October 17th 2020
Prompt: Lightning Chicken

*****

"Why do we have to petsit Wu's bird again?" Jay whined. "It literally emits electrical charges! Surely there's some specialist who's more qualified."

"Well, you are the master of lightning." Kai pointed out with a smirk. "Maybe you're related."

Jay gasped. "That is an insult!"

"Yeah, can't have Wu hearing you bad mouthing his chicken." Cole laughed.

Nya rolled her eyes. "He shouldn't be gone long. Besides, hopefully the birds well behaved. What's its name again?"

"Raitoningu." Lloyd said with no emotion as he sat on the couch, engrossed in a comic book. Nya frowned and snatched it from him, much to his protest.

  "That's a mouthful." Cole grumbled. "Can we give it a nickname?"

  "Ha! What about Rai, y'know sort of like 'Ray'?" Jay chortled but his laughter ceased at the withering glare his girlfriend and sworn brother gave him.

  "I do not think the senior master of fire would like that." Zane said.

  "Dad doesn't like you already." Kai hummed, feigning a thoughtful expression. "Maybe I could use this comment as blackmail to my advantage."
 
  "DON'T YOU DARE!"

  Nya sent them both a warning look, her fingers dangling the graphic novel just out of Lloyd's grasp as he leaned over the couch's armrest and reached for it. "Enough. This is already going to be a hard task, we don't need you two at each others throats."

  "Maybe it would provide a distraction so I can sneak away." Cole muttered under his breath, rolling his eyes to the ceiling.

  "I certainly hope you're joking, Cole." The warning held an underlying jest as the Sensei strolled into the room, the carrier in his grasp. The telltale clucking of a chicken rising from inside. Cole gave nervous laughter and sunk deeper into the cushions of his seat.

  "Master Wu!" Lloyd scrambled to his feet and gently took the cage.

  "Thank you students for doing this for me." Wu nodded to each of them. "The emergency trip was very last minute."

  "Would you like one of us to go with you?" Cole sat up hopefully. "We don't all need to watch the dodo- I mean companion!"

  "Yeah!" Kai clasped his hands behind his back and widened his eyes with innocence. "You aren't getting any younger Sensei. You may need someone in case the age starts getting too you."

  He yelped when he was suddenly smacked in the forehead with a bamboo staff. "If you think that's funny look around and see that I'm not laughing." Wu scolded. "I think you can stay right here. I'm sure there'll be plenty of work for you. Raitoningu isn't exactly potty trained."

  "WHAT?" Kai blanched.

  A smug smile appeared in the teachers face as he left his treasured bird in there hands. "Thank you again for the help." He said almost sarcastically. "I'll see you in three weeks."

  Lloyd's brow furrowed. "Wait- three weeks?" Before Lloyd could get an answer the doors were slammed in his face.

  Jay dashed forward, yelling indistinguishable words out the window.

  Nya sighed, rubbing her temples. "I don't think I can last three minutes of this." She grumbled.

  "Uh guys..." Cole cut in suddenly. They all turned to look at him. "Where's the chicken?"

   Slowly they're eyes rested on the carrier. The door was wide open, the hay filled space was empty. Everyone stood in stunned silence before Kai opened his mouth.

  "Well crap."