Archive of Our Own ^beta

When his parents disappeared at the age of five, Kai Smith learned how to grow up all on his own, while taking care of his younger sister Nya as well. His parents were barely above the lines of poverty— his mother was a seamstress that specialized in making quilts and all sorts of clothes, while his father earned them the most income through his fine forging and his achievements as a blacksmith. Kai doesn't know the reasons, but one day when they were visited by a kind old man from Ninjago City, they never returned. Weeks of hoping that they return and reassure them it had been an unplanned trip turned into hopelessness, Kai emerging as Nya's sole caretaker from now on. He's done dozens of things a small child shouldn't be able to do at such a young age; cook, clean, steal, pay, and manage their dwindling amount of money.

He is like the hearth that keeps the fire alive, even if all the inhabitants have left for warmer climates, his fire and the hearth continue to be tended to, learning how to survive all by themselves.

Kai believes that while he feels something akin to resentment and hurt for his parents for leaving him and his sister to their own devices, to gather up bare scraps to hold over the entire world, he still believes they are, in fact, alive. He reassures himself that the expertise and skill that comes to him beyond ages are a byproduct of his lack of childhood. (Not like he is proud his parents left the two of them like they were incomplete metal.)

Nevertheless, if it wasn’t for his parents’ untimely abandonment, he wouldn’t have learned half the things he is supposed to learn in his later years; he needed these skills to feed Nya, after all.

There is nothing there he could not have learned already; picking locks? Check. Cutting things with a knife? Check. Learning how to read and write Ninjargon without educational help? Check. Applying himself in life-threatening jobs so he and Nya can have food on the table and electricity around? Check, check, check.

He doesn't need anyone's help— he's shown himself more formidable and successful when he is alone, dealing with things all by himself. He'd rather do things alone than be slowed down by the waves of teamwork.

The only thing Kai lacks, however, is teaching himself the art of… admitting he needs help, and that he did not overwork himself for the sake of protecting his family.

Born in a simple and small village called Ignacia, he and his sister were obscured from the hustle and bustle of Ninjago City, the largest and most advanced city in the world, from what Kai has heard from his neighbors. When he works at the forge late at night after forcing Nya to sleep, accidentally tripping over items or dropping weapons because they were either hot, heavy, or both, he looks up at the night sky with this tired, but childlike wonder in his eyes. The stars and moon were blinking at him with soft light, but the ones lighting up the entire dark atmosphere were the light of Ninjago City. it was blinding, for a kid like him, and so he closes up his shop so he could work in peace without the glare of the bright lights distracting him.

Kai stopped attending school at the age of seven— their limited funds can only afford so much, and the various objects that their father has strewn around their homes that sell begin to dwindle in numbers. Deciding that Nya, who has shown to be a smart alec and a better builder than he is with his forgery, was a better person to continue her trek to education, he drops out, spending full time trying to conjure up jobs that can fit his own body and physique. He doesn’t need help or assistance, and he didn’t want to be looked on in pity as a boy whose parents left behind so heartlessly. He is more than that, and he will have to prove it.

Thus, he and his sister live simple lives in their small home in the town of Ignacia, their neighbors merciful enough to offer a few coins to help aid their lost cause. He works at the forge, day and night, his thoughts not on the newest music, games, or friends he had thrown away to work; his thoughts were all about Nya’s education, their limited funds, and being able to bring food to the table. He can bear seeing his skin covered with bruises or his calloused hands aching as he keeps attempting to perfect his blacksmithing.

Alas, destiny has other plans for him.

After his sister gets kidnapped by Skullkin, being trained by an enigmatic yet eccentric old man by the name of Master Wu, befriends three more ninjas who are under his tutelage, defeating Garmadon and then saving the city, his destiny as a humble self-taught blacksmith helping his only family out turned to him becoming a ninja who bestows the element of fire. It was all like they have ripped pages out of his adventure, and lay a new one where he is forced to walk down that path for life. Kai was a hero, who helped people — despite Wu’s comments of Kai being impulsive, reckless, and impatient — while also being a part of a new family to which he now belongs.

So, Kai and the others have a multitude of arguments, but they have always been easy to fix thanks to acceptance and good communication. While Kai is more adamant in dragging the argument out, he knows when enough is enough and swallows enough of his pride to apologize to those he had wronged. It was the right thing to do, according to Wu and Nya.

That is, until an enlightening conversation during dinner time.

Kai was readying the dish for tonight — kiriboshi daikon with rice balls — when he hears Wu murmur something about his own dysfunctional family. Kai serves the dish on the table, and the entire table lights up in delight for the dish being served. Kai is a decent cook after years of cooking and incredible expertise; while he isn't as exceptional as Zane or precise in recipes like Cole, he could cook a mean dish, something that Nya finds in herself to recognize.

"Sensei Wu, your family is so dysfunctional it can replace glass breaking," Jay tells their old master as he takes a seat next to Nya (a gesture Kai does not appreciate in the brown-haired man).

"You always complain over how embarrassed you felt about your parents," Cole snarks, immediately taking a few of the daikon Kai had cooked. The Fire Ninja flushes in embarrassment at the sudden enthusiasm Cole exudes when he sees and eats his cooking for the first time. "You don't get to talk about Sensei's terrible family dynamics."

"I complain about how they talk about the most embarrassing things about me, not their existence!" Jay retorts, "Like how you feel about your father!"

All humor drops from Cole's face, and he gives Jay a death glare. "Oh, you're stooping as low as that, huh?!"

Jay lets out a yelp, and Nya sighs as she attempts to salvage this conversation.

"You all are truly like a family," Wu says with a sardonic tone, "bickering with each other over trivial matters, and then embracing each other after a little banter. It reminds me painfully of my relationship with my brother." He takes a sip of his tea, while Lloyd, being the last one to sit at the table, races towards the dining room at top speed.

"Woah there Lloyd, there's plenty of room and food for all of us," Kai says in a teasing tone; he's not sure when he began to see the kid as anything else than a nuisance.

"Sorry, I was busy playin' video games!" He replies with a scowl on his face.

"You weren't trying to beat my high score again aren't you?" Kai fishes for some humor, to halt the bad blood between Jay and Cole.

“No, I’d get in trouble if I try ruinin’ your high score again!” Lloyd exclaims as he immediately takes a rice ball from the bowl. “I don’t wanna have to clean Kai’s dirty laundry over a game!”

Kai laughs, “Looks like you know when to stay in your lane, huh?”

“What a peculiar punishment,” Wu speaks, and the buzz around the dinner grounds to a halt, “simply beating one at a video game, and instead of praise they are given a roundabout punishment.”

Lloyd nods, a petulant expression on his face. “Yeah, I don’t wanna do Kai’s laundry! They smell bad!”

Kai’s face flushes in embarrassment as everyone else laughs.

“Kai’s clothes consist of the smell of perspiration,” Zane adds unnecessarily, causing Nya to make a disgusted look.

“Gross, I didn’t need to know that!” Nya replies.

Lloyd, thanks to his childish curiosity, changes his subject (although Kai suspects he also didn’t want to relive the situation in which he had been forced to wash the Red Ninja’s laundry), beginning to speak after he gulps down a rice ball (Nya had taught him proper manners when it was clear he would be living with them from now on). “I heard you guys were talking about your family!” Kai winces as Cole stiffens, Jay sighs, Zane’s expressionless face morphs into a slight frown, and Nya continues to eat her dinner quietly. It wasn’t the kid’s fault for not knowing about their problems in the family. Lloyd, oblivious to the tension, smiles at them with curiosity and fascination. “What’re your parents like?! You already know mine, he’s the evil lord wanting to get your golden weapons!”

Kai begins, wanting the others to partake in the kid’s question without making him upset. “Well, I have few memories of my parents, but my dad taught me how to man the old blacksmith shop in our home village. When I was five, my parents disappeared, and I have never seen them since. After they left, it’s been just Nya and I, which is all I could ever ask for.” Kai finds himself growing bitter after sharing his personal story of his parents with the others and immediately knew opening up about them was a bad idea. Something about Lloyd and his childish curiosity had been enough to get him to — slightly — open up about his parents. He keeps his head down as he feels his comrades’ eyes on him.

Nya comes to his rescue, “I barely have any recollection of my parents; they left when I was three, so it was just me and Kai. I do remember a few lullabies and someone cradling me to sleep, but the actual person who raised me was Kai.” There was a small smile on her face, and Kai grins comfortingly at his sister. “I barely remember what my parents look like because Kai is the only person I remember strongly.”

The silence that entered the dinner table was a thick one; even Jay is not sure if adding a remark in such an emotional speech was wise. It was like the embers of a flame are dying out, the hearth becoming less of what had made it special than anything else. Lloyd gives them a sympathetic look, which surprises Kai a little; he has never seen the blonde-haired kid look anything like he would understand their situation, but here he is, paying respects.

“I’m sorry,” Lloyd says in a guilty tone, “I didn’t mean to– ya know, make you guys upset.”

Kai shakes his head, forcing a smile on his lips. “No kid, thanks for listening to us. I’ve… never actually shared this with anyone else.”

“Which is a bad thing,” Nya interjects, but her voice doesn’t sound as if she is teasing her brother. “Glad you finally told them something about yourself, Kai.”

“Yeah, instead of letting Kai do the most impulsive thing and us learning about his personality later,” Jay bites back, and with this, dinner resumes its peaceful and friendly atmosphere.

Kai never thinks about his parents again; he is with another group that he sees as an extension of his family, and from now on, it stays that way.

It was a normal day for the Ninja; after the fiasco with the Time Twins and their blast in the past, Nya and Kai finally had a vacation from major crime, only fighting bad guys when they are out of the police’s hands. Though they occasionally search for Wu with traces of evidence they have gathered along the way, the lack of fighting supernatural bad guys gives Kai some time to release the exhausted breath he has been holding. Kai has to face it— he was a bit tired of fighting the worst people daily, and he finds himself growing exhausted about it for a multitude of reasons. He’s somewhat glad that his main assignment in a few months was just looking for Wu, wherever he is. He misses his master’s knack of quipping the wisest anecdotes or asking questions only he knows the answer to. The ninja team was not the same as it was without him.

Lloyd is a formidable master-in-training, however; for someone younger than the ninja combined (Kai winces at the reminder of what the Tomorrow’s Tea’s impact had on the young green ninja), he was great at keeping them all on their feet. He may be a bit less wise than Wu, but he makes up for it by being a tad more understanding and cordial with all of them. Jay casually mentions during the times they have gotten together he was like Wu… except he was not a fortune cookie. Lloyd hit Jay with one of the paper plates in mock offense, but everyone has come to agree on the Master of Lightning’s observation. Kai is proud of his younger brother for extending his knowledge and expertise in being a leader over all of them.

That doesn’t mean Kai has to abandon his old habits; always being the one last to wake up during a workday. Zane and Nya are always up and ready to do their jobs, Lloyd wakes the moment after the sun rises from the horizon, Jay wakes after another dream, and Cole, while a bit hesitant to climb out of bed, gives in to the temptation and fixes his own bed. Master of Fire frequently gets up when the clock strikes nine in the morning, maybe even later if Lloyd decides his beauty sleep is not over yet (Lloyd is also a lot more lenient than Wu).

When Kai opens his eyes to greet the new day, he is greeted by the empty bedroom of Destiny’s Bounty, and he smiles. With a yawn, he sits up, traverses his way to the bathroom to style his hair — an irritating process, according to Jay — and brushes his teeth. He smiles and winks at himself in the bathroom mirror before he treks his way to the living quarters of the ship.

“Looks like you guys were having fun without me,” he says in a casual tone.

Much to his bewilderment, none of them so much as looked at him; even Nya, who was busily staring at a parchment in hand. No wait, everyone was staring at it with fascinated or even excited gazes. Only his younger sister looks as though she was about to spontaneously combust.

Frowning, he asks, “What’s going on with everyone here?”

“You won’t believe who sent you and Nya the letter!” Jay replies, and Kai steels himself for a very detailed explanation before actually getting a clearer answer. “So basically Nya and I were training, so we were pretty surprised when the Mailman came and gave us a letter! I thought it was from my parents, but they would rather call than mail me and the only time they’d mail me is when they have a package ready for me, so I was pretty fishy about it. And then, I realized this wasn’t for me after all, but for Nya.”

“What Jay is trying to input, is Nya has obtained a missive from your parents,” Zane cuts in, and Kai is relieved at not having to hear the entirety of Jay’s story. And then, his relief becomes one of surprise and tension.

“Our parents sent us a letter?!” Kai asks, turning his head to Nya.

“Yeah,” she replies, sharing the same enthusiasm as Kai himself. They have regained contact with their parents a few months during the Time Twins dilemma, however, they have all parted in their ways so the siblings can focus on different tasks at hand. It may sound cold, but they have never partaken in the life their parents are leading now, so they have not had any sort of relationship with them since their splitting up. It raises a few eyebrows from their friends, but Kai and Nya firmly believe that their parents would speak up if ever they need any assistance from the two them. Although, Kai finds himself curious about what their parents have written to them, especially the look of apprehension and worry on his sister’s face. They didn’t get kidnapped again, did they?

“What did they say?” Kai asks, worming his way through Jay and Zane to get a good look.

“They… want us to come home with our friends during the Winter Festival,” Nya says, a resigned sigh on her face.

“They want us to… what?” Kai says with a look of disbelief on his face, taking the letter from Nya’s hands to read it himself. Indeed, it was written by his mother, Maya; the intricate cursive and the smell of perfume he can make out of the letter. After perusing the letter, all he could feel is dread and anxiety bubbling up inside of him, his casual expression melting. “Why would they want us to visit?”

“Why do you not want to visit them?” Lloyd gives him a questioning look. “They seem nice, and it has been three months since you last saw each other. Besides, I think we clearly can use a break around here.”

The rest hum in agreement, aside from Kai and Nya, who are still mulling over the contents of their letter. Kai mulls over Lloyd’s question; why does he not want to visit his parents? It’s been a lifelong dream of his to finally spend time with his parents, but now all that is left of him is dreading to meet mom and dad again.

“It’s because… well, we’re pretty busy in our assignments and searching for Wu,” Kai replies weakly, “and besides, it’s not like our parents would miss us again! After all, we’re still talking, so I don’t think there’s any need for a family dinner.” Okay, he was lying about the second-to-last part, but he didn’t want to return to Ignacia again. There were so many bad memories there he just wanted to forget. It was home, yes, but those years of forcing himself to achieve a mundane and peaceful life are frequently trampled.

The response is met with bewildered and horrified stares.

Cole breaks the silence and the realization of what Kai had just said, a gentle and comforting expression on his face. “But it wasn’t like they had a choice over abandoning you both! They were forced to work for Krux and Acronix and were refused to see you!”

“You think I don’t know that?” Kai scoffs, rolling his eyes. Cole is taken aback by his rude gesture, and Kai’s hardened gaze melts away. “... Sorry for lashing out, I… I know that they had like zero choices to play in that part.”

“But it’s still pretty awkward, you know?” Nya says, giving Kai a look that reminded him of those times she had asked him why there was no food in the fridge or why Kai isn’t letting her join expensive school trips. “We never knew them and I don’t think they know us outside of being their daughter and son.”

“That’s how I felt with my mom,” Lloyd steps in, tilting his head with an empathizing look. “I remembered the resentment I felt when she vanished, and then returned to me as though that was enough for me to love her again. It took me more time than I expected to see her as a proper parent, but it was all because I spent time with her that I grew to love her.”

“That’s what my dad and I did as well,” Cole points out. “So I don’t think you guys should give up on your parents immediately because you haven’t had them for about a decade.”

Kai shakes his head, but Nya nods, a resolve to make this work. “Alright, we’ll– we’ll try a relationship with mom and dad.” Kai stares at her, and she stares back, dauntless and sure. “I’ve always wanted to meet my parents.”

Her older brother freezes in place, and he nods. Seems like they share the same sentiment.

“But do they have to go?” Kai gestures to the others, who looked more excited at going into an old house in the middle of nowhere than they are.

Nya smiles, “I mean, they’re a part of the family too, aren’t they?”

Kai sighs.

Ignacia was a village in the middle of nowhere; villagers often tend to the rice fields as a source of their income, and perhaps barter with each other over harvest. Kai has found farming very mundane and average, which was why he had been so insistent on picking up the hammer to become the successor of his father’s legacy. Nevertheless, his ambition has failed him every step of the way. It was a small cramped village with a wide expanse of farming fields, but the path was so bumpy and tight that not even Destiny’s Bounty can find any space to park their vehicle in, and so Kai and the others traveled to Kai and Nya’s home by foot while dragging all their luggage behind. (Nya was quite adamant about packing lightly, yet Jay had argued the Winter Festival’s duration was one and a half weeks.)

Back then, Kai did not have the time to marvel at how small their home was, as most of the space is given to his father’s blacksmith shop. It had been enough room for the little Kai and Nya, who were busy making ends meet rather than complaining about how cramped it had been. Now, when Kai stares at it, he grimaces at how they can fit six more people inside of it. At the very least, it glowed welcomingly to them, unlike the loneliness, it had once emanated when Kai had been the ‘man’ of the house.

Kai and Nya immediately walk towards their old home; it was still the same, yes, but there was a glowing warmth deep within it. He feels his heart try escaping from him in his chest, and he bites his lip, waiting for the imminent moment to knock on the shogi doors and be greeted by the parents he never thought would see again. The others were busy chatting to themselves and helping each other unload their luggage from the vehicle.

Nya and Kai exchange a look; his younger sister smiles. “Home sweet home, right?”

Kai gives his sister a weaker smile but nods in assent. “Yeah… this time, we’re not alone, aren’t we?”

“Ugh, my legs feel like they’re disintegrating,” Jay groans, walking with a slight limp as he carries his and Nya’s luggage with him, while Cole was busy trying not to laugh at the brown-haired teen. “I’m never walking in a secluded village again.”

“Does this mean we won’t have to go around Ninjago City during one of our dates?” Nya raises an eyebrow towards Jay, who immediately sputters denials in response.

Kai bristles at the mention of Jay and Nya dating but keeps his head as he is approached by Cole, who looks concerned. “You okay, Kai?”

“I’m… fine, just a bit nervous, is all.” He could never bring it in himself to lie to Cole, especially when he looks at him like he is the single gem in the entire world.

Cole nods in understanding, “Yeah, I felt the same way too when we were visiting my dad for the Blade Cup.”

Kai smiles, “You remember that?” He vividly remembers the warmth Cole exudes after they had won the Blade Cup, hugging him almost without any thought to bear. He wasn’t sure where the lingering affection came from.

“I mean, that’s when I unlocked my full potential, so of course, I remember that,” Cole says with a smile. “Plus, you were hanging onto me like a grapevine, too.”

The red-haired teen flushes in embarrassment, “You don’t have to remind me.”

Nya gives Kai and Cole a smug look (for what, he doesn’t know) before she steps up on the engawa and calls for her mother and hovers around the shoji doors, waiting to be received. In an instant, the doors slide open to reveal a middle-aged woman with dark hair and sea blue eyes like Nya’s. She smiles warmly as she sees her guests, but her eyes sparked a strange sense of fire when she sees her son and daughter again. “Kai, Nya, it’s been a long time, I’m pleased that you brought it on yourselves to find time in your daily ninja lives for us! My husband and I welcome you to our home!”

Kai wants to make a response, but his mother trapping him and Nya in a bear hug made it impossible to even get a single word out. He chokes on air, not fully used to the idea of someone giving him hugs, especially to a woman he hasn’t seen in quite some time.

“I’ve waited for this moment, you know?” Maya whispers to the both of them gently, “I’ve always wanted to have a Winter Festival dinner with you two and your friends.”

“Th-Thanks, mom,” Nya replies awkwardly, a smile on her lips. To the Master of Fire’s relief, Maya lets go of the both of them, and he sucks in a breath. “We’re… we’re looking forward to spending time with the both of you too.”

He knows that isn’t a lie, but it wasn’t the entire truth too.

Maya nods, her bright smile remaining on her face. “Come in, everyone; our house may not be accustomed to having many guests at once, but we are so glad you take a break from your work for us!”

“It’s the least we can do, Mrs. Smith,” Lloyd replies cordially, and Maya tousles his hair.

“You do resemble your father Garmadon when he was young,” she says with a reminiscent tone and a look of enlightenment on her face, sighing. “I remember the times Garmadon and Wu fought over Misako in our youth. And please, no formalities between us, you all can call me Maya!”

Lloyd cringes; he’s never been told about his father’s childhood aside from the important bits, but he also didn’t want to hear about that particular nasty triangle his uncle and dad got themselves into. He smiles at Maya awkwardly. “Um… can you tell me stories about dad that didn’t involve fighting for my mom?”

“Oh, yes, I have a few details about Garmadon’s home life before the Serpentine War!” Maya turns to Jay, “Young man, you have an uncanny resemblance to Cliff Gordon when he was young! You’re the Master of Lightning, aren’t you?”

Jay is startled at the sudden attention towards him, but he nods. “Um, yeah?”

Maya laughs, although it is sadder this time. “I know you talked a lot the first time we met; almost like Libber once did when we had our gatherings from time to time!”

Kai turns to Jay with a surprised look. “So the story of you being adopted is true?!”

“My mom’s name is Libber?” Jay asks with a hopeful look on his face.

“Her full name is Liberty, actually, but we call her Libber!” Maya replies, ushering everyone inside. She turns to face her children, “I’m really glad that you two are friends with my friends’ children! I can see how you guys look out for each other from the news and letters we’ve managed to gather!”

“You kept yourselves updated through newspapers?” Kai attempts to verify, and Maya nods.

“We’ve missed a lot since we… um, left you.” Her son furrows at that authentic implication. “We were confused, and, we didn’t want to ask you anything since you are all so busy, but we want to know more about our children.”

“Didn’t Doctor Saunders— or Krux, update you on anything?” Nya asks.

“No, he was quite adamant on working us to death without any clue you were… suffering.” Maya replies sadly, and Kai’s frown morphs into a sad look. He steps in, not wanting his parents to feel guilty about leaving them anymore.

“Our suffering taught us to raise ourselves properly,” he replies, putting a hand on his mother’s shoulder. It was… strange, once again resuming physical contact with his mother. “We don’t– we’re not angry with you guys.”

A flicker inside of him, and a whisper from the flames. Are you truly not angry with them? He lets it die down, clearing his throat as he attempts to look casual. These are their parents, after all.

Kai gives Maya a reassuring smile, and then he assesses the condition of his childhood home after years of neglect — he’s never once touched this place after leaving it for the monastery, aside from the time with the helmet — and is surprised to see it in decent condition. Gone were the cobwebs that had been a nuisance to him in childhood, the dirtied fusuma and the weary wagoya above them (that had never protected the two of them from rain), and all the dust and dirt that had gathered around their house was gone, the entire home looking good as new.

Kai, Nya, and the others sit in a seiza position in front of the tokonoma with their backs to it; there was a beautifully patterned ikebana with a wild array of flowers on top of the tokonoma, and to his wonder, a portrait of their parents, Wu, Garmadon and the other Elemental Masters during the Serpentine War smiling at the camera. The texture of the photo was yellowed and graying, but he could surmise each individual’s face.

“I’m sorry about how small our home is, we’ve barely made our ends meet when we settled down for our family,” Maya says with an apologetic look. “Ray and I will have the futons ready, and then I’ll start cooking our dinner! I’m sure you all are starving from your journey!”

“May I help you cook?” Zane volunteers and Kai rolls his eyes fondly at his friend’s willingness to help those who cannot help themselves.

Maya beams, nodding her head. “I would appreciate it!”

The former Master of Water and the Master of Ice disappear in one of the fusumas that surround the home; Kai now notices that there are water and fire patterns around the fusuma now, and he has to think if it was Ray and Maya being proud of their heritage.

“I can feel my claustrophobia kicking in,” Jay breaks the silence, and Nya shoots him a perplexed look.

“You have claustrophobia?”

“Ever since the Nadakhan incident, but this home is too cramped that it might get worse!”

Cole hits him at the back of his head, and Jay lets out an exclamation of hurt. “Hey, no need to criticize your girlfriend’s house.”

“We live under the same roof!”

“Yeah, and we gotta deal with this for a few days too,” Cole says, “don’t we all share the same room?”

“Yeah, but at least I have room to toss and turn and cuddle my pillows!”

“Did you just admit to cuddling your pillows?” Kai asks with humor laced in his voice.

“Hey, no shame in that, I do it all the time.” Lloyd comforts Jay with a look of amusement.

The shogi doors are opened once again, and a familiar, elderly deep voice rings out. “Oh, we have visitors today!” Kai grimaces at the voice of his father, who had taught him the ways of a blacksmith before learning he was indeed the Elemental Master of Fire. Ray Smith steps inside of the house, discarding his geta near the genkan. He has a warm smile on his face, jaded with age, and those gentle eyes of his. His eyes brighten as it lands on Kai and Nya, his smile growing even wider. “Kai, Nya, it’s been a while!”

The current Master of Fire forces a smile from his face as he stands back up, almost falling over thanks to how stiff his legs are. “Dad, sorry that we haven’t visited you, our plates were… full of fighting crime, as you know!” He winces at the almost inability to be at ease around his parents, having been inured to a life without parents, and a life without the warmth of his father’s arms in him again. He shouldn’t be tense, he shouldn’t be stiff, and he should be greeting his father warmly like how he does with his friends.

“Didn’t look full when you were playing video games,” Jay whispers, and Nya glares at him to shut up.

Ray gives Kai a firm embrace; unlike Maya’s lung-stricken embrace, it was a bit lighter and warmer, but it also helps him smell that indeed, Ray has been working in the forge once again. “You’ve grown a lot since the last time I saw you, boy!”

He lets out a forcible laugh, tentatively putting his arms around his old man. “You… saw me three months ago.”

“Yeah, when I was about to croak thanks to that stupid time blade,” the older man shudders, and he lets Kai go, to his relief. He smiles at his son, “At least you didn’t ambush me this time.”

Nya snorts, and Kai bristles in embarrassment.

“He did what?!” Jay asks, eager to hear the story behind that. He and Nya had taken turns to talk about how they found their parents, except, well, the initial reception he had given his father.

“You don’t need to hear it, lightning rod.” He rolls his eyes, looking at his father with the hope he would never bring up the awkward moment that lead up to their family reunion.

Unfortunately, his father is a dad, and that would mean oversharing every unnecessary story about their children to other people without his kids’ permission. He laughs, and he sits in front of the others, as Kai finds himself horrified at his father’s side of the story. “My son thought I was a traitor of Ninjago and attacked me after opening the door to my prison rather rudely.”

Lloyd laughs, “Is this the reason why Kai tried to ask me how I felt because my father is Lord Garmadon?”

“It– It was a good question!” Kai sputters.

“I thought Kai was having a date with Skylor, but it turns out he was just asking her how she copes with her evil dad,” Nya adds, covering her mouth as she bursts into giggles. Cole’s laugh dims at the mention of Kai going out with Skylor, but the others continue to laugh, much to Kai’s chagrin.

“He told me… what did he say again?” Ray strokes his beard to remember, but Kai pleads he doesn’t even remember an ounce of what he said. “ ‘I will have my vengeance!’ Or something like that? It was enough to give little old me a heart attack too. It got me thinking: ‘who did I anger so much in my life?’ When he controlled fire, however, that is when I realized that the person attacking me is also my son.”

Jay bursts into laughter and said son buries his face in his hands out of a mixture of guilt and shame. “This is worse than the time I thought my dad died!”

Nya holds Kai’s arm, a comforting smile on her face. “Well, we said sorry by taking the reversal blade and curing my dad of a fast death.”

Ray chuckles, “Now if you put it like that, I do feel young again.”

Kai laughs along with the others, but his laugh was dim, muted, like the flames of a candle winding away thanks to a cold gust of wind that blows in their direction. It did not help that his father is attempting to swing his arm around his shoulders, a gesture of a tight bond between father and son when they barely know a thing about each other.

Dinner is a mundane affair; Maya and Zane return from the irori bearing their meal for dinner. The Smith household continues to live in a traditional home unlike his other friends and doesn’t have the best technological advancements, as his parents barely made a living through blacksmithing due to times of peace after the Serpentine Wars. He is sure that they lived decently, before their many tries for a baby came to fruition and they had Kai, and then Nya. He remembers his parents denying a few of his requests for a new toy he found during one of their strolls in the marketplace (but Ray would compensate for their lack of money by actually crafting toys for him), and when Nya was born budget became tighter and stricter. Nevertheless, those first five years with his parents in which they lived in modesty and obscurity were… peaceful.

“I’m sorry if none of you liked the meals I’ve cooked; though I appreciate Zane helping me out and telling me what meals you’d want for Winter,” Maya says with a candid look (seriously mom, you need to stop being nice), holding out a few utensils for everyone. She passes it to Kai, who is seated across Ray — after much insistence from the older man to sit near him — and he passes it to Nya after taking a few needed utensils, and she follows suit until everyone else has them.

“It’s fine, Mrs. Smith,” Lloyd says with an eager expression, looking up at Zane. “Hey Zane, what’s the menu for this night’s dinner?”

“Maya and I have prepared a total of ten meals, appetizer and dessert included,” Zane replies with a smile on his face.

Cole perks up at the mention of cake. “Is there any cake though?!”

“I thought you gave up on cake,” Kai teases, and Cole rolls his eyes.

“My diet is off during holidays.”

Kai looks unconvinced, shaking his head. “Whatever you say, buddy.”

(Jay and Nya exchange furtive glances, while Lloyd coughs at the sudden display and Zane smiles knowingly.)

“I believe I baked chocolate cake because it is your favorite flavor,” the Master of Ice answers mirthfully. He starts to serve the food, placing it at the center of the table so that everyone is able to reach their meals properly and without any discourse. Cole cheers at that answer, and everyone else starts to take turns taking a piece of the meal they are given, as Maya offers each of them chawan for their rice. Kai and Nya wait patiently until their parents are done taking their fair share of the food they have been offered. The Master of Fire’s face morphs into a keen smile once the vision of sashimi and sushi is in his line of sight. Kai uses his chopsticks to carry his chosen meal to his own plate along with a few pieces of tonkatsu; seeing his son’s choice of food, Ray gives him a look of amusement.

Catching his father’s look, he asks, “What is it?”

“It’s that when we once had our winter festival dinners, you’d always make a beeline for the dumplings and miso soup,” Ray says with a hearty tone, meaning no harm in his observation; Kai simply gives Ray an odd and ludicrous look.

It was Kai’s favorite dish.

Then it turned into a messy and vulgar memory that he had pushed to the back of his mind, never ratifying that small moment of his childhood finally blowing over like a rush of wildfire, and the feeling of his old passiveness finally vanishing into thin air. A dumpling vendor on the road– a malicious smile on his face; the feeling of sleep washing over him; waking up before it was too late; being saved by a golden blur. It was a mangled and entangled memory he did not wish to remember in full detail, but the worst bits and pieces of it comes to haunt him in his mind when he is not looking. He remembers the sound of Nya screaming, the loud thuds of someone in his bed, and his consciousness falling falling falling—

“... Kai, are you alright?” Cole’s voice is, poetically, the one that brings him back to earth, and he looks up to see everyone staring at him with looks of concern; his parents, in particular, were a bit closer to him than he would like.

“Did we say something wrong?” Maya asks, holding his cheeks without his consent. He immediately pushes her away, a glare on his face.

“Don’t touch me,” he snaps. All he could see were blurry faces, some blurred until they are unrecognizable, specifically the two people who wore red and blue, identical to his sister and himself. He’s always like this when his mind uncovers something perceived to have been forgotten, lost in the sea of memories. He can’t help it.

“Kai… that was just our parents,” a small voice from his right is the one that fully brings him back to the present, as he adjusts his vision; finally, the blurry faces subside to reveal everyone looking at him with worry etched on their faces, their dinner going neglected to verify if one of their teammates are harmed or in pain. Kai did not appreciate the glances sent his way, and he blames himself for being caught off-guard to a question that had a definitive answer, but one that is too hard to grasp or talk about because of his lingering fear and hesitation. At the very least, Cole, Lloyd, and Nya’s worried looks did not bother him as much as, say, Ray and Maya’s. Looking at them, pretending they know what is wrong with their own son, makes him feel sick to his stomach. They would know if they had been there to stop that from happening.

“Did… I say something wrong, son?” Ray asks, and Kai has to bite his tongue to prevent him from answering in the angriest way possible. Of course, they did not know; they were busy providing Krux armor for his indestructible warriors.

Kai lets out a weak chuckle, before picking his chopsticks back up and taking a bite of his tonkatsu. His appetite was long gone, but he’ll have to pretend he’s still looking forward to this week-long stay for himself and his sister. “I don’t like dumplings anymore, there are a few other foods that I’ve never tried when I was young, so it’d make sense it’ll be replaced.” He forces himself to bite another piece of his dinner, hoping that everyone else will get the memo and dig into their dish too. He loves being the center of attention, but not when everyone is asking him the same questions in their heads over again. The people at the dinner table were unconvinced, so Kai glares at Nya to help him; the Master of Water nods, and lets out a hum of satisfaction.

“Wow mom, you really outdid yourself with sushi and pork belly!” Nya says while munching on the said dish with a reignited fervor. “I’m not really a cook, I’m more of a mechanic, but this is really making me interested in cooking once again.”

Maya’s face brightens, and after sending a subtle glance of worry over Kai — which he does appreciate, in his way — she wrings her hands together. “I can teach you how to make a mean batch of meatloaf and pork belly tomorrow, dear! But thank you very much, your friend here told me how much you love to eat meatloaf!”

The dining table is once again filled with a bunch of noisy teenagers and adults willing to tell each of the stories of the old times, and Kai feels his energy returning when Jay talks about how he is dating Nya and the story of a pirate genie. It wasn’t enough for the anxiety to whittle down until it was non-existent, but it was enough to relieve him of the memories he wished he can erase, just like Zane’s does.

Once dinner has ended and Maya retrieves the spare futons from one of their vacant rooms, the rest split up to complete their tasks; Lloyd and Nya are cleaning the table, Jay and Zane help Maya with bringing the futon, and Kai, Cole, and Ray had volunteered in washing the dishes. The current Master of Fire is perplexed his father would spend his time at the sink, as he remembered he’s always been a man that liked to do hard work rather than washing dishes or even cooking. Then again, he can firmly acquiesce that it’s because time changes people, and Ray isn’t the same man as he had been before.

Kai opens the faucet of the sink, washing his hands as he prepares to wash the dishes. Someone bumps on his shoulder, and he turns to meet Cole’s eyes (his heart skips a beat, but he doesn’t know why), whose expression was contorted to one of worry. He knows who he is worried about, and he bears himself for the multitude of questions he is about to be asked.

“You froze when Ray asked about your aversion to some of the food,” Cole says with furrowed brows, making him look even more like a gentle caretaker than the strong earth ninja. “Are we gonna act like that didn’t happen?”

“Yes, we are,” Kai whispers, his eyes on his father busily rearranging the lacquer boxes strewn around the room. “I don’t want you bringing it up again.”

Cole shakes his head. “It was the first time I’ve seen you look so… terrified. Something must have happened after Ray and Maya disappeared, right?”

“I mean, they did leave a five-year-old kid and his three-year-old sister behind; what do you expect? For the both of them to live a life that isn’t touched by poverty or those low-class thugs on the streets that will prey on young children?” He seethes, his fingers crackling with flames. He takes a deep breath to calm down.

Cole sighs, “Oh Kai, I didn’t mean to ask for a full detail of what happened during your childhood but… seeing you unresponsive, it was scary, man.”

“I only act like that if people point out things I’ve grown to dislike.” He starts to rinse the dishes, making a few disgusted comments as he does so (why is Jay still a messy eater? He’s got the grace of a ten-year-old, that’s for sure). “Like saying my favorite food was dumplings, because, let me reiterate, they aren’t anymore.”

“Why don’t you tell Ray that you have an aversion to the delicacy then?” Cole suggests, and Kai grips one of the plates tighter than he has had his entire life. “So that it won’t repeat.”

“I’m…” Kai steals another furtive glance in his father’s direction, before sighing. “I’m not ready to talk about this yet, with any of you guys either.”

The dark-haired teen gives him a look of understanding. “okay, but when you’re ready to tell us, you can count on us supporting you along the way.” Kai feels a warm hand on his shoulder, and it was like the hearth has been given more logs lately, bursting into an impressive amount of flames. His breath hitches, and he finds his cheeks glowing.

He smiles, “Thanks.”

Their sincere moment is interrupted by Ray’s voice. “Oh, Kai, you’re washing the dishes?”

Said young man finds himself having to smile insincerely again, all the warmth he felt from Cole vanishing as he has to be confronted with the past. “Yeah, Cole and I are managing it.”

“That’s nice, let me help you with the dishes!” Without even waiting for a response, Ray steps between Cole and Kai, much to the latter’s dismay. He starts to scrub at the plates with soap, an excited glint in his eyes. “The secret to washing dishes efficiently and quickly is to—”

Kai, impatient at how slow he is getting done with his chores, gently pushes his dad out of the way. “I know how to wash dishes, dad, I was like, five when I learned I’m not tall enough to reach the sink and had to rely on chairs to help me. Besides, it took a few trips to the hospital for me to realize that I am terrible at washing dishes.”

Cole winces at his harsh words, while Ray was more focused on the content of Kai’s words than the fact he had just shaded him. “You were hurt in this very place?”

Kai shrugs, his eyes burning into the plates. “A sprain in the ankle there, my face colliding with the sink, my chair falling beneath me… I’ve had my own fierce battles with sinks before.”

“Son–”

“And it’s no big deal,” he interrupts, looking at his father dead in the eye. “No big deal at all.”

Cole looks at both father and son; the son looking adamant and stubborn about not letting his parents inside of his brain, and his father, so desperate to find a hint of the child he had briefly brought into the world. It seems that neither is getting what they want, and he wonders if the motto of ‘fight fire with fire’ didn’t understand the trouble that it would bring to them. They are fire, alright— Kai is impulsive, burning, and the passionate type and Ray is more like the fire in the irori, carefully placed, caged, and orderly. They were opposites, truly, whilst mastering their respective element.

“I’m gonna get back to washing the dishes,” Kai breaks the stare-off, turning to the sink once more. “And I’m gonna hit the pillows for the rest of the night.”

“Oh, but aren’t you interested in playing video games with your old man?” Cole cringes at Ray’s attempt to bond with his son.

“Thanks, dad, but I’m pretty beat.” Kai yawns and Cole knows it’s a bogus action. “Probably tomorrow? I dunno.” He knows he’ll never settle to playing video games with their dad tomorrow.

Ray deflates in disappointment, but he nods. “Alright, have a good night, son!” Kai’s heart softens at the lingering affection and smiling he waves good night at his father too.

“Good night, dad.” He watches his dad walk away from them with a dejected posture, opening the fusuma and then perhaps meeting up with his wife in their room. When Kai turns back to his job, he is surprised to find Cole almost finished, now rinsing the soap-covered plates and placing them in their proper positions on their racks. Kai gives him a befuddled look; he isn’t a big fan of chores, but he also didn’t want the others to take on chores that are supposed to be his. “Cole, I was about to finish those.”

“You looked like you needed help,” Cole replies with a pointed tone; something he uses when he wants to say something to his desired person. “So I finished it up for you.”

He snorts, “I’m fine, I was just occupied with my dad, that’s all.”

Cole shakes his head, looking disappointed as he did so. “Kai, did they do something wrong that makes you want to distance yourself from them?”

Kai’s eyes nearly bulge, as he instinctively takes a step back, raising both arms. “Woah, what are you talking about? I’d never been scared or distant from my parents! Not voluntarily, though!”

Cole raises a brow, and Kai sighs. This man has been their leader before Lloyd stepped up to the position, and he is once again trying to drill his words and eyes into Kai’s head, trying to understand what was wrong with his thoughts and read into every single word he had uttered. “Look Cole, I appreciate being concerned with me, but really, it’s nothing to worry about! It’s just being awkward after meeting them again for the first time in my life! It’s nothing!”

The Master of Earth stares at him, but he nods, slowly, as if Kai is about to run out of his sight. “Sure.”

Kai is gloriously saved by Nya sliding the fusuma open, looking deeply exhausted. With one last breath of energy, she tells her mother good night, not hearing another response as she groans and slumps down the fusuma. She pinches the bridge of her nose, looking up at her brother and friend with tired eyes. “I didn’t know mom was this fond and coddling.”

Kai stares, before laughing. “Yeah, she’s like that whenever we do something that impresses her; catch a butterfly and then she’ll give you a thousand kisses and bake you homemade pie.” An echo of a soft, motherly voice enters his head, and the feeling of warm lips pressing on his cheeks as the voice convinces him to let go of the butterfly he had caught with his own two hands. The butterfly had been nimble, yes, but he is much more dexterous than the butterfly ever is, able to cage it between stubby fingers.

The Water Ninja laughs, helping herself up — denying Kai’s extended hand in the process — smirking at her brother. “It reminded me of the time you kept speaking about me during our first dinner together as a ninja team when I was introduced properly to your new friends.”

Kai huffs, but his face is pink. “Even if you’re insufferable, you still need someone to note all of your achievements.” This insult/compliment earns him a punch on the shoulder, which he takes in stride.

“You always complain about Jay dating your sister, but you were the one talking about how Nya built a fully-functional motorcycle in one day.” Cole snorts as Kai’s ire shifts to him.

“Mom seems to approve of Jay,” Nya replies with a mirthful expression, the color of red brushing over her cheeks. Her eyes trail over her brother, “How did you and dad’s first bonding moment go, Kai?”

The smile that has been temporarily etched into Kai’s face disappears immediately, and Cole fidgets in the place he is standing. Nya seems to sense what’s up, and she raises an eyebrow at Kai’s sudden tense reaction. “What happened?”

The Fire Ninja lets out a small laugh. “Dad was looking like he might fall from where he is standing, so I told him to go rest up a bit.”

Nya gives him a deadpan expression, evident she did not buy his excuse. “Is that why he entered their room with a sad look on his face?”

Kai doesn’t respond, so Nya presses further. “Kai,” she says tightly, her arms on her hips.

“Okay, maybe I told him I can take care of the dishes all on my own, but maybe it’s because he’s been giving me sad looks and a ton of stories of what happened when I was like, I dunno, five? It’s been a decade and more since those stories were made! I’m grown up now, but it seems like dad is stuck in the past! At least they treat you like the grown woman you are now.”

Nya stares, before taking a beat to speak. “Kai, if you feel so exasperated that our dad is still seeing you as the five-year-old kid afraid of the dark, why don’t you just prove or tell him you don’t want to be coddled?”

“The thing is, I do want to feel the parental care I ceased getting when I turned five.” He slumps down on the sink shamefully, but Cole stabilizes him, a worried crease on his brows.

“Then why not just let them in?” Nya asks, before firmly regretting saying that; Kai has to be one of the most difficult people to collaborate, with but the most eager to help when a dire situation arises. She has to brace herself for the simplest crack of the intricate dam that Kai has built around himself, never fully demolishing it.

“Because I’m used to being my own parent,” Kai says, “and finding myself now surrounded by my actual birth parents, I feel awkward.”

Cole gives him a look of pity. “That’s how I felt too when my dad started to act like the parent I never had when my mom died. It was uncomfortable, embarrassing even because you’ve grown so used to taking care of yourself and others that you’ve forgotten how it felt to be taken care of.”

Kai pats Cole on the shoulder comfortingly. “Well, what am I supposed to do?”

“Just spend some time to get to know dad while also telling him you’re not the kid that grew up watching tapes on the VCR anymore, he’ll understand.”

Kai takes a moment to assess his sister’s attempts at helping him reconnect with his parents, before he sighs, smiling. “I’ll… I’ll try again with dad tomorrow. I’m proud you finally see how nice our parents are, Nya.”

She smiles, “And it looks like it’s time for you to see how kind they are to you, too.” With that, Nya walks towards the living room, laying down with her boyfriend, who immediately flushes as he sees her beside him.

Cole nudges Kai, and he turns to look at him. “Ray is a nice man, Kai; I can feel how much he cares about you.”

Kai sighs, “I know, you don’t need to say that.”

As night falls and the snow descends to earth as well, Kai sleeps soundly in the living room, adjacent to Nya, but sharing futons with Cole as everyone else has taken up their own space. It was nice, being in Cole’s arms, robust and firm, able to hold even the heaviest objects known to mankind. With his talent for fire and how his temperature is always on the hotter side, and Cole’s arms wrapped around him like a protective stable, he did not need the blankets the others have cuddled up before them. The shogi door is slightly open, letting a gust of cold wind enter through the door since it seems their house still hasn’t implemented any ventilation units.

He pivots his head back to glare at the slightly open door, warning trespassers who dare think they have caught a family off guard to stay away. There are reasons why he is a light sleeper, despite his late-waking periods and frequent grogginess being against that truth. There was once a time when he had made the wrong move opening the shogi doors slightly as they are sound asleep, and that had given him the scar on his right eye, almost blinding him thanks to his stupidity. After that, he keeps all doors of the home firmly locked, even locking his and Nya’s door. It was hard work, being paranoid every time they close in for the night, but if it manages to keep him and Nya safe, then fine, he will have to secure his own home.

Cole grumbles in his sleep, and Kai takes this as a sign to turn back to his friend, closing his eyes and then going to sleep.

(For some reason, he feels safe.)

Ignacia is a small village a good distance away from Ninjago City— it was a humble and simple farming village, surrounded by ricefields, small hills, and even trees. They are stuck in the old ways that they have not fully built more modern-inspired houses as their home, proving how straightforward they are in their lives. Sure, there are times when their easy ways have been interrupted — such as an attack made by the Skullkin ordered by Garmadon, or the part in which the entire continent was covered in the darkness that has never been seen before — but they prevail, offering the fruits of their hard work for the more urbanized sections of the continent and most live the rest of their mundane lives quietly.

Kai… is not all for that plan, and neither was his sister.

The Fire Ninja and his companions are awoken by the sounds of chattering in the kitchen room. Seeing that he is still under Cole’s grip, who was groaning and complaining but not moving to wake any time soon, he gently slipped out of his arms (no matter how much it burned for him to do it) and made his way to the kitchen. He should not be surprised to see Zane in the kitchens once again, Maya on the irori .

Maya turns her head once she hears the sliding of the fusuma, and her face brightens once she sees Kai standing awkwardly. “Kai, you’re up early!”

“Usually, he is the one to rise the last,” Zane says with a chipper tone.

Kai sighs, crossing his arms. “Can it, Zane.” He turns to his mom— he supposes that he will do as Nya says, reforge his connections with his parents. He does miss their gifts, meals, and warm touches, after all. “What are you guys cooking?”

“Oh, we’re baking pancakes and muffins for everyone!” His mother claps her hands excitedly, and a smile makes her way on her features. Kai can only stand still as he stares at his mother, filled with vigor and enthusiasm he has only seen from her in her memories. “Zane is helping me by filling out what kind of flavor and texture everyone wants for them! I heard you like strawberries and nuts in both of them!”

Kai blushes, and Zane smirks proudly. “Y-Yeah, I do, Mom.”

“But that leads us to a problem,” Maya says, sighing. “We don’t have enough ingredients to perfectly make our assorted batch of breakfast! Zane and I were planning to go to the market, but since you are here… perhaps you can make a journey to the market to buy some needed ingredients? Actually, I have enlisted them here!” Without allowing her son to speak, she shoves a piece of paper with a long, long list of words.

Strawberries, blueberries, chestnut… His mind whirls over the letters, and he sighs. He’s done this before when Zane had once requested him to buy ingredients for his endeavor, so it wouldn’t be so bad.

“Okay, I’ll do it,” he says, nodding to his mother.

“If Kai is going, then I’m going as well.” Ray appears out of thin air behind him, but having seen Wu do that stunt with them time and time again, Kai only turns his head to him with a sigh.

“Dad, I can do this on my own just fine,” Kai says.

"You need someone to help navigate your way to the market, so I'm going with you!" Ray touches Kai’s shoulder, and he doesn't have the energy to make him let go.

However, he does have some energy for backtalk. "Dad, I’ve been the one buying food and replacing the ones in the fridge since I was five; you'd think I don't know how to buy food and search through the market? If anything, I'm the one who should be helping you navigate your way through the market." He didn't want to have to tell his father about how ridiculous he is indirectly, but he had to because he wasn't interested in bringing company with him.

Ray and Maya stare, while Zane, though Kai could sense the nindroid is awkwardly chopping up vegetables.

"I, uh, didn't mean it that way," Kai tries to save the conversation, "it's just, I know how to handle myself."

“Let me give you some company during your trip to the market, then,” Ray offers.

Kai takes a moment to reel in his words, and the choices he is presented with; if he says no, he will be considered rude by his friends, and if he says yes…

He nods firmly, trying to look like he actually wants his father with him. “Okay, I have the list and you can… well, if we’re talking about stalls, care to take me to them immediately?”

Ray’s face perks up. “It would be my pleasure, son.”

The marketplace is the same as it had been when he left; for such a sparse village, they sure love to crowd around the marketplace, the only source of socialization and entertainment they had in their lives. Kai’s shoulders slump, as his mind reflected what he may have been if his sister was not kidnapped by the forces of the Skullkin. He did not want to spend the rest of his days as a rookie blacksmith in this small town when he could have been doing other achievements than muck up his craftsmanship. There were tents and stalls around, selling wood, fruit, crops, and other kinds of necessary items to provide them all with the sustenance to live. Kai bitterly remembers having to steal from each and every stall and getting caught and punished when they don’t seem to understand what he had been going through.

“Have you ever tried blacksmithing, Kai?” Ray asks suddenly, prompting Kai to exit memory lane.

“Oh, uh, yeah, I did,” he replies truthfully, but his mind was elsewhere. He can only recall the brief flashes of the terrible forging, the metalwork, and the creation of weapons he had been supposed to be perfect at; he is the son of a blacksmith after all, so why can’t he be as talented as his old man. He shrugs, his eyes sweeping past the old river he and his parents once swam in, “I was the one managing the business, but like, I was pretty bad at creating good weapons unlike you so no customer really wanted to buy from me. Nya said I lack patience.”

Ray chuckles, “I had been the same when I was as young as you; too eager to finish my craftsmanship, too easy to get frustrated once it breaks apart the first time I use it.”

Kai laughs, as they reach the fruit stall. “Yeah, my final work before my sister got kidnapped was an oddly shaped sword.”

“Oh my, I have done the same mistake as well!” Ray laughs, “We are so similar in many ways, my boy.”

Kai smiles tensely at that— he did not want to be compared to his own dad. Wanting to lift this sore subject of being a failed successor of a great blacksmith, he starts to examine the fruit on the first stall he sees. His eyes soften at the sight of strawberries, and he turns to his dad. “You know, I love strawberries, but I also love it when my muffins are crumbly and spicy.”

“Oh, the preference for spicy foods, even in the most unconventional foods, have persisted through the times of even the first Master of Fire.” Ray smiles with mirth.

“You like spicy foods too, dad?” Kai asks with a momentary glint of interest.

“Of course! I always ask Maya to make my miso soup spicy from time to time.”

“Oh, I requested Zane to keep spicing up every kind of meal he has when I’m with him as well!” Kai says, huffing a laugh. Perhaps spending time with his father isn’t so bad after all, and there are not so many changes that have transpired through time.

He jinxed it way too soon; Ray comes to a stop upon a familiar stall selling fruit, the sweet scent of the variety of fruit remaining stocked up as the cold season settles in blocking out the horrid and rotten attitude of the store owner.

With a sigh, he silently slinks his way past a few idle customers and comes to a stop behind his father; he did not want to interact with this man again. ( The sounds of the shogi doors being hastily opened, the thumping of feet against the tatami mats, and someone shouting for Kai to come out and owe him the food he has stolen. ) Not wanting to make himself conspicuous, he blends in with his father’s background, pretending as if he is a wandering villager looking for the things he needs on his list.

“It’s so nice to see you again, Ned!” Ray greets the owner of the store warmly, and Kai jolts at the name. “Looks like you’re still manning this fruit stand after all these years, eh?”

There is a raspy, deep laugh behind the stall, and Kai could only remember this man… this bastard, trying to hurt Nya because of his mistake. “It’s been a while since I last saw you, Ray. Where the heck has you and your wife been? A second honeymoon?”

He wishes, Kai thinks in his head, as Ray lets out a forced laugh.

“Ah, aren’t there rumors spinning about Maya and me in the first place?” He asks, his demeanor a bit conflicted right now.

“There are, ‘cause you’re one of the most respectable men in this remote village,” Ned replies as he starts to gather the necessary ingredients that Ray had given him while Kai was looking anywhere but this accursed fruit stall. “Some say you were eaten by a yokai, others say you ran away from home thanks to the Serpentine, you know, nasty stuff.”

“Yes, that is all quite nasty gossip to be uttering of,” Ray concurs, retrieving his order from Ned’s hands. “Does my son come here often, after Maya and I disappeared?”

Kai subtly flinches, and he fidgets with the sleeves of his gi, quietly awaiting Ned’s answer. If he ever speaks wrongly about him or his sister… well, he’s going to have to give him a piece of his mind. He’s become accustomed to sneaking into the farmer’s market thanks to his mercilessness and lack of generosity, barely able to buy even the tiniest bits of scraps such as bread or butter from even the kindest stall owners here. He had no choice but to steal, believing his parents were disappointed in him, all because Nya has been crying about food and accidentally ate the portions he had tirelessly gathered for two weeks in three days. He can’t exactly blame her either; he would also want to eat if his stomach feels like it was about to grind itself to the point of no return. Food was scarce in Ignacia, despite being a village of farmers, but it will even be atypical for two children with a limited amount of money to even buy things.

Kai senses a shift in the somewhat cordial attitude Ned has been displaying. “Oh, your kid? Well… he rarely comes out of the house, and when he does it’s usually to buy food from the market. Or, ya know, take food from us under our noses.”

Ray freezes a bit, and Kai grumbles as he steps beside Ray with a hardened expression on his face. “That’s a nice accusation there, Ned; can you back it up with evidence?” He crosses his arms, giving Ned an intimidating frown. He’s not the frightened child that had been caught stealing by this man now.

Ned gives him a once-over and scoffs. “Look shrimp, you may be that all-famous and powerful ninja news makes ya out to be, but to me, you’re nothin’ but a thievin’ munchkin.”

Kai can feel his father’s contemplative eyes on him, but he doesn’t back down. “You want to tell him about that time you trespassed in our home in the middle of the night?” It was useless hiding this sort of information from his father; besides, a nerve of pettiness against this bastard awakened as he confronts him once again. Also, he did want his father to know about what their neighbors, specifically those who had always been dangerous men, learned what they have hidden deep in their hearts.

“He did what?” Ray speaks up in a dangerous tone.

The vendor scoffs, “There ain’t any evidence of me breakin’ and entering.”

Kai has to bite his anger back. “‘Cept for the scratches on the living room and our bedroom, sure.”

“That’s why there were so many scratches there when we were fixing our home?!” Ray exclaims in realization, a dangerous fire burning in his eyes as he glares at Jayce. “How could you do that to my children!”

Ned was unhindered by the Smith men’s outbursts, raising both hands. “Look, he was puttin’ his dirty, thievin’ hands on my stall.”

“I cannot believe you would trespass in our home and hurt our children!” Ray points an accusing finger at the one he thought was his friend. “If I still had my elemental powers, I would have burnt your stall to the ground!”

“Believe me, dad, I would be doing the same right now.” Kai looks Ned right in the eye, and for the first time, he looks almost scared. “But ninja protects, they don’t destroy. Let’s get going now.”

Kai was never one to run away from a conflict, but Ned was, unfortunately, not a criminal, unless you count breaking and entering a home that is only filled with children once. Ray was a bit hesitant to let this issue go, and he fixes his old friend a death glare before walking with his son and away from the market.

It was quiet for a moment, the cool, chilly air blowing towards them, a sign for winter coming.

Then, Ray speaks. “Son… did he ever hurt you?”

Kai gives him an unreadable look, before shaking his head. He didn’t want to talk about that particular night in heavy detail, and how much it made an impact on him. He closes the doors to his room as tight as they are. When he had just moved in with his sister in the monastery along with the other ninja, he had panicked when Zane called him over for breakfast. Only Nya had been allowed to open his door, but he had gotten used to them, to the point of seeing them as family, so he doesn’t mind it anymore. “Not really.”

His father remains expressing worried looks. “Did other neighbors try hurting you?”

(His tired feet run through the entire night to chase away the scorned villagers— a man in white tries to lure Nya in with a lollipop— two people from out of the village sneaking indoors because they know only two children are present in the home—) “Not as bad as Jayce did.” He shrugs as if that is just normal life, and he would claim it is, because how many times has a villain trespassed into their home or destroyed it in the process? Ray is about to open his mouth again, probably inquire him more about details he didn’t want his own father to know; Kai may think he might have a heart attack before he could finish listing them all. “Anyways, let’s speed things up, I bet Nya’s wondering where we went.”

“In the market?” His father asks with a questioning look, and Kai gives him a small smile.

“I mean, I guess so.”

The older man sighs, “Son if there had been any neighbors that had tried to harm you—”

“Dad, I mean it, no one hurt me or Nya as bad as Ned did.” Kai interrupts his father; he didn’t want his father to bring up the dumpling incident again. “I handled it all on my own.” If dropping mallets or literal forging materials on intruders or perpetrators are a defense system.

Ray looks unconvinced, but thankfully, he lets it go. They walk in another bout of silence, before his father turns to him and says, “Kai, sometimes we hide things we are ashamed of telling people of. If you are ready to talk about what had transpired between us leaving and your recruitment to the ninja, I will be listening.”

Kai stays silent, his gaze firmly on the ground.

There is nothing to talk about, his mind says.

There is everything to talk about.

“Be careful with chopping up the ginger, son!” Ray calls from the irori, tending to the flames with a stick. Kai had insisted on lighting it up on fire himself, but the older man shoots him down and tells him to go chop up some vegetables for dinner. A bit frustrated that he would let his dad boss him around, he begrudgingly takes the chopping board and the knife, preparing all the ginger, potatoes, garlic, and onion laying around.

With forced politeness, he shouts. “I know, dad!” He starts chopping up the onions first; he didn’t want to be caught dead looking as if he’d been crying from those stupid romance movies Jay and Nya watch when they think they’re alone. Once he started cutting the third onion into tiny pieces, his eyes start to sting a little. For being ninja, one of the most skilled fighters in Ninjago history, they always fall weak to onions and their ability to make them weep. He manages to wipe his eyes with his sleeve after a few more excruciating minutes of dealing with the onions before he starts with the potatoes.

“You have strong arms, son,” Ray’s voice returns to the room, and Kai did not have to look at him to see a proud look on his face. “It’d make you a fine blacksmith; what do you say you stay here a bit longer so I can give you a few more lessons? And perhaps assist me in the forge when you are free?”

The Master of Fire stares at the ginger on the chopping board, a bit flabbergasted and alarmed. Once again, his father refuses to listen to Kai’s prohibitions towards returning to the forge, but now, he has the intent to try and put him back on the forges? After years of realizing that the art of making fine swords for a living was not his to be? He groans as he continues to cut the ginger, a bit distracted from his line of work, ignoring his father’s words of being a better blacksmith than he, because Kai vowed the same and managed to get by with mediocre handiwork that he is sure is useless against forces that are supernatural.

The knife he is holding doesn’t hit the parts of the ginger he expected it to.

Kai winces as the knife slightly nicks him on the finger— he now regrets having to talk to his dad about not being interested in blacksmithing lessons, but he should not have directed all his attention to just telling his father why he is not interested in returning to the forges when he is cutting vegetables up. He is supposed to be a vigilant and attentive fighter, regardless of actually being distracted at times. The pain is nothing special; it doesn’t compare to the injuries he’s sustained in his lifetime of becoming a ninja and all the adventures he’s had. A simple nick on the finger, with a small drop of blood bleeding out, is not one of concern.

He is usually so dexterous with his hands; how come he’s gotten careless today?

Cole is not the only one to notice his wince and the hiss of his voice— Ray, who was busy boiling the water in the pot, comes to look at his son as he hears a pained noise. “Son, are you alright?” He asks, approaching the brown-haired boy immediately. “Hold on, I’ll get something to–”

“Dad, I know what to do,” Kai replies brusquely, hiding his frustration away with gritted teeth; although, it had the opposite effect, as Ray perceives him as being in pain. He pushes his dad away with his shoulder, as Cole offers him a clean table cloth to help sterilize the wound (he didn’t understand why he accepted his help, but not his father’s attempts; he chalks it down to someone knowing the other well enough to know when he is comfortable). “I’ve made this same mistake a few times when I’d been cutting rations I stole. Luckily for you guys, the entire kitchen and even the knife look cleaned enough for me not to get an infection.”

He didn’t mean that to be a jab at how Ray was not here to focus on the hardships of his life— but he has always been bad at the tone he sets, and now Cole stares at him with a worried expression, and Ray looks incredibly guilty.

Wanting the tense air to be lifted a little — and away from his minor injury — he responds, “I didn’t mean it like that, Dad… it’s just, well, I have a lot of knowledge about avoiding injuries like these. You gotta take care of yourself while you take care of your own sister, am I right?”

The two of them stay silent; Cole’s brows furrow, trying to assess his sentence with concern, while Ray was simply staring at him with a dumbfounded and guileful expression. They are saved by Zane carrying a basin filled with vegetables entering the kitchen; he stops right in front of Kai, a small smile, oblivious yet kind, with an expectant look.

“Have you cut the potatoes and ginger into small pieces as I have instructed you to?” Zane asks, “Maya requests them now to cook dinner.”

Kai nods, hoping Zane would not activate his sensors and observe how Ray looks so awkward and guilty and Cole was… well, he seemed to have left, calling after Jay. “Sorry if some of ‘em are sloppy; kinda nicked my finger while chopping them up.”

The nindroid’s expression ebbs to concern. “Do you require any assistance in the aiding of your wound?”

“No, I’m fine, I got it under control!” Kai replies in an honestly too-chipper tone, but Zane, sensing there is some literal ice-cold tension between father and son, nods and returns to Maya and Nya. he lets out a deep breath, and he stares at his father, who remains unmoving and motionless. Kai gives him a comforting touch on the shoulder, unable to understand what was bothering his father. “Dad, if it’s about the knife, I cleaned it before I started with my chores, and again, since you look like I fell off the Bounty three hundred feet high. I do that a lot by the way before you actually faint.”

Ray puts his fingers on his hair. “Son—”

“Dad, I gotta remind you that I know how to take care of myself,” Kai looks into his father’s eyes, a burning fire against flicking flames, “and that this isn’t the first time I got hurt by a knife.”

“But son, I just wanted to help—”

“Thanks for wanting to help,” Kai replies, washing his hands, ignoring the slight sting his wounded finger produces, “but no thanks.”

Without another word and with regret pooling in his stomach, Kai leaves his father in the kitchen and almost runs into Cole and Lloyd, who had been in close proximity to the kitchen. Kai surveys the looks on their faces; Cole had a firm frown, while Lloyd is wearing a more worried and sympathetic expression. The Green Ninja understands a lot of what everyone here has gone through, and, quite frankly, overprotectiveness then starts to gather at his stomach, wanting to change to his own invulnerable and caring older brother mode immediately.

Putting two and two together, he sighs in a defeated stance. “You heard all of that, didn’t you?”

Lloyd gives him a sheepish expression. “I uh, didn’t mean to, I was going to tell off on Cole trying to when I caught what you guys were saying.” He shifts his stance on one foot, admittingly very guilty he has unintentionally ignored his own moral code.

“It’s fine, it ain’t anything personal,” Kai reassures Lloyd. “My dad is just… such a nice and compassionate person, sometimes I forget that.”

“I can see that,” Lloyd says with an understanding nod. “Mom is nice too.”

“So is my dad,” Cole adds flippantly. “‘Cept for pressuring me to continue as a dancing machine.”

“Except when my mom abandoned me as a kid,” the blonde-haired boy’s tone grows bitter.

“... Yeah, I get it, I have the perfect parents.” Kai rolls his eyes, sitting down on the tatami mats. “And that I shouldn’t be mean or rude to them during the entire visit. I know.”

“That’s not what I was insinuating,” Lloyd tells him gently, “I understand why you’d feel so distant and alienated from your parents; Nya too. You guys barely knew them, and you were just kids when they vanished into thin air. Trust me, I can understand the absolute confusion and pain I felt as thoughts started to circulate around my mind over why mom just left. Whatever you’re feeling over your parents, you can excuse the reasons why they left you, but you can feel bitter about the fact your childhood got taken away from you.”

“And my dad kept pushing me so hard over becoming a dancing prodigy, even when I don’t want to,” Cole grimaces about his relationship with his father. “It was the worst years of my life, but I couldn’t hate him. I just hated having to do the same routine over and over again, when my legs ached and my feet were tired. It took a while for us to save our relationship, even after the whole drama and me unlocking my true potential.”

“I get it, you both have strained relationships with your parents.” Lloyd and Cole give Kai deadpan looks. “The thing is, I have no reason to be having a distant relationship with my parents. Great, now I feel bad when I got a family that has worse relationships with their own parents than mine.”

“Don’t try measuring down your own relationship,” Lloyd advises him, “there’s a reason why you feel that way.”

Kai nods a bit, hesitant. “I mean, okay, easier said than done. Still doesn’t change the fact I keep getting hostile whenever my dad so much as check on me.”

“Because, as you said, you’re a grown man now,” Cole responds, crossing his arms. “You’ve got a lot more responsibility than being your parent's child, and understandably so, you don’t need them taking care of you.”

“That is literally what I told my dad,” Kai says, “I was my own father before my father want to step back up that role again.”

Lloyd cringes, and Cole sighs. “Please tell me you didn’t tell your father about the second part.”

“No, who do you think I am?”

“Good.” Cole fixes his hair, before giving Kai one of his ‘lecture’ looks. “Listen, Kai, no matter how hesitant you are with approaching your father, this is your chance to familiarize yourself with them. You shouldn’t waste it, you know.”

Kai turns back to Ray, who was dutifully assisting his wife. He had a look of longing in his eyes, something that did not go unnoticed by Lloyd and Cole.

“You should know them before you form any opinion on them,” Lloyd tells him, before he takes his leave to help Jay in the living room.

“He’s right, ya know.” Cole turns to him with an expectant look.

“Guys, isn’t it hypocritical of you to be criticizing my parental issues when you guys have worse problems with them?”

He earns a hit in the head by Cole, but he knows it’s playful.

“The thing is, we’re talking about your relationship with your parents.”

“Yeah? And why not ask Nya about it too?”

“Because Jay is handling it himself.” Cole looks at the brown-haired boy with an uninterested expression. “And you, meanwhile, look like you’ve been stung by a nest of hornets.”

The Fire Ninja feels as though his entire head is on fire— and not the good kind.

Unfortunately for him, everyone notices, his claims of being fine and dandy just not sitting with anyone else; most especially, Ray and Maya, who convinced him to stay on his futon, and Cole, ever hospitable, offered to lend help and agree to every request Maya has in store for him. It would be funny to see Cole fold over a woman like he once did for Nya (a ludicrous story that also made some choice feelings churn in Kai’s gut), but the direct attention is around him. As much as he loves the attention he gets from swooning fangirls, Skylor, or perhaps solely Cole, he did not like it when they treat him like a broken ragdoll or even a child. Attempts of getting up are floundered as Ray and Maya take turns watching him, and he listens to Jay (“The weather outside isn’t even cold enough to get a fever!”) , Zane (“My sensors and analyses dictate that Kai is only suffering from a mild headache, which he will recover from through extensive care”) , Nya (“I told him he shouldn’t have been in the damn forges for most of yesterday!”) , and Cole (“You need to rest and don’t you dare get up.” A warm touch to the forehead, and everything goes warm. )

He is well enough to attend the affairs of dinner, although that is smidged with the fact that Ray is looking at him with a concerned look on his face.

“Kai, are you sure you’re well enough to move? You look like you’re still suffering from your headache.” Ray makes a move to cross over the table to intercept Kai’s shaky form.

The thing is, Kai didn’t need help; hell, he’s never needed it since he decided upon himself to become the sole protector of Nya when their parents disappeared. Yes, he is, quite frankly, a bit miffed they left them all alone in a world before they have an inkling to understand what kind of world it is to children like them.

He hated feeling weak and invulnerable.

Kai can feel the fire crackling in his veins. It was one thing to completely ignore the fact there had been a twelve year gap since he’d last seen his father, but it’d be another when he has proved time and time again during this vacation he was not a little kid anymore, but these efforts are futile. All Ray sees in him is the version of Kai that was young, naive, and prone to impulsive accidents that led to injuries. He’s had enough of those worrying looks, actions in which Ray believes he still knows his son, and the underlying fear and paranoia that… even though they have returned to them, they will never truly know each other.

He whirls around to look at his father, thoroughly angry. “I’m not a KID ANYMORE, DAD!” He snaps, gaining the stares of those in attendance. His voice was like a thousand flames conjoining to create a destructive tornado, and Maya drops her spoon somewhere from the corner of his eye. “You don’t need to act like you still know me, ‘cause no offense, you don’t!”

Ray looks mildly uncomfortable, “Son, I only wanted to help—”

“Help? HELP?!” Kai snaps at Maya and Ray, his eyes glowing dangerously, and so do his hands, glowing a bright orange. The others are not sure if he was setting the entire room on fire on purpose, but Nya and Zane nod to each other as they make quick work of putting out even the smallest bit of flame. “Yeah, sure, I may be grateful that I finally get to meet my parents after… what? Disappearing for almost twelve years?! You were never there in my childhood, nor in Nya’s, so what gives you the right to intrude on matters like this or decide on our behalf? You barely know what we went through before we were taken in by Master Wu, and even after that, our lives have been a series of ups and downs! Do you guys really think that I’d still be the same kid you left and assumed I still cling on to some childish innocence? The answer is NO!”

Flames climb all the way up to the wall, but Maya and Ray were not that absorbed in the destruction of their home; they were more occupied with the destruction of their own son in front of him, as he finally starts to spill all the emotions he’s felt for them since Day One. It was a… tragic and heartbreaking display, to say the least— was Kai so uncomfortable with the two of them? They couldn’t blame him either; all they could do is watch as Kai decided that he had enough of keeping things in the vault.

“You have the audacity to call yourself me and Nya’s parents? Because reality check, I’M the one that had taken care of Nya ever since you disappeared, I’m the one who took the RISKS of raising her, and I’m the one who has to work all day every day to ensure we have any means to get by!” The flames immediately simmered down, as his breathing starts to rapidly overtake his prolonged ranting. His mind continues to scream at him to stop, telling him about what he has done, but it was too late.

When his anger is but a small flame across a deep and wide abyss of loneliness and sadness, he notices everyone’s looks at him.

Before anyone speaks, he runs.

That… wasn't meant to happen.

But it did happen; he lost control of his confusion, and anger and breathed his flames of frustration towards his parents during the dinner meant to bring them closer than ever. Instead, he earned the looks of pity, shock, and sympathy from the onlookers— he doesn’t miss how Nya was staring at him with a look in which she wants to discuss this with him later. His other friends decided to continue the dinner and attempted to lighten the atmosphere as Kai walks away with a solemn step in his stride (he sees the way Lloyd stares at him like he was about to sympathize with him, and as much as he sees the green ninja as a younger brother, he wasn't here to be pitied upon by his giant outburst). If Wu was here now, he'd be lecturing Kai about treating his elders and loved ones properly.

Kai’s face meets the breath of fresh air, and it occurs to him he is finally outside, away from his father’s attempts at getting closer, from his mother’s coddling nature, his sister's tense shoulders, and his friends who would wonder what's up with him. With a shout of anger, he summons orange fireballs and hurls them to the walls around his old home— the home he once nurtured and protected in his parents' stead as they abandoned him and Nya.

But it wasn't like they had a choice! Cole's voice exclaims in his head, and the image of the dark-haired man prompting him to visit his parents enters his head. The Earth Ninja has a way with words that can keep Kai going. They were kidnapped by Krux and Acronix and forced to work for labor.

Kai, please understand we didn't mean to leave you for an indefinite amount of time, Ray's voice enters his head, and his brows furrow. We love you and did all this to protect you.

Some kind of protection it was, Kai thinks, putting a hand on the concrete walls around their old home, because I had to see a few things a child shouldn't have when I turned the age of 5.

Kai lets out a huge shout of frustration again, punching the wall in the process; it shouldn't have impacted the wall much, but his firepower made the impact he made on the wall stronger than he would've liked. There was a deep crater where his hand had been, and he stared at it for a few minutes before swearing under his breath.

Way to go, Kai Smith; your first dinner with your parents end up a total disaster because of you. They only wanted to get to know the kid that grew up without them.

Kai sighs, running his fingers through his hair. He didn't even know where that outburst came from; he had accepted his and his sister's condition of being sudden orphans when their parents didn't come home one day, and had forgiven his parents for not being there in their childhood when they had met again (well, after Kai wrongfully accused them of being traitors). Perhaps the eternal spite and the grudge had inhibited deep within him and exploded when he finds out that Ray and Maya still believe they can live through his lack of childhood during dinner. Nya doesn't appreciate the unwanted attention either, being a teenager and a grown woman who learned a lot of things without her parents' help.

“I knew I'd find you here,” the firm but familiar voice says, and Kai snaps into attention, pivoting his neck to see the figure emerging from the house. It was the Master of Earth's silhouette against the moonlight— while the darkness hides his face, Kai knows his face is contorted to a gentle frown. After Wu disappeared, Cole has become less reckless and rambunctious, rather giving up cake and adopting a more gentle look on his face than that stern frown he always had on his lips. It was a mesmerizing sight, seeing the earth become a victim to time as it whittled down its hardened parts, turning the rocks softer, but there was still a hard edge in there. Cole steps into the ring of fire that illuminates the sky, as he tilts his head. "You always run away when you're done breaking down."

"Leave me alone, Cole," Kai exclaims, turning his back on Cole, "I'm not in the mood for a lecture."

Cole huffs, but he remains standing behind Kai. His aura of strength and determination continues to emanate from his surroundings. "I was about to give you a lecture, but since you're not in the mood, let me sympathize with you."

"I'm not letting you do that either, I don't need your sympathy." Kai has always been the type of person who never asks for help, always doing these trivial things himself even if he didn't have a plan in his head. He feels… weak and inferior if he ever does say he wants some company through the somber, depressing times.

"Kai… you literally set the entire dining room in flames," Cole assumes his 'default leader' tone, one he had not used since Lloyd stepped to fulfill his own position. It's been a while since Kai has heard it, but all of the hairs on his skin tense, and he freezes in place; he remembers how he sounded so stern and strict, and how it… thrills him back then. "You're better off letting out steam in a safer way."

"I have nothing left to say." Kai knows that's not true, and Cole, not buying his theatrics, steps forward until he feels warmth by his side.

"Yes you do," Cole replies gently, "otherwise you won't have exploded on them at dinner."

"Maybe I was done tolerating their shots of being a perfect, normal family," Kai crosses his arms, glaring into nothing. He did not have the courage to turn sideways and face his co-worker. "Because we both know that attempts of reconnecting are too late."

Cole sighs, "Are you referring to me and my dad?"

Kai scoffs, "Obviously, you're the only person who's had an estranged relationship with their family."

"The difference is we're both making an attempt at healing and reconnecting with each other," Kai feels a warm touch on his shoulder, and like a fire being lured into the hearth, he doesn't let it drop, "understanding each other’s perspectives, forgiving each other, giving each other distance when it gets overwhelming, and most importantly, respect."

"I do respect my parents," Kai shoots back, glaring at Cole as he takes a step back, letting the dark-haired man's hand drop from his shoulder. Kai welcomes the cold that it brings. "And… I love them as well."

"I know you love and respect them, but you'd rather hold back what you want to say. Why do you think you just snapped at your parents just now?"

"Because I'm done being treated like a child? I'm eighteen, for the First Spinjitzu Master's sake! I know how to treat my wounds, cook, and forge blades without my parents' supervision!" Kai pauses for a moment, and then says, "Well, I learned how to make lower quality blades without my parents' supervision."

"Oh, I see the problem."

Kai pinches the bridge of his nose. "Please Cole, stop acting like Wu, we already got Lloyd being a Master in Training and my sister always checking in on me. I don't need another one."

"You think you don't need your parents anymore." Cole steps closer, like earth and fire mixing to create a substance made from rock and the ability to withstand heat. "I get that, I think I didn't need my dad anymore when I got recruited into the team. But I always saw others as a secondary dad; like Wu, who's more like a father than dad had been to me. Even I see Zane, Jay, Nya, and Lloyd as siblings; basically, I could replace my family with others, but I've always needed them."

Kai ignores the implications of Cole not seeing him as a brother, and replies, "I do the same thing too, I see you all like brothers. I don't understand why we need this lesson anyways."

There was a long silence between Kai’s sentence and Cole's response, something which Kai feels is too uncomfortable. Softly, Cole says, "What's wrong that you refuse to form a relationship with your parents?"

Kai scoffs, "I thought you of all people know that, Cole."

“What’s that supposed to mean?” Cole’s careful and kinder tone becomes challenging, reminiscent of old, resolvable arguments between the two of them.

“You ignored your dad for a long time, so I don’t see why I’m not able to do the same!” Kai replies with a scowl on his face. He knows he hit a nerve with Cole, but he wants to get this over with. He has no qualms about being hit by Cole thanks to his precariousness.

“The thing is, you’ve never acknowledged your parents until recently,” Cole says. While his voice indeed sounds hostile and predatory, he seems to push it aside to help Kai with his dilemma. Kai scoffs– Lloyd is rubbing off on all of them.

“I’ve mentioned my parents when I need to, just like you all did.” Kai crosses his arms, stepping outside of the Smith home. He is greeted by the cold winds of winter, the snow falling before them at a slow pace, as if time is at a snail’s pace this year. He’s never liked winter; it was annoyingly cold, and he would consistently obtain the flu during this time of the year. He brings himself back to the first time he’s gotten sick after his parents disappeared; Nya was crying and bringing every healing ointment they have just to help control his ailment. He had been mad at her for giving him their only amount of medicine left, since he wanted to use it all on Nya, but he couldn’t stay mad at a girl who only wanted to save him.

“You didn’t even mention your inner bind about the possibility of them being traitors,” Cole says, “I’ve never seen you look so studious and read books before, but whenever I asked you why you’ve been burying your nose in words lately, you dismissed me.”

“Because I was okay solving it on my own,” Kai grunts, kicking a stone away from them. “I was fine, not receiving help from others… because I’m used to it.”

“That doesn’t mean you have to hide it from us anymore,” Cole says, “we’re family, Kai, and we look out for each other. Like those times that you comforted me when I was transformed into a ghost by Yang.”

“That was different.”

“How is that any different? You gave me a support system, along with Nya, and helped me through the toughest times because I’m not used to my body yet! You uncovered something that changed your perception in life, and you felt the same way as me!”

“Well, what am I supposed to do? Confront those who knew Ray and Maya and demand an explanation of what Krux and Acronix meant when they said they were traitors? Even Wu hid the truth from Nya and me until the Time Twins returned! You can’t blame me for immediately assuming the worst of my parents because I barely knew them!”

“But why did you have to snap at your parents for attempting to get to know their own son?” Cole pivots the subject back to the main point, afraid they have both deviated from the argument.

Kai turns to face him, his maroon eyes an angry shade of red in the light of the moon. “Because, Cole, I’m…” He pauses as if he is choosing his next words carefully. He looks anxious and scared again, so Cole changes tactics once more.

“You’re… what?” He presses gently, approaching him, yet without the proximity to give him a hug.

Kai’s burning red eyes filling with anger die out, the fire relapsing into a blue sadness. Cole is one of the people who never could switch the subject or lie; this man was as sincere and rough as the earth they are standing on, and his ability to comfort and help everyone open up is an ability he has always been scared of what may be used against him. He plays with his hands, averting his gaze as he looks down at the soft grass, the snow melting once it touches the ground. “I’m… scared.”

“Of what?”

“Of… my parents not being the same as I remember them, and messing up if I ever do something that slightly angers them. I don’t want them to have a bad first impression on their son after all these years.”

“... Didn’t you try to kill them when you first met?”

He shoots him a poisonous look, a sign he wasn’t up to joke. “I messed up big time because of that, and even almost got my parents killed! It must’ve been heartbreaking to the both of them to hear their own kid think they’re traitors, and then save them from impending death! I don’t… I’m scared, Cole, that I won’t live up to their expectations of being a brave, courageous hero that fights bad guys every other week! I know I told them to mind their own business, but it’s because it feels so weird having parents and– and relying on them after years of depending on myself!”

“Who says you’re relying on them?” Cole asks, “You guys are just catching up on lost time, and there’s nothing wrong with that!”

“Yeah, except I blew it and probably made my parents not want me around every holiday anymore.”

“What makes you believe that you are unwelcome after that spectacle?” A low voice intrudes on the Masters of Earth and Fire’s conversation, and Kai immediately turns his head to see Ray standing behind them with a pensive look on his face.

“Dad? What are you doing out here?” Kai asks, feeling awkward and out of place once again.

“I can ask you the same question, son; you’ve never liked walking during snowy days.” Ray smiles thoughtfully. Ray nods at Cole, and the dark-haired young man takes this as a sign to leave. Giving his friend one last look of encouragement, he slips by the shadows and returns to the Smith house, leaving father and son open to discuss the most private parts of their mind. The wind was blowing wildly, the snow falling faster than they could have comprehended. They were silent for a few moments; Kai was thinking of something to say, shuffling his foot around, while his father was staring up at the night's sky with an expression akin to reverence. Then, he speaks slowly, "I remember your current fear of anything winter-related; gingerbread men, the bearded man who gives you gifts, snowmen… I've been the one who always reassured you they aren't coming to eat you up."

Kai did not have the time to be embarrassed, but he remembered the times he came running to his father after spotting his mother baking gingerbread men. It was an unfounded, baseless fear, but for some reason, it didn't humiliate him anymore. “I still have that fear, you know.”

"Well that's the thing, son— I don't know. I will admit I know nothing about you except for your feats, whatever you've been saying in your solo interviews, and the fact you took after me as the Master of Fire."

"I don't know anything about you as well," Kai admits, finally facing his dad for the first time he's been here. "I have only heard about you and your mom in the stories Master Wu told me, and my own fractured memories about you. And… I dunno, it's just that I don't want to keep jumping to the wrong conclusions that destroy whatever remains of the positive image I have of you in my head. I don't want to get to know you because you'll always be the dad who loved me and disappeared."

Ray looks taken aback, but he regains his composure and says, "Well then, this entire week has been a waste if you're not attempting to even spend some time with either of us. Nya is just as hesitant as you, but she's been trying to spend some time with us whenever her friends are occupied. I know she still feels awkward around us, but… we try to accommodate her feelings."

"Why can't you guys accommodate my feelings as well?" Kai asks, resentment rising as his fists clench. "All week you and mom have been badgering me with spending time with you and telling me all kinds of my favorite stuff that I don't even like anymore. And let's not forget, you tried to recruit me back in the forges! I don't want to live like that anymore, especially when I'm looking out after Ninjago City!"

"I overheard from Nya that the only reason why you joined the ninjas was that she had been kidnapped, and I… shamelessly thought you were getting tired of the life you are currently living now. I don't want you nor Nya to get hurt, and I even asked her the same question I had asked you at dinner. I didn't mean to upset you, I was just looking out for you when I hadn't been able to after all these years."

Kai softens a bit, "Dad, you don't have to look out for me anymore, I'm officially an adult."

"According to Ninjago standards, yes," a smile quirks on Ray's lips, as he takes a step closer to his son. Kai lets him. "But let me be the father I've never had been to you son, just for another few days before work calls to you."

Kai feels a lump on his throat. “Dad… I’m sorry for snapping at you, I was just… winded up, that you were about to steal me from my life’s work.”

“No harm done, son,” Ray waves it off, “except at how I am foolish to hope you would be the same boy that I have left after all these years.”

His son huffs, “Yeah, that’s a really dumb assumption, dad. Do you really think that I would remain that same kid after learning how to raise myself and Nya?”

Ray flinches, and Kai regrets his words immediately. “Dad… look, I’m sorry for that, it was uncalled for. I guess I still am bitter over you guys leaving me, even with your reason.”

“I am aware of that, my son,” Ray says. "This is why I sent that letter to you in the first place; so that we can reconnect and learn new things about ourselves during the duration of this holiday. I know I've come across as overbearing or someone who thinks he knows everything about you, but that's just because it's… the only thing I know about my son, and I want to see what changed."

Kai gives him a solemn look, "Protecting my family and giving them the life they deserve is one of my biggest priorities."

"That is clear," Ray says with a guilty look, "Nya told me about how much you sacrificed for her when we failed to raise you ourselves, and how everyone sees you as the group's big brother."

"I'm the oldest of the bunch, after all," Kai says with a small laugh. "They're one of the best things that have happened to me."

Ray quirks a brow, "Really? I thought Zane and Cole are the oldest among you. Never mind that, as much as I and Maya regret not being there for the rest of your childhood, it looks like you still became the son and man we wanted to raise you to be."

Kai perks up, “How?”

Ray smiles, “You may have gotten that impulsive and temperamental streak from me and the element of fire, but I know you mean well. We always wanted you to be a man who helps his family and puts them first.” He extends his arms, fully intending to lock his son in an embrace; however, he waits for Kai to close the gap, until he is comfortable enough to look at him.

Kai was absolutely flabbergasted as he stares at his father’s welcoming expression, the moonlight giving him the same aura as a spirit finally reaching for their long-lost companion, the flames in the hearth crackling. With a small sob ripping from his throat, and with a force that could rival the times Cole has leaped from across the room to hug him, he throws himself into his father’s open arms, as he starts to weep in his chest. It was embarrassing to be crying in his father’s arms; he thought he had been over that phase when Kai had been five and learning how to manage the entire world without his parents’ supervision. He’s hugged people before, yes, but he is rarely embraced unless he is the one who initiates it or he is unexpectedly accosted by the physical affection. He is the sort to hug others, but never the type to feel comfortable being hugged.

“I’m– I’m so sorry,” he sobs, clenching his father’s shirt as if he is going to disappear into the void he believed his own father had been lost when he was a child. “For– for pushing you away! I just– I don’t know how I can get used to my parents being here again, taking care of me, loving me, and ensuring our safety!”

“I understand if you still are not able to view us as your parents,” Ray states gently, his voice calming him down as he rubs soothing circles on his shoulders. “Like what you have said, you are the father to your own self and Nya, and your sister admitted that the only person she sees as her actual parent is — no matter how much it embarrasses her to say it — you. You were there for her when we are not, and therefore, I assume no one had been there for you when you are experiencing hardships.”

“Th–That’s wrong,” Kai sniffles, “while I support Nya, I supported myself. I’m sorry to say this dad, but as much as I love you and am relieved to see you guys again, we’re… too independent to be with you guys now.”

“I know, son.” Ray hugs Kai tighter, letting out a single tear of his own. “But please, include your mom and me in your lives, and do not be hesitant to ask us for help when you need us the most.”

“Okay, I can agree with that,” the son of fire replies, a shaky but sincere smile climbing over his features, “you’re the best, dad. I wish I’d have gotten to know you sooner.”

“And I wish I could have gotten to know you better the past few days.” Ray’s words were a whisper, something that may be lost to Kai thanks to the gusts of wind, but he chooses to listen to it with vigor rising in his veins.

When they break their embrace, the two flames stare at each other with smiles on their faces.

Then, Ray laughs, “So, Lilly’s son?”

Kai gives Ray a confused look. “Cole? Why are you suddenly bringing him up?”

Ray hums, staring at the night’s sky, “No reason, it’s just that you stare at him the way I used to stare at your mother when I had been pining for her.”

The brown-haired young man is still confused at what his father is implying. “I have no idea what you mean, dad.”

“You’ll understand it when you managed to comprehend your feelings for the Master of Earth.” Ray waves a hand, “But first, let us go home; I am sure your friends and sister are worried for you.”

As expected, when he and his father arrive home, Nya and Maya are out sitting on the engawa, and as soon as two silhouettes resembling son and father emerge from the shadows, the two women immediately stand and make their way towards them.

“The others are sleeping now,” Maya tells them, covering herself with a shawl to protect herself from the cold. Nya doesn’t seem to be bothered by the frigid temperature, but her eyes glare into Kai’s warm brown ones.

Kai thinks that he is about to be scolded, but all she asks is, “Are you okay?”

He doesn’t think he is, after all the adventures he’s had with his team, but he nods to help ease her nerves. “I’m, I’m okay now, dad and I talked it out.”

Nya punches him gently on the shoulder, a sad smile on her face. “Don’t blow up like that in front of everyone and leave without expecting us to worry about you.”

“Sorry for worrying you guys, then,” he says with a sheepish smile on his face, “I guess I got a bit stressed out.”

“I can see that,” Nya deadpans, before hugging him again. She’s only done this a few times in her life; she did not have the same amount of physical affection as her boyfriend, but just like water, her feelings of worry and sadness flow through him in one, swift motion. “Don’t scare me like that again, Kai; you’re not the only one who’s adjusting to the fact that we have parents in our lives once more.”

“I won’t try doing a stunt like that again, I promise,” Kai says, before looking towards the gap of the shogi doors, “everyone’s asleep, even Cole?”

Nya raises a brow at the exclusive mention of the Master of Earth, but she nods. “When Cole arrived he immediately went down as soon as his head hit the pillow. It’s just us now, so we can have another private conversation.”

Kai sighs exasperatedly, “Ugh, come on, I just had a heartfelt conversation with my dad about my identity as the protector of my family and the older brother of everyone! Can we please just let this rest and move on?”

“Hold up,” Nya says, raising a hand. “Kai, what you’re feeling right now, I feel the same way with them too.” As the snowy winds blow and none speak, she continues, rubbing her hands together. “As Kai knows from the start, I’ve always wanted to meet my parents. Now that I have, though, I don’t know but it wasn’t as exciting as I thought it’d be, excluding the part where our parents have been literally held hostage by that crazy kook of a historian. Then, after having that bonding time, I thought it had been enough to rekindle some sort of familial love I had been deprived of aside from my brother’s own love, but all I felt was worry and relief over seeing my parents again. I love our parents, of course, but I just feel strange, that the people who were supposed to take care of us were non-existent in our lives until we reached the age where we’re too independent to rely on them anymore.”

Instead of protesting, of answering back as they had with Kai, they nod meekly, having learned that they are not to insert themselves in their children’s lives unless it is necessary. Kai, within, is horrified at Nya admitting she did not need her parents anymore, but a small part of him agrees; this is Nya they’re talking to, the girl, the woman who had to endure a multitude of kidnappings and criminals as both Samurai X and the Water Ninja. She is like the tides that roll through the shore, the waves rising a thousand feet to engulf even the moon. The element of water is just as destructive as fire, which is why though they are opposites, they do have similarities to list off said differences.

“... I can’t say I don’t agree with you, sis,” Kai responds, scratching his head, not knowing what to feel.

“As I have said, your mother and I will only intrude on your lives if you want us to,” Ray answers, though he sounds despondent. “I want to respect your boundaries, as you are all my children, but you are already old enough to take care of yourselves. You started young, after all.”

“Ugh dad, don’t call it ‘intrude’, I don’t think you guys are intruding on our lives,” Nya says, rolling her eyes. “Just… we’ll call you once a week, and write letters to tell you guys about our day. How does that sound?”

Kai smiles, “I think it’s perfect.”

Ray and Maya agree.

“I would love that kind of arrangement for us,” Ray says with a smile lingering on his features. “I would love to see you more outside of newspapers.”

“It’s our fault, for not reaching out to you guys sooner after we dealt with the Time Twins,” Nya replies with a morose look. “I’m sorry for treating you as if we were discarding you, mom, dad.”

“It is perfectly fine,” Maya says, holding her daughter’s hand. “You are still my daughter, and even when it hurts not to hear from you two after a few months from our reunion, we will remember your heroics in your hearts.”

“I want to say this again, but I love you, mom and dad.” Kai gives his parents and sister a warm embrace. “I won’t try to explode like that in front of you guys ever again.”

“As I said, I forgive you,” Ray replies. “It is understandable why you acted that way.”

“But please, if you’re going through an angst trip let me give you company, okay?” Nya asks, and Kai laughs.

“Sorry, but I don’t want my sister getting caught in a mess if I do anything ugly.”

“... You’ve always been ugly, Kai.”

Kai lets out an affronted shout of, “HEY!” Before it is drowned out by the sound of jovial laughter, as the snow continues to fall, ever-oblivious to the family carefully stitching the seams of a non-existent and torn relationship that had been ruined by destiny.

When Cole wakes, it is not from the rays of the sun that had gone through the shogi doors that broke him out of his sleep, but rather, a burst of warm laughter emanating from the kitchen. He suddenly notices that someone must have put a blanket over him as he looks down ( he feels the snow, frigid as ever, the cold winds forcing him to shudder and shiver violently, before, like the sun in the summer, he feels warm hands on his cheek, and the softness of the covers he never knew he had slipped on him ). Deciding not to bother the others who are still asleep — Zane is busily resting his own core, Lloyd is sprawled around his futon, his feet landing on Jay’s chest who seems unphased and continues to slumber — and navigate his way to the sound of joy.

Much to his delight, he finds Kai, brewing himself a cup of coffee (he has never stricken the Fire Ninja as a coffee guy— he’s always been a big ball of energy, and Cole hypothesizes if it was thanks to his ability of fire dousing him with energy.) He has a playful smile on his lips, leaning on the kitchen sink and staring at his father, not without apprehension anymore, no, but with genuine filial love and compassion for his long-lost father. Nya and Maya are tending to the irori, but they seem to be as engrossed in the conversation as Kai and Ray are.

Cole, not wanting to intrude on such an intimate conversation, only peeks through the slight opening of the fusuma, just to hear what the Smith family, newly forged, are talking about. Seeing Kai happy and fine is relieving to see, especially after those days in which Cole accompanies him through his most anxious and awkward moments, concerning him since he is the cockiest man he has ever known.

“How did you and mom meet, anyways?” Kai asks. Cole sighs silently; out of all the questions, his friend could’ve asked, it is one that is met with pure happiness and affection.

“That’s an interesting question,” Ray says, stroking his goatee with a mischievous expression on his face. “Let’s just say when we met, we didn’t know it was one another when the moon was full.”

Cole scrunches up his face in disgust; he did not just walk in on Kai’s parents literally saying they had a one-night stand before they actually met formally. And he thought that Lou and Lilly’s love story of how they first met was the corniest and sappiest one he has ever heard (even then, it was a sweet one, but this… it is sweet, but also has that taste of passion and carnal affection). Nya, understanding what they’re implying, gags at that apparent use of innuendo, but is thankful that they were blasé enough to spare them more details. Kai, however, did not understand what his father is telling.

“What does that mean?” He asks innocently, and Maya stifles a laugh while Ray looks bemused.

“For a grown man, you don’t understand a few things, don’t you?” His father asks, tousling his hair, much to Kai’s playful annoyance.

After letting his father mess his hair up (he regrets not packing his hair gel so that his hair could stick to that fire-shaped design he had so meticulously created himself), he then inquires, “Does that mean you and mom had a blind date?”

Maya and Ray exchange knowing looks, and Nya shakes her head at her brother. Even Cole has to agree Kai is the most oblivious man alive. (For someone who has a ton of the worst pick-up lines and is flirtatious at his disposal, this man cannot for the life identify if one is interested in him or not. No matter how many times Skylor tells him in an indirect manner she was not interested in him — and by extension, every man — Kai continues to be oblivious. It may well be a blessing to see him act as the older one out of the Smith siblings.)

“You’ll understand what it means soon,” Maya chirps helpfully before she advises Nya on how to tend to the irori.

After this entertaining exchange, Kai fidgets in the place he stands, an awkward shift in his happy demeanor. He lets out a deep breath, as if he is preparing himself for the time he will confront his father. "By the way dad, I'm considering accepting your offer."

Ray turns to him with a confused look, "You mean… you still want to work in the forges?"

"Well, I'm not sure if I still want that same old job I abandoned to become a protector, but I barely have any hobbies that aren't playing video games with anyone or teaching people proper hair care." He laughs fondly at the last line, but his expression is almost excited. "I'm considering picking up blacksmithing again, not as a job but… as a hobby. Who knows, I'd probably be better this time around."

His father gives him a small smile, and he bridges the gap between them with another warm embrace. "That'd be great, son; I would love teaching you the things I have failed to teach you."

"And it'd be great to have a teacher again," Kai pauses, "not like Lloyd is such a great teacher himself."

Cole smiles at the intimate family display, reminding him of his own memories with his parents before Lilly succumbed to her illness. It was like seeing the old picture frame on the side of Kai’s bunk, but this time this photograph was newer, filled with a rendition of light. Deciding that Kai feels well again, he stops eavesdropping on their conversation and focuses on making plans to be with his father after their vacation. He received a letter from Lou intending to visit Cole, and he appreciates that gesture. He gently closes the fusuma and turns back to his own friends, who are now stirring from their slumber.

Jay and Zane wake up at the same time, but Zane is a robot and did not have to be given in with the lull of sleep like Jay is, who is still rubbing the sleep from his eyes. Yawning, Jay tiredly turns to his side, only to find Nya not there.

Spotting Cole, he asks, "Where's Nya?"

Cole could not stop smiling, so he just tells them, "She and Kai are currently reconnecting with their parents; let's give them more time to gather their bearings."