Shifting Sands (Ninjago AU)

Chapter 13- Choices Made and Changes Wrought

"Ugh, just great. That's the first decent nap I'd gotten in... well I don't know how long- but you had to go and ruin it!"

Kai stood frozen, gaping. Nothing was computing anymore. Which, after walking through magic portals (because apparently that was a thing), seeing a giant dragon (which was still standing way to close even if it had taken a liking to Cade), nearly being killed in a cave in, almost watching his brother be killed in said cave in, then having another child appear out of nowhere... his weirdness meter had tapped out a while ago. Either that or he was too tired and sore to deal with this.

The scruffy brown-haired kid continued to glare up at Kai. "Well? I'm waiting."

Kai shot a glance at Cade, who looked as confused as Kai felt. "Waiting for...?"

"Of course it's some imbecile who wakes me." The kid muttered- loud enough for Kai to hear. Kai bit down a flash of irritation and waited. Sighing the kid's face went from anger to something akin to disgust. "I'm a djinn. You get three wishes. Whoop-de-do."

"I'm sorry, what?"

"Oh great he's deaf too."

Kai returned the kid's glare with one of his own. "Disbelief, not deaf."

"Three wishes? Just like that?" Both Kai and the kid looked at Cade, the first words he'd spoken since the djinn had made an appearance.

"You say it, I grant it. No wishing for more wishes, no wishing for love, no wishing for death."

The djinn put a particular twist on the last word that sent a shiver down Kai's spine. Were there others who'd tried to make a kid kill someone? Magic or not, no kid deserved that on their conscience.

"Why are you in a cave?"

"I dunno." The question seemed to take the kid aback. He blinked and looked around as if just realizing where they were. And that there was a dragon with them. "Atlas!" He ran to the dragon who lowered his snout. Kai glanced away, feeling like he was witnessing something oddly intimate. "You're still here." The whisper echoed back toward Kai and Cade. After several seconds the boy seemed to remember he wasn't alone. He cleared his throat but kept a hand on the dragon's nose. "Whoever found me last musta brought me here. Probably didn't want the rest of his crew getting any wishes."

Kai wasn't sure how to interpret that information. "How long ago was that?"

The boy shot Kai an unimpressed look. "I was in a lamp. In a cave. How should I know? But some dude named Razin was king at the time."

Starting with surprise, 'Ow bad idea with a possible concussion,' Kai narrowed his eyes. "That was over three hundred years ago."

The kid glanced at the cave ceiling and looked like he was concentrating on something only he could see. "That tracks, given how much sleep it feels like I had."

"What?" Kai shook his head. "Never mind. Whatever is going on, I did not sign up for another kid, no offense."

Curling his nose, the boy resumed glaring at Kai. "Watch who you call 'kid'. I'm three thousand years old."

And Kai had really thought this day couldn't get any more bizarre. "Uh huh, it doesn't really seem like you're acting like a three thousand year old."

"How would you know what a three thousand year old is supposed to act like? You ever met another one before?"

'He's like Cade on attitude coffee beans.' Cade with coffee was not a mistake he or Nya would ever make again. Rubbing his temples Kai tried to figure out what to do next.