Hey everyone, happy Friday, it's time for an update. But I have news to reveal. This is the ending to Cole's story. That's right. Cole's adventures as the Hulk are now over. I have nothing else to say but enjoy. :)

Epilogue: Goodbyes Can't Hurt

"So what's gonna happen now?" Cole asked.

A week after the battle in Ninjago City, Cole couldn't have been more proud. He was cured. He no longer had the Nanomeds to turn him into the Hulk. He couldn't believe the news when Zane examined his body and found no traces of the Nanomeds or gamma radiation in his blood. The same as well for Blolasky, but he was barely breathing when he was transfromed to normal and also under custody for attempting murder and destruction to the city. But still, he was glad to be normal. A normal elemental earth ninja without taking risks about transforming to harm.

A cool autumn breeze blissed by and the earth ninja shivered a little but felt warm to the hoodie he was wearing.. He gazed around the park he and his team and Betty were at enjoying the day off. He looked over his shoulder to see everyone enjoying a game of Ultimate Frisbee with the Frisbee disc Lloyd had brought and turned to Betty as she leaned against his chest while curling up on the park bench. "So anything?" he asked.

Betty turned her soft blue eyes up to him to smile, but it soon disappeared. She had something to tell him. News that she may fear will harm him. She sighed. "I'm leaving for a while, Cole." she replied, sadly.

Cole stopped as if he was punched in the face on the news. "What?" he inquired.

Betty sighed and rested her head on his shoulder. "I'm sorry Cole, but I didn't know how to tell you sooner." she said. "My father says he finally retiring and closing the Special Forces project. For good." She shifted around. "He said that Ninjago doesn't need an organization that can cause harm to its people, Ninjago, and even his family. He rather would leave it to you and the Ninja to protect the world from evil. Ninjago needs its heroes and not fugitives."

The black ninja was still stunned to her reason, but nodded as he moved his black bangs from his amber eyes. He understood. Ninjago no longer sees him as the monster but a hero with his team. Not even a fugative. He heard a car honking its horn to turn his head with Betty to see Ross walking out of a new sedan car in a sweater and khaki pants than his normal camouflage clothing. He sighed. It was time. "Well I ever see you again?" he asked.

The raven-haired girl sat up to smile at him softly and sympathy. "In due times, you will." she replied. "But it may take time. But we'll be together by heart."

Cole smiled and softly pressed his lips against hers for both to close their eyes. One last kiss. Both blocked out all sounds as they wanted this to last forever. Both could feel warmth spread through their bodies on each other's lips and felt their heart beats increase. But Cole need to bother his heart rate ever changing him again. The earth ninja felt her warm lips moving away from his and opened his eyes to watch Betty standing in front of him and held her hand. This was it.

"Goodbye, Rocky." she said quietly and brushed his hair away to kiss his forehead. "It's time to bond with my father again." and slowly walks away.

Cole felt her soft, slender hands leave from his grasp and watched her walk away to stand in front of her father and hugged him after a minute past and entered the sleek black car. He watched her face him one last time while smiling softly at him and waved at him as the car drove off. He felt hollow to her departure but sighed as it was time anyway. After the battle, Betty had to see it was time for her and her father to bond as a family again and he wasn't gonna stand in her way. Somehow though during the battle, it caused a spark to realize her father was she had left. He didn't even shed a single tear but simply smiled as he watched the sun set in the horizon.

He felt another wind chill breeze past him and watched a single red leaf from a maple tree plucked and dappled down. The dead foliage danced across the air and landed on Cole's nose like it was a butterfly. He picked it up by the stem to twirl it in his fingers to smile. He felt peace without having to think of his mountain to calm himself as he can be normal without the Hulk changing him. He felt another breeze brush the back of his head and looked at the leaf to let it fly away from his hand to watch it dance away with another leaf. The Ninja of Earth smiled as it reminded him of his dance with Betty before it all happened. Just the two of them dancing in the center of the ball. It brought him happy memories he will remember forever.

Peace.

Suddenly he felt something struck the back of his head. He quickly jerked his head around to see the bright green plastic Frisbee disc on the grass to look up at his family. He gazed around and found the culprit as Jay shook nervously. He glared at the blue ninja. "Jay!?" he snarled through his teeth.

Jay yelped a bit and slowly shielded himself while cowering. "Don't go Hulk on me, Cole!" the Ninja of Lightning screamed. "I'm too young to die!"

Cole kept glaring at him until he started chuckling to lead to laughter. He couldn't help but make Jay paranoid like that. He took a deep breath to see everyone smiling, but Jay gave him a hard stare. "I'm sorry but I couldn't help it." he said and picked the disc up. "But it's funny to make Jay paranoid." and threw it like it was a shuriken and Kai caught it.

The fire ninja shook his hand a bit to the small stinging pain and glanced over at the water ninja. "So Lucas," Kai began. "Have you ever talked to that girl again from the ball before the whole Hulk thing?" and tossed it to anyone that was open.

Jay jumped up to catch it from Zane and tucked himself into a ball to roll on the grass, his jeans getting grass stains all over. But he didn't care as jeans were meant for activities like this. "Yeah." he wondered. "What was her name again? Dawn? Mary or something?" and tossed it over to Cole.

The black ninja stopped as he caught it with one hand smoothly. "Hold on." he said. "Dawn? As in Dawn Mori?" he asked towards Lucas.

"Uh... Yeah." he nervously answered, curious if he knew he or not now. "She called me after hearing about the battle on the news and was scared for both you and me, Cole. I don't know why though. She even asked me if I wanted to have coffee with her before she leaves the city. I... actually would like to know her more. She sounds wonderful." He saw Cole giving him a hard stare and caught the quickly thrown disc to feel his palm stinging.

"Lucas." he murmured. "That is my cousin. One that I treat as if she's my baby sister." He took a deep breath to calm his nerves to smile at him. "But we can talk about it later, alright. For now, let's just enjoy this evening together. As a family." He smiled with the rest of his team and quickly lifted Lloyd over his shoulders to catch the Frisbee and quickly stole it from him to laugh with his family. It wasn't time to train or fight with a family, but more of a time to play as a family.

Cole laid on his bed with his hands behind his head and stared at the wooden boards of the bed above him as the night past. He was surrounded in darkness and could hear Jay mumbling in his sleep to his pillow, Kai's snores above him, and Zane, Lucas, and Lloyd's silent snores as everyone was asleep. All but him. He wondered why. Something was nagging him and looked at the clock to notice it was eleven at night. What was it? Ninjago needs its heroes and not fugitives. Betty's voiced rang in his head.

Cole realized it now. That saying has been buzzing in his head and he felt like a speech had to come out, but how. It came to him and reached into the bedside table to pull out a notebook and pen and sat up with his pillows behind his back and turned the reading lamp he had above his head to illuminate his bed in a soft light. He flipped to a fresh page and clicked his pen to tap his chin in ponder and slowly began writing.

I've been told that only I alone can resolve my anger. To me, it was true. Before that, I didn't know who I was until I received the meaning. I caused destruction and broken hearts in the past. All thanks to this past monster inside me.

Before it happened, I was the leader to lead and protect my team. And after sacrificing myself to save them and everyone else at a ball, I survived. I protected my team and everyone. But as the days gone by, I was a different person. I couldn't control myself while everything was dark. Afraid. But after what I been through to cure myself, I realized that I can control myself once I understood my new powers. Like how I was told to learn and understand my True Potential.

Now that I learned and controlled my old form, it is no longer needed as it has past. I saved the city from an Abomination that could've killed me and my family and almost everyone in his path, but I prevailed it. But now that I have become normal and cured, I can continue my duties as the Ninja of Earth and lead and protect my family. From skeletons, Serpentine, those stone warriors in the past, and myself as the Hulk. Nothing will never be in my way again.

Who am I? I am Cole Mason Brookstone and I was the Incredible Hulk.

Cole clicked his pen to smile as it was finished. He was glad to write down as it was bothering him to have stored in his head. He closed the notebook and threw it in the nightstand drawer and switched his lamp off to lie back against his pillows. His eyes finally grew heavy as the annoyance has past and slowly closed his amber eyes to begin his heavy snores as he fell fast asleep.

Two things were on his mind as he slept. One, his love for Betty and wondered if he'll ever see her again. And two, he was to be normal to become the elemental Ninja of Earth and no longer the Hulk. He smiled in his sleep.

I'm sorry to say but this is the end of the story here now. But hey, I had fun with this story. I always hate ending stories but new ones must be posted when needed. But this time I have a different ninja in mind. But that'll be awhile. So I hoped you enjoyed this story and also want to announce that tomorrow is my last day as a senior in highschool! WHOA! Anyway, this is Packerfan95 signing off until it is time to post my next story. See you later. :)