AN: Hello everyone! I promise I'm not giving up on my fantasy series. I just had an idea about the movie ninja that I just had to write down. These are going to be snap shots from all the ninja's perspective that kinda build on each other as they start high school. This first one is from Zane's perspective. Hope you enjoy!

For the record, I do not own the Ninjago Movie, or the show, or any of these wonderful characters.

Zane

I opened my locker, just like I had seen all the other kids do, but I paused. This was my first day of high school in a new city and I did not want to appear 'odd' or 'weird'. What did one do next? The kid next to me shrugged his backpack nonchalantly and tossed it in his locker. On my other side, the student simply hung their coat inside. Another grabbed books out of her locker to put in her bag.

So many choices… but which one gave the appearance of a normal teenager?

"Hey," Someone said, jolting me out of my thoughts. Was that student talking to me?

"You new here?" He asked.

How did he know? I did my best to act like everyone else in school. I even downloaded all known data relating to teenagers to appear like a normal human. I turned around to face the student, and my sensors immediately began to profile him: broad, muscular, but extremely relaxed. He had messy black hair tied into a messy man bun and a boombox on his shoulder. He also seemed to be waiting for an answer.

I pushed the data to the back of my processor to be analyzed later. "Yes. I moved to Ninjago City last week."

My father had gotten a new job in the city, and wanted to move before the school year started. However, it had taken two months to move all the equipment and experiments from his lab, so we had only just settled into our new house.

The boy smiled. "Cool. I've lived here my whole life. What's it like outside Ninjago?"

Why was he being so friendly? Was this a social norm? Did human teens just talk to strangers? I scanned my data banks, but I had no solid data on human interactions. And if this was normal, I had no idea what the proper response would be. What did he want to know about life outside Ninjago? The smells? The aesthetic? How I went about my daily routine? Unwanted memories flooded my processor, bringing me back to my first interaction with humans...

"Sorry, my name's Cole," the kid said, thankfully interrupting my memories.

I smiled, grateful he had interrupted my lack of response as failure on his part. "My name is Zane, b—" I clamped my mouth shut, cutting off end of the programmed response: built to protect those who cannot protect themselves. I would have to ask Father to fix that. At this rate, I would give away my identity.

Fortunately, Cole did not seem to notice. "Nice to meet you, Zane," he replied. The bell rang, and he put on giant headphones and walked off to class. I quickly pulled up my schedule and a schematic of the school from my database. I closed my locker and hurried off to class. I did not want to be late.

I entered the classroom and scanned for an open seat. To my surprise, Cole was in my class, and there was an open seat next to him. As he was the only person I recognized, I took the seat and set my book bag down. Cole did not seem to notice. My audio sensors detected he was listening to soft rock, and his eyes were closed, nodding his head to the beat.

I did not mind. Social interactions were not my strong suit. Class started, and the professor began teaching basic algebra equations my father had already taught me. I suppose being an advanced robotic engineer, he was able to give me an advantage over regular human teens.

"Can anyone tell me what x equals in this equation?" The professor asked.

I raised my hand.

"Someone besides Zane," she amended.

I frowned. I thought I was supposed to answer a question if I knew the answer. I looked around the room, and nobody else raised their hand. Perhaps teenagers did not answer their teachers' questions.

The professor sighed, "Zane?"

"X equals 3.3 repeating," I answered.

"Nerd," the kid behind me muttered. I froze. Judging from his tone of voice, nerd was not a compliment. I looked around the class. A majority of the students were staring at me, and I shrank in my seat. Next period, I would definitely stop answering questions. I did not want to draw attention to myself. I just wanted to blend in and be a normal teenager.

For the rest of the day, I did not answer anymore questions, even though I knew all the answers, but I could still feel eyes watching me. Judging me. My core fluxed and the electricity flowing through my body shuddered. I gasped. Father programed me to experience human emotions, but I wished he had not included physical side effects as well.

"You alright?" Cole asked.

I mustered a smile and manually forced my systems to return to normal. "Of course. I am functioning like a normal human teen."

Cole frowned. Did I say something wrong? By calling myself human, did I reveal that I actually was an android? But to my relief, the he just shrugged it off.

"Whatever you say."

I smiled. "I do say." Cole glanced at me out of the corner of his eyes, but then he just closed them again and put his headphones back on.

I hesitated. What should I do next? I looked at the other teens in the hallway. They were all talking to each other. Perhaps I should make conversation as well.

"What are you listening to?" I asked.

"The Weekend Whip," Cole replied.

I tilted my head. "I have no record of that song in my database."

Cole cracked his eyes open and stared at me. Oh no. Humans do not have databases. He will find out, and then…

"It's by the Fold," he said. I stared at him blankly. He did not notice?

"You've never heard of them?" Cole asked.

I breathed a sigh of relief. My secret was still safe. He only wanted to have a normal conversation. I shook my head in response.

"They're a pretty popular band," Cole explained. "Don't they perform where you're from?"

"No," I replied.

"Huh. What do you listen to?" Cole asked.

I sorted through my memory files. I never listened to music. My processor always analyzed the lyrics and the music, making the experience more overwhelming than enjoyable.

"My father listens to the Beatles," I finally said. "I do not listen to music."

Cole nodded. "I can respect that. So what do you do in your spare time?"

Spare time… I sorted through my processor. Most likely he was talking about 'hobbies'. Most of my time was spent correcting and updating my machinery, but I did not want to tell Cole that. My father taught me lessons in robotics and spinjitzu, but that did not fit the definition of a traditional hobby. I cooked all of the meals at home. I believe that counts.

"I cook," I said at last.

"That's cool. You settling in here?" Cole asked, switching subjects.

I nodded. "Yes." Then I hesitated. Today's events flashed to the front of my processor. Another one of my father's ideas. My memories were always triggered at the most inconvenient times. I sighed. "Although, school has been difficult."

Cole nodded like he understood. "It must be hard, leaving everything you know behind. Do you have friends back home?"

Friends… A concept completely foreign to me. The only kids I met… I forced the memories deep into my database. I shook my head.

"Oh," Cole replied. "Well, hopefully you make some new friends here. I've got to catch the bus, so..." he slowly started walking toward the door.

I realized he was waiting for me to respond before leaving. "Of course," I said. Cole nodded and turned around. Something was buzzing in my wires, something more than usual. It must be one of Father's emotions, but one that I never felt before. It was not unpleasant. In fact, it was warm, a driving force, but not overwhelming. I scanned my database and realized it was hope. Perhaps Cole and I could be friends.

I walked out of the door, and after a quick scan, identified my father's car and soon we were on our way home.

"How was school today, Zane?" he asked, glancing in the rear-view mirror to see my face.

"It was… interesting," I said, not quite sure what word to use. Father frowned and I added, "I may have made a new friend."

Father grinned. "I'm so glad, Zane! I knew you could do it! And no one was mean to you at school?"

I remembered the stares, and the whispers of the other students, but I did not want to worry my father, so I said, "Not like then."

We came to a red light and he looked back at me. "Good," he said. "I'm so glad."

I smiled and he turned back to the road. After a moment, Father asked, "Did you tell anyone?"

I hesitated, then answered truthfully, "No."

"Not even your friend?"

"No."

Father sighed, and we pulled into the driveway. I got out of the car and tried to walk away. I knew my father would want to talk about that time, and I did not need the memories to be triggered again. I had experienced them enough today.

"Zane, I know they hurt you then, but someday, when you're ready, I hope you'll tell your friends you're an android."

I froze, using all my power to repress the memories, the feelings that came with those words.

"I cannot," I finally said.

"Zane, you can't deny who you are. And one day you will make friends who accept you, android and all." He put his hand on my shoulder, and I lost the battle.

"I think you're ready, Zane," Father said.

"I can go outside?" I cried, and Father chuckled at my enthusiasm.

"We've worked out all the kinks in your programming, so I don't see why not."

"Yay!"

I sprinted down the steps and bolted out the door. I froze. The whole ground was covered in white stuff I had never seen before. Snow, my database supplied. I took a step and my foot sank in the snow. My sensors registered the cold, but it didn't bother my metal body.

I took a deep breath and jumped into the snow. It was soft and crisp and wet and I loved it. I laughed and threw it in the air. I flopped backwards and buried my whole body in the snow, and burst back up again.

"Hey. I've never seen you here before. Who are you?"

I turned around and there was a group of kids. Just like me. I grinned and stood up. "I am Zane, built to protect those who cannot protect themselves."

The boys looked at each other and snickered. I tilted my head and the lead boy turned back to me. "What, like a robot?"

I blinked, not quite understanding. "Yes. I am an android," I replied, using the word Father taught me.

The boys glanced at each other again. The boy in middle stepped. "So you're made of metal?" he said, knocking on my arm.

I backed away. "Yes—"

"Can you feel this?" Another boy interrupted, and something whacked my head. My sensors exploded and my vision fizzed out.

"What are you doing?" I cried.

"How 'bout this?" Another boy asked, and hands rammed into my chest. I crashed to the ground, my sensors screaming at me. I tried to get away, but they kept coming, over and over. My joints cracked and my wires fired, my body sparking. Finally, I froze. Please go away, please go away, please go away…

"What's the matter? I thought you were a robot?" One of them demanded.

I tried to shrink away from the voices, but my body wouldn't respond. Warning messages flashed from all key systems. I was completely destroyed. I whimpered.

"Nah, he's just a big baby," another said and the others laughed.

My power source surged and my wires fizzled and popped, and the boys gasped.

"Whoa! He is a robot!" One cried. Hands prodded and poked at my wires and started tearing me apart. They pulled at my chest, and my panel opened wide.

"Cool!"

"Look at all these switches!"

"I wonder what this one does?"

I jerked away and my body sparked. The boys jumped, but the wires had broken and I was back where I started. Alone. In the snow. I sniffed. There was nothing I could do. They came back, laughing and playing with with my body.

WARNING! CRITICAL SYSTEMS OFFLINE! WARNING!

Was this… the end?

"What's going on out here?" Father called. The hands left me and I could hear their boots crunching in the snow, finally leaving me alone.

"Zane?" Father called uncertainty.

"I'm here!" I tried to call, but my voice came out as a dying croak.

"ZANE!" Father cried, and suddenly warm arms wrapped around me. "Oh, my son! What happened to you?"

"Boys… they… I could not…" I wheezed. Father pulled me tighter to his chest.

"It's okay, son. It's over. I'll rebuild you. It'll be okay," he whispered over and over.

The memory faded and I shuddered. I was back on the driveway of my new home, not at the tree covered in snow. I was safe.

"Zane?" Father prompted. "Are you okay?"

I shook my head. "If only I had never admitted who I was…" Fluid welled in my eyes. "They would have left me alone."

"Oh, Zane," he said and he pulled me into a hug. "I'm so sorry, son," he sobbed. "I'm so sorry."

"But you are not to blame," I replied, not understanding his emotional response. Father just squeezed me tighter.

"Promise me one day you'll tell someone the truth?" he whispered.

I did not answer.

"Promise me," he repeated. Father almost sounded like he was begging. I pulled away and nodded slowly.

"Promise?"

I hesitated, but one look into my father's eyes and I replied, "I promise."

The next day, I opened my locker and decided to set my backpack inside. I closed the door, and to my surprise, Cole was leaning against the locker next to mine.

"Hey," he said, a small grin on his face.

I turned my lips upward to mimic his expression.

"Hello, fellow teenager," I greeted.

He gave me a strange look, but he shrugged. "Ready for math class?" he asked.

"I am thoroughly prepared," I answered. I had spent most of last night researching, and this time I would not stand out in class.

Cole chuckled. "That's good." He put on his headphones and pushed himself off the lockers. I watched him walk away, not quite sure if I should follow him or not.

Cole paused. "You coming?"

I grinned, a real one this time, and zoomed next to him. I had made my first friend. Although I could not bring myself to tell him the truth, I promised myself one day. One day, I would trust Cole with my secret.

AN: So... what'd you guys think? I promise not all the other ninja's backstories are going to be this depressing, except maybe Lloyd, the poor sweetheart's gone through a lot. :(

I'll probably try to keep posting this once a week if you guys are interested. My Harry Potter/Ninjago fic is my main priority right now, but I'll definitely keep working on this. It was a lot of fun!

See you guys soon!