Wisps: Recollection (Ninjago X Reader)

78. Starting the Gilded Path...

Lighter hues of black dappled the horizon. You weren't sure if it was sunrise or sunset. The dark sky of this realm appeared the same when it first approaches the gloom for the golden hours. Though you were starting to wake up, exhaustion settled its persistent heavy fog over you. Or was that just Cole and Jay sleeping on either side of you with Wu? 'This is cramped. I think my neck is going to be killing me for days.' You groaned at the sputtering and metallic reverbing of the engine. 'How'd I sleep through that?'

"Zane, I think we're gonna have to give it a rest."

"I agree, perhaps you can start a campfire here until sunrise." The vehicle had rolled to a stop. You opened the door, squeezing out as Cole flopped over onto Jay and Wu. You leaned on the warm vehicle, seeing out the expanse of desert. Zane snapped you back with your name. "I see you've awakened, how are..." He paused as you scanned over everyone, then your unshackled wrists. Your name fell through Kai's lips.

Straining as you stretched out your compressed, aching bones, you groaned, "Better. What about–?" Metal arms hugged you. It felt sudden. Didn't make all that much sense... if you were stuck in the past. You squeezed back, settling a breath into him. "...I saw Pixal. And Echo... but he needs our help."

"...then we will. We will." Zane tightened his hands on your upper back, almost grasping. "What happened?"

"Echo... he wasn't strong enough. He... he wore one of the masks. I don't know if I can bring him back–"

You already failed him.

"I believe we will. And if not, they will." Zane tethered you back, rubbing his hand up and to your arm, squeezing it. "He is strong. That I know."

You hesitated, and cracked, "Yeah, he is." Gone for a while... and you came back to him armed with a knife. 'What has he gone through?'

"...were you back in our realm?"

"Yeah, are they okay?" Kai spoke up, having been carefully listening– and you go to immediately soothe those worries you're so horribly familiar with.

"They're okay," his held breath escaped as you continued, "Nya's alright too." You had your hands together, her touch a press of resolve. "And... Lloyd's okay." Your smile soured, suppressing a groan. '...that jerk. And Ronin too. And Mystake–'

"Great, I mean, I knew they got it, but... fuck." Kai smoothed his hands over his stressed face, resting them on his neck. "Everyone must be scared over there... did you see anyone else?"

"It seemed... pretty empty. And obviously those who hate the takeover are being hunted. I think that's kind of why Lloyd did that speech."

"They are trying to lift up and gather more support..." Zane froze over, reeling in his distraction robotically, "Now, what should we do?"

"Are you guys really okay?" You eyed the gone injuries that had once plagued them, as if untouched. Faintly there if you looked closer where their wounds healed to seamlessly be silver scars. "Does it feel okay?"

"Oh, well, no complaints here..." Kai's lips pulled a slight smugness. "Actually, everyone was pretty stoked talking about it when you fell asleep there." Kai threw back a nonchalant glance at the three sleeping. "And you managed to fix all of Zane too, I still can't wrap my head around that?"

"Me neither..." It did with your arm too, as convenient as it was. "I'm glad it worked. I dunno what would've happened." Just not them but the others too.

"We would've pulled through, albeit, painfully," Zane sighed, closing the trunk. "Now, what do we do about those three?"

"Hm? I dunno do we need to set up anything?" You hummed, playing with the loose, streaming bandages around you. 'I could save some of these?"