Guess who's back?! yep while SOR is under development for the next chapters, I decided to bring back a story I pushed aside for a LONG time! I'm really glad the spark came back to me and I'm really excited to show you what me (and a certain friend) worked on. so without further ado, Let's Begin!
Chapter 3: Kai meets the Dark Queen
Jinora landed on the hardwood floor with a thud. She rubbed her head from the sudden daze of her going through the portal and landing hard on the ground. She quickly shook her head and remembered where she was. She was probably gone for hours and everyone must be worried about her by now. She quickly ran out the room and went down the hall to the living room. There she saw her siblings all sitting down reading books or playing with their bending. Jinora sighed in relief.
"Oh thank goodness." she said. "It's alright everyone. Nothing happened to me." the others looked at her with confusion.
"Uh, Jinora? What are you talking about?" Katara asked.
We're you guys wondering where I was?" she asked making them even more confused.
"No. not really" Kai said as he spun two small rocks around not even caring in the slightest. "Should we?"
"I've been gone...for hours."
Kai instantly dropped the two rocks he was spinning and all eyes shot towards the youngest of the group. What in the world was she talking about?
"Ok really funny, Sis. You can cut it out now." said the second eldest.
"What makes you think I'm lying?" Jinora protested.
"Jinora…" said Mako as he got up from his chair and placed a hand on her shoulder. "It's been at least five minutes since you separate."
The airbender couldn't believe what she was hearing. Five minutes?! Impossible.
*(∼)*
Katara and Kai examined the Mirror that Jinora proclaimed to have been "sucked" into. All around it looked like some regular old mirror.
"The only reflection we see is what the glass is making." Katara told her little sister. "Are you sure you're okay? It's alright to tell us if something is wrong."
"Yeah we know that the war took a toll on all of us." said the eldest as he placed a hand on her shoulder. "You're just trying to get our minds off from it. We understand."
"Or she's just crazy." Kai muttered under his breath only to receive a glare from the two eldests.
"The point is. Unlike you, we don't have as crazy of an imagination like you." said Mako. "Just try to tone it down a bit, okay."
"But I'm telling the truth!" She exclaimed to the others.
"Alright I think that's enough." said Katara as she began walking out of the room the others following behind.
"You actually think I would lie about this?!" Jinora said to the others.
"With everything going on right now, wouldn't be a surprise." mocked Kai
"Oh will you give it a rest already." said Mako as he pushed him forward. "Always have to make things worse for everyone."
"I was just kidding!" Kai protested getting up in his face. "And since when were you all high and mighty?"
"When mom put me in charge." Mako spat back. "And if I we're you I wouldn't give me that attitude."
Kai face turned completely red from anger as glared at his brother. "You think you're dad but you're not!" he stormed out of the room in anger.
"Really, Mako? Of all times…" Katara shook her head and followed Kai to try to talk to him. Jinora just looked on at the event that just happened. Mako just stood there, pinching the bridge of his nose, trying to calm down.
"Mako…." she began but was stopped by his hand.
"Jinora..." he began in calm, but still annoyed tone. "That's enough…" and with that, he walked out of the room, leaving the poor airbender alone. Jinora looked down at the hard wooden floors as the rain continued falling from outside the window. Maybe they we're right. It was probably just her imagination. But at the same time, why did it feel so….real?
*(∼)*
The candle light shimmered through the dark bedroom as Jinora kept looking at it. It's been several days since she went through the mirror and everyone had completely forgot about it...well, almost everyone. Jinora couldn't stop thinking about it. Just what was that world and why couldn't she go back inside? Yes during the last several days, she had tried countless times trying to go back into the world but for some reason, she couldn't. It was like it blocked her off. Did it only open on certain days? Did it open once a year and she was just lucky to go through that one time? All these questions and more swirled around the little airbender's head. As she was thinking, she began to see something inside the candle. When she got a closer look, she began to see those strange ponies dancing in the flame. It was like it was telling her something. Like she needed to do something. And she knew exactly what to do. She quietly got out of bed and slipped on her shoes as she slowly walked down the hall towards the mirror. What she didn't know was that someone else was following her down the hall...Kai.
"Alright, Little sis. Let's see what game you're really playing." he said to himself as she snuck behind her. Soon he saw her walking into the room where the mirror was and placed his ear on the door to hear what was going on. Meanwhile inside, Jinora slowly walked towards the mirror and looked at her reflection. Looking down at her hand, she let out a big sigh and slowly moved her hand to the glass.
*Fwash!*
She opened her eyes and grinned at the sight. So she wasn't imagining it after all. After being a little hesitant, she slowly took a step and walked inside. Once fully in, the mirror rippled a bit and went back to the way it was before. Kai, not hearing anything, slowly opened the door and walked inside.
"Jinora?" he called out. "Where are you?" he looked towards the wardrobe and an evil grin crept on his face. He tip-toed towards the door and opened the door, hoping to scare his sister.
"Boo!" he shouted. Nothing. Just some old coats. Kai arched an eyebrow. He could've sworn he saw her walking inside this room. Where else could she have hidden. Kai shrugged and closed the door.
"Maybe there's a secret attic or something in here." he said. "This old place is bound to have some secrets lying around." Kai began looking around the room, trying to find some sort of secret cellar or attic or something. But something caught his attention. He began to hear a faint whisper coming from somewhere. He turned around and was shocked at what he saw. The mirror was glowing? No, that's not possible. It's probably just the moon reflecting off it. But he soon realized, there was no moon out at all so he was seeing things.
"Uhh, okay that's kinda weird." he muttered. "Okay, Jinora. Very funny. You can stop now." he said as he began to walk towards the mirror. He had to admit, the mirror was quite cool. Even though these weren't his colors. The details we're quite impressive for a mirror this old. Just how old was it? And what was it doing in a room like this? He looked up and spotted something that caught his attention. The upside-down 'U' with the four elements and a strange creature in the center. For some reason, both Air and Earth were giving off a faint glow. And those we're his and Jinora's elements. Soon he began to hear those faint whispers again. He then realized they were coming through the mirror. He got in for a closer look.
"Ok, Jinora. You had you're fun." he said as he began to walk towards the door. "I'm going back to bed." He was about to touch the doorknob, but all of a sudden, he began to move back towards the mirror, he tried to fight it, but it was like a invisible force was pulling him towards the mirror.
"Uhh, Jinora?" he said, having fear in his voice. Soon he began to get pulled inside the glass. Kai was in shock. How was that even possible?! "Help!" he called as he was nearly inside the mirror and tried to push himself out from the sides, but it proved too strong for him. Before long, he was fully engulfed and sucked inside. He spun rapidly down the strange vortex full of different colors which looked like a rainbow of some sort. Soon strange dust began to appear on him. He suddenly began to feel different as he continued to fall down this never ending hole. But as soon as he entered, the next thing he knew he was shot into the sky and landed face first in the snow.
"Ow!" he moaned as he slowly got up, still in pain from the impact. He wobbled a bit back and back and forth before finally coming to. He looked up in the sky and realized that it was nighttime and..snowing? In the Earth Kingdom? Impossible! It only snowed in the mountains, especially back home.
Home.
Kai quickly began to freak out as he began to wonder how to get home. He went towards the pool and was surprised to see that it was showing an image of the room he was just in, and for some reason, he was relieved. But then something else caught his eyes. His eyes! They were huge! Not normal for a human being. And what else that caught was his look. He looked like he just jumped out of a story book of some sort. Why did he look so...cute? Maybe Jinora was telling the truth after all.
"Uh Jinora?" he called out. "I think I believe you now!" he called out before realizing where he was. "Who am I kidding? I'm stuck in who knows where with no idea where my sister is!" he said. "Well I might as well look for her. Mako will have my head if I lose her." the the earthbender as he began walk into the trees. After a while of walking, he soon saw a faint light in the distance. Thinking someone is there, he frantically began running towards it.
"H-Hey! Anyone-there?" he stopped in his tracks just to see it was just a lamp. He groaned in frustration as he walked up to it. "Ah, it's just some stupid lamppost. What's a lamppost doing out in the middle of nowhere anyway?" he said but it soon left his mind as he began to feel the warmth of the single lit candle. "Oh perfect." he said as he felt the warmth going around him. But soon heard something coming his way. It sounded like some sort of jingling of bells. He began to worry as the jingling got closer and closer to his location.
"Jinora?" he called out only to be greeted by a large sleigh. He gasped and quickly jumped out of the way as the sleigh continued onward. He quickly got and shouted at the sleigh in anger. "Hey! You know how to drive that thing?!"
Big Mistake.
The sleigh came to a halt and all was silent. Kai was a bit hesitant, but decided to walk slowly towards the sleigh. But then he saw something moving inside of it. He couldn't quite make it out because of the darkness but it looked like some sort of winged creature who was standing on two legs. He squinted his eyes to get a better look at it..only to have it look at him. Its glowing yellow eye pierced his soul as they stared at each other. Maybe if he just stood still, he wouldn't see him but apparently it was already too late for that as the creature began charging towards the boy. Kai, now scared out of his mind, began to high-tail it out of there, only to be tackled by the figure and grabbed by the collar of his shirt. When Kai got a better look at it, he was beyond shocked at what he saw. It was a red dragon! He had heard stories of these creatures but has never believed them but here is one, standing right in front of him, grabbed by his shirt, probably going to kill him.
"Hey! Let go!' he shouted.
"What is it now, Garbel?" said a mysterious female voice which sounded like it came from the sleigh.
"How dare you insult the queen of Equestria!" said Garbel as he held Kai high in the sky.
"Wait, Queen!?" shouted Kai, he didn't know that a queen was on board. "Look I'm sorry. I didn't know that a queen was on there, honest!"
"Humph! Perhaps this should jog your memory!" said Garbel as he showed the boy his sharp talons making him even more frightened. "Maybe you should be taught a lesson in respect!"
"Wait!"
Garbel froze in his tracks and the two looked towards the source of the voice. There standing in front of Kai was probably the most beautiful woman he has ever seen. She had bright blue eyes and a dark blue mane that looked like it moved by its own like the night sky. She had on a black-blue dress that glistened in the moonlight and also had light blue boots. In the middle of her dress was a crescent moon which gave off a faint glow. But what really caught his attention we're the black horn on her head and the two wings which sprouted from her back. The woman looked down at the boy and had on a look of suspicion but at the same time, still kept that look of royalty.
"Put him down, Garbel." she ordered.
"But your majesty, he insulted you." he said.
"That's an order!" she said, a raise in tone no less. Garbel complied and placed the frightened boy on the ground." What is your name, Bender of Earth?" she asked him. How did she know he bended earth?
"Uh, Kai."
"And how, Kai, did you enter my kingdom?" she asked, now interested.
"I don't know." he said. "I was just following my sister and-"
"Sister?" she said, acting surprised. "If you don't mind me asking, how many siblings do you have?"
"Uh, four?" he answered. "Me, Jinora, Mako and Katara. One controls air, another fire and the third water. Jinora said she's been here before, said she met some pony called...Ze-Zec-
"Zecora?" finished the queen.
"Yeah that's it!" he said. "We didn't believe her at first, we thought that the war got to her head and-"
The queen's eyes subtly widened in alarm, though it was hard to tell. Her eyes scanned the young boy from top to bottom. The gears in her mind working overtime. So, it was true what she had heard. Her right hand slightly clenched, as if she were trying to fight the urge to form a complete fist and punch the tree beside her. Her muscles relaxed and she gave Kai a sly smile, which only made her appear all the more alluring in a dark and mysterious way.
"You're Majesty?" the queen snapped out of her thoughts and saw that the two boys were looking at her strangely.
"Are you alright, my queen?" said Garbel.
"Yes…" she said, making faint smile. "I am just fine." she then looked back towards Kai and smiled at him. "Forgive me for our 'rude' introduction." she said glaring at the dragon before noticing that Kai was shivering. "Oh dear, you look cold. Come sit with me." she said as she wrapped an arm around him and got comfortable.
"Are you hungry?" She asked. Her tonality was now calm and sweet.
"Well...a little bit…." Kai answered, still trying to process that he was sitting with a queen. Without hesitation, the queen snapped her fingers and instantly, a bright red apple appeared on Kai's lap.
"Well go ahead." The queen urged. "One bite, and it'll be like you know everything."
Kai was a bit hesitant to just eat an apple that was formed from thin air from a total stranger. But then again, he was pretty hungry. Dinner wasn't his thing tonight so he pretty much was hungry. He slowly picked it up and took a bite from it. It was like everything he was worried, annoyed or scared about completely disappeared. His mind felt like it was finally opened and he could see everything. But the taste was incredible! As much as he wanted to take another bite, it was like he was completely full already but just that bite opened a new world to him.
"Like it?" She asked snapping Kai out of his trance.
"It's...amazing!" He said. "How-"
"It's no ordinary apple, my dear." said the queen. "That apple has amazing properties. It can allow someone to open their mind and feel free of everything. Letting it all out. One bite, and you have all the knowledge of everything. That's why I like to call it….The Fruit of Knowledge." the queen then looked down at the snow in sadness. "You see, Kai. I have no children of my own. And since you are probably the nicest most honest person I have ever met…." She said. Her sweet voice slithering into Kai's mind. "...I want you to rule my kingdom when I'm gone.'
Kai felt like his heart skip a beat when he heard those words. "Yo-You mean…..King?"
"Why of course!" The queen said. "But of course, you need your family."
Kai's hopes and dreams were now completely destroyed when he heard 'family'. "You're not saying that my brother will be king, will he?"
The Queen laughed at the boy's questioned. "Of course not!" she answered before leaning towards him. "But a King does need servants, hmm?" she said as she gave a wink. Kai breathed a sigh of relief. He already had to deal with Mako back at home being all high and mighty but him as king? That would be a nightmare. With him as King and his sibling as servants, why, he could be the high and mighty., His brother will look to him with mercy. He'll never be bossed or teased around every again. Oh, how he dreamed this.
"Kai?" the boy snapped back to reality as the looked up to the queen who had concern in her eyes. "Are you alright, my boy?"
"Ye-Yeah...I'm fine." Kai answered. "I guess I could bring them…."
"Oh Perfect!" she said before taking his head and began pointing it into a direction. "You see those clouds in the sky?" she said pointing to a large group of clouds in the sky. "That's Cloudsdale, well what used to be that is. Just look towards the city and It'll lead you straight to my house. Once you get there, they'll be plenty of more apples where that came from. You understand?"
Kai quickly nodded. "But can I have another now?"
"No!" she said, he royal voice returning as loud as ever but quickly realized her sudden change of tone when she saw Kai's face. She quickly placed on a small smile. "Don't want to ruin your appetite."
"Uh huh…" Kai awkwardly said.
"Well I must be going now…" she said as she helped Kai off her carriage. "Until we meet again, Kai, Future King of Equestria."
"Safe travels, you're Majesty." Kai responded. The queen blew out a kiss to him before ordering Garbel to continue forth. Kai waved goodbye to the queen till she was completely out of sight. She was actually...really nice. It would be nice to see her again but there was one problem…..
"Kai?"
Kai turned around to see a girl walking towards him. It was Jinora.
"Kai!" she exclaimed as he ran over and hugged him. "I knew you'd find a way here!"
"I only came here so I can get you." Kai said as he looked at his younger sibling, who also looked like she came out of a storybook as well. Big eyes and everything.
"What...What happened to us?"
"Oh this?" she said pointing to herself. "That's just how this world works, I guess."
"Where were you?" Kai asked. "I was worried!"
"Sure you we're…" said the airbender. "But if you really want to know, I was with Zecora. Apparently Nightmara didn't find out after all."
"Night...Mara?" Kai questioned a bit confused.
"The Dark Queen. A Lot of the residents call her that around here." She answered. "She's calls herself the queen of Equestria but she's just too full of herself." she checked her surroundings before leaning into Kai's ear. "Some say she's just crazy." she then noticed the look in Kai's eyes. It looked like a mixture of horror and guilt.
"Are you alright, Kai?" she asked her brother. "You don't look so good."
"Because I-" Kai then felt a sharp pain in his head. He then heard a soft female voice echoing in his head about something. He couldn't quite figure out what it was saying for all heard was whispering. He shook his head a couple times before coming back to his senses and looking at Jinora who looked worried.
"Kai, are you okay?"
"I..Well of course I'm not!" he said as he be hugging himself for warmth. "It's freezing here, yet alone it's night. How do we get outta here?!"
Jinora rolled her eyes. He was just fine. Same as usual."Follow me.." she said as she grabbed his hand and led him back into the forest. After walking for a while, they finally made it back to the large pool of water in the middle of the forest, still with no ice or snow, crystal clear all while giving off a faint glow. The two stared down into the water, gazing at their reflections.
"I look….weird." Kai said.
"It's not all that bad." Jinora said admiring her hair and eyes.
"You're eyes are as big as your head." said Kai. "So how do we get outta here?"
"Easy." said Jinora as she took a couple steps back. "Just hold your breath."
"Wait what are you-Woah!" Kai, without warning pushed into the pool of water. He expected it to be freezing cold but to his surprise, it was quite warm. It felt like he just stepped into a warm spa bath. He then saw someone else jump in as well. Jinora waved to her brother and pointed to the depths where an image of the room was shown. She began swimming towards the image with Kai right behind her. Kai then began to feel like something was pulling him towards it. The same swirling rainbow lights and dust surrounded him and sister as they got closer to the image of home.
They didn't resurface.
(~)
The sleigh moving swiftly across the snow as the queen was left deep in thought about something. They were right all this time. Those idiot were right. But if they were right then that means….
"Garbel, stop the sleigh!" She ordered and the dragon came to a stop and collapsed from exhaustion. She looked towards him and frowned. "Oh get your scaley flank up!" She ordered. "I need you to do something for me."
"What's that, you're majesty?" Asked the dragon who staggered to get on his feet.
"Send a letter to Shade.." She said as a feather and a piece of paper appeared in the dragon's hands. "Tell him….To make a visit to Zecora's." She said as an evil smile spread across her face. "It's time."
