The two of them left the bridge, and Cole lead the way down the trail. He felt as if he needed to help the blind teen down the path somehow, but his past experience with Liana prevented him from it. She was sure and steady in her steps, and was more than capable of taking care of herself. She hardly even used the support cane; feeling the ground with her feet was enough. As they walked down the winding trail between the trees, Cole glanced at Liana and saw the book she carried in one hand. “Why do you have a book with you?” “To read, of course.” She responded simply. He said in surprise. “But—but you’re. . .” His voice trailed off awkwardly. She stopped and opened the book, showing him a few pages. Cole was startled to see that instead of letters printed on the paper, hundreds of little round bumps covered the pages. “It’s called the Braille System,” Liana stated. “Reading for the blind. We trace our fingers over the the pages and recognize the patterns, which form letters, hence forming words.” “Cool.” He fingered one of the pages, then let her slam the book shut. “Reading a good story?” “I wish.” Liana continued down the path. “I’ve been studying a lot. I really want to go to college, but my uncle doesn’t have enough money to afford it.” There was a bitter tone to her voice, but he didn’t really notice. “What do you want to do for a living?” Cole walked alongside her, happy to talk about something else instead of Philip. She sighed. “To be honest. . . I have no idea.” Idly she swung the cane around. “I considered being a teacher, then a lawyer, even a doctor, but none of those things sound very appealing.” “I—I want to do something special. I want to do something that will make a difference in the world; something that tests my limits, something active, something challenging. . . Bah, who knows?” She frowned. “My uncle wants me to help him in the grocery store we own back in Stixx.” Cole gazed thoughtfully at the bright flowers coloring the beds of mulch along the pathway. “What’s your life like in Stixx? Do you like living there?” “Let’s not talk about that.” She shifted her book in her hand. “How about you? What’s your life as a ninja like?” “Well. . . Life’s been pretty quiet since Day of the Departed. The others and I usually spend our time training, meditating, tending to the media. . .” Cole tried to find more ways to explain what his life was like. “Tell me you guys do more than that,” Liana teased. “Don’t you ever relax and have fun?” He smiled. “Oh, we goof off a lot, for sure. We like to play video games, eat, have mock battles, arm-wrestle. . .” “Who usually wins those?” He flashed her a mischievous grin. “Me.” “Ha! That answer doesn’t surprise me.” “Why? Because you always knew I’d win?” She rolled her eyes playfully. “No!” She then paused, then cocked her head thoughtfully. “You’ve come a long way from the lonely runaway I knew you to be, Cole.” The two of them fell silent. Then Cole looked up and said. “We’re here.” They stood at a grassy clearing deep into the city park, exquisite flowers surrounding a stone monument. Birds sitting on it had “been gracious”, as Misako would say delicately. Trees lined around the little cemetery. It was a lonely area—a sad, quiet place. Cole stepped up to the monument and read out loud. “ ‘In honor of those who gave their lives to help the Elemental Masters defend Ninjago from the New Anacondrai. Never Forget.’ ” His voice was soft; he was afraid of disturbing the sad silence of the cemetery. He looked back and saw Liana standing uncertainly at the little gate. “Want me to find Philip’s grave?” He asked quietly. She took a breath. “That would be nice.” He didn’t have to look long, seeing that there were very few graves in the yard. Cole supposed that he should have felt proud that he and the Masters had saved so many other lives, but he only felt sorrow and regret. “Over here.” He called. Liana wordlessly left her spot at the gate and walked over the him. She slowly knelt down by his side and reached out to touch the small gravestone. Her fingers grazed the grass and trailed up the side of the stone. “What does it say?” Cole swallowed, then read. “ ‘Philip Green; A loyal brother who perished whilst protecting his sister. A hero. Rest in Peace.’ “ Liana bit her lip and bowed her head. Her fingers gripped her cane and book until her knuckles turned white. “Is that what happened?” He asked gently. “Yes.” Her voice quivered, but she looked as if she was forcing herself to not lose control. He gazed at his grieving companion. He didn’t know Liana well enough to know what to say, but he also knew her and her brother well enough to feel genuinely stricken about Philip. What could he say? “One of the snakes pushed me to the ground,” Liana choked. “We were over the sea, and I was terrified of falling into the water. I. . . I could hear people screaming. Things crashing. Anacondrai hissing. The—the snake had a blade up to my throat.” She took a breath and forced her voice to quit shaking. “Then I heard Philip yelling. I heard the snake fall and groan, and Philip yelling at me to run away. He told me that he would catch up with me.” She shut her eyes. “I started to run. . . But then I heard the clash of swords, then Philip crying out. The Anacondrai hissed, and then Philip said my name. He told me to keep running. So I did.” She wrapped herself around the shoulders. “And now he’s gone.” They sat in silence for a little while. Cole gazed at the gravestone and the grass beneath it. This was where his friend lay. Philip was buried beneath the surface of this dirt. I’m sorry! He wanted to cry out. I’m sorry I wasn’t there for you! Cole looked at Liana and tried to imagine Nya kneeling there. What would he say to her if something like that happened to Kai? Hesitantly, he spoke. “. . . I—I think Philip would have wanted this. To be protecting the person he loved the most. Now—” He struggled for the right words. “Now he’s a hero. Philip will never be forgotten. . . And I think he would have been proud of that.” Liana bowed her head. Her hand trailed off the stone and rested on the grass, where beneath the surface her brother rested. A stray lock of hair danced in the breeze by her face. In the distance, a bird’s song faded away, leaving nothing but silence in the graveyard. “Yes.” She finally murmured. “He’d be proud the know he smashed as a hero.” She gave a short, bitter laugh. “He probably had a stupid grin on his face when he drew his last breath.” Cole didn’t know if Liana wanted him to laugh or something or if she was still feeling sad, so he decided to stay quiet. She then sighed and tucked the rogue hair behind her ear. With a shuddering breath she said. “I thought I was over this. This happened so long ago.” She toyed with the weeds in front of her. “I wish I had brought flowers to put at his grave.” Liana sat for a minute longer, then stood up. “I’m sorry I dragged you here. You probably didn’t need this extra drama.” Cole shrugged as he too stood up. “Don’t be. I’m glad I know where Philip’s grave is, and I’m glad I came with you.” She stood for a moment longer, then silently turned and left the cemetery. Cole followed, casting one last look at Philip’s gravestone before following the departed one’s sister down the winding trail. The two of them walked together silently for a long while, each lost in their own thoughts and memories. The silence passed by undisturbed. The awkwardness between them began to fade away, replaced by an ache of sorrow that they shared together. Something about visiting the grave had done something to the grief, though. Somehow, seeing where Philip lay, the two of them sitting there and remembering him, it, in a way, eased the ache. Now the grief was no longer throbbing painfully, but a cold, almost soothing feeling. Walking together and sharing that made the old friends feel closer to one another.
You do? I don't. And whenever I go to my notifications, it says when someone replies to me, but it never goes to the post, just the page. (And it says it when it's not approved yet, apparently, because I had a notification that you responded to me in Gravitation, but you hadn't yet.)
I got it to do that by going to edit profile and then going to notifications, and then editing when I get notified. Yeah I suppose that can be a drawback, but it's not to much of a problem to scroll down the page. Especially if you know what you're looking for. ( Yeah that's true. That's why it's sometimes good to wait a little before checking it out. )
How do you stop the notifications for likes? (Actually, the thing that I really don't like, trivial as it may be, is when you click to the next page at the bottom, and you are at the bottom of the next page. I have to scroll all the way up it.)
* * * Liana sat for a minute longer, then stood up. “I’m sorry I dragged you here. You probably didn’t need this extra drama.” Cole shrugged as he too stood up. “Don’t be. I’m glad I know where Philip’s grave is, and I’m glad I came with you.” She stood for a moment longer, then silently turned and left the cemetery. Cole followed, casting one last look at Philip’s gravestone before following the departed one’s sister down the winding trail. The two of them walked together silently for a long while, each lost in their own thoughts and memories. The silence passed by undisturbed. The awkwardness between them began to fade away, replaced by an ache of sorrow that they shared together. Something about visiting the grave had done something to the grief, though. Somehow, seeing where Philip lay, the two of them sitting there and remembering him, it, in a way, eased the ache. Now the grief was no longer throbbing painfully, but a cold, almost soothing feeling. Walking together and sharing that made the old friends feel closer to one another.
I got it to do that by going to edit profile and then going to notifications, and then editing when I get notified. Yeah I suppose that can be a drawback, but it's not to much of a problem to scroll down the page. Especially if you know what you're looking for. ( Yeah that's true. That's why it's sometimes good to wait a little before checking it out. )
How do you stop the notifications for likes? (Actually, the thing that I really don't like, trivial as it may be, is when you click to the next page at the bottom, and you are at the bottom of the next page. I have to scroll all the way up it.)
How do you stop the notifications for likes? (Actually, the thing that I really don't like, trivial as it may be, is when you click to the next page at the bottom, and you are at the bottom of the next page. I have to scroll all the way up it.)
Actually, I found out.
Ok. ( I actually haven't noticed that, maybe it's because I use a mobile device, or I'm just used to it. )
“Where are you and your relatives staying?” Cole was reluctant to break the silence, but it couldn’t go on forever. “At the Lullaby Hotel, nearby Main Street.” Liana said. “Do you want me to take you back to your apartment?” Liana scowled. “I don’t need any help. I’m not a useless toddler—“ “I didn’t mean it like that!” Cole interjected hastily. “I mean, just for company. . . After being in the cemetery, you might be—I mean, only if you want me to. . .” His voice trailed off awkwardly. “Oh.” She relaxed. “No, that’s OK. . . I—” She gave a wry smile. “I’m not sure what my cousins would think if I showed up at the apartment with Cole the Earth Ninja.” “Ha, yeah, I see.” He tried to think of a way to keep the conversation going. “How many cousins do you have?” “Three; Rosie, Hallie, and Tiffany. They’re all around my age.” “Are you guys like best friends or something?” She smirked. “Not really. I mean, Rosie is the closest thing I have to a friend, and we tell each other our secrets and whatnot, but she’s been real busy with college and all. Hallie and Tiffany, on the other hand, well,” She swung her support cane around. “We aren’t exactly peas in a pod, if you know what I mean. They can really get on my nerves, and when they’re aren’t arguing with each other, they’re complaining about where I put my stuff or how I act in public. They can get really ridiculous.” She then chuckled. “You should have heard them this morning when they were complaining to Uncle George about me! They said I was being too loud when I was practicing using my nunchucks in my room.” Cole blinked in surprise. “Your nunchu—? Ohh, that’s right! I remember!” He slapped himself on the head. “I forgot about that! You used them when we were traveling!” He looked at her. “You were pretty good with those things when I last saw you. Jay would approve.” Liana smiled. “I remember you were awesome with a scythe. I think it’s great that you still use them today. I wish that I had a better place to practice and work out, though.” She said. “It was cramped enough in Stixx, but it’s impossible in the hotel! Maybe there’s a gym or dojo or something around here,” She added wistfully. “It’d give me a chance to get a moment of peace and quiet as well as a work-out.” Cole recalled a building he passed by on the way to the park. “I think I know a place,” He said with a smile. “Come on.”
* * *
“How’s this for size?” Cole’s voice echoed throughout the tall, wide room. “This would be a great place to practice your skills!” Cole and Liana stood in the center of a public gymnasium, surrounded by exercise equipment such as weights, rubber balls, treadmills, yoga mats, and much more. A couple of people ran on treadmills on one side of the room, but other than that, they were alone. “See, over there, there’s a clear area to your right that’s meant for people practicing boxing, martial arts, or weaponry, such as using nunchucks. You could play around with those bad boys here.” He explained as Liana followed him and trailed her hands over objects and got used to the new environment. “See—ah, feel this rack of exercise balls over here? Around the corner to their left is a closet holding fake swords and stuff, great for practice or mock-battles with an exercise partner.” Cole placed his hands on his hips. “So, what do you think?” Liana grinned. “I love it! This is a great place to work out!” She bounced on the balls of her feet approvingly on the cushy mat in the boxing area. “Great idea, Cole. Thanks.” He shrugged good-naturedly. “Hey, it’s the least I can do.” “Do you ever work out here?” He shook his head. “Nah, we train in our own little dojo at the teashop or on the Bounty. Of course, we don’t have treadmills or anything, Sensei Wu likes to—“ At the thought of his team, Cole realized that he didn’t know how long he had been gone. “Wait—what time is it??” Liana traced a finger over her wristwatch. “It’s like, four o’clock.” “Oh my gosh, I need to get back to the teashop!” Cole gasped. “The others have no idea where I’ve been!” He began to trot toward the exit, not even wondering how Liana knew what the time was since she was blind. “I’m sorry, I gotta go. . . I’ll catch you later, OK?” Liana smiled as the door slammed shut behind him. “I’d like that.”
* * *
The afternoon shadows were long by the time Cole arrived at Steep Wisdom. Not wanting to attract attention, he slipped around the courtyard and came into the teashop from the back door. Quiet as a ninja could be, he crept past the piles of cardboard boxes in the rooms and slunk into the hall leading to the bedrooms. “You are back.” With a loud yelp Cole jumped and whipped around to see Zane standing behind him. “Zane!! Ugh, don’t do that!” “Do not do what?” The nindroid tilted his head. “Do not announce rhetorically that you have returned to the teashop after disappearing under suspicious circumstances and not appearing or contacting any of us for several hours?” “No, I mean don’t—ugh, forget it,” Cole sputtered. “Look, I’m really sorry about what happened today, OK?? I feel really bad for hurting Jay, and it was an accident!” He stared pleadingly at his friend. “I have no idea what happened in there! I was just—!” “Sensei Wu and the others contemplated that it was only an accident.” Zane said soothingly. “Jay described the mysterious activity of your hands while the two of you were battling, and we considered that the incident had something to do with that.” “Oh—really?” Cole’s shoulders slumped in relief. “You mean—Nobody’s mad or anything?” Zane gave an amused smile. “Did you really believe that we would be angry about a little incident like that?” “Uh. . .” Cole shrugged. “Jay is unhurt, and is currently playing video games with Kai.” Zane gestured down the hall. “Shall we join them?” Feeling a little better, Cole nodded and followed his friend down the hall and into the playroom. As Zane said, Jay and Kai were playing video games, (SuperSpinRacing2, to be precise), and were facing the screen with bellies on the floor, backs to the door. They didn’t notice when the two ninja stepped behind them, too intent on their game. “Ha haa, all right! New high score!” Jay whooped. “Just you wait,” Kai growled. “I’m right on your tail; I’ll catch up with you!” “You wish,” Jay laughed. “Have you ever tried catching lightning? Woo-hoo, another power-up!” He pumped his fist in the air. “Take that, button-masher!” “Ugh!” Kai glared at the screen. “Darn it! How come you’re getting all these power-ups?!” “Because I don’t drive like a crazed monkey with a chicken on its head, that’s why!” Jay suddenly cheered. “WINNAH! YES!” “Let’s try again,” Kai insisted. “I’ll win the next round!” “That’s what you said last time,” Jay teased. “And I still won. ‘And that’s the way, uh-huh, uh-huh, I like it, uh-huh uh-huh!’ ” He sang. Before Kai could argue, Jay said. “Hey, I wonder if Cole’s back yet. He’s been gone for hours!” With a grin, Cole grabbed a bean bag and whacked Jay upside the head with it. “Nope, I’m long gone!” “Hey!!” Jay spun around and laughed. “Ohh, no you didn’t!” “Ohh, yes he did,” Kai grinned. “Bean bag battle!!” With that, the playroom burst into a frenzy of swinging bean bags and shouting guys, audible thumps sounding whenever someone was hit by the cushy bags. Cole whacked Kai in the stomach, and the Fire Ninja retaliated by throwing a couch pillow at his face. With a joyful yelp Jay tackled Cole to the carpet and bombarded him with a bean bag. Zane opened a compartment in his arm and clicked a button. “Switching into Playful Mode!” He grinned broadly as he too joined the battle of flying bean bags and pillows. The room was filled with flying cushions and shouts of laughter. After several minutes of nonsense, Lloyd finally burst in. “What’s going on here??” With a laugh Jay flung a couch pillow at Lloyd, and it hit him in the stomach. Lloyd flinched and surveyed the room. “What are you guys doing?!” He demanded. “We’re ninja! When was the last time we had a pillow fight?!” Lloyd must have just finished training with Sensei Wu, Cole thought. He’s got that boring-master attitude. “Come on, Lloyd!” Jay coaxed. “Relax! We’re just having a little fun!” “What you call fun I call wasting—“ Lloyd began. Jay flung a bean bag at Lloyd. WHAP! Lloyd sputtered, then stared at the bean bag. He then looked at his teammates. For a long moment, he just stood there. Then he slapped Zane upside the head with a couch pillow. With delighted shouts and laughter the playroom burst into noise again, and what Jay liked to call the Ultimate Bean Bag Battle continued.
“It’s OK, Cole,” Jay waved off his friend’s apologies. “Look at me, I’m fine.” “I know, but I shouldn’t have lost my temper,” Cole sighed. He picked at his bulgogi. “Who knows what that. . .thing. . . with my hands could have done?” “I’d like to know about that, actually,” Kai said from the other side of the dining table. “How’d you do that? Jay flew like a million miles!” “Technically it was 12.67 feet.” Zane corrected. “I don’t know.” Cole held up his hands helplessly. “I just got angry, my hands started to tingle, and I realized they were rock-solid!” “Not to mention glowing, which is kinda weird in itself.” Jay offered. “Hey, do you think you could do that again?” “Maybe that’s not such a good idea,” Misako said hastily. “We’re eating dinner right now, and after a long day of packing, a big mess to clean up is the last thing we need.” “My hands don’t explode or anything like that.” Cole argued. “I don’t think it’ll make a mess.” “So can you do it?” Nya asked from her seat across the table beside Kai. “I can try.” With that, Cole flexed his hands and tried to concentrate. He had no idea how to make his hands glow again, but he tried by focusing his attention and energy on them and imagining them glowing and becoming rock-hard. The others sitting around the dining table watched Cole expectantly. From where he sat at the head of the table, Wu’s gaze was unreadable, while on the other end Misako watched warily. Lloyd, Kai, and Nya sat on one side of the table whilst Zane and Jay sat beside Cole on the other. Everyone’s dinner was forgotten. Nya and Lloyd stared at the Earth Ninja’s hands with suspicion, while Jay and Kai looked more curious. Zane’s ice-blue gaze was hard and focused. After several long moments, Cole felt an odd tingling sensation in his fingers. The feeling ran down his palm, over his hands, and down his arms. A flickering glow appeared, an unearthly, eery orange that glimmered through the sleeves of his black gi. Nya’s eyebrows arched in surprise, and Jay whistled. Misako cocked her head cautiously. Just as soon as it happened, Cole felt the slight tension release, and the glow faded away. Before he knew it, he could feel his hands again, and they were back to normal. “Weird.” Jay stated. “But cool!” “Sensei,” Cole turned to his master at the head of the table. “Do you have any idea what this means?” Wu hesitated, then shook his head. “I am at a loss as to what it could be. I believe all we can do is wait and see what the outcome is.” Cole sighed and picked up his chopsticks. “All right. . . I guess it isn’t really affecting anything right now.” He stuffed a piece of chicken into his mouth. The group fell into silence for minute, thinking about Cole’s strange power as they ate. Then Misako suddenly said. “Oh! Jay, I nearly forgot; you got a letter today.” “Mmff?” Jay swallowed, then said. “I did?” “Yes, hold on, I’ll be right back.” Mistake left the table briefly and came back with an official-looking envelope. “It looks important.” Jay cocked an eyebrow curiously and took the letter. The group watched as he tore it open and mouthed the words to himself as he read. A strange, pained expression crossed his face, and he stared at the paper in his hands. “What is it?” Nya asked, concerned by the look on his face. “N—nothing.” Jay muttered and shoved the letter into his pocket. “Just, ah, taxes or something.” Kai and Cole shared a confused look, and Nya and Lloyd glanced at each other. Misako frowned, and Zane arched an eyebrow. Jay didn’t explain any more, and nobody asked. So they silently returned to their meal. Nya watched Jay out of the corner of her eye as she ate, noticing that he now wore a slightly troubled expression on his face. She glanced at Cole, and noticed that he too looked a bit out of sorts. Both of them ate half-heartedly and gazed away, lost in thought. Good grief, She thought. First Cole, now Jay is acting weird. What is going on??
* * *
That evening, when the household was settling down for the night and the teashop was cast in moonlight shadows, Nya was walking down the hallway to check on Jay. His reaction to the letter during supper had troubled her, and she wanted to see what it was, and if there was any way she could help. She passed by the doorway leading to Cole’s room and stopped. She took a couple steps back and peered past the door, which was partway open. She saw Cole sitting quietly on his bed, fingering something small in the palm of his hand. His gaze was unreadable. Nya hesitated, then stepped into the room. “Hey.” Cole started and looked up warily. “Oh.” He stuffed the thing in his hand into his pocket. “Hey.” She walked over to him. “Is that the ring you found earlier?” He hesitated for before pulling it out. “Yeah.” He frowned at it. “It’s useless now.” “Where did you get it from?” She asked her earlier question. Cole paused, then murmured. “An old friend gave it to me.” He gazed wistfully at the iron hoops. “It was a long time ago. . . Before I met the guys. When I ran away from dance school.” He sat there for a moment longer, then got up and placed the ring in a drawer in his dresser. “Nothing but an old memory now. I’d rather not talk about it.” Nya stood silently for a moment. “Where did you go today? You were gone for hours.” Cole turned away. “I’d rather not talk about that, either.” “Are you sure? You’ve been acting strange all day, ever since last night. Is—“ She took a hesitant step closer to him. “Is there something you want to talk about?” “No!” He snapped. Nya flinched. Cole sighed, then said in a softer tone. “No. I’m fine, Nya.” He turned and gave her a weak smile. “Really. Everything’s all right.” Nya was unconvinced, but she felt there was little else she could say. “Well. . .OK. . . If you’re sure.” She turned to leave, then stopped at the doorway. She looked back and said earnestly. “I’m here if you ever want to talk to me.” With that, she left. Quietly, she shut the door behind her and continued walking down the hall to Jay’s bedroom. With a gentle knock she called out softly. “Jay?” “Oh! Nya!” The door swung open to reveal Jay standing there, still in his ninja gi. “What’s up?” “Can I come in?” “Sure, sure, come in.” He held the door open and she stepped in. With a small squeak she nearly tripped over an unorganized pile of Starfarer comic books. “Oop! Sorry!” Jay apologized. “I forgot to clean up. Here, I’ll—“ “It’s OK,” Nya sat gingerly on his bed. “I just came to ask you something.” “OK, shoot.” He cocked his head curiously. “What was in that letter you got this evening?” His easy smile waned. “Uh. . . Well. . .” He sighed and ran a hand through his auburn hair. “Do you remember when Nadakhan came to me and persuaded me to give two of my wishes?” Nya frowned at the memory of the calculating, four-armed djinn. Because of Jay’s final wish, technically the events concerning the sky pirates never happened, but that didn’t stop Jay and Nya remembering what had happened. It was that adventure that had sealed their relationship, and now it was a secret that only the couple shared. “Yeah. . .” Jay bit his lip. “Well, one of my wishes was that I wasn’t born in a junkyard. Right after I made the wish, I found out that I was adopted.” Nya opened her mouth, then closed it. “But—but since that technically never happened, you’re still Jay Walker, right?” “I don’t think so. . .” He stared at the floor. “Nadakhan said that he only revealed a part of my life that I was unaware of.” “Since when did we believe what that guy said??” Jay shrugged, then said. “Well, after all that was over, I kind of pushed the episode out of my head. . . Until I got this tonight.” He pulled the letter off his bedside table and handed it to Nya. “It’s the exact same letter I got when I met Nadakhan. I guess that this happened by itself, without any magic.” Nya quickly scanned the letter with a confused frown. “Cliff Gordon?” “The guy who played Fritz Donnegan in those Starfarer movies.” He forced a grin. “Kinda ironic that my birth father acts as my favorite character, huh?” “I guess.” He sat beside her on the bed. “I inherited his estate and property. . . I was planning to go look at the mansion tomorrow.” “Do you want someone to come with you?” She looked at him. For a second he looked as if he wanted to say ‘yes’, but then he hesitated. “N—nah, that’s fine. I think it’ll be better if I go by myself.” He looked down at the floor. “Well, all right, if you’re sure.” She gazed at him, then gingerly brushed a lock of hair out of his face. “Will you be OK?” “I’ll be fine.” Their eyes met, and he smiled. “I wasn’t planning on telling anybody, but. . . I’m glad I told you.” She pulled him into a gentle hug, and he held her close. “I’m glad you told me, too.” For a minute they sat there in that position, content with the silence that followed. Then Nya forced herself to pull away from his embrace. “I’ve got to go to bed.” “OK, then,” Jay said. “Good night.” “Good night.” On her way out, Nya paused. “Oh, Jay? I think something’s bothering Cole. He’s been out of sorts all day. Maybe you could talk to him sometime, see what the trouble is?” “Sure.” Jay said absentmindedly. “I’ll do that.” Nya hesitated, then, with a final glance at Jay, shut the door behind her.
“It’s OK, Cole,” Jay waved off his friend’s apologies. “Look at me, I’m fine.” “I know, but I shouldn’t have lost my temper,” Cole sighed. He picked at his bulgogi. “Who knows what that. . .thing. . . with my hands could have done?” “I’d like to know about that, actually,” Kai said from the other side of the dining table. “How’d you do that? Jay flew like a million miles!” “Technically it was 12.67 feet.” Zane corrected. “I don’t know.” Cole held up his hands helplessly. “I just got angry, my hands started to tingle, and I realized they were rock-solid!” “Not to mention glowing, which is kinda weird in itself.” Jay offered. “Hey, do you think you could do that again?” “Maybe that’s not such a good idea,” Misako said hastily. “We’re eating dinner right now, and after a long day of packing, a big mess to clean up is the last thing we need.” “My hands don’t explode or anything like that.” Cole argued. “I don’t think it’ll make a mess.” “So can you do it?” Nya asked from her seat across the table beside Kai. “I can try.” With that, Cole flexed his hands and tried to concentrate. He had no idea how to make his hands glow again, but he tried by focusing his attention and energy on them and imagining them glowing and becoming rock-hard. The others sitting around the dining table watched Cole expectantly. From where he sat at the head of the table, Wu’s gaze was unreadable, while on the other end Misako watched warily. Lloyd, Kai, and Nya sat on one side of the table whilst Zane and Jay sat beside Cole on the other. Everyone’s dinner was forgotten. Nya and Lloyd stared at the Earth Ninja’s hands with suspicion, while Jay and Kai looked more curious. Zane’s ice-blue gaze was hard and focused. After several long moments, Cole felt an odd tingling sensation in his fingers. The feeling ran down his palm, over his hands, and down his arms. A flickering glow appeared, an unearthly, eery orange that glimmered through the sleeves of his black gi. Nya’s eyebrows arched in surprise, and Jay whistled. Misako cocked her head cautiously. Just as soon as it happened, Cole felt the slight tension release, and the glow faded away. Before he knew it, he could feel his hands again, and they were back to normal. “Weird.” Jay stated. “But cool!” “Sensei,” Cole turned to his master at the head of the table. “Do you have any idea what this means?” Wu hesitated, then shook his head. “I am at a loss as to what it could be. I believe all we can do is wait and see what the outcome is.” Cole sighed and picked up his chopsticks. “All right. . . I guess it isn’t really affecting anything right now.” He stuffed a piece of chicken into his mouth. The group fell into silence for minute, thinking about Cole’s strange power as they ate. Then Misako suddenly said. “Oh! Jay, I nearly forgot; you got a letter today.” “Mmff?” Jay swallowed, then said. “I did?” “Yes, hold on, I’ll be right back.” Mistake left the table briefly and came back with an official-looking envelope. “It looks important.” Jay cocked an eyebrow curiously and took the letter. The group watched as he tore it open and mouthed the words to himself as he read. A strange, pained expression crossed his face, and he stared at the paper in his hands. “What is it?” Nya asked, concerned by the look on his face. “N—nothing.” Jay muttered and shoved the letter into his pocket. “Just, ah, taxes or something.” Kai and Cole shared a confused look, and Nya and Lloyd glanced at each other. Misako frowned, and Zane arched an eyebrow. Jay didn’t explain any more, and nobody asked. So they silently returned to their meal. Nya watched Jay out of the corner of her eye as she ate, noticing that he now wore a slightly troubled expression on his face. She glanced at Cole, and noticed that he too looked a bit out of sorts. Both of them ate half-heartedly and gazed away, lost in thought. Good grief, She thought. First Cole, now Jay is acting weird. What is going on??
* * *
That evening, when the household was settling down for the night and the teashop was cast in moonlight shadows, Nya was walking down the hallway to check on Jay. His reaction to the letter during supper had troubled her, and she wanted to see what it was, and if there was any way she could help. She passed by the doorway leading to Cole’s room and stopped. She took a couple steps back and peered past the door, which was partway open. She saw Cole sitting quietly on his bed, fingering something small in the palm of his hand. His gaze was unreadable. Nya hesitated, then stepped into the room. “Hey.” Cole started and looked up warily. “Oh.” He stuffed the thing in his hand into his pocket. “Hey.” She walked over to him. “Is that the ring you found earlier?” He hesitated for before pulling it out. “Yeah.” He frowned at it. “It’s useless now.” “Where did you get it from?” She asked her earlier question. Cole paused, then murmured. “An old friend gave it to me.” He gazed wistfully at the iron hoops. “It was a long time ago. . . Before I met the guys. When I ran away from dance school.” He sat there for a moment longer, then got up and placed the ring in a drawer in his dresser. “Nothing but an old memory now. I’d rather not talk about it.” Nya stood silently for a moment. “Where did you go today? You were gone for hours.” Cole turned away. “I’d rather not talk about that, either.” “Are you sure? You’ve been acting strange all day, ever since last night. Is—“ She took a hesitant step closer to him. “Is there something you want to talk about?” “No!” He snapped. Nya flinched. Cole sighed, then said in a softer tone. “No. I’m fine, Nya.” He turned and gave her a weak smile. “Really. Everything’s all right.” Nya was unconvinced, but she felt there was little else she could say. “Well. . .OK. . . If you’re sure.” She turned to leave, then stopped at the doorway. She looked back and said earnestly. “I’m here if you ever want to talk to me.” With that, she left. Quietly, she shut the door behind her and continued walking down the hall to Jay’s bedroom. With a gentle knock she called out softly. “Jay?” “Oh! Nya!” The door swung open to reveal Jay standing there, still in his ninja gi. “What’s up?” “Can I come in?” “Sure, sure, come in.” He held the door open and she stepped in. With a small squeak she nearly tripped over an unorganized pile of Starfarer comic books. “Oop! Sorry!” Jay apologized. “I forgot to clean up. Here, I’ll—“ “It’s OK,” Nya sat gingerly on his bed. “I just came to ask you something.” “OK, shoot.” He cocked his head curiously. “What was in that letter you got this evening?” His easy smile waned. “Uh. . . Well. . .” He sighed and ran a hand through his auburn hair. “Do you remember when Nadakhan came to me and persuaded me to give two of my wishes?” Nya frowned at the memory of the calculating, four-armed djinn. Because of Jay’s final wish, technically the events concerning the sky pirates never happened, but that didn’t stop Jay and Nya remembering what had happened. It was that adventure that had sealed their relationship, and now it was a secret that only the couple shared. “Yeah. . .” Jay bit his lip. “Well, one of my wishes was that I wasn’t born in a junkyard. Right after I made the wish, I found out that I was adopted.” Nya opened her mouth, then closed it. “But—but since that technically never happened, you’re still Jay Walker, right?” “I don’t think so. . .” He stared at the floor. “Nadakhan said that he only revealed a part of my life that I was unaware of.” “Since when did we believe what that guy said??” Jay shrugged, then said. “Well, after all that was over, I kind of pushed the episode out of my head. . . Until I got this tonight.” He pulled the letter off his bedside table and handed it to Nya. “It’s the exact same letter I got when I met Nadakhan. I guess that this happened by itself, without any magic.” Nya quickly scanned the letter with a confused frown. “Cliff Gordon?” “The guy who played Fritz Donnegan in those Starfarer movies.” He forced a grin. “Kinda ironic that my birth father acts as my favorite character, huh?” “I guess.” He sat beside her on the bed. “I inherited his estate and property. . . I was planning to go look at the mansion tomorrow.” “Do you want someone to come with you?” She looked at him. For a second he looked as if he wanted to say ‘yes’, but then he hesitated. “N—nah, that’s fine. I think it’ll be better if I go by myself.” He looked down at the floor. “Well, all right, if you’re sure.” She gazed at him, then gingerly brushed a lock of hair out of his face. “Will you be OK?” “I’ll be fine.” Their eyes met, and he smiled. “I wasn’t planning on telling anybody, but. . . I’m glad I told you.” She pulled him into a gentle hug, and he held her close. “I’m glad you told me, too.” For a minute they sat there in that position, content with the silence that followed. Then Nya forced herself to pull away from his embrace. “I’ve got to go to bed.” “OK, then,” Jay said. “Good night.” “Good night.” On her way out, Nya paused. “Oh, Jay? I think something’s bothering Cole. He’s been out of sorts all day. Maybe you could talk to him sometime, see what the trouble is?” “Sure.” Jay said absentmindedly. “I’ll do that.” Nya hesitated, then, with a final glance at Jay, shut the door behind her.
“It’s OK, Cole,” Jay waved off his friend’s apologies. “Look at me, I’m fine.” “I know, but I shouldn’t have lost my temper,” Cole sighed. He picked at his bulgogi. “Who knows what that. . .thing. . . with my hands could have done?” “I’d like to know about that, actually,” Kai said from the other side of the dining table. “How’d you do that? Jay flew like a million miles!” “Technically it was 12.67 feet.” Zane corrected. “I don’t know.” Cole held up his hands helplessly. “I just got angry, my hands started to tingle, and I realized they were rock-solid!” “Not to mention glowing, which is kinda weird in itself.” Jay offered. “Hey, do you think you could do that again?” “Maybe that’s not such a good idea,” Misako said hastily. “We’re eating dinner right now, and after a long day of packing, a big mess to clean up is the last thing we need.” “My hands don’t explode or anything like that.” Cole argued. “I don’t think it’ll make a mess.” “So can you do it?” Nya asked from her seat across the table beside Kai. “I can try.” With that, Cole flexed his hands and tried to concentrate. He had no idea how to make his hands glow again, but he tried by focusing his attention and energy on them and imagining them glowing and becoming rock-hard. The others sitting around the dining table watched Cole expectantly. From where he sat at the head of the table, Wu’s gaze was unreadable, while on the other end Misako watched warily. Lloyd, Kai, and Nya sat on one side of the table whilst Zane and Jay sat beside Cole on the other. Everyone’s dinner was forgotten. Nya and Lloyd stared at the Earth Ninja’s hands with suspicion, while Jay and Kai looked more curious. Zane’s ice-blue gaze was hard and focused. After several long moments, Cole felt an odd tingling sensation in his fingers. The feeling ran down his palm, over his hands, and down his arms. A flickering glow appeared, an unearthly, eery orange that glimmered through the sleeves of his black gi. Nya’s eyebrows arched in surprise, and Jay whistled. Misako cocked her head cautiously. Just as soon as it happened, Cole felt the slight tension release, and the glow faded away. Before he knew it, he could feel his hands again, and they were back to normal. “Weird.” Jay stated. “But cool!” “Sensei,” Cole turned to his master at the head of the table. “Do you have any idea what this means?” Wu hesitated, then shook his head. “I am at a loss as to what it could be. I believe all we can do is wait and see what the outcome is.” Cole sighed and picked up his chopsticks. “All right. . . I guess it isn’t really affecting anything right now.” He stuffed a piece of chicken into his mouth. The group fell into silence for minute, thinking about Cole’s strange power as they ate. Then Misako suddenly said. “Oh! Jay, I nearly forgot; you got a letter today.” “Mmff?” Jay swallowed, then said. “I did?” “Yes, hold on, I’ll be right back.” Mistake left the table briefly and came back with an official-looking envelope. “It looks important.” Jay cocked an eyebrow curiously and took the letter. The group watched as he tore it open and mouthed the words to himself as he read. A strange, pained expression crossed his face, and he stared at the paper in his hands. “What is it?” Nya asked, concerned by the look on his face. “N—nothing.” Jay muttered and shoved the letter into his pocket. “Just, ah, taxes or something.” Kai and Cole shared a confused look, and Nya and Lloyd glanced at each other. Misako frowned, and Zane arched an eyebrow. Jay didn’t explain any more, and nobody asked. So they silently returned to their meal. Nya watched Jay out of the corner of her eye as she ate, noticing that he now wore a slightly troubled expression on his face. She glanced at Cole, and noticed that he too looked a bit out of sorts. Both of them ate half-heartedly and gazed away, lost in thought. Good grief, She thought. First Cole, now Jay is acting weird. What is going on??
* * *
That evening, when the household was settling down for the night and the teashop was cast in moonlight shadows, Nya was walking down the hallway to check on Jay. His reaction to the letter during supper had troubled her, and she wanted to see what it was, and if there was any way she could help. She passed by the doorway leading to Cole’s room and stopped. She took a couple steps back and peered past the door, which was partway open. She saw Cole sitting quietly on his bed, fingering something small in the palm of his hand. His gaze was unreadable. Nya hesitated, then stepped into the room. “Hey.” Cole started and looked up warily. “Oh.” He stuffed the thing in his hand into his pocket. “Hey.” She walked over to him. “Is that the ring you found earlier?” He hesitated for before pulling it out. “Yeah.” He frowned at it. “It’s useless now.” “Where did you get it from?” She asked her earlier question. Cole paused, then murmured. “An old friend gave it to me.” He gazed wistfully at the iron hoops. “It was a long time ago. . . Before I met the guys. When I ran away from dance school.” He sat there for a moment longer, then got up and placed the ring in a drawer in his dresser. “Nothing but an old memory now. I’d rather not talk about it.” Nya stood silently for a moment. “Where did you go today? You were gone for hours.” Cole turned away. “I’d rather not talk about that, either.” “Are you sure? You’ve been acting strange all day, ever since last night. Is—“ She took a hesitant step closer to him. “Is there something you want to talk about?” “No!” He snapped. Nya flinched. Cole sighed, then said in a softer tone. “No. I’m fine, Nya.” He turned and gave her a weak smile. “Really. Everything’s all right.” Nya was unconvinced, but she felt there was little else she could say. “Well. . .OK. . . If you’re sure.” She turned to leave, then stopped at the doorway. She looked back and said earnestly. “I’m here if you ever want to talk to me.” With that, she left. Quietly, she shut the door behind her and continued walking down the hall to Jay’s bedroom. With a gentle knock she called out softly. “Jay?” “Oh! Nya!” The door swung open to reveal Jay standing there, still in his ninja gi. “What’s up?” “Can I come in?” “Sure, sure, come in.” He held the door open and she stepped in. With a small squeak she nearly tripped over an unorganized pile of Starfarer comic books. “Oop! Sorry!” Jay apologized. “I forgot to clean up. Here, I’ll—“ “It’s OK,” Nya sat gingerly on his bed. “I just came to ask you something.” “OK, shoot.” He cocked his head curiously. “What was in that letter you got this evening?” His easy smile waned. “Uh. . . Well. . .” He sighed and ran a hand through his auburn hair. “Do you remember when Nadakhan came to me and persuaded me to give two of my wishes?” Nya frowned at the memory of the calculating, four-armed djinn. Because of Jay’s final wish, technically the events concerning the sky pirates never happened, but that didn’t stop Jay and Nya remembering what had happened. It was that adventure that had sealed their relationship, and now it was a secret that only the couple shared. “Yeah. . .” Jay bit his lip. “Well, one of my wishes was that I wasn’t born in a junkyard. Right after I made the wish, I found out that I was adopted.” Nya opened her mouth, then closed it. “But—but since that technically never happened, you’re still Jay Walker, right?” “I don’t think so. . .” He stared at the floor. “Nadakhan said that he only revealed a part of my life that I was unaware of.” “Since when did we believe what that guy said??” Jay shrugged, then said. “Well, after all that was over, I kind of pushed the episode out of my head. . . Until I got this tonight.” He pulled the letter off his bedside table and handed it to Nya. “It’s the exact same letter I got when I met Nadakhan. I guess that this happened by itself, without any magic.” Nya quickly scanned the letter with a confused frown. “Cliff Gordon?” “The guy who played Fritz Donnegan in those Starfarer movies.” He forced a grin. “Kinda ironic that my birth father acts as my favorite character, huh?” “I guess.” He sat beside her on the bed. “I inherited his estate and property. . . I was planning to go look at the mansion tomorrow.” “Do you want someone to come with you?” She looked at him. For a second he looked as if he wanted to say ‘yes’, but then he hesitated. “N—nah, that’s fine. I think it’ll be better if I go by myself.” He looked down at the floor. “Well, all right, if you’re sure.” She gazed at him, then gingerly brushed a lock of hair out of his face. “Will you be OK?” “I’ll be fine.” Their eyes met, and he smiled. “I wasn’t planning on telling anybody, but. . . I’m glad I told you.” She pulled him into a gentle hug, and he held her close. “I’m glad you told me, too.” For a minute they sat there in that position, content with the silence that followed. Then Nya forced herself to pull away from his embrace. “I’ve got to go to bed.” “OK, then,” Jay said. “Good night.” “Good night.” On her way out, Nya paused. “Oh, Jay? I think something’s bothering Cole. He’s been out of sorts all day. Maybe you could talk to him sometime, see what the trouble is?” “Sure.” Jay said absentmindedly. “I’ll do that.” Nya hesitated, then, with a final glance at Jay, shut the door behind her.
* * *
I knew it was going to be about that. If you hadn't said so, I would have guessed so.
Chapter 4: Lost Friend and Forgotten Family Dew sparkled in the bright green grass around the memorial. Philip’s gravestone sat silently in the ground, undisturbed by the breeze that made the leaves in the trees rustle and shift like ocean waters. Morning birds chirped and sang loudly, little bush warblers and robins flitting about the forest and undergrowth. The short iron gate surrounding the graveyard stood slightly twisted and uneven, as if the ground had shifted beneath the dark bars. Cole stood silently at the gate, gazing at the name of his friend carved elegantly onto the stone. The last I saw of you, you and your sister were riding across a great field to Stiix. We told each other we might see each other again. I looked forward to that. Because you were my friend. One of the only ones I had then. Now. . . now I will never see you again. Could Philip see Cole where he was? Was he watching him, or his sister? Cole bowed his head. When Day of the Departed comes again, I’ll light a lantern for you, Philip. I will never forget you again. He gripped one of the bars of the gate to steady himself. The more he thought of Philip, the more old memories returned, some of them fuzzy and silent images, but others were as vivid as what was happening now. Tunnels. There were underground tunnels. Cole shut his eyes tight. They were trapped in those tunnels. It was raining, and the water was rising. Philip and Cole were separated from Liana and a fourth traveler. Philip had been wounded by some animal that had attacked them. He could hear the water again. He could almost see the darkness in his head. Beside him Philip breathed heavily and clutched his wounded shoulder. Cole couldn’t see how bad the injury was in the dark, but from what he could tell from the teen’s painful gasps, it was pretty bad. Cole glanced back to where the creature disappeared. “You remember that skeleton we found earlier? I think we know what attacked it now.” Philip chuckled bitterly. “That’ll be us soon.” Cole whipped around and glared at him. “Would you quit talking about smashing?! We are not going to smash! There has to be a way out; there could be a hole in this wall, or a secret tunnel leading to safety, or we could find the river and let it carry us away!” He froze. “We could find the river and let it carry us away.” He repeated softly. “Dude, what are you talking about?” Philip asked incredulously. “I thought you were trying to live, not drown sooner!” “No, wait . . .” You could see the wheels and gears turning in Cole’s head. A corner of his mouth quirked up. “The river we saw. . . It must go somewhere, right? If it just stopped somewhere it would have flooded these tunnels long before we came along. So the river continues. . .” He couldn’t help it; he began to smile. “. . . And it could lead out of the mountain!” He looked back up at Philip. It was too dark to tell for sure, but he could have sworn Philip was grinning. “Shall we try it?” Cole asked. “We’re going to smash if we stay, so we might as well try it anyway.” “Let’s go.” The boys splashed away from the little cavern and entered one of the yawning tunnels, praying it would lead to the underground river. The gurgling water was rising up to their torsos; they had to move fast. Hoping they wouldn’t run into the predator again, they waded quickly down the corridor, trying to see through the stifling shadows. Behind him Cole could hear Philip gasping quietly in pain. It was a very long ten minutes of trudging through the river, fighting the current threatening to drag them away into the dark river. Of course, the river could just keep going underground where there’s no air, and then we would. . . Cole tried not to think about what would happen if he and Philip got stuck in the underground river. Finally the boys waded into the wide cavern where they found the river. The crack in the ceiling shone faint light into the cave, also letting in a torrent of rain. The black, churning rapids had risen up to the walls by this time, splashing water against the rocks. A current swirling deep to the right of Cole threatened to pull him away, and he grabbed a nearby boulder to steady himself. Now that he could see better, he turned to look at Philip. Philip’s left shoulder was mangled, his sleeve and arm torn and darkened in deep red. There was so much bl— Bile rose in Cole’s throat, and he turned away, feeling sick. Resisting the urge to retch, he pointed down to the right and shouted over the sound of crashing waves. “Over there!” Down at the foot of the stone wall, the black water swirled and churned strangely, like when you unplug the drain in the bath tub. It looked like the place where the river would usually run, but it was difficult to tell in the dim light. The boys edged over cautiously, drawing closer to the turbulent waves. Cole stopped by a boulder sticking out, shielding him from the current. He looked at Philip in the eyes, trying not to look at his arm, and smiled grimly. Philip returned it with a good old grin, as if they weren’t in mortal danger. “Ready?” Cole rasped. “Let’s do this.” Philip held out his good hand. “Together.” “Right.” They grasped hands and gazed at the swirling river tugging on them. The water was rising dangerously fast, climbing up to the top of their chests. “If anything happens to me,” Philip shouted over the roar of the waves. “Will you care for Liana?” “I will!” Cole shouted back. The voices reverberated hauntingly in head, and Cole took a shuddering breath. Philip was gone. . . But Liana remained. His blind sister was all alone, save for the relatives she lived with. Perhaps it was time for Cole to make good on his promise. He sighed softly, then turned from the cemetery and walked away. Cole had slipped away from Steep Wisdom after morning chores and exercises, switching from his ninja gi to a dark hoodie to blend in with the citizens. He had flown to the park on his elemental dragon, but now he simply walked down the bustling streets of Ninjago City, content to let his feet do the work. Before he knew it, he was standing in front of the public gym. He stepped inside, drawing the hood back from his head. Several people were inside; some running on treadmills, some lifting weights, others stretching on yoga mats and more doing who-knows-what. Cole had only one person in mind, though, and further inspection of the gym proved his search successful. Liana was training in the boxing corner of the gym, swinging her nunchucks around the dummies like a pro. She was barefoot, wearing dark yoga pants and a white workout top. Sweat trickled down her face and torso, clear signs that she had been working long and hard. Though she looked exhausted, there was a happy, determined expression on her disfigured face. The sight of the girl working out brought a small smile to Cole’s face. His smile turned into a mischievous grin when he suddenly had an idea. Slipping off his shoes and sweater, Cole went to the supply closet and brought out his own pair of nunchucks. Quiet as a mouse, he snuck around the boxing ring and watched Liana, waiting for the right moment. When she stopped swinging for a moment to catch her breath, he attacked. “Yaaahh!!” Nunchucks swinging in his hands, Cole leapt at Liana. With a startled yelp, she whipped around and instinctively parried the blow. She twisted her body around like a snake and kicked at his hands, knocking his weapons out of balance. Remembering his little training with nunchucks, Cole did a behind the neck pass, (swinging the nunchucks behind his neck with his right hand and grabbing them with his left), and responded with a L-strike, which forced Liana to back up a few feet. With a determined snarl, Liana crouched and showed her skill by an expert wrist roll, swinging her weapons over in one hand in a single, fluid motion. With hardly any hesitation, she did a shoulder-to-shoulder spin and sprung. The two of them battled for a long time, neither one of them willing to give in. A few people stopped what they were doing to watch the fight, which looked rather intense. They swung and grappled with each other for what seemed like hours, shouting and yelling in excitement as their weapons clashed. While Cole had the advantage of surprise and experience in real battle, not to mention the fact that he wasn’t as tired as Liana, it was the latter who had the upper hand. Her experience with nunchucks was clear when she rose as the victor. If they had been fighting with scythes or swords, the outcome may had been different, but seeing that Cole had never had much practice with nunchucks, he was the one who found himself at his opponent’s mercy.
Chapter 4: Lost Friend and Forgotten Family Dew sparkled in the bright green grass around the memorial. Philip’s gravestone sat silently in the ground, undisturbed by the breeze that made the leaves in the trees rustle and shift like ocean waters. Morning birds chirped and sang loudly, little bush warblers and robins flitting about the forest and undergrowth. The short iron gate surrounding the graveyard stood slightly twisted and uneven, as if the ground had shifted beneath the dark bars. Cole stood silently at the gate, gazing at the name of his friend carved elegantly onto the stone. The last I saw of you, you and your sister were riding across a great field to Stiix. We told each other we might see each other again. I looked forward to that. Because you were my friend. One of the only ones I had then. Now. . . now I will never see you again. Could Philip see Cole where he was? Was he watching him, or his sister? Cole bowed his head. When Day of the Departed comes again, I’ll light a lantern for you, Philip. I will never forget you again. He gripped one of the bars of the gate to steady himself. The more he thought of Philip, the more old memories returned, some of them fuzzy and silent images, but others were as vivid as what was happening now. Tunnels. There were underground tunnels. Cole shut his eyes tight. They were trapped in those tunnels. It was raining, and the water was rising. Philip and Cole were separated from Liana and a fourth traveler. Philip had been wounded by some animal that had attacked them. He could hear the water again. He could almost see the darkness in his head. Beside him Philip breathed heavily and clutched his wounded shoulder. Cole couldn’t see how bad the injury was in the dark, but from what he could tell from the teen’s painful gasps, it was pretty bad. Cole glanced back to where the creature disappeared. “You remember that skeleton we found earlier? I think we know what attacked it now.” Philip chuckled bitterly. “That’ll be us soon.” Cole whipped around and glared at him. “Would you quit talking about smashing?! We are not going to smash! There has to be a way out; there could be a hole in this wall, or a secret tunnel leading to safety, or we could find the river and let it carry us away!” He froze. “We could find the river and let it carry us away.” He repeated softly. “Dude, what are you talking about?” Philip asked incredulously. “I thought you were trying to live, not drown sooner!” “No, wait . . .” You could see the wheels and gears turning in Cole’s head. A corner of his mouth quirked up. “The river we saw. . . It must go somewhere, right? If it just stopped somewhere it would have flooded these tunnels long before we came along. So the river continues. . .” He couldn’t help it; he began to smile. “. . . And it could lead out of the mountain!” He looked back up at Philip. It was too dark to tell for sure, but he could have sworn Philip was grinning. “Shall we try it?” Cole asked. “We’re going to smash if we stay, so we might as well try it anyway.” “Let’s go.” The boys splashed away from the little cavern and entered one of the yawning tunnels, praying it would lead to the underground river. The gurgling water was rising up to their torsos; they had to move fast. Hoping they wouldn’t run into the predator again, they waded quickly down the corridor, trying to see through the stifling shadows. Behind him Cole could hear Philip gasping quietly in pain. It was a very long ten minutes of trudging through the river, fighting the current threatening to drag them away into the dark river. Of course, the river could just keep going underground where there’s no air, and then we would. . . Cole tried not to think about what would happen if he and Philip got stuck in the underground river. Finally the boys waded into the wide cavern where they found the river. The crack in the ceiling shone faint light into the cave, also letting in a torrent of rain. The black, churning rapids had risen up to the walls by this time, splashing water against the rocks. A current swirling deep to the right of Cole threatened to pull him away, and he grabbed a nearby boulder to steady himself. Now that he could see better, he turned to look at Philip. Philip’s left shoulder was mangled, his sleeve and arm torn and darkened in deep red. There was so much bl— Bile rose in Cole’s throat, and he turned away, feeling sick. Resisting the urge to retch, he pointed down to the right and shouted over the sound of crashing waves. “Over there!” Down at the foot of the stone wall, the black water swirled and churned strangely, like when you unplug the drain in the bath tub. It looked like the place where the river would usually run, but it was difficult to tell in the dim light. The boys edged over cautiously, drawing closer to the turbulent waves. Cole stopped by a boulder sticking out, shielding him from the current. He looked at Philip in the eyes, trying not to look at his arm, and smiled grimly. Philip returned it with a good old grin, as if they weren’t in mortal danger. “Ready?” Cole rasped. “Let’s do this.” Philip held out his good hand. “Together.” “Right.” They grasped hands and gazed at the swirling river tugging on them. The water was rising dangerously fast, climbing up to the top of their chests. “If anything happens to me,” Philip shouted over the roar of the waves. “Will you care for Liana?” “I will!” Cole shouted back. The voices reverberated hauntingly in head, and Cole took a shuddering breath. Philip was gone. . . But Liana remained. His blind sister was all alone, save for the relatives she lived with. Perhaps it was time for Cole to make good on his promise. He sighed softly, then turned from the cemetery and walked away. Cole had slipped away from Steep Wisdom after morning chores and exercises, switching from his ninja gi to a dark hoodie to blend in with the citizens. He had flown to the park on his elemental dragon, but now he simply walked down the bustling streets of Ninjago City, content to let his feet do the work. Before he knew it, he was standing in front of the public gym. He stepped inside, drawing the hood back from his head. Several people were inside; some running on treadmills, some lifting weights, others stretching on yoga mats and more doing who-knows-what. Cole had only one person in mind, though, and further inspection of the gym proved his search successful. Liana was training in the boxing corner of the gym, swinging her nunchucks around the dummies like a pro. She was barefoot, wearing dark yoga pants and a white workout top. Sweat trickled down her face and torso, clear signs that she had been working long and hard. Though she looked exhausted, there was a happy, determined expression on her disfigured face. The sight of the girl working out brought a small smile to Cole’s face. His smile turned into a mischievous grin when he suddenly had an idea. Slipping off his shoes and sweater, Cole went to the supply closet and brought out his own pair of nunchucks. Quiet as a mouse, he snuck around the boxing ring and watched Liana, waiting for the right moment. When she stopped swinging for a moment to catch her breath, he attacked. “Yaaahh!!” Nunchucks swinging in his hands, Cole leapt at Liana. With a startled yelp, she whipped around and instinctively parried the blow. She twisted her body around like a snake and kicked at his hands, knocking his weapons out of balance. Remembering his little training with nunchucks, Cole did a behind the neck pass, (swinging the nunchucks behind his neck with his right hand and grabbing them with his left), and responded with a L-strike, which forced Liana to back up a few feet. With a determined snarl, Liana crouched and showed her skill by an expert wrist roll, swinging her weapons over in one hand in a single, fluid motion. With hardly any hesitation, she did a shoulder-to-shoulder spin and sprung. The two of them battled for a long time, neither one of them willing to give in. A few people stopped what they were doing to watch the fight, which looked rather intense. They swung and grappled with each other for what seemed like hours, shouting and yelling in excitement as their weapons clashed. While Cole had the advantage of surprise and experience in real battle, not to mention the fact that he wasn’t as tired as Liana, it was the latter who had the upper hand. Her experience with nunchucks was clear when she rose as the victor. If they had been fighting with scythes or swords, the outcome may had been different, but seeing that Cole had never had much practice with nunchucks, he was the one who found himself at his opponent’s mercy.
very impressive
I swear, if this wasn't related to Ninjago, you could publish this stuff.
Chapter 4: Lost Friend and Forgotten Family Dew sparkled in the bright green grass around the memorial. Philip’s gravestone sat silently in the ground, undisturbed by the breeze and blah blah blah blabby blah blah pen pineapple apple pen pizza #DarethPuffs
very impressive
I swear, if this wasn't related to Ninjago, you could publish this stuff.
my dude thx :3
Need I give you the J.K. Rowling story to emphasize the difficulty in publishing even a great work of art? I struggle with depression already; I don't need a bunch of stuffy, overpaid coffee-sippers telling me my story isn't good enough for other people to read. I think I'm better off right now as it is--writing a graphic novel series for my cousins, writing Ninjago novels for Lego users, writing comic strips for TPS, and a children's picture book for my art class, without publishers telling me what to do. Maybe one day, though. . . I'd like that.
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