The Mask of Deception
It is nighttime in Ninjago City, and the citizens of the city are celebrating the Dragon Day Festival with a parade and dragon dance in the streets, and fireworks are launched up into the sky.
On the streets below, a figure with a kabuki mask, like the ones worn by the performers to disguise themself, wearing green details over gray snuck into an alleyway where they met up with some more masked figures in the Ninjas colors, white, black, red, purple, blue and cyan, and climbed the building, a billboard, line down and jumped onto in a rail of a train as they jumped over a train and then jump off the railing as they hang onto the highway.
The green masked person looked up and raised his hand for his team to stop as police cars zoomed past as they jumped onto the highway as the white one passed a big grapple gun to the gold one as he aimed it at Borg's tower and launched the hook.
The seven then zip lined up to Borg's tower and landed on a balcony as the gold person used one of his red swords to cut a perfect circle in the window as the red and black one quickly caught the glass so it wouldn't break and give away their position as they carefully moved it aside.
The seven entered the room, which held masks, weapons and other artifacts like some the Ninja encountered in the past as they searched around the place. The seven then regrouped, seemingly unable to find what they were after, until the green one looked at them to keep searching until he noticed the picture of Cyrus Borg.
The green masked one then cut the picture to reveal a hidden vault holding a red demonic mask with white markings and yellow eyes and fang-like teeth as the white masked man was about to grab it, but the green one stopped him before throwing some powder, revealing lasers around the mask.
The green masked man then drew his two swords as he carefully angeled and stuck them to reflect the lasers as he pulled the mask out and showed it to his team as the blue masked man cheered as the white one retrieved the swords, but at that moment, the alarms went off as soon as the swords were removed and the windows are then sealing themselves in.
The green one turned to the white as he took his sword back as the seven of them ran out the way they came as the blue masked slide to the ground as he narrowly escaped before they were sealed in as he took a breather and stood up.
But then they heard the sound of Spinjitzu and looked around before the blue one was spun around by a green tornado that zoomed past him and then knocked down by a purple tornado.
"Nice masks." A familiar female voice was heard as then two blasts, a green and purple, knocked the blue one down again as it was revealed to be the Masters of Light and Darkness, Lloyd and Melissa, both sporting new Gis.
"You could almost pass as Ninja." Lloyd finished as he and Melissa stood ready, while Lloyd's voice sounded deeper and lower. "Keyword, 'almost'." He taunted with a 'come at me' gesture.
The green mask gestured to his team to attack the two while he ran away with the mask then started fighting the ten thieves as the green mask grabbed his grapple gun and shot it down as Lloyd and Melissa fought them in hand-to-hand combat, while the six seemed to be losing since they were no match for the Ninjas of Yin and Yang as they were knocked down.
Melissa and Lloyd then summoned their powers as they did some moves and then Spinjitzu as they each sucked three goons into their tornadoes and knocked them back and unconscious as the two Ninja took a breather.
They then saw the green and white ones were escaping as they slid down the rope fast as Melissa and Lloyd followed them. Once the green one made it to the other side of the building, he cut the rope without waiting for his partner as the white one then flipped over and started screaming and falling to the ground.
Melissa and Lloyd saw this, "So the leader, or the guy failing to fly?" Melissa asked her boyfriend.
"We know the answer to that." Lloyd said.
"True." Melissa said with a shrug as they held onto the ropes and started swinging to the falling white masked man as Lloyd grabbed him and they lowered to the ground and dropped him to safety as they swung back up.
The white masked man looked at where the Ninja went as he thought he was in the clear before a police car beeps behind him as lights shined on him and he turned to see police officers approaching, "Oh, man." He muttered with his hands up.
The green masked person landed on the highway, discarded his disguise, and changed into a red and black armored suit with a helmet on as his eyes glowed red as he rode on his motorcycle and drove off.
Melissa and Lloyd are still swinging on the rope. "Pixal, we need our rides," Melissa spoke out.
"Your coordinates, Masters Lloyd and Melissa?" Pixal asked through their coms.
"Somewhere over…" Lloyd started before he and his girlfriend let go of the rope. "You know how to find us." He casually said.
"Just send them now." Melissa finished as she and her boyfriend were freefalling.
Down on the streets rolled a green and gold-detailed racer and running behind it was a dragon theme vehicle with a cycle-like seat and handles as the Ninjas of Yin and Yang gave determined looks as their rides caught their respective riders as it skid across and landed on the road.
Lloyd gave a laugh once they stopped, "I could kiss you, Pix." He said with a smile.
"I don't think Zane or Melissa would approve." Pixal said amusingly.
"No I wouldn't." Melissa teased in amusement. "And that was an expression, Pixal. Anyway, let's get after 'em!" She said as she revved up her ride as her Shadow Bike took off with Lloyd's Night Crawler following.
The leader then drove down the highway at full speed while dodging some cars as Lloyd and Melissa vehicles appeared and they jumped onto the highway he was in as he saw them following him as he kept going.
"Pixal, who are we chasing?" Lloyd asked.
"He or she is not in our database." Pixal answered while showing the picture of the leader with a question mark on it.
"So somebody new," Melissa said as they continued on the leader's tail, "Well whoever they are, they're good. We could use some backup."
"All of the others are on active missions throughout Ninjago." Pixal answered while showing three locations on where their friends are. "You two are on your own." She informed them.
The two Ninjas nodded as they increased their speed down the road as they narrowly avoided the citizens' cars and vehicles as they continued chasing the masked leader across the streets at high speed as they were right behind them as they jumped over another unfinished highway as the three were side to side before the thief leader stopped as Lloyd and Melissa saw this as they stopped and turned to the leader.
The three starred each other down before the thief leader charged at them as Lloyd and Melissa did the same as the thief leader then brought out two long blades from his motorcycle as the Ninjas of Yin and Yang give determines looks as they saw that he wants to fight, but then surprisingly, the thief leader brought his blades down as his motorcycle jumped over them, which surprise Lloyd and Melissa from that as they watch him.
The thief leader then jumped off his bike as he had a parachute on his back as Melissa and Lloyd exited their vehicles as they ran to the railing and saw the thief leader falling before opening his parachute, revealing a symbol in the form of a familiar face to the two on his parachute.
The two flipped up their hoods and stared at the face stunned, while Lloyd's got a new hair style while Melissa's hair has been dyed black behind her head, "Garmadon?" Melissa breathed out as the leader then landed on a boat floating down the canal.
"Masters Lloyd and Melissa, are you two all right?" Pixal asked through the coms. "Are you both there?"
Lloyd and Melissa turned away from the escape thief leader as they pressed on their coms. "Yeah, we're here." Lloyd spoke first.
"Contact the others Pixal, it's time to get the team back." Melissa said as she and Lloyd kept a serious look as the thief went through a tunnel as he escaped through the darkness.
Across Ninjago, in a remote rice village, the villagers are being enslaved by some thugs with weapons as they are harvesting on a very hot day.
"Uhh. Damn, this sun is blistering." The thug leader said as he wiped his sweat away. "Faster!" He ordered.
"You heard your Master. Work!" One of his men said as he cracked his whip.
The villagers kept working as they were exhausted as a farmer with a rice hat and carrying two buckets on a shoulder pole walked by as the thugs saw them.
"Huh, you there, peasant. Bring me water." The leader ordered as the farmer stood there. "You hear me? Bring me some water!" He repeated.
The farmer stood there for a moment before they turned their head revealing themselves to be a young woman's face and a beauty mark on her right cheek, "Thirsty did you say?" She asked amusedly.
The thugs then gasped as they realized who it was. "Shit! It's the Master of Water! Nya!" One of them cried out.
"I don't care. Get her!" The leader ordered his men as they charged at Nya.
But Nya then knocked them back with the pole as they fell to the floor beside her in one swift move as she tossed her buckets and pole before catching it perfectly with a smirk.
The leader saw this and drew his sword as he charged at Nya with a battle cry, but then Nya walked him back as they stood side to side as Nya then used her powers to bring out the water from the buckets as she splashed them at the leader as he was pushed back.
"Still thirsty?" Nya asked amusingly as she moved a water bubble around her.
The leader charged at Nya again, but he was blasted hard by the water.
After a few minutes, the goons were tied up and stuck in the creek as the farmers cheered for their freedom to Nya, who gave a smile before she received a beep as she gave the farmers a quick bow and rushed off.
Somewhere in a temple, some monks are meditating while feeling peaceful before the door opens as a snowy blizzard opens up as Jay, Master of Lightning and Cole, Master of Earth rolled across the floor before they hit the wall and quickly closed the door.
"Cole, you're my best friend, but right now, you're my worst enemy." Jay said to Cole. "You have no idea how time travel works."
"If someone goes back in time and alters the past, our reality as we know it would change." Cole pointed out. "We could look totally different overnight and not even realize it." He added as he gestured to himself as he took off his hood to reveal his new hairstyle.
"But we haven't." Jay insisted as he removed his hood to show his hair was darker, thick, and trousaled in a new style and he had freckles.
Cole then raised a brow, "So you've always had freckles?" He asked, pointing to his face.
"What? Oh right, they just showed up out of nowhere." Jay admitted while feeling his cheeks. "But if that was the case, we still remember our timeline and history remained the same, when we got new looks. Thus, Master Wu must have slipped into a time stream into the future. Because even he knows not to change the past." He theorized as they looked around.
Cole sighs with a sad look. "Wherever he is, it's been a year. It's time we find him." He declared as they walked up to the closest monk. "Uh, hi. Sorry to bother you. Cole, Master of Earth. Uh, this is Jay, Master of Blabber." He greeted while Jay gave Cole a look from that.
"Lightning." Jay said through his teeth.
"We heard that an old man who lost his memory wandered in from the cold." Cole explained as he gestured to the monks while Jay mocked playfully. "About so high, long beard, drinks a lot of tea." He listed out.
The monk looked at them as he kept silent. "I told you not to introduce yourself as the Master of Earth." Jay said with a look. "No one knows what that means." He stated.
"No, you bolthead." Cole shot back with a look as they continued to look around. "Everyone here took a vow of silence." He explained while gesturing to the other monks.
Jay now got it as he turned back to the monk they spoke to. "Can you point us to him?!" He yelled out as the monk cringed as he gave Jay a glare and pointed in a direction. "Thank you! I-I like your place!" He yelled as Cole facepalmed himself as they walked off.
"Ugh, I said silent, not deaf," Cole said as they approached a man dressed in white and with a straw hat as he grabbed a teapot.
Cole and Jay looked in shock as they have a feeling they might have found their Master as Cole was about to speak before Jay stopped him. "Wait. If it is him and he lost his memory, don't remind him of that stupid TV show I once hosted, okay?" Jay pleaded, referring to the show he ran after they lost Zane.
Cole shook his head and approached the man again as Cole walked up to him slowly. "Uh. Master Wu?" He asked hopefully.
The man stood up as he turned and showed he had a long gray mustache, not a long white beard. The two Ninja then looked down in defeat as this man was not their master.
"Aw, come on." Jay groaned. "We came all this way, and it's not him?" He questioned in shock as he shook his head. "Aw, that's it. I quit." He declared as began to walk off.
"I'm tired of losing people in my life." Cole said as held on to his Mother's charm. "Wu would never quit on us, and we're not quitting on him." He declared seriously as he placed a hand on Jay's shoulder to stop him.
"If he's really still out there, couldn't he at least send a letter from the future?" Jay questioned in annoyance. "Or leave a message to stand the test of time? He's wise. He'd find a way." He pointed out, since Wu always finds a way to make an appearance.
"We just have to keep looking." Cole stated.
"Yeah, you do that, while you're at it, I'll be doing something more useful, like being a Ninja." Jay said as the monks grew annoyed at their arguing.
"Hah. Some Ninja you are." Cole retorted with a look. "You talk more than you fight." He countered.
"At least I'm entertaining." Jay shot back as the monks grew more and more annoyed. "All you do is judge and act like you know everything." He added.
"Would you stop fighting!" One of the monks yelled at them, which cause the two Ninja to turn to him and the monk gasped and covered his mouth.
"Way to break your vow." Another monk said before he realized what he did. "Ahh. Oh, no. I spoke, too." He said in shock.
"Haha." The first monk said. "I knew you didn't have it in you." He said in amusement.
The third monk then got up calmly. "I've been holding this in, but I just want to say I hate doing your dishes!" He yelled out to the other monks.
"Well, if everyone's doing it, I'm doing it, too." The fourth monk spoke next.
Just then, all the monks then yelled out as they glared at the two Ninja for ruining their vow as Jay got a beep from in his com. "Ah. That's our cue. Got to run!" He called out as he and Cole ran to the exit with the monks following.
The two Ninja opened the door, which the snow blizzard is still going as the monks were blown back as the two ran out while putting on their hoods. Meanwhile, the Old mustache man continued to drink tea as he wrote on a scroll the picture of men with dragon wings, jumping up, kicking back, whipping around, and spinning.
Somewhere in Stiix, Zane, Master of Ice and Kai, Master of Fire were currently fighting an old foe, The Mechanic, whom they encountered in the past, and he had upgraded his Robo-Arm with a flamethrower.
While Kai fought him, Zane got a message in his hood from Pixal, "Zane Masters Lloyd and Melissa requires Kai and your attention in Ninjago City." She informed him.
"Is it serious?" Zane asked as he saw Kai fending off The Mechanic.
"It appears so." Pixal answered. "Did I catch you on a bad time?" She asked.
Kai then flipped over the fire as he landed on his feet. "Zane, a little help!" He called out.
"Hot off the press, The Mechanic is back, Ninjago!" The Mechanic declared before blowing fire at Kai which he redirected around him.
Once the flames stopped Kai saw most of the area around him was on fire instead. "Whoever said fight fire with fire, didn't know what they were talking about." He said with a groan.
"We will be there shortly." Zane informed Pixal.
"What out for the crossfire!" The Mechanic quipped as he advanced towards Kai.
"Hey, you're stealing my lines!" Kai called out.
Just as The Mechanic was about to fire again Zane froze the ground, which moved towards The Mechanic as the ice froze him solid as he groaned in the ice.
"Who likes ice cream? I do." Zane quipped as he removed his hood, revealing his human form that he suddenly regained and a new hairstyle. "How's that for a last line, Kai?" He asked as his body flickered a bit for it revealed Zane's Titanium robot form, revealing he has hologram technology built in him. "Can we leave now?" He asked.
Kai however, was frozen solid as well, apparently Zane overshot his powers and froze Kai by accident. "Needs a little work." Kai grunted from in his ice prison. "Gonna have to give me a minute to thaw, though." He stated since he needs to thaw first before they regroup with the others.
Sometime later at Ninjago City in Borg's Tower, Lloyd and Melissa walked in and saw Jay and Nya sharing a quick reunion, Cole and Zane sparring a bit and Kai walking up to them.
"Hey, there they are," Kai said as the others walked up to the Ninjas of Yin and Yang. "You're both late." He said as he gave them a smirk and a high five.
"Kai was late too, if it's any consolation," Zane spoke up as he walked up to them as Kai shook his head when Zane said that.
"Thanks for meeting us here so quickly." Melissa said with a smile.
"It's been a while since we've all been under one roof." Lloyd added as his girlfriend and friends chuckled at him, which made him confused. "What?" He asked.
"Are we gonna talk about it?" Jay teased while between Nya and Cole.
"Talk about what?" Lloyd asked again.
"Your voice," Cole answered, "It's um,"
"Lower," Zane answered with a deep voice
Lloyd still gave a confused look before Kai came in and gave him a rub on his hair. "Sounds like our little Ninja is growing up." Kai teased with a chuckle.
"Hey, leave him alone Kai." Melissa said with a chuckle as she stepped forward. "Besides, Lloyd is not the only who's changed this past year, you and Cole got new haircuts, Nya grew her hair out and has got a beauty mark, Zane got some cool new upgrades, Jay has… Freckles now?" She said in confusion by Jay's freckles.
"They just showed up one night! Give me a break!" Jay said in defense.
"Okay then, but as for me…" Melissa then turned around revealing the black fading into the red in her hair. "I dyed my hair, what do you think, guys?" She asked with a smile. "Does black look good on me or what?"
"I think it suits you." Lloyd said with a smile.
"Mmm, yeah, definitely your style, sista." Nya said with a smirk.
"Thanks, who would've thought Seliel was good with hair." Melissa said with a smile.
"She was a stylist before the Digital Overlord thing." Cole said with a smirk.
"Well I'll make sure to thank her again if I see her." Melissa said with a smile.
"Any word from your mothers?" Nya asked, as Lloyd and Melissa gave a sad look.
"Not since they went searching for Master Wu." Lloyd answered as he stepped forward. "I don't know where my mom is."
"I haven't heard anything from my mothers either." Melissa said in concern. "I tried calling them, but they aren't answering."
"They'll come back." Cole assured them. "And so will Wu."
"Not everyone comes back, Cole." Lloyd reminded him before changing the subject. "But that isn't why Melissa and I called you here."
"Yeah. We called you because of this." Melissa said as she then used a tablet and showed the Garmadon image, which shocked them.
"Lloyd's father? Lord Garmadon?" Cole asked in shock.
"Just call him Garmadon, Cole." Melissa said with a dull look since she knows that Lloyd doesn't like it when people thought of his evil side especially after his sacrifice.
"After poking around, we've learned it's the symbol to--" Lloyd tried to say.
"The Sons of Garmadon," Zane said as the others turned to him as he continued. "A mysterious criminal syndicate growing in prominence in Ninjago City." He explained.
"Not only that but they are also tarnishing Garmadon's legacy by only remembering his evil side and not the Garmadon we knew." Melissa said with a frown.
"But he was a hero." Nya said to them.
"Well, not in their eyes." Melissa said to her.
"Seventy-two hours ago, they stole a powerful relic from Cyrus Borg." Lloyd continued. "Some mask-"
"Not some mask." A voice heard as he cut Lloyd off as a black-haired man dressed golden yellow and green, with an eye patch walked into the room as the Ninja turned to them. "The Oni Mask. There's only three in existence." The man explained.
"Whoa, I'm confused," Jay said as he pushed past his friends while scratching his head. "How can there be three masks when you just said it's the only mask?" He asked in confusion.
"Not only, Jay. Oni." Nya corrected her boyfriend.
"The Oni are said to be all-powerful beings," Zane explained. "Demons that predate Ninjago."
The man was looking at a mask on display "Each mask embodies one of the three Oni warlords. If all three masks are united, whomever owns them will wield tremendous power." He explained.
"Ninja, this is Mr. Hutchins." Lloyd introduced.
"He's the Master at Arms and Counsel to the Royal Family." Melissa added. "We've asked him here."
"Royal Family?" Kai asked.
"Apologies if you aren't familiar with them." Hutchins said to them. "They honor their privacy, as they do for the safety of Ninjago."
"Let me guess… They have an Oni Mask, too." Cole guessed, seeing what Hutchins meant.
"Two? Now there's two?" Jay questioned in confusion before Nya covered her boyfriend's mouth with her hand and gave a sheepish smile.
"The Emperor will be delivering a public speech tomorrow, and I'm worried the Sons of Garmadon may try to steal the mask." Hutchins said with a serious look. "We could use your assistance, that is, if you can keep a low profile."
Zane then stepped in. "We're Ninja." He reminded Hutchins as he used his cloaking tech to change into his human form. "No one will know we are there."
Hutchins then gave a nod. "Just let us know where and when." Lloyd said with a bow.
"We'll be there." Melissa added with a bow as well.
The day after that, it was midday in Ninjago City where the Royal Palace was as a crowd gathered around at the front gates as the Emperor spoke through the microphone.
"As many as you know, my family has kept a private life." The Emperor spoke up while the crowd listened while the Ninja were in different hiding spots around the front gates. "We aren't interested in meddling with current affairs. But as crime has risen, so has our concern. So it is time to step out of the shadows and into the light!" He declared as the crowd cheered.
Among the crowd, Nya was in her civilian clothes as she saw the whole thing while on her comlink. "I don't like this one bit. If the royal family likes their privacy, why give such a public speech?" Nya questioned.
"I think it's nice. They're reaching out to the people." Jay said as he, Cole, and Kai were at the rooftop, watching over.
"Why all the hate, sis?" Kai questioned. "You just don't like getting gussied up." He teased.
"Nya is just being stubborn once again." Melissa said with an eye roll as she and Lloyd were by the stage where the Royal Family were.
From a side building, Zane is scanning the crowd for any Sons of Garmadon activity. "All that gold and glitter just to show? Royal Families are figure heads. They don't have any real power. Where's the purpose in that?" Nya questioned.
"Their purpose is to be protected, as do all of our traditions." Zane said to her.
"Just keep your eyes peeled for any signs of trouble guys." Melissa told them before noticing her boyfriend looking at something. "Whatcha looking at Lloyd?"
"I'm looking at the Royal Family." Lloyd said as he looked at the Royal Family. "I have to admit, this is the first time I have seen the Royal Family up close and in person, I feel a bit honored."
"Well, it's not everyday we get to see royalty." Melissa said to her boyfriend. "I only read about them in books, but to actually see them up close, it's a rare opportunity."
"Do these guys always talk in private about something?" Kai teased with a smirk.
"Lloyd and Melissa are the power couple of the team, Kai, hehehe." Cole said with a chuckle.
"I'm surprised that they haven't 'got it on in bed' yet if you know what I mean." Jay teased.
Melissa and Lloyd gave dull looks as Lloyd reached his comlink. "You do know we can hear you guys, right?" Lloyd asked with a brow.
"Next time, how about you turn off your comlinks if you want to have a private conversation?" Melissa said with a dull look as she then heard the boys give sheepish chuckles in embarrassment.
"Anyway, The Emperor is almost finished." Lloyd said after hearing the Emperor continue. "Let's just do our job." He instructed as the Emperor finished up his speech.
"And always stay united!" The Emperor declared as the crowd cheered on.
"Be on the lookout." Melissa instructed as the Ninja stood ready as they watched for anything suspicious in the crowd.
Zane looked through the crowd as he saw a man reaching behind his back and readied his bow with an arrow before he saw he was just reaching for his phone but the Ninja remained cautious as they searched around for anything S.O.G. related.
Then a balloon with a S.O.G. logo on it went up and Lloyd and Melissa saw it, "Signal Balloon!" Melissa declared.
Just then, popping sounds could be heard as the crowd started screaming, "Gunfire! Get down!" Lloyd shouted as he and Melissa jumped over to the Royal Family and tackled them down to the ground, Melissa with the Empress and Lloyd with the Princess while Hutchins tackled the Emperor.
Nya fought through the crowd but someone knocked her down to the ground as Lloyd lifted his head up. "Is the threat cleared?!" He asked through the coms.
Nya looked around and saw some firecrackers that had fallen and gone off on the ground, "Just some firecrackers." Nya reported through the coms. "False alarm." She said as the crowd calmed down as the Ninja regrouped at the front gates as the Royal Family opened the front gates.
Hutchins then steps forward to the Ninja. "You protected the Royal Family. You have their gratitude." Hutchins said to them. You are invited to be their guests in the palace."
"Heh. No one ever gets invited into the palace." Jay commented in surprise. "Are you sure they meant us?"
"It's just a palace. Once you've seen one, you've seen 'em all." Nya said with a shrug.
"We'd be honored." Lloyd said with a bow.
"And it will be great to be invited by them." Melissa said with a bow as she gave a bow as well, much to the boys' joy while Nya gave a groan.
"Oh, I don't wanna go into the palace!" Nya whined with a slouch, but Melissa gave her a side glare as she quickly moved her arm to Nya's backside and grabbed her waistband, which made Nya flinch in fear. "Let's go into the palace!" She quickly said with a nervous smile.
"Heh, yeah, that's what I thought." Melissa said with a smirk as she retracted her hand.
At nightfall, the Ninja were at the front door of the palace as Hutchins opened the doors for them.
"Welcome to the Royal Palace, also known as the Palace of Secrets." Hutchins said as they entered as Kai turned to him in interest.
"Oooh. Why do they call it the Palace of Secrets?" Kai wondered.
"If I were to tell you that, then it wouldn't be a secret now, would it?" Hutchins questioned as he closed the gates as the Ninja looked in awe at the palace's inferiority.
"I already feel royal." Jay said with his arms out.
"It's beautiful." Zane commented.
"No one has ever seen the inside of the palace before." Melissa added.
"Yeah. I could really get used to living in a place like this." Cole commented.
"Well, don't." Lloyd said to them. "We're only here as guests, then it's back to protecting Ninjago."
"And finding Master Wu." Melissa added as they followed Hutchins.
"Huh, too much gold in my opinion." Nya said with a shrug.
"Nya, Lloyd used to be the Golden Ninja." Melissa reminded her with a look. "And this palace is, kinda the same gold as Lloyd's old powers. Are you saying you had a problem when he was the Golden Ninja?" She asked with a look.
Nya gave a sheepish look. "Uh, no. I mean, he may have been gold, but uh, there wasn't that much, um, I mean…" She tried to speak sheepishly.
"You are walking on thin ice, sis." Kai whispered to her. "Stop while you have the chance."
Nya nodded as she kept quiet while Melissa gave a victorious smirk. "Nice save." She said as they arrived at a huge door as Hutchins opened it to reveal the throne room where the Royal Family are.
"I present to you the exalted Emperor and Empress of Ninjago and their daughter--" Hutchins started while gesturing to the Royal Family. "The Jade Princess, Princess Harumi." He said as the Ninja all gave a bow, while Melissa elbowed Nya to bow as well as the Water Ninja gave a look before she bowed.
"We are honored by your presence." The Emperor said with a smile as he and his family bow as well.
"The honor is all ours." Lloyd said with a smile.
"I have read much about you." Harumi said as she stepped forward. "Your heroics will surely become legend." She said as she stood in front of the Ninja. "Kai, the hothead who acts without question." She said as Kai gave a bow. "Cole, the rock and foundation of the team." She said as Cole bowed next. "Jay, the joker whose mouth is as fast as lightning." Jay bowed next. "Zane, the cold and calculating android." She said to Zane as the Nindroid bow.
"Nindroid, your highness." Zane said as he dropped his human disguise and revealed his Nindroid form.
Harumi then turned to Nya. "And Nya, the girl." She said, which made Nya flinch with a look as Melissa gave a snicker from that as Nya gave her a look as well. "The girl I've wanted to be ever since I first heard about her." She continued as Nya looked at her in surprise. "With her Mastery of Water and her skill that could rival any Master." She finished with a bow as Nya gave a smile.
"I like her." Nya said as she gave Harumi a bow.
"Nice save." Melissa whispered to Lloyd with a chuckle which he nodded in agreement before Harumi turned to Melissa.
"And Master Melissa, the Purple Ninja, the Ninja of Yin, the Master of Darkness and second youngest of the team." Harumi continued as Melissa turned to her. "The Ninja of reasoning and second in command while her darkness helps balance the order and chaos while helping keep the team in line."
Melissa gave a smile. "She does her homework well." She commented as she gave a bow as Harumi turned to Lloyd.
"And Master Lloyd, the Green Ninja, the Ninja of Yang." Harumi said as Lloyd gave a bow. "The first youngest but most powerful protector next to Melissa. The chosen ones." She said before she gave a frown. "I too have lost my parents, but we are both not without family, hmm?" She asked as the Ninja gave a confused look before turning to the two royals.
"We adopted Harumi and raised her as our own." The Empress explained with a smile.
"When her parents passed away." The Emperor added.
"Well, my apologies for your loss, Princess." Lloyd said in sympathy.
"And thank you for inviting us into your home, your majesties," Melissa added.
"It wasn't us. It was our daughter." The Emperor said while gesturing to Harumi.
"And she would like you to stay with us until the threat to our throne is over." The Empress added.
"These are troubled times, and as long as we have an Oni Mask, we fear our lives are in jeopardy." The Emperor said in concern.
"The masks must never be reunited." Harumi said as she gave a worried look. "Please say yes." She begged as the Ninja looked at Lloyd and Melissa.
"It's your call, Lloyd." Melissa told him.
Lloyd nodded as he turned to Harumi with a bow. "Then you have our help." He said with a bow.
"Great." Harumi smiled before turning to Hutchins. "Then Mr. Hutchins can show you the palace." She said as the Ninja smiled at the idea.
"Yes." Cole cheered.
The Ninja followed Hutchins as he showed them a buffet table, "While you are in our service, you have full access to the complimentary royal buffet." Hutchins said to them. "Anything you want is at your disposal, exotic fruits, assorted vegetables, scones, and all-you-can-eat cake." He listed out.
Cole looked excited before he raised a hand, "Uh, thank you, but I gave up sweets." He said with a smile, "My body is a temple." He said, gesturing to his body.
"Ever since Master Wu went missing, Cole has been a real party pooper." Jay explained with a smirk as Cole gave Jay a look.
"Party pooper?" Zane asked in confusion.
"I'll explain later." Jay whispered to Zane as they continued the tour.
"The palace is equipped with secret passages to get anywhere immediately." Hutchins added as they entered a hallway with bookshelves.
"Oh, so that's why they call it the Palace of Secrets." Melissa said in amazement. "Very clever."
"Yes, but as the locations of these secret passages, only I and the Royal Family know." Hutchins explained.
"Sure," Kai said as he gave a smirk at the bookshelf. "You mean like right… here?!" He grabbed a book out of the shelf, which did nothing.
"Nope," Hutchins said as he shook his head.
"Or here?" Kai asked as he grab a couple of books off the shelves.
"Not there," Hutchins said as the others watched Kai as he kept tossing some books away.
"Or right here?" Kai spoke.
"No." Hutchins said while getting annoyed at Kai making a mess.
"How about here? Here?" Kai said as he kept pulling out books and the Ninja cringed at the mess he was making.
"No." Hutchin repeated.
"Or here?"
"No."
"Or this one?"
"Nope."
"Or here?"
"Wrong."
"This has got to be it."
"Wrong again."
"This is a big one," Kai said as he grabbed a handful of books as Hutchins gave him a look. "Here?"
"No." Hutchins said again.
"Ehehehe. We'll clean up after ourselves." Cole said sheepishly as Hutchins just kept quiet and continued the tour.
"Lloyd, is it me or does something seem, off about him?" Melissa asked with a suspicious look.
"He's holding something back." Lloyd nodded while rubbing his chin before they rushed after Hutchins.
"And finally, the reason for your protection-" Hutchins started as he gestured to a room with only one thing on display. "The Mask of Deception." He announced as he showed them the second Oni Mask.
The Mask of Deception is orange with white markings, with a crooked grin, and its right eye is bigger than the left eye. "Ugh, a face only a mother could love," Kai commented as he went up to the mask's display. "Why would anyone want that?"
"That's up to us to figure out." Lloyd said as the Ninja eyed the mask.
Jay then hid behind Lloyd. "Just being in the same room with it gives me the heebie-jeebies." He said a little scared.
"Wait, if this mask is called the Mask of Deception, what was stolen from Borg's Industries?" Nya asked as she turned to Hutchins.
"The mask in Cyrus Borg's custody is called the Mask of Vengeance," Hutchins answered.
Cole then approached him, "And who has the third mask?" He asked.
"No one knows the location of the Mask of Hatred," Zane explained, "But my sensors tell me it won't be lost for long." He stated.
"Zane is correct," Hutchins confirmed. "Though no one has found the Mask of Hatred, it has given the Royal Family little resolve." He explained grimly. "Not much is known about the masks, but rumors say that each mask has extraordinary powers."
"What kind of powers?" Lloyd asked.
"That I do not know." Hutchins answered. "Some of the masks' histories of what abilities they held were lost. But we know that dark forces are looking to require it, and that's why we need eyes on it at all times." He said to them,
"Don't worry, we're Ninja." Kai assured him with a serious look. "We're experts at this kind of thing." He said as Hutchins just kept looking at them.
In the middle of the night, Kai and Nya were patrolling the rooftop of the palace. "All clear." Nya said.
"Here, too." Kai nodded before he looked down. "Wait, look." He pointed as they saw Hutchins outside before he looked up and saw the two Ninjas as he walked back into the palace.
"Who's watching who?" Nya quipped to her brother.
At the dining hall, Jay, Cole, and Zane were there while Jay was scarfing down the food. "Are you sure you don't want any?" Jay asked while holding a piece of cake to Cole. "This cake is delicious."
Cole smiled at the cake before he sighed and shook his head out of his trance. "My body is a temple." He said to himself, trying to resist the temptation.
Jay then ate the cake as he gave a satisfied smile. "Well, the buffet is clear of any threats, and they're out of bologna." He stated.
"Can we discuss now what is a party pooper?" Zane asked in confusion, wanting to know what Jay meant earlier.
Cole placed a hand as he shook his head. "Uch. Jay's upset because I'm the responsible one. With Master Wu gone, someone has to help Lloyd and Melissa keep us in check." He explained.
Zane then gave a smile. "In that case, you are correct. You are responsible. It is nice to have a pooper at the party." He said casually while patting Cole on the shoulder.
Cole looked at Zane in shock while Jay proceeded to laugh their heads off as the Lightning Ninja leaned against Cole as the Earth Ninja gave an annoying sigh.
With Melissa and Lloyd, they were standing guard while watching the Mask of Decepticon. "So, this is the Mask of Deception." Lloyd said with a look of interest.
"Yeah, that's definitely an Oni Mask." Melissa said in agreement before turning to her boyfriend. "What do you think the Sons of Garmadon want with them?"
"That's what we're trying to find out." Lloyd said to her before he had a thought. "Melissa, do you know anything about the Oni?"
"Not much." Melissa admitted. "Only that they are demons who want to purge the world into darkness." She explained before giving a serious look. "I also read that they are very dangerous."
"How dangerous?" Lloyd asked.
"Almost as dangerous as… My father." Melissa said with a frown.
Lloyd gave a sympathetic look as he gave Melissa a comforting hug, which she returned, knowing that mentioning her father can be hard on her before they heard a clanging sound, which made them turn.
"What was that?" Melissa asked cautiously.
"That sounds like it's coming from the Princess's room." Lloyd noted as the two cautiously walked up to the room. "Princess?" He started as the doorway was dark.
"Princess Harumi? Are you okay?" Melissa asked as she and Lloyd slowly opened the door. "Are you there?" She added before they looked in shock when they saw Harumi's room was a wreck before seeing that the door to the balcony was open, signaling that the Princess had been kidnapped.
A/N: And that is the first chapter of The Sons of Garmadon and we are now in The Oni Trilogy, so tighten your seatbelts and hold your horses everyone because this is gonna be one wild, crazy and very, and I mean VERY emotional season. Also just to let you know the next three stories are gonna be Rated M for language, sexual moments, extreme violence and gore, you have been warned. I hope you all enjoy reading this chapter, leave a review and tell me what you think.
Here's the Cast List.
Sam Vincent as Lloyd and Monk; Tara Strong as Melissa; Vincent Tong as Kai; Michael Adamthwaite as Jay, Cruel Lord and Monk; Kirby Morrow as Cole; Brent Miller as Zane; Kelly Metzger as Nya; Britt McKillip as Harumi; Alan Marriott as Hutchins; Richard Newman as The Emperor; Ellen Kennedy as The Empress; Michael Antonakos as The Mechanic.