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It was just before six in the evening. Outside, the sun was beginning to set, turning the sky orange.
Today was the day. He had waited so long. Forty horrible years. Forty years have passed since he last saw Acronix. And in a few minutes he would be back. He would return from the time vortex and the brothers would finally be reunited.
Krux paced back and forth, staring spellbound at his pocket watch, waiting impatiently for six to strike.
What if he didn't come? What if something happened to Acronix in the time vortex? Maybe, like Krux, he got lost in it. Or what if he doesn't come back today after all, but on a completely different day?
Krux wouldn't bear to have to wait for his brother any longer. Four decades had been terrible enough. From day one to this day he had suffered from the loss. He never thought he would ever feel such pain.
Krux has wanted to give up countless times - take his own life. This emptiness in his heart was unbearable. But he pulled himself together and kept going. For Acronix. The hope that one day he would see his brother again was the only reason to go on living.
That, and getting revenge on Wu for everything he had done to them. He couldn't wait to implement his plan and conquer Ninjago together with Acronix.
It was now six o'clock, but there was still no sign of his brother. Krux was getting more and more nervous. He groped his way back and forth in desperation. His footsteps were the only sound that echoed in the empty musum.
"Where are you, brother...?" he murmured worriedly.
Minutes passed and minutes turned into hours. Night had already fallen, the moon shone brightly through the museum windows and bathed the room in a milky light.
Krux sat at the bottom of a staircase, still waiting. But the more time passed, the more he felt that he was waiting here in vain. This realization hit him like a punch in the stomach.
"He won't come..."
That's how it is. Actually, he could have guessed that. Acronix probably didn't survive the time vortex at all. Krux's heart clenched painfully at the thought. If that was indeed the case, then he could scrap the plan to subdue Ninjago. He would never be able to do this without his brother. So he could forget that.
Krux sighed, closed the pocket watch and stood up. He slowly walked through the abandoned museum and made his way to his secret base where he had been hiding for the last decades.
What should he do now? Still impersonating the museum's curator, Doctor Sander Saunders? Or should he reveal his true identity and face the ninja alone?
Probably not.
Without the Time Blades, he wouldn't have a chance. But the blades were lost somewhere in time, as was his brother...
A sound stopped Krux abruptly. It sounded like...footsteps? They grew louder and got closer. He quickly turned and looked in every direction. If it was a burglar, which was not uncommon, he would have to deal with him.
There in the shadows he spied a hooded figure running towards him. Krux threw himself into an attack position, but his breath caught when the person stepped into the light and stopped. There was no burglar in front of him.
"I'm back...brother," he said, pulling back his hood. A smile crept onto his lips.
It was his brother.
Krux couldn't get a word out for the first few seconds. "Acronix...?" he breathed. "Is it really you...?"
Acronix's smile widened, his eyes shone and he nodded before rushing towards him with his arms outstretched and enclosing him in a tight hug.
Krux barely managed to keep himself on his feet as he nearly fell over. He returned the hug without hesitation and buried his face in Acronix's shoulder. He didn't even try to hold back his tears and gave in to his feelings.
"Acronix..." he sobbed and hugged him tighter. "I've missed you so much."
His twin brother whimpered. "I missed you too... I thought I've lost you forever in the vortex...!"
Krux rubbed his back soothingly. How much he had missed being able to hug his brother again after such a long time.
There was nothing in the world he would trade for this moment. He just hoped that this wasn't a dream just a dream.
They lingered in this embrace for several minutes, enjoying each other's familiar warmth. Until Krux let go of him and, for the first time in a long time, inspected Acronix more closely.
He still looked exactly the same as he did forty years ago. Of course he did, after all he hadn't aged a bit. Much less time had passed in the time vortex than here.
"Sorry for showing up so late," Acronix said. "I got held up by some annoying ninja. They weren't too much of a challenge for me though!"
Krux made a disgusted face when he thought about those pesky colorful pajama men. "Don't worry, brother. We'll get those brats out of the way as well."
Now that the twins were finally reunited, nothing and nobody could stop them.
Acronix grinned enthusiastically. "Glad your fighting spirit is still there after all these years. I was worried that you'd turned into a frail, weak man!" he teased.
Krux snorted. "How charming of you." Acronix laughed. Krux smiled softly. As annoying as his brother could be, he still missed his laugh and his silly jokes.
He put an arm around his shoulders. "Come, brother. It's about time that we finally get our revenge."
"Yes," agreed Acronix. "Let's show them the power of the time twins!"