#1. Ok. 

Chapter 5 Heart of An Outsider


The next morning, Zephyr, Gavin and Keegan continued on their way. Zephyr was tried, EXTREMELY tired. Her legs wanted to give away underneath her so bad. The hours dragged on as the previous days, Keegan talked, but that was about it. Finally though, a small village came into view. As they neared, Zephyr saw a wooden sign on the road that said welcome to Sukoshi. As they enter the village Zephyr noticed that it was an old and very small village. That couldn't be said for those who inhabited it though, many of them were quite young. A group of teenage boys made trouble near one of the biggest houses in the village. A mother and three children were coming home with groceries. And man who was probably in his late twenties was taking out the trash. Gavin looked at the note uncle Grayson had given him. 
"We need to go to house number eight. " It didn't take them long to find it. They were surprised though to find that the house had police tap blocking the area around the house. 
Gavin looked confused, "Wait this can't be right, there must have been some sort of mistake. Maybe this isn't his house after all. Maybe lives in different house. Maybe he moved."
"Can I help you?" A man in his forties came out of the house next door to the police tapped one. 
"Ah yes, we're looking for the home of James Flyfree, he's a friend of the family." Gavin replied, Zephyr didn't know how he did it. The man glanced at the police tapped house and then back them. 
"Oh, you're looking at it, I'm sorry he,- and his family, disappeared about a week ago."
Shock appeared on Zephyr's, Gavin's and even Keegan's face as the realization of what they had just been told sunk in. Zephyr was surprised at how much concern she had for him and his family. It was like a family member she had never met but heard so much about had disappeared. She remembered uncle Grayson telling them about how him and his friend would play as boys, support each other as teenagers and have a good time now and then as adults. She had no idea he'd had a family, but now that she did know, she was afraid she'd never get to meet them or uncle Grayson's old friend. She thought of all the possible horrible fates that could have happened to them. She suddenly had sudden desire to find them, rescue them, bring whoever or whatever it was that done this justice. 
" What happened to them?" Zephyr found herself asking. 
"That's just it, we don't know. I've hired some private eyes to look into it. You see, I don't want to call the police just yet, I don't want the whole village turned into a crime scene. It would stress everyone out to much."
" I see..." Said Gavin, 
" Sooo, what are you going to do now?" Keegan asked Gavin and Zephyr. 
"Well you could go back home. Pinkerton and Rucker are handling the search quite well. I could get your number and call you if they find anything. " Said the man. 
" That's the thing, we were going to stay with him, and we've traveled a long way." Replied Gavin 
"Well I guess you could stay the night at my place, if you really have nowhere else to go. How long do you need to stay?" Said the man 
"We were going to stay with him until we found the jobs we both whated. " Said Gavin as he gestured to himself and Zephyr. 
" I'm sorry, you'll have to head home after tomorrow. Unless... are either of you interested in going to Ninjago City? My daughters are going there tomorrow with some friends. I could ask if they'd be ok with you two carpooling with them." the man offered.
"Actually now that you mention it, I wanted to go there to learn more about graphic design and get a job in that area. This is all very kind of you sir, we can't thank you enough. I would very much like to go." Replied Gavin thankfully. 
Keegan hadn't said much, but he was taking this all in like fuel. 
"And what about you?" The man asked Zephyr. She looked down at feet,and then back up at the man. 
"A ninja, I'd like to be a ninja." She said. The man chuckled, Zephyr didn't know what was so funny about it though. Then the man looked thoughtful for a moment. "You know, now that you mention it, I did hear a rumor that one of the ninja are currently in a town that's not far from here. And another rumor that he might be looking for students. Just rumors of course, but if they're true, that's an opportunity I don't think you'd want to miss."  He replied. This sounded to good to be true, one of the ninja. Even Zephyr, who knew little of things outside of Hiroshi's Labyrinth knew who and what that meant, and the fact that he was possibly looking for students was even more fortunate, almost to fortunate... Zephyr decided she'd be extra careful in case of any traps. " Oh and forgive my manners, I don't even know your names yet and you don't even know mine." Said the man. Keegan spoke up and said enthusiastically 
"This is Gavin, and his sister Zephyr. And this is Mr. Brent."
"You know each other?" Gavin asked. 
"Oh yes, me and Mr. Brent go way back." Replied Keegan. 
"You two don't have to call me Mr. Brent, just Brent will do. The only reason this fellow calls me Mr. Brent is because he was trying to flirt with one my daughters. " Said Brent chuckling. Keegan blushed a little and asked sheepishly. 
"Is she home? I'd kinda like to see her before she leaves tomorrow. "
"Not in the house, she's down by the creek hanging out with her sister and friends. But before you go say hi, if you're going to stay the night as well you better get your stuff inside. " Zephyr, Gavin and Keegan brought their stuff inside. There was already luggage and sleeping stuff out in the living room. Brent said that Zephyr could sleep in the living room with his daughters and most of their friends, and Gavin and Keegan could sleep downstairs along with two other boys. Gavin seemed at peace with this plan, Zephyr however did not like it one bit. The last thing she wanted to do was to have to sleep in the same room as a bunch of other girls her age, or a bunch of anyone she didn't know for that matter... It was settled though, and she couldn't argue.