Merlok's Nephew

Watching Clay Day 7

Skipping a few days because it's relevant to the story.

Jestro day definitely started out weird. Merlok called him early in the morning telling him that he had an emergency that only he could take care of. He just didn't expect it to be babysitting. "So, you all are asking me to watch Clay, Ruina Stoneheart's son?" Jestro asked confirming what his friends just asked him. 

"Yes, the other knights have an emergency that the king requested them to take care of and since I cannot watch him, I thought you might be able to," Merlok told him. "Yeah, but why me? I was one of the first things he saw when he and Ruina were brought back to life." Jestro could still remember the look on Clay's face when he woke up. He was so scared and confused. When he was evil the second time around, Ruina told them that the boy wasn't their biggest concern at the moment so he just shrugged it off. Now almost a year later, Jestro can still remember him. He can still remember the scared five-year-old boy who didn't know what was happening, where he was, or who anyone was.

"I know but Clay has been with us for a week now and he's starting to trust us more. I cannot watch Clay because I was the one who froze him and his mother so naturally Clay is more frightened of me than of you." Now Jestro understood, it wasn't because Merlok didn't want to watch Clay it was because he couldn't. Clay wouldn't trust them if he knew that Merlok was their friend. "Clay should be waking up in about an hour. I've already had the other knights explain to him that he is going to be watched by a close friend of theirs today."

"Okay, is there anything I should know before I start?" Merlok nodded. "Yes, Clay has magic just like his mother but you must be careful. His magic is dangerous and extremely powerful. His magic is connected to his emotions so if he feels too many negative emotions or extreme positive emotions then something could happen related to that emotion." Jestro nodded. "Okay, so keep him calm and nobody can get hurt. Anything else?" Merlok nodded. "Yes, you will not be able to ask me for help since Clay cannot know that we know each other. He may also ask about his mother. You won't be able to tell him much and Clay has no allergies, as far as I am aware of, and he takes a nap around 1:30."

"Got it. Thanks, Merlok. Hopefully, I can keep Clay entertained all day." Merlok nodded. "I trust you, Jestro." Jestro nodded and with a new hopeful feeling, left to get the day started. Jestro figured that Clay would probably want breakfast ready before he woke up in about 30 minutes so he got started on making pancakes since that was all he really knew how to make really good chocolate banana pancakes.

Once Jestro finished he went to Clay's room and saw him sleeping soundly on his bed. He was hugging a light blue eagle with a white head. Jestro thought it was cute. This was the image Jestro preferred to keep in his head instead of the one of him scared and confused.

Jestro walked over to Clay's bed and lightly shook him. "Clay... Clay, it's time to wake up." Clay slowly woke up and rubbed his eyes. Once his vision cleared he saw someone new. "Are... are you watching me instead of the knights?" Jestro nodded. "Yeah, you know, my friends are helping me train to be a knight as well. They could always use a hand in the kingdom."

Clay nodded and got out of bed then he went to the bathroom and got his clothes on. As Clay was getting dressed, Jestro decided to make Clay's bed. He was a small gesture but a nice one. Clay got out after brushing his teeth and said, "Thanks for making my bed, Mr..." Jestro then realized that he never told Clay his name. "Jestro. My name is Jestro." Clay nodded. "Thanks, Mr. Jestro." 

"Just call me, Jestro, Clay. Come on, I made us chocolate banana pancakes." Clay smiled happily and shouted, "Yay! I love pancake, especially with chocolate!" The two walked to the kitchen and happily ate the pancakes. Jestro cleaned the dishes than the two went to the living room and watched a movie about six superheroes coming together to stop a mischievous Norse God.

"Jestro, how do you know the Knights?" Clay asked. Jestro paled a bit he knew that this question would could up eventually but he just didn't know when. "They know me from Knighton Academy and from..." Jestro stopped. He just didn't know what to say.  "And from what?" Clay asked innocently.

Jestro took a deep breath. Clay deserved to know the truth. He may have been young but that doesn't mean anything. He still deserved the truth. "They also know me from when I was... evil." Clay stood up quickly and stared at Jestro with a bit of fear in his eyes. "Evil?" Jestro stood up then bent down to Clay's level. "Yes, but they saved me... twice..."

"Twice?" Jestro nodded. "Yes, remember when you woke up?" Clay nodded. How could he not? That was the worst day of his life. He lost his mom, home, and everything he knew that day. "I... I was one of the people you saw that day..." Clay then remembered the electrical clown. "You... you..." Tears started to form in Clay's eyes as he backed away fearfully from Jestro. "Clay, please understand. I'm better now. I've been cured. I'm not evil anymore I promised."

Clay looked at Jestro with untrusting eyes but then Clay saw something in Jestro's eyes. He could tell that Jestro was telling him the truth. "Do... do you know where my mommy is?" Clay asked. Jestro hugged Clay and told him, "No. I'm so sorry, Clay. I don't know where she is. I'm sorry." Tears started to fall down Clay's face and Jestro's face as well. After a few minutes, Jestro and Clay laid down on the couch and fell asleep.

Jestro soon woke up and the two had a small lunch together and Jestro took Clay to have a short nap. Jestro started to clean up lunch and Jestro was deep in his thoughts. 'If Clay was five when I first met him then he should be about six now... maybe... the Knights can throw him a birthday party.'

Jestro spent the rest of the day explaining to Clay his past and what has happened in the time he has been gone. Clay was fascinated by everything that has happened including the wizard who stopped Monstrox and turned him into a book. "What was the wizard's name?" Jestro bit his lip nervously then hesitantly said his name. "Merlok."

"Merlok." Clay thought about that name for a moment then said, "My mommy told me about him. She didn't say much and I've never seen a picture of him but she talked about him. She said that he wasn't my daddy but he was related to me. I don't know how though..." This shocked Jestro a bit but he didn't show it. "It's okay, Clay." 

It was normal for the rest of the day and Jestro considered himself lucky that he didn't activate Clay's magic. Just thirty minutes after Jestro put Clay to bed, the knights returned home and Jestro told them everything including Clay knowing a bit about Merlok. "So, Clay knows my name but not my face?" Jestro nodded. "Yeah, that's what Clay told him. He said that his mom told him about you and he said that he knew that you were related to him somehow." Merlok felt relieved that Clay knew him but he was also afraid to show his face. "It is late. Jestro, thank you for watching Clay today."

"Yeah, if you ever need me to watch him again then I will." Jestro then went home. It has been a long day and Jestro wanted to take a shower so he set his hat on his bed and went to the bathroom to take a shower. When he returned, he saw that his hat wasn't on his bed anymore but instead on his desk. It was in the same place from this morning. He just shrugged it off as nothing then dried his hair and went to bed.

Unbeknowest to the NEXO Knights and Merlok, someone evil, the one who was responsible for turning Monstrox evil, was watching. He was waiting patiently for the opportunity to take Clay. 

It's Spring Break here in Texas so an update was inevitable. I'm working on NEXO Knights Power Rangers but I can't guarantee that I will finish it before Spring Break is over. Sigh. Oh, well. Anyway, thanks for reading! Bye! :)