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aweebwrites · 5 years

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The Story of Father and Son

(Here it is @ninjagotree101!)

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"He's so small..." Garmadon whispered, holding his son for the first time.

"Babies are supposed to be small." Misako says with a smile, recovering from the birth in bed, watching her husband.

It had taken several minutes to convince him that he won't hurt their son by simply holding him. The babe gurgled in his father's arms, eyes still closed and Garmadon looked down at him in wonder. Such a small child would grow into a great man. He could already tell.

"What should we name him?" Misako asked him and Garmadon paused, looking at his son, at his tiny balled up fists, his adorable button nose, at the thin blond hair on his head then smiled.

"Lloyd." He whispered and Misako smiled.

"Welcome to the world, Lloyd Garmadon."

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"Quite the quick learner, isn't he?" Wu says, watching his nephew go, toddling his way around the room while giggling as the brothers shared a cup of tea.

"Indeed. Just 9 months and he can walk on his own. Not for long, but he's determined." Garmadon says with a smile, watching his son slam his tiny hands against the wall before falling on his bum, giggling still as he clapped his hands.

The sight made both brothers chuckle. Garmadon's smile soon fell.

"I wish his aunt could see him..." He says softly, bringing a somber mood over the two.

"As do I, brother." Wu whispered, looking into his tea.

Their youngest sister Kira had fell prey to the evil the Great Devourer's bite had inflicted on her when they were children a some time ago. It was their fault. They were practising in the training yard with her when Garmadon's sword ended up over the wall. While Garmadon and Wu had been arguing about whether or not to go get it themselves or telling their father, Kira had gone over the wall to get it on her own. Her cry of pain once she was bit was what alerted them that she had gone. Garmadon had climbed over the wall to get to her while Wu had gotten their father. It was horrifying watching her eyes flicker to red and back as she insulted their father and blamed them.

They never forgave themselves for that day. Then, after the serpentine war, the venom consumed her completely and she came to take the Golden Weapons of Spinjitzu. They had to fight their own sister and in the end, they were helpless to watch as she had fallen to the underworld.

"Da da?" Garmadon was pulled out of his thoughts by his son holding onto his leg, looking up at him with a clearly confused look.

Garmadon chuckled, setting his cold tea aside and picking him up, pressing a kiss to his chubby cheek.

"Don't worry Lloyd. It's in the past now." He says to his son who looked up at him with large green eyes.

He then began babbling happily, clapping his hands and Garmadon melts.

"He really is something else, isn't he?" Wu says with a smile as he stood then plucked him out of his father's hands. "Let's say you and your favourite uncle go on a walk, him?" He says to Lloyd who cooed, yanking at his growing beard.

"Ow!" He yelped and Garmadon laughed as Lloyd did. "Your father taught you do do that, didn't he?" Wu queries as he took him outside.

Misako took her chance, walking forward to speak with her husband.

"Garmadon." She says and he looked to her curiously. "... We need to talk." She whispered and he frowned.

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Garmadon watched Misako go, Lloyd whimpering in his arms at just a year old. She had reason to believe that Lloyd was the prophecised green ninja and wanted to stop the final battle that would no doubt drive their family apart. He had tried to convince her to stay, to find another way but she had made up her mind.

"Goodbye... Misako..." He whispered once he could see her no more, Lloyd's tears falling then as he started to wail. "Don't worry son. I'm here. She will be back." He whispered to his son, turning back into the Monastery, bouncing him gently.

She requested he didn't tell Wu or Lloyd of what she discovered and raise him as normal. He may not be as sure as she is about their son's destiny but he would raise Lloyd with love as he had always intended to do.

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Garmadon was preparing lunch for his son and his brother when his three year old son whom Wu should be giving a bath ran in giggling, his uncle not too far behind. He glanced over his shoulder and choked back a laugh before clearing his throat.

"Brother, why is my son running around the Monastery naked and dry? And why are you soaked?" He asked him, fighting back a laugh.

"There is a very interesting story behind this brother." Wu says sheepishly.

"Unka Wu fell!" Lloyd yelled up at his father and Garmadon snorted.

"To be fair, he's quite light on his feet." Wu says, picking him up. "I'm not the one who needs a bath young one. Come along." He says as he walked back to the bathroom, tickling Lloyd along the way.

Garmadon chuckled as he continued to cut apple slices for his son. His brother was a piece of work.

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"Dad! Look!" Lloyd says once he arrived at school to pick him up.

He blinked as he looked at the drawing his son was holding up.

"Very nice son." Garmadon says with a smile, crouching before him.

The drawing was of four figures but he couldn't for the life of him tell who three of them are. The one with the noodles on his face must be Wu and he is only assuming he is on this as well.

"There's Uncle Wu and that's you and that's me and that's mom." He says, pointing them out and Garmadon's heart twinged at the mention of his wife.

It's been years since she's left. She sends letters he reads to Lloyd but they both missed her. He smiled and ruffled his son's hair.

"It's wonderful son. I'll put it right on the fridge as soon as we get home." Garmadon says, picking him up and Lloyd grinned a wide smile at him, his front teeth missing.

"Let's go home and show your uncle." Garmadon says, slipping the drawing in his bag and Lloyd cheered as Garmadon bid his teacher goodbye.

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"Dad!" Lloyd yelled, rushing into his room as he meditated.

"What is it son?" Garmadon asked, looking at his 11 year old with a smile as he bounced eagerly on his heels.

"Uncle Wu brought the last one in!" He says eagerly, tugging at his father's arm.

"So he's found the last ninja. Let us see now, shall we?" Garmadon says as he stood with his son's help.

"His hair is weird though..." Lloyd says as he walked before his father.

"That isn't a very nice thing to say Lloyd." Garmadon scolded then opened the doors to the outside where his brother had just sat, pouring himself some tea. "But you are right." He whispered and Lloyd giggled.

"Today you fail, tomorrow you try again." Wu told his newest student after finishing his tea in one sip.

"But-"

He only flipped back into the room and closer the doors behind him.

"Patience." He says then turned to his brother and nephew.

"Wait. If he's going to be using the training course, what about after school practise?" Lloyd asked his father and Uncle.

"We will still have them. The course was made to be shared after all." Wu told his nephew, patting his head.

"And speaking of school, have you done your homework?" Garmadon asked his son with an arched brow and he laughed sheepishly before taking off.

Both brothers chuckled, watching him go.

"Has Samukai made any more moves?" Garmadon asked his brother, growing serious.

"Not yet but we must keep vigilant. I fear our sister is up to no good." Wu whispered and Garmadon nods, grimacing.

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"Hey Zane, could you help me with my homework again?" Lloyd asked, carrying his books over to the ninja in training as he spoke to Cole and Jay.

"I can help out with that stuff too you know." Jay pointed out.

"Yeah but you keep forgetting I'm 11 and I can't understand when you start talking about engineering when all I want to know is what a plateau is." Lloyd says drily, sitting before Zane and Cole laughed.

"Oh snap! He got you!" Cole laughed out as Jay glared at him. "That's what you get motor mouth!"

"Lloyd, do you know why Sensei Wu told us to stay away from the training yard for a while?" Zane asked as he looked over his homework for him.

"Yeah. It's getting boring being cramped up in here." Jay says, laying back against the ground.

"Yeah but I'm not supposed to tell you. It's a surprise." Lloyd says as he sharpened his pencil.

"A surprise?! Like party surprise?! Like cake?!" Cole asked excitedly.

"No." Lloyd says, killing his hopes and dreams.

"Let's start with social studies..." Zane says, setting the book down.

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"This is impossible!" Kai huffed after another failed day.

"Not impossible." Garmadon says, walking out after his brother went in. "It requires patience and practise." He continued as Lloyd sat by the teapot his Uncle left outside.

"My dad can do it in no time!" Lloyd grinned and Kai rose a brow, looking over the elderly man.

"I doubt that." Kai huffed, crossing his arms.

"Oh yeah!" Lloyd growled then pulled out his juice box. "Bet you my dad can finish the course before I finish my juice box." He yelled, waving it on the air.

"Lloyd, please." Garmadon says, amused.

His son had too much faith in him.

"Well, let's see what you've got, old man." Garmadon turned to Kai then.

"Old man?" He says with narrowed eyes and Kai smirked. "Start drinking son." He says, walking over to the start of the course.

Kai smirked, watching the kid pull the straw off of his tiny juice box. There's no way- Kai's smug smirk fell, watching the old man flip, twist, kick, jump and punch his way through in a flash, picking his kid up before the telltale sound of an empty juice box sounded.

"Ha! Told you!" Lloyd yelled, sticking his tongue out as he hung onto his father.

"Next time, don't make bets for other people." Garmadon told his son, heading inside. "Let's leave him be. He looks like he has a lot of training to do." He says with a smirk.

And train Kai did. No way in hell was he going to be one upped by an old man! Especially when his sister was at stake!

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"It's not fair." Lloyd pouted after watching the ninja and his uncle leave to find the golden weapons.

"The mission ahead of them very dangerous and crucial Lloyd." Garmadon says, urging him back inside the Monastery. "We aren't going, not just your safety but to ensure their success. That and you still have school." He added.

"I wish I could be a ninja! Then I could go on awesome missions and I wouldn't have to go to school!" Lloyd yelled, running over to the training equipment and kicking a punching bag with a grunt.

"Make no mistake Lloyd, ninja or not, you will go to school." Garmadon told his son who groaned.

He looked him over as he started to run on the training piece, kicking the dummies there down, determination on his face. He remembered Misako and what she had said about Lloyd.

"Being a ninja isn't all fun and games son. But maybe, you'll figure that out on your own." He says with a warm smile and Lloyd beamed at his father, hopping off the training piece.

"I can become a ninja?" Lloyd gasped at his father.

"If that is what you wish." Garmadon nods and Lloyd cheered. "But you still have to finish school first."

"Awwww dad..."

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"Our sister has escaped." Was Wu's solemn news upon return to the Monastery with the ninja, the golden weapons, Nya and four dragons.

"Our fears come true." Garmadon whispered, carefully watching his son as the dragons sniffed and nuzzled him, abandoning their ninja. "She could return at any time. We must remain vigilant." He says to his brother who nodded.

"Hey dad!" Lloyd yelled and they all turned to where he was, holding onto Wisp's snout as the dragon lifted him off the ground. "Can we keep them?" He asked with big green eyes and Garmadon chuckled.

"Certainly." He says and Lloyd cheered.

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"It's totally unfair. They're our dragons, why do they like him so much?" Jay says with a pout, watching the dragons they released for a quick flight gathered around Lloyd, giving him all of their attention as he laughed, petting their snouts.

"Him and Sensei Garmadon." Kai says with narrowed eyes.

"What about me?" Garmadon asked as he walked out, Rocky immediately walking over, lowering his head so Garmadon could pet his snout.

"What are you guys? Dragon tamers?" Cole asked, waving Rocky's favourite snack in the air but he hadn't even glanced at Cole.

"Let's just say... It's in our blood." Garmadon says with a smirk.

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"Hey dad, can you teach me how to fly one?" Lloyd says once Garmadon came to find him, not surprised to see him by the dragon stables.

"Hmmm. I don't see why not. Which one should we take?" He asked him and Lloyd looked over all four dragons craning for his attention.

"How about... Shard!" He says excitedly, pointing the ice dragon out.

"Alright. Stand back." He says and Lloyd does, watching excitedly as his father opened Shard's stable taking his hand and leading him inside.

Shard helpfully lowered himself so Garmadon could help him up before climbing on behind him.

"Alright, now we start by-"

"Let's go boy!" Lloyd yelled, jerking the reigns and Shard roared before shooting out of the stable, making Garmadon yell as Lloyd hollered.

"Woah! Don't get ahead of yourself son!" Garmadon warned holding onto his hands holding the reigns and slowing Shard down.

"That was fun!" Lloyd grinned back at his father as Shard began flying at a leasurly pace.

"I'm glad one of us liked it." Garmadon huffed but smiled at his son. "It's important to keep a steady hand. If you pull too suddenly-"

"What?" Lloyd asked, doing just that and Shard dove down, making Garmadon yell again, quickly taking control of the reigns and making Shard fly up, just in time to avoid crashing into the ground.

Once he got him steady, Garmadon placed a hand over his rapidly breathing heart, trying to catch his breath.

"Perhaps we should start with demonstrations for now." Garmadon spoke once he didn't feel like he was about to have a heart attack.

He was getting too old for this.

"Fly on dad!" Lloyd grinned and Garmadon chuckled, navigating Shard to fly over Jamanakai village before circling back towards the Monastery.

"Hey dad?" Lloyd says, looking back at his father.

"Yes son?" Garmadon asked, keeping his eyes on the skies.

"Thanks." He says with a smile, looking out at the view. "I love you dad." He whispered and Garmadon's heart swelled.

"I love you too son. Always." Was Garmadon heartfelt response and Lloyd grinned.

He may have almost suffered a heart attack twice but it was worth it for this moment.

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(HGNN GARMADAD GIVES ME LIFE!!! Me back at it again with creating ocs for the sake of plot. That aside, I could go on forever but I'm working on this Overdad themed fic as well so I decided here was a good stopping point. Quick point: Lloyd won't be the one to release the serpentine but he'll still be captured and need rescuing by the ninja, his dad, uncle and aunt. Kira loves Lloyd to bits ok and family is just as important to her as conquering Ninjago. Hope you guys liked it!)

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transboygenius · 5 years

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SE4SON: Chapter 18

[*Meanwhile, in the modern world*]

A sleep deprived, messy Judy Neutron was screaming at the RPD (Retroville Police Department) through the phone, accompanied by a sane, and frightened, Mrs. Dean.

"What do you mean there's still no lead?! I don't care how early in the morning it is! Shouldn't you boys be doing your job?! Whatever happened to serve and protect?! It's been a week since I've lost my Jamie!" "Jimmy." Mrs. Dean corrected. "Jimmy, I mean! My son Jimmy! For being gone that long, who knows what has happened to him?! He's got a gourd shaped head, and an ice cream cowlick hairdo! How is that hard for you to miss?! Yeah? Well then, search around the globe if you have to-"

The RPD then hung up. Poor Judy. It was 5:00 in the morning. She literally won't rest until she finds her son in one piece. She hasn't bathed in five days, and tried using perfume instead. Sleep meant nothing to her no more, so she drinks at least three cups of coffee a day. Possibly more. She hasn't cooked in awhile, either. Just ordering takeout and reheating frozen foods. It isn't like Judy to not prepare a home cooked meal for more than one day. She's been pulling all nighters, circling the whole town, or country, in her car, stapling posters everywhere, and searching for her Jimmy. She's like a detective on a stakeout. All this lack of rest has turned her mind loopy. For some unknown reason, she keeps accidentally addressing "Jimmy" as "Jamie." Apart from the fact that Nick is gone too, Mrs. Dean is also there as Judy's emotional support.

"Judy, you need to calm down. Here, have some warm tea." "Calm down? Calm down! There's no time to calm down, now that I know that the RPD isn't any help!" "There's always time to calm down. Wherever your son is, he's probably fine for now! He's smart enough to take care of himself." "How would you know?! Your son isn't lost!" "Technically, he is." "Oh... But are you even making an effort to find him?" "I'm doing what I can to find him! The reason I came up to you to begin with was to figure out what my son has in connection with yours!" "Shouldn't you be able to know that yourself? You are his mother, right? A mother always knows her child best!" "If I could! Nick is easy to read as a closed book. We don't communicate so often. I think it has something to do with his father being so unpleasant." "You can save me the sob story for later! I gotta phone the next police department!" "No! Stop!" "I must find Jamie!" "Jimmy!" "My name is Judy, dammit!"

................................

[*That morning*]

Jimmy fell asleep with the diary laying on his face. While both him and Nick usually wake up by the rooster's cry, Nick removed the diary and shook him awake.

"Nick? Is it breakfast time?" "No, not yet. You gotta help me." "*Looks at the broom in his hands* You need help cleaning?" "I need you to help me from HER."

Nick was then surprised by a hard smack on the back, by a mop. Sally was trying to fight with him, in hopes to help the "Silver Knight" regain his memory. All Nick has done so far was block out her attacks. Not that he would make a lousy swordsman, he just can't bring himself to hit someone much younger than him. Instead of actual swords, their using cleaning implements. The battle begun when Sally woke Nick up with a smack on the chest. No matter what he told her, she just wouldn't believe him.

"Fight back, Nick! Trying knocking the weapon out of my hand! It might give you some nostalgia!" "Little girl, we're not a pair of enchanted cartoon characters! We're just two lost boys from the future! I'll prove it to you! Cageflix! Ramen Bowl! Internet!" "Stop making up excuses to back out and fight me!" "You're four years younger than me!"

Jimmy then broke up the fight.

"Hey, Sally?" Asked Jimmy. "Yes?" Replied Sally. "Wouldn't you like to meet our friends? You know, the ones who illegally inherit this ranch?" "But we're in the middle of something!" "You must meet them now, cuz if you don't, they might think we're holding a hostage captive." "Yeah. And we already have this mean Christian fanatic who thinks we're the devil's spawns." Said Nick.

Rolling her eyes, Sally then put down her mop, and decided to let Jimmy and Nick lead her into the hut. To make a good impression for keeping a stranger, Nick began to make breakfast: Moose sandwiches, blueberry strudels, and freshly squeezed orange juice. He also put on some coffee. Sally began to drool from looking at Nick's fine art.

"It looks great! Guess you learned something while under amnesia! Although, it'd really be fun to see Jimmy, here, turn a morsel of meat into a whole cured ham before my eyes." Said Sally, clutching a knife and fork.

Jimmy got annoyed by her comment, since he doesn't exactly believe in magic. Just in time, a weary Diana, Rodent Girl, and Benson entered the kitchen. Sally was intrigued by Diana's appearance. She has never seen a woman that large before. Rodent Girl went over to the cupboard to fetch her coffee mug. Being so drowsy, she spoke in her usual, monotone morning voice, and greeted Sally like she was a regular to them. Diana and Benson were both shocked to see a little girl, they've never seen before, in their kitchen. The two stood in silence for a few seconds, and frankly so did Jimmy, Nick, and Sally.

"Morning, Jimmy. Morning, Nick. Morning, kid I don't even know." Greeted a tired Rodent Girl. "Uhhhhhh, Miss Oona... Aren't you the slightest surprised at the unexpected guest?" Asked Benson. "I'm too tired to emote."

Diana looked Sally straight in the eye. Sally was frozen from the buff lady's eye contact, despite that she didn't look ominous.

"Hello?" Asked Diana. "H-hi?" Replied Sally. "HOLY, MACARONI! THERE'S A KID WE DON'T KNOW SITTING RIGHT HERE IN OUR KITCHEN!" Screamed Rodent Girl, after drinking her coffee.

Jimmy then decided to explain the whole thing, and Nick served as his second voice. The two boys told them about how this little girl followed them due to some misidentification for a Wise Wizard and Silver Knight ("It's not a misidentification! It's true!"), how they welcomed her into their hospitality since her parents were caught victim of a penalty, and how she's under no one's care because it's illustrated by king's law that orphans must serve their entire youth in laborism. Diana was so moved by Sally's backstory. She started sobbing, her eyes watered, and she swept the little girl off the ground.

"*Weeping* How can any man be so cruel, as to separate a child away from their family?! They may never experience the warm embrace of a mother or father ever again! That is so INHUMAN!" Said Diana. "I'm terribly sorry for your loss, young lady." Benson spoke casually. "I second that." And so did Rodent Girl. "That's it?! What on Earth is wrong with you two?! This child's parents have been hanged, all for the greater good! Could you try showing at least a small dose of your sympathy?!" "I find that very difficult, since my parents have always neglected me." Benson replied casually. "And I was abandoned at birth." And SO did Rodent Girl. "You heartless brutes!"

Diana then put Sally down.

"Little girl...!" Said Diana. "This little girl has a name, you know." Replied Sally. "...I don't care if I have to steal overtime to feed another mouth around here! Consider us your new family!" "Uhh, thanks! Very much! (That's neat! A buff mom, a mousy older sister, and a girly uncle!)" "Let me introduce everyone! I'm Diana! This is Rodent Girl, Benson, *Points out the window* Butterscotch, and there's Mitzi, but she's currently at work right now. You can meet her later! She's real nice! She may be even nicer to you. You've already met Jimmy and Nick!" "The legendary Wise Wizard and Silver Knight!" "What now?" Asked Rodent Girl. "No, we're not! It's just a coincidence! I don't even believe in magic!" Exclaimed Jimmy. "The Wise Wizard and Silver Knight. I thought their warm, loving relationship reminded me of some pair." Quote Benson. "HA! See?" Bragged Sally. "Wait a minute. You mean to tell me they were real?" Asked Nick. "Mm! I was just a tiny lad at that time. Although I've never really met them, I did follow them around among tall crowds, trying to get their autograph, since they were quite popular to the youngsters. I had no success, however. But witnessing the Silver Knight in battle, and the Wise Wizard with his gifted sorcery, that was about the happiest memory of my childhood." "You can meet them officially when I help them regain their memories back!" Suggested Sally. "Oh, these two young gentlemen can't possibly be them!" "I know it's hard to believe by first glance, but trust me! What you see here is a spell gone wrong! Heck, it's probably the cause of their amnesia!" "Nonsense! Besides, if that were them, why would they want to return here?" "They're here to rid us of our pain once again! Although they can't remember anything, they still hold their heroic instincts within their hearts, and their brains!" "We're not here to relieve anyone of their pain! Just Diana and her crew! (Minus Mitzi)" Said Jimmy. "And the reason we're risking our butts out there is because they were kind enough to offer us food and a roof to sleep under while other Middle Age folks just wanted to burn us at the stake!" Nick spoke through gritted teeth.

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[*Back in the modern ages*]

Carl looked through his magic supplies one last time. He doesn't feel like performing again since Jimmy is still gone. Jimmy would've been the only person who would sit down to watch him, since he wasn't a very good magician. At all. He hasn't even found that darn rabbit yet. The guys on TV sure make it look easy. Suddenly, he heard the doorbell ring. As Carl went to answer it, he found it was Sheen, holding a pink paper box, with a grin on his face. Sheen was just about the second last person he wanted to see right now.

"What do you want?" Carl asked in displease. "Well, I just happened to walk by a local bakery downtown, and my sweet tooth just urged me to walk right in! While looking through the selections, I started thinking about you. So, I picked up your favorite pastry!" Replied Sheen. "Goat milk matcha pound cake?" "Nope! Cwaaaaaaaasonts!"

Sheen opened the box to reveal a baker's dozen of golden croissants. Carl was still unamused, and just decided to close the door. Sheen, however, stopped the door by sticking his foot out!

"Wait, Carl! I've spent $30.95 for the baker's dozen! I was gonna use that money to purchase a VespaGirl body pillow online!" "You think you can just buy my friendship back with some baked, buttery, crispy, delectable... *Mouth starts to water* But you can't! What you had said broke my heart! Jimmy is important to my life just as you were!" "I am important to your life?" "I said 'were!' Now get off my doorstep!"

Carl then went to close the door again, but with all strength this time to keep Sheen from getting in, since he was holding a box. Sheen had to drop the croissants to force the door open.

"Carl! Carl! At least let me tell you something!" "I've heard about enough from you!" "But I came here to say I'm sorry!" "What?"

Carl opened the door wide.

"I'm sorry. Taking back everything I've ever said to you. I didn't know Jimmy meant that much to your life. You two were very close together more than any pair I knew. Possibly even the romantic ones. Also, I miss you, buddy. I'm lonely. I have Libby, but I can't be disgusting and foolish around her now, can't I? Look; Just because Jimmy can't be my friend, doesn't mean he can't be yours. We could still hang as pals, even with Jimmy around. I mean, we never liked Cindy, but we still tolerated her presence. *Gets down on his knees* Please, take me back. All those degrading words were just my invalid opinion. Nothing I say is even true."

Carl hesitated for a bit, while Sheen looked up at him, sweating. The allergy boy just closed the door. Sheen, being so heartbroken, hung his head down. Way before Jimmy came into their lives, him and Carl were the best of friends. Although Carl didn't like Ultralord, and Sheen thought llamas were too weak and soft, they both spoke to each other on the same mindset. The two were goofy and idiotic. Carl became friends with Jimmy after feeling sorry for the big haired misfit. A few months later, Sheen also became Jimmy's friend after he helped him pass the math test his grade depended on. The boy genius was more generous and considerate back then. Also, he discovered the cool gadgets he built. As they officially formed a trio, Carl and Sheen were more closer than ever. Jimmy was a bonus addition. That didn't mean he loved Jimmy less. Except maybe right now.

What's he gonna do without Carl in his life? He loves Libby, but he feels he doesn't have that much in common with her. She dedicates her life to fashion and music. Sheen dedicates his life to Ultralord and gross stuff. Around Carl, he feels that he can truly be himself with. Who else could want Sheen as a friend? Sheen seems to annoy everyone. That kid with the shades kinda admires him? Nah! He was probably just being polite. There's his dad. Awww, who is he kidding? You can't have your own father as a friend! Just then, Sheen heard the door reopen. Carl was back, but now clutching an old llama plush, that's missing an eye.

"If you're truly sorry, then how 'bout apologizing to Lucy the Llama as well?" "C'mon, Carl! That was five years ago!" "Well. I guess you're not sorry at all-" "Wait! I was only kidding! I love Lucy!"

Sheen then seized the plush toy out of Carl's hand.

"Lucy; I'm sorry for ripping your left eye out. My Triclops figurine needed it so badly, and it would've been embarrassing to face off Ultralord with only two eyes."

Then, Sheen planted a kiss on the toy's forehead. Carl was quite astounded. He didn't think Sheen would go that far. Sheen hates Lucy the Llama. As Sheen gave Carl his plush back, the allergy boy embraced his friend into a hug. Sheen returned it by folding his arms around him.

"Apology accepted. But you can't say anything mean about Jimmy no more!" "Promise! Now let's go find that whippy dip head son of a gun together! Sorry, that wasn't suppose to sound mean." "Right on!"

Just as they were about to leave the Wheezer doorstep, Carl picked up as many croissants he could hold. Even though they've been on the dirty ground, Carl didn't mind taking a bite out of them. He thought they were still good. Sheen cringed in disgust. A kid named Creg suddenly rolls by on his skateboard, gets himself into an accident, then breaks his leg.

"Why are so many of these kids breaking their legs?!" Screamed Sheen. "Probably because Nick's not here to do it?" Replied Carl.

.............................

[*At the Neutron household*]

Mrs. Dean finally got Judy to calm down. All she had to do was request her to tell her stories about her son, as many as she wants. She figured she would get Judy to relax with anything Jimmy related. She even managed to get her to drink the tea she made. For the last two hours, Mrs. Dean grew bored listening to Judy's stories all day, about Jimmy's tangled situations. If she listens to any more, she fears she'll also go insane in this mad house.

"So on that Sunday, I was there doing my weekend cleaning. Jimmy was watching his favorite philosophy program. He suddenly got hungry, and asked me, a woman with her hands full at that moment, to fetch him a snack. I said, 'Well, there must be something wrong with your arms if you can't get it yourself.' He then pulled out one of his wacky inventions from under the sofa, a robotic arm of some sort, and attempted to reach for his needed snack. Unfortunately for him, the controls were infirm, resulting in reckless steering. He knocked down potted plants, china, Hugh's duck collection, etc. My perfectly clean house. Then there was this night, that happened two years ago. Mr. Vortex, I know his forename I just don't care, delivered me my son, wrapped in a toilet paper cocoon. His daughter also brought back one of his invention, some cannon that launches TP rolls, and she claimed he used it to foil her slumber party. I can't believe I punished him for it. I never even liked that Cindy. Jimmy sure had the right idea breaking things off with her. What did he even see in that ungrateful witch anyways? Why were they even dating at such a young age?! They're not even in middle school yet!" "There was this other time-" "Hugh, get back down!" "Okay!"

Mrs. Dean was finally put into relieve as Libby ran straight into the house, with news. Carl and Sheen were behind her.

"MRS. NEUTRON! MRS. NEUTRON! Hello, Mrs. Dean. MRS. NEUTRON!" Libby came in screaming. "Not now, Libby. Can't you see the grown ups are talking?" Said Judy. "It's about Jimmy!" "MY JIMMY?!" "And Nick!" "HUH-?!" Mrs. Dean fell off from her seat. "I can't take the credit though! I owe it to these two companions! Especially you, Sheen. *Blows kiss*" "What did we ever do? We see the famous pop star, Rioona, pull up in her limo to cut the ribbon for the new RnB themed cafe. Libby starts getting jumpy, squealing 'OH MY GOSH! OH MY GOSH! OH MY GOSH! IT'S RIOONA! PULLING UP JUST WHEN WE WERE IN THE MIDDLE OF AN IMPORTANT INVESTIGATION! I DON'T WANNA LEAVE! I WANNA STAY FOR A MINUTE! MAYBE A FEW HOURS!' And then I said, 'Why not just take a picture? It lasts longer.'" Said Carl. "By just those words alone, that gave me a brain blast of my own! (Oooooooh, I just rhymed) By the way, I've got about 164 shots of Rioona opening the cafe! I even got myself in some of the shots! Look!"

Judy just slapped the phone out of Libby's hand. Everyone was intimidated, except Carl, who was in love with her more. What a woman.

"Just tell me where my baby is!" "Okay... You see, by just the sheer mention of 'picture,' that's when it hit me! I forgot, we all forgot, Jimmy had his security cams activated, and they were still working by the time I revisited the lab! ...which looked like either a tornado hit it or Cindy got her revenge again. I managed to extract the footage onto my hard drive! Look!"

Libby opened up her laptop, then inserted the hard drive. The footage began to play on media player. There was Jimmy and Nick, handcuffed together, trying to find a solution to undo the chain. Nick touched the keyboard, despite Jimmy's warning. The security breach got triggered, weapons engaged, and the two boys ran into a police box, which is supposedly the boy genius's time machine. The machine vanished, and all was history. We searched all around Retroville for nothing?

"So... It was your son's fault that my Jimmy is gone." Said Judy. "What?! I'm pretty sure Nick didn't know about this installed security system! If only Jimmy took the liberty to tell him!" Replied Mrs. Dean. "Oh, so you're saying it is Jimmy's fault?!" "WHO CARES ABOUT WHOSE FAULT IT IS?! We've lost them both and there's possibly no way to get them back. None of us is a secondary Einstein, and it's not like you could purchase a time machine on the web!" "Apparently, yes you can." Said Libby. "What?!" Both mothers.

While Judy and Mrs. Dean were arguing, Libby pulled up Cbae.com on her laptop and searched "time machine." You can surprisingly buy anything off of Cbae. But, just their luck, it costs $500,000,000, plus $100,000 for shipping. No use in trying to search a cheaper deal, because that's the only one available.

"But none of us have that kind of money!" Said Judy. "Maybe if we put together all of our money, we could make it work! *Starts digging into his pockets* I have $16, 42¢, a wrapper from a Chuckles bar, some bobby pins, lint, hey, it's the key to the handcuffs!" Spoke Carl, trying to help. "Oh, like that's gonna help us now!" Whined Sheen. "Calm down, y'all. I know where we can get that money. But, it may involve something we're going to regret." Said Libby. "*Gasp* You don't mean..."

............................

[*Elsewhere, in Eustace Strych's living room*]

"So you want me, formal enemy of Jimmy Neutron, to lend you a total amount of $500,100,000?" Said Eustace. "So none of us is selling our bodies? What a relief!" Sheen blurted. "I think you should stay off the internet for awhile." Libby suggested. "What's the catch?" Eustace continued to question the adults. "You see, it's for a very, very, important cause, young man." Judy answered. "And how important may that be? Hmmmmmm?" "Well-" "My son, Nick, needs an operation! He's broken his legs numerous times, but eventually both of them have ripped out from their sockets! Gruesomely! Blood everywhere! The hospital is charging me that much to reattach his legs back, plus to get him out of his coma! The prices are so high because of the evil greediness of capitalism! They don't even care about children! Please have a heart! He's Jimmy's friend, too!" Mrs. Dean butted in. "Ha-ho-ho-ho-ho-ho-ho, what makes you think I'd even care to support a charity cause for some washed up has-been? Like anybody would care anymore. I don't support any charity cause, for that matter. Giving to the needy means less for me. Besides, me and Neutron don't exactly have the best history together. On second thought, if you want that money so badly, you're gonna have to bring Neutron right here, have him beg to me, and apologize for underestimating my superiority to his genius!" "We can't!" "Why not?" "Because, h-he's trying to invent a new life saving device!" "Well, No Neutron, no money! Guess I'll have to buy myself a third water park!"

The squad then went to the hall to talk.

"What are we gonna do now?" Asked Judy. "Does he know Jimmy is missing?" Also, asked Mrs. Dean. "Frankly, not. But if he ever does, we may never get that money." Replied Libby. "We're not gonna get that cash anyways. How are we gonna bring Jimmy out here?" Carl whined. "WAIT! There was something useful Jimmy actually taught me, a long time ago!" Sheen had an idea.

He then requested Goddard to project a life-like hologram of Jimmy, just like what happened at his tenth birthday party. Judy felt like crying, seeing that the hologram looks exactly like her son. She even wanted to touch it. Sheen then told her to stay focused, and handed her a voice moduling microphone. Goddard ejected a hand sized camera drone and displayed his teleprompter. He then got the hologram to march to Eustace's location. It then met with him in the living room.

"Ah, Neutron! I thought you'd show here eventually. What's wrong? Did that lifesaver of yours turn out to be a failure?" "Yes, indeed. I don't know what could've happen, but maybe I'm not as smart as I used to." "Like you ever were." "You're right. And I'm here to say I am sorry for getting in the way of your plans. I'm sorry for looking through your integrity. You have showed me that it's not about the brains. It's about what you can buy. I am selfish. I'm a loser. I suck and you rule." "The sweet sound of music!" "I'm not worthy of friends and that's probably why Cindy broke up with me for." "Didn't know you two were actually dating. You don't strike me as a boy who has a way with the ladies." "You're absolutely right! Now, will you please, please, lend me the money, so I can help my poor, hurt, dying reject of a friend?" "Well, I suppose you have amused me enough." "*Judy accidentally whispers into the microphone* What a spoiled little brat." "Excuse me?!" "I said I soiled my pants cuz I'm a brat." "Oh. Hurry up and take your money before you start leaking onto my carpet!"

Eustace ordered his butler to fetch the money. He then came back with a huge sack of cash. The hologram wouldn't be able to hold it, so Judy and Mrs. Dean quickly entered the scene to grab the sack.

"Thank you very much, kind sir! *Looks at the hologram* Jimmy, I am both proud and disappointed in you, my son! C'mon, we have a has-been to save!" Said Judy, then they took a run for it.

#Jimmy Neutron #Boy Genius #Nick Dean #Cindy Vortex #Libby Folfax #Carl Wheezer #Sheen Estevez #Season 4 #fanfic #romance #adventure #TVverse #TVEE

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theconservativebrief · 6 years

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The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas has been on the New York Times’s best-seller list for 66 weeks now, and for most of those weeks, it’s been at No. 1. (Occasionally it slips down to No. 2 for a bit.) It’s a bona fide sensation of a book, and with good reason: It’s a YA novel that handles the problems of police shooting unarmed black men with thoughtfulness, warmth, and profound empathy.

The central character in The Hate U Give is Starr, a 16-year-old black girl who has become a master of code-switching as she travels back and forth between her white private school and her black home neighborhood. Starr is the only witness to the police shooting of her childhood friend Khalil, and over the course of the book, she becomes the center of the ensuing fallout.

The Hate U Give is now being adapted into a movie, slated for release this fall, directed by George Tillman Jr. and starring The Hunger Games’ Amandla Stenberg. At New York City’s BookCon last week, author Angie Thomas joined Tillman and Stenberg for a panel discussion, along with Girl Meets World’s Sabrina Carpenter, who plays Starr’s controlling white friend Hailey. Fielding questions from Cori Murray, the entertainment director of Essence magazine, the four talked about the empathy-building power of books, the difficulty of code-switching, and what “the hate u give” really means.

Following are highlights from the panel conversation, lightly edited for length and clarity.

Angie Thomas

I first got the idea to write the story when I was a senior in college. I was a lot like Starr at that time. I lived in these two very different words: my neighborhood, which was mostly black, and my school, which was a mostly white, private, upper-class Christian college in conservative Mississippi. My classmates were basically those Trump voters who say that they love Jesus but don’t want anyone to have any rights.

When I was in school, I had to be two different people. I tell people all the time, I would leave my house playing Tupac, but by the time I got to the school, I was playing Jonas Brothers. (Don’t judge me.)

While I was in school, there was a young man by the name of Oscar Grant who lost his life in Oakland, California. And although that was thousands of miles away, it affected conversations right there in Jackson, Mississippi. In my neighborhood, Oscar was one of us. He was an ex-con. I knew guys just like him who were trying to turn their lives around. In my school, my classmates were like, “Maybe he deserved it. He was an ex-con. Why are people so upset? He should just have done what they told him to do.”

Now, if you know anything about Oscar Grant, his death was caught on tape, and it showed him laying flat on his stomach as the cops shot him in the back. There was nothing he could have done at that moment.

I was angry, I was hurt, I was frustrated, and I felt like I had two options. I could either a) burn down that entire school campus, or I could b) use those emotions and do something productive with them. I didn’t burn the school down. It’s sitting pretty over in Jackson, Mississippi, and they even gave me an award for alumni of the year. I decided to write.

I wrote this short story about a boy named Khalil who was a lot like Oscar, and this girl named Starr who lived in these two different worlds, a lot like I did. And that’s essentially how The Hate U Give was born.

Angie Thomas

I’ve had several people come up to me this week and say that the last few pages made them cry, where Starr gives off the names [of the victims of police shootings]. I wrote that the same week that both Philando Castile and Alton Sterling lost their lives. And if you remember anything about that week, those videos of their deaths were played over and over and over again. And I remember having this moment where I was like, “What’s the point of writing this book? It is not going to change anything.” I felt so hopeless.

My mom told me, “No, that’s why you have to write it.” She said, “You don’t know who’s going to pick this up one day and what they’re going to do one day.”

That’s what kept me going. Because I truly believe that books create empathy, and empathy is more powerful than sympathy. And I have to believe that if some of our current political leaders read books about black kids as kids, we wouldn’t have to say, “Black lives matter.” If they read books about Muslim children, we wouldn’t have to fight against bans. If they read books about LGBTQA youth, we wouldn’t have to fight for rights. If they read books about Latino children, they’d talk about building bridges instead of walls.

When I thought about that, that’s what pushed me forward, what made me decide to keep going with the book even as we see these things happening. What made me keep going was the idea that some kid picks it up today; he’ll later be a politician with a Twitter account.

Sabrina Carpenter

I didn’t want to approach [Hailey] like the mean girl or the character that everyone obviously hates, because I think there’s a lot of these people in our lives that we don’t hate.

I think she really is one of those people that isn’t seeing all of her actions as racist. It’s kind of uncomfortable for her to talk about, and that’s why her relationship with Starr is so unhealthy. Because they really do just brush over everything, and that’s kind of how their friendship always has been, I think. They never really get to the point of what they need to discuss; they never tackle their obstacles. They really just kind of get through it and get by.

George Tillman Jr.

As an African American, I always had that conversation, but it came from many different places. It came from my uncles; it came from my father. How do you act around a police officer? What if you’re approached? What if you did something wrong, or what if you get pulled over? All of that is just to save your kid, to get them to the next level, to go to college, be able to do things differently, to change racism. There are a lot of things at stake.

We put that conversation at a really early age, when Starr is 8 or 9 years old. So the two young kids that played that scene, I didn’t give them any context as to what that scene was about. Just, “Sit down, sit down at that table, just listen, that’s the most important thing.” So that scene that you see, that’s just them taking in all this information.

Amandla Stenberg

My experience growing up was the same as Starr’s. I lived in a black community, but I went to a white private school. I think that gave me some superpowers in some ways that I think a lot of black girls have to gain, which is the ability to navigate different environments and code-switch between them, and know how your mannerisms and the way that you speak are going to affect the way people interpret you, and therefore how you succeed or don’t in certain atmospheres.

At my school, I learned very early on how to navigate white institutions, being around a culture of wealth and a culture of whiteness. And that gave me some really important skills when it comes to navigating Hollywood as well, and navigating the environment in industries that are dominated by white men.

But I think it’s something that we have to figure out how to do, and sometimes it can feel confusing. It feels like maybe certain parts of you can feel more valid than others, or you have to hide different parts of yourself, or you’re having to put yourself into smaller boxes.

I think what’s really special about Starr’s narrative when it comes to the code switch of her identity is that at the end of the film, she learns how to feel cohesive in herself, and realizes that she doesn’t need to choose one side of herself. She doesn’t need to hide aspects of herself. She can be however she wants to be in her environment without being afraid of being called ratchet or being afraid of seeming angry or of seeming over the top. She learns how to break free of those burdens, and also realizes that those two sides of herself don’t need to be warring sides but can coexist in a really beautiful, harmonious way to make her the person that she is.

Angie Thomas

Tupac had that THUG LIFE tattoo across his abdomen, but a lot of people don’t know it was an acronym for “The Hate U Give Little Infants Fs Everybody.” He explained that as meaning that what society feeds into you has a way of affecting us all.

He said this in 1992 in reference to the Los Angeles riots. A lot of people associate those riots with the beating of Rodney King, but it was also in response to the shooting death of a 15-year-old girl named Latasha Harlins. As a matter of fact, “Keep Ya Head Up” was dedicated to Latasha.

Latasha was in a store, and the store owner accused her of stealing a bottle of juice. Latasha put the money on the counter, and footage shows her walking away when the store owner shot her in the head. She only received probation.

Tupac said the hate that was given to that little infant Latasha affected the entire city of Los Angeles. We’re talking millions of dollars in damages. The hate that was given to Trayvon Martin affected the entire city of Sanford, Florida. That hate that was given to Tamir Rice affected the entire city of Cleveland, Ohio. The hate that was given to Michael Brown affected the entire city of Ferguson, [Missouri]. So if Pac were here, he’d say that’s THUG LIFE.

Original Source -> The Hate U Give’s creative team talks turning the best-seller into a movie

via The Conservative Brief

#IFTTT #The Conservative Brief

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