Shifting Sands (Ninjago AU)

Chapter 8- Expected Trips and Unexpected Visitors

A/n- longer chapter but I didn't want to split anything up. *sing song voice* 🎶 Hope you enjoy 🎶

Kai ran a hand through his hair, grimacing at the dirt that fell out with the action. Living in the desert meant putting up with its sandstorms but that didn't make them enjoyable. And having a room without window panes meant waking up to the wind and covered in sand. With a sigh Kai stepped away from Jay's apartment, making his way to the docks. Normally he and the others didn't crash at Jay's for longer than one night, but in the couple days since Princess Skylor's ball an odd mood had descended over the city.

People were jumpy and Kai had seen several fights start randomly in the markets. It had gotten to the point that Kai secretly feared leaving Nya and Cade home alone. Not that he would ever tell Nya that, but, after speaking privately with Jay (who agreed with Kai), neither Nya or Cade objected to the offer of an extended stay at the inventor's.

However, four people in the small space was almost enough to make Kai scream. So this morning he'd slipped out at dawn and headed for the docks. Hopefully any newcomers to port wouldn't be as uptight as the city inhabitants. Kai hadn't been able to flinch anything the day before since people were so on guard.

He wove through the growing throng of people. In the whispered comments around him Kai heard the newest gossip: Sir Bolobo didn't seem to have made it home. Shuddering internally at the thought of something- or someone- strong enough to take out an Elemental Master Kai stepped up his pace. Soon he arrived near the docks. He kept his head low, trying to avoid being seen. However when a group of four guards came his way, Kai slipped down a side street and began to double back the way he'd come. Glancing over his shoulder to see if the guards had turned, Kai plowed into someone.

"I'm sor-" The words died in his throat and were replaced with a glare. "What in the world are you doing here?"

Cade grinned sheepishly up at him "Surprise?"

Kai grabbed him by the arm and all but dragged him away from the bustling main street. "Cade I've told you a million times you are not to come here!"

"But I've been stuck in the house for three days! And I didn't know you were coming here."

"You were following me without asking! Of course you didn't know where I was going!" Cade didn't have a comeback for that one. Kai inhaled a sharp breath. "Okay, we're leaving now."

"But we just got here! We can't go back empty handed."

"Cade it is too dangerous here-"

"He's right you know." Both boys jumped and whipped around.

A weasley looking man with greasy brown hair stood between them and the entrance back to the main street. Kai glanced behind them to see two more large men closing in quickly. Fighting against the panic rising in his chest Kai tried to keep his outward appearance calm.

"What do you want? We're not looking for trouble."

The small man laughed. "Oh really?" He stepped forward, his face no longer obscured by shadows.

Cade suddenly squeaked and clung tighter to Kai. Kai didn't think much of it until the man pushed up his sleeves. The early morning light caught on a blue tattoo wrapped around his forearm. A blue cobra.

'Oh no.' Kai shifted slightly to keep himself between the man and Cade. A sinking feeling in his gut warned him this wasn't going to end well. The three men pressed closer.

"What do you want?" Kai tried again.

"What do you want?" The man's voice cut like glass on the pavement as he mocked Kai's question. "You come inta 'r streets and ask what we want?" He laughed and stepped closer. Kai felt Cade move behind him and Weasel Face froze.