Flames of the Past #7: Seeds of Deceit (Ninjago Fanfiction)

Chapter 7

The hospital room was quiet as Zane sat beside Kai. The red ninja hadn't stirred in the slightest; his vital signs were slowly depleting, and there was nothing they could do to help him. Zane had gone in to check on him and make him as comfortable as possible, but his bleak condition only saddened the nindroid. After Lloyd had turned on Kai, the red ninja had been so crushed he'd given up fighting his injury. What frustrated Zane was that he knew the entire situation could've been avoided, if only they hadn't trusted Lloyd as much as they had. They'd figured after three years, the green ninja wouldn't have another idea of turning on them. But they'd been wrong. Oh, so wrong.

As Zane's mind wandered, his thoughts drifted back to Fay. Grief tugged at his chest as he remembered the small, feisty girl whom he'd grown fond of over the time he spent with her. But just as Lloyd had betrayed them, Fay had been revealed to be working against them the entire time. She had given the Sons of Darkness the location of Mistfort and took the Shadow Stone back to Sleete. With the magical stone, Clouse had a spell to make the entire gang just as powerful as himself. And now that Fay had given the Stone back to them, the spell was probably already in motion.

Zane let out a sigh. Thinking about it was still a shock to him. He didn't understand how Fay could've betrayed him like she had. Hadn't they been growing closer? Hadn't she been invested in all he had to teach her? It had all been a lie. She had only wanted to learn from him so she could use it against the team.

But she had gravitated toward him all during their journey. If she was planning to betray them, why had she attached herself to the white ninja? Why had she acted as if she really enjoyed his company? Zane thought back to their journey to and from Mistfort. He'd reached out to her, and although she was wary at first, she'd ultimately accepted his attention. Cole and Vanessa had been more reluctant to talk to her, to count her as their own, so Zane thought she only needed a chance.

Suddenly, it hit him. That was why she'd followed him around. She hadn't seen him as compassionate and accepting, but innocent and naive. She'd taken advantage of him, pushed his kindness, because she knew she couldn't fool Cole or Vanessa. She'd never cared about him or the effort he'd made for her feel welcome. She'd been looking for the easiest way out.

Zane felt a stab. He should had listened to the doubts he'd had about Fay, instead of seeing the best in her. But how could he had, when she'd only been a lost child? Not many people had been able to fool Zane. But Fay had. Now he knew, after Chester, Fay, Lloyd—not everyone was as they seemed. Now he was smarter. He wouldn't be fooled again.

The door creaked open. Zane glanced over his shoulder to see Skylor had slipped into the room, but she halted when she saw the nindroid. "O-oh, I'm sorry," she stammered, looking away. "I didn't mean to disturb you."

"That's alright," Zane said as she turned to leave. "You can come in."

Skylor hesitated another moment before walking over to him. She swept around to Kai's other side, frowning as she gazed down at him and his bare, bandaged chest. "He hasn't wakened?" she asked croakily.

Zane shook his head. "I do not believe he will," he confessed.

Skylor didn't respond. She sat on a chair near the bed, refusing to move her eyes off the unconscious ninja's face. She thought for a few moments before reaching out and moving a piece of his drooping hair out of his face. She kept good composure, but her eyes glittered with sorrow. Swallowing hard, she shifted her hand into Kai's, turning his around to run her fingers over the several scars over his palm.

"What is on your mind?" Zane asked the princess.

For a moment Skylor didn't reply, instead looking up at Kai's face again. A weak smile crossed her face as she began, "He isn't perfect. I haven't even known him too long, and I've seen him do so many foolish, arrogant things. He's a lot to handle." Her smile started to fade. "But he's always trying to do the right thing. He doesn't deserve this."