Chapter Text
Water splashed onto Nya’s face.
The mirror version of her didn’t move, didn’t blink. Her eyes were puffy and her resolve was bashed, if not hit directly. It hadn’t even been an hour, a passage of time that lost her everything. The emotional drain she endured didn’t even feel real, if anything it felt faked. A part of her prayed it was a dream- no, a nightmare. But that derealization washed away with the water gurgling down the drain, sucking her breath away with it.
Her own reflection looked nervous, pessimistic about the future. That image wasn’t her- at least it wasn’t the one she put on. It felt vulnerable and demanding to be that, how dare she rely on anyone else?
Look at where it got her..
Nya broke the silence she didn’t even realize encapsulated the room. She knocked her knuckles against the porcelain bowl, shaking off any residue of moisture. Her inhales grew steady, her foot steps deliberately matching each tile square perfectly.
It was stupid to think that way.
Her lungs puffed out oxygen that slid through her lips. Even her sighs felt dejected, almost tired. Though… maybe they were just disappointed?
She chuckled bitterly. Her body felt sorry for the situation? That made sense, her body remembers and understands more than she could ever teach herself to. It was hard to believe, but her subconscious always knew better, kind of scary to think about..
Nya wiped her hands on a brown paper towel, the wet sheet crumpling slowly from the element. Her element. She twisted it up in a ball and tossed it away, disregarding it when it hit the side and knocked against its confines on the way down.
How’d she even get here?..
How did this even happen?
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…
_____________________
Flashback…
Lloyd had called all of them to be on stand by, as he and master Wu, discussed certain matters alone. The team had just got back from collecting scrolls for master Wu and were prepared for anything, so waiting wasn’t a big deal.
Jay joked about having to do a whole other trip- ok maybe he was complaining. But he winked at her during his little fit, so was it really a complaint? Nya had no clue. All she knew was that she laughed, causing others in the room to join in.
“I’m just saying! My feettt hurt guys! Can’t we just continue tomorrow or something- we’ve been going all day.” Jay huffed, his body drooping forward in protest.
Zane shook his head, pushing himself up from the kneeling spot they all rested in. It was something they often did while waiting on their master.
“Never put off tomorrow what can be done today, Jay.” Zane reminded, totally master Wu-ing him.
”Ooo~ you just got Wu’d “ Kai teased, poking him annoyingly.
”I get it.” Jay shoved his hands away before angrily brushing off his gi.
“Well whatever it is, I hope it’s doesn’t carry over into night time.” Nya intercepted, drawing their attention back to her.
“Why-? You scared of g-ghosts?” Kai made spooky noises and formed over exaggerated gestures with his hands.
“Very funny” Cole scoffed, crossing his arms.
”I wasn’t even poking fun at you, toughen up. You’re not even a ghost anymore.”
”I still don’t appreciate the jester, it’s all I heard when I was one. Mainly because of you!”
Kai leaned in closer to his sister and whispered- “Drama Queen~”
“I heard that!”
Kai rolled his eyes and started throwing other past reminders at him. They both bickered on in the background, arguing about who was right.
“I’m not scared of ghosts, I’m just saying it’s a pain to fight crime when you can hardly see.” Nya amended, glaring holes into them.
“Who cares how sensitive Cole is, where is Lloyd?” Jay redirected, ignoring the baffled look Cole soon gave him.
“He should be back soon, probably discussing our next point of action.” Zane assured, ninety nine percent sure he would return.
“If you say so~” Jay sung, already off in his own world.
The whole monastery suddenly jerked and rattled, shaking the five of them out of their positions. Cole was the first to react by slamming his fists in the first layer of wood below. He gripped the boards tightly and scanned for his team mates.
”Guys! Hold onto me!” He shouted, catching his struggling team mates gaze.
”Kinda hard to do!” Jay yelled, creeping towards him on all fours. His finger holds kept slipping and the fabric on his feet wasn’t helping.
“Yeah, I feel sick!” Nya gagged out, getting flung into walls when she attempted to walk. Thankfully, she was brought to a halt, when her brother grasped her wrist and tugged her up.
“This whole day is crazy.” Kai suspired incredulously.
“Preach it brother.” Nya knocked her hand into the side of his, simulating a fist bump.
“Will do.”
Picture frames fell off the walls and Kai caught one just in time. He had one hand on the ground and another holding his sister, so he used his foot to bunt the object in its fall.
”What does preach it mean?” Zane questioned spontaneously and Kai groaned, annoyed with the unprompted question.
“I already told you Zane, but I’m not mad. It just means someone strongly agrees with what you have to say and wouldn’t mind hearing it again.”
”Good, thanks for telling me. Also- it would be silly to be mad. While you have mentioned it in the past, yes. You have not elaborated further on the matter and I never asked you too. Thus- how could I know, if you never told me?” Zane corrected, a robotic brow raised in his direction.
Kai sputtered. “W-well, I did tell you. You just probably don’t remember.”
”I have a photographic memory. I doubt I forgot.” Zane deadpanned.
“GUYS!” Nya suddenly yelled, snatching their attention by force. “This is not the time to be bickering, something is clearly going on outside.”
The others murmured to themselves and each other, communicating on who should check it out first. Zane acted before they could give him approval; he used his ice to slide over to a window seal and grab its frame. Then, he peered through the slanted glass and narrowed his eyes.
“Either I need new processors, or the sky is a deep red.” Zane stated, no waver in his serious voice.
“What!?” Kai glanced at his sister, not spooked by her sudden outburst. If anything- they were all thinking that.
It was hard to hear anything over the rattling and shaking, that mushed all auditory noise together.
“The sky is red!”
“I know!”
“What!?” Jay repeated, letting out a yelp when a heavy sword fell past his head.
“For the love of-“ Cole rolled his eyes and prowled his way over on all fours.
When he got closer, he leaned down and raised his voice “THE SKY IS RED!”
Jay swatted at him “OK, but did you have to YELL!?” He hissed, scowling at him.
”YES!”
”Ouhg- thats it!” Jay growled and started arguing with him the background. They both even flailed their arms in a fake fight.
Kai ignored them, only gauging the distance between the pane Zane held and his sister. Then- with a plan in mind, he gripped Nya and tossed her with a little spin. She let out a small shriek, before Zane caught her with one arm.
“Gotcha!” He confirmed, lowering her down to hold onto the walls exterior like him.
Nya pulled herself up and gaped through the window. She watched as strains of white wind and random debris flooded by. Even people could be spotted here and there.
”There’s no way…” She droned, her finger tips digging into the metal trim.
Nya glanced back at her brother, watching as he caught a potted plant from sliding into him. He understood her expression and trusted both them without hesitation.
“We should find Lloyd! This is a serious threat.” Kai ordered.
“Well if you have a plan, I’d love to hear it!” Jay barked, his foot slipping at the wrong time, causing his face to slam against the wooden floor.
“Hah!”
”Can it, Cole!”
“That I do.” Kai answered, neglecting their little fight.
“Ugh…”
”Zane, Nya? How good of an elemental path can you make?”
Zane and Nya looked at each other, a determined smile gracing their lips. “Do you even have to ask?” They said in unison.
Kai chuckled. “Guess not.”
…
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…
Ice spread up and down the hallways, it’s water freezing at a rapid rate. It was like it had a mind of its own- well it appeared that way anyway, Nya was playing around with it. A clear destination was set in her and Zane’s mind.
”Wohoo!” Jay laughed, sliding forward on his stomach in joy. The rest of them just shook their heads fondly, all while choosing to stand up like normal people.
Nya noticed and decided to show off for her boyfriend. She made a huge loop- almost like a circle a roller coaster went on. It wasn’t too bad, yet it was still intimidating. Everyone else just jumped down to avoid the gravity shift, but Jay didn’t get up in time.
He let out a small squeak at the top and fell off the ice- right into Nya’s arms. She snickered, happy to carry him onwards.
”Thank you, Nya”
“No problem, love.”
Jay smiled up at her endearingly, completely entranced with her. He didn’t even realize he was watching her every movement- that is until the others cleared their throat.
”Alright, wrap it up love birds. We’re here already.” Kai pointed out, jumping off the path and moving towards the door.
”Already?” Jay asked, sadness hidden in his tone.
“Already~.” Cole teased, a sneaky and smug smirk on his lips.
Nya set Jay down and continued on forward. The floor was still shaking however, and Kai acted by squeezing the door frame to steady himself. When the rest of the team arrived, the door was struggling to open; Cole offered his assistance to try and pry it open, but still, it couldn’t stay open for too long. So, Nya and Zane set to work on hacking the code.
“I think an electrical shock would get this baby working.” Jay rubbed his hands together, before flinging his arms forwards, and channeling his element through his finger tips.
Kai scurried out of the way, as powerful yellow and blue lightening, struck the door and short circuited the wiring.
“Jay! You could’ve have hit me!” Kai exclaimed.
”But I didn’t, I’d say you’re welcome.”
“Why you..-!”
”You guys..” Nya spoke patiently, almost too patiently..
“Lloyd is waiting on us, Zane could’ve got his hardware messed up, and you didn’t think to check with any of us before you fired. Why can’t you guys just work as a team!” Nya finished ranting, but not without a feeling of guilt forming in her gut. She never wanted to scold them like this, but she had to.
Jay and Kai looked down ashamed “We’re sorry Nya, I guess I could’ve asked and warned you guys first, I’m the tech genius too. I thought I could fix it…” Kai glanced up at Jay. “I suppose I should’ve asked if you could help me too. I failed to assess the situation better.” Kai added, barely wanting to admit it.
”There we go, you guys feel better?” Nya’s scowl faded softly and a grin replaced it. She looked practically proud.
“Yeah… I kinda do.” Jay rubbed his neck, a tad bit embarrassed to say it out loud.
“Same here.” Kai perked up, conviction replacing everything else.
It didn’t take long to open the door with Jay’s help. Once inside the armory, there was debris and scattered rubble completely covering the ground- but they had no time to assess the situation. They all raced to their mech’s, each one of them choosing whatever matched them best. Kai picked something with mass destruction and fire, while Zane went for stealth, agility, and functionality. Jay chose something easy to handle and could pack a punch, and finally, Nya. She settled on something simple- inconspicuous, and elegant in movement. When everyone was set, Kai hit a button on his suit that released the ceiling hatch.
“Be ready for anything” Kai announced, his hands balled into fists around the steering wheel.
“Always am!” Nya called back, not knowing at the time just how far those words could carry.
Cole, Zane, and Jay gave battle cries of agreement as well, before they all took off. Soon all them were in the air and heading towards where Lloyd and Master Wu were.
_____________________
Present Time…
The merge is what they called it. A life altering event that could change everything in a split second. The merge had no feelings; It didn’t understand what it did, what it took, and what it left. It was nothing and everything- all at the same time.
Nya sighed. Her first class started soon, but she really wanted to get back home. She hasn’t been back to the monastery since before the merge. She prayed she wasn’t alone here in this fake social circle of a school either.
But.. what did she know?
The walk from the bathroom and back to class wasn’t long, it just felt like it. Her feet dragged the whole way and her heart yearned to find something else. No- someone else.
Many different posters and clubs were pinned onto the walls. Some talked about friendship, other robotics, and some theater. She couldn’t help be see Jay joining one of these…
Oh Jay.
Where are you?..
“Hey, Nya right?” A passing teacher got her attention. They were carrying books underneath their arm and clearly were heading to a meeting.
”Yeah?”
“Why are you out here? You should hurry onto to class?”
Well sorry I’m too slow for your liking, damn.
Nya gritted her teeth. “I’m going back to class, I’m on my way back now.”
“You were looking at fliers and decorations.” The teacher pointed out accusingly.
She felt her eye twitch. “I can’t check out fliers as I saunter through here? Also, don’t you have somewhere to be?” She snapped back.
”Where I’m going doesn’t matter” Nya blankly rolled her eyes at that and kept walking.
”Hey! I’m not done talking to you! I’ll have you get detention for this!”
”For what?! Stopping me in the hall and keeping me from getting to my class. Not to mention- you’re delaying yourself from getting to your own meeting! I’m sure the principal would love to hear all about it.” Nya called back, silencing the teacher.
Even in college they have teachers who forget all it is “College”. No one gives a damn. Then again, the merge messed up a lot. Maybe that teacher is used to lower grades.
Nya chuckled to herself at that idea. The stroll to class felt lighter after that.
…
…
…
Am I really doing this?
It was a pointless inquiry. She had no other choice, being homeless didn’t suite her and class had ended hours ago. No-one even talked to her there, well except for a few teachers. It wan an utterly quiet and awkward co-existence…
Not wanting to wait longer at the foot of the mountain, Nya clambered up the steps, each one grey and lifeless. Some had chips, certain ones had moss, but all of them had a strange way of drawing her focus. Perhaps, it’s because she was too scared to look up.
Funny…
She never had that problem before. What was she so frightened of? Disappointment? Worry? No, It had to be animosity. More specifically, the animosity of a family that didn’t recognize her anymore.
The mountain shifted a few times and cries of dragons echoed in the distance. Thankfully, they were too far away to be a real threat, but It was still unexpected and unusual in her normal morning commute. Shrugging it off, Nya’s eyes found the ground again. The walk felt longer than she remembered, perhaps the merge added a few extra rows of stairs? Deep down she knew that was false, maybe, just maybe- she convinced herself to almost forget….
People deal with grief differently and she could admit hers wasn’t the healthiest. However, it helped her ignore the tug in her heart and the gaping hole that formed within her. She stopped caring after that. Though Nya’s glad she remembered her own deception, it left a lingering question in the back her mind.
Was it the best choice?
Observing as her feet reached the top, Nya finally glanced up. Her eyes winced at the anticipation and strain on her peripherals. But instead of training ninjas, she was met with dead silence, even the monastery didn’t dare breathe.
She exhaled, a semblance of relief welling up in her chest. As strange as it was, she just really wished to sleep normally again. It was nice knowing her bed was free of guard dogs-or ninjas that acted like animals.
She spun around a few times by the golden dragon statue in the monastery, listening to the stone click underneath her feet. The absence in the atmosphere was poorly received in her mind. It mimicked solitude, but one she built herself, something fear created.
No… Something the merge created.
She never did anything wrong, she did everything that was ever asked of her. But where did that get her? Where was her lover and brother? How could they leave her?
“P.I.X.E.L!” She bellowed, testing it without much thought. She knew if anything survived- it would’ve been her….
In all hindsight, she probably should’ve experimented with it after a full nights rest.
P.I.X.E.L did indeed emerge, but broken and malfunctioning. Nya nearly jumped out of her skin at the sight, a cold shiver running up her spine.
”N-N*#%y-y.” The bot glitched, causing Nya to back up.
”Yes, yes, it’s me.” Please let that not be a bad thing.
“W$#^%”
”What?”
“%^*/-“
P.I.X.E.L collapsed, having used the rest of her strength to carry herself up here. “P.I.X.E.L!” Nya shouted, running to her side to lift her back up from the freezing floor.
“You’re gonna be ok!” Nya hurriedly checked her over and picked up the rest of her parts.
“It’s ok, I’m here.” Nya felt her vocals quiver, as it grew harder to speak.
“I’m here…”
She carried P.I.X.E.L’s body down into the basement, not caring when oil stuck to her skin and the smell burned her nose. The scent she once grew accustomed to, felt sickening, marred past recognition. She could no longer view it the same…
She barely recovered from all the times Zane was in disarray. Good thing she was great at hiding it, but she’s never seen it this bad before..
The music in the elevator really took away from the situation, but it was unwarranted- unwelcome in this dire space.
Thankfully, it was only a tic of time, before the doors dinged open and Nya used her water to slide faster towards the operating desk. Setting P.I.X.E.L down gently on a table, she got to work at attaching cables. Cables that showed her heart beat, vitals, motherboard, and system diagnostics.
Nya fiddled around with the computer for a-while, tracing over every blue print and every miss-aligned wire. She had to get P.I.X.E.L a hundred percent functional, for she might be the last person she had left.
Rubbing her face in pure exhaustion, she pushed herself away from the main network system and started working on her friend. It took hours to piece her back together, latex gloves slipping against grease and oil, electrical misfires that zapped metal and her tools. The wrench did not want to turn and the copper filament grew stubborn. So time stood horizontal, as rerouting cords, fixing broken bits, replacing gears, and attaching limbs, took half a day to conclude.
It was nearly six in the morning when the shock and enervation wore down. The thump of the heartbeat monitor was the only noise in the room. Nya had fell asleep at P.I.X.E.L’s side, her back leaning into the sharp counter of her monitoring station.
It was actually her phone that awoke her, not her teammate, not her sense of urgency, but an alarm warning and reminding her of her situation. She jolted awake, knocking her knee against the metal stretcher in-front of her. It throbbed back with vexation and shot a pain up throughout her body. Holding back an expletive, Nya pushed her breath through her teeth and sat up.
”I’m sorry P.I.X.E.L, but I have to go to college… see you when I get back.” She whispered solemnly, apologizing to someone who probably couldn’t even hear her.
She stepped away, her feet heavy against the unyielding and unruly ground. Once she was back in the elevator, her forlorn gaze landed on her friend a final time. Nya smiled softly, as the metal hatch closed completely.
Nya was gone now. She was upstairs with her backpack and clothing, fully missing the new notice on the computer screen; and how it glowed a faint blue, before scrolling down a list of errors all on its own.
…
…
…
No-one was there when it happened…but someway, somehow, P.I.X.E.L’s chest started beeping. A low pitched note emanating outwards, showing that she was still in there and listening to every word…
______________________
School was a bit delayed… ok- maybe a lot delayed. But this accident wasn’t her fault, it just sorta happened. On the way to her local “prison” or college, the sky rumbled and sliced open. It let out a powerful explosion of wind that boomed outwards, scratching up the reinforced concrete.
Many people screamed in the background as they ran for cover. A few unfortunate bystanders however, wailed for their belongings and loved ones, as they themselves, started levitating off the road. Nya braced herself, tugging her mask up before preceding.
Debris flew her way, nearly clipping by her face when she gained ground. The wreckage left a soot mark on her cheek, hitting the cracked asphalt behind her. She didn’t let that stop her though. Her eyes narrowed in determination, before she decided to use the flying items to her advantage. Throwing herself onto each block, Nya hopped through each one like game of hop-scotch. Each item compromised, made advancements towards the rift.
The winds were gale forced around the anomaly, making perception and stability difficult. She put a grey arm in front of her peripherals, protecting her eyes from dust and shards of glass. It took a minute, but she soon saw her goal.
Her stance lowered and her hands spread away from her body. Then, with a blast of water- she rocketed off into the sky. Water pillars her element created, spun with her body and conviction, canvassing a beautiful picture. She twirled with the rapids her soul called upon, her eyes reflecting back dejection inside the storm.
Shifting her body into a stable fall back, Nya summoned her hands forward, harnessing her vigor and energy towards the tear in reality. The portal glitched, struggling to keep shape even as it turned big and small. Nya knew she’d crash into the concrete at this rate, but even so, she cried out in emotional strain. There was only one thought in her mind, survival. Nothing else mattered. Her powers knew this, so feeling her desperation and loneliness- they surged forward in wrath.
The wormhole couldn’t handle the overwhelming pressure and imploded in on itself. Once destroyed, the sky shot a thin-lined shock wave outwards, causing Nya to tumble through the air.
Nya got blown about ten yards, slamming back first into a giant tree. Vocal cords gurgled, as the oxygen and saliva was knocked out of her mouth. She coughed horsily, spitting out the sudden foul taste on her tongue. Her body ached and protested with every movement, but she forced herself to sit up anyway.
Definitely broke something..
Her mind whispered harsh truths and comments on the situation. She hated agreeing with the intrusive voices in her mind, but she could feel it. The sting, the misaligned structure of her arm, the pop it made when she landed, and the way her stomach lurched at the thought.
Using the tree as leverage, Nya eventually stood to her feet. Uncertainty closed in as she waddled closer to the street, looking for a solid transportation out of this. Cars roared by at insane speeds, but they payed her no mind. Those same civilians used to swarm her with questions and autographs, yet they seemed to have forgotten and ignored that..
Her eyes casted down, her torn and bloody clothes were the only thing she saw. She couldn’t do this alone, she never did…
Feeling for her phone, she was able to call the police office. She had many friends and many favors in the city, that is if they remembered her at-least.
The phone dialed, and series of long buzzes cut through the line as it tried to call. When it did finally pick up, a receptionist answered.
”Hello, who is this?”
“It’s Nya, the water ninja?! Can I please speak to the commander?”
“Nice try lady, the ninja team is still gone and the commander is busy.” The man grouched, getting ready to hang up the phone line.
“Please…can I speak to the commissioner? I need his help.” She weakly requested.
The man on the other side wanted to refuse, say the guy was too occupied. But he acknowledged the pain in her voice and finally conceded.
“Fine” It was short, simple, and ending, as the line switched to another one.
“Hello?” The man painting his model ship answered.
“Commissioner! It’s Nya, can you come get me? I don’t think I can really walk.”
The man paused for a second, his paint brush dropping against the table in bafflement. He didn’t even have to ask, he could tell by her voice. “On my way!”
The wait wasn’t long. Ambulances flew down the asphalt and police sirens blared in the distance, both of them grating against her throbbing ears.
It took everything Nya had to admit her weakness, even in victory, celebration was just out of reach. Her teeth gritted at the indignant outcome and her fists clenched tightly in bitterness. How could I be so useless? Her fist collided with the dirt below her.
So pathetic!
Soon, car doors slammed shut, as medics and police officers rushed onto the scene. They pushed stretchers with them, leaving IV’s, bandages, and medicine, waiting back in the ambulance. However, before they could even reach Nya, she covered her face instinctively. Her mask shielded her eyes from them and a rather unpleasant expression, she didn’t want to make apparent.
“Nya!” The commander called out, a worried tone in his normally stern voice.
“I’m ok commissioner, just can’t walk.” She called back, a nervous laugh following afterwards.
“Well thats no good.” He crouched down next to her, helping her stand up to her feet. The paramedics soon rushed to her side, coaxing her to lay on the stretcher. With the help of the police captain, she eventually did just that.
Once inside the ambulance, they hooked her up to all kinds of machines. Nya was a bit anxious, being in a tight space with people she didn’t know, felt strangely suffocating. She knew they were only trying to help, but still.
“Nya” One of the medics whispered. “I’m your biggest fan.”
Nya gave them an unsure half-smile. “Oh yeah?” For some reason that made her feel worse.
The ride to the hospital was long and listless, her “biggest fan” as she called it, would subtly try and get personal information out of her. Sadly, she mainly did it out of ear shot of her colleagues, it’s like she knew she could get fired and stripped of her badge for it.
”So, how are you and Jay doing~?” She pried like she had nothing else to lose. She already lost her dignity.
“Uh- we’re tight, Jay and me. How are my vitals doing? Nya redirected. If she was reading into things, she swore she saw the lady’s eyes roll.
“They’re alright, my husband is a b-“ One of her coworkers walked into the room and she switched back to a cheerful face “An amazing man. You’ll be alright, your injuries aren’t too severe.”
“Good to know..”
Thank the FSM that another person took over, because they observed her vitals better and wrote down everything they saw. “Alright, vitals are good, not to abnormal. You might be in pain though, that would explain the high heart rate. On a scale to 1 to 10, how bad would you say it is? With 10 being crying your eyes out and the worst pain you ever felt. 1 is like you barely feel it, basically just a scratch.”
”Uh- like a 7 or 8. I think I might of broke something.” Nya explained, feeling glad this guy actually took her condition seriously.
”If you had a broken bone, it might be more of a 10.” He reasoned, trying to rule out all the possible factors.
”I have a high pain tolerance and I think it’s broken. But, I guess we’ll find out.” She laughed towards the end of her sentence, not wanting to seem like she was arguing with the guy.
“Oh- I see, that might be the case then. Make sure to not more around much until we can pin point what bone it is.” He instructed, before turning around and getting on his phone to call it in to the hospital.
He went into the front of the ambulance to relay all that Nya might need to be checked for, and the “Fan Girl” unfortunately came back.
“So a broken bone huh? Guess you guys can get hurt like us.” She picked at her nails like she could be doing anything better than this.
Nya didn’t care for her tone, or how she said it. “Why does that matter, you’re a fan are you not? Why aren’t you acting like a decent human being? I get you think highly of me, but I’m not immortal.” Nya chided, adding a bit of anger into her tone.
“Excuse me!” The lady had the nerve to act offended.
“Yes, excuse me. Because if I really wanted to, I could have you dropped from every medical center near here. I’m sure I’m not the first person you treated this poorly, you just hid your malpractice underneath a desperate disguise!”
“Desperate?!”
The lady starred at her gobsmacked, she knew even if she argued against her claims, no doubt people would believe the hero of the city over her. So, she bit her lip…
”I was just joking. Can’t I kid around with my favorite idol?” The lady attempted to mask her lack of intelligence by nudging her arm. And honestly? That could’ve landed her another law suite, mostly because thats where Nya believed she broke her arm.
“I’m not an Idol. At-least not in the way you clearly think I am. I’m not a God.” Nya glared, before pressing the help button next to her.
The man came back panicked and bit puzzled to see his partner not helping her. “What are you doing?! Why aren’t you helping her?!”
”I-“
”I’ll tell you why” Nya cut in, a fresh scowl on her normally chill face.
“Not only did she violate my personal space, but she interrogated me on my love life and how my own body works. And it wasn’t for any medical procedures, but because she wanted to figure out my biology and see if I could die or not. She felt exposed when I called her out, so she nudged me in my broken arm!” Nya hissed, his arm still throbbing from earlier.
She turned towards her supervisor in fear. “I’m sorry I-“
“Sorry- SORRY?! You treated one of our hero’s as a toy for your own amusement! You acted like this was a press conference or something, we don’t ask personally questions without permission or consent, and or if it’s in their chart. Like for example, blood type and allergies. We don’t just force ourselves onto other people! She’s clearly in pain and the first thing you ask her is how’s her love life is going?!” The man blew up, Nya could barely hear her own thoughts over him.
“I’m calling this in, before you drag us all down with you!” The man said sorry to Nya, before angrily stomping up front to radio in.
The woman clinched her fists before spinning on her heel to face Nya. Her shoulders were taut and her face screamed of rage. “This is all your fault!” She belted, if she could, this lady no doubly would’ve lunged at her.
“Uh- the only one at fault here, is the lady in mirror.” Nya remarked back, done with her carelessness.
“Why you-!” Just then the vehicle slammed on its breaks and the lady who wasn’t strapped in, got flung into the back wall.
Noises emanated from the door hatch before police officers busted in and searched the area. A few of them checked over Nya for any visible wounds and asked for her statement. The others restrained “Annie” for proof of malpractice and attempted assault.
“Are you ok, Nya?!” The commissioner asked.
“Yeah, believe it or not, this isn’t the strangest thing thats happened to me”
”Oh, I believe it.”
“We’ve been through a lot, just ask your ninja friends.”
Nya’s eyes began to downcast, that reminder seemed to make her sadder. It wasn’t enough that she felt useless, but she was utterly alone.
Seeing this, the officer patted her shoulder. “Hey, I’m sure you’ll find them in time.” He finished, his eyes finding the open doors again.
“Well, we’re at the hospital now if you want to go in, sorry it took a parked stop to get that miscreant out of here. The traffic is so bad around here, and I can’t keep other ambulances from getting in and out.” He took off his hat to show his sincerest apologies.
“I understand and I agree. I appreciate your thoughtfulness and perception on the situation.” Nya thanked him, smiling contently while they started to wheel her out of there.
_______________________
Nya had many bruises, but luckily, she only broke her arm. It wasn’t a fracture or a shattered bone, just a clean slash through her forearm. It hurt and ached like the thing was weeping, but it still wasn’t too bad to tolerate. Even the doctors were stunned at her calm demeanor and attitude, which- she didn’t quite understand. Guess having an immunity to high pain was something not everyone had.
She would shrug off the idea, but that would hurt worse. So instead, she just let her body deflate with an exhausted sigh.
They let her go home though, so that’s an upside. The downside however, is that she hadn’t decided yet if the monetary was her current home or not. Whatever, might as well stay, to fix P.I.X.E.L and keep her company that is. At-least that’s what Nya told herself anyway…
I hope P.I.X.E.L’s ok.
Apart of herself felt horrible for leaving her so long, but it’s not like she could’ve foreseen the future and its consequences for going out. She will just have to do better next time!
Once inside the building she grew up in, the disheveled hallways felt barren and lackluster in volume. The home she once knew, grew abandoned with those who got lost. If those pieces can ever be found again, she had no clue, but she wished she did.
The amble tour through the monastery ended in the basement, Nya felt creeped out and depressed exploring its new corridors alone. One things for sure, her subconscious was hesitant each time she pressed the buttons on the elevator.
What if something happened to P.I.X.E.L while she was gone? What if she doesn’t like what she’ll see?
Letting out a fated breath, her good arm and hand resumed its action. Though something about the elevator intrigued, Nya. She swore this bottom button underneath the basement one, wasn’t here before. What can be lower than a basement cellar?
Shaking those intrusive thoughts off, the doors opened with a ding. The stagnant air filled the little space she was still standing in, making her lungs tighten with anxiety. It felt like squeezing through an invisible wall of anticipation, one she chose to continue on forward through.
The area was cold, docile, and apart of it still reeked of oil from earlier. Nya’s gut wrenched at the smell- and her nerves grabbed a bit tighter. Her path ceased in front of the giant monitor, its warning message clear and precise.
Reset eminent, please reset and boot up said power system. Failure to do so properly- can result in damage to hardware, or permanent issues to memory banks.
”Well that doesn’t sound great.” Nya grumbled to herself, already imagining her next few hours for today. Work, work, more work, and did she mention the work?
She tinkered away diligently for hours and steadily P.I.X.E.L was closer to being fixed. All that was left- was to reset her processor…
Nya panted, fully out of breath from the over exertion. Her body has yet to recover and restoring things with one arm was difficult. It took twice the time it normally did, to the point her own feet felt wobbly- and clumsy became the norm.
“Heh… heh- I did it…” she mumbled, clicking a button on P.I.X.E.L’s neck before collapsing backwards. The ground was unrelenting and freezing, but it felt sooo nice. She didn’t even realize her eyes had slid shut and her conscience drifted away. The next thing she knew, she was waking up in her old bed. Picture frames of her friends and boyfriend, lined the rooms interior walls and a warm atmosphere flowed throughout the house. The memories of each event in here still made her smile. The blue bed sheets were made neatly around her- something she had no recollection of doing herself.
Did P.I.X.E.L put me here?
Does that mean that…?
Nya threw herself out of bed, but not without being cautious around her arm. She snuck through her old room, rolling sideways towards the door, before prowling the hallways for any life.
“P.I.X.E.L!?” She yelled, cupping her good hand around her mouth to be louder.
No response
Scanning the surrounding rooms and common video game spot, there were no signs of movement. Nya exhaled and chose to check out the maintenance haul where she originally restored P.I.X.E.L.
The lifts music was deafening this morning, making her wince when she stepped into it. The decent down took a few minutes and half that time, she spent covering her ears and rubbing her face.
With a ding, the elevator seized roughly. It jerked her body around slightly and part of her wondered if that was new. Balancing herself again, Nya sauntered forward. A new found determination budding and settling in her chest.
“P.I.X.E.L!” She bellowed once again, hoping for a signal or sign back.
“Over here!” P.I.X.E.L finally spoke, she was fiddling with the computers and scanning the area to fill her data base with the newest updated information.
Nya didn’t know what to feel. Pride? Enlightenment? Euphoria? Hope? All she knew is that the dam behind her eyes broke.
“P.I.X.E.L!” Nya rushed towards her and tackled her from behind, tears flowing down her cheeks.
“Woah- what is this sudden gesture for?” She blinked, absolutely lost.
“I-I thought I was utterly detached from the outside world and when you guys vanished, so did my faith. I thought I would never mend the missing pieces.” She wailed, squeezing P.I.X.E.L closer.
”Well, you have me now and we’re going to get them all back. Don’t worry, Nya.”
”But it’s possible they could’ve all suffered abrasions to their extremities like you did. What if they don’t remember me at all?”
P.I.X.E.L sat up, a comforting hand on her shoulder. “Then we make them remember, find a way to evoke past settings and remembrance in them.”
“You really believe that’s feasible?” Nya whispered, practically scared of the reply.
”I know so.”
Nya let her shoulders slack and her chest droop in relief. “Well I better get some sleep, don’t know if have to go to college tomorrow or not. I cant skip classes.”
“It’s not skipping if you’re hurt, Nya. You’re not going.” P.I.X.E.L disagreed firmly.
“But-“
”No but’s, what transpired anyway?” She inspected Nya’s arm vigilantly, searching for any patterns that resembled a shattered bone instead.
“I closed a merge rift on my own, apparently they can be temporary snuffed out with elemental powers.” Nya paused in her summary, noticeable cogs turning in her mind before resuming.
“When it imploded, I got knocked back and tossed into a tree. My arm bent back a certain way and it snapped it in half…” Nya finished explaining, but she hated how the topic tasted on her tongue. Admitting failure, no matter what subject, was always one of her struggles. She thought she over came it, but sometimes the past comes back to haunt you.
“Hmm… seems they are right, your bone is just broken. I’m glad it doesn’t require surgery.”
P.I.X.E.L gently put it back into its cast, she never had a broken skeleton before herself, primarily because she doesn’t have one. But her endoskeleton and hardware has been deeply scared, and even replaced in some parts. So she understood some of what she was going through.
Nya yawned, her body hadn’t yet recovered fully. “I was wondering… what were you saying when I found you? Something that started with a W?”
Pixel blinked at her, kinda taken aback that she asked so suddenly. “Frankly, I can’t totally remember. I just know I spoke to you.”
”Really? Then again- you were pretty destroyed.” Nya whispered the last part, feeling congested around the idea.
P.I.X.E.L frowned, watching her tired body fumble through emotions. “Go get some rest, you can go back in a few days. But only to test it out, since studies appear to be pretty important to you. Also, im not upset about what happened anymore, it’s in the past.”
Nya nodded in acknowledgment. “School is important to me, in some strange way. I guess I just want to do the best I can at everything. My powers can’t exactly help much right now, unless there’s crime or another merge issue that is.”
P.I.X.E.L hummed. “Then find your own purpose and use for them, do they have to be tied to a certain event?”
Nya gazed back at her stunned. “I suppose that suggestion isn’t so bad. I’ll look into it P.I.X.E.L. I used to partake in stuff like that all the time, I guess Ive just been to engaged in ninja stuff to do it anymore. So getting reminded of something I’ve forgotten was unexpected. However, it’s not unwelcome and maybe I can participate in some hobbies I’ve long given up on. Thanks Pix!” Nya waved, a pep in her step when she walked out of the room and into the elevator.
P.I.X.E.L sighed fondly. She knew Nya was too pre-occupied with being a ninja, sister, friend, and lover most of the time- that she often just scrolled over herself and the emotions that she hid.
______________________
Days later, Nya started going back to college again. The days were just as bland as before, nothing really changed. All the students still kept their heads down and noses against book pages. No-one there recognized her, not even the old teaches that she swore stared at her for long durations. It was unnerving and some days just plain unbearable. She rose her voice up against them, but they just played it off, saying that the stuff behind her was enticing and made them ponder why. Complete lies- but what could she do about it? Make her and everyone else more miserable, and uncomfortable by dragging it out?
No.
That wouldn’t be fair…
They recently got a new principal though, Nya heard the guy was kind and polite to everyone. Sounds a lot better than the last one, and safe to say that upgrade was a long time coming. The last dude thought spanking was still allowed. Gross. Luckily, the school board watched him like a hawk and took away all his paddles.
Nya was zoning out, when the bell suddenly sounded. She jolted in her seat, her heart rate speeding up from a mix of embarrassment and anxiety. She packed her things in lightening like efficiency, before throwing her bag onto her back.
Once outside, she had to truck over the whole court yard just to get to her next class. Her arm already twinged back in protest, that lengthy path would definitely weigh too much on her arms and shoulders. She gritted her teeth in acceptance and searched around for a shortcut.
She didn’t see a shortcut, but she saw something a million times better. Dressed in red and standing on a tall monument, was a guy she swore resembled her brother. But her feet apparently were glued to the floor, as all she could do was stare like a deer in headlights.
Kai was here?…
Was it really him?
Swallowing the pooled saliva in her mouth, Nya commanded her body to move towards him. She wasn’t letting this opportunity get away, school or not, she was hellbent on finding out who it was…