heart2heart | Ninjago Bruise

Chapter 2

No, that definitely didn't just happen.

So what was it that made his heart flutter and his electricity jolt? It most certainly wasn't Cole. There had to be another reason. Perhaps if he just ignored it, it wouldn't happen again?

Jay cleared his throat, blinking a few times before swivelling around on his chair, facing the island which was once behind him.

"Y'know, I've been thinking," the earth ninja perks up, "after losing to Kai earlier, Karlof ended up in a hole, but where does the hole lead? Where'd he go?"

It takes a moment for Jay to process what he's saying, bringing himself back to the painful reality they're in, before he can respond. He glances over at Cole, who's just closed the bin, and is heading back in his direction. He looks somewhat cheery, more cheery than he should be considering he's having a chat with his supposed worst enemy, one in which they surprisingly weren't arguing. Somehow, the soft smile upon black's face felt comforting to blue.

He shrugs for the twentieth time today, "maybe they escorted him off the island?"

Cole hums, finally reaching the island, standing opposite Jay and picking up his bottle of water. The once soft and comforting smile that lay upon his lips had faded, replaced with furrowed brows and focused eyes.

"I don't know, but wherever it leads, I have an uneasy feeling about it."

"How come?"

"I think it's pretty obvious that Chen doesn't have good intentions regarding the Tournament. I mean, I don't entirely believe this prize for the winner at the end of all this. What's the point of pitting multiple elemental masters against each other in an underground fight club just for a lifetime supply of noodles? How'd he even come up with the idea?" Cole speaks, refusing eye contact, "would it really be a surprise that whatever happens to the losers isn't good? We don't even know where Zane is or how he got a hold of him."

A puzzled expression appears on Jay's face too, glancing down at the table before him. Cole was right; none of them had really thought about Chen's intentions until now. It was strange how none of them had questioned how this Noodle Empire owner had Zane, except that he had an elemental master as his sidekick and was once a Sensei, much like Master Wu, but it still didn't make sense. Besides, the island was so big, their chances of finding Zane was little to nothing, although perhaps wherever Karlof had been taken was also where Chen was hiding their friend?

"It's no wonder Garmadon has a bad feeling about all this," Jay responds quietly, still deep in thought, "but what are we supposed to do?"

Cole shrugs, "I guess we do our best to get to the end."

"Some of us will lose eventually."

"That's not entirely a bad thing, right? It could help find Zane."

"I guess."

The boys stand in awkward silence once again. It felt strange to not be arguing for once, who knows how long that would last, but somehow it was refreshing in a way. Jay looks up at Cole again, who takes a swig of his water. The confused and worried expression on his face makes Jay's stomach churn. Sure, he was concerned too, but there was still a part of him that was intrigued and sort of excited about it all. Cole was too serious about these things sometimes.

A grin creeps up onto the lightning master's face, "although, I guess if Chen really doesn't have any malicious intentions.. This could be sort of fun?"

"Fun?" Cole's eyes meet blue's.

"We're meeting a bunch of new elemental masters, people like us , and we get free noodles for life by the end of it!"

"It's illegal , Jay , " Cole raises an eyebrow slightly.

"We've done loads of illegal stuff before."

"For the good of the city."

"And now we're doing something for Zane," Jay mentions, "besides, even if we don't all win, one of us will and we can share the noodles."

Cole stares blankly at Jay for a moment, his eyes trailing slowly around his face. A smile creeps up onto his lips, glancing away quickly.

"What?" Jay questions.