Though you be only a memory now... you will never be forgotten.

Kai rested his hand softly on the cold stone, gently tracing the carved letters and sighing heavily. It had been only three weeks since the funeral, yet it felt like a lifetime. A lifetime of pain.

Only a shadow remained now- the shadow of the memories left behind.

Memories and mourners.

Part of him simply refused to believe that the Sensei was really gone. The rest could see no other option.

It had happened while they were out on a mission. They'd been ambushed by bandits, and in the resulting struggle things had gone wrong. A lit stick of dynamite had come into the mix, and when the smoke cleared, he was just... gone. Wu had been closest to the explosion- at that range, no one could have survived.

Yet after all this time, something in him would not accept that Wu had really left them- left them never to return.

He forced the thought away. Deep inside he knew there was no chance. Wu was gone.

And Kai blamed himself for that fact.

He'd been the one who suggested they take the more dangerous road through the pass in order to catch up to their quarry more quickly. If they'd taken the safer road, they would never have been attacked.

Wu would still be here.

"I'm sorry," he whispered, "I'm so sorry. This is my fault. If it weren't for you, I would never have become who I am today... and this is how I repay you?"

There was no answer, save for the mournful whispering of wind in the trees. He closed his eyes, covering his face with his hands. What had he done?

It was several minutes before the sound of footsteps behind him roused him from his thoughts. Nya had come quietly down the path, kneeling softly down next to him.

"They said I might find you here," she said quietly.

He looked away, fixing his gaze on a clump of tall grass beside the grave. "This is all my fault. If it weren't for me, Wu would still be here. It should have been me instead of him."

Nya laid her hand gently on his shoulder. "None of us could have known, Kai. It wasn't your fault."

"Then why do I still feel responsible?" he asked, and then shook his head, unable to lift his gaze.

"All of us are hurting, Kai. When you lose someone... it's not like you can just push them out of your mind and be done. That wouldn't even be right. But we can't let losing the Sensei keep us from doing what we need to do- and that's to defend Ninjago."

"But how are we supposed to fight without his guidance? He was everything to us!" Kai protested, "I can't just let him go! I can't- we need him! We need him, and he's gone!"

"No one's asking you to just let him go," Nya said softly. "We all miss him dearly, and we always will- even if the pain fades with time. But he wouldn't want us to give up just because he's gone."

Kai closed his eyes for a long moment, and then straightened. "You're right. I... I'm sorry."

"No need to apologize," she assured him. "I know how you feel."

He nodded, getting to his feet. "Thank you."

"Not at all. I'm your sister- this is what siblings do."

He smiled slightly, but suddenly grew more serious. His eyes clouded thoughtfully- a crowd had gathered down the street from the quiet cemetery.

Nya sensed the change immediately. "Kai? What's wrong?"

He shook his head. "I don't know- but something's happening over there." He pointed. Nya turned to look, and her eyes darkened with worry.

"That's right in front of the noodle house!" she breathed.

"I know," he murmured, "I know..."

"Kai... you don't think something happened, do you?"

"I don't know," he whispered, and then turned back to her, "But we're going to find out. Come on!"

Both of them ran toward the noodle house. A large crowd had gathered outside, murmuring disapprovingly at the large "Closed" sign in the window. Kai slowed, spotting it, and frowned, eyes narrowing uneasily.

"Closed? But... Skylor didn't say anything about closing the shop... and she always tells me if she's going to close it down for a few days no matter what the reason!" He pulled out his phone.

"You're calling her?" Nya asked.

"Yeah," he said, "Something might be wrong. I need to make sure she's okay..."

The phone rang several times, but no one answered. Finally the answering machine picked up. "Please leave a message at the tone," it informed him.

Kai took a deep breath. "Hey Sky, it's me. I just saw that the shop was closed, and I wanted to make sure everything was okay... anyway, when you get this, please give me a call. I just want to make sure you're alright..." He hung up the phone, inhaling slowly.

"Didn't answer?" Nya questioned.

Kai shook his head. "No. I... I'm worried... I've just got the feeling that something is wrong..."

"Me too," Nya admitted. "Me too..."

He started dialing numbers into his phone. "I'm calling the others. If something's wrong, we need to get to the bottom of it..."

"What are you going to do?" Nya asked him.

"I'm gonna go to Skylor's apartment," he told her. "She's used to me dropping in from time to time- if nothing's wrong, the worst that could happen is that we catch her while she's busy and find out that she just forgot to call. And if something is wrong... well, we'll find out." He straightened as Jay picked up the phone. "Yeah, hi Jay... Nya and I are in Ninjago City, and we just noticed the noodle house is closed. Sky didn't mention anything about it when we talked the other day, and she's not picking up her phone, so we're just gonna go check and make sure she's okay. Any chance you could pass it on to the others and tell them to be on the alert in case something happens? Thanks!"

After Jay's affirmative answer, Kai put his phone away. "Skylor's apartment isn't far from here. We can get there in a few minutes if we hurry."

"Right," Nya agreed, "Let's go."

***

Kai stared in horrified disbelief at the police tape that blocked the door of the apartment next to Skylor's. The police in the foyer had barely allowed them to go upstairs at all- and even then it was only because the officers recognized Kai as a Ninja. Though Nya had continued to keep her identity hidden from most except for the other members of the team, Kai had managed to get her passage as well. Yet now that they had reached the scene in question, neither of them could quite believe that this was really happening.

"We need to get in and look around!" Nya breathed, "What if Skylor went in there?"

Kai shook his head. "The police already searched the area, and it's a crime scene now. We're not allowed to barge in. They said they evacuated the whole building, but Skylor and one other person weren't here." He moved to Skylor's door, pulling a key from his pocket and fitting it into the lock. "But Skylor hasn't come back yet, and they didn't find her when they searched the place. I can't fathom why she would have hidden during the search, but she might still be here- or she might have left a clue. I guess she knew something like this could happen, because she gave me this key in case I ever had to get inside when she wasn't around..."

The apartment was a bit messy from when the police had searched, but nowhere near as bad as what they'd been able to see of the neighboring apartment. The answering machine on the counter was blinking- three new messages. Kai knew one of them was probably his.

"Skylor!" he called, "Sky, are you in here? It's us!"

There was no answer. If Skylor was there, she was intent on staying hidden. If she wasn't... well, he was trying not to think about that option...

"Split up," Kai said, looking to Nya. "Search the place. And yell if you find anything."

She nodded, moving off into the kitchen and living room area. Kai moved toward the bedrooms.

His search yielded nothing- Skylor was nowhere to be found, nor had she left any clue by which he might trace her whereabouts. But as he turned back down the hall to return to the foyer, a faint sound caught his attention. He went still, and then softly turned, concentrating his energy on discerning its origin.

The sound came again- a faint sort of whimper, as if someone was crying. He couldn't tell if it was coming from Skylor's apartment or the one next door, but in any case it was coming from the direction of the bedrooms. He turned around, slipping back down the hallway, but was careful to remain quiet- both so that he could hear the sound, but also because whoever he could hear clearly wasn't answering his cries.

At last he stopped outside a forlorn little closet in the spare bedroom, which he'd overlooked the first time he'd searched. The soft whimpering was definitely coming from inside, behind the closed door, and he hesitated uncertainly. Who was here? Skylor would have no reason to hide- especially when she knew both he and the police had been searching high and low for her- but if it wasn't Skylor, who was it?

He cautiously reached for the doorknob, softly turning it. He wasn't sure how best to avoid scaring whoever was inside, but he guessed barging in at full speed would do more harm than good. As he opened the door, however, he gave a sharp gasp of surprise. "Skylor??"

Skylor was curled into a tight ball in the corner of the closet, trembling with fear, but she jerked upright at the sound of his voice, aware of his presence at last. Instead of running to him, however, she gave a little yelp and flattened herself against the wall, still shivering fearfully. "S-s-stay back!"

Kai drew back, going rigid. His heart clenched with fear. "Sky? Skylor, what's wrong? What happened?"

"L-l-leave me alone!" she gasped, refusing to answer. She was still shaking badly, clearly extremely upset. "Stay away!"

He wanted more than anything to go to her, to comfort her, to tell her it would be alright, but her fear seemed almost directed at him, and much as it pained him to see her like this, he knew trying to approach would likely make things worse. "Skylor, it's alright- just tell me what's wrong. Please- I want to help!"

"No!" she panted, "No! Just leave me alone! Leave me alone!" She was breathing hard now, but while she seemed fully aware of what was happening, there was no recognition in her eyes.

A cold chill began to grow within him as a horrible thought struck him. At first he refused to even entertain it, but as he looked at her again it began to grow all too plausible. "Sky..." he ventured softly, "Do you know who I am?"

"I've never seen you before in my life!" she breathed, flattening herself against the wall again.

The chill drove like a dagger through his heart, and a sick feeling knotted in his stomach at her words. His worst fears had just come true. For several moments he simply stood, trying to wrap his mind around what had just happened. It couldn't be... not after all they'd been through together...

Finally he found his voice again, inhaling slowly. "Skylor..." he began, and then broke off, hesitantly. What could he say? Where could he even begin? "Sky... I know you're scared... and I know you don't remember me... but please. You... you have to let me help you. I... I want to help... and I can prove it to you..."

She straightened slightly, eying him warily. "How? How can you prove it?"

He took a deep breath. "I... I know you don't remember, but... you have powers, Sky. You can read minds- you've just got to re-learn how. Read my memories- you might not be able to remember, but I do. If you read my memories, you'll see."

Skylor watched him hesitantly. Fear was still clear in her manner, but there was something else, too- hope, maybe? It was impossible to tell for certain. "And how do I do that... if I don't remember how to use my powers?" she asked guardedly.

"You've just got to reach," he told her. "I know your memories are still there- you just have to find them. You can remember how to use your powers- just concentrate. Try to think back..."

"But I can't!" she protested, panic returning to her voice, "I can't! I don't remember!"

"Yes you can," he promised softly, "I know you can. Just try... try..."

She hesitated, shifting her weight uneasily. Her guard never dropped, but her brow furrowed with concentration. She went rigid, her breathing picking up pace.

"That's it," he whispered, not realizing he was holding his breath, "That's it- you can do it!"

It was clear she was struggling- she was shivering from the exertion- but suddenly she gave a sharp gasp, staggering forward, off the wall. She seemed on the point of collapse and he rushed forward, catching her before she could hit the ground. She went limp in his arms, shivering and sobbing again now, but no longer afraid.

"Why can't I remember?" she gasped, "Why can't I remember? What's wrong with me? What happened?"

He held her gently, reassuringly, carefully measuring his words. "I don't know," he told her quietly, "I don't know- but we're going to find out, and we're going to help you remember everything. I promise."

Both of them fell silent for a long while- she trying to compose herself, he softly reassuring her. It was several minutes before he spoke.

"Do you remember anything?" he asked, "Anything at all?"

She shook her head, staring at the floor. "No- not before I woke up. Aside from small fragments... nothing. The only link I have is the memories you showed me..."

He closed his eyes, trying to take it in. "I see..." He paused, inhaling slowly as he placed his words. "But... you said you woke up... were you unconscious?"

"I... I think so..." she murmured, frowning, "I... I don't remember what happened beforehand, but... I know one thing. I wasn't here- I was in the apartment next door." She pulled back suddenly, feeling him go tense. "Kai?"

Kai caught himself, forcing him to still his rising concern before he spoke. "Something happened next door," he told her. "I'm not sure what, but they've got the whole place blocked off with police tape. It's a wreck in there, too- like there was a fight, or someone came in wanting to destroy it."

She nodded quickly. "It was like that when I got out of there, but the police hadn't come yet. I... I guess I did remember enough to recognize that I lived here, but..." She put a hand on her forehead. "It's just small things that I remember, and they come and go. Every once in a while I have a flash, but it's gone again in a moment or two..."

"It's alright," he soothed, "We'll find a way to get your memories back. But... we need to try and find out what happened. Sky... if you were unconscious, do you think someone hit you? Sometimes head trauma can cause memory loss..."

She shook her head. "No. If there was, I'd feel it- I'd have a headache at least, and I don't- well, at least not on the outside. It... it's like my whole mind hurts... but I don't know why. I... I've never really heard of anything like that... and the feeling is foreign. That's the other thing- I recognize sensations. I'd know if I'd felt this way before."

He nodded slowly. "I... I see..."

She looked away. "I'm sorry. I wish I could help more..."

"No, don't be," he assured her quickly, "You can't be blamed for not remembering. It's not your fault." He inhaled slowly. "Why didn't you come out when we were calling? Or when the police were here?"

"I didn't know it was the police," she murmured. "I thought someone had broken in. So I hid."

He nodded again, understandingly. "That makes sense." He moved back slowly, takng a deep breath. "We can't stay here forever. We need to get back- firstly to tell the police that you're not missing, and secondly to try and find out how to help you. Plus, Nya is waiting for us in the kitchen- Nya is my sister."

She nodded. "I know- I saw her in your memories."

"Right... are you going to be okay going out there?" He realized she was likely feeling confused and out of place, and didn't want to push her beyond what she was comfortable with.

"Yeah," she confirmed with a nod, "Now that you're here..."

He managed a slight smile at this, seeing that her old self was beginning to shine through the fear again. "Alright. Let's go." He stepped back, out of the closet, and she followed, staying close to him. She still seemed a little jumpy, but most of her fear had faded now and she was calm again.

Nya raised her head as she heard them coming. Her eyes widened as she saw Skylor, and she smiled. "Skylor? Kai, you found her!" Her smile faded, however, as she saw the dark, haunted look in his eyes. "What's wrong? What happened?"

Kai took a deep breath. "She doesn't remember," he said quietly. "We're not sure why, or what happened, but she doesn't remember."

Nya gave a little gasp. "Amnesia? How... how bad is it?"

"Almost total," he explained quietly. "She was able to recall how to use her mind powers and I let her see my memories, but other than that..." His voice trailed off. Skylor hung back behind him, clearly still a bit uncomfortable.

Nya quickly averted her gaze. "Oh Sky... I'm so sorry..."

Skylor sighed. "It's alright- I don't think you could have done anything anyway..."

"We need to get back to the Bounty," Kai said quietly. "And call the Elemental Masters. Maybe Neuro can figure something out... at any rate, it's not safe for Sky to stay here after whatever happened..."

"Right," Nya agreed. "It's safer if she stays at the Bounty with us..."

Skylor nodded weakly. "I... I'd prefer that, too... after all this... I don't want to stay here alone..."

Kai laid a hand on her shoulder. "That's perfectly understandable." He sighed heavily, as if trying to get himself together. "We should head back, then... no sense hanging around here any longer than we have to..."

***

The reunion at the Bounty was an uncomfortable one, to say the least. Upon hearing what had happened the rest of team naturally wanted to know every detail, and pestered the trio with questions. Though they meant well, their intense interest left Skylor feeling awkward and even a little skittish- she was already exhausted, and not really in a state to handle being bombarded with questions that she didn't know how to answer. At last Misako seemed to sense this and shepherded the others away, much to Skylor's relief.

Nya showed her back to the bedrooms, correctly guessing that she was probably weary. Skylor gratefully accepted her aid, climbing up into the bunk above Nya's own, and almost immediately sank into a deep, exhausted sleep. Nya retreated softly to the doorway, knowing it was best to let her sleep, and quietly closed the door.

Kai had followed them down the hallway from a few paces back, and approached now, coming to stand beside Nya. "Is she resting now?"

Nya nodded. "She seems exhausted- and with good reason. I just can't even imagine..." Her voice trailed off into silence and she shook her head.

"I know," Kai murmured in agreement, heaving a deep sigh. "I just... wish I knew how it happened... and if there was anything we could do to help..."

"Misako mentioned something about calling the Elemental Masters and seeing if Neuro could determine anything," Nya told him, "I mean, he is a mind reader, after all..."

Kai nodded. "Right. When are they coming?"

"Tonight, I think," she said quietly. "Probably after supper. Which reminds me- I'm supposed to cook dinner." With these words she nodded and turned, heading back down the hall.

Kai lingered for a moment, and then cautiously padded into the bedroom. His heart was uneasy, and he needed to reassure himself that Skylor was safe- or at least as safe as possible.

She was curled up under the blankets, her breathing deep and easy, calm and relaxed for the first time since he'd found her earlier that day, and he let out his breath in an unconscious sigh of relief. He felt his worries ease as he watched her, and even managed a faint smile.

He turned to go, but even as he did she shifted slightly in her sleep, though she did not wake. A strand of hair came loose from her ponytail and fell across her face, but Kai frowned suddenly, eyes narrowing with worry. There was a strange, dark blotch on Skylor's temple- almost like a burn or a scar, yet he was positive it had not been there before. Before he had time to study it further, however, Skylor shifted around again and he could no longer see it clearly.

He stood, frowning, in the doorway for a long moment. First Skylor's missing memories, and now this strange wound- or whatever it really was. Was it possible that the two were connected?

Or, perhaps a better question, was it possible that they weren't?