4. Dark Sides: Rise of the Anacondrai

Chapter 4 - Trust Issues

A/N: Midterms... nghghgh... -_-

Can I just say what a joy it is to see so many familiar faces voting and commenting on these chapters... it's great to see so many people back again, I really appreciate you all returning to continue this story with me! You all rock! <3

. . .

Pixal had come up with a solid plan to find Chen. From what Cole could gather, Neuro had a wide range on his mind-reading powers, so he could search out other beings and locate their psychic energy from afar. If they were lucky, Chen would be close, and Neuro could locate him right away. Even if it wasn't that easy, they would still be able to search the entire island in a matter of hours. By Pixal's calculations, they would most definitely find Chen by the end of the day.

Cole had already sent Neuro and the rest of the ninja to regroup with Jay in the jungle. Cole had stayed to leave instructions with the rest of the masters first.

"Don't worry about us," Griffon was reassuring him. He held one of the Anacondrai spears they had nabbed from the cultists, who were now bound tight as their prisoners. "These goons aren't going anywhere, not on my watch!"

"Stay sharp," Cole warned him. "If we're not back by sundown, I'll send someone with news."

"You just focus on finding Chen. I've got a bone to pick with that guy."

Don't we all, Cole thought. Perhaps leaving Chen to the Elemental Masters would be the best punishment. Still, Cole would like to dish out his own personal vengeance.

As he headed into the jungle, he mentally sifted through the list of all the tasks which had yet to be accomplished, and an unfamiliar bout of anxiety stirred inside him. There was still no word from Master Wu. He had all but disappeared in the midst of the tournament, leaving no message to tell his students where he was or how he was or what he even wanted them to do.

There was a niggling worry in the back of Cole's mind that somehow Chen had done something to him. But Cole doubted that was possible. Master Wu was practically untouchable from his place in the Dark Realm. Cole tried to convince himself that their master had merely left that shadowy place at last and was on his way to help them. Unless he had simply become so disappointed in their continuous failure that he had abandoned them.

Cole shook his head. Master Wu would never do that. He may have been a stern master, but he wouldn't abandon his students so easily.

Something crashing through the brush behind him finally broke Cole from his thoughts. He spun around, whipping out his scythe, thinking that someone was following him.

Blue eyes emerged from the bushes and blinked at him with equal surprise. Fuchsia hair, pale blue gi – not an enemy. Not at the moment.

"Oh, it's you." Cole relaxed and replaced the scythe on his back. Seliel rolled her eyes, then vanished.

Kapow! She reappeared behind him and walked on through the brush. "Is that what you call a truce?" she asked dryly.

"I thought you were one of Chen's goons," he confessed as he put away the weapon and followed her. "There could still be some strays wandering around here."

"Hmph."

She said nothing more as they continued on, her eyes fixed ahead. Despite their alliance, Cole felt strange not fighting her. Busting out of Chen's underground prison had almost made him forget their rivalry. Pixal had been nothing but polite to him and Zane, and the two teams had worked successfully alongside each other and the other Elemental Masters to build the Roto Jet. But here, when they were back in their full ninja garb in broad daylight, it was hard not to remember the history of animosity that lay between them.