Champion's Bane

by ArwynandCole

Being a hero isn't always easy—sometimes the enemy gets the upper hand. When the life of the Green Ninja(OC) is threatened, and the evil comes from within, Cole wants every measure taken to protect her. Ultimately, faith in himself, his family ties, and his brotherly bond with Kai are all put to the test. "T" for V, L, sexually sug. content. ColeXOC, Kai, Jay, Zane, Nya, Lloyd, Wu

10. Disequilibrium

A/N: I don't own LEGO Ninjago. ESPECIALLY THE "REBOOTED" SEASON! :( (Only own this story, my OCs, my imagination)

Please review!

Remember, THIS IS RATED 'T'...

Chapter 10: Disequilibrium

BELOW-DECK HALLWAY OF DESTINY'S BOUNTY

**Kai's POV

**GROWL**

"Shut up."

Stupid stomach. I can't believe it's actually growling over something Jay cooked up…

For a change, the appetizing meal on the aluminum tray I carried into the hallway from the kitchen smelled and looked delicious, instead of something I'd have expected from a guy who often cooked like a broke college kid on a dorm hot plate.

I seriously doubt he got the idea for orange-cranberry muffins on his own. If it weren't for Nya helping him, we'd probably be served something thrown together from Wednesday's leftover pizza scraps. If there're any left…

The tray leaned to the side in my hands when I turned the corner, and I immediately brought it level again to avoid tossing all of its contents on the floor. The slightly hefty, off-balance thing had been piled by Nya with three muffins, three slices of ham, what must have been a mixing bowl full of fruit, coffee, and juice.

I'd felt I had to argue, as I did with everything Nya undertook, while I observed her filling the tray. "There is no way she's gonna be able to get all of that into her stomach! I've seen her eat. There's no way."

"Arwyn hasn't had much of anything except tea since yesterday morning. She's hungry!" Not acting like my reasoning mattered, Nya went about collecting some of what seemed like everything in the kitchen to join what was already on the tray. "And I've seen her eat when the rest of you aren't around. She'll get it all down, I promise."

I knew it was a pointless argument. My sister was a little smaller than Arwyn in stature, yet I'd seen Nya put down twice this much and then some when she was training hard.

It's always the little ones that win those disgusting food-gorging contests…

Successfully arriving at Arwyn's bedroom without dumping everything onto the floor, I lifted my foot to kick against the door, announcing my arrival. It was a wasted effort.

"Come in, Kai." She called out her permission to enter before I got a chance to make contact with the wood.

That is still so weird…

Using my elbow, I pushed the door handle down and carefully shoved my way in with a shoulder, proclaiming cheerfully, "Ya know, this may be the first time I've brought a woman breakfast in b—"

Only she was out of bed, standing at its foot, nearly fully dressed in her green gi as usual, pulling the jacket on over her undershirt.

My reaction to the sight of her being upright was a little uptight. "What are you doing up?!"

She didn't answer that, but her eye went to the tray in my hands. "Kai, you're such a dear! I'm sorry, but I should've let someone know I'll be eating in the dining room. If you don't mind taking it ba—"

"You should still be in bed after yesterday!" I hurriedly set the tray on the corner of her neatly-made bed. "You're not well enough yet!" When I turned to face her, Arwyn's patient half-grin made me feel like such a fussbudget.

"I'm feeling a lot better, and it does me good to move around." She lowered her head to tie the belt around her jacket, mumbling, "And, anyway, I don't want to be an albatross around anyone's neck."

I wasn't certain what she meant by that phrase, but I didn't want to appear ignorant, so I just winged it. "'An albatross'? What gives you the idea—oh, crap. Are you thinking that's why Cole blew up?"

Turning her profile to me, Arwyn reached up to adjust an earring, not speaking.

Ugghh! Why am I the one counseling the females on this ship lately?!

Controlling my annoyance at my two brothers who couldn't seem to keep their women happy recently was making me work overtime. At least Sofiya lived in Ninjago City.

Oh, well, let's take a swing at it…

"Look, Arwyn, I hate that Cole acted the ass with you, but apparently he's got something going on in that scheming, micromanaging head of his—"

She put up a hand between us to stop me. "I'd rather not talk about him right now."

Taking a deep breath, I blew it out with puffed cheeks. "…Oh-kay…whatever…" At least she was letting me off the hook.

I watched her as she moved around me to get to the little bedside table, limping heavily the whole way with a hand on the wall. The disturbing memory of her pain-filled reaction to Cole's unorthodox removal of the arrowhead while I held her down made me cringe.

Back to the original issue…

"You still shouldn't be up. You can barely walk on that leg. It obviously hurts like hell!" Going to her side, I put both hands on her arm. "Lemme get you back to bed."

Using a practiced, twisting maneuver, she easily pulled out of my grasp and stood facing me with a look in her eyes that said, 'Boy, I've already told you about a hundred times…'

"Let's be honest, Kai. There's only one man on this ship who has a real chance of getting me into that bed and keeping me there."

That was too easy. I couldn't resist. "Ya never know…" My cockeyed grin was paired with a suggestively-raised eyebrow. "If you'd give me half a chance, I could probably do a satisfactory job…"

A dash of pink colored her unusually-pale cheekbones as a tolerant, amused smile appeared between them. "If you'll be a gentleman, I could use an arm for a little support down the hall."

Taking on a pose like I was deep in thought, I replied, "Hmm…Being a gentleman is quite a stretch for me, but I think I can make do." I offered a helpful hand. "At least let me carry you in a gentlemanly manner to the dining room."

Once again, however, she shot me down with a sad little curve of her lips. "No, thank you, I need to walk. I'll just also need an arm."

**Cole's POV

From the rooftop of the bridge, I sat cross-legged and watched the sun begin to breach the narrow passes of Gōrudendoragon Range, brilliantly illuminating the cloudless, robin's-egg-blue sky. It crossed my mind—with a pang of guilt—that Arwyn would have said something like how much it looked like a huge butterscotch candy, its saffron rays reaching out like beacons to chase away any mischievous chi.

Glancing down to my right, I spied the eight-foot post she'd had me erect against the quarterdeck railing a little more than a week ago into which she'd inserted several, long, wooden pegs set at forty-five-degree angles at various points along its length. An assortment of blue bottles that she'd collected on our recent journey was then hung upside down on each of the pegs.

According to Arwyn, legend had it that when evil spirits roamed at night, they were attracted to the colored glass of the bottle tree and entered the containers, becoming trapped. In the morning, when the sun rose, its glorious beams would destroy the ensnared troublemakers when the light penetrated the glass, ridding the land of their threats.

She always has so much hope…If only the legend was true…

I looked up again at the wonderfully clear sky that framed the mountain range. It would have made an unbelievable background for picture-perfect serenity if not for the weight-training soundtrack that was plugged into my head, its volume set as loud as I could stand it. The music from the MP3 player was the only thing that covered the strange, relentless mutterings and allowed me to think my own thoughts without interference.

But interference from what?

As much as I thought about the experiences I'd had in Arwyn's room, I still had no clue as to what had caused them, but that didn't keep my mind from conjuring different possibilities.

First off, the fear of schizophrenia raised its ugly head, but I tried to push it away and consider other, more-familiar reasons for my problem.

Past sleep deprivation had had me seeing funny little things running around and screwed up my concentration and motor skills, but never had it had me imagining violently killing my loved ones. It also had never had me hearing voices.

Even being hypnotized by Skales had been different from this. When the frickin' viper had first put me under in Jamonicai Village, I had spaced out for a moment, not really grasping that anything had happened. Days later, when the rest of the team and I had been working to destroy Lloyd's tree condo and thwart the Serpentine's plans, he'd taken control of my mind from a far distance.

I still hadn't figured out how he'd pulled off that trick.

Once the reptilian general took over, I'd felt super-relaxed, like I was meditating, my mind seeming disconnected from my body and surroundings, although I was unaware of any change going on. I suddenly had no inhibitions or cares about anything. I was surprised—and grateful—that I didn't strip naked right there in front of everyone.

When the silent command to attack my brothers had come, I'd had no willpower or desire to resist it. It was kinda like a switch had been thrown, and I'd basically had a sense that the guys were the enemy to be taken down, so I had moved to obey.

In this case, however, I hadn't come face to face with a Hypnobrai in Sanctuary, and what had happened with Arwyn was different from the treehouse incident. I'd actually heard a command when I was with her.

I was fully aware at that time that what was being demanded of me was not what I willed, was not right. Also, what I had seen wasn't what was happening through my eyes, but was perhaps an action that was desired by another. But whom?

Then there was the matter of the way I'd thought my body was physically being controlled by something other than me.

How the hell is that even possible?

I could see the hypnosis thing being plausible, making me do something I wouldn't normally want to do, but…forcibly taking over my body when I didn't want to do something…?

With my elbows on my knees, I rested my head in my hands, closed my eyes, and tried to make sense of it all. At the same time, I was gradually taking more notice of the music blaring in my ears. One of my favorite alternative-rock singers was belting out metaphorical lyrics about having a monster living inside of him, one that was getting stronger daily. The line about having those around him being afraid of him and thinking him dangerous struck me hard.

Arwyn, my heart…I can't have you thinking I'm like that…

I couldn't bear it if she feared me, looked at me with the terror-filled eyes I remembered from my lucid dreams. But even worse, I couldn't live with myself if I hurt her the way I'd witnessed my hands doing in those same visions. I would rather die first.

She can't know this is happening to me. And I don't know if I can trust myself to be near her…alone with her…not until this is straightened out. How am I supposed to make her understand that the man who loves her pushed her away so she could be safe—from him?

**Kai's POV

I finally found him. Cole was sitting cross-legged, kinda hunched over with his arms folded in front of his chest, like he was hugging himself. Landing on the wood-shingled roof of the bridge with only a whisper of a thump—how else?—I was pretty sure the only thing that alerted him to my arrival was the vibration I created on the surface under him.

I knew he couldn't possibly have heard me. The music from his earbuds was so loud that I picked it up like distant ocean waves even over the sound of the wind at this altitude.

Sitting straight up and twisting to face me with a start, Cole was defensively reaching behind him for the tantō he'd already replaced under his mattress as I smugly perched just out of his easy reach. Getting caught off guard had him antsier and more riled up than I would have expected, judging from the glare he jabbed my way when he realized it was me.

The earbuds were almost toast when he removed them by grabbing the wires and pulling like he was trying to start a lawn mower. "What the hell are you doing up here?! I said I wanted to alone!"

I leaned back on my hands and enjoyed the storm before the calm. It made things interesting. "First of all, you didn't say how long you wanted to be alone, and you've been up here for over two hours." He double checked my time estimation against his comlink watch like he thought I was making it up.

"Second of all, you told me to tell everyone else you didn't want to be bothered. I didn't take that to mean I was also on the list." His glare got harder, if possible. "And who better to come and see if the bear is ready to come out of the cave?"

I began the process of elimination. "Zane? 'Prince Prim-and-Proper' wouldn't come, being that he actually respects your wishes. Jay wouldn't dare since he has a healthy amount of fear of you, and with good reason. There's no way I'd send Nya or Lloyd with you in this mood. Sensei is still meditating, so it's not like I'd bother him. And Arwyn…" I purposefully left her name dangling in the air between us.

Forgetting he was bent outta shape with me, Cole formed a concerned look. "Is she…okay?"

'After the way you treated her, are you frickin' kidding me?' was what I almost said, but I figured "Do you think she's okay?" was a better option.

Dropping his head brought my fearless leader's bangs down like a short curtain, hiding his eyes from view.

It's like he's putting up a wall…

A few moments went by while I considered how to deal with him in his present state of mind. I wasn't volunteering any information on her, so he finally asked, "Did you bring her breakfast?"

"Nope. She came to the dining room to get it. Unlike some people." A sly smile sprang up. "Let me carry her all snuggled up in my arms and everything."

Cole instantly pushed his bangs from his reddening face so he could see me better. "You…held her?"

The sly smile widened. Even though I had Renata, it was pretty flattering to know he saw me as a virile, irresistible stud, a potential threat to his romance.

Let's let that soak in for a sec… Screwing with his insecurities was so amusing sometimes.

By now Cole's narrowing eyelid was developing a tic.

Okay, before I get myself in too deep…that's long enough…

"Nah. She actually wouldn't let me. She insisted on walking the whole way—"

His expression turned semi-horrified. "You made her walk? On that leg?!" Suddenly he wanted me to put my hands on her?

My expression turned exasperated. "What was I supposed to do? Throw her over my shoulder? Although it was funny, she wasn't really cool about that the last time you did it! …And I don't care much for wedgies."

He must have remembered that we were talking about a woman who was a lot like Nya when it came to getting her way. With a resigned air, he faced forward again, toward the stern of the ship, putting fingertips to his temple at the same time. At the corner of his eye, little wrinkles suggested he was in pain.

"Are you feeling alright?"

Dropping his hand self-consciously, he turned away. "Yeah."

Not being nearly as patient as he was, I sat up and bent toward him, saying sternly, "Quit the bullshit. You bugged me yesterday. It's your turn to talk." Cole started to shake his head, but I cut in. "I'm not begging, but I'm definitely not taking 'no' for an answer. I won't hassle you about what you did with Arwyn, but I want to know what's going on. Now."

He refused to face me, but that wasn't stopping me from—oddly for me—turning into his counselor, too. "You gotta help me understand. We offed a few Serpentine yesterday, and, yeah, Arwyn got hurt, but the antidote worked, and she's gonna live. You should be in a good mood…but you're not."

The Master of Earth's head went down, and I kept pushing. "I know you're stronger than the rest of us when it comes to taking crap on your shoulders, but you can't keep whatever it is that's bothering you this much locked inside like this."

Even as his hands closed into frustrated fists, I boldly kept chipping away. "Why aren't you eating or sleeping? Why are you yelling at half the ship? What's up with chasing prowlers who aren't there?"

Ten…nine…eight…seven…six…

Pleasantly surprising me by neither imploding nor exploding, Cole actually decided to answer me, although he wouldn't show me his face. "I don't know, Kai. I was ecstatic when Arwyn woke up. She was gonna be okay, ya know? But…something changed before supper last night."

He took a moment and rubbed the side of his head fairly roughly. "I just didn't feel right. It's not surprising that I was wound up and tired, but I'm not…content…at peace. There's…something…dragging me down in a way that I can't explain."

I was straining hard to get the whole picture. "Are you…depressed about anything?" Cole was so brooding and serious-minded sometimes, that I could easily see that happening.

With a shake of his head, he denied it. "No. This isn't depression. I know what that feels like. Believe me, I've been depressed to the point where…I wanted to hurt myself…but…my dad interrupted me that time and talked me through it." That I did not see coming.

"And if A-Arwyn hadn't made it, I may have…" His voice cracked a tiny bit when he said her name, and he didn't finish that disquieting thought, simply covered his face with his hands with his elbows resting on his knees.

Cole…my resilient brother…you do have a breaking point…

Drawing a ragged breath, he sat up again and went on. "But this is different. Like a dark, heavy, ominous…blanket…that's enveloping me, trying to suffocate me."

I didn't make a sound, I barely breathed, in the hopes that he'd continue to open up to me without my having to pry it out of him. I just wasn't sure how much of this I was capable of handling on my own.

"I've got these…funny things…going on, too."

Uh…

"…Like hearing people who weren't there?"

"Yeah. I swear I heard someone talking for several minutes before I woke everybody. I was almost able to make out words. Then it stopped while we were searching the ship." His hands were on his temples again. "After that…in Arwyn's room…"

Watching him grapple uncertainly with his thoughts, his words, was not a sight I was used to seeing with Cole. Frankly, it had me a little nervous.

His next words were tentative, like he was forcing himself to trust me and get them out into the open air. "Kai, I'm having these intrusive thoughts…ideas that aren't my own…of doing things…things I would never dream of doing."

Wha—

"What things?"

"I've been thinking of someone being…hurt…in specific, violent ways…by me…Ar—" In the middle of her name, he glanced at me and stopped short when he caught the look of unease on my face. I've never been a good poker player.

The damned stone wall immediately came back up as Cole closed himself to me. "N-Never mind! It's nothing." He was suddenly on his feet, preparing to leap down to the quarterdeck.

"Wait! Cole!" I jumped up next to him and grabbed his sleeve. He did me a favor by halting, but his vision was directed out toward the forest, away from me. "It's not nothing! But I'm sure these thoughts are harmless. We all have things pop into our heads now and then. No big deal as long as you don't act on them, right?" I tried to sound reassuring and act like I knew what I was talking about, but inside I was screaming for help.

Sensei! Zane! Anybody!

Probably just to make me feel better, he nodded. "You're right. No big deal." The sleeve was pulled firmly from my grasp. "Let's forget about all of this. I'm only tired and blowing it outta proportion."

I had to backpedal on that. "No! I don't mean to say that it's not important! I—" He held up a hand to interrupt me.

"I know. Just drop it." Stepping to the roof's edge, he paused a bit, looking back over his shoulder, and saying in a dead-serious tone, "Not a word to anybody about this. I don't want this getting back to Arwyn and having her worry."

He fell to the deck floor out of my sight for a moment, then reappeared. I watched him take the steps down to the main deck before he ducked through the below-deck entry.

Mind if I worry?

**Arwyn's POV

"Ai yi yi yi yi…!"

Sliding down the wall of the laundry room until I sat on the floor by the dryer was a lot painful, but I was so worn out from hopping around below deck and collecting dirty clothes that I just bit the bullet and somehow put up with it without yelping too loudly. I ground my teeth together as I stretched my legs out in front of me, agreeing with Kai's earlier assessment of my injured thigh—that it did, indeed, hurt like hell.

Taking a few pain-reducing breaths, I tried to relax, putting my head against the wall and closing my eyes, reflecting on my accomplishments so far this morning.

Upon leaving the dining room after breakfast—and slapping off several pairs of helpful hands along the way since I didn't want anyone thinking I was needy—I'd decided that the best way for me to keep my mind off of Cole's callousness was to keep it occupied.

Hobbling slowly and stiffly down the hall into the infirmary to make a list of everything I'd need to replace the next time I was able to purchase medical supplies was first on my list of priorities. There, in my element, I could get some work done and be alone to lick my wounds if I decided to throw a pity party.

Once I'd completed my inventory—without too much floundering in self-pity—I'd found my ripped and blood-stained gi wadded up on the exam counter, probably since Nya wasn't certain what else I'd want to do with it.

Hmm…I could probably just sew the pant leg together. It'll serve as a backup, anyway, until I can get another set. As for the stains, a lot of peroxide may take most of that out…

Remembering that Zane had dressed my wound while Cole had held me in the plaza, and Jay had carried me from there to the infirmary, I wandered down to the guys' bunkroom and looted the place for their muddied-and-bloodied gi so I could work on those stains, too.

From there, unfortunately, the going got a little rougher. The laundry room was in the hold, so I had to bite my lip a few times before I got to the bottom of the steps, thinking that I needed to be talking to Jay or Nya about manufacturing crutches. Getting back up the stairs later was gonna be another challenge.

I had somehow made it, and now the three colored gi—Zane, of course, had already laundered his—were busy getting sloshed around in the washer, losing their stains. I was planning on going nowhere else until everything was in the dryer. The only bad thing: I now had uninterrupted time to think.

Or so I thought.

Ever since Cole had marched out of my bedroom, I had hardly felt a trace of his element. My hypothesis was that he'd found a spot somewhere on the ship far enough from me so as to not allow me to pick up on whatever upheaval he may be going through. I was extremely worried about what might be bothering him, but, as bad as it may have seemed, deep down I was also hoping that he was afflicted with at least a small amount of guilt.

Gradually, however, I was again getting the sense of his element, and was sorta hoping that he would stay on the level above me, being not quite ready to face him. That was dashed when I heard the faint creaking of the stairs that led down to the hold, and his bruising element rang out his approach.

Dangit! How strong and dignified am I gonna look sprawled here on the laundry room floor?!

I made an effort to get to my feet, but my right quad was screaming so loudly in protest, that I figured, Screw it. Who gives a flip about dignity right now? and stayed right where I was.

When Cole stood framed in the doorway a moment later, my heart, as always, made known the magnitude of my affection for him, feeling as though it could burst when I saw the care and concern in his sincere, light-colored eyes edged with their thick, dark lashes, pulling me down into their infinite, limpid depths…

Dangit.

I directed my gaze away from the incredibly handsome and extraordinarily loving man on the threshold, pretending to find the chipped, white paint of the dryer door to be absolutely riveting.

You're supposed to be upset with him! Remember? He pushed you aside in front of everybody, said he wanted to be away from you, hurt and humiliated you. You remember that, right?

"Arwyn." Love and regret positively dripped from my name as he uttered it from that beautiful mouth.

Dangit. Dangit! So much for staying mad at him.

I closed my eyes in defeat, only, when I did, I once more saw his frowning, aggravated face, heard his terse words to me.

No, no, no… You can't let him off that easily!

"My heart…How are you?" His tone changed with the question, seemed almost…distant…as if our relationship was different, like he didn't feel the same about me as he had.

And he's still way over there, at the door…Has something happened to us?

Opening my eyes as that unthinkable thought hit me, I kept them on the surface of the appliance, afraid to discover that a change may have come over him. I tried to be as distant, too. "Ah, you know….The holes in my leg aren't bleeding as much anymore. The pain is only a dull throb, and I can move and breathe on my own, so…not so bad, considering." I flapped a hand around carelessly. "I'm only on the floor since there's no chair in here."

Taking measured steps, he finally came to me, squatting by my side, though without touching me. "Why are you up? After…all that…you should still be in bed."

I continued to stare at the chips in the worn, enamel paint that reminded me of a constellation.

Are we chipped now?

"Oh, I decided to avoid bedsores and try to get some strength back. Doing a few things for myself." Yay, me. "Little elves aren't gonna do my laundry, ya know."

"I was gonna take care of that in a couple of hours. You could have waited." He almost sounded detached, like he did when he was going over the morning's duties and instructions with the team.

Well, I could be aloof, too. "Actually, I can take care of my own dirty clothes, thank you very much. You have enough worries." I lowered my head a little to see that my hands were clasped in my lap as though in entreaty. "I didn't want to become more of a nuisance and a hardship to you."

I wasn't expecting Cole's swift, nearly heartbreaking, reaction. "Gah! You're not any of those things to me!" On his knees now, close by my side, he grabbed my hands in both of his, bowing forward, almost in dogeza, and pressed my knuckles to his forehead. "My heart! You are my everything, my lifeblood! I can't live without you, and you know that! I'm so sorry I said what I did! It wasn't meant to come out like that. I can't stay away from you!"

As the dam broke, and what he'd been holding back flooded out, I could only stare at the crown of his glossy, black head in response, feeling the corners of my eyes start to burn. "Baby, tell me what's wrong."

Lifting his head, he wouldn't look me in the eye. "I…I…can't explain what's going on. I just needed to be off on my own for a little while. Th-there's nothing wrong!"

His conflicting statements were confusing to me, but, at any rate, I was extremely relieved to find that his feelings for me hadn't changed. Pulling my hands from his, I opened my forgiving arms wide to him, and, like a distressed child who needed comforting, he leaned into me unhesitatingly, hugging my waist tightly with his forehead on my shoulder.

My cheek rested against his temple as I shut my watering eyes and felt the mending of any real or imagined rift between us.

With my arms around his shoulders and my hands stroking his head, Cole and I held each other for a couple of minutes until we both seemed to be more settled. Slowly raising his head from my collarbone, he wordlessly met my gaze. From beneath his tousled bangs, his eyes were pleading, brimming with an aching uncertainty.

What has him so messed up?

I was unconsciously dampening my lower lip with the tip of my tongue when he started to move in closer to me. Giving way to impulse, I suddenly found my fingers tangled in his hair, urgently pulling his covetous lips to mine, promising them they could have whatever they wanted.

And they were intent on taking it.

In an instant, his tongue was slipping between my lips, demandingly exploring, then blazing a trail over my jaw, setting fire to the skin of my neck from there to the collar of my undershirt which I was wishing I wasn't wearing so he wouldn't stop.

Unexpectedly, the sharp, sensual bite of his incisors in the curve at my neck and shoulder sent a warming, shock-like sensation straight down to my core. Breathless, I panted Cole's name in his ear, prompting him to thoroughly cover the sensitive area with a multitude of unnecessarily-apologetic kisses.

Embracing him as if my life depended on it, I thought my heart was about to pound right out of me when his warm, skillful hands breached the fabric barrier of my jacket and undershirt and groped feverishly over my waist and hips, up to my breasts. In encouragement, I arched against him, and the stabbing sensation in my leg barely registered as Cole recaptured my mouth with his.

The responsiveness of my body to his was almost scandalously immediate and absolute. I couldn't get enough of the caress of his lips, the taste of his tongue, his touch that seemed to virtually vibrate on my overheating skin.

I was wanting more of everything he had to offer, and I could tell unequivocally that he had a need to connect with me, be accepted by me.

I was ready and willing when I felt him easing me down, with a hand on my back, until I was lying on the hard, wooden floor, his weight hovering over me.

"Ah-ha! Making out after making up! How titillating is young love..."

Jay was leaning with his shoulder against the doorframe with a basketful of soiled clothing under one arm and a huge grin on his face when my love and I screeched to a halt, gasping at the sound of his voice. I guess I had been too occupied by Cole to be conscious of the lightning ninja's spark as he drew nearer.

"My, but laundry day has gotten awfully interesting! Ha!" He sauntered into the room while Cole and I scrambled to sit up from the floor. "Like my new word? I'm trying to expand my vocabulary. 'Titillating' has an arousing ring to it, don't you think? I especially like the way it starts. Ti—"

"Jay!" Cole quickly interrupted him as he was pulling my shirt down and closing the front of my jacket.

The man in blue didn't seem bothered at all when he set his wicker basket on the washing machine. "You know, there are a lot more comfortable—and private—places on this ship than the laundry room floor. Maybe Nya and I could map 'em out for ya." He smiled as though he'd be doing us a favor with the information. As I caught my breath, I wanted to punch him in the mouth for interrupting us.

Patting the top of the household appliance, Jay went on, "Or, Arwyn, maybe you would prefer to be sitting on the washer while you two do that. It's on the spin cycle."

What the what…? "Excuse me?"

"Jay!" Cole's near-shout was definitely grumpy.

"Hey, it's just a suggestion!" He gave Cole a grumpy look back. "Nya seems to like it."

"TMI, man! What do you want in here?!" The ninja leader began to stand, then discreetly decided to remain crouching at my feet.

"Duh." Jay gestured with an arm around the utilitarian space, stating, "Laundry room." He then sarcastically summed it up by motioning to his basket with a flourish. "Dirty laundry. I'm down to my last clean pair of underwear, so unless you'd like to loan me a pair of your drawers—"

I snickered at his use of that term.

"You'd be going naked before I'd do that," Cole retorted, reaching across me and opening the dryer door to see that it was empty.

"Yeah, yours would be a little snug on me, anyway," boasted Jay while he dumped his basket and began sorting its contents.

Cole rolled his eyes. "Pfftt! Dream on." When I snickered again at their cocky wordplay, he admonished me lightly to the side. "Don't encourage him, you'll only make him worse."

In an accusatory manner, Jay changed the direction of the conversation. "Why are you making Arwyn do laundry in her condition?"

"I'm not." My soul mate swept me up into his arms from the floor with care and stood. "She's done that on her own, but she's going back to her bed this minute."

"Hmm. That's really close to Sensei Wu," Jay observed with some doubt. "Not one of the comfortable and private places I was thinking of…"

We ignored him.

"Wait, I'm not done with everything!" I protested, putting my arms around his neck. I was not going to stupidly put up a struggle to be released.

"Yes, you're done," I was informed. "Jay can get the clothes into the dryer when the wash's finished. Right, Jay?" Cole trod to the door, beginning an agenda of assignments for our teammate as we went. "And I think we need a pair of crutches made ASAP. If Arwyn insists on getting up, she should at least have some support. Your project after that is gonna be working on the main engine, correct?"

"Uh…" Jay paused like he wasn't sure what Cole was talking about, then a light bulb apparently lit up 'cause he answered briskly, "You got it!"

Back in my room a minute later, Cole was placing me on the bed, saying, "Now I want you to be a good little girl and stay here until lunchtime." A less-than-compliant look must have flashed on my face. "What will it take for you to do that?"

My fingers were still laced behind his neck when I smiled seductively. "Someone big and strong to hold me here…"

I got a smirk from him at that as he still leaned over me, his hands on the mattress on either side of my torso. "The actual main objective would be to get rest and recuperate."

A flirtatious fingertip was run slowly along his jaw from under his ear to his lower lip. "I'm sure I'd need to rest after a while…"

He threw his head back in what I hoped was feigned frustration, exclaiming, "Aagh! Why do you tease me like this when you know we can't?!"

I shrugged with an impish grin. "It's so very…titillating."

"Hmmph." Cole quirked his mouth to one side amusedly, agreeing, "That it is." He leaned in closer to kiss me, and I closed my eyes in anticipation, then opened them again when I realized he'd stopped.

He was halfway to me, stock-still, and his look was vacuous, remote, his eyes trained on the pillow behind my head.

"Cole? Is something wrong?"

Grimacing slightly, he blinked hard and cocked his head to one side, pressing his ear into his palm. Moving away from me, he took my wrists and gently removed my hands from behind his neck. "No. I…forgot to check on something…Zane mentioned earlier. Just remembered." He stood up and went straight for the door, placing his earbuds that were draped over his shoulders into each ear as he walked. "I gotta go. Get some rest. I'll come back later."

He may have been trying to get out without my thinking he was in a hurry, but he failed, and, as he closed the door, I was left with a cold, super-heavy weight in my chest wondering what the frick had just happened.

**Cole's POV

Get away…Get away…Get away…Get away.

Every step I took further away from Arwyn's room—away from Arwyn—took a little more of the urgency off of me, made me feel more in control of myself, less afraid that I might do something horrible, guiltier that I might still be hurting her, if only emotionally.

Throughout my time in the laundry room with her, the background noise had never stopped, had stayed quieter as long as I resisted touching her, but had ebbed and flowed like the tide, especially increasing in intensity when we were…making up.

That part was so awesome…To have her back in my arms, knowing she forgave me, that she wanted to be with me…It was even there in her elements…

But I had to grudgingly add, Guess it was best that Jay broke it up…

In her room, the sounds had swelled once more, rising as we flirted, and I had tried so hard to ignore them. I was determined that I would not listen to my music while I was with her—until the insistent, probing voice had become audible, breaking through the sounds of the crowd.

Unrecognizable, yet now familiar, it had invaded my ears as I'd let myself slip into the enjoyable moment and was about to kiss Arwyn as she lay on her bed.

~STRONG~

~STRANGE~

~STRANGLE~

I guess I'd lost touch with my present reality at that time, since I remember seeing only my straining hands around my beloved's throat, choking the life out of her as she clawed uselessly at my wrists.

Using all of my energy, I'd instinctively fought like last time to keep from hurting her, not even bothering to protest, simply refusing to give in to it. It was with great relief that I discovered Arwyn unscathed, although looking seriously worriedly back at me, and it took a lot of restraint not to jerk away from her and run out of the room, eliminating chances of doing anything I'd never be able to live with afterward.

Down the gloomy corridor of the Bounty's first below-deck level I paced, watching my bare feet as they struck the smooth, wooden planks soundlessly. Or not—I couldn't tell with the music being piped into my head in order to override the droning and the voice in case it started again.

What is wrong with me? These invasive thoughts…where are they coming from? This crazy voice? Not a monster… What to do?

Head down, I watched my feet walking. Saw the faintly-visible striated patterns of the planks fluctuating subtly from one to another. The texture varying with each footstep.

Had no idea where I wanted to go, just that my feet were taking me somewhere, anywhere, that Arwyn wasn't so that I might reason this out, she could be safe.

Shadows sprang up, collided, converged in my peripheral vision, filling the hallway, encircling me. Maybe a sconce or two wasn't working. Didn't look to see if that was so.

Just kept eyes on my feet, absorbed with each dizzying stride.

Each one harder to see.

Gradually the musical notes faded, replaced by pulsating humming, buzzing, whirring.

Constant.

Steady.

Lulling.

Stair treads underfoot. Mounting or descending. No way to tell. Just walking, following.

Through the murkiness.

Sight dwindling.

Only touch.

Faintest touch. Barely felt.

Or sensed?

A presence. Noticed as the briefest glint of a sunbeam on the corner of a cobweb.

But, not seen…felt…like the brush of a strand of a spider's clingy silk against the cheek, the hand, back of the neck.

Like walking into a spider's web. Waving arms to get it off.

Flapping.

More clinging strands.

Fluttering.

A dragonfly caught in a woven trap.

Writhing.

Not a dragonfly.

Struggling.

A dragon.

Resisting.

Rocky.

Strong.

A rock.

Fight this.

Mighty.

Master of Earth.

Master of myself.

Don'tsurrender.

A glancing touch of the web, a ripple, like the vibrations of a laugh, in the vacuum around me.

~MASTER OF EARTH?~

The voice.

What?

~EARTH…ROCK…CRUMBLES…ERODES~

Who are you? Garmadon?

A shift in the air pressure.

~BELIEVE HIM TO BE THE ONLY POWER IN NINJAGO?~

Who, then, dammit?!

~MERELY A REFLECTION OF MY TRUE SELF AS VIEWED IN A MIRROR…THROUGH A LOOKING GLASS…FROM ANOTHER MIRROR…NOWHERE NEAR MY FULL STRENGTH~

Confusion.

A demon?

~NO DEMON…NOT THE FALLEN-ANGEL KIND…ONCE WALKED THIS WORLD JUST AS YOU…BOY~

Indignation.

Don't call me a boy! I'm a man. Speak to me as such!

In the void, something swished by, spiraling around.

~WERE YOU A THOUSAND TIMES YOUR PRESENT AGE…A BOY TO ME~

That's no answer as to who you are! Show yourself!

Silence. Not even murmuring.

Are you afraid?!

A rush of what felt like hot air inexplicably blew through my otherwise-unfeeling body.

Why are you tormenting me?!

~THROUGH A FORTUNATE SERIES OF ACCIDENTAL EVENTS…MY ESSENCE WAS DEPOSITED WITHIN ONE I HAVE LONG SOUGHT…TO DESTROY…HEIR TO THE FIRST SPINJITZU MASTER~

A shot of fear.

Arwyn?!

~ONE WHOSE BIRTH I WAS NOT ABLE TO AVERT...TO PREVENT INTERFERENCE IN FUTURE PLANS OF GLORY ~

Why would you want to destroy Arwyn?

~WITHIN HER RESIDES FRAGMENTED POWER OF THE FIRST…AND WU'S DORMANT RESERVE…OF WHICH THEY ARE IGNORANT~

Confirmation.

'Wu's reserve'? Then she is Sensei's daughter. He's extremely sensitive to stuff like this. How does he not know you're here?

~NOT OMNIPOTENT…DISTRACTED IN HIS ABYSMAL, TRANSCENDENTAL STATE…BACK DOOR OPEN TO TRESPASSERS…BELIEVES HIMSELF DEBATING WITH HIS BROTHER~

More concern

Will you hurt him?!

~HE WOULD ALREADY BE DEAD~

But you want her dead.

~TO STOP HER…AND OTHER FUTURE OBSTACLES TO THE QUEST~

What 'other'? What 'quest'? What plans?!

~ANOTHER…MORE POWERFUL…YET TO COME…THREATENS TO ERADICATE THE MAGNIFICENT DARKNESS THAT WILL SWALLOW NINJAGO~

Understanding dawned.

Our child?

~ONE WHO WOULD INHERIT ALL OF THE UNITED POWER OF THE CREATOR OF NINJAGO AT HIS CONCEPTION…I FOUND THE CURRENT HEIR TOO STRONG TO OVERCOME IN MY PRESENT STATE…BY OVERCOMING YOU…THE NEXT WILL REMAIN NOTHING MORE THAN A VISION~

Fury and the animal instinct to defend precious offspring rose quickly.

You can't hurt him! He's not even conceived yet!

~WHAT I WISH TO AVOID…YOU…THE FIRM FOUNDATION…HOLD THE SEED…SHE IS THE FERTILE RECEPTACLE OF ALL THE ELEMENTS…WITHOUT ONE OF YOU…FUTURE BARRIER TO COMPLETE DOMINATION WILL NOT BE~

Bravado awakened.

You're nothing more than a voice! Incapable of even manifesting in my mind's eye! You can't touch us!

~YOU ARE INDEED FORMIDABLE…SHE TRUSTS YOU…WILL DIE…BY YOUR HANDS~

I can fight you! You can't make me hurt her!

~ONE OF YOU WILL DIE TO DEFEND THE FUTURE THAT IS PLANNED…CHOOSE~

Determination to protect…

I WILL NOT HURT HER!

~THEN YOU HAVE CHOSEN~

…at all costs.

What?!

Wispy whiskers skimmed over skin—all of it, every inch—and in the space around, still devoid of light, currents of air swirled.

The crawling sensation brought hands to brush away the itchy feeling over arms, producing scratchy scraping.

Hearing was returning. Began as the droning, progressing to a keening.

More of the prickling triggered more of the rasping.

A hazy, far-off glow showed hands—gnarled, with taloned digits.

Not a monster…

Rending shirt sleeves, exposing pale skin beneath, fresh lacerations.

No demon...

Blood-red beads cropped up, multiplied, fused into rows.

Lengthened, running over the edges, hanging crimson tendrils.

Coiling around feet, pooling, spreading.

Irritating scratching became a sharp, white-and-tan pain.

The keening turned to a scream.

Screaming rabbit.

Then a repetitive knocking.

Hammering.

Barking.

Yanking arm.

Pain leapt up. A blur that caught the eye.

COLE

Covered in white-and-tan fur.

Pointed teeth latched on a sleeve.

COLE

Painted with warm, wet blood.

Under a honed blade.

COLE

Held in a shaking fist.

Hands on quaking shoulders.

"COLE!"

A voice that was loved.

A face contorted in terror.

A gasping breath.

"Lloyd…Get…Zane!"