Tides of Reality| Ninjago | Monkie Kid | ROTTMNT

Chapter 41 - The Name Not to Be Spoken

They created a bubble of air around the ship before them. Poor humans inside must've been really freaked out.

They lifted the whole construction to the surface and jumped onto the- deck? That's what humans called it, right? And a few figures quickly emerged from inside.

Two of them black haired, one ginger and the last two with hair as white as snow. They all smiled and thanked, except for one. Her smile was sad and dim. It didn't fit her face.

Her voice draped with happiness, like with a cloth covering up the sad truth laying underneath. "Come inside, why don't you?"

That's when they heard the sweet voice of the ocean calling back to them. "Sorry. I have to go." Their words seemed to have surprised some of the people. But not the sad girl.

They turned around to leave. The sad girl said out loud a name. "Sky?". They didn't recognize it. It must've been the name of someone from the other four.

-

"Sky, please." Mei was close to begging, but it didn't work. The watery figure getting closer and closer to the edge. Maybe another name will work?

"Yǔ-" No response from her. If not her Chinese name, what was left to use?

"Wait, that's her name?" Someone asked, but Mei ignored them.

There was one more name, known to her, that could potentially work. One Sky has stopped using a long time ago, as if it never existed.

One hard to say, but still rolling off Mei's tongue, like she had learnt it yesterday.

"Z̶̧̩̞̳̆̇̇̅̕͜o̸̧̫̬̫̪͊͛̔̑͐ƨ̷̹̖͉̟̺̀͌͊͋̚ǐ̷̹̺̪͔̖̉́̇͝ɒ̵̩͎͙͈̬̉̄͐̎̈ ?" Sky turned around.

-

"Z̶̧̩̞̳̆̇̇̅̕͜o̸̧̫̬̫̪͊͛̔̑͐ƨ̷̹̖͉̟̺̀͌͊͋̚ǐ̷̹̺̪͔̖̉́̇͝ɒ̵̩͎͙͈̬̉̄͐̎̈ ?" The word tore through the air like a dagger. They didn't know why, but, despite simple, the word sounded wrong. Like it was never meant to be spoken.

"Holy shit what did you say?" fell out of the other black haired girl's lips in disbelief.

"Something that was not meant to be remembered." At least that's what their heart was telling them. Their tone was cold, as an iceberg.

"I'm sorry, I-" The sad girl started, her voice frantic, before turning into something more thought out and joking?... But also melancholic somehow. Like she was trying to make a joke. "I refuse to sit alone, in a lighthouse in the middle of the ocean, talking to glasses of water like a maniac, for a year."

They chuckled softly. They... found it funny. Why?

"I... I know what that means. Why?" They asked, tilting their head in confusion, ignoring the light calling of the ocean. They had to find out.

Sad girl's eyes shined brightly, with hope and tears that were rolling down her cheeks. "Of course you know..." She sounded as if seeing an old friend again. Suddenly her face got more recognizable, as if clearer.

Only one word accompanied it.

"Mei."

"Is that your name?" They asked, and the girl's whole face got brighter with a smile that they have seen so many times. "Yes, it is."

"Why... Why do I know you?" They didn't decide yet if they wanted to recognize her. What if it hurts? They were rather content in the blissfully emotionless state they were in.

"I don't know why you know me," Sad girl said. "but I know how you know me." They ignored yet another, louder, call from the ocean. This mysterious and beautiful girl knew something.

"You met me at a karaoke bar..." They felt as though a smell of chaos, sweat and alcohol was coming to them. Why?

"We trained and fought the Lady Bone Demon together." She smiled and pictures of someone looking like a child flashed through their head. Were those their memories?

"You tried to calm me down during the ritual." A scream tore through their memories. It sounded like someone was in pain. It had a voice of the sad girl. "Remember?" They did.

A picture of sad girls' silhouette in flames clear in their head. She was shouting and screaming at someone named 'Wukong'. It filled them with pity and pain. Why? What happened?

The ocean called out again, louder than ever, this time threatening. They had to return, or else they will be in pain.

Does that mean they will remember?

They were ready to take the risk.

"And we stopped Nadakhan together." They felt physical pain on the surface of their water skin. But they stayed. They had to know more.

Suddenly everything became clear as day, their body solidifying, their senses filled with sounds, sharp and way too loud, no longer muffled by the protective waves of the ocean.

All their memories came back at once. Memories of happiness, fear and pain. So, so much pain.

And along with memories came back all their names. Phoenix, filled with hatred from Iron Baron; Yǔ, full of hope and trust, betrayed by Ao Guang; Wren, draped over with surprise and curiosity and Sky - happy, protective and trusted by family.

She couldn't help the tears flowing out of their eyes.

"Mei-" The name rolled off her tongue, like always. Sweet and strong. "I don't think you're gonna have to hold a funeral for me anytime soon." Sky tried smiling, but with the amount of data she had just been hit with, it was a bit hard.

"Sky?" Mei's voice was shaky, but more cheerful than ever before.

"Yeah." They confirmed, nodding. "It's me."

The black haired girl quickly trapped her in a bone crushing hug. "Never do that again, you idiot!"

"I'm... not sure I can." Sky couldn't feel the water around her. She held out her hand to try to make a wave, but it didn't work. They tried to move the element again, but again with no result.

"I- I think I lost my power." They said, their voice lacking any panic, instead making the surprise and tired undertone shine.

"Or, maybe I'm just tired, I don't know." Mei let go of her, and she immediately collapsed to the floor, not able to support her own weight.

Yep. Definitely tired.

(If you're reading it all in one sitting, drink some water, eat something or go to sleep before reading further. There's gonna be a lot happening in the next chapters.)