𝐑𝐄𝐕𝐄𝐑𝐈𝐄 ❀ 𝐂. 𝐁𝐑𝐎𝐎𝐊𝐒𝐓𝐎𝐍𝐄 ➀

𝗘𝗣𝗜𝗟𝗢𝗚𝗨𝗘

𝐕𝐈𝐀

I had spent the next week recovering from the previous events. Nya took me shopping again (no, I didn't have a panic attack about the escalator again), using most of her life savings just to buy me a yellowish wardrobe and items for my room. I tried to protest, but she didn't budge. She's one stubborn woman.

I managed to become better friends with all of the Ninja. Kai kept his promise and adopted me as his little sister, vowing to protect me at all cost (Zane told me he just wanted a little sister who wasn't so mean to him). Jay and Nya taught me how to play video games and brought me into their inner circle of the gremlins. Zane gave me cooking lessons (because I can't make any food) and dove into deep conversations with me. Lloyd and I bonded over our difficult lives (and daddy issues), plus being the only blondes on the team. And then of course, there was Cole and I.

On the seventh day after the battle, Lloyd came to me with some important information. He'd contacted the Chief of Police about my family, and said that they'd found their address in a confidential file. When Lloyd told me I could go visit them, I had a panic attack.

"What if they don't want to meet me?!" I muttered, crumpled on the floor of my new room, leaning against the wall.

Cole clasped his hands around my wrists and tried to pull my fingers from my hair. "They want to. I know it. If they don't, I'll come tell them they want to."

"What if they hate me?"

"They won't. They're your family-- they'll love you."

"What if they think I'm a freak?!"

"Then remember that they'd probably think I'm a freak too-- which means you won't be alone."

Eventually, Cole convinced me to go. After a long process of complaining and worrying, he agreed to accompany me. I was very grateful for this fact, because it meant I wouldn't have to face my past alone. I wasn't sure I could do that. I wasn't sure I could meet my family. But Cole was right-- if I don't try to contact them, I'll regret it later.

Might as well get it over with. And if they never want to see me again, better to know now than years down the road.

So on a pretty afternoon, Cole summoned his elemental dragon (who I randomly started calling Quakie) and flew us to Jamanakai Village. I was shaking as we descended to the ground, panicking about what my family would think. Would they even be home? Do they still live here? Where would they have gone? Would my brother remember me? Was he younger or older? Did my mom try to find my dad after he took me? Did my mom cry when I was taken?

Did they still remember me, or did the Institute erase their memories too?

Questions were drilling through my head like a lottery wheel-- spinning and spinning and spinning and never stopping. Cole tried to calm my nerves, but it never really worked.