" I never thought...." Mia panted, catching her breath, then resumed fighting. " I'd have to... fight.... my brother... one day...."

" It's... just a dream.... Mia," Nelson replied, arching his back to lay his hands on his knees, then facing Kai. 

" But, she's got.... a point...." Cooper called as he sent Cole's sword flying. " Whoever's having this dream... is having one whooper of a dream."

Somehow, the dream turned into a full- on fight. Mia was fighting her brother, Nelson -Kai, Cooper -Cole, Mateo- Lloyd, Izzy- Nya, and Zoey and Logan- Zane. 

Mia's heart hammered a frantic rhythm against her ribs as she parried another blow from Nelson. His face, usually etched with goofiness, was contorted with a strange intensity, his eyes distant and unfamiliar.

"Mia... come on," Nelson rasped, his voice strained. "We don't have to do this! Remember the treehouse? The fireflies? We promised we'd always have each other's backs."

Each word was like a shard of ice piercing her core. The memories, the affection, felt real, yet tainted by the dream's twisted reality. She gritted her teeth, tears stinging her eyes.

"This isn't real, Nelson," she choked out, the blade in her hand trembling. "It's just a dream! Wake up! We have to wake up!"

But Nelson didn't respond. He lunged again, his movements fueled by a desperate fervor.

Across the chaotic dreamscape, similar battles raged. Cooper, his movements jerky and unnatural, traded blows with Cole. Mateo and Lloyd, once friends and comrades ( in dreams), now locked in a fierce duel.

The air crackled with tension, the clash of metal on metal echoing hollowly. Each blow felt like a betrayal, a violation of the bonds forged in countless battles. The Dream Chasers, their powers muted, were forced to fight with the dream-corrupted versions of their friends, their hearts heavy with a crushing sense of helplessness.

Zoey, eyes filled with a desperate plea, locked eyes with Logan for a fleeting moment. A silent message passed between them – "Find the source, break the nightmare."

Logan, his usual playful demeanor replaced by a steely focus, nodded in grim understanding. He broke away from his dream-Zane, dodging a flurry of icy attacks, and raced towards the center of the dreamscape.

The others, sensing his intent, pressed their attacks, their movements desperate but determined. They had to free their friends, but more importantly, they had to sever the source of this nightmare before it overwhelmed them all.

" New plan," Zoey announced. " Me and Logan find the source. The rest of you, fight."

Nelson and Mia exchanged a determined glance, then broke out dancing.

" Uh, guys? Now's not a good time to dance!" Izzy called, noticing their strategy.

" We're not dancing!" Mia protested. " We're fighting!"

" It's true!" Mateo called, watching the duo do their spins and kicks in the air. 

Then, Mia caught Kai and Cole with a mischievous grin. Kai light his hand on fire, and Cole smashed the earth beneath them.

" No!" Mia screeched, pushing everyone aside and conjuring a large tornado to slow the earthquake down. 

The others, though confused, supported Mia from the sidelines.

" Go, Mia!" Nelson hooted, throwing his hands in the air. 

Mia turned to Nelson and smiled. Jay, though, took advantage, and shot lightning at Mia. She was not, zapped, though, because she used her wind powers to redirect the elemental creation.

" Rule number ten in the ' Having Jay as your Brother' book says, ' Always be aware that Jay might hit you with lightning when you are unprepared.'" Mia said smugly to her confused brother.

" Good block. But can you block.... this?" Lloyd went spintitzu-ing towards Mia, but Mia remained unfazed. 

" Which should I do?" Mia called to her friends. " Step aside or go spinjitzu on him?"

" Spinjitzu?" Jay cackled. " Only a REAL ninja would know how to do spinjitzu."

" Oh, yeah?" Mia turned to Jay, and she had that determined glint in her eye. " Is this real enough?"

And with that, Mia gritted her teeth, spun in a tornado motion, and pink outlined her body, engulfing her in a tornado. 

" Wha....?" Kai mumbled, staring at the girl in awe.

" She just.... went.... spinjitzu...." Lloyd stuttered, pointing a hand at Mia.

" Incredible. This girl not only can create objects with sand, but can also control the wind and preform spinjitzu."

A hush fell over the dreamscape. The chaotic clashes of moments ago ceased, replaced by stunned silence as everyone watched Mia. Her whirlwind form pulsed with an ethereal pink light, a testament to the raw power she wielded. The tornado around her wasn't a chaotic mess, but a controlled vortex, swirling with focused energy.

Jay, his jaw slack with disbelief, stammered, "B-but... that's impossible! Only Spinjitzu masters can..."

Cole, eyes wide with bewilderment, echoed the sentiment. "Spinjitzu? But how? You're not a ninja..."

Mia, her voice muffled from within the whirlwind, shouted back, "Maybe you can't remember, but I sure am a ninja!" The pink light intensified, and the entire dreamscape began to tremble.

Across the battlefield, similar shockwaves rippled outward. The dream-corrupted versions of their friends faltered, their movements losing their intensity. Even Logan, who had been desperately searching for the source of the nightmare, paused, mesmerized by the spectacle before him.

"What's happening?" Izzy whispered, her voice barely audible over the growing tremor.

Nelson, his goofy grin replaced by a look of awe, pumped his fist in the air. "That's my girl! Show 'em what you're made of!"

From within the swirling vortex, Mia closed her eyes, focusing all her energy. Memories flooded back – sparring sessions with Nelson in their backyard, stories of legendary ninjas, the thrill of adventure during their Dream Chaser missions. All these experiences, real and imagined, fueled her determination.

Suddenly, with a burst of pink light that rivaled a Ninjago sunset, the tornado erupted. Mia stood tall in the center of the dreamscape, the wind whipping at her hair. The dream-corrupted versions of their friends dissolved into wisps of smoke, their faces fleetingly morphing back into their true forms before disappearing completely.

A wave of relief washed over the Dream Chasers. They rushed towards Mia, bombarding her with questions and relieved laughter. Izzy, ever the hugger, engulfed her in a bear hug.

"Whoa, Mia! You were... amazing! Where did you learn to do that?"

Mia, still catching her breath, grinned. "Like I said, anything's possible in a dream. Especially when you have awesome friends like you guys."

As the euphoria settled, Zoey, ever the leader, addressed the group. "That was incredible, Mia. But the source of the nightmare..."

Logan, skidding to a halt beside them, pointed towards the center of the dreamscape. A swirling vortex of darkness pulsed there, a beacon of malevolent energy.

"Found it," he said, his voice grim. "That's where the nightmare originated."

Before anyone could say anything, the shrill cry of an alarm clock pierced the dreamscape, its insistent buzzing a rude awakening. One by one, the Dream Chasers shimmered away as they woke up, their goodbyes echoing faintly. "That's our cue! Bye!"

Mia and Nelson blinked open their eyes, the vibrant dream world replaced by the familiar sight of their shared bedroom. The morning sun streamed through the window, casting playful patterns on the walls.

"New day!" Nelson declared, stretching with a yawn. "Time to find Master Wu and crack this whole dream-corruption thing wide open."

Mia, however, couldn't shake off a nagging feeling of unease. The dream, so vivid and intense, lingered in her mind. The way their friends hadn't recognized them, the unsettling darkness at its core – it all felt... significant.

"Yeah, new day," she agreed, her voice tinged with worry. "But I wonder..."

Nelson, oblivious to her internal turmoil, rummaged through his drawer for fresh clothes. "Wonder what? What kind of pancakes they'll be serving for breakfast?"

Mia offered a weak smile. "No, I was just wondering... what created that nightmare?"

Nelson paused, a frown creasing his brow. He glanced at Mia, a flicker of concern in his eyes. "You mean the whole fighting us thing? Yeah, that was weird. Maybe it was just a dream-world mix-up."

"Maybe," Mia echoed, but the doubt lingered. The dream felt too real, too personal to be a random glitch. A shiver ran down her spine. What if it was a warning? A glimpse into a potential future they needed to avoid?

Shaking off the unsettling thought, she grabbed her own clothes. Master Wu awaited, and they had a mystery to unravel. But as they stepped out of their room, the events of the dream – the chaos, the confusion, the unsettling darkness – remained etched in Mia's mind, a stark reminder of the unseen forces lurking in the world of dreams.