This story is to tribute raidpirate52, he was feeling down a few days ago, so I decided to write a short story for him to help him feel better. Of course, it's for the enjoyment of everyone else as well, so without further ado…
Please read and enjoy!
Chapter 1
(Zane's POV)
"Hey Zane, it's your turn to cook tonight right?"
Jay's voice crackles through my communicator on my Snowmobile as I speed down Brisbane Blvd. It was our turn to patrol the streets of Ninjago City and so far the night has been uneventful.
I give a light smile and chuckle a bit.
Only Jay would inquire about food during a patrol…well and maybe Cole if it is cake.
"Yes Jay," I reply as I stop at a red light, "do you wish to make a suggestion?"
"Okay okay stop badgering me, why don't you make nachos tonight? Yeah, and can you use hamburger meat AND crumbled up sausage meat that would be the ULTIMATE!" Jay finished ecstatically.
The light turns green and I continue on my way, even during nightfall Ninjago City's bustling with people and activity.
"Nachos you say, yes that would be an interesting change from the usual," I reply as I turn left on Sigmund St. "but do we have—"
I stop mid sentence as I see two black clothed men drag a lady down an alleyway.
Maybe this night will not be so uneventful after all…
"Jay, I may have an altercation on Sigmund St, can you provide assistance?" I inquire stonily.
"Yeah, I've got your coordinates I'm on my way bro," came the hasty reply.
I dispel my Spinjitsu vehicle and stealthily approach the corner leading to the alleyway the two men had gone through with the woman.
I lean my back against the wall and lean slightly to see down the alleyway, my eyes adjusting to the darkness.
There are the two culprits.
"Well well now Kyle, looks like we have ourselves a pretty one tonight," a sinister voice called out to his partner.
"Yeah, looks that way Frank, heh we should have ourselves a grand ol' time with this one," the one named Kyle says darkly, his voice laced with malice and lust.
"No, please," the woman began feebly, "please just take my money and go, you can have all of it."
"Oh don't you worry, we'll take your money alright, but first…we're gonna take you," Frank retorts back beginning to advance on the defenseless woman.
I must act now!
"Halt!" I shout out, turning my body off the wall and revealing myself before the criminals.
"Huh!"
Kyle spins around holding a knife while Frank grabs the woman and uses her as a human shield. He then pulls out a gun and points it at her temple.
Typical act of cowardice from scumbags, I think wrathfully while summoning my Shurikens of Ice.
"Who the hell are you freak!" Frank spits out angrily.
"Yeah, you just come from a costume party?" Kyle mocked pointing his knife at me.
"Who I am is irrelevant," I counter stoically narrowing my eyes, "all you must know is that I will be your undoing if you do not reframe from committing your heinous acts upon that woman."
"What!" Kyle bellowed, "You and what army pajama man!"
"You called!"
A loud dangerous voice shouts gleefully from above.
Kyle looks up as Jay lands right in front of him, disarming him quickly with a swing of his nunchuks.
Franks yelps in surprise and points his gun at Jay in retaliation.
I quickly run along the narrow wall towards them and throw one of my shurikens at him, aimed at his weapon.
*Bang! Clang!*
A shot fires off and narrowly misses Jay as metal hits metal and the gun is flung out of Frank's hand.
I then kick off the wall and flip over and behind Frank, catching my shuriken as it returns to me. I land behind him and before he has a chance to turn around I thrust two fingers in the back of his neck, hitting the sensitive nerve there.
The criminal releases his hold on the woman and crumples to the floor unconscious.
I look to see Jay dispatch Kyle with a crippling blow to his stomach, Frank's partner in crime doubles over and pain then hits the floor as well.
"Well that was easy," Jay comments dryly, sheathing his nunchuks.
I turn to the woman.
"Are you alright miss?" I inquire gently.
The woman's eyes are still wide with fright, but they slowly calm once she sees we mean her no harm.
"Yes, thank you," she replies shakily.
She looks to the ground and I see her handbag.
Jay swiftly picks it up, dusts the debris from it, and hands her the bag.
She takes the bag mutely with a nod of thanks to Jay.
"It is best if you leave this street and hurry home," I instruct gently, but sternly, "it would be safer for you take the bus from now on to avoid a repeat of tonight."
"There's a bus stop right on Brisbane and Lexington," Jay says while jutting his thumb out behind him towards Brisbane Blvd.
"A-Alright I'll head there now and thanks again."
And with a farewell nod she dashes out of the alleyway and hopefully home.
"Well Zane," Jay began, turning to face me, "what do you think we should do with Dumb and Dumber?" He finishes giving a small, but hard kick to the unconscious Kyle.
"We shall leave them here," I instruct surely, "I have already conducted a biometric scan on them and see they have a very long and grim criminal record. The proper authorities will be here shortly to arrest these two perpetrators," I finish while looking down at the scum by my feet.
"Cool, I guess that means it's time for some nachos," Jay replies turning around to the exit.
I make my way to him and together we walk towards the exit.
*pitiful wail*
Jay and I stop dead in our tracks at the heart-wrenching sound.
"What was that? Was that you, are you okay?" Jay questions, turning to me with worry in his eyes.
"I am fine that was not me," I reassure looking around.
The same pitiful cry sounds out again and we both turn around frantically searching for the source.
"Zane, there!" Jay shouts pointing to the ground near the far wall.
We both trot and kneel beside the little reddish cream shaded bundle of fur.
"It's a cat," Jay observes looking over the feline carefully.
"Yes and it is hurt," I say taking notice of the small pool of blood gushing from a wound on its flank.
"It would seem the wayward shot claimed an innocent bystander," I observe gravely while shaking my head.
"Not yet," Jay says pointedly "look here, the bullet just grazed its side it can still be saved!"
Jay rises with determination shining in his blue eyes.
"Pick it up gently Zane; it's time to initiate Operation: Cat Rescue!"
(Jay's POV)
"I think I saw a vet clinic on the corner of Raid and Pirate," I say while exiting the alleyway looking west of here.
"Really, I thought I saw a veterinary hospital on 5th and 2nd near a convenience store," Zane counters coming up beside me.
The little cat was nestled gently in Zane's white robes, staining them red.
"Well, whatever it doesn't matter which one," I say whipping my nunchuks out and activating my Storm Fighter.
"Then let us take the one on Raid and Pirate since it is closer," Zane says leaping carefully into the cockpit.
"Right!" I holler up following suit.
My Storm Fighter lifts off and zooms through the evening sky towards the clinic. It takes only eight minutes to find the place and I quickly dispel my Fighter when we reach the entrance.
We both take off our hoods and jog inside the clinic.
"Excuse me," I began nicely, but urgently while striding over to the receptionist, "we have this cat here that needs medical attention ASAP!"
The receptionist furrows her brow slightly and looks over at Zane's bloodied clothes. She jumps up in alarm and walks briskly from around her desk to the front of my nindroid brother.
"Oh my goodness what happened!?" the lady asks eyeing the bloodied bundle of fur.
"I am afraid it was shot, can you provide aid?" Zane questions worriedly.
"Yes, leave it to us," the receptionist remarks resolutely removing the feline from Zane's arms.
One little claw latches on to Zane's robes, but breaks free after the lady distances herself from the white ninja.
My brother's hazel eyes widen in surprise and endearment at the adorable display and I call to the little one.
"We'll be waiting right here for you."
(Waiting Room forty-six minutes later)
"Are you two the proud owners of this handsome Laperm," a kind feminine voice calls gently.
Zane and I launch up from our seats to meet the woman who could only be the head Veterinarian here from the looks of her pure white lab coat.
"In all honesty—," Zane began hesitantly.
"Yep, he's our alright," I interrupt quickly, patting my brother on the shoulder and giving him pointed look, "his name is uh—," I struggle to find a suitable name for the wavy short-haired feline, his light reddish cream colored pelt neatly groomed and his bright golden expressive eyes staring at us expectantly.
"Faustus, his name is Faustus," Zane puts in helpfully, "we just adopted him recently and have yet to give him a collar or tracking chip."
Yes, the King of Subterfuge to the rescue!
I nod my head eagerly to Dr. Bluestar, spotting her name badge on her white coat, to confirm Zane's story and she accepts it well enough.
"In that case, make sure you get those things taken care of, he seems to be in pretty good physical condition despite the laceration to his left flank, but he will need his shots soon," the good doctor instructs while petting Faustus.
Faustus closes his eyes in bliss and a loud purr reverberates from his throat, echoing throughout the empty waiting room.
"Be gentle with him," Dr. Bluestar continues while passing Faustus over to Zane, "change his bandage twice a day and be mindful of his stitches, with tender love and care he should be fine within a few weeks, but don't hesitate to call if the stitches start to smell or he's starts to favor his left side."
Dr. Bluestar's ice-blue eyes pin us both down with their fierce gaze, her blue-tinged silver hair gives her a sort of noble and regal appearance as her voice carries proud authority.
"Take care of this cat gentlemen," she concludes astutely, "for each one is a small treasure in this world."
"Yes Dr. Bluestar," Zane and I say in unison while giving a bow of respect.
Sheesh, I kind of felt that we had to…
We exit the clinic, but I look up to check out the clinic's name for future reference.
ThunderClan Cat Clinic…
What a bizarre, but efficient name for a clinic.
I summon my Storm Fighter once again and we both hop in the cockpit to head home.
"Jay, I believe we may have a dilemma," Zane starts apprehensively.
"Huh, how so? Sensei Wu won't mind a cat on the Bounty," I say off-handedly.
"True, but a certain Ninja of Fire might," Zane concludes warily.
Oh, I had forgotten about Dante's Inferno…
Ever since a cat jumped on Kai's head when he was trying to retrieve it for a little girl making him fall from a tree, he detested cats with a vengeance.
"Well, until we figure out a way to convince Kai that cats are radical pets, we'll just have to hide Faustus from him," I say determinedly.
"Nya, Cole, and Dennis the Menace will help us too."
A loud joyful purr reverberates through the cockpit, Zane must be petting him.
Don't worry Faustus, you're staying with us.
"Oh and Zane, where did you come up with the name Faustus?" I ask curiously.
"It is a Roman Latin name," he says knowingly, "it means lucky."
For you my good friend! I really hope you enjoyed reading this raidpirate52 and await anxiously for the epic conclusion next chapter! If anyone wishes to, feel free to review or comment about this story. After Book Four in Elements I will start taking requests from everyone or starting my AU high school fic for Ninjago, before I start on my new series Trials and Tribulations which will be a direct sequel to Elements!
I'll see you guys later!