The Missing Ninja {Completed}

Chapter Fourteen

She only slowed when they entered the forest, and that's when Jade's strength cracked and she began crying. Cole wrapped his arms around her when he noticed her about to fall, and slowly brought her to the ground, "Shh.... It'll be okay.."

Jade shook her head and sniffled, looking at the raven haired teen, "H-How do you know?"

"I know what you're going through," he replied lightly with a small smile, "Heartbreak isn't fun and it's hard to get over."

She nodded, "You've had your boyfriend dissown you too?"

Cole couldn't help but snort a laugh, "No, it's a bit more complicated than that. My best friend is dating the girl I love, and I have to see them together every single day."

"Ha ha," she poked his face, "Ssorry, though. That'ss gotta ssuck."

"I've gotten used to it after a couple years," Jade's eyes widened when she heard that,

"Yes, that's been happening for years. There was a time when we were dating, but... It didn't work out. And no laughing at me, or I'll laugh at you."

"Please don't," she cracked a feeble smile.

"Ah-ha!" it was his turn to poke her cheek, "There's that smile!"

Jade slapped away his hand, "Why are you being sso nice?" Might as well give up on the whole 'full human' mask. They already know.

"I can empathize with you," he told her, pulling her to her feet, "We need to get going," he took a couple steps away from Jade and she followed. Cole waved his hands, "No no, you may want to step back."

With a small nod, she backed up behind a tree, watching as Cole produced an orb of black energy wisps in his hands. She was about to as what he was doing when there was a burst of white light and Cole was suddenly sitting atop a black dragon. It's scales were a mixture of black, but white light shone beneath them, giving the dragon a glowing look. Whenever it moved, there was a smoke trail, as if the creature was made of smoke, "What in the name of NinjaGo?!"

"Jade, meet Rocky the second," Cole gleamed, patting the dragon's neck, "He's gonna get us back to The Bounty quicker," Cole leaned down and reached for her hand, "C'mon."

Hesitantly, Jade made her way towards the slightly intimidating dragon. Cole rolled his eyes and pulled her up, "Okay, don't fall off."

"Wait! Fall off-" Jade's worry molded into a happy scream when Rocky catapulted into the sky.

Once they were airborne, Rocky leveled out and was flying smoothly, only moving to flap his wings once in a while, "See?" Cole looked over his shoulder, "Nothing to be scared about."

"But it'ss a dr-dragon!" Jade stuttered, "They're, like... aren't they dangerous?!"

"No," Cole looked ahead of him again, watching the 'road,' "No dragon I've ever met was dangerous. Not even Rocky the first. He, granted, did try to eat us, but once he learned that we were trying to protect the Golden Weapons, he was really quite a softie. They all were."

"Meaning all the Elemental dragonss," Cole turned around in shock, and Jade gave him a skeptical look, "Yeah, I've heard of them. I don't live under a rock.... twenty-four-sseven, anyway."

"Hold on," Cole muttered to no one in particular as Rocky neared the ever-so-familiar flying ship. Before Jade could ask who he was talking to or what he meant, the dragon disappeared and the two began falling, and Rocky wasn't very close to the deck of the ship, either.

Jade was freaking out, because she was never one to enjoy heights, so she clamped her eyes shut. Just to ensure her safety, Cole wrapped her in a hug and cushioned her fall onto the deck, only releasing her when they rolled to a stop. Content with his work, he jumped to his feet, "Jade. Jade? Wakey-snakey," he bent over and pulled her up, brushing off her shoulders, "You're not dead," he stressed, "Open your eyes."