Salt: A Ninjago story

56: The Thaw

The glowing hearts of Zane and Pixel pulsed inside the ice. Kai and Nya did not have long to release the nindroids before a full system reboot occurred for them.

Kai radiated a searing heat to melt the thick outer section of the perma-frost and Nya whisked it away holding it suspended as it became liquid.

'Take the heat down Kai, you're nearly on them, we don't want to damage them or the lab... or me!' she said

'Gotcha sis!' Kai turned down the heat to a radiant glow and the now slick, amorphous iceberg rapidly dissolved, collapsing around its captives. In the stillness of the wet lab, only the drips of the thaw broke the silence and Kai and Nya remained as still as the watchers beyond the window, who stared in at the defrosting lovers, waiting.

As the ice finally fell away the figures had begun to twitch, their bodies regained life and once frozen in a desperate embrace, Zane and Pixal now collapsed onto each other for support. Taking their first breaths, they lay their heads on each other's shoulders as the returning power pulsed through them.

Watching their friends wake, Kai and Nya could breath once again and the giant ball of water that Nya controlled quavered 'Kai' she whispered.

'Yeah what?'

'I need to get rid of this water!'

'Oh right!' he ran to the windows and opened them wide. As Nya manoeuvred the unstable water cloud towards the opening it burst forward, icy shards snapping out as the water transformed into an ice slide that wound itself out of the open window. Before they could even recover from the surprise, Zane's glowing trails shot past them and he disappeared with Pixal in his arms 'What the...' Kai exclaimed.

The group burst in to the room to view the new ice structure and Nya peered out of the open window to see the ice trail winding around the side of the temple and out of sight.

'We should go find them...' Jay tugged at Nya's sleeve 'C'mon!'

'No!' she suddenly remembered her last discussion with Zane 'he... he needs to be alone with her. He almost lost her and... well, they just need a moment!'

'True...' Jay replied 'after I thought I had lost you, I would have whisked you away too, if I could've'

Nya glanced back at Jay 'Can you now?' Jay leant against the wall and they looked at each other, knowing smiles on their face.

'Maybe... I might just do that' Jay replied.

Kai slapped his hands over his ears 'la la la! I can't hear you' and backed away.

Nat however, could hear their thoughts and rolled her eyes to see Cole, looking at her and she gasped 'w...what?'

'Cake!' he blurted out 'Is it time for cake yet?'

'Yes! Cake, ha, ha, yes it's time for cake. Good call' Nat rambled and grabbed Hitch who was holding herself up next to the door and dragged her into the hallway.

'What the hell was that?' Hitch asked.

'Nothing, nothing at all, Cole just really like's cake!' Nat replied.

'... so, what was he thinking about cake?'

'Oh, y'know, how he really likes a cake and how he likes to hold a cake and how enjoyable... cake... is' Nat felt a slow flush rise into her cheeks.

Hitch stumbled and stared dizzily at her sister 'you're rambling, that's not like you...'

Nat slowed, aware of her own panicked march away from Cole's thoughts and whispered 'I would like cake though'

'Yeah, me too... I'm exhausted, I need a sugar hit!'

Nat smiled and thanked her lucky stars Hitch wasn't quite with it 'yeah. We deserve it. I'll put the kettle on, you choose the cake, I'm sure Cole will have made sure there is plenty of choice... everyone will catch up, though I wonder when we will see Zane and Pixal?'

...

Zane had no intention of returning to the temple anytime soon. He had taken Pixal as far as he felt necessary to be truly alone. Travelling at speed in each other's arms, time was immaterial to them. The knowledge of their escape from infinite darkness held them close. With their bond corrected they felt life flood between them again and they could not get enough.

The landscape blurred below, changing from the lush greens of forests to the crisp white of the mountains and the chill air heralded Zane's destination. Slowing he brought them down to a clearing; the snow un-trodden... perfect. He lead Pixal across the white space, their footsteps imprinted in the white sheet followed them into the trees beyond. 

'I want to show you something' Zane said and lead Pixal to an ornate metal disc on a large birch tree 'my home' and pressing his hand to the disc, the secret entrance to his creators workshop slid open.

Pixal gasped a little in surprise 'you have a home?' she asked 'you never talked about it with me'

'I know and I am sorry for that. There are some sad, confused memories here for me. But these are past and I see only the future here now'

'You do?'

Zane lightly trailed his finger across the soft lilac circuits on Pixal's face and as he kissed her the glow intensified until the connection was broken 'It is our home' Zane whispered.

They stepped inside and Pixal explored the deep stairwell, looking at the rickety spiral steps and the roots that grew through the walls as she descended. When they reached the dark workshop at the base, she turned to Zane and replied softly 'It is... it is our home' and she lit up the space with her happiness.