Chapter 2: New Pupils

"Lloyd, Lloyd, get up," a gentle voice call.

Lloyd Garmadon opens up one eye, yawning profusely as he glances around. Light pours in streaks from the skyscraper window. Paper-leaf curtains are tucked back into the corners. The LED clock on his desk blinks on and off. Ninjago's music track plays on a nearby smartphone. He rubs his eyes, then yawns again.

"Leave me alone," he mumbles, closing his eyes again.

"Wake up you sleepy-head," the voice answers. Lloyd feels two soft hands shake his sides, then he pops both eyes open and sighs.

"Alright, Harumi, you win," Lloyd chuckles. "I'll get up."

He rises up out of his bed, then pulls on a pair of clothes lying on a chair in front of a mirror. In the mirror, he sees himself, young, dazzling, rested Lloyd, the Green Ninja. Behind him stands his wife Harumi, young, beautiful, virtuous jade princess, formerly the Quiet One but now his soul mate. Together, they stroll down to their kitchen, where his friends and Sensei Wu laugh and joke over a breakfast of dumplings.

Lloyd smiles. This is the life he's always wanted, a time to finally enjoy the trivial things of life. And since the Oni's destruction and his father's departure, this has been reality. No evil has hit Ninjago in three years, and no evil will again appear.

Suddenly, his friends and Wu vanish like smoke, and Lloyd finds himself standing on the Temple of Resurrection's altar. The skies are full of brimstone, and lakes of lava bubble below him. Thousands of red-eyed people, clothed in red armor, jest and jeer at him, waving their katanas and elemental blades around like trophies. He shutters as he pulls out his katana, then tries to jump into the sea of enemies.

But a soft, gloved hand pulls him aside. He struggles to break free, but loses his strength and collapses. Then, his eyes water, as he comes face to face with Harumi, the Quiet One, lord of the former Sons of Garmadon. He tries to cry out, to ask why he is here, but Harumi hushes him and smiles. She then kicks him into the sea of lava, and as Lloyd burns up, he spies a haunting image of Garmadon, glaring with disgust at his failure of a son….

Lloyd pops open his eyes, half-expecting to find himself on the temple grounds. Instead, he's lying on the floor of his room, the bed covers scattered every which way. He rises up to his feet again, then glances around at the room. Everything's still in place, the windows, the alarm clock, the phone, the mirror, but no Harumi, no Harumi.

"What a dream," Lloyd mutters. "The third one this week, for that matter. There now, Lloyd, you'll be fine. Just get dressed and meet with the others in the lounge."

Lloyd, in his green hoodie, descends down the stairs into the lounge. There, he sighs with relief; his friends are all still there, save for Jay and Nya. He spots Kai and Cole plopped on the couch, video game controllers clicking in their hands. He sees Zane and Pixel reclining beside them, hand in hand as they watch. Sensei Wu rests at the table, pouring another cup of tea from his kettle. Misako stands near the kitchen oven, boiling dumplings for their breakfast.

"Look who's up," Cole announced, setting down the controller. "Looks like the sleepy-head finally got up."

"Thanks Cole," Lloyd blushed. "What's for breakfast?"

"Dumplings," Misako smiled, glancing up from the stove. "Kai requested them."

"Again," Lloyd grumbled. "Really Kai, do you eat anything else?"

"Come on Lloyd," Kai replied. "Ever since your mother moved in, everything's been great around here, especially with Zane here being lovey on Pixel."

"Our programming computes," Zane answered.

"Yeah, yeah," Kai shrugged.

"How was your sleep, Green Ninja," Wu asked.

"Not well," Lloyd confessed. He pulled up a chair next to Wu, then plopped down beside him.

"Not well, eh," Wu sighed. "So, speaks the Green Ninja, who's said the same for three days now."

"I had another nightmare," Lloyd said. "And this one's the strangest yet."

"Nightmares," Kai chuckled. "Those are for kids. I'm glad I don't have them anymore."

"Kai, your nose stays with you, not with Lloyd," Wu retorted. "Now Lloyd, what was your dream about?"

"About Harumi I'm sure," Kai chuckled.

"Kai," Wu shouted. "Your input is not needed. Now go clean out Firstborn's stable as punishment for your fiery tongue."

"But Sensei," Kai protested. "I'm about to beat Jay's high score. Besides, Faith cleans out the stables every day."

"Then she will teach you how," Wu countered.

Kai grumbled, then set down the controller and strolled out of the room. Zane then picked up the controller and continued playing with Cole. He immediately destroyed Cole's mech, causing the game to end and turn off.

"That's not fair," Cole protested. "You used Spinjitzu on me."

"I have run a thousand simulations of your gameplay, Cole," Zane said. "And my analysis tells me that you rely on your mech's powers too much. Perhaps you wish to prove me wrong?"

"Another go," Cole vowed. "But I'll beat you this time."

Cole and Zane resumed playing the game, while Wu turned to face Lloyd again.

"You dreamt of Harumi again," Wu asked.

"Yes, Sensei, and I don't know why," Lloyd sigh. "I know she was killed when the apartment building collapsed, master, but I can't help but think about her."

"Are you certain she is dead," Wu asked.

"Yes, I'm sure, master," Lloyd answered. "I even searched the ruins top to bottom to make sure she died."

"Wu speaks of more than physical body, son," Misako replied. "Faces exist in the mind also, hovering in memories of the past; even though they die physically, they still remain mentally, sometimes to haunt, sometimes to cherish. Your father is dead, but he still lives within me to this day."

"Ah, Lloyd," Kai called out from the door.

"Finished with the stable already," Wu asked. "Quick you are on your feet, yet diligent you are not."

"Faith wishes to come in," Kai askes. "She wants to speak with Lloyd and Wu."

"Let her in," Wu permitted, "and then get to the stable."

Kai grumbled, then stepped out the doorway. As soon as he left, Faith entered the room, partially covered in water with dragon scales in her hair.

"Faith, my child," Wu smiled. "Did Firstborn give you trouble again?"

"Not Firstborn," Faith muttered, removing a scale from her hair, "but children."

"Children," Lloyd asked.

"Children," Faith stated. "Come here, you two."

Two small children, about eight, entered into the room upon Faith's command. The first, a small black-haired girl in a red dress, walked to Faith's left. She was followed by her companion, a brown-haired boy with freckles about half as tall as Lloyd. He stepped forward to Wu's side, his face covered with dirt and straw.

"Thank you, Faith," Wu smiled. "Did you bother Faith again, Yuuma and Kigaru?"

"Yes, Uncle Wu," the girl replied. "But we meant no harm."

"I'm sure you didn't," Faith grumbled.

"Now Faith," Wu consoled. "Do not hold a grudge against them. Kigaru speaks the truth. They are children, curious about their world and about dragons. All they wanted was to meet Firstborn. Now Kigaru, you and Yuuma must apologize to Faith."

"Sorry Faith," Kigaru said.

"Yeah, sorry," Yuuma grumbled.

"You may return to your work," Wu told Faith. "And keep an eye on Kai. He's to clean stables for you."

"Not Kai," Faith muttered. "Last time he helped he nearly burned the stable down…"

Faith strolled out of the room, still grumbling about Kai and his 'incompetence' with caring for dragons. Wu then turned to Lloyd again.

"Lloyd, meet Kigaru and Yuuma, our two newest residents," Wu said. "They will be staying with us for a while."

"Nice to meet you," Kigaru said, shaking Lloyd's hand.

"Are you really the Green Ninja," Yuuma burst out. "Oh boy, I'm your biggest fan. I've read all your comic books, seen all your shows, and even own a replica of your first ninja suit. I'm sure going to love living here with you and your friends…."

"Enough Yuuma," Kigaru giggled. "You're giving Lloyd a headache."

"Master, where did you find them," Lloyd asked.

"In the bottom of a dried-up well," Wu chuckled. "I was traveling home from Jamanakai Village when I spotted these two fishing for gold coins in the well. When I approached, they tried to hit me with their sticks, but then Yuuma accidentally whacked Kigaru into the well. I half-expected her to splash into the water below, but instead, I watched Yuuma employed the power of wind to blow Kigaru up to solid ground. It was then I figured that they would make great Ninja."

"But Master," Lloyd answered. "We don't need more Ninja. Ninjago is safe under the Elemental Masters, and there's no enemy left to fight."

"Ah, but do ninja live forever," Wu replied. "Long have you six been my pupils, training under my tutelage and accumulating power, but now the time comes for you to train further. Each element passes down from generation to generation, and soon Ninjago will need new guardians to defeat new villains. As the Green Ninja, you are the future Sensei, and that involves training ninja in their gifted elements. So, you will train these two."

"Master, they're kids," Lloyd protested.

"You were too," Misako chuckled. "Their training is no different."

"But you are wiser and stronger than I," Lloyd added. "Why can't you teach them Wu?"

"Because in teaching them, you teach yourself, and that is a lesson I cannot give," Wu said. "I am old, and my days of training are beyond me, yet more lessons I must give, except the lessons I give are ones you teach yourself."

"I will teach them," Lloyd sighed, "though I still don't know why. Kigaru, Yuuma, how would like to be taught by the Green Ninja?"

"Yippee," Yuuma squealed. "Did you hear that, Kigaru? He said yes."

"Stop shaking my arm," Kigaru snipped. "You'll hurt it. Master Lloyd, what will you teach us first?"

"No time for teaching," Kai interrupted.

"Back already," Wu chuckled. "Did Faith give you a tough time?"

"Not I, Wu," Faith added, appearing in the doorway.

"What's up, Kai," Lloyd asked.

"Skylor's called. She's lost her elemental powers."