Post-Djinjago: Our Stories

Final chapter, I hope everyone enjoys! Tell me your thoughts on how it turned out.

Jay

He didn't understand the fuss.

Sure, back in Djinjago he'd been tortured, abused, manipulated, half-starved. It hurt. It really just hurt him.

The master of lightning was indeed petrified from the events which Nadakhan held. He was too afraid to sleep at night, in fear the Djin would pop out from under the bed and murder him. Jay trails off more than the once perfect Jay would. He only laugh when by himself. It was too painful for him to gaze upon the man in his mirror, he chose not to look at all. But none of that seemed to parallel to this new-found importance.

Jay was more concerned with his family, the ninja. Ever since his arrival, they didn't hug him. They didn't greet him. They didn't hold him. It's like nothing's changed, like they still only saw him as "the jokester," the one who always screws up missions, the crybaby. Jay continued playing the comic relief role, like everything was fine. He feared if they saw him now, broken, unloved, they would believe that's all he was ever worth.

Hard as it was in the coming days, he witnessed every odd occurrence. Jay watched the nindroid slave away in the Bounty's laboratory, trying to find a cure for his eye, which didn't bother Jay that much. He watched Cole put on a mask, pretending to be someone he isn't. He watched Kai slump around depressingly, not bothering to talk to anyone. His dear Nya seemed worried, afraid. Jay only hated himself for not being there for her.

Jay heard a noise. At first, he thought the sound might be an echo in the chamber of the subconscious. But after close inspection, he realized the sound was from the other side of his door.

A scream, two screams. Slapping, thudding.

Jay leapt up with strength he didn't know he still had. With great speed he was out his door and down the hall, into the gameroom. He came in upon Cole caressing the limp body of Kai.

"C-Cole, what happened?" Jay exclaimed.

The response given wasn't clear, only a stuttering mess of words faltering at every end. It came to Jay's concerns that Zane wouldn't be able to save the day. He was too absorbed in finding cures and fixing issues, he probably had no idea what was occurring outside the laboratory.

In a heap of confusion, Jay leapt forward and pried Kai from Cole's chest, he noticed one thing and one thing only.

Kai wasn't breathing.

He gave Cole a solemn look "I apologize in advance for what I'm about to do,"

Surging every inch of vital energy from his body, Jay manifested the power in him to his fingertips as the pressed thin into Kai's chest. He fell into a state of fear, watching his friend's limp body shake violently in response to his actions. The stench of sizzling flesh entered his nostrils like smoke. Jay's hands began to quiver, unaware he was doing the correct medical procedures. The blue ninja, too, stopped breathing in seeing the spike-haired boy cease to move.

Cole glared at Jay, "Why'd you stop? You're not done!"

Realization hit Jay like a truck. He restarted his process, pump hands thirty times.. two inches.. then mouth to mouth.. repeat

The red ninja emitted a violent storm of coughing before the color went back to his cheeks and neck. Jay patted his back as Kai heaved for bigger breaths.

He was trying and trying to stammer out a 'thank you.' The master of lightning just remained his comforting motion and replied, "It's okay, you would've done the same for me."

Jay let the tears fall, cradling the fire master's head in his arms. Kai reached up and ran his thumb over Jay's cheek as a sign of comfort, not for the blue ninja, but for himself. The freckle face could do nothing but emit a breathless, exasperated laugh. He kissed Kai's knuckles, unaware he was slobbering.

He was the hero for once. That's one thing he hadn't yet screwed up.

Soon after, Kai was brought to the laboratory and was set under strict supervision for the next few days, acknowledging that he's so weak. Zane emerged from his confused state and regained his compatible, friendly nature. He whipped up an anecdote for Kai's condition and set a schedule for who gets to watch over him at what time. The red ninja insisted he was fine, and in truth, he was. Zane just wanted Jay to feel free, freer than Kai, at least.

Jay didn't know whether to feel proud of himself or not. During Nya's shift watching Kai, the master of lightning headed to the game room and begun flipping through the channels on the tube.

He didn't notice someone was in the room with him. So when an arm was wrapped around his lithe, healing shoulders, Jay jolted a bit.

"Don't fret, Bluebell, It's only me!" came the bright voice of the black ninja.

Jay batted away his best friend's touch and blew a raspberry, "Don't sneak up on me!"

Cole only shrugged and turned his attention to the television screen. The two remained in this silent fashion, not because of hesitation or anxiety. They were only quiet because the two had ached for a bonding moment since.. one couldn't name.

So, together, Cole and Jay reflected on the past few days. They believed there's a way the Bounty ought to be; rambling, exciting, insane, but full of meaning. It was only together when they thought this way.

"Jay?" came a small voice. It hardly sounded like the black ninja.

"Yeah?"

The concern on Cole's face diminished and he broke into a nervous laugh, "Nothing.. I'm just.." he pulled his friend into a headlock, "I'm just glad you're back!"