Chapter 1

Four Weapons

A month after those events took place, Kai's aunt finally made her decision. She would take the children tomorrow, the day Kai would be discharged from the Ninjago City Hospital. His wounds were mostly healed, but Nya had something far worse. Amnesia.

They had to explain to her part of the tragedy that had befallen the Smith family. In the depths of Kai's heart, he supposed not remembering those events would be best for her.

However, they were obligated to give an explanation to his oblivious sister. The truth was ugly, and they only told her half of it.

They claimed there was an accident involving Kai, Nya, her mother, and her father. The parents passed away, and her brother supposedly ended up in the hospital for that reason.

Aunt Smith gently knocks on Kai's hospital door with her right fist. She tucks a few strands of brown hair behind her ear, and waits for a response. An eleven-year-old girl with ebony hair down to her shoulders in a red dress clutches the middle-aged woman's left hand.

Her almond eyes are lit with joy when the door opens. A thirteen-year-old boy with dark, brown hair and eyes, dressed in a pale blue hospital scrub smiles at them. His eyes are puffy, and red from crying again, and he hates himself for it.

No weakness in front of her. Nya needs you with her, Kai thinks. "Morning, Nya. Morning, Aunt Smith," Kai greets them, his voice less cheery than his face.

"Kai Smith, how many times have I told you not to answer the door yourself?" his aunt reprimands him. This morning, she is not amused.

Kai is not amused either. Ever since those horrific events, he has been crying every night when no one is around. Any sort of cheer flees from his soul. "Sorry," he responds, "I just can't sit all day long in a bed."

"Kai, how are you feeling?" Nya asks before anything else can be said.

"Like I could jump out the window, and land on my feet." Kai offers a fake smile, and pushes the door open all the way. The two enter inside, and take the two, metal chairs that are always there for them.

They visit him every day, yet this one will be quite different. They both sit, and Aunt Smith crosses her legs, smoothing out her khaki skirt. Nya copies her, while Kai sits on the edge of the white bed, tapping his left slipper on the tile floor.

"Tomorrow I'm being discharged, so you must have come for a discussion. Right?" Kai probes.

"Yes, I did. You see we need to discuss your living arrangements." The kind woman folds her hands in her lap.

Kai clutches the metal on the bed until his knuckles turn white. Inevitably, she will have to mention his parents, something he always dreads. The pain of losing them is far too near. He simply nods, and waits for her to continue.

"In your father's will, he left you his blacksmith shop for when you would be older. Sadly, his passing away left the place in my hands. You can live with me, and learn in the shop until you are capable of running it yourselves," Aunt Smith explains.

Once again, Kai nods slowly. "I am sorry, but today is going to be busy, so Nya and I have to leave right now," Aunt Smith apologizes, and gets up, "Goodbye Kai."

"Bye, Kai," Nya waves at her brother as they leave the room.

"Bye," he waves back as they exit, and shut the door. Not two minutes after their departure, a female nurse enters, carrying a new change of clothes, and a towel.

Kai refrains from rolling his eyes at the routine of showering every morning at 7:30. Why did he need to this early?

"Come on, Kai. Please don't give me more trouble. I'm just doing my job," the petite, Asian female says, "I will wait outside the shower room, as usual."

"Okay," Kai responds, and reluctantly follows her out of the room, yet still glad to get out.

Once they make it to the room—past quite a few halls and patients—the nurse hands him the clothing and towel. Kai takes them, and enters the room where there is white tile, and many white stalls. On his right are the showers, and on his right are the sinks and mirrors. No one is present.

He throws the stuff over the door where it hangs on both sides of the nearest stall, and opens it. He shuts it, and removes his uniform, throwing it over the door as well. He turns on the faucet. Icy water hits his head, and he shudders.

Goosebumps form on his skin as he turns it on hot, to soothe those aches in his back. Scars remain on his body, and oftentimes sting. They tear easily, and can he be a bit sensitive to being knocked into, something Kai does often.

The hot water finally comes, and steam rises in the stall, making the walls all sticky. Perhaps a bit of time alone is best for him.

He uses a bar of soap from a little extension protruding from the left wall, and washes his easily knotted hair. The spikes he usually has are flattened down, and have been since he was admitted to the hospital.

He sighs deeply, finishes the shower, and changes. To return to his hospital room of boredom is not something he fancies, but anything is better than what had happened.

At least Nya doesn't have to remember, or stay here. Things will get better for her, I hope, Kai thinks, and climbs back into his bed. The television on the wall is on the news channel, something that oddly interests him.

"And this is Gale Gossip on the scene of what appears to be a murder suspect being escorted to court. A thirteen-year-old boy with no alleged memory of his past was found injured at the scene of a horrific crime. An older woman and her granddaughter's bodies were found in their house in Jamanukai Village. The boy had lived with them for three weeks, and so were three others: Kai and Nya Smith, and Jason Wentworth."