Lloyd looked down the long tunnel and squinted. His eyesight was improving. Even though they only had three torches in the front of the group, he could see several yards ahead. He flicked his tongue, but all he smelled was dirt.
“I wonder if they’ve found it yet?” One Serpentine wondered aloud.
“Or if they’ve had to fight the ninja for it.”
“But how could they beat Pythor there? Our tunnels-s-s are the fas-s-stes-s-st way to travel acros-s-s Ninjago.”
“I wouldn’t underes-s-stimate them,” said Lloyd, looking up ever so slightly and letting his blonde hair fall away from his eyes. “The ninja have shown up out of nowhere before. Trus-s-st me.”
A Venomari gave a nasally laughed. “Trust a human indeed!”
Lloyd lowered his head again.
It was no big deal. That’s just the way the Serpentine were. And how could he blame them? Locked away all those years? He’d feel about the same.
“S-s-so how much further?” Said someone else.
“Five minutes less than the last time you asked.”
“Can we stop for a bite?”
Lloyd wished Pythor were here. He didn’t really have anyone else to talk to besides him, and the purple snake had gone on ahead with the others to secure the next fang blade.
After word came back that the ninja had stolen the blade in Brookeside, Pythor himself led the tribes there, prepared to hunt them down and take back the blade by any means necessary. Well, they arrived and soon enough found an old human to hypnotise who told them where the blade was and he said the Ninjago City Museum, so off they went.
Pythor was concerned about the fact that the ninja had a head start. That’s why he went ahead with a large group; to try and cut them off, but… Lloyd wondered why he hadn’t been asked to go with him. Pythor was always saying how important he was to their cause, and yet it seemed like he was always being relegated to the most mundane jobs.
Perhaps it was the fault of the other chieftains. They still didn’t like him, and took every opportunity to show it. Pythor was the only one who understood him. He wasn’t like the rest of these dunderheads.
“Ooh! Look here!”
Lloyd and the other snakes stopped to see a Constrictai digging a mole out of its den in the wall. The mole did not appreciate being attacked. It squealed and writhed and tried to bite back, but the Constrictai’s grip choked the life out of him in mere seconds.
Lloyd found himself looking away as the snake enjoyed his snack. The sound of its shrieks was making his stomach start to feel oddly nauseous and the only way to take his mind off of it was to keep his eyes forward. He soon discovered, however, that his stomach would not be settled so easily. In spite of his best efforts, the feeling swelled, forcing him to stop and lean against the dirt wall. It was only supposed to be for a second, but of course, it did not go unnoticed.
“What’s-s-s the matter with him?” Someone asked.
“Is the little human scared of a little blood?” The Constrictai taunted.
Lloyd’s throat suddenly felt tight as the image of the mole flashed into his mind. He tried again and again to tune it out, but—
“It was just a defenceless animal!”
He blinked.
What. Just. Happened?
He was staring at all the Serpentine in his group, and they were staring back, as if time were frozen. He felt a familiar tingling in his right hand. When lifted it up high enough for him to see it in the corner of his vision, tiny flecks of golden light were sparkling and floating up from it. Shaking it off, he quickly turned and walked further ahead, where the firelight wouldn’t reach him. Not that it really mattered since the Serpentine had great night vision, but the darkness still helped him feel like he was hidden.
His eyes were watching his footsteps, but inside he was replaying that random moment back there. It was so unlike him. He’d done far worse for far less, and yet he’d felt such a strong, unmistakable disgust rise within him. Disgust for violence, of all things.
He could hear the other Serpentine talking about him now, and he walked a little faster. Oh, this was going to spark rumours, alright, and all kinds of new nicknames. Why did his stupid mouth have to say stupid things? If he was going to be taken seriously by the Serpentine, he needed to toughen up. None of this animal-loving garbage.
‘But you said it yourself, it was just a defenceless animal,’ his conscience seemed to say.
‘Just a gross little mole,’ he countered. ‘Animals eat smaller animals all the time. That’s how life works.’
‘Then why do you still feel sick?’
‘Shut up. I like killing things.’
‘No you don’t.’
‘Yes I do.’
‘Not in your heart, you don’t.’
‘I said shut up.’
‘I’m you, you can’t shut me up.’
‘Just leave me alone!’
‘You need to listen!’
Lloyd grabbed at his head and felt a groan escape his lips. The longer this argument went on, the more scrambled his brain felt. As though it couldn’t make up its mind about anything. Not even a singular thought or memory to stay on for longer than a second. He just wanted it to stop—to turn off and let him rest. Why didn’t brains come with off switches?
“Is something wrong, human?”
“Is-s-s the weakling gonna be s-s-sick?”
“What’s the matter with him?”
“Human! Keep walking!”
“Leave me alone,” he muttered, squeezing his temples.
“Come on! Move!” Said one Serpentine, and then he pushed Lloyd several steps forward and he felt his breath quicken.
A roar well up inside of him, like a dragon preparing to breathe fire, and he unleashed it on the filthy, annoying, worthless piece of trash who had dared to shove him. Purple flames exploded into the air, cutting down the snake and turning him to ash. Lloyd looked back at the other Serpentine now with blood red eyes and they started to back away ever so slightly.
“Don’t touch me again,” he growled through fanged teeth.
He felt his right side twitch angrily, but he forced it back as though he were swallowing a pill. This felt familiar. It felt comfortable. Almost normal. As he turned and kept walking, he relished being overtaken by the dark. He didn’t want to be seen. Only feared.
At the end of the tunnel, about thirty minutes later, they found the other half of their army.
“Pythor!” Lloyd called, seeing his long neck high above everyone else’s. “How did it go? Did you get the Fang Blade?”
“Obviously not,” Pythor said sourly. “If I had, don’t you think I’d be holding it?” He looked around. “Where’s Lieutenant Venin?”
“He was getting on my nerves,” Lloyd grumbled, hiding his face.
“Oh, really?” Said Scales pointedly, but Pythor stopped him from advancing and shooed him away. He slithered over alone, his lanky body making a full lap around the boy.
“That’s quite a shame. I used to think you were more… mature with your powers. I thought you could control them. Clearly I was wrong.”
“I can control them,” said Lloyd, lifting his face somewhat. “I promise, I—“
“Here’s an idea. The next time you try to prove yourself, don’t disintegrate one of my lieutenants.”
“It’s not my fault, he—“
“I don’t want your excuses!” Pythor snapped, his expression so infuriated that it startled Lloyd. “You will learn to control yourself, or—“ he wrapped himself around him until he couldn’t move so much as a pinky toe. “—I will take control of you. Do you understand?” He released Lloyd and looked him up and down. “I do hate getting upset with you. But you must understand, this is all necessary. I cannot have my most precious soldier picking fights.”
Yes. Yes, of course, this was all necessary. This was discipline. This was leadership. This was all totally… normal.
“Now, as to the matter of the Fang Blade,” Pythor went on, addressing the whole room. “We should retrieve it, should we not?” The other Serpentine nodded and murmured general agreement. “Those ninja have taken it across the sea. I know snakes aren’t exactly known for swimming, but it’s time we learned. We cannot complete our plan without that blade!” The crowd made several “whoops” and “yeahs” as Pythor turned back to Lloyd and added quietly, “And this time, you do exactly as I say, right Lloyd?” He placed a hand on his shoulder and squeezed it firmly.
“Yes, Pythor,” he said reflexively.
“That’s my boy.”
* * *
Kai bit his lip somewhat as he followed his Sensei below deck. How much trouble were they in exactly? How much punishment were they going to face? And how soon could they resume their mission? The silver blade was still in his hand, and he turned it over, admiring the craftsmanship and intricate details. It wasn’t every day you saw something like this. It was so light, yet perfectly balanced and sturdy.
They were walking into the barracks, Kai assumed, so that Ann and Keaton could take part in any group scolding, when something black reflected in the polished sheen of the blade. Kai looked up and thought he’d stepped into one of his nightmares.
Instantly, he could feel the scar on his chest burning with the sting of iron—the way it had when Garmadon ran him through with his katana at the four of the fire temple.
“EVERYBODY DOWN!!!” He yelled, as fire exploded from his fists. He had no idea how the Lord of Darkness had returned, but no doubt he was here to exact his revenge and kill them all.
Garmadon seemed untouched by the flames, waving a purple hand casually in the air, so Kai lunged at him, prepared to tackle him to the ground if necessary, but just before his outstretched hand could grab anything, Kai suddenly felt all of his momentum disappearing. The next thing he knew, there was something pulling him by his jacket. It yanked him back, quite suddenly, nearly making him stumble and fall to the floor.
“Kai! Stop at once!”
Kai turned to his left, a bit out of breath, and stared at his teacher. “Sensei, that’s—that’s Lord Garmadon!”
“I am aware,” Wu replied, not letting go of Kai. “I brought him here.”
“WHAT!?” The whole room shouted.
“Sensei, no offence, but are you insane!?”
“He tried to kill us!”
“This is the guy who enslaved half of Ninjago!”
“He’s a psychotic maniac!”
“Silence!” Wu ordered, letting go of Kai stiffly. He looked them over, his brow like one solid beam of steal. “Garmadon is here as my brother and our guest. I expect you all to treat him as such.”
“But I thought he was defeated in the Underworld?” Ann asked, sitting up.
“Is that what Wu told you?” Garmadon raised an eyebrow. Then he laughed. “You told them you defeated me?”
“I said all that I needed to say,” Wu replied. “In truth, Garmadon was simply banished for a time.”
“But why bring him back?” Zane hadn’t taken his eyes off of him since entering the room, and his fists were as tight as Kai’s.
“Because I need his help. The Serpentine are too strong, and we must free Lloyd before matters escalate. Garmadon is here to save his son.”
Garmadon, however, looked as though he’d rather be anywhere else. He kept rolling his eyes and crossing his arms and frowning.
“And you believe him?” Kai asked, still feeling his scar, and wishing he could let out the fire again.
Wu’s expression darkened. “As I said, Garmadon is my brother and our guest. I expect you to treat him as such. Is. That. Clear?”
Kai found the words difficult to get up his throat, much less through his teeth. “Yes, Sensei,” he said bitterly. Well, Wu may have been fooled, but Kai wasn’t. There was no way he was going to drop his guard even for a second. For the sake his safety, the safety of his sister, and the safety of his team, he would not rest until this—this—demon—was thrown back into whatever hole Wu had dug him out of.
“Now as for all of you,” said Wu, rather pointedly. “You are going to explain to me exactly why you are miles from the cave, in pursuit of the Serpentine.”
A bout of silence seemed to be afflicting everyone’s tongues, and their eyes had become suddenly heavy.
“It was my fault, Sensei,” said Zane, finally looking away from Garmadon. “I… I thought that I had… well… we found something out in the woods. I was the one who encouraged us to check it out. While we were away, we ran into the Serpentine. They were after a dagger.”
“Like this one,” Kai said, raising the blade still in his hand. He was a bit startled when he saw Wu’s wide eyes.
“But we knew we were outmatched, so we retreated,” Cole jumped in, sounding the most somber of the bunch. “The Serpentine were after us, so we took the ship out to sea to get away. Then… well, uh, we went looking for the next blade. Wound up here.”
“Do you know what the blades are for?” Ann asked, swinging her legs over the side of her hammock. Keaton had come to sit beside her, confused and pale.
Wu looked to Garmadon who stared back, emotionless. “This is far more serious than I first thought.” He wet his lips as he tried to regain his composure. “The Serpentine are trying to free Anguis.”
Kai waited for somebody to say something, like, “Oh, Anguis! That terrible horrible warlord/ancient master/whatever from X far away place! How awful!” But everyone seemed just as confused as him.
“She is commonly known,” Wu went on, “As the Great Devourer. I am not surprised you have never heard of her. Our generation did everything they could to erase her from history.”
“And for good reason,” Garmadon growled.
Wu sighed. “Anguis was a mysterious and powerful creature in the early days of Ninjago. She was a remnant of a great evil; a snake with dark powers that flowed through her venom.”
“Anyone or anything who had the misfortune of being bitten by her, would find themselves twisted up from the inside out,” said Garmadon slowly.
“And she was growing more powerful. With everything she consumed, Anguis grew, until her evil threatened to take over Ninjago. So our father sealed her away in a sixth tomb.”
“So what do the blades do?” Cole asked.
“They are the keys that unlock her prison. If all four are collected, I fear that… our time on this earth may be drawing to a close.”
“Woah, woah, wait,” said Kai, and the room seemed to hold its breath. “Are you saying that… this is the end of the world?”
“It might be,” said Garmadon stiffly. “Dear old Wu can be a bit dramatic at times.”
“There was a prophecy,” Wu explained, eyeing his brother. “Long ago, it was said that the four fangs would be reunited and the wrath of Anguis would roll over the earth, consuming all in her path. That is why her name was expunged from history. To prevent such a terrible thing from happening, though it seems our efforts were in vain.”
The room took a collective gulp.
“I wouldn’t worry.” Garmadon folded his arms nonchalantly. All four of them. “Many have tried to find the blades. None have succeeded.”
“Check your math, Garmadon,” said Kai, holding up the fang blade again. “We’re on blade number two.”
“Check your own math, child. The Serpentine need all four Fang Blades to succeed. And the final two were the most well hidden.”
Then Ann coughed. “But how did they find the first two?”
Wu and Garmadon squinted in thought.
“Lloyd,” they both gasped.
“I never even stopped to consider…” Garmadon mumbled.
“But if Father made it so for the Raysons, there’s no reason why the map would not have passed down to Lloyd,” said Wu.
Kai realised they were talking about how The First Spinjitsu Master had put the map to the Golden Weapons into his grandfather’s mind, and how that same mental map was passed down to his father and then to him. He could still recall it if he tried hard enough; each temple’s location—the Caves of Despair, The Frozen Wastelands, Mt. Kaminari, and the volcano, Mt. Kazan.
“Yet another reason we must get him back,” Wu was saying, more to Garmadon than anyone else.
Kai watched the two of them, still hardly believing that he was this close to the monster who had invaded his homeland and that he wasn’t allowed to burn him to a crisp.
Something tugged at the Fang Blade. When Kai looked down, he saw a green, scaly hand wrapped around the hilt.
“Jay… what are you doing?” He asked, but Jay’s eyes seemed transfixed on the thing, like a cat stalking its prey. “Jay? Jay, snap out of it.” He tried to pry him off, but it took some effort. Cole stepped in and held him back by his shoulders.
“Jay?” Cole said, frowning.
The lightning ninja seemed to gradually become aware of what was going on. “Woah… that, um… that was-s-s weird,” he said looking down at his hand. “S-s-sorry, I… I don’t know what that was-s-s.”
“I do,” said Wu. “The blades have a special connection to the Serpentine. It’s no wonder you’re drawn to it. And speaking of which,” he came over and looked him in the eye. “We need to fix this. Garmadon?”
“Hm?”
“I need your help.”
Garmadon looked Jay up and down and made a face. “Why?”
“He cannot stay like this, we must reverse the effects of the venom.”
Wu’s brother didn’t exactly say ‘no,’ but he did sigh and roll his eyes.
“Garmadon,” Wu warned, his voice rising.
“You getting your hat in a twist is not going to make me want to help.”
Wu pinched the bridge of his nose. “Fine. Would you please help me?”
“Maybe.”
“Garmadon!”
“Alright, alright. No need to get so touchy.”
The warlord stepped over, making the floor creak uncomfortably.
“What are you gonna do?” Jay asked, watching him apprehensibly.
“An old trick,” said Wu. “Hold still.”
Wu and Garmadon faced each other, both holding up a hand. Then, their knees bent and their weight shifted. Kai recognized it as some sort of fighting form or dance or something. Their mirrored movements were highlighted by their glowing hands, and whenever they got close, something happened: the light changed colour. Just like how their own powers seemed to mix when used together, the forces of creation and destruction could also blend, and when they did, they radiated green.
Wu’s and Garmadon’s dance came to an end, and their hands finally met on Jay’s chest. At once, the barracks were spilling with green light, exploding forth from the white silhouette of Jay’s body. When Kai could see again, Jay was noticeably scale-free and his pale complexion had returned. He felt his mouth, but his tongue wasn’t forked and his teeth weren’t sharp. He also discreetly checked behind him, but there was no tail.
“How did you do that?” Jay asked, staring at them.
“Many things are possible when you work together,” said Wu.
“Must you always be so sappy?” Garmadon groaned. “It’s just what happens when our powers mix. It’s called Change, and it’s no more exciting than mixing two flavors of ice cream.”
Jay blinked. “You know what ice cream is?”
Garmadon scoffed and stuck his chin out, looking very offended. “I’m old, not dead!” He snarled.
“That’s quite enough,” Wu said gently, and he strategically stepped in between them. Then, he looked at Ann. “There’s one final thing I’d like to discuss. Ann Jing. You were left in charge of this team. I gave you clear instructions. You disregarded them.” From where he was standing, Kai could see Ann’s rigid face, and the distress trying to hide beneath its surface. “It seems to me that I’ve been putting too much weight on your shoulders as of late.”
“Sensei—“
“You are hereby relieved of your position as leader of this team, effective immediately.”
Ann was clinging to the side of the hammock, looking as though she wanted to stand, but felt too weak and dizzy from her fever. It was one of the first times Kai had ever seen her at a loss for words.
“Yes… Sensei…” she eventually said, lowering her head. Keaton was watching her anxiously, and tried to comfort her with a hand on her shoulder, but Kai doubted if anything would make her feel better right now.
But wait. If Ann wasn’t the leader any more, then who was?
Wu turned around and, surprisingly, came up to the boys.
“Cole. You have a natural strength and decisiveness that the others are quick to follow. Not only that, but you’ve proven time and time again that you care deeply about the welfare of your brothers. That is why I’m appointing you as the new team leader.”
Cole leaned forward just a smidge. “Me?” He asked, as though he couldn’t believe his ears. “I mean, uh… Yes, Sensei. Thank you. I’ll do my best.”
“Wow, look at you,” Kai smiled at him. “Moving up in the world.”
“However,” Wu cut in, wiping the smile off of Kai’s face entirely. “You are all at fault for your recent reckless behaviour and shall be receiving—“
“Don’t say it,” Kai muttered.
“—Disciplinary action for the foreseeable future. Cole, you mentioned something about medicine for Ann and Keaton?”
Zane held up a small bag. “Here it is.”
“Take them to the captain’s quarters and help them settle in. The rest of us will stay up and continue to repair this ship until it’s truly seaworthy. I can only guess how you were getting around without sails, and that is not a sustainable or wise long-term form of travel.”
Everyone starting moving, doing as they were told, and although Kai knew that tonight was going to suck, he couldn’t shake off this little feeling inside. Like he was glad that Wu was back and taking charge. It kind of made him feel like they had some real sense of direction again.
“You can’t be serious,” Garmadon suddenly said, looking more sour by the minute. “We’re wasting valuable time.”
“It will only be for the night,” said Wu, as he directed Kai and the others out the door and up the stairs. Garmadon, however, stayed behind and scoffed to himself. How did Wu feel safe knowing that he was leaving that insane criminal alone on their ship? If it were Kai’s decision, he’d probably throw him overboard. Or worse.
Just before Kai left, though, the two of them locked eyes. It was only for a moment, but that one look was all it took for chills to run down his spine. There was no way someone like him would came all this way just to save someone’s life, regardless of their familial status. The second no one was looking, he was going to stab them all in the back and try to take over Ninjago again. Perhaps Wu was just too soft to see it. Or maybe Garmadon had him under some sort of spell, or was manipulating him. That had to be it. Well, he would be the one to reveal that man’s true colours, and then save them all from impending doom. Even if he had to do it alone.
Those thoughts swirled around for a bit inside Kai’s mind. Him saving his team, and possibly all of Ninjago, from Lord Garmadon? That sounded an awful lot like… like something the legendary Green Ninja would do. He glanced around at his teammates, walking up to the deck, and he silently judged them.
It couldn’t possibly be Jay, his track record was simply too sloppy. It might be Zane, but there was something about him that didn’t really say ‘destiny’ material. Or so Kai thought. Cole was the biggest contender, Mr. Team Leader and all, but he’d been pretty distracted since Brookeside. Then there was Kai, the guy who’d already taken on the Lord of Darkness once and lived to tell the tale. It had to be destiny that they would meet again and he would finally take him down once and for all. It was all so obvious! He thought about maybe telling someone—Nya for example—but immediately shut down the idea. No one was likely to believe him on words alone. He needed to show them through actions. So he would train harder than everyone else, in preparation for the hour when he would save them all from Lord Garmadon and prove that he was destined to be the Green Ninja.
Or, you know, something like that at least. It certainly wouldn’t hurt to try.
* * *
Jay rubbed one of his eyes and relished how soft his skin felt. No more scales for him. No more pain, either. It was almost like when you get stuck with a bad case of the hiccups, and then finally, finally, finally, after hours, they go away. Only, you know, in his case, about ten times worse and the pain is spread throughout your entire body.
They were listing through the open water, Zane’s fog keeping them hidden, and the first task at hand was repairing the mast and setting up a new sail. Jay had a feeling they’d be there for a while, but at least with Wu back, they didn’t need to go shopping for their supplies anymore.
He caught sight of Nya as she passed by with an armful of rope and he immediately tensed. What a loser he must seem to her right now. Not only did he let himself get bitten by a Fangpyre, but he let the issue get worse until he was transformed into a half-snake thing right in front of her. He shivered as he remembered how that animal instinct was starting to take over his brain and he counted himself lucky that Wu and Garmadon had saved him from a full conversion. Would he have even remained partially human? Would he have gone total snake? Another shiver went down his spine, though this time it might have just been from the cold.
Then the memories from the museum started coming back with full force and he wished he had somewhere to bang his head until the memories fell out. What. Had he. Been thinking?! Saying all those stupid things in front of her?! What was he, the lead character in a vampire romance novel?! He was so glad he’d thought to destroy all the security cameras in that room. Now there was no physical evidence that it ever happened. Well… besides Nya’s own memory. How did she see him now? How had it all gone down from her perspective? It couldn’t have made her think very highly of him, as she had come to rescue him, as a friend. Not the worst things she could have said… but still not the best.
He started climbing up the mast, trying to get a good grip on the old wooden pegs, until he was high enough to send the rope on his shoulders halfway down to the others, waiting expectantly. Once that was settled, everybody on the deck got together to hoist the new sail up by its wooden support beam. Jay would then make sure it was fastened properly into place.
He took an icy breath. All those thoughts about him being a burden to the team, always messing things up, were only slightly dampened by what Cole had told him as they were leaving Ninjago City. He was part of a team. A team that would look out for him. Well, running away the first time didn’t so anything besides make more chaos, and trying to do things on his own certainly hadn’t gone according to plan, but… he couldn’t deny that now more than ever he felt obligated to try harder. To do better. For the sake of his team. Whether that meant handling things on his own or leaning on the others for support. He just wanted to be useful, like they were all useful.
The sail came up and he used the ropes and the pulleys to tie it snuggly into place, then slid down one of the ropes as their new sail unfurled itself.
“That wasn’t so difficult,” said Zane, wiping a bead of sweat from his forehead.
“Now the rudder,” said Wu, and everyone glared at Zane.
They started with the steering wheel which needed to be nailed into place (and sanded down some) and then they needed to completely replace the rope attached to the wheel and the intricate system said ropes pulled on to make the rudder move back and forth. Not to mention the rudder itself.
No one felt like saying much throughout the night, at least not with Wu present. Funnily enough, Jay was okay with that. He was glad that they had some time to just think to themselves and decompress after everything.
By the time the rudder was finished—probably at some unholy hour of the morning before the sun had come up—Jay found himself on the deck, puling off his jacket and swiping at his forehead. If it were up to him, he’d probably sleep for the next week, but knowing Wu, he’d probably be up in about two or three hours time to start on training drills. Some things, he hadn’t missed.
“Hey.”
He froze.
“So… you wanna talk about… what happened tonight?” Nya asked, leaning the side railing and watching him expectantly. The wind was blowing gently through her short, black hair, and moonlight pooled in her hazel eyes.
Jay felt his shoulders go up nervously. “Tonight? You really wanna talk about it?”
“I mean… if you’d rather not, that’s fine, it’s just…” she sighed. “Things got kinda intense back there. I guess I just wanted to make sure you’re really alright.”
Jay felt his face get just the tiniest bit warmer. “Well, uh,” he stammered. Then he cleared his throat. “You don’t have to worry about me. I’m—I’m fine.”
“Oh,” she said, somewhat deflated. “Well… good to hear.”
He suddenly felt like there was a lot of empty space between them. Like there was something more that should have been said, but he couldn’t figure out what.
“Um… how are you doing?” He asked, rubbing the back of his neck.
“I’m not gonna lie, it was pretty scary… seeing you like that,” she admitted carefully. “I was really worried… we might lose you. Like how we almost lost Cole… and Ann.”
“You don’t have to worry,” he said, trying to sound mature. He noticed that her eyes were intentionally staying far away from his and her arms were wrapped tightly around herself.
“I know,” she said. “And I try not to, but…”
“But what?” He asked before he could think.
He noticed those hazel eyes had started to shimmer. “It’s nothing. Just forget it. Goodnight.” She quickly rushed passed him, rubbing at her face. She escaped down the stairs where Kai was standing, watching him bitterly. Jay tensed as the fire ninja got up and closed the distance between them.
“What’d you say to her?”
“Nothing, I swear,” Jay said quickly. “Just… making sure she’s okay.”
“That what she’s got me for. I don’t need you getting her into trouble like today in the museum.”
“Should I consider this an official warning?”
“…Yes. You should.”
He watched as Kai’s eyebrows got closer together, almost twitching a time or two. What must it be like carrying so much angst and tension?
Kai eventually turned and followed in his sister’s footsteps, down below deck where everyone was gathering in the barracks. Boy, what a fun mess this had all turned out to be. But… Kai did have something of a point. Since he was always getting into trouble, maybe he wasn’t quite strong enough to protect her… yet. Suddenly, his desire to improve and help the team practically doubled. If he could become more useful, like he already said he wanted to, and could take care of himself better, maybe then Kai wouldn’t be so testy about him and Nya hanging out more. Not to mention, he wouldn’t be able to live with himself if he let Nya get hurt again on his watch. He owed her that much. Both of them.
He went below deck as well and headed for his hammock, wanting to get as much rest as possible before the sun rose. Wu and Garmadon would have slept in the captain’s quarters, if Ann and Keaton weren’t currently being quarantined in that room, so they were camped out in a corner of the barracks with the boys and Nya. They all eyed the tall, dark man long after they were in their hammocks, and none of them went to sleep easy knowing that he was within arms reach of them. But, as long as Wu insisted that he was guest, there wasn’t anything they could do about it.
Jay could feel his eye lids getting heavier and heavier, and the final thing he remembered thinking before nodding off was how perfect Nya looked, even when she was half covered by blankets and two rows of hammocks away from him.
* * *
Nya couldn’t sleep for a long while, despite how absolutely exhausted she was. She hadn’t really expected her talk with Jay to end so… oddly. She genuinely wanted to check up on him, seeing as how he was literally turning into a snake man a few hours ago, and now… now she was feeling so drained and emotionally dead on the inside.
She suddenly remembered how she’d been back in Harper Vale, when everything had first started. When Kai was working in the forge non-stop, when the Skulkens came and took her away, and when Kai came to rescue her and got stabbed… she had been at her wit’s end. It hadn’t even felt like she was living in her own body, more like things were happening around her and she was just reacting. It was all she could do to put some distance between her and the worry and fear.
If there was one thing she knew, it was that she loved her brother. The only constant throughout all of this was him. That was all she was ever sure of. So whenever he was in danger… it felt like her whole world was in danger. Perhaps that’s how he felt about her as well… But either way, that’s the reason she didn’t want Kai to be a ninja in the first place. She couldn’t stand the thought of losing all that was left of her family and her life. She wouldn’t know what to do with herself if the worst happened. But things had been quiet for a while, during their time hiding out in the cove, then their vacation in Brookside, and she felt like she’d had some time to heal and move on. Apparently she’d just been kidding herself. All she really felt was… numb.
Tonight… had shone a light on something within her that she wasn’t even entirely sure of how it had gotten there. The worry for her brother had come back almost instantly when he and the others went looking for Jay, then, when Ann had entrusted her with her mission for medicine, she’d felt a little more sure of herself. At the very least, it had taken her mind off of other things; gave her something important to think about. Then she’d run into Jay.
She remembered the moment so clearly. She’d seen him, in distress, and the only thought pulsing through her was: I have to help. Some way, somehow, she needed to figure out what was going on and help, because if she didn’t she’d start worrying all over again, and then she’d fall apart like she always did. And besides… he’d looked so scared… like he needed someone to be there for him, desperately.
Silently, she cursed this life she was living. It felt like her heart and her caring-nature were being taken advantage of, over and over again. How much was she expected to care? How many people were expecting to receive her sympathy? It was hard enough being there for Kai, but now this…
She wanted to help. She wanted to be kind. She wanted to care for others.
But she also just wanted to be home. Safe. Not worrying anymore. She honestly didn’t know if her heart had any room left in it for more brothers.
She stopped herself from going down the usual rabbit hole of thoughts, because she knew Kai was never going to give up his ninja thing, so she might as well accept how the situation was at the moment. What she still couldn’t accept, however, was whether or not she was going to actually, willingly be a part of it. Again and again, those thoughts repeated.
I want to help.
I can’t go through that again.
I want to care.
I can’t do it. I can’t.
What am I supposed to do!?
Something made a sound and she jumped, her eyes open, trying to look around the dark room. Had it been the Serpentine? Were they found? Oh… was it that purple snake again? The one who could turn himself invisible? Was he here right now? Were they gonna die in their sleep? Suffocate? Would the boat capsize? Would they drown?
Her heart started running laps in her chest and she felt as though the darkness around her was growing thicker. She wanted to cry, or grab onto something familiar and safe, like Kai, but he was asleep. They all were. Her skin was crawling with a million chills now, and when she felt herself, she was shaking.
Nya did the only thing she could think of and pulled her blanket up to her ears, curled up into a ball, and closed her eyes. She tried to force herself to go to sleep so that the morning would come sooner and chase away the shadows, and maybe her heart would stop beating so loudly and her hands would stop shaking so terribly.
It’s gonna be okay.
It’s gonna be okay.
It’s gonna be okay, she told herself, as a way to try and combat all the dark thoughts attacking her, telling her of all the many, many, many ways they could all easily die right now, but if she hadn’t been so tired and fallen asleep, she dreaded to think how long that darkness would have lasted.
In sleep, she was safe. She was far away from heavy thoughts and dreams and nightmares. It was her one breath before dawn broke the next day.
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