Only One Can Remain ► Ninjago [REWRITING]

| XXI | Fortune

   *No POV*

     Cole whistled cheerfully as he worked in the factory. He cut noodles, almost jumping with joy.

     Karloff gave him a strange look. "Why you whistle? Yesterday Cole was sad... but not today. What changed?"

     The earth master looked to him with a small smirk. "Things are looking up, Karloff. We came here to find a friend and I found him! All I gotta do is get Zane and bust him out."

     "Not so easy... Chen's made it nearly impossible to escape this place," Karloff warned.

     "I'm still working out the details, but Zane's a nindroid—a walking computer!" Cole told him with such emphasis. "If I can get to him, he'll solve anything Chen throws at us in no time."

     Hearing this, the metal master frowned as he mumbled, "Karloff wished he had friend like that."

     "But first order of business, I gotta let the others know I'm busting him out." Cole then took a slip of paper that he had written out himself and slipped it inside the cookie.

     Karloff gave him a confused look. "You put message... in cookie?"

     The latter seemed so amazed at his revelation. "I know, right? That's why it's called a fortune cookie!"

     "Well, if you get out... don't forget about Karloff."

     "Yeah, sure, of course!" Cole then took the batch of cookies from him and handed it to the guards. "Special order for the banquet's ready!"

     Seeing as the guard began to take it away, Karloff whispered, "I hope you have the good fortune for it to end up in the right hands."

     "You and me both, Karloff. Now all I have to do is figure out how to get out of here."

     At the entrance, the second guard was about to take Cole's cookie, leaving the two elemental masters to gasp. However, the first then slapped his hand and walked away, Karloff sighing in relief.

     Cole, on the other hand, found something different. He smirked as his eyes landed on the keys in the guard's belt. That's my ticket to escaping.

     Seeing the ninja and Karloff, Camille leaned into Ash, who she had been working alongside the most. "How do you think the other three are doing?"

     "They all went against you—why do you care?" he asked, raising an eyebrow.

     "I know now... if I had just listened to Lloyd, maybe I wouldn't be here. Maybe we all could've gone against Chen, gotten you out, too." She frowned a bit, her gaze falling to the rocky ground. "But I didn't. And now I'm here."

     Ash placed a hand on her shoulder, making her look up in slight surprise. "What's done is done. The only thing we can do now is hope for the best... looks like Cole's got a plan up his sleeve anyway."

     "Yeah... you're right."

     "But don't beat yourself up over it, okay? One way or another, we'll get out of here." He smirked, now lightly punching her in the arm. "Where's the badass chick I knew during the tournament?"

     Camille smiled up at him, nodding. "She didn't go anywhere."

     In the main room, the elemental masters were eating their meal. The kabuki danced everywhere and the table was decorated with many fruits and various other foods.

     Some of which looked very unappetizing.

     Chen noticed the green ninja's hesitation when the kabuki came around with a slimy dish. "Try the horned wasp eggs—delicious!"