Rottmnt AU!!

The Flame and the Dragon Ch 7

Chapter 7: The Master

"What the hell were you thinking!" A voice rang in Nya's head as she felt herself slowly regaining consciousness. She tried to shake the weariness from her mind and focus on the different voices echoing around her.

"Well, we weren't leaving them to freeze to death out in the rain all night." A soft voice argued.

"Yeah, and it's hard to ignore two people who suddenly dropped on your doorstep." A third voice with a laid back, casual tone to it added. The first voice shrieked in frustration.

"I don't care! I understand you guys wanted to help the poor things, really I do, but think about home! What do you think he's gonna do when he comes downstairs, finds us taking care of two strangers who are currently sitting on his favorite couch, after having trespassed! He isn't going to consider you're good deed!"

"Then don't tell him, Zane." A fourth, female voice entered, heavy with a hissing sound.

"Don't encourage them, Tox!" The first voice, Zane, scolded the woman, Tox.

"Come on Zane, we can't just leave them out in the storm? I mean we could just..." The soft voice argued timidly, pausing as if to ponder his options. "Just let them stay here the night and let them leave before he wakes up? The Master will never know."

"Jay..." Zane addressed the boy to who the diffident voice belonged too. "Look me in the eye and tell me you actually believe that will work?"

"Oh for FSM's sake, Zane." The unidentified voice howled, followed a stomping foot. "What do you suggest we do?" He challenged. Silence soon followed, allowing Nya time to recover and force her eyes to open. Haziness filled her vision as lights suddenly filled them but she blinked them away and sat up. Relieved to find Lloyd next to her. He was fast asleep, breathing normally, and wrapped in a warm blanket, and his clothes, hair, and skin bone dry.

She couldn't help but smile at how cute he looked sleeping.

She looked down at herself, not only to find she was no longer on the cobblestone path but a soft leather couch, covered by a thick fur blanket. The rainwater has been stripped to the last drop from her clothes, hair, and skin, much to her shock, though she refused to complain. Nya shook away the last waves of sleep and turned to thank their caretakers. But when she turned to the source of the voices she found not people, but four creatures standing in a circle.

One was a troll, one was a white yeti, and one was a green naga.

The last was a creature she didn't recognize. Its body was composed of lightning and with the form of a white and blue fox. Lloyd stirred awake, cutely rubbing his eyes, and shook his head adjusting to the light. The blue fox gently strolled over to Lloyd. It started climbing up the couch like a cat and perched itself on the headrest before cutely holding out a small paw for the boy to shake.

"Hi there, I'm Jay." It smiled and Lloyd's reaction was that of a wound-up spring. The small boy screamed and jumped and fell backward all in one motion, his hand missing the couch and fell into nothing causing him to crash to the floor in a heap. His eyes bulged out of his skull when the furry creature looked over the edge of the couch.

"You okay?" Jay asked.

"A talking fox?" Lloyd muttered from the floor, his voice speaking automatically, shaking. Nya was clearly frozen from shock.

"I'm not a talking fox! I'm a raijū!" Jay stomped his foot, rising to his feet insulted. He growled when he heard the troll and naga snickering, threatening to burst into laughter. Lloyd repositioned himself onto his knees just in time to meet toxic green eyes. The green naga smiled brightly.

"Hey! Name's Tox, what's yours? And before you ask, I'm a naga."

"I'm... Lloyd." He replied, momentarily forgetting to breathe, but answered nonetheless, before turning his he'd to his sister. She was frozen on the couch, with Jay floating around her head on a ball of electricity, waving his blue paws in front of her face.

"Hello? Is she mute?"

"She's in shock, you idiot!" The troll howled. "I'm Ronin, by the way."

"So who are you?" Lloyd smiled at the quiet yeti.

"I am Zane, a yeti with the power to control the element of ice," Zane explained, holding out a clawed hand to Lloyd. Lloyd shook the yeti's claw.

"I'm Lloyd and that's my big sister Nya." She smiled at his elder sibling. Though shock was evident all over her face, Nya held up a hand and waved.

"Oh for the love of FSM." Ronin smacked his forehead before a brilliant glow surrounded his body. A second later, the troll vanished and the light expanded until a tall human man stood in its place. He had wavy brown hair, dark brown eyes with the beginning of a beard on his face. He wore a dark cyan jumper with light brown pants and a large red hat. His arms crossed over his chest as he turned to the siblings.

"Is this better?" He asked but Nya fell out of her seat, still in shock.

"Perhaps this will help?" Zane suggested and a flash of turquoise and in place of the slender, white yeti stood a tall, strongly-built boy, around Ronin's height. He had platinum blonde, almost snowy white, hair that stood up straight in something like a crew cut and bright icy blue eyes. He wore white pants and shoes with a long-sleeved, cyan blue shirt under a navy blue knitted vest. The newly turned man offered a hand to the youngest Smith who was still on the floor.

Lloyd took it without thinking unable to take his eyes off the white-haired man standing before him.

Lloyd's eyes darted to Zane, then Jay, then Ronin and Tox. Tox and Jay looked at the other and smiled, before answering his unasked question. Jay landed on the floor, bathed in a navy blue light, before the blue fox he once was transformed into his true form. He was a young man with reddish-brown curly hair with brown eyebrows and light freckles. He usually wore a blue jacket with a white stripe over a white t-shirt and blue pants with an orange wooly scarf.

Despite his mature features his large, dark blue eyes and mischievous smile radiated innocence and youth.

They all looked to the naga. Tox smiled and a light green flash was the only warning anyone had before in the green naga's place stood a small, petite, almost delicate girl who was around Nya's age. She had long green hair tied back into a ponytail similar to Nya's with sickly, pale, yellowish skin and bright green eyes. Around her neck was a black, studded choker. She was wearing a ripped green tank top that was cut short to reveal her stomach and black, torn-up jeans.

Even though all of them were in human form they still had a few tell-tale signs that they weren't fully human.

Tox still had snake eyes and Ronin's ears were pointed and he had fangs poking out of his mouth. Zane still had a cold air around him and every time he exhaled the siblings could see his breath. Jay's limbs occasionally twitched with electricity.

"I'm sorry if I sound rude, but you three know they can't stay here! It's bad enough you even brought them inside!" Zane suddenly glared, dragged them back to the issue at hand.

"We didn't mean to intrude," Nya explained, "I just needed to find Lloyd shelter from the storm, we'll leave in the morning."

"Hell no!" Jay cut him off. "You're not intruding at all! Zane is just worried about the Master that's all, but he's asleep, just let us warn him quickly that you're here, and then—"

Suddenly an earth-shattering roar echoed through the castle shaking everyone within it to their knees. A tremor ran through Nya's body and Lloyd threw himself in his sister's arms, shaking in fear. The master was awake, and he was furious with the four creatures. A sharp gust of wind roared through the castle, silencing all the candles and shrouding everything in darkness. Despite the fear wracking their bodies the four creatures moved to hide their guests as best they could.

It was a vain attempt to hold their master's anger.

All four of them shook in fear. They knew full well the Master would never harm them, but just his presence alone was intimidating.

"Nya, I'm scared." Lloyd trembled as he tried to hide in his sister's coat.

"Shh, it'll be alright, I've got you." Nya soothed in a vain attempt to calm him down. But she screamed when suddenly a loud gust of wind like the beat of giant wings followed by the loud thump of someone landing behind him before the siblings or the creature could react, and then suddenly she came face to face with two blazing green eyes with black slits, not human, almost like a dragon's. Kai stories flashed in Nya's mind like old photographs.

Stunned mystification caused her eyes to bulge.

"That's not possible," She muttered as her mind began spinning and her body felt faint, but she stood her ground. She couldn't show fear with Lloyd in her arms. The master glared at her, those impossibly green eyes bore into her terrified ocean eyes like piercing arrows. Then he chuckled, a low callous laugh.

"Is that all you can do?" He spoke in a dark, humorous hiss. His green eyes aligned with the fire of hurt and rage that seemed so much older and deeper than his youth. "Stare at me, like I'm some kind of monster."

"It's our fault, not theirs! We're the ones who brought them here!" Jay, who had always been outspoken, tried in vain to defend them but the master's loud growl soon silenced him. Even Zane, who was one of the few who could speak to the master freely, shivered at his temper.

"We mean no harm," Nya replied. "My brother and I just needed shelter from the storm." She explained. The eyes left her and the moment they did, Nya felt as if some enchantment upon her had broken, until she realized the master has not even noticed Lloyd until that point. Before she could speak another world, Lloyd's screamed pierced the night, followed by Nya's when she felt Lloyd ripped from her arms. Something cold and metallic, wrap around her arm, prying them apart harshly.

"Please don't hurt my brother!" She screamed, without thinking. The master's eyes bulged in both horror and confusion before bitterness and humor once again filled them. Harsh laughter spilled from the master's lips shaking everyone to the core.

"Of course that would be your first assumption, too bad; I was going to be lenient, but since it seems you don't know how to hold your tongue, I suppose you'll need a harsher lesson." The master spoke arrogantly, in a tone that froze Nya's core, she couldn't see Lloyd in the darkness but could hear his tears and trembling. Each one ripped another piece of her apart.

"Zane, put them to bed, now." He ordered, glaring at Ronin, Jay, and Tox. Zane reluctantly nodded and obeyed. Eyes wide, the trio moved to flee, but Zane caught them before they could escape. In a flash of light, the boys and Tox human forms vanished and the three creatures fell to the floor. Again they attempted to make a dash for the nearest door, but the Zane caught them in ice before they could escape. They struggled if only to help their new friends.

The master simply snorted at their efforts.

"That's all they'll ever see me as." He muttered in a harsh voice, ceased all of their strugglings. The tone he said it in made it impossible to tell if he was speaking to the siblings or the other four creatures. "They'll only see me as a... a monster" He hissed in a voice of rage and bitterness, before scolding harshly at the trio's loud protests.

"THAT'S ENOUGH!" He commanded before flying away dragging his thrashing and screaming prisoners with him, towards the tower. Guilt and remorse poisoned the four creatures. Even Jay could no longer struggle as Zane brought them upstairs to the room they shared for as long as they could remember. The guilt and harshness of their master's tone hurt more than the extremely light punishment ever could. Even worse were Lloyd's screams of terror echoing through the castle until the loud clang of the tower door slamming shut replaced it.

A gloom once again settled over the castle as their master retreated brokenly to his only sanctuary.

A silent shiver of hope was tearing thread by thread that they would ever be free. Or the master's true love would ever come to free their prince from the undeserving and unspeakable fate that was sure to come the following spring...

The Flame and the Dragon Chapter 33

Chapter 33: The Dragon's Dance

Cole sighed as he stood in the center of the ballroom, watching as all but Harumi and Griffin rushed about the ballroom, seeing to the last minute preparations. Echo polished glass, Neuro rearranged the spread for the fifth time, and Pixal arranged the flower vases and spreading blooms decoratively along with the table. It left Cole torn between putting his foot down and telling them enough was enough, or laughing in amusement. Fortunately, Ultra Violet beat him to the punch when she burst into the room and groaned loudly at the chaos.

"Will you all knock it off! He's coming!" She barked at them. Her words made everyone jump then finish what they were doing before taking their positions. It would be rude to start without the guest of honor. "You don't get any nasty ideas." She winked playfully at the dragon prince before dashing off, cackling all the way. Cole blinked she walked off, and turned around, following her with his eyes. Before he could ponder the matter he heard a loud angry cry of pain beyond the closed doors of the ballroom.

"Ugh! I hate these shoes!" Kai's angry voice echoed from behind the door.

"Hey! What did I say, about that, Kai?" Jay scolded.

"But that's the third time I've tripped in these things! They're a death trap!"

"Oh shut up, do you have any idea how long it took Griffin to make those!" Tox giggled loudly.

"Shut up you two! We're here!" Jay exclaimed and the doors swung open, revealing Tox and Jay to the whole ballroom. The two of them waited for their guest of honor but when all they heard was a string of curses, Jay rushed back out.

"Come on!" He cried out loudly.

"Don't push, you'll make me fall!" Kai complained, stumbling over his shoes, but Tox was quick to catch him and elegantly yanked him into the ballroom. The second Kai entered the room, time froze. Without realizing it, the brunette was commanding the attention of the entire room. He was truly the belle of the ball. Flowers slipped from Nelson's fingers, while Pixal's arms fell at her side. Neuro didn't notice the wine he was pouring was completely missing Harumi's cup.

Griffin beamed at everyone's stunned faces and Echo and Ronin's eyes widened with mystification.

Cole couldn't take his eyes off of him. Across the room, Kai didn't notice their stares. All he saw was the Dragon Lord standing in the middle of the room, looking every inch like a fairy tale prince. When Kai met his eyes he found Cole sported a blank expression, and stunning mystification caused his eyes to bulge, and his trembling lips refused to speak. Kai blushed, suddenly taking in everyone's equally stunned expressions.

"Is something wrong?" He asked sheepishly. Cole almost didn't hear him, too lost in the magnificent vision that was Kai Smith. He had wondered what Griffin could possibly create to make the brunette look more beautiful than he already was and never in his life had Cole been so happy to be proven wrong. The outfit Kai wore hugged his figure in all the right places. But all Cole could focus on was the choker around Kai's neck. Pride surged through him, as well as delight.

Unable to resist any longer, Cole approached him and pulled the teen into an embrace that made him stumble over the heels of his boots.

"You'll have to forgive them, my flame, they've just never seen anyone so beautiful before, if I didn't know them better; I'd almost think they were jealous you're with me." Cole purred as he embraced him. Kai blushed as red as the ruby around his neck, while Cole addressed Griffin and Harumi.

"Thank you both, you have truly outdone yourselves." He praised, before turning to the staff. "I'd like to thank you all for joining us this evening! Tonight, we are all friends, and my only request is that you all enjoy the night to your heart's content... and Neuro, keep Jay and Nelson away from the food!" He joked and everyone burst out laughing, except Jay and Nelson, who blushed as bad as Kai. With that, the party began, and Kai fully took in the grand ballroom.

Across the room against the walls, Neuro had set up an enormous spread across long tables covered with gold cloth and dotted with bouquets of beautiful flowers in marble vases.

The glass floor beneath him had been smoothed and polished revealing the pale gold tiles. The windows and walls were free of dust and the stained glass shimmered in the thousands of candles that lined the walls and flooded the enormous chandeliers overhead like thousands of stars. Above him was the stained glass image of an army of enormous dragons flying and roaring against a sunset background. Around him, music started to play, though Kai wasn't sure where it was coming from.

At the table, Ultra Violet and Griffin were devouring the food, while Neuro poured Pixal a glass of wine.

Jay and Echo were dancing in the corner while Tox mingled with everyone else. Zane had struck up a conversation with Ronin. Harumi was showing off her new dress and Nelson was devouring what looked like candy. Kai couldn't believe that this was really the ballroom he had seen when he first arrived. Before it was caked in dust and dead looking. Now it was the most beautiful and perfect room Kai had ever seen, not that he had much experience in ballrooms.

"I take it you're impressed?" Cole asked with a smirk, pouring the two of them a glass of wine.

"This is amazing, did everyone do all this?" Kai asked with a smile, taking the glass.

"They were ecstatic to have a new project, Echo was quite adamant that this place be perfect for the evening." Cole nodded.

"It is," Kai said as he sipped the wine. "Thank you, so much, I didn't think anyone would do all this for me." He blushed lightly.

"I'd do anything for you, and so would everyone else," Cole smirked and kissed his forehead. Kai smiled at that. Cole grinned, examining Kai from head to toe. When he saw Cole's roaming eyes, Kai grew more flustered and Cole's grin widened...

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

The party continued throughout the night. Though the staff was not large, they had taken Cole's words to heart and mixed and mingled with both their master and their guest that whole evening. They drank the wine and devoured food and deserts. By the time the food was gone, even Neuro and Zane had found themselves smiling and laughing. Music started playing though Kai couldn't pinpoint where it was coming from. Cole took Kai's hands and met his eyes, gesturing towards the dance floor.

Kai gave him a nervous glance, but Cole was quick to crush it and swooped the boy towards the center of the room.

Kai had never been good at ballroom dancing. Cole just whispered to him to keep his eyes on him, and suddenly he found himself dancing to a familiar tune. Shortly after, Echo took Jay's hand and dragged him towards the dance floor. Jay, however, gulped nervously and exchange glances with Zane. When he caught the icy eyes he smiled, but his eyes were adamant. Though his expression did not change, Zane nodded and watched them. Ultra Violet bowed towards Harumi, which she humored.

Eventually, everyone joined, and before long the whole room was dancing.

Quickly, as the music picked up, the ballroom dance shifted with the change in the music taking a quicker and more upbeat pace. Once that had everyone tapping their feet against the glassy floor and dancing in circles. Soon everyone exchange partners, dancing faster and faster as the music picked up. They clapped hands and spun in circles, filling the room with the sound of tap dancing among the antiphony of music, and the clapping of hands in time.

Finally, both Kai and Cole spun until everyone once again traded partners.

They found themselves, face to face, hand in hand with one another panting heavily from the dancing. Around them, everyone clapped and cheered, until the softer melody returned. Kai positioned himself to dance again but Cole surprised him by pulling him against his chest and flapping his wings into the air. Kai gasped at first but Cole calmed him down and stopped when they were positioned directly beneath the stained glass dragon. Around them, the chandeliers blazed brightly.

Cole held his wings steady, allowing him to remain airborne. When Kai felt Cole's grip loosen he immediately, held onto him tighter.

"Don't be afraid," Cole reassured him as he gently eased Kai's hands off him. Kai gasped when his feet suddenly felt solid like he was on solid ground. He gasped in shock and Cole winked, childishly, and offered his hand to Kai. The young man smirked and accepted it and before long they were once again dancing on air. Cole suddenly let Kai go to spin him then pulled him close again Then it was Kai's turn to lead. Neither of them needed words, speaking with their eyes.

Their bodies moved in tune with one another in a breathtaking aerial dance while below the staff members danced with their lovers.

They danced across the ceiling until Cole unexpectedly picked Kai up and let himself float towards a set of doors open to a large balcony.

"Come with me, I want to show you something." He said, setting Kai down, and held his hand. He led Kai outside towards the balcony. Kai shivered slightly when the late winter air hit him. Despite the full moon hanging in the sky, night had veiled the castle ground in darkness. Still, Kai waited for Cole to speak. Instead, Cole closed his eyes and focused on the orange sparks flickering from his fingers until they took the form of a sphere. Kai's eyes widened and he resisted the urge to touch it.

When Cole opened his eyes again he lifted his chin and Kai gasped as the sphere floated from his hands and floated towards the sky like a shooting star.

Suddenly it burst, raining stardust across the night sky. Kai was in awe as he braced the railing with exuberant hands, his eyes lit with childish wonder and amazement.

"How did you do that?"

"Lots and lots of practice, I thought you'd enjoy it." Cole boasted, proudly.

"I love it! Thank you! This was the best night of my life!" Kai said happily and hugged Cole tightly.

"I'm glad because I want to ask you something." Cole smiled, feeling his heart swell at Kai's sudden embrace.

"Anything," Kai replied as he let go and listened intently, but his smile fell when Cole frowned and turned around to look at the sky.

"You've been here for almost five months now Kai, and despite the ups and downs, they were some of the happiest times of my life," Cole spoke, kindly, but there was somberness in his words that made Kai's sense feel unstable. "I still can't believe all this is happening, that I'm really this happy, and I can only hope I've made you half as happy as you've made me," He said as he looked down, hunching himself over like he was ashamed of what he was about to say next. "But the truth is Kai, you're still a prisoner; MY prisoner."

Kai immediately opened his mouth to protest, but Cole covered his lips with his claws, making him freeze.

"Let me finish, even though I haven't thought of you in such a way for a long time, and I know no one else does, it doesn't change the fact that you are one, and you can't change that; I, however, can." He told the brunette and Kai's heart dropped into his stomach, fear, and dread suddenly overcoming him when he realized what it was Cole was implying. He wanted to speak, to protest no words come to him. Only strangled gasps of air escaped his throat.

"I'm not a prisoner." He managed to choke. Sensing his distress, Cole placed a hand on his shoulder and bent down to Kai's eye level.

"Whether anyone thinks so or not doesn't change that fact, you deserve better than that." He smiled but his eyes were sad. "You deserve your freedom, freedom I took away from you; I truly regret that, but had I not done so I might have never met you so it is not a bad regret." He shrugged lightly, trying to lighten the mood, but he failed. Kai tried to look away again, but Cole wouldn't let him. "I'm bound to this place, but you are not, and I won't keep you here against your will any longer."

Kai felt hot tears peek the corner of his eye.

His chest suddenly felt heavy and hard like something was digging into it with sharp claws.

"What... What are you saying, Cole?" He whimpered fearfully. Cole sighed hesitantly then turned to Kai with a neutral smile.

"I'm releasing you, Kai; you're no longer my prisoner."...

AND NUMBER TWO OF THE NONSENSE I’M WRITING TO COPE. 

[Ninjago season 15 finale spoilers] 

So, like I said earlier, I was a little salty about Kai’s lack of reaction to the whole Nya thing, so I wrote something where he did react, and now here’s something as an explanation for why he didn’t react in canon.  

HERE WE GO. 

-

She’s not going anywhere, the mantra in Kai’s head continued through the funeral and even after as they spoke to so many of the ones who had come to pay their respects to someone who was not truly lost. She’s not gone. None of us are ever gone. We always come back. They always come back. 

He clutched his bowl in his hands, now empty of the water he’d poured into the vase during the funeral. How many funerals had he attended? Zane’s. Cole hadn’t had one, neither had Pixal. So many near death experiences but they were never really gone. They were never gone. 

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i have a graphic tablet yesterday and i draw da baes

Crystoons belong to this pretty here

The Flame and the Dragon Ch4

Chapter 4: The Duke

Kai sighed in relief as he dropped the bags at his feet and plopped down next to the equally exhausted Lloyd on the side of the town square fountain. The large, glistening fountain outside of city hall in the dead center of the entire city. Built only a handful of years ago, this fountain at the old town center was there to represent the importance of all generations, both young and old, and what they have to offer. Its position within the city was meant to represent the strong mind and balanced way of life the city strived for.

It was designed by Nya.

She had wonderfully captured the natural beauty of the region and used a personal style to convey her vision in this piece of art. Every element was crafted and created with deluxe materials from local suppliers, ensuring this monument will remain an important aspect of the community spirit for many more years.

"Think we got enough food?" He teased.

"Well, we got everything on Nya's list." Lloyd smiled. "You remembered the chocolate right?"

"Yes, I remembered the chocolate." Kai rolled his eyes playfully. Lloyd smiled and dug into his big brother's bag before pulling out a folder and opened. He thumbed through the pages until he found a small back of stapled pages and pulled out the top one, smiling before placing the pack in Kai's lap.

"Care to show your favorite little brother what you've been working on?" He flashed a bright smile and his infamous pleading look.

"Maybe later," Kai replied calmly, earning him a look of pure shock from the blond boy. Kai could never resist Lloyd's babyface when he wanted something. Kai just laughed and scooped his collection of papers in his hands before looking at the one Lloyd picked out. The poem was written in his hand above the image of a field of roses. At the heart was an ancient castle that dated back to the early 18th century. The only difference was this castle was pure white, each stone chiseled from stabs of pristine marble.

Lloyd leaned over his brother's shoulder, immediately engrossed in the detailed sketch of his big brother's.

"Jeez Kai, you could give Nya a run for her money."

"It's just a sketch."

"It's still awesome! Now, can I see the poem or not?" Lloyd pleaded with a whine in his voice.

"No!"

"But it's amazing!" He begged and giggled as Kai blushed.

"You think everything I write is amazing." He smiled, rolling his eyes.

"Because they are!" He insisted, kneeling over the side of the fountain to dig through Kai's folder. "Didn't you say that one goes with another poem or passage? Here it is!" He cheered in victory pulling out another passage Kai wrote and placed in his lap. "This one! I remember cuz when you were reading you had this really dreamy look on your face." His smile almost split in half at the dark blush suddenly covering Kai's face. He snatched both things away and stuffed them back in his folder.

"I have no idea what you're talking about, green bean." Kai insisted with a small smirk. It would have convinced anyone else despite the faint scarlet dusting Kai's cheeks, but not to Lloyd and Nya.

"Yes, you do! You wrote that about the Dragon Lord didn't you?" He smirked playfully. The brunette's eyes nearly bulged out of his skull at Lloyd's innocently smirking face.

"How do you know that?!" He spluttered, completely flabbergasted. The youngest Smith almost burst out laughing at his older brother's panic.

"I didn't, but it's written all over your face!" He gasped in between laughs. Growling in defeat, Kai ran his hand through his hair and sighed.

"Yes, they were inspired by the fairy tale, but no it's not about him, I wrote them after I had a dream." He explained as Lloyd blinked in bewilderment. "I know silly, right?"

"No! I wanna hear it!" He insisted widening his eyes. Rolling his eyes again, knowing Lloyd wouldn't let the subject drop, he continued.

"Alright, well, every night, I dream I'm in a field of flowers outside the castle and while I'm there, I hear a song playing and I follow it; then I see a man standing there holding the most beautiful music box I'd ever seen."

"Is he handsome?" Lloyd asked, teasingly, but Kai chose to ignore that question.

"The music was so lovely; it reminded me of the songs Mom and Dad used to sing to us, but in the most amazing voice I've ever heard." He sighed in awe. "The second I woke up, I just wrote the poem down and then I just couldn't get that man out of my head; I kept dreaming about him more and more." He explained unwittingly, letting his hidden passions seep into his voice; something that didn't go unnoticed by Lloyd. His smile only widened until it nearly split his face in half.

"You're in love~" He sang and Kai almost fell off the fountain. "You're in love with your dream prince!" He teased, with a smirk that put even his siblings to shame as he leaned over his older brother. "And don't try and deny it either, that might work on someone else, but not someone who's known you as long as I have!"

"The Dragon Lord is only a fairy tale, he's not real." Kai sighed, saddened, looking heavenward for assistance to his dilemma.

"Don't worry, bro; I'm sure you'll find your true love." Lloyd encouraged, leaning against the brunette's shoulder. Kai chuckled and ran his fingers through Lloyd's blond hair.

"You're a hopeless romantic, green bean."

"Hopeful." He corrected mischievously. Both boys broke into a fit of laughter until they were interrupted by the sound of a carriage and horses pulling to a stop. Just like that, everyone in town stopped to carry out the weekly ritual that was as practiced and routine as everything else in Ignacia. Everyone was more than happy to greet the two people that were exiting the carriage. The first to exit the expensive, flamboyant carriage was a middle-aged woman wearing a simple but expensive pale green dress.

Her long black hair was tied in a high ponytail by a pretty dark green ribbon, while her toxic green eyes glowed against her deathly-pale skin.

She was a noble maiden without a doubt, but she was not the reason everyone had stopped to stare. The man she turned and bowed her head to was. The brothers recognized his walk before he even stepped out of the carriage. He looked nobler than the woman. The man stepped out of the carriage adorned in a black suit that looked like the most expensive embroidery anyone had ever seen and a necklace of the finest craftsmanship. The outfit was only a simple outing suit but it was still the most expensive thing either brother had ever seen.

The pants alone probably cost more than their entre combined wardrobes.

His white gloves were molded the man's perfect hand and the suit hugged his muscles tightly. The newly polished shoes shined as he stepped down from the carriage. Men and women became lovestruck at his appearance and some people were instantly struck with jealousy or admiration. That combined with perfectly smooth, unblemished white skin, a perfect face, long jet black hair with a green streak in it, and ghostly green eyes, Duke Morro Vento was in every inch a fairy tale prince.

After all, Morro's family had founded the town and still owned it to this day.

Kai never realized how rehearsed Morro's walk was. It was coy and arrogant, just like his glances and his audacious smile. Morro must have returned from a successful trip because he seemed more arrogant today. Kai's gaze turned to Lloyd who nodded in understanding. Both boys picked up their books and the groceries, ready to leave. But a second too late, the duke's gaze found them and he smiled, a seductive smirk that Kai hated more than anything else.

Again he strolled over, cutting off their only exit before the two boys could sneak away.

"Hello, Kai." He smiled sweetly, but the teen saw right through it.

"That's Mr. Smith, your grace." He retorted with a hard gaze. At one point he may have been allowed Morro to call him by his first name, but he had lost that right years ago. Morro's predatory gaze immediately hardened when the brunette used his title instead of his name, though he'd told him time and time again he was allowed to. Kai simply refused to. It was so hard to believe that this arrogant and pompous man obsessed with luxury and social position was the same sweet and free-spirited kid the Smiths knew as children.

Morro's grandfather and their father Ray had been close friends for years.

It was solely because of Morro's grandfather the family moved to this town in the first place. Morro's grandfather had been Duke of the city and the peasants for almost sixty years. He had made it perfectly clear he was just as much a citizen of the town as the rest of the valley. He never cared for social status or reform and only for the well-being of the town and the citizens. As a result, the two families had been quite close. Morro was only two or three years older than Kai.

Sometimes their parents joked about the two of them getting married one day.

This was something Morro's parents took to heart for the future, especially as the children entered adulthood. Ray never considered the idea, especially since he knew none of the children seemed to like Morro in that manner. But once Morro's grandfather died and Ray fell ill, everything changed. Once Morro and his family took the role of Duke and Duchess, and delighted in the royal lifestyle, the Smiths saw less and less of Morro. He'd become too comfortable in the position of his family.

"How many times must I ask you to call me Morro, Kai?" The Duke smiled sweetly, hoping for a romantic response. The brunette just rolled his eyes and gathered his papers together before tying his folder closed. He lifted it to put it away but Morro suddenly snatched it.

"What are these, beautiful?" He asked with mock curiosity, flipping through the papers.

"Your grace, please return my property." He said and it took every ounce of Kai's willpower to remain civil. It was for the sake of his family's good name that he didn't snatch it from his hands and scold him like a child.

"Did you write all these, darling? You must have way too much time on your hands if you waste it scribbling away and reading books." He laughed and Kai growled at the mockery in Morro's voice.

"That's not true!" Lloyd exclaimed and was on his feet faster than anyone expected of the young boy. "Kai's an amazing writer, if you even bothered to read them instead of spending all your time in that stupid shack you call a palace, you'd recognize some good writing." He growled at the duke. A few eyes widened and jaws dropped at Lloyd's comment, but Morro paid the boy no mind and snapped the folder closed, holding it as if it were a discarded garment.

"Oh darling, you have so much promise; don't you think it is about time you got your head out of those silly stories and started paying attention to more important things?" He asked and his voice held a seductive purr that made Kai shiver in aggravation. "I mean, the whole town is talking about it! You spend all your time working at that little shop or reading, it is such a shame." He spoke in such a dreary tone as if Kai's life was that of an unfortunate pauper.

Kai closed his eyes and ran his hand through his hair.

He let the duke rant, knowing full well he wouldn't care if he was paying attention to him or not. It had been this way since Morro became the Duke. He accepted the position with a smile and had since turned his ambitions to accustoming Kai to the royal life. The trio lost touch with him as a result, especially Kai, who rejected the idea of the rich and nobility; preferring a life of freedom away from petty, materialistic things. After all, he was perfectly happy living with his siblings where the three could carry out their dreams.

Of course, Morro didn't notice or even care.

"Of course, if you were married to a more... privileged person you wouldn't have to work a day in your life." Morro grinned as his emerald eyes fixed in a cruel seductive glint and met Kai's amber orbs.

"Marriage?" Kai repeated as his eyes widened. "I don't think so Morro, I like working and besides, I don't want to marry just anyone; now, please return my folder." He ordered, attempting to mask the hostility in his voice, holding out his hand.

"Oh, but it wouldn't be just anyone." Morro continued, ignoring the brunette, and held the folder out of his reach so Kai's gaze was fixed on him. "You of all people deserve far more than just anyone; you deserve someone beautiful, wealthy, well-respected-"

"Those are all material things, Morro, not what you should be looking for in marriage." Lloyd cut him off, his hands balled into fists at his sides.

"Give me my folder back, Duke Vento."

"You need someone who's known you since you arrived in this town, who's courted you for years." He smirked as he leaned closer to the brunette, irritation marring the seductive charm.

"I won't ask you again Morro, now stop acting childish and give me my stuff back!" Kai thundered in a harsh tone. Taken aback by the scolding and the looks of the townsmen, he regained his composure and with as much dignity as he could muster returned the folder to Kai.

"Very well, we'll talk later than; come along, Bansha, let us return home." He smiled as he gestured to the raven-haired girl, who followed obediently. Kai's amber eyes were almost red with rage until Lloyd pulled on his arm a bit. Kai's gaze turned to his little brother's curious stare.

"Is he really so naïve that he can't tell you're ignoring his flirting on purpose, or is he just acting?" He asked as he cocked his head cutely, making Morro suddenly freeze in his tracks and Kai burst into laughter, his anger forgotten. Morro turned around with a mortified look on his face. Did Kai's brother just insult him? Without even trying?

"How dare you!" He snapped, pointing accusingly, his composure shattered.

"Now, now, my lord." Kai chuckled. "He's only joking, come on Lloyd, let's get home before Nya wonders where we've been." He smirked and Lloyd smiled as the two scooped up the groceries and books and strolled past the duke and the noblewoman and down the street towards home. Once they were out of earshot of town and Morro, Kai turned to his smiling little brother.

"Thank you for that, green bean; I swear I would have beat the crap outta him if he called me 'darling' one more time."

"I don't know why you put up with him!" Lloyd asked with a snort. "You'd think it would finally penetrate that thick skull of his that you're not interested!"

"I doubt that." Kai sighed, annoyed. "Morro never was one to give up." He added and he knew that was true from experience. Morro had waited and tried for years to coax him to his side. "Hopefully when Nya wins this year, we'll finally have enough money to leave this miserable place." He smiled, confidently.

"I hope so!" Lloyd cheered. "Even I'm getting sick of this town, but I'd miss Dr. Saunders and Brad." He admitted. Kai hummed in understanding as he looked at the large clock tower and his eyes widened.

"Oh shit! Look what time it is!"

"We didn't even make dinner yet and you know what happened last time we got home late?" The youngest Smith groaned as he turned to his middle sibling with concern.

"Don't worry, Nya's a smart girl; she's not dumb enough to repeat her mistakes," Kai assured him. No sooner had Kai said those words, however, an explosion erupted from the Smith home, and thick black smoke pooled from the chimney and kitchen windows...

The Flame and the Dragon Ch 6

Chapter 6: The Storm

"Please, Kai?" Lloyd clasped his hands together and begged.

"We've been through this, my answer isn't gonna change overnight," Kai explained again as he and Nya loaded the caravan with enough supplies for around a week's travel.

"Please!" Lloyd dragged out the word in a whine, flashing a wide-eyed innocent look when his big brother turned around.

"No." Kai smiled and gently petted Flame's mane. The stunning light brown colored stallion neighed. "Easy there, boy."

"Please!" Lloyd pleaded to flash his infamous pout that had even Flame whining.

"Lloyd, I grew up with you; that doesn't work on me anymore." He said calmly, causing his little jaw to hit the floor. Even Nya couldn't resist him when he pulled his stunning emerald eyes into a cute, pleading look.

"Ah, why not!" He pouted.

"Someone needs to stay and watch the shop, and since Nya's the one entering the fair's contest, she's out of the question, you're obviously too young to do it, so that leaves me." He explained smiling at Lloyd's cuteness.

"Or... or a third option, all three of us got and we can close the shop for a week." He suggested, hoping for some kind of an excuse.

"You know we can't leave the shop unattended that long, we already have at least five orders, and besides, I don't mind staying home."

"It's not fair."

"And here I thought I'd get to finally spend some time with my baby brother." Nya playfully whined mocking innocence, causing both of her brothers to snort in laughter.

"I still don't see why we can't just close the shop for a week." The youngest Smith pouted and crossed his arms.

"Because, even if Nya's newest creation wins the contest, we're still going to need some money for and after we move; unless, of course, you plan on starving, green bean," Kai explained smiling, stroking Flame's sleek, brown nose, affectionately.

"He's not going to give in, so come here and help me back," Nya told Lloyd. Groaning in defeat, he pushed himself off the side of the caravan and helped Nya load the supplies. Flame playfully rubbed his nose against Kai's neck and snorted in his hair and made the brunette laugh.

"You take good care of my little siblings, okay Flame?" Kai instructed as he turned around and nuzzled the stunning stallion. "And make sure Nya doesn't get lost again, you know how bad she is with directions." He teased.

"Hey!" Nya growled. Flame neighed in approval. "Even the damn horse is against me." She growled. Lloyd burst out laughing until she heaved him by his underarms and sat him on the driver's seat. "That's everything." She said, dusting off her hands. "We packed enough food, supplies, and medicine for at least a week, but we should be back in a couple of days; do you need anything from the fair Kai?"

"No, I'll be fine; the only thing I need to worry about is Morro and if all else fails Dr. Saunders is right down the road." He smiled. Nya smiled at her twin before climbing onto the caravan and grabbing Flame's reigns.

"We'll be back in a week." She promised.

"Bye Kai!" Lloyd exclaimed as he wormed his way to the front and waved.

"Don't get into trouble while we're gone!" Nya teased.

"I won't; good luck at the fair!" He called and waved goodbye watching Flame and the caravan trot off before disappearing down the road. "And don't get lost this time!" He shouted in a final attempt of teasing.

"Shut up!" Nya hollered, just before the caravan disappeared. That didn't stop her and Lloyd hearing Kai's laughter echoing after them...

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

"Nya?" Lloyd shivered as he wrapped himself in a blanket like a human burrito.

"Not a word," Nya growled; hard blue eyes meticulously scanned the enormous map spread in front of her. The square-shaped map was large enough that if she held it to its full length it would stretch from her waist to past her hair and spread her arms to their full length.

"Nya," Lloyd said again, annoyed.

"Lloyd..." Nya responded in a testy voice.

"We're lost!" He shouted in anger, no longer carrying about the consequences of igniting his sister's temper. The map crushed in Nya's hands as she clumped it in one hand and slammed it down next to her. Her teeth gritted in a hiss and her eyes turned to her younger brother, bright with anger. "What did I just tell you!"

"We're lost; you can't read a map, and it's pitch black!" He snapped. "If you're not going to admit it to yourself, and since Kai's not here to, I will!" He growled in frustration. Lloyd may not have been as strong-willed as his older siblings but he was more than capable of holding his own if pushed too far. Nya opened her mouth to yell and argue, but the words quickly died in her throat. The confident, know-it-all smirk on Lloyd's face made it impossible to find fault with his argument, and the proud sister hated that.

Frustrated at her bruised ego more than anything else, Nya chucked the crushed map in Lloyd's lap.

"Fine then, you navigate." She huffed and smirked at the baffled look on his face before it hardened. If that was the game she wanted to play then he was more than willing to prove her wrong.

"Any idea's Flame?" Lloyd asked as he turned to the large brown stallion. The horse shook his head. "That's alright." He smiled before flipping his legs over the side of the caravan, slipped inside, and dug through their supplies, before reemerging with a lantern. The angry, orange fire, trapped inside the glass prison, burned vigorously in the darkness. "We're heading to World Fair, right?" He asked. She nodded, looking around for any type of landmark to help identify their location.

It was hard to tell in the darkness, but the moonlight illuminated their surroundings enough that it looked like a forest.

The dark trees stood, like enormous skeletons, their decaying leaves were black and brown without the sun to illuminate them. The wind sent a shower of them into the air. The road withered into a dirt path, filled with heavy stones and overgrown with weeds, worn down by travel. He sighed in relief that he remembered to change Flame's shoes before the journey began. No sounds flooded the forest except for the cooing of an owl or the hiss of bat wings.

The skeletal hands of the trees stretched and pulled as if trying to create a net of branches above them blocking out all sun.

"Well, look at it this way, at least it can't get worse." She said humorously. No sooner had those words left her mouth, a loud crack of thunder roared across the sky in a high-pitched shriek, followed by a waterfall of water, multiple flashes of lightning streaking the night sky, and heavy black clouds overhead, with flashes of white and lemon yellow. If looks could kill, Lloyd's glare would've sent Nya straight to the pits of hell.

"You just had to ask, didn't you!?" He snarled. Lloyd's mood failed to increase as the night dragged on. Even though he'd retreated into the cavern, the rain had soaked him to the bone and he'd given up trying to rake the water from his soaked hair. "Where are we anyway!" He screeched and jumped as another streak of lightning slashed across the sky followed by the crash of thunder.

"I don't know, but we have to get out of this storm quick!" Nya yelled as loud as she could. Unfortunately, her voice was barely a whisper over the freezing wind, hissing like a banshee, the rain hammering the muddy dirt into the ground and the crashing thunder above their heads. The night had bathed the entire forest in a cloak of blackness; the only light they had available was the streaks of lighting slashing across the sky like jagged white scars.

Flame neighed and jumped in fear, as the thunder roared and increase.

Nya attempted to coax him but it did no good. The storm was savage and dangerous and the horse knew it. Lloyd screeched, as he tried to move to the front, only to be thrown back and forth as the caravan shook, due to Flame's sudden outburst. A loud burst of thunder roared to life with the force of an explosion. The sound vibrations shook the entire forest and broke that last of Flame's calmness. The horse went wild and ripped the reins from Nya's hand.

The caravan shook violently causing Lloyd to scream until he suddenly flew from the caravan, crashing to the carpet of leaves and mud.

Ignoring the horse, Nya bolted off the caravan to her brother's aid. She scooped the boy into her arms, checking him over for wounds. The icy rain hammered their skin like a thousand frozen needles. Another roar of thunder and Flame took off down the road, back the way they came, leaving the siblings alone in the storm.

"Oh no! Lloyd!" Nya called, worried for her little brother. Lloyd opened his mouth to reply but coughed wildly instead. Nya's heart skipped a beat, eyes bulging from shock and worry. She ripped off her thick, black trench coat and wrapped it around the smaller before pulling him to his feet. The coughing continued. She dragged him by the hand, willing them both not to stop. She couldn't until they at least found some form of shelter from the storm.

Rain hammered in diagonal lines, making it impossible to see.

The storm blocked out the light of the stars and moon making the forest completely black. She pulled him closer to her, hoping to give him further warmth. She stomped in the mud until her boots hit something solid. Caught by surprise, Nya looked down and found they were no longer on the mud-soaked road, but a cobbled stone path. Her eyes followed the pale silver stone until her eyes caught sight of an enormous iron-clad gate. Despite the grotesque, almost haunted appearance, she scooped Lloyd up bridal style and carried him towards the open gate.

The hinges screamed their protest as she pushed through the rusted black gate, before slamming it shut, in case any hungry beasts followed them.

The cobblestone path winded and curved towards an enormous castle. Nya's eye almost bulged out of her skull at the sight of it. It looked like it was right out of one of Kai's Gothic novels. Thirteen slim, round towers dominated the skyline of this massive castle and were connected by fortified, firm walls made of dark grey stone. Scattered thinly across the walls in a seemingly random pattern were symmetric holes for archers and artillery.

The roof was a complex jumble of black-slate cones, spires, trapezoids, and gothic styles windows with iron frames stacked on connected and linked by flying buttresses.

Pointed arches, oval and arch-shaped stain-glass windows, and arches, and different sized balconies littered the entire castle. She was sure the stained-glass windows looked beautiful in the daylight. The entrance jutted from the front of the house, carved like a giant hallway of off grey-black stones, like columns, the hallways, hazy glass windows lines with faded silver. The darkness and lightning flashing behind it only added to its haunted appearance but at that very moment, Nya didn't care.

Feeling her strength fading her, and seeing Lloyd, already unconscious and shivering, she forced her body to obey.

She could feel the strength leave her body, and she fell to her knees. Blackness danced in her vision before she collapsed to the ground. The last thing she saw or thought she saw before the darkness finally claimed her were two small creatures staggering towards them...

Masterpost of My AUs

So, I have a ton of these that I never posted about…

Here’s info on ALL of my AUs, whether I’ve posted about them or not! Mostly in order of when I made them! I’ll provide a place for a link with each, if there’s no link I haven’t posted about it yet.

Future AU: (Mostly) adheres to canon. My fankids and their adventures, along with the shenanigans the ninja get up to when married! It’s polyninja, but the ninja are married to their female love interests too and the girls are married to eachother. Also contains Destinyshipping, Garmaclouse and Badboyshipping. Consists of two parts: Right after Lilly, the ninja’s youngest is born; and thirteen years later, when most of them are old enough to be training. Learn more here.

Serprincetine AU: Follows a completely different story than canon. 100% a polyninja AU. All of the ninja are serpentine: Kai is the prince of the Hypnobrai, Cole is a Constrictai training to become a Peacekeeper’s Guard, Jay is a Venomari mechanic, and Zane is a Fangpyre mercenary hired to kill Kai before his 18th birthday. A Peacekeeper is someone who’s supposed to keep the peace between the five tribes. Garmadon, an Anacondrai, is the current Peacekeeper, while Kai is his successor. Garmadon is going to die on Kai’s 18th birthday, so Lloyd hates Kai. Zane was hired to kill Kai so the Fangpyre could start a war. There’s a lot to unpack and it’s also a soulmate AU, so I can’t fit everything here. Learn more here.

Vampire Hunter AU: Follows a completely different story than canon. Lavashipping and Technoshipping. Jay and Cole are vampire hunters who have been hired by their village’s leader, Wu, to kill the vampires living in the castle above the town: Kai and Zane. Due to a long and harsh blizzard, Cole and Jay are trapped with the extremely hot vampires in the very nice castle. They can tolerate it I guess. Learn more here.

I Obliterate My Favorite Character for No Reason Other Than Angst AU/Kai Dies AU (first one is the official name/tag): Starts out same as canon but deviates in Season 3. No ships. Kai says in Season 4 that he wanted to die instead of Zane, so I grant his wish. Except he doesn’t come back because he’s made of flesh and bone. Read more here.

Everything’s Alright AU: Follows a completely different story than canon. No ships. Nothing bad happens, so the ninja can just live normal lives. Read more here.

Kai Smith is Now Kai Chen and He’s Evil AU/Kai Chen AU: Slightly deviates from canon. Kinda plasmashippy. Essentially Kai and Skylor swap places, with Chen adopting Kai and Skylor’s mom adopting Nya after Ray and Maya die and Chen and his wife divorce. Kai fucking dies, then tries to help his dad wreck Nya and Skylor, then dies again. Read more here.

Actor AU: Follows a completely different story than canon. No ships.  The characters are all actors, simply playing parts in a TV show. Most of them have different backgrounds and slightly different personalities. It has very little development, and it doesn’t really have much of an actual storyline. Learn more here.

Jay Suffers AU: Starts out same as canon but deviates in Season 4. No ships. All of the ninja except Jay die at some point and Jay is suffering. Ed and Edna place him in a mental hospital after he attempts suicide and he befriends Harumi. Mostly focuses on his time in the mental hospital, and I try to make it wholesome sometimes to offset all of the angst. Read more here.

Ninja Nya AU: Slightly deviates from canon. Contains plasmashipping, a hint of lavashipping in season 3 and 4 and phoenixshipping. Everything’s the same except Kai and Nya swap places: Nya is the ninja of Fire, and Kai is Samurai X/the ninja of water. Read more here.

Oni and Dragons AU: Slightly deviates from canon. Contains plasmashipping and Jaya, probably. Maybe Wusako, if you squint. And possibly glaciershipping to accompany the plasma. Oni and Dragons were created to serve humans like the FSM. Wu is also a full human. Wu and Garmadon aren’t brothers; rather, Garmadon is Wu’s former bodyguard. Garmadon is an Oni, and like most is sick of being bossed around by what he considers a powerless species. He and every Oni elemental master lead a revolt to gain their freedom, while Wu and the Dragon elemental masters fight against them. The Oni win, but Garmadon wants to completely control the humans and Dragons. He gets banished to the Underworld. Wu started training Morro, who was half-Oni and half-Dragon, to foster peace between the warring species. Morro gets killed by an Oni. Wu later starts training two half-Dragons (Kai and Nya), two half-Oni (Cole and Jay) and a Nindroid (Zane) for a second attempt. They later find Lloyd, who is Wu and Misako’s illegitimate child (Misako is still married to Garmadon) and 100% human. Dragons and Oni are both very protective species by nature, so Kai, Nya, Jay and Cole all become very protective of Lloyd. They learn about Morro much sooner, since Wu actually honors him and his death with a small altar and talks about him. They raise Morro from the dead, since he’s still the Chosen One (because Lloyd doesn’t deserve that burden). He kicks Garmadon’s ass and everything else is just shenanigans with the ninja, Morro and redeemed Garmadon. Wu actually acknowledges that he is not a good parent. The ninja are all adults because Wu learned from his mistakes like he should have in canon. Read more here.

The Pirate and His Dragon AU: Follows a completely different story from canon. The entire purpose of this AU is plasmashipping. This AU combines the popular concept of Pirate! Jay with my Half-Dragon! Kai because I thought it would be cool. Mostly just slice-of-life as they do pirate and half-dragon things. Read more here.

Garmadon’s Servant Kai AU: Slightly deviates from canon. Canon ships (Jaya and Llorumi). Kai starts training with Wu, only to soon reveal he’s been in cahoots with Lord Garmadon the whole time. He remains a traitor and nuisance until season 3, in which he pretends to chill out due to Garmadon becoming good. He slowly warms back up to the ninja until season 8, in which he’s the Quiet One instead of Harumi (Lloyd gets the healthy romance arc he deserves) and Kai essentially completely destroys any more chances of reconciliation with his former teammates and sister.

hey it’s happened in every other version

Keep reading

May I ask what alexandrite looks like in the crystoons AU?

You mean Jimmy+Danny+Timmy? I didn’t exactly made a design for them, so I just doodled this out in a whim, based on actual Alexandrite’s design. :o

The Flame and the Dragon Ch3

Chapter 3: The Library

Far off across the rolling hills and lush countryside, Kai caught sight of the woods, trees alight with leaves of red, brown, orange, and gold, like blazing fire. They were some of his favorite colors. The cliffside rumored to lead out of the valley and past an old castle that had been abandoned for a little over a century, towering over the green and flaming colored landscape. It was almost like it was beckoning the dreamer to join its life outside the sheltered ways of the town.

A smile played across Kai's face.

One day he was getting out of this lame provincial life, and he will never look back. Soon a small grey stone building came into view and both brothers smiled as they strolled up the stone path and through the small oakwood doors. Despite all he had seen in his youth of traveling with his family, Kai found no place more magnificent than Ignacia's library. The building's walls and shelves were lined with books from ceiling to floor like an enormous labyrinth.

Some were so high that tall ladders were placed on casters at different intervals.

Though small, books were everywhere and these were no ordinary books. These books were bound in leather or velvet with strong locks and clasps of brass and silver. Their spines were studded with jewels that glowed in the pale light of dozens of candles hanging from the enormous iron-clad chandeliers hanging overhead. The floors were polished wood. In the center of the room and the labyrinth of shelves sat several desks carved from wood with matching chairs.

At the head of the library stood a much more ornamental desk with vines engraved into the side of the wooden slab.

Sitting behind it with an eccentric smile, an elderly man rose to his feet, a long grey mustache falling from his face while his rich brown eyes gleamed from behind a pair with thin black glasses. When he saw them he gave them a friendly smile.

"I was wondering when you boys would arrive." He greeted on a loud, unusual accent. "I'd almost given up waiting."

"Sorry, Dr. Saunders." Kai smiled politely, "Just here to return the books I borrowed." He explained digging through his bag while Lloyd scurried off to find something to read.

"Finished already?" Dr. Saunders asked in feigned surprise.

"I couldn't put it down." The brunette replied with a chuckle, handing him the two books before strolling over and scanning the shelves. "I don't suppose you have anything new do you?"

"Not since yesterday, I'm afraid."

"Alright, then I'll just take this one." Kai requested before picking up a leather-bound book.

"That one?" Dr. Saunders repeated, his fingers dancing over the gold lettering. "Correct me if I'm wrong, but you've checked this one out at least once a month since you moved here, haven't you?"

"Can't help it, it's my favorite." Kai blushed sheepishly. "No matter how many times I read it, it leaves me on the edge of my seat, the ending makes my heart race and I continue getting frustrated when I turn to the last page and I can never read the end; I really wanna know what happens." Kai voiced, unintentionally expressing his obsession. Dr. Saunders's grin couldn't get any wider. The librarian placed a comforting hand on the teen's shoulder before placing his favorite book in his hands.

Kai blinked in confusion but before he could voice his question, Dr. Saunders answered.

"If you like it all that much, it's yours." He said and Kai's eyes nearly bulged out of his skull. He opened his mouth to protest but the words died in this throat. "I insist." Dr. Saunders answered with a wink before the boy could protest. "My job is to make sure each one of these lovely books finds the right person, and if you're not the one for this story, I'm a blind old fool." He laughed. Unsure what else to say, Kai said the only thing that came to mind.

"Thank you! Thank you so much!" He beamed widely. The librarian smiled before starting in remembrance and diving behind his desk.

"I almost forgot." He pulled out a large folder tied with a red string from beneath the mess of his desk, before holding the familiar object out to the brunette. "You left this here yesterday, I couldn't put them down." He grinned as Kai's eyes lit up in recognition and he snatched his folder away and hugged it to his chest.

"Sorry!" The flustered teen mumbled in apology. "They're not very good, most of them are just drafts and such–"

"Kai," A single word from the librarian silenced him, and he looked up to meet impressed and encouraging eyes. "They're brilliant, even for 'drafts'; I've read so many books and I've never seen anything half as good as some of the things your imagination has conjured up."

"Uh, thanks."

"Honestly, Kai, what the heck are you and your siblings still doing in this backward town?" The librarian asked. The question was rhetorical, but no one could mistake the seriousness in Dr. Saunders's question. "You three have so much talent and so much potential it's such a shame you can't exercise your talents at a more credential location." He sighed in disappointment. Kai blinked, then nodded at the compliment.

"We're working on it." He replied. "Nya's hoping to win the Inventor's Contest this year, if this pulls through we might finally have enough to move."

"I'm surprised it's taken you so long." The librarian smiled. "Your parents left you everything."

"Yeah, but that's our savings, it's more than enough to live on but not move away and continue living in a new place." Lloyd chimed in, carrying a small stack of children's books of his own and placing them on the table.

"I tell you boys this place has changed since Vincent passed; FSM blesses his soul." Dr. Saunders sighed sadly. "I knew it was only a matter of time, since no one from that family seems to take after him, and then Morro rolls in–" He continued, only to stop when Kai suddenly growled under his breath at the man's name. Dr. Saunders decided not to press the issue anymore. It was true though. For the past year after their father passed away, the three remaining Smiths had put away their parent's inheritance and started saving their earnings until they could afford to leave.

But the shop hadn't been doing as well as it had when Vincent was the Duke.

Nya, being the overly ambitious and determined sibling, was dead-set on winning the fair this year. Then they could move to a place where they could finally pursue their dreams. Dr. Saunders finished checking Lloyd's books and placed them all in a bag for the little one to carry. Lloyd quickly followed Kai who paused in the doorway to let his little brother pass. He gave the librarian another smile and wave before running to catch up with his little brother...