Chapter Text
The monastery was quiet when Kai arrived. It's not usually quiet. Kai brought his fist up to knock on the gates when he came to a halt. It's been God-knows-how-long in that- place. And God-knows-how-long since he saw his friends, his sister, his master.
He mustered up the courage, and without second-guessing anything, knocked three times on the gates. He heard soft footsteps coming closer, and for a second, he wanted to run away and never look back. But that was past Kai. This Kai knew better.
The gates opened, and the first thing he saw was a short, blonde person wearing a green Gi. No. It wasn’t any person. It was… Lloyd. They both stood there in shock until Lloyd decided to break the silence.
“K-Kai? Is that really you?” he muttered. “Hey, green bean.” Kai said with a low and soft voice. “Oh, thank the First Spinjitzu Master, you're safe. We thought you were dead!” Lloyd realized Kai was shaking, and his clothes were all ripped and stained with blood. “You’re shaking and you look like you went through hell.” Kai scoffed at that comment. “Come on, let’s get you cleaned up. The others will be over the moon once they find out that you are here!” Lloyd put his hand around Kai’s shoulders just in case his knees gave up.
When they entered, all of the ninja looked at the front door. Cole dropped the fork he was using to eat his cake, Jay paused the game, which he never does, and Nya and Zane dropped their wrench and screwdriver. They all looked to see the fire elemental. They all ran over and gave the fire wielder a huge hug full of warmth. Funny; doesn’t he already have a higher natural temperature? That’s a question for another time.
The ninja backed away from the group hug, then Nya noticed the same thing Lloyd noticed when he first saw Kai. “Kai, are you ok? You look terrible.” Kai didn’t find it in him to speak so he simply nodded. Nya gave Kai the 'I know everything' look. Kai managed to blurt out a few words, “I’m fine, sis. You’ve got nothing to worry about.”
“Yeah, I’m not buying that.”
Kai scoffed, “Why? I’m clearly fine.”
“No, you’re clearly not! If you are fine, then why is Lloyd’s arm around your shoulders?”
“He put it around me! I’m fine!”
“Your arm is also around his shoulders. Not to mention, you are shaking, your clothes are ripped, you have new scars on your face-”
Nya was cut off by her brother. “Ok! Ok! We get it! I just need some sleep and I’ll be fine. Ok?” Nya seemed to think about it before saying “Fine. But my eye is on you.”
All the ninja exchanged “hi’s” and “how are you’s” with Kai before returning to what they were doing. Kai tried to wriggle out of Lloyd’s grasp and then realized he was too tired. Lloyd led Kai to his room and placed him on the unmade, red bed. “Do you need anything?” Lloyd asked. But Kai being the stubborn person he is said “Nah. No need, thanks though, green machine.”
“Ok, get changed and cleaned up. And when you are done, call any of us to patch you up.”
“I don’t need patching up.”
“You do. And if you refuse, then I will stay here until you sleep and patch you up then.”
Kai felt too tired to continue arguing. “Fine.” was all that came out of his mouth.
Lloyd left the room and closed the door behind him. Kai went to the shower. When he was taking off his shirt, he saw the scars that he claimed in the Land of Monsters and froze. He stared at his torso in the mirror like it belonged to someone else. He sat there, his back to the sink, his knees drawn up to his chest, for what felt like hours.
Lloyd knocked on the door of Kai’s room before entering, expecting to see him there. But the room was empty. And no sound came out of the bathroom, not even the shower. He knocked on the bathroom door. No response. “Kai? Are you in there?” No response again. “Kai?” Nothing. “Kai, I’m coming in.” Lloyd tried the doorknob, but the door was locked. “Kai, can you at least unlock the door?” What did he expect other than no response.
Lloyd knocked down the door, but carefully just in case Kai was behind it. He saw Kai’s unfocused eyes. He is shaking more than when he came in and his chest is heaving. Hard.
“Kai? Kai, are you ok?” Nothing. “Kai, look at me.” He tries to, but he can’t. His mind is all over the place. He is ashamed that Lloyd has to see him like this, but his brain is too busy with something else to care. Lloyd’s hands are hovering over Kai’s shoulders. “Kai, I really need you to be here with me.” His hands finally landed on Kai’s shoulders. Kai visibly flinches and Lloyd wonders what the hell Kai went through.
Kai finally looks at Lloyd and his eyes are glassy. Are those tears? Or water from him washing his face?
“What happened Kai?”
“I-i-it attacked m-me.”
Lloyd looks at Kai with worry. “What attacked you? There is nothing here.”
“In that- realm. That- thing did. I-it was huge! It looked like a skeleton. And-”
He was cut off by a hug from his little brother. “It’s fine Kai. You’re safe. You’re in the monastery. It can’t reach you. Do you want me to help you with your shower?” Kai wanted to refuse, but being alone with his thoughts is the last thing he wants right now. He nodded. “Ok. Remove your shirt and get in the tub, your back facing me, ok?” Kai tried to remove his shirt but, halfway, froze, again. Lloyd helped Kai out with removing his shirt. “Ok, now get in the tub with your back facing me, got it?” Kai nodded and got in. “Do you want the shower hot, cold or warm?”
“Warm, please.”
“Got it.”
Lloyd turned the shower knob to the middle and turned it on. “I’ll hold it over your chest and you rub, ok?” Kai nodded again. Lloyd held the shower head over Kai’s chest while Kai cleaned up the blood and mud. When they were done, they moved onto Kai’s hair.
“I’ll wash your hair, ok? Just hold the shower head.” Lloyd passed the shower head to Kai. Kai held it over his head while Lloyd scrubbed. “Wow, it must suck to have a lot of caked blood as well as dirt and mud in your hair for, what? Years?” Kai nodded. “But it does rub off on you eventually.” Lloyd looked surprised. “I thought you loved your hair. Like, love, love.”
“I do, just- I didn’t have time to worry about it.”
“Wow, you changed. Not saying that as a bad thing, just… you changed.”
“That realm changes a person. Twists you.” Lloyd nodded.
“At least you’re ok, right?”
“Yeah,”
Lloyd finished with Kai’s hair and it looks ten times better than when he came into the monastery. “Ok, done. Now let’s getcha’ patched up, yeah?” Kai nodded. “I’ll pass by the med-bay to get some stuff, ok?” Again, Kai nodded. Lloyd handed Kai a towel and left the bathroom. When Lloyd left, Kai dried himself off, put the towel back and went to his room and sat on the bed, waiting for Lloyd to come back and get this over with.