NINJAGO: Amateurs of Adulthood

E1

What?

Cole's smaller self flinched away at the word as Jay stood off the ground. When he looked at Jay, it was as if a storm had started in those ocean blue eyes

"Cole kisses boys, Cole kisses boys, Cole kisses boys!" The small ginger chanted as he ran around the playground

One by one, the other kids started to look at Cole, murmuring and scowling.

This isn't how it went. Cole told Jay he liked boys and Jay asked what that meant. This never happened.

This wasn't real.

The other kids almost immediately started huddling around Cole, kicking him, spitting on him, calling him all sorts of names.

He was starting to panic. He had to find a way out of here fast, or he seriously was going to start lose his head. He turned back to his past self to see another kids full on jumping him at this point. Before he could feel bad for himself, he remembered what Jay said about the opposite effect. He just needed to figure out where he would be able to find that amount of love with HeartBreaker messing with his memories like this?

Cole's eyes lit up and he ran from the scene off the school ground, no one said the love had to be romantic. He ran through the streets all the way to Jamanakai graveyard. He ran all the way to his mother's tombstone.

Cole bent down and embraced the white stone, he did his best not to disrespect his mother and step on some of her flowers, but he was a big gut, so some roses got trampled in the act.

When he held his mom's tombstone, nothing happened. Cole tried again and again and again, but nothing happened. He loved his mother, but apparently it wasn't enough love to get him out of here.

"Dammit..." He growled. He took one last, loving look at the headstone and kissed it softly

"Bye, mama..." He whispered before standing up and heading back to the school. If the memory/illusion/whatever the hell HeartBreaker wanted him to call it took place at the school, then the answer must be at the school.

Cole was heaving and huffing by the time he got back to the school, didn't matter how many muscles he had, running was his least favorite thing.

When he turned the corner, he found his little self, curled up in a ball against the wall by himself. The cuts and bruises on his skin didn't phase Cole as much as the broken sobs of his younger self.

Almost unconsciously, Cole bent down and touched his past self's leg. Quickly, the small boy whipped up his head as his eyes shone a bright pink. Cole pulled the boy in for a warm embrace, letting him know that he was safe, he was okay, and he was loved.

Ah, love. So this is love. A warm feeling that can't be stopped or put away by simple things but by the heart alone. It's all around us, swallowing us whole as we do nothing but sit and wait for it to overtake us. Love.

Cole gasped as his eyes opened with a freakish speed. He looked around at his surroundings to see that he was still in the interrogation room. He breathed a sigh of relief and turned with a smile which quickly faded when he realized that Jay wasn't there.

"Blue Bell...?" Cole softly called out, hoping for a response and getting none

"Blue Bell...? Jay!" He called louder, getting up from his chair and opening the door

"Jay-...holy shit..." Cole said as he stopped dead in his tracks. All around him, the police officers, detectives, and the chief were all out like lights. Some were sleeping standing, some were slumped over desks, and others were just on the floor

Cole noticed a small red paper on the door leading outside before walking over some people to take it off and read it.

In black ink and pretty cursive, the words rang bold in Cole's head

My king told me to send a message.