Month 12

(Week 45 - 48)

It was early April when the day finally came for Lumi Garmadon's first birthday. The monastery was under the control of Pixal and Jay as they took charge of the decorations, food, and party planning.

"Kai, Cole, you better be careful with that cake!" Pixal called out, spotting the boys walking into the monastery with a large box of cake in their grasp.

"Wait," Cole paused and eyed the box. "We've been moving the cake?"

Kai narrowed his eyes at Pixal. "Yes. But it's for Lumi."

"But—"

"Move it or lose it, Master of Earth!" This time it was Jay nagging them. "We don't have all day."

"Alright, alright."

Through the halls in the inside of the monastery of Spinjitzu, little Lumi Garmadon ran past every door. Her white-blonde hair tied up in small pigtails, as she was dressed in a set of striped pajamas.

"Come! Come!" She called, looking back to check if Nya was still following her.

They all took a collective vote and had decided that Nya would be the one to distract Lumi from all the party planning that was going on before she started opening all the presents.

What Nya didn't expect was that they would start decorating as early as eight in the morning.

"Lumi, your parents are still sleeping." Nya whined, trailing behind the child in her own set of pajamas and a pair of bunny slippers to cover her feet. She stopped to yawn in the middle of the hallway.

Lumi ignored her and tugged at her robes. "Come!"

They both stood in front of the double doors that lead to Lloyd's room—which was now declared as the small family's room—and Lumi wasted no time in sliding the doors open.

Nya's eyes widened at how the girl knew how to do that. Although for her, it was quite expected that the little girl was bright given her mother and father's intellect.

She shook her head and leaned against the doorframe, watching Lumi climb onto the bed to wake up her parents. She tried shaking them but neither bothered to wake up.

Knowing there wasn't another way to get them to wake up, Lumi threw herself at them, making her parents groan at the impact. Nya simply chuckled and shook her head.

"Mama! Up! Up!" Lumi exclaimed, shaking Harumi's sleeping figure—which was pressed up against Lloyd. When she didn't respond, Lumi moved to her dad. "Dada! Up! Up!"

Lloyd groaned and without opening his eyes he said, "Lumi, relax." His voice was raspy as he pulled Harumi closer to him. "Let mommy and daddy sleep."

"No!" Their daughter protested and squirmed to get in the space between them.

Harumi rubbed her eyes and pulled her daughter into a cuddle, resting her cheek on her small tummy. "What's wrong, Lu?"

"Up! Up!"

Lloyd chuckled, finally pulling himself away from sleep. "I think someone is excited for today."

Harumi caught on and smiled at her daughter. "Really? But what's so special about today?"

"Lulu borthday!" Lumi cheered, raising her arms in the air.

"It's your birthday?" Harumi asked, a playful smile forming on her face. "But I thought that was tomorrow?"

"No! No! Now, mama." Lumi insisted and turned to Lloyd. "Dada! Birthday!"

Lloyd prompted his elbow on the bed and rested his head on his hand. He eyed Harumi from across their daughter, letting out a chuckle when he saw her shake her head.

Lloyd reached for his daughter's hand. "It's your birthday?"

"Yes, dada!"

"Hm, if it's your birthday then is this for you?" Lloyd got up and reached under the bed to grab a box with a ribbon securing it.

Harumi's eyebrows shot up when she saw the present. "You got her gifts?"

"You didn't?"

"I—" Lumi turned to her mommy and shot her a smile before crawling over to her dad. "Of course I did." Harumi defended, crossing her arms.

"Where is it then?" Lloyd tested her, a smirk playing on his lips as he opened the box to reveal a small shopping cart filled with different fruits and vegetables. "Tada."

Lumi giggled and immediately started playing with her new toy. It was no surprise that little Lumi Garmadon was spoiled but her parents certainly made sure it never went overboard.

However, Harumi had decided to make an exception for today.

"A sword? Rumi—" Lloyd went to stop her from handing it to their daughter before the girl cut him off.

"Relax, Greenie. It's soft enough to play with and hard enough to actually hit a man." Harumi smiled and handed the present to her daughter. "Given she could probably have powers, I thought it would be a good start. Besides, her parents are amazing with swords, it's logical that she is too."

"At 1?"

"Would you rather if she was 2?"

"I'd prefer it if she was older." Lloyd crossed his arms and opened his mouth to speak another word.

"Stop!" Lumi frowned at them and shook her head. "No!"

Both sighed, immediately rushing over to engulf her in a hug. "Sorry, Lu." They said simultaneously.

Lumi smiled and tapped their cheeks. "Birthday!"

They all turned towards the door at the sound of sniffling and crying. Nya leaned against the doorframe, wiping her eyes.

"Why are you crying?" Harumi raised a brow at the girl.

Nya immediately dismissed it. "No! No, I'm just...emotional that's all."

"Come here, Nya." Lloyd raised his arm, offering her to join the group hug.

Nya wasted no time in rushing over and engulfing the family in a tight hug. Lumi giggled from the middle of everything before pushing them away from her.

"Cake!"

"Lumi, it's eight in the morning. You can't have cake."

"Cake!"

Harumi sighed. "You've been spending too much time with Cole."

"Unkiee!" Was Lumi's term for saying the word Uncle. But she did know their names and instantly recognized who they were.

Lumi started climbing down the bed, her feet first as she ran out of the room. The trio watched with wide eyes before running after her.

"Lumi!" They called after her as she ran around the halls.

"Unkie!"

"Jay! Pixal! She's coming your way." Nya warned, it was a good thing the monastery was small enough to make the simple scream heard.

"Hurry! Hurry!" Was the response that echoed as Lumi reached the front doors of the monastery. She pushed it open to find her aunts and uncles standing in the courtyard, hands behind their backs, and a sheepish smile plastered on their faces.

"Hey, Lumi!" Zane greeted, casually waving a hand which he realized was a mistake when he revealed the mint green balloons in his hand. Pixal shot him a glare and Zane cleared his throat.

"Bawoos?" Lumi asked, tilting her head. "Balloos!"

"No, no, no." Lloyd stepped in front of her and picked her up, to which Lumi responded with kicks and screams, as she tried to run to the ninja. "You're staying in here."

"No!" Lumi screamed, she was on the verge of crying.

It was rare that Lumi Garmadon threw tantrums and when she did, the entire monastery prepared for hell.

"Hey, hey." Lloyd's voice was getting serious as he struggled to keep hold of his daughter. "Sweetheart, stop."

"No! Balloos!"

"Lumi."

"Ballos!"

"Lumi Garmadon that is enough." Lloyd snapped, having enough of her kicking and screaming.

Lumi took a good look at him before bursting into a fit of tears. She cried and cried, forcing Harumi to take her from her dad.

"Shh it's okay." Harumi rocked her from side to side, slowly walking back inside as Lumi cried onto her shoulder. "How about we go get some muffins?"

"You shouldn't show her that throwing a tantrum would get her what she wants." Lloyd huffed, crossing his arms as he followed them inside. Nya left long before everything, running off in the opposite direction as the ninja continued working outside.

Harumi walked to the kitchen. "I'm not trying to show her that. I'm trying to distract her because you were on the verge of yelling. On her birthday, nonetheless."

Lloyd bit his lip, fidgeting with his hands behind his back. "Sorry." He muttered.

Harumi turned around and ran a hand through his blond locks. "It's alright. But I'm not the one you should apologize to." She gestured to the child in her arms who was still sulking but her crying had managed to stop. "How about you go brush your teeth and I'll prepare some breakfast?"

"By yourself? With a baby in your arms?"

"You underestimate me, Lloyd Garmadon."

Lloyd raised his hands up and pressed a kiss to her forehead. "Alright. Go ahead then."

🍼🍼🍼🍼🍼🍼

The party never died down as Lumi Garmadon enjoyed her first birthday. She was dressed in a mint-green dress with white polka dots on the skirt, and a ribbon tied around her waist. Her hair was tied up in a ponytail and her face wore the brightest smile.

Different people from all around Ninjago City could be seen at the party. Ranging, but not limited to, from their friends to the random citizens who found their way inside the monastery.

However, the news reporters were held back by the monastery doors. Master Wu had made sure that no one was going to make a huge scene over the party.

In one corner was a whole buffet table of food while another table was filled with presents. There were streamers and balloons everywhere.

"We really outdid ourselves, Pix." Jay nodded from the sidelines, watching as the party they had spent hours planning—not to mention the constant interruptions of Lumi Garmadon, who kept trying to enter the courtyard—it was nice to see their efforts pay off.

Pixal raised a fist from beside him. "I couldn't agree more." With a simple bump, they discarded their clipboards and immediately headed to the dance floor to finally catch a break.

The doors burst open. An eerie feeling consumed the room and all heads turned to the entrance. At first there was a shadow, which disappeared as quickly as it appeared.

"Hello, Granddaughter."

Lloyd could immediately notice that voice, everybody could, and he went to shield his daughter and girlfriend before he came any closer.

"Hello, Lloyd." Garmadon bent down, a smile tugging at his lips. He looked the same as the last time they had met. His face remained ageless, his eyes a bright red like the hottest version of Kai's fire, he still had four arms, and his skin was still as dark as night.

Just like his soul.

"What are you doing here?" Lloyd said although his voice was weaker than he wanted and it made him mentally curse himself.

Garmadon simply shrugged. "It's my granddaughter's birthday after all. Why wouldn't I be here?"

"You never even knew you had a granddaughter."

"You think her face isn't plastered in every nook and cranny of Ninjago? Every person alive knows who she is, whether they're enemies or not."

Lloyd hadn't considered that. He knew that the publicity was bad but if it managed to reach his father, then it was definitely more out of his control than he realized.

But he remained firm, insistent on protecting his family. "What do you want then?"

Garmadon pushed him to the sidelines and eyed the little Lumi Garmadon who was held by Harumi. The girl flinched at the sight of him, a familiar feeling creeping to her throat.

"Hello, Lumi." Garmadon's voice was deep and cold. Easy to scare away people who wanted to live. However, Lumi found it calming. "My, you look just like your mother and father."

"That's the point." Lloyd muttered under his breath, crossing his arms. He could feel the element of energy tingling at his fingers incase his father did something stupid.

Lumi cooed and reached out to him, shocking everyone in the process, before saying. "Papa?"

Harumi was quick to retort and pull her away. "No, no. Lumi, that's your grandfather. But..." She couldn't bring herself to finish it, not without insulting the man to his face.

"Say it, Princess Harumi. It's not like you weren't associating with me just a few months ago. Hm?"

He just made this easier.

"He's dangerous." Harumi spat and held her daughter close. "And evil. And he would hurt you every chance he gets."

However, Garmadon simply found this amusing. "You really think I would hurt my descendant?"

"Descendant? Is that what we're calling her?" Lloyd joined in the conversation, walking beside his girlfriend.

"I would just like to see my granddaughter, Lloyd. Is that so bad?" Garmadon tilted his head to the side but the smile never left his face. Ignoring both their comments, he approached Lumi who looked at him with the same bright green eyes he always saw in his son.

Oh how it annoyed him.

He bent down, meeting her face. "You are destined for greater things, Lumi. May the First Spinjitzu Master always be by your side."

Lumi cooed and placed a hand on his face. He felt a burning sensation pass through him, and his eyes widened with fear. An image which confused both Lloyd and Harumi. He narrowed his eyes at her and Lumi simply stared back, her hand never leaving his face.

When Garmadon pulled away, everyone was shocked to see a small handprint on his cheek. It was pure white, a huge contrast to his coal-like skin, and was deep enough to leave a scar. He simply studied her face before clearing his throat.

"Well," He started, the familiar images already running through his head. The same memories that played in his head over and over again. While he slept, when he got up, and now. "Have a happy birthday, Lumi."

He sent a nod to Lloyd and Master Wu before heading for the doors. He shook his head, muttering incomprehensible things to himself, as the doors closed behind him.

"What just happened?" Harumi whispered, her eyes never leaving the double doors even if they were closed.

Lloyd leaned in. "I have no idea."

A beep beep entered their ears, pulling them away from their thoughts, as Pixal and Zane broke the tension.

"I present to you, the greatest birthday present in all of Ninjago." Pixal smiled, using a remote to control the incoming vehicle.

It was small enough to fit Lumi but also big enough to crush the toes of anyone who got in its way. A small jeep strode into the center of the courtyard, making Lumi burst into a fit of giggles and wiggling her way out of her mother's arms.

"Vroom vroom!" Lumi exclaimed and ran towards it.

"That just makes my present look bad." Skylor muttered to Kai and Cole who stood beside her. They both snorted but nodded in agreement.

Harumi gasped, walking towards the vehicle. "Pixal! You didn't have to."

"I insist."

"Dada! Vroom vroom!" Lumi pointed out, already getting a feel of the steering wheel as she played around with the car.

Lloyd chuckled and bent down to her level. "We can control it with a remote, right?"

"Of course."

Everyone gathered around to get a look of the present. But Harumi stayed behind, admiring the way Lloyd and Lumi interacted with each other. She thought back to all the times she vomited her stomach in her prison cell, having no one know what was going on with her until the bump on her stomach revealed everything.

But now, watching her daughter and the love of her life play around, she knew it was all worth it.

"Hey, has anyone seen Nya?"

A loud, yet quite familiar, sound of a person emptying their stomach echoed through their ears and caught the attention of everyone who was close enough to the doors.

Kai, however, caught on. "JAYYYY!"

End

Thank you all so much for staying until the end of this supposedly short story. It was only meant to be 12 chapters long but I kind of got carried away.

Anyways I decided to leave it here and focus more on Waging War since it really needs more updates and I'd appreciate it if y'all would check it out.

That's it! Until the next book, Llorumi Lovers. Stay safe and God Bless you all!