Authors Notes: This is a rift fic! If you haven't read the other ones please do so! Also read Susimi's fic also it explains Duck!

Please Read and Review!

Crumbling

Rift Wars

Part 3

Chapter 1

Metal City

Cryptor tipped some more water into Inkys mouth. She had been like this for close to four days now just laying there with her eyes open and mouth slightly agape. Almost like she had seen something surprising. But the farther from the island they got the less of an effect it had on her.

Cryptor opened his optics that morning within the small cabin with one large queen sized beds and two bunk beds. Cygnus lay on the bottom bunk and Mindroid had the top. Inky slept in the bed next to Cryptor. Thats where they were right now. He had her in the crook of his arm so that she sat up as she drank. This morning her look of surprise was gone and she was able to sleep finally. She looked so weak after what had happened. Her eyes were sunk in and even as her hand rested weakly on Cryptors he could feel her shaking. But she was awake now, and she just looked around the room going in and out of sleep for a little while.

"Inky?" Cryptor called she slowly opened her eyes. Her hand coming out from under the blankets and rested on his hand again. "She can hear me, she just won't speak." He told Mindroid who touched her forehead lightly. He shook his head. "No fever anymore thats good. Perhaps a little food might do her good. Something light, and easy to chew?" He told Mindroid. He gave him a thumbs up and left the room.

Cryptors eyes went to his son who still lay under the blankets. He had been mumbling something for hours. They had chosen to ignore it.

"Boy...are you functioning?"

"No…" He mumbled pressing his palms to his forehead. "My head feels like its pounding Pop."

"You aren't being powered by dark matter anymore. You'll feel a li…" Cygnus stood up and ran to the bathroom and threw up. Inky gritted her teeth and curled up so tightly her knees touched her forehead. After the toilet was flushed away did Inky go back to relaxing.

"She's got a negative reaction to dark matter." Cryptor said pulling Inky back up to him before carrying her into the kitchen area. "Min...is the food ready for her now?" He asked. Mindroid pointed to a small bowl and a spoon. Their was oatmeal in the bowl. It was extra watery to help her swallow it. He sat her down on his lap sitting her up properly.

"You know Pop...you used to be meaner then this." His accent forgotten in his tired state of mind." He sat down and hooked himself up to a small generator.

"Are you telling me I've gone soft?" Cryptor bellowed throwing the spoon down on the table glaring at Cygnus. Cygnus just waved at his dad submissively.

"Nah not soft Pop. Just saying your not mean no more. Specially ta young Inky there." he accent back full force. He sat down next to the generator and leaned against it.

"Feeling better C...Cygnus?" Inky asked she looked at if she were going to fall asleep as she lightly chewed the oatmeal. It tasted so bland to her, she wished they had some milk. She put the spoon down after she ate a quarter of it. She slowly looked up at Mindroid thanking him. Mindroid waved at her as Cryptor picked her up and walked toward the top deck. They were on their way to a small island not to far from there that had a particular light house with a particular someone within. Inky had spoke of him a few times. She spoke to him by radio a few times. Someone her mother met only once. She had hid there for a few days.

Cryptor lay on one of the sun chairs on the lower deck looking out over the water. It wasn't to choppy.

"Stumpy says we'll get to the island sometime today just not yet." He told her squinting his eyes as he felt a drop on his nose. "Mindroid theirs a storm of the Stern!" Cryptor yelled. Mindroid hurried up on deck. Cygnus stumbled out too.

"Oh good the wind will make us go faster." Cygnus said. Cryptor held Inky out to him. Cygnus took her gently and looked her in her tired eyes. "Hey those are real pretty." He said. Inky popped his hand tiredly.

"Go put her in the bed and come help me pull the sails in."

"But don't we wanna go faster Pop?" He called Inky was deposited into the bed and the door closed tight.

"No thats a bad idea. The sail will snap in the force." Cryptor yelled. Inky curled up in the blankets. She was really glad her mother wasn't there. She hated storms.

(0)

The buildings were different. The sky was different. Even the building they thought was Borg tower wasn't. Zareth seemed to cling to Danny protectively although this city didn't seem to have any hostility to anyone. Just a normal city inhabited by Nindroids. Even if thats what they called themselves.

"We gotta find you a medic. Guess this place doesn't have a phone book." He said and looked around the city wishing for a map.

"Oh my...is she injured?" A woman said as she swept the front of her store.

"Yes ma'me. We were looking for the hospital." Zareth had to bend down farther with this old woman then he did with Danny. He also didn't realize nindroids came in old lady. That wasn't gray hair...that was old wires.

"Its up that way. Best bet is to grab a taxi and ask him to take you that way you don't get lost handsome." She cackled and went back to sweeping. Zareth laughed.

'I think that old lady just came onto us.' Zane said. Dareth chuckled.

'Old people are like that.' Dareth said. Zareth cleared his throat as they walked down the street.

"I can walk Zareth." Danny said. Zareth shook his head.

"No...I've got you Danny." Zareth said. Danny realized he was clinging a lot lately. She was concerned for it, but she was also very sad.

"Whats wrong?"

"You just got hurt again when I've promised you that it won't happen."

"Zareth you can't protect me all the time like this. As long as its not you or my family that hurts me I think I'll be alright." Danny said and looked on as they walked into the hospital.

The droid behind the desk looked up from her work and smiled at them.

"May I help you?" the womans smile was almost infectious. Zareth ended up smiling back.

"Yeah she was damaged by hot oil."

"Oh dear…" The droid looked at the damage to Dannys arm. "I'll get you to the back in a moment. Luckily we aren't to busy right now." Danny walked over to the seat and sat down. Zareth sat down beside her and put his head on top of hers.

"You callen me short?" She asked playfully. Zareth smiled.

"No I'm callin you the perfect height." Their was a fish tank right behind them. He turned and seen transparent duck stickers in the back. He chuckled. A pain shot through his skull and he held his head.
"Zareth?" He fell forward hitting the ground. He was out cold.

Duck jumped back dodging a punch. Both her hands in front of her waiting for another push which came right after. She pushed the arm out of the way and flipped the person over her shoulders.

"Good Duck! Do it again." She had only been to this temple for a week now. She still had no idea who she was, just that she looked like half a dragon. Her wings were large and incredibly difficult to sleep with. The tail made things worse.

Duck gasped as she ended up on her back. She cursed under her breath and stood back up again.

"Duck you are distracted!" The First Spinjitzu master called out.

"Yes Master I'm sorry." She'd love to just yank on that pony tail of his a few times.

"What is distracting you?"

"Nothing important Master. It won't happen again." She said. The man shook his head and clapped his hands. The trainers went and sat down. One threw water onto his head and sat back. It was so hot outside it was summer.

"It may not be important now, but it might be important when its important not to think about it." He said and put his arm around her. She sighed and walked toward the garden. She looked up at him.

"The life I left behind. The one you said you retrieved me from. I don't remember it. Nothing. I keep wondering if…"

"Duck...that life no longer exists. You are here now. The path you have now lays ahead of you." He said. "Their is so much to see Duck. Don't forget to keep looking forward or you'll never see whats to come you'll only worry about what has already come." He stood up and looked back toward the temple where one of his sons were calling.

"Ah to be a parent." He said and walked over taking his dark haired sons tiny fingers in his.

"What lies ahead…" She heard little quaking noises and Duck smiled. "Do you know what lies ahead small ones?" She asked picking one up and smiled. "Because I sure don't. But then again...does anyone?"

"Duck! Come the Master calls. The Overlord has threatened us." One of the trainers yelled. Duck jumped up and ran into the building. Herself and 19 other masters sat at the table.

The First Spinjitzu master emerged from behind the paper doors, hand in hand behind his back.

"People, Elementals. I have gathered you here for a very important matter of concern…"

"Zareth!" Zareth jumped hearing his sister calling his name. He jumped and looked around. He had an Oxygen mask over his nose and mouth. He felt Dannys cheek against his.

"Danny?" Zareths voice was hoarse. He looked around seeing a nurse over him. Dannys arm had been bandaged. "How...How long was I like this?"

"Close to three hours sir." A nurse said he was in a room. "You were having trouble breathing. Our air here is thinner. It might be best if you keep this on while you visit sir." The droid said. Danny smiled as she watched the nurse leave them.

"Thinner air?"

"Apparently we're under water in a sort of biosphere." She sat down on the the side of his bed and took his hand. "You're gonna have to keep that on...or split up. We gotta find a rift to get out of here Zareth." She said. Their was a light knock on the door. She turned to see a nurse with bubblegum pink hair walk into the room.

"An apartment has been located for the both of you. If you'll follow me." She said. Zareth sat up and Danny grabbed the O2 trolly and they followed her to a Taxi.

"We don't have any money here." Danny told the nurse.

"We do not require currency. We contribute evenly. If you wish to stay among you can tell us what you are good at and you will be placed." She told them.

Danny helped Zareth into the car. "I guess we're staying for a little bit...at least until we find that rift."