Kai's True Flames (Rewrite)

Chapter 27: Stolen Cherries

Kai and Lloyd cuddled on the couch in the common room while watching TV together when Dareth came waltzing in. "Look alive boys!" He said as he entered. Kai and Lloyd looked to him in annoyance. "What is it?" Kai asked in a dry tone. "It's my cousin's birthday next week and I want you guys to come and help celebrate. He's a big ninja fan and I've already talked to the others." Dareth explained. Kai and Lloyd shared a look before looking back at Dareth. "Fine, but only for a little bit." Lloyd said and Dareth smiled before heading out.

~°~

The next day, the group went to the Ninjago City prison to talk to an inmate that had some information on the group they were up against. While the ninja walked behind the guard to the cell that contained the prisoner they needed, they passed by several other cells.

In one of the cells they passed, the man inside stared at Kai in utter fear. "Whoa, Kai, this dude seems super afraid of ya. Do you know him from somewhere?" Jay piped up and Kai looked at the man. The inmate shivered and Kai seemed to recognize him. "Relax Juda, I'm not here for you." He said before walking ahead. "So, you do know him?" Cole asked Kai while glancing at Juda.

"Kinda. Juda and I were roommates at Darkly's." Kai replied. "What did you do to him?" Nya asked and Kai flinched. Remembering those days and how Juda often became Kai's punching back whenever the fiery boy got pissed off. Beating him up and even stabbing him just for fun or to unleash his anger. "Stuff. It was Darkly's. Everyone there is a total jerk to the people around them." Kai said, happy that Juda survived his torture at least. Even if the man was scared for life.

They then questioned the inmate they were there for. He didn't have much information though. Nothing they didn't already know at least.

On their way out Lloyd looked to Kai. "By the way... You know that stuff you mentioned? About your phobia?" He said and Kai raised an eye brow. "Yeah, what about it?" He asked and Lloyd smiled brightly. "I found a psychologist that can help you work through it. She specializes in trauma and suppressed memories!" He said excitedly and Kai smiled. "How much does she charge?" He asked as the others looked to them in curiosity. "That's the thing, she's willing to work with you for free since your a ninja." Lloyd said and Kai seemed unimpressed. "She realizes that your phobia can lead to major problems in the future if it isn't delt with. What with you being a protector of the realm and all, and she wants to do her part in keeping Ninja go safe. I already researched her. She's legit." Lloyd explained and Kai shrugged. "Fine, I'll check it out. When does she want to meet and where?" He replied. "Tomorrow at twelve thirty on the dot." Lloyd said with a smile.

"What's going on?" Asked Jay and the lovers looked to him. "My hydrophobia stems from a traumatic experience and Lloyd found a psychologist that can help me work through it." Kai answered him. "Well... At least you might be cured of it soon." Cole said with a hopeful smile.

~•~

Misako walked through what seemed to be a barren waist land. The ground was hard and cracked and the entire area was a large bowl in the ground, as if a massive chunk of land was torn out of the ground a long time ago. In the very middle of the bowl was a seal etched into the ground. It held the symbol of the overlord in the middle with the silver weapons surrounding it.

Misako took pictures of the seal and looked around the cracked ground all around her. There were no signs of life in the bowl. No water, not animals, no insects, no plants, not even any fungus. Nothing but cracked ground and sand. She felt weird and every one of her instincts told her to get the hell out of there. It was earie.

She climbed the rope that she used to get into the steep bowl in the first place and looked around. For a good several yards the land around the bowl was barren as well, but she was still clearly surrounded by grassland and forest with a mountain range to the north.

She looked to the forest edge and saw where the grass abruptly ended to give way to the barren land. She even saw a deer being chased by a wolf in the woods and was amazed to see it pause right at the forest edge and freeze, choosing to let the wolf eat it over setting hoof on the barren ground. As if it was compelled to not dare enter the lifeless area.

Misako looked away from the scene and walked over to her truck, driving off for the Monastery.

~°~

Jay grinned as he snuck up on Cole from behind and stole the cherry off the top of his boyfriend's cake. Cole gave him a warning glare as the talkative ninja popped the entire cherry in his mouth with a smug expression.

Cole shook his head and then went to take another bite of cake, but before he could put the fork full in his mouth Jay tapped his shoulder and he looked to the smaller male. Jay stood there and stuck his tung out, showing off the tied cherry stem, making Cole blush at the implied meaning. While he had him distracted, Jay picked the stem off his tung and wrapped his mouth around Cole's fork, stealing the piece of cake, as he put the stem on Cole's plate then scurried off before Cole could come to his senses.

When Cole realized what happened he growled. "JAAAAAAAAY!" He cried as he put the cake in the fridge and tracked down the blueberry colored ninja.

~•~

Nya stood by a river, practicing her water control. Ronin stayed nearby, upgrading R.E.X.

"I still don't get why I need to be here." Ronin said as he walked over to where Nya sat on a stone poking out of the middle of the river to meditate. "Because Eris isn't letting anyone with a silver element leave the Monastery alone." She replied without opening her eyes. "But why me?" He asked as he sat on the river bank. "Kai and Lloyd are more focused on being cuddly right now, it would be awkward with Jay, even I'm not brave enough to drag Cole away from cake, and the nindroids are busy." She answered.

"What about Iris?"

"Meditating with Sensei."

"Nelson?"

"Seriously? He doesn't even know spinjutsu."

"Molly? She attended Darkly's so I'm sure she can fight just fine."

"Hanging out with Nelson."

"Polly?"

"Couldn't find her."

"Misako?"

"She's off investigating."

"Eris?"

"Said something about needing to discuss something with Garmadon about what he knows about the silver weapons."

Ronin sighed then seemed to think. "Dar-" He was cut off. "Don't you even dare. You know damn well how useless Daerth is." She said as she opened her eyes to give him a warning glare.

Ronin shrugged. "Fine, but don't you think I might have something I need to do?" He asked and Nya raised a brow. "You could have said no. Instead, you agreed." She said and he shrugged.

~•~

Kyle stood on the roof of a building in Ninjago City, overlooking the nightlife. He frowned as he looked over everything. He wished for this to all be over soon. He wanted nothing more then to go back to when Eris, Kai, and himself were still a happy family in that moment.

He thought back on everything, but then glared at the sky. "I need to go through with this. For their sakes." He said before walking towards the roof access door. "It's the only way." He murmured to himself.