Chapter Eight: Custos Training 

~A week after the prophecy was told~  

  Kai sighs, they had the bounty back at last and he was loving it! He toss and turn in his red bed sheets. Lloyd lay on his own green bed on the opposite side of the room. "This is nice." Kai says as his tail hangs off the end of the bed. "Yeah. I wish we could share a bed though." Lloyd mumbles the last part, but Kai hears every word. Kai slithers over to his lover and into the bed beside him. "Like this?" He asks huskily as he spoons the younger. Lloyd blushes. "Y-yeah." He answers and Kai chuckles. "How about this? We'll switch. One night in one bed and the next night in the other? That way can share a bed and neither bed goes useless." Kai suggests. Lloyd thinks on it. "Sure." He says with a smile and the two snuggle up with each other.  

  Kai's tail wraps around Lloyd's waist, pulling the blond closer. Lloyd relaxes with his head on Kai's chest and sighs. Kai blows on Lloyd's hair quickly before whistling as the blond looks up to him annoyed. "What is up with you and doing that all the damn time?" Lloyd asks as he fixes his hair. Kai chuckles. "It's fun." He says before blowing Lloyd's hair again. Lloyd lets out an aggravated scream and sits up. "You jackass!" He shouts and fixes his hair again. Kai laughs at this. "I'm your jackass though." He says, hugging Lloyd. Lloyd grumbles. "Yeah, yeah.... Shut up." He says annoyed as Kai begins to laugh again.  

  Kai leans in and kisses Lloyd. Lloyd blushes before kissing Kai. The two trade off like this until things become a heated make out session. Lloyd sits on Kai's lap, pushing Kai against the wall, stratiling his lover. Kai's tail wraps around Lloyd's waist from behind as Lloyd's hands pin his wrists against the wall. The two continue like this, moaning from time to time, until Lloyd feels a stir in his pants. He pulls back immediately and hides under the blankets on Kai's bed. Kai blinks a few times before shaking his head. "What happened?" He asks the green ninja. Lloyd turns over to face the wall. "Lloyd?" Kai asks, getting worried. "Did I do something wrong?" He whimpers. Still no answer. Kai slides off Lloyd's bed and slowly slithers over. "Lloyd?" He asks agin, getting scared. "What's going on? Tell me, please." He begs. Lloyd pulls the covers over his head. No way was he telling Kai he had a boner! Kai believed strongly in no sex till marriage and Lloyd thought he'd have a bad reaction to the boner.  

  Kai sighs, seeing this was going nowhere, and slithers out of the room with tears in his eyes.  

  Kai slithers to the deck and goes human before turning on the training course and going at it. Cole's eyes go wide when he comes out to see the anger on Kai's face. That was Kai's thing. Turning sadness, guilt, depression, and what else like that into anger. It was how he dealt with it, unhealthy? Yes. But it worked for him and he used it to fuel his fighting, making him stronger. Cole decides that the wise choice is to let Kai go at it till he's calm again and then try going on the course.  

  Jay comes out not long after Cole walks away and rolls his eyes at Kai. "What's eating you this time?" The seemingly fearless lighting ninja asks. Kai turns to him before sighing and walking over to the very edge of the balcony. Jay joins him. "Lloyd." Kai says lowly, almost in a whisper. "What happened?" Jay asks. "He... I.... We were making out when all of a sudden he pulls away and curls up in blankets on the opposite side of the room. I asked what was wrong, but he refused to speak. He just turned away and hid in the blankets. I feel like I did something extremely wrong, and I have no clue what I did." Kai admits solmley. Jay looks into the distance. "I don't have any clue on what to tell you, but I'm glad you opened up to me. Brothers, right?" Jay says in reply and Kai smiles. "Yeah, brothers."  

Nya comes out. "Kai! Jay! Come! Quick!" She shouts then runs back inside. The two look to each other before running to the brig. "There's been a new attack!" Nya says to everyone. Lloyd and Cole both glare at how close Jay and Kai are standing to each other. "I'll pick the teams." Zane says. He turns around, about to put Kai with Lloyd. "Kai, you'll be with-" He gets cut off by Jay. "JAY! Kai will be with me!" Jay shouts. "Why?" Cole asks. "Cuz, it's the perfect chance to discuss our Christmas presents for everyone!" Jay shouts all giddy. "But what about your presents for each other?" Lloyd asks, giving Jay a death glare. "I already shooed for him!" Jay announces. "I did all my shopping already." Kai says in an emotionless tone. Everyone looks to him in shock before turning back to Jay. "You aren't supposed to be talking on a mission." Nya says flatly. "I'd also like to change things up. I'm always paired with Cole, Kai with Lloyd, and Nya with Zane. Let's shake things up a bit!" Jay says. "I have no real protest." Kai says, looking depressed.

"OK then, Cole is with-" Zane gets cut off again. "Lloyd." Cole says flatly with a challenging glare to Zane. Zane sighs before leaving with an equally annoyed Nya. 

Jay grabs Kai's hand and takes off. "COME ON BUDDY!" He shouts. "JAY! WHAT THE HELL?!" Kai screams as they go. Everyone lands and Nya leaves with Zane. "Kai, I just want to..." Lloyd starts, trying to walk over to Kai. "To what? Huh?" Jay asks, getting defensive over his friend. Kai looks to Jay with wide eyes. "Jay, what are you-" Jay cuts him off. "Stay out of this Kai, your best friend is on the case." Jay says, holding up a hand. Cole glares at Kai. "Aren't I your best friend?" Cole asks Jay. Jay blushes. "Then you shouldn't have sided with the green snot." Jay says, getting snooty before dragging a very confused Kai away.

Kai and Jay get to their position and Jay looks to Kai. "If he even tries to apologize, don't let him, not today at least. Kai I saw you were about to cry. I'm sorry, but he had no right to put you in that position with no explanation. I'm kicking Cole out of our room tonight and you'll be sleeping in his bed." Jay say with finality, taking lead. Kai sighs, he did feel depressed over the treatment Lloyd gave him earlier. He had to agree. He also didn't want to hear Jay's whining so he went with it.

Lloyd and Cole walk to their position. "I don't get it. Did you and Kai get in a fight?" Cole asks him. "Well..." Lloyd starts off. "Lloyd." Cole says in a stern voice. "MeAndKaiWereMakingOutWhenIGotABonerAndFreakedOutBecauseKaiDoesn'tEvenLikeDiscussingSexBeforeMerraigeSoIWasAfraidHe'dGetMadIfHeKnewSoIHidItByRunningToTheOtherBedAndWouldn'tTalkToHimAndNowIFeelBadAndItSeemsHeToldJayWhoIsNowBackingHimUp!" Lloyd rushes out. Cole takes a total of 30 seconds to process what he said before busting out laughing. "I'm sorry, but that's priceless! Now I know why Kai looks so upset! Dude! He thinks he did something wrong or something! Just tell him! It's still Kai! He'll understand." Cole says. "B-but!" Lloyd starts. "But nothing kid. Just tell him what really happened." Cole says.

After the mission, Kai meets his father on the deck. Pythor throws Kai some armor. "True form. Now." Pythor says and Kai does as told before putting the armor on. Pythor then throws a him an old anacondrai blade and Kai catches it with his tail. The two then start sparing. "What is this for?" Kai asks. "For me to test your natural skill. I need to start your training up soon." Pythor says and Kai sighs. Great, more training, and he had a feeling Pythor would be worse then Cole's dad and Sensei Wu put together.

~Two weeks later~  

"Back straight. Stance firm. Hold your ground. Keep your head up and your eyes on the enemy. Hold your sword like you mean it." Pythor goes on as Kai trains with the robot the serpent designed with Jay. Kai does as told with a determined expression. It was almost noon and Kai was panting hard in his true form. Jay sits on a bench near by, watching Kai with an amused smirk. Every time Kai glares at him, Pythor screams at Kai about loosing his focus and Jay laughs his ass off.

Wu comes out and Kai stops his training. Pythor bows to Wu respectively and heads inside. Kai shifts into human form, covered in sweat, and runs over to Jay, hugging the blue ninja who begins to whine about Kai's sweatiness. Kai laughs and pulls back, shaking out his sweaty hair to get the wet sticky substance all over Jay. "Ahhhhhh! Kai! Ew! Pffttth! Eh! It got in my mouth!" Jay screeches just as Lloyd comes out with bags under his eyes. Lloyd looks to Kai in wanting, but Kai doesn't even notice him. Cole and Zane come out next. Wu presses a button to put the robot away and calls the ninja forward as Nya comes out. They all line up and Wu begins their training.

  "I still don't get why Kai has to train so much more then we do. He doesn't get any break from training! Does Pythor even let him sleep?!" Cole questions the others as Kai's head is seen drooping during the stretches. Jay wakes Kai up by gently shaking him. "I do sleep! I get like..... Let's see... Dad wakes me up at three AM.... We train until twelve in the afternoon.... Then I train with Wu until six PM.... Then I train with dad until one in the morning.... So I get about...." Kai thinks aloud. "That's about two hours." Jay says, calculating it all for his red friend in his much faster working and not sleep deprived brain. "Thanks." Kai says to him, patting his back in gratitude. "Why are you going for so long?" Nya asks. "Dad says I'm lucky I even get sleep. When he was in Custos training he wasn't even given time to sleep at night or in the day. He trained for years." Kai explains. The others wince. Pythor was going easy on on him.  

They continue with their day as per the new usual, and later that night, instead of sleep, Kai goes out to the deck and leans against the railing, overlooking the sky and land below. Jay comes out to stand beside him. "You should really sleep while you can." Jay tells him, looking at the ground bellow the ship the whole time. "Yeah, I know." Kai says with a sigh. "Then why are you out here?" Jay asks, switching to view the starry sky. "I can't sleep." Kai admits. Jay hums in agreement. "Me neither. I hate it when Cole falls asleep before me. He just snores so damn loud." Jay says before looking at Kai. "But I don't think that's your reasoning. What's bugging you?" Jay asks his close friend. "I.... I'm scared. I'll admit it. I... I just don't know what I'm supposed to do. I still miss my moms and sister. I keep thinking about them lately. About that night. I keep dreaming about it. My aunt and uncle to. I... I miss them all. I just want them back so badly, but... I know I can't. It hurts." Kai explains, letting the tears roll down his face. Jay frowns before hugging Kai. Kai holds onto Jay for dear life as he lets it all out, crying until three, when his father is heard slithering about. Kai pulls back from Jay, whipping his eyes. Jay smiles warmly, using his sleep to help Kai clean up. "Number one, don't worry. I won't tell anyone. Number two, I can't say that I know how you feel, because I've never been in your position before, but I can see why you feel the way you do. I an only imagine what I'd do if I lost my parents. And number three, I'm here for you man. Through thick and thin. If you need me, I'll be there." Jay explains before hugging Kai again. The two smile as Pythor comes out and Jay excuses himself for the bathroom.

  "Are you OK?" Pythor asks Kai. "Yeah. I'm good, just tired." Kai lies smoothly before starting his training. 

-&- 

What do you think of...

Kai?

Jay?

Pythor?

Wu?

Nya?

Cole?

Lloyd?

Zane?

Ronin?

Misako?

The Spiders?

The Legend?

The Story Thus Far?

Any questions?

Theories?

LET ME KNOW!

BYE!