Wisps: Recollection (Ninjago X Reader)

34. Frayed

You couldn't sleep, but that wasn't anything new. Being here was so alien and lonely. Distractions were harsh and cemented how they scorned you. Not that you were expecting anything else. Now you're always expecting worse. And for some reason –some reason–Zane, Pixel, and Lloyd... showed a sliver of kindness. For what, you couldn't say. Other than a cynical fear they'll use it to lower your guard. Everywhere you went, disgusted or on edge glances skewered and pelted your soul. Even if they weren't looking at you, you knew, without a shadow of a doubt, that they wish you'd just die.

You'd fucking prefer that to being here. Under the sheets that stench with sweat and a body that hasn't showered. Sunlight flickered within the thinness of the layers. You slipped the sheets off, your inaudible steps arrived at the window.

You stand there, numb as you were that day.

It's a gray, cloudy sky, touching a plane of dark water, lightly traced by yellow. It's such a happy color, but it sours any thought of it. The dull rays of the sun skulked behind the clouds again, hiding from your glare pointed– Bang! Pounding at your door signaled your morning training. You waste moments motionless, while your head spins, and you tear your eyes to the ceiling, seeing blurry nothing before snatching the same wrinkled clothes on the ground. You steal a breath, wringing the scarf around your neck, and go to the shit knocking.

"Took you..." Cole trailed off and rubbed the back of his head, a troubled look on his face. You shoved him to get out of the same space as him.

"Let's just get training over with." Hands furled tight in your pockets, you walk to the sparring pad. Overtaken in a thick blanket of tetchy muteness, for your sake and his, you hoped it stayed at that... Apparently, that's too much to ask for.

"Okay, do the warm-"

"Can we just skip whatever that was yesterday?"

"You do "whatever that was yesterday" so you don't pull a muscle."

"Care about me? How sweet."

"Hah!" It's bitter how he stares long at you. "Let's just start throwing punches–" Your knuckles thumped on his stomach, his hand phasing through your collarbone. He couldn't control that yet. How pathetic. Though not as much as when your fist connected. Cole was the least bit phased. "Come on, hit harder."

"You're a ghost, it won't do much." Not that you even want to be here to try.

"Why don't you do that open plam thing you do a bunch?"

"Gets tiring after a bit." You didn't want to have limp noodle arms after this.

"What do you mean?"

"One more question and I'm about to do a demonstration on you." You were all for sending him to the floor, however.

"No, no, an explanation will do." He raised his arms as if it would do much to protect him.

"With ghosts like you, it just blasts them away. Objects get shattered with it and people..." you shuddered, your skin crawling and your palm clammy... But not as sticky as blood.

"Is... is that how Kai turned into a ghost?" He looked sick. You felt sick. Like you would throw up your empty stomach, squeeze it out of your tightening throat with how they see him.

"You're all clueless."

"I think it's pretty obvious what happened!" Clouse's words are in your head. They played more frequently recently.

"You'd think that, wouldn't you?!" You punched Cole, your fist connecting with his unguarded form. It was hard on him, just enough for him to be stunned. And he attacked back.