Chapter Two: Spiders

~Two day's after Kai's arrival~

"OK, down to business." Misako says to the others. (Excluding Dareth) "I have received reports of gigantic spiders attacking villages, I need you to fan out in teams and look for clues." She says. They all nod. Jay goes with Cole, Kai with Lloyd, Zane with Nya, and Ronin by himself.

As Kai and Lloyd walk around a small village asking people about the attacks, Lloydia's thoughts drift to Kai. He was worried for his friend. Lloyd wanted to help Kai, but he didn't know how. Just last night Kai didn't sleep a wink, kept up by the pain in his joints.

Lloyd looks over to Kai, to find the brunette questioning a man. The two laugh & Lloyd felt... Strange. His heart ached at the sight. He felt himself become angry with the man, but.... What for? Did this man from somewhere? No. Did he see this guy at all before? No. Then why? Was it... Because he was making Kai laugh? Yes. Why? Why be angry at that? Did Lloyd not want Kai's happiness? No, not that. Maybe.... Because it was that man making the red ninja laugh instead of himself? Yes.

Lloyd was surprised. Why would he have such a selfish thought? He hadn't been that selfish since he gave up evil to be the green ninja! What was going on?!

Kai looks over to Lloyd and smiles. He was happy to be paired with the blond. He got along with Lloyd well, and honestly loved the green tikes company. He thought of Lloyd as one thought of a younger brother they shared a bond with. He never could see the kid as anything more. He still treated Lloyd like any other team mate & made sure not to actually treat him like a little kid, but that's just how he viewed him.

As the day went on, nothing exciting happened for the two.

~Meanwhile with Cole & Jay~

Cole looks to his best friend. How he'd been crushing on the blue ninja since day one! Cole had to admit, he was a closet gay & was madly in love with his best friend. He sighed, but a lass.... Jay was straight as far as he could tell. He tried to break Jay & Nya up in the past, even going along with that stupid test that put him as Nya's perfect match. He regretted his attempts to ruin the couple now, but he had to admit, he was glad the two broke up!

Jay looks back to Cole with a goofy grin. He was happy to be back in the bad guy but kicking game, but happier to be able to hang with Cole again! Ever since their makeup on Chen's island, the two had forged an unbreakable bond. Cole was his first true friend, and he thanked him for that.

The two question the villagers as they were asked.

~With Zane & Nya~

"So, how is your relationship with Ronin?" Zane asks his team mate. Nya smiles. "Good. We had a rough start, but we're happy with each other now!" She answers. Zane nods. "May I ask why you broke up with Jay? You two seemed so close." He asks. Nya nods in understanding. "We agreed that the feelings just weren't there anymore and agreed to stay friends. He even helped me and Ronin get together." She explains. Zane nods. "I see." He says before they go back to work.

~At sunset~

The team meets up in the dojo. "So, what have you found?" Misako asks the team. "The sizes of the spiders range from the size of a small dog to the size of a buss." Ronin says. "They attack at night only." Nya says. "They like spin the people in webs and take off with them." Zane reports. "They seem a paralyzing venom." Cole says. "I managed to grab a sample and plan to start working antidote soon. Nya, I need your biological expertise." Jay announces. "Sure thing." Nya says. "They like too attack children more then adults." Lloyd says. "They won't attack on new moons." Kai adds.

"Oh, yeah. Who was that guy you were talking to? You two seemed pretty buddy-buddy." Lloyd asks Kai with a nasty glare and a jealous tone to his voice. Kai's eyes widen, not expecting that tone in the younger males voice. Everyone else looks to Lloyd in surprise as well, except Cole, who gives him a knowing look.

Kai steps back a bit. "That was Kyle Nexot. He use to live in my village and even went to school with me before his family moved. He recognized me immediately & we got a talking. He wants to try and meet up some time." Kai explains. Nya perks up. "You saw Kyle? How's he been? I remember how you two use to do everything together as kids!" Nya says. Kai chuckles. "He's doing good! I told him how you're doing and like I said, he'd like to meet up. Just the three of us. I agreed and said I'd talk to you about it." Kai says. Nya smiles. "Great!" She says excitedly.

Lloyd storms off. "What's with him? He hasn't had this kind of behavior since before he was the green ninja." Kai says, bewildered. "I'll go check on him." Cole says before racing after Lloyd. Jay & Nya go to work on that antidote. Ronin relaxes. Wu & Misako head off to discuss the situation with the spiders. Kai shakes his head and heads to the roof.

While Kai relaxes on the roof his mind wanders. He thinks about Pythor, Nya, Kyle, the team, and most importantly.... Lloyd's behavior as of late. He keeps blushing and stuttering. The blond didn't seem to a prove of anyone except himself, his mom, his uncle, or Nya getting anywhere near Kai. Kai was left wondering why. He didn't know what the green brat's problem was, but he was going to find out.

~Meanwhile with Cole & Lloyd~

Cole fallows Lloyd to the room the green ninja shares with Kai. Cole slips in before Lloyd can slam the door & gives the grass colored ninja a look. Lloyd sits on his bed. Cole sits on Kai's bed across the room. "You want to tell me why you acted that way?" Cole asks with a knowing & pointed look. Lloyd gulps. "I honestly don't know what came over me. I saw him talking and laughing with that guy... and...I felt so enraged! I tried to contain it, but when we were on our way back, Kai seemed a little happy from the encounter and I just got angrier! I just... I finally blew up! What's going on with me?!" Lloyd lets out, crying over his confusing feeling for the red ninja. "I'm scared Cole, I don't know whats going on." He admits.

Cole sighs. This was how he felt when he first crushed on another boy when he was little. He was lucky enough to have a supportive, and very much pro-gay, father. "Your gay for him." Is the only thing out of Cole's mouth.

Lloyd gives Cole a confused look. "Gay? Why would I be extremely bright, happy, and colorful for Kai?" He asks innocently. Cole smiles at the younger male. Lloyd may have the body of an adult, but he definitely still had the mind of a child. "OK.... so now it's time to talk about sexuality." Cole says and Lloyd nods. "Wait.... Sex? Why are we talking about sex?" Lloyd asks, surprised. "Seriously? They gave us all 'the talk' back at Darkly's, there was a whole class dedicated to it." The blond explains. Cole face palms then lets his hand slide down his face with a groan. "Not sex, sexuality. There is a difference. Sex has two meanings. The most well known one is... well.... sex, intercourse, the sha-bang-bang, or whatever you want to call it. The second meaning refers to gender, or weather you are a male or a female. Sexuality, however, talks about your attraction. A.K.A. Weather you like boys or girls in a romantic manner." Cole explains. Lloyd nods in understanding. "But... why do we need a word for that? Boys like girls, and girls like boys. It's simple." Lloyd explains. Cole chuckles. For a kid who basically grew up at Darkly's, he sure was naive. "Actually, some people are romantically attracted to the same sex, such as girls liking other girls and boys liking other boys. To be a Heterosexual, you only like people of the opposite sex. Homosexuals on the other hand, only like people of the same sex. There are also Bisexuals, people who like both sexes. A homosexual girl is often called a lesbian, homosexual males gay, and heterosexuals as a whole are straight. I have to admit though, lesbians are sometimes called gay as well. Bisexuals are just 'Bi' for short." Cole ends off. Lloyd nods, letting all the new information sink in. "But I thought-" Lloyd is cut off by Cole. "Gay has two meanings. The first is the one you grew up with, but the other is homosexuality." He explains and Lloyd nods.

Lloyd thinks. "I have never been attracted to girls, like, ever." He thinks aloud. "You really think that I'm gay and have a crush on Kai?" He asks the elder male. Cole nods in confirmation. "Now be careful, not every heterosexual is exactly excepting of homosexuality. A good portion think it's bad and shouldn't exist, but love is love. If it were as unnatural as they say, then why are so many people born as either bisexual or homosexual? Society oppresses homosexuality so I warn you now, don't go flaunting it around. Your family may not even approve. I know I do, but I'm gay myself, and my father approves, but he's bisexual do you see where I'm going?" Cole leads off. Lloyd nods. "So, Kai being straight..." Lloyd trails off. "Sorry bud." Cole says with a sympathetic look, having been there before, and being there now.

-&-

So.... That was a chapter!

What do you think of...

Kai?

Nya?

Ronin?

Jay?

Zane?

Cole?

Lloyd?

Misako?

The story thus far?

Any theories?

Let me know!

Questions?

Let me know!

C YAH!