RATS - Ninjago AU

Chapter 4

In the waiting room, Zane and Jay were sat opposite each other, glaring into each other's eyes. They each had an ice pack in their hand, holding it against their bruises or wounds while Cole was sent to hospital. Jay had his ice pack over his bleeding nose and Zane had his over his black eye.

This is how the rest of the fight carried out:

THWAK!

"ARGH!" Jay cried out as he was punched directly in the nose by Zane, which caused it to bleed. Jay stumbled backwards and fell as a result of that punch.

"I am done with being toyed around!!" Zane yelled as he shook his hand and clenched it again, ready to defend himself from an oncoming kick in the stomach from Cole. The blonde was flung towards the lockers and he collapsed onto the floor. He got himself up on his feet and punched Cole in the head, leaving a large bruise on the right side of his forehead. Cole sent an immediate punch back at Zane's face which resulted in a black eye. Zane grabbed Cole's arm and twisted it.

It resulted with a crunch coming from Cole's arm. He yelled out in pain as he clutched his broken arm.

It all happened very quickly. Before the situation could escalate further, Nelson ran in between them to push them away and Antonia helped. That was when a teacher finally arrived to split the boys apart, and guided them to the nurse's office for an ice pack before taking them to the waiting room just outside the principal's office.

The boys waited and waited. They continuously glared at each other. The boys all diverted their gaze to the principal, who instructed them to sit in his office. The principal had a comically long white beard and hazel eyes and wore a conical rice hat.

"I understand that there's been a fight..."

"Yeah, that he started," Jay mumbled under his breath while crossing his arms and rolling his eyes at Zane, who avoided eye contact.

"Why did you start the fight, Mister Julien?" the principal asked.

Zane hesitated for a moment before answering truthfully, "I was angry with them. They pushed me into the canal the day before. If no-one saved me, I could've easily drowned..."

"Why did you push Zane into the canal?"

"It was just a prank!" Jay exclaimed, getting off his chair. "It's really not that deep!"

"Mister Gordon, sit down," Principal Wu ordered. Jay flopped back onto the chair with a huff and crossed his arms.

"I'm sorry, sir..." Zane apologised as a tear rolled down his cheek. He glanced at the floor and wiped away his tears. "I'm sorry for punching you in the face, Jay. If Cole was here, I'd apologise for..." Zane sniffed, "For breaking his arm..."

The freckled boy was surprised by the words that just escaped Zane's mouth.

The principal sighed. "Neither of your actions will go unnoticed. I know that you are sorry for what happened and I am too, but consequences must be put in place."

"I understand," Zane said with a nod.

"Jay, you and Cole will have an after school detention for pushing Zane into the canal. That was very dangerous and it could've cost a life. You are dismissed."

"Yes, sir..." Jay walked out of the office.

Wu took a deep breath and sighed, "As for you, Zane... That will be a week's worth of suspension." Zane's eyes widened and filled with tears again. "I understand that you are angry, however violence isn't always the way to solve problems. The only reason why you got a more severe punishment than the other boys, is because what they did happened outside of school grounds, therefore I have no control or proof over what they did. I completely trust in what you are saying, but you must understand why I came to this decision."

Zane wiped his tears and nodded.

"Is this the first time they did something like this to you?"

"Th-They would c-constantly pull pranks o-on me," the boy choked out between sobs. "They w-would take advantage o-of my p-personality..." Zane sniffed, "I-If I w-wasn't s-so gullible half the t-time, n-none of this w-would've h-happened..." Zane crossed his arms and looked down, "I've had enough."

"I understand. I'm sorry that you went through this. I wish I could shorten your punishment but it would be against the school policy." Zane nodded in response. "I will call your dad to pick you up. If you could just sit in the waiting room until he arrives."

The boy picked up his school bag and headed to the waiting room. He was thinking about what he did. He was conflicted. On one hand, a part of him felt relieved that he taught the other boys a lesson. On the other hand, Zane couldn't help but feel guilty about hurting them. It went against his little saying that he was 'born to protect those who cannot protect themselves'.

"I am the type of person to forgive others easily, but could I forgive myself for what I just did?

I was often called innocent and kind-hearted by my peers. After what just happened, is this something I can't call myself anymore?

I was called a 'very selfless young man'. Did standing up for myself this way make me selfish?

Even if it didn't make me selfish, would things have turned out differently if I took a different approach?

But even if I did take a different approach, would Jay and Cole just deny what they did and use the same old excuse that it was 'just a prank' or 'just a joke' and call me 'oversensitive' and someone who 'doesn't understand' or 'can't take a joke'?

Would Jay and Cole eventually apologise for what they did if we managed to talk it out?

Even if they did apologise appropriately, would I ever manage to forgive them?

Can I still forgive them?

Will they forgive me?

Will I forgive myself?"

These thoughts were etched into his mind like the grooves of a vinyl and they played on repeat like a broken record.

"What have I done?"