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Kai raced through the streets of Ninjago, Jay right by his side. A metallic monkey threw a barrel filled with a bomb at them. Jay ran backwards, Kai vaulted over it.
The explosion shot him forwards onto the harsh cement. Pain rippled through his body, but he ignored it. He had to get that Lantern. Maybe then he would finally be good enough. Kai had to prove himself.
With his teeth clenched, he got to his feet without wasting another precious second. The adrenaline pumping through his veins made it a lot less agonizing.
“I’m going after that Lantern!” Kai shouted.
“Wait! We're supposed to stay together!”
Kai barely heard him.
He started running, faster and faster. His feet pounded against the pavement. Everything in the background blurred, the streets, the noise, the burning in his legs. Soon enough Kai was climbing. Then he was jumping from rooftop to rooftop. The wind roared in his ears.
Kai hardly even dodged the explosion thrown at him. Before he could react, two arms, strong and rough, wrapped around him. Kai was able to glance at his face.
Nadakhan.
Soon enough, he was in the air, spinning, as he attempted to free himself from Nadakahn's grip. It felt impossible. Kai felt so insanely helpless. Smoke surrounded them.
“No!! Kai!!” Jay’s voice faded into the distance as he and Nadakahn disappeared into a poof.
Finally Nadakhan let go. Kai was standing on a beach. The sun was shining, making him squint his eyes. Kai could feel the sunlight coating his face. He could hear waves crashing against the shore. In other circumstances this might have been peaceful.
“Huh! What is this?! What did you do?!”
“I thought a little privacy might be in order.” Nadakahn responded, his voice far too playful. It sent chills down Kai's back.
Nadakahn slowly circled him. “Such urgency. For what..? A silly little lantern? You sure it wasn't for something else?”
Kai's hand lit with fire. “You're even worse up close.” He ran straight for Nadakhan's gut, his hand blazing.
Poof.
Nadakhan appeared beside him as Kai toppled face first into the sand with a grunt. That clearly didn't go as planned. Fury filled him as he quickly got to his feet and charged once again.
This time Nadakhan caught his wrist in a grip so strong Kai was sure it would dislocate.
“Let go of me!” Kai screamed as his struggles were futile.
“Fire..” Nadakhan mused. That fucking smirk still plastered on his face. “Fitting.”
“Big talk for someone who won't fight me fair!” Kai’s free hand burned with fire. He once again charged at Nadakhan, hoping to burn his disgusting grin off.
Poof.
The air was empty where he had initially charged. Kai's wrist was still held in an excruciatingly tight grip.
“This is really getting annoying.” Kai muttered, mostly to himself.
He heard a low chuckle from behind him.
“I couldn't agree more, my dear. You really should stop all this.” His grip tightened ever so slightly, causing a wince from Kai. “You're wasting your energy.”
“What do you want from me?!” Kai shouted, turning around to face him.
“Simple. I want you by my side. I could give you much more than whatever your chasing.”
What. The. Fuck? “Yeah, that's not happening.”
Nadakhan ignored him and continued. “Orginally I wanted someone else. Your precious water ninja. She reminds me so much of someone I lost.”
His grip didn't loosen. “But then, I saw you.”
A pause.
Then Nadakhan went on. “All that fire. All that effort. Yet you're never the one they rely on.”
“You're wrong!”
Nadakhan’s smile widened. “Am I?”
Rage boiled inside Kai, like a bomb getting ready to explode. The part that hurt the worst was that he was right. No matter what Kai did, it was never enough. It never made the others rely on him anymore. Kai charged for what seemed like the thousandth time. Instead of Nadakhan proofing away he wrapped both his arms around Kai, lifting him into the air.
“I do wish you would make this easier on both of us.”
Kai hit Nadakhan's chest repeatedly. It was a pathetically useless attempt at getting free.
“Then again, I didn't expect any more from you.” There seemed to be fondness in his voice, which made Kai internally cringe.
And poof. They were gone.