Close the Circle (Find Your Path)

~2~

"YARGH!" Kai shouted, waving his cardboard sword around and chasing after a small group of kids. "Get back here ya scurvy landlubbers! First Mate Kai will capture ya and make ya swab the poop deck!"

The group of kids shrieked and kept running, clearly enjoying the chase.

Cole laughed at the sight, taking a bit of a break from doing the chasing. He popped a few mini chocolate bars into his mouth, observing his surroundings for a bit.

The sun was only just beginning to set, but Sensei Garmadon's Day of the Departed party was already in full swing. There were several tables and booths spread throughout the spacious grounds, offering games and treats for everyone to enjoy. Even now, Cole could spot Zane coaching several of the younger students through a memory game with candy for prizes (though the explanation seemed to be hampered slightly since the kids kept laughing at the nindroid's pirate voice). A few booths away, Jay and Nya seemed to be bobbing for apples. Well, Jay was—Nya was eating a candy apple from a nearby table while cheering on her boyfriend.

"Ah-HA!" Jay's head surfaced, a bright red apple in his mouth. "Got one!" He cheered, smiling around the fruit.

"Nice one," Cole congratulated him. "Mind if I give it a go?"

"Just don't take too long," Nya piped up. "It took Jay ages to get that one."

"Hey, those apples were slippery!" The blue ninja retorted.

Cole rolled his eyes, ignoring the couple's bantering for now. He bent over the barrel full of water, eyes locking onto a nearby apple. He took in a deep breath and dunked his head in. Seconds later he came back up, the apple tightly clenched in his teeth.

"Oh come on!" Jay complained, pouting.

Cole smirked and was about to gloat when something suddenly pushed against his head, forcing it into the water. The black ninja spluttered, flailing for a second before gaining his bearings and standing up, face and head soaked.

A flash of green and an evil cackle was enough to identify the prankster. "LLOYD!"

"Can't catch me!" The savior of Ninjago crowed, racing off with another evil laugh.

"Let him go," Nya laughed. "I haven't seen him have this much fun in ages."

"Did that 'fun' have to involve me getting wet?" Cole groused, wringing out his hair and redoing it.

"At least it's warm tonight," Jay chirped, trying to be optimistic. "You won't catch a cold!"

"Yippee," the black ninja said drily, shaking off the water from his hat before putting it back on.

As he did so, Kai came jogging up to them, looking slightly winded. "Whew, these kids are giving me a work-out! Jay, you wanna tap in—whoa," he did a double take when he saw Cole. "Why does it look like you fell overboard, Brookstone?"

"Lloyd," the black ninja sighed.

Kai barked out a laugh, shaking his head. "Figured. Saw him sneak up on Zane and scare the crap outta him just now. Man, I never thought I'd ever see Tinhead swear like a sailor—Literally."

"Ye be tellin' lies, me heartie," Said ice ninja growled, stalking up to them and glaring at the red ninja.

"Oh, so it wasn't you who yelled out 'Shiver me timbers!' and called Lloyd a 'bilge-sucking, lily-livered son of a biscuit eater' before chasing him off?"

Jay almost choked on his apple from laughter, and Cole and Nya weren't too much better. Zane's eyes flashed twice—his version of a blush—and he kicked at Kai's shin.