Chapter 6: When All is Found; Part II

This chapter is dedicated to Kirby Morrow, the voice actor of Cole, who sadly passed away today (11/19/20). He will forever be the rock and the heart of Ninjago. He was the one who brought Cole's character to life and nobody else can ever replace him. May he Rest In Peace.

I paced back and forth in the empty meditation room with the words of Wu stuck in my mind. My mother is actually here. I can finally tell her everything I've wanted to tell her for years now. I also get to meet my brother for the first time. "I wonder if he looks anything like me." I thought.

My thoughts were interrupted with the sound of the door sliding open. In pops Cole's head. "Oh, sorry I didn't know you were in here. I'll leave you alone." He began to start shutting the door.

"No, wait, it's okay. Please, stay." I smiled.

"Alright," Cole stepped inside and shut the door behind him. "When Master Wu isn't here, I like to use this room to calm myself down."

"Oh, are you still angry about earlier?" I asked.

"What? No, not at all. I was never angry to begin with. I was impressed though." Cole smiled.

I chuckled. "You were impressed with my freak power?" I asked sarcastically.

"Yeah, it's pretty damn cool. I've never seen anything like it. Well almost, Lloyd has the elemental power of energy so its similar, but his is all green and electrified and shit. His power scares me sometimes." He admitted.

"Wait, master of energy?" I backed up. Only the green ninja maintained the elemental power of energy.

"Yeah...that's what I just said haha." Cole laughed nervously.

"Oh...my...god. Wu h-he didn't tell me." My smile faded.

"Didn't tell you what?" Cole was dumbfounded. He had no idea what I was getting at.

"What's your elemental power?" I curiously asked.

"Umm, earth. I also have super strength but I guess that just comes with the element." He had no idea what he was just telling me. Cole and his friends were the ninja. My brother is the green ninja.

I put my hand over my mouth and gasped. "You're the ninja. You all are."

"Oh I get it now, thats what Wu didn't tell you. Please, when you meet Lloyd, don't think any different of him. He just wants to get to know you and you to know him as any other brother." Cole placed his hand on my shoulder.

I backed away from his hand. "You don't understand, my brother is the beacon of light and hope in this world. How the hell am I supposed to show my mother I am anything but that? My whole life has been filled with a darkness that I can't-" I realized I was saying too much. "You know what, never mind. I'll just get it over with and never speak to them again." I walked towards the door.

"Wait! Maya!" Cole called out to me. I turned around, looking at him in his soft brown eyes. "I know this is weird, I don't know what I would do if I randomly found out I had a brother I've never met, but Lloyd is good. He won't treat you as anything less than a person. I know you'll grow to love him. Please, just don't be so rash to leave right away. I kinda...like having you around. I mean I uh-" Cole started to blush and I giggled a little. He looked sexy when he blushed. His pretty black hair was tucked behind one ear and his hand held the other side back. "I want to get to know you too. I feel like you could be a great addition to the uh...the team."

"The team?" I asked raising an eyebrow.

"Yes," He nodded. "the team."

"Well, if this doesn't go to shit, I'll look forward to getting to know you too." I left the room after saying that. I wanted to punch myself. What was I thinking? Yes he's so damn cute and seems so decent, but I feel like if he knew the real me, he wouldn't like it.

I needed to find Wu. I wanted to get this meeting over with. My breathing was heavy as I paced down the halls. I found myself wandering into the kitchen again to see if he might have been in there. I almost left the room before hearing voices to my right. I turned and saw Wu sitting at a table with two other people. One was an older woman and the other was a young man. Could these people be my family? I was thinking too much that my vision became blurry. I tried blinking fast to make it go away, but it wasn't really helping.

"Maya, come sit. I would like you to meet Misako and Lloyd."

Ohh shit. This is really happening isn't it.

Misako immediately stood up and walked towards me. She looked exactly like she did in her picture i had of her, but her hair was now grey. "Maya, I cannot even begin to fathom the words of how great it is to finally meet you. Well, meet you all grown up." She looked me in the eye. I had to admit, she was a lot less intimidating then I thought she would be.

"It...It's so relieving to meet you. I never thought I would see you again." I looked down at my hands. They were wrapped in my mother's arms tightly. Her hands were warm, not cold like I remembered them.

"There's so much I want to tell you," She led me over to the table where I Lloyd sitting quietly at the table. "Please, this is my son, Lloyd. Your brother-"

Lloyd stood up and immediately wrapped his arms around me. I was shocked. I didn't know how to react but to wrap my arms back around him. We slowly broke apart and he looked up at me with his greenest eyes and said, "I've never been so happy in my life to know I have a sister. I really do hope we can learn to become friends and one day be like a true brother and sister."

I wanted to cry. They were so much more welcoming then I thought they would be. "You're quite the charm, I will give you that," I chuckled looking at my little brother. "I'm going to be honest, I was expecting utter rejection from the both of you." I sat at the table with them.

"Why is that?" Lloyd aked.

"i've heard rumors about my father," I looked at Wu and he gave me a 'don't get into this right now' look. "And I resemble myself with him. I resemble more with his darkness more than I do so with light. Which is weird considering it is my elemental power." I half-smiled.

"Maya, your father, whatever you have heard about him has been only partially true. He has his darkness, but also his light. If you'd like, I would be more than happy to discuss him a little later. I would like to discuss you. It's been so long." Misako said.

All of a sudden, a rush of anger flew over me. What right does she have telling me I have to wait even longer to hear what the actual fuck is going on in my life. "I'm sorry, I just need to know. You..you left me so long ago. I was two years old! I-"

"I know. I know I did and I shouldn't have. But I did it to protect you." Misako interrupted.

"Protect me from what? My father? From what I can remember he was a good, honest, hardworking man."

"Our father is a great man. But when the evil possesses him, he turns. He always has that good in him, but he is dangerous." Lloyd said.

"Please, you weren't even born at this time. If you don't mind I would like to speak to Misako alone." I stood up.

Wu then stood up after me realizing how heated I was getting. "Lloyd, please go start your training exercises with the others. You may finish your conversation here in due time."

I believe Lloyd felt that he was in fact causing more harm then good, so he left willingly. "Yes Sensei."

I turned back towards Misako. "Why me?"

"What are you asking?" She said as tears filled her eyes.

"Why...me? Why was I left by my two supposed loving parents at the age of two? Why wasn't I in contact with you for the rest of my life until this point? Why was I never informed I had a brother? Why do i have this...this darkness that I seem to share with my father that keeps screaming in my head telling me I am just like him even though I know he was a good man? Why me?" My voice cracked and tears started to stream down my face. Without my recognition, Wu had left the room and it was just me and Misako.

"Maya, I know you really do must hate me, but i want you to know that I never intended for you to suffer as you have-"

"Don't change the subject!" I interrupted. "Don't emotionally manipulate me like this, it won't have it. I have had a shitty life. It's been empty, I only bring death and despair upon people. I have never loved anyone because nobody has loved me. I haven't had a mother to comfort me and I haven't had a father to guide me in the right direction. So don't sit here and tell me it was for the best." I said with a raspy voice.

"You're right." Misako sighed.

"What?" I wiped my tears.

"You are right. Leaving you was a mistake. But your father he...He wanted you dead."

"No, he didn't. I remember him, he loved me." I shook my head.

"He did love you, so, so, so much. As your father he truly loved you." Misako said.

"Then why did he want to kill me?" I asked.

"Your father started his transition into Oni after you were born. It was the evil Oni heart that wished death upon you. I wanted to help him, fix him," Misako sobbed. "But there was no fixing an Oni. So, when some of his goodness was still there, we left for my brother-in-law's- Wu. We left you in the care of Hanita for your safety hoping we'd return. One day."

"Hanita died when I was 17. And you never came back." I snared.

"I...I didn't know. I am so sorry."

I just scoffed.

"We never came back because he became so evil he was eventually possessed by the Spirit of the Overlord and almost destroyed Ninjago City completely. After Lloyd saved him, he was good. Until he was taken by the banished realm. He...he was destroyed with it." Misako turned her head and tears fell from her cheeks.

I didn't know what to say. My father...he's dead. "You-you said that he became good before he...before he was taken. Was then not a good time to inform me about anything?"

"At that point, we knew you had to have made a life for yourself. We didn't want to create any unnecessary anger or sadness."

"A life? No. The fact that you would even assume that..." I sighed. "I just would've liked to know him. He was my father after all." I stood up, I wanted to leave.

"Wait, please just give me a chance. I'll make things right. You're here now, after all these years." She smiled. "Please, don't leave."

"I'm just going to my room, i'm tired." I didn't want to leave. I'll give her a chance and one chance only. Besides, Cole tempted me with joining the team and all.

"Oh," Misako said with a relieved tone. "Alright get some rest."

I didn't want her to think I forgave her so I just nodded and left the kitchen. I walked into the hall that lead back to my bedroom. I didn't know how to feel about this, but I know that something feels right. It will be a while before I could even think about forgiving Misako, but with time I think my life will get better. My father might be dead and I won't ever forget him, but I have a brother to get to know now. And besides...Cole is so hot so like...It shouldn't hurt to stay, right?