Void - Ninjago x Female Reader

Chapter 6: This is not goodbye

(Second-person POV)

Giving you a half-smile, Kusho Sensei looked you in the eyes, his amber orbs seemingly glowing in the darkness of his workshop as you felt fear grab at your stomach. "I won't leave you, I promise," he murmured lowly. His words should have given you relief, they should have made the knot in your gut dissipate as if it were never there in the first place, but they didn't. The winding coil in your stomach seemed to be pressed even more as you felt a lump rise to your throat, still staring into the male's honey-coloured eyes.

"...I know," you croaked, nails digging into your palm as you continued looking at him through the pain that threatened to swallow you in its insatiable jaws.

"Good. But the thing is, everyone will have to leave one day. It's inevitable. The world will always slowly but surely gravitate towards impermanence. Eternity is fleeting, forming transience, but the cycle is eternal, leaving the two in a permanent loop. Life is short, and when you're done, you're done. So go and chase every opportunity and have fun! I don't expect you — I don't want you to stay here forever and keep guard of the Void Vanquisher. I want to you write your own story and create your own memories rather than stay here and read of other people's experiences." the man smiled, gently patting your hair as you grab onto his ghostly attire.

"Then come with me!" you demand, knowing that you're acting like a child. But if it means that he'll stay, then...

"I can't. You know that, and I'm sorry... for everything," Kusho Sensei murmured, pulling you in for another hug to prevent you from further protesting. "I'm sorry... I was the one who forced you into becoming my disciple, aren't I? I was always so harsh on you and gave you so much trouble until the end, right? I-"

"THAT'S NOT TRUE!" you screamed, nails digging into the man's clothes, "You didn't force me into anything! I was the one who chose to go with you! A-and you weren't troublesome at all! You taught me things I would have never gotten to know, you gave me a warm place to stay, and you even allowed me to get away with things others can only dream of! You're... You're my sensei, and nothing will ever change that!" you shout, burying your face into the ghost's chest as he softly patted your head and didn't reply. "So... so... stay here with me..." you murmur, losing all the vigour and fearlessness as you wondered if you were being too pushy or too clingy.

"It's all right, (y/n)," Kusho whispered. There was no 'chibi', no witty quip following your name. It was then you knew it was over. The student-teacher relationship between the two of you was as good as gone from the tone of his voice and the emotions radiating from the fog surrounding him. "...I think I can push my luck and stay for a little longer..."

Perking up at his words, you looked into his amber eyes with hopeful ones as he began talking away. "The mist you're seeing around living beings is called an 'aura'. You can sense other people's emotions based on what colour their aura is and who the person is as everyone's aura looks different. Anyways, let's do some training, okay? I don't want to get rusty when you're protecting the Void Vanquisher," the man joked as you nodded, detaching yourself from his side.

Walking out of his room and into the training area, you pulled out your tsurugi as he did the same, the metal gleaming in the sunlight that streamed in through the cracks in the cavern walls. Standing with the tip of your blades pointed to each other, you chose to go on the offensive since you probably won't be able to block all of Sensei's attacks.

Pushing off from the ground, you used the element of speed to get close to your opponent before doing a quick horizontal slice aimed at his neck. Knowing that he'd just move backwards to get out of the way, you followed up with two rapid slashes in the shape of an 'x', causing the man to be forced to stand side-on, his left side facing you.