#fireguardshipping

i think in this one kai marks rusty for inheritance which seems to be like. irrefutable evidence that kai really is dead

and by the time rusty gets to the monastery wyfy might be there and she needs a teacher who can understand her (she needs *kai*) but rusty can do *something* for her at least

rusty fills most of kai's roles, even going to the nether prison with bonzle (and boy howdy when they realize they are Both Polymorphs lol)

"that's my sister" to "that's my family" or something like that and its bittersweet bc even nya has been trying to adopt this guy in but the only reason he's here is bc her brother is dead

...

eventually (vaguely past current canon lmao) they need to hit up monjago to find smth (possibly the monastery of that ex-realm) and as they approach the way is lit by a distant lighthouse. which was definitely not there before. rusty would know.

so of course theyre checking that out bc that should mean someone living there, right? but on the way they get distracted per usual and also come across a little girl with a lot of weapons lol

its like she has a qiankun bag (the bag with magical space inside)

that scene from pirates of the carribean, she just has stuff Everywhere its nonsensical

its so much that a kid like her Should Not be able to carry it lol

there's smth familiar about her, but of course smth big comes by so there's no time to wonder. maybe the ninja were split up but when everyone regroups the girl (call me Tai!) obviously lights up and is excitedly vibrating when she sees Rusty in his armor... and scrap of his cape

(my dad has part of that! he says you were an ancient guardian here before you had to go!) which is... a little weird bc Rusty is pretty sure he didn't tell anyone in monjago about what he was before. even if they met in his old form, how would they know what he looked like now?

but she says she can take them to the lighthouse (proving to be quite a twisty path) so they go along with her for now (something about her... it hurts Nya's head)

...

as they trek along the coast they notice the light house is... not lit up. tai doesn't seem to notice so they don't say anything yet as they progress through obviously maintained garden plots to a wooden door that creaks open in the breeze before they even touch it. "Dad?" A red fabric is half spilled off a wooden table and Tai clutches it. "Dad never goes out without this..."

nya definitely gets deja vu about being in a lighthouse *again* but its whatever at this point. not like someone is the manifestation of a greater part this time :)

that would be weird :)

they check everywhere and confirm that tai's dad is nowhere to be found. they also realize that the lighthouse is missing something fairly important: the light itself. they try asking tai about extra bulbs but she doesn't know. "that's dad" dad takes care of it, then. pfff

there are lots of drawings around the lighthouse, some pinned to walls and others rolled together and tucked in various spots. something seems very familiar about the drawings and paintings, but the ninja can't quite put their fingers on it

after poking around they find absolutely no sign of b&e or a scuffle or even that there was anyone there to begin with. a cup with tea(?) has a layer of dust settled on the water, sitting on an otherwise tidy surface. "dad always forgets to eat when im not there" but he still must eat... right?

they start to think he must have walked out on his own... without things he would never leave on purpose. tai admits there are a few different things which could make someone behave like that (rusty remembers tentacles shooting across the water, registering the piercing damage across him but not feeling pain—ohhh, he didn't know that sort of pain yet) but is insistent that they wouldn't work on her dad

she still isn't explaining anything about him, partially bc she doesn't realize there is smth especially odd about her family situation lmao. kai raised her lovingly as much as he was mentally present too, and it carried over when he was running on instinct

she assumes that informing them that certain troubles don't apply is enough, bc anyone else who lives in monjago long enough would know that's the part that matters toward survival

...

so they struggle around some more, with tai pretty consistently getting the good end of things lol "dad says im lucky :D" and probably get caught up in a few side quests plus finding the monastery but not what they needed to find there

and then theres a big ol monster aggressing them until a giant moth monster shows up and... tells it off? its hard to tell but it definitely carries the vibe of someone scolding a child (the monster is like. juvenile at best, but the ninja haven't been in monjago all that long to have actually seen any adult colossals lol. its all just Big to them

so the big baby lumbers off to complain to its mama and the moth is about to leave again and tai is getting upset for reasons the ninja dont understand but she starts yelling up at the moth and trying to flag it 😞

and it does seem to catch its eye and it comes circling back around and sort of gently prods at her and churrs questioningly. and she's like "dad, you said you wouldn't go away yet" and similar refrains and the ninja (who are somewhat nervous of the big ol moth) are realizing Oh This Is The Dad 😬

and a bit of tearful and touching drama later, the giant glowing moth seems to melt and dissipate into itself (in a very reality-dietorting and headache-inducing way) and becomes a much more normal sized person covered in fluff and tai throws herself into his arms and he soothes her and nya's heart stops.

he sounds Very Familiar in an instant

... (have a headless nya expression lmao)

Rusty hears it first, tilting his helm to the far sky like a towering bird.

Kai stops speaking, cradled in giant hands, waiting motionlessly for his colossal lover's signal to flee or fight. Then he hears it.

He must be hearing it wrong. It can't be what he thinks, it must just be some other explosive… way up in the air.

His eyes lock onto the brightly burning tail of a confused comet before it bursts with a loud crack, bright greens and oranges shaping a flower.

"Fireworks."

Rusty's voice is gentle, remembering. Kai shifts, clutching to the rough cloth draped over his mech.

Screaming up to the stars before violently bursting into colorful shapes and novas: it's really fireworks. Some madman was putting on a show for what could be the last night of anyone's life.

"It's been a long time since we—since I—watched them," he continues softly. "A spring celebration. This land collapsed on itself not long after."

"The city fired them for the new year," Kai offers. "But when I was little… my hometown did smaller fireworks for the harvest. And masks, we wore masks."

"Anything that would fit me?" Rusty teases absently.

Kai looks back as colors wash faintly over his worn surface. "Maybe when you were a child," he jokes laughingly, turning again to see a rapid-fire succession of green, blue, and red. His heart twists. "Maybe… definitely something red."

"Of course." Kai can hear the smile in Rusty's voice, even if he can't see it in this life.