Chapter 9; Unwavering Full Depth
It was a while before dinnertime. Zane had his ingredients gathered together. As he made the tomato sauce with smashed Italian sausage, ground beef, onion, and garlic, he smelt the scrumptious spices fill the kitchen. Although he felt a familiar comfort in the hot room, Zane sighed. He looked inside the Dutch oven as his thoughts drifted from cooking, 'That is not Emma in control definitely. Although I have seen a side like that when she was teasing one of her victims, this Emma is cruel beyond anything I could have imagined. And then there was Skales.' Zane narrowed his eyes at the sauce simmering in the Dutch oven. 'What is happening between those two?' Zane closed his eyes and caressed the stitches on his chest. He only felt his ninja-suit but he knew those would live with him for the rest of his life. 'That is not Emma… she could never do something like this.'
He felt his hand shake and his body began to tremble. He moved away from the Dutch oven. He crumbled in front of the fridge. His 'figurative' heart began to fill with loneliness like someone drowning in a tank filling up with water. He recalled the fact it would never have worked out no matter what. Emma would have aged while he remained the same. Nonetheless, after he thought about it for a long time and getting advice from others like his father, he calculated if he simply ended it because of that fact neither of them would be happy. It was not as if they would feel that much better or the situation would be fixed if they had never pursued a relationship.
Yet Zane missed her so much to the point it was unbearable inside his robotic body. Zane also worried for her to the point of tremendous anxiety. The pain of fate destroyed him inside and out.
Cole entered the kitchen. Seeing the white ninja on the floor curled up, he immediately came up to him, "What happened, Zane?" It reminded Cole of when Zane found out he was a robot. Zane's icy blue eyes looked up at the black ninja.
"Nothing" Zane said in a velvet mumble. Cole reached out his hand to help the Nindroid up but Zane did not take it. Zane returned to his stoic countenance and stared blankly at the black ninja. "I finished the sauce for the lasagna. It just needs to simmer for a while." Walking out the door, Zane left Cole in the kitchen.
On her tippy-toes, Laura peered out the window. She counted three bars she could reach her arms out between and probably get sunburned after a while. As she looked past the bars and the sand mountains and serpentine, she imagined a beach with endless salt water, salt water curving the horizon ever so slightly, and the watery horizon slowly reaching out for the sands of the beach. The only thing she could imagine to give life to the hot and sandy desert that isolates The Lost City of Ouroboros was a beach. Laura remembered one when she was little. Everything was peaceful and everyone was happy. Oh how Laura craved and longed for such happiness… but she has experienced too much to have such dainty hopes.
"Food" Kozu said passing a tray under the bars. Laura's stomach grumbled. She rested her aching feet and sat down grabbing the tray. The food was not bad but not good either. Laura looked up at the Stone Warrior whose heart was not as cold as stone.
"Does Emma ever… fight it?" Laura asked.
"Fight it? No." he said in a cold grumbled voice. Laura sighed. Hearing the door to the vestibule open, Laura saw Emma at the door. Her dress swayed with the smooth steps she took. She had a glass of iced tea in her hand.
"Hello Laura." She said. "I don't really need to do anything to you, do I?"
Laura was confused, "What?"
"You're already pretty messed up because of your past… and you're already focusing on your assessment."
"Oh yeah… courage…" A thought came to Laura's mind. "How is it that I am encouraged to overcome my fears when Emma, who loves Zane, is… forbidden to love?"
It looked like Emma thought about it. "Everyone has a different destiny. You should know by now life is not far."
"Well I'm not getting closer to finishing my assessment here. Why kidnap me?"
"Eh, I need a hostage." Emma sipped her iced tea.
What was she? A princess locked in a tower? A kunoichi locked in a cell? Laura sighed.
Emma saw the girl's hazel eyes. Eyes like an ancient book with water stains tinting the paper. The ancient book was still being finished. Taking another sip of the iced tea, Emma felt some relief from this pounding in her skull. Besides that, Emma was having the time of her life. The look on Skales' face when she controls him is priceless. This power she has… is delicious. Oh how long she has waited for this to come. She has waited so long to know what its like to sweat under a desert sun or freeze in wasteland of snow. Leaving the vestibule, Emma smiled.
Watching her leave, Laura's head throbbed with puzzlement and anger. Emma is getting a kick out of this! Scrutinizing our worry for Emma, Emma just smiles wide and manifestly. What is she doing or planning to do to everyone that she has not already? Laura looked at the bars of the cell. Feeling clueless, Laura was frustrated in the confined space. Laura stood up and turned away from the bars. She saw the tiny window barely above her head. Standing on her tippy toes, she saw the sun beginning to set.
While the tempests stirred the air, the sun beamed across the waters as it cascaded to the horizon in orange. Lloyd only took a glance at the exquisite firmament.
Inside the bridge with Nya, Lloyd tried to help find Laura. Currently, they were checking out the serpentine tombs and scanning for snakes. Suddenly, an idea occurred to Lloyd.
"Have we checked Ouroboros?" He asked.
"No we haven't." Nya said and turned to the computer. "Hmmm… there seems to be an increased amount of snakes there. I don't believe I forgot about the city… Since we have searched the Hypnobrai tombs the former lost city would probably be our best bet." The smell of lasagna filled the bridge. "We should check the city out."
Inside the door frame, Zane looked inside the room. "Dinner is ready."
Jumping with glee, Lloyd said childishly, "food!" and he raced out of the room.
While everyone practically drooled, Zane placed the lasagna on the table. Everyone had a good chunk.
Eating his food, Lloyd glanced at the empty chair beside him. How was Laura? "What could Emma be doing to Laura right now…" he talked to himself. Zane looked at Lloyd with sympathy. After a sigh, Lloyd looked away from the chair and started to eat.
Taking a bite out of the Italian dish, Cece still tasted the beautiful craftsmanship of Zane but felt no joy in it. She simply ate it because it was food. Kai felt guilty. He should have been able to fight off Emma! Now Cece can no longer enjoy life. Oh how Kai hoped she was not suffering. He needed to fix this. He needed to get Cece back. But how could he do that? How could he make her feel? As if she was reading his thoughts, Cece looked across the table at Kai. Their eyes met. The look in Cece's eyes was indifferent and heart-breaking.
'Why does Kai look so upset?' Cece asked herself. 'The better question would be why he is upset over her decision. Is it guilt or pity? Could he be worried…?' Cece tried to piece together what she remembered of her emotions before. The more she remembers them, the stranger and stronger this hollow feeling she was left with grew. Everything is so fuzzy when she thinks about it. However, at the present, looking into Kai's eyes, she could not feel anything.
Kai looked down at his untouched-plate. The Italian spices filled his senses but did not attract him. Anger inflamed the red ninja. He started to feel his uncontrolled anger force his body to tremble and tick like a time bomb. "How did this happen…!" Dishes rattled as Kai gripped the edge of the table. "How could Emma do this? Couldn't she fight it?" Everyone stared at Kai in shock. "How can Emma even live with herself after something like this?" Kai could not help but stare into the foggy green eyes across from him.
Cece reached across the table and touched Kai's hand. Her apathetic eyes stared into his, "Calm down… we are both alive… that is all that matters." Cece saw instant hurt and guilt on his face. Kai took hold of Cece's lukewarm hand. The velvet felt cool in his torrid, calloused hand.
"We will find a way get Cece's emotions back. We will get Laura and Emma back too." Cole said and Kai sat down but still held Cece's hand.
"When we get Emma back, how could she live with herself after doing all this?" Kai asked still.
Zane stood up from his chair. "It wasn't her!" Picking up his nearly finished plate, Zane hastened to the kitchen and slammed the door behind him.
Suddenly, all the pain Emma felt stopped. As she listened to Emilia's instructions, Emma looked at her feet. Although she was stepping on shards of glass, Emma did not think they were bleeding. Her skin was pale like the moon but was stained with red. Emma felt hands on her shoulders and she looked at the ghostly figure with downcast eyes. "You have to do this…" Emilia said. Their nearly identical blue eyes did not waver from each other. "If you don't… everything… will never have existed." Emma felt all hope drain out of her face.
"I have done it then. If we exist, then I must have done it." Emma said. "So I am stuck with this burden, then?" Emilia nodded. "What does this have to with Zane?"
"I, myself am not sure what the Cosmic Master's deal is. She is kind of caught in the middle of the Overlord and Original Spinjitzu Master."
"That is true."
It was too late. Zane realized it was too late. The sun had already set. All that remained were the tiny crescent in the dark navy blue sky. Fall leaves blew onto the deck. Salt water pinched the nindroid's nose. It was cold.
Zane welcomed the cold. The way it pricked his artificial skin made him feel more alive and powerful. His mind could race and his thoughts could drift freely. However, those thoughts were filled with dread today.
The rails were freezing. Feeling confident, Zane did not worry about splinters on the smooth wood at his fingertips. Although he was heavy being made of metal, Zane easily jumped off the bounty and into the frigid ocean water.
Feeling the shock of entering the invigorating water, Zane dived deep inside the water. Only until he reached the bottom, did he remember his power-core.
I am sorry about not posting last week. I was busy and forgot. When I remembered, it was too late in the week to post a chapter. Thanks to everyone who has read and is reading my story! I hope you all get so connected to it you will all hate me! mwhahahahahaha! I wish I was better at plot though. Thank you Lya200 and Mykindleisawesome for your reviews!
SergeantSarcasm7 at your service!
