Taking Control. (a Ninjago fanfic)

Chapter 36- Saviour

R U E

"Cole?" I called softly, crouching near the edge of the pile of rubble. My voice wavered despite my efforts to sound calm. No response.

I swallowed hard, my heart pounding in my chest, and pressed my hand against a slab of concrete. Closing my eyes, I tried to drown out everything—the shouts from the others in the distance, the faint crackle of something burning, even the sound of my own shallow breaths.

If he was down there, I would find him.

I had to find him.

Lloyd had trusted me with this, and that trust wasn't something I took lightly. I wasn't about to let him—or Cole—down.

Also, standing next to me was Kai, whose judgmental presence was impossible to ignore. He hadn't said much, but the way he kept glancing at me, like he was sizing me up, was enough to make me feel like I was walking a tightrope. I couldn't mess this up.

"Give me a second," I murmured, not looking at him.

I closed my eyes again, centering myself.

Connect.

It always started with that one word- a pimple thought, but one that required total focus. My breathing slowed, and I felt a subtle hum in my chest, almost like a thread being pulled taught. The world seemed to still, and I felt my braids lift from my shoulders, floating as though caught in a breeze.

There was a quiet gasp from Kai, but I didn't open my eyes. This wasn't the time to show off—or grin at his reaction. I had a job to do.

I reached out with my power, letting my vines spread from the ground, cracking through the concrete pavement. They slithered like snakes into every crevice they could find, feeling their way through the rubble, searching for any trace of life.

Through the shattered beams.
Through the jagged edges of stone and concrete.
Through the darkness where light couldn't reach.

And then—there.

A faint warmth, like a flickering ember in a dying fire. A life force. Weak, but there.

"Found him," I whispered, opening my eyes. Relief coursed through me, but I pushed it aside. I couldn't lose focus now.

I crouched lower, directing my vines deeper into the wreckage. They wrapped gently around the debris near Cole, probing for anything that could crush him further if I moved it wrong. The rubble had formed a sort of pocket around him, but a massive slab of concrete was pinning his leg.

"This... this is going to take some finesse," I muttered to myself, biting my lip as I focused.

I poured my energy into moving one of the larger rocks near the top of the pile. Slowly, carefully, it shifted, grinding against the debris below before tumbling free. The noise made my heart jump, but nothing collapsed. Not yet.

"C'mon, quickly!" I called over my shoulder, crawling over the rubble, trying to find the opening I'd created. Kai scrambled after me, muttering something under his breath.

When we reached him, I felt my stomach drop.

There was Cole, buried under layers of rubble, his face bloodied and streaked with dirt. He looked so... fragile, like he could break at any moment.

"Cole!" Kai shouted, his voice breaking as he dropped to his knees beside him.

Cole's eyes fluttered open weakly, and he made a faint sound—a groan, or maybe just a breath.

I moved closer, and that's when I saw it.

"Oh my god," I whispered, my eyes locking onto the jagged pipe sticking out of his shoulder. Blood seeped from the wound, staining his torn gi a dark red.

Kai's face was ashen. "Shit. Cole..." His voice cracked, and for a second, he looked completely lost.

"Who...?" Cole's voice was barely audible, rough and strained.

"Don't worry," I said quickly, sliding an arm under his shoulders to support him. His skin was cold to the touch, and he winced at even the slightest movement. "Hang on, big guy. I've got you."

Cole frowned, his gaze unfocused. "You're not—"

"Save your strength," I interrupted. My voice was steadier than I felt.

He was heavier than I expected—like trying to drag a boulder uphill—but I wasn't about to stop. Every inch I moved him felt like a victory, even as the pile of rubble groaned ominously around us.

I was terrified that it was just gonna crumble into us, burying us under mounds of concrete and debris.

"Hang in there," I muttered, more to myself than to him.

As I pulled him free, the debris shifted dangerously, and I had to wrap my vines around a nearby beam to stop it from collapsing. My heart was racing, but I couldn't let fear slow me down. Not now.

Cole's head lolled against my shoulder, his breaths shallow. "You're... not real," he mumbled.

I tightened my grip on him, ignoring the lump forming in my throat. "I'm real enough to save your sorry butt. Now stop talking."

For a terrifying moment, his body went limp, and I thought I'd lost him. But then his chest rose again—a shallow, shaky breath—and I let out a breath of my own.

"Kai..." Cole's voice was barely a whisper, but his gaze flickered to the fire ninja. His lips twitched into what might have been a smile— reaching out to the teen.

Kai crouched beside us, taking the earth Ninjas hand in a shaky grasp. "We've got you, buddy. You're gonna be okay."

By the time we dragged him out of the rubble, I was drenched in sweat. My arms ached, my legs felt like jelly, and my head was pounding.

Kai collapsed beside me, his breathing heavy. "You saved him," he said, his voice rough.

I shrugged, trying to play it off. "He needed help."

He looked at me, his expression softening. "Thank you. So much."

Before I could respond, he pulled me into a messy, grateful hug. I froze for a second, caught off guard. "No worries." I responded, eventually, hugging back warmly.

He pulled away, running a hand through his dust-streaked hair. "Shit, I thought we'd lose him."

I nodded grimly, glancing at Cole. He was still unconscious, his breathing shallow. "It's not over yet," I said, gesturing to the pipe. "We've still got to deal with that."

Kai nodded, putting his mask back on. "Pixal, we've got Cole," he said into his communicator. "He's alive, but he's not looking good. We need you here. Fast."

He sighed, taking his mask off again and turning to me. "So... what the hell was that? Flowers glowing, hair floating—you're like something out of a fairy tale. Who are you?"

I laughed, holding out a hand. "Rue. Elemental Master of Nature."

He grinned, shaking my hand. "Nice to meet you, Rue."