Discovering Destiny

Hey guys! Today's chapter will be a bit slow because I want to give the ninja & kunoichi plenty of time to get to know one another. I want the whole team to have plenty of interactions and develop various relationships. For now, read on.


Chapter 8: No Time to Lose

With the students rarely going to the rooftop during school hours, the small area become something of a sanctuary for Lloyd and Iris after their first meeting. Since they were members of the Secret Ninja Force, the other ninja and kunoichi started gathering there during lunch.

"Again, Lloyd. You do have some pretty neat ideas." Cole commended the green-eyed teen for his idea when they first became ninja.

"It's not much," Lloyd still wasn't used to receiving real compliments, "I just always had this thing for building stuff..."


In the warehouse, Lloyd examined all the items inside and ideas were already running wild in his head.

"Is there something on your mind?" Aria examined his thoughtful expression.

"We could use all these scrap metal and tools to build large mechanisms that'll help us in battle." The outcast turned ninja already thought up of various designs similar to those giant mecha in the anime he occasionally watched.

"Really? How?" Jay, with his affinity for inventions, was instantly intrigued by Lloyd's idea.

Lloyd remembered his fascination with dragons and interest in creating a life-like replica. Becoming a ninja may have given him the opportunity to bring that idea to life. But it's not his ideas alone he can make a reality. The whole team can lend a hand and come up with designs for their own mechanisms.

"We can all create something unique as long as we put our minds into it. I-I know it sounds silly but it's something that always intrigued me. I really like the concept of bringing ideas only I can create to life. You can even come up with your own ideas and make them a reality."

The others looked interested, especially Nya and Jay.

"Perhaps we should get more accustomed to our roles as ninja before coming up with designs. We also don't know much of what we're getting ourselves into." Heather pointed out.

As much as Lloyd didn't want to admit it, his teammate was right. The team must grow accustomed to their new lives and figure out what kind of mechanism is right for them.

"We do think it'll be useful but maybe we can hold off on it just a little longer, okay?" Kai suggested.

"Fine..." Lloyd had to admit the others were right.

Still, he'll definitely bring his ideas to life...


Hanging out on the rooftop was no longer just a personal getaway for Lloyd. Now it was something of a meeting ground for the whole group to discuss their strategies and plans as ninja but also getting to really know one another.

"I guess I should be glad I left the journalism club when I did..." Aria looked back on the way the club she was involved with sensationalized Lloyd and Iris' first meeting.

"What made you dislike it?" Zane asked.

"It's not just because it wasn't what I thought it would be. Some of the members went a bit overboard when it comes to making a story that could make the front page." She looked back on that awful time.

"Anyone you didn't like in particular?" Kai prodded her.

"Ash was so annoying! He kept hogging all the spotlight and getting all worked up over his hair!" The capricious girl complained.

Jay silently agreed with her. He shared physics class with the club leader, who always tried to get the class' attention on him at any chance he got and even the shy boy was annoyed by his massive ego.

"So what do you think our first lesson will be as ninja?" Kai brought the conversation back to their new lives as ninja.

"I don't know," Cole shrugged, "But knowing Master Wu, it's probably more boring stuff..."

"Definitely." Even Lloyd had to admit his uncle had his… quirks… However, he still planned to see what other secrets he may be hiding...


The ninja returned to the warehouse in the early evening where Wu already awaited them.

"Greetings, students. Today is where you will truly begin learning the way of the ninja." He greeted his new students and returned the original Ninjology book to Lloyd.

"Here are the copies I have promised you." The old sage tossed more books identical to the one from yesterday to the other members.

Kai and Nya rolled their eyes but their mentor kept going.

"I also have something else for you." Wu opened a chest revealing ten identical gi. They were all made in a pristine white hue with black and gold trimmings and an emblem on the left side of the chest.

"What are those for?" Luna examined the clothing.

"Those will be your uniforms for the first part of your training."

"Really?" Cole was unimpressed. He didn't join the Secret Ninja Force just to wear sleeves.

"Really," The sharp-tongued sage retorted, "Now put them on. This is your only chance before we get on to the real action."

"Why are you talking like that?" Jay asked, "You're acting like we're at a time limit like this is all some sort of TV show or movie."

"Indeed, but even reading on the computer for so long can get tedious."

"Computer...?" Iris didn't know why but hearing Wu talk like that made her feel… uncomfortable...

"I've said too much. Now go get changed." Wu quickly shooed off his pupils so they can get dressed.

After his students were all clad in the identical gi, Wu finally got their first lesson started.

"You must grow accustomed to being a ninja before you learn all the ninja secrets." He began.

"Can you tell us some of those secrets?" Nya begged.

"One of the greatest secrets of the ninja is the art of Spinjitzu."

"Spinjitzu…?" Wu's students echoed him.

"It is a very special technique very few have ever mastered. Training alone will do you no good if you want to learn Spinjitzu. You will go through countless trials and challenges before you can master it."

Wu can see his new students wanted to know more… but not yet...

"First thing's first. You'll have to read the whole Ninjology book before you can start training in the art of combat. I would like to see more of what makes each and every one of you an individual."

The ninja were not surprised but not looking forward to today's lesson either. It always starts with the boring crap. Still, being able to learn and do Spinjitzu… They would really like to try that out one day...


The sun was already below the horizon but the sky still glowed with the soft twilight by the time Lloyd finally came home to his fretting mother.

"Lloyd!" Koko squeezed her son in a bear hug, "Where have you been? I was worried sick!"

"My friends and I started doing some after-school stuff together." Lloyd came up with an alibi to hide his new occupation from his parent.

"What kind of activities are you doing?"

Lloyd really didn't want to lie to his mother but he told himself he'll reveal his secret eventually.

"It's… it's supposed to be our own little secret..."

Koko looked at her son as if he was hiding something from her. Lloyd felt incredible guilt for lying over something very big like being a ninja. He told himself that he'll tell her when the time is right.

"It's still something you truly want to do right?" Koko asked. She wanted her child to have full control over his destiny.

"It's what I truly want. Mom please, I just want you to accept the choices I make."

"All I want is for you to be happy. Your happiness will be my happiness." Koko found Lloyd's behavior a bit off but she didn't consider herself one to complain. After all, she also had her secrets...


Back on the rooftop, it was just Lloyd and Iris this time. They had nothing against working together in the Secret Ninja Force but it was still awkward for them to interact alone. The humiliation they faced still left its impression on them despite them making an effort to put the past where it belonged. Still, now that they were ninja, they thought it best to try to get to know one another since they'll have to see each other a lot.

"I brought some jellybeans the other day. Want some?" The violet-eyed girl took out a small bag full of the colorful candy and offered some to Lloyd.

There were times when the outcast let his massive sweet tooth take over and right now, this is one of those moments.

"I don't tell people this very often but I have a weakness for candy..." He admitted while scouring the collection for his favorite flavor.

"Me too," Iris confessed, "I have to admit there are times where I wish I can eat only sweet things. By the way, what's your favorite jellybean flavor?"

"I always loved the watermelon ones. I think it's neat how the outside is green while the inside is red like real watermelons." Lloyd managed to spot a watermelon jellybean, much to his secret joy.

"Mine's bubble gum." Iris found the pink candy and popped it into her mouth, the sweet flavor being a near-perfect replica of the real thing.

"I never thought things would turn out this way..." Iris mused.

"Same..." Lloyd added, "You know, I've been meaning to ask you this since we first met..."

"What is it?"

"Why do you even bother?"

"With what?"

"Why do wear only those dresses? I'm gonna be honest but you kinda look stupid in them."

"I happen to like them? You have a problem with that?" Iris asked with slight annoyance.

"N-no! I am aware that everyone has their own personal taste. I simply don't like the idea of standing out… I guess it's because I'm constantly bullied here..." Lloyd quickly defended himself. As cynical as he was, he still didn't want to stoop to those bullies' level.

"I guess I can see why… There's still some people here who call me weird for liking what I like."

"How do you deal with them?"

"I simply decided that they're just a waste of time. If they'll never accept all of me, then it's best not to even bother with them. Yeah, some of their words hurt but paying attention to them is just what they want and I don't want to give them that."

"I never really thought of it that way..."

"It's something my uncle taught me… But the reason I became a kunoichi… I do truly believe in many of the same things as my uncle… I want to know if I'm still my own person… Who I really am and what kind of person I'll turn out to be..."

"I know that feeling..."

The duo continued to observe one another.

Underneath her gaudy dresses, Iris wasn't really bad-looking. Sure, she wasn't the most beautiful girl in Ninjago or even in Ninjago High but she was far from ugly. Along with her deep violet doe eyes, her long locks were of a bright brownish-gold hue that ended in delicate curls. Even if she wore any other type of clothing she wouldn't look bad.

At the same time, Iris had absolutely no idea why the other teens considered Lloyd 'ugly'. Yeah, he had those unnatural fangs from his dad but other than that, he was also no different than any other guy in school in terms of appearance. His eyes were like the purest of emeralds and his hair shone like gold. Those features made him stand out but not in a necessarily bad way.

Still, the young ninja and kunoichi still had a lot to learn about one another...


Much like how Lloyd and Jay were part of the auto club and Heather worked at Blossoming Memories, Kai also took part in some activities after school.

Having aspired to be a skilled warrior with the katana since he was a child, the hotheaded young man also attended Ronin's Kendo School aside from Ninjago High. He'll never forget how overjoyed he was when he was accepted into the school, which was said to be the best kendo school in the whole city.

Ronin, the head of the eponymous school, greeted his apprentices. The middle-aged man was a highly experienced swordsman and a seasoned veteran of the Warring Era who sought to keep the old ways of combat alive. As such, he was a stalwart teacher who demanded nothing less than perfection from his pupils. Ronin's students knelt before him as he began his speech.

"It has been months since you were all initiated into my school. There aren't as many of you as there was at the beginning of the year. Only those who possess a balance in strength, courage, and wisdom have the potential to be master swordsmen. Very few of you will be able to achieve that. Do you think you have what it takes?"

Kai was itching to prove himself as a capable warrior and soon, a ninja.

"Kai! You're up!"

"Hai!" The teen donned his armor and positioned himself with his shinai before him.

Using swift yet powerful swings of his shinai, Kai showed yet another impressive display of his skill. He quickly cut down all his opponents and making sure to never leave any opening. As Kai fought, Ronin observed him, taking in his expressions and actions until he emerged as victor yet again.

"Kai, you have shown much strength and determination but that alone is not enough. What you lack is patience and you allow your anger to take over. You must possess full control over your emotions and maintain a balance of both body and mind before becoming a true master of the katana." Ronin said.

Ronin saw much potential in what may be his best student yet. Kai had a fire in his eyes that no other student had. He had a feeling that fire will play in important role in his journey in life. However, it was vital for Kai to find his inner peace and learn to control that fire or he'll be controlled by it. If fire is left unrestrained, it will consume and destroy everything in its path. Only as long as it's controlled by the right hands does that flame deliver warmth and sustenance and enable people to thrive.

Time will tell if Kai will be able to find that balance...


During another day of training, the female members took advantage of their short break to try to get to know one another.

"I haven't seen you around much until now." Heather remarked at Luna.

"I-I guess..." The timid girl had just enough confidence to have a conversation with the girls.

"So what made you think it was a good idea to join the Secret Ninja Force?"

"Actually… I'm still scared… I-I really want to be a kunoichi… so I can find out if I can do more than just singing… Don't get me wrong, I would still like to become an idol… but..." Luna hesitated.

"I know how you feel," Iris reassured her, "I still have no idea what will happen. Still, I also want to find answers about myself. I didn't become a kunoichi just to give up without really trying."

"I always had a feeling you would like it," Aria shifted her gaze to Nya, "You always said you wanted to be just like Lady Iron Dragon."

"True," Nya confessed, "But I would've also liked to be a samurai."

The samurai were a small faction of warriors during the Warring Era. They were a small but powerful group of warriors bound by a strict code of honor and conduct and made themselves infamous on the battlefield with their skills in combat and strong sense of honor. They mostly wielded katana but they were skilled in other kinds of weaponry from spears to bows and arrows. However, they quickly faded from history and their art was never as famous as the ninja.

"Do you like anything else besides being like Lady Iron Dragon?" Iris asked the Hinata sister.

"I guess I do have a thing with working on machinery. Also… I'm a bit of a Unikitty fan." Nya answered, whispering the last part.

"So Heather, what makes you so interested in flowers?" Iris asked.

"Actually, I'm not sure how it started..." Heather sighed, "...But I was always drawn to how unique each and every one were. And then I heard about the 'language of flowers', especially the Japanese concept of it… The word is right at the tip of my tongue..."

"Hanakotoba." Nya answered for her.

"Yeah. Finding the meaning of all kinds of flowers was so interesting. Each flower has it's own beauty as well as meaning. I-I know it sounds kinda dumb..."

"Nah. At least you're lucky you know what you like… As for me… I have no idea..." Aria sighed.

"What do you think you want?" Now it was Luna's turn to ask.

"Well… all I know is that I feel my life has been repeating like an old record… I don't know… I feel like a bird trapped in a cage… I wish I can just leave it all behind..."

"I think I know that feeling," Luna said, "I like to think I have something unique to me besides my love for music..."

"I guess that's why we made our choices..." Nya mused.

At the same time, the guys chatted amongst themselves.

"Cole, what are you doing?" Kai noticed the buff ninja leaning on someone… again.

Cole found himself leaning on Zane's shoulder again. He didn't know why he's been doing it as of late. Zane was not the mindless robot some of his peers assumed he was. He displayed emotions, thoughts, and feelings just like humans, even if he sometimes failed to grasp sarcasm or his sense of humor was behind the times. Even if Zane said he didn't mind, he still didn't want to treat him like some object… but still... there was something about the humanoid that made Cole feel… safe...

'Zane...'

The music-loving ninja still wasn't sure why he was so drawn to android. He was a nice guy but he still didn't know much about him… yet… And it only made him want to get to know him more. Maybe his intrigue was because Zane was, in a way, similar to him. They both paid no heed to the judgement of others for simply being who they were. Cole kept listening to his music no matter how many times his father complained and Zane always insisted he's just like everyone else in spite of copious comments saying otherwise.

Zane himself was looking forward to interacting with his human comrades. He truly sought to be more than a robot. He wanted to also prove he was his own person, just like everyone else. He observed his friends' various quirks, from Kai's fiery temper to Jay's shyness, which belied an ingenious mind. Zane wanted to figure out what made him unique other than him being a robot.

But one ninja always seemed to stand out to him.

The android remembered the first remark Cole made of him was a compliment of his vocal range and after he revealed he was not human, his opinion of him never seemed to change. And when he leaned on him for the first time, he said he was not just a robot. That was the first time anyone other than his father ever said that to him. He wished to have everyone see that he was really the same as them. But Cole seemed to have this profound effect on him for possibly being the first to do so.

Little did the ninja and kunoichi know that this break wasn't really all it seemed. Wu allowed his pupils to simply be who they were at the time being to find what made them individuals amongst the team. Each member had something unique about them that were all vital to the Secret Ninja Force and their chances of defeating Garmadon. It was all an observation for the old sage to determine which element each of his students were destined to be linked with.

Kai was hot-blooded but would do anything to protect his friends, much like how the flames, as much as they can be destructive, can shelter all living beings from the harsh cold. His sister Nya possessed a strong will, whether she was calm or taking part in training, much like the hidden strength within the waters of a still lake or the torrential downpour of a rainstorm.

Cole, even with his cool disposition, possessed an unmovable will as strong as the mountains. Jay had several insecurities but Wu can tell that there was a brilliant intellect hidden under the timid boy that showed itself in the spark in his sapphire eyes whenever he was around machines and technology, just like the lightning that illuminated the heavens during a storm. As for Zane, he had a mind as sharp and clear as ice alongside an eerie serenity matching the solitude of winter.

Heather was somewhat of an idealist but her mind was firmly rooted to the ground just like the trees that remain where they are but grow ever upward. Aria possessed a spirit that can't be contained and would thrive out in the open, akin to a bird free from any cage and the winds that blow. Luna showed a unique kind of courage besides her gift in music, which may prove invaluable in the future. That left Iris with her own unique traits. She may not look like it but lurking underneath those childish dresses was a hint of iron.

Finally, there was Lloyd Garmadon.

Wu saw something very special in his nephew ever since he was an infant. Even amongst this team of young ninja, he still stood out. That special part of him will bring salvation to Ninjago if he can discover who he truly is… or lead to the destruction of Ninjago, including himself, should he fail to be at peace with himself. The time to decide which path he'll tread creeps ever closer.

There will be no time to lose…


I swear, they will be action coming soon but the events of the movie will come much later. I know one would expect a lot of action in a movie about ninja but I don't want to rush. Anyway, I hope you all will have a Happy Thanksgiving & I'll see you again soon. Review!