Chapter 6

Gabe's Message: Jay's Decision

A/N: Thank you jaya forever, Guardian Sorceress Alanshee, Jaya 4ever, ForeverDreamer12, Astrid16, and FireIce for your fabulous reviews! :)

I glance around the room, but I cannot locate where the voice is coming from at all…as if he was speaking in a void, yet I am in the live world. "Jay, you have made a grave mistake," he says.

I don't know why, but I feel this sudden terror and believe he I can speak to him in my troubled mind. What mistake?

"You lied to your family. You have a second chance for everything to be right again."

Was I supposed to tell them I was a cripple and really died?

"Deceit is not something to be taken lightly. It will destroy the relationship between you and your family, and perhaps Zane will be affected for covering your lies up."

I know. I will tell them; I just need some time to gather my courage. Help me, for I am a weak mortal. Are you mortal too?

"Dear child, I am not a man. You must have faith that you can do it." He finally materializes in front of me, passing right through Lloyd without the green ninja even twitching. His white hair looks cooler than Sensei's beard.

Then…are you an elf like Lord of the Rings?

"Nay, I am much more."

What is your name?

"My name is insignificant, but you may call me Gabe, if you wish."

Please, tell me. What shall I do?

"Make amends with them. Tell them the truth."

Gabe fades away and I find my wounds being cleaned by Lloyd. Wow. I was just talking like I was in Lord of the Rings. Pain, as well as the world returns, bringing the senses of grief, fear, and frustration to my weary soul. "Jay, why must you?" Zane seems to say as he gazes me with those blue eyes, moist and sick, heartbroken by something. I wonder if he also saw Gabe.

After cleaning my wounds, I was brought back to my room, where Zane came to accompany me. He was repaired, but I overheard from Nya that he would be in pain until she could fully fix some gear that she extracted from him. She's working on it in another room. I can feel the tension here and I suppose Zane must sense it too, but we both merely sit in silence, him on a chair, and me on my bed.

I've been holding onto the note pad and pencil, and finally decide to "break the awkward silence". I quickly scribble words down. So…do you think I should tell the others about my voice?

"Oh, why the sudden change of mind?" Zane asks, folding his hands together and placing them against his forehead.

I guess I better come clean totally to you. You see…I really did die.

"I know that. I knew from the very beginning."

Do you know all of it?

Zane nods and I write down, I need to call the others in. I'm going to announce it to them. Well, could you for me?

"Of course. I'll get them," he tells me and gets up and puts a hand on the doorknob, but quickly recoils. He holds his arm with a grimace before using his other hand to open it and leaves, shutting the door quite softly.

Sigh, poor Zane. I hope Nya repairs him quickly because he looks like he's in a lot of pain. After only about five minutes, the household is gathered in the room, waiting expectantly.

"Well?" Kai asks.

"Give him a minute," Pixal says.

I draw in a deep, shaky breath and nod to Zane. This is it. There's no turning back now. If they hate me, they hate me and I can't do anything about it. "Jay wanted me to tell you something," Zane speaks softly.

"We figured that much," Lloyd comments.

"Yeah, are you going to tell us or what?" Cole crosses his arms and leans against the door. It wasn't closed all the way and opens upon contact, making the earth ninja fall backwards. He stops himself and regains his composure before Zane continues.

"Jay is mute."

"Uh…yeah. He scalded his throat, didn't he?" Lloyd confirms.

"N-no…" Zane responds softly.

I bite my lip to suppress sobs as silent tears begin streaming down my face, already clammy with sweat from my nerves. "Are you saying he can't talk?" Kai asks incredulously.

Zane nods and the fire ninja turns to me and speaks hesitantly, "Is that…true?"

Now it's my turn to nod and I do. "Jay…" Nya gazes at me, looking hurt from my not telling her.

"You…how could you?" Cole stalks over and pushes me, "You…you…lied to us you cripple!"

"Cole!" Zane and Nya exclaim in unison.

"You did want her to feel sorry for you!" he shouts.

"No, I didn't that's exactly why I…" I start. I'm talking.

"You're voice," Pixal states.

"I am. I can speak! This must be what Gabe meant!" I throw my hands in the air for joy, but recoil from the horrible pain in my chest.

Nya comes swiftly to my side and places a hand on my shoulder, not even looking up at Cole. "Jay, honey…"

Crash! Something close to the front of the academy us shatters and Zane says, "Nya, stay with Jay." He heads out the door with the others trailing behind him. I hope those lizard things aren't back.

No P.O.V.

Zane creeps down the hall, the light footsteps of his brothers and their labored breathing the only apparent sounds. He glances at the floor as his sneakers meet shards of glass on the cold wooden panels. Nothing. "We'll split up here," Zane announces as they meet the end of the hallway.

"Okay," Kai responds and he heads to the right while Lloyd goes straight and Cole goes back. Zane turns left, entering the long corridor where little candles on tables are lit for saving the electricity bills, which cast eerie shadows in the dead of night. Here the floorboards groan beneath the ice ninja's weight, stealthy though he is. A particularly alarming shadow, two and a half meters tall, draws his attention, it being not too far from the end of the corridor.

Zane creeps silently up to it, yet inevitably steps on a few protesting floor panels before reaching the end. He halts, his body going rigid, waiting for her to reveal her ugly self. He can see her green, soulless eyes, lusting after human blood.

A/N: If any of you noticed that at one point, I changed Jay's manner of speaking. I was listening to LotR music and when I do that, my writing style automatically changes. :P