Kai POV: I know that everyone found it weird when I said I was going to eat in my room, but I thought I could eat if I was alone since it's worked before. However, I ended up just staring at it as it sit on my table from my bed without eating it. I sighed and laid back in defeat. There's just no way I can eat right now, not with everything on my mind. Even the smell of the food wasn't making me hungry and I honestly just wanted to go back to sleep.
Up until someone knocked on the door. I quickly jumped up and put my plate in a spot where it shouldn't be too noticeable. Then I opened the door and saw it was Cole. I knew that he would be coming, but I tried to not panic.
"Hey, dude. What's up?" I asked, which he didn't answer right away.
He just walked in and sighed before saying, "We need to talk."
"About what?" I asked, not meeting his eyes.
"Kai, you know what." he said, clearly not impressed by how I evaded the question.
I didn't respond and he just continued, "I know that it's hard, but I need to know what that place was. And who that lady was."
I knew that but I still didn't want to relive it. So I said, "It's nothing, I promise."
But he clearly didn't believe me. He sat down in my desk chair. I felt a little jumpy, so I just leaned against the wall. I was scratching my arm a little while I waited for him to say something. And he was doing the same, but I wasn't going to break first.
It was quiet for a while until Cole finally said, "I know it's not, Kai. I saw the look on your face."
"Yeah, so what? Like I said. It was nothing and everything is fine." I really didn't want to talk about this.
But, again, he didn't let it go. He stood back up and came closer to me. "Kai, please talk to me. I can't stop thinking about how you looked. And about what soon followed…"
That is what brought those unpleasant memories back up, and I felt myself scratch harder. I tried to focus on Cole, which did help a little bit. But I still wanted him to go as soon as possible.
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Cole POV: I could see that I was making Kai uncomfortable, and I hated doing that to him. However, he was hiding something and it was hurting him. He wasn't facing me and was just scratching his arm instead of answering me. But sometimes waiting him out does get him to say what's bothering him. Even if it does take him a while to do that it can be the only thing anyone can do. But he wasn't saying anything, he was just scratching and I was about to say something else when I noticed it.
There was blood on his hand from the scratching.
"Kai?!" I grabbed his hand and he flinched. Like he snapped out of a trance.
He looked at me and then at his hand. He pulled his hand back and said, "Sorry, I… I don't."
I shook my head and said, "Kai, you didn't do anything wrong, but you can't deny that something is wrong now." I said, gently.
Again, he didn't say anything. He just stood there while staring at his hand. Finally he sighed and went to leave the room. But I stopped him and asked, "Where are you going?"
"You're right. There is something wrong, and that's my arm. So I'm going to take care of it." he said. He tried to sound normal, but I could hear the slight shakiness in his voice.
I wanted him to stay and talk with me, but I let him go. After he closed the door I sighed heavily. He really wasn't going to budge on this, no matter what I did. Plus, I didn't want… that to happen again either. Which means I'm going to have to pull out the secret weapon.
I quickly left Kai's room and headed towards Sensei's room. He would know what to do and how to approach Kai. It was my back-up plan and really the only choice I had left. If he wasn't busy or had another secret mission of course.
I walked up to his door and knocked quietly, but without any answer from him. I waited for a little bit, but there was nothing. He was probably out.
I sighed and then someone behind me said, "Cole?"
I jumped, with a scream, and turned to see Master Wu standing there. He looked like he just got back.
"Sensei! I was wondering where you were." I said, calming myself down.
"I was just helping Misako, and I am sorry for startling you Cole." He said, thankfully ignoring my scream.
"It's alright." I said, and moved so that he could enter his room. And I followed him in once he gestured for me to come in.
"Is there something on your mind? You looked very worried." he commented, setting his staff down as we both sat down on his seats.
"Actually, yes. There is something I would like to talk with you about." I said, getting serious.
He made of that and said, "Of course. Speak your mind."
"Well, have you heard about what happened on our last mission?" I started off with, and he nodded.
"I got Kai out of his memory after witnessing something… unsettling. Now he wouldn't talk about it despite it bothering him. And none of us know what to do." I explained, briefly.
"I see. What exactly did you see that is concerning?" he asked, clearly thinking this over.
"It was a dark forest-like place that had a blood-red sky. There were so many sharp black rocks that practically covered the ground and trees that looked dead. And there was…" I stopped there, thinking about that woman and how terrified that I was at that moment.
"Cole?" Sensei asked, and I looked at him.
"There was… a woman that… tried to strangle Kai. I got her off, but she was more of a monster than a person. …I was really scared, but Kai was terrified to the point that he didn't think straight." I continued, but it was hard to keep looking him in the eye.
I didn't want to expose Kai, so I didn't mention the scratching and how exactly he was acting. But I still felt bad for talking behind his back.
However, Wu didn't say anything right away, thinking over what I said before finally saying, "That is concerning behavior, Cole."
"I know, and it's clear there's more. But he just won't talk about it with me." I also explained.
He thought all of this over for a while before saying, "It does sound like he is stressed about this."
"I know. What do you think we should do?" I asked.
He simply said, "Cole, we can't force him to talk if he's not ready."
"But we can't let him go on like this." I said, a little confused by what he said, but he just continued.
"I agree, but like I said. We can't force him if he's not ready. However, you and the others are doing the right thing. You just need to change the method that you're using." he explained, but I was still confused.
"What do you mean?" I asked.
"You should make sure that Kai knows that you all are open to listening to him. Once he is comfortable he will open up to you." he explained, and I got what he was saying.
I knew I was pushing him, and that must have made things worse for him.
"Okay, I understand. But what else can we do? I still don't want to leave him completely alone. Especially if this is more serious than it seems." I responded, and he nodded in agreement.
"I will talk with him privately, and try to make him feel better before encouraging to talk with you again." he said, standing up. And I stood up too.
"Okay, thank you Sensei." I said, already feeling better. Master Wu will definitely make him feel better.
We both left and I headed back to the others to tell the others. This will make them feel better too.
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Sensei Wu: After Cole left and I walked through the halls I thought over what Cole had told me. What he described sounded too much like a realm that I read about. I hoped that I was wrong and I hope that it was something else that was bothering Kai.
Right now I will focus on him instead of that place. It would be best for everyone.