In an Alternate World (NINJAGO)

Chapter 13

"Come on, sis. I expected you to run up to me and give me one of those giant hugs, just like the old days." Kai huffed, waiting outside of the cage. "Of course, these bars are still melting. Maybe it's best if you sit there for a minute." He laughed to himself, crossing his arms and watching her. "You were always the smarter one."

"I don't trust you." Nya spoke at last, trying to mask the fear in her voice with pure anger. "You've hurt people. People who didn't deserve any of the shit you gave them, and for what? Approval from your 'Lord'?"

Kai said nothing at first, only looking at the ground. "Who told you that? Was it Jay?"

"It doesn't matter, Kai." She shot back, moving closer to him. "I want to know why."

Kai smirked. "Why what? Why I hurt them? Why I follow Garmadon? Why I left you?"

"Why you stayed." Nya bit her lip, fighting back tears. "I lived my life alone, clinging to the little hope I had that you would bring us a better life. I believed in you, Kai!" She slammed her fist into the ground. "How could you throw away your dignity like that? Your honor and everything you cared about, gone! You are not the hero I looked up to all those years ago! You are not my brother!"

"Do you think I wanted to run away?!" Kai snapped back, grabbing the collar of her gi. "You weren't the only one that had hope, Nya! I was just a kid! I fell down the wrong path and I couldn't go back, all because of a stupid mistake I made when I was nine!"

He pushed her away, covering his face and growling. "Garmadon promised me wealth, glory, and the true mark of a hero. It was everything I had ever dreamed of, and I knew it would be the answer to our prayers. When I realized what unspeakable things he was training me to do, I realized couldn't go back, especially to you."

He stood up, clenching the bars once again. "Garmadon had turned me into a monster before I had even known what was going on. I killed too many people- I-I had burned whole villages. And for what? So I could come home to you with my worthy prize and be your heroic big brother?" He laughed, shaking his head. "No. I'd rather accept the fact that there's no going back for me and relish in the dark."

Nya sat back, shocked beyond words. She inhaled sharply, attempting to speak. "Kai-"

"No. Enough of that. I don't want you to feel sorry for me." He reached out, slowly smiling. "I want you to understand."

Nya's eyes widened, her heart beating. No. No...

"If I can't go back, th-then we can go forward together." He stammered, reaching in and taking her hand. "I'll take you to see Garmadon, in the flesh! He can train you in ways far superior to Wu's teachings. I-I promise you, it may not be what you think is morally right, but you will feel greater than you've ever felt! Alive, powerful; you'll be at peace with yourself, finally!"

Nya squeezed her brother's gloved hand, taking in its warmth for the first time in years. She closed her eyes and exhaled slowly, calming herself. "...Was Jay at peace with himself?"

"Jay?!" Kai rolled his eyes. "Nya, Jay is weak-minded. He sees everything in black and white; he couldn't handle being a general of the Underworld, so he ran away like a coward. He never got to feel inner peace because he couldn't understand that balance can exist."

Nya looked at her brother in the eyes, noticing that one of them was glowing red, hot with fire. She breathed shakily at this, but still held a firm grip on his hand. "What about Zane?"

"Zane did feel that peace, but he's a machine; he lost it with a click of a button." He grabbed her hands. "Enough questioning. What choice do you have, Nya? It's clear that Garmadon's teachings are superior. Soon you'll understand, sis. I promise."

"Kai..." Nya mumbled, tears welling up in her eyes. She leaned into him, letting him hold her.

"Hey, woah..." Kai mumbled in surprise. He wrapped his arms around her protectively, rubbing her back. "It's gonna be okay. I'll keep you safe here where no one can hurt you."

"No, Kai..." Nya shook her head slowly. "I'm leaving... I'm sorry."

Without giving him time to process, Nya pushed her brother out of the way, hopping down from the truck. She glanced around quickly before recognizing the narrow tunnel that they came from. Sprinting towards the exit, she took no time to look back, only focusing on the journey ahead with Cole hot on her trails.

She ran for what seemed like hours until she reached a wall. No... oh my god, no... Pounding against the stone, she crumpled to a ball and turned around to face Cole.

He yanked her off of the ground and threw her roughly onto his shoulder once again. Nya gasped for air, pain shooting throughout her back. "No, no, please! Take me back! Take me back!" She cried through the pain, struggling to get out of his strong grip. "Please!"

"You may be Kai's little sister, but I don't take orders from you." Cole huffed, crushing her a little more for good measure and smirking as she gasped for more air. "Lord Garmadon isn't that bad. You're acting as if we're going to kill you."

"I'd rather die than join you!" Nya screamed through her fits of gasping, wincing in pain. "Augh!"

"Jesus, Cole, don't squeeze her eyeballs out or anything." Kai muttered, approaching them.

Cole dumped Nya into Kai's waiting arms, huffing. "Sorry. She needed the extra persuasion. She's a fighter."

Kai cradled the barely-conscious Nya in his arms. "This reminds me of when I held her as a baby..." He mumbled to himself, smiling. "Our parents were smiling so proudly at me. That was probably the happiest memory in my life." He hoisted her higher in his arms, carrying her bridal-style. "Soon she'll join us, Cole, and we will all make Garmadon proud." He walked off with her and Cole, entering the fortress.

"Don't..." Nya groaned weakly, struggling to escape. "Kai... please..."

Kai hushed her, walking around. "It'll be alright, Nya. I believe you'll make a great asset to our next assignment."