Author Notes: This is BOOK 3: Please read BOOK 1 before continuing. Book 1 starts with Unready Guardian! Writing Style will change as book 3 goes on. From Chapter 1 to 4 the POV with be Inkys! Then it'll continue on through as 3rd person.

Zareth belongs to Grumpy-Zane

Danny and Inky belong to me!

Ninjago belongs to Lego!

Please read and review!

Of Coal and Steam

Fragmented Code

Chapter 1

Who I am

My name is Nina Darzuski. People call me Inky though.

And all I knew was hunger, day in and day out the pains were all my body thought it would ever know. The dirt that caked my body and my hair was all I saw when I looked in the mirror. But its all I had ever known so I thought it was all I would ever be. Just some dirty street rat that people would kick aside till they were needed. Oh how I was wrong.

I am...Inky. My hair is brown, but covered in black ink because of my elemental power. My eyes are the color of dried blue ink. Although I was told I was the ugliest on many occasions I sit here now in the lap of my adoptive father. I can hear his heart beating. His hand sat on my knees, his other running through my hair. This was a rare day, but a day I treasure like no other. You see today was my adoption day anniversary so we were going to do something I've been wanting to do for so very long. I've always wanted to…

"Inky?" His voice thundered through his chest. My ear had been resting against it. My eyes fluttered open and looked to where he was pointing. I smiled softly looking into his equally as blue eyes as my own.

Dareth Darzuski was his name. A man so much more kinder then any other. Took me in, called me his own, he holds my heart now.

I watched as the sea came into view. Lots of boats dotted the surface. Probably fishing boats, or people on vacation, even those who lived in their boats. I had seen the ocean before. Lots of times. But I hadn't been for a vacation. Also I'm pretty sure it would be so much more peaceful.

I felt a cold hand on my back. Turning I could see the dark titanium metal of my Uncle Zanes face smiling down at me. He held out a cut apple. Each piece looked like a bunny. I smiled and gently took a piece crunching into it. He chuckled seeing me giggle. The juice ran down my chin, he reached forward running his thumb over it trying to keep it falling onto my shirt.

But then...their was the suitcase under our feet. The suitcase that never left dads sight. Within was a treasure we both loved very much. It was also a reason why we were in hiding. If anyone found out what was within that case...they'd probably kill us, and destroy whatever was in it. I sighed putting my head back onto my dads chest. I could see the concern on my Uncles face. He looked up at Dareth. Dareth just squeezed me tightly whispering things into my ear. I missed my mother so much, but I know that what she had did was to save Ninjago City from a problem I caused.

How did I cause it? I'm corrupted by a being that had been known for destroying Ninjago once before. I blame myself and they both know I did. If I hadn't of helped the overlord I couldn't have…I took a deep breath feeling the warm hand on my cheek. I looked up at the man looking down at me. My other Uncle, he was created from speks designed by Dr. Julien...my grandfather. He created my mother, my Uncle Zane, this nindroid Cryptor and the much smaller one sitting next to him.

How can I stay sad? I went from having no one to having a really big family. Here they were watching over me while my mother couldn't. Three Uncles, my dad, and sometimes Cygnus my cousin...I don't know where he ran off to. He said he had 'sommat ta do.' and ran off. Cryptor said he was hiding. Inky just dropped it after that. She knew where he went secretly. Back to the island with Echo. At least they weren't alone anymore.

I smiled up at Cryptor who said something, but I was to sleepy to really hear him to much. Just something about stopping in an hour. I heard the soft voice in my ear.

"Sleep well my Inky."

I woke up in a feather light bed. The window next to me was open. A tree littered the ground with cherry blossoms. The garden looked beautiful. I could hear soft chattering behind me as I watched the soft spring breeze carry the small pink petals off to someplace new. I loved the way they looked lightly carrying across the breeze. The smell was almost lulling me back to sleep. That was until I felt a small warm hand on my head only realizing just now that my head was perched on someones legs. I looked up to see Mindroid. His kind face looking down at me. My fingers closed around his. He smiled at me...yes I know he doesn't have a smile, but oh those eyes could say so much for him.

"Is she awake?" I could hear Zane asked. Mindroid looked up and beeped a few times in different pitches. I really wish I could understand him. He was so kind regardless of his past. "Lets get her to eat something before she falls back asleep again.

"Have I been sleeping a lot?" My voice was still raspy from sleeping

"Only a little. But you are on vacation so I guess its alright." Dareth said putting a bowl of stew down in front of me. I took a roll and dipped it in and took a bit of it. It tasted like heaven.

Being a street rat I wasn't able to enjoy flavors very much. Having to eat what was either given to me or what I found in a dumpster. I got sick the majority of the time. So that meant my immune system was horrible. Being sick a lot actually so I would sleep it off the best I could and hid it from everyone. Although with three nindroid uncles that was impossible so if anything was wrong they would know. I found many times where I'd wake up with an IV in my arm and Zanes hand under my head trying to keep me cool. It had been a year since mom went dormant. A year since I've seen my uncle Zareth.

Taking a deep breath I pushed my empty bowl away and I stepped back over to the window. Looking out over the garden I could see many different sculptures. Many different people. The person that owned this place must have been an artist. It made me smile for I too was an aspiring artist. Just not with clay. Mostly I worked with ink. Being the Master of Ink it gave me the ability to do so. I walked over to my bag pulling out a sketch pad and ink and began to draw the blossoms. I loved to draw flowers. It was something that changed and was never the same. I try to capture it whenever I can. Imagine my boredom in the winter.

"They are beautiful aren't they?" Zane sat down looking out at the garden. "Your mother loved this place. Your father proposed to her on that dock over there." He pointed to the dock not to far from us. I turned the picture I was sketching around to show Zane. His face broke into the biggest of smiles.

You know for a man without emotions he sure showed a lot of them. Specially to me. Did I matter that much?

Cryptor leaned over and looked at it and smiled.

They don't agree on much. Zane and Cryptor...but if it was one thing those two agreed on was my art...and loving me. Its a kind of strange...thing.

Wind whipped into the room making a cup and a few other things fall to the floor. Their was a soft rumble off in the distance. Both Zane and Dareth put their arms on the suitcase. It caused me to smile. The fact that those two would subconsciously protect my mother made me smile. Turning back to the window watching the dark clouds roll in. It was going to be a long night.