We Need to Talk About Omi, Chapter Four

[lonewolfprincess]

“… And that is when Dojo activated the Sands of Time, and we arrived 1500 years in the past, at the conclusion of the great battle between Wuya and the Three Masters.” Omi sighed, slumping forward as he sat on a flat table of rock topped with soft black sand, terraformed courtesy of Clay along with a high, wide stone wall uphill to shield them all if the lava started speeding up again. “And now you know everything…”

Everyone was silent as Omi told his tale of the doomed future he’d grabbed the Sands of Time from. And the other three Dragons’ gruesome deaths, and Master Fung’s as well, for all they knew. (Omi left out that Kimiko was the one who’d been made leader in that erased timeline. One last act of mercy…)

Raimundo finally broke the silence, sighing and pinching the bridge of his nose, still damp from tears that finally stopped.

“Caramba, Omi…” There were a lot more, stronger swears he'd say later, when he wasn't in danger of someone punching his arm for teaching them to Omi. His other hand absently found the top of the Water Dragon’s head. “No wonder you were so messed up.”

Omi, at least, felt calm enough to lean into the touch.

Kimiko, on his other side, hugged him tightly again.

“You fixed it, though.” She pulled back to cup his face in her hand. “If there’s anything I’ve learned with you guys, it’s that it’s okay to ask for help and make mistakes. We still love you, Omi. I just hate that you were letting this eat at you for so long…”

“Yeah, and…” Clay sighed, trying to find the right way to phrase this… “For better or worse, you have grown a lot the last few months, little buddy. You’re a lot kinder and more patient now… I know it’s hard, but… you can turn that back on yourself still too.”

“Yeah, dawg.” Jermaine gently smirked. “Miss hearing you swagger.”

“I…”

His words caught. He knew he should probably say something, but… apologies, thanks… all of it felt trite, none of it captured this sudden, potent mix of relief and shame. Maybe… maybe action would be enough to express it.

“I will say, it is a relief to not box it all up anymore.”

“‘Bottle’,” everyone corrected in unison.

“Or that.” Omi sighed, leaning back against the rock. “Hopefully this will be the last time something like this happens, now that it is out in the open.”

Mia let out a soft, suspicious hum, and everyone’s eyes turned to her. She blinked, clearly not meaning to do that, or comfortable with the sudden spotlight, but… Omi deserved the truth.

“Speaking from experience… it probably won't be the last.” A gentle smile quirked at the corner of her mouth. “But… with time… practice… and support… you’ll have more good days than bad, and your bad days will be easier to manage.”

Tori nodded, smile still watery as she wrapped her arms around her sister.

Omi stared to the distance a long while, debating…

“… May I ask…?” His voice was quiet, unsure.

Oh. Whatever question Mia expected, it clearly wasn’t that. But… she blinked at him, and the others, then to her sister… A thousand thoughts, questions, decisions flitted across her face… before she took a deep breath, planting her hands in the soft black sand blanketing the rough stone, Tori’s hand landing on one of hers.

“It’s… still a long story, and I’d rather focus on you right now. But…” Another slow breath, gaze focused on the rolling black rock, the midnight black waves, the starry sky and the full moon. “My birth parents didn’t believe, or like, that I had the Dragon’s Tongue…” A long pause… “They were scared of me…”

Tori shook her head and squeezed Mia’s hand. “That’s no excuse.”

Tori’s venom surprised them all. Not even Doctor Baxter had earned this much barely contained rage from the warm, loving Dragon of the Sun.

Mia nodded faintly, slowly breathing to keep her Teething under control. Sand, stone, sea, sky… you are not there anymore…

“So… one day, when I was a little younger than you, Omi… I escaped. I met Tori and her family, they took me in… The court examined my parents’ treatment of me, they lost custody and got sent to prison for at least a few more years. Tori’s family is now my family, and now my name’s Caramia.”

Tori’s smile finally returned as she threw her arms around her sister’s shoulders.

“So you’ll always know that you’re loved.”

Mia nodded, faintly smiling, fur and claws receding as her hands reached up to hold Tori’s forearm.

Everyone blinked in stunned horror, not quite sure what to say to that.

“… Well. I am glad you escaped,” Omi said matter-of-factly, almost imperiously. “Clearly those fools did not deserve you.”

Oh. A soft smile bloomed on Mia’s face at that, and at everyone’s answering murmurs, and she had to hastily wipe away fresh tears.

“Th-thanks, kid…”

“So, um… exactly which prison are they at, little lady?” Clay tried to keep his tone civil as he punched one giant fist into his hand. … He didn’t try hard, but he tried. “Just curious…”

Mia actually burst into a laugh, leaning over to pat his shoulder.

“Stand down, Tex,” she sighed, trying to keep her smile from looking too touched. She looked up to the still-giant dragon coiled around them. “They’re not worth the trip. Dojo has a standing promise to burn down my old house if I ever feel like it, though.”

Dojo grinned. “What’s the point of having fire breath if you can’t help a friend get some catharsis?”

Everyone chuckled at that, their grins showing they absolutely wouldn’t mind getting in on that if the Moon Dragon asked.

“Seriously, though…” Mia sighed, reaching over to pat Omi’s shoulder, hand lingering. “I’ll teach you some grounding techniques. You don’t have to go through this alone anymore, okay?”

Omi smiled softly, bowing to her with clasped hands from where he sat.

“Thank you, Mia.” Omi turned his smile to the others, a much calmer stream of tears beginning to fall. “And thank you all. I am most fortunate to have you all in my life.”

Everyone piled in for another, gentler group hug.

“We’re lucky to have you around too, bro,” Raimundo said, ending the hug with one more squeeze. “Okay… I don’t know about you guys, but I am officially beat. Let’s go home and sleep this off. Hopefully it’s not morning by the time we get home…”

Everyone murmured agreement.

“Hey, Omi, wanna help me make cinnamon rolls for breakfast?” Tori asked sweetly.

“Ooh, yes please!” And… a real smirk actually spread across his features. “I will work hard to master the rolling of cinnamon!”

Everyone laughed as they boarded hopped onto Dojo’s back, flying towards the setting moon… all of them oblivious to the black bird that had stood on the ground behind them.



In his evil lair, Chase Young leaned forward in his throne, squinting at his seeing orb as the cloudy eye showing the laughing teens fly off on the dragon.

Chase scowled… and then slumped back on his throne, pinching the bridge of his nose.

“Finally…” His sigh was equal part exasperated and… relieved, much to his chagrin. A faint smile also threatened to spread on his face, but he stomped it down. “At least now nothing will be holding the little one back.”

Yes, that was his only reason for being pleased with the outcome of Omi’s intervention, the evil mastermind told himself.

“Now if only my own demons would shut up,” he muttered, only his army of fallen warriors hearing him.



None of them noticed the tiny, red, tick-shaped device still blinking on the now deserted rock.