Bound- Red Threads of Fate Jaya AU

Invisible string

"I still don't get why only Nya got to talk to the emperors," Kai said for probably the fourth time that morning. "Were they trying to get her alone to manipulate her easier? 'Cause no one messes with my sister!"

They were sitting on wooden benches at a table in the palace gardens, where Skylor had brought them before heading to breakfast in the great hall with the imperial family, which was being held in honor of Emperor Wu's return. Nya sighed. She was growing exasperated with her brother.

"I already told you–we were in a hurry, it takes like an hour to get there, and we were meeting one of the most powerful people in Ninjago and didn't want to disobey his orders!"

Kai raised his eyebrows. "Wow, no need to get fired up. Besides, I could've helped you two get up there faster. I could get up there in twenty minutes." He pointed to the upper palace, far up the rocky mountain slope behind them.

"Hm, farmer. I bet a soldier could beat you." Cole challenged.

Nya sighed again.

"Well, unluckily for us," said Skylor, sliding on to the bench next to Kai, "we'll actually get to see who wins."

"Is your family breakfast already over?" Nya asked her.

Skylor nodded. "The imperial family is busy. It was quick. Are you all done?" They all nodded, so she continued. "The emperors would like to deliberate privately today, but tomorrow you may all come to the upper palace for a discussion. Personally, I would prefer it simply be held here, but they will be heading there shortly for peace and quiet, and think it is the proper place for such a momentous decision."

---

As it turned out, when it came to actually reaching the upper palace first, neither a rebellious and overconfident farmer nor a military trained border guard could beat a samurai.

They set out the next morning soon after breakfast and introductions, dressed in their nicest clothes, accompanied both by Skylor, who seemed to be serving as a sort of ambassador for them, as she had been the one to bring them to the palace, and by Pixal, who seemed to take the fact that she had been summoned along with the others as a good sign. At the very least, she certainly seemed in good spirits, and as Kai and Cole raced up the mountain, Zane whispered something to her, and she smiled and set off at a faster pace, quickly but quietly gaining on both of them, then passing them.

Zane and Jay stayed behind with Nya and Skylor, who were both dressed in kimonos. Nya was glad to be back in her usual clothing, and glad it included pants, and didn't sweep the floor like Skylor's. Skylor looked very elegant in the pressed golden-yellow silk, her hair swept up in a comb, but she didn't hesitate to lift up her skirts in a rather unladylike fashion in order to make her way up the stairs quicker and more safely.

When Zane, Jay, Nya, and Skylor arrived at the upper palace gates, they found Cole breathing heavily and pacing back and forth, hands rested on his head, Kai doubled over with his hands on his knees and gasping for air, and Pixal leaning against the wall next to the palace gate. Although she had left behind her helmet, she was still wearing her full suit of armor. However, it didn't seem to have hindered her at all. She was breathing normally, her pink cheeks the only indication of her recent exercise.

"After all the time I spent getting you an audience and making you look like nice gentlemen for it, you just had to go running up a mountain." Skylor scolded the winded, flushed, and sweaty Kai and Cole with a disdainful look.

"I apologize, ma'am." Cole returned for a moment to his army-engrained manners, but Kai wasn't so quick to back down.

"You should have told us not to beforehand, then." He pointed out. "Besides, she ran up just as fast as we did."