103
Theodynn looked out across the desert landscape, painted orangey-red in the fading light. The memorial was in place; Oni from all over had gathered to watch a recreation of a historical tradition. The heir wondered if they would even realize that it was something from history…or if they would think it was something his family had made up. He smiled a little. He wondered how many new traditions would fall into place because of his own family. Theo chuckled as he pictured Oni in a hundred years throwing birthday parties and choking cake down for the sake of tradition.
"Something amusing?"
He turned to see Myrah standing nearby. She had come out onto the balcony with him and was looking out into the crowd of people gathered in the courtyard. A large pyre had been built in the middle of it, and on it Theo could make out a wrapped bundle in the shape of a body. Heavy Metal.
The heir's smile quickly faded as he realized Myrah had come across him laughing down at her old leader's body and winced.
"I'm sorry; I was just thinking about traditions…I can't but help wonder if things that we do now will affect the future."
"Of course it will."
Myrah leaned on the balcony, looking down sadly at the crowd and the pyre.
"Where are your advisors?" he asked. They had been buzzing around all afternoon, but now it seemed that the new Western Leader had shaken them. She smiled grimly.
"I'm sure they're somewhere close by," she assured, and he nodded. They fell silent; all that was left now was to wait for nightfall so the memorial could begin. Myrah's eyes scanned the crowd as she continued their conversation.
"Everything we do as leaders affects the realm, Theodynn. We are the examples that Oni set themselves to, whether they realize they are doing it or not."
He blinked; suddenly his funny thought felt childish. Myrah had a way of making everything feel like a very weighty matter, he decided.
"I guess you're right," he said.
"Our actions, our attitudes…our traditions. They will become the actions, attitudes, and traditions of the realm," she said, her expression hard. "That's why it's so very important that we make sure we exude only the best qualities ourselves."
There was murmuring in the crowd and Theo looked down to see his parents had come out of the fortress. The ceremony wouldn't begin for another thirty minutes or so, but he supposed they wanted to go out and talk with people till then. He caught sight of his father talking with Vieri and smiled.
"Yeah, you're right," he offered to Myrah. "My parents tell me how the realm used to be; slowly but surely, they've been letting Amber and I know more about their own past. From what I gather it was a lot crueler back then. People were just worried about survival."
He gestured down to the Oni gathered.
"But now all these people have gathered together to pay respect to a great leader. The realm's gone from trying to assassinate its leaders to actually respecting them…and real respect too. Not just loyal because the leaders have frightened everyone into being loyal…but true loyalty built on the fact that they believe in us to do a good job."
Myrah didn't answer, but she did frown. Theo didn't seem to notice.
"I think my parents have had a big impact on the realm already," he noted. "People aren't so afraid to care anymore…to show affection. I mean, I catch sight of more Oni with binding marks now than I used to. They've tattooed them on themselves, because there aren't really enough healers around with those fancy binding cords to do it the traditional way…but even that's changing. I guess it won't be long until we get back to the way things were, back in early history; when there were lots of Oni with power and they were so industrious…"
"Indeed."
Myrah's tone was cold and Theo turned to her in surprise.
"It could be that you are the Ruler when many of these changes occur, Theodynn. Change is always a hard battle to win; are you sure you're up to the challenge?"
He stared at her for a few moments and then glanced away, sighing heavily.
"I mean…I do want to leave my mark on the realm. To really guide it to a better place, like my parents have…"
He shrugged sadly.
"I just hope I actually can." He finally said. Myrah's expression softened as she put a hand on his shoulder.
"You have been trained well, Theodynn. When the time comes, you will know how to lead this realm to a better place. Besides…you will not be ruling on your own."
He gave her a smile and turned back to look at his family among the crowd.
"Yeah…I'm never alone. I know that. I'm really lucky to have a family who loves and supports me…who will help me through it."
He ran a hand through his hair while Myrah seemed uncomfortable.
"I used to be so excited, you know? To become a leader and make a difference. But now I'm finally realizing that there's so much I have to learn and it's intimidating."
Myrah was silent, and Theo glanced over at her.
"Did you feel like that? When you took over for Heavy Metal?"
The Western Leader looked back down at the silent figure on the pyre.
"A leadership position is a big role to fill," she admitted. "Especially coming after someone who did it well. But I was raised to fill it, and I refused to be cowed by anything…least of all personal insecurities."
Theo nodded.
"You don't seem to be someone with insecurities," he agreed. She hesitated.
"Theodynn…"
He looked over.
"Yeah?"
She seemed to be trying to figure out how to say something and he frowned.
"Is something wrong?"
"No. I just wanted to say that you've been raised to fill this position as well. But the way you were taught had many…biases. Perhaps that's why you are feeling so insecure now."
Theo was shocked, but he tried to cover the fact by clearing his throat.
"Biases? What do you mean?"
She looked down at where Keyda and Cole were talking with the other leaders who had come.
"Your parents have done all they can for this realm…and they have done the best they can with what they have. But they have trampled years of tradition in the process of doing that."
Theo's expression fell as he studied her.
"I…what kinds of traditions are you talking about?"
"Things established as early as the line of Virgil…" she elaborated, and Theo scoffed a little as he turned back to watch the setting sun.
"Oh, that kind of stuff. You mean…slaves, and executions…."
"Among other things," she said carefully.
Theo just shrugged.
"They had to change some things…but it's for the better. People don't have to be so afraid now."
"Fear is a great motivator," Myrah argued. "Sometimes it is necessary for leaders to employ it."
"But there are better things."
Theo turned back to look at her, smiling softly.
"It was difficult for my parents to take over…and you're right, they just had to make do with what they had. But the reason they were so successful isn't because they used a lot of fear. It's because they had each other…loved each other."
He glanced back down at them; Cole's arm was around Keyda, and he could tell by the way she was pushing him off of her that he had made some kind of stupid joke she didn't appreciate.
"They wouldn't have made it far without the other," he finished. Myrah watched the Rulers as well, her brow knit together. She studied Theo's face for a few minutes.
"You believe affection is a strength, then."
He laughed and looked over.
"Yeah…but you knew that," he pointed out. "We've talked about it a bit before."
She hesitated.
"But it's not something you just believe in; it's something you want for yourself," she finally managed. His smile faded.
"Yeah. It is. I mean…at this point I don't know if I'll ever get it; a relationship like my parents have. That sort of storybook love, you know?" Theo said, resting his head on his hand. "But you're right. I do hope I get it someday."
Myrah sighed, and Theo was surprised by how frustrated she looked.
"But love is…it's too elusive of a feeling," she argued. "Anger, fear, grief; these are easy to understand and recognize. You know what you're feeling and you know why you're feeling it. Because you can recognize them and understand them then you can control them. In all I've learned of love, it can't be explained. You can't pinpoint a reason; it's too vague to ever be considered a strength. And if it isn't a strength then it's a weakness. A parasite of sorts that cannot be explained and cannot be controlled…"
Theo stared at her with wide eyes, and he couldn't help but laugh a little.
"That's how you see love?"
She blinked, and he realized that he probably offended her. She was far older than him, after all; she probably didn't appreciate a childish, not-yet-leader telling her what she didn't know. He held his hands up.
"I guess love is kinda hard to explain. But it's not a parasite…or a weakness."
She scowled.
"Then how would you describe it?"
He looked back down at his parents.
"Love is when you would do anything for someone…when you care more about them than yourself. And the Romantic type love…it's even more like that. I guess I can't claim to have ever really felt it, but I've had a crush before…"
"Crush? What does destruction have to do with love?" she cut in coldly, and Theo laughed.
"Naw, crush is just a term used when you are starting to fall in love, I guess. When it's not super serious but the first little seeds are being planted."
Myrah's expression was blank and Theo rubbed his head again.
"Gosh, I'm bad at explaining things. I get it from my Dad," he explained sheepishly. "For me, it felt all fluttery. Like when you're with the other person and your heart starts pounding and you don't know why. And you're interested in what they have to say and you want to know their opinion about everything. You can't wait to see them and you're disappointed when you can't. You don't quite know how to act or what to say, but you find that even though you're basically at your most awkward around them you want to be around them as much as possible."
"That's hardly love."
Theo was once again surprised at how intensely Myrah answered. She was basically glaring at him and he wondered if he had offended her in some way.
"You can hold someone in high regard and value their opinion and input without loving them," she sniffed, and Theo smiled sheepishly.
"Well, yeah, of course. I don't really know how to explain the romantic part of it; it kinda just comes down to this feeling inside…that fluttering, sweaty feeling that makes your heart pound."
"A good workout would do just the same thing," she responded coldly, and Theo laughed again, shaking his head.
"True enough. I guess someday maybe you'll feel it for someone, and then you'll know," Theo answered casually, and Myrah's expression darkened.
"So…you are in love with someone, then?"
He looked back at her in surprise.
"No, not right now…" his expression became sad. "I mean, not anymore at least. There was this girl back in Ninjago, I guess…but…uh….she turned me down."
Myrah blinked in shock.
"Was she aware you are the heir to the realm?" she asked, and Theo chuckled sadly.
"Yeah, she knows. But that fluttering, romantic feeling? I guess she just didn't get that."
He sighed and Myrah scoffed.
"Love is overrated. To turn you down?" She shook her head. "She sounds like an idiot."
Theo smiled at that and glanced back over.
"Thanks, Myrah. But it's fine; I'm alright now."
The sun had finally finished setting, and the Western Leader glanced at the large throng of people.
"The memorial is going to start soon," she realized. Theo nodded.
"We better head down. I have to find Amber; I told her we could stand together."
He gave the leader one last smile and disappeared out the door. Myrah watched him go with a stony expression, and as the balcony door closed she turned and leaned on the railing, scowling down at the crowd. The heir's words rolled around in her mind and she shook her head to try and dislodge them. Bula was right; Theodynn had some very mixed up ideas. His priorities were all over the place.
She had been scanning the crowd and paused as she caught sight of a familiar figure arriving. Myrah watched as Hershel was greeted by the leaders and she scoffed softly before pulling herself away to follow Theo down to the crowd.
The surface of the medal was worn smooth, and M. sighed as he rubbed his thumb across it again. He jumped a little as someone rapped on his door and he slid the medal back into his vest pocket.
"Come…" he started, but the door was already opening. He stiffened as his father came into the room, looking extremely displeased. The sour feeling in M's stomach got worse and he winced.
"Dad…I know I missed dinner, but I had to…"
"No. After everything I've done for you, there is nothing that you have to do."
M. cradled his head in his hands.
"I get that you're mad. I know I'm grounded…and…and that's fair. It's just there's been a lot going on today…"
"You mean this?"
He glanced over and groaned when he saw the large touchscreen pad playing his mother's interview.
"You've seen it then?" he said. Marty IV's stern expression softened as he scanned his son's miserable look. The Headmaster nodded.
"Yes, I've seen it. Your mother in all her glory," he said, his tone dripping with sarcasm. He came over and took a seat next to M., and the teen shuddered.
"It's all my fault," he muttered. "I feel like a complete idiot…"
Marty scoffed.
"She has a way of making people feel that way," he said softly. "In Matilda's world, her enemies accuse and condemn themselves."
"Don't talk about her like that."
Marty frowned down at his son, and M. rubbed his face.
"It wasn't Mom's fault, it was mine…"
"That's just what she wants you to think."
Marty's expression was hard and squeezed his son's shoulder.
"I warned you this would happen, M. She doesn't care about anything but herself…."
"She's just trying to keep Ninjago safe. She just…she's doing it the wrong way." M. sighed. "I shouldn't have told her about Amber; I didn't realize it would freak her out so much."
"No, son…I'm sure this has been her plan all along."
M. glared at the ground.
"I know that you hate her, Dad. But you don't need to…to villainize her."
Marty's eyes narrowed.
"You mean, like she villainized your friend?" he pointed out icily. M. moaned and pushed himself to his feet.
"Like you treat Amber any better!" he argued, and Marty narrowed his eyes.
"I did let her back into the school, M…and I let her go home this weekend," he pointed out, his voice raising. "You have no right to…"
"You're right. I'm sorry."
M. deflated, though his fists were still clenched.
"Can you just punish me already?" he asked softly, and Marty IV stiffened.
"Young man, one of these days you will learn respect!" he snapped, and M. sighed.
"I know I'm in trouble…I missed dinner to go talk with Mom."
The vein was starting to bulge in his father's neck and he wondered if that wasn't the best thing to admit. He hurried on.
"It's just…the interview really shook me up and I had to go figure out why she did it. And I guess I know now. I don't think she's right but at least…"
"I don't want you seeing her anymore."
M. looked up.
"That's not fair!"
"Get to bed, M." his father said coldly. "We'll talk about it tomorrow…at breakfast."
M. watched as his father left in disbelief. His emotions were in such a mess, he didn't know whether he wanted to punch a hole in the wall or break down. He looked down and realized that he had fished his medal out of his pocket. His fist tightened around it, and he yelled out in frustration as he chucked it at the wall. It made a loud pinging as it bounced off, and no doubt left a dent, but M. didn't care. He sank to his knees and cradled his head as he tried to figure out how he was going to get everything back to the way he had it.
104
Hershel watched as the first stars starting making themselves known in the sky and sighed as he glanced at the pyre. He had been doing research all day and had found the place in the history scrolls that had mentioned this ritual.
Oni power was destructive. It had so much more potential than just that, but over the years that was the main quality that had been championed. Being consumed by destructive Oni power used to be seen as the most respectable thing you could do for someone who had passed. He glanced over at Keyda who was taking her place on the lip of the pyre.
The crowd was silent, not sure what to expect. Hershel wondered if Keyda would say anything, but then she turned to face the many Oni who had come to witness the memorial.
"Heavy Metal was a true leader…all the years I knew him. He always did what he thought was best for the realm…" here she glanced over at her husband, who was smiling at her from the crowd. "Even if it meant that sometimes, he had to change his point of view. He was fond of tradition…and we know this to be one of the most ancient Oni rituals. Today, we honor him by lighting this pyre with the true destructive power of the Oni. "
She paused, and Hershel realized she didn't know what else to say. But in her pausing, a hush came over the crowd, and the Master Healer was surprised by the level of silence that had been achieved; Oni were rarely this well behaved, he realized. Especially in large groups.
Keyda turned and held up her hands, and from Hershel's perspective, he could see her eyes glow with purple light. He was also close enough he could see the tell-tale glints of tears sliding down her face as aura formed around her hands. She shouted as the power poured off of her, quickly engulfing the pyre. The wood snapped and smoked as it burned, and the entire moonlit courtyard was now filled with purple light, illuminating the pale faces that watched it.
Keyda lowered her arms as the pyre burned in earnest, and she turned and descended the steps that seemed to be carved out of earth. Cole met her at the bottom of the stairs and wrapped one arm around her. The Ruler leaned her head on his shoulder as they watched the burning pyre.
After awhile the Oni began to trickle away; there was only so long you could watch a pyre burn for someone you didn't know personally, Hershel realized. He stayed put as the courtyard cleared, however, feeling stuck. He wondered if Syn would regret not coming, but she said that she would rather stay with Pippa back at her and Tolan's tent. He suspected that his sister didn't have the best memories of the deceased Oni…and he didn't blame her. He had saved Syn's life that day…but he was a strict master to have just the same. Syn had grown up absolutely terrified of the Masked second-in-command.
He was looking around to see if Tolan had made an appearance when he heard someone approaching him from behind. He turned to see the Western Leader standing behind him.
"You came," she said simply and he nodded.
"I said I would," he reminded, and she scoffed.
"I wouldn't have been disappointed if you hadn't."
He frowned in confusion, and she seemed to realize how odd the sentence sounded.
"I just mean that when you don't show up to things, I'm not disappointed. I may have gotten after you yesterday about missing the healers training but it didn't mean anything."
Hershel was honestly at a loss.
"Well…I'm glad."
"Good."
She glanced past him, and the smoldering remains of the pyre behind Hershel were reflected in her dark, copper-flecked eyes.
"It probably was better to allow the Ruler to take charge of this ritual," Myrah said.
"Indeed."
He continued to study her and her eyes flicked back to his and hardened.
"Stop it."
Hershel shook his head.
"Stop what?"
"Looking at me like that," she ordered. Hershel immediately flushed, though he hoped it was too dark to see, especially with the only source of light directly behind him.
"I'm sorry; from now on I'll only stare at the ground in your presence," he said sarcastically, and her expression flickered.
"Well…it's certainly been awhile since you addressed me like that," she sniffed. "I was beginning to think I had discovered a whole different Master Healer after this last week."
He narrowed his eyes and then shrugged.
"I'm not sure what you mean," he said quietly. He turned to go. "I'll send my sister over in the next few days for the healer's lessons."
She stiffened.
"Whatever for?"
He turned and raised an eyebrow.
"You just got done telling me how you wouldn't be disappointed if I didn't show up. How else am I supposed to interpret that other than to think you would rather not see me around anymore?"
"Of course not. I only meant that I wouldn't be upset if you didn't turn up when you were supposed to…"
"Really? Then what's the problem with sending my sister? She's an excellent healer herself…"
"But it is your responsibility! You can't just pawn it off on another healer. You're the one who agreed to…"
"So I'm supposed to be there," Hershel translated, his small smile coming back. "And….you would be upset if I wasn't."
Myrah looked stuck and he studied her face again.
"You really are impossible…if anyone else treated me the way you do…" she managed, and he shrugged.
"I suppose you'll have to deal with me a little longer, as there are a handful of lessons your healing recruits still need." He met her eye and smiled again. "I guess I will see you in a few days."
Matilda strode out of the offices and her lips pursed at the sight of the drizzle coming down. She sighed and pulled out the umbrella in her large white purse, opening it deftly before stepping onto the sidewalk in her clean heels. The rain made pattering sounds on the stiff material and she turned to head towards the parking lot.
"Matilda."
She turned with raised eyebrows. Marty IV was standing a yard or so away with an umbrella of his own. Her surprised look twisted into a patronizing smile.
"Hmmm…I should have taken my bodyguards up on their offer to walk me to my car."
The Headmaster sneered and Matilda O'Keefe moved her umbrella to a different hand so she could turn to face him more fully.
"What do you want, Marty?"
"That stunt you pulled in that interview…"
"Stunt? What on earth are you talking about?"
"Don't play dumb; you've been using M. That's why you came back, isn't it? Needed some insider information to boost that campaign of yours…"
"Really, Marty; just because our son confides more in me than he does in you…"
"You aren't to see him again, Matilda. I warned you what would happen if I found out that you were using him."
She rolled her eyes.
"You always were so dramatic. I'm a mother who has gotten back in touch with her son, after years of being cut out of the picture by my controlling ex-husband…"
"You may have the rest of the world fooled. You may even have M. fooled…but not me. And I won't sit back and let you manipulate him and toy with his feelings."
She narrowed her eyes.
"If you don't want him manipulated, I suggest you take a closer look at that Oni you've allowed into your school."
He was silent and she looked down to admire her nails.
"Honestly, wouldn't it just be easier to kick her out for good? After that interview the school must not have good publicity. When I think of the phone calls you must have fielded today…"
"What I do in my school is not for you to decide!" he said, his voice rising. "Nor is it for you to discuss on your little talk shows. If Amber's your true target, then find some other way in that scheming mind of yours to deal with her. Our son is no longer a part of it. Do you understand?"
"I don't understand; how could I? You sound like a schizophrenic." She eyed the Headmaster coldly. "He's my son too, Marty…and I could fight you for him. You know how persuasive I can be in court."
He stiffened at the threat, but then his expression relaxed and he chuckled bitterly.
"Is he really helping your image that much, that you'd be willing to go through all the trouble?" he asked, and she glared at him. The Headmaster continued. "I know you too well, Matilda. You're quite the actress, I can give you that. As the head of a performance school, I know talent. But I also know that pretending can be so exhausting. If you were to get M. back, how long before you get tired of the good mother routine, huh? A year? Two? After all…you didn't last many years longer than that your first try, and M's a lot harder to fool now than when he was seven."
She scoffed quietly, her gaze icy cold.
"How dare you."
He straightened, having made his point.
"I mean it, Matilda. Have your little political spree; run for council woman, target the Oni; I couldn't care less. But from this moment on, you do not have the right to see our son. After all, you aren't the only one who can afford a good lawyer, and I doubt a custody battle is something you need right now. Political competitors like to twist such situations, don't they? I'd hate for them to investigate your previous shot at motherhood a little too closely."
"You're insane," she spat back. "Do you know easy it would be for me to destroy your reputation? Get you mixed up in all this Oni business? I could tear that school of yours down so fast…"
"But I am not your target, Matilda. Remember that. And if you're going to declare war on me you should know that I'm not going to go easy. I can make as many problems for you as you can for me, and you know that. Reputations are such fragile things, after all."
He turned now, umbrella in tow, but glanced back to say one last thing.
"Just go back to doing what you do best, why don't you: attacking those who cannot defend themselves." He paused, his last words full of frigid seriousness. "And stay away from my son."
Matilda watched him walk away, the gears turning in her mind of which sacrifices would be worth it. She finally turned and headed back towards the parking lot, her head held high.
Keyda's heart sank as she watched the large beams burn, and her arm tightened around her husband. She thought of the words that she had said on Heavy Metal's behalf and sighed. They seemed so small…so insignificant. But she had never been good in these situations; good at finding the perfect way of expressing how much someone meant to her. Besides, given her and Heavy Metal's past…it was so hard to know exactly how she could express their complicated relationship. So she had kept the words of the memorial short, and no one seemed to mind. But maybe that was what made it even worse.
People were leaving now; they had listened to her inadequate speech and watched the pyre burn and were now headed home. Keyda felt a huge rush of sadness, thinking how unlikely it was that anyone was truly mourning the ex Western Leader. People had respected him, she knew…but did anyone else need him? Was anyone else feeling as lonely as she was now that he had passed?
She leaned back into Cole's embrace. Her husband was sad, she knew, but even he didn't really see Heavy Metal the way she had seen him. In truth, the two had never been especially close, but they had definitely come to a point where they respected each other deeply. And yet it made something twist inside as she realized that tonight Cole was more here to comfort her than he was to mourn the leader's passing.
"I'm taking my leave."
She turned to see Ottan nodding at them, and she nodded in return. Ymil had already left; the only leaders who remained now were Myrah and Tala. The former seemed to be conversing with Hershel about something, and the latter was staring at the pyre with a strange expression. Keyda realized with a start that the Eastern Leader was getting quite old herself; perhaps Tala was realizing that it wouldn't be that much longer before she was on a pyre of her own. Or perhaps she was wondering if anyone would even bother to go through the trouble. Keyda frowned; she'd like to think she would; though she didn't know Tala nearly as well as she knew Heavy Metal, the older Oni was a respectable woman and a decent leader and deserved to be memorialized as such.
More people were trickling away, and Keyda turned her attention back to the pyre. The fire devoured downward, hungrily, and it was beginning to collapse in on itself, as it was designed to. Her heart gave another stab of sadness as she realized that the last of Heavy Metal was probably gone now, dissolved to black dust by the destructive force she had unleashed. There were so many things she would never know about him, she realized. Did he have any family, or was he as alone as he seemed? Had he ever been in love? She couldn't picture it…but she also knew him to be more compassionate than he let on. It made her sad to think that maybe he had loved someone but pushed the feelings away, as many had over the years under the generations of repressive leadership. It almost seemed less tragic to think that he had just never loved anyone. After all, he would have felt safe to open up after she was in charge, wouldn't he?
Her mind was flickering through a million memories now, as if to search for clues that would help her discover who the man she was mourning truly was. The pyre burning in front of her suddenly felt like some kind of cruel timer, willing her to solve the puzzle before Heavy Metal was gone forever. She found herself thinking of the first time she had ever seen him; when he was large and terrifying with the metal mask. When he had ripped her from the rubble of her destroyed home and nearly killed her, because he thought that was what the Baron wanted. It was strange; the man with the mask that tormented her childhood, and the scarred Oni that had stood by her side for decades seemed like completely different people. Yet there were times that she had seen his silent, almost apathetic resolve in the years that he had served as her Captain of the Guard and Western Leader. And she was forced to realize that there were times that she had caught glimmers of his humanity through his mask, back when she was younger. For the most part, he was the Baron's puppet; the man who would do what he was told no matter how cruel, no questions asked. As a slave she knew to fear him…but she realized it was less about fearing him as it was fearing what the Baron would ask him to do. In the times when Heavy Metal had to act for himself-when the decision was his because the Baron couldn't or wouldn't be bothered-the dictator's second in command would occasional err on the side of mercy. She had been there when Hershel and Syn had been brought into the slave quarters for the first time, with the Matron complaining about the purchase Heavy Metal had made. Keyda had been surprised as well, especially when she caught sight of how scrawny and weak the children were, but she had always assumed that the second-in-command was desperate to meet quotas. She could remember times when he had stepped in with her punishments as well. In all the ways the Baron had targeted her, Heavy Metal was always there, silently watching. He never disobeyed the Baron, and he never defended her in obvious ways. But he was the voice that called the Baron off just before going too far; she had to wonder if the Baron asked him to stand by during those punishment sessions or if Heavy Metal chose to be there, just in case he would need to step in.
Keyda found herself wondering how the Baron had ever won the scarred Oni's undying loyalty. Because that was what it was, more than anything else. People could argue that the Baron ruled everyone by fear, and it was true…but he was also very good at making promises to get people to do what he wanted. And yet Heavy Metal had never seemed the sort acting out of terrified submission or greedy hope. He had always just seemed…loyal. Perhaps it was the Baron's utter betrayal of his loyalty that had caused Heavy Metal to make the change he had from masked servant to Keyda's most trusted supporter. She knew the Baron had turned on him after the ninja escaped; he had claimed it was the reason he joined with Keyda when he had appeared at her first meeting with the Oni with Wu. It must have been quite the betrayal, to have the person you had dedicated your life to serving and protecting…the person who had your own utmost loyalty…to turn and treat you as if you were worthless and replaceable. She remembered suddenly sitting next to Heavy Metal's side as he woke up after recovering from the wound Adalaide had given him on the battlefield. He had told her that he knew the Baron would have let him die. But she hadn't; she couldn't. When he had shown her the same unfailing loyalty, she couldn't just leave him to die. It made her hate the Baron all the more that he could.
A thought struck Keyda strongly; one she hadn't really had before. She had always assumed that Heavy Metal had put her forward and supported her as a leader because she was powered. Of everyone in the realm, perhaps he just knew she would be the easiest person to convince everyone to follow because she clearly had something that no one else had. But something seemed to whisper to her as she watched the pyre collapse further; perhaps her powers weren't the reason he had chosen her, or stayed by her despite everything that happened that first year of her leading. Perhaps he had supported her because he knew her, had seen her grow up, and somehow had guessed what she was capable of. Her heart pounded and it hurt more that she would never really know the answer, but suddenly another conversation came to mind. In those months following the union…the ones after she had left Cole in Ninjago and tried to forget him, Heavy Metal had been the one who got after her for it. He was angry, she remembered, because she was becoming hardened and apathetic.
We just got rid of an unfeeling leader… he had said bitterly, and it struck her that even the man who fought for the traditional way of Oni life, no longer wanted to serve an apathetic ruler. In that conversation, it was clear that he had supported her not for her power, because she could have led the realm with both apathy and power at that point. He had wanted her to care…and he believed that she could.
A calm seemed to fill the Ruler, bringing tears to her eyes. She gave a little gasp and felt Cole's embrace tighten around her. She realized that she had always felt a little guilty for not being the exact Ruler that he had expected her to be; it was no secret that she made many decisions in that first year that he had disagreed with. He never took away his support, but she had always feared it was because he was in too deep, and it would have been too messy to try and get a new leader in at that point. But perhaps he stood by her because he truly trusted her, more than just because he didn't want to bother changing management. In truth, had he wanted a change of management, he could have supported Adalaide, she realized. They were hopelessly outnumbered that night, but he had supported her, not the usurper. And he had nearly died doing it…protecting her. Fighting for the realm she was creating, even though she didn't do things in the way he wanted all of the time.
The tears were running down her face now and Cole leaned in.
"Keyds…you ok?"
"I think he really trusted me," she managed, though she realized that the thought wouldn't make a lot of sense without the context of her thoughts. Cole smiled sadly as he held her.
"Of course he did. That much was obvious to anyone."
She sniffed.
"I wish I hadn't made so many mistakes," she realized and Cole shook his head.
"Everyone makes mistakes, Keyda. In fact, mistakes are how you discover the people who are really there for you…because they're the ones who are still there for you afterwards."
A sob escaped and she finally turned away from the burning pier so she could bury her face into Cole's shoulder.
"I'm going to miss him," she admitted. "I know he was old…I know he was in pain…but I still want him here. I know that's wrong, but I can't help it."
"It's not wrong," Cole murmured into her hair. "He was the one we could always count on…who you could always count on. Of course you would miss him."
It was true; no matter what it was Keyda found herself in, she had reached a point where she never had to wonder if the Western Leader would support her. When she had gotten bound…when her children had disappeared…when she had lost Cole. He was the one who had been there, who sat her down, who urged her to get up and keep fighting. But he was more than just an ally…more than someone she could count on. He was someone she had wanted to count on. But now she couldn't go to him anymore, and she couldn't help but feel guilty all over again that her memorial had been so short. There was so much more she should have said; she knew most of the Oni in the crowd didn't know him, or even if they did they didn't know him, not like her. She should have told them more so they could have learned about him and truly understood why his loss was a detriment to the realm.
There weren't many people left now, and Keyda realized that she was exhausted. She turned back to the pyre, her resolve hardening; despite her fatigue, she wasn't going to leave until the pyre had died down. It wasn't a rule based on tradition; the scrolls hadn't outlined such a procedure. But for some reason her mind had settled on it just the same, as a way of showing her past Mentor and Supporter that she would stand by him till the end, just as he had stood by her.
105
"I just don't know why it's happening, Theo. Why now?"
Amber was lying on Theo's bed next to him as they stared up at the ceiling, and his mouth was pursed in thought.
"I dunno, Ams. Is there something at school threatening you?"
She shook her head. For a moment, she thought about Matilda and the hate she had felt, but pushed it away. That was hardly the same as her experience with Evynn; that situation annoyed her more than anything. She hated Matilda, but she wasn't afraid of her.
"You know, when I had all of my nightmares, back when I was younger, after the first time Evynn was around..." Theo looked over at her. "I spent a lot of time talking with Master Hershel. For me, he helped me realize that they were rooted in my fear about what had happened, and guilt."
She frowned and he nudged her.
"Amber, I think you should talk with him. I think you should tell him everything…"
"He already knows everything!" she argued, glowering at the ceiling. "So it doesn't matter if I tell him!"
"Don't tell him so he can know, tell him so he can help you." Theo reached out to tug her horn. "I'm worried about you, Ams. I don't remember the last time you had a nightmare. When you called a few weeks ago you sounded really upset."
She glanced away and sighed. After a moment she looked back at him.
"Maybe it has nothing to do with what happened to me," she argued softly. "Maybe…maybe it's some kind of warning…telling me that I need to protect you."
Theodynn shook his head.
"I'm telling you, Amber…I'm ok. I promise…"
"Maybe it's something you don't even know about!" she argued, her brow furrowing. Her expression lit up with a realization. "Like…Myrah! Maybe that's why she's been acting so weird…Tay, I think she's the threat!"
Her brother's expression darkened as he scowled at her.
"Amber, not this again…" he argued, and she sat up.
"Think about it, Theo! You have to admit she acts differently around you. She's always seeking you out, asking you questions…"
"Why on earth would Myrah target me?" he complained, and Amber scowled.
"I don't know. Maybe…maybe she's in cahoots with Evynn, somehow. And this is her way of getting revenge…"
"Amber, that's ridiculous!" Theo argued, sitting up as well as he glared at her. "If you don't want to talk to Hershel about your nightmares, then fine. But don't use them as an excuse to come up with crazy conspiracies…"
"She's hiding something, Theo! I know it! I can't even tell what's she's feeling most of the time; it's like there's a wall."
"Maybe she doesn't want you reading her emotions, Amber. She's a private person, and a serious one. I don't think she opens up very easily, and if you want her to, you could try trusting her a little more instead of glaring at her and blaming her for things she hasn't done."
His voice was sharp and Amber narrowed her eyes.
"Why should I trust her? She hasn't proven anything to us…given us any reason that we should trust her. And there's no reason for her to talk to you the way she does, or to seek you out. She's got to be planning something, Tay…and you're the target!"
"Maybe it's because she actually trusts me, Amber!" he snapped back. "Maybe the reason she keeps seeking me out and treating me like a leader is because she thinks of me as one, instead of looking at me like some naïve idiot that should be ignored, like the rest of the leaders do!"
Amber was surprised by how angry and hurt her brother suddenly felt, and then she felt guilt creep in as well as he looked away.
"Sorry, Ams. It's just…Myrah's the first leader that's had to get to know me as me. She wasn't there when I was born, she didn't watch me grow up. That's why I was so nervous to meet her, because I wasn't sure if she would even see me as an equal, or if she would think me worthy of her respect. But…she does. I like to think that the reason she bothers to talk to me is because she actually thinks I'll make a good Ruler someday…not because she's planning something and I'm just once again the unwitting victim."
Amber didn't know what to say to that. After a minute of silence, she cleared her throat.
"I mean…of course you're going to be a good Ruler, Tay…" she tried, but he just scoffed.
"Hardly, if someone can't even treat me like one without it seeming suspicious."
He pushed himself up from the bed and she sagged in guilt and sadness as she watched her brother leave the room, his hurt still lingering in the air behind him.
"Amber?"
Hershel blinked in surprise as the young xinta pushed her way into his tent, and Amber winced.
"Yeah."
She stood near the doorway, as if debating whether or not to bolt, and the Master Healer put down the knife he was chopping with to come over.
"Is…everything alright?" he asked, trying to figure out why she was glaring at the ground. She finally sighed and looked up.
"I'm…I keep having these terrible nightmares. Theo said maybe you can help."
Her tone was soft, and seemed both hopeful and doubting. Hershel frowned and gestured to the chairs near the fireplace.
"What kind of nightmares?"
"Wait…you want me to do what?"
Dani peered out at M. through her large glasses, obviously skeptical, and he resisted the urge to groan and roll his eyes.
"You just have to text me when Amber gets back. Can you do that or not?"
She pursed her lips.
"Sure I can, but why should I?"
"Because I need to know the second she gets back so I can explain that whole interview thing," he pressed, losing his patience. Here Dani rolled her eyes.
"Explain? Explain it how?"
"You know…explain. Make it so that Amber knows it wasn't my fault and I don't feel that way about her.
Dani continued to stare at him skeptically and he groaned.
"Look, Amber's one of my closest friends. Last year, before she got here, I had tons of friends. Other dancers willing to talk and goof off and hang out…but none of them are like Amber. I just…I don't want to ruin things with her. I need your help making sure that doesn't happen."
The musician was watching him closely, and M. realized that it kinda reminded him of how Amber would look at people when she was trying to get a read on them. He wondered if this weird piano chick had always been like this or if Amber had rubbed off on her. After a few minutes Dani finally shrugged.
"Fine, Openheimer. I'll help you. But before I agree to text you as soon as Amber gets back, you have to tell me everything you're going to say to her."
He scowled.
"I already told you what I was going to say to her!"
"No, I mean tell it to me word for word; pretend I am Amber."
M. stared at her, and his mind went blank. Dani gestured.
"Well? She's going to think it's weird if you just show up and stare at her!"
"I'm not pretending you're Amber. I'll tell her when she gets back."
He knew he sounded surly, but he didn't care. He didn't owe this musician anything…
"Fine. Then I won't bother letting you know when she gets back; you can talk to her when you get to class."
She turned to walk away and M. resisted the urge to strangle her.
"Wait!"
She paused and he sighed dramatically.
"Alright. But no talking. It's weird enough without you actually pretending to be her."
Dani turned around and smiled a little at his discomfort.
"Geez, it's a good thing you aren't an acting major, M. I don't think you'd survive…"
"Just shut up and let me do it, alright?"
She obliged and folded her arms, waiting. He rubbed the back of his neck, finding it easier to stare at the ground than stare at the brunette judging him.
"Um…Amber…." He started, feeling stupid. "Look, I just needed to talk to you because there's this stupid video going around…"
"Tell her exactly what it is."
He looked up to glare.
"Hey, no talking!" he reminded, but Dani ignored him.
"If you don't tell her exactly what video it is she'll find out from someone else and she'll think you were hiding that from her."
He hated this; he was about ready to give up altogether. But in his awkward practicing, he was realizing that even though he knew he needed to talk to Amber as soon as possible, he didn't really know what to say. He muttered under his breath and finally started again.
"Look, Amber, last Friday my Mom did this interview for this new safety policy thing…she's running for council woman and she's always doing these interviews and stuff."
He paused, but when Dani didn't interject he took that to mean that at least his opening was adequate.
"And…um…"
He trailed off and glanced up and Dani gestured for him to continue.
"Just tell the truth, Openheimer. It's not that hard!"
"She mentioned you in the last one she did. I swear, I didn't know a thing about it…but she said some stuff that really wasn't true about you and…I guess what I'm trying to say is you were right. About your first impression about her."
He squirmed under Dani's expression.
"I'm not sure why she doesn't trust you...I swear, I told her that we were best friends. I assumed that would mean something to her. But she said these awful things and I don't know why and I just needed you to know that I wasn't part of it. I mean…I would talk about you sometimes with her but in good ways and she twisted them to make them sound bad…"
He winced hard and stumbled on.
"She's a good person, really…she wants to keep Ninjago safe and stuff. She just thinks Oni are dangerous for some reason and she wants other people to think so too."
"She doesn't sound like a good person."
He glared at Dani again and she shrugged.
"Hey, Amber's probably going to say something similar!"
He tugged at his sleeve and exhaled angrily, continuing his practiced explanation.
"I'm still trying to figure her out. And I don't want to just, you know, give up on her after she finally came back after seven years. But what she said about you wasn't ok and I don't want you to watch the video, ever, and if someone mentions it you know what it is now and you can just ignore them for being stupid."
He finished and finally met Dani's eye. The pianist's lips were pursed and he finally gestured.
"Well?!"
"Well what?"
"Is she going to believe it?" he asked, becoming more frustrated. Dani scoffed.
"Were you being sincere?"
"Yes!" he insisted angrily, and Dani shrugged.
"Then she'll believe it. She can sense feelings, you know."
"I know! I'm the first one she told, remember?" he sneered. "I know everything about her!"
Dani didn't seem impressed.
"Yeah…and then you told your Mom, who's using it to try and make Amber's life miserable."
He threw his hands in the air.
"Just forget it! I'll just talk to her in class; this whole thing has been a huge waste of time!"
"Whatever, Openheimer," Dani replied, not seeming to care that he was upset. But she did call out to him as he stormed away. "I'll text you when she's back!"
Amber stared at the jar in her hands as she sat on her bed. The talk with Hershel hadn't been as horrible as she had thought it would be. He had asked her to tell him about everything that happened, but she didn't—Theo had already told him all that stuff. There was no reason for her to bring up the Island, or erasing Theo's memories. Instead, she described her nightmares and insisted that she had only come to get something to help them.
There was a knock on her bedroom door and she looked up. Her father poked his head in, giving her a small smile.
"Hey Ams."
She sighed.
"Hey, Dad."
He came in and came over to sit on a chair near her bed.
"Headed back to school tomorrow, huh?"
"Yeah. I'm going to get up pretty early in order to get back in time for classes. Time difference, and all that."
He nodded and studied her face, but she wouldn't meet his eye. She could feel his concern, but she just didn't feel like talking about herself anymore.
"How's school been? Everything going…"
"It's fine. It's been really good to be dancing again," she said, looking up at last. "I love it."
He smiled, but she could tell that he was trying to piece together what was bothering her. As far as she knew, her father had no capabilities in sensing feelings, but that didn't stop him from always knowing when something was wrong.
"How's mom doing?" she asked, before her father could say anything else. "Is she still upset?"
He blinked and then ran a hand through his hair.
"Yeah; losing Heavy Metal hit her pretty hard. She's in bed; we were up late last night with the pyre and up early this morning. She'll be alright, though."
He went back to studying her.
"You alright, kiddo? Theo mentioned you've been having some nightmares."
Amber's stomach immediately clenched. Theo! What a traitor; how much had he told them?"
"Yeah, well….I mean…" she cleared her throat, looking back down at her lap. "I've only had a few. I think it's just everything that happened on the Island…"
Her father reached out and put a hand on her knee.
"You should never have had to go through all that," he told her, and she was surprised by the guilt and regret she could feel. She looked up again.
"It's not your fault, Dad. It's not anyone's fault…well, except Pazzol's. And the Parasite's, I guess."
And mine, her thoughts pointed out treacherously, but she silenced them. Cole sighed, still looking concerned.
"If you want to talk about your nightmares…"
"I already did. I told Hershel about them, and he gave me these flower petals." She lifted the jar to prove her point. "He said these are what his Master gave mom when she had nightmares…"
Cole reached out, his expression suddenly curious. She let him take the jar and he studied it.
"Yeah…they do kind of look familiar. I can't really remember why they look familiar, though. I guess I must have seen her drink the tea before, huh?"
"Probably."
Cole looked like he was trying to bridge a memory gap; it always made Amber a little sad when she saw that expression.
"Yeah. I'm sure it will help; I mean, Mom doesn't really get nightmares anymore," she said, taking the jar back from him. He frowned.
"She does sometimes," he admitted. "We all do, I guess; including you now, kiddo."
He gave her another sad smile.
"I'm sorry, Amber. It's not fair that you and Theo have had such awful things happen. I mean…you're only twelve years old and already…"
"Dad, really! Don't blame yourself. That just makes it worse!"
Amber gave him a stern look.
"I'm going to be fine. You have nightmares, and you're fine. It's not a big deal."
He studied her determined expression and finally nodded.
"Ok. But if you ever want to talk about it, Ams…you know you can talk to me and your Mom. Anytime; just give us a call or pop by."
She nodded, and was both surprised and embarrassed when she became a little emotional, her throat closing off. Rather than answer she leaned in and gave her father a hug around the neck, and he sighed.
"We love you, kiddo."
"I know. I love you guys too."
He pulled away and gestured to the jar.
"You want me to get you some hot water for that?"
She blinked and glanced back down at the jar, the feeling of unease creeping back in. It had started ever since Hershel had explained what the petals did.
"Oh, um…I'm not going to use them tonight," she explained. "If I have a nightmare, then I'll use them…you know?"
Cole frowned and she rushed on.
"I don't want to have to depend on something if I don't have to. I think I'm only supposed to use it when I need it."
He glanced down at the jar and nodded.
"Alright, Ams. Let me know if you need anything, ok? And good luck with school; I guess you'll be back before we wake up tomorrow, huh?"
"Yeah."
He gave her another hug and kissed her on the forehead, and she closed her eyes as she embraced him tightly.
24