Chapter 1: Introduction, or, A Temporary Passenger
Chapter Text
Lilly Brookestone was what would be considered a “free spirit”. She had spent most of her teenage years exploring her many interest and hobbies in hopes that one might stick.
A wrench was thrown in her plans, so to speak, when one day she stumbled (quite literally) across a boy. It always begins with a boy, doesn’t it?
His name was Lou, a perfectly fine name for a kind boy like him. He had jet black hair and brown eyes, and liked to brag he “had the voice of an angel”. Lilly, who was an aspiring dancer, was naturally swept off her feet. The two were soon wed, and persued a more “normal” life after they’d had their first child, Cole.
They were a stereotypical happy family: they said grace at the dinner table, read bedtime stories, the like. It was a lovely existence, just the three of them. That was until they had their second child. She was a surprise, to say the least. Cole was nearly ten years old when his parents told him the news. The three of them were excited to welcome a new face to their little family. After all, Lilly and Lou had always wanted a daughter. Due to some health issues, the doctors had told Lilly she would only have one child, that child being Cole.
The months flew past, and soon their baby girl was welcomed into the world. Not without complications, though.
She was born a bit prematurely, leaving her and Lilly’s body in shock. They spent the next couple weeks in the hospital.
Their daughter recovered rather quickly and, aside from being just a bit underweight, was a perfectly healthy baby. Lilly, on the other hand, had been weakened from the strain her birth had put on her body. She began to fall ill more and more frequently, and spent time in and out of the hospital.
A few difficult years passed, and Lilly eventually passed away. Cole was fourteen and their daughter was just about three at the time. Soon after, Lou had sent Cole off to boarding school to in order to process his grief in private. As for Cole’s sister, she stayed with Lou for a couple months until he could no longer bear the pain the sight of her brought. She bore a striking resemblance to his beloved Lilly — with honey-brown eyes and dark brown hair. Lou eventually asked his sister for help, and his daughter spent her early years going back and forth between houses until she was old enough to go to boarding school as well.
Years passed, and Cole went off to performing arts college at Lou’s instruction. (It was later discovered that he had rather been away participating in climbing competitions and “discovering himself” as he had explained it.) A rift had formed between their little family, up until the past couple months. Cole had been suddenly visiting more and more often, but he rarely came when his sister was not at school. He still harbored some resentment towards her, after all. Her birth was what had caused such discourse.
It was just the beginning of summer and Bella (it had taken much debating on what to name her, since she had come earlier than expected. Originally her name was intended to be Anna) was back home for the break. The house was always quiet during breaks, with only her and her father in the house. It was quiet save for the music, which could be heard playing in nearly every room at all times.
Cole would visit from time to time, always with new stories to tell. He had recently joined some kind of “ninja club”, as Bella liked to call it, and was busy going on all sorts of adventures. He never went into too much detail, he was always a man of few words.
One sunny afternoon, Lou received a phone call from an old friend. He was part of a rather well-known boyband back in his youth, and would sometimes play one-off shows with his old band mates. This phone call seemed a bit different, however, from the way his eyes went wide and an excited smile found its way onto his face. He immediately dialed a couple more numbers before jotting down some notes on a pad he always kept near the phone.
It turned out that Lenny, Lou's best and oldest friend, had landed a solo gig opening for a more well-known band. Their manager had liked him a lot, and the two talked for a long while afterwards. Long story short, Lenny and the other Blacksmiths were offered a record deal and could possibly go on tour.
Lenny was ecstatic, as was Lou. This was an opportunity they couldn't pass up. The four of them were all older, a couple had kids and old fans of their quartet seemed to be losing interest. This would bring in new fans, new merchandise and most importantly: more money. Lou had had his eye on a certain car for a long while now, and this might be what would pay for it. Lenny had said the manager he'd spoken with would be able to meet with their band in a couple weeks. The catch was that his studio was quite literally across Ninjago. It would take a day or two to get there, maybe a couple days to a week to get things sorted out and two more days to travel back home. This would have been all well and good, if Lou had someone to watch his kid. He'd called up his sister, but she would be gone on a cruise those same couple weeks. They didn't have many family friends, and the ones they did have were also busy or on some vacation for summer.
After fruitless call after call, Lou had no other choice. He couldn't pass up this opportunity, it would mean the future of his band. The only person left to call was Cole. Naturally, Cole agreed, why wouldn't he? Sure, his little sister would get in the way somewhat and maybe he'd have to babysit her a little, but he loved his dad and this opportunity was important to him. So, plans were made and Bella was to stay on the Destiny's Bounty with Cole.
She was rather bitter about this, honestly, because it meant she would have to miss her best friend's birthday party. Everyone she knew was going to be there, and she was sad to miss it.
Sure enough, a couple weeks later Cole was parked outside the house, ready to pick his sister up. Bella could tell who it was before he walked in -- The top of his dark hair was visible through the front window.
Cole was a little bit taller and a little bit broader since the last time they'd seen each other. His hair was jet black, just like his father's, but there were a rare few golden-brown strands from his mother. They shone in the sun. It seemed he hadn't cut his hair in a while.
Cole's skin was tanned and dark, a result of many hours spent training in the heat. He was much tanner than Bella, who was honestly a bit pale. It seemed their hispanic genes favored Cole more than her, and somehow she'd ended up looking more spanish than mexican.
Bella's things were already packed and ready, waiting in the hall next to her father's bags. Lou stepped up to the door with a smile.
"Hey, son, long time no see!" He joked as Cole stepped in. The two of them had gotten lunch not two weeks ago. Cole walked through the door, his smile mirroring his father's.
"Hey, dad." He said with a chuckle. Lou would have started talking Cole's ear off by then, rambling on about some old story or another. But he had a train to catch soon, and they couldn't talk long.
Cole loaded Bella's things into his car with relative ease, and she climbed up into the passenger seat. Cole jumped up into the driver's side with a grunt, and switched on the ignition. The engine roared to a start.
Cole turned to Bella, his hands placed on the wheel. "So, how's it going, small fry?" He asked, and pulled the car out of the driveway.
Bella shrugged half-heartedly, feeling a bit shy. "Good." She answered.
Cole kept his eyes on the road. "Good." He said simply. "Dad's sending you to the... what's it called now? the 'something Oppenheimer School of Performing Arts'?"
"The Junior-"
"-Junior Oppenheimer, right." Cole finished with a stiff nod. He'd gone to the same school in his youth, but they had changed the name since then. They drove for a few seconds in silence as Cole zipped through the quiet town. "So what classes are you in?" He asked, trying to keep the conversation going.
Bella shrugged again. "Just, y'know, the normal ones." She answered, trying to sound relaxed. "Tap and choir and theatre." The Junior Oppenheimer School of Performing Arts was a boarding school for kids ages eleven to seventeen, where they were taught core subject along with fine arts. It was a precursor to the Marty Oppenheimer School of Performing Arts, a fine arts college in Ninjago City. Kids who went to the Junior Oppenheimer were offered a discount on their tuition to the Marty Oppenheimer if they choose to go there after graduating.
Cole raised an eyebrow, looking at her through the corner of his eye. "Tap?" He asked.
"Yeah."
"You wanna take tap?" He asked, sounding a bit skeptical. He was never one for singing and dancing himself, he found it a bit silly.
She tilted her head. "Yeah?"
"Hm."
She sighed softly. "...Dad says I have to take at least one dance class."
Cole chuckled. "Thought so."
Bella smiled, feeling a little more relaxed. Dance was very important to their father, as well as singing. "Tap's not bad, though." She said. "It's better than ballet."
Cole laughed at this, his shoulder shaking. "Yeah, that's for sure. Been there."
"Yeah." Bella agreed with a little chuckle. Contrary to Cole's distaste for singing and dancing, she rather liked the arts. Not so much dancing, she was alright at that at best. But she enjoyed singing and playing instruments greatly.
"So what's your favorite class?" Cole asked, turning a (rather sharp) corner.
Bella hesitated for a second. "Like, for core classes, or like art stuff?" She asked.
Cole shrugged one shoulder. "Either."
"Um... I guess I like musical theatre the best." She answered.
Cole raised an eyebrow once more. "Musical theatre?"
"Yeah?"
"You like acting?"
Bella cocked her head slightly. Of course she liked acting, she loved it even. It was fun and entertaining and she was good at it. She'd been doing acting classes for years now. Didn't he remember? "'Course I like acting." She said.
"Hm." Cole hummed.
Bella raised an eyebrow, and she stared at him for a moment. "What?"
Cole glanced at her, then looked back to the road. "Nothin'. Just didn't think you'd be into musical theatre, is all."
Bella only hummed in response. Maybe he really didn't remember much since the last time they'd spoken. Cole turned another corner, once again a bit sharply.
"So you're in M.T. two?" He asked after a moment.
Bella paused, and furrowed her brow. "No, I'm still in one." She explained.
"One? Got held back or something?" Cole said, his eyes on the road. Then something seemed to click in his brain. "Wait, what grade are you in?"
"Sixth."
"Sixth!" Cole said, his eyebrows shooting up. He looked a bit confused for a moment before he chuckled. "I thought you were older." He glanced back down at her through the corner of his eye. "So you're like, twelve."
"I'm eleven."
"Eleven." He repeated with a nod. "So you're like, Lloyd's age."
Bella nodded slowly. She'd heard him mention Lloyd a couple times when he'd come over to visit their father, but she didn't know much of anything at all about him.
"He's a good kid. Kinda annoying, but he grows on you." Cole continued.
"Nice." She said with a nod.
The ride was quiet for a few moments, the car wizzing through the streets of town. "Is dad having you play any instruments?" Cole broke the silence. That was one of the things he actually enjoyed about his time in music school -- he learned how to play a few instruments. Most of them he'd left back at home now that he lived on the Destiny's Bounty, but he still kept his bass and an amp with him.
Bella nodded. She rather enjoyed learning to play instruments, too. She'd picked up piano back when she was about five, but it wasn't her favorite. Still, she wasn't bad at it. "I play ukulele." She said.
Cole hummed. "They're teaching ukulele now?" He asked.
"No, I'm learning it myself." She answered. "But, um, I'm taking piano."
Cole nodded slowly. "Dad made me start out with piano too."
"...You play bass though, right?"
A bit of a smile quirked the corner of Cole's lips. "Yeah, I do. Must've left most of my stuff back at Dad's, huh?"
"Yeah. It's all in your room though." Cole still had most of his childhood things back at his father's house, despite having moved out a long while ago.
Cole chuckled. "Right." He heaved a small sigh. "Maybe I'll have to get it sometime." He chewed on his lip. "Did you bring your uke with you?"
Bella nodded. "Yeah, it's in the big suitcase."
"Nice." Cole said. "I'm sure the guys won't mind if you play your uke or anything around the ship." He said. "I play sometimes. Just don't play past midnight, though, or else Wu will shove pillows under your door."
"Under your door?"
"To block out the sound." Cole laughed.
Bella laughed as well. It was a bit weird what he'd said, but she got the feeling staying with him might actually be fun. "Does he wake up early or something?" She asked.
"Yeah, we all do. He wakes us up early to train."
"Right." She nodded. She wondered if she would have to wake up early too. Waking up early on summer break did not sound super fun.
"Yeah. That part kind sucks, but it's whatever." He shrugged one shoulder. "The Bounty's kinda chaotic, but it's not too bad."
Bella nodded slowly and hummed.
Cole chucked to himself again before speaking. "Yeah, the guys are... guys. Y'know. Loud and smelly." He said with a shake of his head. "I gotta warn you though, Jay does sleepwalk sometimes."
Bella nodded and laughed quietly. "He's the one with the fluffy hair... right?"
"No, that's Kai. Jay's the goofy one. His hair's kinda more reddish."
"Oh, okay." Bella hadn't ever met the other ninja, only seen a couple pictures.
The rest of the car ride was mostly silent, save for the quiet music playing through Cole's speakers. After a while, they exited the city and came upon a large boat just outside. Bella knew Cole and his friends lived on a flying ship, but she hadn't anticipated it to be a literal pirate ship. It was super cool, nonetheless, though she was a bit anxious about flying. She never did very well on planes, not to mention flying pirate ships.
Cole drove up to the ship, the car jumping a bit as it went over rocks and dirt. He pulled up next to it and shut off the ignition. He sat back in his seat and glanced back over at his sister, who was sitting quietly in the passenger seat. "Okay, a few things before we go inside." He said, sitting up straighter. "The guys will probably want to talk to you when we go in. Jay talks a lot, so don't get him started." He said, gazing out the front window. "Kai and Jay are loud, and you might wanna wear earplugs at night if we're training in the morning. Zane's pretty quiet, but he's kinda weird. Washes dishes in the middle of the night and stuff. You might have to ask for space sometimes because they're all nosy." He pursed his lips.
"Lloyd is also kinda loud. I dunno, he'll probably be happy to have someone his age around, though." Cole said, and glanced at her with a smile. "Sensei Wu is also kinda weird. He wakes us up with a gong sometimes," He scowled, "So yeah, earplugs might be good for you. Nya is Kai's sister, she's cool. Probably the most normal. You'll share a bathroom with her, I think." He said with a nod. "Fair warning, the guys will eat any leftovers you leave in the fridge. Even if it has your name on it. So like, try to hide them behind something else if you want them." He tapped the tips of his fingers against the steering wheel. "Umm dinner's at six most nights, breakfast and lunch are whenever you're hungry. You can have anything that's in the fridge and pantry. Don't drink the tea that's in the yellow box, though, it's got old people vitamins in it or something."
She nodded, pursing her lips. "Okay."
He tapped his pointer finger on the steering wheel once more. "Umm... yeah I think that's it. Dad says you have to be in bed by nine." He tilted his head towards her and quirked an eyebrow, looking down at her. She nodded in agreement, though she knew she probably wouldn't be in bed and asleep until twelve most nights. "So be in your room by ten." He said.
She smiled a little and nodded. "Okay."
"Okay. Let's get your stuff." Cole said, and patted the steering wheel before popping open his door. Bella followed suit, and clambered out of the passenger seat. Cole was already at the trunk, pulling out her suitcase and backpack.
As soon as the two of them set foot on the Destiny's Bounty, a door to their left flew open. The sounds of quarreling met Bella's ears as she and Cole stepped onto the ship.
"I told you not to mess with my stuff!" A voice shouted, and a guy about Cole's age backed out through the doorway. His hair was more auburn and he was wearing a blue t-shirt. She assumed it was Jay.
"I wasn't messing with your stuff, I was just looking for something!" He protested.
Cole sighed, still holding Bella's suitcase. "Here we go..." He muttered to himself.
"Then why is your junk all over my workbench?" An angry voice shouted. As Jay stepped away from the door, Bella could see a mess of brown, spiky hair. Another guy walked out, a bit taller than Jay. His teeth were gritted and expression fierce. "I dunno how many times I gotta tell you, Jay-"
"Can you guys go argue somewhere else?" Cole spoke up, shaking his head at the two of them. Kai lifted his gaze to meet Cole's.
"We're kinda busy, Cole." He said through his teeth, glaring at Jay.
"I swear I wasn't touching his stuff!" Jay insisted, holding up his hands in surrender. He glanced back at Cole as if to ask for his help. But when his eyes found Bella, his lips turned upwards into a smile.
"Hey, Cole, is this your sister?" He asked, seemingly having forgotten about his squabble with Kai moments earlier. He turned his back to Kai and stepped up to the two of them.
Cole sighed through his nose. "Yes, Jay, this is Bella." He said a bit exasperatedly.
"Hey, nice to meet you." Jay greeted, extending his hand for a handshake. He was on the slightly shorter side, around maybe 5'9". He was fair-skinned and had freckles across his cheeks, nose and hands. His hair seemed more brown at first glance, but it shone auburn in the sun. He had a curious slit through his eyebrow, and Bella wondered where it had come from.
She reached out a hand to shake his. "Nice to meet you, too." She said tentatively. But right as her hand made contact with his, a sudden jolt went through her body. She let out a yelp and stepped back, her eyes wide with surprise. It felt like her insides had just been scrambled.
Jay laughed, throwing his head back as he did. "Ha! You should've seen the look on your face!" He said through his laughter.
Cole huffed. "Yeah, yeah, very funny, Jay." He said, and shook his head.
Bella, initially shocked, was now laughing (albeit a little nervously) along with Jay.
Jay rolled his eyes and grinned down at her. "Sorry, squirt, I just had to." He said. "You alright?"
"Yeah, I'm fine." Bella said.
"Great way to welcome our new guest, Jay." Kai chimed, though his tone was light. He came up behind Jay and slung an armed over his shoulders. "Well, she sure looks like you, Cole." He mused, looking down at her as well.
"Yeah, it's not like we're related or anything." Cole said sarcastically, but he was smiling.
Kai shook his head and rolled his eyes, his arm still lazily laying across Jay's shoulders. "So how old are you, kiddo?" He asked. Kai was a bit taller than Jay, though not by much. He wore a red zip-up jacket and jeans. His hair was brown and rather fluffy, the result of blowdryers and more hairspray than he cared to admit. He had warm, tanned skin, a contrast to Jay's.
"I'm eleven." Bella answered.
Kai nodded. "So you're like Lloyd's age." He said, just as Cole had said earlier.
"Speaking of the little guy," Jay piped up, slipping Kai's arm off his back. "Where is he? I haven't seen him all day."
"I think he's been helping Nya with something." Kai said, turning to glance over his shoulder at the upper level of the ship. Bella's eyes followed, and she wondered what was up there. The four of them were silent for a moment.
"We'll introduce you to everybody else later, yeah?" Cole said, picking up Bella's suitcase again. "Let's get you settled."
Bella nodded, shouldering her backpack. She offered a quiet, "okay" and, after exchanging pleasantries with Jay and Kai, was lead to her room.
The ship was much bigger than she'd anticipated on the inside, with multiple sprawling hallways throughout. All the doors were closed, however, and she couldn't help but wonder what was behind them.
Cole lead her around a couple corners, the wheels of Bella's large suitcase banging against the unfinished wooden floors. Finally, they came to a room at the end of the hallway. Cole fumbled with the handle for a second before it opened, the door creaking open painfully. "This is you," He said, and stepped inside.
The room itself wasn't very big, maybe twelve feet both ways. There was a window to the left of the door which overlooked the deck of the ship from above. There was a freshly-made bed in the middle of the room and a nightstand right next to it. It was a simple room, with a wardrobe, a mirror and a desk. Everything was rather plain, as if the room hadn't been touched in a very long time. "Bathroom's across the hall," Cole said, "Nya will probably stop by after dinner."
Cole set Bella's suitcase next to the bed with a sigh and stepped over to the window. "Let's get some fresh air in here," He said, mostly to himself, and opened the window. He gazed out the window for a moment as Bella dropped her backpack onto the bed. One hand was on his hip as he stood there, almost statuesque. He eventually shook himself out of it as he heard Bella unzipping her backpack.
Cole turned around with a bit of a wistful smile on his face. It seemed almost strained. "Well, make yourself at home." He said in an easy tone. "Dinner'll be ready soon. Zane's cooking, you'll wanna be there quick before the rest of the guys get to it."
Bella glanced at the clock and nodded. It was twenty minutes until six.
Cole chuckled quietly, almost to himself. "Alright. I'll let you get settled." He said. He hesitated a moment, before reaching out a tentative hand and ruffling her hair. It was a bit awkward, to be honest, but she knew he meant well.
"See you at dinner." Cole said, and stepped out the door.
Chapter 2: To Be or Not To Be
Summary:
Bella settles in to her new life on the Bounty.
Chapter Text
Bella stood in the quiet room for a few seconds after Cole had left, the only sound being her own heartbeat in her ears. It was too quiet. She was used to the bustle of her town, her father constantly playing music throughout their house.
But Cole had said multiple times that the other guys were loud and rowdy. Maybe it would be more lively later on.
The minutes passed and she unpack a couple things -- She hung up her clothes in the empty wardrobe and set up her bed with her own blankets and pillows. Soon, it was time for dinner, and she ventured out into the ship.
Again, the ship was quiet, but she figured it was because everybody was already getting ready for dinner.
Bella walked out into the halls, floorboards creaking under the weight of her shoes. It was then that she realized that Cole hadn't told her exactly where to go. She sighed to herself. Leave it to a boy to forget the one important detail.
She wandered through the halls in the belly of the ship, searching for the staircase Cole had lead her down earlier. All the rooms looked the same, all the doors old and stiff and wooden. After walking for a minute or so, she happened upon an open door. It was left slightly ajar, a curious smell coming from inside.
She placed a hand on the wooden doorframe and poked her head inside. The room was small, about as big as hers, with a bamboo mat in the middle of the room. An incense burner sat in front of it, still smoking the slightest bit.
She stepped inside, the smell from the incense wafting towards her. It was woody and almost sweet, a mix of sandalwood and lavender.
She ventured deeper into the room, the light from a nearby window drawing her in. There was a sliding door to the left of the room. It was cracked open.
Bella stepped up to it, the screen the slightest bit translucent. She pushed it open and it scraped dully against its rails.
Behind the screen was a small case, seemingly built into the wall. It was angular and wooden, with small details carved into the sides. The doors to it were made of small, wooden bars, and there was no lock on them. Curious. Bella slipped through the gap in the screen to inspect it. It seemed old, as did the rest of the ship. Old, but not worn down. Between the cracks in the door's bars she could see a hint of something green. She reached out a hand and carefully pulled open the doors.
The doors swung open easily, as if they had been recently oiled. Inside sat a ninja gi, alone on the bottom of the case. She held one of the doors open with her free hand and touched it. It was a rich shade of green, with flecks of silver across the front. The matching green belt lay folded up atop the gi. It seemed to be in good condition, made for a man about Cole and his friend's age. It was surprisingly soft and airy as she held a bit of fabric between her fingers. She wondered who the suit might belong to.
After a long moment of admiring the suit, she shook herself from her thoughts. It didn't matter who it belonged to; it didn't concern her. She closed the case carefully, making sure it would remain shut.
She crept out of the room, her footsteps light and measured on the old floors. She made sure to leave the door to the room cracked, as it had been when she found it.
She ventured on through the quiet halls of the ship, until she finally found that staircase from earlier. It seemed like it wouldn't be so hard to find, but she had obviously had some trouble.
The staircase was short and led back to the deck. A golden glow played upon the world, the sun just beginning its descent behind the horizon.
Bella heard chatter from a room up above, and her gaze followed the sound. Up another, outdoor staircase was a room that opened to the outside. She climbed the staircase, tentatively peeking around the screen to look inside.
The ninja, along with a girl, an older man, and a boy about her age were all crowded around a small table. She assumed the boy was Lloyd, and the older man was Master Wu. She stepped inside, almost unnoticed by the others.
The girl, who seemed to be a bit younger than the ninja, smiled up at Bella. It seemed the only free seat was the one next to her. Bella smiled back and sat down. The smell of food came wafting in from the kitchen, but the table was still bare.
"Hey, squirt, long time no see." Jay chirped from across the table. Bella gave a half-hearted laugh.
"We were wondering when you'd come up," The girl next to Bella said, her voice a bit quieter than the boys'.
Bella laughed shyly. "I... got kinda lost." She admitted.
"Cole didn't give you the full tour, huh?" The girl said. Bella nodded. "I'm Nya." The girl added. "Kai's my brother."
Bella glanced over to Kai, and then back at Nya. She could see the resemblance, but the two of them had their differences. Kai's features were sharp and angular, while Nya's were more soft. Kai had brown hair and Nya had black hair. Nya seemed slightly younger than the boys, maybe by one or two years.
"How about I show you around after dinner?" Nya offered with a friendly smile.
Bella smiled back. "Sure, that sounds good." She said.
"So, kiddo, school's out for the summer?" Kai asked, picking at the prongs of his fork with his nail.
Bella nodded. "Yeah, it's been out for a couple weeks."
"You go to... Ninjago middle?"
"No, I go to a different school. It's called NATA."
"Hm, never heard of that one." Kai said, putting his fork down. "What's it stand for?"
"It stands for Ninjago Academy of Theatre and Arts."
"Woo, long name." Jay chimed in. "So it's an arts school?"
"Mhm." Bell hummed and nodded. "Fine arts and stuff."
"So like... theatre?" Kai asked.
Bella nodded once more.
Jay let out a little snicker. "'To be or not to be' type stuff?"
"Um... I guess so." Bella said with shrug. "We do Shakespeare sometimes."
Just then, the door to the kitchen slid open. Cole stepped in, carrying a tray piled high with potstickers. Lloyd reached for one, which prompted a "Ah, not yet!" from Cole. "Zane's almost done with the ramen, be patient."
As if on cue, another voice came from the kitchen. "Cole? Could you come carry this?"
Cole quickly disappeared behind the screen door between the dining room and the kitchen once more, before emerging with a large pot of ramen. It seemed like an almost excessive amount of ramen for that many people, but then again they were boys. The pot was cast-iron and seemed very heavy, but Cole carried it with ease. Maybe his ninja training had made him stronger?
He set it down on the table with a dull thud, before sitting down himself. From the corner of her eye, Bella saw Kai snatch a potsticker from the plate in front of him.
Some clatter came from the kitchen as Zane placed his utensils and extra pots in the sink to be washed later. A moment later, he stepped into the dining room. He was very tall, taller than all the other ninja. He seemed to be of German descent — His hair and complexion were very light, along with his eyes. They were an icy blue, almost piercing. He was lanky and lean. His facial structure was more of a rectangle, with a strong jawline and cheekbones. His skin was flawless, almost unnaturally so, as he had no freckles or blemishes whatsoever.
He sat down at the table in his place next to Kai, who was still secretly munching on his stolen potsticker. Wu, seeing that everybody was now present, began to say a blessing over the food.
Dinner was unhurried and filled with easy conversation, which Bella enjoyed. It reminded her of Christmas or something similar, when her family would sit around the table and talk for a long time. (She hadn’t seen her grandparents in years, though, and neither had Cole.)
Soon they were finished, and the sun had sank down the sky and given way to the moon. Everyone began to stand up, clearing their plates.
"Who wants to do dishes tonight?" Cole asked. (He had done the dishes the night before). Everybody just looked at him.
Suddenly, Jay called, "Nose goes!" And quickly touched his nose.
The others (being ninja) were quick to touch their noses as well. Nya did it as well and laughed to herself.
Bella was left standing there, plate in hand as she watched the scene unfold. She figured she wouldn't have to wash dishes on her first night there, anyway.
"Ha! looks like you're the last one, kiddo." Kai said, and patted her shoulder as he left the room. Bella looked bewildered and turned to Cole.
"Gotta be a little faster next time, huh?" Was the only condolence Cole offered.
Nya passed her plate off to Jay and he carried them into the kitchen. "I'll show you where we keep the soap." She said. "Lloyd, how about you help? It'll go faster with the two of you."
Nya lead the two to the kitchen, and pulled out the dish soap from underneath the sink. She set out two sponges for them and smiled. "Alright, get to work." She said, and reached out to ruffle Lloyd's hair.
Lloyd grumbled a bit to himself, but he quickly began to wash. It seemed he'd grown accustomed to the ninja's tricks, and was often tasked with chores. After a moment, he gave her a sideways glance, as if to urge her to help. She stepped up onto the long stool in front of the sink and began to work.
"I always get dish duty." Lloyd muttered as he worked, mostly to himself.
Bella looked up, watching him for a second. He was a bit taller than her, with light, blonde hair. (His haircut was pretty terrible, though, and seemed a bit outdated.) He wore a green hoodie. His eyes were blue around the edges and more green towards the center; she found them interesting.
"I didn't think I'd be put to work so soon." Bella said, offering some conversation.
"Welcome to the Bounty." Lloyd replied. "They sure love dumping work on me."
Bella mustered a small laugh. "Sounds like Cole." She said.
Lloyd scoffed with a smile. "Cole's not even the worst one. Jay and Kai are the laziest." He said and shook his head. "Make me clean up everything all the time."
"Oh. Yeah..." Bella answered. She'd only ever lived with Cole and her father, and even then, Cole had been off at school most of the time. It was interesting to think the guys were almost like older brothers to Lloyd. Her own older brother had barely been around.
"You look like Cole, you know." Lloyd broke the silence after a moment. Bella looked at him. She honestly thought Cole looked more like her father and she looked like her mother.
"Do I?" She asked.
"Yeah. Same hair and stuff." Lloyd answered.
Well, of course they had the same hair. Their parents basically had the same hair, anyway. But this kid didn't know that.
"Yeah, both my mom and dad had darker hair." She said.
"Cole has cool hair." Lloyd continued. "It's like... rocker hair."
Bella laughed at this. "He has a Beatles haircut." She said. Cole had had the same haircut since he was a little kid, and she honestly didn't think he even knew how to break the cycle. He would just let it grow until he couldn't see very well, then he'd go to a barber shop for a trim.
"A Beatles haircut?" Lloyd asked.
Of course he didn't know what she was talking about. What eleven-year-old did? "It's a band from the 60s." She answered.
"Oh." Lloyd scratched his face with a damp finger. "Well, his hair is cool anyway."
"Yeah, I guess. His hair is wavier than mine." Bella said. It was a trait he'd inherited from their mother.
"Yeah. You guys have the same eyebrows, though."
Bella didn't know whether to be confused or offended. She felt a little bit of both. "Right." She said.
Lloyd seemed to pick up on her confusion. "I mean that in a good way! Like... you're very, um, serious." He said, and glanced toward her. She just looked at him.
"Like, you're very... expressive. Y'know? It's not a bad thing!"
Bella laughed softly. "I get that a lot." She said. "It's from my dad, I think."
"Oh, yeah. Cole looks a lot like your dad." Lloyd agreed.
A little bit of a silence fell over the two. Then, Lloyd spoke up again. "So... what do you like to do?"
"Um... I like to listen to music." She answered. "And I play video games."
"Cool!" Lloyd smiled. "What games?"
"Animal Crossing and Minecraft, mostly."
"Animal Crossing is a girl game." Lloyd said matter-of-factly. "But Minecraft is fun. I play sometimes. We have a console below deck, except Jay and Kai usually hog it." He rolled his eyes. "But I bet they would let us play Minecraft if you wanna play!"
"I'll play." She said.
"Cool. Maybe tomorrow-" Lloyd's sentence was cut off by the sound of the screen door being pushed open. It revealed Zane, who gave the two a smile.
"Hello there." He greeted. "Lloyd, Master Wu would like to speak with you."
Lloyd smiled, glad to be bailed from dish duty. But then he glanced at Bella, and his face fell a little. He felt bad for ditching her. After all, he knew that feeling all too well. "Oh, I'm not done yet..." He said.
"I can take over in your absence." Zane offered.
Lloyd smiled again and hopped off the footstool. "Thanks, Zane." He said, and stepped out the door.
Bella smiled shyly to Zane, and continued her work with the dishes. Zane stepped up next to her, leaning over the stool slightly. It was quiet for a moment, as it had been with Lloyd. But Zane's energy was much different from Lloyd's -- He was collected and calm, every one of his movements controlled.
"I'm sorry if it's been a bit overwhelming." Zane spoke. "Being here with us."
Bella looked up at him. He was washing dishes much faster than her, very methodical with his work. It was interesting. "No, it's been fine." She answered, but if she was honest it was pretty overwhelming being there. She was used to a much quieter environment. Less voices and less mess.
"I prefer it quieter, too." Zane said, as if he could hear what she was thinking about. "Everybody can be rather loud at times. But... you get used to it. Everyone is very kind." He offered with a small smile. Bella noticed his face was very symmetrical.
"I'm sure I'll have a good time." Bella answered. "It can't be too much different from my school."
"Do you stay at school for most of the year, then?" Zane asked.
Bella nodded. "Yeah, except I come home for holidays. And summer."
"Is it just you and your parents on holidays?" Zane asked. He was curious, after all the time Cole had been with the ninja he hadn't opened up much at all about his family. They had quite literally just learned he had a sister not three weeks ago.
Bella nodded. "Yeah, just me and my dad. Cole used to come around sometimes, but... Yeah. He doesn't really like Christmas, you know?" She managed a small laugh.
"Are your parents... separated?" Zane asked. He was treading on dangerous soil.
Bella paused for a moment. Cole really hadn't told them anything, huh?
"Um... no..." She said, averting her gaze. "My mom passed away when I was little." She swallowed. It was far from the whole story, but she didn’t exactly feel like telling him all the details at that moment.
"I'm sorry for your loss." Zane said after a moment. His voice was calm and soft. She'd never heard someone say those words so genuinely before.
She looked up at him and they locked eyes for a beat. Then, he smiled a little.
"Thank you." She said, and resumed her work.
"My father passed away as well." Zane continued, his voice low in the quiet room. "Some time ago."
"I'm sorry."
He smiled kindly, a sad sort of smile. "Thank you."
Another silence fell between the two, but this time it was more comfortable. They finished up the remaining dishes and put them in a pile to dry completely.
"I won't keep you any longer." Zane said as he placed the last dish to dry. "You're welcome to carry on to your room if you'd like."
"Thanks," She said and stepped off the stool. "I'll see you tomorrow." She was about to make her way out the door, when she stopped. "Hey, um... could you not... tell Cole I told you any of this?" She asked, standing in the doorway. "He doesn't really like to talk about our mom or anything. He's kinda touchy about that sort of stuff, you know?"
Zane smiled from where he stood by the sink. "I understand." He said with a little nod. "Don't worry. I keep secrets well." He replied good-naturedly.
"Thanks, Zane." She said, and walked out.
It was a bit late already, and the day had been tiring. Bella made her way back to her room, through the winding halls at the bottom of the ship. She paused at one of the doors near the bedrooms, hearing voices from inside. It seemed the boys were playing some video games before bed.
Bella moved on to her room, shutting the blinds and pulling out her toiletries for a shower. She was just picking out some pajamas when a knock came on the door.
"Come in." She called. She knew who it was.
Cole poked his head into the room with a little smile, seeing what she was doing. “Getting ready for bed?” He asked, leaning one arm on the doorframe.
“Yeah, I’m gonna take a shower.” She said with a little smile in return.
“Sounds good.” Cole replied, but lingered in the door an extra moment.
Bella looked up at him, watching him shift on his feet. “Goodnight.” She said tentatively.
“G’night.” He said, and tapped his nails against the wall. “Um, does Dad, uh.. Like, kiss you goodnight, or…?”
She almost laughed at this. “No, Dad hasn’t kissed me goodnight since I was like, six.”
Cole looked relieved. “Oh, okay.” He said, and stood up from where he was leaning on the door. “Oh! Here, I brought these for you,” He held out his hand.
Bella took the small case he held out to her. Inside were a pair of earplugs.
“I had an extra pair. We’ll be training in the morning, so I thought you might want them.”
“Thanks.” She said, and placed the case down on her bed.
“Well, goodnight.” Cole said, and stepped out the door. “I’ll see you tomorrow.”
“See you tomorrow.”
Cole left, and Bella took a shower. She brushed her teeth and climbed into bed, putting the earplugs in. They weren’t as cumbersome as she’d expected.
Soon the ship went quiet, and she slept.
ColeFan1234 (Guest) on Chapter 2 Wed 16 Jul 2025 07:06PM UTC
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