The 4 ninjas landed outside the village. Cole slowly got off his dragon as he was still feeling sore. Said Dragon gave a low wine.
"I'm okay," Cole assured it, "Just a little bruised up."
"Looks like there's a festival coming up. It'll take a while to find her in these crowds," said Jay peeking into the village.
"Yeah. The village tends to go a bit over the top with the Shichi-Go-San festival," explained Kai.
"The what?" Zane asked.
"The Sichi-Go-San festival. The festival for the passing of age for children aged 3, 5, and 7. Didn't you go through it?" Kai asked.
"I don't recall doing so," said Zane.
Cole looked into the village as well. There were several families with young children. Almost all of the children were dressed in traditional clothes and the children were playing and munching on special candies. They all seemed to be on their way to various shrines and temples. Along the way to the way to the shrines and temples were stalls like those at a carnival. Some were selling food. Others toys and other fun things.
No sign of his mother though. Cole wasn't sure if he should be relieved by that.
The four wandered into the village doing their best to stick together in the crowds.
"The crowds seem to be thinning," Zane observed.
"Yeah it'll be easier to travel before too long," Kai promised, "And it will also be easier to find Cole's mom."
"What does your mother look like anyway?" Jay asked as the crowds continued to thin.
"Oh…well…she…" Cole stumbled.
"I think I see her," Zane stated pointing to a woman standing near the river.
The ninjas looked and saw her. There was no doubt on who she was. Like Cole she had wavy, raven hair. Hers was just longer reaching well past her shoulders. She shared Cole's rounded face and his chin. The only thing amiss was her eyebrows. They were square like Zane's, compared to Cole's large, bushy eyebrows.
"Yeah that's her," Cole said.
"Hey lady we got a bone to pick with you," Kai said angrily, walking up to the woman.
Jay and Zane followed in suit.
Cole hung back. He knew they wouldn't get anything accomplished if he stepped in immediately.
"What do you want?" the woman asked unkindly.
Cole watched ready to step in should his friends fall into danger.
"This morning we noticed our friend not doing so great. He showed us that he was covered with bruises. He had bruises on his chest, his bask, shis shoulders, his left arm, his right arm…" Jay babbled angrily.
Cole shook his head. Did Jay HAVE to be an unhinged mouth right this moment?
"…And he claims that you did it!" Jay finally finished.
"So what?" The woman asked sounding annoyed.
"Maybe you haven't heard, but we ninjas are a team. When you hurt Cole you brought all of us into the game," Kai said defensively.
Cole's eyes widened when Kai used his name. This was not going to end well.
"So your friends will my son eh? Well do me a favor and give him this for me," Cole's mother replied pulling back her fist ready to strike Kai, and chances were, she wouldn't stop there.
Cole dashed forward and grabs his mother's fist before she could hurt him.
"Leave them alone!" Cole ordered.
His mother turned to face him. Cole's heart was pounding.
"Ah…so this is who you ran off to, Cole. Such a bad boy, dragging your friends down to your own mess, your own level. But don't worry. Mama knows the perfect disciplinary tactic," His mother said coldly.
Before anyone, especially Cole could react, she punched Cole hard in the guts. Cole doubled over holding his stomach. His mother struck again and Cole ended up in the river.
"COLE!" all his friends cried out as he was picked up by the current.
Cole managed to keep his head above the water and he grabbed on to an exposed root hanging over the river. Gripping tightly he managed to pull himself ashore.
Cole lay on the bank wet and shivering. His heart was breaking. He had lead his friends into this mess? That wasn't the only thing he'd done. He nearly killed Zane and Jay in his early days of training. He'd accused his team of abandoning him. He had even once knocked Jay's voice box injuring it.
No wonder my mom hates me, he thought, I deserve the treatment I'm getting.
"COLE!"
Cole propped himself onto his elbows upon hearing Jay's voice.
The other 3 ran up to him.
"Are you okay?" Zane asked.
"Yeah. I'm fine," Said Cole sitting up.
"You're soaking wet!" Jay exclaimed.
"I'm okay guys really…AH-TCHOO!...excuse me..." Cole sneezed violently, but then he never had mastered the art of a quiet sneeze.
"Come on. Lets go see Nya. She'll fix you right up," said Kai helping Cole to his feet.