Chapter Text
He often forgets that he was a child once.
It didn't last long, though he liked to think it was good while it did.
Perhaps he was delusional, as Nya said.
Soft grass on bare feet, the fire of an ever present forge... a warm smile from his mother and lessons taught by a distant father... the smell of homemade waffles on a hand built fire.
Dew was rare on dry mountain grass, he remembered. That's why those two kids would come barreling out of the forge on cold mornings, complaining to their parents and each other and the sky and the grass.
He remembered the lectures he'd get for staining his clothes on that grass... but more than that... he remembered the children playing. Throwing a ball back and forth, squealing with delight at the sight of a frog, running and playing like nothing in the world could reach them. He had been the boy in that memory, once. He doubted that boy would recognize who he'd become.
They were truly invincible back then. At least, that's what they had liked to believe.
That was the first lesson Kai would learn. The only person in the world who's untouchable... was Master Chen.
He remembered a blur of movement. Grabbing Nya and running. He remembered the forge being in sight from where he was. From then on, he only knew darkness. Sorcery.
Kai often pretended that wasn't the last day of his childhood, that he'd held on long after. It was easier than letting Chen have it. Chen had every single thing that was supposed to be Kai's, even his identity. He was allowed to be greedy about things like that.
Shoto sheathed his katana and picked up his mask with a sigh. It was unbefitting of him to have let all his equipment get so out of shape, but he'd been gone a while. Still, there was probably some way he could've taken care of it.
The thought washed away as music played in the distance. Chen wanted him there when the competitors arrived, so he slipped into his gear quickly and took a brisk pace to exit the room. Skylor would be on the boat with them, dutifully maintaining her illusion. She was a good daughter. If only "Shoto" could be a good enough son, she wouldn't have to compensate.
There wasn't a lot of time to dwell on it all though. He was approaching his destination.
"Welcome to the tournament of elements!"
Those memories were far away now, but they felt much closer when his sister was walking through the front door.
She looked at him, and Kai saw nothing but disdain in her eyes. How poetic.