Cole's POV

A year, give or take a few days. My amazing sister has been gone for a year. "Ninja, we have something to tell you." Sensei Garmadon informed us. I looked up, not bothering to hear anything except about my missing sister. We all came back safe and sound, thanks to Alyssa. But no one knew where to find Emma, we searched all seven dimensions, top to bottom.

"We have all fallen apart, without Emma." Wu informed us. I shook my head, "Stop! Okay? Just stop! I can't even hear her name!" I yelled, ready to leave the bridge. Everyone is broken. Lloyd doesn't smile, I don't either. Jay doesn't look at Alyssa or I without seeing her, no one is the same. "Wait!" Misako stopped me.

I turned around, "We might know where she is." she told me. "She's been missing for four-hundred and one days, what else can we do?" I questioned.

Yes, I've been keeping track. Because I want her home. "We think she is in this dimension called Kurayami." Nya said.

"What does it mean?" Kai asked, his arms folded across his chest. "It means darkness. She is in the dimension of darkness."

Emma's POV

I walked about the forest, the rain beating down on my skin. I've gotten used to it, the rain. I like the it feels and sounds. I try to stay away from the village as much as possible, I live about a mile from it.

My feet crunched on the dirt, the rain not making it wet at all, for as long as I've been here, I've noticed strange magic. But I don't mind it. My eyes have adjusted completely to the darkness, I see everything, just like I saw in light back in Ninjago. It's strange that way, but I grown used to this island.

They say the first thing you forget about someone is their voice, the way the sound. And it's true. I don't remember my family or friends voices, I know their names and what they look like, but I don't remember their sounds.

I sighed and pushed a tree branch out of the way so I could continue walking, 'I'll be here forever, the rest of my life. No matter how short it may be.' I told myself.

On this island, things have happened, things I never thought would. But they have. And I'll never leave, even if I did, I wouldn't be able to adjust to Ninjago again. I've been here four-hundred and one days, that long. On this island, there is no sun, no lamps, no light, and a person cannot survive long without light. Unless you were born into the island like the villagers. I eat berries, I drink the rain, I survive to the best of my ability, but my hope for returning home is long gone.

Back to Cole's POV

We used the Gem of Dimensions to reach this island of darkness, and it was a heck of a ride here. The portal opened and we all stepped inside, us five ninja. Alyssa and Nya stayed behind at the Bounty. "I can't see a thing!" Jay whined as our feet touched the ground, "It's the dimension of darkness, what do you expect?" Lloyd retorted, his patience has grown thin to find Emma.

"I kind of expected a little light at least." Kai added. I shrugged, "We can see a bit, the outlines of things. We should try to find life-forms now." I suggested. "Agreed." Zane said. My hair was sticking to my face with the rain beating down, growing agitated I walked forwards. "Hey guys." I interrupted, "Look, it's a cave." I pointed out.

I moved some palm leaves from a hidden entrance and walked inside, the ninja behind me. There was a faint torch lit in the back of the cave, indicating someone lived here, "Oh look!" Jay cheered, "There's light!"

"It seems someone has made this their home." Zane informed us, searching the place. "And I'm guessing it's a banished person, because of the light." Kai added, leaning on the dirt wall.

I turned around to the hole of the cave just as an outline of a person appeared in front of it. They froze, staring at us, "Did you get lost from the village?" they asked, their voice sounding feminine.

"Village?" Lloyd questioned. "Um- yeah. You're not from around here are you? Newbies, I assume?" the girl asked.

"You could say that." I answered, "Anyways, who are you? And where are you from?" I asked her.

"Names don't matter here, I barely remember my own." she replied, placing her hands on her hips. "Anyways, I was banished here."

"Are you evil?" Kai asked her, she shook her head, "No, just the opposite actually." she responded, a sigh leaving her mouth.

"How long have you been trapped here?" I asked her, I saw her shoulders lift and come back down, not being able to see anything else about this girl except for her braided pigtails down her back. "About a year, and you?"

"No-no, we weren't banished. We're here looking for someone." Jay told her, she nodded, "There isn't anyway on or off the island, how did you get here?"

Lloyd answered her, "The Gem of Dimensions."

"Hm... who are you looking for?"

"Our friend, she's been here about a year too."

"Well... I know every inch of this dimension, and I haven't seen your friend, unless she's living up in the village."

"How about this, you help us find her, and we get you back to Ninjago?" I offered, "Deal, follow me. There's only one village here, it's a mile east." she said, walkign out of the cave with us following. I didn't want to trust her but we don't have many more options.

"Maybe you can answer some out questions about this place?" Zane asked her, she nodded in agreement, "Of course. Ask away."

"Is there any sun here? Any light at all?" Jay asked her, she shook her head. "No, I used to think there was a different time cycle here, so I waited days, weeks and months for the sun to come out, and it didn't. The villagers strive on darkness, but humans from Ninjago, we can't survive without light, which is a reason your friend might not be here. She may be too weak to move around, without light, all of our energy is drained."

"Why are you still moving then?" Kai asked her, she shrugged, "I don't know, strength I guess. But I'm slowly dying too, don't get me wrong."

"What's with the tattoo of a lightning bolt on your stomach?" Lloyd wondered, I didn't even notice that. Wow.

"It's not a tattoo. You're in Kurayami, the rainforest of darkness. Out of all the time I've lived here, I've only seen one lightning bolt, and it hit me on my third day here. It left a lasting impression. Believe me, I don't choose to have this marked on me. It's also why I'm wearing this, I used to have a totally different outfit but the lightning ripped it so I had to make this."

"Interesting." I mumbled, trying to see around. The girl cleared her throat, "So, this island is dangerous, is your friend strong enough to handle it?"

"Yeah, stronger than most." I answered. She nodded, pushing a branch away from her face, "My eyes have adjusted to the darkness, yours haven't, so make sure you're keeping up. We're almost there."

"Right behind you." Lloyd said. The girl stopped and turned around, "Welcome, to the tree house village." she told us, pointing into the trees. I could see faint outlines of buildings, high up. Again, no light.

The girl lead us to a ladder, taking the lead and climbing up, high into the trees. We followed her up, wanting answers.

We finally reached a platform, standing in front of many people. One older man walked forwards, though I couldn't see any of his features, "You've returned, what must you need this time?" he asked the girl with us. She shook her head and motioned to me, "Another girl, on the island. She was banished just like me, and they have come to find her." she told him.

The man shook his head and turned around back to his people, "There is no one else in the dimension, not that I've seen. She has not come to us, to dwell with our people."

"As said, Kuroti." the girl softly said, her tounge rolling with an accent.

She sighed and shook her head to us, heading back down the ladder.

Ten Minutes Later

"I'm sorry, if I haven't seen her and she hasn't gone to Kuroti, then I do not know where she could be." the girl told us, leaning against the dirt wall in her cave. She's strong willed and knows much, I still think we should take her back with us.

"What did she mean to you?" she asked me, looking into my eyes, I shook my head, "I loved her, I just wanted to bring her home." I answered, "Come back with us." Zane offered her.

"You cannot stay here." Lloyd said as well, "I agreed to come back with you if we found your friend, and a promise is a promise." she remarked, standing her ground.

I started to shiver, the rain and cool air making me cold. She noticed and walked across her home, "You're cold, here, take this." she said, wrapping a black piece of cloth around my shoulders. "Thanks." I whispered.

"You really should come back to Ninjago." Kai continued, not giving up. "I know, but my family probably thinks I'm dead, they've moved on for sure. I have no reason to go back."

"You have family left?" Jay asked, she nodded, not taking her eyes off of the floor.

Third Person/ No One's POV

Cole held the black fabric in his hands, observing it to the touch, not by sight. He glanced up at the outline of the girl and back down at the cloak, he took a small sniff of the material, "It's you." he spoke up, placing the cloak back down on the ground. The girl looked up confused, "What are you saying?" she asked him, un-folding her arms and dropping them to his side.

"The cloak- the-the hair! It all makes sense! You are her!" he yelled in victory. The girl stepped back, hitting the wall, "The girl you're looking for? Your friend?" she asked, Cole nodded. "Emma..."

"I haven't heard that name in four-hundred and one days, not since I was corrupted!" she retorted, the ninja gasped, their eyes widening. "How do you know who I am?! Who are you?!" she screamed, tears rolling down her cheeks.

"It's Cole! It's the ninja, remember? We came to get you, to come home!" he smiled, Emma shook her head turning around and placing her fingers on her chin, "No, no! It's-it's a dream! It has to be!" she protested, not believing this. She began pinching her arm, wanting to wake up.

"It's not though, Emma, we came back for you." Lloyd objected. "It's not true!" She screamed, "I've been here for fourteen months! I lost all hope that my family would come back, and they didn't! I'm dreaming!" she argued, not turning around to face the boys.

He screams quieted to sobs, a hand covering her mouth, "Gosh, I miss them so much." she cried, "Jay's jokes, Zane's intelligence, Lloyd's safety, Kai's attitude, Nya's remarks, Sensei's tea, Misako's prophecies, Garmadon's care, Alyssa's kindness, and my brother..." she trailed off. "I miss my brother." she cried out.

"It's time to come home." Jay said, placing a hand on her shoulder. She lifted her head, the tears still running down her face, she turned around seeing the lightning ninja. "It isn't you." she whispered, staring into her eyes, "Em- I miss you." Cole added, walking up to her.

She looked at her "brother", seeing him standing in front of her, whole in whole. This dream was different, it was unlike anything else. She studied him carefully, her eyes widening in realization, a gasp left her mouth and she took a small step forwards, "Where did you go?" she softly asked him.

He grabbed her and pulled her into him, a hand on her head, pushing up her hair. She wrapped her arms around his shoulders, crying into his gi. He tightened his free hand around her upper back, not letting her go. Tears fell down his face as he held his amazing sister, "You're never leaving me again." he told her, his voice shaking, "Never." he continued.

"I've missed you guys so much." she cried out, holding one arm out to the others. They smiled and ran into her, joining her for a group hug, "Now, let's get off this wicked dimension." Jay cheered.

Kai handed her a pair of sunglasses, no shame. She pulled away from the hug and raised an eyebrow at him, "Where did you get sunglasses?" she asked, "Always be prepared." he smirked. Lloyd grabbed Emma's cloak, tying it around her neck and laying it on her shoulders, "Now, let's go home." Cole suggested.