Roots of Earth ~ A Ninjago Fanfiction

Chapter 6: Jay's Investigation

Lloyd and Nya each carried a cardboard box as they walked down the hall. Misako had asked them to help start moving their things from Steep Wisdom to the Bounty. They'd been working all afternoon and felt exhausted by the time evening fell. These were some of the last few boxes.

When he passed by the doorway to the living room, Lloyd paused. Jay was sitting quietly on the couch, staring at a piece of paper in his hand.

Cheerfully Lloyd asked, "What'cha doing?"

Not one, but three voices responded. "Nothing."

Lloyd jumped, then realized that Kai and Cole were also in the living room. While Jay was sitting on the couch and nervously stuffing the paper into his pocket, Cole was by the front door, and Kai had been sneaking past Jay with his street clothes on. All three of them were staring at Lloyd with guilty expressions.

He arched an eyebrow suspiciously. "Oooh-kay... I was really asking Jay, but now I'm wondering what you guys are doing, too."

There was an awkward silence. Nya turned back to see what the hold-up was, and now was watching the three boys with a suspicious gaze.

Irritably Kai sighed, "I'm meeting Skylor at Mister Chen's tonight, all right?" A hint of color rose on his cheeks.

Lloyd bit back a smirk. "OK... and Cole, what are you doing?"

"Visiting Dad," he grunted.

Lloyd turned to his friend sitting on the sofa. "Jay?"

"Umm..." Jay seemed to shrink under Lloyd and Nya's inquiring stares. "Uh... sitting?"

Lloyd shifted the box in his arms. "OK, Kai, I don't have a problem with you and Skylor having a date, but Cole and Jay, I'm starting to get the feeling that you're— Cole?" He looked around the room and realized that Cole had disappeared.

"Cole! Gah, dang it! This is becoming a bad habit with him!" he groaned.

Jay shot out of the couch. "You know what? I think I'll go with him! The guy'll probably need some company, and I haven't seen Lou in a while! OK, bye, see ya!" With that, he ran out the door, slamming it.

Blushing, Kai averted his gaze from his friend and sister and walked out in a quieter fashion.

Lloyd and Nya looked at each other. "OK... that was weird," Lloyd muttered.

Nya replied dryly, "They look like they're hiding a body."

"Ha, yeah— Ah-CHIEE!" An adorable sneeze erupted from him, making him shut his eyes and scrunch up his nose—which only made it cuter.

"Whiskers!" Nya exclaimed laughingly. The skinny tabby was rubbing Lloyd's legs and waving its tail haughtily.

"Goo'b grief, b'hy do cats always go for the dog b'eople?!" Lloyd sniffed and fled the scene.

Nya followed him. "She must like you!"

"Well, I don't, so jusd dell her do stay away from me'h! Ah-CHIEE!"

Whiskers sat on her haunches and watched them walk away. If Lloyd had looked back at her, he would have thought she was smirking.

* * *

Jay used the evening shadows to his advantage as he silently followed Cole, slipping in and out of shadows. Cole wandered off the road and into a grove of trees, where clumps of colorful wildflowers grew. He stooped down and collected a small bouquet. Jay crouched down behind a bush and watched gleefully.