Chapter 47 - The End

Naomi and Lloyd stumbled through the portal, crashing onto a ground filled with dust and sand. At first, the green ninja thought the portal hadn't done anything. Aside from the lack of flames, there was not much difference in his surroundings.

Recognition flashed in his mind as he slowly recollected his thoughts. The rough ground under his skin could belong to no other place than the lost city of Ouroboros.

"Naomi." He gasped, eyes jolting upwards towards the girl. Her body looked normal. No parts of her had faded, and the only sign of ever having dealt with the fantasy world was the fear clearly carved into her eyes. "You're okay. We're okay. It's over."

Naomi looked back at the center of Ouroboros, where they'd landed after jumping through the labyrinth's exit. There was nothing there, just piles and piles of warm sand.

The two of them waited, wondering if the portal would still work for their friends, or if it had permanently shut. As the seconds turned into minutes, a twist of fear began to toy with the green ninja's stomach.

Then, a flash of light interrupted the darkness. Jay fell to the ground, his hands digging into the sand. He rolled away just in time for Zane to land beside him. The nindroid had managed to keep his footing, and he reached down to help the blue ninja up.

Jay chuckled softly, shaking his head in disbelief. "We're. . . We're back. I have no idea why we're here of all places, but we're back!"

"Jay! Zane!" Lloyd breathed a sigh of relief, running forward to meet his friends with a tight embrace. "You guys are alright!"

"Well, of course we are," Jay smiled. "Was there ever any doubt?"

"And the others?"

"They cannot be too far behind. The Goddess was slightly closer when we stepped through, but I believe they'll be able to make it." On cue with Zane's words, Kai and Laurie stumbled onto the sand, after having materialized out of thin air.

Kai took a quick look around, dusting off the sand from his clothes and laughing under his breath. "It's over."

"And you're okay." Laurie smiled, pulling her younger sibling into a tight hug. "I thought I'd lost you."

Lloyd smiled, returning his sister's embrace. "You should have a little more faith in me. I am the green ninja after all."

"Ha, don't let it get to your head," Kai said. "You know, overconfidence is never any good."

Lloyd opened his mouth to shoot back a witty reply, but it was Jay's voice that emerged first.

"Where's Cole?"

His voice shook with more than a hint of worry. Kai and Zane exchanged glances, looking back at the spot they'd emerged from. There was nothing there. No sign of Cole, no sign of anything.

"He. . . He's just. . . taking his time, like a moron," Kai said, pretending there was not a twist of worry settling deep in his stomach. "The Goddess couldn't have gotten him. I doubt Nadya would let that-"

This time, the flash of light was brighter, momentarily blinding the ninja. When it was over, Cole stood in the center of Ouroboros, his face white with shock. He swiveled around on his heels, shaking his head rapidly.

"No, no, no." He muttered to himself, pacing around the sand. "Where's the portal? Where? We have to go back. She's. . . Nadya's still. . ."

Silence grew around the team, as no one wanted to complete Cole's words. Eventually, Jay dared to speak up, stepping closer to the ninja of earth.

"You're safe," he said. "That's what she wanted, isn't it?"

Cole's shoulders stiffened, and his head lowered.

"We need to get back to the school," Kai suggested. "We can't stay out here. Once the sun sets it'll be more than freezing out here. Besides, I think we've been away from home for long enough."

Lloyd nodded. "Besides, we all need rest. We'll. . . Figure things out in the morning."

Cole remained silent. It wasn't until everyone began to move that he shook his head. "I . . . can't."

"Can't? Can't what?" Jay asked. "We can't stay here, Cole. That's what we can't do."

"Well, I'm not asking for permission, am I?" Cole hissed, then shook his head, willing himself to remain calm. "Look, just go back. I'm sure there's plenty of stuff you need to tell Nya and Sensei. I'll just. . . stay a little longer, in case Nadya. . ."

Lloyd placed his hand upon Cole's shoulder, offering the most reassuring smile he could. The boy nodded his head, "Okay. Just. . . Don't catch a cold out here."

One by one, Cole's team left him behind.

"Where exactly have you been?" Sensei paced in front of the ninja, shaking his head. "All of these students, under our care, were running around in quite a rampage. And guess how surprised I was when every one of my teachers had simply, poofed? This day has been a wreck, and all because you-"

"Wait, day?" Jay shook his head, then gaped around the room in surprise. "No way it's only been a day."

"Did you intend to go missing for more than that?" Sensei Wu raised an eyebrow, his blue eyes shooting a stern look throughout his students. As his sight jumped from one member to the next, the old teacher finally came to the realization that his team was a little altered. The team's leader was nowhere to be found. "Where's Cole?"

"He. . ." Lloyd lowered his head. "He's in the city of Ouroboros. Waiting for someone."

"I think there's a lot you four need to tell me then," Sensei said.

Kai couldn't help but scowl. "No kidding."

Ignoring the ninja of flame, Sensei Wu took a seat behind his desk, pouring a warm cup of tea into his blue cup. "Well then? What are you waiting for?"

Naomi stood outside of the school, hugging herself in an attempt to block the cold air. She kept her eyes on the road, waiting for her brother to return. Laurie had decided to step inside the school, preferring the warm halls over the icy breeze. The ninja had gone up to see their Sensei, aiming to explain all that had occurred.

She still couldn't quite believe it was over. And she still couldn't believe she was alive.

The moment she'd struck the last match, her consciousness had begun to fade. Slowly at first, but as her body realized her story had ended, the process had accelerated. Her memories had begun to fade, aiming to leave her as nothing more than an empty shell.

When she'd jumped through the portal, she'd forgotten almost everything.

At first, the sand beneath her fingers and the worried green eyed boy made absolutely no sense. She was trapped in a whirlpool of feelings and emotions, as everything tried to go back to where it belonged.

But she'd made it. And all thanks to Lloyd.

And now. . . Now she'd have to go back home, to her grandparents. Cole wouldn't let her stay a minute longer. She'd probably been in far too much danger for his liking.

The door creaked open, and a soft set of footsteps followed. The wood groaned beneath the person's weight. Naomi didn't turn.

"It's been pretty crazy, huh?" Lloyd said, finally standing beside the purple eyed girl. Naomi's lips curved up into a small smile. "I still can't believe we made it."

She nodded, then turned towards him, raising one of her thick eyebrows. Lloyd frowned, trying to read the question behind her eyes.

"You want to know how it went with Sensei?" After a small nod from the girl, Lloyd continued. "Well, it took a long time for us to explain ourselves. I think he believed us, but he didn't exactly have much to say. He just walked away muttering something and shaking his head."

Naomi looked back out towards the road, waiting for any signal that her brother might be coming. There was nothing.

"You. . . You probably want to get home, don't you?" Lloyd asked. Naomi shook her head. After what she'd been through, going home didn't feel right at all. Trying to lead an ordinary life. . . Well, she'd rather have to face Dillon. "I mean, you can stay here. It is a boarding school. I'm sure we could arrange something."

The girl smiled. She would like that. Most of all, she would love to get to know the green eyed boy a little bit better.

Lloyd mirrored Naomi's smiled, then chuckled nervously, turning his eyes back towards the empty road.

"Yeah. . . We'll figure it out."

"Good view from here, huh?"

Laurie stiffened, momentarily startled by the sound of Kai's voice. The ninja of fire walked up towards the window she'd been standing by, leaning nonchalantly against the glass.

"Well, I'll honestly have to say I've seen better. Wonderland does have some pretty beautiful locations," the redhead responded, smirking. Her icy blue eyes stayed glued on the horizon, watching as the sun slowly started to sink.

"Oh yeah. Nothing beats a village full of zombie peasants." Kai said, and Laurie chuckled softly, shaking her head.

"You said it, not me."

A couple of minutes of silence hung between them, and Kai cleared his throat, his fingers fidgeting awkwardly with the cloth of his red gi. "So . . . What are you gonna do now?"

"Me?" Laurie frowned. She hadn't exactly give the whole 'after we're out' scenario a thought. Now she felt as if she were hanging by a thread,with no plan or direction. She took in a slow breath, trying to straighten out her thoughts. "I. . . don't know."

"Well," Kai shrugged, trying to remain as casual as possible. "You could stay here. I mean, you'd be able to keep an eye on Lloyd and all."

Laurie turned towards the ninja of fire, her blue eyes locking onto his own.

Kai scratched the back of his head, "Or, I mean, or not. It was just a suggestion. I mean if-"

The redhead pressed the palm of her hand against Kai's lips, cutting short the man's words. "I'd love to."

Kai smiled, lowering the girl's hand. As he did so, he kept his fingers entwined with hers, even after it was no longer necessary. "That's perfect. We could use a teacher with your fighting skills around here."

"Good," Laurie smiled, then flinched slightly, as a twinge of pain reverberated from the back of her head. Her eyes flashed with brief realization. "But. . . there's something I need to do first."

"Huh?" The ninja of fire raised an eyebrow.

"A bit of medical attention for my head would be lovely, don't you think?"

Cole sat on the sand, his fingers creating small spirals on its surface.

The night had fallen long ago, but the ninja of earth still refused to move. He refused to destroy the last sliver of hope that still clung stubbornly to his heart. Leaving. . . Leaving would mean it was over.

And it couldn't be. Fairy tales, weren't they supposed to have happy endings?

A cold breeze blew around him, causing him to shiver. Since the sun had hidden behind the horizon, the temperature in the desert had dropped rapidly, but Cole didn't care. He wouldn't go anywhere. Not until Nadya returned.

One by one, the stars began to appear. The world around him only grew colder, and his eyelids became heavier and heavier. The ninja of earth hugged his knees, leaning his forehead against his legs. A small sigh escaped him.

"She's gone isn't she," Cole said, to no one in particular. "She's gone."

A flash of light illuminated the sand, and Cole's head snapped up. The man jumped to his feet, heart pounding hard against his chest.

"Gone? Me? I don't think that's possible."

Cole chuckled with relief, his grey eyes shining with tears of relief. He shook his head, unable to believe the figure before him. "I. . ."

"I'm glad to see you made it back alright," Nadya smiled, running her fingers through Cole's hair. The ninja of earth reached up to take hold of her hand, tightening his grips on her fingers, trying to make sure she wasn't some sort of illusion. "But. . . Why are you still here? The others need you, you know. Can't have a team without a leader. And you're the best there is."

"I just. . ." The ninja of earth shook his head. "I couldn't leave without knowing if. . . if you were alright. I was afraid you might have. . . died."

Nadya smirked, shaking her head. She freed her hand from Cole's grip, then wrapped her arms around the ninja's shoulders. "Stories don't die, Cole. Not as long as you keep them alive."

"That's not what I mea-"

The Queen refused to allow Cole to finish his sentence, choosing to press her lips against his instead. The ninja's body relaxed into hers, choosing to forget, and to simply embrace the moment before him.

"You need to go back," Nadya said, her voice nothing more than a whisper. "I just came to return something of yours."

Suddenly, Cole jolted awake.

He was still in Ouroboros. Still freezing. Still alone.

"No, no, no." Cole shook his head, slowly getting to his feet. He looked around frantically, his breathing quickening. "No, no. It wasn't a dream. It wasn't."

But there was absolutely no sign of Nadya.

"Nadya. . ." The black ninja sighed. Her words still ran through his head. She'd been so real.

Shaking his head, Cole turned away, facing the path back home. A small object lay on the ground before him, slightly stirring against the breeze. The ninja of earth walked closer, bending down to pick it up. Recognition flashed through his eyes, and Cole wasn't sure whether he should laugh, or cry.

It was a single red rose, petals bright as ever.