Children of Destiny

Hi everybody! In the last chapter, we saw the elements awaken in the kids! I wanted this chapter to focus on family life as well as a time skip. Here, we'll see the kids' personalities shine & relationships with their parents. Also, we'll be introduced to Jay & Nya's daughter! I know it may not be much but I really want to give a look into their lives outside of the adventures to come, so please enjoy!

Chapter 2: Family Matters

Ten years later…

The ninjas' children were able to hone their elemental powers over the decade.

Ever since their powers emerged, the children would spend every summer at the monastery to train and learn to control their powers in case evil returns. So far, everything's been peaceful in Ninjago so they didn't really see the point but it was still nice to have powers and hang out with one another.

Right now, school was out and summer vacation was in.

Akira and Alex couldn't be happier to get out, even if their summer was like every other for the last decade. They'll have to go to the monastery but they didn't mind. At least they got to hang out with their cousins and the other ninjas' children. The motely group didn't mind being with each other every summer and they can't have it any other way.

The twins knew they were almost home once they heard a familiar sound.

The sound of banging metal was also the sound of home to the twins, having heard that sound all the time for as long as they can remember.

"Dad! We're home!" Akira greeted their father.

Kai was still a blacksmith and he can't have it any other way and the Four Weapons continued to be the talk of Ignacia. All his hard work helped keep his body fit and muscular throughout the years but he still showed signs of aging. Whenever it wasn't gelled up into spikes, his chocolate brown locks would slightly curl at the ends and his bangs would almost cover his eyes but now that he was older, the fire ninja no longer felt the need to drench his hair in gel so he finally let his hair fall naturally over his face and he developed a little bit of stubble on his chin. But what didn't change were his hot amber eyes that still shone with exuberance like flames.

"How's school?" The former ninja greeted his kids.

"Who cares? School's out!" Akira shouted ecstatically.

"It was fine," Alex answered in a calmer manner, "But finals are always a pain in the- "

"Language, Alex." Kai gently reprimanded his daughter.

The brunette girl pouted in annoyance but held her tongue. All she and her brother wanted to do was relax and spend time with their friends here in Ignacia before going to the monastery.

They may be twins but Akira and Alex had some differences in looks and personality.

Akira's once fair hair darkened into a dirty blonde hue like his mother's that always looked spiky because he liked to have his hair messed up a bit. As for personality, he can be as hotheaded as his father but knew when to think things through and had a creative side like his mother. As for Aria, she looked almost exactly like their mother in her youth save for her chocolate brown hair and amber eyes from her father. She also had a beauty mark but it was just off the lower right corner of her mouth. As for personality, she was a tomboy like her mother but was also fiercely independent, a trait Kai says she got from her aunt Nya, whom she admires.

After initial greetings with their father, they greeted their mother at the back of the shop.

"School's over but you have to get ready for your trip to the monastery." Aria reminded them.

"We know." Akira replied nonchalantly.

Like her husband, Aria had also aged. Her dirty blonde hair was now a couple of inches past her shoulders, which she wore in a simple bun, and her sky blue eyes now shone with knowledge of the world she yearned to explore when she first became a kunoichi.

"Why don't you go relax?" The former kunoichi offered her children, "I'll be making something really good for dinner tonight."

It was no secret that both Akira and Alex's favorite food was their mother's cooking and today, she made yet another tasty meal for her family. Today's dinner with the classic Spanish dish of paella with homemade churros for dessert.

Akira and Alex kept talking about their annual trip to the monastery over dinner and about the progress they made last year. Last time, Alex managed to create 'mini tornadoes' with a pair of war fans and Akira was able to summon a wall of fire that allowed him to win his match against Forrest. It's only a matter of time until they fully master their elements.

Kai couldn't be more proud of his children and knew they'll be ready to face the world soon.

"Can't wait for you two to go out there, beating up bad guys, burning stuff up…"

"Kai!" Aria stomped her husband's foot under the table, much to their kids' bemusement.

"Don't give them any ideas!" She hissed under her breath.

"What? You weren't complaining when I did it!" Kai retorted.

"You were already a ninja! Our kids still aren't ready!"

"It's only a matter of time, Aria. We'll have to let them go."

"I know…"

Akira and Alex were often told by their parents of the responsibilities that will come with being full-fledged ninja but they were eager to prove themselves. They know they will…

The Walker family were gathered in the hall for a big presentation.

"Get a load of this!"

Jay unveiled his next P.I.X.A.L. to his family.

The P.I.X.A.L.'s were very successful and made daily life for handicapped people much easier by doing various tasks such as helping handicapped people reach for items in very high shelves or describe surroundings to blind people. This made the Walkers quite wealthy but they preferred to live like ordinary people.

Besides, much of the money Jay and Nya earned went to raising their kids.

But this P.I.X.A.L. looked like nothing more than an ordinary wheelchair.

"That's it?" Kyle raised an eyebrow in a quizzical expression.

"Don't judge a book by its cover!" The ninja inventor reminded his younger son, "This ain't your grandma's ol' wheelchair!"

"But Grandma doesn't have a wheelchair." Chris said dryly.

"The point is, you won't believe what this baby can do!" Jay sat down on the 'wheelchair'.

"Full speed ahead!"

As if out of a cyberpunk show, a pair of boosters opened up behind the new invention and they were ignited as the newest P.I.X.A.L. sped across the hall but all too quickly, things went awry. The engines blew up and the inventor was sent careening onto the floor, scrapping his chin.

"Jay!" Nya rushed to her husband's side, with her midnight hair back to the short length her husband found more beautiful on her.

Luckily, Jay was up on his feet in no time.

Although he was a successful inventor, Jay still suffered quite a bunch of mishaps, which would leave him with plenty of bruises and the stress he frequently goes through to keep his gadgets from blowing up on him also left him with some age lines on his face. But his faithful wife was always by his side and with her and their children, he always pressed forward.

"Guess it still needs some working on…" Jay blushed with embarrassment.

His sons only looked on in bemusement.

Chris grew up looking just like his father except that his hair was black like his mother's and he didn't have a scar going through his eyebrow. Kyle grew out his dark brown hair and his bangs nearly covered his right eye.

"So Dad, want any help before we go to the monastery?" Kyle asked.

"You think you have time?" Nya asked.

"School's out so that means we have plenty of time to help out before we go." Chris answered.

"What about me?" A third voice asked.

Unlike the other ninja couples with their two children, Jay and Nya had a third child, a girl they named Sayuri.

Although she was nine, Sayuri never displayed any elemental powers, making her feel left out. There were times she felt unloved whenever her parents trained her older brothers to control their elements but they insisted that they love her and her brothers, even if none of them had any powers. She even looked quite different from her brothers.

Her hair was in a unique shade of strawberry blonde she wore in a ponytail. Nya wondered how she got her hair color but Jay said she got it from his father Ed, who had strawberry blonde hair before it greyed with age. Sayuri's eyes also had the exact same shade of hazel as her mother's unlike Kyle's. The only similarity she had with her brothers was their sun-kissed skin tone.

Jay wasn't sure what to say without making his daughter feel insecure over her lack of powers.

"Uh… they have elemental powers so that's why they must go every summer…" He said.

"Why do they get to have powers and I don't!?" Sayuri complained with jealous tears glistening in her hazel eyes.

"Sayuri, you may have powers one day," Nya consoled her youngest child, "You'll probably just get it later than your brothers. I actually went through the same thing."

"You did?"

"I joined the ninjas long before I discovered my powers and I felt left out. As a result I decided that if I can't be a ninja, I can be a samurai, so I became Samurai X."

"Samurai X?"

"Hai. I intended to keep my identity a secret but your father found out on our first date."

Jay also remembered that day as both a good and bad experience.

"What happened after that?"

"Well, I continued to help the ninjas during their adventures until I was told I was the kunoichi of metal."

"But Kyle already has metal powers!" Sayuri whined.

"That doesn't mean he and Chris are better than you. We love you just as much." Jay patted his daughter's head, "It doesn't matter if any of you inherited our elements or not. You'll always be our children."

"R-really…?" Their daughter sniffled back some tears.

"Of course," Nya kissed her daughter's brow, "It doesn't matter what you do, it's all about who you are. There's only one you and that's why your daddy and I love you so much."

"Even if I have powers?" Sayuri asked.

"Without a doubt," Jay said, "We love you because you're the best you. That's what your mom told me back then."

Sayuri felt better that her parents still loved her just as much as their brothers. Jay and Nya felt relieved that she was no longer upset but they still had to get Chris and Kyle ready for their trip to the monastery without making her feel left out.

Parenting really was tougher than being a ninja…

Amy and Melody were too busy singing and dancing to the songs their mother made during her time as an idol to notice that their father just got back from work.

"I'm home!" Cole greeted his wife and daughters after a hard day's work with the lumberjacks.

Cole looked the same and still had a bodybuilder physique thanks to his job as a lumberjack but constantly working out in the sun caused his skin to develop a tan and he also grew a mustache just like his dad's. The former ninja was annoyed when his figurative brothers say he looked just like his dad now but Luna didn't mind and he still decided to keep it.

During one of the ninjas' get-togethers, Jay claimed that Cole got his mustache not because of his dad but because he didn't have a son to pass down his 'caterpillar curse' to and struck him again and his facial hair was actually the eyebrows that was meant for the son he never had.

This ended up with the former blue ninja having to be rushed to the hospital for the beating the earth ninja gave him in response.

(*) "Welcome back, Liebling." Luna greeted her husband with a kiss on the cheek.

But Cole wanted more and grabbed his wife to kiss her directly on the lips. The ex-diva's upper lip was tickled by his mustache as the kiss soon deepened.

In Cole's eyes, Luna was just as beautiful as ever. Sure, she was getting older but those pools of aquamarine would always leave him speechless and he still loved to run his fingers through her thick auburn hair that ended at her waist.

"Hi Dad!" Amy and Melody also greeted their father with a hug.

Cole and Luna smiled proudly at their beautiful daughters.

Their daughters definitely had similarities in their looks and personalities but they still had their fair share of differences. Amy's dark auburn hair ended a few inches below her shoulders while Melody grew out her ebony hair to her hips. They liked to think with both their heads and their hearts like Cole and Luna respectively but Amy was more with the former and Melody with the latter. But their parents loved them equally for their unique traits.

Amy and Melody also shared their parents' talents in singing and dancing but Cole didn't want to pressure them into pursuing a career with their talents. Unlike his father, he wanted them to choose their own path in life and no matter what, he'll always support them. Even Luna didn't want to pressure them, telling them to listen to their hearts for only they can decide what they want in life.

Though both of them were good at both singing and dancing, Amy was 'stronger' in the singing department while Melody was the better dancer. Their mother, remembering her glory days as an idol, was more than happy to share her love for music with them but refused to press them to go to the Marty Oppenheimer School. They might end up changing their minds and decide to pursue some other career but as long as it makes them happy, she won't stop them.

But career choices weren't the only thing Cole and Luna had to worry about.

The girls inherited their powers and every summer, they had to train at the monastery. They've made plenty of progress but it was always so hard to let them go. No matter how old they'll be, they'll always be their precious little girls.

"I'm going to miss you both." Luna wrapped her arms around her daughters in a tight bear hug.

"Luna, they won't be leaving for another couple of weeks." Cole reminded his wife.

"But we both know how fast time can just fly by." The German woman responded.

The former earth ninja understood how his spouse felt. It also felt like yesterday he saw her for the first time singing in her audition back at the Marty Oppenheimer School.

"Luna, I'm sure our daughters will be fine. Just have faith in them."

"I know… I just can't help but let my motherly instincts kick in…"

"You're not the only one. I also worry about them while I'm at work."

"Dad, we can still hear you." Amy interrupted the moment.

The couple blushed, much to their daughters' amusement.

"You have plenty of time to get lovey-dovey later." Melody chuckled, "Especially with us away for the summer."

Being reminded of the annual trip only made their mother emotional again. Luna went back to being a sobbing wreck and holding her daughters like lifelines.

"Mom!" Amy and Melody tried to squeeze their way out of her tight grip.

"My little princesses are growing up!" The former diva sniffled and had to be calmed down by her husband.

"Amy, Melody, listen to me," Cole gathered his daughters before him, "No matter where you go and what you'll do with your powers, your mother and I will always love you and we know you two will be able to master your elements and do great things."

"Dad… Thank you."

Amy and Melody hugged their parents in turn. The sisters were grateful to have such loving and understanding parents who were always there to help them control their powers and all sorts of troubles they run into.

It was all the family could ever want.

Zane finally realized how much he has changed over the years.

If he were still a nindroid, Zane would've looked the exact same as he did when his father first built the body he dwells in now but alas, he chose to be human and one of the prices he had to pay was to age like any other organic being. His platinum blonde hair still stuck straight up and his icy blue eyes still pierced into the souls of all who gazed into them but his face was starting to show evidence of aging, especially with his even more prominent cheekbones.

"Zane, is something wrong?" Heather asked her husband.

"I'm fine," The former nindroid shook his head, "I was just thinking."

Heather had also aged but like she had done with him, Zane saw her for her true self that would always be the same, no matter how old she'll get. Her light brown hair now grew all the way to her thighs but she no longer wore her scarlet headband and her grayish blue eyes had a look of wisdom to them. But even when they become very old, their love would always be strong.

"Are you thinking about what you told them last year?" The former kunoichi asked.

"No but it's still a poignant memory." Zane answered.

It was a year ago that Zane finally told his children the truth of what he used to be. He figured it was the right time when they began to show a penchant for technology, although it was more prominent in Liana than Forrest, but they also held a strong respect for Mother Nature, which Forrest seemed to have a stronger link to than his sister.

Understandably, Liana and Forrest were shocked that their father was a robot and even worried that they may not be completely human but their mother convinced them that they were. The former nindroid told them about his origins, from his first human life to the second chance that was given to him by their grandfather by placing his soul in a robotic body. They also asked their mother why she would marry a machine but Heather revealed that their father became human before they married but she still would've done so if he was a robot because she loved him for who he was deep down, regardless of his origins and wanted them to do the same should they find someone they love with all their hearts.

Speaking of which…

"Mom! Dad! Any plans for the summer before Liana and I go to the monastery?" Forrest asked as he approached his parents.

"Not really," Heather answered, "We just want to be a family before you and your sister leave."

The brunette boy noticed that his sister still hasn't come out of her room since they left school.

"Liana!" Forrest knocked on the door of his sister's room, "Aren't you coming out?"

"Fine…" Liana's cool velvety voice echoed from the other side of the door.

It was no secret, even to Liana's family, that the pale girl often had trouble fitting in, something her father knew all too well. Like Zane had in the past, Liana had a hard time trying to get along with the other girls in school. She wasn't interested in fashion and boys, preferring to stick with animals and technology and as a result, some of her classmates began to call her weird or even a freak. It didn't help that having ice powers made her feel even more isolated from other girls. Zane went through the same thing when he first met the ninjas and began his training and tried to do whatever he can to help her but she frequently brushed him off, causing him to fear that she has truly become cold.

Zane saw a lot of his past self in his daughter and it frankly unnerved him.

But she wasn't like that all the time.

At home, Liana was a fairly amiable girl and had a (mostly) good relationship with her younger brother but outside, she was quiet and stayed away from the crowd. Even with the other kids at the monastery, she was still timid but with Forrest's help, she was willing to socialize with them once in a while and her quiet personality never really caused much problems.

As for Forrest, things were different. He was definitely a socialite, having plenty of friends and was quite popular in school but his parents told him not to let his popularity get to his head. As he always had since childhood, he would try to get Liana to join in on the fun but she kept her distance, which sometimes frustrated him and there were times he even accused her of having 'special snowflake syndrome' just because she had ice powers and different interests.

"Liana, are you ready?" Heather asked her daughter.

Finally, Liana emerged from her room with the robot falcon perched on her shoulder. The avian automaton remained loyal to its partner's family and would even watch over Liana and Forrest whenever both of their parents were unable to. The kids even gave the robot a name, Haukka, which meant falcon in their father's native tongue. Interestingly, both Liana and Forrest had an English accent, undoubtedly inherited from their mother, though it wasn't as strong.

Not only was Liana going through what her father had years ago, but she also looked like him if he were female. Her platinum blonde hair that was almost white extended to the middle of her back with even bangs like her mother's but she wore it back with a pale blue headband, which revealed her hairline that was exactly like her father's and she even had her father's porcelain skin. But she also had her mother's eyes and very faint freckles on her cheeks.

"What do you want?" Liana asked her brother.

"About time you've shown up." Forrest said with dry humor, not having to look up at his sister.

Although he was younger, Forrest was nearly the same height as his sister, having always been a bit tall for his age. Zane and Heather often commented that he grew like a weed, which was a pretty fitting idiom since it matched his element of nature. Sometimes, he would get teased at school for his height but it never really bothered him.

"Sis, why can't you just try and make friends with the others at school?" Forrest asked.

"I… I'm just too different…" Liana sighed.

"Liana, you're not the only one," Zane lectured his daughter, "I went through the same thing a long time ago. I followed life at a different pace and even the ninjas called me names because of it but I didn't want to change. I just wanted to be me."

"But you were robot back then. You could've just been acting based on your programming."

"That's what I thought but your grandfather built me in a way that I can think for myself. I had my own thoughts, feelings, and even personality. I was a ninja not because I was programmed to but because I truly wanted to help anyone in need."

"Your father's right," Heather added, "At first, I saw him as a cold machine but after I gave him a chance to truly be himself, I realized I loved him because of who he truly was and even after becoming human, he was still himself and that's why I married him."

"But what about fitting in?"

"Everyone's different and you're no exception. You should embrace what makes you unique." Zane said, "Even Forrest has his differences with his friends but he doesn't let that get to him. It's not good to ostracize yourself and you must remember that we are all different. It's not all about you."

"But what about the girls who won't accept me for who I am."

"It's their loss," Forrest responded, "They're gonna miss out seeing the real you."

"I wouldn't put it that way but I agree," Their father nodded, "If they can't accept you for your differences, then you shouldn't bother with them. I'm sure the other ninjas' children accept you for who you are. You seem to get along with them."

"I guess…"

"Then there's no reason to keep shutting people out. I know what you're going through and I'll help you. Just don't be afraid to be who you truly are."

"I'll try."

"That's the spirit!" Forrest patted his sister's shoulder, "Now let's just relax before we leave."

"Okay."

Zane and Heather looked on with pride. Just like their relationship, their children's differences may balance each other out into a unique harmony.

Leon…

The great-grandson of the First Spinjitzu Master could've sworn he heard someone calling out to him but he was too busy being the king in his dreamland filled with video games and candy.

"Leon!" The voice spoke louder.

Leon felt a rolled up scroll smack him on the head, which woke him up. He lifted his head to see his teacher, Misako, staring him down with disapproving eyes that were the same emerald hue as his own, as well as his father's and grandmother's. He would almost think she's truly related to them.

After years of traveling all over Ninjago, Misako also moved into the monastery to be a tutor to Leon and Willow with her vast wisdom and knowledge. The bespectacled woman was a capable teacher, although like their granduncle Wu, she can be a bit strict at times, such as right now.

"Leon, how many times do I have to tell you?" Misako asked in exasperation, "You shouldn't fall asleep during these lessons. They're very important if you're to succeed your father."

It was no secret to Leon and Willow that their parents once saved Ninjago many years ago.

They've heard all the stories of their parents' adventures with the ninjas ever since their powers have awakened, from sacrificing their childhood to the moments they shared as a couple. Leon and Willow were always amused by their father's stories on how he avoided their mother and that he considered her to be one of the most annoying people he's ever met but he eventually grew to love her.

During the lecture, at least Leon's sister was listening.

"Willow, would you like to repeat what I've told you, today?" Misako asked Willow.

"Yes Sensei!" The perpetually spirited twelve-year-old got up to speak.

"The Overlord faced the green ninja in his own dimension and possessed him. He would've won if the pink kunoichi of time and space hadn't used her powers to free him. With the combined powers of the ninjas and kunoichi, they defeated the Overlord, bringing peace to Ninjago."

"Very good, Willow." Misako praised the young girl.

"Arigatou."

"Leon, I hope you were listening to your sister." Misako said to the sixteen-year-old.

"Yeah, yeah." Leon sighed with boredom.

"That's all for today." Misako ended the lecture, "But be sure to take these lessons to heart."

"Hai." The children of Ninjago's hero immediately got up and left.

Leon and Willow were ready to just unwind and spend the rest of their day having fun. The two soon spotted their parents strolling in the garden at the back of the monastery.

"Daddy!"

Willow ran up to her father and leapt into his arms. Lloyd chuckled as he held his daughter and Iris greeted her with a kiss on the cheek.

Even Lloyd and Iris showed evidence of aging.

Lloyd's fair hair naturally darkened just a little bit and he even grew out a mustache, though it was nowhere near as thick as Cole's while Iris grew out her delicate brownish gold curls to the small of her back like she had during her heyday as the kunoichi of time and space but she still looked more mature and the knowledge she accumulated shown in her kind violet eyes. To her husband, she was still as beautiful as ever, inside and out.

"The kids are coming soon so you should get ready." Iris said to her children.

"We know." Leon responded.

He and Willow knew what their mother was talking about.

Soon, the ninjas' children will arrive so they can train together. Leon and Willow actually liked the extra company and they didn't just train together. Their father would let them do plenty of other stuff like play video games and watch movies… as long as they finish their training. There were even times he would order pizzas for them whenever they did exceptionally well. But he wasn't all fun and games. As a teacher and father, he can be stern and even intimidating when his kids or his pupils deliberately disobey him.

"How was today's lecture?" Iris asked her children.

"Sensei Misako says I'm doing good!" Willow said proudly.

"Let me guess, you fell asleep during the lecture." Lloyd said to Leon in a deadpan voice.

"H-how do you know…?"

"You still have some eye booger." His father pointed at his eyes.

The sixteen-year-old rubbed his eyes and saw that there were indeed bits of dry 'booger' on his hand. Willow let out a loud 'EW!' to tease him but he retorted by chasing her so he can get her with his yucky eye booger. Lloyd and Iris only looked on, being reminded of their youth.

"Since you're also their sensei, you should be getting ready too." Iris told her husband.

"I know," Lloyd said, "All the kids made a lot of progress last year. It's only a matter of time until they're truly ready. I just hope the Overlord won't come back any time soon."

"Me too…"

The couple kissed to comfort one another but knew it may not do much.

They just can't get rid of this feeling that things will happen much sooner than they hope…

(*) Liebling = Love (as in 'sweetheart') (German)

Here's to hoping Lloyd & Iris… Here's to hoping…

But there's more to come!

In the next chapter, we'll see how the kids interact with each other as they get to spend the summer together! As always, please review!