Hey everyone happy Friday and as usual time for an update along with a soundtrack. This soundtrack, I think, was the best for the chapter. Type up the link watch?v=QtX81rdi6q8 at 1:25 and when you see the mark, *, enjoy. :)


Chapter 16: Cole Brookstone

I've been traveling for hours now. After I left Jay's place, I've been traveling down east for hours. I think it's the afternoon now. I've driven past deserts. Snow-capped mountains. And even a forest. I don't know which one, but it's definitely not the Misty Forest or Forest of Tranquility. The vegetation was thick so I couldn't even drive through it to the path so I had to lose focus on my vehicle to be normal and placed my sai's in my backpack to venture in. I think it was best so I don't overheat it again. Plus I enjoy walking through the forest. Reminds me of where I always train my powers.

As I traveled through the forest, I found a waterfall along the bank upstream and took this as an opportunity for a break and to meditate. I have nothing but my grey silk shorts on as I sat cross-legged on a rock that was above a waist-deep pool underneath the fall. I even cleaned myself to feel fresh after from the feassco with Butch and his posse. Those guys managed to put up a fight against me. But were no match for my Spinjitzu. Not to be gloating, bragging, or even cocky, it was actually fun to defend someone in need. My vow or resolution was promising.

As my eyes were closed underneath the rushing water, I began to feel relax. The cool water was sending shivers on my skin to have the small bumps appear. It felt relaxing considering the temperature was rising to make the air humid against the spray of water. I do miss the feeling of water running through my hair as my once shaggy hair was gone. This haircut made my hair really short and I hate it. I look like I'm ten again. My shaggy hair was like my trademark as a teen, but it kept getting into my eyes from time to time. But I'll be glad once it grows back. As long I keep it even to where it's not too shaggy or short.

After I washed myself clean from all day tinkering and being covered in grease and oil and small sunburns with Jay, I've been either swimming in the river or meditating under the water. The sound of the water pouring on my head blocked all sound from me. But I am able to hear all types of sounds in the distance. I'm the Ninja of Water, I have heightened hearing when I'm underwater. Unlike most people when they listen underwater, I have the ability of a whale's hearing when underwater. I can still hear the birds chirping. Leaves rustling to the coming September month. The soft howl of the winds in my direction. The sound of rocks tumbling along with the grunt of a person.

Wait what? Rocks tumbling and the grunts of a person? I opened my eyes to scan the area as the sounds were close. Splash! I quickly turned to the source and saw the ripples of an unknown object ripple far from my spot with the small air bubbles emerging. I poked my head out of the fall to look up and saw nothing as the afternoon sun burned into my retinas. I squinted and visored my eyes to the light and saw something on the falls and quickly retreated back as I saw a rock hurling towards me and it splashed near me. "Crap!" I heard someone shouted. Someone was up there. "Whoa!" and something splashed in front of me.

I quickly jumped back in surprise and felt myself surround in water as I fell back into the pool behind me. I felt petrified to move as the surprise jolted my limbs to be immoblized to move. I could see that I was moving, but couldn't move at all as the current was carrying me. My lungs began to scream for air as they were buring and aching. I couldn't even create my air bubble as the shock made it hard to concentrate my elemental powers. Moving was more important than your powers if you're drowning. My lungs continued to beg for air and I saw darkness surrounding me as I was about to pass out and drown. How ironic by my own element.

As the darkness consumed me, I felt a pair of strong hands grab my arms and pulled me up to the surface. I threw a coughing fit to spit out water and breathed in at the same time. My lungs were relieved to feel the sweet air burning into them to breathe. Alive. I was alive still. I hugged the grassy side of the river bed and continued to spit out water as I breathe the oxygen for my lungs. "Hey take it easy." a male voice while my back was gently patted by a hand. "You alright?"

I slowly turned my head to see a blur of a teen around my age kneeling next to me, worried. He had real thick black shaggy hair with bushy eyebrows that wetted down as his bangs were plastered to his forehead. Dark amber eyes that were wide with worry as I gave out raspy breaths. He had no shirt on to reveal the muscles on his arms, shoulders, chest, and even abdomen. Like he's been hitting the gym everyday. But the only thing he had on were a pair of black shorts and a one strap backpack across his chest. He continued to pat my back as I still spat out water and felt tired from the adrenaline and exhaustion coursing my veins while my vision started to cloud up. "Th-thank you." I responded with a quiet, raspy voice and closed my eyes as the darkness consumed me still into unconsciousness.

...

I felt myself surrounded in darkness and slowly groaned as I slowly pried my heavy eyes open. With my will power, I slowly opened my eyes to stare directly at the setting sun and immediately shut them away from the light. I felt stiff and tired, but managed to hold my head as a massive headache grew to bring the pain to my head and felt something fall on my lap. Still in pain with my headache, I slowly opened my eyes again to look down and saw a soft black blanket over my right shoulder and lap. Where did this come from? I also noticed that I was wearing a black tee shirt. Where did this come from too? "Well look whose finally awake." a voice chirped in. "Good morning Sleeping Beauty."

I suddenly recognized the voice as it was from the teen that saved me. I slowly turned my head to his voice and spotted him looming over a fire with a cooking pot over the hearth. I can see shadows on his tan face as the fire casted his shadow. His hair was now dry than before and was wearing a black tee shirt that seemed a bit tight on him because of the muscles I saw compared to the one I'm wearing seemed a bit loose to my lean body. I continued to hold my head as it swam with pain and looked at the dark amber eyes of worry and heard him sigh in relief. He must've been worried and happy to see me awake. "Wh-what happened?" I asked the raven-haired teen with a raspy voice and began to cough again.

The teen ran over to me with a water bottle in his hands and knelt next to me. "Take it easy." he said in a reassuring tone. "You're still hungover from your swim and need to breathe."

I finally stopped coughing and nodded at him and took a deep breath. He uncapped the bottle for me and placed it softly in my hands and helped me lace my fingers around the hard plastic surface. "Thank you." I said to him and brought it to my lips and slowly drank. The coolness of the liquid felt soothing to my burning throat and finished to the last drop. My head started to feel better and observed my surrounding area as it was different than from where I was before I fell to darkness. The waterfall was nowhere to be seen, but a rocky wall. I was leaning against a tree with my backpack by my side. "Where am I?" I asked him. "Who are you?"

The teen gave me a small smile as I was fine to him for saving me. "My name is Cole." he replied and took the water bottle from my hands. "I was worried for you as you passed out at the river. So I couldn't leave you all alone and I carried you to my camp." He scratched the back of his head and rubbed the back of his rough hands in discomfort. I think he had some bad news to break to me. But what? "My camp happens to be on the side of a mountain not far from the river."

Wait what did he say? I was on the side of a mountain? I looked behind the tree and saw a wisp of clouds breezing by with an eagle soaring by us. I was on a mountain side. But how did I get here though? "How did I get up here then?" I asked him.

"Well the simplest thing really." Cole replied. "I carried you on my back and climbed the mountain side." and walked back to the fire to stir the contents in the pot.

He carried me? I must've been heavy for him. I'm like one hundred and sixty to seventy pounds in weight. There was no way he could've carried me that easily. "I must've been heavy for you." I told him. "I'm sorry for the trouble you had to do."

Cole stopped stirring the pot and reached into his bag to pull out two bowls. "Nah you're fine." he replied while laddling the contents out with the ladel and poured it into each bowl. Must be dinner. "You were light as a feather. I'm really strong for people around my age and can lift things three times my weight." He began to chuckle. "Sorry if I'm gloating, but you hungry?" he asked and brought a bowl to me and handed me a spoon.

I took the bowl from him and gave him a smile. "Thank you." I said to him and looked at it. I couldn't tell what it was soup or not. It was definitely not chicken noodle, but had a violet tint to it. I took a small spoonful, blew on it to cool it, and brought it to my lips to sip. I suddenly froze as the taste surprised me and wanted to spit it out, but didn't want to offend him and slowly swallowed the soup. "It's very good." I coughed. "What is it?"

Cole smiled and took a bite of his soup. He didn't even cringed as I did when he took his share. Must be immune to his cooking. "I call it Violet Berry Soup." he replied and took another bite. "My culinary work that took me three days to make it just right." Three days? Why that long? "I just use the right amount of spices to perfection. Go on, eat. You could use it after your swim."

I nodded him a thank you for dinner and took another bite and didn't show any signs of disgust to him. It's not really one of the best soups I ever had, but I think he may have over-used on the spices. After dinner, I was able to have little of my strength back, but Cole kept insisting me to hug the tree because I looked unstable to balance myself. I think he's right because if I take one step, I'll collapse. He's like one of those guys that's perfect to be a leader for the care and safety of people. I continued to hug the tree while Cole washed the bowls with a jug of water from his bag. "Hey listen," I breathed with my still raspy voice. I really need my voice back. "I can't thank you enough for everything. Saving me, caring, and even for giving me dinner."

"Hey it's no problem." the black-haired teen said as he scrubbed the bowls clean. "I couldn't leave you there alone after you passed out. So I found your belongings and carried you to my camp. It's safer up here than down there." Unless there's mountain lions or the possiblity of falling off on accident, I'll agree with that then. He stopped scrubbing the bowls and rinsed them clean. Then he dried them off with a dish towel and looked at me with a wondering look. "By the way, what were you doing there alone anyway...uh?" he asked while asking for my name.

"Oh...uh...my name is Luke." I introduced myself. Keeping that name as a cover story. Again I don't want him to know that I'm a ninja under my uncle whose a dark lord. "I was having my own adventure while my parents are away as I turned sixteen the other day. Might I ask you the same question?" The tables turned now.

Cole finished drying the dishes and placed a lid on the small pot and setted it aside to cool off. "Well first off, happy late birthday." he said and placed the bowls in his bag. "And to answer that, I'm doing the same thing as you are. Having my own adventure. But different than yours."

I gave him a confusing look. "How so?" I asked.

Cole scratched his head and sighed. "You see," he began. "I ran away after I turn sixteen in April for being a dancer and..."

I couldn't help but interrupted him by chuckling. "I'm sorry." I laughed. "But you, a dancer?"

Cole furrowed his bushy eyebrows while shooting glares at me. "Hey I didn't have choice." he said while crossing his arms. "My dad is a dancer for his quartet called the Royal Blacksmiths and he wanted me to become one too and follow his footsteps. So he sent me to the Marty Oppinheimer of Performing Arts School when I was fifteen. I hate dancing because I wasn't very good at it all because of the Triple Tiger Sashay incident." I gave him a confusing look. The what? "Oh." he just realized my confussion. "The Triple Tiger Sashay is the most difficult dance move ever in the world. But since my dad thought a seven-year-old could do it, I fell flat on my face and faced humiliation. So after I turned sixteen, I ran away to have my adventure in what I like doing the most. Mountain climbing."

I was intrigued with his story. He too ran away because his father wanted him to do the opposite. His wanted him to be a dancer while mine wanted me to be not the Green Ninja. I can say that we have things in common. We both wanted to do something to make us happy and proud while our fathers reject them. Basically shattering our dreams like mirrors. But as we both ran away, we made them come true. I became the Ninja of Water. And he became this...buff mountain climber.

I nodded at him as I understood his story and looked down at his arms. "Have you ever been this...strong." I asked stupidly.

Cole chuckled. "Not really." he replied. "When I was thirteen, I began to fall in love with rock climbing and wasn't much strong to pull myself up. So everyday I did my own workout routine at home. Basically push-ups, sit-ups, those home remedies. Since my dad wanted me to dance, I didn't have the equipment to use to workout. So I saved the allowance I had and earned and at fourteen I had my own workout bench to use. So I worked out everyday as it felt great and became this." He removed his shirt to show off his muscle. "I'm hard as a rock." and hit his pectoral muscles to show his toughness.

I was impressed. Not jealous as I like my lean muscles, but impressed. I began to feel balance regained back to my body and took my first step on the rocky surface and sat next to him by the fire. I suddenly want to see just how strong he was. Maybe instead of fighting like Kai or Jay, maybe something else. "Hey listen, this may sound crazy, but want to wrestle?" I asked him.

Cole stopped as he was about to pull his shirt on and looked at me confused. Am I crazy? Maybe. If he's this strong as he claimed to be, I want find out myself. It's not everyday that a teen around your age can carry you on his back and be this strong. Also I can sense a power in him. Like I did in Jay and Kai. Like the power of Spinjitzu in them. "Wait seriously, you want to wrestle with me?" he laughed like it was a joke. "You still don't look that well to move around anyway."

"Hey I may not look that well." I scoffed at him. "But I know that I'm strong to support myself. I've been through worse before and got right back to my feet. C'mon twinkle toes, what do you say?"

Cole looked at me with his bushy eyebrows furrowed at me and smirked at me. I think I convinced him. "You got yourself a challenge now." he says and tossed his shirt aside and walked to a grassy clearing near his camp and waited for me.

I smirked at him as I have my challenge and stood up. I removed his tee shirt and tossed it next to his and stood across from him. I can see his muscles rippling on his tan skin as he wasn't flexing at all. I did a small compassion against his thick muscles to my lean muscles and saw that we may be evenly matched. He was much larger than Kai, but I may be able to still pin him like I do when my uncle and I do this for training in the Underworld. I was ready. "Ready Cole?" I asked him.

"You sure about this, Luke?" he asked, questionablly. "I'm worried that I'll hurt you since you were out cold for a couple hours."

"I'll be fine." I answered him. I grabbed some rocky dirt and rubbed the dust into my hands to make sure I won't lose my grip on him. I do the same method with chalk in the Underworld to make sure I don't lose my grip with Garmadon. "I've been through worse before and never back down. I'm ready when you are."

Cole smiled at my enthusism and nodded. He grabbed a small handful of rocky dusty earth and rubbed it into his rough hands to make sure he doesn't lose his grip on me and squatted down with his hands out. Like he was about to lunge at me. I smiled and got into the same position as his with renewed energy. This is what I needed. "I'll make the first move then." he insisted and began to move closer to me.

I smirked and slowly moved closer to him in small hops. When we were face to face, not one was making a move. All was quiet. It was me with lean muscles against his thick muscles. His strength may give him an advantage to throw me over and pin me in seconds. But I have speed and stealth to maneuver him and could easily go for his legs to knock him down. I think I got a strategy here. But what does he have?

Cole lunged towards me and grabbed my right leg. I was surprised by his speed and felt weightless as he pulled to make me become unbalanced to hit my back to the ground. I sucked in a breath as the oxygen escaped my lungs and quickly breathed back the air into my lungs and tried to get up. But after Cole pulled my leg to knock me down, he sat on my chest and used his legs to pin my arms to my sides. I struggled to squirm my arms free, but Cole used his knees to squeeze my biceps still with his shins pinning my forearms still too. I gave up on struggling and looked at Cole, smirking with his arms crossed. He won. This round though. "So what happened to not looking well and strong to support yourself?" he asked, cocky and mockingly.

I gave him a huff with a smirk. "Don't get too cocky." I pointed out to him. I tried to squirm out and sighed as I couldn't. "You caught me by surprised. How about a rematch?"

Cole smiled and got off of me and pulled me to my feet. "You got youself a rematch, friend." he replied and stood in his spot and squatted down.

I smiled back and nodded. "Friends." I agreed and squatted down.

We both eyed at each other as we slowly advanced to each other and waited in a tight circle. Not one making a move. Cole kept taking a step to make me flinch so I would be distracted for him to pin me. But I would quickly dodge him so I can pin him this time. I sent him some of my own taunts but he would not flinch. He was still as a...rock. Strong as a rock. Not to mention heavy as one too. And again I can feel and sense the same power that I could feel in Jay, Kai, my uncle, and my father. The Spinjitzu presense. Could he be a Spinjitzu Master too? I must be going crazy because I don't think so. It's probably a theory. Anyway, back to the match.

Time was as if still as neither one of us wanted to make a move to pin one another. Cole kept taunting me with his steps to make me flinch. But I wouldn't back down to his tactics. I even still sent my taunts at him and he still wouldn't flinch. This one was tough. But I don't care. He's a worthy friend to have a match with. May have pin you in the first round, but I'll beat him this time. How hard can it be?

I quickly took a step to Cole's left flank and juked to the right and went for a leg. But I didn't expect him to dodge the lunge and wrapped an arm around my chest. I didn't know what he was planning next, but I knew I was in trouble. I felt his right leg loop the back of mine and instantly knew what was happening next. Another strike for my legs. With a grunt, Cole pushed on my chest while tripping my legs with his and I felt weightless and felt the ground hit my back. As I groaned, I came to an idea and closed my eyes.

Cole quickly got off of me and shook my shoulders. "Luke, you alright?" he asked worriedly and kept shaking my shoulders. "Oh man." and gently grabbed my arms to pull me up.

*Before my back left the grassy patch, my eyes shot open and I instantly wrapped my legs around his and locked my ankles together. I gave them a twist and heard him shout a surprise and watched Cole land on his back. The tables turned now. I quickly unlooped my legs and we both were on our knees. We both grabbed each other shoulders and I quickly twisted him and pushed him back onto the ground. I quickly laid on my back and grabbed his right arm and placed it between my legs and laid my legs on his chest. I may have fazed Cole on the surprise, but he began to struggle to free his arm while I pulled it closer to my chest. And if I could, I could raise my hips up to deliver pain to his elbow to make him give up. A lesson I learned from my uncle once. But I have this match now.

Suddenly I felt Cole's arm moving away from my chest and broke free from my grasp. I was so close. Cole moved my legs away and lunged at me. We both tussle on the ground to pin the other and neither one would back down. I would flip Cole over my shoulders, but he would recover and go for my legs to be at his level. As I quickly recovered, I felt a strong, beefy arm loop around my throat and the other arm at the back of my head and saw his hand grip his arm and my back pressed against his chest. A headlock. One that can put one to sleep. I began to struggle to break free and gasp as he tightened his grip around my Adam's Apple. "You would know what happens if I tighten my grip while you struggle, wouldn't you?" he asked. I quickly nodded in reply. "The more you struggle, the quicker the job would be." and began to slowly tighten his arm while pushing my head. "Say uncle."

I gasped as I began to struggle harder to escape his grasp, but knew he won this match. I began to make raspy noises as Cole continued to choke me out. I knew what he wanted from me and that was a tap out and a beg for mercy. I had my hands on his arms to pull away, but they would slip off as his arms were slick with sweat. It was no use. I was being choked by a...python or boa constrictor. I began to see stars flashing in my eyes and knew I was about to pass out. Without a choice, I tapped his arm on that he won. "Uncle!" I shouted to him for mercy and felt his arm loosen around my throat.

I fell to my hands and knees and threw a coughing fit just to breathe again. I know he didn't have the intention to kill me. It was only so he could put me down. Once I gained my breath back, I lifted my head to see Cole's hand out with a smile on his face; an offering of help. I smiled back and nodded and took it. "Let's say we call this even?" he asked and pulled me up. "You were close though on that sneak attack."

"Fine." I agreed to him. "I was close though. My dad once told me that it doesn't matter whether you're close or not. It only means you're getting stronger or better."

Cole and I headed back to the camp and sat by the fire. "Must've been helpful words that helped you?" he asked curiously and added a few sticks to the fire and stoked it.

I was quiet for a minute and sighed. "They are." I muttered quietly. Again I'm starting to go back to my memories like I did when I told Jay and Kai the same thing. The times I had with my father and making him proud. But the man lead me the other path and I ran away. I shook it out of my head and warmed myself to the fire and grabbed my own tee shirt from my bag and threw it on. "So is there any way down this mountain in the morning?" I asked him. "I still thank you for saving me and carrying me up here, but is there any way down?"

Cole stopped stoking the fire and looked at me with a cheeky smirk. "Well there are two options." he replied. "You can either climb down like I did and slip on a rock on the waterfall and land in the river to scare someone else and save them from drowning and take them to your camp and wrestle with them. Or you can use the path down to a snowy mountain base." and pointed at a trail.

A trail? Why wouldn't he taken that before? I stopped myself from asking as it was pointless and stupid as I see he went with option one as a challenge. "Thank you." I said to him.

As the night grew, the temperature felt warm and cold, but our fire kept us warm and the bugs away. Cole has told me of interesting tales of his adventures. He doesn't climb with any equipment. Only his body and hands. I find it interesting that he goes beyond the limits and risks his life to climb these dangerous mountains. After sharing our stories, mine of what I done with Kai and Jay, but never mentioned my fights with them, we laid under the stars as it was amazing. The constellations were amazing under the moonlight. I should do this more often.

...

Morning came and all of my belongings were packed. As well were Cole's. After a petty breakfast of Cole's leftover soup, he was ready for his climb up and I was ready for my climb down. Not actually, but taking the path down. I again thanked Cole for rescuing me, reviving me, and even our match. And he simply nodded and shook my hand for good luck for my venture down. And I wished him luck too for his climbs. With our good-byes out of the way, we went our separate ways. His to the top, mine to the bottom of a snowy mountain base as he told me about it. Who knows what could happen for me.


Hoped you liked the chapter and soundtrack. I like it how when I write these stories and a good soundtrack I listened to pops in to help the mood of the story. Anyway I hoped you enjoy and see you next week when it's Zane's and my sister's Kaitoukiwi's OC, Laurie's, turn. Have a wonderful weekend and see you all next week. :)