Ninjago One Shots

𝔣𝔞𝔪𝔦𝔩𝔶 𝔱𝔦𝔢𝔰

f a m i l y t i e s

----

Kai had said, countless times, that he hated water.

He still did.

Everyone knew that, hell, even the gossip articles listed it under the fun facts column when it covered his journey as a ninja. So why did Sensei Wu decide to send him to Stiix, the city built on the Endless Sea where strangle weed resided in the murky waters? He'd nearly been dragged underwater by it when chasing after Morro and had only survived by making a deal with Ronin.

He hopped off his power dragon and let it dissolve back to wherever it came from. He grimaced at the tangle of strangle weed that was snaking up a nearby pole and quickened his pace.

"We are concerned by the rising level of crime in Stiix, Kai. Seeing as you're the only free ninja right now it only makes sense for you to go there." Wu had insisted, pushing a gleaming katana into his hands.

So now Kai was standing outside the dusty windows of Ronin's old shop. The bastard spent most of his time making sure his shop made profits plentiful seeing as he owned the majority of Steep Wisdom. Kai crossed the raised platform that ran through the city, serving as the main street, and kept an eye out for anyone doing crime-related things.

Yeah, he needed coffee.

Out of the corner of his eye, he spotted a man in a beanie, a brown bag slung over his shoulders with the contents squirming around. Here we go again. He flipped on his mask and darted over to the man, who was sitting on an old crate in the alleyway shiftily, nudging the wriggling bag with his foot.

"I'm afraid I'll have to stop you there. I'm guessing that whoever or whatever's in your bag-"

"Smwhovter!" cried a muffled voice indignantly.

"Whoever," he confirmed, drawing his blade, "Isn't exactly happy about being kidnapped."

"She's not being kidnapped," growled beanie-man, palming a bat in the most non-threatening way possible. "She ran away from home!"

A bedraggled head pops out the top of the bag. "Yeah, after he threatened to marry me off to some rich old dude!"

"Isn't that what you wanted?" frowned the beanie-man. Her father or brother possibly.

Weighing the katana in his hands, Kai's eyes narrowed. It could either be a family drama or something deeper. He'd stick around.

"No," fumed the girl, climbing out of the sack. "What is wrong with you James? Why would I let father marry me off to a random guy? You know I want to get out of Stiix and I saw this as an opportunity. Why can't you understand? A year ago you wanted to move with me, and now you're-" she choked up, and Kai moved to step away. Family drama, definitely. And he had enough of that. Also what kind of brother tied up his sister in a bag?

But James' hand latched onto his forearm and tugged him back.

"We need a mediator before someone blows up." he said snarkily.

"I have other things to do you know-"

At both their steely glares, he quieted and drew an orange crate towards himself and sat down. The tension in the air was thick, hell, Master Wu's staff could slice through it easily. Nervously, he ran a hand through his hair. He was not trained for this. How to befriend an enemy? Yes. How to do spinjitzu? Yes. How to use a plethora of weapons and disarm a person in seconds? Yes. How to settle a sibling rivalry? No. Kai and Nya were the only siblings on the whole team, which usually meant the others took turns in being the umpire in their fighting matches.

"It's not that simple little sister. Father wants me to take over the family business. You know that Cara,"

Cara rolled her eyes and her fingers jumped into air quotes "Family business. More like-"

James shot her a quelling look and her jaw locked, her hands bunching her unruly ginger hair back into a bun.

"And I can't just run from Stiix. Our ancestors have lived here their whole lives and survived just fine." He countered with an adjustment to his beanie.

"Which is exactly why I don't want to be in the family business," more air quoting and vigorous hand gestures. "I want a life better than smuggling wares around Stiix and pretending everything's fine with mother and father. I want out, Jas."

With the mention of the presumed nickname, James cleared his throat and looked around warily. Kai looked everywhere but the seething siblings and tapped his foot like he did when he was nervous.

"Look a year ago, I would have fully understood what you want to do, but now is not the time Cara. You can't just run away from the Karelli family like it's nothing. If I could, I'd let you go-"

Karelli. The name rang a bell, and Kai finally landed on the information. The Karell gang were smugglers for weapons and magical weapons, known for their cut throat attitude and harsh treatment. Years ago, Zane had found a dead Karelli member who apparently had been a traitor to the clan.

"But you can!" butted in his sister, tugging on her poofy hair bun. "You can come with me! We can get jobs in the city like we planned, you can work on your songs and I can work on my med degree. Being a Karelli doesn't mean you're one for life."

James sucked in a sharp breath and yanked up the sleeve of his hoodie to reveal two scythes crossed and a motto underneath tattooed, the skin still raw around it. Cara let out a soft gasp, followed by a tearful "No." of disbelief. Kai got up and moved to leave. He had stayed here way too long and he had some baddies to catch. Again, James pulled him down and the tired, sleep deprived ninja obeyed.

"You said you'd wait another year." choked out Cara.

James looked as if he was about to burst into tears as well. "He insisted. He said that now was just as a good time as next year. I'm a Karelli for life, Caz. But you don't have to be." His last words were filled with determination, and he surged to his feet, pulling Kai and Cara along with him.

"You, promise you'll get her out of here safely. Once he learns that you're gone he'll know you've escaped to the city." James jabbed a finger in Kai's chest and turned to Cara, his eyes softening. Kai blinked twice, slowly. If James let his sister go, there was a good chance he'd end up dead, but he kept quiet.

"But he'll know that you let me go Jas!" Cara's voice was barely above a whisper and cracked half way through. "Come with me. He'll kill you." she pleaded again desperately.

Her brother shook his head and stood a little taller. "He can't kill me yet. I'll make up an excuse and say that one," a finger to Kai, "Got the better of me, blame him in some way. We both knew it would always be you who got out Caz. Do this for me, please." James begged, letting a tear trickle down his bearded face. "Once all the drama dies down I'll try and contact you through him." He jerked his head at Kai, and Kai blanched. He did have a name.

Cara's hands trembled and she bit her lip. James shoved a bag, probably her stuff, in her hands, and she slung it over her shoulder with the same determined glare both siblings possessed. Her hard demeanour cracked for a second as she flung her arms around her brother and squeezed him tight.

"Go, Caz."

"Love you James."

"I love you too sis."

And then the Karelli clan member scurried away down the alley, and Kai was left with a crying redhead, an insatiable desire for coffee, and a very confused, befuddled mind.

two. years. later.

Kai's heart sunk into his shoes as he read the newspaper article. Cara, who he had kept in contact with, was going to shatter. James hadn't contacted him since last year, with good news. Good news. But this was not.

James Oliver Karelli was well and truly dead.