Watchful Eye
Everyone was chatting loudly during dinner, combined with the clink of cutlery hitting the plates. They seemed to have gotten over what happened earlier, but Zane couldn't get it out of his head. When they came back to the Bounty, he had hid in his room, making excuses that he was fixing himself up when in reality, he had curled into a ball in the far corner and let himself think over the events. It wasn't until 6pm that he had gotten out to make dinner.
"Sentemalia."
The word stuck in his brain. Repeating, repeating, repeating. He was tempted to wipe it from his memory banks but he had already concluded to question his Sensei about it after the meal, knowing the elder man will be meditating afterwards. His seemingly endless information on life itself couldn't find anything on this.
It's like it didn't exist.
"Hey Zane," A nudge under the table pulled him from his thoughts to the black ninja across from him, "You look like you're having a battle inside of you. You alright, Tincan?"
Zane gave a short nod before looking down at the plate again, only a tiny portion had been eaten. He had started on his meal in the silence until Jay stood up quickly, slamming his palms onto the table and giving Kai an evil glare across him.
"Stop doing that."
"I'm not doing anything, Motor Mouth," Kai hissed and the lightning ninja looked about ready to snap. The lights were flickering and a buzz ran through the air.
"You know what you're doing!"
"No. I. Don't!" Kai stood up this time and his eyes started to glow menacingly. The two had a glare off and Zane looked at their Sensei to see if he was going to do anything. The man simply caught the Nindroid's gaze and sipped his tea.
"You're so immature!"
"Oh, I'm immature?! Who still has their little teddy bear?!"
"Yeah well, who still sucks their thumb?!"
"I do not!"
"Do to!"
Kai growled before flames erupted up his arms, "Do not."
"Ha!" Jay had power coursing through him, an occasional strip of lightning buzzing off him, "You can't even conjure fire right!"
"What do you mean?! I'm the bloody fire ninja, of course I can-" It took a while to notice what everyone was looking at, but he got there. The fire on his arms weren't their usual blazing red, the colour was a bright blue.
Sentemalia.
Over and over.
"Thank god you're alive!"
Sentemalia.
"Really? At this time?"
"I don't have a heart!"
Link them.
"What do you mean they're dead?!"
Link us.
"I know what is his Sentemal link! It's-"
"Zane!"
The Nindroid regained his mind back at the mention of his name, two hands gripping his shoulders after they, what he assumed, had been shaking him.
"Jay, Nya, get Lloyd out the room and to the deck," Their Sensei instructed and the childish fight had been forgotten as Jay and Nya rushed the green ninja out, only giving a confused gaze but respecting the Sensei's wishes, lights glowing back to normal. Kai still held the blue flame, Cole still held his shoulders and Sensei had a thoughtful expression. Warnings had been going off for a while now about his frantic breathing and his mind being hijacked.
"The flame's blue," Kai breathed and Sensei squinted slightly, Cole looking back to the two before Zane spoke.
"I am impressed, Kai. Your elemental abilities now range to blue fire," He complimented, and everyone raised an eyebrow in question, almost simultaneously. Cole then addressed Sensei.
"Does this mean Zane's getting his Sentemal link?"
Sentemalia.
Link us.
Now!
"I am certain," Their Sensei confirmed and the ice ninja frowned.
"Sensei, what is a Sentemal link?" He questioned and the man moved Cole aside to sit beside him, Zane's body already facing him.
"Zane, a Sentemal link is as old as the people themselves. It's a connection between a person and something else," Sensei explained, "There are three hints that someone is about to receive theirs. Zane, do you feel alone when no one is with you?"
Zane thought this through before giving the elder man a frown, "But everyone feels alone when-"
"He means more than usual," Kai corrected and the blonde looked at the table silently, dishes forgotten. He nodded after a while and heard the sharp intake of Cole's breath matched with the nod Sensei gave from the corner of his eye.
"You already have a cold aura around you daily, so it is no surprise that we didn't notice earlier," Sensei started to explain again, "The last hint is fire, they turn blue in the presence of a Sentemalia."
Sentemalia.
Link us.
"Wait, Sentemalia?"
"That is the proper term for them, Cole," Their Sensei stood up from his position, addressing the two as if Zane wasn't there, "We need to keep an eye on Zane until he gets it. At the start of the Sentemal age, a group of people had found that the energy of one about to get their link is very powerful, and they harvested it. They were greedy and selfish. The Elemental Masters had defeated this group but we can't be certain that they are all gone. Since Zane already possesses an elemental ability, his energy is stronger."
"So," Kai dragged out, "Never let the Nindroid out of our sight and protect him until he gets the link. Alrighty then."
Zane didn't like the way they were discussing this as if he wasn't there. He also didn't like the idea of having someone following him around everywhere.
"But I do not want this, Sensei," Zane informed, standing up to face the teacher, "Having someone staying with me all the time is an invasion of privacy."
Sensei set a hand on the blonde's shoulder, and he immediately pulled away. He's never had a problem with people touching him before, but when his teacher laid a hand on his shoulder, it felt off.
"This will only be until your link is complete, then you'll be free to be alone again. We cannot risk you getting captured and having your energy taken, it is dangerous."
"I'd love to take care of him and all," Kai stated, "But I can't tonight or tomorrow. I could in between breakfast and lunch, but I've made plans with someone for dinner."
"I do not need-"
"I could stay with him until then," Cole planned as the earth ninja looked off while tapping his fingers on his chin, "I have no plans for a while- Wait, what are you even doing then?"
No one could miss the slight tint of red that hit Kai's neck, "Nowhere."
"Oh my god, you have a date-"
"Boys," Sensei stopped their conversation, giving the two a look, "You can do this later. Cole, you'll stay with Zane tonight and tomorrow and after that, you two can take turns. Try to keep this from the others. The less people who know about this, the better we can keep it secret."
Everyone nodded, well, except Zane who still didn't agree with the idea of something similar to a babysitter.
"Zane," He heard Cole say and he looked at the brunette who watched him, "I know you don't like this idea but it's for your own safety."
Link us."I know," Zane nodded, turning to Sensei. He knows Sensei would never ask him to do this if it wasn't important. He knows everyone wouldn't be fretting over this unless it was important. He knows.
Link. Us. Now!
