Prologue-burning realization
Kai had finally unlocked his true potential, due to the little kid he was currently helping rescue. Finally! No more teasing from the other ninja, no more relying on that sword, and no more fighting over being the green ninja. Well, that last one was kinda fun to be honest, and it was sad for Kai to know he wouldn't become the green ninja. But that was part of the true potential, to let go of his greatest desire. He didn't need to be better than everyone else. He didn't need to be the strongest, or destined to do the most. Plus, his job was always to protect Nya. Now it just extended to Lloyd, as well as people in general, like the whole population of Ninjago. Quite a job. But that was okay! He wanted to help people anyway. He had just landed on the bounty, and he felt overwhelmingly tired. Then again, they all did once they completed their true potential. Lloyd seemed to be shocked and had a heatstroke, so he didn't react too much, but he hugged Kai. After all, he would have died if Kai didn't save him. Kai said "I've found my true potential, to help people no matter their past or relations, and that I don't need to be the best.'' Then Kai collapsed, after half heartedly ruffling Lloyd's hair, and Nya stopped him from hitting the ground. Garmadon whispered a 'thank you, Kai' even though he knew Kai wouldn't hear it. Garmadon rushed to Lloyd and hugged him, and he returned it. "So, none of us are the green ninja?" Jay worriedly said. Cole responded with a simple "sucks." Zane seemed to be indifferent about the whole thing. Wu ignored the whole conversation. "We need to get Kai and Lloyd on a bed and help them relax." He commanded. Nya and Jay helped Kai to the lower deck of the bounty while Wu escorted Lloyd down as well. He made sure to get some cold water along the way to keep Lloyd hydrated and beat the heatstroke. Kai was just put in a comfortable position. He would wake up fine, everyone did so far. They all arrived back on the top deck of the bounty, sans Kai and Lloyd. Wu said "Yes, we still have to find the green ninja. But the time will come. Plus, I believe that you all, plus Kai, have done an excellent job. I'm impressed with you. Perhaps there will be threats you can handle where the green ninja is not needed." All the remaining ninja brightened up at the praise. Garmadon grumbled, not really liking the whole idea of the green ninja. After all, the whole concept of the green ninja was to defeat him. "I am going to leave." Declared Garmadon. "We have gotten Lloyd back, therefore my job is done." Wu was understandably surprised. "Wait! Brother, you're welcome to stay." He said. He wanted things to stay this way, for him to have his brother back and for things to be right and happy again, as much as he knew that wasn't possible, and he was just prolonging things. But Garmadon was set on this. "I would only cause you trouble. Plus, we're on opposite sides." He said gruffly. There was no changing his mind, Wu knew this. Even though that wasn't the most convincing Garmadon could be, if he was asked further he would come up with better reasoning, ignore Wu, or just full on control the ship and almost crash it just so he could prove a point, and leave them there.
A few weeks later
Wu held Lloyd's hand, leading him to a quaint house, in the middle of a bustling city. The ninja were carrying bags of groceries and necessities, groaning along the way. "I don't know why we have to carry all of this, couldn't we just have landed the bounty closer?" Jay complained. "No, that would interfere with too many people. Plus, this is like training, no slacking off!" Wu commanded. Lloyd chuckled to himself, enjoying that he didn't have to do any work. Cole and Jay had stared at him in envy, which only made him laugh more. Zane didn't really mind, and Kai still had formed a good relationship too soon to mock Lloyd yet. Wu opened the house's door with a key. The inside of the house was clean, but there wasn't a ton of room. The door opened to the living room, which had an old carpet and some hard wooden chairs in two of the corners, then there was a hallway to the left that led to a kitchen, which had an oven and upper cabinets, plus some counter space and a table to the side for eating with one chair. To the right of the living room was another hallway that led to the bedroom, which was actually really big, maybe queen size or something similar. It did not have sheets on it though, and next to it there was a nightstand. There was a closet on one wall and another door that led to the restroom. It had the normal toilet, bath/shower two in one, and sink. The ninja set down the groceries, Jay huffing. He had volunteered to stay back with Nya on the bounty, but of course Wu wouldn't have that. "Lloyd, you will be living here from now on, and I have already applied you to a school." Lloyd stuck his tongue out. "I will leave the house to you, but I will check up on you. Behave." Wu finished, emphasizing the last word. Lloyd knew to not do anything too bad. "Are you sure he can take care of himself?" Cole questioned. "Don't worry, I'll teach him how to, and make sure he doesn't get in trouble." Wu responded. "Go back to the bounty, I have to teach Lloyd the basics."
Explanation of timeline events and stuff;
Wu would teach Lloyd how to cook and how to get to school, and he would check in on Lloyd every week, and at the start he would hire babysitters for Lloyd, but eventually that was forgotten, and Lloyd lived alone, and Wu visited less often, then it would switch to Kai and life continued. Kai would come to defeat the overlord, even though he was not the green ninja, and the ninja started disbelieving the whole prophecy about him, calling Kai the real green ninja as a joke, since he was the one to defeat the overlord. Sensei Garmadon had some quality time with Lloyd, but he didn't stay, thinking he had to make up for what he did, and stayed with the ninja, so things were like the original version there. Season five, with Morro, didn't really happen, and no one really knew Morro escaped, and he was too bitter to say hi to Wu again. Because the green ninja didn't really exist, Morro didn't have anyone to fight, and just chilled, and met Lloyd, because he was his cousin, and they got along. Lloyd ages normally, but at this time he would probably be a younger teenager, but I feel like he would still mature a lot, plus he still has some trauma. Events happen up to season 7, the time one, so this fic will be right after season 7, around where season 8 would happen.