Fire And Water | Ninjago AU

Chapter 5 | The Heavy Cost Of Helping

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Nya stuck her tongue out in concentration, running the pencil over the paper. She turned it this way and that, drawing from different angles. Holding it back from her, she observed it for a while before smiling. It was a rough sketch made with all the prowess a child her age could manage. But she thought it to be perfect nonetheless.

"Hey, Kai!" she called out, eyes never leaving the page. "Do we have glue?"

There was the sound of a thoughtful hum from the kitchen before her brother answered back. "Nope, I don't think so. Why?"

"I need it for my craft."

"Ooh," Kai smiled, walking into their little bedroom. "What is it?"

Nya held up the drawing proudly. "It's a tiny swing. I'm gonna make it from sticks and string."

Kai leaned forward to look at the illustration. "That's cute, sis. I'm gonna head to the market anyway. I'll see if I can get that glue for you."

Nya immediately scrambled off her usual stool by the window and reached for her cloak. "I'll come along too."

"Then get your basket, and let's go."

. . .

The hardware shop was inconveniently located on the other side of the village. But the siblings didn't mind. A walk through the ever-busy streets of Ignacia, full of people and trade, reminded them that they weren't really alone in the world.

They had made quick stops to buy stuff for lunch, treating themselves with ice cream as well, and now they were on their way to purchase the glue Nya had requested. The roads here weren't teeming with villagers as they did initially, which meant the two could easily look at all the shops and stalls and still make good time.

However, the sparsity of people also meant that they were exposed; something Nya picked up on as soon as they turned onto an almost deserted street.

While Kai was busy listing off the new tools he needed, she could sense eyes trailing them. Eyes that didn't belong to the few villagers that were wandering about.

Nya shivered. "It's quiet out here, isn't it?"

"The lesser the crowd, the better for us," Kai declared. "It's almost sundown, so we need to speed things up anyway."

Nya didn't agree. She found herself becoming aware of every shadow under shop canopies, every space between adjacent carts, and every footstep that meandered too close to them.

We're being followed, I know it, she thought.

Ever since what happened to her parents, Nya always had a fear of disappearing. Nightmares plagued her where she and Kai would be chased by nameless beings, ready to drag them into the unknown. And now, feeling as though someone was stalking them brought back all those fears.

She shuffled closer to her brother who still wasn't aware of the growing unease his sister harboured.

Something caught her eye. Nya stifled a gasp as something pale and white flashed in the crack between two vegetable carts. It was only for a moment but it was enough to cause her heart to race. She glanced back at Kai but he was marching on obliviously.

Taking in a deep breath, Nya stopped. She wanted to make sure it was just her imagination.

It's nothing. You're seeing things. It's nothing at all.