The Silent Man's Whisper [ninjago]

02 | prohibited

Pacing around with his hands clasped together behind his back, the old man's thoughts consumed him entirely, even through the loud yelling coming from the people around him.

He didn't know what to do, what to feel. His five students, one of them being his own nephew, were currently locked away in Ninjago's most protected prison, and there was nothing he could do about it.

He wanted to feel sad about that. Heck, he even wanted to shed some tears for his imprisoned family members.

But he couldn't. Something inside of him wasn't allowing him to feel sad.

Because due to their commitment, they were able to bring back the one they had lost a year ago.

Wu could remember her departure like it was yesterday. The tears, the emptiness, the hopelessness. He could feel all of those feelings vividly, still.

And now, he didn't feel those ugly feelings anymore.

Yet he was still feeling empty, knowing his boys were miles away and behind bars.

He forced himself to snap back into reality. Then he sighed upon seeing his female student, who was about to jump at one of the prison guards and possibly skin him alive.

"Nya," Wu said, his voice showing nothing but exhaustion.

Said person turned around, livid. She looked at him, waiting for what he was about to tell her. And by the looks of it, she already knew what was coming.

"I know you're frustrated right now, but threatening a police guard won't help our case."

"Does it look like I care?" Nya exclaimed at him before turning back to the guard. "Look, I know this is Krypterium, and I know it has to be guarded and protected at all costs. Heck, I used to be one of the people turning felons into prisoners! But you need to understand where I'm coming from."

"Ma'am-"

"No! You will hear me out now! I was gone for an entire year, and the second I'm back, I'm not even allowed to see my family?! How come everyone else can visit their family in here but I can't?"

The guard rubbed a hand across his face. "I've already told you you can't visit them. I didn't make that rule, Miss Smith, I was only told to make sure you don't set a foot into this prison."

Nya's eyes bored into his soul as she was trying her best to hold herself back from strangling him.

"You think you're all that, don't you?" she asked the guard while squinting her eyes. "You like telling me off. You like seeing me get so worked up about the fact that I'm not allowed to see my family, don't you? Well, let me tell you, mister," she said, crossing her arms. "My brother, my significant other, and three of my best friends are in this facility. If you think I'm going to cower in fear and run away because of you or this stupid regulation made against me, then you're wrong."

"Look, ma'am, if you're interested in picking a fight with any of us, let it be with the mayor. He was the one setting up this rule and I'm afraid there's nothing I can do about that," the prison guard told the furious ex-Water Ninja patiently.

Upon noticing how Nya's hand was curled up into a fist and shaking out of pure rage, Wu stepped in-between of her and the man before looking at the tired-looking guard.

"I apologize for her behavior. It's just that she hasn't seen her friends in so long that she can't wait any longer," he informed him politely. He had to be cautious of his choice of words since he knew Nya's fuse was easy to blow up.

Without waiting for anyone to say anything else, Wu quickly pulled Nya away and led her away from the gates of Krypterium.

When they were far enough away, Nya pulled her arm out of his grasp and huffed, taking a quick glance back to the prison guard who was looking back at her expressionlessly.