Book 2: Rift Wars

Chapter 1: Separation

Zareth the Typo Boy

Book 2:

Wire Around my Heart

Chapter 1

Separation

Bigger...thats what it felt like. Their whole family. Not only did Danny and Dareth get married a few months ago, they adopted a daughter. Inky picked up the basket. Within was a picnic made by herself and Zareth. Danny had just got home from work. At least she had a bit more of a laid back position at the law firm now. She watched as Inky walked on passed them and onto the grassy park area.

"She hasn't cut her hair...is she going to leave it like that?" Zareth asked. Danny smiled and looked over the young girl. Her hair was laid lose instead of put up in pigtails.

"I think she's decided to keep it that way. She says its what her hero gave her." She smiled looking on at the girl. She was actually wearing clothing that fit, she was clean, and the ink had begun to wash out of her hair showing that she didn't have black hair after all, it was brown. So she had brown and blue eyes...just like Dareth.

"You know some people keep telling me I look just like Dareth." Inky said. Danny laughed and Zareth stumbled a bit.

"That would be impossible kid." Zareth said with a small chuckle as he spread the blanket out in front for them. Inky walked over and planted herself in front of the basket. She opened it and smiled up at her new mother who put another bag down full of juice.

"So what about school kiddo. Hows that going?" Inky mumbled about the teacher being a jerk and the kids were annoyingly childish.

"Sounds about right actually." Zareth said with a loud laugh. He leaned over ruffling her hair. Inky leaned into the touch as she pulled the plates and cups out.

Lunch didn't take to long actually not with a hungry ten year old around. At least she started to eat more. Normally she'd only be able to stomach a little at a time. This was the first time Zareth got to spend a summer day with Danny. The plus their was Inky too, which was proving to be loads of fun.

Danny pulled her legs closer as she watched Inky and Zareth play catch. Inky pulled back and threw the football to Zareth. With Zanes systems it wasn't hard to catch the ball which was lobbed right back and sailed right over the kids head and right through a car window. Zareths eyes grew wide. Danny jumped up quickly and looked around at the car.

"Zareth...you hit a cop car." Inky yelled. Zareth looked a little scared for a second there.

"I hope your planning on paying for that?" Cryptors voice said from a park bench. He had a news paper spread out over his lap. Coffee in the other hand. Mindroid had his own cup of coffee.

Inky looked at Mindroid and then up at Zareth.

"How...?" She looked at the fact that Mindroid had no mouth and then the coffee. Zareth leaned down.

"I haven't a clue." He said. Inky just shrugged and padded over to Cryptor.

"Hey Uncle Cryptor."

"I'm not your uncle." He said sipping his coffee and turned the page on the newspaper.

"Your moms brother aren't you?"

"I don't even know who she is." He said trying to read the paper.

"But you were created from Uncle Zanes blueprints and Danny and he were created by the same person...that kinda makes you siblings." She said thoughtfully.

"Thats not how this works." Cryptor said. Danny looked up at Zareth.

"Of course it does. Zane is my brother and he agrees with me. Echo is our brother, and Zareth is my brother also. Although I'm not to sure how Echo feels about Zareth. He's a little...shy around him."

"I don't care. I don't need siblings." Inkys smile slowly disappeared and she sighed.

"Oh...okay." Inky said. The sound of nails on vinyl echoed in Inkys ears. Cryptor quickly grabbed Inky and Mindroid jumping behind the park bench was all she knew. When she looked out from over his protective arms her mother and Uncle were gone. The only thing left behind was the picnic basket and football.

"Danny?" Inky whispered.

"I saw them fall...you almost fell too. I...I don't know." Cryptor leaned over the ripple in the ground and pulled back. Mindroid beeped sorrowfully and pointed at Inky. Cryptor nodded and ran his fingers along his face.

"Yeah we're going to have to take her to the police station and write out a missings person report." He said and pointed at his patrol car. "Breaks over Min...lets go."

(0)

Danny sat down in the spot she was in. The place she found herself was unbelievable. She slowly turned to look at Zareth. He looked like he was going to be physically sick. He slowly walked toward her and pulled her to him. Both of them could sense the danger they found themselves in. That and it had nothing to do with the large amount of empty streets.

"Danny...I don't think we're in our Ninjago City anymore." Zareth said and started to back up.

The streets were cracked and unkept. The buildings were crumbling and falling apart. The cars looked like either some caught fire, were vandalized, and others just looked like they had been sitting there for years. Zareth looked inside of a few stores and it was the same. A lot of the stuff in there looked like it had been stolen or broken. Whatever happened to Ninjago City...it was bad...and it happened fast.

"Stay close." Zareth said. He turned to look at Danny. Her eyes were on the firehouse. The same firehouse that she and Dareth had just purchased. It was old and no longer used as a firehouse. She walked toward the firehouse and walked into the building. The garage door had been blown off it would seem. She slowly walked into the main room. It looked like it had just before they left that afternoon. But their were subtle differences. The pictures on the wall were of them, but much older.

Zareth walked just behind Danny just in case something were to jump out and get them. However he wasn't to sure just what would have happened. He didn't see anyone or even any dead bodies.

"Is this our future Zareth? Did we lose everything?" Danny asked. She walked over to Inkys bed and picked up the large teddy bear in the chair that Dareth had gotten her as an adoption gift.

"I...I don't know babe." Zareth said pulling Danny toward him. His heart ached for her. He knew she missed Inky, but was incredibly glad she wasn't there too. Danny ran her fingers over the bears fake fur. She slowly walked into her bedroom and stopped. Their was oil along the back wall and all over the floor around it. She stepped back. She held her chest.

"Danny...Danny thats enough. Stop!" Zareth called out for her. She frantically began to search around the house again. Danny shivered when she looked in the bathroom. Zareth ran forward to see a picture of blood and ink in the bath tube. Danny gagged and slammed the door closed. Zareth pulled her to him.

"Its okay this isn't us. This is another dimension." He hugged her to him. "Awe babe..." He shook his head. He felt her shoulders shaking. He walked her over to the couch. At least it was still a little springy. He looked around at the apartment. He could see that it was getting late. The sun was almost got behind the city. "Lets get some rest." He lay with his back against the couch and she was laying with her head against his chest. Soon enough they had both fallen asleep. A soft blanket was laid over the two.