There's no Such Thing as Darkness //ninjago AU// Morro x Lloyd

The Negotiation

About an hour had passed as Lloyd waited outside the kings quarters, ease dropping on a conversation that was being held with Wu and his most trusted knights, Zane, Jay, Cole, and Kai. Kai was complaining as usual, "What!? Why can't I come, that's not fair!"

"May I remind you why you got demoted?" Wu barked at Kai.

"It was just one small mistake, can't we just let it slide?"

"He got of gotten into way more trouble then he already did, or worse, killed! If we are even going to bring Lloyd along with us, you aren't coming along," Wu paused. "And you know what, you shouldn't even be apart of this conversation. Leave at once!"

"But, Wu!"

"I won't give you a second warning."

Kai groaned as he made his way to the door. Once the foot steps were close enough, Lloyd tried backing away, but Kai opened the door just as he did. He looked at Lloyd with a confused look, and closed the door behind him. "Lloyd? What are you doing over here? Were you ease dropping?"

"No . . . Maybe . . . So what, they're talking about me anyways."

"Yeah, they're talking about whether or not to let you come along if that's the only way that guy in the dungeon will show Wu where that other kingdom is. He doesn't believe that it's a 'sign of trust'," Kai says in air quotes. "He thinks that once we're away from the kingdom, he would find a way to hurt you."

"If he wanted to hurt me, he would have already done it."

"Sounds hard when he's been locked up all day."

"Kai, have anyone even told you how he got here?"

Kai paused for a second. ". . . No."

"I was with him before, all alone. When you had let me out," Lloyd reminded. "He has no ill will when we were together, alone. I had even told him that I was the prince, and his actions hadn't change."

"That's something you'd have to tell Wu yourself. I can't help you out there, kid. I just wish he'd bring me along. You know Wu, being all stubborn. He'll warm up to me again."

The door opened and Lloyd and Kai both looked towards the now open doorway, seeing Wu staring right back at them. "Kai, didn't I tell you to leave?"

Kai the quickly hurried along without another word, leaving Lloyd by himself once again. "Hey . . . Uncle . . ."

"Lloyd, I was just looking for you. How would you'd like to come on a little adventure with me, and some other people? You'd always said you want to get out of the castle walls. I'll even let you go out with Momo, try to see what you see in him." Wu's face soften, trying to appear kind after his other confrontation with Lloyd.

Lloyd decided to play along, acting like he didn't know Wu's true intentions. "That sounds actually kind of nice. Also, it's Morro. Not Momo."

Jay chuckled to himself. "Sorry, thought I heard 'Momo' when your corrected me earlier."

"So where do you suggest we go on this adventure? Up some hiking trail? Take a trip to a camp site?" Lloyd squinted, trying to discretely test Wu's answers.

"I was thinking about letting Morro pick. Only seems right giving him the choice after being locked up. Showing him some kindness, like you wanted."

"Uh-huh."

Wu, Lloyd, and the three other guards made their way down the stairs, with Lloyd stopping them once they got to the bottom step. "Maybe you should let me unlock the cell . . . You know, so he could have a little air to breathe once he steps out. I don't think he's very keen of you since you did put him in here after all."

Wu slipped the key out of his pocket, handing it to his nephew. Lloyd took it, making his way by himself to the last cell in the dungeon. He put the key in the keyhole, faking unlocking it since he knew it had been unlocked earlier by Morro. After a few seconds, he opened the door, with Morro slowly walking out of it, looking across the room at Wu. Morro had a mean look plastered on his face which had softened when he looked over at Lloyd. Lloyd gave him a reassuring nod.

Wu then motioned to the stairs. "Well, if you'd lead the way."

Morro then walked passed everyone with Lloyd following behind. They went back up the stairs, with Morro taking a deep breath. A small smile cracked on his face as he looked over at Lloyd. "You smell that? Freedom."

The group made their way out through the front gates, and into the woods, walking off the trail. It was about five minutes into this walk when everything around the seemed to look the same. Wu suspicions started to rise again. "Are you sure you know where you're going?"

Morro looked back at Wu, "Yes."

"Hey, Wu," Lloyd began. "You don't mind if Morro and I walk just a little bit ahead of you guys? We'll still be within view."

Even though Wu didn't like the sound of that, he accepted, trying to please his nephew. "Of course. This 'adventure' is for you two after all . . ."

Morro and Lloyd walked a little ahead of everyone else, hushing their voices to have a private conversation. "Do you actually know where you're going? From what I've got, I don't think you know this place too well."

"I know it well enough. At first, I was going to mislead them to the old Kingdom, but I didn't expect Wu to know that they had relocated. Really throws a wrench in my plan." Morro had glanced around the forest for a second, before looking back in front of him.

"Are you going to show him where it actually is?"

"Do you want me to?"

Lloyd was a little confused by Morro asking him if he would want him to, feeling like is solely Morro's decision. But then again, he does currently have a disliking to his uncle. "Wu has been lying to me this entire time. He thinks that I don't know where you're taking us. He asked me if I wanted to 'go on an adventure'. I'm just playing along because I wanted to see you free."

"Sounds like that's a no," a devious smile was now on Morro's face. "You'd never believe what I found while snooping around the dungeon . . . I may have gotten a little bored and took a stroll." Morro slipped out a smoke grenade from his pocket.

Lloyd gasped before quickly covering his mouth, hoping he didn't concern the others. "Where'd you find that!? I know in the dungeon, but how?"

"Well if you want me to use it, and get out of here, just say the word."