Even though things were improving where Zane was, it was all but the same between the other ninja.
Everyone on the Bounty was gathered around the big screen in the command room, trying to evaluate Zane's location, taking quick visits to potential places, and occasionally using the falcon as a reference and the Ultradragon to carry Sensei, Misako, and Nya. Everyone was doing everything they could to find their missing brother.
Well, almost everyone.
For some reason, Kai seemed doubtful, even bored at finding Zane. During searches, he'd just sit around on his dragon, not offering help to anyone, not even Sensei. Even when he did help, Kai would just take a quick look around the area and declare he isn't there. It was just like he honestly didn't care.
And now here he was, staring at the screen, mildly interested, waving off people when they asked for his opinion, even yawning at times, which irked Cole to the fullest.
But right now he didn't have the time to pay attention to Kai, they needed to find Zane.
Cole looked at the weak beacon dot and sighed. "We have to find Zane. I don't know how much longer I can take him being out there and us not knowing where he his. He might be hurt, or worse." Then the image of Zane on the ground, wounded and his blood all over the place with Morro about to kill him flashed through Cole's mind.
'This is all my fault.' Cole thought. 'I should've never let Zane out of my sight for a second. Especially after what happened to Llyod…"
Suddenly Kai butted into the conversation. "Maybe we should focus on rescuing Lloyd first. I mean, we do need to stop Morro, otherwise Ninjago would be cursed."
Cole froze. Everyone turned to Kai in surprise. Anger began to seep through Cole's fists.
"And why…would you think something like that?" Cole had to say it slowly to restrain himself from yelling, but his voice was dripping with venom nonetheless.
Kai ignored his tone. "Like I said, Lloyd being possessed and all, Morro's taking Ninjago at a really fast rate. Plus Zane's probably a lost cause now, because his beacon signal was so weak."
Cole could no longer contain himself. He flew at Kai, grabbed him by the throat, and pinned him against the wall.
"HOW DARE YOU SAY THAT!" Cole roared in Kai's face. "DON'T YOU REMEMBER ALL THE THINGS ZANE DID FOR US?! DON'T YOU REMEMBER HOW WE WERE AFTER HE GAVE HIS LIFE FOR US?!"
When Kai didn't respond, Cole punched him harder than he ever did in the face. Instantly a black eye started to appear on Kai's face, and blood trickled out of his nose. But Cole wasn't done
"We know where Lloyd is, in the town of Stiix, so that's the last thing I can care about right now over Zane, Kai." Cole's grip around Kai's neck was getting tighter. "Tell me this, Kai." Cole hissed. "When's the last time we saw Lloyd, and when's the last time we saw Zane?"
Still no answer. Cole further hardened his hold on Kai's throat.
"How DARE you, Kai, how dare you, ever, EVER think that one of us is more than important than the other. Zane payed the highest price for doing what Lloyd should've done. His life. HIS LIFE!"
Cole glared at Kai with immeasurable rage before continuing.
"How could you so forgetful, so-so THICK-as to forget and be so unappreciative as to what Zane did for us?! What are you saying, that green is better than titanium?! If so, explain to me, how can that be when Zane did what the prophesied green ninja couldn't have done?!"
Cole let up on his hold barely enough to let Kai speak.
"Lloyd defeated the Overlord once." He choked.
"And Zane defeated him once and for all." Cole countered. "He had to fulfill that prophecy for Lloyd. He knew what he had to do, and he did it, even though it was at the expense of his own existence!"
Cole locked on Kai's throat again.
"Plus, this team will fall apart much faster without Zane than Lloyd, he was like the glue that kept us all together. Don't you realize that?" Cole was shaking with rage. "Did you see the look on P.I.X.A.L's face when we told her Zane was gone?! Did you?!"
"Cole, Zane's probably dead by now, winter is setting in, and the ghosts had more than enough time to find and ki-" Kai started, but couldn't finish because Cole constricted Kai's windpipe with his vice like grip.
"Cole," Sensei said harshly. "That would be enough."
But Cole ignored him and continued to rage at Kai.
"Zane isn't one for quitting Kai! You should know that! I think-no, I KNOW that Zane's out there and waiting for us! Even if he was dead, we still owe him a proper burial for everything he's ever done!"
Kai was starting to gasp for breath. Sensei and Jay had to come in and pry Cole loose. As soon as his hands were freed from Kai, the fire ninja slid down the wall to the ground, massaging his throat, where Cole's grasp had left purple and black bruises.
"Don't touch me." Cole growled as the two pulled him away from Kai. He glowered at him, and Kai cowered like an abused dog.
"It absolutely disgusts me," He spat. "How little anyone in this stupid country cares about Zane, much more that one of his own brothers is denying his importance. You should be ashamed of yourself, Kai. ASHAMED!"
And as if that didn't hurt enough, what Cole said next hurt Kai worse than any number of Cole's punches.
Cole said it with a considerable amount of hatred.
"I have half the nerve to kick you off this team."
Sensei and Jay dragged Cole off before he could say another word. But even with Cole out of sight, Kai could still feel his glowered eyes staring daggers. Misako helped him up, and Jay came back and gave him some tissue paper for his nose and walked him to the infirmary.
Kai felt absolutely ashamed. Had he really been like that all this time? He understood Cole's anger, but Lloyd was more important right now, because if they didn't find him in time, Morro would be on his way to turning Ninjago into a wasteland of complete darkness.
"You know, Cole didn't mean everything he said, Kai." Jay said, coming over and rubbing some ointment onto his eye. "He wouldn't kick you off the team. It's really Sensei that makes that final decision."
"I know that." Kai said miserably.
"But Cole has a point, if not several." Jay said matter-of-factly. "Zane right now is a top priority. The reason Lloyd isn't is because we know where he is, but not Zane."
"I know that too." Kai grumbled. He winced as the ointment began to sting a little. "But I don't think he realizes what would if we didn't find Lloyd first."
Jay sighed. "Listen, I know you're concerned about Lloyd and all, but Zane-"
Suddenly Kai exploded.
"Zane, Zane, Zane, Zane, Zane, Zane, ZANE! THAT'S ALL I EVER HEAR ABOUT NOW! ITS ALWAYS ABOUT ZANE, HUH?! WHATEVER HAPPENED TO LLOYD?! DON'T YOU GET IT?! IF WE DON'T FIND LLOYD, THEN WE WON'T GET OUR ELEMENTAL POWERS BACK, AND MORRO CURSES THIS PLACE! ARE YOU PEOPLE TOO GULLIBLE TO REALIZE THAT?! DON'T YOU GET IT?!"
With that, Kai got up from the bed and stormed out of the infirmary, shoving past Jay roughly on his way out.
All Jay could do was sigh and stare after Kai.
"Well," he said after awhile. "I tried."
He walked out of the infirmary, having that creepy feeling that he was being watched.
Which he was.
Just as Jay slipped out of the door, Zane's falcon fluttered from its spot on the windowsill. It caught a draft under its wings and soared up, circling the Bounty, waiting for its friend.
When a large, four headed figure spiraled down gracefully from the night sky and landed lightly on the deck of the Bounty, the falcon winged and landed on the Ultradragon's tail.
The Ultradragon moved its tail and lifted in in front so all four heads could see the falcon. Some dried blood and tufts of deer fur stuck out between their teeth and mouths said that they had come back from a successful hunt.
"Fill us in," Wisp said. "Did anything happen while we were gone?"
With Zane missing, even the Ultradragon became concerned and was starting to do its part in the searches, especially Shard. They also took note on the emotional strain that was going on between the ninja, and were also disturbed by Kai's lack of concern.
The falcon cawed and fluttered its wings, making its eyes turn blue.
Suddenly a holographic image popped up, which was a recording of Cole yelling at Kai. When Rocky saw his master being so violent, he hissed in displeasure.
'That is not the Cole I know at all.' He thought.
And when it came to where Cole punched Kai, they all flinched, save for Flame, who growled and snapped, smoke and licks of flame pouring out of his nose.
And finally, when Kai blew by Jay, both Flame and Wisp looked very sour. Flame, angry at his master for doing that to someone trying to help him, and Wisp was just flat-out mad because Kai did that to him.
The hologram video switched off, and the falcon looked at the dragon(s) expectantly.
"It seems to me," Rocky said. "That this team is already starting to fade away."
"Indeed. They are on a collision course for disaster." Shard agreed. There was an evident amount of melancholy in his voice. "They must sort themselves out soon, otherwise who knows what would happen if Ninjago's greatest heroes were to be divided against each other." He sighed.
Wisp glanced over to Shard and saw the totally sullen look on his face. He had been like that ever since the news of Zane's disappearance, but now he seemed more gloomy than ever.
"Hey," Wisp said gently, nudging the ice dragon's head softly. "What's the matter? You look like you're more down lately."
Shard stared sadly at the floor. He closed his eyes and sighed again.
Rocky cast a worried look at Shard. He was also feeling upset at Zane's disappearance. Rocky brushed against Shard affectionately, wanting to cheer him up.
"It's alright, Shard." Rocky said quietly. "We're gonna find Zane, and everything will go back to normal again."
"Then why aren't we doing anything?" Shard asked. "Do you realize how much more ground we'll cover if we started searching for Zane on our own?"
Rocky tilted his head, thinking about it. Shard really did have a point, they would cover tons more distance, reach places that the ninja would otherwise have a hard time getting to, even being able to cross into the Underworld. Oh, and that dragon senses were much more keener than the average human's. But even with all these reasons, the idea of leaving the ninja didn't really appeal to Rocky.
He looked to the others, who all had that same unsure expression. He looked to the falcon.
"Give us a minute." Rocky said. The falcon clawed and made itself comfortable on the railing.
"I don't like the idea of leaving." He said the second the falcon left. "They might need us…"
"Rocky!" Flame barked. "This is Zane we're talking about here! Who knows what happened to him?! Much less where he's at."
"I-I know, but-" Rocky started, but was cut off by Wisp.
"But what?! Rocky, have you seen our masters? They're going completely loco without him. Zane being gone is practically tearing them apart."
"And it doesn't help at all that mine doesn't seem to care." Flame growled.
"But the thing is, it is not Zane's disappearance directly that's separating them, it is more like they're helping each other out." Shard pointed out. "If you seek the real core to this whole 'separation' scenario, I would say the problem lies within the fact that the fire ninja shows no apparent concern with my master's…. disappearance." Shard finished sullenly.
Rocky looked at each dragon again. Flame looked determined, the usual fiery look in his eyes much brighter now, Wisp had a serious scowl across his face, and Shard was just hanging his head mournfully. Rocky was about to say that he would like to stay put, but saw the looks on their faces and shut his mouth.
"Alright." He said, stretching out his neck and shaking his head. "Fine. We'll break off and look for Zane ourselves. I'm in. What about you?"
"Count me in." Wisp said.
"You already know my answer." Flame hissed, flexing their wings. "Let's do this."
Rocky glanced at Wisp and Flame. "Good." He turned to Shard. "Shard? We need your opinion. Are you in or out?"
They all stared at Shard. He looked back with his lapis blue eyes, then staring up to the starry sky as if thinking. Then he dropped his head and sighed.
"A house divided upon itself cannot stand." He said after a length. He met Rocky's, Flame's, and Wisp's glowing eyes. "Of course I will help. Zane is my master, and this whole team will fall apart without him. Plus," Shard looked down to where his neck joined Rocky's. "I would have no choice, as I am adjoined with the rest of you."
Rocky nodded and called the falcon back over. He let it land on their tail. Shard nosed close and gazed into its eyes.
"Follow us." He said. "Look for any potential sign of Zane. Even the most tiny hints might give us any lead."
The falcon cawed, and the Ultradragon lifted off the deck of the Bounty, the falcon circling around and back to fly alongside.
They didn't start gliding with the wind under their wings until they were a reasonable distance from the Bounty.
"So what's the plan?" Wisp called over the whistling wind.
"We head to the place where they last saw Zane!" Rocky shouted back. "We'll see what we find, and go out from there!"
"In the meantime, look for any signs on the way there!" He yelled to the falcon. "It just might help!"
Rocky looked down, trying to see any sign of Zane's presence in the rushing landscape below, but saw nothing.
Rocky sighed and refocused back to the sky ahead as Wisp scanned for any hints.
To be honest, Rocky was scared straight as to what they might find when they came to the spot where the ninja had last seen Zane. They might find a horrific scene of a battle or they might find nothing at all. They could find bloody weapons all over and/or worse…
Rocky squelched the thought of a dead nindroid body hidden somewhere in the brush.
Another possibility was that they might land in a patch of forest, as innocent and as peaceful as can be.
But whatever they might find, they must find Zane.
'Don't worry Zane,' Rocky thought, pumping their wings to keep them steady.
'We'll find you.'
The Ultradragon and the falcon is getting involved now, yay! And did I make Cole get a little too rough on Kai? I don't think so, if he were to ever act like that he would totally deserve it. I don't have anything else to say, really, except MERRY CHRISTMAS TO YOU ALL! Stay warm and AZOME!