Children of Destiny

Okay! Now we can finally see the new generation hang out as they began yet another summer of training at the monastery together! Join them as they hone their elemental powers, interact with each other, & for those who are fans of good ol' fluff, there's gonna be a hint of romance in this chapter! Read on!

Chapter 3: Home Away From Home

After a couple of weeks off from school, it was now time for the kids to go to the monastery for their annual training. It was something like a summer camp for them since they'll have to train and live under the same roof without their parents. When they were younger, their parents did come with them but as they got older, they came with them less often so they can learn to be more independent and stand on their own two feet.

The First Spinjitzu Master's family gathered in front of the monastery to greet the students.

Leon and Willow were itching to see the kids. They always liked this time of year because they get to hang out with other kids and do a lot of fun stuff together. The families finally arrived on the kunoichi's ever loyal dragons.

"I'm going to miss you so much!" Luna cried as she held her daughters.

"I-I know…" Amy can practically feel the wind being squeezed out of her.

"Mom, we'll be fine." Melody squeezed out of one of her mother's bear hugs.

At least it wasn't as strong as their father's. Every time he hugs them, Amy and Melody swear that he could break their spines.

But Cole just had to make his daughters go through that again.

"Dad!" They both squirmed in his herculean grasp.

"Remember, be nice to the others and keep your powers in check."

"We will, Dad." Amy and Melody managed to get out before their father finally let go and give them some much-needed air.

"Now you behave yourselves," Heather told Forrest and Liana, "Arguments will happen once in a while but try to get along, okay?"

"We will." Forrest nodded.

"Remember everything you've learned," Zane lectured his kids, "And Liana, don't ever be afraid to show others the real you."

"Don't worry about us, Dad. Haukka will be watching over us." Liana pointed at the mechanical bird flying over them.

The avian robot flew down and perched itself on Zane's shoulder, as if to assure its partner that his children will be alright as long as it's with them.

"Watch over them, okay?" He told his former partner, who chirped in response.

"Remember, it's okay to have some fun every now and then but try not to get too carried away, okay?" Aria said.

"Got it." Alex answered.

The former fire ninja waited until his wife was earshot so he can give his own bit of advice.

"Just go out there and kick some ass, okay?" Kai whispered once he thought he was in the clear.

"Sure thing Dad!" Akira smirked.

"What was that?" Aria eyed her husband suspiciously.

"Nothing, dear!" Kai responded a little TOO eagerly…

Akira and Alex were never bored with their parents' antics and it's going to be one of the things they'll miss this summer.

Jay and Nya also let Sayuri come along to see her brothers off.

"Now remember," Jay started, "Don't act like jerks to your cousins and the other kids, be sure not to have food stuck between your teeth when you smile, and don't be an idiot like I was and make sure you have plenty of clean underwear."

"Dad!" Chris and Kyle's faces were redder than overripe tomatoes!

Nya chuckled at her sons but was more discreet, "We just don't want you to get into a situation you can't get out of. Your father and I are just worried about you."

"But we can take care of ourselves." Chris complained.

"Worrying about you is part of my duty as a mother but I still have faith in you."

Also greeting the new generation was Sensei Wu, who hasn't changed a bit. He still looked the exact same with his flowing white beard, wide straw hat, and perpetual cup of tea in hand.

"I assure you that your children will do well," He told his grown students, "I feel that they'll be able to fully control their powers soon."

"I wanna go too!" Sayuri complained, clinging to her brothers' legs like a spoiled child.

"Sayuri! Let go!" Kyle shook his leg away from her grip.

"You don't have any powers… yet." Jay tried to comfort his daughter without ostracizing her.

"But what if I never get any!?"

"Just because you don't wield an element doesn't mean you won't be able to do great things," Wu also tried to comfort the little girl, "Your mother proved it back in the very beginning."

"But she got to be kunoichi!"

"Having elemental powers don't define who you are. Your brothers have distinct personalities that make them stand out from the others, not because of their elements."

Sayuri pouted but said nothing, being unable to think of a response.

"But look on the bright side. At least you have Mommy and Daddy all to yourself." Nya hugged her daughter to console her.

The envious girl remained silent but seemed placated as she got on Star with her parents.

After saying their final goodbyes, the grown ninjas and kunoichi got on their dragons and left.

With their parents gone, the new generation were now on their own.

The kids still have yet to master Spinjitzu or have complete control of their elements. Sure, they kept their powers under control but they still had some 'episodes' such as Forrest accidentally growing a jungle in the guys' room quite literally overnight last year.

Luckily, Lloyd gave them the first day to get readjusted to life at the monastery before training actually begins. The Pyrrhus and Walker children were already eager to catch up and soon, the other kids joined in. They always liked to talk about their friends at their schools, their parents' antics, and just things they like.

But they knew it wasn't all fun and games at the monastery.

Tomorrow, the training begins…

Today was the first morning of training and Lloyd was up and ready. The green ninja walked out into the courtyard, only to slip on the abnormally slick floor and fell flat on his bottom.

Along with the wintery chill, there can only be one explanation for all this.

"Liana!" Lloyd shouted indignantly.

The pale girl used the ice powers she inherited from her father to convert the courtyard into an ice rink by covering the ground in a thin layer of ice. Lloyd wasn't exactly thrilled by all this but the other ninjas-in-training as well as his family didn't mind one bit.

"Come on Daddy! Lighten up!" Iris giggled.

"Willow, the kids aren't here just to play games. You all need to learn to control your powers."

"Woo hoo!" Leon skated across the floor and stopped in front of his father.

"Lloyd!" Iris was also enjoying herself, "Come join us! This is fun!"

"Iris!? You too!?" Lloyd struggled to get up only to fall maladroitly on his butt again.

"Life isn't supposed to be 'all work and no play'. Let the kids have some fun." His wife chuckled.

The 'culprit' glided gracefully in front of the green ninja.

"Sensei Lloyd, is something wrong?" Liana noticed her teacher having a hard time standing for more than a couple of seconds at a time.

"Why would you do this?" The grown man complained like in impudent child.

"I… I wanted to try being me…" Liana whispered shyly.

Believe it or not, the normally reticent girl actually had a sense of humor but like her father, she often had trouble showing it. But now that she was surrounded by people she knew, Liana felt like she can try being herself.

"Liana, I have nothing against you showing your true self, but training comes first," Lloyd said, "You can do all this winter magic stuff later."

"I understand."

Liana commanded the ice to disappear and with the summer heat, it was gone in seconds.

"Aw…" Willow pouted.

"You'll have plenty of time to have fun later." Lloyd reminded his young daughter.

"We should do this again, Liana!" Amy exclaimed.

"Uh… thanks…" The ice wielder shyly accepted the compliment.

It felt nice to be accepted for who she was but the pale girl still wasn't used to it. After years of being called 'weird' at school, being complimented still felt a bit unfamiliar to her.

It wasn't even noon and the new generation had to get ready for their first training session.

During their stay at the monastery, the kids each wore a simple gi the same color as that worn by the parent they inherited their powers from, like Forrest wearing teal and Amy clad in black. Instead of hoods covering their heads save for their eyes like their fathers, they all had a simple cloth covering the lower halves of their faces like the ones their mothers wore.

"You should already know how things go," Lloyd began, "All of you select one weapon of your choice before we began today's training session."

The children each got a plain weapon from the massive selection, from Akira getting a katana to Kyle choosing some daggers.

Lloyd knew they still weren't ready to wield the weapons their parents used a long time ago.

Their parents still kept the Gold and Silver Weapons until the day their children fully master the elements and they'll pass down their weapons to them. It may take time but Lloyd was patient and was confident that his students will prove themselves soon.

"You've all made a lot of progress last year," Lloyd led his students to the training grounds, "But I must make sure you haven't forgotten what you've learned during your last tenure. Prove to me you haven't forgotten anything."

The obstacle course popped up and whirred to life, ready to put the new trainees to the test.

Many years ago, this very obstacle course made their fathers' lives a living hell and now it was ready to do the same for them.

"So who's going first?" Melody glanced at the others to see if anyone's willing to go.

"I'll go first." Forrest volunteered.

The new plant wielder charged at the logs that kept bobbing up and down like a Whack-A-Mole game, managing to step on them without being thrown off balance. He took advantage of the swift momentum as they pushed up to propel him upward with each step. The other kids were impressed but he wasn't done.

Next, he went for the punching bag and struck it down with his plain staff and did similar work on the moving targets. The targets moved swiftly but Forrest was so determined to get them all he didn't see the nunchuck which struck him from the back.

The defeated ninja sighed in aggravation before returning to the group.

"You did good but you need some work on your patience." Lloyd commented before Kyle went next with a pair of simple kunai in his hands.

With a swift gait, the brunette dodged the swinging ball and chain and hopped over the bo staff that swung low and would've knocked him off his feet if he hadn't dodged in time. As he flipped through the blades slashing at him, Kyle found himself on a treadmill going at top speed. He did whatever he can to not get flung off but he can hear the others laugh at him struggling to catch up with the treadmill, causing him to lose focus and get flung off just as he feared.

"Kyle, you weren't bad but you can't let the little things distract you." Lloyd critiqued him.

"Fine…"

The new ninjas and kunoichi all got a turn at the obstacle course… and got their asses kicked.

But Lloyd said they made more progress compared to last year. So far, they seem to remember everything they previously learned so the aged hero of Ninjago allowed them to have a break. Leon and Willow immediately suggested sliding down the halls with their socks. Sometimes, it's the simplest things that can be the most fun.

Lloyd and Iris looked on as their children interact with the other young ninjas.

"You know, our children always remind me of a certain someone…" Iris said with a mischievous smile on her face.

"Who?" Lloyd asked.

Iris playfully pounced on her husband as she did during her kunoichi days.

"They're just like you when you were young."

The couple chuckled and exchanged a modest kiss before catching up with their kids.

The next part of the first day of training was for the apprentices was to show what they can do with their elements alone. Liana already covered the courtyard in ice this morning but it didn't count so she was not exempt for this part.

Again, the new ninjas proved they haven't forgotten everything and showed full control of their elements, from Amy raising the earth under her feet to Chris sending bolts of lightning from his hands. Even Leon can shoot beams of pure energy from his hands and Willow showed promise with her abilities to control time by reverting a wilted flower to a healthy fully-bloomed state.

"Good job, students." Lloyd commended them, "You're all showing signs of improvement. Since this is, after all, the first day, training will end now."

This was another aspect of their summers at the monastery the new generation liked.

Lloyd was a more lenient teacher than Sensei Wu had been to their parents and even let them do whatever they wanted if they did well and didn't get into trouble, which most of his students were wise enough NOT to do. The green ninja was nice most of the time but when angered, he can be pretty scary.

With today's training done, the new generation decided to unwind by playing video games on the Garmadon family's huge HD TV. They particularly enjoyed the 'Ninja Battle' series since they got to choose a variety of ninjas, some with similar powers. Forrest's favorite character to play was Bolobo because he also controlled plants, while Alex, more often than not, picked Camille since she was the only female character in the game, citing is as 'girl power'.

The boys watched as Melody's character, Lar, went against Gravis, who was selected by Willow.

"Come on Willow!" Leon goaded his sister, "Use that combo I taught you!"

"You can do it!" Amy also encouraged her little sister, "Do that tsunami move!"

The characters in the game were going at it much like their players did whenever they dueled as part of their training. The other ninjas and kunoichi watching kept cheering like sports fans at a football game. In the end, the younger Willow prevailed when Gravis used his gravity powers to walk along the walls to land a sneak attack on the water ninja, claiming victory in this round.

"I win! I win! I win!" The twelve-year-old kept jumping excitedly.

Melody wasn't thrilled to lose to someone younger but knew it was just a game and her parents often told her and Amy that no one likes a sore loser.

Besides, there's always next time for her and the other ninjas.

It was getting late and the new generation gathered in the dining room for dinner.

As part of her accepting the responsibilities of being a mother, Iris worked on her culinary skills and it paid off. Over the years, she became a great cook and even Liana and Forrest enjoyed it, even if they understandably preferred their father's cooking.

The new ninjas and kunoichi feasted on as much beef stroganoff their stomachs can handle, not playing attention to the old man who joined later.

"Gruncle Wu!" The green ninja's kids greeted their granduncle.

Leon and Willow had a habit of calling Wu 'Gruncle' since it was much less time-consuming than calling him granduncle. Fortunately, the sagely old man didn't mind one bit. It was nice to have some youthful sense of humor in the otherwise solitary monastery.

"Uncle, is there something you want to tell us?" Lloyd asked.

The bearded old man gave his nephew a nod before turning to talk to Leon and Willow.

"Your grandparents plan to visit soon. You should be on your best behavior when they arrive."

The new ninjas and kunoichi only met the infamous Garmadon a few times. The former tyrant mostly visited the monastery when it was just him and his immediate family but has dropped by to see the new generation's progress before. He couldn't be more different than the Garmadon their parents told them about in their stories. He was described to have four arms, skin as black as a starless night on a new moon, glowing eyes red as blood, and having a ruthless obsession with taking over Ninjago.

But the Garmadon they knew couldn't be more different than that.

The former dark lord was a gentle but somewhat somber old man who bore some resemblance to his son. His personality was like his brother's in which he was wise and willing to give advice but can be very stern and serious at times. Like his brother and son, he was also a wise teacher during his visits so even the young apprentices addressed him as 'Sensei' too.

"The same goes for you as well," Wu also turned to face the new generation, "All of you should behave when my brother visits."

"Yes, Sensei Wu."

Just like their parents had during their adventures, the new ninjas spent their dinner talking the night away, from sharing their own interests to life outside of training. Each ninja and kunoichi felt like they were all a big family. The monastery was pretty much like home away from home for them, which was why they enjoyed this time of year.

It was nighttime but the new generation still wanted to do plenty of other stuff before they call it a night. After all, the night's still young.

"Hey! Let's watch some movies!" Leon suggested, holding up some Blu-Ray DVD's.

Of course this led to some arguments on what to watch. Chris and Kyle wanted to watch a sci-fi movie, Akira wanted action, and Melody wanted a musical. After more than a few 'disputes' the kids finally decided to watch Rise of the Warriors. While some of the ninjas and kunoichi were glued to the TV, others found different ways to spend the night.

Alex decided to talk with some of her friends back at Ignacia while Amy wanted to catch up on the latest of the 'Tales of Mystique' novels detailing the adventures of two best friends, Skylor and Seliel, who both happen to be kunoichi.

Ever since the original ninjas and kunoichi's adventures, there's been lots of books, games, and even movies with a ninja theme. Even to this day, there's still much ninja-related paraphernalia going about.

Liana sat in the corner, tending to Haukka, whose wing seemed to have gotten scratched while it was out flying. Having a knack for machinery, she managed to bring some tools with her just in case something like this happens. She inspected the joint of the wing that was slightly out of place and began screwing it back in place. Unlike most girls, she was happiest when working on machines and any bit of technology. It was only fitting, being the daughter of a former nindroid.

"Don't worry Haukka," The pale girl caressed the mechanical bird's chin, "I'll get your wing fixed before you know it."

Haukka let out a few little chirps before entering 'sleep mode' so Liana can fix him without the burdens of keeping it still.

Liana was so wrapped up in her work that she didn't notice someone watching her…

"What are you doing?" A masculine voice asked.

The shy girl gasped in surprise to see Akira staring at her.

What would someone as hotheaded as him want with her?

"N-nothing… I was just fixing up my little friend…" She stuttered.

The new fire ninja noticed that Liana seemed more at peace around machinery and knew how to make her feel more comfortable.

"You know, you can always talk with my cousins," The amber-eyed ninja offered, "They're both good with technology. You could try going to them if you have any trouble with this stuff."

"I'm fine, really…"

"Well… remember you can always go to them if you want…"

Akira left the quiet girl to her own devices.

Unfortunately, he was being watched…

"What was that about?" Leon gave Akira a curious look.

"I just felt like helping her open up, that's all."

"Really?"

"Really."

Despite the silence, Akira didn't like that smile on the green-eyed boy's face…

…

"Do you like her?"

"W-what!? No!"

Leon wasn't as stupid as he let on. He can see hints of a blush on the new fire ninja's tan skin.

"Then why were you talking to her?" The fair-haired boy eyed him suspiciously.

"Well, she was looking pretty lonely and I thought I can give her some advice…"

"Yeah… sure…"

"Look! This isn't something a kid like you won't understand!"

"Hey! We're the same age! I'm only several months younger than you!" Leon retorted.

"It still counts!" Akira brushed him off.

"Whatever."

The green ninja's son rolled his pure emerald eyes and dismissed his friend, having no interest in romance and relationships.

'Yeah, you better run.' Akira gave an annoyed glance towards the direction Leon walked off.

He was just being a typical big brother looking out for his siblings. There's nothing lovey-dovey about helping a girl… right?

Once it was finally time for them to go to bed, the ninjas went into their shared room while the kunoichi had another to themselves, and the green ninja's children each had their own.

"I call top bunk!" Forrest leapt to the higher bed with little difficulty due to his height.

The tall ninja looked down at the cousins squabbling over the last bunk bed with amusement. It reminded him of the arguments he had with his sister. In the end, Chris prevailed and smirked down at his brother and cousin as they grudgingly settled for bottom bunk for the first night.

"Having fun down there?" Chris literally looked down on them.

"Urusai." Akira grumbled before going to bed.

"You better not turn this place into a jungle, Forrest," Kyle warned the plant wielder, "We know what happened last year."

Even after the lights were turned out and the other guys went to sleep, Akira was still awake.

He still kept picturing her in his head.

It wasn't that he liked her or anything. Being an older brother, he had an instinct to look out for others and offer support, including his cousins and teammates. Liana was no exception so that didn't mean anything special.

'I was just being nice, nothing more…' Akira told himself before his he drifted off to dreamland.

In the kunoichi's room, the decision on who gets the top bunks was (arguably) more peaceful. In the end, the Charbonneau sisters got the top bunks but Liana and Alex didn't mind waiting a while longer for their turn.

The sound of Luna's music still played as the kunoichi squeezed in some 'girl time' before they hit the lights.

"Your mom has a nice voice." Liana complimented the girls occupying the top bunks.

"Yeah," Amy said, "In fact, she still sings to us and our dad often. It's actually one of the things we miss every time we come here."

"She's a music teacher now but she used to be very famous." Melody added, "Our parents told us that there was no one in Ninjago who never heard her sing."

"But why would she retire if she was so successful?" Alex asked.

The sisters were very young when their mother retired but they still remember her being very famous and sought out by countless fans every time she went out. Their parents told them that she retired because all she sang solely for the sake of music, not fame. That and she wanted to give them a chance to live a normal life.

Or as normal as it can get being kunoichi-in-training.

"Mom said she never really liked some of the stuff that came with being an idol," Amy mused, "She always had people following her and even saw her face everywhere, like on billboards and even magazine covers. She only wanted to sing because she loved music, not fame."

"That and she didn't want Dad to raise us by himself." Melody added.

"That's understandable." Liana said.

"Hey Liana, I could've sworn I saw you talking to my bro back there," Alex said to the timid girl, "What exactly went on between you two?"

Liana was surprised that someone saw her and Akira talking but decided to be still be honest in a time like this, another trait she inherited from her father.

"He just told me about your cousins and I may have something in common with them."

"Those geeks?" Despite the name-calling, Liana knew Alex was saying it in good humor, "Yeah, they both know their way around technology and all that stuff. You'd get along with them."

"I don't know…"

"Come on Liana, just give them a chance," The olive-skinned girl sighed in exasperation, "You're gonna get special snowflake syndrome if you keep this up."

The timid girl felt that all too familiar feeling of being lonely. The other girls at school and even Forrest called her a 'special snowflake' for not opening up. She began to feel that being herself won't be good enough to find acceptance.

"Alex, don't be so hard on Liana," Amy tried to keep the peace, "She has different interests but we all do. Everyone's different, including us, so none of us are better or worse than the other."

The ice wielder remembered what her father told her before she and Forrest left Arbouria.

Everyone has their differences but they can find ways to find acceptance.

She isn't the center of the universe and she must find acceptance by embracing what makes her unique, not make her differences an excuse to shun herself.

"I guess I can try talking to them tomorrow…"

"That's the spirit," Melody encouraged her, "You just have to open up."

"Girls, it's getting late." Iris' voice echoed from the other side of the door, "You must get some rest for tomorrow's training."

"Okay." The new kunoichi said simultaneously and called it a night.

After the lights were out, another thought came up in Liana's head and no, it wasn't about her differences or difficulty fitting in.

It was about the events that transpired earlier.

Why did Akira approach her and why would he go out of his way to make her feel accepted?

Was he just being a Good Samaritan or was it something more?

But Liana was unable to ask any more questions because she fell asleep.

Maybe she can find some answers tomorrow…

Ooooooooohhhhh! Looks like love's already in the air!

Seriously, while I was planning out the sequel, I thought it would be interesting for 2 opposite elements to be paired up together, kinda like Zane & Heather, so there you have it! Akira & Liana will (eventually) be a couple! But not all of the new ninjas & kunoichi will be paired up. There's still going to be less emphasis on romance than the prequel. Also, I'm sorry if it seems like a slow start but I want to give a look into the new generation's lives before all the actual adventures & fun stuff begin.

Anyway, let me know what you readers think & as always, review!