"Sensei!" Kai called as he approached the monastery doors. "Nya!"

"Wow, that didn't take you long!" Nya's cheerful voice called back from through the doors. A moment later, they swung open, revealing her smiling face. Lloyd was immediately struck by how young she looked. They all looked younger, of course - except Zane - but for some reason she was the most obvious. Her eyes fell on him, and her smile vanished. "...who's that?"

"This is Lloyd." Cole clapped him on the shoulder. "He's Gamadon's son, and Sensei's nephew. He says he got kicked out of his boarding school and needs to talk to Sensei."

"Turns out it was a false alarm." Kai shrugged as he came up the stairs towards her. "No Garmadon, just him."

"Oh." Nya shrugged, giving him a smile. "Hey, Lloyd."

"Hey." At least she wasn't openly hostile.

"Sensei's meditating right now." She told them. "How about we fix us something to eat?"

"Yeah!" Jay cheered. "I volunteer Zane!"

"Why me?" The white ninja inquired, looking genuinely confused.

"Because you're good at it, snowflake." Cole bumped him gently as he passed by. "C'mon, Lloyd." Lloyd trailed obediently after him, letting himself be herded into the monastery.

The inside was warm, and unfamiliar. Lloyd wasn't sure he had ever been inside the monastery, he learned after a while that it had been burned down by the serpentine that he released. Since he hadn't released them, maybe it would stay intact. But, then, how were they going to find the Destiny's Bounty?

He shook his head. Questions for Wu.

Lloyd found a quiet spot to sit and watch as the Ninja bustled around, fixing themselves a mid-afternoon meal. He still didn't feel welcome, he could practically feel the distrust radiating off of Kai, but at least he was warm and cozy in here. Watching the Ninja banter and tease one another brought back warm memories, of when he really was a kid in their care.

As the last few preparations for their meal were made, Master Wu appeared.

"Sensei!" Jay's cheerful voice alerted Lloyd to his uncle's presence. "Look what we found in Jamanakai!" Lloyd turned, looking towards the opposite doorway just in time to meet Wu's eyes. The elderly man stared at him uncomprehendingly for a moment, then his eyes widened.

"Lloyd?"

"Hi." Lloyd lifted a hand in a small wave, and his uncle's face broke into a smile.

"It's wonderful to see you, but, what are you doing here?" Wu crossed the room, sitting down beside him on the couch. "Didn't your mother enroll you in Darkley's?"

"Yeah." Lloyd dipped his chin in a nod. "I got kicked out." He gave him a half-smirk. "For not being bad enough." The warmth in Wu's eyes was replaced by a fierce look.

"And she didn't collect you?"

Lloyd shrugged, "I figure they probably didn't tell her."

"Sensei," Kai approached the pair, glancing at Lloyd. "He said he needed to talk to you."

"I see, thank you Kai." Wu gave him a nod, redirecting his attention to Lloyd. "Speak, child, what do you need?" Lloyd opened his mouth, but hesitated, gaze following Kai back into the dining room.

"...can we talk after we eat?" He suggested.

"Of course."

—

"Honestly, I was a little disappointed that Lord Garmadon wasn't there." Jay said in between bites, giving a casual shrug. "I was ready to go all spinjitzu on him."

"Sure you were, Jay." Cole nudged him. "You had trouble mounting your dragon. Who was holding still." Jay scoffed.

"Wisp is a lot taller than Garmadon."

"Riiight."

Lloyd sipped at his cup of tea, having to hold it in both hands to keep it steady. He had been quiet for the majority of the meal, not wanting to bother those who already didn't want him here. Instead, he thought about what he was going to tell Wu.

His first thought was everything, if he wanted his uncle's wisdom he needed him to have the full picture. Then he'd wondered if it would be wise to tell all of them. If he expected to work with them, they should know the truth. And what level of detail should he go into? Should he tell them about the Digital Overlord? They probably wouldn't even understand such a concept at this point. What about Chen, or Morro?

He probably didn't need to get into all that much detail yet. All that mattered for now was that he was from the future, he was the Green Ninja, and he was going to try to save his father.

Once the meal was wrapped up, Master Wu took him back into the other room.

"Now that we've eaten, what is it you wished to speak to me about?"

"Um... actually," Lloyd glanced back at the dining room. "I think I should tell everyone." Wu's brow furrowed, but he nodded.

"Ninja, Nya!" It took a moment, but the rest of the residents trickled into the room. "Lloyd has something to say to all of us." Lloyd's throat closed up a bit as everyone looked at him. He should be used to this, he'd given orders to groups bigger than this plenty of times. Though, this time, he was 4'8 and had a gap in his teeth.

"Um," he began, "I'd appreciate it if you could hold off on your questions until I'm finished talking." He saw a couple of exchanged glances, but no one argued. "Okay, so... I'm from the future." Jay's mouth opened immediately, only for it to snap shut a moment later as he remembered his instructions. "About six years in the future, we- all of us - were fighting a villain together, two villains, who had power over time. They opened a time vortex to travel to the past, and we followed them in. We fought, and I fell into the vortex. I showed up here, as a kid again." He lifted his small hands in illustration.

"And, Master Wu, I know that if I change anything in the past it will change everything in the future." He turned to his uncle, seeing that look already on his face. "But I can't get back, and I can't do exactly what I did before, so... as long as I'm already messing up the future, I want to try to save my dad," He caught Kai's eye. "Who died to save Ninjago." He paused, hearing nothing but heavy silence. "Okay, I'm done."

"Hold on." Kai spoke up immediately, cutting off Jay. "Why were you with us?? Why would you be fighting such a powerful villain??" Lloyd mentally kicked himself for leaving such an important part out.

"Oh, I'm the Green Ninja."

"What??" The room exploded with noise, and Lloyd clamped his hands over his ears to block out the chaos. Cole, Jay, Nya, and Kai were all trying to talk over each other, interspersed with Zane's quiet pleas for them to ask their questions in an orderly fashion. This went on for a few moments before Wu spoke up, apparently having been waiting to see if they would work it out themselves.

"Enough!" He all but shouted, stunning the ninja into silence. "The Green Ninja is the prophesied savior of Ninjago, destined to defeat-"

"They know, Master." Lloyd broke in, his voice soft. "Kai took your bag by accident, they saw the scroll." Wu paused, looking to the ninja, and Kai looked a bit guilty.

"He's right, Sensei."

"I told them they shouldn't have read it." Cole crossed his arms.

"Yeah, so we're familiar. Can we please address the elephant in the room??" Jay gestured to Lloyd. "He's the destined savior of Ninjago??"

"Well, I'm the grandson of the First Spinjitzu Master." Lloyd pointed out. "It kinda makes sense." Jay frowned.

"I guess..."

"But he's Lord Garmadon's son." Kai protested. "How is he supposed to defeat the dark lord if the dark lord is his dad??"

"Yeah, I don't like it either, Kai." A note of bitterness had entered Lloyd's voice. "I didn't choose to be the Green Ninja. It's destiny." He paused. "And my dad isn't the dark lord."

"No way." Kai crossed his arms. "I don't believe any of this. He's just a stupid kid." Lloyd felt hot anger rising up in his chest, and before he knew it his mouth was open again.

"Your parents' names are Ray and Maya." He said bluntly. Kai's mouth snapped shut. "They disappeared when you were kids. Nya doesn't really remember them." Lloyd turned to Jay. "You were born in a junkyard." The revelation had the rest of the ninja turning to look at Jay in shock, and the blue ninja lifted his shoulders slightly.

"Guilty as charged?"

"Cole, your dad doesn't know you're a ninja." Lloyd told his next target, then finally turned to Zane. "And, Zane..." He hesitated. Zane learning of his origins helped spark his true potential, didn't it?

"Do you know something about my past?" Zane's eyes were so wide and curious, and Lloyd winced.

"...you find it hard to relate to other people." He murmured, turning away. "And you have superhuman endurance." Zane's face fell.

"Ah."

Lloyd hastily carried on, turning back to Kai. "Is that good enough for you?" He fixed him with a cold look. "Or does this 'stupid kid' have to go on?"

"Lloyd," Wu interjected gently. "I believe he understands." Kai didn't argue, only tightened his jaw. "Thank you for confiding in us, Lloyd." Wu's tone had shifted, no longer so... soothing. As if he'd realized he wasn't actually talking to a child. "Do you have a plan to try to save your father?" Lloyd winced, shaking his head.

"I... haven't gotten very far, yet. And I don't know how my actions will affect subsequent events."

"Very well." Wu nodded, as Jay asked Zane what 'subsequent' meant. "We will take it as it comes. May I speak to you in the other room?" Lloyd cast a final glance at the other ninja, who remained in various states of shock and disbelief, then nodded.

"Yes, Master Wu."

His uncle offered him a hand, and Lloyd took it, letting himself be led into Wu's chambers. The rooms were small and smelled of incense, and Wu guided him to sit down cross-legged on the floor.

"So, in the time you come from, you are 15." Wu stated quietly. Lloyd nodded.

"Well... there was an accident with Tomorrow's Tea about... six months from now." Lloyd gestured slightly. "So I was aged up to about 16, then six years from now I'm about 22. Physically." Wu frowned, but nodded.

"I see. This must be quite the shock, then."

Lloyd sighed, lifting his tiny hands. "Yeah."

"May I ask you something about the future?" His uncle asked quietly. Lloyd nodded, and he went on. "Have you ever heard of a man named Morro?" Lloyd was taken aback, and it must have shown on his face, as Wu sighed. "You have."

"I have." Lloyd confirmed, a bit uneasily. "He was your first student, then he ran away from you."

"Do you... is there any news? Did you ever-?" The hope in his uncle's eyes was heartbreaking, and Lloyd looked at the floor.

"Morro is dead." He said bluntly. "He's- well, he was cursed. At this moment, he resides in the Cursed Realm." Wu said nothing, and Lloyd didn't look up as he went on. "He escaped... about four years from now, maybe five. He lured me to him and possessed my body, and used it to get the Realm Crystal so he could help his mistress escape the Cursed Realm. He ultimately failed, and was dragged into the ocean to his death."

Lloyd paused. "Although, he came back very briefly on the Day of the Departed when another ghost called back the spirits of fallen villains to try to defeat us. Instead of fighting us, he went and warned you of their plan, and we managed to save Cole as a result." He shrugged. "So, in the end, he changed, and he presumably was at peace." Wu was quiet for a long time, and Lloyd eventually chanced a look up at him again. His uncle's face was riddled with guilt, but he eventually spoke.

"Thank you for telling me." His voice was soft, and Lloyd nodded. "Perhaps... there is a way to save him as well."

"He was released from the Cursed Realm when my father was banished there." Lloyd told him, not missing his uncle's look of alarm. "Yeah, that's... how he died. But, if no portal opens, I don't think Morro can escape." A thought occurred to him, and his head popped up. "Wait, the Realm Crystal."

"The Realm Crystal is hidden away for a reason," Wu's brow furrowed. "And even if we wanted to find it, I do not know how."

"I do." Lloyd pointed out. "Morro solved the clues while in my body. I could hear his every thought." His uncle looked away, considering this.

"If he does not escape for several years, we need not have this conversation now." He said at last. "I will think on it." Lloyd nodded, though he wondered if Morro could even be saved without first experiencing defeat. "For now," his uncle turned back towards him, eyes crinkling up as he smiled. "I am so pleased to hear that my nephew is the fabled Green Ninja." Lloyd smiled, shrugged a bit.

"Well... it isn't all it's cracked up to be."

"I see. I'm sorry to hear that." Wu looked to the door again. "I pray the others will come to terms with this before long." Lloyd let out a heavy sigh.

"They... yeah, me too." He already missed having them as friends.

"I'm sure they will grow used to you in time." Wu rose to his feet, and Lloyd scrambled up beside him. "For now, let us make up a place for you to sleep." Lloyd nodded gratefully, and followed him out of the room.