Work Text:
Throughout his decently long existence, Ling has always preferred the heat over the cold. It maybe has something to do with the fact that he had gotten used to making frequent trips across the desert back in his homeworld, but Ling knows how to deal with the heat. The cold, on the other hand…
“Hey, brat!” Greed calls out as he maneuvers their body upright from the snowbank they have landed in. “You gonna stay in there forever or what?”
“Don’t wanna,” Ling whines, “Too cold.”
“Damn brat.” Greed grumbles but doesn’t push the issue. He smooths out their trench coat and looks around. All he can see is snow, snow, some ice, and even more snow.
“Looks like we landed ourselves into Winter Wonderland.” He mutters. Being immortal means that the cold won’t kill them, but still, it is quite uncomfortable. “You have any idea where the nearest civilization is?”
Taking the cue, Ling pushed his senses outward, feeling for any flicker of chi in what looks like a winter wasteland. He frowns as something brushes up against his radar.
“There’s something up North,” he informs Greed, “… it doesn’t really feel human, though.”
His companion merely shrugs and starts in that direction. “Maybe the inhabitants of this world aren’t humans.”
“Maybe…” Ling frowns, “But there is something a bit unnatural about this chi…”
“Well, since it’s the only thing you sense right now, I say we check it out anyway.”
Ling, finding nothing wrong with this logic, lets Greed leads them further up North. All the while, he continues to tap into the Dragon’s Pulse to scan their surroundings.
“What do you think we’re gonna find when we reach the source of all that chi?” Greed strikes up a conversation as he leaps over a fallen pine tree.
“I dunno,” Ling hums, “I hope they’re friendly at least.”
“Pfft, that’ll be so boring. We haven’t had a good fight in a while.”
“…That’s a good thing, Greed.”
“To a boring little pissant like you, maybe.”
Ling merely rolls his eyes in response, but before he can offer a retort, a sudden realization hits him.
Greed, sensing his abrupt mood change, calls out, “Kid?”
“Shh,” The former Emperor of Xing hushes. Following his companion’s sudden seriousness, the Homunculus halts and drops into a defensive crouch.
“What? Is someone coming? Did you sense something?”
“No… I don’t sense anything at all.”
“Then what’s the big idea, kid?” Greed hisses and throws his hands up in exasperation, “You scared the crap outta me! What’s with the serious tone, huh?!”
“No, no. This is serious, Greed,” Ling retorts, “Listen to me. Usually, I can sense living things, but this forest’s too quiet. I can’t sense anything at all!”
“It’s in the middle of winter here. Don’t animals hibernate or something?” Greed dismisses as he distractively picks up a pinecone on the ground.
“Not all animals hibernate, Greed.” Ling muttered, annoyed, “And even so, I should still sense them if they’re asleep. Greed, … I don’t think there’s anything living in this forest at all.”
That finally gives the sin a pause. He takes a long look at his surroundings. Is it just him, or is the forest suddenly seems a whole lot more menacing?
“It’s not just you. Something about this place doesn’t feel right.”
“…Well, it’s not like we can do anything about it now.” Greed clears his throat to compose himself and continues to walk forwards, “We just gotta see what’s waiting for us here.” He suddenly laughs, “It looks like this place won’t be boring after all!”
Ling snorts, “Of course you’ll be excited about that. Still, be careful, will you?”
“Yeah, yeah. You worry too much, and you said so yourself, there’s nothing around us, anyway. You just worry that you won’t have anything to eat, don’t you? Admit it, you brat!”
Ling lets out an overly dramatic gasp of mock hurt, “How dare you accuse me of such a thing?! I’m hurt. You know I haven’t collapsed in 3 months now!”
“You say it like it’s such a huge achievement! It’s hilarious!”
Ling squawks in anger and the two quickly fall back into the long-established routine of good-natured ribbing. The gloom of the forest doesn’t seem so oppressive anymore.
Within the Castle of Ice, Vex struts through its frozen halls with purpose. Everywhere he goes, guards and servants bow to him with furtive gazes fix on the ground. None of them dare to look at General Vex in the eyes.
Vex feels himself preen as he thought about his title. Even after all this time, he sometimes cannot believe his fortune. But all of this is very real, everything he has worked so hard for has come to fruition, everyone who has ever looked down on him has paid, and here he is, in the position of ultimate power.
However, he knows better than to become complacent since his work is far from over. Power requires maintenance after all, and if something were to come along and threaten his position, he will take care of it.
Vex snaps out of his thoughts as he arrives at the throne room. The servants are quick to announce his presence and he hardly spares them a glance as the heavy doors swing open. He instead lets his gaze travel upon the magnificent sight of the throne encased in cold blue ice. On top of it gleams the metallic figure of the Ice Emperor. Covered in metal and ice, the creature who brought forth this eternal winter cuts a cold and intimidating figure. Eerie inhumanly bright eyes shine through the heavy shadow casted by his crown and follow Vex’s approach.
The Ice Emperor is an ethereal god walking amongst mortal men, and he is Vex’s to control and puppet however he likes.
As his gaze drifts from the Emperor to his scepter, Vex feels irritation rises within him. If only that accursed thing had worked for him, it would have been him who’s sitting upon that throne and looking down at the world, not this metal man.
Still, I am already Emperor in all but name, He reminds himself and soothes down his irritation before it reaches his face, It matters not who sits on that chair or how many hoops I had to jump through to get here, I’m the one with all the authorities. The so-called Emperor is but a puppet.
With that, he bows to the Emperor, “Good morning, Your Majesty. I come bearing news that maybe of interest to you.”
With a small pause, the Ice Emperor’s distorted metallic voice rings out, “Vex, my trusted advisor, what news do you bring to me?”
“I bring news of a strange appearance of a stranger, Your Highness,” Vex reaches inside of his robe and pulls out the crystal screen, “He was spotted two days ago. After observing him, we determined that he is heading for your castle, Your Highness.”
“He is just another vagabond who wishes to witness the might of the Castle of Ice. Why would I care about this stranger?”
Vex smirks, “But, Your Majesty, this stranger appears to have abilities that are out of this world.” That seems to catch the metal man’s attention. “Here, Your Majesty, a few hours ago, this stranger got into a struggle with a pack of Frost Wolves. Please look here, Your Majesty, I believe this will clear up any doubt you have about my claim.”
Handing the recording device to the Ice Emperor, Vex steps back. He has no need to view the footage again for he has seen it so many times he can recite it by heart now.
The first time Vex became aware of the stranger was indeed two days ago. At the time, Vex had dismissed the man, much like the Emperor had. The stranger had looked ragged and tired just like so many peasants who thought they could come to his castle and demand things of him, and just like them, this stranger would be taken care of by the guards or the Dragon, that is if the unforgiving winter doesn’t get to him first. So, Vex had put the stranger out of mind and instead focused on that stubborn settlement that is planning treason with those “ninjas”.
Not long after that, however, news of destroyed packs of Frost Wolves reached him, immediately piquing his interest, and his mind returned to the strange man. It did not take long to find the man again using his Clairvoyant Crystal. He did not look any worse to wear and in fact is now spotting a brand-new wolf pelt around his shoulders. With his attention fully caught, Vex spent the next day observing the man, but aside from the fact that he constantly talked to himself and had some strange mannerisms, the stranger did not do anything to show how he was able to take down a whole pack of Frost Wolf.
That is until two hours ago.
Vex can see it when he closes his eyes. The way the stranger seemed to know the wolves were coming, the inhuman strength and speed he displayed as he fought, and most impressive of all, the way his skin turned into stone as he reduced a wolf’s fearsome jaw into a bloody mess.
Vex can see the instance the Emperor sees what he saw. His too-bright eyes widen a fraction as he pauses the recording and rewinds, twice. It brings him no small amount of satisfaction to see the normally stoic Ice Emperor loses his footing. It is another reminder that no matter how inhuman he looks, the Emperor still experiences human emotions – emotions that can be manipulated.
“Do you see now, Your Highness?” Vex croons as the Emperor puts down the crystal, “This cannot be a coincidence. First, it was those five ninjas appearing, now this man arrives wielding strange powers.”
“You’re right,” The Ice Emperor grumbles, “Perhaps he, too, is coming for my scepter.” His grip on the staff of power tightens, “I will have Boreal deal with him personally.”
“You are very wise to exercise caution, My Emperor,” says Vex, “However, I would advise you not to be so hasty in your decision.”
“What do you mean?”
Vex smirks inwardly. This man is still so suggestible. “While it is true that this stranger may be a threat, he has not done anything in the past two days to explicitly prove so. Therefore, there is a chance he is an ally or can be made into one…”
“You suggest we use the Corrupted Ice on him?”
“That’s right, Your Highness,” Vex purrs, “With his abilities, he can make a worthy addition to your mighty army, and if he does prove to be… uncooperative, surely we can simply strike him down where he stands.”
Vex already knows the outcome of this conversation, but it still fills him with glee to see the almighty Ice Emperor bows to his words so easily.
“Very well.” agrees the metal man, “I will send a team to escort this man to the castle. Is this all you have to bring to me?”
“Yes, Your Highness,” Vex bows, “I would like to start making preparations for our guess, now.”
The Emperor nods. Vex bows again and begins to retreat. As he steps out of the throne room, he hears the Emperor calls out, “I am very grateful to you, my trusted advisor. I know I can always count on you to guide me in these troubling times.”
Vex has to actively fight to keep the corner of his lips from curling up. Instead, he puts on his humble advisor face and bows to the Emperor, “You honor me with your trust, Your Highness. You can always count on me to do my utmost to uphold that trust.”
It did not take long to locate and bring the man to the castle. He was surprisingly cooperative, which is a nice change of pace to how these interactions with lowly peasants usually go. It makes Vex’s hope to integrate this new power into the Ice Empire rises.
He feels anticipation rises as he awaits the announcement of the arrival of the stranger. He spares a glance at his Emperor and briefly wonders what is going on in that metal head of his. However, with the chance for more power so close he could taste it, not even his usual annoyance at the inscrutable face of the metal ruler can bring his mood down.
He doesn’t have long to wait, thankfully, because at that moment the doors swing open, and in comes the stranger flanked by an imperial guard. In-person, he admittedly does not look so impressive. The man looks young, probably around 20, with long black hair tied into a low ponytail. With his slanted eyes squinted shut and a genial smile on his face, the stranger looks like just another clueless village idiot. Still, Vex knows there is more to him than his appearance. After all, he has witnessed it.
The stranger drops into a low bow, “Your Majesty,” He addresses. The perfect mannerism manages to take Vex aback for a second. It looks like this one is familiar with court proceedings.
“Rise, stranger,” commands the Ice Emperor, and the stranger obeys, “You were spotted loitering around these lands. State your name and your business here.”
“My name is Ling Yao, Your Highness,” The young man’s, now known as Ling Yao’s, expression does not change from that genial smile, “and I am simply a traveler who found himself lost in foreign lands. That’s all.”
Ah. Tight-lipped, are you? No matter.
“We welcome you, Ling Yao, the traveler,” Vex speaks up, “I hope you find the sight of our magnificent Castle of Ice rejuvenating.”
The young man’s expression twitches by the slightest degree, “Yes. The castle certainly is… magnificent.” He straightens up a little, and his cordial manner shifts into a more curious one, “If I may ask, Your Highness, why is it that you have summoned me here? Surely a simple wanderer like me cannot have warranted a one-on-one audience with His Highness?”
Vex can barely keep his expression straight at this. This one has guts and is a lot smarter than he looks, too. The way he arranges his expression, the way he minces his words and the way he carries himself are all quite deliberate. Clearly, this one is no stranger to worming his way into getting what he wants.
However, this, here, is Vex’s court, and he is the only puppeteer here. He will make sure to teach this boy who is in control.
“The Emperor’s rule in his Empire is absolute,” Vex begins to descend the stairs to approach the black-hair man, “His reach is far and wide, and he has eyes in every corner of the world.” He reaches the bottom of the stairs with his eyes glued onto the stranger’s expression as he speaks his next words, “He saw a glimpse of the most wonderous of sights. He saw a traveler with strange abilities. He saw that this stranger is a warrior like no other. He saw that this warrior can harden his skin into stone.”
He watches in satisfaction as the boy’s carefully sculpted expression cracks and gives way to unadulterated surprise. He clearly did not know that he had been watched.
“Now, tell your Emperor again, traveling warrior,” Vex exclaims, “What is someone of your ability doing here, in our land?”
“I was not lying, My Lord,” denied the stranger, now looking a little spooked, “I really am not from around here, and I am lost… As for my abilities, I was born with it, and I cannot explain it. Please, believe me, My Lord, I mean no harm.”
Vex frowns. Ling appears to be truthful. Not that it really matters in the end, anyway.
“Tell me, stranger, do you, by any chance, hail from a land called ‘Ninjago’?” Inquires Vex.
The young man knits his eyebrows together, and his head tilts aside in confusion, “No, I have never heard of such a place. I come from Xing, My Lord.”
Hmm…
“And you come here alone, correct?”
“Yes, My Lord.”
“And have you ever heard of a group of colorfully dressed anarchists who called themselves ‘Master of Spinjitsu’?”
Now the young man’s face twists into one of dubiousness, “No, My Lord. I’m sure I would know if I ran into such… characters.”
Hm. Good enough for now. Time to move on to more important matters.
“Very well. We have a proposal for you, traveler.” The man looks at him in intrigue, and Vex continues, “Why don’t you become a part of the Empire.”
“…Huh?” Startled by the abruptness of the offer, Ling was thrown off for a second.
“That’s right. We can offer you food and shelter, and we will provide monetary compensation, as well. All we ask of you is that you contribute your strength in securing this great Emperor from rebels who wish to shatter the peace and steal the throne for themselves.”
“…You want me to be your mercenary.”
Vex’s patience is starting to run thin, “That is a rather crass way to put it, but if you want to see it that way, then yes. We wish to hire you.”
“I am… honored, My Lord,” Ling looks uncomfortable and tense, “but this is such a sudden proposal, and I truly do not intend on staying here for long…”
Vex frowns inwardly. It looks like he is losing this man. Perhaps it would have been easier to just corrupt him right away and begone with all of this pomp, but he had wanted to be the one to bring this power over to his side without any assistance from the Emperor. No matter, that is still on the table, and at the end of the day, he doesn’t really care how he gets it as long as he has more power. He exchanges a look with the Emperor.
“This man was offered a chance of a lifetime to be a part of the Empire, yet he has the nerve to turn it down.” Vex sneers as he steps back to the Emperor’s side, “He means to slight you, Your Majesty, after you have extended your kindness to him!”
“—What! No, I wasn’t –”
“SILENCE!” The Emperor slams the scepter on the floor, and a shockwave of ice-cold winds erupts outwards. He points the blade at Ling and declares, “Remember, traveler, I gave you the chance to join me willingly. Now you will see what happens to people who dare to stand against me!”
With that, black ice blasts forward, looking to encase the young man, and everything devolves into utter pandemonium.
After all is said and done, Zane remembers little about his time… on the throne. Too little if anyone were to ask him about it. It’s another grim reminder of how terrifyingly easy it had been for his head to be messed with. Sure, logically (and as his friends keep insisting), it was the Scroll’s doing, but he cannot help but feel that his amnesia has been the catalyst that jumpstarted his descent into madness.
(After all this time, he sometimes cannot help but wonder how things would have been different if I had been flesh and blood instead of metal and wires. Would Vex have been able to get such a tight hold on him had his memory not been damaged?)
In the aftermath of everything, after his friends, his family, somehow convinced everyone not to execute him on the spot, Grimfax, the rightful ruler of this land, had wanted to take no chance and had him thrown into the dungeon. His team had protested, but he went willingly. He was, however, relieved when the re-instilled King agreed to put Vex and him on opposite ends of the dungeon.
So here he is, alone in his cell, awaiting his fate. He has no doubt that his family will find a way to get him home. However, this thought does little to put him at ease. Zane knows his siblings too well, and he hates to put them in a position where they have to destroy the goodwill the people of this Realm have for them to get him out of trouble.
He briefly wonders what he should do if such a scenario were to come to pass. Should he resign himself to the judgment of this Realm and answer for his crimes, but in doing so condemn his family to live through the pain of losing him again; or should he let himself be taken home, but he would be denying the people of this Realm the justice they deserve and putting his siblings through the guilt of betraying the friends they have made here.
“Hey. Hey! Are you asleep or something?”
Startled from his morbid thoughts, Zane looks up through the bars of his cell at the face of his designated bodyguard, whose foreign purplish red eyes are staring at him with passive concern.
“Oh good!” The young man grins, “They brought you some fresh clothes. Couldn’t be comfortable wearing that old gi… The kid in blue said you had that on for over a century at this point. That true?”
“… Yes, that is true,” Zane replies and demurely takes the offered garments from the man’s hands. He idly notes the strange tattoo on the back of his left one.
“Oh man, that’s wild! Not having to sweat sure comes in handy, huh?” The man pulls back and laughs like it’s the funniest thing in the world.
Slightly baffled, Zane takes the opportunity to look at his guard again. He is young and tall with long black hair tied in a low ponytail. Zane has the impression they had met before, and he is willing to bet that meeting had not gone well, judging by the fact that the man was with Lloyd in storming the castle and tearing the scepter from his hand. The nindroid’s recollection of the events is blurry, but he distinctively remembers the man’s arm being covered in a stone-like texture that protected him from the ice blasts.
Zane was not too surprised when this stranger, Ling Yao, as he was introduced (but he called himself something else during that fight, if Zane’s not mistaken,) was nominated to be his jailer. None of the palace guards wanted anything to do with him, and the ones that did could not be trusted not to try and stab him once they were alone. Grimfax also refused to let one of the ninjas guards him as there is a real chance they would try to help him escape. It made sense for a stranger, as the most neutral faction in that room, to fill the position. It was an option that no one was happy with, which made it a good compromise.
For his part, Ling Yao performs his duty well enough, if not a little improper. He shows no interest in bursting Zane out or stabbing him. He only seems curious about Zane’s metal composition, which the nindroid sees no harm in indulging in as most of his questions are harmless everyday things Jay would ask him when his nature was first revealed.
Thinking of those days only makes him melancholic. SFM, what he would give to go back to those simpler days. He wonders what his past self would have thought if he had ever found out that, one day, his future self would be sitting in a cell awaiting his sentencing for committing war crimes.
“Hey. Hey, kid! Are you still in there?”
Zane snaps out of his pondering at the sudden loud noise, “I’m listening,” he calls out, “Why? Did something happen?”
“What? No. You’ve been standing there staring at the clothes for a minute now.” Ling’s frown deepens. “Oh shit, you’re not, uh… hurt, are you? Should I call someone?”
“No, I am alright. My system is fully functional.”
“Well, ok then. That’s, uh, good.”
They lapse into silence as Zane pulls off his damaged gi. (It’s funny how in all those years he had - the Ice Emperor had ruled, Vex had never once suggested he changed into something a little less tattered. It really shows how much the formless Formling cared for his so-called friend.) He does feel a little better when he puts on his new clothes. As he finishes folding his gi into a neat pile, Ling Yao clears his throat.
“How are you feeling, Zane?”
Is his audio processor damaged, or does Ling’s voice sounds a little different just now?
“…I’m alright. My system is perfectly func—”
“— That’s not what I’m asking,” Zane freezes as Ling cracks open a dark eye (weren’t his eyes red before?) to look at him, “I mean, how are you feeling, Zane?”
The nindroid hesitates. How is he supposed to answer that? He is feeling so many things right now that nothing is fully registering in his mind. Well, guilt is pretty prevalent right now, he supposes.
“I could be worse.” He decides.
“…Are you sure? Because… what you went through… It was messed up—”
“I know that.” Zane cuts him off and immediately feels even more guilt at the startled look on Ling’s face. “I’m sorry. It seems like I am more tired than I thought. If you would excuse me, I would like some rest.”
Ling opens his mouth but closes it again, looking conflicted. Perhaps it was rude of him the snap like that, especially at someone who was caught in the crossfire of his mistakes, but Zane doesn’t think he can have this conversation right now, not with someone he barely knows.
He turns away and walks towards the small cot in the corner of his cell. Somewhere back in his mind, he thinks of how Akita’s brother, Kataru, did not even have this much when he was imprisoned here.
“I had my memory taken away, once.”
That stops Zane in his track. The nindroid whips around, eyes wide. Ling Yao stands on the other side of the bars with one hand on the back of his head and shuffles on his feet. He looks uncomfortable, but his eyes (red again) are unwavering as Zane attempts to understand the implication of those words.
“Yeah…” Ling clears his throat, “It was a while ago. I got into a nasty fight and, uh, got my memories taken away by the bastard who had me kil—attacked. I ended up working for him, too. Can you believe it?” he lets out a hollow laugh.
Zane continues to stare, speechless.
“I… During that time, I did a bunch of bad things, and I… well, I…”
“You… don’t have to say anything if you don’t want to.” Zane finds himself blurting it out on reflex despite the curiosity burning him alive. What this stranger is saying sounds far too familiar to be real, but there is sincerity in Ling’s eyes. That pain on his face is real, and the bitterness in his voice is… Well, Zane’s chest is filled with it right now.
“Nah, I want to.” Ling says, and a look of determination crosses his feature, “Kid, I ended up killing my friend.”
Zane’s mind turns static. For a split second, he can see it: the petrified faces of his family staring at him. Lloyd, Nya, Kai, Jay, and Cole lying unmoving at his feet with skin a deathly cold blue and eyes staring unseeingly at him.
Zane cannot puke, but right now, he feels like his metal wirings are trying to escape through his throat.
“I… that’s horrible. I’m so sorry.” It feels incredibly inadequate, but Zane cannot think of anything else to say.
Ling shakes his head, “Don’t be. It was a long time ago. And as you can see, I got better.” He smiles, but it was an unconvincing thing.
Zane swallows the knot in his throat. He finds it impossible to imagine going through that nightmare. The fight is fuzzy in his mind, but he remembers the aftermath. Lloyd has taken the brunt of his – of the Emperor’s – attacks, but he is whole, and he was solid and warm when they embraced afterward. All of his siblings were, and they still are warm, healthy, and alive.
He looks at Ling and shudders as he thinks about how he could have hurt him, too. And Akita, and all of those soldiers in the crossfire, and the villages that he ordered to be demolished and frozen over and –
“– Hey! Hey! Kid, breathe!”
“Does he even breathe? He’s metal, right?”
“I dunno, he’s kinda like Al, right? And Al breaths.”
“… Did Al breath??”
Vaguely, Zane can hear Ling arguing with what sounds like himself. His voice seems to shift in two different tones with each sentence. How strange…
There is the clanking sound of his cell’s door being opened, rapid footsteps, and suddenly there is a warm hand on his shoulder.
Ling’s face is hovering in front of his, and Zane tries to flinch away. He does not want to hurt this kind stranger. Already, his hands are covered in frost. He has to get away before he hurts anyone else. He has to –
“Hey. Look at me,” Ling demands as he grasps Zane’s frost-covered hands. The nindroid startles and tries to jerk away, but Ling holds firm.
“I’m ok, and you’re ok. Come on, breathe with me.”
Zane opens his mouth to tell Ling that he needs to let go or he is going to get frostbite or worse, but he catches sight of the grey metallic texture of Ling’s hands.
Oh, that’s right, Zane thinks dimly, He can’t really get hurt. I can’t hurt him.
With that, he finally manages to relax and follow the rhythm of Ling’s breathing. It’s familiar, but he’s usually the one on the other side of this.
After what feels like forever, he gathers enough of himself to say thank you.
“That’s good.” Ling lets out a sigh of relief.
“I’m sorry, for everything.”
“Sorry? What for? None of this is your fault.”
“But it is. I brought the long winter. I condemned all those villages. I –”
“—Is it my fault that my friend died?”
Zane jumps like he has been slapped, “No! Of course not. But that’s different.”
“Different how?”
“You – You didn’t ask for your memories to be taken away. You weren’t yourself when you – when you did what you did.”
Ling snorts derisively, “So were you. Did you ask for that slimy son of a bitch to tamper with your head?”
“Of course not!” Zane snaps. He can feel anger rising at the mention of Vex. His memory might still be fuzzy, but it doesn’t take a genius to piece everything together, “But it was my choice to keep that staff. If I had just destroyed it or just left it behind –”
“From what I gathered, that staff was a powerful artifact. You couldn’t just leave it in the wilderness, and considering your circumstances then, you needed it to survive.” Ling prows on when Zane looks like he’s about to argue, “It is not your fault that the bastard decided to take advantage of you when you were vulnerable, alright? And I’m sure everyone here knows that, too. If they don’t, they’re a moron, and I’ll gladly punch them in the face for you.”
The sudden and casual declaration of violence for his sake startles a laugh out of him, “Please don’t,” Zane gasps out, “I don’t want you to get into trouble for attacking the king.”
“Eh, I’ve already attacked an emperor here, what’s another ruler to add to the list?”
That finally makes Zane laugh. It feels good. He has not laughed in over a century now, and Ling soon joins in. He slaps the ninja’s back in mirth, and he is once again reminded of his team, but there is none of the guilt, just hope for the future. His family is still alive and whole, and he has faith that he will feel their warmth again very soon, and that gives him enough strength to face whatever may come tomorrow.
“Thank you, my friend.” Zane smiles, “It occurs to me that we never actually introduce ourselves. My name is Zane Julien, Master of Ice. It is a pleasure to meet you.”
Ling’s face blooms into a toothy grin as he puffs out his chest and declares in a rather dramatic fashion, “The name’s Greed, kid. Nice to meet ya, too.”
Zane blinks, “I’m sorry… I thought your name was Ling Yao?”
“Huh? Oh right. Guess no one told you. I’m Greed.” He emphasizes.
“And I’m Ling.”
Zane stares. He seems to be doing a lot of that today. He has not been imagining it. Ling’s, or Greed’s, voice did change. So did their eyes’ colors, and, now that he was paying attention, their postures and expressions change as well.
“It’s a pretty long story.” Ling laughs with his eyes shut in a happy squint that makes his whole face a lot more friendly and approachable than Greed’s toothy smirk. “But we’re basically two people sharing a body.”
“... Well, I don’t think I’m getting out of this cell anytime soon.”
That was all the prompting the man needs. He launches into the tale of his homeworld, and as Zane listens and watches Greed and Ling pass control of their body to add details and flourishes to their story, he thinks that is nothing else, he can say that he has made one or two new friends in the Never Realm.
As the long winter finally comes to an end and spring arrives, Zane feels himself more alive than ever before.