"I don't feel very much like a family. Not when I don't know who to trust."
After Lloyd wakes up back in his right mind, the green ninja is puzzled when no one seems to care. No relief, no joy--nothing. Instead, the others seem to have a new warines...
"Dinner time!" Wu called up the stairs. He brought the food into the dining room and sat at his usual seat.
Pixal and Garmadon were already there. Jay, Zane, and Cole came piling down the stairs and rushed to their seats, Nya following. Lloyd came down a minute later, arms crossed. His eyes were lit with fury as he slumped onto his chair.
Garmadon and Wu exchanged a glance.
"Lloyd, is everything alright?" Wu questioned.
Lloyd didn't meet his gaze. "I'm fine," he muttered, clearly not in the mood to talk.
Before the sensei could respond, Kai entered the room. He glanced at Lloyd. With a moment's hesitation, the red ninja went to sit beside the green ninja, but Lloyd turned his back on him. With a sigh, Kai turned and sat beside Wu instead.
Cole cleared his throat, clearly noticing the tension. "Let's eat, shall we?"
Blinking and shrugging, the others began to eat their dinner. Wu noticed Lloyd was biting into his food with furious swipes and furrowed eyebrows.
The sensei turned his head toward Kai. "What happened between you and Lloyd?" he asked, voice low so only the red ninja could hear.
Kai bit his lip. "I was only trying to talk with him," he said. "To patch up the tension between us."
With a glance at Lloyd, Wu murmured, "it doesn't look like it went so well. What happened?"
"Uh..." Kai shifted his feet and gave a nervous chuckle. "Well... During the process I... kinda... sorta... maybe... somehow... accidentally confirmed that we have a secret?" He winced as he waited for the sensei's reply.
Wu's eyes widened as his voice raised. "You did what?" he shouted.
The two froze as everyone went silent and stared at them.
Kai blinked. "Uh..."
Wu grabbed Kai's arm. "I need to speak to Kai," he told them.
"Whoa!" the ninja exclaimed as Wu pulled him into the kitchen. He waited until the others started eating and talking again before continuing.
Wu bit his thumb and stared at the angered Lloyd as Kai went on.
"I didn't mean to!" the red ninja defended himself. "I thought he was talking about the trance, not the fire!"
"This isn't good," Wu sighed. "Because now Lloyd isn't just curious, he's determined. He knows his suspicions are true, and he won't stop until he finds out the truth!"
"What do we do?" Kai asked desperately. "What do I do?"
Wu stared at him. "Stay out of trouble, and do not give out any more information!"
Kai blinked as the sensei went back to the dinner table. How am I not supposed to give out information when Lloyd is constantly pestering me for it?
He scratched his head. Stay out of trouble? He gazed at Lloyd, who had his head low as he devoured his food angrily. I think it's a little too late for that.
* * *
Lloyd stomped down the hall, determined to find out the truth. What's sooo secretive that no one can tell me about? Don't I deserve to know the truth?
He pushed open the door to Garmadon's room. If no one else will tell me the truth, my dad will.
Garmadon was standing by his open window, leaning over the railing.
"Dad?" Lloyd closed the door and joined him.
Garmadon turned. "Oh... Lloyd..." Nervousness swarmed through him. He knew exactly why his son was here, but he wasn't prepared for the questions.
Lloyd looked at his father. "Don't tell me you're wary around me now?"
Garmadon opened his mouth to protest, but no words came out.
Lloyd looked at his feet, suddenly saddened. "I'm just tired of everyone looking at me weird," he sighed.
Garmadon felt a rush of sympathy and laid his hand on his son's shoulder. "I know how that feels," he murmured.
Lloyd looked up at him. "Can't you just tell me why everyone is like that?" he asked, desperation in his voice.
The pleading almost got the best of Garmadon, but he controlled himself, realizing Lloyd was trying to make him slip out the truth through sympathy. He frowned. "Lloyd, it's not nice to mess with someone's feelings to get what you want."
Lloyd blew a piece of hair out of his face, frustrated. "I thought that would work," he muttered. "But come on, Dad! Why can't you tell me the truth?" This time he sounded truly desperate. "Don't you trust me?"
Garmadon sighed. "I can't."
Lloyd furrowed his eyebrows. "But why?" he demanded. "Why can't I know why everyone avoids me?"
"We're trying to protect you from a burden you don't need to have," Garmadon stated, getting frustrated.
"I know there's more to it than that," Lloyd persisted. "No one thinks I noticed, but I did, and I want to know what's going on!"
Garmadon didn't respond.
Lloyd stared at his father, voice shaking. "I've seen Kai's stomach wound," he went on. "And I know it's not a burn. It was as if he was sliced... by a sword."
Garmadon tensed at his last words.
"If his wound wasn't from the fire, then what was it from?" Lloyd demanded, although he didn't expect an answer. "What happened while I was sleeping?"
Garmadon felt his breath quicken and he looked at his feet, unable to meet his son's gaze. It took all of his strength not to respond to his questions.
Lloyd scoffed and took a step back. "I can't believe it," he growled. He turned his back on Garmadon. "Not even my own father will tell me the truth!"
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