{Location: Rosé beach cafe}(Morro's POV)

I might have to invest in one of those new bicycle things. I sit on a trash can lid, rubbing my feet in a smelly alley. Even on hard training days, I don't think I've spent as much time on my feet. I lean back, it's nearly been a week and I've used half of my money. I could get a job, but what kind of job is mobile and lose enough for me to find a trail?

There's that other option.

No.

I'm not stealing. Not again.

I open my wallet, a handful of gold coins. I need a plan.

What I need is a string to pull on. I need to find this tomb.

"Sir," A woman covering her head shuffles up to me. She won't lift up her face or look me in the eye but I notice she holds a pot for money, "Can please you give anything to a poor old woman?"
She doesn't sound old.

"Please, anything helps."

"I'm sorry," I should get out of here, find some food or mabey a breadline, "I have to go." I'm blocked by three guys, the one in the middle being super buff and tall while the other two bearly hide the fact that they're hiding knives.

The woman chuckles, pulling out a double ended sword, "You can give or we can take. It's up to you." She points the tip against my back, slowly reaching for my back.

Oh no, you don't. I flick my hand, the wind jerking it away from her before thwaking the other three. I grab it, facing the woman, "You can move or I can move you. You're choice."

"Ah," One of the guys behind me groans, "He's no good to us. Let's get out of here."

The woman shakes her head, lifting her head up, "You coward." her shawl falls, showing off a bright green strip. Her jaw drops as she sees mine, "Hun- Morro?"

"Akia?" I don't lower my hands, "I'm guessing Asher, Nao and Wyatt are behind me?"

She doesn't move either, "Yeah un." She pushes tighter, "Money now."

"Hold on," What's better than one guy looking for a nearly non-existent thing? Four people looking, "We don't have to get messy."

"It always ends in a mess," Nao huffs, "But, what were you thinking?"

"I....I need help." Am I that desperate? No. I'm that determined to prove what is true.

Asher moans, "What was that?"

"I need help." I won't give them all the details, "Let's just say I'm not allowed back at the monastery."

Waytt puts his knife away, "I'm interested."

"I'm looking for the tomb of the first spinjutzu master."

They bust up laughing.

"Fine." I push my way through them, pausing while holding up some coins, "I was going to hire you to help me but since you-"

They shut up, their eyes growing in greed.

Nao rubs his fingers, "What was that last part, my friend?"

I shrug my shoulders like I couldn't care if they want this or not, "Ninjago is a big place and there are not a lot of clues to the first spinjutzu master's tomb. And I'd rather not work on this all by myself."

Akia leans on her double-sided sword, "And we come in where?"

"I'll pay you, handsomely, for any information that I don't already know concerning the tomb." I might be lying about the handsomely part but I really need a trail to follow, "What do you think?"

"So let me get this right," Nao steps up, greedy smirks on the others, "You would pay us to find you leads on some dead guy's tomb? How much? For how long?"

"How does 14 gold coins an hour sound?" I'll have to get a job if this works out but I get very money motivated people to help me look. "And until I find the tomb."

Nao hums, "One second," he turns around, whispering with the others.

I fold my arms, tapping my fingers. I could back out now. But I need help and I will not fail. I know I'm the chosen one and if I need to pay people I don't trust to help me prove it, so be it.

Nao turns around, holding his own hands, "We accept. When do we start?"

I take out 4 gold coins, handing them over, "Now. I'm checking the seaside towns first. Tomorrow I'm in Heltic cove. I don't care where you guys look as long as you keep looking."

Nao nods like that's not impossible, "Good, good. One last question," he reaches to shake my hand, "How far should we go?"

I close my hand, "What do you mean?"

"I mean, say we find someone with information but they won't give it. What should we do then?"

"You're adults," I should say this but it needs to be said. Politeness be darned, "I want that lead as soon as possible. Anything is on the table, I'm all in on this. Do what you need to do for that information."

Something dark creeps into his smile as he shakes my hand, confirming our deal, "Perfect. Let's get started team."

Akia makes a kissy face at me before walking off.

I have a bad feeling about this. But I made the right decision...right?

I just hired thugs and thieves to help me fulfill my destiny. I start walking out of town as I think of my choice, I've never trusted them but they're ruthless, I know they'll get the job no matter what.

I just need to get to the tomb so it can prove I am the green ninja.

I don't care how I get it.

All around me are tall trees, a small dirt path and the smell of nature. I should be able to get to the next town by sunset if I don't get into any trouble.

I slum a little as I spot a tipped over cart with logs everywhere. I spot a lumberjack trying to clean it up. I have a time limit, I should really just keep walking.

Of course, I open my trap to say, "Need a hand?"

The lumberjack glares, "no." He has sharp brown eyes, pale skin and black hair. There's a faint mustache on his face with a tiny goatee. He picks up a couple of logs, "Just keep walking."

"It seriously wouldn't be a problem." I lower my staff, stretching my hands out, "I'm pretty stro-"

"I said no." He drops the logs, it landing on his feet. He screams. He points away, telling me to go.

"Ok. Sorry." I roll my eyes as I step around the logs. Wow, what a jerk.

"Hi," The guy somehow is in front of me, he's smiling now and not holding his foot, "Any way you could lend a hand with these logs?"

"um...But you.." I'm confused, I point behind me than to him, "Didn't you just tell me to not help?"

He shakes his head, "No. I've never seen you before."

"What?" I'm willing to help but I'm just lost, "I just saw you. You dropped a log on your foot."

He looks down, "I didn't drop anything."

"He's talking about me," A second logger guy hobbles out. He is red-faced and is careful when walking with his foot.

I blink a few times, "You're twins? Wow, I'm sorry."

"We get confused for one another all the time," Nice guy shrugs, "We're used to it. I'm Axronix, this is my brother Krux."

"Nice to meet you. My name is Morro."

Krux bites his tongue, "Well, Morro, if you could move along so I and my brother can clean up, that'd be fantastic."

"Or," Axronics elbows Krux, "You can help us. We could really use it if we're going to get back to mother on time."

They break out in arguing.

Ok, might as well help while they're fighting. I set my things aside as I stand the cart upright. I collect log as they scare off birds with their yelling. So that's what having a brother is like. Glad I'm an only child.

I stack most of the logs before finding something half hiding under one. A coin purse. I cradle it in my hand before opening it. There's rolls of paper money and dozens of gold coins...and these two are so busy arguing they'd never notice if I were to...no. I'm not a thief. Even if I'm getting low on money (Which I am), even if I'm desperate (again, I am), even if someone paid me to do take this, stealing goes against everything Sensei taught me.

I already disrespected him with my words, I won't do it with my actions.

Krux gasps, "Are you stealing my purse?"

"No," I try closing it up before the money spills out, "I found it under the logs."

"Lire, that was in my back pocket. You took it when I dropped that log."

"No. I didn't take anything," Mabey these two deserve to be stolen from. I drop the purse as Acronix folds his arms, "I'm not a thief."

"So how'd the purse get under the log then?" Acronis hums while glaring at me, "What should we do with him?"

"Are you serious? I put some of YOUR logs back up while YOU were arguing." I step away, I don't want a fight today.

"Please," Krux balls his fist, "You're a man. Just own up to your responsibility. Admit the truth. You wanted to steal our hard earned money."

With how much you're annoying me mabey I should. I leave the money where it is, stepping away, "You know what, I have better places to be. Good luck with your logs."

"Hey," Acronix grabs my wrist, "Just-"

I yank back, poping my elbow into his face before balling my fists, "Just what?"

He falls, moaning while covering his nose, "Own up to what you did."

"I did nothing. In fact, I was going to return it to you." I reach for my staff then Krux charges forward. I step back, slipping on a log and frailing back. The wind keeps me hovered over the ground as Krux growls. I get up, being sure to be away from the logs, "WHAT'D I DO NOW?!"

He holds my staff, "You hurt my brother."

"UGGG," New plan. I'm getting out of here. "How's this, I'll put all your money back in your purse then trade it for my stuff. Fair?"

"Fair."

"Great." I kneel down, gathering the muddy paper money and the coins. I'm not a thief but I'm also not a doormat.

I deserve so much better.

Heck, I'm the frecking chosen one.

I pour everything into the purse, get up and hold it out, "Toss on 3?"

"Fine." He glances back, spotting a policeman on a horse, "OFFICER!"

Forget this crap. I push forward, the wind knocking him onto his butt and carrying my stuff to me. I grip both as I run away. Can't get caught, can't get caught. Heck, I JUST hired a gang of thieves.

Acronis stumbles up, "ONLY THE GUILTY RUN!"

"Can the guilty fly?" I jump onto a rock then off of it, balance on the wind as I zip out of the woods. I pant until I land behind a bar. That could have been bad.

Wait.

What is wrong with me? I kept the coin purse!

Gah, why am I the worst?

I huff, not like I can return it without getting arrested...and might as well not let it go to waste. I pour their money into my bag, tucking away guilt for stealing and ignoring the fun rush I got from it.

I don't like it. I don't like stealing.

But I did it. And I know how to get away with it.

I toss Krux's purse aside. Heading into the bar. I need a drink...of water. I'm so thirsty. Inside is dark, like someone painted over the windows, not much to see, a couple of bartenders and day drinkers. I sit down, listing to the squicky entertainment singer get booed at.

"Yeesh," I set my bag down between my legs, "How'd that guy get hired."

The bartender cleans a glass, "He could use some work."

"He could use some singing lessons." If he keeps singing like nails on a chalkboard, I'll probably blow over this crappy place, "Or just not be tone deaf."

"Think you can do better?"

I shrug, "Mabey not." I cover my ears as he mumbles over a chorus, "But at least I can remember a chorus."

"All right, chape," the bartender sets his glass aside, staring me down, "Go on, sing."

"Sing what?"

"I don't care. Just prove it to me."

I sigh, trying to think of a song. There's one but it's really depressing. I warm up my voice, preparing to hear myself be worse than the guy on stage, "I'm tired of waking up in tears.

Because I can't put to bed these phobias and fears.

I'm new to this grief I can't explain. But I'm no stranger to the heartache and the pain." Everything seems to quiet down around me. Weird, I'm not even singing loudly, "The fire I began...is slowly burning me alive.

But I know better than to leave and let it die."

The bartender drops his smug face as even the guy on stage shuts up.

"I'm a silhouette. Asking every now and then, is it over yet? Will I ever feel again? I'm a silhouette. Chasing rainbows on my own." I look down, I miss the monastery. I...I want to go home. This is stupid and I'm stupid and I should be too arrogant to keep going. "But the more I try to move on...the more I feel alone. So I watch the summer stares to lead me home."

The bartender's jaw is on the floor.

I know what I have to do. I get up, take my bag and turn to leave.
I'm not the green ninja...yet. I might just need more training. I can't get that on my own. I miss Wu. I miss my friends. I miss my life.

So I'm going home.

"Kid," The bartender smiles, "Would you like a job? I've got a friend who owns a bar near Jasmine Springs who needs a singer. I can get you a ticket for the next train outta here if ya'd like."

Rember, comfort or my destiny.

I'll ONLY go back to Wu when I'm the green ninja. I push a smile on my face, "I'd love a job."