Chapter 3

Solemn Tidings

Please, please, please, move! I scream at my body, attempting to move more in order to prove what is going on, yet nothing is working. No, no, no, no, please! My mouth opens and I let out a soft whisper of 'no', hoping with all my soul that she hears me.

"Zane, can you hear me?" Pixal cries out, grasping my hands, her own trembling. My eyes fly open and I see my first love's face bending over me, her dark green eyes moist, a tear rolling down her cheek. I do not recall her ever having the capability of crying before, but something is different about her, though it has seemed as if I have not seen her for ages and ages. "Zane, you are alive!" she screams, wrapping her arms round me, burying her lovely face in chest, sobbing. I know now. Her metal hair is shaped into a long rosette, going down, nearly elbow length, and she is dressed differently as well. When she pulls away I can see her clad in a white dress going past her feet, with sliver trim and glitter. Roses decorate it, as well as her hair, and a silver ring with a white diamond adorns her finger.

Is she marrying someone else? Wait! that is the ring I bought for her, and the wedding dress we picked out. "Y-your c-c-l-loth-thing," I manage to say with great difficulty.

"Oh, I am wearing the dress, because I wanted to feel as if today were our wedding day, since we had not had the chance to be together. Zane, forgive me for leaving you for six months!" she takes my hands in hers.

"S-six m-months?" I ask in disbelief.

"You have been gone for-a year."

"A year?!" I exclaim, finding my voice stronger, "Where are my brothers? What happened to them?"

At the mention of my family, Pixal's eyes widen and she looks down, saying softly, "Jay and Nya are married and have a baby girl about two weeks old; Lloyd, Misako, and Garmadon are living together as a family should, but Sensei is with them, and he's-empty."

"Empty? What do you mean?"

"He sits in his room all day, not responding to anyone, and all he will say is 'Where is Zane? He has been gone a long time.' Cole is moving in with Kai, who has a wife, who has been pregnant for eight months with twins; aboy and a girl. You will need to see Kai. He….he is not well."

"Why? What's the matter with him?" I ask fearing many probabilities.

"You need to see him."

We had gone to Pixal's apartment so she could change into normal clothing, and then drove to Kai's house, located not too far into New Ninjago city. Pixal knocks softly on the door of a one floor dwelling; and a young blond lady answers the door. "Pixal, come in!" I follow both women into a plain, peach colored living room, with two red couches and a love seat, and a coffee table in front of it. "Please, sit down and I will go get Kai." Pixal and I take a seat on the couch and I glance around. Next to us is a fireplace with pictures of everyone and Kai's new family. I wince, grabbing my shoulder. Although Pixal gave me oil, my joints still ache, sometimes almost unbearably and I redirect my focus to outside the window, seeing lovely snowflakes raining. Eventually, Kai slowly enters the room and I turn to see he is paler than before, and seems sickly. I stand up; when he notices me, his dark, brown eyes well up with tears and he rushes forward, wrapping both arms round me weakly, exclaiming, "Zane, you're alive!"

"He is Zane?" his wife stares at me with a confused expression.

Kai pulls away from me after a few moments and says, while wiping away the tears, "I'm sorry. I forgot to introduce you two. Zane, this is my wife, Melissa. Melissa, this is my brother-the one I told you was dead-Zane."

"I've seen you before, at the beach and the mall, didn't I?" I ask her.

"Oh, you were there. Yes, I was," Melissa's cheeks turn slightly pink from embarrassment, and she tucks a strand of hair behind her ear. "What happened to your face?"

"My face?" I question her.

I glance at Pixal to see her shaking her head at Melissa, giving her an anxious look. "Um, would any of you like something to drink?" Melissa offers.

"No thank you," I respond, not feeling the desire to have anything in my stomach at the moment.

"We'll be fine," Pixal responds.

All three of us sit down and I ask Kai's wife, "How are your twins?" I ask.

At the mention of her children, she smiles, touching her stomach thoughtfully, "They are great, thank you."

I smile back, yet it shoots pain up my jaw, causing me to flinch and the others glance at me. "Are you alright?" Pixal puts a hand on my shoulder. I nod and there comes a knock on the door. Pixal gets up and offers, "I'll get it." I stare at Kai. His color doesn't look good, and I sense he is hiding something from me by the way he is keeping to himself.

"Are you ill?" I take a direct approach, the only one a robot knows.

He gazes at me and the corners of his mouth lift up slightly and he manages to say, "You've always been one to get what is going on."

Kai retches, spitting blood all over the carpet, while Melissa rushes to the kitchen nearby. "Kai!" I exclaim, not knowing what to do, but grab his arm. He covers his mouth, coughing violently, and takes his hand away to see it covered in more blood. Melissa hurries back with a bucket and a roll of paper towels while Cole runs up to us.

"What's the matter with him?" Cole inquires.

"I don't know!" Melissa shouts, "He told me was feeling better and was-the throwing up had ceased, but now he's puking and coughing up blood!"

"How long has he been like this?" I ask.

"For several months," Pixal responds.

"Several months? We need to get him to the hospital, now! I'll drive since I cannot do much of anything else. Cole, can you get him in?"

"Alright," Cole replies, lifting Kai off the ground. I rush to the door, grabbing the keys from Pixal, open it, and hurry outside to the hover car, fumbling with the lock. It turns with a click and I open all the doors as the others come out and get in the driver's seat. I shove the keys in the ignition desperately, twisting it, turning the vehicle on as everyone gets in. I don't even bother buckling in my seat belt and swerve the car round the corner of the neighborhood, driving insanely.

Please make it, Kai. You have to.