Disclaimer: I don't own Ninjago, just the story and my OC's.

Villain's Lair

"I sssee you're back," Emma's Master said.

"I am and we might have a problem," Emma said angrily.

"What isss it?"

"The blue ninja is suspicious of me."

"Him?  If he'sss anything like hisss father, he won't be a problem.  Continue with the mission as planned.  Don't worry about the blue one.  You'll take care of him later."

Emma gave an evil smirk.  She was going to have some fun taking care of the ninja.

Ninjago High School

Thursday

"Hey Max," Justin said as he arrived at his locker that was right next to Max's.  He opened it up to grab his books out for his next class.  "Are you ready for the game tomorrow?"

"You know it," Max said.  "After last game, I'm pumped for this next one."

"Hey guys," Emma said as she walked up to them.

"Hey Emma.  Are you looking for Alex?"

"Actually, I need to ask a question.  I know that cheer practice is immediately after school, but I'm allowed to show up later because I have a counselor appointment.  The only problem is that I don't know where the counselor office is."  She looked at Max.  "I was hoping that one of you could show me after school."

"Sure thing," Max said.

Justin wasn't sure why, but he didn't think it was a good idea to leave Max alone with her.  "We can both show you," Justin said.

"It's ok, Justin.  I got it."

"I just think it would be better for us to show her together and then we can walk to practice."

Max started getting annoyed with the way Justin was acting towards Emma.  "I know how to get to practice, Justin.  I'll meet you there."

The bell rang for them to get to class.  "Well, I guess I better get to class," Emma said.  "Where should we meet?"

"We can meet here," Max said.

"Ok.  I'll see you after school."  Emma walked away.

Max turned to Justin.  "Why are you treating Emma like that?!  She's new!  Give her a break!"

"I don't trust her!" Justin said back.  "Something is off with her!"

"You're being paranoid!"

"Am not!"  Justin slammed the locker.  "If you don't want to believe me, fine!"  He stormed off.

"Ugh!" Max groaned and went to his class.

Later at lunch, Justin and Rosie were getting lunch together.  Justin was still mad at Max.  After they got their food, they started heading to the table they would normally sit at with the other ninja.  Justin stopped when he saw Max.  Jacob and Emma had also joined everyone at the table.

"Is everything ok?" Rosie asked.

"Can we sit somewhere else today?" Justin asked.

"Why?"

"You trust me, right?"

"Of course.  You are my boyfriend and we are teammates.  What is going on?"

"I don't trust Emma."

Rosie looked shocked.  "Why?"

"I don't know, but I feel like there is something off with her.  She seems too good to be true."  Rosie looked over at Emma.  Justin sighed.  "I guess you think I'm crazy too."

"If you are crazy, then so am I because I believe you.  Who did not believe you?"

"Max.  He wasn't even listening to what I had to say!"

"If we have learned anything from our parents, it is to trust our instincts."

"My instincts are raising all kinds of red flags with her."

"Would you like to eat outside today?"

"Yes please."  Justin and Rosie walked outside to eat which left everyone at the table they usually eat at confused.

"Why aren't they sitting with us?" Alex asked.  "We always eat together."

"Maybe they wanted to have a lunch date," Juliet said.

"Or maybe it was because of the fight I had with Justin earlier," Max mumbled, but Alex heard since she was sitting right next to him.  Emma also happened to hear.

"I have to go use the restroom," Emma said as she got up to leave.  "I'll be right back."  She left the table.

"I should get going," Jacob said as he got up.  "I have to talk to one of my teachers.  Max, Mason, I'll see you at practice."

"Bye," everyone said to Jacob.

Alex turned to Max.  "What about this fight you had with Justin?" she asked.

"You had a fight with Justin?" Juliet asked Max.

"Yeah," Max said.  "It was kind of a big one too."

"You guys have always fought like brothers," Mason said.  "You've never really had a big fight."

Max sighed.  "Justin doesn't trust Emma.  He thinks that she's up to something."

"That's crazy!" Alex exclaimed.  "Emma is so nice."

"She doesn't seem like the kind of person who would be up to something, but our parents always told us to trust our instincts," Juliet said.

"What are you saying?" Alex asked her cousin.

"All I'm saying is that maybe we should just be a little cautious around Emma.  I, personally, don't believe she's a bad person, but we can never be too careful."  Alex, Max, and Mason nodded.

Meanwhile, Emma walked out of the cafeteria and into the hallway.  She walked to a corner where no one could hear her and activated a communication device she had.

"How isss it going?" her master asked.

"Great, actually," Emma responded.  "I unintentionally hurt the green ninja's friendship with the blue ninja and after school, I will break up Ninjago's power couple."

"Nice work."

"This is easier than I thought."

After school

Max was waiting by his locker like he told Emma he would.  He was thinking about what Juliet had said.  How she told them to be cautious.  His mind then drifted to his fight with Justin.  He seemed so confident that something is off with Emma.  'Could he be right?' he thought.

Emma walked up to Max with a big smile on her face.  "Hey Max," she said.

"Hey," Max said.  "Are you ready for your appointment with your counselor?"

"Yeah."

"Why do you have to meet your counselor anyway?"  He didn't want to seem like he was suspicious of her because he wasn't, but he couldn't shake the thought of what Justin said.

"I need to get something fixed on my schedule," she said without any hesitation.  "I'm curious, how long have you liked Alex?"

"Since we were kids.  I've honestly like her for what has felt like forever."

"Wow.  That's a long time."

Max started feeling a little weird.  Whenever he talks about Alex, he feels butterflies as he thinks about how much he loves her, but that feeling felt weirdly strong.  It was as if his emotions were getting stronger.

Emma smirked as she noticed that Max was feeling the effects of her 'gift.'  She needed to keep him talking about Alex.  "I heard that you two have been dating for a year.  What did you do for your anniversary?"

"We had a picnic on a billboard.  It had the best view of Ninjago City."

"That's sweet."

Max didn't know why he was all of a sudden drawn to Emma, but Emma knew that her plan was working.

Meanwhile, Alex had forgotten one of her books in her locker and was excused from cheer practice to go grab the book.  As she was walking through the halls, she saw Max and Emma and what she saw next was heartbreaking.  She felt her heart shatter as Max leaned in and kissed Emma.  When Max pulled away, he looked horrified.  He had no idea what just happened.  His heart belonged to Alex, yet he kissed someone else.  The feeling became worse when he noticed that Alex was watching them.  Tears were running down her cheeks and she turned around and srarted running out.

"ALEX, WAIT!!!" Max yelled and chased after Alex.  Emma followed to watch.

Alex stopped and turned to face Max.  "How could you?!" she yelled still crying.

"I-I don't know.  I didn't even know what I was doing.  Alex, I would never hurt you."

"But you did!  To think that you've always been the only guy that I could imagine myself ending up with."

"Please Alex.  Let me-"

"Let you what?  Hurt me more."  She ripped of the necklace that Max had given her.  "Take this stupid necklace back!"  She threw it to the ground in front of Max.

"Alex-"

"Leave me alone!"  Alex ran off.

Max picked up the necklace.  He didn't know when he started crying too, but he did.

Emma came out from where she was hiding.  "You hurt the girl that you're in love with," Emma said.

"I shouldn't have kissed you," Max said, but didn't look at Emma.  "It was wrong and I don't know why I did it."

"You must feel ashamed."  She walked closer to be able to use her 'gift' easier.  "When your teammates find out what you did, how do you think they'll react?  I think that they'll be angry with you."

"I can explain it to them."

"But will they listen.  If they can't trust their leader, do you think your team will be effective?"

"They have to listen."

"They won't care about you anymore.  They'll be angry.  You don't deserve to be a ninja anymore."  She smirked as she thought of the perfect way to get rid of Max in his vulnerable state.  "You should run away."

"What?"  Max was completely confused now.

"Get away from here.  Go someplace where people don't know you.  There, you won't have to deal with the shame of what you did."

"I-I  can't!  Can I?"  Max was having a debate in his head.  He looked at Emma.  "You're wrong."  He said that more for himself than actually telling her she's wrong.  He started heading back to the monastery.  He had to try to explain what happened, even if he wasn't too sure himself.

A/N: And the drama begins.  What is this 'gift' that Emma has?  I hope you enjoyed!