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𝐍𝐘𝐀
"Tell me where they are, and we can come to a peaceful agreement."
Nya scoffed. Did this psychopath really think they'd give her what she wanted? "Nice try, but we're not telling you anything." Nya tugged against her restraints-- her four companions also chained to the wall on either side of her. None of them were scared, only stressed for Cole and Via. The five of them knew they would be captured by the Passerine the moment they attacked the bounty. Their only choice was to send Via away, so she wouldn't be captured as well.
Jay stuck his tongue out at the leader of the Passerine. "She's long gone." The dark-skinned woman in front of us raised an eyebrow, "Is that so?"
"Look, if you tell us why you want her, I'll tell you where she is."
Nya whipped her head to stare at Lloyd, baffled that he'd betray their new friend so quickly. "Lloyd, what are you doing?!"
Lloyd gave the girl a look, which she immediately interpreted as shut up, I have a plan. So she shut up.
The black-haired woman in front of us smirked, "I sense falsehood in your request, Green Ninja, but it's not like you're going anywhere. You won't be able to escape any time soon." She started pacing back and forth in front of the chained Ninja. Nya watched her every move carefully. "My name is Harpia, and I am the one in charge around here." She gestured to the four behind her. "These are my recruits: Halia, Pitheco, Chrysis, and Falco."
"Nice to meet you."
If Nya wasn't shackled, she would have facepalmed at her boyfriend's comment. She narrowed her eyes at him, "Really, Jay?" He shrugged, feigning innocence.
Harpia glared at the Blue Ninja, continuing with her speech. "We require the Lucid One's power for our cause--"
"Lucid One? Who's the Lucid One?"
Zane, always the voice of reason, said, "I think she's talking about Via, Kai."
"Oh."
Ignoring the masters of fire and ice, Lloyd asked, "And what is your cause?"
Harpia's voice was like a knife, "The world is unfair towards those with mental challenges."
"You're... working towards helping people with disabilities?" Lloyd questioned. Nya scoffed. That was definitely not the case. If it was, they would have tried a more peaceful approach to getting Via to help them.
"Somewhat..." Harpia's eyes seemed distant, as if she was hiding the truth. She probably was. She gestured behind her and the only girl of her companions stepped forward, "This is my sister, Halia, and she has never been normal. She and countless others across the lands of Ninjago struggle with mental challenges. They have delusions and hallucinations. They have trouble thinking straight and making the right choices. The Lucid One's power can help with this problem."
Nya suddenly became interested. None of them knew what Via's power was-- she hadn't been comfortable in telling them yet. She wondered what it was exactly. She had mentioned something about REM-- which stood for Rapid Eye Movement-- as stage of sleep. Nya guessed her power had something to do with the consciousness of people.
Harpia continued, her voice taut, "The Lucid One's power will be the balancing act for people with these problems--" Kai interrupted her again, with a sentence that Nya would have slapped him for if he wasn't several feet away. "I can't be the only one who thinks this is totally a lie?" "He's right!" Jay exclaimed, right as Harpia opened her mouth to yell at Kai, "I mean, really? Sure, it's a cool thought to help all the people with mental disabilities but like-- a secret gang of the most notorious criminals working as a humanitarian act?"
Zane nodded from his spot as well, "I admit it is a flawed cover story."
"What's the real deal, missy?" Nya scowled.
Harpia was at a loss for words, frozen under the gaze of the five Ninja. The large and burly Passerine member-- that the Ninja had fought many times now-- behind her stepped forward, his voice gruff and deep, "Is the mission not to help people, Mistress?"
Nya was surprised. Did her own recruits not even know what they were working towards? Harpia's hand was hovering dangerously close to her katana's sheath. "I suggest you stay quiet, unless you want a face full of steel." She glared at her companions, "All of you." The burly guy stepped back and shut his mouth.
"Why do you really want Via?" Lloyd demanded, not scared in the slightest by the woman's threat.
"That is none of your concern. Dreamer asked--" Harpia cut herself off. "The Lucid One is an important asset and I will not rest until it is in our possession." Nya frowned. She'd noticed Harpia kept calling Via an 'it.' It was starting to get on her nerves. How dare she refer to Via as no more than an object.
"Dreamer? What is the Dreamer?" Lloyd continued to ask questions. It seemed his pressuring advances were weakening Harpia's guard as she got more and more irritated. A short temper, it seemed. "Why is Via an important asset? Asset to what?"
Harpia growled, finally at her wit's end. "ENOUGH. You will quit pestering me," she whipped around and stalked out of the room (Nya realized she had completely forgotten about Lloyd's agreement-- she didn't even ask for Via's location). The remaining Passerine members who stood before the Ninja were sharing glances, with the occasional whisper of 'Dreamer?.'
Nya had a feeling there was something else going on. Harpia was definitely hiding something, and it seemed no one knew what. Not even her own team.
