Sensei Garmadon's Perspective

I took a deep breath and sat in silence before the burning incense, eyes focused intently on the fragrant smoke that swirled, hot and ashen, from the ends of the sticks.

Reading Spirit Smoke was difficult, I was able to do it but it was more Wu's forte than mine, though since I was now in charge of the dojo and the ninja, I had to get into the practice.

I began to grow drowsy, a sign that the smoke was working. What the smoke did was clear the mind so that it may be more open to incoming information, in this case...it would be visions disguised as the silver/grey tendrils that rolled gracefully from the ends of the burning incense. So, to put it bluntly, the incense was a gateway to the spirit world, and the spirits allowed those with a clear enough mind to see into the future.

My cause was to seek out impending doom, so if there was to be such a foreboding image, I could prepare the ninja in advance, but all was well in the smoke and surprisingly all that was insinuated was peace.

I smiled. "Good," I said to myself. "It's about time we had some quiet..."

I stood from my crouching position and turned to leave, then thought for a moment before speaking again.

"I already know that you're here son." I said, turning to the boy. "What is it you need?"

Lloyd sighed in the doorway, looking a little embarrassed. "Am I that obvious?"

I chuckled a little. "Of course, you're my son, it is my job to know so much about you that it's "obvious" when something isn't right with you."

Lloyd wrinkled his nose when he smiled. "That's kind of creepy dad."

"Not nearly as creepy as it would have been had I still had my four arms and attractive charcoal complexion."

That got him laughing. As I knew it would, even if only for a short moment. "But seriously son what's wrong with you? Come sit." I retook my place on the floor before the Spirit Smoke and patted the space of floor beside of me.

He sighed and took the spot. "I'm having girl troubles..."

I grinned. "Who is she?"

He looked at me, sort of sadly. "That's just it, there isn't a she. I can't seem to find someone who respects me for who I am."

I pursed my lips slightly, thinking about his response. "Well...who exactly are you Lloyd?"

His eyebrows furrowed in concentration. "Oh...I'm...me I guess, I'm five-foot-six, a hundred and forty-three pounds, blonde-headed and quick witted. I'm the Green Ninja-"

I snapped my fingers and pointed to him. "There lies your problem. One of your first thoughts of yourself is that you're the Green Ninja. Your opinions of yourself show in your posture, your facial expressions, and even the way you dress makes you easily recognized just as that rather than the true you."

He bit his lower lip. "So...I...have to change my outlook on myself?"

I smiled. "Precisely. And it has to show too. Most people know who you are from local news and such similar programs, but if you were to change up your look a little, maybe not wear green so often, and think to yourself: "I'm just as normal as they are.", then maybe there won't be such an identity crisis."

He seemed to ponder over this for a moment, letting the words settle in his mind, then he smiled. "I understand, people react to me like I'm famous because subconsciously I'm acting famous, and I just need to be a normal kid, because that's really what I am. Thanks dad, you're the best!"

He gave me a quick hug and left without another word. I smiled to myself, if this had happened a few years ago he would have let the attention go to his head. I was glad that he was maturing so nicely, because even though I missed most of his childhood, I was afraid for the shortest while that he would remain a child forever.