A Second Chance

“Get ready, everyone,” Lloyd said.

It wasn’t anything groundbreaking. Just the usual drill of stopping robbers from raiding stores in Ninjago. The only minor problem was that The Mechanic was free, which made it more annoying.

His gadgets could turn a simple chase into a battle lasting for hours. But, like always, we had each others back so we could handle it.

You know, I used to be the go-to positivity provider, keeping everyone’s spirits high. The one who kept the light in the darkest situations, the optimist, all just through panicking.

But, you know how life works. We’ve all had those unexpected twists that hit you when you least expect it. These moments make you rethink everything and leave you wondering if there was a hidden purpose behind it all, or if it’s just chaos.

Right as we were gearing up to leave, the mailman burst through the front door of the Monastery. He was holding a letter like it was a ticking time bomb. His eyes darted around the room and he was sweating a lot.

He always cracked jokes or grumbled about long routes., but it looked like he’d came face-to-face with the Overlord himself.

Maybe it’s about this mysterious Vengestone Buyer guy?

“For Jay,” he muttered.

Then, without another word, he turned and bolted. It’s like he was scared of us; he even nearly tripping over his own feet in his rush to get away.

“What’s his deal?” Kai looked at me. “Did you steal his favorite doughnut or something, Jay?”

“No, I’m not Cole,” I replied. “He probably has a lot of work or something. Everyone’s busy on a Saturday. It can’t be THAT big,”

I popped open the letter with everyone looking over my shoulder.

Subject: Urgent - Legal Matter

Dear Jay Walker,

We hope this letter finds you well, though we regret to inform you of some heavy news.

Cyrus Borg was found dead in his wheelchair at 5:00 A.M. today by his robot daughter, P.I.X.A.L. While the initial assumption was that he died of a heart attack, further investigation revealed signs of a lightning discharge at the scene. No traces of weapons or technical malfunctions were detected, leaving only one possible conclusion.

All evidence points to you, Jay Walker, as the prime suspect in this incident.

By the right to a fair trial, we are allowing your ninja team to decide whether you are guilty or innocent, as well as the punishment, should it be deemed necessary.

The trial will take place in three weeks. In the meantime, to ensure fairness and transparency, you are required to stay in Kryptarium Prison under modified conditions, acknowledging your past heroics and contributions to the safety of Ninjago.

On the day of the trial, you will be escorted to the courtroom, where representatives will present the evidence and arguments for your innocence or guilt. Further actions will be determined based on the trial’s outcome.

We wish you the best of luck in clearing your name.

Sincerely,The Ninjago Justice Department

———————————————————————————————

No way... Cyrus Borg was dead?

He was one of the most influential figures in Ninjago.

To me, he represented innovation and hope, even before I became a Ninja. He even inspired my childhood hobby of building gadgets out of scraps, something that came handy even now.

Enough about me, it’s Zane who got hit the hardest by his death.

He was Zane’s father figure and knew Zane’s actual father well. Zane looked up to him in ways I could never imagine. If things stayed on track, he would’ve become Zane’s father-in-law after Zane and P.I.X.A.L. got married.

Thinking about it made it feel worse. Someone ripped that future away from Zane, and framed me for it.

That’s how I ended up in Kryptarium Prison yet again.Except this time, I wasn’t here because of some mission or undercover plan. I was here because I was framed for a crime I didn’t commit.

Well, it didn’t feel any different than those other times; in fact, it was even better.

My prison stay wasn’t at all bad. The guards gave me my own cell, a “perk” of being the lightning ninja. My biggest problems were The Mechanic and Ultraviolet, who loved to remind me of who ruled the prison. Killow, surprisingly, kept to himself.

Oh, and Fugidove,my overly enthusiastic neighbor and self-proclaimed biggest rival. He might’ve asked for my autograph or personal details more times than I could blink, but at least he wasn’t trying to kill me. That counted for something.

My team tried to convince the Ninjago Justice Department to let me stay with them, but the higher-ups insisted I remain at Kryptarium to “keep things fair.” So my friends visited often, bringing my favorite things with them.

Kai and Cole came with video games, challenging me to matches that always ended with Kai raging and Cole rolling his eyes.

Lloyd dropped off the latest Fritz Donnegan comics, grinning as he handed me the stack.

I did my best to help Zane process and deal with Borg’s death. He often opened up to me about Borg and how much he meant to him.

Nya visited more than anyone, sharing updates about the team and talking about what we’d do once the trial cleared my name: vacations to Metalonia, quiet evenings with her parents in Ignacio.

Those visits were how I’d spent most of my day, and the rest would be in my cell, playing video games or re-watching a movie I liked.

The trial was two weeks away, but I wasn’t worried. The interrogations were routine, and the detective seemed to believe me. My answers were solid, and I thought I’d be back at the monastery in no time, laughing about how badly this frame-up backfired.

The guy who framed me must’ve been terrible at his job if clearing my name was this easy.

At least, that’s what I thought.

Then came the day everything changed.

I got moved to the standard prison area for no apparent reason. This meant I had to share space with the other inmates for the first time in weeks.

My cellmate, Fugidove, stuck close to me and often tried to get my attention. His endless chatter gave me a strange sort of comfort. He was harmless, if a bit much.

But something felt... off.

The other inmates avoided me; they often whispered behind my back or shot me wary glances. Nobody tried to pick a fight, which should’ve been a good thing, but the way they tried to steer clear of me was unsettling at the very least. It was like they knew something I didn’t.

The ninja didn’t visitthat day, either; not even any letters or gifts. At first, I shrugged it off. Maybe they were busy with some mission or wrapped in preparations for the trial. But when another day passed with no word, and then another, the silence began to give me chills.

A week went by.

Still nothing... no visits, no letters, and everyone avoiding me like The Overlord.

By then, my paranoia kicked in. I tried to tell myself it was all in my head. Maybe the Justice Department restricted contact to avoid accusations of favoritism. Maybe the team was working behind the scenes to clear my name. Maybe they just didn’t want to worry me.

But deep down, I knew the truth...Something was wrong.

...

...

...

“Hey, Fugidove,” I whispered one evening. “Do me a favor.”

Fugidove’s face lit up. “Anything for you, Jay! You want an autograph? Or maybe a-”

“No,” I interrupted. “I need you to do some recon. Listen to the guards. See if you can pick up anything about why the ninja stopped visiting.”

His smile dropped. “You think something happened?”

“Just... find out,” I said. “Please. As your friend?”