"It's uncle Wu!" Lloyd said with a gasping, scared voice.
"He's missing!"

"Whoa, whoa, whoa," I soothed down the line to Lloyd quietly, turning to the wall away from Violet. "Calm down. What do you mean Wu's missing?"
"What do you mean what do you mean Wu's missing?" Lloyd exclaimed in a slurred babble. "What's there to not understand?!"
"Lloyd," I snapped. He quietened. "Tell me what happened."
I could hear Lloyd audibly gulp as he gathered his scrambled thoughts. With a heavy, weighty sigh, he began to explain everything.

"You know those twins - Acronix and Krux?" Lloyd asked. I nodded, ducking out of my dorm room and strolling down the hallway to the stairs.
"Yeah," I replied. "The, uh, the time twins, or whatever, right? They messed around with time."
The others had told me not to worry about it, that they'd sort it out. I didn't want to leave for Uni during the middle of the mission, but Lloyd convinced me that everything would be fine. I suppose it didn't end up being fine after all. Ya think?
"They- they hit Wu with a time blade."
My eyes widened.
"Today?"
"No... more like a week ago."

I paused in the middle of the hallway.
"And you didn't tell me?!" I hissed. Yes, I had noticed that Wu was a lot more lethargic, but I just assumed that he was sick, or his old age was finally getting to him. I was too focused and freaking out about university and getting everything ready for it to worry much about anything else. But now I felt terrible about my obliviousness to what was literally happening just down the hallway.

"I didn't want to worry you even more!"
"When somebody is hit by a time blade you say something." I groaned, rubbing my forehead. "Doesn't matter. What happened?"
"Well, erm, big battle stuff - you know the gist. Oh! And we found Kai and Nya's parents. Turns out they aren't dead!"
"Yay."
"A- anyway, the time blade was reversed but then- I- everything happened so fast but... long story short, Wu's lost in time and I'm really freaking out about it."
Lloyd sighed.
"I'm just... really worried. He's my uncle, but he also looked out for me when my mother didn't and when my father couldn't. I..."

"It's okay," I murmured, exiting the frat house and taking a seat on a bench. "I get it, you don't have to explain. Do you want me to come back?"
"No! No, no," Lloyd quickly said. "No. You do your smarty-pants University stuff. We'll find a way... we always do."
I curled my knees to my chest, resting my chin on the top of them. I folded my free arm between my torso and thighs.
"I miss you," I mumbled. "I'm sorry."
A short silence passed as we weighed the situation. It was heavy in my chest, empathetic for the emotional trouble that it put Lloyd through, partnered with my own sorrow for the cryptic, wise old man.

A snore flew out of the speaker. My eyebrows dropped.
"You're kidding me," I muttered, shaking my head. I suppose it was late, it was probably nearing one in the morning. I dropped my head back and gazed at the stars but they didn't glimmer as vibrantly tonight. They were melancholy.

"Goodnight, Lloyd," I said quietly, even though I was sure he was too out cold for him to hear me. I shouldn't be surprised. He usually did randomly collapse into sleep after a big mission. "You narcoleptic fool."

🍃💚🍀

"You look like shit."
"Thanks, Violet," I grumbled as I collapsed onto one of the cafe seats. She pushed a coffee towards me, which I grabbed and cupped it as if it was the only thing precious in this cold, depressing world. Don't be depresso. Have some espresso.
"I sent you photos of my notes," Violet continued, swirling a spoon around a mug of something that smelt incredibly bitter. "I can't believe you wagged forensics."

"And here I thought ssshe was the most ssstiff, boring human ever."
I shot a glare over my shoulder at a wildly smirking Kvasir. Violet sent him an odd look.
"Who are you?" she asked rather bluntly. Kvasir squinted his poisonous yellow eyes at her briefly before curling his lip above a set of wickedly sharp fangs.
"Who are you?" the Venomari challenged.
"I asked you first," Violet shot.
"I asssked you sssecond," Kvasir replied.
"Kill me," I threw my hands up in the air in exasperation. "Besides, I didn't wag forensics. I just accidentally slept through it. It should be the school's fault for having it at eight in the morning."
"Sisss. Sisss."
"What?"
"That'sss a big mood," Kvasir nodded. Violet rolled her eyes.
"Thanks for sending me the notes," I sent a smile at Violet. She huffed and waved her hand in a 'no biggie' kind of way.

"What was up with that weird phone call you got?" Violet asked after smiling at a waiter who placed a plate with a piece of cake on it before her. The waiter winked at Violet. Kvasir and I shared a bemused look while Violet shamelessly ogled the waiter as he sauntered back to his station. Ah. College life.
"It was my boyfriend."
"hAH!" Kvasir laughed loudly. I stared at him oddly and he quickly calmed down. "Oh, you were being ssseriousss?"
"Dude!" I exclaimed. Violet snorted into laughter, haughtily hiding it behind a hand and an almost full mouth of cake. I shook my head in exasperation.
"His uncle's missing," I continued. "He's really close to him so it's been a huge shock."
"Oh no," Violet empathised.
"That'sss terrible," Kvasir murmured. "Is your boyfriend okay?"
"Well, he kind of conked out during our phone call and I haven't texted him yet but I think he'll be fine. I bet that by this afternoon he'll have search parties scouring all of Ninjago. He's... kind of been through worse."

Kvasir suddenly gasped and slammed his hands on the table earnestly.
"Isss he in an underground fight club?!"
I blinked. "Dude. No."
"Aww," Kvasir slumped back into a seat dejectedly.
"You're so weird," Violet mumbled.
"They always say weird flex but okay but never weird flex are you okay."
"Snake-man omg," I cried.
Violet snickered before finishing off her cake by shoving the rest of it into her mouth. She stood and swung her bag over her shoulder.
"Right, well, I've got Criminal Psych," she said. "See your nerds later."

We bid her farewell. When her black ponytail swung out through the doors, Kvasir turned back to me.
"Anything planned for today?"
"No." My phone buzzed. I checked it and an excited smile grew on my lips. "Correction, yes. Do you want to meet my best friends?"
Kvasir eyed me warily.
"Are they like Violet?"
"Much nicer," I promised.
"Oh worm," he pursed his lips to the side. His skin bulged weirdly over his fang. "Okay."
"Yay!" I squeaked, leaping to my feet. I grabbed his scaly arm and pulled him up and rushed out the cafe. "You'll love Naomi! She's super sweet, and Dimitri is really cool."
"Are they here now?" Kvasir asked.
"Apparently they decided to surprise me," I giggled, hauling ass to the main entrance of the Uni. Over the summer, Dimitri and I grew closer and hung out when Lloyd and the others were busy with ninja business. He quickly became one of my closest friends, only rivalled by the ever upbeat Naomi. It's a good thing that they got along swimmingly, too. We became the troublesome trio, always teasing Lloyd and the other ninjas and setting up pranks whenever they had days off, which ultimately turned into whacky prank wars.

We rounded the corner and I immediately scanned for my familiar friend with a mop of curly blonde hair. She was stood by a tree with the bald Dimitri, who had ditched his usual monk get up for a polo shirt and khakis. On a leash panting happily was Kashu.
"Dog!" Kvasir gasped.
"Kashu!" I squealed. The large, three-legged English Mastiff scrambled to his feet when he heard my unsubtle exclamation and tugged his leash out of an unsuspecting Naomi's grasp. The dog galloped over, his loss of limb doing nothing to hinder his speed.
"Hey, boy!" I coed excitedly, dropping to my knees as Kashu bounded into me ecstatically, his entire body wagging in joy. I was unable to miss his slobber attack.
I stood, only to be tackled into a hug by Naomi and Dimitri. I laughed loudly at their excited hollers while Kvasir introduced himself to Kashu. The mastiff was a little weary of the snake at first, but he quickly warmed up to Kvasir and eagerly accepted his offered hand.

"It feels like I haven't seen you in years!" Naomi gushed, pulling back and flashing a wide, bright smile. I giggled, nodding. "What's been going on?"
"Eh, nothing much. Schoolwork."
"Ew," she gagged. "Glad I don't have to do that anymore."
"Yeah, but now you have to work in a garage all day," Dimtiri pointed out. Naomi poked her tongue at him.
"Don't be salty just 'cause I said that I'm not allowed to pimp your car for free."
I rolled my eyes amusedly at their usual friendly bickering.
"Guys, this is Kvasir," I interrupted them to introduce my Venomari friend. He sheepishly waved, his other hand still patting Kashu's head. He looked as nervous as I felt. I don't think my friends had ever met a serpentine before. "Kvasir, this is Naomi and Dimitri."
"It'sss good to meet you," Kvasir greeted quietly. There was a short pause, in which I shifted my weight between my feet anxiously, before Dimtiri held out his hand for one of those weird men-claps.
"Likewise, pal," he replied with a genuine smile.
"Yeah, good to meet you!" Naomi greeted in her usual bubbly voice. Kvasir and I subconsciously released a breath in relief. "Your eyes are really pretty!"

Kvasir was stunned.
"Er- thanksss."
"Don't let you-know-who hear you say that about another man," Dimtiri teased, nudging Naomi in the side. She snapped at him while I tilted my head in confusion.
"Wait, who?"
Naomi glanced back at me blankly before she suddenly gasped loudly and slammed her hands down onto my shoulders.
"Y/n! Oh my god! I didn't want to tell you about this over text 'cause I wanted to see your reaction in person. I'm kind of going out with someone."
My eyes widened.
"Is it Dimitri?!"
"What? No!" Naomi exclaimed, red faced. Dimtiri snickered and shook his head.
"Yeah, I don't like girls. Or guys. I don't like people."
I blinked.
"I'm not interested in romance," Dimitri shrugged.
"Ooh," I nodded in understanding.
"It's Cole. I'm kinda dating Cole."
"OH," my gaze shot to Naomi's, wide with disbelief. "Cole?! As in- Cole?!"
Naomi giggled, tilting her head to the side embarrassedly. Her cheeks were blossoming with bright red.
"I don't know any other Cole, so yeah."
"Oh, my gOd."
"I know," Dimtiri sniggered.

"Come on," I said as I picked up Kashu's lead. "Let's get some afternoon tea. You coming, Kvasir?"
The Venomari shook his head.
"Nah, I've got ssstudy group," he declined. "But it was nice to meet your friendsss. I'll sssee you later."
We bid Kvasir farewell. Naomi tackled my side into a hug.
"Just wait until Lloyd hears about you being friends with a guy."
"Hey! Girls and guys can be platonic!" I smacked back. She giggled. "Besides, he's got a boyfriend, too."
"Oh, I stan," Dimitri crooned. We began making way to the cafe I was just in prior. One of my hands was constantly scratching Kashu's head, which he was super pleased about.
"Tell me all about you and Cole!" I jested, poking Naomi in the side. She laughed.
"Okay, okay," she patted away my hand. "Basically we just got really close over the summer when you and Lloyd were hanging out and Dimitri was busy with Monastery stuff. It kind of just blossomed from there. He asked me out officially a couple of days ago."
"Aww!!! We can go on double dates!" I coed excitedly.

"Yeah, and I'll come too and be a fifth wheel!" Dimtiri announced proudly. Naomi and I giggled.
"You're always welcome to tag along," Naomi accepted. We stopped outside the cafe and tied Kashu's lead to a stair railing before venturing into the little student cafe and ordering some lunch. After we got our number we returned outside, snatching a table next to where Kashu was tied up. Dimtiri fished a dog bowl out of his bag and filled it with water from a large bottle.
"Did you hear?" I began, making the carefree topic take a turn down Serious Street. "Wu's missing."
"Ay carumba," Naomi said.
I sent her a weird look. Our food was placed on the table.
"I already know," she clarified. "The last couple of weeks have been kind of hectic."
"Are the others okay?"
Dimtiri shifted on his seat awkwardly.
"Well... the team's kind of planning to split up tomorrow to look for him," Dimitri divulged. My eyes widened.
"Seriously?"
"Yeah," Naomi nodded solemnly. "The mood's real low at the moment, but I don't think it's really hit the team just yet. They're kind of in shock or something."

I sighed.
"I should be there," I lamented. "I should be helping."
"No, no," Dimtiri shook his head. "Don't worry about it. We've got all hands on deck, even the police commissioner has people looking for him. Lloyd wants you to stay at uni. At least you're out of trouble here."
I blinked. "They talked about me?"
Naomi nodded.
"Nya and Cole wanted you to come back and help out," she said. "Mostly I think it's 'cause they're hoping that you'll keep Lloyd's feet on the ground. But he said that whatever Wu's got himself into, it's too dangerous for you. At least you're out of harm's way."
I swallowed sharply, dropping my gaze to the table.
"How is he?"
"Determined," Dimtiri said. "The others are just worried because he's suddenly been burdened with being the proper team leader. Garmadon hasn't taken to his brother's disappearance too well, but at least he's got Misako and Lloyd."
"I still should be there," I groaned, dropping my chin into my hand. "It stinks just staying here and doing nothing to help. I don't care if Lloyd thinks I'm better off staying put. It's so annoying not being able to do anything except study!"

Dimtiri and Naomi fell silent. The heavy vibe was cut when a goody toe-shoes student approached our table.
"Pets aren't allowed on campus."
"Excuse me sir, that's my emotional support three-legged dog," I replied. He looked at me weirdly before turning on his heel and marching off in the direction to the office. I groaned.
"Great, just what I need," I grumbled. Our lunch was finished anyway.
"We'll get going, then," Naomi mumbled, unhappy with our reunion being cut short. "Next time we'll come without Kashu, and you can show us your dorm."
"Okay," I cracked a smile. "I'll introduce you to the other bombshell friend I've made."
Dimtiri grinned.
"Sounds like a plan," he nodded. We stood up to leave, tipping out Kashu's water and shoving the bowl back into Dimitri's bag. Naomi untied Kashu's leash and we made our way to the entrance.

We said our goodbyes.
"Can you tell Lloyd to not be an idiot, and that I love him?" I asked.
Dimtiri winked kindly, pulling me into a friendly hug.
"Consider it done."