I Guess The Other Ice Spitter Is Garmadon, Right? But Are You Going To Seriously Kill Wu? Well, Rather,

Life of a High School Vampire One-Shots 8 Babysitting

SUMMARY: A little girl gets a clarification on monsters in the closet when Kai is the babysitter...

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Kelly Dillon was already dreading tonight. She couldn't help but think that this wasn't fair to the twelve-year-old girl. All her friends were out having fun while she was stuck in her house alone because her parents decided to go to a friend's costume party and she was grounded. It wasn't her fault the school toilets were easy to clog up. Kelly shuddered at the memory of her mother showing her the costume she planned on wearing. Her mother was dressing up like Brittany Spears like she was in that 'Hit Me Baby One More Time' video.

It was very awkward for her daughter to see something like that.

Kelly just didn't like seeing her mother in that type of clothing. It was very uncomfortable. Her father's costume wasn't so bad since he was dressing up as a simple pirate. But to make things even worse was the fact her parents hired a babysitter to watch her until the morning like she was a baby. Kelly might not have minded having a babysitter to hang out with tonight if the guy they hired wasn't super creepy. This Kai person was a new friend or something with her distant cousin Jay and they were roommates.

Or so she had been told by her parents. Kelly seriously doubted that Jay would ever associate with anyone as weird as Kai.

She had only met him once, briefly, but Kelly could already tell something was very wrong with this man. Just the way he stared at her and his smirk creeped her out. Once she could swear she saw a red glow in his eyes and the flash of fangs in his grinning mouth.

"Kelly! The babysitter's here!" Her father called, but there was no way in hell she was going down to greet that creature.

"I'm upstairs!" She exclaimed from her room. She heard her mother sigh in frustration and went to answer the door for her daughter.

"Hello again, Mr. Smith! Why don't you come in?" Her mother smiled at the brunette teen, moving aside to let him in. It took all of Kelly's courage to make her legs move her from her room to hide behind the corner to the stairs. Cautiously, she poked her head around and saw Kai talking with her parents, who were both already in the costumes and about to leave.

"We'll be back by one in the morning at the latest; emergency numbers are on the fridge, I have a casserole for you both ready in the oven, Kelly must be in bed by ten at the latest." Her mother reminded the teen sternly.

"I understand, don't worry, Kelly's safe with me," Kai promised and while this seemed to satisfy her parents, it caused a shiver of fear to run down Kelly's spine.

"Alright then, you two have fun!" Her father smiled before he and his wife left for their party. As soon as the front door closed, Kai whipped around to face Kelly so suddenly to almost caused the girl to scream. Instead, as soon as their eyes made contact, Kelly scrambled away from the stairs and back into her bedroom. Back downstairs, Kai chuckled lightly as he licked his fangs in anticipation. He could already tell this was going to be a fun night...

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It had been over an hour since Kai had arrived at her home and her parents left and Kelly knew that there was something more strange about this babysitter than she first suspected. Earlier, while he was finishing the casserole her mother had left, Kelly could hear him calling the blood bank a few blocks down the road and asking if they delivered. To make things even worse, Kelly had just seen him walk by the mirror in the hallway, but she didn't see his reflection.

It didn't take a genius to connect the dots about who, or more accurately what, this new babysitter was.

It didn't help when Kelly had nowhere to run, not with that thing downstairs waiting for her. Once she was certain of her theory about Kai, Kelly locked her bedroom door and opened up her laptop for some last-minute research. Everybody knew they come to suck a human dry of blood. They could also hypnotize her with their eyes. Kelly had seen the Twilight movies, and you better believe that they had left an impression.

"Kelly! Dinner's ready!" Kai called up to her from the kitchen and Kelly felt her insides turn to ice. Reluctantly, Kelly slowly descended the stairs and found Kai waiting for her in the dining room. The casserole was finished and the table was set for two people. Swallowing the heavy lump in her throat, Kelly took her seat opposite of Kai and began to eat, her eyes staying focused on the brunette. Kai also kept his gaze on the young girl, allowing her to get a good, detailed look at him.

His fingernails were sharp as kitchen knives and his teeth were pointed too.

Those sharp fangs kept flashing tauntingly at her across the dinner table as Kai smirked at her. He made no move to eat, but Kelly felt like she could see the hunger in his eyes. Her parents left her alone with him and now she didn't know what she was going to do. The babysitter was a vampire and he was looking at her like she was dinner. Kelly was going to need a wooden stake and a garlic milkshake to keep herself alive...

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As soon as she had finished dinner, even though she hardly touched the food, Kelly quickly excused herself and all but ran up the stairs and locked herself in the bathroom. But she knew she couldn't stay in there forever. The next few hours were sort of like a game between Kelly and Kai. A game of cat and mouse. Of predator and prey. Kelly would sneak as quietly and quickly into a room as she could, hide for about ten minutes, and hear Kai go into a room not too close to her.

Then when it was quiet she would sneak into the next room and repeat the process.

Honestly, Kelly could have kept that up all night. While she wanted nothing more than to put a stake in that monster's chest, she preferred to live to see another day. What she didn't know was that Kai was having the time of his life. It was fun messing with the kid but he knew that if he didn't get her to bed soon there would be trouble. Her parents would be home soon and if they saw their daughter still awake and hysterical about the brunette being a vampire he wouldn't get paid.

Then this would all be for nothing and he would go home empty-handed.

"It's getting late Kelly, time for you to go to bed now." Kai suddenly called out to her in a very playful tone. It was almost as if to him they were merely playing a little game of hide-and-seek. Not life and death like it felt for her. But Kelly had other plans than dying tonight. She was thinking it was time to call it a night and that Kai could put a stake in his heart instead. Kelly wasn't just hiding, she had grabbed a small log next to the basket by her parents' fireplace and knife from the kitchen.

While she was hiding she had been sharpened the log into a makeshift stake.

She was onto Kai. She knew why his tanned skin was as cold as ice and why he stared like she was a piece of medium-rare meat. Kelly was certain he was ready to take a bite out of her neck and drain her dry like she was a bloody smoothie. People might think she was paranoid but everybody knew that vampires come to suck innocent people's blood. They could hypnotize people with their glowing eyes so their prey had nowhere to run or escape their fates.

Despite being certain that she was right about this, Kelly knew her parents would never believe her now unless she got some proof.

But when their daughter was flying around the house with fangs they would know it was true. From now on she was wearing turtle necks made of silver and carrying a water gun loaded with a garlic milkshake. Kelly prayed to every God she could think of that she made it through the night and did not end up a vampire snack. She was now huddled in her closet, clutching the stake, the knife, and a few cloves of garlic. She thought about trying to call her parents, or the police, or pest control, but the problem was that the house phone was down the creaky stairs and next to the locked front door.

Even if Kelly did manage to call someone, that vampire would hear her and kill her.

"Kelly... Oh, Kelly..." A terrifying voice suddenly echoed from the corners of her mind.

"GET OUT OF MY HEAD!" She screeched as she desperately covered her ears to block out the voices, but that just made them louder.

"I want to suck your blood..."

"I KNOW! GETAWAY YOU BLOOD-SUCKING FREAK!" She cried as scared tears welled up in her eyes, wishing for her parents to come home. Just then Kelly was almost overwhelmed by the sudden feeling that she needed to look up. Listening to her gut, Kelly slowly looked up and all her blood turned to ice. Painted across the roof was a pitch-black shadow. The only features she could make out were a pair of glowing blood-red eyes and razor-sharp fangs.

Kelly didn't even get a chance to scream before the shadow lunged at her...

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By the time Mr. and Mrs. Dillon arrived back at their home, it was just after midnight. They were both a little tipsy after the party but not drunk enough to get arrested if a cop pulled them over. When they got home they found Kai sitting on the couch reading a magazine he had found on the coffee table. Kelly wasn't anywhere in sight and they couldn't hear anything so they both assumed she was in bed asleep. But her mother made a mental note to check in on her when they went to bed.

As the couple looked around the downstairs of their home they were surprised by how clean everything was except for a few dirty dishes in the sink.

They had been worried that leaving a kid and a teenager alone would all but destroy the house. Or at least some empty chip wrappers scattered around the living room. When Kai saw them he gave them a warm smile as he stood up and tossed the magazine back where he found it.

"I trust everything went well?" Kelly's father asked as he gave Kai a once over.

"Yeah, I gave her some of that casserole but she only picked at it and then went to bed; I think she was feeling a bit sick." He explained with a sympathetic wince.

"Was the food cooked right?" Mrs. Dillon asked in worry that her food had made her daughter.

"Yeah, I ate a whole plate of the casserole and I feel completely fine," Kai reassured her and that did ease her worry. That had been a lie, but he couldn't tell them that he burnt the casserole to ash.

"Are you sure that Kelly is alright?" Her father asked suspiciously.

"Well, I checked on her about... an hour ago and she was falling asleep while watching Twilight." The brunette shrugged.

"What happened to your hand, lad?" Mr. Dillon asked when he noticed the long, thing cut on Kai's left palm, and the brunette mentally cursed when he saw it. That little brat had managed to catch him with the stake when he scared her before he put her to sleep. Kai knew he would be picking splinters out of his hand for a week, even though he did kinda deserve it. He gave them some half-baked excuse about an accident when he was cutting up the casserole.

They bought it and dropped the subject after Mrs. Dillon made Kai put on a plaster.

After a few more minutes of the small talk Mr. Dillon handed Kai the cash he was owed and his wife went to check on Kelly. She peeked into her daughter's room and smiled when she saw Kelly fast asleep and snoring lightly, the menu from the Twilight DVD lighting up the room. After Kai had taken his cash and flown off into the night, the couple had gotten into their pajamas and headed to bed, falling asleep. Neither of them noticed their daughter's growing nightmare.

Nor did they realize their own when they would see how much the therapy bills would cost them over the next few years...

Past Lives Chapter 8

"DIE YOU PIECE OF TRASH!" I screeched and yowled as loud as I could while that demon with a lab coat tried to stab me. Nya had dragged me to the vet in a cat carrier to get my set of vaccinations so that way I can be an outside cat. I did want my independents, but I didn't want to be impaled by a syringe for almost as long as I am. There was also another problem. I overheard Jay and Zane talking about having me fixed! Despite my yowling, hissing, and meowing against it, Zane kept insisting it was for the best.

Ideally, a kitten should be neutered around puberty.

In male cats, this is between six to twelve months old. Male cats tend to reach sexual maturity, and therefore begin looking for a mate, between seven and twelve months old. Neutering can be performed from as young as four months old. I know that Zane was the one who argued the most for that damn operation, but I had a strong feeling that this was all Jay's idea. I was so getting the ginger idiot back for this, just like I did when he choose my name.

I knew the chance of them calling me Kai was zero.

But I hoped they would call me a cool cat name like Fire, Tiger, Flames, Thunder Cat, Blaze, Ninja, Dragon, Bite, Claw, or even something strange like Mr. Hiss. Or something ordinary like Henry, Jasper, Jake, Rusty, Red, Pine, Sun, Socks, Bandana, Bandit, or Skipper. I don't actually like those names, but they are way better than the one I got. I knew I shouldn't have gotten my hopes up. Jay decided for pretty much everyone give me the name Meowthra!

THAT ASSHOLE NAMED ME AFTER A FUCKING GIANT MOTH!

I did scratch up a few of his comics and took a small shit on his bed as payback though. Unfortunately, this ended up backfiring badly on me and Zane used that as more reason to have me fixed. Jay didn't even seem that bothered by my act of revenge either. He just cleaned up the mess and smiled as he scratched behind my ears and reassured me that everything was fine. This just pissed me off more, even if the scratching behind my ears felt very nice.

After ten minutes of running around the examination table, that bastard vet managed to get hold of me, and no matter how hard I struggled I couldn't get free.

"NO!" I yowled loudly as that insane vet stabbed that piece of metal into the back of my neck. That traitor Nya just chuckled with the vet at my useless struggles. It seemed that I had to master the sad, cute look, however, because as soon as Nya's eyes locked with mine she stopped laughing and carefully picked me up.

"Oh, you poor baby." She cooed as she started petting me and scratching under my chin, causing me to purr, despite the momentary pain.

"Alright, we'll let the little guy rest for a few weeks before the operation." The vet smiled as he packed the syringe away. "I would keep a close eye on him for the next couple of days and if you see anything abnormal, just give us a call."

"Thanks, doc, we appreciate it."

"NO WE DON'T!" I shouted as she placed me in the cat carrier, but they didn't pay me any attention. As Nya and that madman continued talking, I had to start thinking of a plan of escape, or a way to prevent them from taking the three things I don't think I can live without. The third one is my mojo...

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Notes: I am so, so sorry that this took so long and that this chapter is so short! I desperately wanted to get this update out but this was all I could squeeze out of my brain despite all the ADORABLE cat videos I have watched over the last few weeks. Seriously, guys, I tried and tried but no matter what I did, this was all I could come up with and I didn't want to keep you all waiting any longer. Nevertheless, I hope you all like this little update and again, I am so sorry it took so long and it's so short! Now then, you have all sent me many, many different names for Kai and I loved them all. Some of my favorites were Blaze, Dragon, and Lucifer; but my favorite by far was Meowthra, which was suggested to me by my good friend @Lava_Serpant over on Wattpad. If you do like my Ninjago stories, I would strongly suggest that you go and check them out. They also write stories for things like Encanto, Avatar, and I think they have a Marvel and DC crossover story. Thank you for taking the time to read this chapter and note, and I hope some of you will go and check out @Lava_Serpant's profile on Wattpad!

Danny Phantom Su crossover I love this design omg! ;u;

design by @nicktoonsunite

art by: me 

I love this! 

Is it a drawing for a fanfic or something?

❤🧜‍♀️🧜‍♂️

@merjago Day 7 - Clothing

Ray’s been caught trying to save his son, and Chen knows exactly how to reveal a mermaid in disguise.

Not sure if you do prompts but feel free to ignore it but can we see more life of a high school vampire pretty please?

I’ll try to update Life of a high school vampire soon but no promises, I do have other stories to work on at the moment.

The Flame and the Dragon Ch10

Chapter 10: The Bargain

"Nya! Lloyd! If you two are here, please answer me!" Kai screeched desperately, growing more and more worried. "Dammit, where are you two!" He shouted as loud as he could. A loud squeak screamed behind him, and Kai turned around in a flash. A wooden door with iron bolts, he hadn't noticed before, creaked open. Against his better judgment, Kai approached it, caution in each guarded step.

"Who's there!" He demanded. He received no answer but found himself in another chamber that contrasted with the rest of the castle. The room closely resembled a tower entrance, but the stone was not made of marble like the rest of the castle. The light of an oil lamp on the wall faintly lit the room in a pale orange glow, barely illuminating the silhouette of the staircase spiraling to the top of the castle. Shadows danced in the corner as if beckoning him to follow.

Every single thought told him to turn on his heels and go the other way, but the thought of his siblings possibly trapped in such a gruesome place quickly altered Kai's decision.

He grabbed the lamp from its hook and raised it above his head. A complete sphere of orange light surrounded him as he cautiously making his way up the stairs. The tower walls felt dank and wet beneath his hands. The air was heavy with the disgusting stench of mildew. Grime covered the walls in some places while flecks of moss speckled enormous stone blocks in others. Huge blocks formed the steps, built on top of the other in a spiral, so large it was like walking two steps at a time.

Barely any space existed between the two walls except for the width of the staircase.

This caused the uneasy feeling of claustrophobia to creep up Kai's spine, but he forced it away. Shadows danced in front of him, like small creatures struggling up the steps. The second their shadows left his sight, they stopped, as if waiting for him to follow. Kai blinked at the strange shapes but shook his head to relieve his worry.

"Nya! Lloyd!" He howled again, his voice bouncing loudly against the stone of the tower, reflecting a harsh echo. Kai increased his speed as fast as he could up the enormous steps. Once he reached the top he stopped and held his ground at the sound of panting. Once he made sure he had the advantage if anyone attacked him, he turned around and held up the bright lamp, but saw nothing. They made it to the top of the staircase faster than expected.

Both Jay and Ronin faltered until they both collapsed to the ground.

Their legs were very sore from running up such a long flight of stairs and their lungs panted desperately for air. Tox slithered up the last of the steps, shaking and panting with the last of her strength before finally collapsing in a heap on the floor. They had quickly hidden when the loud footsteps of Kai's heavy boots charged up the stairs. The three hissed at the brightness of Kai's lamp. The boy barely noticed, however, clearly too worried about his brother and sister.

Once Kai shrugged the sound off as rats, the lamplight and moonlight peeking through the windows told him he was in the highest room of the tower.

The stone blocks melded into a slate cone that seemed to go on forever. Glassless windows form gaping holes all over the roof allowing moonlight to spill into the room. The moonlight highlighted the iron bolts, locks, and bars upon the heavy wooden door on the other side of the room, clearly marking the tower as the dungeon. The smell of mold and grime hung in the air, creating a revolting stench. The floor was littered with straw and small broken pieces of the wall.

The dim light of Kai's lamp danced across the room.

He moved his hands to cover his mouth in a weak attempt to block out the horrid stench. The sound of crying quickly froze him in place, followed by the soothing shushing sounds he knew by heart. Keys was the first thing that popped into Kai's mind. He searched frantically for any signs of a key. Kai searched around until his eyes spied the keys on the hook. Practically leaping across the room, Kai clumsily snatched the keys from the hook and fiddled with each one until with a joyful click the lock came undone and Kai swung the door open.

Anger, relief, and sheer joy bombarded him all at once.

Nya and Lloyd were sat on the floor of the dark, dank, rancid prison chamber, leaning beneath the only glass-less window in the room. Heavy manacles connected to about five feet of thick chains shackled their ankles to the wall. Both were shivering from the freezing temperature, both the stone and the open window caused. The fact that neither had their coats didn't help to ease the chill. Nya and Lloyd looked up in shock and slight fear when the door opened.

Nya wrapped her arms securely around Lloyd as the small boy cried in her chest and lap.

Their eyes widened even more at the sight of, no their capturer, but their third sibling standing in the doorway.

"Kai!" Lloyd cried out. Wasting no time Kai dashed over to them. The second his knees hit the floor, Lloyd threw himself into his brother's arms and wrapped them rightly around Kai's waist, crying loudly. Unable to do anything else but kneels there, Kai returned the gesture and stoked the little's one's bangs until he calmed down.

"It is okay, I got you." He promised when Lloyd calmed down enough to look at him. The only one not smiling or emotional at the trio's reunion, which they both soon noticed, was Nya. Instead, the only female Smith sibling looked furious, her blue eyes burning with anger, fear, and remorse, and her entire body was shaking like she didn't know whether to strangle her twin or hug him until he burst.

"You should not have come here." She managed to choke out after many failed attempts to speak. It was directed at Kai, but the tone made Lloyd clench his older brother tighter.

"What the hell does that mean? You think I would just leave you two to rot?" Kai demanded. Nya didn't argue with him, instead, she just grabbed the keys Kai dropped when Lloyd hugged him and threw them at him.

"Listen to me; take Lloyd, get out of here, go back to the town, and don't. Ever. Come back." She ordered, her tone held no room for argument, but Kai was never one to follow orders.

"I am not leaving either of you here." He declared sternly.

"Dammit Kai, for once in your life, do what I tell you! You and Lloyd have to get out of here before he gets back; if he finds you here he'll-"

"HE ALREADY HAS!" A booming voice thundered throughout the prison tower. Kai froze as the chilling voice stiffened his spine. Lloyd screamed and buried his face in the safety of Kai's chest and Nya, for the first time in her life, was scared speechless. Even the three people who Kai hadn't noticed were outside started shaking. All three backed themselves against the wall, hiding. Kai didn't turn around. Instead, he slowly got to his feet, holding Lloyd securely in his arms, wrapped in his coat, and held him tightly.

He stood and turned around to face Nya and Lloyd's capture.

The man had hidden in the shadows, only his eyes were visible. Two striking orbs of jade glowing unnaturally in the darkness. He watched as those eyes turned to the three people Kai hadn't noticed before, shivering in the corner.

"Tox, go help, Nelson." The voice commanded. The green-haired woman burst from the room and vanished down the stairs in less than a second. When his gaze met the remaining two, both boys swallowed loud lumps in their throats. "I'll deal with you two later." He stated before turning his frozen gaze to the siblings. Kai felt a shiver run up his spine when those green eyes fell on him, but he held his ground.

"Who are you?" He demanded in a calm, unreadable voice.

"You're in no place to be making demands." The voice mocked, arrogantly. "But if you must know, I am the master of this castle and all within its walls."

"Are you the ones who kidnapped my brother and sister?" Kai demanded. His face was a neutral mask and his amber eyes were hard and unyielding.

"I've done nothing of the sort." The shadow removed itself from the wall and moved towards them without leaving the darkness, extremely cautious of the moonlight bathing Kai and his two siblings. "You're siblings trespassed on my property and entered this castle without my permission; therefore, as the master, I have every right to keep them both here until I decide to let them leave, or until they die, whichever comes first." He spoke in a harsh, arrogant tone.

"Trespassing doesn't warrant such a punishment!" Kai shouted, clenching his free hand at his side. The shadow raised an eyebrow at the fierceness burning in those amber gems, clearly intrigued by the brunette.

"It matters not, ignorance is not an excuse for breaking the laws; if you wish to grant your sister's request, however, I'll allow you take your brother home, but either way, one of you is staying and not even your persistence will convince me otherwise." The shadow stated firmly. Kai was about to retort until Lloyd started coughing in his arms. He'd obviously been trying to hide it, but the loud choking coughs and heavy pants alerted everyone in the room to his condition.

In a second, Kai's expression went from fury to fear as he fell to his knees and rearranged the smaller boy in his arms.

As he did this, the blond boy released the worst coughing fit even the Master of the castle had ever heard. Kai felt like punching the floor.

"He can't stay here, Kai, he'll only get sicker," Nya explained, lying Lloyd down in her lap, as the boy tried desperately to refill his lungs.

"What's wrong with him?" The Master asked taking a step forward, but Kai was on his feet in front of his family before the shadow could get any closer.

"He was born with asthma." He explained. "The doctor said it should work itself out as he gets older, but whenever he has an attack it has to be controlled or he could get worse!"

"Then give him some medicine."

"I don't have it." Kai retorted before turning to his sister. "Where is it? I know you packed some when you two left, I checked three times." He reminded her, but Nya bit her lip.

"We did have it, but... it was in the carriage." She replied and Kai mentally swore. The medicine was still in the carriage. The carriage he untied from Flame's reigns before they rode into the woods. Swallowing his pride, Kai turned back to the master.

"Lloyd can't stay here; he'll die if he does."

"Then take him back to your town." The master ordered. "I won't stop you, I already said only one of you has to stay."

"I'm not leaving Nya here either." He said firmly. The master raised another eyebrow, stepping closer, making his silhouette and eyes visible but nothing more.

"Then what would you propose, I do?" He asked, turning to the smaller boy who was shaking in his older brother's arms. He doubted Lloyd truly was as sick as his brothers feared, but something had to be done about that vicious cough. But first, he wanted to see how the youth in front of him would react. His eyes fell back on Kai. This one intrigued him, challenged him with no fear, met him blow for blow with a spirit that refused to break, and fierce independence.

Even now, despite his obvious fear for his younger brother's life, his sister's freedom, and his anger at himself, the boy refused to show any sign of weakness.

The Master was interested to see just how far that spirit would go, as the master watched the amber-eyed teen calculate a plan in his head.

"How about a deal?" Kai said, at last, lifting his head to meet the Master's eyes. Blazing amber was burning with all the fire the master loved, bore into his orbs of cold green. The master raised an eyebrow, curious.

"I'm listening."

"You said one of us has to stay here, right? But you never specified who." He explained. The Master's brightened curiously as a smile slowly crept across his face.

"I don't believe I did." He admitted and Kai wanted to snarl at the arrogance in his voice. Nya must've figured out where Kai was going because she stiffened and protested immediately, but Kai ignored her.

"Then how about this: you let Lloyd and Nya return to the village and never bother either of them again, no imprisonment, no nothing." He bargained, not a glimmer of doubt or hesitation in his eyes.

"You're terms are steep, little candle." The Master said as he circled him, keeping in the shadows. Kai stood his ground. The master was testing him, looking for any sign of weakness, like a predator searching for its prey's weak spot before making the killing blow. "I assume you're willing to offer me something just as valuable in return?"

"No." He said bluntly. "Nowhere near as valuable but it's all I have got to bargain with."

"Very well, but I can't agree unless I know what it is you are offering me, candle?" He replied and Kai shivered when he felt a claw-like hand brush one of his spikey brown bangs behind his ear. He already knew what Kai was going to say, he just wanted to hear him say it.

"You promise to let them go, no tricks, not double-cross, no loopholes, not nothing, and... you can have me, instead."

"KAI NO!"

"That is an awfully steep sacrifice, candle." He said and Kai could hear the smirk in the Master's voice. "You know you'd be giving up everything right? You'd be trapped here until I decide to let you leave and you'd never see your family or your home again."

"It'd be worth it." He said immediately.

"But that's not all." The master continued. A clawed hand tugged on Kai's wrist pulling him into the shadows despite his struggle, while the opposite held his chin forcing him to meet the Master's eyes. "I saw it the moment I first laid eyes on you; you're a spirit as wild as an untamed falcon, a wildfire that burns vigorously with freedom! If you agree to this, you'd be throwing all that away; you'd never be free again and you'd be confined to this castle and the grounds, or, if I ordered it, this very room." He whispered darkly in Kai's ear.

It was a miracle Kai managed to not shiver when he felt those cold, scaly, clawed hands firmly grasp his shoulders.

He was testing him and Kai knew it. Testing his weakness and exploiting everything he loved, knowing he was requiring the teen to sacrifice everything while he lost nothing. Waiting for him to weaken and refuse. Waiting for him to break. Clenching his fists at his side, Kai closed his eyes forgetting his own desires and focusing solely on his siblings. Lloyd needed medicine and he needed Nya to take care of him. That was how it had always been since Ray died.

Kai and Nya would take care of all three of them financially, but only Nya would take care of him and Lloyd emotionally.

They'd both be safe, free from this nightmarish lord, his dark prison, and all it would cost him was everything he ever loved and cared for.

"Come into the light and let me see you," Kai whispered, without turning around.

"What!?" The Master roared as he released his shoulders.

"No disrespect, I just wish to see who it is I'm signing my life away to before I tell you my decision." He explained. It wouldn't matter either way, but if this guy thought he could keep Kai in the dark forever, he was mistaken.

"Swear to me you won't scream." He said after a moment of silence. Kai nodded and braced himself for the worst as the Master stepped into the moonlight. Immediately, Kai looked up. For all his arrogance and selfishness and harsh deeds, the Master was a breathtaking creature. He was human, yet at the same time, he wasn't. The Dragon Lord was indeed the right name. He wasn't human or a dragon, but both. He stood seven feet tall, easily towering over Kai.

A shaggy mop of black hair on the top of his head revealed two pointed fin-like ears.

His dragon fangs glittered pristine white in the moonlight, protruding from his upper lip, visible when he smirked though his face betrayed no emotion. His human body stood firmly with large muscles. Instead of human skin, a clutter of black and dark orange scales formed a spike at both his elbows to his wrists. Smooth dragon scales looked like armor at first glance. The dragonskin glistened down his arms. Sharp black claws that could easily rip him to shreds were at the end of his long fingers.

Kai shivered, remembering them on his shoulders and holding his chin a few moments ago.

Just below his back from both his shoulders, they appeared. Two enormous dragon wings were as big as he was, membraned and muscled, like a bat's, and were topped with a small black spike. They were strong and more powerful and looked like they could consume the brunette in their leathery grasp. They were glowing the same black and dark orange as his scales. Unable to control his body anymore, Kai scanned the rest of the Dragon Lord's body.

His top half was covered by a sleeveless black jacket trimmed with silver and closed in the front.

Behind him, Kai could see a large, muscled tail, glistening with black scales, moving on its own accord, and the end curled like a whip. Moving his eyes from the lethal abdomen, Kai scanned down the Dragon Lord's legs and feet. Black pants tightly hugged the strong legs leaving little to the imagination. More scaled armor covered his legs from the knees down, forming a pair of boot-like dragon legs resembling his claws, but with stronger paws and shorter nails.

"Well?" The Master asked, forcing Kai's gaze to return to those green eyes. Immediately he was trapped by the paralyzing gaze of those sharp orbs with only black slits for pupils. Dragon claws, dragon scales, dragon wings, dragon eyes. Immediately Kai knew where they were, who the Master was, and what was happening and the realization made him dizzy and unable to move. It took all his willpower not to faint as he tried to remember the hybrid's name.

"Y-You're Prince Cole B-Brookstone, the Dragon L-Lord." He stuttered out eventually. Surprise suddenly filled the dragon's eyes, as if shocked someone knew who he was without having to explain his past. But as quickly as it appeared, a smirk replaced it. Beauty, fire, and brains. He truly was a rare jewel.

"That is correct, my candle," Cole smirked, but his eyes bore into Kai's with no emotion, noticing Kai's fierce resistance as he tried desperately not to show fear or desire. "So what do you say now?" He commanded, seductively. His claws danced under Kai's chin making him whimper slightly. "Do we have an agreement?" He asked, trying to intimidate him, but still, Kai refused to show any weakness.

"Kai no!" Lloyd pleaded, through another violent cough.

"You have my word." Kai choked in a whisper.

"Done!" Cole roared releasing the teen and ordering the servants at the door to release Nya and Lloyd. Unable to hold himself up any longer, Kai's knees give way and he collapsed to the floor, closing his eyes and buried his face in his hands to keep tears from falling. The second Jay and Ronin undid their chains, Lloyd threw his arms around his older brother crying, pleading with him to come back. All Kai could do was hold him. He felt Nya hug his shoulders, not saying a word, knowing nothing she said would change his mind.

"Dammit, Kai." She snarled quietly. She didn't have time for anything else. Cole grabbed the back of her cloak, and called for two other servants, and threw her to the two guardsmen.

"Skylor, Chamille, take them back to the village." He commanded before turning back to Lloyd and Kai on the floor. "Time to go, little one." He said in a more civil voice.

"NO! Kai has to come too!" Lloyd screamed, clenching Kai tighter.

"It's alright, green bean, I'll be fine, just go with Nya, alright?" Kai said with forced a smile but Lloyd saw right through it and just continued to cry. With a sigh, Cole snatched the smaller away from Kai and, with a little more care, handed him to Chamille despite Lloyd's struggling and coughing.

"Get them there as fast as you can, and make sure he gets his medicine," Cole ordered the two monsters, before pointing to Lloyd. The two nodded and left, dragging Nya and Lloyd with them, looks of remorse on their face as they tried to block out the pleads and cries coming from all three siblings. Kai made a dash for the door but Cole already locked it. He wrestling with the door and screamed at the top of his lungs before he gave up. He sprinted to the window and clenched the stone windowsill, looking for the guards.

He finally found them, but could barely see them from the tower prison.

He could see his siblings fighting with them, as the guards held a now blindfolded Nya and Lloyd in their arms and took them to the forest. They would make sure they couldn't find their way back to the castle but could get back to the village. His heart shattered when he saw Lloyd, crying and screaming and shouting his full name. He was so scared, but he had no fear for himself or Nya. His fear was a direct result of his beloved brother's unknown fate as the lord's prisoner.

Kai collapsed to the floor in a shaking heap, curled his arms around the window sill, and buried his face in his arms.

He did nothing to stop the river of tears from falling. They were tears of anger, grief, remorse, and loss. He had always hated crying, considered it a weakness, but it seemed impossible not to cry at that moment. The window served as a permanent reminder of the outside world that was forever barred to him since chances were, he'd never set foot outside his current cell. He had signed his life away. His family, his dreams, his freedom, everything he ever held dear, to a devilish creature who knew nothing of sacrifice.

Now was the perfect time to cry...

The Flame and the Dragon Ch13

Chapter 13: The Cursed Castle

The staircase led to the first floor and Kai was back in the front hallway. The enormous locked doors to the front mocked him as he passed by. He snorted and growled trying to navigate his way through the labyrinth of chambers. His stomach refused to silence. He turned down another hallway but every corridor appeared the same. They were made of stone and lit with candles, but each was decorated in a different manner. This only made it more difficult to decide where to go.

Two oak doors blocked the end of the hallway.

A light leaking from the bottom caught Kai's attention. He turned the handles and shoved the doors open a crack, preventing any noise. His eyes widened as he scanned the enormous dining room Even in the darkness, the room was stunning. A smooth, green carpet covered the floor, while a red carpet stretched from the entrance, up too small steps, and to a large platform where a gold and silver table sat. Matching chairs in a similar fashion lined the walls opposite the ends of the table.

Behind the table, three windows covered almost the entire wall, shaped like the top of an octagon.

They were lined with maroon curtains tied with a gold cord. The darkness outside told him it was still night. A crystal chandelier lit with many candles hung from the ceiling on a thick chain, while candle holders lit with cream-colored candles rested on the oak tables. A huge fireplace framed with black stone rested in the opposite wall where a huge mirror rested above the mantelpiece. There was no ceiling. Instead, there was a balcony. Kai recognized as one of the ones he'd traveled when Cole showed him to his room, branched from one wall to the other.

Kai shivered to wonder what the room must have looked like during the day, with light spilling in from the windows.

In the far corner, lights danced behind another door, diverting his attention. He slowly approached the door and gently pushed it open. A short stone hallway lit by orange and yellow lights led to the kitchen where he could hear voices. Caution and curious, Kai pressed his back against the opposite wall, keeping himself in the safety of the shadows, before silently sliding towards the kitchen entrance. He carefully leaned over to peer inside. The kitchen was full of bright lights though he could only see a few candles and enormous wheel-shaped chandeliers hanging from the ceiling.

In the corner was an enormous brick structure that Kai could've mistaken for an alter if not for the black smoke pouring out the brick tower.

There was blazing yellow and orange fire burning wildly within it. The kitchen was huge. It was an entire room made of stone and glass and the floor was made of a sandy-gold stone. The fire pit, contained by the enormous brick stove, rested in the far corner embedded in the wall. A line of black tools hung from the wall around the stove, so they were within easy reach. A tall man, taller than Kai with short black hair and ghostly pale skin stood before the fire pit.

With a wave of his arms, the fires roared to life, before calming with the flick of the man's wrist.

He carried jars of spices from the mess upon the huge wooden table in the middle of the room and rearranged them in the towering spice cabinet next to the stove. Servants moved about, two he recognized as the man and woman in the tower, scurried about the kitchen carrying plates of little cakes, baskets of apple and fruits, and trays covered with silver tins. They placed them all on a huge wooden table in the middle. The table was full of knives and cutting boards and overcrowded with apples, peppers, carrots, and other vegetables.

The servants gathered them all in baskets before relocating them in either the huge icebox in the corner of the enormous pantry, so large it covered almost the entire wall.

Over a large silver sink, Neuro scrubbed pots beneath a faucet of running water. Steam rose when the hot water touched the cool, gray water. Nelson was sat on one of the countertops drying plates. Tox and Ronin who Kai recognized from the tower were carrying large pots, struggling with large towers of plates and cauldrons of water. The two placed the objects on the table before a flash of turquoise and green surrounding them. A green naga and a short troll stood in their place.

They then relocated the dishes from the countertops to the cupboards above the counters.

They were carved from wood but each one had a glass window so people could see where each one went. The raven-haired man in the corner turned around, barking orders, revealing his true face. He had a few inches on Kai and pale, almost grey, skin and onyx-colored eyes. A strong hand wiped the sweat from his brow. He wore black gloves and a sleeveless black vest with silver shoulder braces, a silver wolf symbol with red eyes, and in front of a blue area on the chest.

His legs were designed with gray pants and black boots.

His white cooking apron was blotched with soot and stained red. Kai ducked behind the wall hoping he wasn't seen. His heart hammered in his chest in confusion and excitement, as he pondered who, or rather what, they were.

"UGH! I can't believe this! I slave all day over a hot stove, quite literally and what!? It all goes to waste!" He hollered as he raised his hands in protest. The other servants and the boy on the counter jumped. The only one unafraid of the cook's temper was Neuro, who was still doing dishes.

"Oh, stop your grousing! It's been a long night for all of us!" Neuro told him. Shade rolled his eyes but said nothing else. Not a moment later Jay, who Kai also recognized from the tower, bulldozed into the room through the opposite door, panting heavily. Echo ran beside him, looking just as exhausted as Jay.

"Sorry guys," Jay panted, before glowing in a dark blue light. A blue fox took his place. Kai's eyes almost bulged out of his skull. He couldn't look away as Echo closed his eyes and in a flash of gold, only a brown centaur remained. They had intended to continue their search for Kai, but they noticed how much work the others had to do since dinner was canceled and it wasn't like Kai could leave the castle. Wasting no time, Jay, in the form of a Raijū, grabbed a stack of plates clearly too heavy for him.

The tiny creature struggled to use his powers to float but managed to lift it and made his way towards the pantry.

"Jay let me help you," Echo begged his companion.

"I got it," Jay grunted until finally, he faltered as his body fell, sending plates scattering around him. Without thinking Kai dove and slid across the floor to catch the falling creature in his arms. Plates rained around him, as Kai pulled the shaking fox in his arms. Everyone, who had moved for the same reason, froze and stared at the boy on the floor. Kai blinked in surprise until his eyes widened in remembrance.

"Oh, you're there," Jay said. "Echo and I wondered where you disappeared too." He smiled. Kai reacted quickly. His entire body jumped and he fell backward until he was in a half-sitting, half-lying position. His eyes were wide with shock and awe. The action sent Jay flying into the air, forcing him to use his powers to float. The cook crossed his arms and smirked at the teen on the floor. Jay rubbed his head with a paw before blinking at his savor.

He smiled brightly and extended a paw to Kai, who stared at him with a mixture of shock, confusion, and amazement.

"I'm Jay, please to meet you."

"Uh, hello," Kai replied as he shook Jay's paw with two fingers.

"I apologize about this," Neuro said as he leaned forward slightly so his eyes met Kia's bewildered ones. "My name is Neuro, and before you ask, no you are not in any way mad, and I do hope our presence didn't shock you; we didn't expect to meet you formally until tomorrow, otherwise we would've made your acquaintance already but now that you're here, we'd like to welcome you, Master... Kai, is it?" He asked. Kai nodded, still shocked.

"Sorry about before." Tox hissed as she slithered over. "We didn't get to introduce ourselves, the name's Tox." She smiled before there was a flash of green. When it faded again a green-haired woman landed on her heels and offered a hand to Kai.

"Hello," Kai replied, a bit breathlessly, and shook the offered hand. Tox took the opportunity to pull him to his feet.

"Sorry, about earlier." Echo smiled sadly before reappearing as the brunette boy with gold eyes a moment later. "I hope all of our transforming back and forth didn't scare you." He smiled sincerely.

"It's alright, I don't mind." Kai smiled. "I'm assuming these are your cursed forms?" He asked gesturing to Jay's fox form.

"Only if we want, it's just exhausting to stay human and easier for us to move like this," Jay explained.

"But the Dragon Lord is a mix of man and creature, so how come none of you are?" He asked, wondering why they were suddenly switching between their human forms and the monstrous forms he recognized from the fairy tale. They all shared uncomfortable looks so Kai thought it'd be best to drop the subject.

"I'm Ronin." The troll smiled from the counter. Kai nodded with a small smile.

"Easy there, lads, you don't wanna shock the boy anymore than he already has been shocked tonight." Shade teased before narrowing his eyes to the teen in front of him. Kai stayed still as Shade's hard eyes, void of emotion and impossible to read, scanned him over critically. "The boys told me you're the reason the Master was throwing a fit this afternoon, is that true?" He asked and Kai raised an eyebrow.

"If he threw a tantrum because I refused to obey him then that is no one's fault but his own; I made myself perfectly clear when I said I refused to become another one of his servants just because we made a deal." He answered. Everyone froze for a bit, then Shade did the last thing anyone expected, he laughed.

"You got guts, it about time someone deflated the oversized ego of Cole's! He needs to learn to lighten up a bit." The cook laughed in such a way, Kai wasn't sure if it was good or bad until the noirette smirked. "Welcome to the hellhole, I'm Shade, the cook here and Neuro's husband, at your service."

"My name's Nelson." The boy he'd seen earlier jumped from the counter to greet him with a bright smile on his face. "You've already met Jay." He said and gestured to the blue fox floating in the air, knocking Ronin off the counter. The troll growled and began a chase. Kai ducked and moved, hoping to avoid the crossfire. Soon Tox and Echo both returned to their human forms and joined in the play.

"Don't mind them." Neuro chuckled. "They're always eager to see a new face; now, if there is anything at all we can do to make your stay more comfortable, please do not hesitate to ask."

"Yeah, we haven't had any guests here in ages!" Jay smiled, stopping in the air, causing the other three creatures to crash into him.

"Well, I am a little hungry."

"You hear that? He's hungry!" Neuro instantly beamed as he turned to Shade.

"Start the fire!" Shade smiled as he spun around and waved his hand. The oven erupted in flames. "Pull out the spices, break out the china!" He ordered and not a moment later, everyone did as commanded. The spice cabinet flew open and various jars of different colored herbs were removed and drawers opened, revealing the forks, spoons, and knives.

"Wait!" Tox countered. "Didn't the Master say-"

"Until I die, not a soul in this castle is going to bed hungry!" He declared, boldly. Kai almost blushed at the attention.

"Really, you don't have to-"

"Shut it!" Shade cut him off he dropped the two huge pots he'd been carrying on top of the roaring stove. Before Kai could blink Shade flew in front of him making him jump and stumble backward. Shade circled him, scanning him up and down then pinched his arm making Kai growl, and snatch his arm away

"What the hell are you doing!" He demanded angrily but Shade didn't seem to hear him.

"I've got my work cut out for me." The chef shook his head both in disappointment and in excitement at the new challenge. "Not to worry, when I'm done with you you'll never eat again! You need it, you're way too thin for a normal seventeen—"

"I'M NINETEEN!"

"That's even worse! Do you ever eat?! You're nothing but skin and bones!" Shade gasped in horror. Before Kai could answer, Shade started running around the room gathering ingredients. "We are going to need chickens, chestnuts, and broth for stuffing and plenty of hazelnuts!" He started shouting randomly, grabbing a basket of apples from the pantry, and began slicing through each one like butter. "Three cups of flour, six eggs, and a quarter of milk… MOVE IT!" He roared.

The servants scurried throughout the kitchen as the dook randomly shouted what he needed.

The chef darted from the icebox to the pantry or the table. He was grabbing, slicing, and throwing food over his shoulder into pots, on pans, or plates. The whole process was so quick and complex, Kai suddenly felt dizzy watching him work.

"TOX!"

"HERE!" The naga answered while Shade placed a tray of sliced cheeses and crackers and assorted fruits in her hands.

"Bring that to the dining hall and don't spill a single one or I'll skin you alive!"

"GOT IT!" She replied, before jumping off the counter and dashing towards the dining room. When Kai felt something pull on his sleeve, he looked down and found Nelson tugging on his sleeve.

"You'll love it, Shade's a great cook." He reassured the brunette. Smiling, Kai scooped the small boy into his arms, making him yelp, and walked towards the dining room. He shoved the doors open, so Tox and Ronin could get in and place the food on the table. He gently placed Nelson on the table and turned around just in time to see Jay fly in. The blue fox struggled to carry a huge bowl of gravy on his head as he panted exhaustedly. Taking pity on him, when Jay started to slowly fall to the ground, Kai took the pot of Jay's head and carried it to the table.

"Hey! That's our job!" Jay moaned in annoyance. Kai chuckled at the pout on the fox's face.

"What? So now I'm not even allowed to help? Fuck that! Listen, guys, I appreciate all this, really, but I can take care of myself, I really can't stand being waited on all the time." He insisted. The servants just nodded and retreated back to the kitchen before coming back with more food, putting up no resistance whenever Kai offered to help. When Shade finished, all things delicious and imaginable were spread across the table. Kai noticed they'd only set one plate for him, but looking at the display before him, he knew there was no way he could ever hope to eat all the food.

A basket full of ripe, red apples arranged next to a basket of bread and rolls that sat next to a plate of butter.

The centerpiece was a huge chicken stuffed with chestnut stuffing, next to a bowl of hot, buttery gravy. Wheel-shaped plates of cheese and crackers that were hemmed by pieces of ham and beef served as appetizers. A single, large golden goblet was filled with rich, burgundy wine. For dessert, there were plates of fruits. There were strawberries smoothed with cream and dusted with brown sugar, raspberries coated in chocolate, hazelnuts dipped in honey, and over a dozen tiny cakes filled with cream with light pink frosting.

Kai couldn't say anything as his mouth began to water at the sight of all that delicious food.

"I take pride in my work," Shade smirked, before gently shoving Kai into the dining room. He turned to leave but Kai stopped him.

"Aren't you having any?" He asked. Shade paused and raised an eyebrow, before remembering this was only Kai's first night here.

"I can't."

"Why not?"

"I literally can't, I can't leave the kitchen, I'm bound to it." He replied, sounding angry and almost sad. The noirette didn't give Kai time to answer and turned to leave again, but Kai jumped in front of him. He blocked the door before turning to the rest of the confused staff.

"You guys can't expect me to eat all that by myself, right? I assumed you were making enough for everyone?" He asked and Shade blinked. Kai's determination refused to falter. Again the cook smirked and crossed his arms.

"You got a good heart, but even though we can, we don't need to eat; it's part of our curse."

"When was the last time any of you actually enjoyed your own cooking?"

"Over a hundred years ago." He answered flatly. He resisted the urge to urge to snort at the stunned look on Kai's face. Instead of questioning him, Kai strolled back to the table and sat down at the table.

"Come on, the food looks delicious, and I already know there's a possible way I can finish all this by myself, so feel free; I'd don't mind, I like company."

"Sure." Jay shrugged as he hopped onto the table and grabbed a cake before plopping it in his mouth. Shade plucked the blue fox by his tail.

"At least have the decency to wait, I didn't go through all the trouble of cooking just so you could eat it all in five minutes." He scolded, while everyone else either grabbed a chair or followed Jay's example and took a seat on the table. Shade dropped Jay next to Nelson and leaned against the table, before grabbing one of the cakes and took a bite. "So, Kai, what would you like?" He asked. Kai's eyes scanned the mountains of food again, already feeling his stomach begging.

"I'll just have a bit of everything." He finally said. Kai had never cared much for the laws of physics, but whoever said the matter couldn't be created or destroyed clearly never met Jay or Ronin before. In the span of a few short seconds, the two creatures had devoured over half the food that was leftover, after everyone claimed their meal. They made all that food vanish in less than a few seconds. Kai could only stare at them in shock.

"Don't think about it." Someone suddenly said. Kai jumped and turned to Echo, who was standing next to him, munching on a cake and a strawberry. "Ronin and Jay are eating machines, Shade says the day he leaves either one of them in the kitchen unattended is the day he lets us all starve to death." The centare laughed before eating his strawberry. Shade nodded at this, sinking his unusually long canine into an apple. Kai chuckled before stealing another cake, while the two boys fought over the last of the cream-filled sweets.

He couldn't believe how much he was enjoying himself.

Everything unhappy and frustrating about the previous evening just seemed like a bad dream. Once everyone had eaten their choice of food, they'd began bombarding Kai with questions about himself, each one of them curious to learn everything about their new guest. He'd given up trying to persuade them not to call him Master Kai and decided it was just something he'd have to get used to. The younger staff and Nelson were all careful to avoid anything that related to his siblings, which he was grateful for.

Despite his unusual happiness, the ache of never seeing his family again left a heavy hollow weight in his chest.

"So, you like books?" Nelson asked, sipping a glass of orange juice.

"Lloyd and I used to spend all our time in the bookstore whenever we got a chance." He nodded. Jay perked up and let go of the cake he'd been holding, sending Ronin, who was trying to take the cake, flying backward and almost off the table.

"We should show you the library then, right Tox?" He asked, turning to the naga, who was busy licking the last of the chicken off a drumstick.

"Of course, it's on the second floor."

"You have a library? Where is it?" Kai asked, excited.

"We'll show you tomorrow, we've gone through the whole day already." Echo replied. Kai blinked before looking around for some form of a clock in the room. An antique grandfather clock in the hallway, chimed to life, alerting the staff it was already 9 o'clock.

"Wow, I guess time really does fly when you're having fun." He chuckled and continued to socialize with the younger staff. Tox, Jay, and Nelson all asked Kai questions about himself, especially when he let it slip that he liked to write. It rather surprised everyone else. It was almost too impossible to believe this guy was the same rebellious and feisty teen who'd all but sent their Master into a fury the night before. Ronin suddenly stopped eating and jumped from the table.

In a flash of turquoise, he returned to his human form and grabbed a large tray, and began piling it with enough food for at least two people.

He clenched the silver handles and turned to the stairs.

"Where are you going?" Kai asked curiously.

"The Master didn't come down for dinner, so he must be hungry." He answered flatly. A sudden rage filled Kai and he snorted, remembering the argument they'd had earlier. Ronin turned to the new guest and offered a small smile.

"He's really not bad, except when he's in a mood, but really, he's not bad; you'll forgive him when you get to know him and until then, have a good night." He smiled before exiting the room and strolling up the staircase Kai hadn't noticed before. Kai's ever narrowed but he said nothing.

"You'll have to forgive him, Kai." Neuro sighed. "It's just been so long, and he hasn't really interacted with people for quite some time; sometimes he forgets what it's like to be kind and I'm sure you can understand, haven't you ever felt so out of place it was like everyone was against you for reasons you could not understand?" He asked and Kai almost choked on the wine he'd been drinking. He couldn't answer, but Neuro's words echoed in his mind like a guilty conscious smacking him for an act of stupidity.

He didn't answer and instead just looked at the floor.

For a moment he wondered if it was Cole or him Neuro had been talking about. The last chapter of the fairy tale repeated in his head, and for the first time in two days, he had to remind himself it wasn't just a fairy tale, but a true story. A true story about a hundred years of isolation. He shook his head and tried to dispel the thoughts. He didn't want to think about that right now. He didn't want to spoil his good mood with those thoughts. He didn't regret his and Cole's argument earlier.

Tragedy or not, he reacted the way anyone would, he told himself.

Kai sighed and stood from his chair, causing everyone in the room to stare.

"I'm going to head to bed if that's alright." He said with a small smile.

"We'll go with you." Jay volunteered, floating up and resting on Kai's shoulder. Kai chuckled before offering an arm to Nelson. Nelson took advantage of the gesture and took hold of Kai's hand.

"Are you three coming?" He asked, Shade, Echo, Neuro, and Tox.

"No thank you," Tox replied.

"We should clean this up, and don't you dare volunteer to help, this is the only time of the night Shade and I get to be alone." Neuro smiled, teasingly, though the smirk on Shade's face suggested a few not so innocent intentions. Kai shuddered, before turning to Echo.

"Coming?"

"I have to help the others; the rest of the staff will want to meet you tomorrow." He replied and Kai nodded, before leaving the room, and asking his new friends the quickest way to the East Wing. No one noticed the shadow standing on the balcony overlooking the dining hall, or the green eyes transfixed on the smiling form of their new guest and the equally laughing faces of his staff. He retreated to the safety of the shadows hoping to let them have their moment of happiness, undisturbed...

****************

No one but Ronin noticed the flash of black retreating towards the West Wing. Ronin stopped outside a familiar door of dark wood, engraved with the stunning carving of a dragon. It stood tall and proud as beautiful as it was dangerous, powerful wings twice its length flexed to its full length empowering the border of the doors. Ronin shifted the weight of the tray to one hand and used his free one to knock the silver door knockers. Without an answer, the doors unlocked themselves with a loud click and the shifting of gears like a clock.

Swiftly, but gently, Ronin turned the doorknob and gently pushed the large doors open.

He was met with darkness, lit only by the crack of light from the hallway.

"Master?" He called gently, before entering the room and carefully closing it behind him. Only the bright glow of a large red candle in the corner lit the room. Shredded tapestries hung from the walls, and tattered orange curtains covered the glass doors leading to a balcony. A table covered in white cloth sat on the raised platform. On the table sat the Master's most treasured items, which Ronin dared not touch. The once-grand room was caked with dust and cobwebs.

The only thing untouched by the dust was the huge canopy bed in the corner.

The frame made from iron and the comforter and pillows were shades of black, red, and amber. The curtains around it were tattered and faded with age, but they'd done their job keeping age from touching the bed. The curtain was open and Ronin could see his master sitting there, wrapped in his enormous wings.

"Master? It's time for dinner." He called again. The Dragon Lord finally acknowledged his presents and opened his wings. Ronin gave him a small smile, before setting the tray down on of the broken tables. Of all the servants in the castle, Ronin was one of the only two allowed such familiarity with their Master. He wasn't sure if it was because he'd been there the longest, or if it was because Cole was the one who brought him there and offered him sanctuary.

Ronin accepted that gift with pride.

He made no effort to take advantage of it. Cole smiled and rose from his seat.

"Shouldn't you be making sure our guest doesn't get lost?" He teased.

"Don't worry, Nelson is with him; I'm not foolish enough to leave him alone with Jay, even you wouldn't do something that cruel."

"You put too much faith in me, all of you do." He chuckled lightly. "Anyone else would have, should have, given up on me long ago; I'd have already given up on myself by now."

"Don't say that!" Ronin said, too outspokenly, but it was too late to stop himself. "You don't have enough faith in yourself, you're one of the strongest people I've ever met! I refuse to believe that man who saved me can't be saved himself." He finally choked out, though it hardly measured up to what he wanted to say.

"You really think I don't want to believe that?" Cole asked rhetorically. "Do you really think, I hadn't thought of that when three strangers literally dropped on my doorstep? I hope and I pray and yet instead of an angel I get this brazen, obnoxious boy who can't hold his tongue or keep his temper." Cole chuckled, but Ronin knew it wasn't humorous. "I'm done and I won't pretend to be anything other than what I am." He sighed. Ronin opened his mouth to protest but Cole just smiled.

"Go to bed, I'm sure Kai would enjoy the company." He said and Ronin didn't argue. He just nodded and before leaving his master alone. When the troll was gone, Cole turned to the tray on the table, and with the weave of his arm, it crashed against the wall with the loud clang of metal and silver. He scowled to himself. They all placed too much faith in him. It would only be disappointing when he failed. He growled with disgust at himself before turning to the table in front of the balcony and gazed at the crimson red candle as the bright purple flame flickered back and forth.

One hand braced the rim of the table, the other covering his face with his black scaled paw.

The peace was married to the memory of those who'd given up everything for him. The ones he had lost. The ones he failed to protect.

"It's hopeless."...

Here is the Celestial AU chapter of Turtle Tot Adventures! This AU belongs to @ashwii I love this AU very much and I hope I did it justice!

Ninjago Ship Masterlist!!!!!!!!

A complete, up-to-date list of all the Ninjago ships is below the cut; I will add onto it when a new ship is made. If there’s a ship you don’t see on here, reach out to me through my ask box or private messages.

I’m only documenting the ships of Ninjago here, I’m not doing anything out of preference or bias. This is just to have a cohesive record of the fandom’s pairings for everyone to use as a helpful resource.

(B! equals Bizarro, just so y’all know)

Bruise or Geode- Cole x Jay

Plasma- Jay x Kai

Techno- Jay x Zane

Lava- Kai x Cole

Opposite- Zane x Kai

Glacier- Cole x Zane

Polyninja- Zane x Cole x Jay x Kai

Greenflame- Lloyd x Kai

Jaya- Jay x Nya

Pixane- Pixal x Zane

Samurai- Pixal x Nya

Ice Samurai or Samuraice- Nya x Pixal x Zane

Jaycule- Kai x Zane x Cole x Jay AND Nya x Jay

Future- Cyrus Borg x Acronix

AmberPhoenix- Skylor x Nya

Llorumi- Lloyd x Harumi

Life or Lloya- Lloyd x Nya

Kailor- Kai x Skylor

Ember (Queerplatonic!!)- Skylor & Kai

Coliel- Cole x Seliel

Heavy Metal- Cole x Zane x Pixal

Morwu- Morro x Sensei Wu

Moss- Cole x Lloyd

Unique or Popsicle- Lloyd x Zane

Mountain- Kai x Zane x Cole

Scruff- Dareth x Ronin

Garsako or Harbinger- Garmadon x Misako

Wusako- Sensei Wu x Misako

Outdated- Cryptor x Zane

Taser- Jay x Cryptor

Blizzard- Zane x Morro

Destiny- Kai x Morro

Hailstorm- Jay x Cole x Zane

Cryptzu- Cryptor x General Kozu

Spirit or Sandstorm- Morro x Cole

Conya or Petrichor- Cole x Nya

Greenwind- Lloyd x Morro

ElectricStorm- Jay x Morro

Thinkfast- Neuro x Griffin

BlueWire- Jay x Pixal

Ronya- Ronin x Nya

JadeWolf- Harumi x Akita

Citrus- Morro x Echo Zane

Steam- Ray x Maya

General- Cryptor x White Nindroid

Greenwisp- Lloyd x Jay

Forgiven- Brad x Lloyd

Morrumi or JadeStorm- Morro x Harumi

Survival- Vinny x Garmadon

AmberPrincess- Skylor x Harumi

Legacy- Morro x Cole x Zane x Jay x Kai

GarmaClouse- Garmadon x Clouse

Cryxal- Cryptor x Pixal

Sunshine- Cole x Ultra Violet

Golden Matter- Overlord x Lloyd

User-Friendly- Zane x Overlord

Cake- Cole x cake

ForeverAlone- Sensei Wu x tea

Tea- Sensei Wu x Mystake

GarmaKai- Garmadon x Kai

SnakeGlacier- “Snake Jaguar” x Cole

SnakeBlizzard- “Snake Jaguar” x Morro

Dark History- Garmadon x Krux

Inventor- Cyrus Borg x Dr. Julien

Self-Centered or Coffee- Dareth x Garmadon

Loulien- Lou x Dr. Julien

Zanecule- Polyninja AND Pixane

YingYang- Overlord x First Spinjitzu Master

Ash- Garmadon x Ray

Spell- Master Chen x Clouse

SmokeShade- Ash x Shade

Garmacest- Garmadon x Lloyd

Hope- Young Wu x Faith

ElectricVirus- Jay x Overlord

Resurrected- Zane x Morro x Pixal

Nightshade- Tox x Chamille

LavaLamp- Cole x Skylor x Kai

ResonatedGravity- Jacob x Gravis

Dumbass- Jay x Kai x Cole

PolyPonytail- Nya x Pixal x Skylor

Mudshock- Jay x Nya x Cole

Braincell- Nya x Zane

Conductor- Kai x Zane x Jay (conductor like the metal, not the train)

Gunpowder- Kai x Ash

JetFaith- Jet Jack x Faith

Riptide- Nya x Ultra Violet

Ore- Karlof x Cole

TickTock- Zane x Acronix

Eyepatch- Clutch x Ronin

Supernatural- Snek!Jay x Ghost!Cole x Zane x Anacondrai!Kai

Iceberg- Zane x Nya x Cole

Violent- Harumi x Ultra Violet

Snakecell- Nya x “Snake Jaguar”

DarkThinking- Shade x Neuro

Steampunk- Jay x Echo Zane

TheyDeservedBetter- Show!Garmadon x Koko

GreenCheer- Movie!Lloyd x Movie!Chen

Blue- Nya x Jay x Zane

VioletSnake- Ultra Violet x “Snake Jaguar”

GarmaChen- Garmadon x Master Chen

Hurricane- Nya x Morro

JadedSnake- Harumi x “Snake Jaguar”

StolenData- Skylor x Pixal

PlayDate- Nya x Dogshank

Sleet- Kai x Zane AND Zane x Nya (Nya and Kai are both dating Zane)

Slush- Kai x Nya x Zane

S’mores- Dareth x Zane

Chaos- B!Kai x B!Cole x B!Jay x B!Zane

DarkPlasma- B!Kai x B!Jay

DarkGlacier- B!Cole x B!Zane

DarkLava- B!Kai x B!Cole

DarkGeode- B!Jay x B!Cole

DarkTechno- B!Zane x B!Jay

DarkOpposite- B!Kai x B!Zane

StoneCold- Cole x B!Zane

BlackIce- B!Zane x Zane

Virus- Zane x B!Jay

GreasedLightning- B!Jay x Jay

Fireworks- B!Jay x Kai

Trojan- B!Zane x Jay

Avalanche- Zane x B!Cole

Magma- B!Kai x Cole

Obsidian- Cole x B!Cole

Inferno- Kai x B!Kai

Eruption- B!Cole x Kai

Pyrotechnic- B!Kai x Zane

Frostbite- B!Zane x Kai

BlackLightning- B!Cole x Jay

Aftershock- B!Jay x Cole

FireStarter- B!Kai x Jay

Blizzaro- B!Zane x Morro

Shenanigans- B!Jay x Morro

StolenKiss- B!Jay x Nya

Typhoon- B!Zane x Nya

Mudslide- B!Cole x Nya

Misfit- B!Polyninja x Morro

Gloomy- B!Cole x Morro

Pride- Morro x B!Kai

Greed- B!Kai x Morro x B!Jay

Whirlwind- B!Jay x Morro x Nya

IceStorm- Zane x Nya x Morro

LightningFast- Jay x Griffin

DryIce- Kai x Ice Emperor Zane

HowlingWind- Bansha x Morro

Tar- Shade x Tox

Arson- B!Jay x B!Cole x B!Zane x Kai

BrainFreeze- Neuro x Zane

Fog- Nya x Shade

Timecest- Krux x Acronix

Smelt- Kai x Cryptor

ElectroIce or Gaydar- Zane x Mr. E

Skeleton- Morro x Ghoultar

Checkmate- Zane x Nadakhan

Eclipse- Kai x Shade

CrimsonLightning- Mr. E x Jay

ShortMetal- Mindroid x Cryptor

ThunderSnow- Morro x Jay x Zane

Hellstorm- Kai x Zane x Morro

TropicalStorm- Jay x Nya x Morro

Turquoise or Waterlily- Harumi x Nya

Nightlight- Shade x Paleman

DisintegratedSmoke- Paleman x Ash

Crystal- Morro x Cole x Zane

Holly or Llokita- Lloyd x Akita

Corruption or Staff- Staff!Kai x Ice Emperor Zane

EternalWinter- Ice Emperor Zane x Vex

Bear- Cole x Kataru

Fever- Kai x Neuro

Hotwire- Kai x Pixal x Zane

ArcticWolf- Zane x Akita

Hacker- Ronin x Zane

AcidRain- Nya x Tox

Forge- Kai x Karlof

Lightspeed- Paleman x Griffin

Purple- Pixal x Ultra Violet

FriedChicken- Jay x Fugi-Dove

Vore or Killjoy- Pythor x Overlord

Upgrade- Unagami x Mechanic

Quiet- Mr. E x Harumi

PolyMaster- All the Elemental Masters including the ninja

Shockwave- Nya x Jay x Pixal

Chrome- Karlof x Neuro

WetDog- Nya x Akita

Mystery- Echo Zane x Cryptor

Rogue- Ronin x Okino

Boomer- Sensei Wu x Krux

LightningDjinn- Jay x Nadakhan

VanillaCake- Vania x Cole

Void- Cryptor x Cole

Rainforest- Cole x Nya x Lloyd

Entombed- Pythor x Aspheera

Gemstone- Cole x Plundar

AcidicFluid- Nya x Chamille x Tox

Garmakruxsako- Garmadon x Krux x Misako

EvilTechno- Cryptor x Acronix

Roadrunner- Ultra Violet x Fugi-Dove

Mechanic- Jay x Zane x Nya x Pixal

Ivory- Hailmar x Vania

Leviathan- Great Devourer x Wojira

Strike- Libber x Krux

PolySerpent- Great Devourer x Fire Fang x Wojira x Anacondrai Serpent(Clouse’s pet snake)

Seabreeze- Benthomaar x Morro

ElectricBoogaloo- Jay x PoulErik

ThunderWave- Jay x Benthomaar

Retro- Milton Dyer x Acronix

AmberNightshade- Skylor x Chamille x Tox

Corrosive- Tox x Skylor

Adaption- Skylor x Chamille

Raincloud- Vania x Benthomaar

Firewall- Kai x Pixal

Firefly- Kai x Vania

Flood- Kalmaar x Nya

SamuraiCheerleader- Nya x Unnamed background girl

Cannonball- Captain Soto x Ultra Violet

Parrot- Fugi-Dove x Captain Soto

FourArms- Lord Garmadon x General Kozu x Samukai

Forgotten- Echo Zane x Cryptor x Morro

BadBoy- Lloyd x Brad x Gene

Copper- Dareth x Cyrus Borg

Ratmen- Ronin x Dareth x Clutch

Girlboss- Gayle Gossip x Patty Keys

MotorOil- Cole x Mr. E

Upply or D&D- Fungus x Plundar x Korgran

CrimsonTech- Jay x Zane x Mr. E

ElectroGlacier- Cole x Mr. E x Zane

Allied- Lord Garmadon x General Kozu

TeaPost- Mystake x Mailman

Crypthor or Lackey- Cryptor x Pythor

Gareth or Dayle- Dareth x Gayle Gossip

GorgonVenom- Machia x Tox

Fixation- Lou x Ed

FriedSquid- Jay x Kalmaar

CriminalMinds- Miss Demeanor x Ultra Violet x Reflectra

Rose- Gene x Brad

UltraE- Ultra Violet x Mr. E

Skelma- Skales x Selma

Skythor or Pythales- Pythor x Skales

CinnamonWafer- Char x Glutinous

SaltwaterTaffy- Glutinous x Gripe

EnergyEfficient- Lloyd x Pixal

DeepSeaEnergy- Benthomaar x Lloyd

Obsession- Kai x Master Chen

Windpower- Morro x Pixal

GarmaBorg- Garmadon x Cyrus Borg

CorruptedCode- Mr. E x Cryptor

Transformer- Ash x Chamille

Misfortune- Nadakhan x Delara

Moriel or Phantom- Morro x Seliel

Fowl- Libber x Clouse

Loner- Kai x Ronin

SunScale- Kai x Great Devourer

Coral- Benthomaar x Cole

Edge- Cryptor x Morro x Shade x Chamille x Tox

Cherry- Skylor x Vania

Mellow- Lou x Lilly

Rustic- Benthomaar x Echo Zane

Brine- Cole x Morro x Nya

Eyecandy- Kai x Cole x Morro

Ecstatic- Vania x Jay x Benthomaar x Echo Zane

Royalty- Benthomaar x Vania x Harumi

Venom- Ultra Violet x Tox

Dilf- Garmadon x all the Ninjago dads

Blacksmith- Lou x Ray

Drought- Pythor x Kalmaar

Redemption- Morro x Skylor

Feral- Akita x Benthomaar

Nostalgia- Dr. Julien x Krux

Hazard- Kai x Echo Zane

Miasma- Morro x Tox

Brimstone- Echo Zane x Cole

BlackWire- Cole x Pixal

Mirage- Nya x Chamille

Heatwave- Kai x Chamille

Travel- Libber x Misako

Specter- Seliel x Morro x Cole

Tragedy- Maya x Lilly

Island- Nya x PoulErik x Jay

Disaster- Jay x Kai x Morro x Cole

Absent- Maya x Libber x Misako

Maelstrom- Morro x Wojira

Everlasting- Echo Zane x Morro AND Morro x Zane

Sacrifice- Nya x Lloyd x Zane

Seafoam- Benthomaar x Echo Zane x Nya

Mist- Morro x Chamille x Nya

Warrior- Nya x Murtessa

Risk- Jay x Morro x Kai

Cave- Cole x Benthomaar x Morro

Vinyl- Lou x Garmadon

Nemesis- Sensei Wu x Aspheera

Abandoned- Morro x Echo Zane x Benthomaar

Lullaby- Lou x Maya

Kitsune- Morro x Akita

Salamander- Kai x Clancee

Anchor- Benthomaar x Zane

Bronze- Dareth x Karlof

Hubris- Dareth x Clutch

Grief- Lou x Lilly x Ray x Maya

DarkHumor- Jay x Shade

Dust- Morro x Echo Zane x Cole

Sunflower- Vania x Echo Zane

Gambit- Ronin x Soul Archer

Whiplash- Aspheera x Acronix

Disco- Jay x Reflectra x Zane

ElectricEel- Libber x Maya

Vintage- Lou x Sensei Wu

Junk- Ed x Edna x Dr. Julien

DustDevil- Morro x Ultra Violet

Thief- Ronin x Clutch x Plundar

SameVoiceActor- Dr. Julien x Garmadon

Gaymer- Superstar Rockin’ Jay x “Rocky Dangerbuff” x Rockstar!Kai x “Snake Jaguar”

PunkRock- Ultra Violet x “Rocky Dangerbuff”

Static- Ice Emperor Zane x Jay

Comet- Cole x Superstar Rockin’ Jay

Jagged- Cole x Ice Emperor Zane

Neon- Scott x Superstar Rockin’ Jay

Cinder- “Rocky Dangerbuff” x Kai

Oblivion- Staff!Kai x Cole

Outlaw- “Rocky Dangerbuff” x “Snake Jaguar”

Wrath- Staff!Kai x Morro x Ice Emperor Zane

Pyrite- Staff!Kai x “Rocky Dangerbuff”

Vortex- Morro x Ice Emperor Zane

Reaper- Cole x Ice Emperor Zane x Morro

Envy- Staff!Kai x Morro

Permafrost- Ice Emperor Zane x Pixal

Dubstep- Movie!Cole x Movie!Kai

Pop-Culture- Movie!Jay x Movie!Cole

Rhythm- Movie!Zane x Movie!Cole

Stereo- Movie!Kai x Movie!Zane x Movie!Cole

Surge- Movie!Jay x Morro

Cursed- Morro x Movie!Zane

Arcade- Movie!Cole x Movie!Jay x Movie!Kai

Cliché- Movie!Nya x Movie!Jay

finally watched the lego ninjago movie

doodled some ninjas, combined the movie and show designs plus some headcanons

Jay: Pakistani (like his movie va), has a bad eye n a notched eyebrow

Cole: Ainu Japanese, has a sort of greenish pallor due to the ghost stuff

Lloyd: Chinese on Garmadon’s side, Japanese on Mikado’s side, bits of oni traits

Zane: He’s A Robot™

Nya and Kai: Japanese/Mexican (like kai’s movie va), fraternal twins w/ Nya being the younger twin