Family Troubles

Tracking Family

No one's POV

After a few hours had passed, Claudia pulled into the bunker. Pixal looked up from the car she was working on, waving as Earth pulled her helmet off.

"Hey- where's Morro?" Claudia asked, looking around.

"He's been placed in one of the spare rooms. Master Wu insisted on it. Where's Kira?" Pixal responded. The helmet was placed on the top of the bike.

"Oh, I dropped her off at her apartment on the way back. That girl has a lot of instruments." Claudia skipped closer, a crooked yet bright smile on her face. "Guess what~" She chirped, extending her left hand out for the nindroid to see.

"Is that..." Pixal looked up at Claudia.

"It's a promise ring, we're not ready for marriage yet," The Elemental clarified, still beaming.

"'Audie, this is amazing. Congratulations!" Pixal smiled back, inspecting the ring.

"It's apparently specially designed; it changes to fit either one of my forms. Or at least that's what she told me." Pixal looked even more surprised.

"This ring is also a mechanical miracle?!" She exclaimed, before calming down. "Sorry, but it's amazing that you and Vania are ready for the next step in your relationship." Claudia chuckled.

"Thanks, I'm still waiting for you or Zane to propose to the other; you've probably had the strongest and longest relationship out of all of us." Pixal's cheeks warmed up, as she lightly pushed Claudia.

"Some day, but we're happy with what we have right now," She stated firmly. Claudia nodded, glancing at the car still being held up next to them.

"You upgrading the vehicles again? I thought you did that last month?"

"Exactly, they're extremely outdated," Pixal joked, before waving Claudia towards the exit. "Now out, I need to concentrate." 

"Fine, fine. I'm leaving," Claudia said, raising her hands up and walking towards the lift. "Don't blow anything up without me!" She added as the doors shut.

---------------------------

Going upstairs, Claudia didn't see anyone on her way to her room. Once she go there, she shifted into Cole, picked up a sketch book and pencil, and sat on his bed. Glancing at the ring on his finger, he smiled at the fact that it did indeed still fit him.

Opening the book, he started a new sketch. It was a recreation of one of his fonder memories of the team:

~Flashback~

They had just finished a major battle, and were completely wiped. So, instead of making the exhausting hike up the monastery stairs, they had opted to just collapse across the game room.

 Pixal and Zane were curled up on one of the settees, her head on his shoulder. Nya was lolled across the rest of the seat, one leg on the couples' laps, the other falling onto the floor. Jay was on the floor next to them, holding Nya's hand gently.

Lilly was leaning into Jay, her stuffed bunny clasped under her arm. His other arm was wrapped protectively around her. Kai was laying on the other settee, on the other end of the room. 

Lloyd lay next to him- clearly having needed comfort, for his eyes were a tad puffy and red. Cole was slouched in a more upright position, on the floor just like Jay, between the two seats.

Master Wu was sitting in an arm chair, drinking out of his signature blue cup, with the matching pot on the floor next to him.

~End Flashback~