Warmth… Soft, comforting warmth…
The crackling flames of the campfire were nearly hypnotizing. Cole stared absentmindedly, the colors all blending together into a blur. Warmth from the fire gently caressed his solid, human hands outstretched in front of him.
Finally, it was all over. No more failing to grab things, no more fading in even the faintest light, no more sleepless nights wondering if he would disappear completely.
Finally, he could feel again. Every little thing his fingers touched gave him chills. Just the sheer joy of being human filled him with a warmth he could have never felt as a ghost.
"So Cole, how does it feel to be back to normal?" Jay asked.
Cole blinked, realizing a long silence had passed. His dear friends all sat around the fire, looking at him expectantly.
"It's.. gonna take some getting used to," he answered finally, looking at his hands.
A little voice in the back of his mind expected him to suddenly wake up at any moment, and remember that being human again was nothing but a dream he could never catch.
"I bet it feels great to be able to grab things again," Lloyd said.
"I'm just happy I can finally feel things again. I can feel this log I'm sitting on, and the warmth from the fire… I missed feeling warm. Being a ghost was… kinda cold, and numb. Everything felt so strange, like I was wearing three pairs of gloves every time I touched something, and that's only if my hands didn't just go straight through it. It's so nice to be human again," Cole replied.
He ran his fingers along his pants, finally able to appreciate the soft and comfortable fabric of his latest ninja outfit. Daydreams of being a true ninja again ran wild in his mind.
"And everything smells better!" He inhaled deeply through his nose, taking in the stench of the fire's smoke. "Even the smoke… I've never been so happy to smell it."
"Being a ghost dampened your senses," Zane observed.
"I could still see and hear just fine, but everything else… Anything I ate, it just didn't taste as good, not even cake. Anything I smelled, it was old and faint."
"Sounds like you need a fresh cake, pronto!" Jay exclaimed with a chuckle.
Cole took a moment to admire the night sky. He watched the stars twinkle high above while a gentle breeze ruffled the trees.
"I can finally appreciate the night again. I love stepping out and getting fresh air, but… as a ghost, there wasn't really such a thing as fresh air. The air always felt the same," he said.
"And you don't have to worry about getting wet anymore," Nya pointed out.
"Yeah, now you can finally take a shower," Lloyd added teasingly.
"Right… I better get on that, first thing in the morning," Cole replied with a sheepish smile.
"With this chapter coming to an end, now we can prepare for the next one," Master Wu said.
"Now that I'm not a ghost anymore, I'll be ready for whatever life throws at us."
"I'm curious. Was there any part of being a ghost that you think is better than being a person?" Kai asked.
"I gotta admit, being able to possess things was pretty cool. That, and disappearing whenever I wanted, and phasing through walls. But… I'm happy to give it all up to be human again," Cole answered.
"I hope all of you will be able to sleep peacefully tonight. Ninjago is safe, and there is nothing to fear," Master Wu said.
Cole nearly burst with joy at the thought of finally laying in a bed and being embraced by the comfort of the mattress and blanket.
"You're gonna get to re-experience so many things, Cole," Lloyd pointed out.
"I can't wait to get in my bed," Cole replied, his excitement seeping into his voice.
What other things can I feel..? he wondered.
His gaze drifted over to Zane. A painful longing struck his mortal heart.
"Not to mention all the foods you can try again now that you can taste them normally," Kai added.
"I'll have to make a big breakfast in the morning," Zane replied.
"Do you want anything in particular?" Lloyd asked.
Cole blinked, snapping out of his thoughts. "U-uhh, I don't know. Anything's fine."
He went back to staring intently at the fire, and relished its warmth. Maybe everything really would be okay in the end.
The longer he watched the flames flicker in the night, the harder fatigue pressed on his shoulders. He yearned for the sweet embrace of a deep, peaceful slumber. Finally, he could wake up to the end of a nightmare.
"Tired, bud? You look like you're about to pass out," Jay teased.
"Err… yeah. It's been a long night," Cole mumbled.
"Are you ready to get settled in for bed?" Sensei Wu asked.
Cole nodded.
"What a crazy night. First, a bunch of bad guys from our past showed up to haunt us, then Morro came to help us, and now you're human again. Definitely a night to remember," Kai remarked as everyone stood up.
"Happy Day of the Departed, everyone," Nya said.
"Happy Day of the Departed," the others replied in unison.
"I didn't even get to celebrate," Cole mumbled in realization.
"We can continue the remembrance tomorrow. You've been through a lot," Sensei Wu reassured him, resting a hand on his student's solid shoulder.
Nya used her elemental powers to extinguish the fire while everyone else dispersed towards the Bounty to settle in for bed.
…Except for Cole. He lingered around, fiddling his hands nervously. It almost freaked him out to be able to feel his hands touching each other again. He had to strike now while he still had some courage.
"Zane!" he called softly, running through the crowd of his fellow ninja.
Zane paused and turned around, while the others continued past him. He immediately noticed Cole's nervous body language and gave the Earth Ninja a confused look.
"Is something wrong, Cole?" he asked.
"U-umm… I just… wanted to ask you something," Cole answered.
"Yes?"
There was an awkward silence. Cole fidgeted nervously and struggled to keep eye contact with Zane. Deep down, his heart pounded in fear.
"Can I touch you?" he blurted out.
Zane blinked in confusion. "Touch me?"
"Y-yeah. Y'know… I haven't been able to feel anything in a while…"
Cole took a step back and dropped his gaze to the ground. Any moment, he expected Zane to scold him for asking such a weird question.
"Oh. I see what you mean now. You want to feel my metal body," Zane said.
"E-err…"
Cole gritted his teeth in embarrassment. With his gaze still glued to the dirt beneath his feet, he failed to notice Zane slipping off his glove to expose his bare metal hand.
"You can hold my hand and feel it," the Nindroid offered softly.
Cole's heart leapt into his throat. He slowly looked up, where Zane held out his hand to him with a warm smile on his face.
"Y-you mean it?" Cole asked.
"Of course. It's okay," Zane assured him.
Cole looked down at Zane's hand. He slowly reached out and caressed it, shivering at the cold metal. He held Zane's hand gently and embraced its weight against his skin.
"How does it feel?" Zane asked.
"I missed it," Cole breathed in awe.
But it wasn't enough.
He lifted Zane's hand and leaned his face against the palm affectionately. His eyes fluttered shut and almost welled up with tears of joy. Finally, he could feel the most important touch of all.
Zane just stood there, frozen. He smiled uncontrollably at the look of peace on Cole's face. The least he could do was give his fellow ninja some comfort in these hard times.
Cole's eyes snapped open, the embarrassment hitting him like a bullet. He chuckled awkwardly and pulled Zane's hand away.
"U-uhh, sorry—I mean, thanks. We should get going!" he exclaimed.
He let go of Zane's hand and took off running back to the Bounty, quickly disappearing from view.
Zane, however, remained where he was. His smile grew bigger as he looked down at his hand. He could never tell Cole how happy he was to feel the warmth of his body again.