Spirit's Wrath (Book 2 of Spirit's Calling)

Aftermath

TWs: injury, blood loss

If Cole had to find something good about being a ghost, it was not able to be injured.

But after that fight, he was so sore.

So much for not feeling pain.

As the Bounty flew away from Stiix and his adrenaline wore off, the ache and burn set in.

The ghost Ninja grimaced and stretched. The fight had taken everything they had—weapons, mechs, powers, teamwork, energy—and now they were left with nothing but aches and injuries. Some more than others.

A flurry of nerves set in when he thought of Lloyd. He'd only seen the kid briefly before he'd left, knowing just the sight of a ghost would have him on edge. But he'd looked pale and sickly and hurt.

Cole hoped Misako knew what she was doing when she treated her son.

And then Y/n, too...he could tell she'd been pushing herself to the breaking point even before the fight. She almost looked more battered than her brother. Seeing her curled up and crying alone as they flew off made Cole's heart drop.

Which definitely had nothing to do with the butterflies he felt every time she smiled at him. Not at all. It was...just concern for his exhausted comrade, that's all.

Exhausted, yet still pushing on. Cole allowed himself a small smile.

It instantly faded, however, when he heard Jay's shouts from the deck.

Cole had been watching the site of their battle face into the background from the stern of the Bounty. Stiix would go down in history, no longer a forgotten little town in the middle of nowhere. But as soon as he heard Jay yelling urgently, he ran to the deck.

Only to see Y/n slumped in his arms, unconscious.

"What happened?" He demanded, easily taking Y/n into his arms and relieving a panicking Jay of her weight. Y/n was light in his grasp, though, which concerned him.

"I don't know," the distressed Ninja in blue fretted. "She looked fine, but said she didn't feel good and just collapsed—"

"Calm down, Jay," Cole said quietly, hiding the way his heart pounded at Y/n's condition. "We'll go to the med bay and see what's wrong." And treat that sword wound on her arm, he thought, frowning worriedly at the still-bleeding gash. As fierce of a warrior as Y/n was, the amount of blood she'd likely lost from that injury could be enough to bring even the fiercest fighter to their knees.

He glanced at Y/n's face. Even in sleep she looked worn out and stressed, her brow creased slightly and a frown playing at her features. She was pale, more so than when Cole had found her on the deck, her shallow breaths shaky and rasping. It gave the Earth Ninja a very bad feeling.

Jay shook out his hands as he tried to expel some nervous energy. "Right. Okay. Let's go." He sped towards the stairs without looking back for Cole—not that he needed to, since the ghost Ninja was hot on his heels. Zane and Misako were already in the med bay with Lloyd, so they would be able to help Y/n as soon as they got there.

Jay took the lead, filled with urgency only enhanced by his anxiousness for the situation. Cole couldn't blame him. He'd been alone when Y/n had suddenly collapsed—that was enough to make anyone fill with worry. He'd informed the occupants of the med room by the time Cole arrived moments later.

Misako hid her worry well when she saw her daughter. She directed Cole to the bed next to Lloyd's—the Earth Ninja refused to look, not knowing how much more he could take before he broke—and he gently placed Y/n on the mattress before stepping back.