Ninjago: Purpose and Meaning

11. Mentor

"You better come inside", the tired shadow of the First Spinjitzu Master said before he signed for her to step through the half-open gates. "I'm too tired for a walk", he said, trying to summon some of his usual humor and sarcasm, but the comment felt empty to Nadine.

"Thank you", she said as she stepped into the courtyard.

She looked around the almost circular area, expecting to see Wu and Garmadon play around with their wooden staffs like they used to, but there was no sign of them. No staff rested against the porch or forgotten on the ground. 

"Where are they?" She asked, knowing she didn't need to say who she meant.

"Inside", the First Spinjitzu Master answered shortly as he grabbed his own staff from the wall beside the gate, leaning heavily on it as he walked across the courtyard, the staff echoing loudly each time it struck the stone ground.

Nadine stood still for a moment, watching the legendary figure stumble across the short distance to the porch.

He looked weaker than usual, almost as if he was sick, and his skin was much paler than it had been the last time she saw him. 

"How are you?" She asked, a sting of worry in her chest. "Are you sick?"

Immediately, the First Spinjitzu Master straightened his posture and relaxed his face to hide the tension it had displayed moments earlier. But he was still leaning heavily on the staff.

"I'm fine, Nadine", he told her before leading her into the monastery.

She followed him silently, watching him closely for any sign of him being wounded. But she couldn't find anything. He wasn't limping even though he was relying a lot on his staff. He wasn't showing any kind of pain in his movements. He simply looked...defeated.

They entered the kitchen and sat opposite each other, like so many times before. The First Spinjitzu Master seemed to relax as he sank down on the chair and leaned back for a couple of seconds before meeting her eyes.

"Go ahead", he sighed, seemingly accepting they wouldn't get anywhere until she could ask her questions.

"What's wrong with you?" 

She didn't mean for it to sound so insensitive. The question was out before she could stop herself, but fortunately, the First Spinjitzu Master didn't seem to take offense. He smiled, a true smile before he answered.

"It's a long story", he said slowly. "But let's just say, it's been a rough couple of weeks."

"Are you going to tell me what happened?"

"I don't want to worry you."

"You worry me more by not telling me."

They stared at each other for a couple of seconds. Nadine tried to make him tell her what was going on while the First Spinjitzu Master simply stared back calmly, trying to tell her everything was fine.

"I've missed you", the First Spinjitzu Master broke the silence with a smile.

Nadine couldn't help herself from chuckling. "I've missed you too."

"Nyad has told me what you've been up to", he changed the subject to distract Nadine from questions about him. "Searching for the next Master of Wind. I hope she made it clear it could take years."

"Have you talked to her?" Nadine quickly asked.

She hadn't heard from the former Master of Water for two weeks. It didn't matter how long she called for her by the ocean, she hadn't answered. Nadine had wanted advice, and somebody to talk to, but the one person she knew could understand how she felt, hadn't answered.