NINJAGO: The Beastmaster

CHAPTER THIRTEEN - Making Plans

 "Ugh! Come on, this should be working, why isn't it?" Lloyd said as he tried to work his way around the Vengestone of his cage, but his powers abandoned him. "Could it be enchanted?"

"I don't know," Jay spoke up. "But Ryo probably would."

They fell silent, then Zane sighed.

"I shouldn't have accused her like that," he said. "It wasn't the time, and she was trying to help us. I've misinterpreted my dream, and look at the mess I've got us into."

"As much as I hate to say it, you're right, Zane, that wasn't the time to say something like that," Lloyd agreed. "But in the same way, us ending up here wasn't your fault. It could've still happened even if you didn't say anything."

"Thanks, Lloyd, but I'm afraid that isn't the full point," Zane explained. "I should've said something before I jumped on Scott's mystery so quickly. I thought I could solve it alone and fix things before they happened, because I was afraid that if I didn't, my dream would come true, and the kind of person you were afraid Ryo would become would've been our reality and not part of your imagination."

Lloyd pondered on that, setting his chin in his hand as he frowned.

"You know, Zane, I should've thought about that a little more before I let it bother me," Lloyd said. "There's only one person like Morro, and it's himself. Ryo could still become her own evil, but I just don't think that she will, at least not now, and not for the reasons I think."

The others lowered their heads.

"When we get out of here, I need to tell Ryo that I didn't mean any harm--the past just made me afraid of what she could become," said Zane. "And it wasn't fair that I said all that because I was hurt over losing a dear friend."

"Poor Cole," Jay mumbled. "I was right there, I could've helped him if I just reached out..."

"But what if you just fell off the mountain with him, Jay?" Kai asked. "Losing one of you is bad enough, but two friends in one day? I couldn't imagine how bad that would be."

"I mean, I know that's true, but it doesn't make the feeling any better," Jay answered. "I just wish that they were both here right now."

They went quiet and put it into the air that they all agreed that would've been nice to have right about now. But they didn't have that, all they had were each other in their own separate Vengestone cages in a room with one massive Griffie.

At least, it was only them until the doors opened up to Medua carrying with her a plate. On it were the thin streaks of gold against black, the only thing it could've belonged to had to have been Vengestone and nothing else. The ninja all looked at her carefully as she walked past their cages and over to Taiki's in the back. Taiki looked over at her with her neck bowing out of despair. After living in a cage for the better part of her life, Taiki was tired of seeing bars surrounding her, and even more tired of watching people bring her food when she would have searched for it herself outside if they just let her.

Medua set the plate of Vengestone down on the floor of Taiki's cage, and Taiki looked at it, but just set her tail over the top of it. She didn't want to eat that after she saw what it did to the other Griffies.

"Fine, be like that, but you'll have to eat eventually," Medua spat, then turned to the Ninja inside of their cages as they all looked at her in collective disgust. "Because when it comes time for the Last Show, Vengestone won't be the only thing you'll be craving."

Medua began to laugh wickedly and the Ninja looked at each other, their looks going from disgusted to worried in a matter of seconds.

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