Video Game Lovers

finding

It took the ninja five days to find Jay. Five days in which Cole went through hell again and again. At first, he was just a little bit worried and scared about what had happened to his best friend, after he attended the Arcade Game. Later he was sad. Jay should have asked first, before he started the adventure all alone. In the end, breathing feels like a difficult task for Cole, because his brain reminds him of everything that could have happened to his best friend.

He knows that the lightning ninja entered Prime Empire in good health and he knows how much Jay loves computer games. Everything will probably be fine.

But still, Cole doesn't know for sure, how life is inside the game. The blue ninja could have died instantly. Or he could have lost all his hearts slowly, one by one, before they could be reunited.

Now that he was inside the game himself, the black ninja was sure that Jay was okay. He seems to have found a whole cult of people that admire him. Whoever those strange people dressed up as the blue ninja are, they seem to know him. The League of Jay even wants to lead the ninja to him.

Cole doesn't trust them yet. He needs proof that Jay is alive, and his skepticism will only be cured when his best friend is standing beside him unharmed.

"Anyway, if you seek Superstar Rocking Jay - this is the way. ", Scott explains to the ninja at this moment. Nya, Lloyd and Kai don't seem to trust the situation either. They cross their arms and get into fighting positions, ready to attack if something unexpected happens.

As they start to walk through the tunnel, Cole feels a small tingle inside of him. It's totally normal to be excited to see your best friend again, after you thought he was dead ... right? Yeah, definitely, but still, Cole can tell a little difference from the last time they had to save the blue ninja.

"Why are you smiling? You look like we're entering cake-land not Jay-land. Don't confuse hell for heaven", Kai comments. It's only a brotherly taunt, but Nya kicks him in the side for it anyway 

"Kai, you idiot."

"What? It's the truth. I can't even stand one Jay. Now we have to deal with hundreds of them?"

Lloyd just laughs. "I don't think so. We just have to find the real one."

"They all look the same. How are we going to do that?"

"Yeah. And we're supposed to trust a complete stranger and go into a dangerous looking dark hole?" Cole asks emphatically. He still can't believe that they're on their way to find Jay.

"Don't worry, we're there. And I always told you the truth." Scott presses a button and the door opens in front of them. Techno music echoes off from the walls. They enter a club with dim lights and the smell of cocktails and too much dancing. 

Cole is shocked to see that Kai was right - all the people in this room are dressed up as Jay. They are wearing his old gi's, some even show their faces - Jay's face with the beautiful copper brown hair, the freckles and the bright blue eyes. As his gaze falls on a player wearing Jay's outfit from the tournament of elements, Cole remembers the day the two of them finally ended their rivalry and became friends again.

Jay struggled with his hair length for a long time, and after Cole suggested that they grow it out together, he finally found peace with it. The earth ninja remembers the time when they were searching for Sensei Wu and they spent so much time doing each other's hair. Jay even had Cole dye it in a darker shade. When he sees the old hair on one of the Jay players, the black ninja has to prove himself right. The new style looks better on his best friend.

After five seconds of shocked silence, Cole begins to relax. Scott didn't send them into a trap, he led them to the meeting. Maybe, Jay really is here.

When Lloyd and Nya start to walk through the club, he follows them. The Jay player in the skin from the time they fought Aspeera appears on stage. He probably says something, but it's too quiet for them to hear.

"I ... I can't believe this. Are we in a nightmare?", asks Kai from behind. No one answers him.

Nya giggles. "Kai's right." 

"What? You think this is a nightmare too?", Cole asks.

"No. When he said you look like this is heaven. Are you excited to see Jay again?"

Cole doesn't know what to say. He doesn't even know if he wants to talk to Nya about this topic like ... ever. "Aren't you?", probably wasn't the smartest thing to say back.

Nya and Jay broke up last summer shortly after Jay asked her to be his Yang. They figured out that although they worked as boyfriend and girlfriend, a consolidated relationship isn't for them. They want different things out of life and decided to end up as friends.

Jay never shared his feelings about this with any of his friends except Cole. The lightning ninja agreed that he and Nya don't work as a couple, but it still broke his heart. Only weeks and weeks of watching bad movies in bed with chips, popcorn and his best friend helped him get over it.

Cole never asked Nya how she was feeling. He didn't know if Jay would take it as an insult and Kai was there for her anyway. But right now wasn't the best time to discuss his feelings for her ex-boyfriend.

"I hope we find him", Nya answers, but before she can say anything more, the guy on stage starts his short introduction.

"Attention League of Jay - it is time for the arrival of our hero - our inspiration - the reason for our very existence - superstar rocking Jay himself."

He leaves the stage and the lights change to a pink hue. Cole can feel the bass going deep inside him, as the floor begins to shake and a hole opens in the stage.

Fog appears and a guitar solo starts. At first all he can see is white hair. Then there's a white-painted face with the sky-blue eyes that could help him recognize his best friend among all people.

Jay.

He's wearing a blue suit with a lot of glitter and a very big front opening.

Shit. Cole notices that his mouth is wide open, but despite his best efforts, he can't close it.

Jay jumps off from the stage and greets his fans. His eyes widen when he sees his friends. "Guys?", he asks excitedly. "Is that really you? Wow!"

And then he's there. Standing in front of Cole, greeting him with a big smile. Oh - how much Cole missed that smile. The way Jay's left corner of his mouth is a little bit higher than his right, and his eyes are focussed on nothing but him.

Jay buries Cole in a hug, and even though he looks completely different, he still smells like home. Funny that the video-game features scent, now that Cole thinks about it.

"I've been waiting for you", Jay tells them. He turns around and his gi sparkles in the blue, purple and pink light. "Is this place awesome or what?"

Cole doesn't look at the place at all for the rest of their time there. All he can see is his best friend in his new outfit. And all he can feel is peace. The week of fear and grief is over. He finally has Jay back. What can go wrong now?