Chapter 24: Kai Challenged

The next morning, the Dieselnaut reaches the outskirts of the Oni city, parking behind a boulder so as to avoid detection. Faith, Betsy, and Kai then disembarked, leaving Daddy No-Legs to guard in case of trouble.

"We'll signal you if everything's fine," Faith assured Daddy No-Legs.

"It be fine, ol' friend," Betsy laughed. "Stop bein' so tense all the dog-gone time, Faith."

They strolled forward to the gates of the city. There, two gruff-looking guards, carrying metal swords, stopped them.

"State your name and business," the younger guard probed.

"Lighten up, will ya," Betsy shrugged. "Seriously, brother, when you gonna open those pupils of yours? It's ya sister Betsy and friends."

The guard rubbed his eyes, then smiled.

"Ah, it is you, you rascal," the guard rejoiced, rubbing Betsy's head. "We thought you were deader than your uncle's tombstone."

"I ain't buried now, ain't I," Betsy laughed. "Don't be morbid, James."

"Who's your friends," James asked. "They look familiar."

"Why don't you recall good ol' Faith, you rascal," Betsy gasped, hitting James in the shoulder. "Stop starin' at the sun; it's bad for your health."

"Goodness," James gasped, dropping his weapon. "Faith? My snakes, how long has it been? Six years?"

"At least," Faith guessed.

"My, my, won't Father be flippin' about this," James exclaimed. "Francis, run in and tell Father the news. My, won't the whole village flip over this!"

James picked up his weapon, then motioned for them to enter. Dangerbuff Village was, in Betsy's own words, "the quaintest little dot of charm ever found on the high plains". Full of half-settled tents and houses, it resembled more of an overnight move-in rather than a permanent settlement. Even the villagers appeared unkempt, their plain, simple garments reminding Kai a little about his own hometown Ignacia.

As they passed through to the decayed castle, villagers stopped in mid-motion, staring with wide eyes at Faith and Betsy. Several of them fell in behind them, whispering and giggling amongst them. Young girls gossiped, children fetched their mothers, and men glared, mumbling inaudibly about their 'guests'. Kai glanced around, finding himself more and more exposed to every eye in the village.

"Don't worry," James assured Kai. "They may be rough and tough on the outside, but their hearts are as sweet as honeycombs once you get to know them."

"They're staring nevertheless," Kai shrugged.

"It's because of me, not you," Faith retorted. "I knew nearly everyone in this village at one point in time."

"That you did," Betsy laughed. "I still hear them yarns about you round them fires at night. You're as famous as my uncle, yet better off."

"How so," Kai asked.

"Two ways to be famous, pal," James quipped. "One is struttin' your stuff out on the field like Faith."

"And the other way," Kai asked.

"Becomin' a dusty pile of bones," Betsy finished, slapping Kai on the shoulder.

"How reassuring," Kai sighed.

"Well, you asked," Faith laughed. "And if there's one Dangerbuff rule I recall, it's that if you can't swallow sand, don't eat it in the first place."

Suddenly, a little girl rushed out in front of Kai, chasing after a runaway ball. Kai stepped by accident on the ball, popping it immediately in the girl's face. The girl sprang back, landing with a thump on the ground. As she fell, she tripped Kai, who smacked into the ground on his face.

"You alright," Betsy chuckled.

"Yeah, I'm fine," Kai grumbled, standing up and brushing the dust off his shoulders. "You watch where you're going, little girl."

"Please…please don't hurt me," the girl bawled. "I…I just wanna my ball."

"Here," Kai mumbled, shoving the deflated ball to the girl. "Have your stupid ball back."

The girl whimpered, grasping the ball in her hands. Then she let out a loud wail, bawling and screaming as tears ran down her face.

"Nice going," Faith scowled.

"What," Kai retorted. "She deserved it, the selfish brat."

"Watch that tongue of yours," James warned. "Some folks have tempers shorter than my fingers. Oh look, here comes one now."

Kai gulped. Out from one of the tents, a large, hairy Dangerbuff twice Kai's size stepped out, looking around for his daughter. When he spotted her weeping before Kai, he snarled, then stomped up to his face.

"Who'd you think you are, you son of a dragon dung," he bellowed.

"I…um…I," Kai stammered.

"Haven't got a tongue," the man boomed. "Well, you look strong. Meet me at the Pit at sundown or I'll pummel you into the ground and bury you!"

He shoved Kai into the ground, then stormed away with his daughter in tow. Faith and Betsy helped Kai up, then they strolled away before the crowds circled around them.

"What's the big deal," Kai asked. "All I did was trip over someone."

"You 'sulted his honor," Betsy shrugged. "Ol' Riker Dangerbuff is the toughest they get, hairy, muscular, rough as boulders. And he don't make 'mises in vain. You in for a fight."

"A fight," Kai asked.

"Dangerbuff tradition," James sighed. "He challenged you to a duel in the Pit. Winner takes fame and glory. Loser…sits on a pole during the night."

"No biggie," Kai laughed. "Sitting on a pole doesn't sound so bad."

"Not with man-sized wolves circling you all night," James laughed.

"Oh," Kai sighed.

"Don't you worry," Betsy winked. "I know Riker. You can tan him to the moon with the right equipment."

"It'll be fine," Faith winked.

"Yeah, just as long as I don't lose," Kai muttered.

Night descends upon the Vermillion base ruins, a smoldering pile of sheet metal and dust. A lone figure kneels in the center, scratching away the dirt around her.

"Where is it," Laisha mutters. "It must be here somewhere."

"What," another voice answered.

Laisha glanced over her shoulder. Master hovered behind her, looking down with interest at his charge.

"You honor me with your presence," Laisha said, bowing. "What's the occasion?"

"Nothing, really," Master shrugged. "I just want to visit my best friend, that's all. Now, what is it that you seek?"

"A scroll."

"A scroll? In this pile of scrap metal?"

"Yes, a scroll. A valuable scroll, I will say."

"What makes it valuable?"

"You'll see if we find it."

"Stand aside."

Laisha complied, rising to her feet. She stepped aside, then watched as Master summoned a gust of wind in the area. All the dirt was brushed away, revealing a single rolled scroll sitting atop a pile of dried snake skins.

"Ugh," Laisha shivered. "Snakeskins."

"Forget them," Master remarked. "Open the scroll."

Laisha grabbed the scroll, then unraveled it. Master peered over her shoulder and smiled. Several detailed notes were written down, all concerning the time claws and the Iron Doom. Most recorded useless details of building schematics and functionality, but one remark, in particular, fancied their interest:

If by misfortune, the reversal blade is removed mid-travel, the Iron Doom will become lost in time, sucking its occupants in an endless time warp, yet such can be beneficial to our cause. For if the time warp were created, then certain objects and persons could be theoretically sucked out of the alternate timeline and deposited at certain times into the real Ninjago realm. Therefore, the three remaining claws, forward, pause, slow, could reemerge, appearing on the first, third, and seventh moons in the second year after the creation of the time warp…signed Krux.

"When did the forward time claw appear," Master asked Laisha.

"Pythar's best readings indicate it landed shortly before they arrived on Chen's Island," Laisha answered.

"What was the moon's phase around that time," Maser asked.

"It was the new moon, I think," Laisha noted.

"Then Krux was right. See, the first moon has already happened, and we now possess the forward time blade."

"So several weeks from now, the second of three claws will emerge. But how do we proceed in the meantime?"

"Pythar's army is at your disposal. Do with them as you wish."