On a String

Chapter 8

Jay and Nya's list had actually been quiet creative, and the pair had successfully identified at least one way to use each object as a weapon.

Once they had finished, Kai simply nodded. "Thank you. Cole and Lloyd, it's your turn now,"

"Sure thing," Cole calmly led the way to the front of the room, with a timid Lloyd walking close behind him. The Green Ninja glanced at Kai anxiously for a brief moment, before awkwardly looking away. Normally Lloyd wouldn't have been bothered by the idea of presenting to the team of Ninja, but the idea of having Kai judging his work scared him.

Kai.

But at the same time... this person was not Kai. Not his honorary older brother. Not his best friend.

But Lloyd still remembers...(Kai. A smirk. A laugh. A ridiculously life threatening, hair raising stunt pulled in the name of 'awesomeness' and 'I did it coz it was there, bro!'. A pulsing ball of wild, bright, brilliant energy. A best friend.) ...But Lloyd wonders... does Kai still remember?

Kai. A blank look. An emotionless stone front. A stance that radiates firm control. The swift but silent movement of some who has fought for their life far too many times...

A (dead, so very dead) ghost of all that once was, but never would be again.

Lloyd didn't know if he should shudder with fear at the idea of Kai judging his work (because everything Kai does now is so controlled and precise. What would the consequences be if Lloyd's work isn't precise or good enough?) or should he silently sob (because this is not the Kai that left them all those weeks ago)?

Nervously, Lloyd shuffled closer to Cole, looking away from the Ninja in red who used to be his friend butwasn'tanymore. He wished things were different.

"Stop," Kai ordered suddenly. And Lloyd had to try hard not to flinch because the order sounded so empty and so dead and so wrong coming from his spiky-haired hero.

Lloyd wondered what the Master of Earth was making of this and he looked at the Ninja clad in black. Cole simply obeyed Kai's order while raising one questioning eyebrow at his team mate "Yea?" he asked mildly, his relaxed tone contrasting with Kai's emotionless tone.

Lloyd began fidgeting with the material of his gi and started to become even more worried.

"Lloyd can do the presentation by himself," Kai said abruptly. "Please sit back down, Cole," his tone clearly communicated that it wasn't a request.

Cole nodded, handing the list to Lloyd and giving the boy a reassuring smile and pat on the shoulder. The Green Ninja looked terrified at the prospect of presenting to the rest of the team (to Kai) alone.

"I, um, I... I," The young boy stuttered nervously as Cole sat back down.

Had anyone been looking closely at Kai, they would have seen his eyes soften slightly. It wasn't so much like warmth entered his expression, but the coldness of his eyes decreased.

"Go on, Lloyd," had anyone been listening carefully, they would have heard a small spark of sympathy and it's alright, I know this is hard but I also know you can do it softly woven through Kai's voice- perhaps faintly similar to morning light gently filtering through the treetops of a dark forest which was still locked in nightfall. Subtle. Soft. But so undeniably there that if you were searching for it, you would certainly find it.