S1 E14

ACCEPTING WHO YOU ARE

Things were faring well in Jamanakai Village. The citizens were working, the children were playing and visitors were touring. Not a speck of trouble to be seen.

Walking through the village, Sensei Wu travels down the walkway. In an alley, he sees two familiar Skulkin: Kruncha and Nuckal. When they saw him, they feared for their lives and retreated, not wanting to be blasted away with Spinjitzu.

Wu rolled his eyes and continued forward, finally making it to his destination: Mistaké's Tea Shop. He went through the door, where an old woman wearing a sun hat and a sweater over her kimono was wiping off the counter and smiled when she saw Wu.

"Hello, Wu," the woman greeted, "Good to see you again. What will it be? The usual green tea? Or perhaps you're in need of chamomile tea?"

Wu shook his head. "None of those this time, Mistaké. I would like to purchase some Traveler's Tea."

"Traveler's Tea? Never heard of it!" But when Wu tosses some coins on the counter, Mistaké had no choice. Sighing, she takes a teapot and begins mixing the ingredients in boiling water. "You are a fool, Wu. Those who drink this never return. You know that just as well as I do." Once she finishes, she hands Wu the pot.

"Well, if I am never to return, I will not bother you again," Wu said as he walked out the door.

Mistaké chuckled. "Oh, yes, you will. You always come back."

Let's hope that he will.

NEXT SCENE:

A dragon swooped through the air, heading to Borg Mansion. This dragon happened to be Blossom and on her back were the ninja. They were rushing to get Pixal home to her father after she had been badly injured fighting the Juggernaut.

Her injury was strange, though. So strange that they weren't sure if she needed a hospital since she was sparking and bleeding black liquid from her side. Kitty checked the wound and said it wasn't deep, but it was causing Pixal more pain than they could even think and had a feeling it was more than just the small injury.

Once they made it to the mansion, everyone rushed outside. Kitty carried Pixal in her arms and brought her over to Borg. "She needs help. She got hurt fighting the Juggernaut. She just started sparking and bleeding black."

"And may I ask why that is?" Carol asked, tears welling up in her eyes, "Humans don't usually do that."

Borg looked surprised. "None of you knew? I thought Pixal told you."

"Told us what?" Nya asked.

Pixal started coughing, looking up at her father. "Father, please. I... need m-medical assistance." She sparked up just a bit, gasping at the pain.

"Stay calm, Pixal," Borg said, rubbing his hand gently on Pixal's forehead, "I'll get you fixed up. Let's get you to the lab. Edith, take our guest over to the dining room and prepare them some lunch."

"Yes, Mr. Borg," Edith said.

While Borg was fixing up Pixal, the ninja, Misako, Garmadon, Monica, Kai, Lloyd, Jay and Zelda were sitting at the large wooden dining room table as Edith was serving all of them lunch consisting of tomato soup and grilled cheese. But none of them were able to eat. Not after what they just seen and witnessed.

Carol had begun crying hysterically, clutching her stuffed bear Theodore so tightly as if she was afraid he would be taken from her. The others tried hard to assure her that Pixal would be okay, but no matter what they said or did, nothing consoled her.

Lloyd sighed. "Okay, we all know one thing. We just have to admit the fact that Pixal is a... um..." He had trouble thinking of the right word to say since he didn't want to sound disrespectful. "...what's a nice word I can use?"

"Robot," Kai said, "She's a robot."

"I was thinking more of an android," Monica said.

"Whatever the case, I still don't understand why Pixal didn't mention a word about who she truly is at all," Zelda said.

"I almost thought you were gonna call her a what," Kitty said.

Zelda gasped. "I most certainly wouldn't! Pixal is still a person no matter how she is made or created!"

Carol started crying louder, becoming the center of attention at that point. Misako sighed, hating to see others in such a state of misery. She got up and walked over to Carol, helping her up and placing her hands on the animal sorcery ninja's shoulders. "Let's go in another room and help you calm down." The two left the dining room. Carols sobs were a distant sound, far away from the room.

"Wow," Monica said, "I have never seen anyone that emotional before."

"She's only worried about Pixal," Garmadon said, "I don't blame her."

"What I want to know is why Pixal didn't tell us," Nya said.

"I've been wondering why myself." Coming in from the kitchen was Edith, carrying a teapot in her hands. "It's not like Pixal to keep secrets."

"I don't understand," Kitty said, "Why would Pixal keep such a secret? And why is she an android? Was Mr. Borg so lonely that he built a teenage girl to be his daughter?"

"Now that I think about it, Pixal has said time and time again that she was born from a mother who passed on not too long after she came along," Nya explained, "Something must have happened to her when she was a human."

"Something did," Edith said, a sad look spreading across her face, "It happened when she was nine. She was playing in the park and went out into the little patch of trees. She had always been a little monkey when she was younger. But a wild cat, a cougar it was, jumped out and started attacking her. When we found her, she was near death. Mr. Borg returned her to the mansion and was told that she had been clawed so deep in many places that there was no way to save her. But he can be a stubborn man at times. He would do anything to save her. So he kept her on life support while he created a cybernetic body that was an exact replica of hers. He gave it the ability to grow so she would be just like everyone else. A normal person. Once he finished, he took her off the life support, surgically removed her brain and installed it into the body. Thus creating a new Pixal. Human on the outside, machine on the inside."

"That makes a whole lot of sense, but why did he place her brain inside the body?" Kitty asked.

"So that she could still have her thoughts. It was the only organ he could save. She may have the body of a robot, but she still has her thoughts and memories."

"I guess I can understand why he did it," Nya said, "He had already lost his wife. He didn't want to lose Pixal, either."

"Reminds me of someone I know," Garmadon said.

"And who is this someone you speak of?" Kitty asked.

"That is a story for another time."

It was a moment later when Borg entered the room, a look of relief on his face. "I bring you all good news. Pixal is all fixed up and is resting up in her room. She would like to see you all. Now she's very upset that you all have found out she is an android, but may I ask that you all treat her the same way you have before?"

"We would never treat her any differently, Mr. Borg," Nya said.

"We're gonna go fetch Carol and Misako first," Kitty said.

"It's okay, everyone." They heard Carol's voice as she and Misako walked into the room. "I'm okay now. I get pretty emotional during times like this." They looked to see that she had wore some make-up and saw a combination of her mascara and eye liner puddled under her eyes.

Misako giggled. "Not all make-up is waterproof."

Everyone made their way upstairs and gathered in Pixal's room. She was lying in bed with the covers pulled up to her chest. When the door opened, though, she pulled the covers over her head. "Please go away."

"There is no need to worry, Pixal," Borg said, "It is only your friends."

Pixal scooted deeper under the blankets. "I don't want them to see me, Father. I mean no disrespect."

"It's okay, Pixal," Nya said, "We just wanna make sure you're okay."

"How you feeling?" Kitty asked.

"Please don't hide away from reality, Pixal," Carol said, "Just because your different doesn't mean we'll think of you any differently. At least we know why you always acted so weird."

"Carol," Monica said, shaking her head slowly in disbelief.

"It explains everything. Now we know why Pixal never had a sense of humor."

Pixal came out of hiding and sat up in bed. "I do have a sense of humor, but I turned off my funny switch. My humor mode tends to be sort of... strange."

"We've heard worse humor," Lloyd said, "Jay always tells bad jokes."

"Hey!" Jay said, "My jokes are not bad."

Pixal sighed. "I suppose you should have the right to hear it." She opens up her control panel and switches on the humor mode, quickly junping out of bed and going into a hilarious pose. "Hey there! Say, what's the deal with pickles these day? Some people say they hate them, but when it comes to rushing out the door, you seem to be in a pickle. Ka-ching!"

While Carol was the only one laughing while everyone else gave fake chuckles to help make Pixal happy. But Pixal quickly turned her humor mode off and sighed, almost on the verge of tears.

Borg rolled his way over to Pixal. "Now, sweetheart, there is no reason to keep your true self a secret from your friends. They don't see you any differently. In their eyes, they see you as the same Pixal they've always known."

"Yeah," Kitty said, "It just makes you more special. You're still the same Pixal. Just with more gears."

"No matter what you're made of, you're still our sister," Nya said.

"Really?" Pixal said.

"Yes. We are kind of angry that you didn't tell us. Having a robot on the team is the best of the best."

"In fact, we believe it even makes you an even better ninja," Kitty said.

"Every word we speak is true," Carol said, "And how amazing will it be that I can honestly say 'my sister is a Nindroidette?'"

"What?" Kitty asked.

"A combination of three words: ninja, an android, and a girl. And Pixal is all those things."

Kitty sighed. "Whatever. So you feeling any better, Pixal?"

Pixal shook her head. "Physically, yes. Mentally, no. I think I need some time alone. To sort out my thoughts. You are free to begin the search for the fang blades if you must. I will catch up later."

"Are you sure?" Nya asked.

Pixal nodded. "Yes."

The door swung open and rushing in was Edith, carrying a tablet in her hands. "Mr. Borg, Dr. Julien needs to speak with you. It's urgent." She quickly hands him the tablet.

Borg clears his throat. "Yes, Dr. Julien?"

"Cyrus, I hate to bother you once again, but I'm afraid some treehorns have escaped the Birchwood Forest and are heading to the Ninjago National Forest," Dr. Julien explained.

"Treehorns!?" Borg shouted in shock.

"Yes. You must stop them. Over and out." Dr. Julien ended the chat.

"Wait," Carol said, "What's a treehorn?"

"I'll research them on the way," Nya said, "Let's go."

They started to leave, but noticed Pixal climbing back into bed. She looked up at them. "Go on without me. I just need a little more rest. And some time to think. Have someone else fill in for me."

"I'll go!" Monica quickly volunteered.

"Nope," Garmadon said, "As much as I want you to, the answer must be no."

"But Dad's not here. What he doesn't know won't hurt him."

"But if I let you go out and get hurt, your father will come after me. You will remain here."

Monica groaned. "Fine."

"I think we'll be fine out there," Kitty said.

"You will need help identifying these creatures," Zelda said, "I will accompany you."

"We're wasting time," Carol said, "Let's go."

The three remaining ninja and Zelda were rushing out the mansion. They called out for their dragons, and flying in were Water Lily, Wild Cherry and Crystal. Zelda hopped on with Carol as they made their way to Ninjago National Forest.

Nya looked back at the mansion and sighed. "I wish Pixal were coming with us."

"I feel the same way, but we just need to give her some time," Kitty said, "If I were in Pixal's shoes, I'd feel the same way. But we just have to continue letting her know that she's still one of us. Even if she is a robot, that doesn't make her any different."

"Instead of calling her a robot, let's call her a Nindroidette," Carol said.

Kitty rolled her eyes. "Whatever, Carol. So who knows about these treehorns?"

"Nya, I recall you saying you would research these creatures," Zelda said, "Care to explain?"

"I can't exactly research them while flying a dragon," Nya said, "I'm pretty sure you have a book about them or something."

"As a matter of fact, I do." Zelda removed a book from her backpack and flipped through the pages until she found the one she was looking for. "Ah, yes. Here it is. Treehorns are a type of Ninjago wildlife. They are large, four-legged creatures that live in the Birchwood Forest and have large red eyes and pale blue skin dotted with irregular black patches—the latter forms a pattern reminiscent of a birch tree's bark. Overall, a Treehorn's long neck, large mandibles, and unnaturally long, thin legs make it appear as a cross between an insect and a deer."

"Okay, so we have a description of what they look like, but how do we defeat them?" Kitty asked.

Zelda looked closely at the page, reading aloud the next paragraph. "It says here that treehorns stalk their habitat in near-silence, their long legs nearly indistinguishable from the birch trees around them. When prey is spotted, they surround it and attack with their legs, kicking their prey around and stomping them when they fall. Although their height makes them somewhat unsteady and easy to knock down, they display high durability and surprising speed."

"So they use their long legs to camouflage as trees," Carol said.

"But only in the Birchwood Forest," Nya said, "Since the Ninjago National Forest isn't their original habitat, it shouldn't be too hard to find them. And if we sneak up on them, it shouldn't be too hard to knock them down."

"Well, it won't be too long now," Kitty told them, pointing straight ahead, "We've arrived at our destination."

"Down, ladies," Wild Cherry said.

The dragons lowered down to let their owners and Zelda hop off. They flew off to find a place to land until the battle was over.

Zelda placed her book back in her backpack. "Alright. I suppose it's time we got straight to business." She dug around until she pulled out a sword. "This should do."

"Zelda, are you sure you want to fight?" Nya asked.

"No offense, but you're more of a bookworm than a fighter," Carol said.

"I may not hold the power of nature, but there are other things I hold." Zelda swung her sword around. "Strength, agility, and sword. You should have seen the battle between me and a Hypnobrai name Selma in the slither pit."

"You fought against a snake?" Nya asked shockingly.

"It was the only way to gain my freedom. I should really thank my grandfather. If it wasn't for him, I wouldn't have learned the martial arts."

"Shh!" Kitty said. She placed a hand over her ear. "Do you hear that?"

"Did it sound cute and adorable or horrifying and mean?" Carol asked.

They stood there in silence. Kitty looked around and saw something swoosh by. She gasped. "Did you see that?"

"I didn't see anything," Zelda said, "Perhaps I need stronger glasses."

"Wait," Nya said. Then she saw a swoosh pass by and then the moving of long legs. "I just saw it too." The creatures with long legs came out, looking exactly as Zelda described them. "Treehorns!"

They heard a twitching sound coming from behind them. It turned out to be the Juggernaut they defeated earlier that morning. "Intruder. Intruder."

"Wait a minute," Kitty said, "I remember Kai telling us about that thing escaping the Birchwood Forest as well. It must have been going after the treehorns."

"Well then it's up to us now," Nya said, "Ninja Go!" She went into spinjitzu mode, but one of the treehorn's swatted her away like a fly, making her smack against a tree and falling on the ground. "Ow!"

"We can take them!" Kitty said, shooting arrows at the creatures. This only made them angry and one of them kicked Kitty so high she landed in a tree, hanging by the sash belt of her kimono on a tree branch. She sighed. "Why me?"

Carol turned into a hawk and started pecking at them while grabbing Kitty out of the tree. Zelda was able to use her sword to slash at their legs as she rushed over to help Nya. The four of them used powers and fighting strength to try and take them down, but no matter what they did, they couldn't seem to knock them down. They just kept coming and coming until they finally surrounded the ninja and Zelda.

"There's just too many of them!" Nya shouted in fear.

The girls continued the fight even as the treehorns overpowered them.

Who can save them now?

NEXT SCENE:

Pixal was sitting in her bed, with thoughts of everything that had happened earlier still deep in her memory. She just couldn't believe everything that had happened.

She never wanted her friends to find out about her true identity. And for good reasons.

Fear.

Fear that they might reject her, just as others have done. After the cougar attack and waking up as a robot, her old friends couldn't believe that she had cheated death after being on life support for so long. They thought of her as a weirdo and even told her she was strange. They shunned her and told her she didn't belong. And the worst part was none of them ever knew she was a robot.

Now she fears her friends will do the same.

She heard a knock on the door. At first she thought it was her father, but entering inside was Misako, carrying a tray of food. She smiled as she set it in Pixal's lap. "I figured you might be hungry."

Pixal set her eyes on the tray and shook her head. "I am not hungry."

"Are you sure? You've barely eaten anything." Misako could see it in Pixal's eyes. She could see the fear and knew exactly what was holding her back. "You are scared, aren't you?"

"Scared? What is there to be afraid of?"

"You are scared of not being accepted by the others. You fear rejection. But you have seen and heard that they think of you no differently, yet you won't believe it yourself. If they say you're still the same Pixal they know and care about, then so should you." She turned around and walked out of the room, smiling as she closed the door.

Pixal took a moment to sink in what Misako just said. It was true that the others say she is still the same Pixal, but why is it that she doesn't believe that herself? Is it because of how others have treated her in the past that she treats herself the same way?

That's it. The question had been the answer all along.

She needed to stop treating herself the same way others have treated her. That way she will finally accept herself for who she is.

A Nindroidette.

She heard a pecking sound on the window. She looked to see the Robin and rose up the window to let her in, letting her feathery friend perch on her shoulder. Learning that the Robin was also a creation of her father's, she cared for the robotic bird like a sister.

"You are my true friend, Robin," Pixal said, "And so are the others. I should have seen that all along. And now I do." She walked through the balcony doors in her room and lowered down a rope. She slid down until her feet were placed on the ground. She rushed over to Blossom and mounted her. "To Ninjago National Forest. And hurry."

"You don't have to tell me twice," Blossom said, spreading her wings and flying up in the air.

A few minutes later they arrived in the forest. After Blossom dropped her off, Pixal began running through the forest, calling out for her friends. "Girls! Where are you?"

"Pixal!" She heard her name being called out from the other side of the forest.

Rushing her way over, she gasped as she saw treehorns knocking her friends over and trying to stomp them to the ground. "Stop it! Leave my friends alone! Ninja, go!" Swinging her sais around, she used her elemental powers to create rose bushes with sharp prickly thorns. When the treehorns trampled on them, they winced in pain and fell to the ground.

Carol rose up from the ground. "Whoa. I never knew Pixal could be so violent."

"What's gotten into her?" Kitty asked.

"I don't know, but I kind of like it," Nya said.

"Well, let's stop sitting around and help her," Zelda said.

With a chorus of "Ninja Go!" came the sound of each using their elemental abilities. Nya sprayed them with water, Carol turned into an elephant and used the air in her trunk to blow them back, Kitty used her arrows and had them arranged to blow out a poisonous dust and Zelda slashed their legs with her sword. This caused the treehorns to back away, but not out of fear. They were crowding around one another in a tight group.

"What's going on?" Nya asked, "Are they regrouping?"

Carol turned back to her original form. "No. They can't be doing what I think they're doing."

Kitty gasped. "Who is that?"

They watched as a treehorn taller than the others came stomping up, giving a look that can literally kill.

"That is their queen." Pixal began walking up to the leader.

"Pixal, what are you doing?" Nya asked.

Pixal stood her grounds and looked the queen in the eyes. "Do not come any closer. I will not let you hurt my friends. They have seen me for who I am, not what I am. I have treated myself as others have, but that ends here. Whether human or machine, I am still Pixal Borg. I may be different, but I have learned to accept myself for who I truly am. And I am proud of it. There is nothing that will hold me back. I know who I am." She began to rise off the ground and began to turn the color of timberwolf.

The others looked with awe, not believing their eyes.

"What's happening to her?" Nya asked, "Was she programmed to do that?"

"I've never seen a robot do that," Carol said, "Then again, I've never seen a robot before until I met Pixal."

"You mean Nindroidette," Kitty told her.

Carol nodded. "You know it."

"No, that is not a programming," Zelda said, "Garmadon has explained this very similar process. Pixal has unlocked her true potential."

Pixal was brought up higher than the treehorn queen and by using her new special powers, she grew from the ground a giant venus fly trap to devour the queen and trap her inside its giant mouth, dissolving her from the inside. The rest of the treehorns ran off. Without their queen, they wouldn't stand a chance.

Pixal fell to the ground, exhaustion taking her over. The others came to help her as she looked up to them and asked, "What happened?"

"That was amazing!" Carol exclaimed.

"You should've seen yourself," Nya said.

"I ain't never seen anything like that before in me whole life," Kitty told her.

"I am proud to say that you have unlocked your true potential," Zelda said.

Pixal smiled. "This must be what Sensei meant by unlocking our hearts. I understand now. I understand everything. I remember how others used to treat me after my father gave me a second chance in life. I began to treat myself the same way everyone treated me. All I needed to do was accepted myself for who I am and feel proud knowing I was given a second chance in life. And I feel stronger for understanding. I feel better about being a Nindroidette."

"Okay, I am so jealous right now," Carol said, "Your powers are so incredible! I can't wait for the rest of us to unlock our true potentials!"

"And don't forget that we have our very own Nindroidette," Nya said.

"And as long as we stick together and continue growing stronger, we will stop the Serpentine once and for all," Pixal said, holding out her sais, "Watch out, Pythor. We're coming to get you."

And they mean it.

NEXT SCENE:

Sundown was near in Ouroboros and all the Serpentine generals were aiding Pythor in trying to find the map that lead to the four fang blades. So far they still haven't found it and were growing tired of the search.

Fangtom sighed. "Where are the four fang blades?"

"What if there is no map?" Acidicus asked.

"I know you grow impatient, but I don't know where to look," Pythor said, on the verge of panicking, "We must find it."

"We must get you to your wedding ceremony," Skales said, "Sundown is near. Scalina must not be kept waiting."

"I will attend the ceremony when the map has been found!" Pythor shouted.

"That's it," Acidicus said, "I'm taking my staff back. As are the rest of us."

The generals try taking their staffs back, but Pythor knocks them away and scatters them all over the floor. Then he looks down a moment and sees the anti-venom from each staff mixing together.

Pythor gasped. "That's it!"

"What's it?" Skales asked.

Pythor chuckled crazily as he recollects the staffs. "The Map of Fangs. It's been right in front of us all this time. 'When the five fangs unite as one, the path toward the Devourer has begun.' It's not speaking of the five tribes, it's the venom in the five staffs." He slides a piece of paper under the venom which creates a map leading to the fang blades. "Behold, the locations of the four Silver Fangblades! Soon, the Great Devourer will be unleashed and Ninjago will be ours!"

A knock came to the door. Skales opened it to reveal Scalina, smiling ever so sweetly. "I can't wait another minute, Pythor. I decided to fetch you myself." She places her scaly hand in his. "Are you ready, my king?"

Pythor smiles. "Whatever you say, my dear."

The two walked through the door hand in hand.

Work can wait. Marriage has begun.

NEXT SCENE:

The next evening in Ninjago City, the Ninjago Science Awards Ceremony was being hosted at the Ninsonian University of Science. Many different awards had been given out, but the one Cyrus Borg awaited had finally come.

"And the award for Best Inventor goes to... Cyrus Borg!"

Everyone applaud as Pixal helped her father up to the stage. Stanley Moore sat there pouting, wishing the award was his.

The host of the ceremony handed Borg his award and helped extend the microphone to the inventor. Borg cleared his throat. "I would like to say thank you to everyone here tonight. I know many of my inventions have succeeded over the years. I have made many creations, but there is one creation I am proud of more than anything else in the world. My daughter Pixal. I wouldn't know what I would do without her. Ever since the loss of my wife, she has been my pride and joy. She has kept me going through the hard times. Out of all my creations, Pixal is my greatest one of all." The crowd continues to applaud.

Pixal smiles down at her father. "I am proud of you, Father."

"And I am proud of you, Pixal."

The two gave each other a warm embrace.

Nothing can ever separate a father and daughter.

They are the greatest creations of all time.

NEXT SCENE:

And it was also that night when Wu did what he knew was reckless.

He was sitting in front of a campfire, holding the stuffed panda bear Fuzzles in his hands. He places it in his pack and picks up the pot of traveler's tea. Taking a deep breath, he uses it on the campfire, creating a portal. After giving himself a moment to think, he jumps through it, landing in a place known as the Realm of Madness.

As he landed on the ground, standing in front of him was the someone he was looking for.

"Hello, Wu. What took you so long?"

There stood the ruler of darkness.

Queen Valderra...


HEY THERE, GUYS. I BRING YOU ANOTHER CHAPTER OF THIS FAMOUS STORY. JUST WANNA GET YOU GUYS READING SOMETHING TO HELP PEOPLE ESCAPE FROM REALITY FOR A LITTLE WHILE.

WOW. IT'S FRIDAY THE 13. IT'S BEEN A PRETTY FREAKED OUT DAY. JUST CAN'T BELIEVE IT. HOPE YOU GUYS ARE STAYING HEALTHY OUT THERE. MY PRAYERS GO OUT TO EVERYONE SICK AND WELL. AND YOU GUYS KNOW EXACTLY WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT.

SO, GUYS, I PLAN ON TAKING OFF MY POLL FOR WHETHER OR NOT I SHOULD CHANGE MY FANFICTION NAME. SO IF YOU HAVEN'T VOTED, YOU STILL HAVE UNTIL THURSDAY TO DO SO.

GIVING A SHOUT OUT TO ALL MY AMAZING READERS AND REVIEWERS. YOU GUYS ROCK!

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