Chapter 2: Never Say Gone
It was the explosion that jarred the crew.
Not the column of fire that shot out of the top, or the rocks that tumbled from the sides, but the noise that it gave that signaled the remaining Bounty residents that two members of their team met an unfortunate end. It was defining, and there was no way to reverse it.
Nya stood breathless at the rail of the vessel, her hands tightly clamped, as if she too would meet the same fate her brother did. "Kai…" she gasped, as tears began to trek slowly down her cheeks.
Lord Garmadon paralleled Nya in his emotions, but he expressed them differently. His blood red eyes widened in horror as he gazed at the shaking mountain in the distance. His stature turned stiff, and his blood ran cold.
"Son…"
That one word said it all. All the pain, unconditional love, and sorrow that swelled his poisoned heart, all came out in a single word.
The remaining (what a word that was!) ninja were in a state of numbness. Their leader was simply staring into the eyes of the flames, hoping that his companion will rise up from the ashes. As more minutes passed, the more unlikely the vision seemed.
And the kid. The goddamn kid. Cole exhaled slowly and stared at the dusty floorboards of the ship. His view of him changed so much through their time together. Sure, he was annoying of course. He was a brat, yes. But he knew the reason behind that now. He was neglected, alone, scared, and needed someone to look up to.
And dammit he heard the screams and hell yes he remembered how scared he looked and he wants to see him right now because damn him if he breaks down all because of the kid he would never forgive himself.
Cole took a shuddering breath, shook his head, and walked off the deck into the bedroom. He was the leader. He wasn't supposed to break down.
At least, not in front of his team.
0o0o0
Jay meanwhile shifted his weight, his eyes glassy. His gaze was resting on Nya firmly, and seemed to be debating whether or not to go over to her and comfort her, or to run into the engine room and let his emotions take control.
Kai was more than just a friend to him. He was a brother and though he rarely laughed at his jokes, he never said to stop or knock it off. He always supported him, believed his inventions would work, and when they didn't, make some dumb remark that reminded him of something he would say, and…there was a void that wouldn't be filled. It was like someone had dug into a part of his heart, ripped out a chunk, and chucked it into the fire of the mountain from which Kai burned to death in the first place.
Jay couldn't take much more. He turned the same way Cole did, but went down to the engine room to be with machines that were much easier to work with than people.
0o0o0
Zane stared at the small spike that once was the volcano. It was hard to comprehend, this event. So much had happened to the team in so little time that it was rather unnerving. The white ninja had felt complete, whole, when he unlocked his full-potential. Dare he even think it, (or, process it) but he felt at peace even, as if his life held more purpose.
The one aspect that jarred the android was that he experienced loss for the second time in his life. No one should feel the pain of losing even one person they loved, let alone two. It just wasn't right. It wasn't fair.
Zane frowned slightly, but stayed with the adults and Nya, for…he wasn't sure where he would feel complete again.
0o0o0
Wu hid his face under his straw hat, for he didn't want the youths to see tears begin to leak out of his ancient eyes.
Loss wasn't a new term for the old master, as much as he hated to admit it, but fate was crossing the line today. His students were like sons to him, some coming from broken homes, some from troubled pasts, some from good lives but incomplete destinies. And he loved every single one of them.
His nephew was on a completely different spectrum all his own. Though he was rather angry that Lloyd chose the wrong side at first, Wu didn't blame him. There wasn't anyone else in his life to look up to, really. Lloyd only met Wu in-person, what? Five times? The majority of those times when he was an infant? It didn't really count.
After all, Lloyd was alone the majority of his life anyway. Surrounded in a place where he didn't fit in, didn't belong, ultimately running away from his past, trusting snakes, only because they were the only ones who would really listen to him…(albeit negatively)
And now, when he finally finds a home, he dies much, much too soon.
Wu clenched his fists tightly, closing his eyes.
He would never forget them.
No one will.
0o0o0
Night fell.
The Destiny's Bounty sailed onward across the open seas, (Nya landed in the ocean to "give the sails a break") the only sound being the waves lapping on the gleaming wood hull.
Dinner a few hours earlier was a quiet affair. The entire crew refused to make a sound. Nya's eyes were bloodshot. Jay's gi was stained with grease and oil. Cole was staring at his dinner plate mournfully. And Zane, well, looked sadder than anyone had ever seen him.
Now everyone was in their beds, though nobody thought they would rest at all. However, one person refused to retire to his temporary chamber.
The Dark Lord leaned on the rail of the upper deck, both sets of arms crossed as he hung his head. Tears slowly trickled down his blackened cheeks, and he angrily swiped their traces away every so often.
This was the second time in his life that he was angry at the world for something that was taken away from him. Two times too many.
Almost silent footsteps were heard behind him. He sighed dejectedly. "Wu, I know you're there."
The sensei gave a strained smile. "I figured you did," he said as he stopped beside his elder brother.
The two stood in silent comfort as they stared at the ocean. Finally, Wu spoke up quietly. "We'll all miss them you know."
Garmadon gave a dry chuckle. "Yes, but the red ninja won't leave much of a void, I don't think."
"He did try, you know."
The elder of the two frowned slightly. "Not enough," he muttered quietly.
Wu exhaled and shook his head. Garmadon allowed another tear to fall down. "I can't believe he's gone…"
Wu scowled and turned on his brother. "Never say 'gone' brother. He's not. The memories that you hold of him are still inside, crystal clear. Lloyd's simply not here, and right now he'd be reprimanding you for not wanting to go on."
Garmadon digested those words, but said nothing. Another tear fell down his face into his mouth. It tasted salty, like the ocean.
Some people say the oceans were made from people's tears that they have shed over their loved ones. If that was true, then the two brothers filled the ocean considerably throughout the course of the night.
A.N: Well, this took long enough. XD Sorry it's so much shorter.
Review please! Thanks for reading.