Author's Note: Trying to make after chapter from now on over 12 pages in order to push out worthwhile content. Thank you all who have stuck with this story for so long! I appreciate all of your support! Anyway, here's another long one, and sorry for the long wait!
Unexpected
By: Mad Betrayal
"Rare as is true love, true friendship is rarer…"—Jean de La Fontaine
Chapter 45 ~ Homecoming
Well…he did warn me, didn't he…? Amidst the frozen, grey skies and the Nomad Clan heading homeward, Cole could only stare blankly ahead. Although his hands gripped the reins, he really wasn't actively steering Rocky. Instead, he was, more or less, letting the earth dragon do his own thing. The pain from Jay's rejection was still taking its sweet time lancing through his heart. And it wasn't going away anytime soon.
He still couldn't understand it. Not really. Cole kept repeating the conversation he'd had with Jay over and over in his head. Why was Jay's self-esteem so low? How was Jay's self-esteem so low? When he was so smart and capable? So good-natured and strong? So…amazing! And so beautiful…
"Jay has freckles, Cole." The earth ninja frowned. No. This was way more than just basic insecurities. It was absolutely crucial that he remained vigilant over his best friend. His dreams still hung over his head. The good and the bad. And at this point, he had no idea which ones were more certain to come true. If any.
A sudden sharp pain roused him abruptly from his musings. So much so that the earth dragon felt the unexpected discomfort via their soul bond and jerked slightly off-course before righting himself.
"Sorry!" Nya shouted over the wind, for it was she who had squeezed his midriff and disturbed his still-healing ribs. "But you weren't answering. And I've been trying to get your attention for minutes now."
Cole exhaled, taking a moment for the lingering pain to ebb before responding. "My bad. What is it?" He didn't bother turning his head.
"It's Jay," she said, her tone hesitant. "I know he likes to put on airs sometimes. But his injuries… Is he really going to be okay? I mean…I know he is—it's just… I guess I've just never seen him look so bad before. Jay's…just not as strong as you are, Cole."
A rush of anger swept through the Master of Earth like a current and he gritted his teeth behind his cowl. "Nya…" he hissed. "Jay is very strong. And he's proven it time and time again. Especially these last couple of days. Or did you forget?"
"What? No, that's not what I…" anger suddenly roughened her voice, "Hey, what's the matter with you?"
"Nothing," Cole bit back. "Just…give me some space when we get back, okay? I have a lot on my mind right now."
Nya turned incredulous. "Give you some space?!" She shrieked, in which Cole rolled his eyes. "I don't know if you forgot, Cole, but we haven't seen each other in nearly three days!"
And what a glorious three days those have been… "That doesn't matter right now. We each have our roles and duties to perform for the clan. Caring for Jay and Brad should be all of our top priorities. Not to mention finding out the state of the world after the meteorites hit. And looking out for the Seven Deities. But trust me…" Cole's emerald eyes narrowed, "…you and I are gonna have a talk. But only when things settle."
Nya fell silent, but Cole could feel her glare burn into the back of his head. "Cole. Bro, you're fallin' behind." Cole didn't even notice that the rest of his clan was so far ahead, and Kai had rounded back to get him. Kai…with Jay seated behind him. Lethargic sapphires shifted worriedly between him and Nya, and Cole sighed.
"Sorry. Let's go."
Cole started paying more attention to his surroundings. Mainly to the winter-withered ground below. Every now and again they would come across craters and fissures formed unnaturally against the earth. The wounds deep and gnarled. Even though they had long-since left the devastation of New Ninjago City behind, the rest of the world wasn't looking much better. Who were spared and who was decimated? How much of the world was truly destroyed? It was honestly too overwhelming for Cole to think about.
He winced, his ailing body prodding at him. One thing at a time, he decided. We have our own wounds to lick… Cole squinted into the sudden shroud of pallid mist, spying a range of mountains in the distance, their peaks spearheading the heavens like fearsome harpoons. The black and silver dragon, Thanatos, gave a commanding roar and swooped down towards the highlands. They all followed. Banking a smooth left, Cole could see that one of the mountains appeared to be hollow, its entrance a frightening facsimile of a fanged beast and they were flying straight into its gaping maw.
When the Bounty came into view, stationed unharmed on a rocky plateau, Cole thought he could hear everyone breathe a collective sigh of relief (including himself). Sensei Garmadon dispelled his dragon and the two aged masters dropped down onto the deck. When Zane and Brad landed safely, he cautioned Nya and dispelled Rocky. Landing with a slight grunt of pain (his ankle had to look like a football by now), he quickly looked up to see Kai and Jay drop down as well. Jay stumbled a bit, but Kai was quick to steady him. Lloyd touched down last.
The green ninja gave Jay a worried once over. "Kaasan…"
Kai touched Jay's shoulder. "You still with us, lil' bro?"
"Pfft! Of course!" Jay tried to take a step forward but teetered dangerously. Kai and Lloyd both kept him from swaying on either side. "But… I think I wouldn't mind crashing now."
Kai chuckled. "Soon. The worse is behind us for sure…"
Sensei Garmadon suddenly held up his hand, signaling for everyone's attention and silence.
"Hmm. I believe another 'uh-oh' is in order…" Zane whispered.
Everyone froze upon seeing the state of the door leading to the interior. For written crudely upon it with gaudy, orange spray paint were the savage words 'WELCOME HOME FUCKERS!'. Obadiah scratched his scraggly chin, a snide pull on his lips. "Huh. I had no idea you ran one of those—oh what's the term…Airbnbs, Garmadon."
With a roar of indignation, Kai charged forward and delivered a hard, swift kick to the door, splintering it from its hinges. "Kai! Why did you break down the door?!" Nya shouted. "Now we have to fix that too!"
Ignoring his sister (and most likely everyone else), Kai armed himself with his twin flaming katanas and ran inside. "Come out, assholes!"
"They're…here…?" Jay's eyes went wide, and he started to shake all over. And Cole knew it had nothing to do with the cold. The Seven Deities. But most importantly for Jay—his twin brother, Apollo. Or rather, Jacob Walker.
Obadiah had already prowled inside with Sensei Garmadon at his heels. Cole turned to the rest. "Zane, stay out here with Brad and Jay until we can gauge the situation. Lloyd, Nya, come on. And keep your guard up."
They entered and were immediately greeted with the destruction and ransacking of their home. It looked like someone threw a bomb in the kitchen it was so black and charred. And the air had a strange chemical stench to it, like iron and burnt garbage. All the furniture in the dining room had been obliterated, and more profane graffiti littered the walls. Classy. "I'm going to check the bridge," Nya said and ran off.
Sensei Garmadon looked around with veiled disdain. Obadiah took a long drag from his kiseru and exhaled crimson wisps with his words. "They're obviously not here anymore. Otherwise, your pet Tasmanian devil would've returned with somebody's severed head impaled on one of his blades by now. But…more masters, huh… Interesting…"
"Yes, they're gone," Sensei Garmadon affirmed. "Although, their elemental auras are still relatively fresh. I say we missed them by mere hours."
Cole finished rummaging through the kitchen, checking the refrigerator and cupboards for anything salvageable. "Bastards…" he muttered and exited while shaking his head. "They completely cleaned us out. They even took the baking soda."
Kai rushed back, katanas still brandished menacingly, and began pacing about the mangled room in tight circles like a caged animal, eyes flaming. "Those goddamn cowards fucked up our rooms too, sensei! And the den! They stole from us!"
"Kai—"
"We can't let them get away with this, sensei!" Zane, carrying the still unconscious Brad along with Jay appeared from around the corner, eyeing everything around them with shock and sadness. "Their stench is still here! We can track them down and—"
"And what, Kai?" Garmadon's voice thundered through the room and the fire ninja immediately fell silent. "Look around you. Better yet, remember the outside world from whence we just came. Do you truly think it would be advantageous for us to set out once more—to gods knows where to wage a battle with such magnitude? Against seven potentially powerful elemental masters and Clouse? A malevolent sorcerer? With Cole and Jay not at their best to boot? And let's not forget that we would also be putting Brad in immediate danger. Whom of which they are after, by the way."
Kai turned his murderous glare to the ground, his hands still curled tight around the handles of his weapons. Garmadon took a calming breath and his stern countenance softened with empathy. "What our enemies have done to our home is unfortunate. But we must not let material means cloud our best judgment. What has either been destroyed or pilfered can all be replaced in time. We'll recover from this. In fact, Wu divulged that you all have faced similar tribulations before…"
While Lloyd looked confused, the rest of the original four perked up. Jay nudged Zane. "Think your falcon-buddy can find us another home?"
It was a joke, obviously. But, of course, Zane didn't take it as such and could only look at Jay sadly. "I…do not know. I apologize on behalf of my friend."
The furious flames extinguished, Kai sheathed his katanas and gave his elemental counterpart a comforting smile. "Don't worry about it, Diamond."
"And don't forget the time when the Bounty was completely destroyed and we had to get those dumbass jobs to pay for that expensive-as-hell apartment," Cole put in. "Remember, Lloyd? You were there. So, Sensei Garmadon is right, guys. We will get over this. We've done it twice before and we can do it again."
"I know, I know, it's just…" Kai exhaled an irritable huff and tilted his head back to stare at the ceiling, "…so fucking frustrating."
Jay grimaced before he turned to Sensei Garmadon. "Speaking of Sensei Wu…where is he?"
A cursory glance was given to Obadiah, in which the other aged master just shrugged. Sensei Garmadon remained staid as he gave his own account of what had happened while he and Wu had stayed behind during the rest of the clan's excursion to the surface. He told them how Sensei Wu had left them with a heavy heart, and how he had felt guilty for wanting to pursue happiness with Misako while they continued to face mortal peril.
"I had always known Wu was in love with Misako. And I doubt his feelings had ever diminished even when she and I became wed. However, he always had respect for our relationship and never sought to become between us." He frowned. "That happened naturally. When she chose to abandon Lloyd for arbitrary reasons. Anyway, we're not getting any younger. And I truly believe my brother deserves all the happiness in the world. No matter with whom, and in what capacity. I respect him still. And I hope you all will continue to do so as well."
It seemed like a no-brainer to Cole that they all should respect Sensei Wu's decision, but he wouldn't speak for his friends. The group was suddenly startled when the Bounty tottered, and they could feel the vessel lifting into the air. Nya's voice excitedly sounded from the overhead intercom. "Hey, guys! The Bounty's okay! Well, the engine anyway. Though those creeps did try to disassemble the helm, I was able to fix it!"
A celebratory cry arose from the Ninja. However, Jay's elated cadence was heard above the rest. "Way to go, Nya!"
"Of course!" She chirped. "But the question is: where do we go?"
Before anyone from the clan could actually deliberate of the matter, Obadiah spoke up. "Have you heard of a little hamlet called Appaloosa Wood, Cherry? Be a dear and plot a course, would you?"
"Uhh…" Nya wasn't the only one clearly at a loss. Everyone sans Sensei Garmadon gave Obadiah a wary stare, while the Master of Darkness only looked mildly off putted by the suggestion.
"Obadiah?" He hedged. "Appaloosa Wood is nothing more than a small village amidst an abundance of timberland. That is if it still stands… Why would we need to head there?"
"Why, Garmadon, do the Appaloosas mean absolutely nothing to you? For shame," the half-blind master tutted. "But in any event, how am I to freeload here if there is nothing to load freely? Thus, we shall travel to Appaloosa Wood in order to rectify the problem. After all, this is a terrible inconvenience to me—an unsavory guest but a guest, nonetheless. Henceforth, for propriety's sake, I must be appeased. I'd wager it's the least you could do for burdening me so."
Cole's jaw dropped, for he couldn't even fathom the guy's audacity. While everyone else tried to recover from their shellshock, Lloyd looked ready to murder Obadiah where he stood. "Why you miserable, self-centered, conceited—"
"My goodness, you're progeny is very ill-tempered and prickly, Garmadon," Obadiah injected smoothly through Lloyd's enraged rant. "Your discipline must be lacking."
The green ninja's face reddened with anger. Sensei Garmadon stared long and hard at the other aged master before finally opening his mouth. "Do as he says, Nya."
Everyone turned to stare at Sensei Garmadon. "Y-Yes, Sensei."
Obadiah smirked. "Glad to see you sustained manners, Garmadon. You should teach them to your son." He turned to leave. "Well then, I'll be out on the deck. Where it's not so…unkempt."
"Don't make me regret trusting you, Obadiah."
The forgotten Master of Nature stopped. A stray nor'easter sailed through the crumbled doorway and disturbed his wavy, salt and pepper fringe. "We all have regrets, Garmadon," he intoned. "All we can do is pick and choose which ones we're willing to live with. And besides…" he took a prolonged drag and exhaled, his focus distant and blank, "…your regrets are of no concern of mine." And he left.
*~XXX~*
After that, everyone in the Bounty dispersed. Zane took Brad to the only unclaimed room left onboard. Miraculously, it was left undisturbed. Perhaps because it was just an empty room. Finding a spare futon in the storage closet, Brad was laid to rest upon it. And Lloyd once again took up the mantle of caring sentinel at his bedside. Meanwhile, Cole limped his way to his room, expecting the worst…and wasn't disappointed.
It looked as of the deities had a personal vendetta against his room: all of his furniture was destroyed, his new flat-screen T.V. that he had saved up for was gone, and when he checked his closet, it appeared most of his clothes had been shredded save for a few old articles located way in the back. With a heavy sigh, he limped over to his shattered desk. The drawers had been pulled out and…yep. His drawing tablet was gone too. Cole looked around some more. Remembering something important, he went over to his bedpost and searched behind it. Feeling the leatherbound book in his grasp, he pulled it out—his family photo album. Relief flooded his system as he flipped through the pages. It had been left unharmed. A painful twinge of melancholy rippled through his heart when he came across the picture of his father holding the trophy he had won as a Royal Blacksmith. He regretted leaving things the way they had back at the Honeycomb. But what could he possible say to assuage his father's trepidation about his sexuality? Cole had been raised in a conservative Catholic home. He didn't know if any of his cousins were gay, but he didn't think so.
But more than that, what did Cole really have going for himself? He never finished school since he ran away from home, so he never obtained his high school diploma. And what did he run off to do? He became the leader of a vigilante group of notorious ninja. Although he was proud of his chosen lifestyle, it wasn't exactly something a person bragged about to their successful and financially stable extended family. To them, he would probably be a disgrace to the Belmonte name.
But if I had never become a ninja…I never would've met everyone… I never would've met Jay… The very thought of his blue-eyed best friend and love brought a smile to the earth ninja's face. And while still suffering through the throes of rejection, he still felt inspired, and his fingers itched to draw Jay. Well, I may not have my tablet anymore, but at least I have my… Cole froze. Scrambling to his feet, he limped briskly back over to his desk and began frantically searching around. He knew he'd left it there—the portfolio he made for Jay. He did another once over around his room, but…nothing.
The portfolio was gone.
Cole stood there, dumbstruck. For what reason did the deities have to take his portfolio? All they had were pictures he drew of Jay. Unless… Did he take it…? A leaden stone of anxiety settled in Cole's stomach, and he decided to leave his demolished room behind to go and search for the blue ninja. Jay's bedroom door was ajar, so Cole peeked through the crack and knocked.
"Jay…?"
Cole found his best friend leaning against the wreckage of his bed, the entirety of his room just as needlessly destroyed as his was if not even more so. In his hands was the cracked frame that housed his family portrait. The picture was intact, it was just the frame that was damaged.
"He really was here…" Jay murmured as Cole entered the room. "I had a strange dream back at the infirmary and I thought I saw my room, but…" he shook his head slightly, "…everything was so distorted."
Cole knelt down beside Jay, eyeing him worriedly. "And before that, I had another dream about him. I couldn't see him. Only hear him. And…we actually had a conversation. A weird one, but…" sapphire eyes grew more dark and solemn as Jay stared at the happy reflection of himself and his parents. "Gods, I was terrified, Cole—when I thought he was still here. I kept thinking what I was gonna do. Or say. Or even if I was gonna get the chance to. Before he…"
Cole touched Jay's shoulder. "Hey, don't stress yourself out over this, okay? You said you were tired, right? C'mon, let's get you outta this room." Jay didn't resist when Cole gently tugged him to his feet. And he kept his hold on him as they exited. Cole brought Jay to the room Brad was sleeping in. Lloyd looked up at them as they entered. As did Zane.
"Good. I was just about to bring you here myself, Jay. I finished setting up the other spare futon we have available. Please, come and remove your gi. I would like to assess the bruises on your back. Cole, you need to settle down as well. I can tell from the severity of your limp that the swelling of your ankle has increased."
Neither argued with the ice ninja's instructions and Jay tentatively stripped off his top. Cole couldn't help but wince at the sight of Jay's back. The area near his shoulders were the worst—dark patches of black and purple. Although, the rest of his back didn't look much better.
"Kaasan…" Lloyd whispered, his expression pained.
Jay shrugged. "Eh, it probably looks a lot worse than it is. Okay, Zane," he promptly face-planted onto the waiting futon and lifted his injured hand and twirled it, "work your magic."
Zane frowned down at Jay's exposed back, clearly concerned. "Hmm… Very well. Try to hold still. This will be cold." With his element gathering in his palms—a crystalline bluish-white, Zane gently laid his hands on Jay's back. A flinch and a hiss against gritted teeth were the brunet's immediate response to the sudden sensation of pain and frost. But gradually, he unclenched and breathed a sigh of blissful relief as the coolness soothed his aching contusions.
"Oh yeah… That's the stuff…"
Cole grinned and went to sit down on Jay's opposite side, propping himself up against the wall and stretching his legs out. He grunted at the pain emanating from his ankle but didn't dare try to touch it. Not yet anyway. "Appaloosa Wood, huh… I really hope this Obadiah-guy isn't taking us for a ride…"
"I think Dad's putting too much stock into this old friend of his." Lloyd frowned. "People change. He could be leading us into a trap."
"No. I do not think so, Lloyd," Zane said.
"You sense something, Zane?" Jay asked. But the white ninja shook his head.
"His eyes are blank, his face is a mask, and his words surround him in a fog. I still cannot sense anything from Obadiah. However, from these words we can only speculate their true meaning. I have been observing him. Listening to him. And he is…strange." Now Cole thought that meant something coming from Zane of all people. "I am not saying we should trust him. It is much too early for that. However, I do not think he means us any harm. Involuntary maybe but not intentional. He cares very little for us. But cares even less for himself."
"He is a little on the self-deprecating side," imparted Cole. He couldn't make heads or tails of Obadiah either way.
Lloyd's grimace morphed into a scowl. "He admitted he just wants to freeload off of us."
"And I am sure he intends to, Lloyd. But if he was truly just a malevolent individual, why bother helping Brad?"
The green ninja faltered and shifted his worried, ruby gaze down to the slumbering Master of Mana. Even though Cole and Jay hadn't been present for the expedition, they were shocked beyond belief at the violence Brad had committed against that soldier. Doesn't matter if it was justified or not. The truth of the matter was: Brad was becoming a high-level threat on the spectrum. Much more so than Obadiah.
Zane got up and made his way over to Cole. He then knelt down and began to tend to his sprained ankle, wrapping his frost-ridden hand around it. The earth ninja shuddered with relief. "I do not think it wise to simply accept his words at face value. We should all remain cautious around him but not overly so, as to not arouse suspicion just in case I am wrong. What's also most peculiar, though, is what he smokes. I have no knowledge of a substance in my database that produces red smoke and is completely scentless. And subsequently, shroud the user in an undetectable musk." Zane gave pause, blinking. "Huh. How intriguing he is able to accomplish such a feat both physically and metaphorically."
"You think Sensei G knows?" Jay asked, folding his arms under his chin.
Cole shrugged. "Hard to say. But I think he would've shown some concern if it were dangerous. With them being friends and all. Regardless, though, he did say that he would explain his and Obadiah's history soon. So, we'll just have to wait." A loud rumble suddenly tremored through the room, nearly feeling like an earthquake. Everyone looked around, alarmed. All except Cole who blushed and rubbed the back of his head. "Heh, I sure hope Appaloosa Wood has some decent food."
Jay laughed loud and merry. "Oh, man…"
*~XxX~*
Zane closed the door behind him with a sigh, leaving Lloyd to remain vigilant over their recuperating clan members. Now to find Kai… He knew he had left his fiery counterpart brooding in the dining room with a slightly irate Sensei Garmadon but knew they both had departed from that side of the ship long ago. Zane focused his senses and found his mentor's chi on the deck, no doubt in the company of their churlish and enigmatic guest. Nya was now in her room. And Kai…
Zane stepped quickly into stride for the fire ninja's demolished sanctuary. Kai's chi resided within, but it felt off. The crimson door was closed when he reached it, a sure sign that his love wanted solitude. Zane's closed fist hovered over the surface for a moment. Intruding on Kai's space while he was upset didn't sound like the brightest idea. However...
Zane knocked and waited. If he wishes to be alone, I will leave… he swore silently. After a moment, the white ninja heard Kai's voice filter through the wood, sullen and strangely tired. "Yeah. Come on in, babe."
Zane entered, his hazel eyes finding Kai easily in the room, for he was in the center of it. It looked like he had tried to clean up a little. He had removed his mattress from the broken frame and placed it flat on the floor along with his duvet, sheets, and pillows, creating a crude bed. His red oak armoire had been pulverized and the collection of swords and daggers within pilfered. Even the assemblage of raw metals he had procured from his homeland had been taken—tokens of his father's vocation. Ironically, Kai's room felt somehow colder in its now more spartan state.
It honestly reminded him of his own room. Zane was, after all, a minimalist and didn't require much to get by nor did he have much to his name. His most prized possessions were his memories and his falcon friend, and the latter was freely roaming the skies at his leisure. As for the former, his treasures continued to accumulate and would forever do so. All in all, he didn't lose much at the deities' ruthlessly cruel hands. But that didn't mean he didn't sympathize with everyone else's woes at the destruction and stealing of their property. He understood that some material means held more sentimental value than monetary.
He also understood that the odds of getting those things back from the deities were slim to none.
Zane made his way over to Kai and settled down with him on the makeshift bed. "Are you alright, dearest?"
When Kai turned to look at him, the fire within his golden-amber eyes was dulled. "No," he confessed. "But I will be." He gave Zane a half-hearted smile which the ice ninja frowned at. "How're the others?"
It was an obvious deflection, but Zane answered candidly regardless. "Recuperating. Lloyd is with them for the time being. We are…quite a distance from Appaloosa Wood. But we should reach our destination by tomorrow morning. Cole's stomach had protested the wait."
Zane smiled when Kai huffed a chuckle at his jest. He then leaned forward and nuzzled the side of his face, his lips ghosting over the flesh of his cheek. "I am sorry about your belongings, Kai."
"That's not it. I mean, it is, but—" he shook his head. "Sorry, Zane. They took it." Confused, Zane wreathed his arms around his boyfriend's middle.
"What is it?"
Kai met his gaze then, forlorn and heavy. "They took your Christmas gift. Those kitchen knives you've been trying to get. Those rare-ass Japanese ones. I was gonna surprise you—I finally got 'em. And now I have nothing. All that hard work…and I have nothing to show for it anymore."
"Oh, Kai…" Zane pressed their foreheads together. "I am sure I would have enjoyed them immensely. However, I believe the best gift I could have gotten for Christmas this year…is you." He closed the minuscule gap between their lips and kissed Kai long and deep, hoping to convey that their newfound relationship was worth more than some fancy kitchen knives. Kai moaned helplessly into the kiss, and Zane soon found his head hitting the pillow and the fire ninja hovering over him. Hot and cold tongues engaged in a lavish and ravenous dance, and Zane tasted Kai wholly—sweet and citrusy like tangerines.
When Kai pulled away his eyes were alight, and his smile was full of nothing but love and adoration for the one below him. "Diamond…"
"It is the thought that counts," Zane assured. "Just the fact that you would go through such great lengths for me… That is more than enough." He curled his hand around the back of Kai's neck, teasing the short brown hairs there and wanting to bring him down for another kiss when he was met with unexpected resistance.
"Uh, wait, babe. Wait." Kai looked suddenly nervous. "Are you saying you want to… I mean, how far do you wanna go?"
Zane tilted his head. "Go where?"
Kai had to smirk, remembering to be as blunt and straightforward as possible when dealing with his love. "Zane, I'm asking if you want to have sex right now."
Zane blinked, his eyebrows shooting up. "Oh."
"It's something we should talk about, yeah?" The fire ninja fell on the wayside beside Zane and propped himself on his elbow, his cheek resting in his palm.
Zane eyed the warm smile on Kai's lips. "Oh yes. Of course." A strange, awkward silence fell between them then with Kai's smile turning crooked with nerves.
"Ah, yeah—I mean, it's still early, so there's no rush. No pressure or anything. I would never make you do something you weren't ready for, Diamond. It'll happen when it happens. Not like it needs to be a Christmas present or anything. Or even a New Year's present. Or—"
"Kai." The red ninja ceased his ramblings at Zane's soft tenor. "There is nothing I want more than to give myself to you completely. Either now or later. I…do have a concern, though… Will you listen to me?"
Kai swallowed, trying to cool the fire in his veins or at least trying to get rid of the infernal blush reddening his entire face. He nodded. "Yeah. Yeah, what is it, Zane? You know you can tell me anything."
The ice ninja fell silent again. He rested his head against Kai's pillow and lifted his eyes to meet the curious gold ones settled on him. Zane thought he had a good reason to be ambivalent about him and Kai's newfound relationship. No. Kai was fine. Kai was human. This was solely his problem. His insecurities and possible shortcomings. What if he couldn't feel anything during sex? What if he couldn't satisfy Kai the way a normal human lover could? It was a disconcerting and depressing thought.
A very depressing thought…
At Zane's continued silence, Kai grew increasingly concerned. "Zane…? Wha…?"
It took a moment for the Master of Ice to realize he was crying. He was being unreasonable, and he knew it. He hadn't even tried anything intimate with Kai yet and he was already reacting as if he had, and they had broken up because of his substandard performance.
"Oh, babe… C'mere…" Kai wrapped his arms around Zane and brought him closer. Tears wetted the sinewy flesh of Kai's neck as Zane buried his face into it. He breathed deeply, trying to calm his frayed nerves and quivering core. Kai tightened his hold. "Goddamn, you think wayyyy too much…"
Zane curled into Kai. "I am…sorry… I am…so sorry…"
"You're fine, babe…" crooned the red ninja. "I'm right here. And I'm not going anywhere."
They stayed that way, wrapped up in each other in their own pocket of security. Kai glided his hands in soothing circles across Zane's back. And little by little, the white ninja's calm returned, and his tears dried. "Hey, I have an idea," said Kai. "Seems those reverse Santa bastards left our bathrooms intact. You up for a hot bath? Relieve some of that stress?"
Albeit a bit watery, Zane managed a small grin. "Yes. I would like that." He smoothed his fingers against Kai's cheek, relishing the sight of him leaning into his touch. "But only if you join me."
"Whatever you want, babe," Kai purred.
*~XxX~*
They would have to push the Bounty's power if they were going to keep the interior warm throughout the remainder of the day. Kai… Bypassing the shattered door barely clinging onto its hinges, Garmadon ventured out onto the deck and found Obadiah leaning over the balustrades. The frozen grey skies were cold but not unbearably so. At least not yet. Garmadon didn't approach the other elder and simply observed him from a distance.
His memories…weren't going to help him with this. Although he wanted nothing more than to rekindle his past friendship with Obadiah, the man himself was resisting his attempts at every turn. The elderly man before and the youthful Obadiah of his past were in stark contrast of each other. Physical appearances aside, Obadiah had forgone his kindness and sincerity and replaced them with snideness and sardonic comments. However, the Obadiah of the past wasn't completely lost to the ether of time and tragedy.
Garmadon had witnessed it—the natural desire to aid the ailing. Obadiah had always been extraordinarily sensitive to human suffering. He recalled on more than one occasion of he and Wu being sent out by their father to find Obadiah and bring him home when the latter ventured into the neighboring villages on his own. And they'd always found him treating the injured and sick with his apothecary skills. He would carry on for hours espousing intellectual diatribes of all the different plants and flowers and all the functions and uses of each individual part. And it had both impressed and exasperated Garmadon.
"Thanks for the lesson in horticulture that nobody asked for, Obadiah…"
"Oh, you are very welcome, Garmy! I'll be sure to espouse my wisdom about husbandry too. Let's say—after dinner tonight…?"
"Haha. I look forward to it…"
Garmadon smiled to himself. So, no. Obadiah was still there. Buried. But still there. They just had to start from scratch. A long, flesh-colored tendril suddenly slipped out from under Obadiah's long kimono jacket. It extended far, stretching may be the exact length of Obadiah's tall body. It lashed like a whip before retreating back under the tattered cloth.
Garmadon blinked. Oh. Right. Obadiah had a tail now.
"Huh. Thought that would make you turn tail and run away."
Ignoring the poor attempt at a pun, Garmadon walked over to stand beside the other master. "Why would I run away from you?"
"Ah. That's right." Obadiah's scarred profile only revealed the white milkiness of the blind eye as he stared passively ahead into the nothingness. "You once bore the moniker 'Dark Lord Garmadon'. Your time in the Underworld may've desensitized you to the sight of monsters. After all," the blind eye closed in a salacious wink, "you used to be one too, eh?"
Silver eyes narrowed. "Appearances alone don't make a monster. You don't have to hide yourself here, Obadiah. My students have seen much. Your tail may beget questions but not much else."
"Like the questions, you yourself are dying to ask? We've been through this waltz before. And I must say you were a very disappointing dance partner."
Shame instantly welled up inside the Master of Darkness. "I apologize again for my behavior back at the Honeycomb. However, I'm still glad it happened. My memories of you are returning little by little. Your presence helps."
"So, I am here just for your convenience." Obadiah scoffed, but Garmadon calmly gave him a pointed look.
"No. I think you made it abundantly clear that you are only here to leech off of us for the duration of your stay. Much like the last very obnoxious leech, Wu had to burn from my right buttock."
That garnered a chuckle of whimsy from Obadiah and a wistful smile graced his lips. "You know, leeches are actually rather difficult to talk to. They're quite obstinate. Only the giant Dracula leeches tend to be more cooperative and provide intelligent conversations."
Garmadon folded his arms and maintained his knowing stare. "Yes. Cooperation does tend to make communication among other things easier…"
And, of course, Obadiah's grin would turn sardonic. "Nothing worth having is ever easily obtainable."
"Agreed." He gestured vaguely towards Obadiah. "And you're living proof."
"You want me then?"
"Of course I do."
A pause. Obadiah's scarred visage went blank with surprise. Then a brief flicker of pain and something else darkened it before the easygoing grin came back and masked his being. He waved his hand in dismissal. "You should hurry back inside. I'm sure your prickly progeny is eating glue and crayons in your absence."
Garmadon could tell Obadiah's guard was up more than usual now, with him clearly wanting to end their conversation. But the grandmaster wouldn't be so easily turned away. Not when he had seen those eyes glaze over with pain and…something else. He took another step closer. "Obadiah…" The forgotten Master of Nature held his ground, though he did show wariness at the new proximity. "There's no reason for you to put forth false pretenses. Not here. Not with me. Nor is it necessary to demonize yourself."
"Demonize myself? Why, I was simply telling your kin the truth. Do they not need to know what kind of beast their remaining mentor has unwittingly allowed to dwell among them?" His grin turned wickedly pleasant. "I gave you ample warning, Garmadon and you chose to ignore it. So, whatever happens beyond this point is the fault of your stars. Not mine."
Garmadon stepped closer. Close enough that he could just barely feel the heat radiating off the other elder's body. They now stood eye to eye—toe to toe. "I'm not worried. Because I know you—"
"No, you don't."
"—but not the new you," Garmadon continued on as if the other hadn't interrupted him. "So, I am ready and willing to learn everything about you all over again." He let the corner of his lips curve into their own mocking smile. "Even the new, infuriating parts."
Obadiah stared at him, unamused until at last he took a step back and sighed. "Talking to you is like talking to a gecko—selective hearing and all. You should really work on that," he groused.
Feeling oddly triumphant, Garmadon relented and shifted his gaze to the drifting skies. "I…haven't been to Appaloosa Wood in many years. I do truly hope that its people," he gave Obadiah the side-eye with a smirk, "as well as the Appaloosas are safe."
Obadiah whipped out his kiseru with an indignant huff and lit the bowl with a quick snap of his fingers. Garmadon's brow creased at the display of power. Fire. How was that possible? And why was it green? Was it another horrible side-effect of the Cursed Realm? No Elemental Master had ever been banished to the Cursed Realm. Thus, there wasn't any knowledge to pull from. Garmadon had so many questions. And the only one who could answer them was the Forgotten Master of Nature.
Crimson smoke billowed from Obadiah's lips and Garmadon scrutinized him further.
And there wasn't a question he would like answered more than what the hell he was smoking. Garmadon felt like he should know, but nothing was coming to mind. However, the more he bore witness to the wisps of red clouding around his old friend, the more apprehensive he became.
He stared.
He really should know what that was…
"Obadiah…"
Obadiah suddenly snapped his head around, vermillion and white intense and glaring over Garmadon's shoulder. Towards the Bounty's cabin. Startled, Garmadon turned as well. "What is it?"
"I…don't know…" Obadiah ripped the kiseru from his mouth and started back towards the interior.
Perplexed, Garmadon could only follow after him. They maneuvered through the corridors until they came upon where everyone's bedrooms were located. Obadiah didn't hesitate. Didn't even bother to knock. He just barged right into Kai's room.
"Shit shit shit! Zane! Hold on! I got you!"
Garmadon was presented with a wet and naked Kai clutching an equally wet and naked Zane to his chest as the Master of Ice thrashed about in his arms with his teeth painfully gritted. The area around his navel was ablaze with white fire.
"Oh." That was all Obadiah said right before the flames extinguished themselves. Garmadon folded his arms into his plentiful kimono sleeves as he eyed what was left behind.
"This is…unexpected…" he said.
The star of creation encircled by angel wings was now imprinted upon the now unconscious white ninja.
"Well." Obadiah grinned. "It appears you have yet another Marked One in your clan, Garmadon."
Author's Note: Welp, Zane, you finally got your answer, huh? :)
Hell yeah! The first triple perspective shift! I don't know if I'll be doing it again, but it was fun and new and helped push the plot along faster! I hoped you all liked the deities because it'll be a while before you see them again. Next chapter witll be 'Appaloosa Wood'!