss, Garmadon took a step back, shook his head, and stalked down the hall away from the red ninja.
Then Wu walked out of the room, glancing sideways at Kai in alarm. The red ninja looked away, clenching his fists. "How could he?" he whispered. "How could he say a thing like that?"
Wu walked up in front of Kai, finding the ninja's eyes slowly start to rise with anger. "Kai, I know you must be hurt," he murmured, "but you mustn't let it get to you."
Kai's breath quickened in anger and he turned away from the sensei. "He can't do this to me," he rasped, eyebrows furrowing. "He can't!"
Eyes blazing, the red ninja tried to race after Garmadon, but Wu stopped him. "Kai!"
Kai snarled and tried to push past the sensei, but Wu clutched his shoulders and kept him in place. "Kai, listen to me," he told him, oddly serious.
Kai struggled to get loose. "Let me go!" he demanded, the fury clear in his voice.
Wu grunted as he held Kai steady. "Kai, look at me," he ordered. "Look at me." Kai panted, finally slowing down. "Look at me."
The red ninja gazed at Wu, eyes full of distress.
"Don't you see what Lloyd is doing to you?" Wu breathed. "He's putting these thoughts into your head, causing you to lash out in your anger." He stared at the red ninja intensely as Kai's eyes widened in realization. "Kai, he's trying to turn you."
Kai shook his head, eyes round, and took a step back. "No," he whispered. "He can't—I won't!"
Wu gazed at him. "That depends if you can control yourself or not," he said.
Kai's breathing became heavy. Eyes widened in horror, the red ninja whirled around and raced down the hall.
Wu sighed and rubbed his beard. He knew Lloyd had planted that seed—that uncertain, suspicious seed—inside of Kai that could change him just as it did to Lloyd. But if he tries, Kai can fight it, he thought. But doubt formed inside of him as he thought about how the red ninja had tried to rush after his brother. I just don't know if he'll want to try.
* * *
Wu looked up as Lloyd shifted in his hospital bed and he rushed over to him. Garmadon was already there, as he had been the whole time. He laid his hand on his son's arm as the green ninja blinked open his eyes.
"Wh-where am I?" Lloyd croaked, gaze trailing around the room. "Wh-what happened?" He struggled to sit up, letting out a short groan as he fell back again.
"It's okay," Garmadon soothed. "You're safe—in the hospital room."
"The hospital room?" Lloyd once again tried to sit up, this time successful. He coughed as he looked around, gaze locking on Wu. The sensei's gaze was stern and he opened his mouth, but Garmadon broke in first.
"Kai got to share his side of the story," he snapped. "Shouldn't Lloyd get a fair share?"
Wu hesitated. Lloyd's eyes rounded with shock as he glimpsed from Garmadon to Wu, as if forgetting the whole incident altogether. Garmadon looked down at his son. "Lloyd?"
Lloyd screwed up his face as he tried to remember what happened. "I-I was only trying to help," he started shakily. "I wanted to find a better place to hide the elemental sword. But when I showed Kai and tried to place it there, h-he thought I was stealing it." He began to tremble and his eyes deepened. "That's when he attacked me. I-I tried to defend myself, but he took me by surprise."
Garmadon sat beside his son and tried to comfort him as Wu rubbed his beard. He had to admit he had never seen Lloyd so shaken. The green ninja had always looked so fierce and confident ever since he returned from the Baddies, but now his eyes were deep with fear and his breathing came in gasps. He looked so innocent.
Wu didn't know who to believe anymore. With Kai's recent short-temper, he could've been the first to lash out. And if Lloyd tried to defend himself, could that be what made Kai think he was trying to kill him?
Wu didn't know. Both sides of the story made sense. Whichever one is correct, we now have two terribly shaken ninja. And one of them we have to fear—I just don't know which one.
* * *
Falling back onto the bed, Lloyd took a deep breath as Garmadon and Wu left the room. He twiddled his fingers anxiously, staring up at the ceiling. Then he looked up again as he heard footsteps, and turned his head to find Kai stepping out of the shadows of the room.
The red ninja furrowed his eyebrows as he walked up beside the green ninja. "Seriously?" he growled. "'I thought you were stealing the sword, so I attacked you'?"
Lloyd snorted. "I had to say something, didn't I?" he retorted.
Kai crossed his arms. "You're not gonna fool anyone with this fake goody-two-shoes routine!"
"Oh, I'm fooling everyone," Lloyd sneered. "Believe me, to them, you're the one in the wrong."
Fury exploded inside of Kai and he instinctively drew out his sword. Lloyd jumped in alarm, eyeing the weapon suspiciously. Kai was surprised to see a glitter of fear in the green ninja's gaze. But it wasn't a frightened fear, but rather, a respected fear. Kai felt oddly satisfied. Now he knows I'm not someone to mess with!
Lloyd inched away from the red ninja. "D-Dad?" he called loudly.
Kai gave a hiss, pointing his sword at Lloyd. "He's not going to believe your sorry story," he hissed.
Lloyd furrowed his eyebrows, keeping his steady gaze on Kai in spite of the blade near his neck. "He will if he catches us at the right times," he growled. He smirked as he heard the hospital room door open. "A time like now."
Kai jolted and whipped around just as Garmadon rushed over to them. The sensei's eyes flashed as he spotted Kai's sword and, with a low growl, he pushed himself in between the two ninja. His blazing gaze turned to Kai and, without warning, he shoved the red ninja away from him and his son. "I thought I told you to stay away from my son!" he snarled.
Kai gasped as his hands hit the floor. Trembling, he looked up at Garmadon with widened eyes, breathing shakily. He skittered backward as he saw the rage in the sensei's eyes.
"Get out of here!" Garmadon barked.
Heart racing, Kai stumbled to his feet and whirled around, fleeing out of the room. Garmadon watched with narrowed eyes until the red ninja was gone and then turned back to his son. His gaze softened as he saw the fear in the trembling ninja's eyes and he sat beside him. "Come here," he breathed, bringing Lloyd closer to him and wrapping his arms around him comfortingly.
Lloyd rested his chin on his father's shoulder, his breathing shaky. "H-he... I-I don't... H-how could he..."
"Shh," Garmadon whispered. "You're safe now."
"What did I do?" Lloyd choked out. "What did I do wrong?"
"Nothing, Lloyd," Garmadon told him. "You did nothing wrong. It's Kai who's wrong." He hugged his son tighter until he felt Lloyd sink into his warmth. "But don't worry," he murmured. "I won't let him hurt you again. I will protect you."
Lloyd's gaze traveled to the floor. He didn't need Garmadon's protection—but there was no way he was going to admit that. He suppressed a sigh, feeling almost guilty for the way he was acting.
Almost.