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Silence ran throughout the monastery in every room. No one knew how long it had been since Nya left. Wu hadn't left his study. Zane hadn't shown any emotion in his titanium face. Cole had tried to show a strong persona -but everyone could see through his facade. Lloyd was looking for any excuse to get out and distract himself. Kai had spent his days training. He screamed as he set fire to the dummies and broken them down.
And Jay...no one had seen him. His door closed shortly after Nya's goodbye ceremony (he wouldn't dare call it her funeral) and hadn't opened it since.
Yet what no one had noticed was the empty bottles of any drinks Kai could get his hands on piling up under his bed. He developed that unhealthy coping mechanism as soon as she left. The night she had gone was too hard. Just one drink he thought, yet he spiralled down the bottle. Who knew that just one bottle of scotch became three. Then, eventually becoming three bottles way too often. He couldn't get out of bed without it. He'd wake up mid afternoon and reach over to his bedside cabinet and took a swig of whatever he had leftover the night before. He had gotten so use to the sour bitterness tricking down his throat.
It had been nearly two months now. Wu had finally put his foot down. The disgraceful state of the monastery made him feel sick in anger and grief. It's not that he wanted to move on and forget about Nya, he couldn't spend another day hiding his emotions from his own students. It was self torture. He had lost many students before, they all came and went, but Nya, she was different. He had spent every single second of sunlight reading through scrolls and silently weeping. Not even Misako had realised what he had been doing.
Wu said that starting tomorrow everyone needs to be up at seven. Usually morning training started at five but he gave them the benefit of the doubt. He waited in the courtyard. It was now six fifty five. Cole and Zane were stood ready. Cole slightly slouched and Zane stood unnaturally upright and still. At six fifty eight Lloyd stumbled out, his hair a mess and large bags under his eyes. He smiled lightly at Cole and Zane only for Zane to glance at him silently and Cole responded in another small smile. At seven on the dot Jay came out. He was pale and his hair still wet from the shower. He winced at the sunlight hitting his eyes. He stood next to Lloyd who lightly patted him on the shoulder. Jay shuddered at the light tap. He looked down at Lloyd. He looked as if he could burst into tears at any minute. He slung his arm around his teammates shoulders.
"It's gonna be okay Lloyd." He whispered. Lloyd covered his mouth with his hand. Jay knew Lloyd was basically Nya's younger brother. He felt a wave of tears rushing behind his eyes. He had to be strong. Well, how could he? He just lost the love of his life because she sacrificed herself to save him.
"I suppose we should get started." Wu announced quietly. "Do your regular stretches and warm ups and then I suppose we'll just figure it out from there." He sighed. He was lost. He didn't know what to do.
"Guys has anyone seen Kai?" Cole asked as he stretched his arms above his head.
"Not for a while, he's probably still asleep." Lloyd mumbled.
"No worry guys I'm here." Kai stumbled his way down the steps as he was still putting his own clothes on.
"Kai, you're stumbling. Is there something wrong?" Zane asked with no emotion in his tone.
"Nah, 'm fine." He slurred. "Let's sparr." Kai picked up a sword from the floor and fell as he reached down to pick it up. "Kai!" Cole ran to his side and help him sit up. Cole started to breathe quickly around Kai's mouth.
"Your breath, it smells like...whiskey?" Cole questioned. Kai pushed him away and slowly stood up.
"No it doesn't! Liar!" He yelled.
"Kai I think you should go back to bed." Wu said as he walked over to him.
"No! I'm fine! Now I am going to train!" His voice was slurry. He pushed Wu back making him stumble backwards only for Zane to catch him.
"Kai. Please go to bed" Jay pleaded as he also began to walk towards him. "Fuck off! You all keep telling me what to fucking do! I can't...I can't take it!" He threw a punch aiming for Jay's face which he narrowly dodged.
"Kai calm the fuck down!" Jay stood up straight. "We're all upset, we're all grieving and you are being fucking stupid coming to training drunk out of your brains!" Jay pointed his finger in Kai's face.
"Come on guys we all just need to calm down." Cole stood inbetween them.
"Calm down! Because of him my sister is fucking gone! Shit for brains had to get himself into danger. Had to nearly drown. If he weren't such a fucking idiot she would still be here!" Kai yelled. His legs moved like water as he tried to support himself. He hiccuped slightly. The smell of alcohol in his breath was amplified.
"Enough!" Wu lost his temper.
"You're right, it is enough." Jay said somberly with his head down. He looked up at Kai. His face twitching with concealed rage. Suddenly, he lunged at Kai, tackling him down to the ground. Repeatedly punching him in the face. Kai's drunken struggles meant nothing. "You know how much I loved Nya. You know I would never do anything to hurt her you dick!" He screamed as he continued punching. It felt for a moment that none of their friends or even their sensei was even going to jump in to help. "How fucking dare you Kai. Fucking accusing me of the reason we lose her! Fuck you you stupid piece of shit." He kept on punching. Kai's face was raw and bloody. Kai started to sob and choke. His face running with tears even as Jay continued punching. He then began to gag even as each hit became harder and harder. "Fuck. You! I-" Jay screamed as Cole dragged him off of Kai. He pinned his arms back and Jay tried to reach out and beat the shit out of Kai again.
Kai laid on the floor. Gasping and sobbing. A very ugly scene. His face running with blood, snot, sweat and tears. Zane lifted him up so he was sat up. He then started to vomit everywhere as he cried. The scene before all of them made Lloyd shut down. He ran. He stormed out of the monastery gripping his hair as he ran. Cole slowly let go of Jay. He dropped to his knees and covered his mouth in horror of what he did to Kai. Cole slowly lowered himself to comfort his best friend. Kai continued to puke, Zane had pulled a nearby bucket for him to aim in, which he drastically missed. Wu looked in horror at his students before him. He walked back into the monastery. It was selfish of him but he couldn't deal with whatever was going on with his students right now.
"Kai we need to clean you up." Zane stated as he slowly lifted Kai off the floor. Kai nodded as he sobbed and stood up. He wobbled as Zane guided him into the medical room of the monastery. Cole and Jay sat silently in the courtyard.
"Cole I can't take this anymore." Jay said quietly. "It's my fault she's gone. The guilt is eating me up inside I just-" He wiped his eyes with the sleeve of his GI.
"It's not your fault. Don't listen to what Kai says. He's just saying rash things. He's not in the right headspace." Cole comforted him.
"God I- I can't believe I did that to him." Jay stated.
"It's fine, I'm sure he'll understand when he eventually comes around." Cole responded. Jay slowly stood up.
"I'm gonna go back to bed for a while -I'll uh, catch you later." Jay walked away slowly as Cole stayed sat in the courtyard alone.
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It had been two days since the incident. Kai had a broken nose. Jay was still not leaving his room. Lloyd hadn't returned. Cole just trained and Zane did nothing. Literally nothing.
Cole had found the multiple bottles Kai had stashed in his room. He threw them all out. He took all the empty ones and threw them in the trash and took the ones with any volume of liquid inside and emptied it into the kitchen sink. He ignored as Kai screamed and begged him not to. Jay listened from the other side of the door. Kai cried like a child. He dropped to the floor in sorrow. Cole held him as he wept. He screamed out in pain for his baby sister. The one thing he needed to take the pain away had been taken from him.
Jay pressed his ear up against the door, hearing Kai scream and breakdown. Tears slowly fell down his own face in heartbreak. He slowly walked back to his room and picked up his phone. He blinked as his view of his lock screen of him and Nya was blurry. He put in his passcode -her birthday.
He called Maya. He didn't know who else to call.
"Oh, hey Jay." Her voice was soft and sweet.
"Hi Maya, I...need to talk to you about something." His voice was shakey.
"Anything at all dear." She sighed softly and lovingly.
"It's about Kai -he's not okay. He's uh...drinking. He won't eat or anything. Cole took it all away from him but, I fear it's made him worse." His voice got high at the end of his sentence. Concealing tears from falling down his face.
"I...thank you dear. I suppose Ray and I will come over and help him. How are you?" She asked.
Jay took in a long shakey breath before answering.
"Honestly, I'm not okay. Everything reminds me of her and it's all my fault she's not here." He slowly began to cry.
"It's okay dear. It's not your fault. We all know who to blame. Ray and I will be over tomorrow. Thank you Jay, I couldn't have wished for such a great son-in-law." Maya spoke before she hung up.
Jay fell backwards onto his bed and let the tears fall freely.
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The next day had arrived quickly. Kai had made an escape attempt last night to the nearest liquor store, only for Cole to stop him in his tracks and carry him all the way back to his room. Cole stayed by his side all night. Watching as Kai cried in his sleep. Now that the morning light had invaded he slowly left, leaving Kai to sleep in peace.
At around lunch time Ray and Maya had arrived with an empty suitcase. Wu guided them to Kai's room where he was still asleep.
Maya knocked slowly.
"Honey?" She pushed the door open slightly to see him asleep in his bed. His room was a mess. His clothes everywhere. Childhood photos of him and Nya scattered across every surface. Empty glasses that didn't take a genius to know what concoctions had been in them. She slowly perched beside him on the bed. Ray stood in the doorframe. His eyes glistened looking at the state of his son.
Maya slowly rubbed Kai's back. His eyes began to flutter open.
"Mom?" He slowly turned around.
"Hi honey, your friends called and we have come to get you some help." She whispered.
"Help?" He slowly sat up, leaning his back on the headboard.
"We uh, have found a place for you to stay for a while, a place to help you regulate your feelings and emotions it's a-"
"Rehab centre?" He asked.
"Sort of, your father and I thought it would be for the best." She brushed her son's hair away from his eyes. "We brought you a pamphlet." She turned to look at Ray who passed her a leaflet to which she passed to Kai. He didn't accept it.
"I don't need fucking rehab I'm fine." He got out of his bed and stretched.
"Son, we know about what happened the other day." Ray said with a slight stern tone.
"That doesn't mean anything, that won't happen again I promise." Kai shuddered.
"It will if you don't get help Kai." Maya pleaded.
"Fuck me, everyone says I need fucking help! I don't need help! I'm fucking fine!" He picked up a glass from his nightstand and threw it at the floor, watching as it smashed. He breathed heavily and turned around to see Ray looking at him in horror and his mother looking at him in fear.
"Mom- I'm sorry -I" He tried to hug her but she stood up and avoided him.
"Kai. I mean it. You need help." She was strict now. "Seeing you like this depresses me and your father. I will not stand for it."
Kai sighed. He had a face of confusion and consideration.
"Fine. I will go to this fucking rehab." He clenched his fists and gritted his teeth as he spoke in anger and disbelief.
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The day had come for Kai to leave. He hugged his friends goodbye. He was reluctant to go. It took too much convincing from everyone to go. Kai waved goodbye from the back of his parents car.
"What do we do now? Kai's gone for a while, no idea where Lloyd is." Cole spoke.
"I suggest we all take some time for ourselves. Time is necessary for healing." Zane responded dryly.
"If that's the case then I'm gonna go to.." Jay said. "Gonna go stay with my parents for a bit, then maybe do some soul searching or something- I dunno."
"You do whatever you need to bud" Cole placed his hand on Jay's shoulder. "We're always here."
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