Cole had wanted to save him. Despite everything, despite the curse, the trickery, the combat, he still wanted to save Yang. He was a ninja; meant to protect, not destroy. So when Yang threw Cole towards the rift, sadness and panic gripped him as he watched Yang float back down towards the temple. If only we could both leave! If only I could take him with me! He reaches out a hand towards Yang, clinging to this thought as the rift swallows him.
Cole's world explodes into a white light and a high pitched buzzing. He screws his eyes shut, clutching at his head, feeling like he was falling.
Thump.
Ok. Not falling anymore.
Cole takes a moment to breathe, before gingerly opening his eyes. Oh shit. I can breathe. That must mean it worked right?
He holds a solid, normal flesh coloured hand in front of his face, giddy with delight at the lack of greenish ghostly glow.
He hears voices on the wind, nearby.
"He didn't make it!"
"I'd give anything to have him back!"
He knew those voices anywhere. His friends, they were talking about him, he had to show them they were wrong. Cole shakily pushes himself onto his feet, trying to ignore the discomfort he gets from doing so.
"Anything?" he asks, being surprised at the clearness of his own voice, the deepness as he feels it reverberate through his bones.
"Anything!" Now they were closer he could tell it was Jay, freaking out like usual.
"Even the sonic radar Jet?" Cole does his best to jump out from behind the rock, giving a big grin to his team.
"Cole!"
"You look good as new!"
He can't make out who's speaking, suddenly surrounded by faces, and warm bodies and noise, and people touching him, checking he was really there. It was everything he had dreamt about, it should feel great, he should feel great right now to be surrounded by his team, to finally be able to hold them, and feel them holding him, but something was wrong… It was too much, everything was too much.
The adrenaline from his transformation must be fading, as he starts to notice pain radiating through his entire body. Every touch from his teammates feels like a branding iron. Their voices are too loud, echoing around his thumping head.
Cole's knees give out on him as he crumples to the ground, groaning in agony as what feels like a dozen burning hands help ease him onto the dirt. He squeezes his eyes shut, hoping that would help to block out some of, well, any of it.
"Cole, Cole! What's wrong?"
Was that Jay? It was hard to tell, hard to focus through the pain. He felt dizzy, the ringing in his ears was back. A pounding in his head, in time with his heartbeat and the pulsing fire that seemed to be present in every single fibre of his being.
"Let's get him inside."
"Oh shit. The others! Someone get a med kit."
"Where's the nearest hospital?"
Cole feels two arms slide in under him. He groans in pain as the burning cylinders hoist him into the air.
"Easy big fella, just taking you to the med bay." It's Kai, the faint smell of smoke on his gi, the warm tones of his voice.
"You're burning me…" stammers Cole weakly, keeping his eyes pressed shut.
Kai looks worriedly down at Cole. "Um, nothing is burning right now."
"It hurts…" moans Cole, the jostling steps, amplifying the pain coursing through his muscles. Then mercifully it was over as Kai lowered him onto a bed.
"What hurts?"
"Everything." Cole raises his hands to cover his ears, it was too loud, everything was too loud, and bright, and the sheets under him felt like sandpaper, and his head throbbed. And, and… Cole curls his body in on itself, taking big uneven breaths, feeling tears clinging at his eyes.
"Jay? Zane? Master Wu?" Kai bellows down the hall. He knew how to clean a wound, or wrap a sprained ankle just fine, but extreme pain with no obvious injury was outside his area of expertise. He turns back to Cole, not planning to leave him until help arrives. What can I do? Cole is clutching his ears, and keeping his eyes closed, maybe he is just overwhelmed?
Kai flicks off the light, and goes to pull the blind shut before rummaging around in the drawers. Aha. That will do.
"Cole, I have some cotton buds for your ears, can you lift your hands?" He tries to speak softly. Cole's hands slip off his ears and Kai applies the cotton buds. "How's that?"
Cole mumbles something while bringing his hands back to his side, so it must have helped a little. He cautiously opens his eyes, taking in the dim room.
Kai frowns, looking at the new scar on his forehead, was it, glowing?
"I'm here! Why's it so dark?" says Jay as he barges into the room at a run. Cole's hands shoot back up to his ears. Jay goes for the light switch and Kai quickly grabs his wrist.
"His senses are overwhelmed!" whispers Kai aggressively. "So keep your voice down."
"Oh, right. Sorry." says Jay, lowering his voice, and abandoning his attempt to turn on the lights. "How is he?"
Kai releases Jay's arm. "He's in a lot of pain, said I was burning him when I brought him in here, and then there's his head…"
Kai gestures to Cole's forehead as Jay leans over and brushes one finger against the glowing scar.
Cole screams out in pain, head filling with a blinding light, his body flinches away from Jay's touch. "Sorry, Sorry!" squeaks Jay, forgetting to be quiet. Then to Kai, "Yeah… maybe you should get Wu?" Kai nods before walking out.
"What did you do?" Cole pants, trying to catch his breath. "What's wrong with my head? Am I dying for real?"
"Oh no no no, nothing like that… I think…" Jay pauses, frown on his face as he stares at the pulsing glow coming from the scar.
Cole blinks open his eyes again, looking up at Jay. "Then why does it hurt?"
His voice is thin, and it breaks Jay's heart. "It-its supposed to hurt." says Jay glumly.
"How do you know?" says Cole with a frown.
"Um, well, Nadakhan told me."
"What?"
"He said the pain from becoming human again made Clause wish it all away."
Jay reaches out to take Cole's pulse. Cole hisses in pain as Jay touches him. "Sorry, I need to examine you."
Cole grunts an acknowledgement. "Why is everyone made of fire?"
"Does anything hurt more than the rest?"
"Um, aside from my head?"
Jay shoots Cole a worried glance as he finishes taking his pulse, and sticks a thermometer in his mouth. "It hurts when I touch you?"
"It burns." Cole's voice is a bit muffled with the thermometer in his mouth.
"What about through clothes?" Jay places a hand gently on his chest, trying to feel his breathing.
Cole shudders. "Still bad, but a little less…"
Jay removes his hand, and the thermometer. "Well, the good news is you don't have a fever."
"Lucky me." He should really stop talking, the pounding in his head was getting louder, he squeezes his eyes shut once more.
"Cole? What's wrong?"
"Make it stop Jay… please."
Cole didn't beg. Cole didn't complain about pain. Cole was the type of person to reseat his own dislocated shoulder and then go about his day as per normal. Seeing him like this, it was no wonder Clause had wished it all away. Jay goes and rummages through the cupboards looking for painkillers, but they only had the over the counter stuff, which probably wasn't going to be strong enough, but it at least might take the edge off?
As he is about to offer the meds to Cole, Wu enters the room with a pot of tea. "Cole, Kai told me you're in pain, I have a special tea that will help with that."
"Tea?" says Jay with disdain, "I think he needs a bit more than tea!"
"It is not a regular tea, this has been specially acquired for this exact scenario. It will slow down your nervous system, helping with the pain and making you sleepy."
Wu places the tea on the counter, then goes to help Cole sit up. Jay rushes over to assist. Despite Cole doing his best to suppress it, a pained moan escapes his lips as the hands help to reposition him.
"You're doing great Cole, now drink up."
The cup is lifted to Cole's face and it smells awful, but right now he would do literally anything to make the pain stop so he drinks, ignoring the nasty bitter taste.
"I can't believe we let you open a tea shop." says Cole, looking on with misery as Wu pours another cup.
"One more."
Cole at least knew what to expect this time, but it still tasted terrible. After he's done, he leans back against the wall. "How long does it take to… oh…"
Everything starts to feel heavy, he feels his muscles relax, his shoulders slump, and he starts tipping over, but is quickly caught by Jay. "Thanks…" he mumbles before realising that Jay's touch isn't burning him. The pulsing in his head also starts to fade, each beat just a little less intense.
"Cole? How are you feeling?" asks Wu.
"Better… tanks…" his words come out sticky and thick.
"You're going to feel sleepy. Don't fight it. It's time to rest."
Cole's eyelids feel heavy. Like his useless arms hanging limply by his sides. They drift closed for a moment before he bolts upright. "No, can't sleep!" He tries to raise an arm to push Jay away, but his arms aren't working right, everything is sluggish and heavy, like he is tied down with invisible rope.
"Why can't you sleep?" Wu's voice is patient.
"I don wana disappear…" He had been so worried about fading away. He thought when it finally happened it would feel a bit like falling asleep. He would drift off and wake up somewhere with his mother.
"It's ok Cole. You're not going to disappear, but you do need to sleep. You're safe, don't fight it, we'll look after you."
Despite Wu's assurance, Cole continues to struggle, but whatever Wu had given him was strong, and it was only a matter of minutes before he was out like a light.