I had initially uploaded the wrong document for the previous chapter, thanks to AuroraRain18 for pointing this out!

And I know that Coliel (or even Seliel) is not strictly canon, but I am still including this pairing here.

Set after the end of Possession.


Ghost Encounters

"Excuse me, where can I put this?" A female voice asked from behind the pile of blankets that the person was carrying.

"Just over there, please." Cole replied, pointing at a table - before he realised that she probably couldn't see where he was gesturing at. "Uhm, sorry. Let me take this for you."

Cole carefully accepted the items from the woman's hands and placed them on the indicated table before he went back to thank her.

Following the defeat of the Preeminent, the Ninja were now busy dealing with the destruction that the cursed ghosts (and themselves) had caused in and around Stiix.

As it was raining outside, the black Ninja had been assigned to setting up emergency quarters for the families who had lost their homes in the battle inside the Stiix Sports Centre. And he was currently taking care of the generous donations that were arriving from other communities from all across Ninjago.

"Thanks a lot for your help, Miss..." He said to the young woman with a blue streak in her long pink hair... wait... he knew someone with exactly this extraordinary hairstyle.

"Seliel?" Cole recognised the Phantom Ninja. The Ninja had met her a few years back, when she had bravely defended her hometown from a violent Nindroid attack.

"The one and only. Long time, no see, Earth Boy." She pulled him in a hug.

Cole wrapped his solid arms around her to reciprocate. It was a easier than that time when Nya had hugged him right after he had been turned into a ghost. And, this one felt a lot different to him too.

Maybe it was because had had some time to adjust to his changed body. Or maybe it was because of the way the pink-haired girl's chest was pressed flush against his. Or maybe it was because of Seliel's inciting scent of vanilla and lemon. But whatever the reason was, he sure liked it.

"Yeah, it's been a while." Cole sheepishly rubbed his neck when they eventually broke apart. He had wanted to keep in touch with her, but many things at that time hadn't really gone according to plan. "But great to see you. You... uhm... haven't changed a bit."

"Thanks. Unfortunately, I cannot say the same about you." She replied, comfortingly placing her hand on the ghost's shoulder. "I-I've heard what happened at Yang's temple. How are you keeping?"

"Been better." He shrugged. "But I'm getting more and more used to it. And Sensei Wu has promised to train me in some special ghost abilities."

Seliel smiled. "I like your way of positive thinking."

I am spending way too much time with Jay... The Earth Ninja thought, but couldn't suppress a little smile.

"You wouldn't believe how many times the power of positive thinking has helped us get through." He said. "But enough of me. What brings you here?"

"I'm just helping my dad." Seliel's father was the mayor Nom. "As soon as we heard what happened, we've asked our people to help. I have a lot more boxes in the van."

"I cannot come outside in the rain but if you drop them off by the door, I can put everything in their right place." Cole suggested.

"Sure." Seliel agreed.

While he was organising the food, clothes, and even toys that the people of Nom had sent them, Cole occasionally glimpsed at the pink haired young woman who seemingly effortlessly was bringing in one large, heavy box after the other.

He remembered when they had fought alongside the Phantom Ninja - after first fighting against her. Even back then, he had admired her for being a strong (and strong-willed) and skilled warrior. But how come he had never noticed how beautiful the person under the mask was?

Oh, right. Because he had been too busy obsessing over a girl he wasn't even in love with, which had driven a wedge between him and his best friend - and in the end the whole team.

And only because someone had finally acknowledged him, not for his looks, not for his strength, but for his personality and for his contributions to the team. But he had been neither a team player nor a 'good guy' when he had gone after his teammate's girlfriend... luckily, he and Jay had made amends during their fight on Chen's island. And for some odd reason, Cole was sure that the Maters of Lightning and Water also would sort things out eventually.

But right now, he actually cared more about somebody else. And she was working here right alongside him.

"Thanks again." Cole said when they had finally stored away all the items. "Do you still have some time, or do you have to get back to Nom right away?"

"No, I still have some time." She replied. "I don't mind driving home in the dark. Would you maybe have something to drink, please? Just some water, or-" She blushed as she glimpsed at his green form. "Okay, maybe not water..."

"What about tea?" Cole suggested. "With compliments from Steep Wisdom."

After - very carefully - pouring her a cup, Cole sat down next to Seliel on a wooden gym bench.

"Now, tell me." She looked at him with her pretty slate-grey eyes. "How's everyone else?"

"They're all good." Cole summarised: "Jay and I are best friends again. Lloyd wants to become a Sensei. Kai has actually met his match, but they are both too stubborn to admit their feelings. Turned out Nya is an Elemental Master, too. And I guess you've heard about Zane, right?"

"I have." She nodded. "I am really sorry that I couldn't make it to the funeral. But then I was so glad to hear that he is back."

"Yeah, Titanium." Cole nodded.

"Isn't it strange how you've all changed - first Lloyd grew up, then Zane got a new body, now Nya has become a Ninja, and you're a ghost. What's gonna happen next? Jay's gonna lose the notch in his eyebrow and grow some freckles instead?"

Cole shook his head. "I really can't see that happening."

"He would look cute though." Seliel giggled. "Even cuter than now."

"You think Jay is cute?" Cole could not hide the disappointment in his voice.

"Sure." She nodded. "But I'll have you know that 'cute' isn't really my type." Her eyes locked with his.

C'mon, say something smart. Cole told himself. Or at least witty.

Unfortunately, the Master of Earth had never been too good with words. Why couldn't he be a bit more like, let's say, Jay? Although, to be fair, even the talkative blue Ninja had been a bit lost for words when he had first met Nya (which had to some extent been Cole's fault). But it miraculously had still worked.

Yet, Cole didn't want to know Seliel's favourite colour. Well, at least not only that. He wanted to find out everything about her.

"So, uhm..."

But the way she looked at him with her stunning slate-grey eyes, his mind went completely blank.

"How do you feel about cake?" Cole finally asked.

He mentally face-palmed. That was even worse than 'Do you like blue?'

But to his surprise, Seliel jumped up from the bench and smiled brightly as she held out her hand.

"I thought you'd never ask."


Coming up next: The moment that I started to ship Kailor.

RandomDragon2.0 - Thanks. Finding these moments (and rewatching the corresponding episodes) is part of the fun :).