Hey everyone, happy Friday. It is time for an update. I really don't have anything to say, but enjoy. :)
Chapter 12: Forgiven
Cole tossed and turned and flipped his body to stare at the wood planks of the bed above him. He couldn't sleep. Everyone in the room, but Lucas, was fast asleep but him. He looked at the clock by his and Kai's bunk to see it was past midnight. Late at night and he couldn't sleep. Why is that?
Monster!
Oh that's right. The name that was given to him after what he done to Sensei Wu. That word has been haunting him all night. He felt guilty for what he done to both Lucas and Sensei and wanted to apologize but the water ninja has been locked up in the infirmary to tend to his father and hasn't come out to dinner and has allowed everyone to see their teacher but not Cole. He not only felt guilty but heart-broken as well. The others were still horrified to what happened, but they don't see him as a...monster. But it was true to himself. He was a monster. Not a thing or beast. Monster.
The black ninja sighed while closing his eyes but they refused to fall heavy and opened them again. His vision had grown used to the dark and looked down at his watch to see his heart rate. Like Zane said before, his heart beats more rapidly than others and is how he's able to become his Hulk form quickly. This made him in a close call on the bridge. Cole sighed again while staring at the clock. A minute has now passed since the last time he checked. That's it. Cole thought. I have to see Sensei. No matter if his son gets in my way. He climbed out of his bed, threw his black hoodie on, and left the bedroom.
The floorboards creaked under each step Cole took down the hall. The ship was silent and dark and the only source of light to illuminate the halls was the moonlight from the windows. The earth ninja turned left down a corner to pass by the training room and slowly came up to the ship's infirmary ahead. He stepped up to the door and stopped before he knocked to see a faint trace of light by the seams and looked through the tiny window on the door. He scanned around the room and spotted Sensei Wu meditating in front of a candle without Lucas around the room. He raised a bushy brow in confusion on everything. Why wasn't his teacher in bed and on the floor after his back injury? And where was Lucas? Cole shook his head to take a deep breath and slowly entered while closing the door behind him. "Sensei?" he called.
Sensei Wu lifted his head after his name being mentioned to smile. Cole could see through the low glow of the candle to see his teacher smile. But why was he smiling? "Ah Cole, come and sit with me." he said while motioning him with his hand. Cole slowly nodded and walked up to him and sat cross-legged across from his teacher. He gave him a small smile and looked down at the small flame flicker on the wick. Sensei smiled back and bowed his head to meditate. "What troubles you, my friend?" he asked.
Friend? That made Cole relieved to know he was called that instead of the others. Even from his mentor. He looked at the elder while digging his hands into the conjoined pocket of his hoodie. "Sensei," he began. "Am I really a monster?" That made him kick himself internally.
Sensei looked up to see through the small shadows on the earth ninja's face. He saw the depressed look, but simply chuckled lowly and shook his head. "No." he replied. "I see a Spinjitzu Master facing difficult times and is only hearing what the others have said."
That relieved Cole a little. Even after what he done to his mentor. The one that named him the leader and earth ninja. But still inside him was the monster. "But what Lucas called me, I think he's right." he said. "This thing, beast, or monster is inside me and whenever I transformed, I am the monster itself. I can't control it like you said and you were right."
Sensei grabbed his staff to pull himself up carefully to avoid further injuries and slowly walked over to the Ninja of Earth and placed a comforting hand on his back. Cole looked up to smile a little. "That is not entirely true." he rebutted. Before Cole could speak, Sensei Wu simply tapped his lower jaw shut with his staff lightly. "My son was too quick to judge his brother. He didn't think before he spoke because he was worried. You are not a monster. Only a person who is trying to calm his anger and protect his team and family."
Cole felt the hand move off his back and watched the elder walk away. "Teach me then." he begged. "Teach me the ways to control my anger so I won't change again."
Sensei Wu chuckled. "It cannot be taught." he stated. "You must learn this on your own. It is like when I taught you, Kai, Jay, and Zane to unlock your True Potential. Understand your body and you alone can extinguish the flames of anger inside you." He used the end of his staff to extinguish the candle to conceal them both in darkness.
Cole thought it over and realized he was right. He doesn't need someone to teach him to calm his body. He can do it alone. Like when he and the others unlocked their True Potential. They unlocked them on their own without someone teaching them. The only way now to calm himself is to learn himself how. But he may need a little help to begin. "Yes Sensei," he said while bowing his head. "I understand now."
Sensei smiled to know his student's understandment. Even in darkness, Cole could see the smile. "Very well, my student." he said and started to walk over to the bed. "Now my feet are tired and must rest. I suggest you do the same. You have a big day tomorrow."
Cole stood up to hear the bones pop for sitting after a long time and helped Sensei settle into the infirmary bed while he removed the straw hat to reveal the small black cap with gold designs with a small ponytail in the back. The earth ninja made a fist with his left hand while his other hand was covering it with the fingers over his wrist and bowed. "As you wish, Sensei." he said and headed for the door. "Goodnight."
"You as well, Cole." Sensei Wu called back and slowly laid back to drift into slumber. Cole smiled to see his teacher was fine and strong and quietly left the infirmary and headed back to his bed.
As the earth ninja walked back down the halls, he felt relieved that his teacher doesn't see him as a monster. But a human being. But still inside him was the green monster that can be released by anger. But from what Sensei told him, only he alone can calm his anger before his transformation ever happens again. And that's his plan for tomorrow. Learn the ways to remain calm and prevent himself from changing. Just how though?
When the dark-haired teen reached the door to the shared bunk room, he quietly entered without making much as a squeak and quietly made his way to his bed. But before he could lie down, he looked at his right to Lucas and Lloyd's bunk and noticed now that Lloyd was missing. Where did he go to now? He wondered. The earth ninja looked around to see if he left anything behind to leave a clue to his whereabouts, but there was nothing. The lights to the bathroom weren't on for him to get a drink of water. So where was he now? Cole walked over to the bed to inspect it and noticed his pillow and comforter were missing as well. Now where did those go as well? Suddenly soft music could be heard outside and it sounded like a flute. Cole now knew where the small ninja went and walked quietly out of the room.
The soft flute melody kept growing with each step Cole took down the halls. It started to sound like he was close to the source. The earth ninja turned a left around the corner to a flight of stairs that were near the ship's mast to the deck and climbed them up. The music became louder after a cool breeze stung Cole's face, but didn't feel chilly and used his ears to search for the flute and its player. He turned around to spot Lucas lying on a hammock that looked like fishing nets connected to the mast and railing on the port side bow with Lloyd next to him, asleep in the warmth of his comforter while listening to the music. That's where he went. The green ninja had another nightmare and Lucas was comforting him like old times.
The music slowly eased down as the water ninja was finishing and played the last note in a soft moment and stopped. The grey ninja opened his eyes to softly smile at his cousin's silent snores and brushed his blonde hair away from his eyes and he didn't even stir. "Sleep well, Shrimp." he whispered and turned his head to see Cole. He then averted his gaze in disappointment. "Oh...hey Cole."
Cole walked over to the small two steps to the bow, but remained on the main deck and leaned against the railing. "Couldn't sleep either?" he smirked and crossed his arms to chuckle.
A smile played on the edge of Lucas' lips and softly chuckled. "I've been asleep for like four months to my coma and I don't think I'll need any of it for a while." he retorted softly and carefully climbed out of the makeshift hammock and grabbed his grey sweatshirt. A moment after he zipped it up, he walked down the steps to the deck to look at Cole and sighed. He felt guilt swell up in his throat. "Cole, I'm sorry about earlier." he said sadly. "I didn't mean to call you that. I just got worried since he's my dad and I was scared since he's my living relative I have left on my side of the family and I care for him. I didn't think before I blurted it out and I'm sorry."
Cole felt his heart rate drop to his apology. Sensei was right. He didn't think before he spoke. But he understood the reason why he snapped at him. He cared for Sensei like he did for his father, Lou, when the Serpentine attacked him for the mirror shard to repair the ancient mirror, the Twilight Mirror, in his home to help unleash evil on Ninjago on the Summer Solstice. It was the other way now. He though Lucas attacked his father, but a Constrictai did. But now it was the Hulk that attacked him instead of his normal-self.
Cole sighed and placed a reassuring hand on his shoulder. "Hey it's alright." he said. "I talked to Sensei and he told me the same thing. I know you love him since he's your dad and I understand." Lucas looked at him and gave him a small smile. The Ninja of Earth smiled back but then sighed and removed his hand to lean his arms onto the railing and looked up at the full moon. "I should be the one apologizing though." he said quietly. "I didn't mean for that to happen at all. I didn't know why I did it. Felt like I had no control for a second there and caused you and Sensei pain. It wasn't me, but the...monster inside me. I don't know if you'll ever accept my apology but Lucas, I'm sorry."
Lucas watched his friend sigh in pity and felt his heart being shot with an arrow. He now felt guilty. He's been feeling like that all night when he was tending to his father and wanted to apologize, but couldn't find the words to help. But now that he did, he felt great to apologize to him. But still felt guilty for snapping at him. The Ninja of Water sighed and leaned on the railing next to Cole. "We all make mistakes in life." he simply stated. "It wasn't you and I forgive you."
Cole turned his head to stare into the hazel grey irises with his amber eyes and smiled. He felt relieved to know he forgave him and felt the weight off his chest. Lucas smiled back and patted his back for comfort. The raven-haired teen's smile disappeared and turned away to stare at the ground to sigh. "What am I going to do now though? he quietly asked. "The monster inside me wants to come out and I'm...scared when he is." He hardly found him scared of anything, besides dragons before, but this time something happening to him is scaring him. "Your dad said that only I alone can calm myself from this happening, but I don't know how."
Lucas heard everything from him and nodded as he understood. "We all have these fears and worries that we don't know what to do alone." he said. He re-thinks of his past of his time with Garmadon before the Solstice Battle because he didn't know what to do to protect his cousin from the Serpentine without him around. "But he's right. Only we alone can face our fears and resolve them."
"But how though?" Cole asked, almost jumping to his feet to face Lucas again. "I don't know ways to calm myself like Sensei or Zane and what I like doing can trigger it. I don't know what to do now." and walked over to flight of stairs that lead to the bridge and sat down on the steps with his arms resting on his legs and head hanging.
Lucas looked at his earthy brother and sighed with him. He was right. What could he do without triggering the Hulk in him? If he believes that Zane's and his father's meditating technique doesn't work, then they're running out of ideas to help him. But suddenly, an idea came to him and looked at Cole. "Instead of my dad and Zane's ways," he began. "We can try a technique that I know of that'll help you." He walked up to him and placed a hand on his shoulder. "I know it'll work. Remember, we're all in this together."
Cole looked up at him to see the glint in his eyes and could see he was telling the truth. If there's a will, then there's always a way to solve this dilemma. And if the water ninja had a way, then he'll trust him. He just hoped the Hulk doesn't come out.
The Ninja of Earth simply smiled and nodded. He'll trust him.
So all is forgiven now for the earth and water ninja. But now Cole must find his 'peace' to make sure the Hulk doesn't change him. What can happen? Who knows. Find out next week. Have a great Valentine's Day today and a wonderful weekend and see you all next week. :)