Nya's powers gave us a boost as we slid down the sewer pipe, making this smelly escape actually seem like a water slide. I didn't enjoy it much though. I'm probably going to smell disgusting after this. Ew. It wasn't long before we all slid out of the pipe and onto the muddy ground, Kai and Cass both holding Cole as high above their heads as they could. He looked to be in one piece.
"So they pump all their sewage onto the ground outside the place? Gross," Cass commented, using a hand to pinch her nose as she held Cole above her head. I had to agree, but wouldn't you expect a place like this to do that? It wards off curious visitors and besides, Kryptarium Prison is out in The Badlands! There's no sewage treatment plant nearby! Though, the thought of the area around this place smelling like feces and chemical-ridden water made me want to throw up. I hope I lost my sense of smell.
"At least we made it!" Jay stood up, cheering. Sewage water dripped from his hair, and I really didn't want to know what was in that water. I heard Hunter sigh.
"Yeah, but a couple of us didn't," Cole said, turning to look at his best friend and then to Hunter.
"Please tell me we're going back for Nathan and Sammie," the orange ninja said, looking back at the sewage pipe we had slid out of. Soto shook his head.
"Ye have to be crazy to try an' break back into there. You'll just get caught," the pirate answered him, his bicycle-horn peg leg honking as he walked forward. Hunter frowned.
"Call me crazy all you want but my brother's still in there! I'm not leaving him behind! We aren't going to leave Sammie behind either!" he argued, looking to Cole. The ghostly looked down as he was put down, then looked back up.
"They're able to hold their own, Hunter. I think they'll be okay," he said, looking just as nervous, "Nadakhan can't get them since they're together."
"Yeah but they're most likely gonna separate them because they tried to break out and Sammie's accused of murder! Nadagran is going to get both of them!" Hunter pointed out, looking panicked. Kai walked over and placed a hand on his shoulder.
"It's okay. This stupid Djinn should be easy to stop. We'll take him out and be back to save Nathan and Sammie in a flash," he tried to reassure the orange ninja, but Hunter wasn't at ease.
"But we know what the Djinn can do! He's managed to catch Lilly. He's even managed to catch Sensei Wu! One if the wisest people I know! What makes you think he's going to be easy to stop!?" he argued. I have to be honest, if I were in Hunter's situation, I'd be worried too and I would want to go back. Yet I knew it wouldn't be very wise.
"Hunter, chill. We'll go back when we can, I promise. But right now the fate of Ninjago rests on our shoulders. Hey...maybe Nathan and Sammie will find a way out. They're intelligent enough," Kai told him. Hunter opened his mouth as though he were about to protest, then closed it, looking a bit more calm. There was still worry in his eyes though.
"I hope you're right," he sighed before looking over at Soto. The pirate smiled.
"Well, thank you Pajama People," he said, kissing the ground for the third time. I really questioned if he knew that this mud is probably mixed with prisoner poo. Can't be worse than Alex kissing you though.
"Okay, we got you out, now how do we get the stuff to stop Nadakhan?" Kai asked, sounding a little impatient now. God, please don't let him do the same thing he did when I first met Ronin. His idea of "negotiation" was horrible. "We held up our part of the bargain, now you hold up yours."
Soto poked Kai in the chest with his hook, pushing the master of fire back a few inches. "The map is hidden within a lantern. Find it and light it. It will lead you right to the island."
The pirate then started walk away, leaving us confused.
"Then where's the lantern!? Gosh, all you pirates are so long-winded!" Jay questioned, sounding annoyed. Soto stopped, his 'peg leg' honking. He babbled something in pirate to which I looked at Cass, hoping she'd translate since I consider pirate to be some sort of new form of English. The female master of wind shrugged in response though, telling me she didn't understand it either. You know there's a problem when not even native English speakers can understand you.
" Where's the lantern, Soto?" Lloyd asked in a much calmer voice, repeating Jay's question. Soto turned around.
"That's the tricky part. It's aboard his ship-Misfortune's Keep!" he informed us. I heard Cole make an exhausted sigh. I made the same thing within my mind. You're telling me we have to hunt down the Djinn's ship to find the lantern!? Talk about possible suicide! I'm sure he'll find a way to kill us all while we're onboard.
"Nadakhan's ship? I thought we were trying to avoid that guy!" Cole exclaimed, looking as though he were ready to drop and go to sleep. Suddenly, we heard an alarm in the background and the presence of lights. We all turned to see officers piling out of the prison, flashing their flashlights everywhere and their pistols loaded at the ready. They must have detained Nathan and Sammie.
"I never said it was going to be easy. Good luck, and may the winds always be in your sails!" Soto reminded us before running away, the honking of his peg leg beginning to annoy me. He then stopped abruptly, turning around. "Wait! I know I suddenly remember why you look so familiar," he said, pointing at Nya. Did he finally realize she was the samurai that kicked his crew's butt years ago like she tells me? The pirate chuckled a bit before speaking. "Oh my, that be a charm. By my word you're a spitting image of her!"
Nya looked bewildered. "Of who?"
The pirate didn't answer and continued to walk away, leaving us all clueless. Who is Soto talking about? Suddenly, the sound of voices getting louder startled us, reminding us all of our current situation.
"Let's get out of here!" I yelled as I began to run in the same direction Soto ran, my friends following me. I swore I saw Hunter give one last longing look at the prison before joining us.
"But wait! They'll see our footprints in the mud and track us down!" Cole told me. Cass's running started to slow down.
"I got it!" she shouted, turning and releasing powerful gusts of wind onto the mud, making the piles of mud cover up our tracks. She then sped up, catching up with the rest of us.
"Good thinking," Nya commented, to which Cass smiled. "Now let's head out!"
We all summoned our dragons, flying off into the night sky above the growing clouds. I embraced the feeling of the cool night air I missed and the feeling of the wind whipping through my hair. Sweet freedom. Despite only being in prison for a day, it feels like it's been years since I felt the midnight breeze. It even kind of reminds me of the times I'd climb up onto the roof of Li Zhao's and admire the City's glittering, colorful lights. The times I'd sneak out to let Lilly train me. I miss the old times sometimes...
Do not dwell too much on the past, we must plan ahead for the future, the voice reminded me. I nodded, sighing. Of course, I had to prepare to break into a ship that's being driven by a powerful Djinn. A mission that was possibly suicide, but if it was anything to restore order, free our friends, and clear our names, I'd do it. So look out Nadakhan. I've got a knuckle sandwich with your name on it.
Kryptarium Prison, 1:07 am
Sammie sat alone in her new cell, hugging her knees and dwelling on what had happened two hours earlier. She feared that Nathan was fatally wounded, despite it just being a jab to the ribs with a taser. She had heard so many stories of police brutality in different time periods and different cities though, leaving her scared. It was how her father had kept her from breaking any kind of rules or laws, and she had to admit, it was affective. She blamed herself though, feeling as though if she had her brother's strength she could have easily fended off those officers and could have saved Nathan. Though, she knew the kiss she gave him must have thrown all his focus off too.
Great, first the helicopters, now Nathan. I couldn't help it though... She had been so overcome with emotion over someone actually staying behind to help her, she just couldn't help herself, and it led to Nathan's downfall. I'm sorry I threw off your focus, Nathan. I hope you're okay.
The Warden had them separated now. Sammie's cell on the wing of the prison where they kept all the killers, and Nathan on the opposite wing. She felt so uncomfortable here, the stares from some prisoners sending chills down her spine. I don't belong here. Neither Nathan or I do. This is a place for Nadakhan, not me.
Sammie couldn't help thinking about how her friends had left her behind though, all following the pirate's commands to run despite the odds. They could have easily fended off the officers and made time for her to reach the ground, but no. They ran. They followed the pirate's orders instead of listening to her quiet pleas for help. At least Nathan helped her...
Sammie couldn't help but feel tears well up in her eyes, the thought of her friends basking in freedom without her making it even worse. They left me behind... She laid her head down on her knees, crying. Why couldn't she jump pipe to pipe with ease like her friends? Why couldn't she resist the jab of a taser despite withstanding the electric shock of Ronin's nets? Why is she so weak? The article was right. I am the weakest person on the team.
"How disrespectful of your teammates to leave you behind. How disrespectful of a brother to leave his dear sister behind," an unfamiliar, thick-accented voice spoke, startling the master of light. She looked up, looking around before her eyes fell upon a floating orange figure. Smoke replaced his legs and he was bald except for a large, black ponytail on the back of his head. Sammie recognized him immediately. There was no way the Djinn in the security footage and the Djinn before her were two different beings.
"Y...you..." she stuttered, backing into the wall, refusing to get up. Nadakhan smiled, coming closer.
"You know me, don't you? The magical being that can grant wishes?" he questioned. Sammie nodded, fear flooding her mind. What do I do!? I don't want to end up like Sensei!
"Y-yeah...you're the guy who kidnapped a few of my friends!" she spoke louder. The Djinn's smile began to fade.
"What friends exactly?" he asked, keeping his fake friendly face on. Sammie forced herself to stand up and make a determined face.
"You shou-uld know! My Sensei! Misako! Lilly! You took them all and are keeping them somewhere aren't you!?" she questioned, fearing what this Djinn would do, especially since his smile had fully faded. He looked slightly annoyed now.
"You're smart, aren't you girl? Though, have you even considered that your outcome may be different than theirs? They weren't smart about their wishes, but I'm sure an intelligent girl like you can make the perfect wishes," the Djinn spoke, his accent making it hard for her to understand him. She wasn't ready to give in to his façade yet though, but she went along with it, putting her acting skills to the test.
"Really?" she asked, making a surprised look. Nadakhan nodded.
"Just wish for what you desire. I'm sure you already know the rules," he said, to which Sammie could reply immediately.
"I wish I was out of this prison!" she said, the world immediately beginning to swirl around her. After a few seconds, she landed in a bunch of mud, the prison a few miles from her. Sammie got up immediately, brushing the mud off herself.
"You have two wishes left," Nadakhan informed her, floating to her side. She thought for a minute, then looked up. It was time she had gotten something she had been longing for.
"I wish I was as strong as my brother!" she spoke loudly, waiting to feel a new strength in her body. Instead though, she was met with severe aching pains in her arms and legs. Sammie cried out in response to the pain, shrinking into a crouch and holding herself. She could feel her arms and legs throbbing like a heartbeat.
"T-This isn't what I wished for!" she shouted, crying out in pain again. Nadakhan smiled.
"You wished to be as strong as your brother, so I granted you his superhuman strength. Unfortunately, your body is much too petite to carry that kind of weight, so your body is reacting normally," the Djinn informed her as she whimpered from the pain, "of course, you can just wish for it all to go away and you'll be pain-free."
Sammie thought for a moment, the pain making her eyes water. She wanted to get rid of it, yet she wanted to use her last wish for something else. Something that would not only benefit her, but benefit her friends. She looked up at the Djinn, the wish forming in her head immediately. I wish for Nathan to be reunited with my friends.
"I wish..." she began, then cringed from the pain, "I wish for Nathan to be-!" She was cut off as she saw Nadakhan pull out a large blade, rage evident in his expression. He brought it down upon her, Sammie letting out a scream before her world went dark and she lost all feeling in her body.
The Next Day, Kryptarium Prison, 12:30 pm
Nathan sat down at a table with his brown mush known as lunch, his hair disheveled and his blue eyes filled with worry. Sammie wasn't in the cafeteria at all the the guard guiding him assured him the cells in his block went to lunch last. Is she not allowed to go to the cafeteria? Or did something happen? He shook his head in response to that though, pushing his worry away. No, she's fine, she probably already left.
He indulged in the memory of the moments before he was taken down, the taste of her kiss still on his lips. He was still not over it. She actually kissed me. I guess I don't have to depend on dreams for that now, do I? He longed to do it again, but he knew it may be a while before he could. Prison always has to ruin everything, huh?
Though, he couldn't help but think about his brother too. Is Hunter doing alright? He probably misses me or something. I hope he's okay.
Suddenly, the sound of a tray being set down in front of him startled the master of water, pulling him out of his thoughts. He looked up to see a familiar prisoner with fiery orange hair smile, a bandage wrapped around his arm. His guard was instantly up.
"Hey, Nate. I was hoping we could talk."
