The Titanium Ninja

The Funeral

He's gone.

Zane is really gone.

Kai looked up at the fifteen foot tall statue of one of his best friends as the falcon glided onto its shoulder, as if it was thinking that it was his master. Tears rolled down his cheeks as he turned to face the crowd, struggling to give his final goodbye.
   
"Everyone wondered what powered Zane, I don't think we'll ever know but I like to think it was brotherhood, because he powered me. And he'll still power me, as his memory lives on," Kai said, choking up slightly. "Ninja never quit, and ninja will never be forgotten. Wherever you are, Zane, you'll always be one of us."
   
As he lowered his head, he felt something soft land in his hair and his eyelashes. Everyone looked up into the sky as a light snowfall started, the four ninja, Nya and their two senseis smiled as Zane's final gift fluttered around them. They joined Kai and enveloped him in one last hug as the crowd slowly dispersed, their black tuxes showed each snowflake before melting away.

"Let's go home," Sensei Garmadon murmured, leading the group away from Zane's memorial. No one spoke as they waited for a bus to bring them to their home, no one spoke throughout the ride into the country, no one spoke as they arrived at the monastery. Kai looked up at the five-story monastery, home to the ninja and Garmadon's students; the Japanese-style building rested by a cascading waterfall, flowing through the soft hills and around the Willow trees that swayed in the light summer breeze. The bus came to a hissing stop outside the gate to the monastery, everyone got off and made their way on the dirt path to the main building, children looked up from their games of kickball and tag to see the mourning ninja.
   
One child, a young girl around the age of five, ran up to them, grinning widely, "Sensei! Sensei!"
   
Garmadon knelt down as the rest of the group silently marched inside the building, "Yes Delilah?"
   
"I got you a flower!" she chirped, showing him a dandelion.
   
Garmadon smiled, albeit forced, "Thank you, it's lovely." He tucked the dandelion behind her ear, causing her to giggle.
   
"Sensei? Why is everyone sad?" she asked.
   
"Well, we lost a family member, and everyone misses him," he replied, wanting to avoid Zane's name.
   
"Oh, maybe we can find him!" Delilah said, grinning once again.
   
"Maybe, now go play with your friends, dinner should be done soon." Delilah nodded and ran off, playing with a group of three other girls. Garmadon slowly stood, his smile disappearing as he went inside the monastery.