Day of the Departed

It was a festive night in the city of Ninjago. Day of the Departed, a night very similar to Halloween. Children (and adults who still had the minds of children) dressed up in costumes as aliens, pirates, astronauts and whatever else they thought was cool and amazing. They went to their neighbors' homes with their families and friends to get candy. Lanterns were sold at stores. People would buy and light lanterns to settle debts, spend time with the ones they still have in their lives and remember those they have lost, those who had departed from the world.

The ninja, protectors of the city, were doing just that. They had invited along an ex enemy turned friend. The bleached Anacondrai had joined them, along with his human wife, Katherine and his three children. Angelina, Arcturus, and little Azehroth or as their parents called them, Angie, Arky, and Azzie.

"I'm glad we got to the gift shop before it closed." Nya said with a smile. Katherine nodded in agreement with the water ninja.

"No kidding, we probably never would have gotten our lanterns without your help ninja."

"We were happy to help you Kat." Kai smiled and Pythor gave the fire ninja a warning "Ahem."

"What? I was just being polite."

"What I heard was flirting…" Pythor rolled his eyes before turning to his family. "Come along children, it's time to go and pay our respects to your grandparents as well as…a few old friends…" He sighed taking Azzie in his arms. Katherine knew exactly who he meant as "old friends." Of course it was Azehroth, the great winged anacondrai warrior who died to protecting them from a dark curse put on his lover Cara. Azehroth risked his life to join Cara and allow Pythor to keep Katherine. They named their youngest son in the warrior's honor. The ninja and the family separated. Pythor looked down at the lantern as they headed back to the hotel where all the serpentine stayed. Katherine looked at him. "They'd be proud of you…" she said getting his attention. Pythor glanced at her and gave a soft smile.

"I know dear…but I do miss them."

"Look on the bright side, you have your uncle, your brother, Kami and of course us." She reminded. Pythor chuckled at that and nodded. "That I do…and I couldn't ask for anything else." The white serpent chuckled again. "It's still hard to believe I married a human." Katherine smiled at him.

"It's hard to believe I married a serpentine and had three kids with him."

"Yes but three wonderful kids~" Pythor purred nuzzling Azzie's head who giggled and hugged his father's snout. Katherine nodded in agreement rubbing Arky's head and leaning down to kiss Angie's cheek. They went up to the roof. Pythor had lit the lantern and let it float into the sky. He smiled as Arky gently pulled on his hand. "You think Grandma and grandpa will like the lantern Dad?"

Pythor nodded with a happy smile. "They'll love it."

"Azehroth too?" Angie asked.

"Of course sweetheart, they'll know it's from us and be overjoyed. Now come on, let's see what Hajna made tonight."

The children cheered happily as they headed back into the hotel to eat.

Meanwhile, Cole, the earth ninja turned to a ghost, payed the great Sensei Yang a visit.

"Yang! I know you're here! Show your ugly face!"

"You got my message then?" a voice asked as the Sensei sauntered out.

"Oh I got it alright and now it's time to pay! You're about to answer to the business end of your own weapon!" with that, Cole held out the shuirken tied to a chain. Yang backed away with a gasp.

"The Yangblade…How did you get it? It's encased in solid clear stone, impenetrable to any living being-"

"Except to a ghost, which thanks to you I still am!"

"What are you going to do?"
"There's magic in there air, you know, eclipse and all?"

"Come now Cole, where's your holiday spirit…?" Yang asked him taking a step to the left. "It's Day of the Departed after all."

"Yea and I'm settling my debts!" Cole jumped at Yang aiming to slash him with the weapon, but the ghost Sensei dodged and Cole hit something else, a sphere that was behind Yang, the Yangblade had broken it and an odd green light started shining into the building and Yang started laughing, getting the green ninja's attention. "What's so funny?!" he demanded.

"That," he pointed to the broken sphere. "This." He pointed the light. "All of it! Thanks to you Cole, my plan is unfolding." He laughed as a green mist filled the room and spreaded throughout the city, making its way to the Museum of Natural History straight to the Hall of Villainy. The mist was absorbed into the mannequins' body and brought them to life. Samukai, Master Chen, Cryptor, Khozu, Morro, and Pythor P. Chumsworth…

Samukai moved his four arms to get used to the feeling. "Where am I? Who are you people?!"

"I should be asking you the same thing!" Morro snapped as he jumped down from his podium.

"I am Samukai! Fearsome skulkin general"

"Fearsome?!" Khozu laughed and swung his sword at the column beside him cutting it in two. "This is fearsome! I am Khozu, great stone warrior general!"

"And how were you defeated huh?" Cryptor asked him.

"But how have we returned? OOOH BUTTONS, BUTTONS BUTTONS!" Chen grinned excitedly like the man child he was before randomly pressing buttons on his chair causing fortune cookies to spat out, inflatable palm trees to inflate and deflated back into the chair, and mechanical legs to appear. Though they wouldn't listen to him as they walked off Chen screaming for them to go right until he finally crashed into something. "I'm alright!" he called before another crashing sounded. "Still alright!" Pythor rolled his eyes and muttered.

"Please don't tell me I'm the only villain here with any brains…" Cryptor heard him.

"Ha! You're not even a real villain Pythor! The real you has turned good." Pythor glared at that. "Start making sense you bucket of bolts!"

"The real you is a good guy." Morro repeated.

"You helped the ninja defeat me!" Chen snapped after getting his chair under control.

"SHUT IT! All of you! I would never side with those pesky mosquitos!" Pythor growled in annoyance. Then he turned and hummed in thought for a few quiet moments. "You lot do what you wish…I need to have a friendly little chat with the other me…"

"I'm afraid that will have to wait." A voice interrupted. The group of villains turned to look at a portrait of Yang, who was using the painting to communicate with them. "The only reason you six are even awake and moving as of now is because of me, however you can only stay this way if you defeat the ones who destroyed you. The ninja. If you fail to do so before the eclipse ends then you will no longer be allowed to walk the surface of this world."

"I call Zane!" Samukai said raising an arm.

"No! Zane is mine, He's my clone!" Cryptor argued.

"Technically you're his clone." Pythor corrected.

"The blacksmith brats are mine!" Chen cheered.

"How come you get two?!"

The group squabbled for a few minutes before Yang finally blew his top. "SILENCE! Time is not on our side and I have my own thing going on, so Work. It. OUT!" with that Yang left the portrait as it returned to its normal state. The group looked at one another.

"I have a score to settle with Nya, her brother too." Chen said.

"I'll take Zane." Cryptor said without even giving a reason.

"Wu." Morro decided. "We have unfinished business."

"Jay's mine!" Samukai growled.

"Then I will take the green ninja." Khozu nodded.

"That's all fine and dandy, but I have other things to attend to…such as ruining my good name." Pythor chuckled dastardly. "I'll never know what hit me!" He gave that sentence some thought realizing it didn't make much sense. "I mean…the real non statue me…won't know…what I'll throw at him and…Oh! You know what I mean!" he huffed crossing his arms.

The others didn't bother with him as Cryptor spoke; "We may need some help…we should head into the Hall of Sidekicks."

"Excellent idea!" Chen grinned. "Coming Pythor?"

"Oh I don't need sidekicks…after all unlike all of you, I'm still alive." Again he made a face as the sentence made no sense. He shook his head before heading out. "Now if you excuse me, I must go. Before I embarrass myself even more…" he muttered the last part as he slithered out into the night.

Back at Yang's temple, Cole was too busy fighting the sensei's students to actually be able to escape.

"Give up earth ninja, you made your mistake and now all you can do is sit and watch." Yang smirked once his students had apprehended the ghost ninja.

"Aw c'mon guys! How can you side with him?! 'Yang' is like the definition of evil!"

"Actually, 'Yang' means 'good' and in my time I was the best sensei in Ninjago. When I created Airjitzu and taught it to my students, I was highly respected. It was then the Yangblade came into my possession-"

"Nice ghost pun…"

"Don't interrupt!" Yang cleared his throat. "As I was saying, when I acquired the Yangblade, a grand weapon that had the power to grant life, immortality…I tested it mainly on plants, until the day I thought I could be immortal, everlasting life sounded so good. However, when I did try it…I realized my mistake. The Yangblade not only granted me and everyone around infinite life…but it turned us into ghosts and trapped us here. But now that you came Cole and closed the circle…I can use the eclipse to free myself and my students."

"And how you going to do that?"

"You said it yourself, 'There's magic in the air'"

"You know my friends will find me right? They'll see I'm gone and come to my rescue!"

"'See you're gone?'" Yang laughed. "You can't even see yourself! Besides…I've sent your friends a few little gifts to keep them busy."

"What have you done Yang?!" Cole demanded trying to break his bindings.

"I have not done a single thing, it was all you Cole. In fact, I couldn't have done any of it without you!"

In the city, mannequin Pythor slithered to his goody two shoes counter part's job at the bank. He chuckled as he slithered inside making sure the cameras caught him. He broke into the vault using his claws to unlock it. "Primitive humans, thinking a silly little key lock can stop me." He snorted before taking a bag and showing it to the camera. "Look at me! I'm stealing from my own pathetic job!" He tauntingly laughed before slithering out. "That should be good enough here. Next."

What he wasn't expecting was Chandai and Khozah, Anacondrai who followed under Pythor's rule back when he hated humans, and they were utterly confused. They knew Pythor was back at the hotel with Katherine and his kids but, why was he stealing from his own job?! The two looked at each other and rushed back to the hotel to settle this.

When they reached the hotel, there was Pythor in the lobby sitting with his family. "Master Pythor!" They called getting his attention.

"Chandai, Khozah. Where's the fire?"

"Y-You were robbing the bank!" Chandai spat surprising Pythor.

"Beg your pardon?"

"I-it wasn't really you but it was someone who looked exactly like you." Khozah explained. Katherine raised a brow. "Uh are you two feeling alright?"

"They're perfectly fine." Another voice entered. They looked and saw Sensei Wu with Morro. "According to Morro, every villain in the Hall of Villainy has come to life and are wreaking havoc for the ninja. Your statue self, Pythor, is ruining your good name." Pythor blinked at the old man and suddenly stood up.

"Then I'll help you stop him. I've worked hard to get where I'm at, I'm living a happy life. There's no way I'm going to let the shadow of my former self tear that to shreds."

"I'm helping too. This is my husband after all. I'm sure Marie will help too."

"Good. We'll need all the help we can get."

Hello fanfiction readers, I am back because of a school laptop so I'll try to write stories for my fanfiction account just be patient. Anyway, after watching day of the departed I wasn't very happy with it and decided to write my own version, of course it isn't done yet. So please read and Review!

Katherine, Chandai, Khozah, Azehroth and the kids belong to my good friend RubensLilium.

Marie, Hajna and Kami belong to me.

All other characters mentioned belong to Ninjago