Back to Black: Chapter 1

The ninjas have been sick and tired of working at the new tea shop that belonged to no one else but the one and only Sensei Wu. They just wanted to be in action again but there was nothing to defeat or no threat to bother Ninjago City as usual.

Everyone worked at the tea shop in the funky suit with the teapot on their heads. The ninja didn't understand why Sensei Wu picked the outfit but it fit the tea shop.

Lloyd, however, was still moping about his father's sacrifice to save Ninjago, but it was for the greater good. Sensei Garmadon did great thing, a great thing for everybody by sacrificing his life to save others. He always thought of others before him, and did what others would fear.

Lloyd understood that his dad did a noble thing but he also blamed himself – he thought he could've stopped it, he could've prevented, and it could've been him! These are the thoughts that haunted everybody; Lloyd was taking the blame for his death. Not only that but Lloyd was lonely, he needed his dad there for him and to take care of him, he couldn't have Misako take care of him alone.

"Hey, Lloyd," a small voice spoke up from behind him. The stranger set a hand on Lloyd's shoulder then said, "We know how much you miss your dad, but right now, Sensei Wu needs your help." Lloyd began to laugh, was this supposed to cheer him up? "Come on!"

The green ninja followed his brown haired friend to find Sensei Wu. Jay laughed with Lloyd and held his teapot hat tight. "Man these things suck! Don't tell Sensei Wu I said that!" He yelled at Lloyd and began to run faster.

Suddenly, Kai stepped out from one of the doors and cried out to the blue ninja, "Jay!"

Jay kept holding the hat. "Can't stay to chat, gotta run! Byeee!" He yelled to Kai and heard a loud bang coming from Kai's work place. He heard Kai groan: "Zane!" Jay could also hear Lloyd speeding up. He began to speed up his pace and took a sharp turn to the left. "Sensei Wu!" Just then, He fell forward as Lloyd fell on top of him.

Jay and Lloyd laughed harder until they ran out of it. "I…. cheered… hi – m… u… up!" Jay choked out and slammed the teapot hat against the floor. He sighed heavily and nudged on Lloyd, trying to get up.

"Thanks, Jay… I feel much better," Lloyd said with sarcasm and helped him up. "So did you really need my help on something?" He asked Sensei Wu. The old man replied by bringing Nya forward.

"Actually, we need all of you," Nya stated clearer and told Jay to gather the rest. "Dust was spotted in Birch Forest. Can you stop him?"

Once everyone else was in the room, Cole made a fist and punched it into his other palm. "You know it. It's time that crazed man gets some pay back!" Kai rolled his eyes and hugged Lloyd's neck, not too tight.

"You'll be fine, buddy," he whispered in Lloyd's ear, causing Lloyd to gaze down to the floor.

"That's what everyone has been telling me." Lloyd mumbled and Kai sighed in response. Kai let Lloyd go and the fire ninja walked to Cole.

"Don't you know what Dust is capable of? I mean you should know." Kai said and flicked Cole's forehead. "We are going to need a real good, full proof, plan if we want to get past him."

"Alright, so we know he wants to mess with our heads right?" Cole stated and everyone nodded but Lloyd and Jay.

"But I thought it was you he wanted?" Jay gestured with his right hand flat like he was holding something.

Cole's pupils shrank, "But…" Cole hesitated, "He's Dust, and we never know what he's up to. We can't assume anything other than the fact he wants to take Ninjago as his."

Jay nodded and Lloyd rubbed his foot against the surface under him. "Something wrong Lloyd?" Kai asked and Lloyd looked up slightly.

"Of course something is wrong you idiot!" Jay whispered screamed at Kai and elbowed him in the stomach.

"I know but maybe talking about is better for him!" Kai whispered.

"Ohhhhhh!" Jay brought the corners of his mouth up. Lloyd looked from Jay and Kai.

"So Lloyd, would like to tell us?" Zane finally spoke and Lloyd looked up all the way.

"It's just…" Lloyd stopped and he began to shake. Trembling, he pulled away and left them. No one said a single word after that.

Kai interrupted the silence and turned to face his sister. "We all know he just doesn't feel whole without his dad, but right now, we have a mission; get ready, boys, it's time for another battle…"

Dust was grinning. He was having fun with all this chaos, and soon, he would have even more fun. Soon, the ninja would arrive just as he was expecting them… that was when the real game began. Four wooden dolls immediately formed in Dust's and he gazed down upon them.

One by one, he crushed them, wood shavings of different colors falling down at his feet. He laughed menacingly. "Fun, fun, fun," he chanted.

"Stop right there, Dust!" Kai yelled at the sorcerer.

Suddenly, Cole felt his stomach twist. He quickly elbowed Kai, and then said: "You sure this is a good idea. Dust looks happy to see us here, plus, we don't even know how to stop this guy."

Kai arched a brow. Cole was entirely right. "But, didn't you banish him?"

"That was because I gave him powers, my dear fire ninja," Dust cooed and waited patiently for their attack. "If, you remember…" Kai growled at him, his eyes flashing with anger. Dust laughed, and then reappeared behind the Ninja. "You four made a big mistake coming here," his eyes searched the crowd. "Wherever is Lloyd?"

"He's not here! And don't you dare bother him!" Kai yelled and charged at the sorcerer with his katana. Dust disappeared into a cloud of smoke and reappeared on the other side. Jay whipped out his nun chucks and took his turn, aiming them right at Dust's forehead. The sorcerer grinned wide, baring his teeth, and turned his hand. The nun chucks flipped around, hitting Jay's head instead.

"Jay!" Cole cried out and took out his scythe, and Kai ran back to Dust. He slashed his katana at the sorcerer to have the katana freeze. Dust smirked and smacked his fist on the side of the blade. The blade shaded to hundreds of pieces. Cole felt uneasy and stood holding his scythe.

Zane brought out a shurikane and aimed for Dust. He laughed and disappeared into dark clouds of smoke. Dust appeared behind Zane with a cloud of purple smoke and kicked Zane in the back. Zane toppled over and quickly crawled out of Dust's reached.

Cole raised his scythe and drew his brows in. He then stopped mid tracks; right in front of Dust. "I can't…" he said softly and began to back up.

Kai only stared at Cole in shock. "Cole! Go after him!" the Black Ninja shook his head.

"I can't…" he said again, still backing up. Dust watched as Cole kept walking. There was nothing to stop him, nothing to prevent him from backing away. Zane noticed Dust's evil look and looked over to Cole. That was when he noticed why Dust was smiling.

He tried to throw shurikanes, but instead, Cole tripped over them. "Cole!" Zane yelled at his friend. At the same time, Dust twisted his hand causing Cole's arm to twist; the Black Ninja grabbed the scythe and fell backwards… off the cliff.

"Cole!" Everyone but Dust screamed and hustled over to the edge.

"He can't face me anymore!" Dust burst into laughter. "Now that that's taken care of…" and he disappeared.

Kai stared in shock. The fall was a long drop. "Zane, what happened?" He shook his nindroid friend hard until his eyes began to water.

"Cole couldn't face Dust… he kept backing up until…" his voice trailed off and they all looked down to where their friend had fallen. "Do you think…"

Jay's lower lip trembled with fear. "He can't! Right? Plus, that was the stupidest thing ever!" Suddenly, Jay felt nocuous. "We have to go down there!" He waited for a long silence to hear anything from their fallen friend; but no response came.

"Jay, Cole's gone…" Kai told him.

The Blue Ninja's mouth dropped open… "I must be dreaming. WAKE ME UP! WAKE. ME. UP!" He yelled into Kai's face, panting heavily. Jay ran his fingers through his hair then pulled on it hard. "Wake… me… up!" he cried louder, then fell to the ground, breathing harder.

"Jay, stop!" Zane told Jay, but Jay didn't stop. Zane looked at Kai in worry. Jay kept rolling around; his nun chucks flying all over the place. The bump on Jay's forehead made it look even weirder, but Jay did it anyways. "We have to go back," Zane said to Kai. Together, they carried Jay over their shoulders, through the forest and back to the tea shop.

Sensei Wu was the first to greet them. He noticed Jay first, and then realized that Cole was missing. So, Kai and Zane told him and Lloyd all about it – how Cole was too afraid of Dust, how he backed up too far, how Jay began to cry. Misako offered to take Jay into a room.

"I am sorry you had to go through that, my students. It is a truly tragic event." Sensei Wu said and Kai and Zane dropped their heads. Lloyd felt even worse; first his father now Cole.

"So what do we do now?" Lloyd said in an almost whisper; Kai turned his head to Lloyd but kept it down.

"I don't know…" Kai said slowly, palms shaking.

So, I started a collab with LeonardoTheLeader! Yay!

This story takes place after the Tournament of the Elements and I think she said before Morro comes... so just pretend he never came until later. Dust is my OC and he will very likely be in many of my FFs or the FFs I participate in.

Thanks for reading and...

R&R