NOTE: IN THIS AU, NELSON IS THE SAME AGE AS LLOYD...AND HE'S ALSO DEAD.

3rd Person POV

Later that afternoon, Jay had gone down to the basement and collected one of the diaries; a leather-bound darkish green embroidered with gold. The pages were fading yellow and were filled line after line with neat cursive writing.

Diary of Lloyd Montgomery Garmadon II

Dang, that name was a mouthful. But Jay's was longer: Jeremiah Anthony Gordon-Walker-Smith.

She flipped it to the first page and her eyes were glued instantly, as she read each page thoroughly, carefully turning the pages, making sure not to rip the paper.

01/01/1976

Dear Diary,

Father brought me this diary so I could 'note down key moments of my day.' But I should mention; nothing fun ever happens to me in life. My plans are already pre-decided for me. I am to finish school, get a degree in law, wed the girl my parents choose, have a child and get on with my life.

I don't want that though. I want to travel the world, try new things, learn about other cultures. But I am stuck with the pre-planned life of a businessman. Boring, if you ask me. I turned sixteen last month, meaning I have two torturous years of school left. Brad Garcia and Gene Turbene are my least favourite people ever. They constantly bully me and ridicule me all the time.

Mother says not to take notice. But how can I not take notice when they're right there, poking my back and tripping on my heels on the march to chapel, when they cut in front of me in the queue at lunchtime, when they even steal my food, or throw my belongings in the privy.

The only person keeping me from losing my mind is Nelson Jaymes. He's a boy in my grade, ginger-brown hair, freckles, brown eyes and an odd obsession for the colour purple. He also has a limp when he walks but nothing too serious. 

We get on well, Nelson and I. After school we like to go to the field and kick a ball about, or sometimes we go to the diner down the road and share out PB&J sandwiches. I like Nelson. He's nice...and my only friend at that wretched school. We've jokingly made plans about running away together, but nothing too serious, of course. But sometimes I like to wonder what would happen if we did run away together. We could travel to an island far away, get jobs and live in a home and be ourselves without the constant pressure from our parents.

I am set to inherit the Garmadon family house, but I have no use for a house this big. Why does one need a room just to read, and another just to write? There's just no point; it's all a huge waste of money, if you ask me.

I forgot to mention; my parents have already picked out my wife. I don't even get a say in this. Her name is-

"Nya? Babe? Ninjago to Nya, you there?"

Blinking, she snapped the diary shut and looked up at her concerned husband, dressed in blue striped pyjamas, his hair damp from the shower. She smiled reassuringly at him.

"Don't worry, I was just-" she held up the diary, "-reading this. I gotta say, it's quite cool to see how society changed since the 1900s."

Jay kissed her forehead, "Do you need anything? Water, milk, hot chocolate? Food?" Nya gave him a tired grin and shook her head, "I'm alright. I should probably get to sleep, huh?"

"Definitely. Listen, Cole's giving me a ring in a few minutes, we're discussing renovating his home, and he wants my help. If you need anything-"

"I'll holler, I know." Jay kissed her hand and left the room, switching the light off but keeping the door open. Pulling the sheets closer to herself, she let her eyes drift shut, slipping into a dreamless sleep.