Conquering Himself

You Are Ruining Yourself

Domonique's POV - CAN I GET A YEEEEET?

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After I whipped Lloyds butt in the hand to hand combat, we called it a night as Cole screamed out of the window. "I hope you are hungry! The duck chowder is ready!" In reality I was quite done with training as I had only managed that one block. Other than that, I had been hit dozens of times and hadn't landed a hit on Lloyd yet.

Lloyd and Kai visibly cringed at the earth ninja's declaration and they looked at each other, and then at Zane who blinked awake from his meditation. Zane looked at them in confusion. "Did we not ban Cole's duck chowder?"

Lloyd nodded and looked a little green, funny enough. "Maybe go remind him before we all glue our mouths shut again." Zane nodded and scampered off. Lloyd bent down and began cleaning up the practice mats as I went to empty and put away the water bottles. Kai stood from his step and stretched. He froze for a second, watching me dump the liquid off the side of the boat and into the ocean below. His eyebrows crinkled and he glanced from me to the water.

After he stood there, frozen, for about a minute, I decided to speak. "Is this reminding you of our trip to the waterslides?" I asked cautiously, dumping out the last bottle. Lloyd stopped for a second to watch the fire ninja respond.

Kai spoke slowly, as if in a trance. "No." He watched the water fall. "This reminds me of the pond."

"What color swimsuit was I wearing?"

"Pink."

"That was a couple of years ago then."

"You look younger."

"I would have been probably fifteen."

Kai looked at the water once more and tipped his head sideways. "You were so skilled at catching frogs." I kind of giggled at that, thinking it was pretty funny that back then I could snatch a slimy green frog with no problem, out of the water, quick as a sneeze, but now I couldn't even dodge a slow punch.

Lloyd mouthed something to me and I had to have him repeat it as I glanced quickly to Kai. His one hazel eye and the other blue and green eye were still looking in the ocean below, as if he could still see the liquid I dumped.

'I am going to go inside. I think you should handle this.'

I nodded and smiled back, patting his arm and then watching as he disappeared below the Bounty's deck.

I approched Kai slowly, running my hand up the railing and stopping next to the fire ninja on the stairs. The wind blew a little harder and I moved my hair out of my face. Kai blinked suddenly and noticed I was right next to him. He took a step back and wrinkled his brow.

I sighed.

I was ready for him to run.

Instead he asked a question. Well, it was more like a statement. "You once caught a fish with your bare hands." He walked down two stairs, leaving me on the higher one.

Not wanting him to leave this conversation yet, I answered. "Yes!" I laughed, turning and leaning over the railing slightly, gazing into the ocean waves below. "It was so funny! I hadn't meant to and I was just scooping water from the pond and as I dumped I noticed a flopping in the bottom of the bucket."

Out of the corner of my eye I could see Kai nod. Then, he turned and stood next to me by the railing. It was silence for a few minutes as the wind whistled around us. The sun slowly started setting in the distance and the orange began making its streaks across the sky. I felt a hand touch my pinkie.

I looked down to see Kai's pinkie resting on my own. I looked back at him and he was looking at me. He pulled his hand back and looked a little uncomfortable. I was fine with it, just a little shocked as usually he wanted nothing to do with me. "I'm sorry," he spoke, taking a step back. "I-I just feel like I know you."

"Part of you does."

He glared, mood changing faster than I could snap my fingers. "Ember is not a part of me."

I did a hoarse laugh and ran my hand through my hair, pulling it over my shoulder instead of having it blow around behind me. "You can keep telling yourself that but those memories are real."

His eyes narrowed more.

I stood my ground and crossed my arms, making my point as well.

"I didn't want this."

"You think she did? She got absorbed into a dude who thinks his life isn't worth living if he doesn't have his precious looks."

"She ruined me."

"You are ruining yourself."

He let out an angry shout. "I can't even walk down the streets," he waved his arms toward Ninjago, "without people turning and walking away from me, a little fear in their steps." He clenched his teeth and I could see the flicker of flames growing inside.

Not gonna lie, it was a bit scary. I knew Kai didn't like me from the start and I know that right now he still wants to pretend I don't exist.

"Maybe they aren't scared of your looks, but your personality right now," I shot back. It took a second for my point to get through but I ended up taking a few steps back as the angry fire ninja approached me, slamming his hand on the railing.

"She made me like this!" he shouted, gesturing to himself. "I was fine! I was doing good! I was thriving."

I spoke softly. "You were helping HWR. You were betraying your own team."

"And now she made me this unhappy, hideous person."

"I don't think you are hideous." The fire ninja turned toward the ocean and crossed his arms at my statement. He seemed to refuse to speak back to me after my point. "I think that your personality is the hideous part of you right now."

Fire leapt up his arms and he slammed his fists down again, flames licking at my arms. I gasped and tried to cover my face from the heat that seemed to be radiating from the ninja's core. As furious as he was, Kai didn't speak. He silently raged in front of me, fire flickering at the Bounty's wood but not lighting it. How someone has that control over fire baffles me, but I was a little relieved I wouldn't be the cause of the Bounty burning down.

Suddenly the flames grew more and Kai's stance turned more ridged. "It isn't fair!" he broke his silence.

"Kai!" I gasped as the heat grew almost unbearable and I could feel my arms beginning to tingle as they protected my face from the raw heat. I hissed as I tried to back up on the stairs above.

"Dom!" Lloyds frantic voice came from above. The flames were so hot I didn't even dare to try to see the ninja. There was a rush feeling and the wind seemed to stop. I could hear the roaring of pure green energy coming from the Bounty's deck.

Lloyd spoke again, his voice firm and deeper. "Kai. Calm down. Now."

Kai whirled around to face the green ninja, the flames not calming down. In fact, they were so hot I swear I could see his fists turning into fire gel. "It isn't fair."

And with that, the fire ninja blew up, screaming and throwing an enormous fire ball over the Bounty's railing and into the ocean below. Smoke billowed up and the ocean began steaming, trying to get rid of the pure heat it had just endured.

I blinked, feeling the cool hit my face again. Lloyd was standing determinedly, feet in a battle stance and green energy circling around him. His hair seemed to fan out and look almost peaceful although his face held fury and control at the same time. His eyes glowed green.

Kai took one look at the ninja and collapsed his shoulders, all the frustration almost being to much for him. He didn't have the energy to deal with his anger anymore, let alone the Green Ninja. The flames were gone.

"Get to your room," Lloyd almost growled at the red ninja before him. "I will be there in a few minutes."

I watched Kai go as I still sat, stunned on the stairs.

Never get on the bad side of a fire ninja.

DOMONIQUE OUT!!!!!!!

yeeeeeeeeet