Everything We Lost In The Fire

Two Way Mirror

Lloyd awoke in the village. He had spent the night in a wooden bed frame this time, instead of a pile of snow. The room was small but cozy, and made of logs. There was a small stone fireplace in the corner of the room, currently housing hot coals. He remembered falling asleep and the fire still being lit, toasting his legs underneath the thick fur blanket the village provided. The blanket was made of many different hides, with fur on both sides. 

Lloyd ran his hands to his sides, feeling his fingers disappear in the soft fur that wrapped him up. He wished he could stay like this forever.

The ninja now knew how to get home, and are awaiting Sorla's concoction. The other ninja expressed great joy in being able to return so soon, but Lloyd couldn't help but feel reflective. He had come a long way since he arrived in the Never Realm. He felt as if he found a piece of himself that was lost and buried. 

He thought back to his time advancing through the snow with Akita, not knowing if they were ever going to return. He visualized the many times they had almost died, the rush of fear and faithlessness being met by the opposite. His mind floated to Akita as he continued to snuggle in the blanket. 

Lloyd knew what it was like to be alone for so long with no one to listen to your sorrows. When Akita revealed her human form to him, he had felt embarrassed knowing that he had told her his entire life story and so, so many embarrassing things.  He had snapped in anger at the time because of his, and felt terrible about it. Soon however, this would cool over. She wasn't so different than him, and he enjoyed her company.

He pictured the many times they ran for their lives. They might have been in utter peril, but they were in peril together. That alone was comfort to him. He continued on to the few nights they spent together with nothing but caves, campfires and lanterns to keep them warm. Soon he pictured her laying opposite of him, her wolf cowl hanging over her head of dark soft hair. Her dark eyes slowly opening, her mouth yawning and revealing her little fangs. The red marks on her cheeks, her long eyelashes batting at him. Lloyd knew and acknowledged well, he would never regret his time spent in the Never Realm, and his time spent with Akita.

A smug blush started to cover his face.  

It was strange to him, how much the lifestyle of the Never realm had grown on him. Now that Zane was back to normal, the realm fell quiet and calm. It felt like somewhere safe, somewhere no one could find. 

'Maybe that's what the first spinjitzu master intended this place to feel,' thought Lloyd.

Lloyd once again opened his eyes, looking at a window on the opposite side of the room. It was the only light source in the room besides the fireplace. The sun was beaming onto the floor, illuminating the four walls around him. Lloyd sat up running his hands through his hair, finding all the little knots that had accumulated in his sleep. 

"I kinda wish I had more time here," Lloyd murmured when he rose and stretched.

He felt proud, feeling like everything was finally alright. 

Lloyd got out of bed, grabbed his clothes and got ready to go out into the cold outside. The sun was showing in full, and would be warmer than it had been in the realm for quite some time, but that doesn't change the fact it was still a winter wonderland. 

Outside of the small cabin, the other Ninja were gathered in the snow, looking at the village and talking amongst themselves. Aside from Cole, who was playing with his new friend Krag. The two appeared to be attempting to make a snowman, with both failing their roles. Cole was pushing a snow ball much larger than himself and sliding backwards, not going anywhere for as much as he struggled. Krag was compacting snow in his giant hands, making snowballs the size of watermelons and throwing them into the distance and laughing out joy, glad to be horsing around with his new best friend. The sight made Lloyd smile. He had no idea how much he had missed this. 

Lloyd closed the wooden door behind him, and joined the other Ninja.

"This place is so pretty!" Cried Nya.

"I agree! Now that Zane stopped icing the place this almost feels like a vacation," Returned Kai. 

Jay spoke up at the sight of Lloyd, "Lloyd! You're finally awake! How was cryostasis buddy?"

"You were asleep for quite some time." Confirmed Zane.  

Lloyd thought for a second before responding, he continued to walk over.

"Sorry guys, that bed is still calling me to sleep." Lloyd rasped and cleared his throat. 

"I know right?" Jay snorted. He picked up his hand and ruffled Lloyd's head. 

Lloyd looked to Zane, glad he's back to normal. "Zane, I'm suprised to see you in the village... I thought maybe you'd be staying on the outskirts."

"Luckily not many were there to see me under the staff's control. It appears to be rather safe, only few really know." Zane returned.

"Any word from Sorla?" Asked Kai.

"It sounds like she's almost ready. She said she'd call everyone when she was prepared," Nya chimed in.

Almost finishing her sentence, Jay erupted, "So lets spend the time we have left having a blast!"

The group smiled at each other. They then heard the sound of Cole yelling, "WOAHHHH!"

The group turned just in time to see Cole take a watermelon sized snowball straight to the face, sending him a good ten feet off from where he was standing and into a snow bank. Krag was now jumping and laughing.

"Oh you asked for it buddy," Cole graveled, quickly making a few miniature snowballs in comparison to return fire. He threw them far enough to hit Krag, but they had no effect. Krag then picked up a large mound of snow, shaping it to finish the snowman. 

The group started laughing at the sight of friendship between the two.

An hour had passed and it was time for the Ninja to eat, but Lloyd was not hungry. Instead he longed for something else, something he couldn't put his finger on. He decided to take a walk outside of the village to clear his mind, and to reflect once more. 

Lloyd trudged through the snow, reaching the forest within no time. The snow crunched beneath his feet, more firm than dusty. 

Looking back too far was somewhat dangerous for Lloyd. Thoughts of his Father, Harumi, and the person he used to be were a zone filled with nothing but sorrow. He visibly winced. No, he wouldn't resort to those thoughts. Instead, he would think of the person we would like to become. 

This train of thought would fail unfortunately. As he made his way into the trees, he felt as if he was trying to find something out of reach, much like the nature of the realm. Every time he would try to keep faith in himself, we would find that faith mimicking dissolving motivation. Something that would be powerful and potent, filled with grace, that slowly fizzled out and disappeared when put to steel. Lloyd knew he wasn't as strong as he needed to be. He felt inadequate. 

Just as soon as these thoughts clouded his mind, the voice of Wu and the others would appear in his mind few and far between, giving him the words he needed to hear. Telling him to keep moving, to never give in. It was a strange feeling, not being able to believe in himself but have family at his back giving more faith than he could ever hope to put forth. 

Lloyd had lost track of time and where he was, he was now surrounded by soaring pines and rock formations. He eventually came across a trickling creek, a small rolling stream of water two feet wide. 

He came to a stop just at the bank of the creek, and looked in. The water was crystal clear and moving at a lazy pace. It probably lead to a larger body of water nearby, likely a larger river. Lloyd got on his hands and knees, leaning over the water. He could see the bottom, covered with small stones and settled sediment. Slowly, he started to focus into his reflection. His next thoughts cost him many seconds that eventually liberated themselves in tears, which were now dripping into the water. 

'Why must I feel this way?'  Lloyd cried out in his mind.