A/N) Here you guys go! This chapter is dedicated to all of those who favored, followed, and reviewed! you guys are so nice and awesome, a thousand thanks for making me feel welcome to this amazing fandom. I hope I get to know a bunch of you as my story progresses.
Don't forget though, I am open to helpful criticism and opinions.
I hope ya like this chappy
"Remind me again how this is supposed to help anything?" Kai complained as the five young Ninja's trudged up to a rickety old house.
Cole glared at him reproachfully, "Well duh flame brain, if this guy is the last heir to the jewel thing don't ya think he'd have at least SOME answers to our problem."
Kai shrugged and continued to walk ahead.
"Besides Kai, I'm a little freaked out about this whole thing, aren't you?" Jay asked raising his scard brow at the fire ninja.
Kai smirked, "Me? Freaked out, Puh-les, not everyone is a wuss like you buddy." He needled.
Zane spoke up before Jay could snap back resulting in a time wasting argument, "Well here we are, perhaps we should be on our best behavior." He wasn't really suggesting it, it was more of a 'do it or else' statement.
The others silently agreed as Cole lifted a fist and knocked loudly on the weak door.
A soft shaking voice called for them to enter.
They did and were slightly shocked to see an elderly man sitting in front a small coal oven, cooking what looked like rice cakes.
"Greeting, how can I assist you young warriors." He had a soft, slightly shaky voice.
Cole smiled, "Um, yah, hi we just came over from sensei Wu's and he would appreciate it if you answered some of our... questions?"
The old man nodded slowly and rose to his feet shakily.
Zane took this as a sign to continue, "Well we'd like to know a little bit about the characteristics this thief should have to take your precious jewel."
The man's eyes glazed over, a slight spark of fear zipped across them, "Yes, the thief has to be of dark blood, otherwise the gem would have repelled him. But because the jewel has come from the Underworld it doesn't repel underworld descendants."
Jay tapped his chin thoughtfully, "Wait... but then how come you and your families generations can touch it?"
"Because Soto, our first holder, was the one that banished Neero to the underworld, the closest soul to the monsters heart, we descended from him."
Lloyd nodded understanding, "Well that means whoever we're looking for is definitely evil."
"Hold up, does this thief have powers?" Cole asked slightly worried of the answer.
"Yes, he would have to, all Underworld people have some sort of destructive abilities." Koru seemed to shudder slightly as he said these words, "With the jewel in their hands along with their own powers... the outcome, if they should use it, would be very... bad."
Zane noticed the elderly man started to droop from over exertion and worry, "Come, we thank you sir for you help, we promise to bring order to your family tradition again. Thank you and good bye." With that he pushed the others out the door.
"Well, what do ya make of it guys?" Cole asked as they headed back for the monastery.
"I think... this is probably going to be one heck of an adventure." Jay shrugged brushing the predicament off as if it wasn't too terrifying, even though he was shaking inside out of fear.
Kai shook his head, "Do you have to turn everything into a joke, nimrod."
Jay didn't answer, suddenly everyone felt the weight of problem heavily on their shoulders... this wasn't going to be just another adventure.
Somewhere, where darkness thrived, in more then just unlit corners, a grim face was staring into space with dark power emitting from his persona.
"This is going to slowly for my liking." His voice was low, raspy and seethed with darkness, "Croc!" He shouted his dark black-brown hair rising as power flickered around him.
A hulking man with dark hair streaked with silver stepped forward to answer the call, his huge body was encased in a light wool shirt that had tiger teeth for buttons, his small black eyes addressed his master, "Yes your majesty?" He said in a deep low voice.
"Were is it? I have been waiting too long." He growled out his finger drumming heavily against the carved arm of his throne.
The big man bowed low, "I am sorry your majesty, but your-"
He was cut off as the heavy dark doors to the room flew open and in came a figure clothed in black from head to toe, the only thing that glittered among the shadow was the eyes.
The 'king' straightened, his eyes narrowing, "Well." His voice dripped with venom, daring this shadow to tell him that he hadn't stolen the jewel.
The figure didn't seem to be even the least afraid, with a swift movement a small box went flying through the air and into the kings lap. Wordlessly the shadow turned and left the room, the doors slamming behind.
The dark king didn't notice, his eyes were glued to the object inside the small box, "Finally, the Eye of Neero, curse his name, it's mine." He barley breathed out as a psychotic grin broke his face, his eyes gleaming with darkness, he had been waiting for this for a long time.
Slowly, with slightly shaking hands he lifted the dangerous jewel, "soon, Croc, very soon, I will finally live up to the fate I am destined to." He hissed as he placed a kiss on the cursed stone, "The time is coming, and when it does, I will be ready." His eyes seemed to glow crimson as he spoke these words.
Croc bowed respectfully, realizing that his master was insane from very young age, "I'll be waiting for my orders sir, when is the time, if I may be so bold." He figured he'd ask so he could know when he should probably leave.
The man barley acknowledged his servant, his eyes transfixed on the jewel, "When the black moon rises over Ninjago for the first time since it has been created." He turned his head slowly, his eyes following a second after, "It was under this moon that The Queen of the Under realm banished that cursed human. And it will be under this moon, that I will rise into power." Dark power seemed to be quivering around him stronger as he spoke. His eyes glowing brighter.
Croc bowed again, " I shall wait until then master." He rose, turned and left the room, before his 'master' accidently destroyed him.
The king didn't even noticed he, kept stroking the jewel over and over, "Soon, my precious," He chuckled darkly, "We just need one more piece of the plan..."
It was hard.
They had been searching all day and still, answer they needed hadn't come up. It was dark now, the moon was glittering in the dark night sky, seemingly innocent as it shone above the world.
Cole tossed and turned in his bed. Trying to block the dark images of what could happen if they didn't find that thief. He threw his arms over his face, tangled himself up in his sheets, mumbled uncertainties to himself until, out of irritation he rolled over too far and fell with a loud thud on the hard wood floor.
"Ow..."
He couldn't sleep, this wasn't right, he never had a problem sleeping before, even with all their problems as Ninja's. But for some reason this problem, THIS problem seemed to radiate more danger then the others... What if they didn't find this mystery guy? What if he was already putting his plan into action? What if they-
Get it together bud, your becoming paranoid. He groaned out loud as he stood up, his eyes grazing across his dark room, His clothes littered the floor along with some weapon or other, nothing out of the ordinary. He took a deep breath and decided he could use some fresh air.
The rooms' feeling a little stiff... He walked over towards his window, stubbing his toe against a metal weight, Note to self, clean up bedroom. He thought, biting back a yelp as he held his toe.
Finally, he made it to the window, which, all things considered, didn't seem worth all that trouble after all.
But he decided to open it anyway. With one quick tug he pulled it up, an instant later the soft cool breeze flowed into his room and against his face, rustling his bangs back.
He took one big deep breath before it got caught in his throat. His eyes widened as he noticed a swift shadowy figure climb out of the window in front of hm. It slid down deftly and rolled onto a lower roof.
For some reason, Cole's mind told him that this was NOT just any thief. He quickly turned around, tripped over a shirt, rolled under a table, and stumbled out the door, cursing his untidiness all the way.
Five seconds later he was banging on all the doors he could get to in that span of time.
"Guys! Kai, Jay, Zane! Get up already!" He banged harder on Lloyds door.
The younger boy emerged sleepy eyed, with a mess of blond hair, "What!" He groaned as Cole literally yanked him out of his nice warm room.
"Come on! I saw it, the shadow thing, it just climbed out of a window, let's move before we miss it!" He spoke, still tugging Lloyd by his PJ collar, despite the younger boys protests.
"Gee, Cole, cool it would ya, if you had a nightmare just-"
"Cut it out Jay, I'm serious, let's move." Cole growled, dropping Lloyd and picking up a mounted weapon from the wall, his personal favorite, the scythe.
The others decided that Cole wouldn't act like this over nothing so they silently followed, each snatching a weapon for themselves.
"Lloyd," Zane stopped they Blonde in his steps, as he reached for a weapon "Stay here and let sensei's know where we went."
He left before the boy could protest against his orders.
Slowly they snuck out the doors and climbed up the side of the building where Cole saw the figure climb out of.
"He was right here... I saw him," Cole whispered as the breeze lightly blew over them.
"Perhaps we should check for foot prints in case-"
"There he is!" Jay exclaimed, cutting Zane's words off.
The shadow heard this and instantly slipped over the side down into the dark ally.
A loud whack on Jay's head from Cole, and they took off after it.
"Way to go Jay, how dumb can you get?" Kai growled as the jumped across the roof tops following the Shadow as closely as they could.
"Wu-ell, Sor-ry, but you guys know I'm not on perfect thinking level if I don't get my full eight hours beauty sleep,"
"Shut up and run, he's making a left!" Cole cut off as he flipped onto the next building. His eyes stayed glued on the Shadow, which wasn't easy seeing as he was almost as dark as the night... no wait, he was darker, the moon was shedding some light that they followed here and there.
He watched as the shadow flipped and landed with perfect grace.
Not bad for a criminal. He couldn't help thinking, all the other bad guys the've faced were usually either slow, or clunky in some way. Serpentin, Stone warriors, Skeleton army, none of them could move like that.
"Cut him off from the north, we'll surround him-" Zane's voice snapped Cole out of his thoughts as each ninja separated into different directions.
Cole realized he was stuck with the north so he sped up.
He saw, from his position the others were circling around the other streets.
Hah, just a little bit closer and we got him! Cole smiled to himself as he jumped down a high roof and landed in a dark ally.
Kai came from behind, Zane from the left, and Jay rolled in from the right. Cole skid to a halt in front.
The Shadow was stuck in the middle.
"All right Buddy, hand over what you took from the West building." Jay demanded as he edged closer twirling his nun- chucks menacingly.
"Carful Jay, we don't know what he can do-" Kai's words were cut off by a sudden blow to the middle.
The Shadow flipped him over and tossed him towards Jay, sending them both rolling down the asphalt. Zane threw a shurakin, grazing the Shadows left shoulder. But that didn't stop him, he flipped over Zane, deftly kicked Cole down as he used him for leverage to jump to the closest roof.
"Welp, that was emberessing." Jay groaned, rubbing his soar head.
Cole was the first on his feet, he jumped onto a fire escape and climbed after the shadow, "Come on! We can't let him get away"
He flipped onto the roof and landed on the shadow just before it took off onto the next roof.
A short tumble down the shingles, Cole almost pinned him down. Almost... but not quite. All he managed to do was grasp to the Shadows black clothing as he tried to get away.
A sharp tear broke the scuffle as Cole rolled backwards landing on his knee. He looked at his hand, a piece of black cloth hung limply in his hand.
His eyes traveled up, he gapped as the moon light flickered across the Shadow, with a flash of pale skin, dark hair, glowing eyes and a sharp punch in the jaw, the Shadow flipped and disappeared into the darkness it had come from.
Cole sat there, confused, his jaw stinging as he clutched the black cloth. By this time the others had caught up and saw him crouching there, seemingly stunned.
"Cole? Are you all right?" Zane spoke as he helped his dazed friend to his feet.
"Where'd the Shadowy guy go?" Kai asked scanning the darkness with a frown.
"He got away!," Jay stomped his foot, "Who the heck IS this guy!?"
Cole looked at them slowly.
"That's the thing Jay... this guy... is a girl."
Dumfounded expresses the next scene.