Darkness from Within #4: Fading (A Ninjago Fanfiction)

Chapter 11

Jay walked into the dining room for lunch and found that everyone was there except Cole. Wu was pacing the floor, but he stopped when Jay walked in.

"Where's Cole?" Wu asked.

Jay shrugged. "He'll probably be down in a few minutes," he answered.

Wu rubbed his beard. "I don't know," he murmured. "He's been kinda unfocused the whole day." He looked back at Jay. "Can you go find him?"

"I guess," Jay said, turning around again. He headed up the stairs, calling, "Cole?" When there was no reply, Jay opened Cole's bedroom door. "Are you in here?"

Movement caught the corner of his eye, and he turned to see the black ninja sitting in the corner of his room. Jay frowned and rushed over to him. Cole's head was lowered and covered with his hands.

Jay crouched beside him. "Cole, what's wrong?" he asked.

"Nothing," Cole muttered, turning away from the blue ninja.

Jay rested his hand on Cole's shoulder. "Are you sure?"

Cole's head shot up and he pushed Jay's hand away. "Just leave me alone, Jay!" His voice cracked.

Jay's eyes widened with shock to see Cole's eyes brimming with tears. "Cole, talk to me," he begged. "Why are you so upset?"

Cole turned his head away. "You wouldn't understand," he whispered.

"Would the family?" Jay questioned. "Because we're all waiting for you to start lunch."

"I'm not hungry," Cole huffed.

Jay frowned. "But Cole—"

"I'm not hungry!" Cole snapped fiercely.

Jay flinched at his harsh tone. He rose to his feet again. "Fine," he murmured. Then he turned and headed out of the room.

"Did you find him?" Wu asked when he arrived.

Jay sighed. "He's not hungry," he mumbled before slumping onto his chair.

Wu gazed at him with concern. "Is he okay?"

Jay shifted his feet. "He seemed on the verge of... of crying," he admitted.

Everyone exchanged alarmed glances.

"B-but Cole never cries!" Nya exclaimed.

Wu rubbed his beard. "I'll go talk to him," he murmured. "You guys start eating." He walked out of the room and up the stairs, deeply troubled. This could be about what happened a few nights ago, he thought.

He stepped into Cole's room. "Cole?" he called.

Cole was standing in front of his mirror, obviously trying to fix himself up. He didn't turn to the sensei.

Wu walked up beside him. "You barely ate breakfast, and you're not hungry?" he began.

Cole stopped in his work. "No, I'm not." While he was still speaking, his stomach grumbled with hunger.

Wu raised an eyebrow. "Are you sure?"

Cole sighed and closed his eyes. Wu laid his hand on his shoulder. "Come, eat," he coaxed.

"Fine," Cole murmured after a moment's hesitation.

"We'll be waiting." Wu stepped back and headed down the stairs again.

The ninja looked up expectantly as he sat down. "Cole's coming," he told them. They all breathed a sigh of relief.

Then they turned their heads as Cole came down the stairs a minute later. He paused at the doorframe, then took a deep breath and sat at his seat. But before anyone barely started eating, his gaze drifted across the table until it landed on Kai's empty chair.