Krux had left the swamp after being there for a week, it had been a couple of days since he had… talked with the kids.

If you could label that as talking.

… He was sure you could.

Well, at least things had been settled for now and as such he didn't have to worry about it for the next few days.

A good thing in his opinion, despite how fast the city was growing it was miles better than staying at the dome.

It felt refreshing, the swamp was cold and damp.

He had technically been on vacation leave from the Museum so wouldn't be suspicious but he had to go back, not only his workshop was there by the museum was the perfect cover up for him to continue his investigations.

And maybe rewrite history a bit you know.

The less traces about the Time Twins in Ninjago history the better.

The elemental knew in some parts of Ninjago the Serpentine had started to be regarded as a myth, mostly the most rural and far away areas where barely any word from the conflict reached. let aline any consequences because of it.

Which meant, well, if something as the Serpentine War was starting to fade so quickly something such as the betrayal inside an alliance most people didn't know about would be way easier to cover.

But first he did have to know what had been recorded.

… And check some engineering books in the library.

Kai almost felt like writhing under those bright eyes, they were scary, as if they had come up right out of a nightmare.

And the worst part? There were several pairs, bright slitted eyes looking right down to him, shining despite the light above them.

Oh and he and Nya were cornered in their small room.

…Yeah.

But Kai stood his ground, especially when he felt Nya clench her fists tighter on the back of his clothes.

He was terrified, who wouldn't be? What seemed like hundreds of snakes were surrounding him.

Yet he wouldn't budge, he wouldn't let them reach Nya.

"Sssso? What are we supposed to do with them?"

Hisses answered the question.

… what.

There was an annoyed hiss from the snake person in front of them, who turned around to glare at the snakes in the floor all slithering around.

"Krus sssaid to keep and eye on them until he returns and that's what we're doing"

More hisses answered.

And the giant sighed heavily.

Kai just blinked and he could feel Nya fists loosening just a bit.

What 's going on?

The hisses continued as the red snake in front of them seemed deep in thought.

"Oh sssshut up! " She finally snapped and everyone, including the siblings, recoiled. "Let me think" She hissed in annoyance.

Kai looked back and his eyes locked with Nya's.

She was as confused as him if not more and seeing Kai being so unsure of things didn't help with the anxiety she felt.

At least her brother was with her though, that was probably the most comforting part about this.

The snake woman looked at them and she hid, she was quite ugly to look at, at least in her opinion, especially with all those extra snakes around the head.

"Machia"

"What?!"

The aggressive hissing put the siblings on edge again, even if it wasn't directed towards them, the other snakes however seemed totally unfazed by this new development, instead all had turned towards the door.

Uh…

"How about we just take them to their parentssss?"

Kai and Nya didn't even make an effort to hide how excited that sounded, they outright perked up at that.

The snake woman - Machia - glared at the other snake.

"How'ssss that a good idea?"

"We really don't have many optionssss"

"If Krux hearsss about it he'll kill ussss"

"Hessss all the way to the city, and we don't know how to take care of human children"

…. That was a good point.

Machia hissed with annoyance as she turned back to the kids who looked both terrified and hopeful at the same time.

Krux left earlier that morning and it wasn't even a sure thing he would be back by nighttime, still it was a risky proposition, if Krux were to learn of this…

Machia lowered herself until she could see eye to eye with the brother, the snakes on her hair moved forward, hissing.

"You two better not speak of thissssss"

The kids nodded, a bit pale from the close encounter.

It was fine, if they were scared then they wouldn't speak.

"We're taking them with their parentssssss, no one says a word about thisssss"

Then she turned to see the snake man on the door.

"Is something happenssss it'll be your fault Raggmunk"

"Fine" Hissed the snake before turning around and leaving.

Machia turned around yet again, grabbing Kai's arm forcefully.

He cried at the contact, trying to jump backward to no avail, the grip was too strong, it almost felt as if a snake itself was constricting his arm.

Nya yelped as her grip on Kai's shirt was suddenly gone, the sudden force almost making her fall forward.

"Quiet kid"

Nya didn't know if she was referring to her or Kai but none said a word, the little girl rushing forward to take her brother by the shirt again.

Ray stood still as an army of snakes walked directly towards the forge, with a quick movement he took one of the swords that had already cooled off and hold it up, ready to fight if they even dared to do anything remotely similar to an attack.

Maya had retreated from her place close to the door, where she had been resting for a bit.

The heat of the forge has never done her any good for long periods of time so being stuck inside one daily for endless hours meant her health had been deteriorating. slowly, but it had been.

Flankinghis left she took another weapon as both stood their ground.

The snakes were completely unfazed.

With a hiss one of them trotted forward, one of the generals if the armors they were wearing was any indication and before Ray coud process what was happening Maya ran forward, dropping her weapon as she knelt on the floor.

The snakes didn't move, not to leave but not to attack either, instead they stood there, still, watching the scene happening in front of their eyes.

It wasn't until he heard twin cries of "Mum" that his brain finally caught up to what was happening and slowly, very slowly he walked towards where his family was.

Weapon still raised and never breaking contact with the army of serpentine he engulfed his family in the tightest hug ever.

The snakes didn't leave.

Nya kept glaring at them through their window with the most heated gaze the three year old could muster,frown, pout and all.

Kai wasn't any better.

He stayed at Nya's side and both children were being guarded by their parents who had ushered them to the furthest part of the little shed.

Maya was cooking, Ray was helping and both were trying so hard to make it look as normal as possible to their children, which honestly after being apart for… well, none of the four knew for sure how long but it had definitely been more than a week.

The kids were silent.

Both were quite... quiet even before being taken by Krux but now it seemed as if both of them tried to make themselves as inconspicuous as possible, hunching close by and in silence, looking at the door every now and then.

These weren't the kids they knew two weeks ago, nor the kids they knew they were a month ago, no, these kids were their children but at the same time they weren't theirs, their kids were happy kids that loved to run around, play with each other and just… be kids.

The two children in front of them didn't even seem to want to move.

Maya glanced briefly at both kids, who seemed to be entertaining themselves in silence, then she crossed eyes with Ray, they needed to do something.

He seemed to agree, except for… Maya followed his eyes, right, the snakes.

They didn't trust them, for obvious reasons but so far there hadn't been any kind of movement that wasn't just, kind of patrolling around the forge and the small cabin.

Ray frowned as he mused over what happened the last couple of hours, if the snakes were here and the kids too then that probably meant Krux wasn't around, he had made it very clear he wouldn't let the kids anywhere near them again.

Or maybe it was a set up? But what kind of set up would this be? There wasn't anything else Krux could take from them, he had taken their freedom, their home and their children, what else could he take? Their powers weren't even theirs anymore and he needed them alive if his rants were anything to go by.

Why them then?

Either that man had a very very grudge with them from their last battle (which was their fault) or… it had something to do with the metal they were working with.

Both were plausible but Ray knew very well Krux was a very petty man so it was probably the grudge.

Still, their kids were here and that was the most important part, he would consider talking with Maya about a breakout as soon as the kids were asleep. (If they stayed for that long, he thought bitterly)

"Kai, Nya, come help" Maya's strong yet soft voice pulled him out of his own mind and glanced towards the children who seemed startled at being addressed, it pained Ray how they looked at each other as if unsure of what would happen if they were to come closer but soon enough both got up and with light steps they soon were with them.

With ease the blacksmith carried his son and sat him on the table, counter where Maya soon took the oldest hand and started to teach him how to rinse the rice.

Nya couldn't help but giggle with joy when Kai touched the rice and water, crunching his nose and biting his tongue.

"Nya" She turned around and yelped happily as she too was carried, she wasn't set down like her brother, instead Ray decided to carry her on his hip as he (with difficulty) went back to break the bread apart for the meal.

They didn't have much but it would do.

Time passed fast, they dined as they hadn't in weeks, both parents trying to make small talk with the kids, deciding to just change the conversation towards legends and fairytales once they found little success in the small talk.

"Did Krux do something kids?"

Nya kept on eating, as if she wasn't bothered by the question but Kai stopped, frozen for a moment before taking a bite to his bread and forcing to swallow it without water.

"No" Technically he was right, Krux hadn't really hit them or anything, well, other than having them in a small room for most of the day, but that didn't count right? Krux had just been… Krux.

His parents crossed glances and the kid couldn't help but shrink a little on his seat, he swore he could hear the snakes slithering outside, they probably were.

He knew whatever he said they would said back to Krux, even if it wasn't anything harmful.

It was better to just keep his mouth shut.

He was really glad Nya just didn't seem to want to talk about it, or think about it or anything for that matter.

Maybe her mind had just decided to stash anything related to Krux in a vault deep inside her mind.

Could he do the same?

He preferred not to think about it.

With a yawn he set his fork down.

A fork, why were they eating rice with a fork?

He blinked, tired.

Uh. Why did he feel so tired?

As he tried to blink himself awake a couple of gentle arms hugged him, carrying him in a warm embrace as words of love were muttered in his ear, a hand combing sweetly through his messy hair.

He melted.

Through lidded eyes he could see his dad carrying an already sleeping Nya who was clutching his work attire tightly, as if never wanting to let go.

Unconsciously he mirrored the action, clutching on his mom's own working attire tightly.

It was grounding, he felt accompanied.

Kai couldn't find the energy in himself to fight the sleep.

And for the first time in a long time he went to sleep in a warm and safe place where nothing could go wrong, where he would be protected and happy.

With a happy sigh he slipped onto a deep sleep.

Where he dreamt of running alongside Nya through the green hills of Ignacia.