A Touch of the Master's Hand

Where are the Bananas?

Vzzzn, vzzzn...

"Mmm?"

Koko was surprised to find that she had fallen asleep on the couch in the lounge area behind the dojo. She had only sat down to rest for a moment. Maybe it had been that relaxing tea Master Wu had given her. There was even a little bit left in the bottom of the cup where she had left it on the arm of the couch, though she did not figure that out just yet.

It was dark— perhaps just before dawn. She could barely make out the cup much less what was in it. The silence surprised her more than anything, but the sound of her cell phone humming broke it again.

She picked it up from where it rested next to the tea cup.

There was a text from Garmadon: "Hey, Koks! Picked up the trail and I'm hot in pursuit! I'm thinkin' we'll have that cure-all by noon."

Koko smiled.

There was a selfie of Garmadon grinning widely as he displayed an assortment of empty banana peels.

"Be careful, Garm," she texted back. "I'm checking on Lloyd."

Then slowly she got up. It was a little chilly, and she rubbed her arms as she made her way down the corridor to where Lloyd was sleeping. Very slowly she opened the door for a peak.

"He's not in there."

Koko let out a gasp and turned to Wu standing further in the corridor.

"Oh, Uncle Wu," she said, and smiled. "You're good at that."

"Yes," said Wu gravely. "I know, but this is no time for compliments. Last night, the other ninja left. I did not know until just now that Lloyd also went with them."

"What?" demanded Koko.

Vzzzn, vzzzn.

She picked up her phone.

"More bananas!" it read.

Pursing her lip, Koko instantly typed, "Garm, Lloyd left."

Pause.

Vzzzn, vzzzn.

"Where'd he go?"

"To stop Kinkomi with his friends," she texted back

Another pause.

"Why didn't you stop them?" Koko demanded of Wu.

Wu jumped. "W—well, if they were gunna disobey my orders after I fully explained to them why I did not want them to go until we had a plan then they had to face the consequences on their own. I didn't know that Lloyd was with them. They should be smarter than that."

"Unless they were chasing him down and he was the one who ran away himself!" said Koko.

Vzzzn, vzzzn.

"Hmm, that's exactly what I was thinking," Wu admitted. "It wouldn't be the first time; though it has been a while."

Garmadon texted, "Then I'll text him and make him tell me where he is, and I'll go get him."

"Oh, right," Koko whispered.

Vzzzn, vzzzn.

Koko jumped. It did not come from her phone. She looked at Wu.

"It isn't mine," he said.

She knew that it wasn't, though. It was coming from behind the door she had opened a crack before meeting with Wu. Lloyd's phone was on a table right next to the cot.