Do you remember? (A Ninjago Jaya fan fiction)

Chapter 6 - Terrified to fail

Song: Snow Patrol - Run
Title from the song : The Corrs - Baby be brave

A/N: really hard to write this one, fighting scenes are just the worst!
A massive thank you to all who read and enjoyed the last chapter!

The Master of Fire, stone-faced, planted his feet wide apart on the ground, his arms flexed in front of him, hands curled into fists.

I mentally encouraged myself: "Come on Jay, you can face him. He is the fiercest fighter you know and he wants to beat you to pulp, maybe burn you down to ashes, even if Master Wu said we couldn't use our powers, but hey who's gonna stop him... come on man, you can actually beat him! if you're lucky enough to stay in one piece that is but... you are a strong warrior too, right? Don't let him destroy you without a fight... I mean, no, just don't let him destroy you!" My nonsensical internal chatter made me panic even more and I mentally rolled my eyes at myself. Anyway what choice did I have now?

As I was just getting into position, Kai untimely leaped on me and threw a straight punch right at my face which I had barely time enough to dodge, so his fist brushed my left ear.

Surprised, I retreated with my arms outstretched in a peacekeeping gesture and started to plead with him: "Kai, just... stop ! We are friends! And friends support each other in the hardest times. That's why I came back. We need to come together and let go of old grievances ! See, I... I ... forgive you for what you said yesterday ! I know you didn't..."

"Forgive me? Did I break your soft little heart?" Kai mocked me . "Good, because you broke me and you broke Nya's life. And I'm going to break every single bone in your body !" He closed the distance between us with a long stride and unexpectedly grabbed my arms. Pulling them towards him, he inflicted a hard knee strike to my guts, which knocked the wind out of my lungs. A horrified outcry was heard as my friends jumped up with worried and outraged looks.

He released me and I fell face down on the sandy ground, coughing for a few seconds before I wobbled back to my feet holding my stomach . Gawd, that hurt as hell and Kai was definitely not holding back.
Before I realized it, he was over me again and clasped the nape of my neck with a hand of steel. I let out a yelp as he threw more knee strikes in my ribs before jerking me aside.

Boy what a humiliating beating was I getting... I quickly rolled away from him and clutched one of the wooden beams of the monastery deck to lift me up again. I spat blood on the ground: "Woaawwwww wooaaaa, ok ok, Kai, I get it, you think I'm the only one to blame for all this, but I'm not. Not, not really.... I never... I never wanted any of this to happen." As I spoke I felt the acute pain of a broken rib but I couldn't give up now. I needed to buy time to find my bearings again. I needed to make him come back to his senses before he could destroy me. Think, Jay ! Or rather don't... Don't think... I remembered what Lloyd had told me once: it had to be said from the heart. Just let go.

As my fiery adversary drew closer, I gathered the strength to painfully jump up on top of the outer wall in order to escape his next assault for a little while. I felt like a coward but that was the only way I could speak my truth.

"Nya, she... was the only one who could have defeated that monster. She had to do it, or at least she thought it was the only right thing to do back then. She didn't leave me or us any choice, did she? Don't you think I'd rather have died, instead of her?" Kai snickered at my rhetorical question.

At least he was listening, so I went on: "Why do you think I went away for so long? That day, a part of me disappeared with her. I felt empty. I wanted to die. To die and never have to face a new day without her. And I didn't want to burden you with my pain. It was unfair on you, you had lost your only sister. You raised her and sacrificed so much to protect her." I was trying to hold it together but my voice was clearly cracking.