"Please, please, please, PLEASE!"
"NO! Kai, you're staying here!"
The master of fire groaned loudly as he set his head onto the dinner table, clearly upset. "I agree with Nya, it could be dangerous. You're not fully healed yet and we have no clue where the Mechanic is or where he could be," Zane stated.
The brunette whined again, "But I'm so sick of being here. I wanna go out and help you guys! Can't I just ride in the Bounty or something?" he looked up with a sad pout.
Everyone looked at each other, thinking. They didn't want to risk their friend getting hurt again, but the extra help could be useful.
"I'm sure he can ride in the Bounty and do surveillance. He'll be with PIXAL the whole time, right?" Cole suggested, turning to the robot who nodded with a smile
"Ugh, fine. But if you go with us, you stay with PIXAL, got it?" Nya folded her arms, and her brother nodded with a bright grin. He finished his breakfast, got dressed, and happily followed his friends onto the ship.
For the next few hours, the ninja searched the city for the Mechanic, with PIXAL and Kai doing their own online surveillance with Zane's falcon. They interviewed a few witnesses, yet they found nothing, it was a little annoying.
However, that night as the ninja were sharing dinner on the ship, a rather large explosion rattled the earth. Adrenaline pumped through their veins as they ran onto the deck, seeing a large pillar of black smoke rising into the air, with flames reaching to the sky.
"Nya, Zane, you two put out the fires. The rest of us are gonna search for the source of the fire, victims, and possibly the Mechanic," Lloyd ordered, and everyone nodded before heading straight towards the fire.
Kai watched from the railing nervously, a pit of worry churning in his stomach. "It's gonna be ok, I promise, how about we check on survivors?" PIXAL set a hand on his shoulder, and he nodded.
The two worked on the injuries of those who escaped the office building fire. Thankfully, there were no casualties, but several people were mildly wounded.
"This is gonna sting a little, just breathe," Kai added some ointment onto a light burn wound before wrapping the woman's wrist in some bandages.
"Thank you," she smiled gratefully, and he nodded with a comforting smile in return. The master of fire stood up and moved onto the other victims, then another explosion rumbled the street.
A part of the burning suddenly collapse which caused many outside to scream in fear, then the ninja rushed out... except for one.
"Cole!" Jay called out as dust blew through broken holes, the sides of the building starting to crack and destabilize while flames reached out from the windows.
"We have to go back!" the master lightning yelled, "We can't! The fire's too hot and it's only getting worse by the second, we have to wait till the fire department arrives," Lloyd responded.
"They're 10 minutes out, Cole doesn't have that kinda of time!" Nya answered, then she paused as she noticed someone else was missing from the scene.
"Where's my brother?" she asked before turning to PIXAL, who just noticed. "He was right beside me just now!" she exclaimed before calling out their friend's name, receiving no answer.
"Please don't tell me," the ginger said, and they turned towards the building entrance where the door was swinging in the wind of the cold night.
~
"Fuck..."
Cole coughed out the dust that was clogging his lungs, the area around him littered with rubble, scraps of metal and fire. He reached up and rubbed his head, a small stain of blood appearing on his hands.
"Cole!"
A voice broke through the silence and the crackle of fire, and the earth ninja looked up shocked.
"Kai? What the hell are you doing here?! You need to leave, it's not safe!" he stood up as the brunette came to his side.
"Oh my god, your head! We need to get you out of here," he said then a fiery wooden beam fell from the ceiling, causing the two to step back.
"Oh ninja," a voice sang, and they froze, the two looking around the area for the Mechanic.
"What do we do?" Kai turned to Cole as he whispered, and the older could see the fear in his eyes return.
He swallowed nervously, thinking of an answer to satisfy his friend. "Get behind me, I don't know if I can stop him, but I can hold him off. You need to run," he said finally, surprising the master of fire.
"What? Oh hell no, I am not leaving your side. I'm not going anywhere, you are the one who's hurt, if anyone needs to run it's you," Kai shook his head as he pointed to the taller one's injury.
"Like my new toys ninja? I'm sure they'll love you!" the Mechanic exclaimed in the distance then something was tossed at their feet, a bomb.
Cole tackled his friend behind a pile of rubble and the bomb detonated. Chunks of concrete fell from the ceiling, and once the dust settled, Kai lifted his head in pain.
Beside him, the master of earth lay unconscious. The brunette wiped some sweat from his forehead, and he coughed, the smoke around him causing him to become lightheaded.
But he wasn't going to lose, and this is not how he and Cole were going to die. He closed his eyes and tried to think how could he possibly get himself and his friend out of this deadly situation.
Kai stood up and turned towards where the bomb came from. The Mechanic stood with a smirk, tossing another circular bomb up and down in his hand.
"I got one more present for you guys," he said with a cocky laugh.
The brunette's eyes shifted to pillar behind the villain, and a plan formed. It was a risk, and while it could result in their demise, Kai was willing to risk it for the sake of his friend's safety.
A cough from behind the brunette caused him to turn and see Cole shifting around. The raven-haired ninja slowly began to become conscious of the situation that was playing out.
The Mechanic drew his arm back, ready to toss the bomb and end them. But the master of fire was faster, and he used his elemental power to flare the flames beside the villain.
Distracted by the sudden heat, the bomb was suddenly dropped. Kai covered himself and his friend with a sheet of metal, doing his best to protect them from the blast.
It detonated, and the building shook violently once more, with concrete falling around them. Kai felt the ground shake as the pillar behind the Mechanic fell, and Cole pulled him close, the two praying it would all be over soon.
What felt like ages later, everything began to quiet down. "Kai, Cole, we're coming!" a voice yelled and the two lifted the sheet to see Zane and Lloyd carefully pushing rubble aside to get to them.
"Fire department's here, let's get you two out," the master of ice said, the two practically dragging them out as quickly and carefully as possible.
Soon, the stressful atmosphere began to settle down and the adrenaline began to fade. Kai watched from the Bounty's edge with a tired smile as the Mechanic was dragged away in handcuffs.
"Alright, you're all good," PIXAL gently patted Cole's shoulder, the ninja walking over to his friend. "How's the head? You alright?" the younger asked and the taller of the two nodded in response.
"Just a small cut and concussion, but I'm alright, thanks to you," he leaned against the railing, snapping open a bottle of cold water and taking a refreshing drink.
"Y'know, what you did was pretty badass. I mean using the pillar to the trap the Mechanic, it was genius! Thanks for practically saving my life, again, even if you were reckless... again," Cole said, and the brunette let out a soft laugh.
"Well you stayed by my side when I was in a coma, so I'd say we're even," he reached over and took ahold of the master of earth's hand, intertwining their fingers.
Yet the older one snorted in response. "Please, I'd have to save your life at least three times before I can call it even," then he paused, "but don't get any ideas, I don't want you dying."
Kai leaned against him and the older wrapped an arm around his waist, the two looking out as the others tended to the victims while the fire was put out.
Cole was hoping for a more romantic atmosphere, but after almost dying, he didn't want to waste another moment.
"Kai..." he began, the younger turning to look him with his stunning eyes.
"I'm sure you remember what I said when you were asleep, but I have something to ask you," he continued before tightly taking a hold of the master of fire's hand.
"I love you Kai, everything about you. You're funny, smart, and, after what you just did, definitely one of the bravest people I've met. All I want is to make you happy, because that's all I feel when you're with me and-"
The raven-haired ninja was suddenly cut off when a pair of sweet lips touched his own and he pulled the younger closer. They shared a tender kiss then Kai pulled away, wrapping his arms around the older one's neck.
"Yes, Cole, I'd love to be your boyfriend."
Cole grinned, tightly wrapping his arms around the smaller one's waist as he spun him around. "Okay, okay! Ow! Still injured Cole! Still injured!" the brunette exclaimed.
"Sorry! Sorry," the older gently set his friend down as he nervously rubbed his neck.
Kai rubbed his sore torso, before letting out a laugh. "Geez, I get you're strong, but you could break my spine like a toothpick," he said causing the other to chuckle.
"Sorry, anyway, where were we?" the older gently pulled his friend closer, the fire ninja giggled before pulling him back into a passionate kiss.
"So sorry to interrupt..." a voice spoke, and they turned to find the others awkwardly staring. Cole silently let out a sigh, rather annoyed they had been interrupted again.
"Make out later, I'm tired and wanna take a shower, and sleep," Jay yawned before heading inside with a wave, the others following him with faces riddled with exhaustion.
The two laughed gently before following them inside. The ride home was rather quiet, as everyone was sore and tired from what the week had brought them.
On the bright side, it was over, and now they could all rest, and wait for their wishes to come true.