A doctor pleaded with an angry, mortified fire Ninja to remain calm as hospital staff rushed in and out of Cole's room. The doctor hadn't felt threatened, no of course not, he knew Kai was simply frustrated, and scared that his brother might not make it. It was a miracle all in itself that Cole even survived an attack such as the one he endured.
"Fine!" Kai screamed. "I don't care anymore if I can't see my friend right now, just make sure he survives dammit!"
He was cut off suddenly from his temper tantrum as both Jay and Zane yanked him back by the crook of his arms, forcing him away from the doctor, as the white coat disappeared into the room silently. As soon as he was sitting down in a chair, pressed up agains the opposite wall, he buried his face in his hands, silent sobs just barely audible from his lips. The whole team had lost Zane once, so Kai had felt this type of shock before. The pain that had psychologically affected him, tortured him on some occasions, had been returning so suddenly, and he wasn't even sure if he could handle the amount of stress put on him again.
"Kai, he's going to be alright." Jay whispered, placing a hand on his shoulder.
"You don't know that." Kai hissed. "I couldn't take the pressure of another Ninja being lost, even if we got Zane back."
"You must have faith, Kai." Zane soothed. "Cole is strong, he won't go down that easy."
Kai had nothing had more to say, and he simply remained quiet, tuning his senses to the sounds and sights of the hospital. He only listened to the sound of doctors and nurses going about, intaking the sharp stench of antiseptic and cleaners, watching Jay getting on the hospital telephone, punching the numbers to the Garmadon's Monastery. He could hear Lloyd on the receiving end of the sudden and terrible news of what happened. It then went eerily quiet, and it felt unnatural to go without even a little bit of noise. Kai understood Zane was the most quiet and patient, he thought he should've heard Jay babbling nervously, or himself getting up and pacing around the hallway, biting his nails as the tension became thicker, tighter. The silence deafening.
Lloyd's voice came over the phone again, orders for the Ninja to stay where they were while he'd be over quickly. But it could've gone without being said, as the Ninja did not have it in them to leave the hospital with their friend's life on the line. It was as if all appetite was lost, be it for innate small talk, hunger or thirst to be quenched, or even the craving to be doing something productive. Any desire to distract themselves could not be satisfied, not when the worry of brother was far too consuming. All sound had then, seemingly ceased to exist. It was just still, silent, torment.
Kai didn't even notice when Lloyd came bolting down the hallway in a mad hurry, he hadn't even bothered to take attention to the fact that his friend was here. Everything flew past Kai in a blur, only vague memories, words that stood out, or expressions on many different faces. Yet, no matter how hard he tried, if he attempted to remember everything that fateful night, he would only attain a headache and fuzzy sensation, and not the warm, tingling, feel-good impression.
He felt a pit drop in his stomach as Lloyd placed a hand on his shoulder. He couldn't recall what exactly his brother had said that day. But he knew it had to have been motivational or reassuring of some sort, it was just Lloyd's demeanor that he couldn't help but enforce upon the team, it's serious and sometimes lighthearted personality, that's what made it work so well. Each person on the team made it function, each one was a key part to operate it's collaboration. But if Cole were to suddenly leave, to abruptly die, then the team's cooperation would fail.
Every piece is important to make the machine work, all the cogs must mesh together to make it rotate, every gear is required. That is why if one were to suddenly go missing or quit being active, then the entire machine would fall apart.
The steady beat of a heart monitor continuously beeping filled the black void, which was the only sensation Cole could make out. An endless, dusky void. He sluggishly opened his eyes, the monitor's fluctuating green, luminescent line blearily coming into focus. Cole gradually sat up, attempting to ignore the aching sensation in his chest cavity and thoracic wall that protected his heart. The stinging burned an almost insurmountable quantity of pain sorely, making Cole blink back salty tears that threatened to overflow his eyes, and roll down his olive, viridescent cheeks. He gripped the sheets until his ghostly knuckles turned white, waiting patiently for the pain to recede. When he was sure he would able to withstand the discomfort, he forced himself to take a shaky breath, exhaling and inhaling repeatedly until he was in the habit of disregarding the agony.
He gazed around the hospital room from the railed, slightly uncomfortable bed he lied in, the thin sheet covering his body. Aware of where he was and why he was there, he examined the nasty welt on his bare, muscular chest, finding the sight was grotesque, lathered with a type of healing ointment, and skin tightened together with multiple stitches. A solemn sigh escaped his lips as he realized he'd be living with this scar for the rest of his spectral life. It blemished his clear, perfect husk, though taking on transparent qualities, and his team if they ever saw it, would never look at him the same way ever again.
The door in front of him swung open, revealing a rather young man, perhaps in his late to mid twenties. His light brown hair was tidy and combed, and thin facial hair of the same shade decorated his face. Perched on the bridge of his nose was a pair of narrow, black, rimmed glasses. Like every iconic doctor, he sported a white coat, and a blue dress shirt donned underneath it. A darker shade of cobalt tie was wrapped around the collar of his shirt, as well as a stethoscope being slung carelessly over shoulders. He wore a friendly smile and deep, chocolate brown eyes that had a friendly spark to them.
"Good morning, Cole." The man greeted with a cheery voice. "I've been taking care of you, my name is Dr. Kagome, but you can call me Satoru."
Cole remained silent, not sure what to say to the man. He almost shied away, feeling guilty. He had only met Dr. Kagome once, years ago when the young man was still working to get his doctorate degree in medical school. It turned out the youthful doctor's father, in whom Dr. Kagome junior was following after, had been good friends with Lou Mitsuko, Cole's father.
The victim of attack cleared his throat, and eyed the man in an unsure manner, the way he had when he was only seven years old. But Cole knew better, Dr. Kagome was a good man, so there was no point in questioning why Cole shouldn't feel he trust the man.
"Erm... thank you, Dr. Kagome. For your help." Cole thanked, eyes going slightly downcast. "Sorry I had to be in here."
"Oh please, don't apologize." Satoru continued, motioning his hand as if to brush off any hard feelings. "It is only natural at least one of the Ninja would end up in the hospital. An injury like the one you received is far too much to be taken care of in a simple infirmary."
Cole said nothing, and let Dr. Kagome drone on about the ghost's medical conditions. The things he would have to change, that haven't already been altered with his ghost form. Eating habits, exercise limitations, a resting schedule, and the reminders not to strain himself, for the wound had the chances of reopening. Despite Cole being a phantom, he still kept some of the characteristics he had been gifted as a human. This meaning he would be coerced into what was known as natural recovery from acquiring injury to thoracic area. Regardless of Cole's seemingly ignorant form, the black Ninja still picked up bits and pieces of Dr. Kagome's instructions, and unfortunately, most of it sounded rather restraining. This will be hell, Cole thought, mildly upset but refraining from showing it. With a melancholic sigh, unknowing that Dr. Kagome had just finished speaking, Cole looked up, his black-brown eyes making contact with Dr. Kagome's chocolate irises.
"I know this will be hard, Cole." Satoru said with a frown. "Though I did not receive a full report on your injury, I am slightly aware of the state of it's damage. I do hope that it is not as bad as the some of the reports have told me. At the least, you should only be here for, perhaps a week."
"And at the worst?" Cole asked. Dr. Kagome seemed to ponder this thought for a moment, as if unsure whether or not he should answer Cole's question. It was the doctor's turn to sigh as he scanned his notes, adjusting his glasses.
"A few months." Was his final answer.
"A few months?" Cole groaned, plopping down on the pillow. He silently wondered what being confined to a bed for the rest of existence was like, his thoughts racing about his life as it was now. Being turned into a ghost had it's restraints already, so his whole style of living was bad as it was. But with this new, obstinate hurdle in the way, his current position was turning rapidly, and not for the best.
"Now, Cole." Dr. Kagome reassured. "That's worst case scenario. It couldn't possibly be that bad."
"Yeah... you're right." Cole muttered, turning on the thin mattress away from the doctor, hiding his pained expression, both from physical hurt and emotional. He refused to be seen as a weak. Crying, he felt, was what made one weak. Besides, his tears were made of water. Would they not burn him? Like hell that's right. Cole continued in his thoughts. With the way things have been going ever since the Overlord's return after rebooting Ninjago City, chances are I'll be stuck here longer than what is considered worst case scenario.
There was no doubt in his mind, that he had the worst luck. It had started in New Ninjago City. What was supposed to considered a friendly talk between him and Nya had somehow stupidly become so much more. He hadn't thought his feelings for her, having started out mutual, would spiral into tender and affectionate. He never would have thought he'd feel an intense passion for her. He could swear the spark in her coffee colored eyes meant she felt the same exact way. He never imagined he'd feel his heart swell, or that he'd want to look at her with something that was more than just friendly. That he'd want to feel her hot breath against his lips, or feel her body so close to his.
Even then, his chances with her plummeted to zero when he finally noticed how much he was truly hurting Jay. His best option with her, to mend everything that had been torn apart, was to let go. In retribution for creating something special with Nya, he had ripped up his brotherly connection with Jay. He had finally decided his team was much more important than a girl. He paid the ultimate price for giving up his love for the woman he thought was meant for him. In the end, he had his powers stolen. Even if the battle against Chen ended rather well, Garmadon sacrificing himself for Ninjago's wellbeing, Lloyd had been possessed a while after. Within that whole fiasco, Cole refused to let the Scroll of Airjitzu be left behind in Yang's Temple, ultimately resulting in the black Ninja becoming a spectral figure.
Now his life was to be lived away from water. Water is the drink of the gods, and the source of all life. That was an undeniable fact. Not only could ghosts somehow manage without it and survive, but avoiding it was essential to survival. Because Cole had become a phantom, he was to undergo extreme circumstances to steer clear of water, or most liquids in that case. Research entitled that any liquid remotely similar to water, would definitely leave a negative after effect. He wouldn't even get to taste his first champagne.
"Cole, if it's any consolation, perhaps you'd like to see you're friends?" Dr. Kagome offered. Cole perked up slightly at the sound of that, and he forced himself to a more confident position. The slight gleam that indicated a craving for human contact in Cole's eyes, was enough to give Dr. Kagome the "okay" to allow the other Ninja visitation rights. He walked over to the door, stepping out for a moment. The next few seconds felt like forever to Cole, but the instant the doors were open, Cole was flooded with a wave of joy. Four people, otherwise known as the friends Cole could ask no better version for, came rushing through.
The poor young man was smothered with questions and easement of "It's going to be okay!". Cole smiled lightheartedly as they finally stopped squabbling, and just resolved to giving him a hug, in which they all promptly proceeded to fall through his translucent body, resulting in a few laughs to be spread around.
"Sorry, about that." Jay said, scratching the back of his head sheepishly.
"Yeah, we have to remember to be a little more careful." Kai smiled, though Cole could see the masked worry behind his hazel irises. His hallow cheeks and pale complexion suggested he hadn't gotten enough sleep. But the more Cole looked around, the more he saw. All of them had shaken expressions, a poor attempt at a cover up with forced smiles of relief. They each appeared exhausted, dark bags appearing under their eyes. Even Jay, who was usually exploding with energy, looked like he was going to collapse. Then it hit Cole, and if his blood could've run cold, he would've been feeling it.
"D-did you guys stay at the hospital all night?" Cole asked.
Everyone went stone still in terms of quiet, none of them saying a word. Cole thought he could see Jay gulp nervously, and a flash of guilt in Zane's eyes. Even Lloyd looked far too out of his element in his condition. "Guys," Cole whimpered. "why would you do that?"
"There was no way we were going to leave the hospital without finding out your condition." Jay finally answered after the uncomfortable silence.
"Besides, none of us would've been able to sleep." Lloyd added. "When I got the news, it felt like all exhaustion fled my body. I couldn't rest until I knew my brother was safe."
"We were all emotional wrecks." Kai said, and he looked away in shame. "Especially me."
"We felt unable to do anything, except for feel helpless when you were hurt." Zane continued on. "We didn't even know if you would make it out alive. I mean, I guess ghosts can't really die. But, there is no more of the Cursed Realm your spirit could flee to in terms of speaking. Even if there were, there was no way we'd even see you again."
If a droid could cry, Zane looked to be on the verge of being the first one in the past twenty-four hours. His sharp, ice blue eyes seemed to go moist, but he blinked it back quickly. Cole had realized from Zane's statement, how everyone was truly terrified of the fate he could've had. Cole, having the slimmest chance of survival, still pulling out his life from the clutches of death, nearly scared the life out of his teammates. Zane was accurate when he stated that Cole could've died, and there is no recovery after death. And if there were a god, he'd be the only one capable of resurrection, even so, a body is required for such a fate, and practices involving that of raising the dead, were strictly prohibited. The only fate would be the Ankhseram Curse for the poor soul even willing to attempt an incorrect, taboo event.
Cole gazed at his teammates with sympathy, refusing to feel pity. That was the day he popped the lid on a mental bottle of emotions, that would one day spill over if not managed carefully. It would be a terrifying tsunami of catastrophic emotion that would flood Cole's very being. A fit of crying. He refused to appear weak by crying. He could sulk or look depressed, but he would never forgive himself if he were to cry. Cole would be have to be careful of how he acted from now on around his brothers. Because the way he saw it, they would never look at him the same way again. They would treat him differently, protect him much more fiercely. The changes were just getting started on rocking the playing field out of the Ninja's favor. Out of Cole Mitsuko's favor.
Oh, yes. Things were definitely changing. Not for the better, that much was certain.
I could never wish better friends than the ones surrounding me. Cole thought silently. They truly are family to me. I will never forget this.
Indeed, Cole would never forget this.