DISCLAIMER: I do not own Ninjago, nor do I make any money off of this...

Cole was the first to go; all those years of leading the team finally caught up to him. He went peacefully in his sleep the week after yet another team anniversary celebration. Ironic, since as leader, he almost never got a full night's rest. The news came as a shock, and he was dearly missed.

Kai went next; succumbing to injuries he sustained while stopping a band of notorious thieves. Nya was at her brother's bedside all night, until he passed in the early hours of the dawn. He had never stopped fighting, and doing his duty, in spite of the aging process. He was an inspiration to everyone.

Jay soon followed; the overwhelming grief that he kept bottled up inside of himself after Nya passed on became too much for his tired body to handle. All the same, he never stopped encouraging others with his humor. On the outside, he remained as cheerful as ever until his last breath. Would it be appropriate to say that he died laughing?

As I stand here in the graveyard, reminiscing on the times I spent with my friends- my brothers- I can't help but wonder what I should do now. It would be so easy to start over again- flick a switch and the pain is gone, like magic. But somehow, I feel that such an act would defile their memory. No, I must be content to carry this burden of grief until my gears rust and I find a way to join them, wherever they may be.

A/N: Inspired by a drawing on deviantART by Diih-Away called "No one should lose two families in one life." I can't post a link, so just go look it up.

Sorry if this is at all hard to follow. I just needed to get it out of my head. It's a little darker than what I usually write, but I've been feeling a bit uneasy lately, and I don't know why. I guess it's just my brain trying to get back into the normal school routine.

Be on the lookout for another Ninjago chapter story. The first chapter should be posted as soon as I come up with a title…