*Now we really get to meet our villains for the first time... enjoy ;)

CHAPTER 8

It wasn't too much longer until the sensors beeped that the giant ship was approaching the Monastery of Spinjitzu, and the conscious ninjas that were aboard began to prepare for docking alongside the mountain. Once again, the ever-reliant Master Wu stood in the courtyard to welcome his students back and receive a full report from Cole, which he noticed with a sigh of relief. At least someone was ready for the next problem. Cole thought wryly. The Bounty powered to a halt just above the fire-lit courtyard, and Nya walked down the steps to wake Kai and Skylor as Lloyd, Jay, Zane and Cole secured the ship in place. The gangplank was lowered, and colorful blurs shot off the ship, with far too much energy for this early in the morning in their master's humble opinion.

Speaking nearly at once and loudly, Master Wu heard the beginnings of at least ten different trains of thought.

"Freaky stuff, we should call-"

"-and it just all fell in"

"-her injuries are not apparently severe, although she is exhibiting..."

"Everyone move, I'm calling my parents!"

Master Wu cocked an eyebrow at Zane and stepped aside as Jay rushed for the Monastery, nearly taking out Misako in the process, shouting an apology and continuing his sprint. Cole shook his head in disbelief. Honestly, Jay, how had it just now hit you? It wasn't like there was a phone on the Bounty.

"Why is Jay calling Ed and Edna this early in the morning? Surely the issue could wait until at least the sun is up."

Zane shook his head sadly and seriously. "I am afraid you are mistaken Master. Nya found a type of ransom note within the rubble of the restaurant, promising violent actions against our allies, bases, friends, and family in the next months. I believe Jay wants his parents to come here as quickly as possible. Additionally, Skylor passed out and cut herself on debris at the scene and we had to take her to the hospital for treatment. That is why our return is so late."

The elderly ninja master had gasped as Zane explained the situation and now stroked his beard thoughtfully. Turning to Misako, who had by now come to his side, he began his orders.

"Prepare a bed for Skylor to sleep in in the Girls room, and help Kai get her settled comfortably. Then gather the team and lock down the Monastery. No one leaves or comes on this mountain until we have a plan."

Zane and Misako nodded in tandem, and Zane turned to the rest of the ninja. Lloyd took over immediately.

"You heard Master Wu. Let's lock down this mountain. Cole and Nya, head downstairs and enact the emergency procedures. Try and find Jay and see what he's up to, as well as if he was able to contact his parents." The duo bumped fists and nodded at Lloyd.

"Zane, find P.I.X.A.L and get the realm-wide scanner running. I want to know if there have been any rapid gatherings of a large number anytime in the last twenty-four hours, anything that is outside of traditional means, that could signify a group planning this. And pull the Bounty into the garage or anchor it in the Courtyard so we don't have to station a guard on the dock. I know anchoring it will burn up our fuel, but we don't have much of a choice. We don't know if the villain's plans include taking out our vehicles." The ice ninja folded his arms and gave a grim look.

Lloyd continued. "I'm going to go on board and help my mother and Kai with Skylor. Then I'm going to start lists in bunker. You guys can all meet me there when your assignments are completed. We're going to have every single communicator running on this mountain to contact people in less than two hours. We also must put people in other places than the Monastery, and we're going to need people to protect them. Get your brains running for lists of locations, possible targets, and possible protectors." Nods bobbed around the circle, and shoulders tensed as they listened in.

"Everyone good?" No answer was needed.

"Good. Ninja-go."

In the monastery, Kai carefully maneuvered Skylor through the halls and reached the door of the girls' room. Lloyd was beside him, as well as Misako, who had already retrieved a teapot of hot water to brew tea. Lloyd knocked gently on the door, and P.I.X.A.L opened the door. Her eyes took in Skylor laying sleeping against Kai's chest and silently motioned for them all to come into the room. It was a large room, with beds for both Nya and P.I.X.A.L, as well as an extra bed that guests would occasionally sleep in but was normally Skylor's on the nights that she decided to sleep over instead of driving back into the city.

Misako rolled back the covers and for a second time that day, Kai laid her down gently as thoughts swirled through his mind. Lloyd, who had been unsure how to help, carried her shoes and the forgotten suitcase into the room, and set them down at the end of Skylor's bed after P.I.X.A.L's gestures. Misako nodded to the two young men, then began to massage Skylor's hands, and rub a salve into them, around the bandages from her IV and tests at the hospital. P.I.X.A.L observed the scene with questions running through her processors and waited for further directions from either of the ninjas. Misako finally turned to Kai and Lloyd and spoke quietly.

"I'll stay with her for a bit. If she wakes, I'll answer her questions and deal with the aftereffects of the medicine they gave her in the hospital. I was with Jay after all when the same thing happened to him. And besides, I think I remember something about a meeting in the team room?" Lloyd nodded quickly.

"Thanks Mom. Come on PIX, Zane needs your help downstairs."

Kai lingered at the edge of the bed and pushed a chair over to the head so that Misako could sit. He wasn't exactly pleased with being dismissed but wasn't surprised. She's a much better nurse than I could be now anyways.

"Thanks Misako. I'll be back as soon as the meeting is over to take a turn." She sent him a comforting smile and replied carefully.

"I've got it Kai. You have done more than anyone could expect tonight. I'll be fine with her for a few hours. You go help your team. Let the fire in your heart for her guide your process out there." Taking one last glance at his slumbering girlfriend, Kai finally nodded his head and thanked her. Then, he walked from the room.

After everyone's assignments had been completed, the ninja reconvened in the Bunker downstairs and tried to come to grips with the situation amidst the tension and coffee cups scattered around the room. Nya had pulled up a picture of the note that had been left at the scene on the main monitor, and Zane was running the handwriting through a recognition program while the rest of the ninja processed the message first-hand. Cole was the first to speak.

"That's really not good. Who the heck doesn't hate the Anacondrai? Even Scales does! And Scallta...that almost sounds like it could be another breed of Serpentine. Master Wu, have you ever heard of another Serpentine tribe beyond the original four that Lloyd released way back when?"

The elderly master rubbed his beard and shook his head. "I must say, it is most unusual. I will confer with Misako after the meeting to see if she has heard of anything in her studies. She has spent much more time in the vast libraries across the realm than I have." While Cole, Zane and Master Wu continued to deconstruct the note, across the room, Kai was sitting forward in a chair as he listed off names to Lloyd and Nya, who were writing them down as fast as he could come up with them.

Three boards read across their tops, "Safe Houses," "Known Allies", and "Protectors", with the first being the emptiest of them all. In fact, it only listed 6 locations.

Shintaro, the Samurai X cave, the Floating Temple, Birchwood Forest, the Fire Temple, and a random set of coordinates that Jay and Nya insisted be on the list, but Zane's processors could not locate a suitable location within the Endless Sea. Even then, the pair insisted the location be there and promised to fill the other ninja in later.

` The second board was overwhelmingly filled, but Lloyd had starred people who would not need protection, if they were current or formal elemental masters, as well as someone like Queen Vania, who had quite literally a whole competent army protecting her. That narrowed it down quite a lot.

The biggest problem was that they had no clue how far this enemy drew the line of an "ally". All the elemental masters except for Chamille were certainly allies, but was someone like the Police Commissioner, or even their mailman in danger? They wouldn't be the ones to bring down the evil themselves, but they were certainly attached to the ninja in some way. Was Ronin in danger? His past with the ninja was a fine shade of slate gray, and he could generally protect himself or escape in his ship, yet they still felt that he should be warned in some capacity. Did these guys know that P.I.X.A.L was still operating as Samauri X? Would they try to target her alone? Lloyd rubbed his forehead and glared at his coffee mug. Why do villains always strike in the middle of the night? I think they aim to hit us when we are the most tired and unprepared. Nya noticed his fatigue and laughed.

"You were on patrol tonight too, weren't you, Lloyd? I'm sorry, this must be the last thing your brain can comprehend right now." True, Lloyd mused. But at least this time, I have all of my family to help face a newly named villain based on an old one." Breaking his focus on the board, he turned to Kai.

"Think we're missing anyone who needs to be protected or warned at least?" Kai shifted and counted off his fingers as he read through the list a second time, then slowly shook his head.

Joining the party now, P.I.X.A.L approached Nya and Lloyd at the boards.

"My only primary concern is that the note does not only promise vengeance against our allies, but also our known bases. How can we claim to be protecting these people when we are placing them in locations that our enemy could know of?"

Across the room and from underneath a control panel, came a shouted, "Hence the lighthouse!" Nya facepalmed as Jay appeared from under the panel, defending his explanation. "It's perfect! No one knows it is there, it is quiet, and we could put at least 5 people there!"

"So those coordinates are a lighthouse, Jay? Thanks for letting us all know there's a random lighthouse that we have at our disposal. When in the realm did you find that place?" Kai snorted from his chair. Flushing red now, Jay stammered a quick answer and glanced at Nya, who motioned in a way that represented, "This is your problem now."

"Oh, come on! You guys remember the lighthouse, its where we found Zane's dad all those years ago, but then we couldn't remember how to get back to it, because it was in the middle of the Endless Sea? Nya and I found it again one day when we had been searching for Wu a couple of years back." The rest of the ninja nodded in understanding, although Kai appeared a bit peeved. "You couldn't have mentioned that earlier? Or just labeled it Zane's lighthouse?" Cole just lightly chuckled under his breath as he waved a hand at Zane who had opened his mouth to state the obvious, that it "was not his lighthouse."

Turning his attention back to the boards, Lloyd studied them closely.

"It's going to be tight, squeezing everyone in these places, and we must do it carefully. Whoever this group is, they know our moves, and our bases, especially if they hit Master Chen's first. They're trying to prove that anyone who is associated with us could end up hurt."

Kai finally broke his tired scowl away from Jay and added some thought to the discussion.

"Well, let's rank people by least to greatest amount of protection needed, both by their attachment to us, and by their own personal ability to protect themselves. Cole's dad for example, he could only protect himself if the villain was physically harmed by four-part harmonies and tango steps, so he needs to be high on the list. I like the guy, but it's true. He's a walking target. But someone like Dareth, who has held his own, and somehow been helpful in dangerous situations over the years, could be lower, and could even be some intermediate protection for someone like Lou or even a communication link to the Commissioner if he wants to stay in the city. I also think we give the elemental masters a chance to help if they want. Their families could even camp out with our allies in these bases for a while. Chances are these Scallta freaks will be coming after them at some point too. They might be willing to help us now to stop them later, you know?"

"Plus, it might be harder keeping Karloff, Neuro and Griffin out of the fight than in it once they hear about Sky's restaurant." Cole chipped in. "She means a lot to them, kind of like a little sister, I think. Shade, too for that matter."

"Alright so we have the bones of a plan now. But how are we going to get to all of these people as soon as possible. The sun will be up soon, it might be hard for us to travel incognito across Ninjago to warn people." A gentle reprimand floated across the room to the young adults.

"I seem to recall training ninja, my pupils- not soldiers. You seven have been trained, or trained yourselves," as he nodded to P.I.X.A.L, "in the ancient practices in stealth as well as power and elemental control. Relying on your mechs, vehicles and dragons is smart in a fight, but not when you are avoiding an enemy and trying to stay safe and out of sight."

"Oh no, not his rhyming rid-" Whatever complaint Jay was finishing saying to Lloyd was silenced by a wooden shuriken flying through the air above his curls from the direction of their Master.

"A ninja is trained to disappear, become invisible, and protect those who cannot protect themselves. Now you must use those elements of your training, not your own personal elements. Lloyd, separate the team to collect and inform our allies. I would like you all to have moved out, warned our allies and be back to the monastery by the time the Sun is up in two hours. I know your power will rise with the Sun itself today."

Satisfied that he had spent all of the cryptic wisdom he had for the moment, Master Wu walked to the elevator without another word, and used his staff to press the pad for the upper levels of the base. As soon as the door closed, Jay's voice floated through the air.

"So, I'm guessing Master Wu doesn't know it's supposed to rain today?"

"Jay... I'm going to glue your mouth shut."

CHAPTER 9

On the west side of Ninjago city, Alaric Zhao walked into the kitchen and living room of a large apartment and scoffed at the blond who was laying splayed across the sofa, watching a video that appeared to be of ancient torture methods on her phone.

"I'm guessing Mother doesn't even know you're back from the scene? Honestly, Giana, you could have been listening to the communication links for information."

His twin sister Giana rolled over and sat up, pulling a blond wig from her head where it had begun to slip off. A mistimed bloodcurdling scream emitted from her phone, which she looked down at in boredom, then shut off and tossed onto the couch.

"Oh, dear brother. You should know that I am positively exhausted from my performance tonight. It was rather spectacular; you should have been there like we originally planned. I even got the blue one to sign to me and make sure "I was okay". His concern was hilarious. I don't exactly feel like sitting in that room and listening to static for hours."

He sighed and rubbed his face as he bent down to pick up one of the pins that had gone flying when Giana took off her wig. "It isn't static, exactly. I've told you this. It's because of the city. When the ninjas are in the city, the signal is messed up because Mother had put the tracker in an origami piece of fanmail. We know that they threw it out, so we can at least hear what's going on in the room they threw it out in. Mother thinks it is their kitchen. The "static" as you call it, is because they have thrown who knows what else out since then. We can't hear clearly when their trash is piled up." He folded his arms and continued to glare at his twin, who was still slumped on the sofa and undoing her braids with a nonchalant look on her face.

"Besides, you know why I couldn't be at the scene. I knew that Skylor wouldn't be able to take the loss and would pass out. She's done it since we were young, although she would deny it to anyone. She always passes out when her emotions get out of control. She even lost it when she watched me get my first round of tattoos. I had to be at the hospital tonight to make sure they took care of her properly and to make sure that at least one of the ninjas had stayed on the scene. It worked; the water one wasn't at the hospital. And someone just called in a bit ago, they saw her beast flying like it was on fire towards the mountains. She definitely found the note."

The girl on the couch cackled, then fully jumped up.

"Are you sure we can't just hit the next spot now? They're clearly all over the place-it would be so easy!" Alaric set his Ninjago Hospital nametag on the side table and moved to pull off his scrub top, as well as the compression sleeves that covered him to the wrists. The name "Zachary" looked on as the dark purple Anacondrai tattoos that tracked from his mid arm to disappear below the sleeve of his undershirt became visible.

"You know why we can't do that, Giana..." he was cut off suddenly as a shadow fell across the room.

"Because it would usurp all of the planning your brother and I have been laying in place for years. Your cover, his placement at the hospital, all of our loyalists and supporters that are carefully situated, it all rests on a long game and outcome. If we move too fast, it threatens to all crumble. That is what happened with Chen. You both know this; you both watched it happen. It will not happen to us." These words came from Fidha Zhao, the adult siblings' mother, who stood in the doorway, and even though the Sun had yet to rise was draped in royal robes with both Anacondrai and Chen symbols and crests covering them.

She was of medium height and build and had the same dark brown hair as her son, although it was streaked with gray from years of planning and risk. She carried herself with an air of formality and importance, and seemed to portray, This. This is the real leader you need to listen to.

"There is a reason that your destinies were written so that you did not have your full tattoos in the days of the overthrow. Only a small mistake in mine protected me. There is a reason that this happened, and we are here today, growing in power once again. If we strike now, we would show the ninja that we are not held to what we told them in the letter. Later that would be okay, but for now we need to play how we told them we would. In the end that will make it harder for them when we start playing by our own rules." The siblings nodded, and Alaric rubbed a tattoo ring directly above his elbow.

"I will not risk this mission. This plan. Your brother will rule as Chen's successor, and you will have the highest position in his advisors, just as your Uncle Clouse did." The two siblings bowed their heads and murmured in agreement as she continued. "We will regain every foot and cent of the land and fortune that those blasted ninjas stole from us, as well as Skylor." At the mention of her name, Alaric slightly stiffened. His sister shook out the last of her braided hair and rose from the couch to grab one of the sleeves, which she walked with to the kitchen sink and then began using to scrub her arms so that her own tattoos would appear.

"What's the matter, Zachary? Tired of picturing your betrothed on the arm of an elemental master? You know, it's amazing that she never truly noticed you beyond the loyalty of the crest yet ran to an elemental master of Fire. I wonder why that is?" Gianna taunted.

Alaric's gaze turned flint-like. "She doesn't know what real love is. What real power is. When I strip him of his power, she'll be back to me in no time. Everything about her is fueled by power. When he has none and I have it all, she will come back to me. You will watch your tongue until then, Clara." His sister stiffened, then laughed aloud as she turned to face him.

"You know I'm kidding, Alar. We're together in this, and we need to stay together. That is the most important thing to success. We'll get her and the Island back, and then with your followers and my power, we will take back our birthright." She tossed him the compression sleeve and began to close the distance between them. Grabbing one of his shoulders, she murmured ancient words as her tattoos and one hand turned purple.

"You're getting stronger," Alaric realized. He grinned wickedly. "Good. Although power suits few people well, it suits you, just like it suited him." The two siblings turned to face a portrait of Lord Chen, their Uncle Clouse, and their own mother, dressed in ceremonial robes and surrounded by loyalists.

"We're the next generation, Giana. This is our path. This is the only path. We are Scallta, and we will see it rise again. With your spells, and my strength, and Mother's wisdom. We will be stronger than they ever were." The tattoos on both of them now flashed dangerously, and Alaric raised his eyebrows. "Maybe even stronger than we think now."

Grimacing slightly from the strain the spell was taking on her, Giana finally smiled as their mother looked on from across the room.

"Now, that, I like the sound of."