A Touch of the Master's Hand

Cycle of Mentors

It was after breakfast, and the Destiny's Bounty had just landed on the edge of Ninjago City Bay. Nya was going to the hospital for that crack in her ankle, and Kai and Zane were going with her. Jay was going to be picked up by his parents any minute. Lloyd's parents were talking about leaving for home too even though they had already had a brisk morning roof-top leaping instead of a jog to clear cobwebs that had accumulated for far too long.

"Ready to go?" asked Koko.

"Just a minute," said Lloyd. "I want to talk to Master Wu first."

Lloyd's skin was still a little more lemony than canary-yellow, but his hair was nearly normal and the reflecting dots in his eyes were pure white again. His muscles all worked again too, even if he did feel a touch stiff in the joints.

He thought Master Wu was just behind him in the main area of the ship, but as he looked around, he seemed to have disappeared.

"Hmm..."

"Now where'd that old, wise, ninja man, sensei man of a brother of mine disappear too?" sniffed Garmadon crossing one pair of arms and shrugging with the other pair.

"I'll go look for him," said Lloyd.

"Maybe he's lecturing the prisoner," Garmadon teased.

First Lloyd went through the dojo training area to get to Master Wu's tea room, but he was not in there. He was not in his spa room or even in his private bathroom.

"Master Wu?"

Maybe he was out on deck.

Quickly, he turned and made for the outside of the ship, but though he did see a person, it was not Master Wu. It was Cole. He was leaning deep in thought over the rail out into the ocean. Sea gulls cried; their echoes circled round the cliffs. The surf was peaceful with the sound of a gentle wind. The sky was just about as blue as it could get too, but there was no sign that Master Wu had even been there.

"Hmm," murmured Lloyd.

Maybe he was with Kinkomi. After all, someone had to drop him off at prison.

He decided to go back inside. Cole did not look like he wanted to be disturbed, but just as he was about to turn, Cole turned faster.

"Hey, Lloyd," he said just loud enough to be heard over the surf.

Lloyd paused.

"Hey."

"You going home?"

"Y...eah," said Lloyd. "You haven't seen Master Wu, have you?"

Cole shook his head.

"Oh."

There was a long silence between them except for Lloyd slowly walking up to the rail. As soon as he was close, Cole turned back over the rail to look out at the ocean.

"You... okay, Cole?"

"Hmm?" asked Cole as though he had not noticed until now that Lloyd had reached his side. "Oh. Yeah, I guess."

Lloyd stared down at the sparkling of the water just out of the shadow of the ship. "Look, I... I'm sorry about..."

Cole shook his head again. "Lloyd. You don't have to apologize for everyone else's mistakes all the time, you know."

Lloyd sighed.

You mean like with my dad? A voice asked Lloyd in his head, but he shook it away himself. He got it from his mom. He shrugged.

"It was my duty," said Cole still rather solid as he leaned over the rail leisurely.

Or was it only for solidity? Lloyd knew that he had been reading Cole wrong for a long time. Even now even if Cole did not exactly look sad, he did look very thoughtful.