Somewhere in a dark place…

"So, the Over Lord has been defeated. Time for our entrance, don't you think?" A female said, smiling. The shadows around her hissed and moved in anticipation. "But not just yet, let the people of Ninjago get comfortable with the peace. Then we can strike." The shadows took form into black wolves with glowing red eyes. They started howling a battle cry, and their leader laughed. The time had come; and now the unnamed evil shall rise and consume all.

1 month after the final battle...

"Zane? Stop hiding, Sensei wants to see us!" Kai called. He had been looking for Zane for several minutes without success. "Zane? Come here! Sensei Wu, I can't find Zane!" Kai called, not knowing today's training exercise was for HIM. A white-haired boy suddenly dropped from right above Kai, scaring him. He quickly identified the white-clad boy to be Zane who then began taunting him. Zane would get close, landing a few blows, than would jump back before Kai could strike.

"Hey, cut it out! Sensei told me to get you." Kai said. He notices an amused expression on his brother's face.

"You will have to catch me first!" The ice ninja said, bolting down the hall. He was quickly followed by his fiery friend.

"Zane, this, gasp, isn't funny." Kai wheezed when his friend had finally stopped. He had chased the nindroid all over Destiny's Bounty and up to the deck. Seconds later, Jay sprinted up followed by Cole. Nya came up next, Lloyd close behind.

"It was not supposed to be funny. Sensei Wu asked us to do this." Zane said. Jay and Nya giggled, and Kai shot them an evil glare, silencing them.

"You should have been ready for anything." A voice said from behind them. They turned around to see Sensei Wu, Misako, and Garmadon coming out of the bridge.

"Hey, Sensei, we done for today? Need to go stop Cole's latest cooking catastrophe!" Jay said. Cole started to chase him around the main mast.

"Yes, you are done. But be ready for next time." Wu said, looking at all of the ninja and Nya. Kai watched as Zane headed to the stairs. Depression seemed to hang over the white ninja like a dark cloud.

"I will be in my room, if you need me." Called Zane before disappearing into the lower halls of the ship. Just then, Dr. Julien came out of the bridge and went to stand by Garmadon.

"I'm getting worried about him. He's spending most of his time in his room, and he barely talks to us anymore." Cole said they stopped running. He and Jay walked over to their team and looked down the stairs.

"I'm curious about what he's doing down there." Nya added.

"I can keep him out of his room, if you want to look through it." Came a voice from right behind Kai. Jumping with surprise, he turned to see Dr. Julien, Zane's father, standing behind him.

"You're alright with us doing that?" Jay asked, not understanding. Why would Zane's FATHER help them sneak into his own son's room?

"Why yes, I am. You five aren't the only ones that noticed his strange behavior. I tried to talk to him, but he's giving everyone the cold shoulder." Dr. Julien explained. Jay snickered.

"What's so funny?" Cole asked the blue ninja.

"Zane, the ICE ninja, is giving everyone the COLD shoulder!" The brown-haired ninja said, bursting out laughing. Kai rolled his eyes, and Cole whacked him on the back of the head.

"When can we do it?" Lloyd asked, eager to see what the ninja of ice was hiding.

"Right now, if you want. I have a project he can help me with. You'll just need to be quiet and put everything back where you found it." Zane's father said, heading down the stairs. Once they were outside Zane's room, the four ninja and Nya hid in the closet across the hall. They left the door open slightly so they could tell when the two left.

"Zane? Could you come here please?" Dr. Julien called, knocking on the door. The knob turned, and the wooden door slowly swung open.

"Yes, what is it?" The nindroid asked, standing in the doorway.

"Can you help me with something I'm working on?" His father asked. Zane nodded, closing the door as he stepped into the hall. He followed his father down the hall and to the workshop. As soon as the pair left, the group wasted no time. They ran across the hall to the door, which they found unlocked.

"See if you can find anything. But remember to be quiet." Kai whispered as they entered. Zane's room was very clean an organized. To the left of the door was his bed and dressers. To the right, an only slightly cluttered desk sat with a chair pushed in. There was a window on the back wall that was flanked by celling-high bookshelves. Kai began his search with the stuff on the desk. What he originally thought was a small mess turned out to be four neat stacks of books. In the center was a large piece of paper with a book labeled 'Journal' resting on top.

"Hey, I think I found something. Come take a look." He said. The others stopped searching and stood around the desk. Kai opened the journal and flipped through it. Only a few pages were filled with neat handwriting.

"Read what it says!" Jay pleaded. The other murmured in agreement.

"Fine." Kai said, beginning to read.

"Ever since the final battle, I have been even more afraid. I have been thinking about how unfair the future will be. My friends and family will all grow older, and eventually pass away. Then I would have no one. They all think that being a robot would be 'neat', but I feel differently. They do not know how lonely it can be. I am different, and there is no one who can actually understand how I feel. I have started to avoid them, so that I may not be to close emotionally to them. It is not working at all. The more I do not see them, the more I think about them and what makes them my friends.

Jay, who can calm us down when things get tense. Kai, who can keep the team from falling apart. Cole, who can lead us through the worst of times. Lloyd, who can remind us of why we fight. Nya, who is always there to help us.

They accepted me for what I am, and for that I am grateful. I could not have better friends, and do not know what I would do without them. The others would not understand, but the thing I want most is to be human. Then I would be able to dismiss all of these fears." Kai read, his voice choking up several times.

"Poor guy. Never realized he was that lonely." Cole said, picking up the paper. "Wow."

"What is it?" Nya asked, taking the paper. It was a drawn picture of a graveyard. Zane was on his knees in front of a group of five gravestones. It was drawn from behind Zane, so the names could be written. "Zane is an amazing artist, but this is just so sad!"

"Can I see?" Jay asked. Nya handed him the picture. "Hey, those gravestones have our names on them." The rest of the group wanted to see, so the picture was passed around.

"We should head back." Kai said, putting the drawing and journal back where they belong. The group left, leaving the group exactly how they had left it.

We are now in the POV of Zane, who is in the workshop…

"Zane, could you hand me that wrench?" Dr. Julien asked. Zane handed his father the wrench, who then tightened a loose bolt on what they were working on. "Why don't we take a break. Come, sit." Dr. Julien walked over to a bench and sat down. Zane sat next to him.

"Father, why did you ask for my help? Why not Jay?" Zane asked, looking over at his father.

"Because I wanted to talk. You've been so distant lately. What's bothering you?" His father asked.

"It's complicated. You would not understand." Zane replied, hanging his head. His Father put a hand on his shoulder.

"I understand you more than you think. Maybe even more than you understand yourself currently." Said Dr. Julien, smiling.

"Alright, I wish I were human." Zane said, looking innocently at his father. Dr. Julien chuckled, and his son looked crestfallen.

"What I said before was true. I currently know you better than you know yourself." Zane's father said. His son gave him a confused look. "Zane, you may not believe me, but you ARE human."

TE SUSPENCE IS DERPING!

Now back to your regularly scheduled program…

"How? I have been a robot all of my life!" Zane said. He didn't understand. How could he be human? His body is made of metal parts and wires!

"Calm down, I'll explain the basics." Dr. Julien said, pulling his son back down. Zane hadn't realized he had stood up. He sat back down, ready for the story.

"We were living in a mountain with your sister, cousin, best friend, and cat. You each had a special ability, even the cat. Your ability is currently locked since you are now a nindroid." Dr. Julien explained.

"I do not understand! How am I a robot now if I was a human before?" Zane asked. "And how is the CAT special?"

"I'm getting to that part." Zane's father stated before continuing his story. "You could turn into white-and-pink size-changing birds. Your sister and friend could each be a large black panther, and your cousin could become a giant snake. The cat could talk, and was somewhat intelligent. This next part is a bit off-topic, but I believe you'll find it interesting. You were around 10, and were still able to change. You were in bird form, and as you flew there was a boy about your age practicing sword-fighting behind his parents' store. The store was near a cliff, and the boy got to close to the edge and fell off. Wanting to help, you dove down and caught him in your talons. The boy still had the sword, and was frightened by you. As you flew up to the shop, the boy put the sword straight through your left foot. You put him down and came back to the mountain. We had a slightly difficult time pulling the sword out, and you still have a scar on your foot. Bird form or as a human. Getting to know about your friends and where they come from have helped me to come to a conclusion. The boy you saved that day was Kai."

"Kai? Does he know it was me?" Zane asked, completely shocked.

"No, but you may tell him if you want." Dr. Julien said calmly. "Would you like me to continue?"

"Yes, please." Zane said, eager to hear more.

"Alright," His father continued. "A few years ago, you began to get very sick. We were all worried, since you were getting progressively worse, and we couldn't find a cure. Everyone thought you were going to die. We came up with a plan that would save your life. We built an android that would be powered by sharing the life-force of something."

"So you built me?" Zane asked. Hearing about his past made him feel a bit better. Dr. Julian nodded.

"Yes, we built you. Dr. Julien said. "The only problem was that your human memories could not be transferred into the robot body. However, the robot memories are able to be transferred into you human body."

"Is that why I do not remember this?" Zane asked. He was beginning to understand slightly.

"Yes, it is. Although, I believe I have found a cure for your condition." His father held up a vial of blue liquid.

"Can I take it to the mountain?" Zane asked, feeling as excited as a nindroid could. He couldn't wait until he was human again.

"Of course, you can leave when you're ready. Just take the Falcon." His father said, handing him the vial. "I'll make sure you have a cover story." Zane hugged his father.

"How will I get to the mountain?" He asked, slipping the vial into his pocket.

"I have a map, and you should take the dragon." Zane's father said. "I have a cover story planed for if the dragon is also gone also." Dr. Julian pulled a rolled-up piece of paper out and handed it to his son.

"Thank you father. I will leave tonight." Zane said, leaving the room. He went back to his room and picked up his drawing. "I will not be needing you anymore." He crumpled it up, proceding to pack what he would need for his trip.