118
"They aren't here?"
Syn's knees became weak, and it was all she could do to stay standing. The reality of the situation came crashing into her. Jaqah seemed uncomfortable as the freckled Oni pressed her hands to her mouth, the tears stinging her eyes once again.
"They're in the other realm," the Captain of the Guard explained. "I'm sorry…I can't even tell you when they'll be back. They've left Ret and I in charge; is there anything I could do to help you?"
"The short guy is gonna hurt my Uncle Hershel!" Pippa shouted, and Jaqah glanced down at the child in confusion.
"I don't under…."
"Where's my dad?!"
Pippa shoved past the Captain, running down the hallway towards the barracks. Both Syn and Jaqah called out to her, but she ignored them. She had visited her father enough times to know exactly where she was going, and she dodged various servants and guards on her way.
After a few minutes, she exploded into the barracks.
"Dad!"
Those polishing armor looked up in surprise, but Pippa scowled when she didn't catch sight of Tolan anywhere.
"DAD!"
"Fluff…what's going on?"
She turned in relief to see Tolan coming in from a side room. He frowned and she darted over to him.
"Hurry…we have to hurry…"
He stiffened.
"Why? What's happened? Where's your mom…"
"Pippa!"
Syn came into the room then as well, and most of the guards in the room had stopped what they had been doing at this point to watch what was happening. Tolan sagged in relief, though his brow furrowed as he realized that his wife was crying.
"Syn…"
She came over, obviously trying to keep it together but failing.
"What's going on?" Tolan demanded, grabbing her arms to support her. "What's wrong?"
"It's Hershel…." She managed. "Tolan…."
"They're going to hurt him!" Pippa broke in again, grabbing her father's arm and yanking him towards the exit. "You have to stop them…hurry Dad…hurry…"
Tolan was still at a lost, but it was when Syn finally managed to say "The other Healers…Imgloss…" that he realized. He moved, but not towards the door they had entered from.
"Dad!" Pippa yelled. "Please!"
"I'll meet you there," he said. "We'll be faster on two hoofers rather than on one."
"But where…" Syn started, trying to regain control of her emotions.
"I'll use Jaqah's," he explained quickly, glancing towards her. "I'll explain it to her later. Hurry."
The curly headed woman finally swallowed hard and nodded. She reached down and grabbed Pippa's shoulders to keep the child from running after Tolan as he headed for the stables.
Amber was trembling, despite her parent's efforts to warm her.
"We have to save him," she kept saying. "We have to stop her…I'm so stupid…"
"We're going to get Theo back, Ams," Cole assured. There was a knock at the door, and the family looked up in surprise as a Nurse poked her head in.
"We don't generally allow non-family visitors this late at night," she said stiffly. "But I was told it was necessary…"
"It sure is."
It was Lloyd who spoke, and behind him the rest of the Ninja and their families could be seen. Lou raised his eyebrows.
"We may need a bigger hospital room."
After a few minutes, everyone had more or less positioned themselves around the room. Cole and Keyda seemed a little overwhelmed, and Amber scanned them all almost warily, unsure of why they had all shown up.
"We saw the news report," Kai finally offered, shifting his weight to make it so the doorknob would stop digging into his back.
Cole had a sinking feeling.
"What news report?"
The ninja all exchanged looks, and Jay offered a slight chuckle.
"Oh, it was no big deal. I mean…it's late, and I'm sure it was edited to look worse than it was?"
"What looked worse?" Cole pressed, and Nya put a hand on his arm.
"It's that woman, Matilda O'Keefe. She's gone and reported on you guys coming into the realm like it's the beginning of some invasion…"
"There's this clip of Keyda that she just played over and over and over," Mia pointed out. She was up against a wall, absorbed in her phone. "Blasting back a half dozen guys. I mean, I'm impressed, but it paints a pretty scary picture for the rest of Ninjago…"
"They hurt Cole!" Keyda snapped angrily, her eyes flashing. "I couldn't just do nothing…."
"Of course not," Lloyd said evenly. He was still the youngest of the Ninja, but it struck Cole just how grown up the green Ninja suddenly seemed. He had yet to really settle down, and seemed to be the only Ninja who was still full time ninja-ing. The Green Ninja continued, pulling Cole from his thoughts. "Matilda is a politician. I've met her several times at events about Ninjagoan safety, and there always seemed to be something off about her."
"Her viewpoints only seem conservative," Ashley cut in evenly. "But the thing is, I've been doing some research, and it's almost like she's a radical hiding behind a conservative front. She makes it sound like she just wants to keep things the same and protect the traditional, but she's looking to make changes. Big changes. This chick was part of the Anti-Serpentine movement all those decades ago…"
"How do you know all this?" Jay asked, and the redhead pushed her bangs out of her face with a nonchalant shrug.
"Political Science Major," she said evenly, and the blue ninja whistled low.
"Hmmm…that could come in handy…"
"She has Theo."
Keyda cut in, and everyone looked over at where she was simmering.
"Do any of you know where he's being held? We've already wasted too much time…"
"You cannot break Theo out."
Everyone turned as Zane spoke from his place near Lou. The Oni's eyes flashed.
"I'm not leaving him there with her! Who knows what she's planning on doing with him?!"
"If I may," the nindroid continued carefully, both looking and sounding the same way he had for all the years Cole had known him. It was strange that nindroids never aged. "I believe Ms. O'Keefe is using Theo as bait."
Keyda's fists clenched, and Cole reached over to put a hand on hers.
"What do you mean, Zane?"
"She wants you to go in there, punching through walls and blasting everyone in sight. But that will only prove her point further that Oni are dangerous. That you both specifically are dangerous."
The thought hung in the air, and finally Amber spoke, sitting forward.
"We can't just leave Theo there!" she snapped, and Ashley spoke again.
"Don't worry, Amber. We have a plan…"
"We do?" Kai asked, surprised. His daughter rolled her eyes as he questioned her. "Who exactly is we?"
"Ashley, the twins and I have spoken extensively about this issue," Julien pointed out. He was seated on the floor, tinkering with something or other. He glanced up to address the crowd, however, pushing his glasses up his nose. Jay scoffed.
"Spoken extensively? How? It's only been a couple of hours since it's gone down!"
"Cell phones, Dad, duh!" Mia retorted, waggling her own device at him. "Hours is more than enough time to form a plan."
"And I've actually been studying Matilda for a while," Ashely admitted. "I wasn't that interested in her platform, but then that interview came out where she attacked Amber…"
"What interview?!" Cole demanded, and even the ninja seemed a little lost.
"There was an interview?" Kai asked, scratching his head. Ashley just sighed.
"Honestly, Dad…you gotta keep up on the news."
"Tonight she went too far," May chimed in from where she was texting. "And we aren't letting her get away with it."
"Not that we really care about politics," Mia agreed, her own eyes glued to her screen as she swiped her purple-tipped hair out of her face almost unconsciously. "But she targeted family…and now she's going to feel the wrath of a new generation."
Nya put her hands on her hips as she studied her daughters.
"Alright then," she challenged. "What exactly is this plan of yours?"
"And how soon before we get Theo out?" Cole added. The twins, Ashley, and Julien exchanged eye contact, as if debating.
"If all goes to plan, Theodynn won't be held longer than a few days," Julien chimed in. "Precisely four days, 20 hours…"
"No," Keyda argued. "That's too long. We'll have to go with another way."
"I know that it feels that way," Ashley cut in, holding her hands up comfortingly. "But we won't let anything happen to Theo, I promise."
"What's going to take so long?" Lloyd asked. May answered as she glanced up.
"Look…I get that all you guys were really good at taking on those villains that needed a good punch to the face. But this whole situation is going to take a lot more finesse. Matilda has technically done nothing illegal, nor is she doing anything that threatens the whole realm. The law may be stupid, but it's on her side."
"We have to play this game her way," Zane realized, and P.I.X.A.L frowned.
"If this is a game, then Matilda has made the first move."
"And what exactly is our move going to be?" Kai asked. Ashley answered confidently, walking away from her place against the wall. She commanded a certain presence when she spoke now, and Cole could see her education and training coming through.
"We're in a war of words, and we need time to gather ammunition. Julien and I are going to have to do some infiltration, while Mia and May take our cause online."
"There's no better way to get a political platform moving than Social Media," Mia agreed. "And if there's someone who knows Social Media, it's us."
"Matilda isn't going to know what hit her," May added, still typing. "She's trying to win people over by scaring them, but people nowadays get a lot more fired up about injustice."
"Then what do we need to do?" Cole finally asked. He had spent the last few decades as a Ruler of an entire realm…but he was realizing that he was used to a much older form of politics. He could barely keep up with the teens' reasoning, and he could tell Keyda was not only lost, she was frustrated. Ashely turned to them.
"I know it's going to be hard…but I need you both to lay low. Stay with Lou for the next few days, and don't let any reporters in. Your story will get told, but we are the ones who are going to tell it. You don't need any more negative press right now. And whatever you do…stay in the realm."
"Refrain from transporting for any reason," Julien added. "I am beginning to suspect that they are in possession of a scanner, much like the one my parents installed in the Temple all those years ago. If Ms. O'Keefe has evidence of transportation, she could claim you were trying to leave the realm and run from bail."
"I don't see how any of that is going to help Theodynn!" Keyda snapped, her eyes flashing. But to her surprise she felt a small hand on her shoulder and turned to see Amber sitting up in bed. The Xinta's eyes were locked on the redhead in the middle of the room.
"Do you really think all of that will work?" she asked, and Ashley clenched her jaw and nodded firmly.
"I do. Politics are messy, and sometimes it feels like trying to walk through a mine field. But if we do this right, we could topple this crazy woman and get Theodynn out without making anything worse."
"How can you be so sure?" Jay asked. "I mean…she seems like a pretty persuasive woman, from what I saw on the news tonight. I'm still a fan of breaking into the NCST and giving her the real ninja treatment…"
"Matilda is ambitious, and she's a master of wording. But in all I've learned, I've decided that she has one large flaw; she overestimates her own superiority,: Ashley cut in. "In her mind, the ninja are a thing of the past, and Ninjagoans want nothing more than to be safe, no matter the cost. But it's not true; our past has made us as citizens more empathetic to the needs of others. And there are still plenty of people who respect the ninja, even if it was decades ago that they helped the city."
"Hey!" Jay cut in. "We still help the city…just in different ways."
Ashley just rolled her eyes with a smile. Keyda cut in again; she was less angry this time, but still wary.
"And what if this plan you have doesn't work…what then?"
Ashley sighed.
"There's another angle we could go from," she admitted. "You are foreign rulers…technically speaking, you rule an entire realm. An entire army."
"The threat route," Cole realized, and Ashely nodded.
"It would probably be effective, but it would have adverse effects. Sure, it would get you pardoned and Theo released, but it would also play right into Matilda's "Oni are dangerous and they have an army" card. We're going to start by plucking at some heartstrings, and go from there."
"You're sure…" Amber started, and everyone glanced at her again as she glared at Ashley. "You're sure that Theo won't get hurt?"
Ashely met her gaze and sighed.
"I know you don't like me much, Amber…but you have to believe that we're going to do everything we can to get him out of there." She glanced over at Mia and May, who had also looked up to give the Xinta identical determined looks. The redhead continued. "Theodynn is our friend, and we aren't going to let the likes of Matilda do anything to him."
"How will you even know?" Amber pressed, though something in the way Ashely had said it did set her at ease. She realized it was because she could tell that the older girl was genuine. Sure…she wasn't in love with Theo. But she still cared about him…that was something Amber had to grudgingly realize. Ashley smiled at her question.
"Because we're going to have someone on the inside, remember?"
119
Tolan rode the hoofer hard, and he knew that Jaqah would get after him about it later. But he had to get to the tent before his family did.
It was dark, and his heart pounded as he heard sniffer cries in the distance. It wasn't safe for Syn and Pippa to travel tonight; he hoped they would realize as much and stay behind at the fortress. But he knew they wouldn't. He just had to pray that they would get back safely; sniffer attacks weren't quite as frequent this time of year, after all. Not to mention that both had the uncanny ability of calming the creatures.
He caught sight of the tent in the distance and took that to be a good sign. The healers hadn't destroyed it, at least. He had absolutely no idea what he was about to be headed into, but from what Syn had told him about Hershel's predicament, he could only imagine that the other Healers had come to issue punishment. He felt a flash of anger towards Hershel for doing whatever it was that he had done that was now causing Syn and Pippa to be besides themselves with worry. He let the anger swell up, trying to drown out the small voice that insisted that he was just as worried.
Tolan rode the hoofer right up to front of the tent, dismounting in a swift, fluid motion. The interior of the tent seemed dark, and he couldn't hear anything. The other Healers were gone, then. He steeled himself and pushed his way into the front room.
It was dark inside, and he frowned as he realized he couldn't see anything. He lit up one hand with aura right as he stepped forward. A crackling sound disturbed the silence, and Tolan looked down to realize he had stepped on some kind of scroll.
"Who's there?"
The words were soft and distant. Tolan looked up, his heart pounding as he recognized Hershel's voice. He finally caught sight of the Master Healer on the ground a little ways away. He crossed the distance quickly and knelt next to Hershel who was staring at the ground with a strange expression, his hands gripping the dirt as if it was a lifeline.
"It's me, Hershel. Look up."
There was a pause as Hershel swallowed. He did as he was told, but his eyes didn't seem to be looking at him. Tolan frowned at the unfocused gaze.
"…Tolan?"
"Yeah, it's me. What happened? Syn mentioned that the other Healers were here…"
"It's so dark."
Tolan trailed off at Hershel's soft interruption.
"I keep trying to…to make some light…"
Hershel held up a hand for demonstration. It was the same gesture Tolan had seen the Healer do on a hundred other occasions. But this time, there was no aura. Tolan tried to figure out what that meant, and then his heart began pounding as he caught sight of something around Hershel's wrist. It looked like a branding…but it was glowing with pearly light.
"What is that?" he asked, and Hershel just shook his head. He seemed confused; whatever the Healers had done to him, the Master Healer was obviously still groggy from the experience.
"I don't…"
"On your wrist," Tolan said, grabbing Hershel's arm. He glanced at the other and his heart dropped. "Both wrists."
Hershel held his wrist to his eyes and squinted, but just shook his head.
"It's too dark…" he mumbled. Then he grimaced and put a hand to his head, as if the world was spinning. Tolan looked down at the arm in his grasp. The strange branding was in a pattern…it looked a little similar to other Healer tattoos. However, instead of mimicking a braided pattern, Tolan realized this one looked like interlocking chain links.
"Hershel…"
Hershel looked at him again, but once again his gaze still seemed distant, unfocused. A horrible realization crept into Tolan's mind.
"…Can you see me?"
There was a pause, and Hershel swallowed, his eyes scanning the area in front of him. The tent was dim, it was true…but Tolan was bathed in the glow of his ongoing aura. The Master Healer should have been able to see him clearly. The moments ticked on, and Tolan felt a twist inside as he watched Hershel's sightless eyes fill with tears.
"No."
It was barely audible, and then Hershel's face crumpled. Tolan realized that up until that moment, he had never seen Hershel cry. The Master Healer brought his hands to his face as he wept, and the guard stared, unsure of what he should do. Of what he could do.
"I…I can't see anything, Tolan….and inside…it's so numb…."
Tolan didn't answer, and Hershel let out a sob.
"It's like vengestone…I can't feel anything….I can't sense it, like I used to…there's just emptiness…"
"It's alright."
It was the only thing he could think of to say, but the words felt empty the second they had left Tolan's mouth. He reached out and squeezed Hershel's shoulder.
"You're alive, Hershel…it's…it's going to be alright…"
"I was so wrong…about everything."
Hershel shook his head, his eyes squeezed shut as he pressed the heels of his hands into his forehead. He took another ragged breath, the tears still streaming down his face as he whispered one last horrified confession.
"I thought she loved me."
Somehow, that hit Tolan the hardest. His own expression crumpled as he watched Hershel's despair mix with an expression that looked far too much like defeat.
The hoofer was tired from carrying two people all the way to the fortress and back. Syn willed it to go faster, but Tolan had a penchant for choosing stubborn animals. It was tired, and it wasn't going to be goaded into another breakneck journey. The occasional sniffer cry mixed with the anxiety Syn felt as she wondered what they would be heading back to. By the time they had reached Hershel's tent, her back and neck hurt from sitting stiffly.
Pippa beat her off the hoofer, and Syn called out desperately as her daughter raced for the doorway. Jaqah's hoofer was grazing nearby, signifying that Tolan had reached the tent first, but she still didn't know what was waiting for them on the other side of the structure's thin walls.
She burst in after Pippa to see the interior of the tent lit up with a warm glow from the fireplace. Tolan was kneeling next to Pippa, presumably having intercepted her before she could go into the back. He glanced up as he saw Syn come in, her question clear on her face.
"He's alive," Tolan said, and Syn sagged in relief as her husband continued. "He's asleep in the back; I was telling Pippa that she cannot wake him up."
The child seemed to sense the tension in the room, because she nodded.
"I won't…" she promised, and Tolan released her. She disappeared into the back to see her Uncle, and Syn went to follow. Her husband stopped her.
"Syn…"
She glanced over at him, his tone alone enough to tell her that there was something wrong. She tried to steel herself, to be strong. But she was sick with fear.
"What did they do to him?" she managed, her voice choked with emotion. Tolan scanned her face, and her lip trembled.
"Tell me!" she insisted, and he wiped away the curls that had been glued to her face with tears.
"I…think they put some kind of restriction on his powers," he murmured, and Syn's eyes widened.
"What do you mean?"
"He said it was like vengestone, and he has these strange…cuffs."
A panicked sound escaped and Syn went to pull away, bent on heading back to check on her brother. Cuffs? They had chained him in vengestone?! But before she could get far, Tolan's grip tightened on her arm.
"Syn, wait…"
"I have to see him…" she insisted, and Tolan exhaled heavily.
"There's something else."
Pippa watched her Uncle breathe in an out a few more times, finally satisfied that he was alright. She had noticed the weird glowing things on his wrists, though…and it was all she could do to keep from shaking Hershel awake to explain what they were right then and there. She was glad he was ok; her mom had been right. He was strong. She hoped that he had beat that stupid short healer; he deserved a few black eyes.
Pip glanced at the door as she realized her mother had never come back with her. She could hear her parent's murmuring voices, and her curiosity about what they were saying was instantly peaked. Pippa pushed herself to her feet and padded to the door flap, moving it silently to poke her head back into the front.
Her father's back was turned to her, and in the firelight Pip could see only part of Tolan's face as he murmured something to Syn. Her mother's face was far more visible, and Pippa watched as Syn's eyes widened with horror. The woman's hands went to her mouth and suddenly Syn was sinking to the ground as she began to cry in earnest.
"No…" she moaned, and Pippa immediately came into the room. She needed to know why her mother was crying…she needed to know what was wrong.
Tolan had sunk to the ground with Syn, and pulled his wife close as he held her. Pippa came closer, ready to shake her mother's shoulder and ask her what was wrong. Uncle Hershel was ok…they had gotten back in time. So why was she….
Pippa stopped dead as she got a better view of her father's face…and the tell-tale glints of tear streaks down his cheek. Her small frame went cold; she had never seen her father cry. She glanced back at her sobbing mother, and the child's stomach twisted painfully. Neither had seemed to notice her, and she turned and ran into the back of the tent.
She had never seen her parents like this…and it scared her.
Matilda pushed her hair out of her face.
"A good night's work," she commented, and the newscasting team understood that to mean they were allowed to finally head home to bed. Matilda massaged one temple, sighing in relief. It was never wise to let any story with political importance to have time to get cold…but getting that news leak ready for the 10 o clock had been rough. Now that everything had been filed, sorted, and finished, it was time to head home to bed.
"Ms. O'Keefe."
She glanced at Alejandro as she shouldered her bag.
"What is it?"
"Would you like me to go fetch your son?"
Marty. She had completely forgotten about him. She sighed heavily, pressing her temple once more. Foolish, foolish boy… he had created quite the mess now. Nothing she couldn't handle, of course, but still irritating to have to deal with just the same. She briefly entertained leaving him in her office until the next morning; there was a bathroom, after all. It was hardly a cruel thing to do. But she thought better of it; best get this mess sorted out now rather than later.
"I'll do it. Pull the car around."
She headed to the elevator and took it upstairs. Her bodyguards were waiting dutifully and she discharged them.
"Go home and get some sleep; the road to success is going to be paved with a lot of long nights this week."
They pulled open the frosted glass doors for her before leaving, and she entered the dark office. She scanned the room and frowned.
"Marty?"
She paced the space quickly, her irritation growing with her headache.
"We do not have time for this young man…where are you?" she called, but there was no answer. She checked the bathroom and was greeted with an open window. The NCST president clenched her jaw.
"Little runaway," she muttered, but she hesitated before going to check the window. They were five stories up; if her idiot son made one wrong move…
She steeled herself and marched the window, looking down towards the ground. It was too dark to see anything in the alleyway…but from what she could see, it looked empty. If Marty had climbed out the window, he seemed to have done so without killing himself.
Her relief was cut short as she realized what this meant. It was a bad enough problem when she had had him; to have lost him could create any number of future headaches. She scowled, chastising herself. She should have just sent him home the second she had seen him at the hospital; ordered him to leave, and thus saved herself from any accountability on the matter. What to do…
Alejandro raised an eyebrow as she got into the car some ten minutes later. She shrugged.
"He must have scampered home at some point tonight," she said. Her assistant didn't look convinced, but she also knew that she didn't have to worry about his loyalty. She leaned back in her chair, looking forward to a well-deserved rest. "Alejandro…take me home."
He longed to knock on the door, but after a moment he shook his head. What was he thinking? Lou wasn't even here…he was at the hospital with Amber, no doubt. Or bailing his son out of prison…
M shuddered hard, tears pricking his eyes once more. Besides, his father would look for him here. He needed to disappear, for good. He was determined to do just that…but he had no idea how to go about doing it.
He continued down the street of the Ninjagoan suburb, shivering. It seemed like it was going to rain again…and he hadn't brought a jacket with him like he should have. He wondered what time it was; he had been walking for hours, no doubt. It would be morning soon…but all he could think about was wanting to go to sleep.
He remembered Amber mentioning a performance hall not too far from her house; maybe there would be a door unlocked for some late night practice. He could find somewhere in there to sleep. He turned down another street, and as he squinted he could make out something in the distance that looked like a performance hall. A chilly breeze swirled down the street and he shivered and wrapped his good arm around himself while keeping his throbbing wrist protected. He caught sight of something moving and jumped, but as he looked over he realized that it was just his own reflection in a shop window, created by a nearby lamplight. He sagged in relief and embarrassment, but something caught his eye and he moved closer to the window.
Oni Realm wonders and doo-dads; only place sold in Ninjago!
He frowned at the sign as he scanned the various trinkets laying out around it. Oni stuff? It had to be a hoax, right?
"I hope you aren't planning on robbing the place. Because it would end very badly for you."
M. jumped a mile high and whirled around. A man was standing behind him, studying him from underneath a large-brimmed hat. His hair and beard was grey, his face lined with wrinkles. They didn't necessarily look like smile wrinkles…more like the man's face had been weather-beaten with age. M. swallowed hard as he caught sight of a single eye glittering at him; the other was covered with some kind of device.
"Well?" the stranger, continued, his voice strong despite his obvious age. "You trying to rob the place?"
"N..no!" M finally stammered, his heart pounded. Going to jail was the last thing he needed right now. "I was just looking."
"Just window shopping, eh?"
He nodded, swallowing hard. The man raised an eyebrow.
"At 1 in the morning?"
"I wasn't trying to steal anything, honest. I just saw the sign about Oni stuff, and I was curious."
"Oh, you saw that?"
The man's tone seemed less threatening as he reached up to scratch his beard. The change gave M. the confidence to press forward.
"Yeah. I just…my best friend's an Oni. Or…was. I mean, she still is, she's just not my…"
M. trailed off, and he looked away as his eyes filled with tears. The man immediately put his hands up.
"Oh no, you can stop right there. I don't do the sob story stuff, alright kid? I just wanted to make sure you weren't trying to get into my priceless wares."
It was a junk shop, M. thought bitterly, but he didn't point as much out. He quickly wiped at his face, but then cried out as he realized that he had used the wrong wrist again.
"You alright there, kid?" the man asked, and M. clenched his jaw against the pain.
"Fine. I'm fine."
"You better head on home. It's late to be out wandering the streets."
"You're out wandering the streets," M. snapped. The man huffed.
"I am a grown adult. The rules are a little different for us."
M. just grimaced, and the man studied him closely.
"Where you headed, by the way?"
"Doesn't matter," M. muttered. Another cold breeze rushed past and he winced. The man scanned the trembling figure and frowned.
"That a school uniform?"
"It's nothing. Sorry I looked at your shop."
He started off again, bent on making it to the performance hall. He was so intent on his goal he didn't hear the older man sigh heavily and rub his chin, like he was at war with himself.
"Hey kid!"
M. turned again, studying the man warily as he unlocked the door to his shop.
"I was just headed in to do some late night inventory. You got nothing better to do you could come and help."
M hesitated, for one, he just wanted to sleep. And for another, he didn't know this guy at all; walking into some shop with a stranger seemed like a not wise option. But at the same time he didn't even know if the performance hall would be open, and suddenly sitting in a warm shop rather than sleeping on the freezing ground outside sounded like a good option.
"Why?" he finally asked, and the man shrugged.
"Eh, you said you're fine. I've been "fine" before in my life too. Seems like maybe you need something to do."
M still hesitated, and the man cleared his throat.
"There's a bed in the back that I use when I'm here late…and a few old armchairs. I mean, they're probably antique and worth their weight in gold, but they'd survive if you got brash and decided to sleep in one of them."
M finally made his choice. He started walking back to the man.
"Where'd you get the Oni stuff?" he asked again, and the man shrugged.
"I've got a supplier who lives in the Oni realm. Used to be a ninja, actually…"
"Cole?"
The man blinked, and then ushered him in.
"That's the one. You know him?"
M shrugged half-heartedly.
"A little…"
"Yeah, well…I go way back with the ninja. Saved their lives more times than they'll admit to anyone."
M still wasn't a hundred percent sure he could trust this guy, but he suddenly realized he was dead tired. Plus, he had nowhere else to go.
"What's your name?" he finally asked as he headed into the shop. The door dinged shut as the man smirked.
"Ronin."
120
The cell was freezing. The young teen shuddered, his mind hazy as he tried to remember how he had gotten there. The stony floor was damp and freezing, and as he moved, he gasped at the pain in his legs. Hershel panted, looking around to try and remember. Someone was laughing cruelly and he looked up to see a man standing in the doorway. Oilen…
"Nobody cares about you boy…not me, not your master…not even your own mother."
He was trembling, and the man laughed again.
"She's the one who turned you in…"
Hershel hugged himself, shuddering in the cold and the pain and the laughter echoing around him. But then the scene was warping, and Oilen's features stretched and then shrunk until it was Imgloss who was sneering down at him.
"Don't you get it boy?"
Hershel shook his head, but he couldn't look away as the Healer threw the scroll onto the ground.
"She's the one who turned you in."
And then the dream was fading…the laughter echoing around him until there was only the darkness.
He gasped awake, his eyes flying open. The blackness greeted him, and in his grogginess, he thought it must still be the middle of the night. He was trembling as the remnants of the dream faded, and he jumped as he felt something touch his arm.
"Hershel?"
He turned to the voice, recognizing it as Syn's. He swallowed.
"What…what time is it?" he managed, rubbing his face with his hands as he tried to come to. There was a pause, and then Syn spoke again.
"It's morning, Hersh. I was just about to go make something for us to eat…"
He froze, and suddenly his mind caught up with him, reminding him why his world was so dark when the tent was undoubtedly bathed in the sun's glow. A horrible, crushing weight began to press down on him, and he exhaled slowly. A moment later he felt Syn's arms wrap around him as she embraced him closely.
"I'm so sorry…" she murmured. "I…if there was something I could have done, Hersh…"
"No," he replied huskily, making no move to hug her back as he sat in his miserable darkness. "You tried to warn me…Phos tried to warn me…"
He closed his useless eyes, trailing off as his words choked in his throat. Syn pulled back, and he could feel her fingers gently touching his face.
"How could they do this to you?" she asked, and he could tell his sister was close to tears herself. He didn't answer as he reached up, finding her hands with his and pulling them away from his face. She let him, but continued softly. "Hershel…what is it that you even did?"
He was silent for a few moments. The blackness made it all too easy for the memories to take center stage in his mind; there was nothing he could do to block them out. He closed his eyes again in an attempt to shut out the thoughts of that night, of Myrah, but now there was no difference between his eyes being open or shut.
"I made a mistake," he finally managed, and he pushed himself to his feet before Syn could ask anything else. He made it to standing position easily enough…but then he froze. It was strange how vulnerable he felt without his sight; he knew exactly where he was. He had the entire layout of this tent memorized. And yet, as he stared into the nothingness it felt horribly like standing on the edge of a cliff.
Syn's arm wrapped around his waist then, as if sensing his insecurity.
"I've got you…"
He bristled, and gently but firmly removed her arm.
"I can do it," he said quietly, and she didn't say anything. He resisted the urge to reach out with his hands to guide his way, trying instead to make it to the doorway. He had walked this way a million times, surely…
He grunted as his leg collided with the edge of the worktable, and he stumbled as he grimaced in pain.
"Hershel!"
Syn was there in seconds, and he could almost feel her hovering, ready to grab him.
"I'm fine," he said softly. He straightened, making his way with the use of his hands now. He had a feeling his sister was still watching him, so he turned to her as soon as he managed to find the door flap.
"Syn?"
"Yes?"
"I need you to make me some tea…the one with the poppies."
It was a long shot. He was terrified that it wouldn't work…after everything he had done, that he would have lost his chance to ever speak with his Master again. But in this moment Phos was the person he wanted to speak to the most. Sure, he would tell Hershel off, perhaps even yell at him. But he needed to confide in his old Master, no matter what the outcome was.
"Alright," Syn finally said, and he could hear the hesitation in her voice. "What do you want for breakfast?"
"I'm not hungry."
He made it through the doorway and carefully picked his way over to where his chair was. He was shuffling, and he felt another wave of despair wash over him. What was he going to do? How could he travel to other villages like this, or go collect herbs…or do anything if he couldn't even walk across his tent?
His hands could feel the firm wicker of the armchair and he let out a breath. Another minute and he was lowering himself into the familiar seat, his hands running along the worn armrests unconsciously.
"UNCLE HERSHEL!"
He jumped at the yell, and suddenly he could feel a small body pressing up against the chair. Pippa…
"CAN YOU HEAR ME?!"
He grimaced, leaning away from her.
"I'm not deaf, Pippa…." He pointed out bitterly, and suddenly he could hear Syn.
"Pippa!" the woman scolded, and there was a defensive noise and the chair shook slightly as Pippa must have been pulled away.
"I was just trying to help him!" the child complained. Her voice was getting more distant; no doubt Syn was pulling her into a different room to talk with her. Hershel sighed, rubbing his face. How could Pippa ever understand? He didn't even understand. He was sinking back into the depressing depths when he heard soft footsteps approaching again.
"I'm sorry I yelled, Uncle Hershel," came the timid voice, and he turned towards the voice. Reaching out a hesitant hand, he felt a bed of warm curls and sighed. After a moment, he could feel two small hands on his face, and he froze.
"…Does it hurt?" she asked quietly, her small fingers feeling around his eyes, as if she would be able to sense the problem. He hesitated.
"No," he admitted softly, and she continued to rub his face. He wanted to pull her hands away, but there was something almost comforting about her gentle touch. Perhaps it was true what they say; that the loss of one sense honed the others. There was plenty of honing that he needed now, he realized bitterly. In a way, he had lost two senses. Even now, he could assume that Pippa was worried, or scared…but he could no longer pick up on her emotions like he had been able to before.
"Mom's making you some tea. So you can talk to your Dad," Pippa explained, and Hershel nodded, finally moving to pull her hands away.
"Isn't there something you should be doing?" he prompted softly, but she didn't pull away.
"I'm going to help you, Uncle Hershel."
He wasn't sure what to say to that, and her voice grew stronger and more determined.
"Even if you never let me be your apprentice. I'm going to help you."
He winced.
"Pip…"
"I'm going with Baffa and we're going to get herbs today. And tonight we can bundle them up…"
"Pippa," he tried again, but she was pulling away, and his hands were suddenly empty.
"We're going now…we're going to get so many herbs, Uncle Hershel. We'll fill all the stores all the way up!"
And then there was the noise of running feet…and then silence. Hershel swallowed; he would have to assume she had left, then. Suddenly, there was another hand on his shoulder, and something warm being pressed into his hands.
"Here's your tea, Hersh…" Syn murmured, and he swallowed. He just held it for a few minutes, feeling the warmth as his heart pounded with fear and longing. He had been able to see things in his dreams…surely he would have sight in this vision. If he was even able to have it.
He heard Syn kneel down next to the chair.
"Hershel…"
He drank the tea quickly in one gulp, before he allowed her to talk him out of it. Syn fell silent and he felt her hand squeeze his right before the sleep took him. No longer did his vision dim; the darkness remained the same. But Syn's voice became hazier as his consciousness slipped away.
"I hope you can see him."
Marty IV grimaced at the strong coffee, but he needed it. His head was pounding this morning, no doubt from the poor night's sleep he had gotten. He still needed to go fetch M and get him to eat something, but he found himself pushing it off. No doubt it would just be a fight…just like everything in their relationship lately.
His eyes scanned the morning paper, and he scowled at the front page.
Oni Aggressors Arrested Outside Ninjago City Hospital
Oni aggressors indeed, he mused. The girl's family coming to visit her in the hospital, arrested by a certain cruel and ambitious politician. He had no love for Amber, but he still knew enough to know the little freak and her family weren't planning any invasion. Though, he had to admit they were dangerous for other reasons. He sipped his coffee again as his thoughts turned back to M. What was he going to do with that boy?
Suddenly, his eyes caught something in the black and white picture posted in the paper. It was a large picture, depicting men in jumpsuits being blown backwards by Oni power. But in the background of the picture there was another NCST member restraining a small form. The Headmaster nearly dropped his coffee.
"M?" he mumbled to himself, his blood running cold. He put his mug down with a clack as he brought the picture closer to his face. It was grainy, as many newsprint pictures were, but it really did look like…
Marty pushed himself to his feet, his coffee and headache forgotten as he made his way to the door. His heart pounded as he headed down the hallway to his son's bedroom, his fingers fumbling in his suit pocket for his set of keys. He reached the door and struggled to unlock it. On his third attempt he cursed loudly and finally managed to click it into place. He threw the door open.
The room was empty. The bed wasn't slept in, and as the headmaster came in numbly he registered that the window was open. He ran to it, looking out. There was no one for as far as he could see; it was too early for any students to be milling about on the school grounds now. His heart pounded as he realized what had happened. He had left. After all the threats…M had actually run away.
Theo woke to someone pounding on the clear glass-like substance of his cell.
"Wake up, Oni!"
He grimaced and dry-washed his face, squinting out at the speaker. A moment later light flooded into the small room and he groaned as the overbearing artificial light hurt his eyes.
The door opened, and he fixed the thin man with a glare as he brought in a tray of food.
"Eat up; our President will be by shortly to conduct an interview."
Theo frowned as he accepted the tray. There was a cup of water, and a plate with a plain-looking bagel. It looked edible enough, and he glanced up at the man.
"Interview for what?"
The man didn't answer though; having delivered the tray he didn't stick around long enough to answer Theo's questions…the most important one at the moment being where he could use a bathroom. He sighed heavily, and decided he would just have to ask that crazy President Lady when she showed up. He took a bite of the bland bagel, and had a sudden overwhelming desire to eat a slice of cake. It was almost funny, dreaming of cake while sitting in a cell with no idea how the rest of his family was faring. He swallowed and coughed and then sighed, running a hand through his hair.
"I hope you're ok," he murmured to no one in particular.
"An internship?"
Matilda pressed a finger to her lips, studying the young woman who had more or less accosted her on her way into the building. The girl nodded, seeming casual.
"I'm applying for a major in Political Science this fall from N. U.," she explained. "It's a pretty competitive program; if I have any hope in getting in, then I'll need a good internship. I've been looking at a few different organizations, of course…"
"Of course," Matilda said, trying to seem interested as her eyes flicked towards the building. It was a new day, and she had an interrogation to conduct.
"But the NCST has always stood out as the organization that is making the biggest difference in Ninjago. I mean, after seeing last night's news report…"
Matilda glanced back, and she couldn't help but give the girl a smug smile.
"Oh, you saw that?"
The girl nodded, clearly impressed. It struck Matilda that this young woman seemed to have an even head on her shoulders; she was flattering, but in a real, genuine way…rather than a sycophanting way.
"There have been plenty of organizations who claim to be working to make Ninjago safer, but you and the NCST are taking action. You aren't just talking, you're doing. Passing laws, apprehending threats…" she trailed off, swiping her red hair out of her face. "It's impressive. That's the kind of work that I want to be part of."
Matilda gave the girl a genuine smile, but then her pager began to beep and she looked down and sighed.
"I can't tell you anything for certain…what was your name again?"
"Ashley Smith," the girl said easily, holding her hand out. "No need to introduce yourself, President O'Keefe. Your reputation proceeds you."
Matilda laughed.
"Yes, well, Ashley…I'm afraid that I'm not sure there are any internship positions open at the moment. Feel free to fill out a form at the reception desk though, and she'll give you a call if something opens up.
Uncertainty flickered across the young woman's face.
"I'd need to know sooner than later, so I could apply for a different position…"
Matilda shrugged in a "that's life" sort of way.
"I can't make any promises. But it's good to see the younger generation so involved in Ninjago's future."
She left the young woman in the doorway, forgetting about her almost immediately. She headed down the hallway, pulling out her pager. She was a good ten minutes late now, but she could make it up. She'd just have to move the interrogation with the Oni boy to this afternoon so she could have plenty of time this morning for her impromptu interview with the Channel Four news.
She sighed as the elevator doors dinged shut. It was so exhausting, making one's way to the top of the world.
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