Darker Places (Ninjago)

9. Zane

Have you ever heard complete silence? It's not likely. Most humans are not even capable of it. There's always something going on that makes a noise. Your heartbeat. Breathing. A bird chirping in the distance.

Right now, I wasn't hearing any of that. It was so quiet that I felt like the circuits and mechanisms that give me the ability to hear have been disconnected.

And maybe that was the case.

I sat alone in my bedroom. The monastery was too quiet. No one was training, no video games or bickering. No one was in the mood. It was so unlike us.

I stood up suddenly, which made my vision circuits falter for a second. I'd been sitting perfectly still for hours. Throwing on my gi, not bothering to tie it, just letting it hang like a jacket, I walked out of my room.

No one was in the hallway. I wasn't sure where I'm going, just needing to move. With a sigh, I walked outside.

Lloyd was there, wearing green sweatpants and a white tank-top. He was sweaty, making the white fabric slightly see-through. It showed his toned stomach and chest. He was staring at a punching bag. Not training. Just staring.

"Lloyd?"

"Huh?" He punched the bag suddenly, way too hard, causing it to fly backward and tip over. "Oh, Zane, heh." He rubbed the back of his head sheepishly. "I didn't realize it was you.
Sorry."

I sighed. "Lloyd..."

Rustling.

I can hear rustling. My eyes darted to the direction it was coming from. There, on the roof.

It was one of those orange creatures.

I gasped.

"What is it?"

Lloyd looked in the direction I was staring.

It was gone. Weird. Could I have imagined it? Was it some sort of sign? No. I'm just paranoid.

"Nothing. I'm seeing things."

"But you're a nindriod," Lloyd questioned. "Nindriods can see things?"

"I-"

"Hey you guys!" Cole and Kai walked out into the training area of the monastery. "Watcha doin'? Training?"

Cole was grinning, but it wasn't a truthful grin.

"The weather's great today. Why don't we have like a sparring tournament or something? I could go and get Nya! The winner gets these Oreos!" Kai waved one of those snack packages of mini Oreos in the air.

Lloyd punched the bag weakly. "We have an uneven number. It won't work without him."

Cole sighed. "You guys, Jay wouldn't want us to sit around moping all day! Come on! We have to do something!"

I stared at him. Both he and Kai were acting much differently than they were yesterday. I wonder what could have changed their mindsets so quickly.

"Yeah, and if Pixal joins, we won't have an uneven number anymore!"

Lloyd stared at them blankly. He wasn't motivated so easily. "I guess you're right. But..." he paused. "I just can't help thinking. I was the one who sent him and Cole into the city in the first place. I was the one who had the rest of us leave them there. If I would have just been there, maybe he wouldn't be dead. And Cole, maybe you wouldn't have been hurt so badly."

Cole's hand unconsciously went to lay on his stomach, which, I knew, underneath his gi, was still bandaged. I could also tell that he had difficulty moving at times. Now he suddenly wants to spar. Strange.