Chapter 9: True Potential

Later that same evening some garbage collectors were collecting the trash. "Good thing those Ninja stopped that crazy cult from bringing Garmadon back from the dead." said one of them. "Yeah, that would've been a real mess." said the other.

As they collected trash bags from any alleyway, they thought they saw a figure in the shadows. "Hello, is someone there?" Out of the shadows a black figure with four arms appeared. The two trash collectors yelled in terror, and ran off.

And the figure got into the garbage truck, and drove off.


The next morning at the police station, Hutchins was still in the same interrogation room, he'd been brought to last night. "Has there been any progress, Detective?" asked Commissioner Stevens. "He hasn't said a single word." said the detective.

"You never suspect you're most loyal confidant." Commissioner Stevens mentioned. Outside the garbage truck rode down the street, and stopped in front of the police station. The figure got out, fought off the officers outside, and then the ones inside.

He then opened the door to the room, Hutchins was in. "(Gasps), it's you. I knew that ritual would work, now we have work to do." said Hutchins.


Meanwhile the Ninja were at Laughy's, celebrating their victory in stopping the ceremony. Kai, Nya, Jay, Zane, and Cole were on the karaoke stage singing their favorite song, "Weekend Whip". Toddler Wu was dancing to the music, and Pixal, Misako, and Lloyd were watching.

"It's still strange to see old Master Wu so young." Pixal said. "Well he was always young at heart." Misako told her. "And he's so happy." added Lloyd. Pixal looked over at Harumi who was sitting at a table.

She was still sad, and who could blame her. She'd lost her home, family, and one of her parents' most trusted employees had betrayed them all. "We're not all happy though." Pixal mentioned. Lloyd looked back at Harumi, and went over to her.

"Hey, you okay?" He asked her. "I don't know, I've lost everything in such a short time. And Hutchins, he's been with my family since I was born; how could he do this?" Harumi answered. "Don't worry, Rumi, my mom says you can stay with us for as long as you need. Besides you still have your friends." Lloyd comforted, referring to him and the other Ninja.

Harumi looked at them, and then back at him with a smile. Lloyd then saw something on the small TV behind the counter. "Hey Dareth, cut the music." He did and the others wondered what the deal was.

"Look." he told them, pointing to the news. "This Gayle Gossip reporting live outside the New Ninjago City police station." Said the news anchor on TV. Dareth swooned, and said, "Gayle Gossip."

"Moments ago, someone broke into the station, attacking several officer and injuring a few and then broke out Hutchins, the once advisor to the Royal family, and leader of the Sons of Garmadon." She informed.

Everyone looked at each other with worried looks. "You don't think..." Cole thought out loud. "But we stopped the ritual, Hutchins never finished." said Kai. "And here's a witness to the whole thing. Can you tell us what you saw, sir?" Gayle asked an officer.

"I was just sipping my coffee, then the next thing I know, he burst through the door, attacks me, and helps the prisoner escaped." an officer told her into the microphone. "Did you see who it was?" "It was Lord Garmadon." he answered.

"It can't be, if he saw Lord Garmadon then I'm the Lord of the Dance." said Jay. "Are you sure?" asked Gayle. "It was, four arms and all." the officer confirmed. "And to back this up, we have footage from surveillance video." Gayle told the audience.

On the screen, the footage played, and it showed Hutchins running from the station, and the black figure with four arms followed him. "Yep, that's him." said Jay. "Better start dancing." Cole told him.

"Oh no." said Harumi worriedly. "Misako can you take Wu and Harumi somewhere safe?" asked Nya, giving Toddler Wu to her. "Do you know anywhere?" asked Misako. "You three could stay at my apartment." offered Dareth.

"Thank you, Dareth." Harumi told Dareth. "We should go there now." said Misako. "Let's go." said Kai. As the Ninja started out the door, Harumi stopped Lloyd. "Lloyd?" she asked. Lloyd stopped following the other, and looked back at her.

"Yes?" "...Be careful." she warned. Lloys smiled at her. "Don't worry, we'll be back." Lloyd told her, and he went back to the others.


The four left Laughy's, and went to Dareth's apartment down the road. "You can stay as long as you need. You three go on, I'll make sure we won't followed." said Dareth. As Misako, Harumi, and Toddler Wu walked up the stairs, Dareth looked around, and snuck up behind them.

When they got to the right door, Dareth unlocked the door, and revealed his rather messy apartment. "Uh, nice place." Misako complimented awkwardly. "(Chuckles nervously), sorry, I wasn't expecting company, especially the princess." Dareth told them, quickly picking up the the mess.

"It's all right, Dareth." Harumi assured. "There, a perfect safe house." he said, as he put the last of the junk away. "Thank you, Dareth, I mean Brown Ninja." said Harumi. Dareth smiled at hearing that.


At the police station, the Ninja and Pixal were going over the crime scene. "It was awful, and he wasn't the Lord Garmadon from before. He was pure evil." said Commissioner Stevens. "And they didn't leave anything behind?" questioned Zane.

"Nothing except broken furniture, sore bodies, and embarrassment. If only there was more we could do." "You did all you could." Kai assured him. "Besides, this my battle to face." Said Lloyd. "You mean it's our fight." Cole corrected.

"At least it's just him and Hutchins." Reminded Jay. "I think you may have spoken too soon." Nya told them. She pointed to the TV, where Gayle Gossip was giving another live newscast.

"This is Gayle Gossip reporting from outside Kryptarium Prison. Lord Garmadon and Hutchins have started a type of "jailbreak", and has taken over the prison and freeing all its' inmates including the other members of the Sons of Garmadon." She announced.

"You've gotta be kidding me." Said Jay. "Well at least we know where to go." Pixal mentioned. At the prison, Hutchins had just opened all the cells, freeing all the prisoners. "Hey boss, the warden wants to negotiate." Ultraviolet informed him, shoving the warden into the room.

"Look, you can free everyone, just let my officers and my myself go." The warden pleaded. "Should we, boss?" Killow asked. "Hmm, not entirely everyone's staying, but he goes." Hutchins ordered.

Killow threw the warden outside, and then locked him out. "My fellow Sons of Garmadon, it gives me great pleasure to announce that our "father" has arrived. Lord Garmadon." Hutchins announced.

The members cheered and applauded as Lord Garmadon stepped into the room.


On the Destiny's Bounty the team was trying to think of a plan. "I'm telling you guys we've been in tough situations before, but this really takes the cake." Jay told them. Hearing that made Cole crave a piece of his favorite food.

"No remember your diet, Cole." He reminded himself. "What are we gonna do we barely beat them last time." Said Zane. "Not to mention you had the police as backup." Reminded Pixal. "And now they have Garmadon." Added Nya.

"What do we do?" Asked Kai. Lloyd had been looking at a picture of him and his father. "We go to the prison." Lloyd stated. "What!?" The other exclaimed. "Lloyd, there's tons of members, Harumi, and Lord Garmadon inside a prison that's tighter than Fort Knox." Jay informed.

"Jay's right, it's too dangerous." agreed Cole. "He's my father, I confronted and reformed him once, and I can do it again." Lloyd told them. "But you heard what Commissioner Stevens said, he's not the same person." Nya reminded.

"It's not a good idea, Lloyd." Zane replied. "Listen to them." Pixal pleaded. "But I have to try." Lloyd protested. "Lloyd I know you mean well, but I think your past and feelings may be affecting your judgement skills." Zane warned.

"Zane's right, listen to us." pleaded Kai. At first Lloyd was silent, but then spoke. "Okay. But if we can't do that, then what do we do?" And they all went back to thinking.


Meanwhile at Kryptarium Prison, Lord Garmadon was getting his strength back up, by attacking some of the members of the gang.

"Good. Your strength has returned. And now that you know you're part Oni and Dragon you can embrace the Oni part of you." Hutchins told him.

"But how?" Asked Lord Garmadon. "It's like your brother told his pupils. You can unlock your true potential, when you get pass the one thing that holds you back. And that one thing you have to get past is your son." Hutchins explained, smiling evilly.


Back on the Destiny's Bounty, Nya was on the deck, when she noticed something with the computers. "That's weird, who locked the system?" she asked herself. "Hey, Nya we need you below deck." Lloyd told her.

"Just give me a second, I gotta unlock the system." Nya replied. "Pixal has an idea, you really need to hear this." Lloyd urged. "All right, I'm coming." He led her downstairs to the sleeping quarters, and opened the door for her.

"Hey, guys. So Pixal's what your idea?" asked Nya, as she walked in. "My idea, Lloyd told us you had an idea." Pixal stated confused. "Yeah." agreed the guys. Nya suddenly realized she and the other had been lured down there.

Lloyd closed the door, and locked them in. "Lloyd, what do you think you're doing?" asked Nya from the other side. "I'm sorry, but I've got to face him." he answered. "Lloyd, no." protested Cole. "Don't be stupid." added Kai.

"It may be a trap." added Zane. "We can talk about this." said Jay. "I'm sorry, guys." Lloyd said, and then he walked away. The others kept pleaded and begging him to reconsider, as they tried to break down the door.

Back on deck, Lloyd got on the computer, and connected to his car to come pick him up. But the intercom for the sleeping quarters was still on. "Lloyd, you can't do this." pleaded Pixal. "Just think what would Master Wu do or say?" asked Jay.

But Lloyd switched it off, went to the weapons closet, grabbed his parachute, and looked at the picture of him and his father one last time. Then he pulled on his hood, jumped from the boat, and parachuted down into his car.


Back in the sleeping quarters, the others were still trying to break down the door. "(Groans) We're Ninja we defeat skeletons, snakes, and nindroids, but we can't break down a door?" Complained Kai.

"Stand back, everyone." Cole announced. He activated his super strength, and broke the door down. They hurried out the door, and up to the deck. "Looks like he's in his car." Observed Kai. "We're still locked out of the system." Said Nya, as she tried to change the navigation.

"He's heading for Kryptarium." Pixal said. "Zane do you think you can override the system?" Asked Jay. "I can try." Zane answered. As he did, Lloyd was driving down towards the prison, but little did he know, he was being watched.

"He's on his way, just like you said, boss." Said Luke Cunningham into a walkie talkie. As Lloyd kept driving, the team appeared on a video screen on the dashboard. "Lloyd, please, don't do this." Nya pleaded.

"I'm not in the mood for talking. I'm ending this." Lloyd growled. "You can't just end this. Come on, dude we can talk about this." Said Jay. But Lloyd smashed the screen, the speakers, and and almost the whole dashboard.


When he arrived at the prison, he parked his car, and snuck in, but the security cameras caught him, and Hutchins, Ultraviolet, and Killow were watching. "What should we do about him?" Ultraviolet questioned.

"Hmm, do you think we can get this footage broadcasted?" Hutchins wondered. "Sure." Killow answered. "Then get to it, we'll show the whole world who's really the most powerful." Killow and Ultraviolet pressed some buttons and soon the footage was on TVs all over New Ninjago City.

"There we're back in." said Zane, when he finished overriding the system. "Hey, look." said Kai. On the screen above them they say Lloyd. "Why's he on TV?" wondered Pixal. "(Gasps), Hutchins wants us to see this." Nya realized.

At Dareth's apartment, Harumi and Misako were having tea, while Toddler Wu played. Toddler Wu looked up at the TV, and saw Lloyd on the screen. "Lloyd, Lloyd." he said in his baby voice. The two looked at the screen, and were shocked.

"What's he doing?" Misako wondered. "On no." said Harumi. As Lloyd walked into the cell room, he cautiously looked around. But when the door closed by itself behind him, he knew he wasn't alone.

Heavy breathing could be heard, and then Garmdadon's voice called out, "It was an unwise choice you made, coming here." "Come out and show yourself." Lloyd demanded, getting his power ready.

Lord Garmadon stepped out from the shadows. "You've changed over the years." he observed. "I could say the same about you." Lloyd shot back. "But I didn't come here to fight." Lord Garmadon pounced at him, but Lloyd got out of the way.

"This isn't you." Lloyd told him. "The old me is gone, this is me now." Garmadon said, as he created a black energy ball, and threw it at him. Lloyd kept dodging, and jumping out of the way. "Please, I know my real father is in there somewhere. I can help you if you just let me." Lloyd reasoned.

"There's no one to help." Garmadon told him. He kept firing his energy balls at him, and Lloyd tried to fight back but to no avail. "I've been many people over the years, but only alias was called to return."

The two kept battling and while everyone else was on the edge of their seats, the Sons of Garmadon were enjoying it. "It's working." said Hutchins happily. "What's happening to him?" asked Killow.

"The fighting fuels his powers. The more they battle, the stronger Lord Garmadon gets." Hutchins explained. They kept fighting, and when Lloyd got tired of just dodging, he began fighting with his full power.

But the more they fought, the stronger Garmadon got. Lloyd was just about out of strength, when Garmadon grabbed him by the collar. Lloyd tried one more time to get through to him. "You'd never hurt me. You wouldn't harm your own son." He said.

"I have no son." Lord Garmdadon told him. And then he threw Lloyd so hard that he went through the stone wall! Everyone gasped, especially the rest of the team, Misako, Toddler Wu, and Harumi.

"Now that Lord Garmadon has found his true potential, it's time to introduce Ninjago to its' real emperor." Hutchins told the others. Outside Lloyd just lied on the ground. He couldn't move, he didn't know what hurt more.

His body or the feeling when his father had told him he had no son.

That's chapter 9, plz review