Promises (Ninjago's Kai x Reader)

Episode 2 - Royals

Lloyd summoned us to Borg Tower. My stomach churns with anticipation. It's been so long since I've seen anybody. I wonder if any of them will look as different as I do.

Lily grabs my hand to keep me from stopping outside the door. She knows me too well. Their laughter makes me want to turn around and run away. Maybe I changed too much.

"Tasha," says Kai, and he runs over to hug me. My lungs deflate as he squeezes me, and after a moments pause, I hug him back.

"I've missed you, my love," he says, holding my face between his hands. His eyes scan my visage, exploring all the changes. "You look beautiful."

Remind me why I was nervous? I kiss him quickly and turn to the greet the rest of the team.

I hug Nya first, then Jay and Cole. Zane picks me up and spins me, making me laugh. "The new hair color really suits you, Tasha," he says.

"I could say the same for you," I say. He's been remodeled since I last saw him. Along with some software updates, he's also cropped his hair shorter and made his eyes bluer. It looks very nice. He's also built in feature that allows him to switch from a more robotic look to a humanoid one.

All of them have changed so much. Nya grew out her hair and now she wears it in a pony tail. Her bangs frame her face in the most adorable way too. Jay also grew out his hair and it is styled in the typical fuck-boy swoosh. Ironic considering he's the sweetest person you'll ever meet. Cole's hair is longer too, he could probably put it in a man bun if he wanted. Even Kai's hair is spiked slightly different than usual.

"Hey, there he is," says Kai as Lloyd finally arrives. "You're late."

"Kai was late too, if it's any consolation," says Zane.

"Thanks for meeting me here," Lloyd says, and my jaw drops. "It's been a while since we've all been under one roof."

Nya suddenly giggles, and Jay is quivering from holding in his laugh.

"What?"

"Are we gonna talk about it?" Jay blurts.

"Talk about what?"

"Your voice," says Cole. "It's--"

"Lower," I say, walking up to my brother and grabbing his face in my hands. "And your face is sharper. And your hair--"

"Sounds like our little Ninja's growing up," says Kai with a smirk.

"Leave him alone," Nya says with a sigh. "Any word from your mother?"

"Not since she went searching for Master Wu. I don't know where she is."

"She'll come back, Lloyd," says Cole, but he's looking at me. He saw the way my face dropped at Lloyd's word. "And so will Wu."

"Not everyone comes back, Cole," my brother says. "But that isn't why I called you here. I called you because of this."

Now my heart sinks into my stomach, which twists itself in a knot. Lloyd is holding a grey parashot with an image of my father plastered on the front. It doesn't quite resemble my father though. It looks more like a combination of my father and those creatures from my vision. It's sickening

"Your father?" says Cole. "Lord Garmadon?"

Suddenly, I remember what Ghost said: "They're plannin' their biggest heist yet."

"After poking around, I've learned it's the symbol to--"

"The Sons of Garmadon," I say, voice shaking.

"A mysterious criminal syndicate growing prominent in Ninjago City," Zane elaborates.

"Seventy-two hours ago, they stole a powerful relic from Cyrus Borg. Some mask--"