Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Part One
Lithium

It wasn’t that Kai didn’t notice the man in the suit. He was hard to miss. People that visit Yang Tavern and people that wear suits isn’t a Venn diagram that overlaps. He stuck out in a Slither Pit.

It wasn’t like Kai had much concern to spare though. There was enough occupying him. He flat out didn’t care enough to be surprised by a strange character. Buying him a drink though? That was personal enough to surprise him, just a bit.

“Hello Red Ninja… or is it Shogun now?” the man asked, standing over Kai as he accepted the drink.

“It’s Kai.” He responded curtly.

“Right.”

The man sat down in the stool to Kai’s left. It creaked like a stool in a seedy bar naturally should. The man gave a distrustful look at it, furthering the theory that he didn’t belong at Yang Tavern. There was no shortage of proof for that though, his hair well kept, his suit worth more than Kai’s childhood home, and cuff links polished to an annoying shine. Kai noted them bitterly as they flashed in his vision for the third time.

“I would like to talk to you about a job offer.”

“Ok, talk.” Kai said, downing the rest of his drink.

He was open to trying something new. The Slither Pits had been getting dull and weren’t paying as much. But if those stupid cuff links blinded him one more time he was leaving. He wasn’t that bored with the Slither Pit and he didn’t have an excess of patience these days.

“My name is Kobayashi, and I represent a very high-profile client, he values his privacy, so he has requested that I do not disclose his name, unless you accept of course.”

Kai gave him a flat look. To his credit he seemed to understand that Kai was not someone whose time you should waste and was trying to get to the point.

“My client has exceedingly high standards. He is in need of a bodyguard for his daughter, and he is adamant that no one short of a trained ninja will do. He is prepared to offer you any salary you wish, and of course room and board since it’s a live-in position.” Kobayashi explained.

Kai cocked his head. Color him intrigued. That was a pretty high opening bid. Kai knew better than to accept offers like that before he knew the catch, so he fished for some more information.

“How old is his daughter?”

“About your age. That’s part of why he wants you so badly. He doesn’t trust his daughter with the general public, but he feels as if having someone her own age to talk to would be good for her. Surely a ninja would be the ideal friend.”

Kai cringed. He hadn’t been a great friend as of late. Couldn’t protect Zane, couldn’t keep Jay and Cole from fighting, and then there was Lloyd…

Kai shook his head clear. No need to think about that mess. That was half the reason he was at Yang Tavern, it was somewhere he wasn’t likely to run into Lloyd.

“Not to mention, well, she is a rather avid fan of yours.” Kobayashi shyly mentioned.

Kai’s eyes snapped up to focus on Kobayashi. That was interesting.

“As you can see, there are many reasons why you’re just the only fit for this job. My client is prepared to negotiate, whatever it takes to get you on board.”

Kai pouted in thought.

It did feel kind of nice that whoever this guy was wanted Kai so much. Kai wasn’t really used to much flattery. He didn’t get much raising a sister that beat him at everything and the other ninja weren’t the most supportive of his pride. Kai had long since resigned himself to the sole inflator of his ego. If he didn’t compliment himself, he didn’t get much of anything.

Well Zane would give everyone the occasional praise but…

Skepticism kicked in. Kai couldn’t have been the first choice. He was just the only ninja they could get. Lloyd was the Green Ninja and wasn’t going to take a glorified babysitting gig, Jay had just gotten that new game show, and who knows where Cole was. No, Kai was easiest, not best.

“So, did you ask any of the others?” Kai asked, his face sour.

“No. My client only wanted you. He was very specific.”

Kai’s face must’ve betrayed how disbelieving he was because Kobayashi nodded to further confirm his words.

“I….um….I need some more info.” Kai settled on.

Kai stepped off the boat and stared at the estate around him. Mr. C had some serious money. The staff ran around, and Kai recognized a few regulars from Yang Tavern. (It was pretty easy with the purple face tattoos).

“Good afternoon. Kai Smith, I presume?” said a dreary voice.

Kai turned towards the sound and saw a man dressed in fine robes with hair that was so slick and tight on his head it had to be greased.

“My name is Clouse.” He reached out a hand to shake.

Kai took it and shook hands with Clouse. Next thing he knew he was on the grand tour, getting the run down of the estate from the man.

“Mr. C has a very public image that he doesn’t like diluting with his personal affairs. So, you will have to sign a non-disclosure agreement, which would mean refraining from mentioning his name to anyone not under his employment. We’d hate for something to get back to the press.”

Kai nodded. Mr. C seemed like the paranoid type if you asked him.

“Mr. C’s daughter has no public image. Largely, she is kept a secret from the public.”

“Why?” Kai couldn’t help but asking. It had been bothering him since he got the job offer. Although, living on a private island explained why she didn’t have many friends.

“Mr. C lost his wife several years ago. Ever since he’s become overprotective of his daughter. She’s all he has left.” Clouse explained.

Kai nodded in sympathy. He knew more than anyone what that was like. Had he the resources, he might’ve been the same way with Nya.

“Of course, you’d be required to live on the island, but room and board would be provided free of charge, meals as well. Would you like to meet Skylor?”

“Is that Mr. C’s daughter?”

“Yes.”

“Sure?”

Clouse led him through the large mansion. How he knew where he was going Kai couldn’t tell. They came to a set of decorative wood doors and Clouse knocked.

“Yes?” Came a voice from inside.

“I have the Red Ninja with me.” Clouse said flatly.

The was suddenly a lot of noise coming from the room, almost like someone was throwing and shoving things. Kai almost snickered a the thought of her frantically trying to straighten her room for him.

“Just a minute!”

Clouse impatiently tapped his foot as the commotion continued. A quiet swear was let out and something fell. A loud thumping noise, another swear, a single pop of lips, and finally a very proper sounding “Come in.” Kai actually did laugh a little under his breath.

Clouse opened the door and Kai felt his heart stop.

Skylor was probably the most beautiful girl he’d ever seen. Her eyes looked like sunlight filtering through stained glass. Her lips, freshly glossed (that was what that popping noise was.) held his eyes in an invisible grip. The blush warming her face made his heart twist in ways he’d never known. Kai just then realized that he had a thing for red hair.

She seemed pleased with his smitten expression, bashfully looking at the ground and smiling.

He was in trouble.

“Does this seem a bit rushed?” Nya asked.

Kai ignored her and kept packing. She’d been more paranoid than Mr. Chen when he’d told her about the job and that he’d taken it.

“I mean, this seems like a lot of secrecy for whoever this ‘Mr. C’ is.” Nya crossed her arms.

Kai rolled his eyes. Of course, he knew that it was only Mr. Chen from Mr. Chen’s Noodle House. He knew that Chen had to be careful about his own reputation because he was the mascot of his brand. But he had signed the non-disclosure and promised not to go around telling people that, so he had to deal with his sister’s unanswered questions.

He smiled when he thought of Skylor though. Kai couldn’t wait to get to know her better.

She had actually been impressed to meet him. Plus she made his heat stutter and everything good in his head buzz. Spending every day with her seemed like the best job ever.

“What’s with the dopey smile?” Nya asked, suspicion and curiosity dripping from her tone.

Kai blushed. He didn’t have the thought process to think of a lie, so the truth just stumbled out of his mouth.

“Nothing just….Mr. C’s daughter….she’s…” Kai was at a loss for a way to describe her.

His burning face must’ve done it for him.

“You like her!” Nya accused.

Kai didn’t even have the ability to deny it. He just went back to packing while Nya had an entirely new topic to lecture him about.

Kai’s bag was heavy, but his emotions were heavier. He didn’t like the idea of leaving his sister. They’d never been apart for very long and now he was running off to the end of Ninjago and leaving her alone.

Her pout was painful.

“Do you want me to stay?” He asked.

He would. If she asked him.

Nya smiled and laughed.

“No. I’ll be fine. Go on! It’s really good money and plus, we could use the space. We won’t live with each other forever, right?” she said, pushing his arm playfully.

Kai didn’t like how much that statement stung. He had never been great with independence. He knew Nya had stifled herself for his sake, no matter how much she denied it. Kai knew, she would’ve left him a long time ago if he hadn’t been so emotionally dependent.

That was why he had to go. Even if things felt a little rushed or Nya didn’t fully trust Mr. Chen. Kai needed to learn how to live without his little sister.

Not to mention it would be nice to be somewhere completely new. With no reminders of Zane to hurt him when his guard was down, maybe Kai could start to heal. He really needed space to do that.

This job would be good for him.

“I promise to be back for your birthday, alright?” Kai said.

“I’m holding you to that!” she said “And you better bring me the best gift ever to make up for not being here until then!”

Kai laughed with her before they were interrupted by the boat horn.

“Gotta go.” Kai said, starting to walk away.

Nya reached out and stopped him before he could take a full step.

“Wait!” she said.

Kai obeyed and let the awkward silence grow.

Nya bit her lip and looked around before finally speaking in a quiet voice.

“Lloyd should be here any minute.” she said hopefully.

Kai gently pulled himself free from her grip.

“Nya….He’s not coming.” Kai said sadly.

Nya tried to keep her emotions about that in check while the boat honked again.

“I love you, ok? See you on your birthday!” Kai said, walking away.

“Don’t forget to write!” she yelled as he boarded the boat.

He flashed her a confident smile over his shoulder.

Kai blinked at the massive room he had just been led to, dropping his bag, completely overwhelmed. The room was bigger than some houses he’d seen.

The whole thing was done is reds with flame decals everywhere.

Was that a personal bathroom?

That bed was large enough to practically eat him.

With how many blankets and pillows were on it, it just might.

“Impressed?” Skylor asked coyly, dragging Kai’s randomize thoughts back.

Kai blushed and composed himself.

“It’s a lot more than I’m used to.” He admitted.

Skylor laughed and Kai heard bells.

“My room is right next door, that way if any baddies come for me in the night, you’ll be right here to save me.”

Oh, the tone she used had Kai’s head going places it shouldn’t.

No. No. Stay professional!

“Anyway, you should get cleaned up before dinner. My father wants to meet you in person.” Skylor said.

Kai nodded, still pulling his mind back from the brink.

“Try not to get lost in here, ok?” She joked.

Kai laughed and was rewarded with a graceful smile.

When she finally disappeared, Kai went to the task of getting himself and his things in order. His clothes didn’t take up even a fourth of his dresser and closet. He felt a bit self-conscious about it. He’d never know what to do with so much space.

The bathroom was fully stocked with multiple options for Kai to use, very high-end brands in every scent Kai could imagine. The lotions and oils were impressive too, though Kai steered clear in favor of hurrying to get himself cleaned up for dinner, he’d browse what was in his room later.

After he finished in the bathroom, there was the dilemma of what to wear. Was he supposed to dress up?

He decided he was probably over thinking it and just wore casual clothes.

Sitting on the massive bed while he waited for Skylor to come get him since he couldn’t find his way around the estate yet. Kai felt very out of place. He’d never been around so much money. He worked for his money since he was a child and gave most of that money to his sister through his entire life. Any excess he had after necessities where either spent on the shop or his sister.

He was really out of his depth on this.

Before he could psych himself out anymore though, Skylor knocked on his door.

“There he is!” Mr. Chen called out in glee.

He looked just like the cartoony mascot Kai had always seen, only somehow real, and with an Anacondrai head dress?

“Ah look at you, the fire burns so bright in you!” Chen remarked.

Kai was about to comment on the strange compliment, but Chen kept talking.

“Come! Come! Sit! Sit! You must be hungry after your travel! Please, sit down! Food will be here soon.”

Kai obeyed and sat opposite of Skylor; her father next to him at the table’s head. Clouse was sitting on the far end of the table, seemingly having little to no interest in them for the moment.

Before Kai could speak, Chen steamrolled him again.

“I am really so happy you decided to join us here! I know Skylor has been so excited, haven’t you?”

Skylor blushed and nodded.

“Just let me know if you need anything, anything at all. I mean it. Just say the word and I’ll get it for you.”

Kai processed his boss’s fast speech for a moment and Chen was back at it. He was worse than Jay!

The thought of his friend made Kai’s stomach flip, but he didn’t have much time to dwell because Chen started asking him questions.

“So how is everything? Is your room to your liking? Just let me know if you need anything. I tried to get you everything you’d need. I really am just so glad you’re here! Are you settled in? Do you need any help unpacking? I’d be more than happy to send someone to help.”

“I’m good.” Kai laughed at the rapid-fire questions.

Chen was the excited kind.

“And the room’s great. Probably more space than I know what to do with.” Kai joked.

“Oh! I see! Well just let me know if you need anything. Ooh! Food’s here!”

Kai wasn’t really a big fan of the creepy make-up the girls were wearing, but he could easily distract himself with the food they were bringing, steaming, hot, fresh, and cooked perfectly. Kai’s mouth watered. He hadn’t had a meal like this since….

And then Kai’s appetite left.

Chen noticed.

“Is everything alright? I can have the chefs make you something else?” Mr. Chen looked at him with innocent concern.

Kai swallowed his grief.

“No, it’s fine. Let’s eat.”

Chen clapped his hands in glee.

Kai looked at Skylor who looked pretty embarrassed, but used to her father’s antics.

It wasn’t Zane’s cooking, but it was good. Kai had eaten far too much. Chen had talked his ear off about a lot of things and nothing all at once. There were clearly things he wasn’t telling Kai, but Chen had proven to be pretty paranoid and protective despite his cheerful demeanor, so Kai figured Chen just didn’t fully trust him yet.

He came into his room as he’d left it with one change.

A tray on the nightstand with a glass of water, a bottle of pills, and a note.

“Thought you might have trouble sleeping, so I had these brought.

-Chen”

Kai chuckled and picked up the bottle. The pills were generic sleeping meds, nothing too strong. He decided to take one before crawling into the giant bed and pulling blankets on top of himself.

He was out in moments.

“You need to eat, boy!” Mr. Chen demanded, shoving a muffin into Kai’s face.

Kai took the muffin and started to do as he was asked, laughing a bit to himself at how Mr. Chen was mothering him.

“Skylor has her morning training first, you’re welcome to join or use my equipment, I know you probably want to stay in top condition, of course it would be good for Skylor to have a sparring partner, but I won’t ask that of you, you’re not my student!” Chen prattled on.

“Wait, what do you mean sparing? And student? Are you a sensei?” Kai asked.

“Oh yes! I am a master, though ‘Master Chen’s Noodle House’ doesn’t sound as inviting does it?” Chen laughed to himself “As for Skylor’s training, of course she’s my best student! What kind of father would I be if I didn’t teach her all I know?”

“I had no idea you were a master.” Kai commented.

“Of course! No doubt you’re seen my followers around the estate tending to things.”

Kai had wondered why most of the ‘staff’ had matching face tattoos. It being a community following the same teachings made sense.

“After Skylor’s morning training she has her studies, you’re welcome to join her for those as well, or simply entertain yourself. After that is lunch, then Skylor has some….private training with me. Sadly, since you are not my student, you can’t sit in on those sessions, you’ll have a few hours of free time to do as you please, then, depending on how it goes, Skylor will join you for free time before dinner or simply meet you there. The two of you are free to do as you wish after dinner, any questions?”

Kai opened his mouth, but Chen started talking over him again.

“Of course, Skylor can tell you which rooms are off limits, like Clouse’s study, my room, the catacombs, that’s where Clouse keeps his pet and I’d hate for you to get hurt. You shouldn’t be in the factory without supervision, dangerous machines and sanitation concerns and all that. Skylor can fill you in on the rest.”

“Pet?”

“Ani is a good guard, though she tends to be a bit overzealous when she doesn’t recognize someone.”

Kai started to ask more, but Chen was already answering.

“Of course, she’ll get used to you eventually, but I don’t want you down there until she knows you’re friendly.”

Kai nodded.

“Why aren’t you eating!?” Chen yelled, shoving another muffin under Kai’s nose.

Kai took it, still reeling from the sudden change of subject.

Kai was almost relieved to have Chen forcing him to eat. He hadn’t been eating well for a while. No Zane to make food he wanted when he noticed Kai going too long without eating a proper meal. It would be good from him to have someone make him take care of himself again.

Plus, Skylor was a blast to hang out with. Kai had been pretty lonely since Zane….since the team split up.

Speaking of the girl, she then sat down across from him.

Kai’s jaw dropped and he found himself wondering why in the world Skylor needed a bodyguard. She was amazing. Kai wound up staring at her for the entire training session. She was so powerful, yet graceful. Kai had always been the agile one on the team, but Skylor could probably give him a challenge for that title.

The idea of sparing with her sounded like the most fun he’d had in a long time. Though Chen had said something about not doing that because he wasn’t his student.

Watching Skylor made Kai kind of want to train under Chen. Obviously, he was a capable master, and it wouldn’t hurt to learn some new techniques. Kai wondered what Chen expected from his students. Would he teach Kai is he asked?

He sat thinking about it until Skylor finished her training. She ran straight up to him, her face beautifully flushed.

“Why do you even need a bodyguard?” Kai joked “You’re kind of amazing.”

“You think so?” she said.

She was going to have to stop looking at him like that if Kai was going to ever stay professional around her.

“I’m kind of just excessive, don’t you think?” Kai said, looking away and distracting himself.

She laughed and Kai just about lost control of himself.

“You know my father, completely over the top and paranoid.”

“That he is.” Kai agreed, a grin infecting his face.

Skylor was in her private lessons with her father, so Kai had free time to finally explore. He stayed away from all the rooms and doors Skylor had pointed out as “off limits”.

He found himself outside looking at all the different arenas Chen had. There was even a giant derby rink, Kai shuddered. He was bad on skates.

He decided to go back inside and look around his room. It took him a bit to find his way, but he was starting to get a mental map of the place.

Kai came into the room and saw something new. Three brand new gaming systems sat next to the TV, already hooked up with three piles of games.

Kai stared at them for a while before finally seeing the note.

“Don’t want you to get too bored.

-Chen”

Kai put the note back and tried to process. Chen had just spent what probably amounted to a small fortune, just for Kai’s entertainment.

Maybe they were for Skylor too?

That made sense. Part of Kai’s whole job was to be her friend and having video games to play together fit into that.

With that mystery solved, Kai decided to revisit all the expensive items in the bathroom he didn’t have time for before and take a nice hot bath.

Kai was starting to get used to the routine. Every morning he’d get a wake-up call from one of Chen’s followers, and go to the dining room. Chen would make sure he ate, and Skylor would join them. They’d go out to one of the arenas and Skylor would train, sometimes with her father, sometimes one of his underlings, while Kai would train independently nearby. They’d go to the library for Skylor’s tutoring, which Kai got involved in. He didn’t have the best schooling in Ignacia, so he took advantage of the opportunity. They’d go back to the dining room and have lunch; Chen would be there to make sure they ate. Then Skylor would go to her private sessions while Kai wandered around or played video games, they’d meet up and have dinner, Chen not letting them leave unless they ate enough. Finally, he’d hang out with Skylor until it was time for bed.

The only breaks in the routine so far had been Kai discovering Chen’s endless gifts. He’d tried to turn him down, but Chen never let him, either sneaking it into his room while he was out or talking over him when he tried to refuse until Kai forgot about it entirely.

Kai had come into his room to find all the empty space left in his wardrobe suddenly filled. He’d had stupidly expensive swords put into his hands. He was a blacksmith, he knew exactly how nice they were. Not to mention the ever restocking bathroom.

Chen never did answer why he was giving him all these gifts. Skylor said he was just “like that” and that there was no stopping him when he got excited. Kai tried but couldn’t find a way to say no to Chen, so he eventually just accepted it.

“There’s our firebrand!”

Kai wasn’t sure when Chen started using the nickname, but he liked it.

“Sit! Sit! Eat!”

Kai rolled his eyes but did as he was told. Skylor came in the room and he couldn’t help but stare at her lovingly while he ate.

Chen cleared his throat.

Busted.

Kai glued his eyes to his plate, beyond embarrassed.

“Father, do you think I could spare with Kai today?” Skylor asked hopefully.

Kai’s gaze snapped up. He’d actually been wanting to ask that himself.

“Oh no sweetie, I couldn’t ask him to do that. He isn’t my student, he’s Wu’s student, it would be awfully inappropriate.”

“But you could teach him so much about his powers! The things Wu won’t tell him!”

Chen slammed his hands on the table to silence her. It was the first time Kai had seen the man choose to not use words.

“What things Wu won’t tell me?” Kai asked.

Chen sighed and rubbed his face before looking Kai in the eye.

“That is his decision to make. You are his student. If he chooses to keep secrets from you, then he is in his right to do so. I will not interfere with his teaching.” Chen explained.

Secrets? Wu was keeping secrets? About his powers?

Well, he did keep the green ninja prophecy a secret until they found it. And he also never told them about the Overlord until Misako brought it up. He didn’t even tell them that he was the First Spinjitsu Master’s son, it wasn’t until Garmadon called him “brother”.

It wasn’t exactly out of character for Wu to keep secrets.

But none of those were secrets about them. There was a difference, right? Wu won’t keep things from them when it was about them, right?

And what did Chen know about it anyways.

Kai pouted in thought.

“I hate you.” Kai said.

Skylor just laughed.

He’d mentioned that he was terrible at skating and Skylor, the heinous girl she was, decided to teach him. Thus, he was now falling on his face in front of her while she skated circles around him.

“Come on, you’re not doing that badly.”

“I beg to differ!”

She laughed and Kai couldn’t stay sour. Her laugh made him smile when he heard it, no matter what was happening.

“Come on Firebrand! Let’s try again! Hold onto me this time.” She said, grabbing his hands and helping him back up.

She was too close. Kai’s face started to burn. He could almost smell the smoke.

Wait…

Kai’s hands had lit on fire, while he was holding Skylor’s hands!!!!

Kai screamed and pulled back, putting his hands out in an instant. He burned her. He burned her and he was so fired. Oh, the irony! She probably hated him. How could he burn her!? How could he be that stupid!?

“OH MY GOSH! I’M SO SORRY! ARE YOU OK!?”

“Kai I’m fine.”

“I’M SO SORRY. LET ME HELP!”

She was laughing.

Kai stopped. Her hands were perfectly unburned. She was laughing and covering her mouth with her completely untouched hands.

“Wha-“

“You want to hear a secret?”

She looked so playful and serious at the same time. Kai nodded dumbly. Honestly he was doing good staying upright while wearing those stupid wheels.

“I’m an elemental master like you. That’s why my dad is so protective, he’s afraid someone will try to use me for my powers.”

“What?”

“I’m the Master of Amber, like my mother. I have powers of absorption.”

Kai stared at her stupidly, trying to process what she had told him. She lit her own hands on fire to demonstrate.

“I’m ok because I absorbed your powers.”

Kai watched her for a minute before finally finding his voice.

“I didn’t know there were more elements.” He said, looking at the polished wood floor.

“Wu didn’t tell you?” she asked while she put out her own fire.

“I thought it was just the five.” Kai said while he carefully nudged himself towards a support beam.

Ironically he was planning on using it to support himself. Skylor had caught on and was helping him balance while he rolled.

“Didn’t he tell you about the elemental alliance? Your father?” Skylor asked gently.

Kai looked away very suddenly. Skylor was looking at him in concern while he bit his lip.

“Wu never told me anything about my father.” Kai said bitterly.

All Wu had ever said was that he gave his father the map to the four golden weapons, he never did tell Kai why he did or how he knew his father.

Skylor put a soft hand on his back while it started to shake.

“I’m sorry. I just assumed he would’ve told you.”

Kai always assumed that there simply wasn’t anything for Wu to tell. That he had only known the man well enough to give him the map. But Chen and Skylor had revealed that there was more. More that Wu had been keeping from him. Wu had answers that he could’ve given him at any point and not once did he decide to do that. How could Wu keep that kind of information from him!? About his own father? Did Kai not have a right to know!? What kind of a sensei, no, what kind of a man, kept that from someone!?

Kai swallowed the tears that wanted to escape. He did not want to fall apart in front of Skylor.

Then something occurred to him and he turned his head sharply to her.

“Do you know about my father?”

Her beautiful caramel eyes went wide. She did.

She did and he didn’t.

How could he know less than her about his own father!? What kind of sick joke was that! She had no connection to the man. As far as Kai knew anyways, it wasn’t like he could say for certain. It only enraged him more. He knew nothing!

Kai punched the support beam next to him, leaving a smoldering hole in it. The tears won their fight and leaked from his eyes. Skylor just rubbed soothing circles on his back.

“Tell me about my father!” Kai demanded, slamming the door to Chen’s room open.

He didn’t see Chen’s sly smile. Kai only saw his shocked face when he turned around. The boy had no idea that this was not only expected, but that Chen had been the one to tell Skylor to find a way to “accidentally” mention his father and set this into motion.

“Firebrand, what are you talking about?” Chen asked, feigning absolute innocence.

“Skylor told me you know about my father.” Kai said, his fist starting to smoke slightly.

“You don’t? Did Wu not even tell you something so basic?” Chen asked in a scandalized tone.

Kai only responded with an angry glare. Chen avoided it.

This was a critical, and unfortunately volatile, part. If Chen messed up here, he could ruin his entire plan.

It took skill to twist a mind after all. One had to hide their suggestions behind a smokescreen of emotions and double-talk. If the victim loses even the slightest amount of trust in you, it can shatter an otherwise perfect strategy.

Manipulation was the only game where your opponent shouldn’t know that they are a player, or at least should be playing on the wrong table with the wrong pieces. The misdirection was a challenge in itself, one many failed at while trying to play the larger game.

On top of laying your traps and spinning your tales, you had to avoid being caught with your hands on the board. To win the game without appearing to play at all. Best way to do that was to admit to playing, but for a different team, to furthering a different goal. Play the Devil’s Advocate, but play it straight. Object to things in your favor to obscure what you were truly trying to do.

“I shouldn’t. If Wu chose not to tell you…”

A step back to take two steps forward.

“IT’S MY FATHER!” Kai screamed.

Boiling someone in their own emotions was another useful tool. Drag it out and wait for their feelings to cloud their judgment completely before you made your move.

“Kai.” Chen said patiently.

The boy was unraveling. One more push and he’d be far too emotional to resist suggestions. He had so much passion and feeling, it was almost too easy to work him into a blinded state, ready for Chen to pull his strings.

“I’m sorry, but you are Wu’s student, if he feels the need to keep things from you, I have to respect how he teaches his students. I don’t know why he wouldn’t tell you something so important, but regardless, it would be very disrespectful of me to go against him like that.”

Kai picked up a chair and smashed it, screaming in rage. His eyes were blazing.

Too much feeling. All too strong. There was no room for thinking in his head. Chen could put anything in there. It was time to finally move his piece.

“If you were my student I could….no. No! I shouldn’t even suggest that!” Chen said, earning Kai’s very keen attention.

The scorching fury was quickly burning out, being replace with desperation. The warrior making way for the lost child inside.

“I have to know!” Kai pleaded. “Please! Tell me!”

He was so weak. A little reverse psychology and a subtle ultimatum would be enough to crack him.

“Kai, I can’t just ask you to abandon your teachings with Wu!” Chen scolded.

Kai’s eager expression only faltered a little bit. He didn’t reject the idea. That was a green light for Chen to push again.

“If you were one of my students that would be one thing, but you’re not Kai.”

“But if I was, you could tell me, right?” Kai asked.

Chen stayed quiet. Let him come to the conclusion himself, make it feel like his own idea. Like it was his choice. Kai’s foot was practically in the snare.

“If I became your student, you could tell me about my father, my powers? I could train with Skylor, you could tell me what Wu won’t!” Kai’s tone got more insistent as he talked.

The tension in the room was so tight, it was only a light breath away from snapping. Kai was only a light breath away from snapping.

“Kai.” Chen said slowly. “I know you’re upset but think about what you’re saying.”

Kai blinked his wet eyes. He was too upset to think about what he was saying. A fact Chen was gleefully exploiting.

But there was more to be gained by establishing himself as the voice of reason. Trust was invaluable in this process, and time was something Chen could spare.

“You should get some sleep. We’ll talk about this tomorrow.” Chen suggested in a caring tone. “I don’t want you to rush into a decision like this.”

Kai was trembling with emotion, reduced to the abandoned little boy left at Four Weapons without so much as a note. And children fell victim to shows of comfort so easily.

“It’s ok.” Chen said, pulling Kai into a warm hug. “It’s ok to be mad.”

Kai broke down sobbing, clinging onto Chen for dear life. It had been so long since somebody had held him, and he was overflowing with too many emotions. He was overwhelmed by it. He was grieving his friend, missing his other friends, feeling betrayed by someone he trusted and most importantly was longing for the father he’d barely known. Chen allowed himself to effortlessly slide into that empty space while Kai was too confused and upset to notice.

“That’s it, just let it all out Firebrand.” Chen said softly.

Kai cried his eyes out while Chen held him.

The next morning, things fell right into place.

“I want to be your student.” Kai said it as soon as he saw Chen.

“Kai, please, think about this.” Chen warned.

“I have!” Kai yelled. “Wu won’t tell me anything! I need you to teach me!”

Chen internally preened at the use of the word “need” but showed Kai nothing. Even if he had displayed a tell, Kai was too emotional to read it.

“I’m tired of Wu keeping secrets!”

“Are you saying you want to abandon your studies under Wu and become my student?” Chen asked, his eyes burrowing straight through to Kai’s vulnerable soul.

“You’ll tell me about my father, right?”

“Yes or no, Kai.”

Kai shivered under Chen’s unusually serious gaze. He felt like there was more weight behind this decision then he thought there was. Chen was looking for something more than an answer, what it was Kai didn’t know, but a part of him screamed in alarm. Sirens blared in the back of his mind telling him something was “Wrong! Wrong! Wrong!”.

Chen sensed the hesitation.

“It’s alright Kai, I’m sure Wu will tell you eventually… or not. But that’s none of my business.” Chen said, taking a slow drink of his tea.

Kai forced the frightened part down. He needed to know, and Chen was the only one that could tell him.

“Yes.” Kai said after winning his mental battle against caution.

“Yes, what?” Chen asked.

“Yes, I want to be your student.”

“That would require you not be Wu’s anymore; do you want to do that?”

Kai ground his teeth.

“Yes.”

Chen’s grin filled his face as he clapped his hands.

Kai felt like he maybe shouldn’t have done that.

Skylor was so excited to hear that they’d be training together, Kai forgot how worried he was. He was finally going to get that sparing match he’d been wanting since he’d seen how skilled she was. Chen was watching, coaching them both this time.

She fought like a viper, striking quick and twisting out of his range before he could get her back. Kai let her go at him for a bit before he really started to fight back. She was fast, but Jay was faster, and Kai could keep up.

She clearly wasn’t prepared for an opponent that could handle her speed, and definitely wasn’t ready for someone that matched her in agility. She was happy to accept the challenge and delighted to finally have it.

Kai and Skylor danced around each other, not staying in the same spot for a full second. Kai couldn’t help but grin. Neither of them was waiting to see the other’s moves, they both were all in, not giving the other time to think. All instincts, all movement, all passion.

Kai had no idea how long they seemed to be under each other’s spell, but they both had forgotten that there was a world around them, too enchanted by their dance. They probably would’ve gone until they both passed out from exhaustion if Chen hadn’t interrupted.

They both gasped for air with wide, satisfied smiles on their faces.

Kai hadn’t had such a good work out since before the final battle. He had missed it.

Kai practiced holding a fire. He’d never held it for so long, he was going on an hour. Sweat soaked his skin and his arms were trembling form the strain, but Chen wouldn’t let him quit. He’d make it a full hour, or he’d pass out trying and try again until he did.

Skylor was next to him struggling to do the same as him, but fire was a new element to her. She was shaking more than him and her flame was only half the size of his.

Chen watched them and snapped when their stances slipped. He was a strict teacher.

“That’s an hour, Skylor, you can stop.” Chen said, looking at his watch.

Skylor crumbled to the floor in exhaustion. Kai moved to put his fire out and do the same, but Chen slammed his staff on the ground.

“I did not say you could stop, Kai.” He said in a harsh tone.

“But-“

“Don’t question me! You wanted to be my student; I don’t accept less than excellence from my students.”

Kai’s legs were shaking now.

“I want to see how long you can go.” Chen said, almost a demented look in his eyes.

“That’s-“

“That’s what you’ll show me!” Chen yelled, interrupting Kai once again.

Kai gulped.

Skylor pulled herself off the ground and went for some water while Kai focused. He could do this. Just a little longer.

At some point Skylor was dismissed, but Kai remained. Arms burning, vision tilting, he was more gasping than breathing.

“I can’t.” he said “I can’t anymore I-“

“How can I trust you with anything if you’re just going to quit on me?” Chen said in a disapproving voice.

Kai winced. He didn’t want to fail Chen so soon. His muscles strained and shook, but he forced himself to keep going. Tears pricked at his eyes, but he couldn’t waste the energy it would take to fight them.

“Give me your all Kai, I can’t help you if you give me less.”

He was trembling with black infecting his sight. Wasn’t this his all already?

“Don’t you want to do your father proud?”

Yes, he did. He’d do anything when it came to his father. If this is what it took, he’d do it.

How long had it been? How much longer could he do it? It felt like days had passed in his agony. He couldn’t see anymore; all his eyes saw was black and pain. Was breathing supposed to hurt? He couldn’t remember.

Suddenly it all stopped, Kai felt like he was falling, where was the floor?

Kai woke up feeling sick, sore and weak. Almost crying right there in bed, just from the pain of waking up. The agony drowned out near everything but his hunger. He had skipped dinner the night before as his stomach helpfully reminded him with a pang.

Kai whimpered. He felt too awful to get out of bed. He wanted to spend the whole day asleep so he could hide from it all. He really tried for a bit, but his hunger refused to be ignored and Chen was probably waiting for him.

Slowly, Kai managed to limp himself down to breakfast, where Chen was waiting for him.

“There’s our Firebrand! That wasn’t bad, almost four hours!”

Kai winced as Chen clapped, his head hurt so much. Training with Wu never left him feeling so miserable, like he had somehow replaced his blood with the sensation of pain. Maybe he shouldn’t have accepted Chen’s offer.

“You need food, I got you soup! It should help re-hydrate you.”

Chen had gotten up and was helping Kai into his seat, it felt a little more like he was being forced into it though. Not that Kai had the strength to fight it. So he just settled down into it.

“Is that what it’s always like?’ Kai asked, his voice scratchy and slurring a bit.

He couldn’t find the energy to be embarrassed.

“Oh well the first time is always the worst. You’ll have to get used to the regimen, but it’ll happen in no time!” Chen explained happily.

Kai shivered at the thought of pushing himself like that again.

“Maybe this wasn’t a good idea.” He said.

Chen looked angry and Kai couldn’t help but flinch as he squeezed his sore arm.

“Are you quitting?” Chen asked harshly.

Ninja never quit.

Kai immediately tried to backtrack, deny it, but Chen was still talking.

“Why would you do that to me, Firebrand? You made a commitment to me!” Chen lamented loudly.

Chen’s voice was smashing into Kai’s headache without mercy. Nails digging into Kai’s arm, Chen’s hand was squeezing him like a constrictor. Between the pain, the hunger, and the weakness, Kai found himself too dizzy.

He tried to pull himself away, he needed space to breathe, Chen was too close, too angry. The warning bells started ringing again. Something was wrong. There was too much happening and his head wasn’t clear enough to deal with it. Kai needed an out that wasn’t coming.

“I know, and I’m sorry. It’s just not what I was expecting.” Kai excused, hoping to buy a little breathing room.

“You were expecting to learn all the things Wu won’t tell you, and you won’t if you quit on me!” Chen said in a smooth voice “This is what it takes to get there.”

Kai looked at the floor. He hurt terribly, maybe it wasn’t worth it. Maybe he needed to go home.

“Do you want to know about your father? If it’s not that important to you Kai-“

“It is important!” Kai shouted on reflex.

“Then act like it!” Chen yelled with finality, sitting back down.

“Fine.” Kai said, turning to his soup.

Chen smiled. The first attempt to dissent was always the hardest to shut down, so he was pleased it went so smoothly. Just a little redirection, and of course the threat to withhold, worked like a charm.

“There are many elements, Skylor is the Element of Amber, with the power of absorption, a very strong element.”

Skylor preened at the praise.

“You are the Master of Fire, Lloyd is the Master of Energy, the Blue Ninja master of lightning, the Black Ninja of earth and the White……” Chen trailed off, watching Kai for his reaction.

“Zane.” Kai corrected, otherwise the picture of control.

Chen smiled.

“Zane the Master of Ice.” Chen avoided using any tense for Kai’s sake, unsure if the use present or past tense would upset him.

“There are also the elements of water, gravity, smoke, speed, form, sound, poison, light, shadow, wind, metal, time, nature, and mind. Though a few of those elements have been lost.”

“What do you mean lost?” Kai asked with wide eyes.

He was eagerly soaking up all the information he could. Completely riveted and unsuspecting of any ulterior motives.

“Well let’s see….the last Master of Wind was a student of Wu’s.” Chen said, thinking back on what he knew.

“Really? Wu never talked about any other students.”

Honestly, Chen had been amazed at how easy this was turning out to be. Wu had told his students nothing. Chen had complete freedom to fill in the blanks with any bias he wanted, sowing seeds of distrust and anger. He got to chose how the stories got told because Wu refused to tell them.

Not that it was hard to spin this one. The truth was bitter enough on it’s own. The man had made his lofty mistakes and only made himself look worse by hiding from them.

“I imagine he didn’t want to tell you what a failure it was.” Chen said with a hint of disapproval.

“What do you mean?”

With an air of reserved judgment, Chen revealed Wu’s past for Kai to judge.

“Morro was Wu’s student from childhood. I don’t know what all transpired when he reached a mature age, but I know Wu chased him away. The boy ran away and got himself killed when he was no older than you.”

Kai blinked and tried to process what he’d just been told. Why had Wu never told them? It couldn’t have been because he didn’t want them to know he’d failed. It was probably just too painful, and it’s not like they asked.

But what could Wu have done to drive Morro away like that?

“That’s enough for today.” Chen said, snapping Kai out of his thoughts.

“Come on!” Skylor said with a wide smile as she pulled him up. “You have skating lessons!”

Kai groaned, though he was glad to have a distraction. He didn’t want to think about the fact that Wu had gotten a previous student killed and what his feelings about that were.

“You’re too soft!” Chen yelled.

Kai sighed. That was the fifth time Chen had said that. Sparing with some of Chen’s other followers was his assignment for the day, and Kai had been winning every time. But that wasn’t enough for Chen.

“Kai, you’re better than this! You are the Master of Fire! Where is the fire!? Stop holding back!”

“I don’t want to burn them.” Kai explained, unhappy with how much he sounded like he was whining.

“Why not?” Chen asked stubbornly.

“Because it would be cruel.” Kai exasperatedly explained.

“Kai.” Chen said slowly, standing up and walking over “You’ll never achieve all you can if you’re concerned with how your opponent feels! Only one can remain! Do. What. It. Takes.”

Chen was in Kai’s face now, furious.

“That’s….That’s not right.” Kai said, looking him in the eye, trying to stand strong.

“That’s how I teach, if you don’t like it, you can go back to Wu.” Chen snapped.

Kai didn’t break eye contact. He wasn’t going to back down.

“If Wu’s methods are so precious to you, then go back to living in ignorance! I have nothing to teach you if you won’t listen!” Chen yelled.

Kai didn’t want to fold, he really didn’t. But Chen had told him so much, he couldn’t just walk away! He’d have to tolerate Chen’s methods if he wanted to know more. Kai dropped his defiant gaze. It was just a little compromise.

“Good choice, Firebrand.” Chen said “Do it again! And I want to see a full effort this time!”

Kai clenched his fist. The fight started again, and he took his anger out on Chen’s men, no holding back. Full flames and full force.

Chen cheered and clapped from his seat.

As much as it felt wrong, Kai started to grin. It felt so good to let loose and recklessly attack. The free head space he normally would devote to controlling himself was nice.

Chen just kept cheering him on, and his spine tingled with excitement as he just kept hitting. Skylor’s impressed eyes were burning on him. Her admiration and Chen’s encouragement just kept pushing him. He knew he should stop, but Skylor was looking at him like he could conquer the world and Chen was praising him. His muscles hurt in such a good way, and the adrenaline was making him dizzy, and Kai may’ve just found a new drug.

And he may’ve just developed an addiction.

Kai stared at the wall. His head was swimming and he felt like he might faint.

He’d found out about Chen’s dungeon. The skeleton’s in Ani’s chambers. The prisoners working in the factory. He was so mad, he felt so lied to. He had tried to march straight to Chen’s room and demand answers, but Skylor had stopped him before he got there.

“Kai! What’s wrong!? Talk to me!”

“Did you know!?”

Skylor’s beautiful eyes blinked.

“Did you know about the dungeons? The prisoners? The people Clouse has fed to his snake!?”

“It’s not that simple.”

Kai had felt so betrayed. So angry. So confused.

He couldn’t remember what reasoning she gave. He said he was going to leave. She had cried.

And she had kissed him.

His back hit the wall as her lovely lips pushed him into submission. Her hands found their way to his most sensitives spots and tightened their grip, causing Kai’s mind fell out from under him. Her lips roamed from his mouth onto his neck. His spine tingled and he was having trouble feeling anything but Skylor’s hands and lips and body and….

He had completely blanked.

He would blame the shock, but he knew the truth, there was more to it than that. Skylor had possessed the ability to take his entire focus away for a while, she just hadn’t used it until that moment.

When she finally pulled back Kai briefly wondered if she’d drugged him. It felt like she did.

“I love you.” She confessed.

Kai stared at her for a moment before pushing past her and running.

So, there he was, processing. Why was he so messed up over this?

She loved him.

He threatened to leave, and she told him she was in love with him.

His thoughts just looped over and over until one of Chen’s other followers found him and dragged him, dazed and silent, to Chen.

Skylor was there. He couldn’t breathe. He couldn’t do this with her staring at him. He couldn’t confront Chen with her looking at him with her watery eyes.

“Firebrand, what’s wrong?” Chen said in a concerned tone.

“I….” Kai couldn’t get the accusations he’d had so ready to come back.

“Skylor told me you found the dungeons. I’m so sorry you had to find those like that Kai, I wanted to wait until you were more ready before I told you.” Chen was getting up and walking towards him.

“Run!” screamed one part of Kai, but another voice screamed to “Listen!”

“You must be very shaken.” Chen said soothingly, reaching his arms out to pull Kai into a hug.

This was it. Kai could feel himself on the edge. If he took that hug, he was going to believe whatever Chen told him, if he ran now, he’d never come back.

He’d break Skylor’s heart.

Was that really his most pressing concern?

“Come here.” Chen said, he sounded so caring.

He’d always taken care of Kai, given him so much. Why should he distrust him? Because he saw something that looked bad? He owed the man the chance to explain himself. He owed Skylor that.

Chen’s arms closed on him like shackles and Kai didn’t fight it.

Kai was finally in the catacombs, where some of Chen’s “ceremonies” took place. He said Kai would understand things if he joined them.

The whole place screamed sinister, but Skylor was there holding his hand. Any time he started to get flighty, she’d rub his arm and calm him down.

“It’s ok. I know it looks scary, but it’s fine, really!”

Kai nodded to her. He was trying to believe her, but the whole place looked plain evil. Alarm bells rang in his head still and no amount of logic silenced them.

The drums started and Kai grimaced. Did they have to be so loud? Chen was speaking, but Kai couldn’t make the words out. Too far away from the platform and too close to the very loud drums. Kai was debating if he could get away with breaking one or two, just to quiet it a little. The way Skylor was watching him said no.

A shiver slowly worked its way through Kai’s spine. He felt eyes on him and his mental alarms were still screeching. Sure enough, he caught sight of Clouse watching him like he was prey. It was unnerving. Kai turned to tell Skylor that her sort-of-uncle was weirding him out, but he wasn’t heard over all the noise.

Chen’s followers started chanting and Kai gave up on trying to talk to Skylor with a huff. He didn’t recognize the language. To him it just sounded like strangled vowels that they were almost singing. Skylor was joining in, giving him a nod. Kai tentatively started to repeat the strange words he heard them say, matching the beating of the drums.

Oh-ah Tu-ay. Oh-ah Tu-ay. Oh-ah Tu-ay.

The voices were starting to sound like a single monotone voice, one Kai’s voice was merging into. It was mesmerizing to listen to.

Oh-ah Tu-ay. Oh-ah Tu-ay. Oh-ah Tu-ay.

Kai started swaying with the rhythm. The drums were still pounding in his head, but it was almost pleasant at that point.

Oh-ah Tu-ay. Oh-ah Tu-ay. Oh-ah Tu-ay.

He didn’t know when he spaced out, but he kept chanting.

Oh-ah Tu-ay. Oh-ah Tu-ay. Oh-ah Tu-ay.

Suddenly Clouse was too close. Kai felt frightened and trapped, his instincts screaming danger. He needed to get away from that man.

Oh-ah Tu-ay. Oh-ah Tu-ay. Oh-ah Tu-ay.

Why was he still chanting? Why couldn’t he stop?

Oh-ah Tu-ay. Oh-ah Tu-ay. Oh-ah Tu-ay.

Something was wrong, very wrong. Kai tried to wake himself up, but it wasn’t working. Clouse started whispering in his ear and it all drained away.

Oh-ah Tu-ay. Oh-ah Tu-ay. Oh-ah Tu-ay.

Finally, the drums and the chanting stopped, Kai felt dizzy and tired, but relaxed. He was glad he did it. He felt like he had a satisfying explanation. I made him wonder why he ever doubted Master Chen in the first place, he must’ve been overreacting.

“Better?” Skylor asked.

Kai gave her a sleepy nod. He hadn’t felt so relaxed in his whole life. It was nice after how stressed he’d been finding out all that he had without the context. He’d almost left them over it.

It didn’t matter anymore. It was explained, and everything was fine.

Kai gulped while knocking on Master Chen’s door. He had a feeling he knew what this was about and was not looking forward to the conversation.

“Come in.” Chen’s cheery voice yelled.

He gulped one more time and went in.

“Ah! Firebrand!” Chen said warmly.

That was a good sign. Maybe Kai would be surviving after all? He doubted it

“You wanted to see me Master Chen?” Kai asked.

“Ah yes, sit down!” Chen said, animatedly pointing at the plush chairs next to a large portrait of himself, his deceased wife, and Skylor as a toddler.

Kai did as he was told and Chen sat in the chair next to him, facing him and looking straight into his eyes. Shifting in the chair, Kai tried to lessen the intensity he was feeling with little success.

“So Skylor tells me you two have developed a… let’s say ‘more than professional’ relationship?” His voice gave nothing away.

“Well, um….Yes Sir.” Kai stammered.

“Uh huh.” Chen said, still not reacting.

Kai was pretty sure he was about to die at the hands of a paranoid father.

“She instigated it!” Kai defended. “I mean, I’ve liked her, but I’d never take advantage of her! Honest! I was fine with letting things stay platonic between us but she…. She….”

Oh, where were his words!?

Chen finally nodded and sat back.

“Of course! Skylor has always gotten what she wants. She takes after me that way. Very motivated, that girl. You can’t stop her when she sets her mind to something.” Chen said with a fond smile on his face, looking warmly at the portrait.

“What…Are you….” Kai asked.

“Saying that that I guessed that this would happen? Yes I am.” Master Chen laughed. “If I thought you would hurt her, you would’ve been out the door a long time ago.”

“You knew?”

“Oh, I was impressed that you kept yourself under control for so long. She can be very persuasive when she wants something. You have remarkable self-control.” Chen praised in a light tone.

He stood up and put a tender hand on Kai’s shoulder.

“I asked you here today so I could tell you that I approve. Truth be told, I already see you as a son I never knew I wanted.” Chen said in a loving voice.

Something in Kai’s chest fluttered.

“You do?”

“I couldn’t have picked better myself.”

Tears started leaking out of his eyes slowly. Kai didn’t really want to cry, but his eyes weren’t asking for his opinion at that moment.

“You two go well together, and I’m so happy to have you both in my life.” Chen whispered, softly wiping the tears from Kai’s cheeks.

Kai subtly pinched himself just to make sure. It felt like Chen had just handed him to moon, something grand and impossible. Something he would never dare wish for.

He had craved it so hard it ached, an ache that had long since become background to him. So to have it soothed, to feel such a balm on it, to finally have the need addressed, it was too much to process.

Kai finally had a father’s approval, and it was melting him into putty.

“I’m sorry you two, but I can’t afford anyone to train with you today.” Chen said.

“What about you?” Kai asked.

“I’m far too busy.” Chen waved him off.

Skylor pouted but stayed quiet.

“What’s got everyone so busy?” Kai asked.

Chen gave a pitying smile. Kai knew he wasn’t going to like the answer.

“Well, we’re a bit short staffed since I had to send some men out to deliver your letters to the mainland.” Chen explained.

“Oh.” Kai said quietly.

“It’s alright firebrand, we’ll manage.” Chen said.

Kai nodded and quietly walked out of the room with his girlfriend holding his hand tightly. He wondered how much extra work he’d made for everybody because he wanted to send letters to his sister.

“It’s fine Kai, it’s just a few more trips to the mainland, they have to go over for supplies every few weeks anyways.” Skylor said, rubbing his back.

“Maybe I should save my letters for days they’re already doing supply runs?” Kai suggested.

Skylor bite her lip.

“Well, it would make things easier.” She said quietly. “But doesn’t your sister need you?”

Kai thought about it.

“I don’t need you to protect me anymore!”

“Give me some space!”

“Kai I can handle myself! you don’t have to smother me!”

“Let me do things for myself.”

The truth was that he was probably only sending letters for his own sake. Nya hadn’t needed him to baby or take care of her for a long time, he only did it out of habit, and because he didn’t know what to do with himself if he wasn’t.

But he had Skylor and Master Chen now, he had other people and things to focus on. Nya would probably be relieved to not have him suffocating her.

“She’s a big girl. Besides, she’s probably been annoyed with me anyways. She has her own life to live.” Kai said, shrugging.

Nya didn’t need him breathing down her neck and he didn’t want to be a burden on Chen and his other followers. It was best for everyone if he stopped fixating so much on his sister.

“If you’re sure.” Skylor said.

Kai nodded.

“Ok, well now that that’s settled, I think we have a few video games to beat each other in.” she said with that suggestive grin that Kai couldn’t say no to.

“YOU’RE WEAK!” Chen yelled as he slapped Kai to the other side of the room.

Kai tried to get up but fell back to the ground.

“Let me help you Kai! Let me make you strong!” Chen insisted.

Master Chen was right. Wu had made him so weak. He could barely handle Chen’s training. It was pathetic, just like he was.

“Do you want my help of not, Kai?” Chen asked.

“Yes.” Kai said through his bloody lip.

“I can’t hear you!” Chen yelled.

“YES!” Kai screamed.

“Ask me for it, Firebrand.”

Kai shook. This didn’t feel right. This felt more like torture than training, like Master Chen was trying to break him.

“Ask me to make you strong!” Chen demanded, giving Kai another kick.

Kai bit his lip and held back his tears. Master Chen just wanted to help him, right? He just wanted what was best for him. Master Chen always told him how much potential he had. Kai just had to suffer if he wanted to be powerful.

“I’m waiting Kai!” Chen yelled, pulling him up by the hair on the back of his head.

He wanted that, right? He wanted to be powerful? To be Master Chen’s student and follower? He had said he wanted it. He’d committed to it. He couldn’t just back out! He’d promised Master Chen.

“I want you to make me strong.” Kai said.

Chen put him back on the ground and Kai curled into himself. He flinched when he felt Chen touch him, but all he was doing was petting his hair affectionately.

“I just want the best for you Firebrand. All I do is to make you stronger.” Chen explained calmly.

Kai nodded, relaxing into his touch, feeling silly for the jolt of fear he’d felt.

He needed to stop doubting Master Chen. He had no reason to. Just because he was rough and strict didn’t mean he was trying to hurt Kai. He wanted what was best for him! He did everything he could to give Kai what he wanted, no matter what he asked. Master Chen really cared about him.

And Skylor.

Skylor loved him too. They both had taken Kai right into their family. Master Chen had practically all but announced Kai as his Son-in-Law. Kai was so lucky to have them both, they deserved better from him. Kai had no reason to be afraid of Master Chen, he needed to stop being to irrational.

“Why do you want to leave me?” Master Chen cried.

Kai cringed at the sound.

“It’s her birthday! And I promised!” he protested.

“You promised me! We need you here, Firebrand! Big things are coming, we can’t have you run off on us!” Master Chen begged.

“Kai please.” Skylor added.

Why were they looking at him like that? They were acting like he was leaving forever. All he wanted was to visit his sister! It wasn’t like he wasn’t giving them amble notice. Kai was asking weeks in advance.

“I thought you said that your sister could handle herself! Besides, she hasn’t written you back in weeks!” Skylor pointed out.

“I know, but-”

“You’re really going to run off like this!? You’re going to leave us!?” Skylor was taking a page form his fathers book and steamrolling Kai with her words.

“But-“

“I don’t want to be alone!” Skylor blurted out tearfully. “Please Kai, I can’t do that again! Don’t leave me here by myself!”

Her eyes were sparkling with tears. Maybe he was being selfish. And she did have a point about Nya not writing back in so long. Maybe she’d forgotten about him. Maybe she’d made other plans.

“It’s fine Skylor! I mean, I’ll have to reschedule everything, but if it’s so important then I’m sure we can make the sacrifices.” Chen said dramatically.

Kai bit his lip.

“Well, I’ll need to redo your training schedule, and my own plans will have to be completely postponed.” Chen started listing.

Kai bite down harder. He didn’t want to be such a burden, but he also hadn’t seen his sister in so long.

“And of course, your studies. Oh, I’ll have to take a whole day to rework your entire lesson plans! And we were just about to get you caught up to Skylor! Oh well, I suppose it won’t be too hard to keep you on a remedial course for a little while longer.”

Kai shrank at every word. How could he forget that Master Chen had taken great pains to give Kai the education he never got as a child, and here Kai was, spitting in the face of that gift.

“And of course, the plans we’ve had set in motion for years can wait a little while longer, I’m sure it won’t be too much trouble to postpone it.” Chen continued.

“I don’t...” Kai mumbled.

“What was that?” Chen asked loudly.

“I can maybe…” Kai tried to say in a quiet voice.

“Yes?” Chen asked.

“Maybe….maybe I don’t have to go.” Kai mumbled, defeated.

Chen clapped and made gleeful noises.

“Oh, thank you Kai! You’re such a good student!” Chen praised loudly “Everyone look at Kai! Look at what a good team player he is! He deserves a treat! Such a selfless boy!”

Chen was petting his head and telling him what a good student he was. It almost blocked out the guilt he felt for breaking his promise and abandoning his sister.

It was probably for the best. This way she could go do whatever she wanted instead of worrying about him, and Master Chen clearly needed him.

Skylor quietly kissed him gently on the cheek.

“Thank-you.” She whispered tenderly in his ear.

Kai knew he’d made the right call. This was where he belonged. This was where he was needed.

Kai cried. He didn’t know why he was doing it, but he was bawling. His emotions were confusing and loud, demanding he feel them and feel them intensely. He couldn’t sleep. All he could do was sob, a slave to whatever feelings had his heart in their grips.

Maybe he was sad he wasn’t going to see his sister for her birthday? That hardly seemed like enough to cause him so much heartache though. Besides, he’d decided it was the right call to skip it.

It felt like more. He felt helpless and sacred and he didn’t know what of.

Was it Master Chen?

Why did thinking that make him feel worse?

Even more so, it panicked him. How dare he be afraid of Master Chen. What and insult that was!

He should be grateful. Master Chen had done everything to make him feel welcomed and loved, he was well within his right to ask Kai for some loyalty. He should be happy! He had a girlfriend who he loved and who loved him back, and Master Chen practically treated him as a son. This was everything he’d ever wanted.

So why did it hurt?

The routine was broken. Instead of one of Master Chen’s followers coming to call him for breakfast, Kai woke up to Skylor jumping on top of him.

“Guess what!?” she asked in an excited voice.

Kai rubbed sleep from his eyes and tried to look at her straight.

“Everything has been going so smoothly, Father has some extra time today. He though we should all go out this afternoon.” Skylor was practically bouncing as she talked.

“Really?” Kai asked.

Skylor nodded happily then hopped off of him.

“Get dressed! We’re going out right after morning training!” and she skipped off.

Kai smiled. He knew Skylor didn’t get to spend much time with her dad outside of training. He was so busy with his business and running things on the island. He was happy for her.

He got dressed and heading to the dining room for breakfast. Skylor was already at the table, talking to her father about how excited she was.

Kai sat down and Chen switched focus.

“Firebrand! There you are!” he chirped, waving to a servant to bring his food.

A plate was set in front of him, but before Kai could stab anything with his fork, Master Chen pulled the plate away.

“I was thinking we could go out for a picnic out in the jungle, it’s such a nice day for it.” Chen explained.

Kai nodded. That sounded like a great plan. It would be nice to take a break from the routine, probably do them all some good.

“I’m just going to finish some things up, you two go do your morning training and then get changed, then we’ll meet up here and head out.”

Typical Master Chen, having the whole plan ready.

Finally Chen pushed the plate back into Kai’s reach.

“Now eat don’t eat too much, we won’t want to spoil lunch would we?” Chen said.

Kai nodded again.

“Good boy. Now go ahead and eat!”

Breakfast finished quickly without much excitement and they went their separate ways. Kai and Skylor met back up for morning training and got right to their stretches.

Skylor was over the moon and full of energy while they spared. She kept sneaking kisses as they fought and every time it distracted him long enough for her to win. He’d almost accuse her of cheating if it wasn’t so fun.

He decided to try to turn the tables and kiss her.

He wasn’t ready for her to passionately deepen the kiss. She took the control almost instantly and Kai’s brain took a moment to catch up when she pushed him onto the floor.

And there she was, legs straddling him, hands pushing on his chest, her hair escaping her ponytail like a halo. His breath stopped. His hands were resting on her thighs and he couldn’t move them. He couldn’t move anything but his trembling lip.

She looked at him like he was her hard-caught prey and Kai’s chest fluttered. She slowly, at an agonizing pace, leaned forward, bringing her lips right up to his ear.

“I win.” She whispered and Kai shuddered.

She did. She always did.

She quickly kissed his neck and then hopped up.

Kai was redder than her hair and he didn’t mind. This girl was going to be the death of him.

Kai had picked some of the nicer clothes Master Chen had given him and Skylor was even wearing a dress. Kai was actively keeping his eyes off her legs. Death. Of. Him.

She was so happy, swinging her arm while holding Kai’s hand and smiling so brightly. Master Chen look at them with so much pride and Kai felt something swell in his chest.

Something familiar tingled in his brain. He’d done this before. A long time ago, before he and Nya were on their own.

They’d climbed to the top of the tallest hill in the whole village, He and Nya tried to run up the whole thing in one go and their parents had been laughing. His dad had put him on his shoulders and his mom taught him how to roll down the hill on his side.

Kai smiled at the precious memories. He had so few of them.

They reached the clearing Master Chen had picked out and started to set up.

Skylor spread the blanket out in a single graceful swoop and Kai couldn’t help but see his mother doing the same. She’d always had such elegant hands, Kai remembered watching her do just about anything and being amazed by how lithely her hands did things.

Master Chen set the basket down and told them where to sit. He took charge, just like Kai remembered his dad doing. Whenever he was confused or scared, his dad seemed to know what was going on.

Kai sat down and Master Chen put his hand on his head.

His dad had done the same so long ago. Ruffled his hair and told him that he was loved. Kai felt all that love again, something he thought he’d lost forever when his parents disappeared. Master Chen had given it back to him.

Master Chen had given Kai so much; he didn’t know if he’d ever be able to repay the man. He’d given Kai things he’d never be able to afford on his own, the education he missed out on, the training and answers he needed, and most importantly, a loving home he was welcomed into.

Skylor put her head on his shoulder and Kai sighed contently. He was happy. It had felt like so long since he was just plainly happy. It was something else Master Chen had given back to him.

Kai woke up crying again. He still didn’t know why he was doing it. He had everything he could possibly want. Was he just so maladjusted that happiness hurt? That was his leading theory. Nothing else made any sense.

There was also nagging feeling that it was Master Chen he was afraid of, but that made no sense.

Kai sighed, a hiccup interrupting him as he did. He was crying in the dark like a scared little kid and he couldn’t even figure out why. He felt crazy.

He decided to get up and get a glass of water. The cool liquid soothed his throat, but not his heart or head. Another fun side effect of crying your eyes out every night for unknown reasons was the frequent headaches it caused.

At least his breathing was back to normal. Kai climbed back into his bed and tried to force himself to calm down and sleep again. He very much did not want to be awake. Maybe he should ask Master Chen for some sleeping pills.

Why was he such a mess?

Kai lazily skated passed Skylor.

“How dare you be faster than me!” Skylor yelled in mock fury.

Kai snickered. With Skylor’s help and a lot of time, he’d master the skill of skating and started to surpass his teacher. To Skylor’s dismay, he’d just won three races straight.

“I created a monster!” She scoffed “I miss it when you were hanging off of me!”

Kai laughed and skated back up to her, draping himself on her shoulders. She adjusted her balance to accommodate his weight.

“All you had to do was ask, Babe.” He said in a suggestive tone.

She laughed and grabbed his hand. The two started skating together, leaning on each other in silence for a while. They made the same trip around the rink a few times.

“This is nice.” Skylor commented.

Kai hummed in agreement.

The rhythm of their skates hitting the ground synced first, then came the breathing, Kai was sure they were sharing a heartbeat after a while. Gliding along with his girlfriend attached to his side, he closed his eyes. He actually really liked skating, after Skylor had gotten him to not fall on his face. It felt right to him to smoothly glide along, not stopped by the need for steps.

As fun as it was though, everything gets boring after you do it near constantly for a few weeks. Skylor and him had played all their video games to death and Skylor had gotten Kai from an idiot to a master on skates. They’d already trained and sparred and didn’t feel like doing it another time that day.

“I’m bored.” Skylor voiced what Kai was thinking.

They really needed something new to do.

“Hey!” Skylor said, pulling away.

Kai slightly mourned the warmth that wasn’t on his side anymore and raise his eyebrow curiously.

“When I was little, I always wanted to play hide and seek with someone. This place is so perfect for it, but I never had anybody that knew it as well as I did that would play with me.” Skylor explained, pulling Kai off to the bench to remove their skates.

“Sounds less boring.” Kai agreed, sitting down to take his skates off.

It was a good idea. Practice hiding, practice searching, and a good way to further cement the estate lay out in his mind. Plus, it was something they hadn’t done to death yet.

“Ok, you count first!” Skylor yelled, her shoes already back on.

“Ok.” Kai agreed, an airy laugh in his voice.

“Count to……Thirty!” Skylor decided.

Kai nodded, close his eyes, and started. He heard Skylor run off and he blindly changed back into his shoes while he continued to count up. When he got to thirty and opened his eyes Skylor was gone.

Hopping up and yelling out a warning, Kai began to search.

Hide and seek was certainly better than boredom, but the novelty was running out after about twelve rounds. Kai slowly trudged about the estate, looking for Skylor’s latest hiding spot.

He sighed. Good practice or not, it was starting to get dull. Kai wondered what they could try to do next while he continued to poke around.

Then an open door caught his eye.

It was normally closed and locked up tight, but the door to Clouse’s study was slightly a jar. Kai’s curiosity started to climb as he started to walk past.

What did Clouse keep in there?

No, no! He wasn’t supposed to go in there.

But he’d never even seen it. He wondered what it looked like in there. Was it full of dusty old books? Were there bottles of potions? Did he keep weird ingredients and teas in there like Wu? What in Ninjago did a “Sorcerer’s Sanctum” look like? What all did he do in there anyways?

A small peak wouldn’t hurt, right? Just a look around. He wouldn’t touch anything.

Kai’s scalp hurt from Clouse pulling him along by his hair. He really shouldn’t have done that. Master Chen looked furious.

“Was I unclear about the rules!?” Master Chen yelled.

“No.” Kai muttered.

“So, you deliberately disobeyed me!?”

“I’m sorry.”

“You will be!” Master Chen yelled, slamming his staff down.

Kai flinched. Why did Clouse have to be holding his arm so tight, he wasn’t going to run away. Master Chen being angry was bad enough.

“Firebrand, I have reasons for my rules! Think of what could’ve gone wrong! Do you know the kind of things Clouse keeps in there!?”

No, he didn’t. That’s why he wanted to see.

“After all I’ve given you! All I’ve done to try to help you, keep you safe! This is how you repay me? By spitting on my rules!?” Master Chen ranted. “This is unacceptable Kai, you are my student, that means you obey me!”

Kai stared at the floor to avoid looking at Master Chen’s fuming eyes.

“I’m disappointed in you, Kai.” Master Chen sighed, running a hand down his face.

Kai bit his lip. It had become a habit at some point, he’s not sure when though.

“I have to punish you, you realize that?”

Kai nodded. He’d figured that much out already, but he wondered what punishment Master Chen could have in store. He’d never gotten in this kind of trouble with Wu, and it wasn’t like he’d had any parents to disappoint like this before, so his frame of reference was nonexistent.

“You’re grounded. No leaving your room until I allow it. Maybe some time alone will teach you to respect me and my rules.”

Grounding. That was a normal parental punishment, right? Kai thinks he may’ve even grounded Nya once or twice, though it wouldn’t have happened often.

As soon as Master Chen finished his sentencing, Clouse started dragging Kai away. The sudden jerk made him trip, but Clouse didn’t care, he just kept dragging him along the ground. The carpet burned Kai’s skin raw. He was trying to get his feet back under himself, but Clouse was moving too fast, all Kai could do was stumble.

The pain and shame he was feeling starting to build behind his eyes. The pressure kept pushing until tears began to leak out. He’d really upset Master Chen and Clouse hadn’t he? What if they sent him away? What if he lost everything and he was alone again? Kai wanted to calm down and think rationally, but he’d been having so much trouble with that recently.

It didn’t escape him that he was crying again. It felt almost weird to have a reason for it.

They very suddenly reached Kai’s room. Clouse threw him inside with no words or ceremony. Kai, hitting the ground roughly, caught one more look at Clouse’s furious face before he slammed the door shut and Kai could hear it lock closed.

Then silence. Just his hiccuping, nothing else.

Kai listened to the roaring static in his ears while he hung upside down. He wondered what Skylor was doing without him. Probably training…maybe. Was it still morning?

There wasn’t any way to tell time. The door was sealed shut from the outside and so was the balcony, probably by Clouse’s magic. Kai also hadn’t heard anything from outside his room at all, he wondered if that was Clouse’s doing as well.

He would’ve tried playing his video games, bored of them as he was, but they’d been taken away. He had nothing to do but sit in silence.

Still hadn’t heard anything.

His stomach growled. He hadn’t eaten the night before, and he hadn’t gotten breakfast. It wasn’t hard to guess that no food was a part of the whole “grounded” thing too. Was that normal?

It was too quiet.

Master Chen had been really mad. Kai hated that he upset him so much. Did he really have to see Clouse’s study that much? He could’ve gotten hurt, Chen just wanted to protect him. Why did Kai have to mess things up so much?

He missed Skylor.

He was getting a headache, so he sat up. It didn’t help much, he needed food.

Kai didn’t like the quiet.

He started humming, hoping to cut the silence. It was getting oppressive.

His stomach hurt.

What time was it? How long had he been sitting there? How much longer until he was done?

He got a drink of water. He couldn’t think of anything else to hum.

It was so quiet. He was so lonely.

He went to bed. He woke up.

How long had it been? He was hungry. It was too quiet. He hadn’t heard anyone speak. He really wished he could hear something other than his own breathing and slamming heartbeat.

His stomach hurt, he tried to drown it. Maybe some water would silence it?

No. He didn’t want silence.

He wanted Master Chen to come back and tell him he was forgiven. It had been so long.

Had it?

How long had it been?

He needed some water.

He needed someone.

It felt like days since he last talked to anybody. He was hungry. He was lonely. He started to cry again. He missed them so much. It was so silent. He wanted to hold Skylor’s hand, he wanted Chen to hug him.

He wanted his sister.

Was it her birthday yet?

What time was it? How long had it been? Master Chen hadn’t forgotten him, had he?

He….

He hadn’t abandoned him, right?

Kai’s breathing sped up, the only sound he had to cling to.

It was happening all over again. He screwed up. He chased him away. He was a bad kid.

He shouldn’t have touched the sword. HE SHOULDN’T HAVE TOUCHED IT!! Dad told him not to, but he did anyways.

He couldn’t see. He couldn’t hear.

Now his dad left him and his sister because he was such a disobedient child, and they were alone and please come back please come back please come back please come back please come back

“Kai?”

Kai’s wet eyes snapped to attention.

He was there. In the doorway. Master Chen was there. He’d come back! Even though Kai had been bad and disobedient. He’d forgiven him!

Kai cried and ran straight into a hug.

“Shhh….it’s alright Firebrand. It’s over now. Let’s get you some food.” Master Chen said as he pet Kai’s hair.

Chen’s voice washed away all the suffocating silence and Kai felt grounded for the first time since he’d entered the silent room. He clung to Master Chen’s words like a lifeline. They’d come and saved him from all the quiet that had been drowning him. Master Chen had come and saved him.

Kai was so grateful for it.

Master Chen had sat with Kai the entire time he ate, making sure he ate enough.

“I hope you learned your lesson. I don’t want to have to do that again!” Master Chen chastised.

Kai nodded as he chewed. Master Chen smiled at him.

Kai had suffered from a slight panic attack when Master Chen had been coming to get him. He was a mess when he walked in on him, but he helped Kai calm down, gotten him some food, and talked to him. He’d been so gentle and reassuring the whole time. Kai felt like he’d found reality again by the time he finished eating.

Master Chen was so good to him.

Next, he went upstairs to look for Skylor, and she found him.

He felt her before he saw her. Lips were on his mouth, blocking any protest. Not that he had any. Her hands wandered and snatched his wrists up, slamming them above his head while her leg pushed him high up the wall she had him pinned to. She traced his jawline with her tongue and Kai shivered. Then she lightly bit down on his earlobe and he gasped in pleasant surprise. Suddenly, his wrists were released, and his shoulders were now in clamps as she yanked him.

“You have no idea how much I missed you.” Skylor said breathlessly and she pulled him into her room.

Kai tried to tell her that he had felt the same, but all he could get out was an unintelligible moan. How was he supposed to speak when she kept doing….that?

Skylor slammed the door behind them as she pushed him backwards further into the room. His hips hit her mattress and she shoved him onto it, her lips on his the whole way down.

She started to play with the hem of his shirt while he helped her on top of him. When her hands found their way under his shirt they started to roam around his chest, tracing the lines of his abs while she bit down on his lips. She moved to chewing on his neck while his shirt just kept slipping further and further up.

“Wha…” He stammered.

He was interrupted by her yanking his head back by his hair and he gasped again. Before his eyes focused again, she’d already gotten his shirt off and was going at his chest. Following her lead, he started to gently place his hand on her waist under her shirt, she let out a delighted noise and ripped her own shirt off.

They carried on like that for awhile. Kai took a few turns on top, but Skylor kept most the control. He let her. He’d been alone too long to deny all the physical contact she was giving him. After everything that had happened Kai would've let her do whatever she wanted to keep the comfort of having someone on his skin.

Eventually, their fervor cooled down. Slowly, they stopped clawing at each other like starving animals. Instead, they settled into gentle touches while their breathing caught back up to them.

Kai still felt hazy and happy as they laid down next to each other. It had been overwhelming to go from nothing and silence straight into that. Like flooding a desert. It was taking him a bit to readjust. Not that he’d ever complain, he had needed it. Skylor had finished what Chen started and now Kai felt firmly grounded back in reality.

And what a pleasant reality it was. His skin was still tingling from where Skylor had nicked and scratched him. He could still feel a phantom burning everywhere she had kissed him. He was the Master of Fire and no stranger to heat, but this was probably his favorite kind.

“Don’t do that again, ok?” Skylor said between pants.

Kai looked at her curiously, haven’t she been the one to start the make-out session?

“I mean don’t get punished again.” Skylor clarified. “Do you know how lonely I’ve been without you?”

“I’m sorry.” Kai said, reaching out and grabbing her hand.

She scooted over to him and put her head on his shirtless chest. Kai soaked up the heat like he was feeling the sun for the first time.

“I need you. Don’t make me be alone again.” Skylor whined.

Guilt thumped in his chest like a second heartbeat. He hadn’t even thought about what him getting in trouble would do to her. He could only imagine how lonely she must’ve been. He knew he was in agony without her, alone and isolated. It had to be so much worse for her. How many times had she told Kai how lonely she was without him? How much he’d changed things for her. How she couldn’t go back to being without him. It must’ve been torture for her, to be alone again like that.

And here Kai was licking his own wounds. How dare he feel so sorry for himself.

“I won’t.” Kai promised.

He wouldn’t put her through that ever again. She deserved better.

“Good.”

“Although, if that’s the kind of greeting I get when I do….” Kai joked.

Skylor laughed and playfully hit him.

“You jerk!”

Kai just snickered until Skylor gave up and went back to laying on him.

“So….taking the shirts off is new.” Kai mentioned, trying not to blush.

“Good new?” Skylor asked.

He lost his fight against blushing and nodded.

“Yeah.”

Skylor just smiled and snuggled into his bare chest. Making him burn with an ecstatic fire. She was going to destroy him, and he was going to let her.

Kai was getting used to being held by the back of his neck while Clouse whispered in his ear. It was normal. He’d listen to Master Chen while Clouse said…things in his ear.

It felt strange at first, but it was normal. There wasn’t any reason to fight it. Sometimes Kai made out what Clouse was saying, when he wasn’t speaking in bizarre and magic languages.

“Obey.” “You want this.” “Don’t ask questions.”

Sometimes those words made him a little uncomfortable, but Skylor would grab his hand and calm him down. Reminding him that it was all normal.

Master Chen asking him to kneel was normal. Forgetting what happened was normal. Feeling confused was normal. He just had to trust Master Chen, that’s all.

The drums were normal. The chanting was normal. Compliance was normal.

Kai woke up to a loud noise. For a moment he thought he imagined it, but another thump confirmed its legitimacy, then a muffled scream.

He flew out of bed and tore out his door. He had a job to do and his heart was in his throat. That was Skylor screaming, the noise was coming for her room. Someone was attacking her.

As soon as he got into the hallway Kai’s eye met with a man dressed in all black. He had a sedated Skylor slung over his shoulder and appeared to be on his way out with her in tow. Kai didn’t need to see any more before he charged.

“Wha-” the man was cut off by a punch to the face.

Kai’s first priority was to get Skylor out of his hands, so he was at the man’s arms with flames. It didn’t take long for him to let go of her, Kai snatched her up and put her safely out of the way.

“You’re…you’re the Red Ninja!” The man exclaimed in shock.

“And you’re in for it!” Kai threatened as he jumped back into the fight.

“Why are you… why are you here!?” the man asked in a panicked voice.

“So, I can stop you!” Kai retorted, his fist coming relentlessly.

“but you’re not…. You shouldn’t be here!”

Kai rolled his eyes as he tackled the man to the ground. He held him there as Master Chen and some men on guard duty arrived.

“Oh my! What do we have here!?” Master Chen asked

“Chen!” the man said with a venomous voice.

“Oh, it’s you.” Master Chen did not sound happy to see the man.

“What did you do to him!?” he accused, nodding his head towards Kai.

Kai tilted his head. What was that supposed to mean?

“Oh! Firebrand! Thank-you so much! We can take it from here, why don’t you go check on Skylor? I’m sure she could use some company.”

Kai nodded and handed the man over to Eyezor.

“Whatever he’s told you is a lie!” the man yelled “You don’t belong here! Chen is a villain!”

Kai stopped and looked curiously at Master Chen for an explanation. Chen sighed.

“This is an ex-follower of mine; we didn’t part on the best terms. He appears to still be terribly angry at me for exiling him.”

The man started to say something, but his mouth was covered, and his wrist were bound.

Kai stared for another moment. The man looked pissed at Chen, but he was staring at Kai with some kind of concern. It didn’t quite make sense. Somewhere, in the back of Kai’s mind, his old ninja instincts told him he was missing something important.

“Don’t worry about it, Firebrand.” Master Chen assured him quietly with a hand on his shoulder. “Besides, Skylor is going to be awfully scared when she wakes up, better you’re there for her.”

Kai nodded. Master Chen could handle the would-be kidnapper without him, Kai trusted him. Skylor needed him more anyways. So, he left to help with Skylor. Whatever he was missing didn’t matter. Master Chen would handle it.

Skylor was starting to stir when he got to her. Shooing off Chen’s other followers, he picked her up bridal style and took her to his room. She didn’t need to be overcrowded. He laid her on the bed, gently.

Her beautiful eyes fluttered open. She took a gasp of breath and sat up in a panic. Kai held her and quietly shushed and assured her.

“It’s alright, I got you. Everything’s ok. It all over.”

“He almost….” Skylor said in disbelief, clinging to Kai’s shirt in a vice.

“He didn’t.” Kai said, hugging her close.

“Kai, you saved my life!” Skylor said.

Kai didn’t respond.

“Kai?” she asked.

It was then she noticed that he was crying.

“Kai, what’s wrong? You saved me, everything’s ok!” she said in a comforting voice, cupping his cheek in a tender hold.

That was when Kai noticed that he was crying. Again.

He sobbed. Skylor decided to not push and wait for him to find his words. Which he did after a few hiccups.

It took him a while to sort through his own feelings and find the cause. He’d been crying over a lot of mystery feelings lately, so he was relieved to figure out what was setting him off that time.

“I just….” Kai took a breath “Did I ever tell you that my sister was kidnapped?”

Skylor silently shook her head.

“It was the whole reason I became a ninja. I had to…. She was my only family, and I watched her get taken from me.”

“So, this mess reminded you?” she guessed gently.

Kai looked away, pained. He hated the remembering those feelings of helplessness and panic. It was like he was right back at Four Weapons, a scared orphan losing his entire world. He hated it.

At least it made sense. At least he knew why he was crying. At least he knew where his feelings came from.

It didn’t make it much better.

“Sorry, it’s stupid. I just… I felt like such a failure because I couldn’t keep her safe.” He said after collecting himself.

Skylor forced him to look her in the eyes.

“You saved me.” she said in a stern voice. “I didn’t get taken away. You didn’t fail at anything.”

Kai sniffled and nodded.

“You’re my hero Kai!” Skylor reminded him, wrapping her arms around him in a tight embrace.

Kai melted into it. Skylor’s heartbeat comforted and grounded him.

“I’m so glad you’re ok.” Kai said into her shoulder.

She laughed.

“Thanks to you, Firebrand.”

It was quiet while she pet his hair and he held her. Kai wrangled the last of his wayward emotions and composed himself. It was a good amount easier to get himself under control when he knew what he was feeling.

“I was so scared he’d hurt you.” Skylor admitted after the long pause.

“What? Never!” Kai bragged.

Skylor laughed, but still clung to him.

“I woke up to him…above me.” she shivered “and all I could think of was if he’d done anything to you first.”

“I’m touched.”

Skylor laughed once again and burrowed her head into his chest, taking in his warmth like a drug.

“I don’t want to be alone.” She quietly admitted.

“Never.” Kai promised, wrapping the two of them in his covers so they could sleep.

“I love you.” Skylor said, kissing him softly.

“I love you too.” Kai said back, pulling her tight against himself.

They didn’t do anything more as they fell asleep. It wasn’t as passionate as they’re usual displays, but it was just as intimate. Both of them protecting and comforting the other in the night.

Kai chose to sit next to Skylor instead of across from her at breakfast. Chen was watching their food intake like a hawk. It was how he showed that he cared.

“You two probably have questions about last night.”

They nodded. Master Chen sighed.

“Vito was once a student of mine. He was unfortunately kicked out after he broke my rules. He was terribly angry about it. He swore vengeance, but at the time I didn’t take his threats seriously.”

“What did he do?” Kai asked, eating a muffin Chen had put onto his plate for him.

“Oh, he made trouble. Disobeyed me, argued, went places he wasn’t supposed to and did things I told him not to do. He wasn’t a team player, unlike our Firebrand here, who knows how to make sacrifices.”

“Well, that explains why he called you a ‘villain’.” Kai said, ignoring the weird feeling in his guts from Master Chen’s statement.

Chen nodded as he took a drink.

“So, what did he want with Skylor?”

“What do you think? Her power! She’s an elemental master. Likely he would have tried to take you too if he knew you were here as well.” Master Chen explained.

Skylor looked upset. Kai reached out and rubbed her arm to comfort her. It seemed to work a bit.

“It’s good that you were too, Firebrand. You not only rescued Skylor and prevented her abduction, you likely saved everyone’s life last night.”

“What do you mean?”

“Vito had explosives rigged all over the palace. He was planning on setting them all off after he took Skylor.”

Kai stopped breathing for a moment. He had come so close to losing someone else. He needed a moment to process that.

“Luckily, you were able to apprehend him before he could do any damage. You did so well Firebrand!” Master Chen praised.

Kai just barely found his breath again before Master Chen mentioned something that took it away again.

“Imagine what would’ve happened if you’d been off visiting your sister this week.”

Kai choked. He had intended to not be there. It was indeed his sister’s birthday. How could he have forgotten?

Kai’s stomach seized up with guilt and horror. If he hadn’t been there….

“This is why we need you here, Firebrand!” Master Chen said, reaching over and holding Kai’s hand. “We need you. You belong right here, with us!”

Kai nodded. He couldn’t believe he had almost abandoned them like that. He’d almost failed another family. It was enough to kill his appetite, but Master Chen forced him to eat anyways.

Vito cursed himself. He cursed Chen. He even cursed Clouse and his stupid “pet”.

How had he ever followed that man? Back then he’d been so devoted, so convinced Chen knew better. He was blind!

He’d been vulnerable and Chen had scooped him up and taken him in. Promised him power, family, love, security, and more. He’d been a young fool. Chen brought him in and slowly boiled him like a frog.

Chen was a cult leader. There was no two ways about it. He had a cult. His followers all worshiping him, swearing loyalty, doing his bidding. Vito had been one of them. Before he woke up and realized what Chen really was, an evil and greedy manipulator that only loved power.

Vito had gotten out, but he hadn’t been able to live with himself. He knew Chen was planning on taking over Ninjago. He couldn’t just sit by and let him.

He had no doubt Chen had spun some twisted tail of what he wanted with Skylor. Truth was, he wanted to save her. She was a child. She’d grown up here, she didn’t know any better. When he’d first seen her, she still had baby fat on her cheeks. He thought long and hard, but couldn’t bring himself to hurt her, even for the greater good.

So, he was going to get her out before he blew Chen’s blasted empire to the departed realm.

Looking back, a full assault was maybe not the best plan.

It would’ve worked though, if the Red Ninja hadn’t stopped him!

Vito screamed in frustration. Thinking about that stung more than the rope burns on his wrists. One of the ninja, working for someone like Chen.

He could be mad at the so called “hero” for working with the bad guy, but seeing the boy had reminded him of something most of Ninjago forgot.

The ninja were children.

Just like Skylor, Kai was still a boy. A vulnerable, all too naïve boy. Vito wept for the child. Chen had found him, grieving from the loss of his friend, taken him in, and slowly boiled him the same as he’d done Vito all those years ago.

Vito wished he’d had his head about him before Chen’s flunkies had gagged him, and the boy left his sight. He would’ve screamed. He would’ve ranted his voice raw warning him about Chen, begging him not to trust the man.

But he didn’t. He only got out half warning before his chance was gone.

Vito didn’t know much about the ninja, but he remembered hearing that the Red Ninja was an orphan. The tender way the Chen addressed him, the gentle touch, and the searching look in the boy’s face, desperate for Chen to explain away everything and praise him. Chen had clearly exploited that empty parental position. It was sick.

And the way he treated Skylor! So gentle and caring as he took her away. He’d fallen in love, and Chen had one more thing to hold him with. Vito didn’t get to see if Skylor actually liked him back or if it was all and act to keep the Red Ninja under control. Either way Chen was exploiting her.

The worst part was that they had no idea. At that moment, the Red Ninja was likely getting praised and cherished. The boy was probably so happy. That was what was the most demented. He didn’t know that he should be upset and angry!

Both of them were just children. Children that Chen had dug his claws into, and Vito’s heart broke at the thought. If he could just do one thing, just one, he’d warn the other ninja. He’d tell them what had happened to their friend and explain to them that he needed help desperately. He needed to be saved before it was too late…it might’ve already been so. Explain to them that he was lost and confused and needed them more than ever. That an evil man had him so tangled in his web that he had become a puppet with strings.

But it didn’t matter what Vito would do, he was going to die before he could.

Any moment Clouse’s pet was going to wake up and he’d join the piles of skeletons that surrounded him. He was going to die in vain.

He spent his last moments in the realm of the living mourning for the wayward children Chen had tangled in his web.

Chen couldn’t be happier with things. Kai’s indoctrination had been even easier than he’d thought it would be! Chen had assumed Wu had given his students at least a vague warning, but no. The man hadn’t told them more than he absolutely had to about anything. And Chen hadn’t become a problem for them yet.

That negligence would cost him. Kai was shaping up to be Chen’s greatest success. With the hard lessons he’d learned from his failure with Garmadon, Chen was prepared for every snarl and stall. Not that there was much.

At every turn, when Kai struggled against it, Chen coaxed him back down into his control. It was startlingly easy to do. Kai was so damaged with unresolved trauma that he took to the manipulation like a fish to water. If anyone had taken note of all his inner struggles, had tried to address his issues and strengthened his mental defenses, then Chen might’ve had more trouble. But the fact was no one did. There was nothing stopping Chen from playing with Kai’s mind.

If he’d known it would be so easy, Chen might’ve tried his hand at brainwashing two or three ninja. Oh well.

Chen had known he was in for a cake walk as soon as he saw how Kai reacted to the slightest hint of praise. The years dropped off his face and for just a moment, the boy turned back into a naive child. So easy to please, and even easier to reshape.

Wu’s secrets proved to be more useful still. What had he been thinking? Keeping the boy’s father a secret? What could he have possibly had to gain from that?

But Chen knew Wu hadn’t done it with the idea of gaining anything. He’d done it purely out of cowardice. Wu always did have trouble being honest, keeping secrets he had no reason to keep because speaking them was painful. It was a fatal flaw that Garmadon had ranted about many times.

Information. It had to be the simplest thing Chen had ever used to lure someone in. It was so easy to tease with. To give little bits of and keep the big picture out of reach. And so easy to withhold too. Not something that could be taken away though, so Chen had to improvise with that one.

Luckily Kai had such a crushing desire for a family. For a father to be specific. Chen already knew how to keep his own child in check, so it wasn't hard to become what Kai wanted. And paternal affection could easily be ripped away. His abandonment issues only made that a heavier punishment to fear.

Said abandonment issues and his deep loyalty made it an effortless affair to weight him down with doubt and guilt until he drowned in Chen’s influence. Like thick chains, Chen knew guilt could keep even the biggest flight risk grounded in place. Destroying his confidence made it all the more potent.

Made even more fragile by the strain, Kai’s emotions become weak and volatile. So easy to hurt him with, and even easier to reward him with.

So afraid of the punishments, and so addicted to the rewards, Kai would do anything Chen asked. More than that; Kai, too afraid of disobeying, would only do what Chen asked. His actions were barely more autonomous than a puppet at this point.

After convincing Kai to cut off his last outside contact and stop writing his sister, Chen had unchecked control. Kai didn’t leave the island so Chen could tailor his environment and routine as he saw fit. Kai didn’t hear or see anything Chen didn’t approve for him. Kai only knew what Chen allowed him to know.

Kai responded to it well. Even tattling on himself when he started to think freely again. Kai regarded his own thoughts as treacherous and would reject them in favor of Chen’s words. A perfect follower. Of course Clouse’s magic had made such submission much easier to achieve and maintain.

Even if Kai somehow broke free from it, there was no where to run. He was trapped in Chen’s domain. There was no way off the island without Chen’s approval and as long as Kai stayed where Chen could reach him, Chen could always bring him back in.

Kai had come so far and sunk so deep. It was time to make the final push. It was time to make his final claim on the boys mind and start his grand plans.

“A scale from the great devourer!” Master Chen pointed out.

Kai cringed. That thing had not been a fun fight. He continued to follow Master Chen down the hallway.

“Caption Soto’s peg leg!” He said.

Kai snickered a bit.

“How did you get that? Doesn’t he need it?”

“Oh, I have my ways.” Chen said in a cheeky way, moving on and not answering.

Kai shook his head and smiled one more time at the thought of the pirate hopping around on one foot. Then jogged up to Master Chen and continued his tour.

“A cog from the celestial clock!” Chen announced.

“Oh wow!” Kai remarked.

That had to be hard to get. It was an impressive piece in the collection.

“Zane’s pink gi”

“What!?”

“Oh, it’s just something I came across. Always looking out for important items you know?”

Kai blinked, and then stared at it.

He could faintly see his own reflection in the glass. The pink fabric that had once been on his now gone friend. He remembered the day Lloyd had done it. Zane had been forced to use the gi on their mission that night, it wound up working out, but Zane never lived it down.

Well until….

Kai turned away very suddenly. Master Chen had an arm around him before he knew it.

“Oh, I know you miss your friend.” Master Chen said while rubbing Kai’s back “But come look at this!”

He led Kai to the other wall and took a sword off its display.

“This is my favorite in the entire collection! An Anacondrai sword! The sharpest blade in existence!”

Master Chen swung the sword to illustrate his point, slicing a banner.

“Look! See how it cuts! So sharp there’s no fraying.” Chen pointed to the cut he made.

Kai looked at it and hummed in appreciation. The blade had cut with barely any pressure, Chen wasn’t lying, it was sharper than anything Kai had ever seen.

“Would you like to hold it?” Master Chen asked.

Kai practically had stars in his eyes.

Master Chen handed the blade over and Kai immediately started drooling over the craftsmanship. The edging material was certainly not any he’d worked with before. It almost looked like Colored glass, and the beveling was unreal. He wondered if the material was naturally that flawless or if it had been polished for what had to have been weeks. The core was made of what seemed to be bone. Was it Anacondrai bones? It seemed to be a stabilized lower half of the spine. Kai wondered what method they used to form it into a core and tang.

He gave it a test swing and let out a long and impressed breath of air. The thing handled like a dream! The bones had enough flexibility to allow for some give, and obviously whatever edging they used was hard enough to hold a wicked edge.

And oh, the edge. The serrations were so unique and would’ve taken a master to recreate. The tip came to a fine striking point that made Kai cringe in sympathy. Getting stabbed head on with the curves in the blade would leave a jagged wound that wouldn’t be easily patched up, if at all.

Kai took his attention to the handle. The pummel was awfully plain, but he supposed it didn’t need much decoration with how beautiful the blade was on it’s own. The sword appeared to be a hand-and-a-half style, though with how large serpentine could get, it may’ve been intended as a standard arming sword.

He swung it once more and grinned at the way it sliced through the air.

“What’s it made of?”

“The Anacondrai never let a fallen warrior go to waste. They’d take the spine and scales of their strongest and make them into weapons for the next generation to use. It was the highest honor.”

Kai looked away from the blade, not sure if that made him uncomfortable or not.

“Master swordsmiths would melt the scales down to forge it to the bone and spend what could be months polishing it.” Master Chen explained

Kai whistled. He could appreciate the dedication it took to polish a blade like that. It took a lot of work and devotion from the swordsmith. You didn’t do it without falling in love with the blade you were working on.

The blade being made of a previous warrior added to that process. Kai imagined it could be a good way to work through the grief of losing a friend, to dedicate so much time working with their essence and shaping it into something new. Preparing them for a second life of sorts.

A sword made from a warrior would probably be happy as a weapon. Probably the most willing material there could be. When Kai was little his dad told him that all metals had emotions and personalities. Being a blacksmith was about listening to it and working with the material, not against it. Each bit of material had something to tell you, and it was only by letting them speak you that you could turn it into a real blade. A weapon made from unhappy metal will never swing as true as a blade that chose its path.

His father also told him the legends about how a weapon would choose its welder. Ideally, the blade and the warrior should work together; respect one another. They should be friends. If they couldn’t work together the strain would break the blade. The sword would never yield to a warrior that it didn’t respect, and the balance would never be right. Kai had always silently asked for his weapon’s support whenever he used one. He liked to think that was why the Scythe of Quakes let him wield it’s power in the Caves of Despair. Why the Sword of Fire had chosen him to wield and protect it.

“Seeing you wield that blade just makes me so proud.” Master Chen said, interrupting Kai’s thoughts.

Kai smiled. Speaking of his father….did he consider Master Chen a father? He’d certainly satisfied the duties. He kept Kai safe and protected, guided him, provided for him, punished him when he misbehaved, etc.

But did all of that really mean that Master Chen could be considered a parent?

“Kai, I brought you here to ask you something.” Master Chen said in a serious voice.

Kai set the sword down back on its display and looked at Master Chen curiously. He couldn’t think of what he could possibly need to ask him. He told Master Chen everything. It was one of his rules, “No keeping secrets from your Master”, Master Chen needed to know everything if he was going to teach Kai anything.

“Kai, I brought you here to show you my collection because I wanted you to know what I meant when I said that one day, you will inherit it all.”

Kai stopped and stared. What did that mean?

“Firebrand, you’re like a son to me. You and Skylor are my legacy and I couldn’t be prouder of that. Kai, I want you to agree to be my heir alongside Skylor. I want both of you by my side!” Master Chen explained.

Kai blinked.

And blinked.

And blinked again.

There was no way. Chen was….Master Chen had….

“Oh, please say you will, Firebrand! I don’t know what I’ll do if you don’t!”

Kai forced himself to breathe. In and out. In and out. Was he crying again? Yes. Of course, he was! Chen wanted him to stay. He wanted him to be by his side. He really loved him.

Kai couldn’t force the words out; he was doing good just breathing.

Master Chen… He really was his father. He saw Kai as his own, this just confirmed it. He wasn’t going to abandon him. Kai had a family that needed him.

He sobbed violently as he nodded his head.

Master Chen jumped and clapped his hands in glee, then scooped Kai up into a hug.

“Oh! I’m so happy! We must celebrate! I’m so happy to have you Firebrand!”

Kai sunk into Chen’s arms and smiled. He felt like he belonged.

Kai had slowly stopped crying in the middle of the night. He guessed it was just fear that Chen was going to cast him out, and now that Chen had declared Kai his own, there was no more doubt where he belonged. At least, that was what made the most sense to Kai.

Kai just wanted to hurry up and make it official.

“When am I going to get my tattoo?” Kai whined.

“Patience, Firebrand!” Master Chen scolded playfully.

“But Skylor has hers! If I’m going to be your heir, I should have one too, right?”

“You aren’t ready yet Firebrand.” Master Chen explained carefully.

“But Master Chen-“

Master Chen cut him off with a tender hand on his shoulder.

“Soon, Firebrand.”

Kai pouted. He just wanted Master Chen to trust him.

“I promise, you’ll be one of us before my plans begin. We’ll need you; you know!” Master Chen said affectionately.

Kai sighed, but let the matter go. Master Chen always had reasons for what he did and didn’t do. So, he’d just have to trust him.

Master Chen squeezed his shoulder roughly. Oh, he needed Kai to confirm that he understood.

“I trust you.” Kai assured him.

Master Chen smiled at him and let go. Kai smiled back.

“Now, I think Skylor should be finished by now. You should go spar. I’ll need you both in top condition when things start happening.”

Kai nodded happily while Master Chen ruffled his hair.

“I’m so proud of you.” Master Chen said warmly.

“I’d do anything to make you proud!” Kai promised.

Master Chen looked surprised for a moment, taking a step back in shock. Then his face turned into delight as he rubbed Kai’s shoulder.

“That’s my Firebrand! So Loyal!” Master Chen praised.

Kai preened. It wasn’t the first time he was told he was a model follower. He made sacrifices for his family, he did everything his Master asked, and never questioned him. He had a lot to be proud of. There was a reason Master Chen relied on him.

“Never change!” Master Chen said cheerfully as he left to go attend to his other business.

Kai was happy to participate in one of the ceremonies. Master Chen said it was an important one too. He was in charge of one of the drums.

He really loved the drums. They were so loud and soothing. It felt like they beat the bad thoughts out of his head some days. When he felt weird, he’d trying to drum on his leg to feel better. It wasn’t the same, but it helped him force treacherous thoughts out when he had them. And of course, he always told Chen when they became a problem so that he could help get rid of them. It was a rule after all.

Kai had no bad thoughts while the drums pounded though, so he just focused on keeping the steady rhythm. Someone was brought in and Kai heard chains rattle. He didn’t look up though, he had to keep the drums going. Whoever it was, Master Chen had a good reason for them to be in chains, he always did. No need to question anything. No matter what the little voice in the back of his head screamed. He’d just drown it out with the comforting sound of the drums.

Just listen to the drums. Not the chains, not the struggling, not the prisoner talking, just the drums.

“Let go of me!”

No. Don’t Listen. Even if the voice does sound just like…

“Zane!?” Kai yelled.

He couldn’t help himself; he had looked.

“Kai?” Zane asked in disbelief.

Kai dropped his jaw and the drumsticks.

What was Zane doing there? Why was he in chains? How was he there? Wasn’t he dead? What was going on?

“Kai, what are you doing? Why are you here? Did he kidnap you too?” Zane asked in concern.

Kai’s head spun.

The drums stopped, when did they stop?

Skylor was next to him but seemed hesitant to touch him.

“Kai…What did he do to you?” Zane asked, staring at Kai’s clothes and face paint.

Everybody was silent. Why wasn’t anybody saying anything? They were all staring at him. Kai hated the silence. Silence was bad. Silence made him think bad thoughts and work himself into a panic.

Chen….Master Chen had to have an answer. He always had one! Right, Master Chen would be able to explain this.

“M….Master Chen? What’s going on?” Kai asked in a tight voice.

“Why do you call him ‘Master’, Brother? He’s the villain! He’s kidnapped me and Pixal!”

“He….has a good reason….Right?” Kai looked at Chen, desperate for an answer.

“Firebrand, I need you to trust me right now, alright.” Chen’s voice sounded too sweet.

Kai’s breathing picked up. It was too much. He couldn’t think! He had to do something, but what? His brain was on fire and his chest was filled with rocks.

“I….I need to know what’s happening!” Kai begged.

“Kai, he’s lying to you!”

“Firebrand, you know I have reasons for everything I do. I can’t tell you right now, but you trust me, right?”

“Kai!”

“Firebrand!”

Chen wasn’t explaining. Zane was back from the dead and chained up yelling about Master Chen being the villain. It didn’t make sense. Nothing made sense! His thoughts were too loud. Why couldn’t the drums come back and take them away?

“Stop!” Kai yelled.

They didn’t stop. They kept yelling. Skylor reached for him and he shoved her off.

He had to….had to…

Zane. He had to help Zane.

He made his decision. In the haze of panic and confusion, he’d finally found himself. He squared his shoulders and prepared to go help his brother and demand Chen explain what in the world was happening. Before he could move past the drum, Clouse had him by back of his neck. Kai suddenly felt all his strength spill out onto the floor. His legs gave out as Clouse pulled him away.

Master Chen looked so mad and Skylor so concerned. Kai knew he messed up big time. Why did he do that? Why did he think he could just stand up to Master Chen like that? He should’ve known better! Now he was going to be punished.

Ears ringing, hands bound, Kai’s world was spinning when Master Chen threw him across the floor. He groaned in pain. He really messed up this time. This was so much worse than going somewhere he wasn’t supposed to. There was no telling what Master Chen was going to do to him.

Whatever it would be, it started with a beating.

“How could you do that to me, Firebrand?” Chen yelled. “I though you trusted me!”

“I do!” Kai said, he earned another kick in the gut.

“You made a fool of me Firebrand! You undermined me in front of everyone! How can I ask anyone to follow me if even my own heir can’t follow orders!?”

“I didn’t mean to-” Kai was interrupted when Master Chen yanked him back by his hair.

“I don’t care what you meant, Firebrand, I care what you did.” Master Chen hissed in his face “You made a fool out of me! You embarrassed me!”

He dropped Kai to the floor again. Kai tried to force himself up, the chains around his wrist clinking and adding to the terror.

“But it was Zane!”

“And I am your master!” Master Chen screamed, pushing Kai’s face into the ground with his foot. "And you betrayed me! After everything I've given you. Everything I've promised you!? You spit on all my gifts!”

“No!” Kai protested.

“Yes! Yes, you did!” Master Chen screamed, hitting Kai again. “You promised to follow me Kai! You said you’d make me proud! I told you I wanted you to be my heir and I meant it!"

“I’m sorry!” Kai cried.

The world flashed white and there was a cracking sound that rang louder than it should’ve. Kai couldn’t even figure out where he had been hurt. The pain was turning so intense it frayed his senses to the point of failure. He couldn’t tell what he was feeling, physically or mentally. Though he could venture a pretty good guess at why he was crying this time at least.

“And more than that, you promised me you wouldn’t make me punish you again! Do you know how much this hurts me?”

Kai started to shake in fear and shame.

“You’re supposed to be an example, Firebrand! I can’t have you doing things like this without punishment!”

Kai was ripped off the ground and slammed down again. He was fairly sure his rib cracked. How could he have messed up this badly?

His bones rattled and his muscles tore apart with every strike while Kai could do nothing to stop the hurt but hope his master would show mercy soon and comply as best he could until then.

“I don’t ask for much. Do I? Am I being unreasonable!?”

“No.” Kai muttered.

He had to give the right answers. He couldn’t afford to upset Chen anymore than he already had. It was already so bad.

“I didn’t think so! I just need you to work with me, Firebrand! I want the best from you! I can’t do anything with you if you don’t give me that.”

Master Chen ripped him off the ground again and the world tilted back and forth for a moment. Kai moaned as Master Chen dragged him away.

“I’m only doing this because I love you!” Master Chen told him.

Kai’s head hurt too much to think. He didn’t know what was going to happen to him now. They weren’t going to his room; Chen was taking him outside and into the jungle.

“I’m sorry.” Kai slurred, hoping to soften whatever was coming.

“I don’t want to hear it until after your punishment.” Master Chen said emotionlessly.

Kai whimpered.

They arrived at a waterfall, not the big scenic one. This one was colder, hidden out of sight. Less of a monument and more of an oubliette. Kai shivered from the cold air pouring off it while Chen dragged him to a small cave just off to it’s left. There was a wooden pole just close enough to the waterfall to be damp.

Chen looped his cuffs onto the pole above his head and Kai was hung just low enough for his feet to catch the ground. The waterfall was lightly misting him with icy water. He cringed and tried to pull away from the cold as the it washed away his face paint.

Kai didn’t dare say anything else. He let his head hang submissively, accepting his punishment.

Master Chen said nothing. Only giving Kai one last look of disappointment before leaving. No word on how long it would be, and no promise of return.

Kai shivered. The sun was almost gone already, and he wasn’t wearing a shirt. The cuffs were vengestone so he could use his powers to warm himself up. Cold, sore, hungry, and repentant, Kai had nothing to do but wallow in his own suffering.

He was brought out of his miserable thoughts by the quiet hissing sounds coming from the shadows. He whined and tried to pull away, but he only swung and pulled at his tender arms.

Snakes started to slither out of the shadows, towards him and his warmth.

The first bite was a burning agony he wasn’t prepared for. It was followed with many painful encores, each bite as sharp as the last. The venom was burning his skin worse than the cold. It almost beat the guilt too.

Did Master Chen know about the snakes? Were they part of his punishment, or something unexpected? Where they deadly? Would they kill him? Was he about to die having disappointed another father with no chance to fix it?

Kai sobbed in pain and grief.

His mouth tasted like blood and his body throbbed in torture. Kai wasn’t sure he still existed. His head felt like it was filled with hot mud while his body was submerged in frigid agony. He was so cold and sore and tired and sick and hungry and…. He was a lot of things.

The snakes had thankfully left him to go lay in the sunshine that Kai couldn’t reach. They left their painful souvenirs on him though.

Between the beating and the snake bites, the pain was deafeningly loud, drowning out every other sense and feeling… almost.

The only thing louder than the pain was the unbearable shame that lived in ever vein and nerve. What didn’t ache like a crime, stung like a sin. It was agony and Kai knew he deserved it.

He hung from his cuffs, having surrendered to his suffering long ago. He broke the rules. He had upset his master and was being punished for it. This was the only way he could repent for being so disobedient.

Kai started crying again. He wanted Master Chen to come back, more than anything. He just wanted Master Chen to come back and forgive him. He was stupid for freaking out over Zane. He should know to trust Master Chen by now. It was immature and selfish of him to throw a tantrum like that. Master Chen always has good reasons for everything he does, how could he forget that? He needed to let Chen tell him what to think because he only had idiotic ideas on his own. He was stupid, impulsive, and useless on his own.

Master Chen always knew best. He had to remember that and stop fighting his help.

Kai’s sad musing was interrupted. A sound, like someone approaching, maybe his salvation. He could’ve been hallucinating though. He wasn’t even sure how much time had passed and there was no telling what kind of venom those snakes had.

“Oh, you poor thing.”

Kai’s heart rate spiked.

“Master Chen?” Kai asked blindly.

He’d been so lost in his pain and sorrow that he hadn’t realized that he couldn’t actually see. Tears blocked out a good amount of his surroundings, but the dizziness in his head is what made the world too blurry to make out beyond them.

“I’m here, Firebrand.”

Kai started to cried in relief. Even if it wasn’t real, Kai would take it. It was too nice to hear Master Chen’s voice speaking to him kindly.

“Master Chen! I’m sorry! I’m so sorry for no trusting you! I was stupid. I’ll never do it again! Please, please forgive me, Master!” Kai pleaded, desperate for absolution.

Master Chen hummed happily as he helped Kai off the pole he was chained to. So he was real.

“I’m so sorry.” Kai sobbed, throwing himself into Chen’s arms.

“Don’t do it again, Firebrand. You know I hate punishing you.”

Kai nodded while Master Chen wrapped a blanket around him. Kai was so weak from everything he’d been through that Master Chen practically carried him from there. He was so warm and safe; Kai was having trouble not falling asleep in his arms.

“I’m sorry.” Kai mumbled as his consciousness drifted out of his reach.

“And poor Skylor! You promised her too. You let her down, Firebrand! She’s been so lonely without you.” Master Chen explained.

“I was stupid. I won’t do it ever again.” Kai said, he couldn’t keep his eyes open. “Never.”

Master Chen gently carded his hand through Kai’s hair, and he was out like a light, still mumbling apologies in his sleep.

Kai stared at his shoes. He felt weird. He promised Master Chen he wouldn’t question him again, but he still had so many. Master Chen wanted to take over Ninjago. Was that what Kai wanted? He felt like it wasn’t. And what about Zane?

Kai knew exactly where he was, if he wanted to, he could go to him right then and free him and they’d go….

Home?

What was that? Did Kai even have one? He knew he had one at Master Chen’s side, that meant he cared, right?

The thought felt sour. Master Chen loved him. Why did that feel so wrong to think? Maybe he just didn’t know how to be loved. It’s not like he had a father to love him like Master Chen had, so how would he know?

But sometimes Master Chen seemed like he was….a villain. That was what Zane called him. Zane who was his friend. Zane who would never lie to him. Zane who he should trust.

No. No. Bad.

Kai started to thump on his thigh, trying to drown out the thought.

Zane didn’t understand anything. He was the one that left Kai. Master Chen was the one that found him and took him in. Master Chen was the one he was supposed to trust. He was happy here.

He kept thumping.

He wanted this.

He was happy with this.

He belonged here.

He didn’t want to fight back or ask questions.

He trusted Master Chen.

Master Chen was always right.

Chen was his master and he had to obey him.

Kai would obey.

Obey.

Obey.

Stop thinking.

Stop fighting.

OBEY!

Kai blinked his hazy eyes. What was he thinking about? It was something bad, right? That’s why he started drumming on his thigh. No point trying to remember it, he forced it out for a reason.

Why was he such a mess? How had he ever functioned before Master Chen? He was a disaster and needed all the guidance he could get. Why wasn’t he more grateful for it?

Kai sighed and rubbed the spot over his aching heart. He didn’t know what to feel.

Was this really what he wanted? To be here? To be this!? He thought it was. So why wasn’t he happy?

“Hey Firebrand!” Skylor said from the doorway.

Kai didn’t respond. He wanted his sister. He felt so lonely without her. Did she feel the same? Probably not. Why would she miss him?

“Hey…” Skylor repeated quieter, sitting next to him “What’s with the long face?”

Kai didn’t look at her, so she gently cupped his cheek and forced him to look at her.

“What is it?” she whispered.

Kai shuddered under her tender gaze.

“I…I feel so worthless and stupid.” Kai admitted, her shining eyes forcing honesty out of him.

“Well, you are far from that.” She laughed airily “You are worth everything to me.”

Blush started to dance on Kai’s cheeks. He tried to look away to avoid her eyes, but Skylor’s hand was still stopping his head from moving away.

“Kai.” She said in a whisper, yet it felt like she’d yelled it.

Kai stared right into her eyes.

“You are a wonderful boyfriend and a great follower. You have your issues, but we love you. I love you! Every broken little bit!” Skylor said firmly. “You’re beautiful to me.”

Kai’s breathing stopped for a minute. His heart was fluttering from the heat of her hand on his cheek. He would look away, but he was stuck in her eyes, counting every gold fleck as she stared into his soul without flinching.

“That’s why you belong right here, with us, with me.” she said.

Kai was speechless while Skylor rubbed away his tears.

“I….I’ve never been enough.” Kai said.

“You are for us.” Skylor whispered. “You’re enough for me.”

Kai shuddered but leaned into her touch. He let his eyes close and Skylor pulled him close. Their faces touched, but she didn’t kiss him. She just held him in quiet intimacy.

“This is where you belong Kai. Trust us.”

Kai nodded against her.

Kai didn’t know why he was nervous. He wasn’t scared. Why would he be? It was a good thing. He was finally getting his tattoo and fully accepted as Master Chen’s follower. The entire ceremony was all for him. They were celebrating his achievement.

Kai thumped on his thigh. He needed to stop over thinking things. He just confused himself when he did that. All he needed to do was listen to Master Chen. Even when he felt strange about it, his master knew best.

Someone came to get him, it was time.

Kai took a deep breath and followed after them obediently. He held his head high and tried to look confident and proud.

He relaxed when he heard the drums. They were a familiar comfort. He couldn’t think bad thoughts when he had the drums to take them away. He came into the room and swayed as the scent hit him, it was always so sweet and fuzzy. He couldn’t overthink if he couldn’t think at all, so it was a good thing that it made him so dizzy. Master Chen would tell him if he had to think about anything important.

Speaking of the man, his face brightened when he saw Kai.

“Firebrand!” Master Chen greeted cheerfully.

Kai smiled while he made his way onto the stage. He’d finally made Master Chen proud and earned his mark. He was beaming when Chen pulled him in for a hug. Kai relaxed even more.

Chen turned to everyone else.

“Our Firebrand has made a lot of progress and I couldn’t imagine where we’d all be without him. Today he officially joins you all!”

The applause further drowned out any creeping thoughts Kai had. He was happy. This was what he wanted. This was where he belonged.

“Now, Firebrand.” Master Chen said, turning to address Kai “I know you know what a big responsibility this is.”

Kai nodded and Master Chen smiled.

“This is a commitment Kai. You’re promising to follow my rules and teaching. You can’t take this back. I’m accepting you as one of my own. I’m trusting you to not let me down.”

“I promise to obey Master Chen.” Kai said.

His head still felt a little too fuzzy to make promises, but it was what he was supposed to do. It’s what he was supposed to want to do.

Was that normal? Why did that sound…so bad? Should he be thinking more?

The drums started and Kai remembered to stop thinking. Master Chen told him what to think. He ignored how uncomfortable that felt in his head and accepted it. He didn’t need to be thinking.

Chen helped him into position while Clouse stood by with the supplies. He muttered something and Kai felt himself relax again. Even if Clouse’s eyes seemed to glow for a moment there, Kai let his head fill with cotton while he listened to the drums and the chanting. It was soothing to listen and obey.

“Now I don’t personally do tattoos usually, so I hope you know what and honor this is, Firebrand.”

Kai hummed, too relaxed to form words, and Chen started.

The pain woke him up just a bit and Kai felt worry again. Did he really want this? This was permanent. Did he really want to let Master Chen mark him like this? This meant Kai was committing to Master Chen and….he was giving up everything else. He was giving up on the other ninja, on Wu, and….was he giving up Nya? Did he want to do that? Why would he-

The drums and chanting got louder, and Kai couldn’t think through the haze.

Of course, this is what he wanted. He was committing to his Master and in exchange his master was committing to him. Master Chen was giving him a permanent connection. No matter what happened he’d still belong to him. No matter how bad Kai messed up, Master Chen was promising to not give up on him, and Kai was promising to not screw up. It was comforting. It was good. It was what he wanted.

Even if it wasn’t, he couldn’t change his mind at that point. He belonged to Master Chen.

Kai shuddered. That was a comforting thought, why did it feel scary?

“And done!” Master Chen announced.

Kai was so relieved. It was over, so he could stop worrying about it and thinking things he didn’t want to think.

The skin on his shoulder stung and itched. Most of Chen’s followers went shirtless to show off their tattoos, so Kai wasn’t out of place when he forwent his to let the healing skin air out. It provided some relief. Skylor also seemed to appreciate the view, so that was a bonus.

Kai had spent so much time staring at it in the mirror while he rubbed in the lotion Master Chen gave him. Master Chen said he wanted Kai’s tattoo to be special. So Kai’s was different from everyone else’s. The disconnected shapes that formed a complete snake were red with purple outlines.

It made Kai beam with pride.

He had something physical to remind himself of how much Master Chen loved him. Even if it was a little painful. A lot of good things were painful. Kai would get used to it and it would heal over. Just like how Master Chen was harsh and strict with him. It was something Kai had to get used to, but it meant that he was loved. It was a good thing, even though it hurt.

The face of his sister flashed in his mind and Kai cringed.

He hadn’t exactly said goodbye. She might’ve been worried, with no idea if he was ok.

But her letters had slowed down to a stop. Kai could only guess she had gotten busy doing all the things she wanted to do now that he wasn’t holding her back. Jay was probably doing great with his show, Cole was probably having a great time traveling or whatever he was doing, and Lloyd was probably happy to have time to spend with his parents.

Kai was being selfish and wishful, thinking that they’d be worried or miss him. Nya was his sister and she barely noticed that he was gone, why would they care?

No, Kai belonged with Master Chen. He didn’t need to worry about old connections. He had a new life and a new purpose. His tattoo was proof of that.

He very stubbornly pushed the guilt and sadness away. He didn’t care. He shouldn’t care. He was just being stupid again.

Maybe he should go tell Master Chen that he’s missing his old life again so he could talk some sense into him. Remind Kai of why he was happier now, or beat the feelings out of him if he had to. Kai didn’t much care. He just wanted it to go away. He wanted to be better, be focused. He couldn’t do that if he let himself think such bad thoughts.

He was a mess, and he was lucky Master Chen was willing to put up with it. Kai really wanted to be worthy of that. Master Chen had been so good to him, he deserved better commitment from Kai.

Kai decided he was going to go seek out Master Chen’s counsel. He was feeling conflicted and needed the help. Hopefully he could get his head on straight before the big plans started. His Master needed him to be thinking clearly.

Kai was happy. It was almost time for Master Chen’s plans to start and he knew he had a place in them. The tattoo on his shoulder still stung, but it felt good now. It reminded him that he belonged to Master Chen now. He was never going to be alone again.

Skylor was holding his hand and Kai just smiled. Everything was so pleasant. He was excited for Master Chen to tell him what he had to do. Soon they’d rule all of Ninjago.

That sounded bad.

But it was good. Kai wanted that. Master Chen wanted it, and Kai wanted what Master Chen wanted.

“What are you thinking about?” Skylor asked.

Kai smiled.

“How happy I am. I’m so excited to rule Ninjago with you guys.”

Skylor smiled back.

“I wouldn’t have anyone else at my side.” She hummed, while leaning into his shoulder.

Kai let his head fill with a pleasant fog. He didn’t need to be thinking anyway. He just had to obey and be happy. He was so glad he’d talked to Master Chen about the feelings he was having. He’d been so concerned, but was proud of Kai for recognizing that he needed help and asking for it.

Master Chen had Clouse use his magic to treat Kai and it fixed everything. His priorities were back in order. Kai was so relieved to be rid of all that awful doubt that had been making him so confused. Now he was focused on being a good follower again. His mind was completely clear.

“Speaking of which, I think it’s about time.” Skylor said, leading Kai off to Clouse’s study.

Master Chen had told them to meet him there. Kai figured whatever he needed to do; Clouse would be helping somehow.

The room smelled strange as they walked in, but Kai ignored it, Clouse’s spells usually smelled strange. He had his spell book out and ingredients on the table in the center of the room with Master Chen standing next to him waving Skylor and Kai over.

“Firebrand! Are you ready for your first mission?” Master Chen asked.

Kai smiled brightly and nodded. He was so happy he could finally be useful.

Master Chen clapped.

“Excellent!” He cheered. “Clouse, if would you please?”

Skylor let go of him and stepped back while Clouse doused him in smoke. Kai cringed and coughed but didn’t move away. It smelled….distracting….and sweet...and dangerous. But that was ridiculous, Master Chen would never do anything like that to him.

Clouse started to chant and mutter things in his strange magic language. Kai felt himself getting drowsy as he swayed in place. He almost didn’t hear Master Chen through the haze.

“Now your job is very very simple, Firebrand. I just need you to sleep for a while.” Master Chen said soothingly.

Kai almost started to question it, but then realized he had no reason to. It’s not like he was supposed to question his master anyways. He just had to obey.

“When you wake up, I’ll have more for you to do, but for now, Skylor is going to help you.” Master Chen explained.

Kai nodded absently. Trying to think was like trying to swim through honey. It was easier to just trust Master Chen. Let his Master think for him like a good follower.

He felt Skylor kiss him and the last threads he had of consciousness snapped. He plunged straight into the darkness.

Skylor caught Kai before his limp body could hit the ground.

Her father laughed gleefully.

“Now we just have to tuck him out of the way until phase two.” He said.

Skylor handed her boyfriend over to Clouse, who had already opened a secret closet out of the wall. A tiny nook hidden in the wall with only one feature inside; a bed. Kai was set gently on it and the room was hidden away again. Skylor watched with a sour taste in her mouth.

“Oh, Skylor baby!” her father said, wrapping around her “I know it’s hard, but it’s only temporary. Don’t forget, the sooner we take the power from all the elemental masters, the sooner you’ll get him back. But for now, we need to keep him out of the way, safe and sound. He’ll be right here when we’ve gotten what we need.”

Skylor nodded.

“We’re so close. I’m so excited, aren’t you excited?” Chen yelled.

Skylor smiled.

“Yes I am.”

What was not to be excited about? She was about to become an all-powerful evil princess with a well-trained boyfriend by her side.

They laughed.