Ninjago: Ripped World 2

Thinking Time

Cole suddenly felt quite alone. He padded into the kitchen to make a snack. The Temple was empty of Ninja, Nya having left to follow Zane and Lloyd. Kai, Master Wu and Misako were somewhere around, probably in the Library researching the box. It was the quietest he had experienced and it felt eerie.

'Yang'?

...

'Wow, even Yang is absent'.

'No, not absent' a voice softly reverberated through the air.

Cole looked around for a hint of Yang's spectral form. While there was nothing that could be seen, the TV flickered to life, the room flashed in the low light as the channels switched 'How do I get this confounded game thing to work?' the voice added.

'You've started playing video games?' Cole said in disbelief.

'Well, you know, there's not much to do around here as a ghost anymore. I did consider haunting Misako, but my hearts just not in it. I've retired'

'Here' Cole said and showed the remote control to the air and switched the input sockets.

'Thank you Cole' yang appeared. He was sat on the sofa, his body slumped down and ghostly tail billowed over the edge of the seat.

'Are you ok man? You look a little... down' Cole said passing him a controller and keeping one for himself.

'Down, up, within, without, its all the same for me'

'Yeah, I've been there, buddy' Cole replied as he set the game up on the screen.

'And came out the other side' Yang's reply was filled with meaning.

'Yeah, and you were responsible for that. I owe you my life...' Cole considered his words when Yang sat up, his face looking animated, the flicker of a dastardly thought crossing his mind.

'Hey hold on man, what I meant was, I owe you big time. I don't owe you my life as you've already had that... Happy to play a few games though'

'Hrumph' Yang slumped back into the sofa again. 'Where's your new love?'

'Gone after Jay'.

'Reeeally?' Yang said with great exaggeration 'She's not... left you, has she?'

'I honestly don't know how I put up with you' Cole replied shaking his head 'I know why I put up with you, but I don't know how!'

'This is a very precarious situation for you Cole. Emotions are running high. It's very obvious that Nya still hold's Jay in her heart. You need to be there with her, be a part of that, or the balance could tip'

The flashes from the game cast onto Coles face, now set in a look of anxious thought. He turned to Yang 'That could happen?'

'It is a possibility' Said Yang, who followed up with 'You're dead, I win' his green rimmed eyes flashed and a slight smirk was apparent through his heavy moustache.

'What!' Cole snapped out of his contemplation 'that was a dirty trick Yang'

'No trick. I speak the truth...  just benefitted from it' he said with glee.

'Wow, you have got to find a better way to get your kicks!' said Cole as he threw the controller on the sofa 'Have fun playing on your own'

'Suit yourself' replied Yang 'you can thank me later'

Cole left and returned to his room. He knew what Yang had said was close to the mark. There was always a possibility Nya could change her mind. He didn't really believe it, but he now felt like an idiot for not supporting Nya's need to help Jay 'we should all stick together, no matter what' she was right, as usual. He spun into his Ninja Gi and resolved to leave straight away. He had to catch her up and present a united stand with Nya, Lloyd and Zane. He decided in the spirit of unity, to ask Kai to join him. Good idea or not, it felt like the right thing to do.

He knocked on Kai's door. The silence was deafening, he really hated the temple when it was empty. He knocked again, no answer. He pushed the door open and poked his head into the room. No Kai.

He quickly ran to all the usual rooms, training, contemplation, library, office, weapons, mech and back to the kitchen. Kai was not in the temple. He had come across Wu and Misako, pouring over old documents together in the library and garbled his plan to them before they were able to fully tear their eyes from their texts. He really had to sort this team out. Communication between the Ninja was at an all time low and he knew he was guilty too, opting to steer clear of confrontation rather than work through it. He had no idea where Kai was, he would have to go on without him but leave him a note. Cole raided the fridge and cupboards for light snack's en-route and proceeded to the Mech hanger.

He took the new elevator to the recently created sub-floor. The doors opened into the Mech hanger, a truly awesome space hewn out of the rocks of the floating island. The great lumbering hulks of the Ninja Mech towered over him and beyond them an open aspect looking out over Ninjago city.

Cole chose the VTO Jet and climbed the ladder to the cockpit. He threw in his supplies and settled himself in. Before long he was airborne, the jet would make quick time and he wished he could be quicker still.