Pixal’s eyes electronic eyes softened. “Of course I do. We… are compatible.” Zane breathed a long sigh of relief, and looked at her. He wished he could have even a mere minute with Pixal, just the two of them together to talk alone, about all that had happened… however, there was other business they needed to take care of.
“Hurry,” Cole pressed. “Hey, it’s not always easy, not being able to see,” Liana snapped. Behind him, she grasped blindly at the rungs of the rusty ladder they were climbing. “You try climbing up a two-story building with your eyes closed and see how fast you want to go.” The friends clambered atop a building that gave them a sweeping view of the entire village. Cole pulled himself up the ladder and balanced delicately on the tiles of the sloping roof, then crouched to help Liana up. “Why are we doing this again?” she grumbled. She didn’t like feeling helpless, and struggling up a ladder onto a rooftop like a clumsy newborn colt definitely made her feel helpless. Cole gripped her hand as she stood up. “It’ll be faster this way.” They clambered up to the very top of the roof, where they could stand on the main beam without much trouble. He scanned the town. To his right, he could see smoke billowing from where the second attack party had struck. He hoped Lloyd, Jay, and Nya had been able to sort it out. The entrance to the village was far behind them. Cole looked ahead, where the back entrance led out to the farmers’ fields. In the distance, he could catch sight of people fleeing through the streets. “OK.” Liana shivered and inhaled slowly. “How far do I have to jump?” “Jump?” “Aren’t we jumping from roof to roof?” Cole felt himself grin slightly. “I thought Airjitzu would be easier.” Liana blinked. “But— I don’t know Airjitzu.” “I know. I’ll carry you over.” She scowled. “Like I’m a sack of potatoes, great. Are you sure it wouldn’t be easier to just run?” “Yup.” She sighed. There wasn’t any time to argue. They had to get to the south entrance as soon as possible, in case there was a Moon Tribe attack party striking there. She held up her hands in a gesture of defeat. “Whatever.” “Grab on.” Hesitantly, she wrapped her arms around Cole’s neck while he scooped her up into his arms. Despite the circumstances, he found himself blushing. It felt nice and weird at the same time. He shook his head and tried to gather his thoughts. “Ready?”
Liana nodded, lips tight. “Ready as I’ll ever be.” He took a breath, then jumped. A burst of wind came from seemingly nowhere and thrust them up and over the gap between the two houses. Airjitzu was easier when done with free hands, thus Cole found controlling the whirling wind carrying them to be a little more difficult. Still, he managed it. He landed on the neighboring roof with a dull thud. He teetered for a moment, and for a terrifying second he thought they were going to fall. Then, he shifted his weight back, and his feet were in tune with gravity once more. Liana gripped him tightly. She did not like the sensation of flying up and falling with those ugly thuds. It made her feel sick to her stomach. “You OK?” He winced at the prick of her fingernails digging into his skin. “Fine,” she muttered through gritted teeth. “Just dandy. Please just keep going.” Cole steadied himself, then leapt again. The journey was fast, and when he finally dropped down to the ground, she slid out of his arms with a relieved gasp. He couldn’t help but tease. “Aw, come on, that wasn’t so bad, was it?” She hugged her stomach. “You’re right. It wasn’t as bad as I thought it’d be. It was worse.” Any casual argument the two of them would have pursued was interrupted by several families appearing from the street at a rapid pace, running as fast their slowest members would allow. Immediately Cole and Liana caught up with the crowd. Several people carried traces of burns and soot from the burning houses. Others had no idea what had been going on. When someone recognized Cole and attempted to question him, he interjected. “The village is under attack. Just get out and get to another town. We’ll take care of things here.” He and Liana worked for some time, ushering bewildered and weary villagers toward the south entrance, all the while keeping watch for Moon Tribe warriors. So far, there was no sign of them. Still, Cole made a habit of feeling the katana swords strapped to his back and and the tekko-kagi claws hanging from his belt. Liana occasionally fingered the arrows and bow in her quiver and the nunchucks on her belt.
For what felt like forever, they stood in the street ushering survivors and instructing them to head for the nearest neighboring village and to run if they see a cat—any cat, no matter how cute and fluffy it may look. At this point, Cole was willing to assume that any cat he saw today was evil and wanted the annihilate mankind. Eventually the amount of fugitives lessened; people were escaping the village safely, leaving only the stragglers to catch up and for the ninja to assist. By this time both Cole and Liana were weary from standing, walking, occasionally sprinting, and carrying young children or dragging along wounded people who made it as far as the southern main street. Their throats were sore from calling out continuously to the villagers. Their feet hurt, and their nerves were on edge, as they kept half-expecting another Moon Tribe patrol to ambush them at any moment. Part of Cole thought, If you’re going to attack, then for the love of the First Spinjitzu Master, just attack already! Constantly waiting for the worst had become quite tiresome. The streets grew quieter. A small family of three stumbled by, and Cole recognized the man of the family as a neighbor. Having grown up here, he knew most, if not all, of the town citizens. “Mr. Bryan!” He hurried to help the weary man, whose face was smudged with dark soot. He must have been near the houses that caught fire when the Moon Tribe attacked. The older man blinked with surprise. “Cole!” He chuckled uneasily, “Why, I guess I shouldn’t be surprised to see you here. We saw the ninja fighting off those… whatever those things are.” “We’re doing what we can,” Cole replied hoarsely. Mr. Bryan’s wife and son were following him wearily. The wife was stumbling while hugging a little boy to her chest. Some of her hair was singed, and one sleeve of her shirt had been ripped with scratches. She looked as if she were about to faint. “Here.” Cole approached Mrs. Bryan and gently took the little boy from her arms. “I’ll take him for now.” The older woman looked at him gratefully with red eyes. “Thank you.”
Her husband took her arm and supported her. Cole hefted the little boy on his hip and walked alongside the parents. The boy was quiet; he looked stunned from the unexpected violence inflicted upon his home. Now he only stared blankly into space. Liana caught up with Cole quickly. “Is that everyone in the village?” “Don’t know.” He turned to Mr. Bryan. “Was anyone left behind?” The man blinked wearily. “Maybe. I have no idea.” “Did you see my dad?” Cole pressed. He had noted the absence of Mr. Brookstone in the crowds that had cleared out. He might have thought his father had escaped the village sooner, before Cole and Liana had shown up, but his house was near the north entrance. There was no way the older man could have gotten to the south gate so fast. “I’m sorry, no.” Bryan shrugged apologetically. Cole clenched his jaw. He was beginning to feel sick. He remembered Eagle Talon, just a little while ago; that horrible look in his eyes as he gazed at Cole’s dad, the way he’d clutched that knife… his green feline eyes had glazed over with shock and horror… And bitter anger. On impulse Cole practically shoved the little boy into Liana’s arms. “Make sure they get out and join the rest of the village. If nobody else comes this way, go with them. I’ll catch up with you.” “Wha— Cole!” Liana sputtered and glared sightlessly as she heard his footsteps dart away from her side. “Where are you going?!” “To find my dad.” The rush of wind was the sound of Cole flying away and leaving her.
* * *
Mr. Brookstone was helping his elderly neighbor from across the street, Mrs. Ling, through the winding side streets of the village, abandoned at the moment. Despite his own fear of the invading werecat forces, there was no way he could have left the old lady to hobble along by herself, though she’d protested and insisted that she could make it herself. “You’re a dear, Lou, but you mustn’t bother,” she was saying in her small, mousey voice. “I don’t want to keep you waiting back here. You go on and join everyone else. I’ll catch up soon enough.”
“Nonsense.” He tried to keep his voice light while scanning their surroundings anxiously. “Please, allow me to accompany you.” “But dearie, wouldn’t you rather…?” She never got to finish. The two of them were rounding the street corner when a huge, dark shape suddenly swept down from the rooftops. With a resounding thud the shape landed before the people. The two humans stopped short. Lou felt the blood drain from his face as he gasped. Mrs. Ling squinted through her glasses and remarked, “My, what a large cat! I do believe that poor thing’s owners feed it too much, oh, yes. Too much.” She shook her head ruefully. The dark shape stood, and Lou realized he was staring face-to-face with a cat the size of a lion—or, a nekomata, as he had learned from the ninja earlier that afternoon. Forked tails twitched behind the creature, like snakes. Its fur was as black as night, except for distinct silver markings around its bright green eyes. Those eyes—Oh! eyes brimming with unsuppressed hatred—glared at him. They seemed to bore into his heart, as if the horrible creature were trying to peek into the darkest corners of his soul. Almost unconsciously, Mr. Brookstone retreated back a few steps. He gulped, “K— keep back! My son is a—!” The werecat snarled and leapt forward. Mr. Brookstone stumbled back and to the side, pressing himself against a building, but the great cat moved past him. It was chasing Mrs. Ling away, snapping at her heels. The elderly woman seemed to finally realize the danger of her situation, and she staggered away on her cane, shrieking for help. For a second, Mr. Brookstone feared the werecat would pounce upon the poor woman. However, instead of going after Mrs. Ling, the enormous cat stopped and swung its head back to Mr. Brookstone. He felt his blood run cold as his gaze met the creature’s. A low, rumbling growl broke from its throat. The sound matched the distant thunder from the nearing storm clouds. It padded toward him, slowly, staring at him with unblinking eyes.
Lou’s mouth ran dry. Frantically, he swept his gaze up and down the street, but where he had just come from was blocked by the huge black cat. The direction he had been going, he realized with dismay, was a dead end. Almost unconsciously he backed away slowly from the monster, trapping himself against the dead end. He wondered if it was true they could smell fear. Then, the big cat opened its mouth and spoke in a smooth, feminine voice. Mr. Brookstone would have been dumbfounded enough if he hadn’t heard the words she said—words that made the worst surge of shock yet hit him like a punch in the stomach. “Hello, Father.”
* * *
Eagle Talon followed his sister’s scent trail through the silent streets. In the distance, he could hear his tribe-mates fighting the ninja. Beyond that, another growl of thunder warned of the oncoming storm. Dark clouds gathered overhead. The wind howled in the hills like the racing heart that pounded in Eagle Talon’s ears; relentless, taunting, blaming, and... fearful. So much fear. He was choking on it, trying to breathe through it. His own fear was poisoning him, trying to strangle him then and there. Every hair on his pelt quivered with it as horrible visions flashed through his mind, completely unbidden. Ancestors save me. The dark tabby ran—ran as fast as his paws would allow him. Ancestors… save us all. What have I done?
* * *
“Black Blood.” Mr. Brookstone somehow found enough of his voice to repeat the name the ninja had given him: Black Blood, the leader of the Moon Tribe warriors… his and Silver Mist’s… The huge cat’s ears pricked forward. “You know the name of your daughter.” There was a note of surprise in the humanoid voice. Lou didn’t reply. His mouth had gone dry.
The werecat’s whiskers twitched. Her body convulsed and shifted, and a humanoid, feminine shape began to emerge from the feline flesh. Before he knew, it, Lou found himself facing a pale, teenage girl, though with a feline twist to the pupils of her eyes. The tails disappeared behind her, ears shrunken, muzzle gone, fur replaced by long, black hair that fell in gentle curves around her face—she was rather beautiful, actually. She tossed the dark locks out of her eyes impatiently, curling her dark red lips. The only mark on her otherwise unblemished skin was a single scratch running horizontally on her right cheek. She was barefoot and wore long sleeves with slits in the middle. She looked young, but the scowl darkened her features, and the black, thick eyebrows added to this effect. In a way, she looked familiar. Mr. Brookstone stared at her for several seconds, pondering the familiarity—then he connected the dots. She looked a little like him. She looked a little like Silver Mist. She also looked like Cole—that is, a twisted, catlike, female version of Cole. Out of shock and bewilderment, he said the first thing that came to mind. “You— you look like your mother.” Black Blood’s eyes blazed. “Don’t you dare speak of my mother!” Lou cringed back, seeing the feline fangs that flashed from her mouth. She continued, her face twisted. “You didn’t deserve her. Silver Mist didn’t deserve what you gave her. We didn’t deserve what you gave us. It’s your fault. It’s all your fault.” He tried to back away again, but found himself firmly planted against the wall in the alleyway. “W— what do you mean? What did I ever do to you? I didn’t even know you existed until today!” “Exactly.” The girl’s hands curled into fists. She advanced slowly, carefully, like a cat creeping up on a mouse. “She raised us herself. All by herself. You left her to take care for us with no support, no mate to provide food or protection. We relied on the tribe. The tribe hated us because of the rumors. The rumors that we were half-human. “I never believed in them. I didn’t want to believe them.” She took a breath, as if steadying herself. “Until today.”
Mr. Brookstone gulped and met Black Blood’s gaze. He tried not to shy away from those eyes, those eyes that were so much like his own… “I— I never abandoned you!” He stammered, “Silver Mist left by her own choice. I wanted her to stay, but she—” “Like I care, you wretched Son of No One!” Black Blood snapped. “You ruined our lives. You made us fight for everything. We had more to prove to everyone, that we were just as good as you. It’s your fault. It’s all your fault.” Mr. Brookstone couldn’t speak. There were no words to reply to this, anyway. After a moment longer, her expression changed: her glare turned into a grin—a long, horrible grin. Smoothly, she removed two weapons from the leather belt wrapped around her waist: one was a stout, steel butterfly sword. The other was a glass-like katana. She gripped the weapons and held them up, aiming the very tips in the human’s direction. Lou felt his heart drop. “Now,” Black Blood said. “I’m going to right the wrongs you committed. Your mistake has finally caught up with you, Lou Brookstone.” The words had barely left her mouth when the werecat lunged herself at her father. Both blades looked like twin silver streaks shooting for Lou’s face and throat. “No!” The cobblestones before Black Blood convulsed. Dark earth formed from the ground beneath the street, shot out like a giant fist, and smashed into the werecat queen. Black Blood flew back. Both the butterfly knife and the sword clattered to the ground as she tumbled and rolled on the street. She quickly recovered on her feet and hands, balancing herself on all fours. She regained her bearings and glared down the alley. Cole leapt down from the building above and landed in front of his father. In one movement he yanked out his sword. “Stay away from my dad,” he growled darkly. Black Blood blinked, as if she hadn’t heard him correctly. “Your dad…?” Cole tried to breathe steadily. He could feel his heart pounding in his ears. “My dad. Your dad. Our dad.” He met her gaze. “We’re related, Black Blood. You’re my half-sister.” Black Blood stared at him, looking almost confused. Then her face whitened dramatically.
Skylor the “spirit” glowed. The army heard the calls of the strange apparition, saw the light glowing from her, and the unexplainable snow spinning around her. They were utterly convinced that this was one of the gods they feared so much. “We promise,” Tulimaq whimpered before her, trembling in his icy cage. “We promise to repent!” Skylor wondered what to do next. She took a breath, and tried to steady herself. The cold wind lashed at her, snowflakes were getting in her face. Every man on that mountainside was watching her with fear and awe. She took one step backwards to keep her balance against the wind… and toppled backwards into the portal. She cried out as it closed up over her head. The Polarian army watched the spirit queen disappear in a burst of light, and believed she’d returned to the heavens.
**** “There’s no time to explain,” Lloyd said hurriedly. “Right now, this village is under attack. We’re getting to the west side to stop some fires from spreading and protecting the people from enemy warriors invading.” She felt her pulse speed up. “You’ll need my help.” Nya drew a katana from one of her back sheathes and handed it to her. “Great.” “What do these warriors look like?” Jay replied, “Like giant versions of the house cats you see in pet stores, but with bigger claws, two tails on each butt, and they can talk.” Skylor didn’t even blink. “Awesome. Let’s do this.”
* * *
Another day in Ninjago.
Also yay, Skylor is back from her isekai adventure.
Several werecats, who had either been helping their wounded tribe-mates to safety or had been searching for the human adversary with the exploding boom-stick, caught sight of Skylor through the thin haze of smoke. Warriors in nekomata and human forms raced after the fleeing villagers as soon as they realized some of their prey was escaping them. They snarled furiously. Skylor pushed the mother toward the entrance, then turned and fired several shots. The werecats fell back with startled yowls. The survivors, dodging and getting behind cover, glared at her with unsuppressed hatred. It was clear to all in this battle that Skylor was virtually unstoppable with her blaster. Across the wide main street, Lloyd was putting his tekko-kagi claws to good use. He found himself in constant hand-to-hand combat with some Moon Tribe warrior or another. He remembered Matilda’s training and swiped to and fro, keeping his head low and his feet light, much like boxing. In this way he was able to drive off several humanoid Moon Tribe warriors. All of them seemed astonished when the green-pelted ninja summoned what looked like silver claws out of his hands. A Moon Tribe couple in their human forms charged him. The man attacked first, and Lloyd met him blow-to-blow. At one point the man was able to jab down low and scratch Lloyd’s arm, but his opponent brushed off the sting and continued defending himself. Frustrated, the man swung his clawed hand out again. Seeing the hit coming, Lloyd grabbed his wrist, pulled his opponent toward him, tripped him and thoroughly slammed him to the ground. The man lay stiff and gasping for air. A weight landed heavily on Lloyd’s back, making him grunt and stumble. The woman had come from behind and leapt onto him. Lloyd staggered beneath her weight, trying to shake her off. A burst of pain burned at his shoulder. Claws dug into his uniform and the skin beneath as the woman clung on, wrapping one arm around his neck. He felt her breath heating his face and neck area, and the pain intensified. She was biting him!
**** “There’s no time to explain,” Lloyd said hurriedly. “Right now, this village is under attack. We’re getting to the west side to stop some fires from spreading and protecting the people from enemy warriors invading.” She felt her pulse speed up. “You’ll need my help.” Nya drew a katana from one of her back sheathes and handed it to her. “Great.” “What do these warriors look like?” Jay replied, “Like giant versions of the house cats you see in pet stores, but with bigger claws, two tails on each butt, and they can talk.” Skylor didn’t even blink. “Awesome. Let’s do this.”
* * *
Another day in Ninjago.
Also yay, Skylor is back from her isekai adventure.
"Welp, being the main character for a while was fun. Hi guys, I'm back."
For the first time since Cole had met her, Black Blood looked completely dumbfounded. “No. That’s not true… You’re lying. You’re lying.” “It’s true, Black Blood.” The girl werecat spun around to face the entrance of the alleyway. There stood Eagle Talon, in his human body. “It’s true,” he repeated haltingly. “He had another mate after Silver Mist. Cole—the Son of Earth is our brother.” “Our… brother…?” Black Blood looked stunned. She swung her head back in Cole’s direction. She seemed to be searching him with her eyes, as if begging him, of all people, to deny that this was true. Then, she voiced a short chuckle. Not the creepy, evil sort of chuckle that most villains did, the kind Cole had heard from many enemies. This chuckle was more of a dazed, awkward chuckle, like when Jay would try to make a weak joke. It sounded bizarre and uncharacteristic from Black Blood’s lips. “Our brother…” Cole wasn’t sure if her reaction was a hopeful sign or not. He ventured a step toward her. “It doesn’t have to be this way, Black Blood.” He tried to keep his voice steady and soothing. Maybe… maybe there was some good in the werecat. Perhaps, if he reached out for her and tried, just tried— “He did this to us.” As if reawakening, Black Blood blinked and glared back at her father. “This is all his fault. I’ll make him pay.” Cole felt his heart sink. He tried not to show the fear rising in his chest. Slowly, he slid his swords back into their sheathes. “Look… I know what you’ve been through. I know you had to fight your way to the top in the tribe, because a lot of cats talked about you behind your back about your family. But vengeance isn’t the answer.” His voice hardened. “I won’t let you get one paw step near him. You can’t hurt my— our dad.” Black Blood—no… his sister—narrowed her eyes and stared at Cole with an unreadable gaze. Behind her, Eagle Talon gazed at his siblings, looking lost. A long silence fell upon the small street. “You’re right,” Black Blood murmured. Cole felt his eyebrows arch up instinctively with surprise. He felt a raindrop land on his nose.
“You’re quite right, Son— Cole.” She arched an eyebrow of her own. “Going after our father myself… That’s not the right way to do it. If I really want to hurt him, to make him know the true meaning of pain—” She leapt forward and ran into Cole, slamming him to the ground. The breath was painfully knocked out of him. Black Blood’s hands grew into furry paws, claws bared, and she used her weight to keep him down. Cole struggled feebly. With one hand, he felt the tekko-kagi claws at his belt. “—then I have to take away what he loves most. Someone close to him. The only family he cares about.” Black Blood smiled wickedly. “His favorite son.” Cole couldn’t see him, but he heard his father choke out in horror. “Cole—!” The werecat queen cackled as several more raindrops fell from the sky. “Say goodbye, dear Father, to the last Son of Earth. He’s joining his ancestors in the stars.” Cole struggled. She was too strong. He saw feline teeth flash and her face thrust forward to bite down on his neck. “No!” Black Blood grunted when Eagle Talon slammed into her, throwing his sister to the ground. She jumped to her feet out of instinct. Before she could react, Talon struck his sister across the face. She cried out, more of rage than of pain, and her jaw dropped open. “How— how dare you!” “Blood, please,” Talon’s voice quivered above the rising sound of raindrops hitting the streets. “Please… he doesn’t deserve this. Neither one of them do. They’re just—” Black Blood delivered a sidekick to Talon, sending him sprawling. She turned on Cole within a second. Cole jumped to his feet, grabbed the handle of one tekko-kagi claw, and swung it at his sister. In his haste, he stumbled and missed. Her claws flashed out of the corner of his eye. A sharp, pinching sensation on one cheek told Cole that her claws had scored a mark on his face. He gained his bearings, gripped both steel claws in his hands, and lunged for Black Blood. He feinted to one side to disorient her, and she fell for it. His own claws swung for her throat.
![[derp]](http://storage.proboards.com/6672327/images/YqNTPqyQUocVMYXZgUAI.png)
