Hey everyone, happy Friday. Time for another update. Sorry that I don't have a soundtrack today, but I couldn't think of anything. But let's see what Lucas and Lloyd are up to. Enjoy.

Chapter 24: Don't Cry Over Burnt Pancakes

"So it was you that helped me from the others." Lloyd observed as he fished out a carton of eggs from the fridge. "But how come I didn't recognize you when you kidnapped me from the Bounty?"

I chuckled as I took the carton from him to begin making breakfast for everyone. "I assume it's because everything went too fast." I shrugged after I broke half a dozen into a making bowl and discarded the shells in the trash bin. I shuffled through a drawer to pull out a measuring cup and scooped up enough flour for everyone, added a bit of sugar to sweeten it, and added some milk. I fished out the whisk and mixed the ingredients together. I noticed it was a bit smooth and creamy and added a bit more flour to make it thick and soon fluffy. "We fought in the alley, found out we're cousins, and I was your dad's apprentice. That's a lot in one day."

Lloyd climbed up onto the counter to reach the cupboard. He reached in to pull out a small bag of chocolate chips. The ones that you would use for baking cookies. He then went over to grab a pair of scissors to snip a corner off and walked back to me. "I know it was." he said. "But when your mask was removed, I should've recognized you. But why didn't I?"

I chuckled. "Who were you expecting? Your favorite comic book hero?" I laughed. "Or that I didn't have a scar on my eyebrow yet?" I got a chuckle out of him. I moved aside to let my cousin pour half of the bag into the bowl and I handed him the whisk. "Here mix them in while I get the griddle ready." Lloyd nodded and began to mix the chips into the batter. I walked over to the island in the middle of the kitchen that had the stove and grabbed a griddle and turned on the burner to heat up the flat iron pan and walked back to my cousin.

"It's ready, Lucas." he announced and handed me the bowl. I ruffled his messy blonde hair and tapped the excess batter off the whisk and handed it to him to lick off. Like most parents would do to their kids. I walked back to the island and sprayed a little cooking oil on the pan and grabbed a ladle and spatula. After I poured four spoonfuls of batter to make four equal pancakes, Lloyd hopped onto the counter of the island to be next to me while licking the remaining batter off the whisk. I couldn't help but chuckle as I was happy for two things. One, I was happy to have the Bounty back after winning it from Garmadon in the Ninjagball Run race as our apartment was getting cramped. And two, I was happy to be back with Lloyd. "So I couldn't recognize you because you didn't have your scars yet after the Underworld escape, but where were you when I was on that sign?" he asked. "You didn't know I was Garmadon's son, and if you did, we would've known we were cousins. So you had to be somewhere to not hear my name being shouted."

I chuckled as I flipped the four cooked sides of the pancakes. I just told him where I was when the others were in Jamanakai Village. "I already told you where I was." I stated while getting a plate to use when the first batch was done. "I was running an errand that took all morning to find and got back as you were tied to the sign." I removed the first batch from the pan to the plate and ladled four more for another batch. My spatula was starting to get smeared with melted chocolate. "That's why I didn't know your full name. Just a kid who wanted candy and threated to unleash the Serpentine if his demands weren't true. But somehow managed to find the Hypnobrai tomb in one day and ordered them to attack me."

"Hey I was doing it because I was their leader." he defended himself. "I got my snake army to help me get candy, but failed though. Plus I even said I was sorry before I ordered them to attack." That he did. That he did. My cousin finished the whisk and tossed it into the sink. Metal clinked and echoed into the emptiness as it was quiet in the kitchen. Not even the radio was on. "You know you still haven't apologized to Cole when you punched him." he smirked. I laughed as he was right and I flipped the cooked sides over. I still need to apologize to him on that welt. "But where were you when I unleashed Pythor and when he opened the other tombs? The others were busy with them, but what about you?"

I flipped the second batch and began another. "Well Shrimp, to answer that, I was busy too." I replied while watching the bubbles form and flipped them to cook them. Lloyd raised an eyebrow in confusion. "What I mean was that I was busy with work. I practically worked every day until the Devourer was killed. But I always trained every day to stay fit if your dad ever returned from the Dark Realm."

"But did you ever do anything fun?" he asked. "Probably working all day sounds boring."

I teasingly smiled while shaking my head. Truth be told, I did do fun things. "Well of course I did fun things." I softly retorted and flipped the cakes again. "I played soccer with the kids. Give them rides on Storm. And would even play my flute to them. They were like my little friends. The funny thing was that when the boys came into contact with another girl than Kat, they were worried about the cooties. They always wanted a tea to make it go away, but Mystake, may be a grouchy woman, she's really sweet when you know her, had another method." I flipped the batch to start another one. I made a lot of batter alright. It looks like there's gonna be about two or three dozen pancakes. Which was perfect for nine people on the ship. "So instead of tea, she gave them a cootie shot, but it wasn't real, it only made them think it was real. My friends were naïve for it." I chuckled and flipped the cakes to cook.

"Ye-yeah." he chuckled a little and looked away. I looked at my cousin after I flipped the cakes to begin another batch. The cast iron pan really cooks them fast. Something was upsetting him as he kicked his legs a little. His heels cluttered to the cupboard doors in the quietness we're having. I looked into his emerald green eyes and noticed that he looked like he was about to cry. I thought it over and realized who he was thinking about. Rhea. The twelve-year-old assassin that was supposed to kill my cousin Laurie, but sacrificed her life to protect Lloyd and Laurie. I may have been gone to not be there after the events, but I heard stories. My cousin had a friend. One that may have been a killer, but someone at his age that was staying with them in the tiny apartment we had.

Feeling sorry for my little cousin, I flipped the cakes onto the plate and started a new batch. "Lloyd, I'm sorry." I apologized. "I shouldn't have said or mentioned the word."

Lloyd looked at me, then away." It's alright, Lucas." he said quietly. "You didn't know or ever met her before. You shouldn't be sorry."

I flipped the cakes and placed my spatula down and brought him to a hug. Lloyd was taken by surprise on the affection and wrapped his arms around me and buried his face into my tee shirt. I softly stroked his hair and rested my chin on his head. "It's alright, Lloyd." I said softly. "I shouldn't be sorry, but you're my cousin and I care for you. Even though I never met her, I can tell you cared for her as a friend." I slowly began to think of Kuzca. The once blind skeleton that sacrificed his life to protect me. I suddenly realized that Rhea and Kuzca were alike. Kuzca couldn't see, but did see. And Rhea couldn't speak, but was decieved to think she couldn't. Those and they sacrificed their lives for us.

Lloyd looked up at me. I noticed his eyes were a bit red, but no tears flowed. "I'm sorry, Lucas." he apologized. "It happened too fast. She was my friend that turned good to help us. She was just being controlled to kill my sister. I could've healed her, but I was too scared and it didn't help."

"I know what it's like." I replied. "I miss my friend Kuzca every day. He was my friend when I lived in the Underworld since the others hated me. Kuzca was there for me when I wanted to talk to him or wanted to hear his stories and adventures when he wasn't a skeleton. But since he sacrficed his life to protect me, I know he's gone. But as long I have my pouch, the one he gave me, I'll know he'll be in my heart as he's safe and alive with his family. And as long you have Rhea in your memories, she'll be in your heart as a friend." and I poked him in the chest.

I thought over what I said and noticed that I sounded like something my father would say. Wise with words to help someone. I sounded like a sensei to him. Maybe even a brother to him. Not just his cousin, but a brother he always wanted to have. But no matter what, we're still family and we can never be separated. We can be brothers and cousins at the same time. Lloyd smiled and rested his head into my chest. "You're right, Lucas." he agreed as I hugged him. He lifted his head back up to have a weird look cross his face and sniffed the air. "Ah Lucas, I think the pancakes are starting to burn."

I quickly let go of him and turned to the stove and groaned in annoyance. I took my spatula and flipped them to have smoke rise up. I burnt the pancakes. They weren't golden brown, but black. "Damnmit." I groaned while putting the burnt food onto the plate and poured the finishing batch after them. At least now this will be the last batch for me to watch over. But now I'll have to do extra work to clean off the burnt chocolate off the pan. I flipped the batch to cook them, waited for a while, and removed them from the pan. I turned the stove off and caught Lloyd smirking. "What?" I laughed with a smile.

Lloyd just laughed. "Nothing." he replied. "It's just that you made it like Cole's cooking."

I laughed with him. "As long it doesn't taste like his, then we're good." I remarked. I walked over to a cupboard and grabbed a bottle of syrup and the butter dish from the fridge and handed them to Lloyd. "Here, go put these on the table and I'll bring everything else out." He nodded and hopped off the counter to drop off the contents. I walked to another cupboard to pull out plates for everyone and opened a drawer to grab silverware and headed for the door to the dining room and used my shoulder to push the swaying door open and placed the plates down on the table. I walked back into the kitchen to grab the platter of stacked hotcakes and walked back to the dining room and placed them in the center of the cherry wood table. Soon after, we heard footsteps.

"What is this?" Cole's voice asked. "I thought it was my turn to cook."

I turned to see Cole in the hallway that lead to the kitchen, that lead to the back of the ship to a flight of stairs that lead to the lower levels of the ship except for the stern and garage of the ship. I held out a laugh as he was still dressed in his sweatpants with his hoodie on and still looked like he was asleep. I can tell he was as his hair was a mess as Kai's would be and looked groggy to be awake. I kept chuckling and rested my hands on Lloyd's shoulders. "What?" I questioned him. "Lloyd and I were early risers and decided to make breakfast for everyone."

I heard more footsteps walking up the hall from the back to see Kai next to Cole. I couldn't help and laugh as his spiked hair was messier than before. His pajama pants were ruffled as well as his tee shirt. Must've had a heated fight with Serpentine or skeletons in his sleep. "Odd." the Ninja of Fire yawned while rubbing his eyes to wake up. "I thought Lloyd was the late sleeper as you were."

"I've been asleep for four months." I retorted. "I don't think I need to sleep like you guys when I need to. So I found Lloyd awake already and we both headed for the kitchen."

"And make breakfast for us." Nya finished. Lloyd and I watched as everyone slowly piled in to have breakfast. He laughed as everyone, but my father, looked like crap as they woken up. Hey Lloyd and I are like that too, but at least we're more awake than they are. "Thank you, Lucas and Lloyd." she said and took a seat to grab a plate.

"Mmm pancakes." Jay perked up and took a seat next to Nya.

I can tell he was happy that someone else cooked breakfast before Cole, even though it was his turn, could reach the kitchen. In fact, I think everyone was relieved that Cole didn't cook. Let's face it. Cole's cooking was bad, while Zane's was the best. I took a seat next to Lloyd as everyone was taking their seats while grabbing a plate and a small stack of the pancakes we made. I took the burnt ones as everyone was avoiding them and spread a little butter and poured the maple syrup to disguise the burnt taste and cut a piece off my fork and took a bite. Still very sweet with the chocolate chips melting in my mouth.

I watched everyone enjoying the breakfast Lloyd and I made and caught my father smiling at me. I smiled back as I missed him. Being in a coma sucked. All I could was sleep and think. Not move or see or talk. But I could hear. I was in my own little world and relied on my ears to know the outside. I would hear my father's voice when he visited me. And when I couldn't wake up to be with him, I would 'cry' in my world. I'm pretty sure he was heartbroken because I wasn't with him like when I ran away, left to be Garmadon's apprentice to save him, and when I died. But now that I'm back from both the dead and awake, I can be back with my father as he's my only living blood relative on his side of the family left. I'm just glad to be back. "I see that you two were bonding since your absence, my son." my father, Sensei Wu, said. "I'm sure that you two were enjoying the bond that you create and can never be separated."

I looked at Lloyd to smile. "As long another mast doesn't fall on me or I sacrifice my life, then we'll never be separated." I replied.

"I'm curious though" Zane spoke up while unzipping his sweatshirt to remove it to be in his white tee shirt. "What were you two discussing about?"

I looked at my brothers with a smirk. "Oh I was telling Lloyd that it was I who helped him down on that sign in Jamanakai Village." I replied. "Remember?"

"I remember." Jay spoke up. "I knew you looked familiar after you punch Cole in the jaw. Hahaha." he laughed about the past.

Cole shot me with a glare and a smirk. "Now that's being mentioned, it still hurts, Lucas." he smirked while tapping at the spot where I punched him. I couldn't help but laugh as he wasn't over it. "So what else was Lloyd asking about?" he asked.

I took another bite of my breakfast. "Well he was asking me what I ever did for fun while I worked at the tea shop." I replied with a mouthful. "I played soccer as a goalie. Let the kids play Storm, and even played my flute to the kids." Oh I just remembered something about my flute. "Oh and I even competed in the Blade Cup."

"That's right" Jay exclaimed. "I remembered you competing. You got third place."

"I would've gotten second if those Serpentine didn't cheat the scores." I retorted with grabbing another pancake to eat. Another thing about being in a coma was that the food was bad. I had a tiny tube in my throat and couldn't eat solids or drink as an IV tube was in my hand. It feels great to eat actual food.

"Oh something interesting while I was gone?" my father inquired.

While he was gone? Where did he go? Oh wait he came in one time for Traveler's Tea to get to the Dark Realm to fetch Garmadon. I heard Kai clear his throat and turned my gaze to him. "You see Sensei," he began. "While you went to find help, we were doing everything we could to find the Fang Blades. After Zane and Jay unlocked their True Potential with a Fang Blade uncovered, Cole found out where the second one was. The Fang Blade was being used as a trophy for a talent show. So we disguised ourselves as a quartet and won thanks to Cole's Triple Tiger Sashay."

"Yeah until Pythor stole and nearly killed Cole and his father." Jay added while crossing his arms over his blue tee shirt.

"Hey I unlocked my True Potential to save my dad as he's all I have left." Cole remarked. The Ninja of Earth turned to me to wonder. "Makes me wonder." he said. "What were you doing there if you didn't know about the Serpentine's plan?"

Oh this should be interesting. They've got to know how I entered, reacted when I saw them, and where I was. I cleared my throat to begin speaking. "I think it started a couple days before the talent show..."

Well how did you like it? It was a filler chapter that I had in mind and made it happen. Oh and on Monday, October 7th, was the day I started posting my stories and it's been a year since I joined this site. How exciting is that? Anyway, I hoped you enjoyed it, can't wait to see your reviews, and have a wonderful weekend and see you next week. :)