"Sensei," Morro said. "I can do it. It can still be me. I am the Green Ninja! I can prove it!"
Wu shook his head. "No. Morro, please, don't try, you're going to end up getting hurt, or worse. It's madness! I misspoke, and I'm sorry. But, please, don't leave."
"No!" Morro said as he turned away from his master to face the doors of the monastery. "I'm leaving, and when I come back I will prove to you that it is me! You said it could be, and it is! Just you wait and see! I will show you!"
"Morro!" Wu shouted. "I'm telling you this for your own good. Stay! You'll be safer. This is not a suggestion, this is a command. And I am telling you because I care about you. Your stubbornness will get you nowhere!"
Morro turned sharply in his heel. "It will get me further than you ever let me get. When I am the greatest, when I am the Green Ninja, you'll be sorry you didn't believe me. Good bye, Sensei." With that he hoisted open the monastery doors, deliberately stepped out, and shut them again behind him very heavily.
"Morro!" Wu cried. "Come back!" But he knew it was if no use. Stubborn people were who they were, and changing their minds was not easy, like his brother...
—
Garmadon finished packing his bag and straightened up. He looked over at the door and saw Clouse standing there. "What do you want?"
Clouse smirked. "Master Chen won't be pleased with you leaving. You'll regret betraying him."
Garmadon rolled his eyes. "First of all, I don't care what Master Chen thinks about me leaving, because I really want to be gone. And second of all, I'm very quite sure I will not regret betraying him. Besides," he said as he picked up his bag and slung it over his shoulder. "Doesn't it open up a position for you? Telling me these things makes it sound like you want me to stay."
Clouse smirk changed into a scowl. "I assure you, Garmadon, nothing would please me more than your absence. I can't wait until you're gone."
Garmadon started walking out the door of his room. "Well then, my dear Clouse," he said lifting up Clouse's chin, his voice dripping with sarcasm. "Don't sound so disappointed." And he left, leaving his life of lies and treachery behind.
—
Morro had been on the road for about a week now. He had a vague idea of where he was, though it was a very vague idea, and so far he had found no way to prove his worth as the Green Ninja. Yes, there had been a few people in mild trouble, but nobody in extreme danger, no towns needing saving from destruction. But he would eventually find something. It was too early to return, for he did plan going back, just after he had proven he was worthy to be the chosen one, worthy to fight and defeat the Dark Lord. He would show Master Wu what he was made of, show him that he had been right all along...
—
Garmadon traveled quickly, and out of habit, a lot more in the night or evenings; he was more comfortable in the shadows, in the dark. The sun had just begun to set and he had started on his portion of journeying for the day. However, he needed to eat, but he was out of food. Luckily, there was, not too far ahead, a village, and surely he could find something there. He could pass through the down, grab a quick meal, and get out. The plan was sound, and it went well. He had taken enough money to pay for food, so no stealing was necessary. Once he had his food, he slipped out of the village, and found a place to eat out there. He set himself down and had just begun to eat, when a boy, probably only barely into his teenage years, came along down the road.
He slowed down as he came nearer to Garmadon, but the man knew he had not been spotted, the boy simply felt his presence. He had placed his hand the hilt of either a sword or dagger, Garmadon couldn't tell, but it was all he could do to keep from laughing. "Amateurs," he thought to himself. It would be better to appear unaware, but react quickly, rather than to be prepared and tensed. But at least he so far seemed to know how to fight, and that counted for something.
After letting the boy's suspicions carry on for a bit, Garmadon stood up to put them to rest. Now the teenager just had to worry about whether he was going to be mugged or not. Which he wasn't going to be, he just had no way to prove it.
"Who are you?" called out the boy, his voice seeming to grate in the quiet evening noise.
"Not an enemy," Garmadon responded. "Only a man trying to enjoy a meal."
The boy, after hearing this seemed to relax and took his hand off of the hilt of his weapon. "Do happen to know if the town has good accommodations for the night?"
Garmadon shrugged. "They seem to. But if you need food, and a place to stay, it might be more expensive than you can afford. And that's not to say you have no money, but you might not enough for both. One or the other, but not both."
The boy cursed under his breath and sighed. "Do you happened to have any food to spare?"
"Yes," Garmadon said. "If you are willing to trust a complete stranger on the side of the road."
The boy shrugged. "It's better then nothing. And I actually don't have any money left anyway. At least, not enough to pay for a meal, or a comfortable night's rest." Then he added something under his breath that Garmadon didn't catch, but he didn't particularly care.
The man gestured for the boy to come and sit down. Then he set about evenly splitting the small portion he all ready had. The boy mumbled a thank you, before diving into the meal. Garmadon began to slowly eat, a bemused smile on his face as he watched the boy.
He looked closely at the boy, and in the light of the setting sun, caught a glimpse of the green streak that ran through his hair. He wore a dark colored gi trimmed in green. The weapon he had appeared to be a short sword, and it looked like his possessions were few, wrapped in a cloth tied on a stick.
When they had both finished eating, Garmadon decided to engage a conversation. It had been a while since he had talked to someone that wasn't seemingly insane, so it could be interesting
"Where are you coming from?" he asked.
The boy gave a noncommittal shrug. "I don't know."
Garmadon raised an eyebrow. "I see. Where are you going?"
"Nowhere," the boy said again as he shrugged. "What about you?"
"Well," Garmadon said as he took a deep breath. "I'm actually returning to my home. I've been away for a while. I look forward to arriving, though it will still be a little while before I get a break." Garmadon looked at the sky. "It's getting dark. You should find a safe place to rest for the night. I should be on my way." He stood up and the boy followed suit.
He picked up his belongings and stepped back. He put his fist into his hand and bowed to the man. "Thank you for sharing your meal with me. It was very generous."
Garmadon returned the bow. "It was my pleasure."
They both stood up straight and looked each other in the eyes. "Good luck with your journey," the boy said.
Garmadon smiled. "Thank you. You too. And take care."
The boy returned the smile. "Thank you." Then they both turned and went their separate ways.
Morro smiled. The man had wished him good luck. It had to be a sign. He would show Sensei he was on the right path. He would show him. He was destined to be the Green Ninja...