The next day Kai and Jay continue their training sessions like normal. Completely ignoring their argument from the day before. Jay is pleased when he is able to do an extra couple of laps before it feels like a ghost is squeezing on his chest. A good sign that the preventive medications are working.
On his next rest day Cole returns.
"How was your trip?" Asks Jay.
"Good, really good." Says Cole with a grin. "I needed that. I climbed mount Egalt."
Jay raises an eyebrow, "That's one of the largest mountains in Ninjago. In three days?"
"Well, not the whole thing, just one of the lesser peaks. I forgot how good mountain air is." He pauses before asking, "How were things here?"
"Fine." Says Jay. "Zane took me to the doctor again, I'm trialling a preventative medication, haven't heard from Lloyd, oh and Kai is still grumpy."
Cole sighs, "Maybe he needs to go climb a mountain."
Jay snorts, "I think that would somehow make his mood worse."
The next two weeks go by uneventfully, apart from the fact that Kai is disappearing for hours most days, spending a lot of time in Ninjago City.
Jay is thankful that his grumpy attitude is sometimes out of the monastery, giving him an occasional break, but he is a bit concerned about what he could be doing.
"Do you think him and Skylor are getting serious?" Asks Cole one evening.
"Hmm." Jay mulls it over. "Either that or he is stalking Lloyd."
"Eeesh, I hope not." Says Cole. "What do you think Zane?"
"I am not sure." Says Zane. "Would you like me to find out?"
Cole looks at Jay with one eyebrow raised, considering Zane's offer.
"No!" Says Jay, "Us following Kai would be no better than him following Lloyd. Let him have his space."
"Following?" Says Zane with confusion, "I meant do you want me to ask him?"
"Ooh!" Says Cole with realisation. "Yeah, I guess we could try that."
The next day when Kai fetches Jay for his workout session, he seems different. Jay follows him out to the courtyard nervously. When they get there Kai crosses his arms. "I think it's about time for a test."
"A test?" Asks Jay, "What is this, school?"
Kai ignores the remark. "I want you to do a workout session on your own." He sits down on the balcony, crossing his legs. "No instructions."
Jay looks at Kai in stunned disbelief, "Why? Are you already sick of training me?"
"No!" Kai says quickly. "I just, I, might not always be around. I need to know you'll be ok, without me." Kai's face starts to flush.
"You're leaving?" asks Jay, suddenly feeling guilty about resenting Kai's bad attitude.
Kai groans, "I dunno. Maybe. I was going to talk to you about this after.. Lloyd might be onto something with this job thing.."
Jay goes over and sits next to Kai on the balcony. "Don't tell me you've been washing windows on your city excursions?"
Kai snorts, "Pu-lease, I'm the master of fire, I don't want to be spraying water all day."
"Then what will you do?"
"I've been talking to Dareth.."
"Dareth?" Jay interrupts, "the brown ninja? Master of animal impressions? Really?"
"Yes really! Since his karaoke bar has been going pretty well, he has had less time for the dojo. He needs a teacher. Our job is to protect those who can't protect themselves, but we can't be everywhere at once, so why not train more people to protect themselves, and protect others too?" Kai sighs, looking up into the sky. "Something clicked when I was working on your training plan, I enjoy teaching. I've been taking a couple of evening classes, to see if I like it. There's a room above the dojo I can use, but I won't go, if you still need me here."
Jay jumps up off the balcony and starts stretching. "Guess I better ace this test then. Show that you're a great teacher."
Kai smiles, "Just can't wait to get rid of me!" He teases.
"Don't visit too often!" Retorts Jay with a dollop of sarcasm.
All of their workouts follow a similar pattern, Kai has it drilled into him pretty good by now, he steps through each pose, form and technique with ease. By the end of the aerobic section he has built up a sweat, is breathing heavily, but doesn't feel like he's drowning. He moves onto the breathing exercises and yoga poses, closing his eyes and letting the world fade away. He didn't want Kai to go, he hadn't wanted Lloyd to go, but if this was what they needed, he would support them, just like they had supported him.
He opens his eyes to see the balcony empty, Kai vanished from the spot where he had been observing. "That bastard didn't even say goodbye.." mutters Jay.
"I'm over here you dummy." Says a voice from behind him.
Jay jumps and then falls over in surprise.
Kai laughs warmly before helping him up, "Sorry, couldn't resist!"