Happy Halloween! Sorry for the absence, I've been so caught up with school! To celebrate this spooky holiday, we'll be meeting our next kunoichi - the kunoichi of darkness! This is just an introductory chapter for her, but I hope you like her!

Disclaimer: I do not own Ninjago

Nya woke up early again the next morning. They were off to find the next kunoichi! Nya briefly wondered what she would be like. Would she resemble one of the ninja? Would she resemble her element? Only time would tell...

She quickly got ready, as excitement hurried her through things that normally took several minutes. She wouldn't be the only girl anymore! Her hair was brushed out, and a small beaded hair clip kept one side of her hair out of her face.

The sister of the fire ninja put on a black shirt with a gold pattern, and blue jeans on under it. That way, she had something to wear besides her kunoichi suit. Just in case.

After pulling on a pair of tennis shoes, she rushed to the dojo, where the ninja were waiting. Sensei stepped forward. "Thank you for being very fast. You look very awake, which will pay off later. For now, we will head to Shian Hills."

All of the ninja piled on Lloyd's dragon, yawning. Sensei got on with Nya. Cole took charge of guiding the Ultra Drago, while Nya directed Dusk.. Sensei called out, "At this rate, Shian Hills is only about three hours away!"

Key words being, at this rate.

...

Only an hour and a half into the ride, Sensei ordered them to halt. They did so, and Cole and Nya landed the dragons.

Sensei hopped off Dusk's back. With a slight smile, he said, "From here, we go on foot."

"WHAT?!" the ninja shrieked in unison. Nya sighed loudly. They acted like such babies sometimes… She went ahead and got off her dragon without questions.

"Sensei, we still have a while to go!" Kai cried. "We're only halfway there! Without the dragons, that's several hours of walking!"

"The more you complain, the longer this will seem. Come on. We need to get moving. Maybe we can get there before nightfall."

"Why do we have to walk?" Lloyd pouted and whined, refusing to move until his uncle gave an acceptable answer.

Sensei Wu turned back to see most of his students still on the dragon. Only Zane, Jay, and Nya stood beside him. He raised an eyebrow at Cole, the leader, and he quickly got down as well. Kai and Lloyd, both childishly stubborn, sat still.

"We are trying to remain unseen. Lord Garmadon may have caught on to what we are doing, and we don't want him knowing the location of any kunoichi. Two big dragons would be very conspicuous." Sensei spoke as if it was the simplest thing in the world.

Appeased by the answer, but still not liking the outcome, Kai got off the dragon, grumbling. Lloyd sat stubbornly for another minute before he realized he was completely alone, heaved a dramatic sigh, and got down.

Sensei nodded and turned around again, but Nya could have sworn she saw him hiding a smirk. "Let's go. We still have much ground to cover."

...

There were several unhappy ninja when they arrived in Shian Hills. Kai was grumbling, Zane was trying not to overheat, Jay was whining to himself, and Cole was as silent as ever. Though he did look like he was frowning. Nya's feet hurt, but she tried not to focus on how uncomfortable she was.

The little town was bustling with people, all shopping. There were many people calling out hello's to the ninja, friendly and welcoming, despite being complete strangers. The oddball team trudged down the street. They were surely a sight to see.

Five young boys in their 'pajamas,' an old man in a straw hat, and a girl dressed normally. Dragons or not, the team stood out. Finding the girl and convincing her to speak with them, might prove to be a problem.

Sensei suggested they split up into groups of two, and one group would take Lloyd to make a group of three. Sensei went with Cole, Jay was with Zane, and Kai, Lloyd, and Nya formed a group of three. Before heading their separate ways, all three groups agreed to meet back in the same spot in a few hours with any discoveries they had.

Lloyd kept grumbling about girls joining their team while they walked through the marketplace. Nya and Kai mostly ignored him. Nya did so for obvious reasons, but Kai's mind just happened to be elsewhere.

What will the kunoichi be like? Will they just be a bunch of silly girls that we have to start at step one with, or will they be able to pick up their roles faster? What will they look like? His thoughts were all over the place.

Kai looked around himself as he thought. It was an open air market, so all the shops were wooden stands. Most of the things people were selling were handmade, but there were plenty of other things being sold too, like food.

Children ran around, making a chaotic scene amidst all the colorful clothes and fruits. Some appeared to be playing a game of tag.

A small figure ran into Kai's side, and the ninja of fire yelped as he caught himself from falling. "Hey! Who did-"

The culprit was a young boy of about eight. His big blue eyes were frightened as he looked at the furious ninja. He took a couple steps back, looking to flee.

Kai took a deep breath to calm himself down, letting a neutral expression wash over his face. It was just a kid, and one that didn't mean any harm. He smiled gently at the young boy before asking, "Are you okay?"

The frightened boy nodded, blond hair falling into his eyes. "I'm so sorry sir, I was just-"

"Ryder, there you are!" A girl about the same age as Kai and Nya ran up, looking relieved. She began shooing the boy away, "Go now, I don't need you in my way."

The boy giggled and ran off, meeting up with a couple friends a few feet away. They were part of the group playing tag, which explained why he had been running.

"Well, sorry about that," the girl apologized.

Kai met eyes with the girl and stared. Without a doubt, she was the prettiest girl he'd ever met.

Strawberry blonde hair fell to just below her collarbone, her clear blue eyes locking straight into his own brown ones. A light scatter of freckles covered her skin. She appeared to be almost as tall as him, maybe only an inch or so shorter than his own 5'9". She wore a simple outfit of shorts and a t-shirt, showing off her long legs.

In essence, she was gorgeous.

"I'm Kai," he started. "This is my sister Nya, and our uh... friend, Lloyd."

"It's great to meet you," Nya said, holding out a hand for the girl to shake.

Lloyd grumbled something under his breath.

"I'm Alex," the girl said, shaking Nya's hand and then returning her hand to her hip.

"Isn't that a boy's name?" The words were out of Kai's mouth before he could stop them. Nya smacked her brother, turning to apologize to the girl.

Alex scoffed and stared blatantly at Kai's hair. "Isn't hair gel supposed to tame your hair?"

Lloyd burst out laughing, and Kai shot him a dark look. This proved ineffective on the young ninja, who only kept sniggering.

Crossing his arms over his chest, Kai gave Alex a look. She mimicked his position, probably to continue mocking him. Kai growled slightly, making a large smirk appear on Alex's face. "It's also used to style hair," he shot back.

Nya stepped in between the two. "Alex, is there any chance I could convince you to come with us to meet someone?"

Kai opened his mouth to protest, but his sister gave him a look. He promptly shut his mouth.

The girl looked confused for a moment. "I ... I guess that would be okay..." she said hesitantly.

"It's nothing to worry about," Nya assured her. "I promise we're perfectly trustworthy people. Well, except for Kai."

"Hey!" Kai protested, but Nya giggled, and Alex smirked.

"Alright," Alex agreed. "I'll come with you."

Kai walked with Lloyd as the two girls walked together, Nya already chatting away. Alex wasn't as talkative, but she seemed comfortable enough. For the most part, Lloyd himself was silent, except for one moment...

"How many girls did Sensei say there were?" He asked, frowning up at Kai.

"Five."

"Gross."

...

Garmadon stiffened as he felt a small shift in the balance. That must mean... He growled, hurling a cup across the room. Those ninja were probably at it again. He wasn't surprised, however, just vaguely annoyed.

They were little pests, and he kept trying to stomp on them, but failed every time.

The fire ninja, Kai, was particularly annoying. He always seemed to be ready to attack him, and Garmadon felt the same way. He was, overall, a pest.

Garmadon had sent a few snakes into the town of Shian Hills to keep an eye out for the ninja or the kunoichi. None had come back so far, which could either be good or bad.

The fools had either found the girl and were trying to bring her back, or someone else had snatched her from them… Wu.

Whatever the case, Garmadon doubted he could track down the snakes in time to make a difference. It was only the first kunoichi anyway, so surely he'd be able to grab one of the others.

Kidnapping wasn't beneath the Dark Lord.

o~O~o

Alex stared at the guests she'd brought into her home. Five ninja, a girl, and an old man. Everyone had heard of the ninja, of course, but they weren't highly looked upon since the Great Devourer incident.

The old man stepped forward to introduce everyone. He wore a funny looking straw hat, and had a long grey beard. "I am Sensei Wu, and these are my students.

"You've already met Kai, the ninja of Fire." Of course Alex couldn't forget him. The undeniably attractive man with a quick temper, fairly similar to her own,actually. The spiky hair that she'd made fun of, was a very good look on him, she had to admit. He had tan skin and amber eyes. There was a notch in his right eyebrow. Red suited him well.

"This is Cole, the leader of the ninja and the ninja of Earth." Another attractive man, this one with ebony black hair swept across his forehead. His skin was light, and all the black of his suit contrasted with that. He had caterpillar-like eyebrows, as thick and as dark as his hair. It was almost comical, actually. His eyes were the color of an emerald, dark and rich.

"Zane is the ninja of ice." Just as Cole wore all black, this ninja was wearing all white. Zane had short platinum blonde hair, and his skin was an unearthly porcelain. His eyes were a crystal blue. He carried a sort of ethereal beauty.

"Jay is the ninja of lightning." The next one had more of a boyish charm, with his short red-brown hair and blue eyes. Unlike Zane's light eyes, Jay's were more of a deep blue. Like a stormy sky. He had a scar cutting through his right eyebrow. His stance next to Nya showed that he was quite taken by the girl.

"This is Lloyd, the green ninja. He can harness all four of the ninjas' powers, as well as his own power of creation." Lloyd was the kid in green from earlier. He seemed to be a normal kid for his 12 years of age, loving candy and disliking girls. His blond hair was cut fairly short, with bangs in front. His eyes were apple green.

"And of course, this is my latest student, Nya. She is the kunoichi of Air, and Kai's sister." Nya and her brother looked vaguely similar, but more in the structure of their faces than their coloring. Nya looked more Japanese, with her short black hair and dark eyes. Kai was something else, but Alex couldn't quite put her finger on what.

Whatever the case, this Sensei guy had a team of very attractive people. Cole was undeniably hot, despite the eyebrows, Zane was practically an angel in his beauty, Jay had a boy-next-door kind of attractiveness, and Kai kinda had the bad-boy hotness with his messy hair and an ever-present smirk. Lloyd was a kid, a cute kid with a need for a better haircut, but still a kid. Nya was very pretty as well, but Alex was quite straight and wasn't attracted to her like she was to the guys.

"I'm Alex," she began, noticing that everyone was looking at her now. She was uncomfortable with the attention, but decided to roll with it anyway. She felt strangely at home with these people. "This is my home, where I've lived for almost seventeen years. I have a younger brother, Ryder, and my parents are Jessica and Lucas Adair."

Sensei sat down on a chair by her fireplace, which prompted everyone else to sit as well. Jay and Nya were on the same couch as her, and the other three boys were on the couch perpendicular to the one she was on.

"If I may ask, where is your family?" Sensei asked.

Alex thought he was oddly formal. "Well my parents are at work, and my brother is probably still goofing off in the marketplace. I'm just hoping he doesn't run into anyone else," she finished this with a grin aimed at Kai.

The old man nodded, long beard swaying. His straw hat shadowed his face. "May we stay for dinner tonight, Alex? I believe we have much to discuss."

The girl in question frowned. "I don't really know you all. I'm trying to be hospitable, but I'm going to have to ask you to explain why you're here and what you want from me." She was suddenly very aware that she was alone with them. A feeling of uncomfort grew.

Sensei Wu put up a hand to silence her, which made her temper flare. He was trying to control her in her own home! "I understand your frustration. I was hoping to speak to your parents at the same time, but this will work as well. Please, sit," he motioned to the couch.

Reluctantly, Alex sank back down, glaring at her hands. She could feel Nya giving her a sympathetic look, but she didn't want pity. She wanted answers.

"You are familiar with the ninja?" Sensei began, and continued when Alex nodded in affirmation. "Well, Nya here is a kunoichi, or female ninja."

"You've already said this," Alex interrupted. "She's the kunoichi of air. What's your point?"

Sensei smiled, a twinkle in his eye. "I was making it, my dear. Just as there are five ninja, there are five kunoichi. Nya is the first," he looked right into Alex's eyes before continuing, "and you are the second."

Alex scoffed, "I'm not a ninja," she glared at Zane when he tried to speak up, "or kunoichi, for that matter."

"You can always come with us and find out," Nya offered from beside her.

Alex surveyed the room before sighing. "Just what is my element, exactly?"

"Darkness," Sensei Wu responded. "A powerful weapon, when channeled by someone who can control it, instead of letting it control them."

Alex leaned back on the couch, looking up at the ceiling. "If you can somehow convince my parents that this is a good idea, then I'll go with you," she sighed. The whole thing sounded crazy, but if her parents could be convinced, then she'd play along. Living in the same small town for seventeen years got dull after a while, and Alex wanted more adventure in her life. Ninjago was large. She'd always wanted to explore it more.

A few of the ninjas hid triumphant smiles as she looked back at them. "But why am I darkness? Doesn't that make me evil?"

Sensei Wu shook his head, and the whole room turned their attention to him. "Dark does not mean evil. Evil is often associated with darkness, but unless you choose to go down that path, you will exhibit other factors of darkness. You seem to have a temper, which could be associated with the darker side of your element. But on the other hand, you don't want to command the attention of the room, preferring to hide in the shadows."

Alex blinked at his early assessment of her personality. He was good at observing people and analyzing them. "If I may… what about the rest of them?"

The older man knew what she meant, of course. She wasn't as observant as him, but she could tell he was rather intuitive.

Sensei looked around the room before beginning, "Nya is the first of the kunoichi. Like the element of air, she can be both a gentle breeze and a strong gust of wind. Powerful when she needs to be, and reserved other times. Kai, her brother, is the element of fire. He also has a temper, but his is more violent, and he has a loud personality like his own heated element. Cole is the leader of the ninja, and his element is earth. He's strong and solid like the ground, and it's rare for him to lose him temper, but it's deadly when he does. Jay is the ninja of lightning, and he's quick-witted and fast like his element-" he was cut off by Kai.

"Also, he talks too much, so we gave him the nickname 'mouth of lightning,'" he joked, and the rest of the group laughed. He quieted when Sensei shot him a look.

Sensei cleared his throat. "Zane is the ninja of ice, and he's a bit more uptight than the others, resembling the frozen nature of his element," the older man said. "But he's very talented at doing different tasks the other ninja find difficult, such as cooking, putting an emphasis on the more delicate role ice can play," Sensei finished, softening the harsh blow he'd begun with.

Alex looked over at Zane, who hid the frown scarring his features. He seemed to be a rather lovely person, but Sensei was right - he needed to relax.

Before she could ask about Lloyd, the door opened, and the rest of her family came in, Ryder leading the way. They all stopped when they saw that Alex had guests.

Sensei Wu stood up. "Would it be alright if we stayed for dinner?"

Alex's mother, Jessica, nodded slowly. Her eyes were confused, but she overcame it quickly.

"We'll put some extra things in the oven for all of you," She refrained from asking why there were so many strange people in her living room.

Sensei Wu smiled. "One of my students, Zane, would be willing to help, since I know we are a large group that you were not expecting." Zane stood up and nodded, going over to Jessica. "I have something I'd like to discuss with you at dinner."

Zane and Mrs. Adair headed into the kitchen to prepare food, and Alex sat on the couch, surrounded by who might become her new teammates, wondering just what she had gotten herself into.

Ooh, a dinner with the family! Does this mean good things? You'll have to find out in the next chapter!

Go get a sugar high from all that candy tonight, but don't forget to leave a review for me! Happy Halloween guys, and I'll see you next time!