Lloyd paced back and forth, musing over his situation. It was hard not to be distracted by the grass that came up to his knees.

"It doesn't look like anyone else followed me here." He mumbled to himself, glancing up at the sky in confirmation. "The Time Twins were lost too... right? But there's no reason I should think they'd come out in the same place I did..." he wasn't entirely sure how the time vortex worked, but his general understanding was that it ran perpendicular to the timeline, and had access to every point. Krux and Acronix could be anywhere, maybe far in the future, with no access to the time blades. Hopefully that meant they would be harmless.

That left Lloyd questioning what to do with himself. It had been a long time since he was in this position, five... maybe six years. From Darkley's he had gone straight to Jamanakai, where he encountered the Ninja for the first time, then had released the Hypnobrai. They'd revolted, he'd released Pythor... wait, had he released the Fangpyre, too? Pythor had released the Constrictai and the Venomari, at least.

He wondered how his family was faring back in the future. Had they gotten out of the time vortex safely? Were they looking for him? It didn't really matter... there was no way they could track him down here. The reversal blade was hidden in the boiling sea, there was no way he could get to it as he- as he was. And even if he could get it, he doubted he could use it to get home.

So, he was stuck here.

A tightness started to build in his chest, and he continued his pacing with fervor in an effort to stave it away. As far as he could tell, he wasn't here along with his younger self, he had taken his place. He was a nine-year-old, unruly brat who was obsessed with making his father proud.

'Change anything, change everything'. That was the mantra that Wu had hammered into them whenever they wound up time-traveling for one reason or another. The smallest, most insignificant action could have devastating consequences for the timeline. With that in mind, Lloyd knew he had to follow the same path he had when he was younger, release the serpentine, fight his uncle and the men he now knew as his brothers, and eventually become the Green Ninja.

...but, what if he didn't?

The smallest, most insignificant actions could wreck the timeline irreparably, he knew that. But couldn't they also have positive effects? Of course he couldn't predict where the timeline was going, but surely he could influence it with the knowledge he had of the future. He could help Kai and Nya get their parents back, stop Krux and Acronix before they ever had a chance to get the time blades, keep Zane from being kidnapped by Chen, he could...

...he could save his father.

Lloyd's pacing gradually came to a halt. How? He would have to fight the Overlord, cleanse his father of the Devourer's influence... and then he could protect him. If he stopped Chen's plan to turn himself and his followers into Anacondrai, his father would never have to be banished to stop them.

...no, no no no he couldn't. What if he caused something far worse to happen? What if he failed to beat the Overlord this time? What if someone else died in his father's place? He had to keep the timeline the same, he had already lost his father, losing him again shouldn't hurt more.

But... what if he changed something by accident? He wasn't his nine-year-old self, and he didn't remember how he acted enough to be a perfect imitation. And what if he misremembered an important event? The slightest change could change everything for the worse anyway, so if he had no choice he might as well try to change it for the better.

He would need some help.

Wu. His uncle was wise. He was troubled, yes, and had hidden many things from Lloyd and his brothers, but he was wise and he loved him. Surely he could confide in him the troubling circumstances he found himself in.

With this in mind, Lloyd turned, searching the recesses of his mind for a memory of the path he needed to take. Spying a familiar peak, Lloyd set off again, tucking his arms around himself in defense against the cold wind.

The Ninja would be in Jamanakai, and he would need to meet them there.

—

"Lord Garmadon has returned!!"

"Hide yourselves, take shelter!"

"Someone call the Ninja!!"

Lloyd watched in mild concern as the townspeople fled from him, a small boy in a dark hoodie. The first time around he had been too pleased to wonder why exactly the townsfolk had mistaken him for this father, but now he was just bewildered. Had they just taken a single look at the 'ribs' painted on his hoodie and flipped out?

At least this was the outcome he'd wanted, Lloyd noted as he made his way to the fountain to wait for them. It would take time for the Ninja to get ready and get here. Lloyd was half tempted to actually threaten some townspeople for candy. He was hungry.

Lloyd licked his lips, swinging his legs slightly where he sat on the rim of the fountain. He wondered how the Ninja would respond to his request. They were... very unrefined at this point, right? Far more immature than the Ninja he knew. He would have to be mindful of that.

In the distance, he saw four dragons appear, dipping down beneath the clouds and disappearing behind a peak. Lloyd stood, heart hammering in his chest. He wasn't actually doing anything wrong, right? They wouldn't just... hang him out to dry like they had last time.

It only took a few moments for them to appear, swaggering into town and stopping short at the sight of him.

"That's Lord Garmadon??" Jay exclaimed, face covered by a blue hood. "What happened to him??"

"That's not Lord Garmadon, idiot." Cole berated him. "That's his son, Lloyd Garmadon." Lloyd blinked at them. Cole knew his name? "He must have escaped his boarding school for bad boys again," the earth ninja continued, turning back to look at him.

"Well, whoever he is, if he's terrorizing Jamanakai he needs to be dealt with." Kai announced, drawing his sword.

"Wait!" Zane stepped in, laying a hand on Kai's arm. "It doesn't look like he's terrorizing anyone. Perhaps the townsfolk were merely frightened. Let's find out what's going on before we jump to any conclusions." Lloyd let out a relieved breath. Good old Zane.

The Ninja began to march towards him, and Lloyd scrambled upright, unsure how to react. Should he pretend he didn't know them?

"H-hey." He stammered out as they got close. He wasn't used to them being so much bigger than him.

"What are you doing here, pipsqueak?" Kai asked bluntly. Lloyd set his jaw.

"Looking for you."

"Us?" Zane questioned. "What for?"

"I need you to take me to Master Wu." Lloyd twisted his hands together. "I need to speak with him." The Ninja exchanged a few quiet glances, then Kai broke the silence with a scoff.

"Are you kidding me? No way."

"Kai," Zane tried.

"No, look, there's no way we're bringing Lord Garmadon's brat to our home." Kai jabbed an accusing finger at him. Lloyd winced. "For all we know, his old man's trying to use him to spy on us!"

"I-" Lloyd was cut off by Jay.

"And even if he isn't, what business does this kid have with Sensei?" He gestured loftily. "He can't be up to any good."

"Kid, go back to school." Cole turned away, seemingly intent on getting back to his dragon. "You're just gonna get yourself hurt." The rest of the Ninja followed his lead, only Zane having the grace to shoot him an apologetic look before walking away.

"Please!!" Lloyd's voice rose to a pitch he hadn't been able to hit in a long time. "They kicked me out, I can't go back!" That got them to stop, at least. "I don't know where my father is, and Wu is my uncle!! Please just let me talk to him." Zane turned around, giving Kai a look. He murmured something in a low voice, Jay leaning in to hear them better, and Lloyd shifted his weight from one foot to the other. He'd counted on them being willing to take him back. If they didn't...

"Alright." His chin jerked up at Cole's voice. "C'mon, kid." Hope welling up in his chest, Lloyd hurried to join them.

The elemental dragons waited outside the village limits, and the Ninja split to their respective dragons, Cole lifting Lloyd onto Rocky's back. As Kai mounted up, his foot hooked the bag hanging from his saddle, and a scroll fell out and clattered to the ground. Zane was quick to scoop it up, offering it to Kai as the fire ninja climbed down to retrieve it.

"I don't remember putting this here." Kai mused.

"That's Sensei's bag." Zane gestured to the bag in question. "You must have accidentally took it in the rush." Ignoring all rules of privacy, Kai eased the scroll open, and Lloyd frowned at the image he could see from atop Cole's dragon.

"What is that?" Jay asked, hurrying over to see for himself."

"It's a scroll, windbag." Kai held it up as if to hide it as Jay came around beside him.

"I know it's a scroll, hotshot. But what does it say? It's written in chicken scratch."

"Not chicken scratch," Zane interjected. "The ancient language of our ancestors."

"Uh- can you read it?" Kai offered him the scroll.

"Well, I can try."

"Whatcha guys got over there?" Cole called over, standing beside his dragon still. Zane lifted a hand to quiet him.

"This symbol means 'prophecy'." The white ninja reported slowly. "'One ninja will rise above the others, and become the Green Ninja.'" Lloyd shifted uncomfortably. Was this where they found out? Where their competition to 'prove' who was the Green Ninja began? "'The ninja destined to defeat the dark lord'."

"The dark lord?" Cole echoed. "Do you think it means Lord Garmadon?" No, Lloyd thought, it didn't.

"Wait, is that us?" Kai peered more closely at the image. "Are you all thinking what I'm thinking?"

"Like how good I'm gonna look in green?" Jay agreed.

"Hah! Isn't it obvious that I'm gonna be the Green Ninja?" Kai fired back.

"The color obviously suits me!"

"Technically, I am the best." Zane cut in.

"Everyone, stop it." Cole snapped, abandoning his post to approach his bickering brothers. "Remember why Sensei brought us together in the first place. We're a team. We weren't meant to see this and probably for good reason." Lloyd gave a quiet sigh. "C'mon, let's head back home." Taking the scroll, Cole returned to his dragon, and his scolded teammates followed suit.

Lloyd held on tight to the saddle as Cole climbed on behind him, wrapping an arm around his waist and tugging him back against his chest.

"Hold on tight, kiddo."

Lloyd wondered what else Cole knew that he wasn't letting on.