The Silent Man's Whisper [ninjago]

13 | planned

"We need to think more positively," Lloyd said, earning bewildered looks from his friends that he waved off. "No, listen. I know our situation is dire, but remember what Kai said earlier?"

"Everything will be okay because we have each other?" Cole asked.

Lloyd blinked. "No. He said something like, 'There's no way we're going to get out of here by tomorrow,' or something." He leaned in. "I have a feeling he's wrong."

"He's always wrong," Cole nodded, liking the direction their conversation was heading. When it came to getting on his friend's nerves, he was always in.

Kai glared at him before looking at Lloyd. "You're just saying that because Nya is here now. It still doesn't mean we'll get to be free by tomorrow."

Lloyd shrugged. "Yeah but-"

"Ha ha ha ha ha ha!"

"-it's a push in the right direction."

"Still doesn't mean anything though."

"Ha ha ha ha ha ha!"

"But what if it does?" Lloyd asked him, a challenging glint in his eyes. Since they were out in the scorching sun, his eyes seemed a lighter grass green instead of his usual moss green.

"And what if it doesn't?" Kai challenged back.

"Ha ha ha ha-"

Sighing, the five turned their heads and looked at Pythor wanting to catch their attention by standing close to their table outside and laughing annoyingly.

"You good?" Kai asked the snake.

Pythor stopped his obnoxious laughter to give them a satisfied smile. "Yes." He slithered a bit closer to them, his hands resting on the wooden table. "It is... interesting to see you five here. Why are you here? Have you finally gone mad? If so, I will have all my boxes on my stupid-ninja bingo card filled out and win-"

Lloyd pinched the bridge of his nose and closed his eyes, taking a deep, calming breath. "You already know why we're here. Everyone does. Now, what do you want?"

"You're still no fun, Lloyd. I just wanted to come and see how you were, and this is the treatment I get in return?"

"Cut the act, Pythor," Kai said sharply.

"Yeah," Cole agreed sternly. "Leave us alone now. We don't want you here."

"Bullying?" The white snake tilted his head. "That's new. What's next, cyber-bullying? Oh wait, you don't even have phones anymore!" He started to laugh hysterically.

"You don't have a phone anymore either," Kai said.

Pythor stopped laughing and harshly turned to the Red Ninja. "Shut up!"

He pretended to glide away and turned back around the second the ninja thought he'd actually go away.

"Oh, and," Pythor smirked, "if you're wondering; yes, I got busted. By the new ninja who are so much better than you ever were."

"Are you trying to anger us, Pythor?" Cole asked. "Because if so, you can go away again. Your efforts are in vain."

"Are they?" Pythor wondered, sneaking a glance at a fuming Kai. "Because compared to the new ninja, you guys are a joke. A laughingstock. The blueprint that was forgotten in the dirt it was created in." He looked at Zane. "Isn't that right?"

"That's it," Kai mumbled before he stood up abruptly and pushed his sleeves up to his elbows. "We warned you, Pythor."

"Kai," Jay whispered, trying to hold on to the back of Kai's prison shirt to stop him from walking any further.