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“Come with me tomorrow,” said Cole.
“Hmm?” Geo replied distractedly; reunited with Cole after the ninja had been gone for hours searching for a map of Mysterium, he'd been adrift on a sea of pleasant thoughts.
“To the Crossroads. I think you'll like it,” Cole continued. “I mean, Ninjago City was great, before the merge. But this – this is something else. People from all the realms, mixed up all together in one place. You gotta see it.”
Geo considered this. He would like nothing better than to spend a day out with Cole before he disappeared on the expedition with Bonzle. But there was a problem.
“Will there be Munce?” he asked. His sensitive friend immediately understood his reluctance.
“I didn't see any today, but with so many people coming and going, I can't promise there won't be any tomorrow,” Cole replied, with conscientious honesty. He leaned closer, and laid a hand gently on Geo's arm. “I can promise, if anyone wants to insult you, they'll have to come through me.”
Geo gazed back at the big man. Cole had protected him and the Finders, back in the Land of Lost Things, but he'd never dreamed they would be close enough for him to be able to depend on Cole being with him, defending him, wherever they went. Well, no, actually he had dreamed it, he thought, as some particularly blissful memories resurfaced, but he hadn't really believed the dream might come true…
“I'd love to see it with you,” he said, and he meant it. Cole smiled back at him and squeezed his arm affectionately, before leaning back, yawning, and declaring that it was surely time to turn in.
“Good night,” said Geo automatically.
“Good night, Geo,” Cole replied, with another smile, as he left the room.
They rode the big motorcycle into town the next morning. Cole showed Geo through the winding rows of streets lined with quirky little shops, right up to the edge of old Ninjago City where the newer buildings gave way suddenly to straight lines and tower blocks. There was a small shrine on the boundary, covered in pictures of people who were still missing after the merge. Geo glanced surreptitiously at Cole as the man studied the display. The munce didn't recognize any of the lost ones in the pictures, but he hoped they'd found new friends in the new world, just as he had.
They wandered round the Makers’ Market, where craftsfolk from all the realms – no, lands – displayed their products and took commissions. Residents were even bringing their clothes and gadgets to a fix-it clinic for mending and repair.
“Not that you would need that!” Cole joked to the master of fusion; but Geo was very interested when he saw the market had a regular arts festival, and he was determined to come back next time with some of his own creations.
Inevitably, they wound up at the food stalls. Geo hung back awkwardly while Cole went to buy moss milk ice-creams. It seemed to be taking a long time. Eventually Cole came back, looking a little embarrassed.
“I had to persuade her to let me pay,” he said, nodding towards the geckle vendor. She hugged her hands over her head, and he waved back. “She's from the central caves. Her husband was in the vengestone mines.”
“You must get recognized a lot,” said Geo as they strolled along.
“Not as much as you might think,” Cole replied. “And I don't mind. It's not really my thing. Now Kai, he just looooves the fans. He couldn't be here five minutes without attracting a crowd, and it would drive him crazy if he wasn't the centre of attention. You'll see when you meet him. Oh, I can't wait for the others to get back.”
“You really miss them,” Geo said. It wasn't quite a question.
“Of course. They're my family,” answered Cole. “I mean, you're my family now, too. But they're my brothers. We've been together such a long time. We've got each other's backs, you know?”
Geo was about to answer, when suddenly he winced and looked round in surprise. A can had hit him from behind and bounced away. On the other side of the street, three munce were taking a break. From the downed tools and heaps of materials around them, they appeared to be employed in constructing a corner park. Two of them were drinking from similar cans; all three were laughing and pointing. Geo turned away and hung his head; but Cole bent to pick up the can that had hit his friend, and sauntered over to where the three were standing, about to resume their work.
“You're new in town, are you?” asked Cole, nonchalantly tossing the can up and down in one hand. There was some shuffling and nodding from the small group.
“Straight from Shintaro?”
The trio conferred in low mumbles, and the central munce – the one without a can – was edged forward slightly by the other two.
“Munsk,” was all he said.
“It's a further-out cave network,” Geo said, in a low voice. He'd followed Cole and stood close by his side. “Technically still part of the Shintaro system, but they keep to themselves, mostly. The traditional sort.” Cole nodded.
“And do you know who I am?” he continued, pleasantly, as if he were merely curious. There was more muttering and rumbling, in which only the words “Gunce friend” could be distinguished. Cole saw Geo flinch at the slur.
“Oh dear,” he sighed, in the tone of a teacher whose students have disappointed him. “That won't do at all.” He reached down and laid a hand on the pile of stones the munce had been building with. They leapt up at once into humanoid form, larger than life size and mirroring Cole's movements as he turned back to them, hand on hip, and asked again:
“Now. Who am I?”
All three munce looked startled; one had gone very pale and was whispering urgently to the others as their eyes widened. Eventually they reached a conclusion.
“S-s-son of Milly!” stammered out the spokesmunce.
“Close enough,” said Cole, and his voice was pleasant again, but he was not smiling. “And aren't you lucky you met me, because now I can teach you that here in the Crossroads, we don't drop our litter in the streets—” He tossed the can up once more, then arced it into the recycling bin across the way. “And—” He stepped towards them, and the rockery figure stepped with him. “—we treat everyone we meet with the respect we would show our brothers, and our mothers. Understand?”
They were staring in slack-jawed horror, and just managed to nod.
“Good,” said Cole, and turned away. He waved a hand dismissively, and the rock form collapsed into disarray, raising a cloud of dust that set the munce coughing. By the time they'd recovered, he and Geo were down the street.
“You okay?” Cole asked, when he was sure they were clear.
Geo nodded. “Thanks,” he said.
“Any time,” Cole assured him.
“Hopefully not too often,” replied Geo earnestly. He turned to Cole with amusement in his eyes as they walked along.
“‘Do you know who I am?’” he echoed, in a playful tone. They both laughed.
“Kai would be proud of me,” said Cole, still chuckling. He slipped his arm into Geo's, and together they strolled back to where they'd parked the bike.
~~~