Chemistry is over and it's time for another update! Just wanted to inform you readers, again, that Lloyd is still young in this. I forgot to mention that earlier. Please enjoy! :3

Chapter Six: Taken

"Kai, wake up." Cole stood over the sleeping ninja, shaking his shoulders. "We have to help train Lloyd."

Groaning, Kai shifted in the chair, raising his head. It throbbed painfully after remaining in an awkward position almost all night. "Training already, Cole?" he asked, his eyes full of sleep. "It's barely morning."

"Actually it's about nine o' clock" the black ninja replied with a stern look. "We've tried to let you sleep in for as long as possible. Sensei is getting angry. He's been waiting at Dareth's Dojo since dawn". Cole crossed his arms before continuing. "You know, 'dawn'; the time of the morning when we're supposed to get up and start training?"

"There's no reason to be snarky" Kai frowned, rising from the chair and stretching his back. He glanced down at Laurie who was still sleeping. "Cole, I can't leave Laurie here by herself."

"Well that's good because she should be coming too. I don't know if you remember this, but Laurie is a ninja too. She has a destiny to fulfill and powers to master."

"You don't understand" Kai pleaded. "Laurie woke up last night. Apparently Belinda invaded her dreams and she had a rough time getting back to sleep after that." He looked down at the girl, her face slightly contorted in a grimace. "I really want her to sleep."

The ninja leader narrowed his eyes. "No one gets special treatment, Kai." Cole walked to the door, stopping just outside of the door frame. "Get down to the dojo as soon as possible. Bring Laurie with you." With a single movement, the black ninja shut the door, leaving Kai alone with Laurie.

"Ugh" the red ninja shouted in frustration. He paced the room angrily, hands behind his back. Obviously Cole did not care about the Serpentine goddess problem as much as Kai had originally thought. "I don't want to wake her up" Kai said to himself, staring at the floor. "She deserves to catch up on some sleep". A chill ran up his spine, but he ignored the feeling, his focus solely on Laurie.

"The poor girl does seem rather exhausted" another voice sympathized.

"That's what I'm saying" Kai agreed, bumping head first into someone that had not been there before. He saw bare feet and slowly followed them up until he saw the face of a girl, smiling wickedly. "W-who are you?" he asked, stepping backwards, clearly startled. "How did you get in here?"

"I think you know who I am" the girl teased, leaning on the red ninja's shoulder. He tensed up at her touch, frightened by how quickly she had moved. "I made quite the impression on your girlfriend earlier didn't I?"

"Belinda" growled Kai, spinning around to face the goddess. She had vanished and he stood there, confused. "Stop being a coward" he yawned, feeling the lack of decent sleep catching up to him. The hair on the back of his neck stood on end. A rough hand spun him around and grabbed him by his shirt.

"As much fun as this is" Belinda smirked, narrowing her eyes, "I'm getting a little tired of this hero act." She placed one of her hands on the struggling ninja's forehead. "Of course, I'm not the only one getting tired" she laughed.

Kai felt a wave of drowsiness overwhelm him. His eyes grew heavy and blurry as he watched the Serpentine goddess chuckle at his predicament. "Leave Laurie alone" he managed to say before he went limp, unconscious.

Belinda rolled her eyes and dropped Kai to the ground. Laurie lay on her bed, tossing and turning. The Serpentine deity sat at the foot of her bed, crossing her ankles and sighing. "Wake up" she complained, patting the bed. "You may want to see what I've done to your boyfriend."

Laurie's eyes snapped open and immediately focused on the individual sitting on her bed. "B-Belinda" she yelled, hugging her covers to her chest. "Where's Kai? He was supposed to be protect-"

"Silence" Belinda sighed, holding a hand out in front of her. "Honestly, no one ever knows when to shut up."

The orange ninja felt the breath leave her lungs for a brief second. Then it returned, but when she went to finish her sentence, nothing came out. Terrified, Laurie's hand flew up to her throat as she continued to form words with her lips. No matter how hard she tried she could not utter a single word.

"Don't freak out" the goddess laughed. "I can return your voice as easily as I've stolen it. I just don't feel like doing it right now."

With wide eyes, Laurie gazed down at the floor. She had not noticed Kai sprawled out on the wood panels, but she jumped out of bed and knelt next to him. With steady hands, Laurie placed his head on her legs and felt for a pulse on his neck. The pounding of blood against his inner arterial walls allowed the orange ninja to relax slightly.

"Relax" Belinda hissed, dragging Laurie away from Kai. "He's not dead, just sleeping." The Serpentine goddess enjoyed seeing people suffer, and Laurie was no exception. "Of course, I could stop his heart if you would like…." The fear in the girl's blue eyes was spectacular. She shook her head back and forth vigorously. "Alright then" Belinda continued. "Then you'll allow me to take you back to your father peacefully?"

Reluctantly, Laurie nodded 'yes'. If she had her voice she probably would have argued with the deity, tried to bargain with her. On the other hand, Laurie did not want to make Belinda angry, especially after she had just threatened to kill Kai.

With a wicked smile, the Serpentine goddess hoisted Laurie over her shoulder and exited the apartment, leaving no trace of her visit behind. Kai snapped awake, his eyes opening to see an empty room. "Laurie?" he called out, attempting to search the all too small apartment for the orange ninja. With a frown, the red ninja ran out of the door before turning down the nearest street in Ninjago City.

Kai had not been blessed with a keen sense of direction and he became lost several times on his journey to Dareth's Dojo. Eventually he made it to the entrance, sweating and panting. The four ninja inside stared at him as Sensei Wu opened the door. "You're late" he frowned, narrowing his eyes. "You are one of my students, Kai, and neither you nor Laurie…"

"Save it" Kai argued. "I'm late because Laurie was kidnapped by Belinda".

"What", asked Cole, crossing his arms, "how could she have just taken her when you were there the whole time?"

"I-I don't know!" the red ninja replied, frustrated. "She put me to sleep. I don't know how she did it!"

"I sense that he is telling the truth" Zane added, studying Kai carefully. "I need to begin conducting research immediately." He stood and bowed to Sensei Wu before leaving the dojo.

"Who's Belinda?" asked Lloyd, fear on his face. "Why did she take Laurie?"

Jay sighed and rubbed his temples. As much as he wanted to believe that this whole 'Serpentine deity' was a farce, it was becoming increasingly difficult to ignore the facts. He turned to Lloyd. "We have a lot to catch you up on, kid".

Oh no! This isn't good at all. :/

Thanks to everyone who is reading! I know I say this all the time, but I'm genuinely appreciative of all of you. Thanks for the continued support and let's all have an awesome long weekend. Well...if you live somewhere that celebrates Veteran's Day anyways. :)