Darkness from Within #5: Uneasy Trust (A Ninjago Fanfiction)

Chapter 21

Wu watched from the porch as Kai and Nya trained together in the courtyard. The two stayed side by side the whole time, and if one of them fell, the other would stop and help them up before returning to train together.

Wu rubbed his beard, deep in thought. The siblings had been extra close recently, never leaving each other's side, and he knew there must be a reason. But what? he wondered. What happened?

He gave an exasperated sigh. There was so much going on that he didn't know and it was beginning to frustrate him.

He turned as Cole walked up beside him. The black ninja took a deep breath as he saw Kai and Nya head over to the side of the courtyard for a break. Before Wu could say anything, Cole summoned up all his courage and shakily walked over to the two.

"K-Kai?" he began weakly.

The red ninja turned around. "Cole," he greeted, a bit tighter than Cole expected.

Cole shifted his feet as Nya walked up beside her brother. "I-I don't really know how to say this," he stammered, feeling anxious.

"It's okay." Kai rested his hand on the black ninja's shoulder. "What is it?"

"I... I think you should talk to Lloyd," Cole blurted out.

Kai immediately stiffened, eyes flashing defensively. "Why's that?" he demanded.

Cole shrank back, his anxiety rising at the red ninja's sudden anger. "He... He wants to make things right," he whimpered.

Kai crossed his arms. "Then why couldn't he tell me himself?"

Cole's breath quickened. "H-he knew y-you wouldn't want to talk to him," he said, voice trembling.

Kai's eyebrows furrowed. "And you think I'd believe that?" he hissed. "I'm not giving that guy another opportunity to torment me!"

Nya placed her hand on her brother's shoulder. "Then we'll go together," she offered. "Because I'm not leaving you alone with him again."

Cole tensed. "A-actually," he added nervously, "I-I think he w-wanted to talk to Kai a-alone."

Nya stared at him, stepping in front of Kai protectively. "No," she stated, getting all defensive. "Whatever Lloyd has to say, he can say to both of us."

Kai shook his head and whipped around. "And there's no way I'm going to stick around to hear what he has to say," he huffed before beginning to walk toward the monastery.

Cole turned his helpless gaze to Nya. "Nya," he pleaded.

Before Nya could reply, Kai rushed back over to them. He pushed himself in between Cole and Nya and locked his blazing gaze on the black ninja. "And stay away from my sister!" he snarled.

Cole gasped and staggered backward, taken aback by his fury. Fear rose inside of him. He had heard that kind of threatening toward him only once before.

With one last glare, Kai whirled around and stalked toward the monastery again.

Nya rested her hand on the trembling black ninja's shoulder. "Don't take it personally," she murmured. "Kai's been a bit snappy with everyone lately."

But that didn't stop Cole's heart from pounding and his breath from quickening.

"Nya!" Kai called from across the courtyard.

Nya glanced at Cole one last time before racing over to her brother. She walked up the steps to the front porch and stood beside Kai, who was leaning over the railing. Her gaze trailed back over to Cole, who was frozen still. She frowned as she saw that he was shaking and she spotted the fear in the black ninja's eyes.