THANKS FOR THE KIND WORDS
The next morning Cole woke up early partly out of habit and partly because he wasn't getting much sleep anyways. He was sitting at the table drinking some coffee and eating some very lumpy oatmeal like it was the best thing ever.
"Mmm, I personally think the others say I can't cook simply because they are jealous of my superior cooking skills, this is far better than anything Zane could make" Cole felt a pang of sadness at the mention of his friends. He was beginning to feel awkward sitting alone in the silence, he was used to talking with the others at breakfast. Just as he swallowed the last of his oatmeal there was a knock at the door. He figured it was Wu or someone from the station as he got up and answered it. But as he opened the door an older woman stood there with a plate covered in foil.
"Hello dear, I saw you just moved in and I baked you some cookies to welcome you to the neighborhood and to introduce myself, my name is Ming" she handed him the plate.
"Nice to meet you Ming, I'm C- Rocky! Rocky Dangerbuff" he said.
"Well Rocky, I live right across from you so if you ever need anything just ask" she smiled warmly.
"Thank you, that's very kind of you, and thanks for the cookies" he said.
They said their goodbyes and he went back inside. He immediately ate one of the cookies, it was delicious and it reminded him of some of the homemade sweets his mom would make when he was a child before she got too sick to continue making them. Then he remembered that he was supposed to go to some bar that The Overlords frequented, rumor was that the leader of the gang owned the bar. He went to the bathroom and freshened up, he tied the bandana around his head before heading out the door. He hopped on his motorcycle and drove to the bar. He entered the bar and immediately all eyes were on him, he just held his head high and confidently strolled right up to the bartender everyone seemed to be watching his every move.
"I would like the hard stuff, you know, the boba tea with extra boba in it" he winked at the lady tending the bar she blushed as she got busy making his drink. He noticed that people were whispering amongst themselves and glancing at him.
"Here you go" she gave him his drink. He cringed. He personally hated boba tea, he couldn't stand those tapioca balls in it but if this is how he would impress The Overlords he had no choice but to drink it. He took one long swig before slamming the glass down on the bar. Just then two men approached him.
"Aren't you the one who killed one of those ninjas?" one asked.
He took another long swig drinking all his tea in one gulp before answering "Yes I am".
"You have to tell us the story, how did you pull that off?" the other asked. Once again everyone in the bar seemed to be watching him. He turned in his chair to face the crowd.
"Well ok, there I was shaking down some rich mooks, when those pesky pajama freaks decided to try and stop me, key word they tried, so I ran and they thought they had me but little did they know I was the one who was had them right where I wanted them, just when they though they were cornering me I whipped around and shot that black pajama wearing idiot right in his heart" Cole explained earning cheers of approval and clapping from the audience.
"Ooh you're so bad" the bartender flirted.
"Baby I know" Cole smirked.
"What did you say your name was?" she asked.
"I'm Rocky Dangerbuff, and I fear no one, not even those dumb ninja, but thanks to me there down one am I right" Cole raised his empty glass. Others cheered and raised their glasses too.
"And you managed to kill the earth ninja, he was like the strongest one" one man with a red bandana said.
"Mm, I don't think so he wasn't really that strong" another man said.
"I personally thought he was pretty hot" a woman he just realized was sitting on the barstool next to him said. Earning boos from the crowd.
"Yea, I'm not sure why everyone thought he was so hot, I mean sure he had an amazing bod and don't get me started on the hair" Cole said. But he noticed everyone was looking at him funny.
"Anyways" he cleared his throat. "That doesn't matter because he's dead!" Cole shouted.
Yea! The crowd shouted in approval.
Cole figured he had made his good impression and was getting ready to leave.
"Well, I'm going to go commit some….crimes since that's what us criminals do" Cole stood to leave.
"Ooh! Ooh! Can I go with you? Please? I'm dying to see you in action" A man said. Cole noticed that he had an Overlord tattoo he must be a part of the gang he's looking for.
"Yea me too!" another man with the same tattoo said. This could be his chance to get close to the gang.
"Of course! The more the merrier, we can get more loot that way" Cole winked. The two guys went outside with him. Cole honestly had no idea what to do; he didn't actually have anything planned.
"Alright boys, follow me" Cole climbed on his motorcycle. He'd have to think of something on the fly. He led them to a convenient store on the rich side of town.
"Look at them, they get the best of everything while we get nothing, what do you say we take some for ourselves" Cole said.
"Yea, hehe that's good, lead the way Rocky" one said.
"I'm sorry I didn't get your names" Cole said.
"I'm Bap" the one with the white bandana said.
"And I'm Bam" the one with the blue bandana over his face said.
"Ok uh, Bap and Bam" Cole inwardly rolled his eyes at the silly names. They went into the store and people could immediately tell they were trouble. Cole pulled out his gun and people gasped and screamed.
"You know what this is, just give us all your valuables and nobody has to get hurt" Cole said.
"Yea! No heroics" Bap said. Cole held out a bag and people started putting all their money and jewelry in it. Cole felt guilty that he was robbing people but he had to keep his charade up. A terrified man approached and put a cheap looking locket into it.
"What is this!?" Cole sounded offended and he grabbed the locket and opened it. Inside was a picture of the man a woman and a child. It reminded Cole of the one his mom used to have. There was no way he could take this.
"I'm sorry, please, that's all I have" the man looked at him with pleading eyes.
"We have no need for such cheap junk, keep it" Cole threw it at him.
"Well, thank you folks, your cooperation is much obliged" Cole said and holstered his gun before leaving with Bap and Bam behind him.
"Ooh, we have so much good stuff" Bap said excitedly.
"Don't you mean I have so much good stuff? This was my plan" Cole said.
"Yea but we helped" Bam glared.
"Only because you begged like little children to come, the loot is mine I will not share" Cole said.
"Ohoho, you're a conniving snake Rocky, we like that" Bap said.
"Yea I know what I am" Cole said plainly. He parted ways with Bap and Bam and went back to his apartment. He lugged the bag of loot inside. He set it on the floor and flopped down on the couch heaving a sigh. He couldn't believe he had just committed a crime. He felt so dirty. He also felt extremely guilty, even though it was all an act he still felt ashamed of himself. He looked up.
"I'm sorry mom I promise I'll make sure the people get their stuff back" he said. That's the real reason he didn't let Bap or Bam have any of it because he wanted to make sure it was returned to the people they stole it from. He already hated this job and he is only a day in. He just wanted to go home and be with his fellow ninja. He wondered how they were doing.
*With the ninja*
Lloyd was picking at his food, he hadn't eaten any of it. The mood was somber. The table that was normally lively and full of laughter and conversation was eerily quiet, nobody daring to speak a word. He couldn't help but glance at the empty chair that Cole once occupied. Tears blurred his vision and he hurried out of the room. The others gave him sad glances.
"I'm really worried about him, he seems to be taking Cole's death really hard" Nya said.
"Yea, who could blame him, it will never be the same without Cole" Jay's voice was thick with grief.
"Are we even a team anymore" Kai looked down sadly.
"I know we are all crushed by the devastating loss of Cole, but we must carry on, Ninjago still needs us, and Cole wouldn't want us to give up" Wu said.
Lloyd went to the only place that brings him any remote sense of comfort. He entered Cole's room. He isn't sure why but he always expected to see Cole's sleeping form in the bed. He put Cole's gi on even though it was big on him it brought him comfort that Cole was still with him. He hardly even wore his green gi anymore, preferring to wear Cole's. A wave of grief so powerful it nearly took his breath away hit him. His breath came out in sobs as he got into Cole's bed and wept bitterly into his pillow. Someone came into the room and sat on the edge of the bed.
"Hey Lloyd" Kai said gently. As he started rubbing Lloyd's back. Lloyd tackled Kai into a hug.
"I miss him so much it hurts" Lloyd's tears soaked into Kai's gi.
"I know you do, I miss him too" Kai's voice cracked with emotion.
"He can't really be gone Kai, I'm not ready" Lloyd cried.
"He's not gone, he's still watching over us, look, out the window, see that bright star? That's him, he's smiling at you, see?" Kai pointed to a really bright star. Lloyd stared at it until his eyelids grew heavy and he fell asleep. Kai smiled that trick always worked on Nya when they were kids and she would cry about missing their parents.
*With Cole*
He just wished they were ok. He desperately wished he could talk to them and tell them he was ok. Just as Cole was about to settle in for the night he heard a blood curdling scream come from outside. His desire to help people kicked in and he was about to run out the door, but then he remembered he didn't want to blow his cover and risk anyone seeing him help whoever was screaming. He quickly pulled a hood over his face and ran outside. There was a lady there surrounded by three men.
"Stop screaming!" one of them snapped.
"We already took her purse, let's just kill her and get out of here" another said to his buddies.
"Help!" the lady screamed. Cole sent the three men flying with a powerful kick. They looked shocked and ran off dropping the purse in the process.
"Thank you! Thank you so much" the lady hugged him sobbing into his chest.
"Uh sure, of course, It's ok now ma'am you better get home, it's not safe to be out here by yourself at night" Cole handed her the purse. She nodded and hurried off. He hurried back into his apartment before anyone saw him. He was glad he got to do that good deed to wash out the sour taste in his mouth from the robbery he committed earlier. With his conscience at ease he slept peacefully that night.