Kai followed his newfound senses for hours on foot, following the single thick scent through the woods and trees. It was deadly quiet around them as they continued to walk. Nobody made a noise, and nobody said a word.

The Sunlight had begun showing itself through the leaves more and more as they got closer to a clearing. It was almost blinding after having been in the dark shade for several days straight.

The whole time that they walked, Nya made sure to keep her distance from Jay, and kept her glances to him to a minimal.

It was difficult not to think about what had happened down at the lake. Not to remember everything about what they did, or how it felt. And it ached something awful to know that it can't happen ever again.

After all, as far as she knew, he was still planning on being with Danielle. As far as she knew, he still loved her, not Nya.

What if Jay decided to stay with Danielle after all of this was over? Would it be easy for him to forget what had happened between them? Had it meant nothing to him?

The thought made Nya's insides rock. What if they didn't talk to each other again?

Nya's palms rubbed at her upper arms, the thoughts running wild in her mind. Why did she care so much? When had it all become so complicated?

As Nya became submerged in her thoughts, the ground changed, and she was no longer stepping on dirt anymore. Her foot stumbled, and she caught herself and steadied her feet on the new soft ground.

Sand. She was standing on sand.

Finally looking up from the ground, Nya's eyes darted through her new surroundings.

They were standing on a beach, completely empty and deserted, with silence that stretched for miles.

Nya recognized this beach. It was the same one that they had arrived at on that boat those few years ago.

Everybody around her was silent, and Nya could tell that they remembered too.

"So." Jay said, breaking the quiet. "She's here then? You tracked her?"

"Danielle's definitely around here." Kai said. "She's got to be straight ahead. Probably underground, because of how faint the smell is."

Jay nodded, as if to say, "good enough for me", and started walking through the sand and into the hot Sunlight. Kai followed, walking next to him so that he could still lead as he tracked.

Nya watched him go from behind, and a wave of sadness came over.

It was almost as if she's got to practice to watch Jay walk away from her.

Again.

The Turans in the bunker had been able to smell the humans from half a mile away, and did little to prepare for their encounter with them. Most sat in the corner sharpening their talons with smirks on their faces, and others were eating and talking with others as they used the barrels as tables. Some were even playing a card game.

Misako refrained from rolling her eyes. This was, of course, going to be an easy fight. They would win in an instant.

Just as that line of thought had crossed Misako's mind, the sound of someone clearing her throat came from behind her.

Misako turned around, and she met with another soldier, who was looking up at her with a tinge of fear, but also with smoldering danger.

A true warrior, she might be able to add.

"What do you want?" Misako asked, not bothering to try to keep the curtness from her tone.

The Turan cleared his throat again, but then stood straight, and seemed to try hard to look at Misako in the eye.

"Misako-"

"'Your Highness'"

The Turan looked up, looking slightly startled at Misako's correction, but immediately brushed it off.

"Your Highness." he said. "I was only wondering...if I could have your permission to be the one to bring your son back to Ninjago. To be the one to take him through the portal once we have him."

Misako looked at the Turan soldier quizzically.

"Why ask this?" Misako said, and the Turan's eyes intensified.

"I want revenge." said the Turan. "Your son, the prince, killed my brother. On Ninjago. He ripped him apart to shreds, and wouldn't stop."

Misako's eyebrow twitched. "When was this?"

"It was the first time that the prince had discovered his...true heritage." said the Turan. "He had the little boy with him, who I believe to be Cole. The prince unsheathed his talons on my brother, and even accidentally scarred Cole's ear."

"Ah yes." Misako said. "Your brother. I remember now. And now, you seek revenge with my son?"

The Turan's intensity was immediately lost, and was then replaced with fear and timidness.

"If Your Highness would grant me the permission." said the Turan, daring not meet Misako's eyes.

Misako sighed, and stalked over to the Turan solider, shaking her head. Once she was close enough, Misako laid a rough hand on his shoulders, her own talons brushing the Turan's back.

"Tsk, tsk, tsk." Misako whispered softly, shaking her head. "Solider, how many times must I tell you? How many times must I remind you?"

The Turan looked up to see Misako's face, and now a tear was threatening to fall from the soldier's eyelids.

"You've always had a weakness for your emotion." said Misako. "For your brother. It was always troubling to me."

The Turan looked up at Misako, who then brushed away the tear on his cheek.

"Real soldiers mustn't have feelings." said Misako. "My feelings for my son, and my feelings of longing for a family...it's all apart of me. But they shouldn't be apart of you. I made sure of that, don't you remember?"

The Turan looked away, even twitched, under Misako's gaze and touch. A second later, Misako unhanded him.

"Now go outside." said Misako. "And tell the others that I can sense my son getting closer. We must prepare to enter the portal now."

The Turan was silent for a moment, trying to speak through his tears. "Yes, Your Highness." he finally croaked. "And what of my request?"

Misako looked down at the soldier, and a small, demeaning smirk appeared at her lips.

"Your request for permission to take my son is granted." said Misako. "But do not harm him. Not even with a scratch. He is precious cargo, after all. The heir to the throne."

The Turan gave a nod.

"And don't forget," Misako added. "You can't return to Ninjago unless I walk through the portal. I must enter last, because I began the spell, and I must end it. Make sure to remind the others."

The Turan nodded again, and turned on his heel, and walked out the door. The metal slammed shut, and the room was silent once again, with Misako staring after the Turan with her mind racing with wariness.

Danielle was the first to climb out of the hatch, so that she could be able to see Kai and the others if they were out there. The other Turans had taken another door out so that they could sneak around and attack from behind.

It seemed to be empty out on the hot, bright beach. Nobody was in sight, but Danielle knew better than that.

Danielle shut the hatch door behind her with a loud clang, making sure that the noise was loud enough for them to hear. She stood up straight, squinting her eyes against the Sunlight, searching the area around her.

"...Danielle?"

The sudden noise in the empty landscape nearly startled her, and she stopped short. She allowed a small smirk to play onto her lips as she turned around, and her eyes met Jay's.

Jay was staring at her with awe and relief, a soft but wide grin on his face that showed his teeth.

And then Jay was hugging her tightly, and she was hugging back, because it was so nice to see him. It was nicer that Danielle would have thought.

"Are you alright?" Jay asked, breaking from her, and grabbed her arms so he could have a better look at her. "Are you okay? Did they hurt you?"

Danielle shook her head. "No, Jay, they didn't hurt me." she replied.

"Well they kidnapped you!" Jay breathed, because his breaths were rapid. "You were gone for days! We were looking for you!"

Jay then stopped and looked at her with confusion. "How did you escape?" he asked. "I would have thought the room would be swarmed with Turans, to make sure you didn't get out."

"It wasn't easy." Danielle said, shrugging. "But I did it. It's a long story."

It was almost difficult to lie to Jay like this, especially when he was looking at her like that.

Except now he was looking at her a bit differently. Almost guilty, almost sad.

Had something happened while she was gone?

Had something happened with him and Nya?

Danielle immediately forced the thought from her mind. It'd be better to cross that bridge when they get there.

Jay looked down, forcing his eyes away from Danielle's, and took her hand in his.

"Come on." said Jay. "We've got to go before they get back. Before they realize they're gone. They have a really strong sense of smell, you know."

Danielle laughed. "Yes, I know." she said.

As they walked, Danielle looked around, and her eyes met purple ones behind a bush. The Turan gave her a small nod, telling her that they saw her. It then waved to the others crouching down next to him, and they disappeared.

They were following Jay now.

Danielle gulped. "Jay..." she said, and for a second, she thought about telling him about the Turan's plan, and they would run away together. To escape.

But in the next second, Danielle decided against it.

"Um...where are the others?" she said instead.

Jay smirked, and nodded to the far end of the beach, behind some trees shrouded with bushes.

"They're over there." said Jay. "They're safe."

"Um...can you point?" Danielle asked, and Jay looked at her quizzically. "Uh...so that I can see them."

Jay looked at her with confusion and suspicion for a second, and stopped walking all-together. Danielle could see the gears turning in Jay's head, and her heart dropped to her stomach.

Finally Jay pointed his finger over to the bushes, but his suspious and narrowed eyes never left Danielle's face.

Danielle's eyes shifted slightly to the side, and she saw the Turans follow where Jay was pointing.

Danielle had successfully led them to her friends.

"Oh, I see now." Danielle said, trying hard to feign surprise. "Ok, cool. Well. Time to, uh, move on then?"

Before Jay could question Danielle's odd actions, she was already walking ahead of him, as fast as she could without being more suspicious than she already was.

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-KTH1