Ninjago: Rise of the Serpentine (Next Generation)

Prologue Pt. 6

The Monastery

"Alright," Lloyd said for about the 50th time in that hour. "I'm pretty sure everyone is coming."

"You've said that a lot in the past 60 minutes," Harumi noted.

Lloyd ran a stressed hand through his slightly curly blonde hair. "I know, I know. It's just so..."

"Stressful?" Harumi put in with a smirk on her face. Lloyd smiled.

"Yeah, that's it, stressful."

"So everyone is coming right?" Harumi asked, her face a question. "Including Jay and Nya?"

"Pretty sure," Lloyd responded his eyes searching the monastery for anything that needed cleaning before everyone showed up. "I made Jay pretty anxious about the whole thing. You know he and Cole are best friends."

Harumi let out a sigh. "I do. He's gonna want to talk to him you know."

Lloyd nodded in agreement. "And I'm guessing Cole's not going to be up to that any time soon."

Harumi sadly shook her head. "No."

They stood there in a silence for awhile before Lloyd decided to talk again.

"What if it's awkward," he said concern evident in his voice. "I haven't seen any of them in at least a few months."

Harumi smiled and put a comforting hand on his shoulder.  "It'll be fine."

Lloyd saighed and looked up at her. "I know, I'm just overreacting."

Harumi was about to say something else when the doorbell rang its clear note as if it was satisfied that it got to make a sound.

"I'll get it," Lloyd volunteered as he got up and started for the door. He turned the doorknob and opened the door. He was met with Kai's smirking face, Skylor's smiling one, and Leo's round nervous expression. It'd been so long since he'd seen them he barely even remembered what Leo looked like. The answer was, he looked like a mini Kai.

"Hello," Kai greeted in his easygoing manner. "Is that little monster that you call your daughter around?" He'd said the last part in a teasing tone, gesturing with his head at Leo at the last bit of his hello.

Lloyd, catching on, replied, "Sure she is. She's over there." He hooked his thumb in the direction of where Hellen and Harumi were trying to keep Amelia happy. 

"Why don't you go say hi," Skylor encouraged him. "I'm sure she'd love to play with you."

"Really?" Leo said his voice taking on a surprised note.

Skylor smiled. "Really."

"Okay!" Leo took no hesitation as he raced over to where Hellen was. Within seconds the monastery was filled with shrieks of playful laughter and little pattering feet.

Kai sighed. "I wish I were still young like that." Skylor slapped him and looked at him with mock anger.

"You're still young you oaf."

Lloyd, on the other hand, had thought the joke was hilarious. He slapped Kai on the back like they were old buddies - which they were. "You've still got some good years, Kai." Lloyd was glad that Kai had made a joke, it made things so much easier. They walked toward the rest of the group laughing and talking of the things they had done in the past as teens.