~ one hour ago ~
KAI
After a lot of pleading, puppy eyes from Nya, and empty promises to stay safe, Lloyd reluctantly let Nya and Kai get supplies for the Bounty.
The towns were creepily silent, filled with color yet every person was grey and frozen like statues... which Kai figured they were. He hated statues. All they had to do was shoot lasers from their eyes, and he knew he'd have a new nemesis.
They made it to a nearby village, taking gas and full water tanks from a gas station. Tying them to the Bounty's anchor, they were pulled up to the ship three at a time. After loading the last tank, Nya hopped on one hook of the anchor, ready to go back up. Kai nearly did the same, but he stopped when he saw a black cloak's tail flash past a shop's corner.
Kai knew that the Oni were somehow petrifying Ninjagian citizens and purposefully keeping the Ninja un-frozen. Why would they let a random civilian be free? Something wasn't right.
He silently signalled to Nya and comm'd Lloyd, who was leaning over the railing a hundred feet above them. "Stay here. Nya and I need to go, um, get food." He looked up at the puzzled Energy Ninja and dramatically winked. Why tip off a potential enemy if you're planning on following them?
Even from the far distance, the red ninja swore he could see Lloyd roll his eyes. Kid's getting a little sassy, he thought to himself.
He and Nya quietly snuck around the corner, on high alert for any unusual movement. He found footprints pressed deep into the dirt, as if their maker had deliberately made a trail.
If I were making footprints, I would lead them to a trap or something, then run off to an undetectable place. Kai looked around, wishing for not the first time that his gi wasn't a shocking red. Anyone could see him from a mile away. If I needed to make a quick escape, I would hop on a roof.
He nodded at Nya, and they both simultaneously jumped onto a roof, getting an aerial view of the footprints. They snaked around a tall building, the Ninja only scaling it to find it made a sharp turn and headed back in the direction it came. The tracks made dizzying loops, turns, and even squares, to Nya's annoyance, around the village. And as much as they tried to anticipate the trail, they couldn't. It frustrated both siblings, and thirty minutes after leaving the Bounty Nya slammed a sword into the concrete rooftop. "Whoever did this has a twisted sense of humor," she growled.
They continued for another twenty minutes, finding themselves making figure-eights and walking in circles. Every step they took brought them further from the Bounty and towards a potential trap. The siblings didn't make conversation as they didn't want to reveal their location, for the path already brought them into open spaces without much cover.
"We have to move," Nya said, peering down at the ground. "If we stay this high up, we're going to lose sight of the trail. It's weaving underneath those trees up ahead, see?" She pointed with a katana, then sheathed it. "Let's hit the ground."
They hopped off the building, landing in an empty lot devoid of parking guides, cars, and people. "Ow," the Water Ninja muttered, pressing a fist to her stomach.
"Are you okay? Did you get hurt?" he asked frantically.
She grimaced. "I'm fine. Just... Well, I learned the hard way last night that your cake was too old."
He pulled a face. "That's too much infor- wait, you were eating my cake without me?"
Nya shrugged her shoulders innocently. "Oops."
Kai huffed in frustration. "That's... you know what, I'll leave the scolding for when we get back. We're on a mission. Where did the footprints go? I can't see the trail anymore. This was a total waste-"
A high-pitched noise whistled past Kai's ear and he instinctively found himself back-to-back with Nya. The thing that had nearly struck the Fire Ninja was a ball of energy, but not in the friendly green he was used to. A throwing knife nearly caught Nya's hand, and another grazed Kai's shoulder.
The weapons weren't what scared Kai. It was the wielder that chilled him to the bone.
His sister screamed bloody murder at the sight of their opponent.
"NADAKHAN!"
~ time skip ~
NYA
When the knife sank into her side, she knew she was a goner. She couldn't form the words to tell Kai to run, or that Nadakhan didn't leave footprints or wear a black cloak.
The djinn cackled, but he didn't get time to gloat. Kai hurled a strong blast of fire at the prince. At the same time, Nya swore she saw a bomb strike the prince, and in a burst of orange dust he was gone.
Seeing their opponent vanquished, Kai rushed to his sister's side, asking her if she was okay and checking her over. She registered his voice, but the meaning of his words floated above her. If she concentrated hard, she could understand what they were, but she was too occupied with staying conscious to understand what he was saying. She could only hear her own thoughts.
Normally, Nya would be relieved the djinn was gone, but the splitting pain jabbing hot rods into her body kept her from doing so. Additionally, Kai was not alone. Nadakhan was not the one they had been following.
Nya pressed on her wound, gasping as she moved the slightest bit. She was dizzy and suddenly saw the world spiraling into darkness from the pain. Just before she faded out of consciousness, she heard two people talking.
"Bullseye!" someone shouted. "B.C.'s the only one that's actually hit its target!"
"You don't just give bombs names, Acronix," an older voice snarled.
Well, shoot.
---
Swords.
Nya heard sword fighting. She heard Kai shout insults and curses and two other voices that were strangely familiar, but she couldn't quite place them.
She couldn't turn her head to look. The Water Ninja was collapsed on the ground, clutching a knife in her side as she bled onto the dark concrete, a mess of pain and fear.
Was Kai going to be okay? Who is he fighting?
"Hang in there Nya!" Kai shouted frantically over his shoulder, seeing her eyes open. "Just- just don't fall asleep, okay?! Keep the knife in-"
"Face me, ninja!" one voice yelled. "Ow, Krux, you just elbowed me."
"Silence, brother. We have a job to complete," the other snarled.
They're the Time Twins. Kai's battling the Twins.
Flashes of blue, red, and green blurred in her vision. From the looks of it, the Twins still had the other three blades. Kai didn't stand a chance. Tears of sadness mixed with those of pain. Disjointed names came to mind as she dipped into unconsciousness once more. Libby. Lily. Cliff.
Twins might kill me just yet.
She felt like she was going insane. Nothing made sense.
---
Nya jerked awake to Kai screaming, her brother's pain and fear shocking her back into reality. Pain exploded, rendering her senseless for a moment before she could slightly adjust herself and look over.
Kai was pinned to the ground, Acronix stepping on his chest and Krux slowly lifting his sword for a final blow. All of Kai's weapons had been kicked away, and it looked like Vengestone cuffs had been wrestled onto his hands. Krux's foot was planted onto the red ninja's right hand, his boot grinding it into the concrete. A cut on his forehead was weeping slowly, blood trickling down the side of his face. It struck Nya that her brother was going to die. He was only alive because the Time Twins were enjoying Kai's distress.
Nadakhan's voice came into her mind. He wasn't in the real world anymore, but what he would say echoed in Nya's head like a headache that wouldn't go away. 'Oops. Kai's nearly gone, now. And you, little lady, are still not dead yet. You will be soon enough.'
The Fire Ninja shrieked as he tried to move out of the way as Krux stabbed down. He missed Kai's face, and the momentum of the strike sent him bumping into Acronix, who stood on his other side. The younger Twin had one foot on Kai's left hand, the other foot pressed into his chest. They hadn't bound his wrists or ankles together, as the Ninja was too injured to protest much.
'Such a shame he can't fight back. If only you could give him a weapon.'
Go away, Nya whimpered through gritted teeth. She wished she didn't hear Nadakhan, but he gave her an idea.
Kai needs a weapon.
I have a weapon.
She felt her katanas had been removed from the sheaths on her back. Small throwing stars were buried too deep in her belt for her to reach them.
Nya was going to die either way. But with a weapon, Kai would stand a chance with his powers, and he might live. One less death to bag down on the remainder of the team.
It was a no-brainer.
The dying Water Ninja gave Kai a weapon.