Communicat-OH

Chapter 11: Jungle Fury Jungle Furious

The sun was just setting over Ocean Bluff and Theo, Casey, Dom, Jarrod, and RJ were cleaning up the remnants of Fran and Dom's welcome home party. The pair had returned from their tour of Europe with gifts for everyone including an extra surprise: they were a couple! Somewhere in between the Swiss Alps and the Eiffel Tower in Paris, Dom had romanced Fran into being his girlfriend not that any of team believed it took too much effort. The girls, Fran, Lily, and Camille, were upstairs in the loft going over all the presents while the boys were charged with ridding the restaurant of all the streamers and confetti in time for opening the next day.

"It's good to have you home man, the gum under the tables has been piling up," Casey said while sweeping.

"Ha, ha," Dom fake laughed. "Thankfully I have Fran to help me this time."

"She loves you Dom but I don't think anyone loves you that much," Jarrod snickered.

"Aw Jarrod you don't love me," Dom pouted.

"Sorry you had to find out like this," Jarrod smirked.

"Passing over Dom's heartbreak," Theo interrupted. "How are things at the Academy Jarrod?"

"Great, I'm hoping the Tiger Master lets me in on the special weapons lesson next week. He hinted that he might bring out the Shark Sabers."

Casey shook his head, "I talked to Master Finn, he wants to be there too so it might be put off until the week after. Of course you're in, think you can handle it?"

"As long as I don't drop anything, what's the worst that could happen?" Jarrod said ruefully.

"Gentlemen," RJ appeared after throwing out the last bag of garbage. "The restaurant is clean and I think we've earned a snack. I suggest we make a nice big pizza then kick back with the ladies upstairs."

"Sounds like a plan," Casey put the broom to the side. The five Pai Zhua trooped into the kitchen and set out the ingredients for a huge pizza with all the fixings. All of them could hear some funny sounds coming from somewhere but couldn't place it so they tried to ignore it.

They had just rolled out the dough when Theo couldn't take it anymore, "Okay seriously where is that noise coming from?!" Glad someone finally broached the subject; they searched the entire kitchen but couldn't find it.

"It's gotta be here," Dom said while checking under the workbench.

At last it was Casey who discovered the source. "Hey guys!" He was looking up at the ceiling. "I think that's it." He pointed to a vent right above the work station and Theo levitated up to it.

"This is it," he reported back. The jaguar carefully popped open the vent's cover, the volume increased and the noises turned out to be voices.

Someone laughed. "Was that Lily?" Casey asked.

"Sounds like it," RJ stared at the opening. "I think it's the new ventilation we put in, the guys redid all the ducts. Looks like they made a mistake."

"Or they're freaking geniuses," Dom countered. He moved the pizza dough aside and got up on the bench. He grinned down at the rest, "You can hear them perfectly from here. Come on up!" Casey immediately jumped up, followed closely by RJ who gave Jarrod a hand. It was a little awkward having four grown men stand on one small station but they managed to maneuver themselves around the gap to stand somewhat comfortably. Theo had the good luck of levitation on his side. The voices coming through were slightly echo-ish but pretty clear all the same.

Camille – "Switzerland sounds beautiful."

Fran – "It was, Dom bought me the prettiest necklace in this antique shop. I forgot to bring it with me, I keep it safe in my jewelry box. So now that the boys are out of earshot -" the guys chuckled at this "- what did I miss?"