So, hehe, it is now almost 9k words into this thing that I remember that Nya exists. (Sorry Nya!) Don't know how my brain managed to pull that one off. Anyway, terribly sorry about that. I'm too lazy to go back and rewrite her into this, so can we like… pretend she knows about Yuki and is willing to defend him with her life? She's such a good character, I want to give her a part in the story.
As always, thank you SkittyBug, TrinityCrystalPrincess89, and StoryMaker7 for dropping a review. Ugh, You guys seriously make my day!
"So... yeah, that's pretty much my whole life story I guess. I don't think I left anything out. Oh hang on a sec, there was this one time I..." Yuki sighed from where he lay curled up on one of the shelves above Jay's workbench, looking down at the blue ninja rambling while his bony fingers tinkered with little pieces of scrap metal.
He didn't mind listening to the teen's jabber as much as he thought he would, though his nonlinear trains of thought often chucked themselves off the cliffs of normal logic after a while. He noticed most of the other ninja didn't bother listening to his babbling, but Yuki found Jay to actually be a rather sweet kid. Nervous, hyperactive, sometimes aloof, and scrawny, (but who was he to judge?) but sweet nonetheless. He loved his ma and pa, had a surprisingly brilliant mind when it came to inventing, and was rather good at poetry, to say nothing of being head over heels in love with Nya.
The hours wore away in a kind of cozy ambiance, Jay's voice making him doze off once or twice. Cole and Lloyd were out on a run, Zane had left earlier that morning saying he'd be back in the evening, and Kai was snoring on the sofa, arm draped over his face in an attempt to block out the noise. The two had each other's company.
The freckled boy yawned and stretched, back cracking from stiffness. "Alright," he dug the heels of his palms into his eyes, "it's not perfect, but I hope you like it." He held up his creation for Yuki to get a better look. A tiny mouse made entirely of copper and tin stared back at the cat with beady eyes. Yuki's whiskers twitched with curiosity. Jay chuckled and zapped the rodent with a current. The mouse whirred to life, jumped out of his palm, and scampered across the floor on its four paws.
"Enjoy, offspring of darkness."
A shiver of excitement ran up Yuki's spine like a spider, his pupils dilated and his tail jerked. His head followed the toy with a fixed fascination before he leaped off the shelf and shadowed the mouse around the dirty room. He's never seen anything so fascinating in his life. Closer and closer he crept towards the oblivious scrap metal, an unfamiliar instinct taking over and making him tense with anticipation.
For some reason, the thought of food kept flashing across his mind.
He crouched down low mere inches from his prey, feeling his own pulse pound faster in his ears. Like a coiled spring, Yuki barreled into the toy, somersaulting a couple of times before rolling to a stop with his prize clutched between his claws. He looked triumphantly up at Jay.
The master of lightning saluted his creation as it met the end of its short life.
Yuki nibbled on the metal ears, disappointed at its taste, but picked it up in his mouth and jumped back up on Jay's bench, pawing it expectantly toward the blue ninja.
Jay blinked down at him, "You want me to fix it?"
Yuki meowed earnestly, batting the toy again.
Jay rubbed his face again and laughed. "Fine. But don't think this is going to be a habit or anything."
Excitement bubbled in his chest as he jumped back onto his spot on the shelf and stared at Jay fiddling with his beloved gift.
An abrupt snort made the kitten look over at the master of fire still napping. An idea sparked in his mind. The conversation between Kai and Cole the other night had left a feeling stewing in his gut, something he couldn't quite put his claw on until now when Jay had crafted the tiny gift just for him. Maybe Kai needed some cheering up. Maybe Yuki could give him something. Not that Kai didn't still scare the living daylights out of him, but still... maybe a peace offering would make Kai hate him a little bit less, but that wasn't a point.
His purpose now clear in his mind, he slipped down from his shelf and trotted into the bedroom. Yuki clawed up the bedpost, slipped back out the shattered window-careful to avoid the sharp glass this time-and jumped down the fire escape to the sidewalk. In the daylight, the city transformed from deserted to jam-packed with tributaries of bodies and briefcases.
He had to shove down that creeping feeling of déjà vu as he dodged the stampede. After slipping into a narrower street and adjusting to the glaring light, he sniffed the congested air for the smell he was after. After a moment, he singled out of the hundreds the one he wanted. Yuki followed the trail.
Deeper he crept into the alley, away from the deafening drone of the city, he held his ears erect for the rustling of tiny claws against concrete, instinct suddenly overriding experience.
He froze.
There.
Behind that trash can.
Just like with Jay's little toy, Yuki stared intently at his target while inching closer, noiselessly, and with laser-like precision. One paw after another, until the only thing between him and his target, was the grimy can overstuffed his trash. He wiggled his butt.
The rustling stopped; it must've sensed his presence.
It was too late.
Yuki pounced.
…
It was trickier climbing up the fire escape than climbing down, especially with his little prize, but it was worth it. His little heart swelled with pride when he thought of his very first real catch, and he held his head high with it in his mouth as he jumped up the iron rungs. Kai would love it, he was positive.
Yuki slipped through the window, bouncing off Kai's bed and trotting out into the living room. Kai hadn't moved from his spot on the couch, arm still slung over his face and snoring soundly. Jay must be in the bathroom.
The cat padded over and leaped onto the armrest at Kai's feet, bouncing over and finally settling on the fire master's chest. Kai had yet to stir, a bit of drool trailing down his chin. For a moment, despite his anticipation, Yuki faltered, being this close to the seemingly perpetually grumpy ninja. But he actually looked relatively peaceful in sleep, so, summoning his courage, he lifted up his paw and whacked Kai on the side of his head. Wake up.
The red ninja snorted and mumbled something in his groggy state, letting his arm drop as he blinked his eyes open. Yuki dropped his gift on his chest and flicked his tail expectantly. After a second the light pressure on his ribs seemed to register and Kai focused, albeit somewhat cross-eyed, on the ball of fluff three inches from his face.
"Wha…?" He yawned sleepily. Then he looked down at the cat's paws. Two shiny black rat's eyes stared blankly back at him.
Yuki's ears were assaulted by the loudest banshee scream he'd ever heard.
Kai's limbs flailed wildly and he landed with a thud on the ground. Yuki had to scramble back to avoid being crushed with a confused hiss. This was not the reaction he had hoped for.
Kai finally managed to gain some control of his awareness enough to fling the dead animal as far as possible away from himself.
During that whole ordeal, the bathroom door had flown open and Jay whirled around to see where the portal to the cursed realm had opened to let out such an ear-shattering screaming demon, nunchucks ready. When all he saw was a panicked-looking Kai sprawled out on the floor and a hissing, kitten trembling on the couch he gave a puzzling look and lowered his weapons.
"What the heck, Kai?"
Kai met his gaze and raised a shaking finger panting, "What just happened… you take with you to your grave."
Jay cocked his head in confusion, then spotted the rat lying just beneath his workbench, then at the cat, then back at Kai. He seemed to click the pieces together. After a minute of badly concealing his giggling, he burst out laughing, dropping his weapon and clutching his sides.
Heat radiated off Kai like flame off an ember and he snarled in annoyance, "You hear me, Jay? This dies with you." Jay either couldn't hear him over his gasping or ignored it completely, wiping a mock tear from his eye. He stopped though when Kai was suddenly standing in front of him snagging the collar of his shirt. "Got it?"
Jay stood stiff as a board, color draining from between his freckles, and gave a thumbs up. "Yup." He squeaked.
It looked like Kai was about to say something else when the sound of a car motor made both boys turn to the window. The awful puttering roar grew louder, drowning out the regular city noises. Jay's eyes widened in recognition as he rushed to the window. Only one car could make that kind of cacophony from hell.
"Oh, crud-! It's my parents!" Jay smushed his face against the window to see the sputtering car cough out a puff of smoke before collapsing in front of their apartment complex. He whirled around and looked at the state of the flat. Besides the dead rat, the room was a mess. Dishes and leftover food were strewn about the room from the kitchen sink to the coffee table. Red, black and blue ninja hoods lay unrolled in a heap on the floor. And forget about the obscene amount of weapons littering the place, from a giant scythe leaning against the wall like a broom to Kai's katana laying idly on the kitchen counter.
"Crud-We gotta do something!" He sent a pleading look to Kai. After a moment of deliberation, the fire master nodded grimly.
Yuki had never seen two people switch from murder threats to partners in crime so fast. The two boys scrambled between the bedroom, kitchen, and living room, Kai snatching up all the weapons and shoving them under Cole's bed, Jay supercharging their vacuum to suck up dirt faster as he zipped around the furniture. Jay washed the dishes while Kai dried and threw them in the cabinet in record timing, tossing away the old pizza boxes and Chinese take-out. Lastly, Jay picked up the rat and tossed it out on the fire escape, promising to give it a proper burial later, and slamming the window shut.
The doorbell buzzed.
The blue ninja slowly turned around with a long exhale, signaling for Kai to sit down before straightening his shirt and gripping the door handle.
"Ma! Pa! What a surprise!" Jay barely waited till the door was open to barrel them both with a hug before he remembered who was watching him from the couch. Ed and Edna Walker greeted their son with all their signature affection and doting.
"Oh, Ed! Would you just look at our little dear! Why I think he's grown a quarter of an inch." Edna gave Jay a big smooch on the cheek before he could react and handed him a cake dish she'd been carrying.
"He sure did, Edna. I could tell when we walked in." Ed slapped him on the back proudly.
Jay's face reddened so bad Yuki thought he was going to die of embarrassment. "Maaaaa," he sputtered, wiping his face. He heard Kai snicker.
Before he could begin a ramble, he went to shut the door when he noticed Nya standing in the hallway, carrying a full arm of groceries and badly suppressing a smile.
"Nya!" He yelped and snatched the bag of vegetables from her, pulling her inside in his spazzy fumbling. "Wha-what are you doing here?"
"I live here genius." She shrugged off her coat, still not quite managing to hide her grin. Jay somehow managed to redden further to know she had seen everything. "Your parents saw me walking home and were nice enough to give me a ride."
"It was nothing, dearie. We were happy to do it. It gave us a chance to have a nice long chat."
Jay flinched as he set the bag and cake dish down on the counter and began to put the food in the fridge. He already knew what was coming. "About… what?"
Nya giggled as she hung up her coat and hat, "Your entire childhood."
Jay looked like he wanted to climb into the fridge like Zane and stay there forever. He could just hear Kai's teasing coming later.
Fortunately, the Walker's attention shifted to the master of fire himself. "Is that Kai?" Edna straightened her glasses in Kai's direction, who suddenly froze. "It is! Kai dearie, how are you? I feel as if it's been ages since we've seen you. How have your ninja-ing adventures been going? Have you been eating enough?" She pinched his cheek.
It was Kai's turn to stammer, "Um-well, I uh—Yes ma'am, I—."
Edna sneezed into her arm. "Oh, isn't he just the sweetest thing, Ed?" Jay was surprised Kai's cheek wasn't bruised with how much his mother was pinching it. Kai just kind of sat there in a kind of confused daze, unsure of what to do. Usually, he lit his problems on fire but obviously that what off the table. He had met the Walkers before, sure. Twice. But the first time he'd been saving their lives from evil snakes, and the second time they'd been competing in a race. Now that he was actually talking to them, he kind of just locked down. He wasn't used to this and it was giving him anxiety.
"He sure is, Edna," Ed beamed, slapping Kai on the back much as he had with Jay, making the fire master wheeze. It seemed to knock him out of his stupor.
Nya giggled at her brother's predicament, smirking at his silent plea for help when they had their heads turned to their son. Jay seemed to be pleased with the turned tables, already letting his imagination run wild with all the blackmail he had hit upon that afternoon alone.
Edna took a handkerchief from her purse and blew her nose. "Jay, dear, cut the Smiths some of my cake, will you? Then come and sit down so we can catch up. I want to hear all about your adventures." She patted Kai's knee as she sat on their couch. She sneezed and dabbed her nose again.
Kai glanced over at Jay just in time to see the blue ninja's expression go from smug to puzzled to a dawning realization at his mother. He looked at Kai and cut his eyes between him and some space off to his side. The red ninja followed his gaze until they landed on Yuki sitting on Jay's stool, contently watching the scene unravel.
Uh oh.
Edna sneezed again.
There was only one thing to do.
…
Yuki landed with an ungraceful thump on the fire escape. He scrambled into a more dignified position with a hiss at the fire master.
Kai stopped just long enough to give Yuki an evil grin. "That's for the rat, runt." He ducked his head back inside and slammed the window shut.
Yuki growled and curled up on the hard iron, a short distance from the dead rat.
He changed his mind. Kai was a jerk.
...
Meanwhile across town, Zane was getting discouraged. Technically, Yuki was nearly completely healed. Other than a pink scar above his eye and a slight limp, he was fine. And as part of the deal with Cole, Zane had to look for a new home for his-for the kitten. If he was being honest, he was losing hope of finding even a decent home for the Yuki.
He'd already visited three shelters in the city, and almost immediately had to leave each and every one of them so far. The filthy animal homes were so packed with miserable-looking dogs and cats that he had to physically pry himself away to keep himself from taking each and every one of them home with him. Most looked abused or at least had some sort of imperfection; all the perfect ones had already been adopted. No one wanted the defects, and Yuki, as much as Zane hated to admit it, would be considered a defect.
Taking a deep breath, he pulled the door to the pound open, hoping for better luck this time.
His hope immediately crumbled when he looked around the building.
The sterile yet unclean atmosphere that only a hospital or an animal shelter could produce hit Zane hard as he walked beneath flickering LED lights. Posters that didn't match the mood of the room hung on the walls, blaring encouragement to adopt a pet in exhausted pinks and oranges. An employee sat slumped at the front counter, droopy grey hair hanging over blank eyes.
Clearing the warning pop-ups from his vision, the nindroid strolled up to the counter and cleared his throat. The employee looked up from the book he was reading with an annoyed expression.
"What?"
"I was wondering if I could see your kennels."
The employee blinked at him as if Zane had just said he liked pineapple on his pizza. "Why?"
It took a moment for Zane to fix his expression and come up with a composed reply. "Um, I'd like to see your animals."
After an awkward pause, the employee gave a long exasperated sigh and took a key chain out of his shirt pocket. He slinked out of his seat and shuffled over to a door on the other side of the room.
"Keep it snappy, will ya? My shift ends in ten minutes." He unlocked the door and gestured inside.
"I can assure you I will be brief," Zane said with all the politeness he could muster and stepped inside. The employee grunted and went back to his book.
Walking down the aisle of cages on either side of him, Zane, not the first time that day, was very grateful he hadn't brought Lloyd along. It was even worse than the first three, and he was afraid Lloyd would burst all the lightbulbs on the block at the morose sight. The hallway grew several degrees colder without Zane realizing it. A couple of dogs and cats mixed together in a series of cages either too big or much too small for them stared back at Zane with a mixture of loneliness and hope. A dog with a stump for a leg even began to wag his tail pathetically as he passed by.
Zane couldn't help but stop and rub the dog's head between the cold bars. He could feel his circuits ache as the hound rested his muzzle on the horizontal metal strip and gave a long, contented sigh, as if he hadn't been touched in a long time. His tail wags picked up speed. His big chocolaty eyes gazed back up at him.
Zane looked back to the short hallway ending with a heavy door with the words keep out printed in bold, scratch marks covering the surrounding tile around the frame. He turned back to the dog.
He made a decision.
…
Back at the apartment, Lloyd and Cole had returned from their run, now showered and sitting politely with the Walkers, receiving much the same treatment Kai and Nya had gotten. Lloyd was currently sitting next to Edna on Kai's lap, swinging his legs as he waited for her to finish knitting him his very own scarf.
A light pounding on the door sounded. Recognizing Zane's knock but puzzled as to why he was knocking, Cole rose and opened the door. There stood the master of ice holding a massive dog with a missing leg in his arms with a cross between panic and a guilty look on his face.
"I can explain."
Yes, I have a headcanon that the Walkers would adopt each and every one of these lovable idiots. Fight me.
More shenanigans will ensue. leave a comment if you liked!
Now go have a lovely day.