Balance

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REN'S POV

"My turn! Uh, it's my turn!" Kai grunts, shoving me to the side so he can use the training equipment. I glare at him but step back not wanting to start a fight. I'd win btw.

Around us Jay is deflecting arrows with his nun-chucks, Cole is practicing on the dummies. And Kai is practicing his spinjitzu on the training equipment he stole from me and Zane is meditating. Suddenly Zane gets up from his meditation process and begins running interrupting us. He starts by jumping in front of Jay.

Jay pauses and looks at us confused. "Hey! Huh?"

He steals Cole's weapon for the dummy test.

"Hey! What?" Cole shouts.

"Ninja, go!" Zane shouts using his Spinjitzu to freeze the whole compound, causing Kai to slip.

I snicker as he lands on his butt. Cole, Jay, and eventually Kai walk towards me and watch as Zane continues to train using all the equipment.

"This roof isn't big enough for the five of us." Kai scoffs, putting his hands on his hips.

"Correction: This roof isn't big enough for him." Cole corrects him. I can't argue with him, he kinda has a point.

"It's like he's in his own world." Jay comments shaking his head before raising his voice. "I bet he can't even hear us!"

Wu approaches us and stands next to me.

Kai thinks for a moment before turning to Wu. "Sensei, Zane's... weird."

"What is weird? Someone who is different or someone who is different than you?"

"No, Sensei. He's "weird" weird." I tell him. Then we take turns discussing our encounters with Zane including:

Zane entering the bathroom despite Cole doing some private business. Jay, Nya, and Zane watching a sad romantic movie but when the main character died Zane started laughing. And Kai going to the fridge for a late night snack, but instead found Zane inside.

"We like the guy. He's really smart. He's just..." Kai sighs, "a little off sometimes."

"Zane is a brother and brothers are often different. I should know."

It's quiet for a moment, the silence only interrupted by the arrival of the mailman.

"Mail!" The boys, minus Zane, all yell rushing to the door.

The Postman pants, then hands out the mail. "Let's see. A letter from Jay's parents. Kai has a fan letter. Oh, something from Cole's father."

He closes his bag and turns to leave before Cole stops him. "What, no package? I'm expecting something from Creatures, Beasts, and Beyond."

Postman sighs but checks his bag one more time. "No. Nothing from...uh-uh. Here it is!" He hands a box to Cole.

"Ha! Rocky's gonna love this!" Cole holds up the package as if it were some sort of trophy.

Zane walks sadly towards Sensei and I, his eyes pointing to the ground.

"Hey, Zane. How come you never hear anything from your parents?" I ask him.

"I don't remember my parents. I've been an orphan all my life. Besides, one could ask you the same question."

"Let's just say I've never been on good terms with my parents and left home early."

"You mean you two have never had a home?" Kai suddenly asks, making me realized the boys listened to our conversation.

We shake our heads silently.