Discovering Destiny

Time for another update! Today, we'll see the ninja continue their training as well as Master Wu making them do things a little different for this chapter. Plus, we'll look a bit into Zane's life as he juggles his duties as a ninja & a chef & even more lovely sibling rivalry between Kai & Nya. Like I always say, read on!

Chapter 36: The Ninja is a Part-Timer

Life for the young ninja continued as usual. They go to school to be judged and let their grades decide if they'll ever be successful or not, go home to unwind from the unnecessary stress, and then head to the ninja hideout to train for a battle they might never be ready for.

"Luna, you will have to face what you fear sooner or later. You can never escape from the inevitable." Master Wu goaded the kunoichi of sound to start standing up for herself.

"I… I'm scared..." She whimpered.

"Being a ninja is not the same as being all-powerful and fearless. By admitting your fears, you display a very unique kind of courage. And true strength doesn't come from physical prowess nor efficiency at the battlefield."

"Then where? What is this 'true strength'?"

"It comes from within you. Strength can be many different things. Your decisions will determine what defines your strength."

Master Wu set up several dummies for his student to demonstrate what she's learned so far.

Luna gulped, her abilities with the sai still needing some work.

"Will you only wait and let fate decide everything for you or will you be the one to decide your fate?" Wu continued asking cryptic questions, leaving his shy pupil to try and decipher it.

Luna did choose to join the music club to pursue her real dream… as well as joining the ninja to see if she was more than her dreams. If she was able to take steps in becoming an idol, then at least she can try to do the same to learn more about herself.

But is having to fight the Shark Army and learn to wield a pair of sai necessary for that?

'There's nothing else I can do now,' The timid girl thought to herself, 'The very least I can do is try...'

The kunoichi of sound thrust and swung her weapons at the effigies and while her aim was a massive improvement compared to when she started, she still missed every now and then.

"You still have so much to learn." Wu told Luna once she stopped.

"W-what am I doing wrong…?" She bit her lip nervously. She knew she was no pro with weapons but it still hurt to be told she wasn't good.

Will she ever be good enough? Or even good at anything at all besides dreaming?

"Never close your eyes when you strike. You must always know where to attack. The sai also possess many more uses than merely a weapon. I have demonstrated it for you, remember?" Master Wu said to boost her memories of the demonstration he had done for her during her early days as a kunoichi.

"Yeah..." Luna looked back on that lesson, feeling foolish for forgetting it until now.

"I understand that you think you'll never be good enough. A person can be their own worst enemy."

"What do you mean?"

"Your self-doubt, fears, and insecurities are all part of being human. There is no shame in showing fear nor in making mistakes but you can't let your self-image hold you back."

'Self-image…?'

Luna always considered herself a timid girl ever since she was little but didn't even think much about herself for most of her life. She only saw herself as how others saw her.

Was she really just an empty-headed moron?

Now the kunoichi of sound became fearful again but it wasn't the prospect of fighting the Shark Army that unnerved her this time. It was a fear that the answers she's looking for will turn out to be exactly what she doesn't want.

"Luna, it's too early to start doubting your worth as a kunoichi. It's not good to rush into these things." Wu scolded her yet again.

'Answering my questions with more questions of your own… Yeah… Like that's gonna help...' Even the demure kunoichi of sound found herself running low on patience dealing with her mentor's needlessly cryptic words.

However, the old man was already back in his little corner drinking tea as usual.

Looks like Luna will have to wait another day to see if there is more to herself than even she realizes...

Cole found himself standing before the Petite Corner though he did remember why he came here. The earth ninja recently heard from Heather that Zane was now working there so he can cook not just for his father but for everyone in Ninjago. Even to this day, he never forgot the taste of those sandwiches the android made for his friends before they heard of the Secret Ninja Force… for a few minutes.

The music-loving teen was a bit of a foodie, especially with sweet things like cake, and possessed the appetite to match. Already having done a lot of weightlifting before becoming a ninja, the strong teen had a fast metabolism and there were plenty of times he got hungry less than an hour after eating his previous meal or snack. His stomach was already growling like a vicious beast and it won't be another few hours before dinnertime and he'll already have to train at the ninja base before going home to eat dinner with his father, which he never enjoyed.

The earth ninja quickly made up his mind and headed inside the restaurant...

The cafe was filled with more people than Cole originally assumed. Most of the tables were occupied and everyone seemed to really enjoy the food. The dark-skinned teen can only hear the music on his radio but many of the patrons' smiles said everything he needed to know about Zane's cooking.

"Welcome! How may I help you?" One of the maids greeted him and guided him to an available seat.

"Do you know someone named Zane Julien working here?" Cole asked once he sat down.

"Of course. He's the newest chef and thanks to him, this place is booming."

'I'm not surprised...' Cole thought to himself. He only tasted the android's homemade treats a couple of times and they all tasted amazing. If Zane can make some simple snacks taste much better than the pretentious haute cuisine that was the only food Lou allowed in the mansion, the earth ninja can only begin to imagine what a complete meal made by the ice ninja would taste like.

"Would you like to order something?" The maid interrupted his thoughts.

"I'll have the jumbo hamburger steak." The earth ninja answered after skimming the menu.

"Excellent choice." The employee took the menu and left, leaving the laid-back teen alone with just his thoughts to keep him company.

Zane would probably have his work cut out for him if he wants to keep cooking. The earth ninja began to worry if his teammate will be able to handle a demanding job while maintaining his secret identity at the same time. The android always seemed very eager to please and Cole speculated it was because of his desire to be seen and treated the same as everyone else in the city, who were all humans. The black ninja developed a bit of a soft spot for his teammate but couldn't figure out why. Then again, he did sympathize with the robot for wanting to be accepted for who he is, Zane being himself regardless if he were man or machine, and Cole for not wanting to end up like his father. The earth ninja did have a strong sense of empathy and compassion, wanting to help others in any way he can. But sympathy alone won't be enough to make Zane feel like he belonged.

'Are you stupid?' Cole berated himself, 'You have it good compared to him! Zane's gonna need all the support he can get! What kind of friend are you if you give up on him?'

'But why are you thinking like this with only Zane? You have other friends, right?' Another part of the earth ninja pondered.

Cole was aware it was still too early to have any special attachments to just one of his friends. He still needed to get to know more about all the ninja before concluding how he felt for each of them. Even if they were in the same club for quite some time, he and Luna still don't know a whole lot about one another besides their mutual love for music. Having a mellow temperament, it'll likely take a long time before he can really know much about Luna, Zane, and pretty much everyone else in the team...

"Thank you for the wait. If you're curious, Zane made it himself." The maid returned with Cole's order.

The meal looked like something straight from a commercial. The juices of the plump meat shimmered, the demi glace sauce sizzled on the hot plate, and even the sunny side-up egg on top was perfect with not a single blemish on the glossy white or unblemished yolk. The fragrance and even the steam rising from the dish was already enough to make the laid-back teen's mouth water. Cole didn't even wait to take his first big bite of steak.

The sumptuous flavors of the steak burst in his mouth and the tsunami of deliciousness almost made the sturdy ninja pass out. The meat was so juicy and the rich sauce only amplified its flavor. Even the egg was cooked to perfection, the delicate yolk tantalizingly oozing over the meat once it was broken by the knife. The mellowness managed to create further depth of flavor of the hamburger steak. Every single component of the dish were flawlessly melded together into a harmonious symphony of flavor. Minutes felt like mere seconds to Cole when he found his plate empty after going for another bite. All he can think about once his revelry faded away was that Dr. Julien was both a bonafide genius and a very lucky man.

But something was wrong.

No matter how amazing the food was, the earth ninja wasn't entirely happy.

Cole still felt disappointed that he never got to see Zane for some reason, and he was very well aware he shouldn't be. He and the white ninja already see each other everyday at the hideout so it shouldn't bother him.

Yet it did.

'Why am I getting all worked up about not seeing my own teammate when we train together all day, and it's been like that for months to boot?'

Cole remembered when he was a small child and wanted something, his father either denied it to him for being too 'unsophisticated', or it was simply handed to him, much like how rich kids got whatever they wanted. Maybe that sort of mentality stuck with him and he had yet to fully outgrow it. He didn't want to think he acted like a spoiled brat but he can't deny that was how he was raised and that was the world he grew up in. He also knew that he was going to meet Zane later so at least he'll have some sort of consolation.

With only minutes left before he had to head to the hideout, Cole quickly paid for his meal and rushed out of the cafe before he could be given his change.

Just when the earth ninja left, Zane emerged from the kitchen, his time there almost up. He can't tell what it was but he had this strange feeling that he should've come out sooner. Working in the kitchen now, he can no longer tell if any of his friends visited the cafe and his new occupation didn't allow him as much free time as he used to have. Still, ever since he began to actually cook here, the cafe seemed to have become extremely popular. The other employees often told him about how the patrons loved the food he made but he wasn't happy with only being informed. He wanted to actually see the smiles of the people who tasted his cooking and wanted to be told it was delicious.

But that still didn't explain why the android felt something strange. This sense of emptiness made no sense to him. There were people here enjoying his food but he can't get rid of this belief that there's only one thing that was more important than having something he make put a smile on others' faces. The most perplexing part is that he had no idea what it was.

"Zane, are you feeling well?" Some of the employees noticed the robot's uneasy expression.

"I have this strange feeling I cannot decipher," Zane answered, "But it is of little importance. It is time for me to leave but I shall return."

The other staff stared after the odd robot even after he was gone. They knew he's not human but did he have to make everything sound much more serious than they actually are?

"Weirdo." One of them finally muttered after several moments of silence.

The ninja were ready for yet another day of training but once again, Master Wu went on another one of his weird lectures before they can get started.

"Today, we will be doing things a little different." The bearded teacher informed his students.

"What now?" Lloyd rolled his eyes over his uncle's cryptic ways.

"We won't be training here today. It's time to become familiar with what is unfamiliar to you now." Wu answered, already prepared for the impromptu 'field trip'.

"That doesn't make a lot of sense." Jay replied.

"And a group of teens being the sole defenders of Ninjago makes more sense than that?" The bearded old man threw the blue ninja's question back at him.

"But we'll be discovered if we go out like this." Nya pointed out.

"I know a secret path. Follow me." Wu whipped out his flute and started walking off. The ninja simply stared at him walking away with confusion until he stopped all of a sudden...

"Must I explain myself again? You know it's not good to become repetitive." He reminded his pupils.

And once again, Wu talked like they were in some book or movie. The ninja and kunoichi had no other choice than to follow him...

Master Wu led his students through a lengthy route through the less visited areas of the city and out into the wild, all while playing a melody with his flute Cole seemed to really like. His students were too concerned with the chances of being discovered to take in the natural beauty of the bamboo forest as they continued deeper until they reached a small clearing amidst the greenery.

"Today, you will be training here, within your elements." Wu stopped in the middle of the scenery.

"Not all of our elements are here." Iris pointed out. Ironically there was metal in the city but here, it's nothing but bamboo and grass.

"And lightning only appears during storms… and I don't think training outside during a storm is such a good idea..." Jay added.

"Heather and Aria. Your skills have improved but you still haven't fully mastered your weapons."

"What? Why them?" Nya asked.

"Must I explain to you about the element of nature?" Wu deadpanned, which silenced his students.

"As for the wind, it is everywhere but its presence is most easily felt amidst the natural world."

"And what do our elements have to do with our weapons and fighting style?" Aria was still in the dark with her teacher's metaphors.

"You will find out when all will seem lost." The old man answered flatly.

"I don't think that's a good thing." Heather sighed.

"Many things are not what they seem as you will find out one day but not today. For now, both of you will face each other. Now begin the match."

The two kunoichi were still confused and looked to their fellow teammates for answers but they knew just as much as them. They had no choice but to fight one another.

Heather and Aria were friends but they were accustomed as kunoichi well enough to have no troubles facing each other in a training match. Heather maintained a steady posture while swinging her mace while Aria darted through the pseudo arena, looking for any weak spots to exploit with her daggers. It had yet to be detected by them but Master Wu can quickly see the connection between the kunoichi's elements and weapons.

Heather usually remained where she stood until absolutely necessary and when her opponents were close, swung her mace with all her might. She was as firmly rooted to the ground with her grace hiding incredible strength just like the willow.

Aria on the other hand ran and leap about with seemingly no sense of constraint, swinging her blades in every way and direction possible. She was free and wild like the wind itself but her spirited nature didn't diminish her potential as a fighter, similar to the easily overlooked ferocity of the gales that can tear down walls.

"Quit moving around!" Heather swung her mace but missed.

"How about you stop standing there and actually fight!" Aria taunted her.

The teal kunoichi frowned underneath her mask and lunged at her opponent. Heather with her mace can become a very formidable warrior and while she leaned towards a steadfast approach, she wasn't above trying to make the first move. Aria's fighting style was as impulsive as her own thoughts but she had her moments where she took her time reading her opponent's every move and plan out what she will do next.

Meanwhile, the other ninja witnessed their duel while pondering how each if them will train amongst their respective elements.

"What do you think Master Wu will do for us?" Cole asked.

"If I knew any better, he'd probably make me train at the beach or out in the rain." Nya quipped.

"I have no idea how I can train with sound," Luna said, "You're lucky your elements are tangible."

"And what about me? I don't even have an element." Lloyd pointed out.

"You'll find out in due time, nephew." Wu answered his relative and surprising his remaining pupils.

"Are you gonna do this kind of stuff with us soon?" Kai asked, now that he had his teacher's attention.

"Yes," He answered bluntly, "Now observe well and see how the elements connect with each of you."

While their elemental connections were still lost on his students, including the dueling kunoichi, they were clear to the experienced Master Wu even before they began their true training. They need to see it for themselves as he had done eons ago. There's no doubt it will take a long time before they realize that and luckily, the old man possessed tremendous patience...

Just like every other person in the world, Iris hated math but she had to study for the upcoming exam. She took advantage of the time she had at the ninja base to study, even if it makes her look like a total nerd. She looked through her notes over and over, trying to imbue days of studying into her brain. But since this is math, the most difficult thing in the world, the kunoichi of metal was struggling.

"Do you need some help?" Nya suddenly took a peek at the pink kunoichi's notes.

"I'm trying to study!" Iris groaned and puffed up her cheeks, a telltale sign she was not happy.

"Sheesh, no need to bite my head off." The kunoichi of water raised her hands in self-defense.

"Since when is studying for an exam not such a big deal?" The kunoichi of metal scowled.

"I know how tough it can be. I'm just as fond as math as anyone else. Still, I plan on doing nothing but my very best in absolutely everything I do. Anything less is utter failure."

"Won't that make you a perfectionist?"

"Well I have to be the greatest if I want to be successful," The strong-willed girl dismissed her remark, Now, tell me where you're having trouble..."

The silver kunoichi proved to be as reliable as Cole despite her competitive nature. She always kept Iris focused on her studies and pointing out any mistakes she made.

"Are you trying to get Nya to help you with schoolwork?" Kai peered at the pair, interrupting their little study session.

"And what's so bad about that?" Iris narrowed her eyes at him in annoyance.

"If you want some real help, you should come to me." Kai boasted.

"Don't," Nya whispered to Iris, "He got a B on his last exam."

"A B's still good!" The fire ninja still heard his sister and let his temper fly.

"But it's not perfect!" His sister argued back.

"Not trying to pick sides but Kai has a point. As long as I pass, I'll be fine." The pink kunoichi said.

"You know what? Next time Iris has to study for an exam, I'm gonna help her and then we'll see who's a better study partner!"

"It's on!"

And the dramatic music started again...

"Don't turn my problems into your own little contest!" Iris yelled at the squabbling siblings.

"Then I'll get rid of your problems for you!" Kai literally dragged Iris away from her work and towards the hideout's TV.

"Kai! You're only making it worse!" Nya hollered after her brother but he already tuned her out once the TV starting blaring out loud anime intro numbers.

Meanwhile, Iris found herself tempted to join the fire ninja and throw her academic concerns out the window. She already had plenty of time to study at home and it won't hurt to take a break from it. The pink kunoichi sank into her seat alongside Kai and felt all her worries go away.

'I guess studying can wait...'

So will the other ninja get to train outside in their elements? Will Cole and Zane ever get to meet in the cafe? Is Iris going to pass her exam?

Find out the answers to these dumb questions & much more in the next chapter!

Anyway, thank you for voting on my poll! I would like to write new stories but I'd like to get some feedback first. Again, review!