Jay leads the way through the Monastery, keeping up a running commentary about… To be honest, Lloyd doesn't know for certain what the commentary is about. Jay's speaking so quickly and so consistently, Lloyd's tuned out a bit. But to Jay's credit, it's definitely intentional, and it's also definitely working.
Gayle Gossip is frowning, opening and closing her mouth repeatedly, trying to get a word in, but she can't. Vinny follows along physically, but from the blank look on his face, he's as checked-out mentally as Lloyd is, which means he isn't running the camera, which is great.
When they reach the kitchen, they find Zane and Pixal, back to being sat at the counter with a game that Lloyd's tried to play and never been able to get more than a few minutes into. Neither Zane nor Pixal are actually looking at the game, though; they're watching Jay lead Nya, Lloyd, Vinny, and Gayle Gossip in.
"Your turn!" Jay announces brightly.
Zane tilts his head slightly to one side. "Is that so?"
"Yup," Jay says. "Nya and I've gotta run! For, you know, reasons! So, see you later!"
And with that, Jay drops Lloyd's hand and practically sprints out of the room, Nya right beside him.
"I see," Zane says, giving Lloyd a sideways glance.
Lloyd can only give a helpless smile and jerk his head toward the nearest clock. It's getting toward mid-afternoon. The agreement was for one day. They're doing their best, and they'll make it through this.
Zane follows the motion, nods, and turns more fully toward Gayle Gossip. "We discussed much of our dietary schedule this morning, but we would be content to go further with-"
"The food stuff is fine and all," Gayle Gossip says dismissively. "It's not the core of why I'm here, though."
Pixal sighs under her breath, "Of course it is not."
"I'd love to hear about your capabilities as nindroids," Gayle Gossip says, gesturing to Vinny, who sets up his camera.
"That is indeed an interesting topic," Zane says. "Although, Pixal knows far more of our systems than I do."
"I do," Pixal agrees, and she starts to rattle off words and numbers that Lloyd can't really understand, things like "central processing unit" and "efficiency in casings" and "biometrics."
Gayle Gossip lets that happen for a few minutes, apparently following along by the way she asks rephrasing questions, but eventually, she cuts Pixal off. "Now, your mechanical specifications are fascinating, of course, but that's more of a tech piece than a popular interest piece. I meant a different kind of capability."
"Such as?" Zane asks.
"Can you love?" Gayle Gossip asks.
Zane's eyes go wide.
"Ow!"
All heads whirl toward Vinny, who's hopping on one foot, clutching the other foot. On the ground, the camera equipment is lopsided.
"Dropped it on my foot," Vinny complains, hopping a few more times, then gingerly standing straight again.
"Honestly," Gayle Gossip mutters.
"You can't just ask that," Vinny says.
"I can, in fact, ask that," Gayle Gossip says. "It's an interview. I can ask whatever I want."
"I guess you can," Vinny says. "But should you?"
"Yes, I should," Gayle Gossip says primly. "The people want to know. And, since the people's opinions factor so highly into our fame and compensation, what the people want, the people get. Set up again."
Vinny frowns, eyes darting back and forth between Gayle Gossip, Zane, Lloyd, and Pixal. After a moment, though, he fixes the camera set-up.
"Can you love?" Gayle Gossip repeats herself.
Zane's eyes don't go wide this time. Instead, they take on a firm, almost steely set to them. Bluntly, he says, "Yes."
"Yes?" Gayle Gossip repeats. "How do you know? Most machines are not-"
"But are we only machines?" Pixal interrupts. "We are not. We are nindroids. We are persons in our own rights. We are sentient beings, and we can feel and be as we wish."
Gayle Gossip nods slowly. "What makes you certain that you are sentient?"
Pixal gives her a long stare. "Is that really a question you want to ask?"
"It's something I want to know," Gayle Gossip says.
"But is it something you want to be known for asking?" Pixal says, still staring evenly in Gayle Gossip's direction.
Gayle Gossip shifts for a few moments, then apparently gives up. "Moving on. Zane, you are the Master of Ice. You've been called both the white ninja and the titanium ninja in turns. What do you prefer to be called now?"
"I prefer to be called Zane, as that is my name," Zane says.
"But are you the white ninja or the titanium ninja?" Gayle Gossip presses.
"Can I not be both?" Zane says.
Gayle Gossip blows out a long breath and switches tactics. "Pixal, you have spent your time recently as Samurai X. How did Nya react to you using the identity that she came up with?"
"She trusts me to do so," Pixal says.
That's not the whole story, not even close, but Lloyd isn't about to say so.
"We all know Pixal was created by Borg Industries, but Zane, Ninjago as a whole knows little of your invention. What do you think your creator would say if he could see you now?" Gayle Gossip says.
"I believe my father would be proud of me," Zane says. Then he arches an eyebrow. "Can you state the same about your parents?"
Gayle Gossip freezes. Behind her, Vinny makes a choking sound.
Lloyd presses his lips together very hard, trying not to laugh or cheer.
"I think that's enough for now," Gayle Gossip says.
"As do I," Pixal says. "We do need to begin dinner."
Zane glances at the clock, Lloyd does too. It displays a time nowhere near dinner prep time. Lloyd isn't going to protest, though, not if Zane doesn't.
"To do so, we would prefer more room in the kitchen, unless you wish to assist in the food preparation process," Zane says.
Lloyd nods, getting it. "Yeah, we can go."
"We can," Gayle Gossip agrees. "I'd like to get some information from Wu and Misako."
Lloyd turns his back to her and rolls his eyes, but he starts to lead the way out.
"What kind of information would you like to know?" Wu asks once Vinny has his camera all set and ready.
"There's plenty of things I'd love to ask about, but let's start simple," Gayle Gossip says. "Where do you get your hats?"
Wu blinks, but he answers easily, "Oh, there are several nice stores in New Ninjago City. Some of them have been around since it was Ninjago City, and two have been around for multiple generations."
"And Misako, you study history, correct?" Gayle Gossip says.
Misako nods.
"What's your favorite time period?" Gayle Gossip asks.
"Oh, that's tricky. At the moment, I'd say the time of the First Spinjitzu Master, when he was originally putting together all of Ninjago," Misako says.
Gayle Gossip gives them more questions, but for what has to be the first time this whole day, she's giving questions that don't make the answerers wince or groan or otherwise get uncomfortable. Wu and Misako slowly start to relax more into their chairs, Misako easing fully into the seat and slumping back some, Wu taking off his straw hat and idly spinning it. Lloyd leans against the doorframe as the questions go on. Maybe Gayle Gossip actually learned her lesson.
Then Gayle Gossip fixes Misako with a steady stare and says, "The current understanding is that Lloyd joined the ninja after he was kicked out of the Darkley Boarding School for Bad Boys. But why was he left at a boarding school?"
Misako sits up straight, and Wu drops his hat. It rolls across the floor to Gayle Gossip's feet and falls over.
"Hey, I think that's a long enough interview," Lloyd says as lightly as he can, trying not to let his voice shake.
"Given the timing, it would have been the original version of Darkley's, which taught children to be evil," Gayle Gossip presses. "Why would that be the place for him? And why would his place not be at his mother's side, or even with his uncle?"
"Really, I think that's good," Lloyd says, but Gayle Gossip doesn't even look at him, even when he offers, "I can be interviewed now."
"Tell me, did you think it was the right thing to do? Do you still think so?" Gayle Gossip says, leaning forward.
Lloyd hates this. He hates this so much. His family is being attacked in a way they've rarely been attacked before, and there's nothing he can do. Or is there?
"One must have doubts about these choices being made for any child, but especially for the child destined to save the world," Gayle Gossip muses.
That's enough. Lloyd knows what to do.
"Destined to save the world multiple times," Lloyd says, and he takes a deep breath. "Including a couple of times from my own father, Lord Garmadon."
Gayle Gossip swivels toward him so fast, Lloyd half expects a Spinjitzu tornado to form around her. "Yes, exactly, Lord Garmadon."
"You want to talk about my dad," Lloyd says. "Okay. Let's talk about my dad."
As he turns to lead the way toward his own room, because if he's having this conversation, then he's having it somewhere comfortable, Lloyd catches one last glimpse of the faces in the room he's leaving.
Wu looks ashen. Misako looks shocked. Vinny looks confused.
And, as she rises to follow him, Gayle Gossip looks delighted.