Replacement

Kai, Also getting some spotlight??

I woke up drenched in sweat, my body feeling like it was on fire. Heh, it kinda was, on the inside at least. I sat up and looked across the room to where the full length mirror was, having to lean over to the side a bit to actually see myself. Sweat glistened in my reflection, my hair matted in clumps and stuck up in every direction. I looked horrible. Sighing I sat back upright and ran a hand through my hair, cringing at the salty wetness that stuck to me. I needed a shower before anyone could see me, that was for sure. I gathered some clothes and my usual soaps and hair gel and made my way to the bathroom without a sound. Being a ninja was a blessing some days.

After a shower, brushing my teeth, and fixing my hair, I was finally ready to face the world and left the bathroom to put my stuff back in my room so the others couldn't use it by accident... or purpose. Once that was done I went to the kitchen for breakfast and then outside to find Sensei for our morning meditation. Wu was already in today's meditating spot, a river that ran by the base of the mountain the monetary was built on. As I sat beside him, he opened one eye.

"You're here later than usual Kai."

"Yeah... I didn't go to bed until late with the rain and all, thought it would be a good time to let off some steam... um not l-like literal steam-" I sighed, shaking my head, "Ah forget it..."

Wu cracked a soft smile and patted my back, "You've come so far from the awkward blacksmith I met all those years ago."

"Well I've almost died like a million times since then too." I smiled, closing my eyes to meditate. While Sensei made this look easy, it most certainly wasn't. The mental image of a wildfire burned brilliantly in my mind. The light was brighter than any star, and I was surrounded by fire as it tried to close in on me. I knew it was fake, just a metaphor, but seeing it, feeling the smoke fill my lungs, it was all too real in that moment.

"You're thinking too much." He commented softly, taking a deep breath. "Relax Kai... remember what I've taught you, imagine the flame as a candle."

I followed his instruction, slowly, the fire calmed and obeyed me and dimmed, shrinking into the flickering flame of a candle. My goal was to make that flame perfectly still. As I focused on the flame, everything around me seemed to become silent and I stared at the candle in my mind, calming it, taming it.

Suddenly, there were footsteps coming towards me, the soft clink of metal told me it was Zane. "Good morning Kai. I hope I'm not interrupting anything," he said softly. It was at this point I realized Sensei must have left.

"You're not interrupting anything. Go ahead, tell me what you found," I told him, motioning for him to sit beside me as I went back to meditating, listening to what he said.

"From what I could tell last night, Cole seemed to be in a state of emotional distress. I also noticed how he tensed up when Jay walked in to eat dinner and so I believed Jay was the cause. This morning I asked Jay what may have hurt Cole and he mentioned how he had canceled plans involving seeing a movie with Cole."

"Cole told me about that yesterday when I was doctoring his back," I opened my eyes, looking at my robotic brother in arms, "Anything else?"

"Just that Jay felt kind of guilty for an argument they got into, he seemed to have the impression Cole was ignoring him now because of it. I tried to cheer him up, but I don't think I helped much."

"Hey, you tried your best Zane, Jay's just..." annoying? Childish? Definitely not worth my sister's time, I sighed. "He's just sensitive, and Cole is his best friend, they've been through a lot together." I looked down, Jay was just another sore reminder of my own failures.