Stuck in the Past (Sequel to Stuck in the Future)

Chapter 10

"Maybe," Nya responded, rubbing slow circles on Maya's back. "but, you're strong. I know you, Keith, and Mo will handle it really well."

"And, Maya, don't forget: We can do this." Jay finished, kissing the top of her head. Maya gripped Jay harder, not willing to let go. Never again.

Kai was mad. No, he was fuming. How could Skylor be so rude to him? Sure, he was busy, but he still cared! He still loved her! It was Maya's fault. She was the one who brought up Keith. It was going so well, but she pulled the classic Jay Walker move and opened her big, fat mouth. Kai knew that he should be nice to Maya, she didn't mean for this to happen, but he hated the thought of fighting with Skylor. If blaming Maya made him feel better, so be it.

He eventually glanced around him as he drove, gauging where he was, a long way out of the city, and Kai realized he was on the road to Jamanakai. Well, what could he lose by going there? Maybe his parents would have good advice for him.

Finally, after a long drive, he arrived, pulling up to the old blacksmith shop, now reopened. As he got out of his car, his father walked out to greet him, a smile on his face. But, the smile faltered when Ray saw the condition his son was in.

Kai suddenly became self-conscious about himself, and thought back to what he just did. Well, he rode up to the shop, stopped his car, and got out, right? If that was it, why was his face wet?

Was he crying? Impossible! Kai never cried anymore...

"Kai, what's wrong?Are you all right?" Ray asked, wrapping Kai in a quick hug. Kai shrugged, and let his father lead him inside.

"Maya? It's Kai, could you prepare some tea?" Ray hollered, and Kai half expected to hear a young girl respond, but he heard his mother's voice instead.

In a few moments, Maya came out, holding a tray with tea, cups, and some cookies. She sat down beside Kai once she set it down, while Ray sat in what was deemed 'his chair'.

"What happened, Kai? You can tell us." His mother said softly, rubbing the back of his head. Kai melted into the embrace, glad that he had come.

Kai wasn't a touchy person, he really wasn't. When Jay or Lloyd woke up with nightmares, it wasn't him giving them hugs, telling them it was okay. And, when someone went to give Kai a hug, he would always push them away. He wasn't sure why. Maybe he didn't want to need that reassurance that someone was there, or need that love. He always felt that he was meant to do everything himself, but now, at this moment, he realized that that wasn't true. He needed people, he needed to be hugged. He needed his parents.

"Mom...me and Skylor fought. At the worst time. The world could be ending right about now and we needed Skylor to help but she got angry with me, and I got angry, and.." At this moment, he remembered what he had done. " Oh, no! What did I do! I left her all by herself, in the city, and Jay and Nya are going to kill me...."

"Kai, slow down, please. What's really going on?"

So, Kai told them everything. About going to the future, meeting his future son, his future niece, Nadakhan coming back, and that they were now stuck in their time. He told them about how Cole was captured, how they were getting everyone's help, and how Skylor was mad at him for not spending enough time with him. He told them how he had left Jay and Nya's daughter in the city, and that he had no clue what to do.

Kai, being honest, felt a lot better. He just had to get it all off of his chest.

Once he finished, his father placed his teacup down, overwhelmed with information. "That's a lot to understand."

Kai grimly nodded. "I know."

Maya stood up, and walked towards the window. "Your son from the future, how much does he look like you? Spiky hair, hazel eyes, a passion built from fire?"

Kai furrowed his brow in confusion. "Yea...that's him. How did you know?"

"A child came, not long before you did. He looked like you, just younger. More scared. He told me that you two were friends, and that he wanted to see you as soon as possible. I told him that we were not expecting to see you, and he left."

"Wait, what? He came here?"

"Looking for you, apparently." Ray said. He grabbed Kai's arm lightly, pulling him off of the couch. " I know you're going through a lot right now, but I think your son needs you."

Kai nodded, and headed outside. Before he hopped into his vehicle, though, Maya shouted from inside.

"Kai! What's his name?"

Kai smiled. "Keith!" He was proud when he said that, like a father would be. He could comfortably say he was like this kid's dad, but now he just had to find him. Hopefully it wouldn't be too hard.

Cole sat in the dark tavern Nadakhan threw him in, he thought that he was underground, and fought the vengestone chain once again, but he knew it was fruitless.

His mind filled with the horror stories Jay told him about, Scrap-N-Tap, the cleaning, the ridicule. Cole really hoped that he could handle it, but he was beginning to doubt himself.

He felt the steady presence of the earth around him. He didn't know where he was, but he was surrounded by earth, that was clear. That should help him, right? Connecting to his element and all?

He yanked on the chain harder, grunting. Soon, he heard footsteps head his way, and looked up, seeing a green snake make his way to him, a key in hand.

"He-he-hello, C-Cole. I'm Clancee!." He said, stuttering. Cole thought back to what Jay had said, when he told his story.

Then there was Clancee, probably the nicest one there. All he wanted to do was scrub the deck, and he was obedient to Nadakhan, but never said a wish of his own accord. I think that he just wanted to belong. He was probably the only reason I stayed strong. If he hated me, called me names, along with everyone else, I would've broken long before you guys found me.

"Hey, Clancee. Letting me go?" Cole said, mustering kindness he didn't think he had. He said it with purpose though, hopefully telling the snake that he wasn't asking.

"Oh-oh, no! The Cap-captian what to see you!" Clancee said, and undid Cole's chains. As soon as he was free, the Master of Earth shoved the snake away, and made a run for it through the tunnels.

It was twist after twist after turn, and Cole had no clue how to get out. He heard footsteps behind him, and turned around, seeing Nadakhan's crew charge for him. He looked forward once again, and had no time to stop when Doubloon jumped in front of him from an adjacent tunnel, hitting him in the head with his staff.

Stars danced across Cole's vision, and as a last-ditch attempt, he moved the earth around him, forcefully, without care. He felt the earth rumble around him, and he pushed harder. Eventually, the darkness consumed his vision, the pain in his mind, and his body gave up due to the effort he was putting in, and he blacked out.

He had no clue what he had done with the earth.