Chapter 56
Drainage Lids and Sewers

.:Violet:.

A long yawn escaped her parched lips as she finished stacking the fallen weapons onto the wall rack. Dareth made her do the rest of the classes –two others- today with extra pay but she never felt so tired before. After her first lesson (twelve year olds), she had to teach kids slightly older than the last class (fifteen year olds) and then Violet had were boys that were her age (eighteen year olds). Doesn't matter how many times she told them she had a boyfriend, they kept flirting with the female ninja all lesson. Then one kid –who looked like he have seen a ghost- decided to show he was the strongest by beating everyone by throwing them to the walls and make a mess. When Dareth came back and saw the mess, he told her she was fired. She begged him to let her keep her job but he denied her and told her to clean up and keep the money she earned for the day and that lesson.

"Violet..?" The said ninja turned her head as her name was mentioned and she saw Zane standing in the doorway to the class. His usually straight whitish-blonde hair had a couple of strand sticking out. He had bags underneath his eyes but his icy blue irises made him seem wide awake though.

"Oh Zane, hi." She muttered with another yawn. "What brings you here?"

"Thank goodness I found you. Everyone thought you were taken by the Serpentine."

"Why would you guys think that?

"It's ten o'clock at night."

"What?!" She exclaimed, snapping out of her sleepy state and she looked at the hanging clock to see it was three minutes past ten o'clock.

"Everyone grew worried since we thought the Serpentine had you like Jay."

"Whoa whoa whoa… The Serpentine had Jay?"

"Let me explain."

So as she closed up the dojo, Zane went through the events of the day; him, Cole, Kai and Jay getting fired and the Serpentine's plan to take Lloyd. He also mentioned that Wu and Nya were back and they were now in a cheaper apartment. When they got to the new apartment, Violet scrunched her nose when a smell of old people reached her nose. Not that Sensei Wu smelt like that because he smelt like tea as if he bathed in the stuff. When Zane opened the door, Violet winced at the sight. It was a one room apartment excluding the bathroom. There were two bunk beds on one side of the room with the bathroom door between them. There was also a tiny kitchen with poor looking appliances. There was a table with two large boxes on both side and smaller furniture to act as chairs. But no one was inside.

"Where's everybody?"

"They went looking for you… Wu suggested you might have… ummm…"

"It's okay, I get it now." She replied with a smile and walked inside with Zane behind her. "It's very… small for eight people." She mentioned, making a mental count, excluding Scarlett. With a deep exhale, she made her way to the bottom bunk of one of the two bunks and rested her head against the post to hold the top bunk.

"Here, you should eat something." She heard Zane's monotone voice from the kitchen and she saw he was getting a plate of food from the tiny fridge. The female ninja got off the bed and sat at the table as Zane presented the food in front of her.

"Thanks Zane." She smiled softly and she looked down to see noodles, no doubt that it was two-minute-noodles. Just as she was about to put it into her mouth, the front door swinged open to reveal Nya. She was a mess as well. Her jet black hair was sticking in old angles but instead of bags, tears marred her lightly tanned cheeks. Her amber eyes were bloodshot and the tip of her nose was red.

"Zane! Thank goodness you're here, Violet's dead!" Nya's voice wavered, indicating she just ran here while crying but her voice cracked at the mention of Violet's name. Another wave of tears fell down the black-hair girl's cheeks.

"What?" Both she and Zane said at the same time and Violet saw Nya's brows raised with a shocked expression planted on her face.

"Violet!" The younger yet taller girl exclaimed and ran over to give Violet a tight hug.

"What do you mean I'm dead? I'm right here." Violet asked as she gently pulled away from the hug.

"I don't know anymore. Everyone else and I met on a street and we saw a drainage pipe open so when we looked, there was a rope around a girl's neck. She looked exactly like you, caramel hair and purples and everything! Same nose- We thought you committed suicide!"

"That doesn't make sense." She heard Zane muttered.

"Come on, let's check it out then." And Violet got up, leaving the noodles on the table but she kept an arm over the crying girl's shoulder to ensure her that the female ninja was indeed alive.

.::.

When the trio got to the scene, Violet could see the three boys, Lloyd and Wu crowding around a girl wearing the same attire as Violet. Her heart slightly ached when she saw how devastated everyone looked. Lloyd was hugging his uncle tightly and the old man's hat was pulled down so you couldn't see his face. Cole and Jay were crouched down with their backs to her so she couldn't see Kai who was opposite them. When she got closer, she saw Kai holding the girl with tears down his face. For some reason, she felt sad and jealous yet something else struck a nerve. If she actually died, she would deeply affect all of these people. She didn't understand why but she felt really warm on the inside, probably because how close these people have managed to dig into her heart.

"G-Guys?" She called out when she was three meters away. All of their heads turned to see her. She could see gloomy expressions on their face, Lloyd and Kai had tears whereas Jay, Cole and Wu only had one tear that must have fell when they tried not to cry.

"Violet..?" She watched as they looked down towards the girl –where Violet could also see the drainage pipe and the rope- before looking back at her.

"You're an imposter." She heard Kai growl softly.

"But how if I'm alive. You really think I would commit suicide after you said that well-plan speech to me?"

"It wasn't planned…"

"It sounded like it was planned out to me…" She said with a shrug of her shoulders and she walked around the others and to Kai, where she crouched down and she turned his head so he could look at her. "I'm alive, can't you see? Someone else is dead."

"Violet!" The ninja of wind suddenly heard someone else call out and she felt something smaller than her own body push her over. When she looked, she saw Lloyd nesting his head into her shoulder with his arms firmly around her stomach.

"There there Lloyd." She soothed as she gently patted his back.

"Is that really you Violet?"

"Of course Sensei, I guess I would commit suicide if all you die in one day." She answered and then before she knew, she was bombed with hugs from everyone but Zane, Nya and Kai. When they all pulled apart, Violet found that she was no longer on the ground but standing on her feet. She looked at Kai who was standing, the body of the dead girl left on the ground.

"Aww, come here you big baby." She laughed softly as she hugged him tightly, knowing he needs it.

"I thought you were dead… I thought you left us… left me." She heard him say between the tears. "She looks exactly like you, same nose, lips, cheekbones, hairline… everything."

Upon hearing this, she pulled away from him despite his hurt look and she crouched down to the girl. It was like what they said, Violet felt like she was staring at a mirror. The girl looked exactly like her but her lifeless lavender eyes stared up. Violet looked closely and saw that something was wrong. The iris colour was slightly over the pupil and she saw a thin line of blue. The girl was wearing contacts. With a slight cringe, Violet went to take off the contacts which revealed dark blue eyes. She showed the purple contacts to everyone.

"I think someone wants me dead or want you to believe I'm dead." She answered and she went back to the girl. Violet's hand went to the girl's hair and slightly pulled it and saw something moved underneath the skin on her forehead. The female ninja then realised the girl was wearing prosthetics and a wig.

"But who?" She heard Jay's voice.

"I have no idea but they either killed this girl or she was already dead."

"So she would be in a grave in the ground if she was already dead… Someone who hates us yet digs…" Zane muttered behind her and a lightbulb went off in the female ninja's mind.

"The Serpentine." She answered and she stood up from her crouched position.

"But why..?"

"Just let me think." The ninja in purple muttered and she started to place with her arms linked behind her back. When she thought about it, the boy who threw everyone in her class looked awfully terrified. Slowly, the jigsaw pieces slid in together in her mind to form the picture. "That's it!"

"What's it?"

"The serpentine must have known we killed the Great Devourer and Garmadon went with the weapons right?"

"Yeah..?"

"Of course Garmadon isn't going to do everything by himself, he must have struck an agreement with the serpentine but the generals must have said no… which is why it was only them trying to distract you and get Lloyd. Garmadon must have seen this coming. He doesn't want to hurt Lloyd yet he wants to change Ninjago into his own image. What can stop Lloyd from defeating his own father?"

"Kill the kid?"

"Garmadon won't do that."

"Prevent Lloyd from learning how to defeat his father." Wu answered and a smile lit up on her face.

"Yes. I think he wants to eliminate me since I'm more powerful than the guys and Lloyd can't learn to use his powers –creation- without one element. I got fired since one kid made a wreck in Dareth's dojo and my boss blamed me… maybe Garmadon or the Serpentine threatened the kid to think of a way for me to stay in the dojo so they could do it while I was separated from you guys and secretly kill me. Of course they want my death to wreck you apart without you guys going out on them so they disguised this girl to look like me and make it that I committed suicide since everyone knows how unstable I've been. By doing this, you guys will be devastated and Kai won't co-op since he would be thinking it would have been his fault for not looking out for me. Because if he knew the serpentine killed me, then he would take his anger on the snakes."

"When you say it like that, it makes lots of sense." She heard Cole say. "But how come you're not dead now?"

"Because Zane found me while I was cleaning. He brought me back to the apartment and geez, it stinks!" And that managed to get a short-lived chuckle from everyone.

"For now on, we better stick together in pairs or groups and we should start training Lloyd as soon as possible in case if that happens."

"Yes Sensei Wu." They all chorused. Violet looked down at the dead girl in pity.

"What do we do with her?"

"Leave that to me. I want you seven to go back to the apartment."

"But what about the pair-"

"I'm old enough to take care of myself. Get some rest."

"Yes Sensei." They chorused again and walked back to the apartment. Violet could easily sense Kai's presence right next to her. When she looked up into his face, he looked worried.

"I'm alive remember?"

"Yeah but… I'm worried what would happen if you weren't. We were just lucky that Zane managed to find you."

"Yeah…"

.:Kai:.

He couldn't sleep. Not because that the ground was a very uncomfortable place but because he was worried that Violet would disappear again. Kai's eyes stayed on Violet's sleeping form. He had to keep reminding himself that she was alive by the rise of her chest. Everyone agreed that Wu, Nya and Violet would get the beds. Zane suggested that Lloyd get the other since he's only a kid so he and the guys hesitantly agree. He was glad his sister and Violet was getting comfort but kept looking over them.

He wondered what life would be if he didn't turned out to be the destined red ninja. He would have never met Violet, Wu, Jay, Cole, Zane and Lloyd. Maybe Scarlett would still in Violet's head alive since it was Kai's speech that made Violet realised what was holding her back and unlocked her true potential. Nya would be safe, out of this ninja business. This life has its advantages and disadvantages but as cheesy as this sound, he really can't live without Violet. She might not realise but she has helped him in so many ways. She was there when he was nearly impaled by Garmadon's shadowy sword, when she reminded him to get his head back into the fight, to remind his there is something worth fighting for, when he was sprayed by the venomari venom, when he broke his legs and other events he can't remember at the moment.

Just then, he saw Violet sat up in her bed and he closed his eyes and breathed deeply. He heard soft thuds through the floor.

"I know you're awake Kai… Come with me." He heard her whisper in his ear and he opened his eyes.

He got up from the floor and followed her out of the door and into the chilly night. They both walked to the side of the building where a ladder was presented against the wall and up to the roof. Being the gentleman he is, he let Violet climbed first before climbing up himself. When Kai reached the top, he saw Violet sitting on the tilted tiles with her arms around her knees. He knew she was waiting for him to sit next to her so that was what he did. He could see goosebumps form over her neck and down to her arms. He wiggled closer before wrapping his arms around her small body and bringing her close into his hug. Silence drifted between them nevertheless, he didn't loosen his grip he had around her.

"You can't see the stars very well in the city can you?" He heard her ask softly as she rested her head on his shoulders but her lavender eyes never leaving the sky. "On the bounty, there would be some nights I can't sleep when there are too many things on my mind so I would go on the decks and stare at the sky… I'm going to miss that boat. I never thought I would have called it home when I first moved in."

"Do stars just magically make everything disappear from your mind?" He asked as he looked down at her and this time, she looked at him.

"No, I don't know why but it makes me feel calm. I remember being on the streets I would look up and wonder if my parents would look over me if I looked at the brightest star in the sky… Tonight I was really hoping I could see it."

"For Scarlett?"

"Yeah…" She replied.

"Why are you telling me this?"

"Because I can tell you have way too many things on your mind and stars won't fix it. Now spill it, it's my turn to see if I can give you advice." And at this he smiled softly but at that moment, he couldn't look at her. Instead, he casted his eyes past her head and to another building's roof.

"I didn't know what to think back then. One moment we were moving in and then before we knew it, it was eight o'clock and no one had seen you. I actually thought of the worst. I knew you were sort of out of it and I thought you would have committed suicide. I thought nothing I said actually reached out to you and it was my poor choice of words that let you slip through my grasp." He admitted and he looked down at Violet who looked back at him with her eyes full of caring. He knew she wasn't going to say anything until the end so he continued. "When the guys and I saw that drainage lid not over the drain, I was hoping it was you so I can bring you into a hug but at the same time, I was hoping it wasn't you because I knew what I would see.

"The girl looked so much like you," he told her softly and he cupped her cheek, "you both had the same cheek bone height, same depth of the jaw, same small nose, eye shape, hairline, hair and everything… I thought I lost you and… it really hurt and it still does now." And he stopped and closed his eyes. Every time he thought back to the dead girl he keeps thinking it was Violet dead who was dead and this thought keeps making his chest hurts and his eyes stinging.

"So I cradled her, thinking it was you. I thought you were gone because of me because what I said didn't reach out to you. Never before have I felt so lost before and then I was so terrified of what my future would become. You really changed me Violet and I know you're thinking that you haven't done anything for me but you have. If you were gone, I didn't know what to do. Back then, when I saw the girl, I thought I should commit suicide as well but then I thought I shouldn't since you wouldn't want me to do so but I didn't want to live with a hole in my chest." And at this, tears starting leaking through his eyes resulting him to squeezed Violet closer to his chest. "Oh god, I must be the cheesiest man in Ninjago."

"No you're not. How could you ever think the words you said to me would never reach me? Just because the words aren't heart-touching, it doesn't mean the effort and dedication you put to make me feel better aren't heart-touching because they were. That night, it really showed me how much you cared about me and I never felt like that with my sister or when I was younger with my parents. I actually felt loved and I knew that if I ever did commit suicide, not only will I be hurting myself just to end my misery but I would create new ones in other people. I knew you would be affected so badly so I told myself not to even think about it. And the reason it hurts is because you care so much that even the thought of losing me is already wrecking that brain in your noggin." He heard her say and he felt her shift in his grasp before he felt her fingers wiping away his tears.

"Thank you Sumire." He smiled weakly as he pressed a kiss to her forehead. "And you did surprisingly well for your first speech."

"What, you mean my words reached out to you?"

"Yeah."

"Good because expect more whenever you're down okay? Because I really need to repay my Kaen."

"Just having you alive is good enough for me." He replied he could feel the girl shiver in his arms. So he let go of her to take off his jumper and placed it over her shoulders.

"But won't you get sick?"

"Nah, I'll be alright." He answered with a caring smile as he held her close again.

Woohoo! I'm back people! The cyclone missed my town so I'm safe and sound but thank you for everyone reassuring me because to be honest, I was completely freaking out. So big thanks to: ShadowNinja27, Yuna54321, LightningDanino23, KaiRulesSuckers, ElementzGirl7, MortalNinjas, CarlyShi208, ALookIntoMyWorld, Mihoshi 2.0, Nightmare, Kaiisthebest and ColeisCute1316.

Kaiisthebest: I'm sorry you didn't quiet enjoy the past two chapters but at the moment, Violet's a tinsy winsy bit emotionally unstable although she's okay in this chapter. And your idea is great; I tried to add it in the end but it probably will happen in the next chapter.

MortalNinjas: Will Violet and Kai get married? I'll probably do that when lego decides to stop Ninjago for good and end the series (which I really hope isn't anytime soon) because when you think about it, they're still have a responsibility to do and there's always trouble for them. There's not really any time for marriage.