Wisps: Recollection (Ninjago X Reader)

51. Phantom Sensations

Clouds tuck the inky sky in a quilt. Nippy winds circling the city, now rush past your shivering skin and urge you to give in. A few times, you too lost the way to the noodle house with how far above you were. Echo remained silent throughout the ride, clutching you nearer. Pondering so severely, he hadn't noticed Chime landed in the deserted alleyway behind the restaurant. "What's on your mind?" Your fingers dawdled, nudging his arm, careful at the sadness etched into his face. "Echo?"

Chime turned her head to him, and he shrank away from the attention. Echo took his hands from your stomach, his fingertips brushed under his dimmed eyes. Frustration struck in how his fingertips were rubbing at the metal. Abrading scapes are sharp against your eardrums. Yanking his hands from his face took him out of it. Hints of scratches spanned the metal under his eyes.

"It's strange... never mind." Echo pushed it aside, reverting to that over professionalism. "Let us head inside." Rapid footsteps lead up from the alleyway.

"Good, I caught you guys in time." Skylor straightened up, tugging you off Chime. "She can't be here." She raised a finger to your lips before you can go off on a tangent. "I want her here as much as you do-" Chime hissed at Skylor's retracting hand, lest she wanted it missing. Skylor glanced at you, more than obvious Chime wanted nothing to do with her. "She has to go, she's been all over the news- they're planning to hunt her-" The side of your curled fist rammed into the wall next to you.

Brick and mortar rasped at your skin, and you let go with a whisper, "But she hasn't done anything..." The dragon stopped with a hiss, Echo wrapping his arms around her neck, brushing her feathers.

"People are unsure." Soft hands kept a tired sigh. "I wish we found out sooner. I should've known- They're scared after what happened..." It was a given. The fear and hurt from the past few days ruminated and ruined people. While everyone appeared to be moving on without a care in the world, there wasn't a second that ticked by in paranoia.

It's better safe than sorry.

"You need to go, Chime." Bracing yourself is vain in the brunt of her scathing roar. That alerted the whole block and a half. "Lay low, and go." Teeth bared, she reared her head back, Echo scrambling from her whipping tail, denting the pavement with a thwack. Bells tolled in wrath and despite her, you confront the dragon.

"What are you doing?!"

"Chime." Unphased by her tantrum, you're steady in approaching her. Calm because she needed you to be. "Please." She slithered up and perched on the roof of a building, frightened shouts engulfed by her rolling thuds. Wisps hurled from her mouth to the concrete, inches from battering you. You peer up at her, or where she once was. She had long gone into the dark sky. Worried shouts flew over your head, your glare still trained above. You shrugged off their hands.

"That was so dangerous!" She chewed up a curse when you didn't even respond. Your vision honed to the glowing bell that lay in a patch of rubble. "What am I going to do with you?" Skylor harshly whispered to herself and twisted away at that roll of your eyes. "I'm going inside. Come on in, Echo, Ronin says he has the oil for your joints."

"But I want to stay-" He was dragged inside without another word.

'She won't hurt me.' You're in denial of her outrage, your fingers faltering at the bell. Persisting wisps angrily encompassed it. You lifted it, rolling it in your palm. No chime or ring sounded. A silent, broken bell. '...of course she would be mad at me.'

Alone, you headed inside, the sky as lonely.

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