Children of Destiny

Wow. That's all I can say.

I can't believe I've got so many reviews for the last chapter! I couldn't be more grateful & thank you! In this chapter, Liana will think over her place within the ninjas & we'll see how Akira feels about all this! Now enjoy!

Chapter 18: A Team Divided

The flight back to Arbouria was an austere journey. The ninjas and Zane finally found Liana but they decided it was best for her to take a brief hiatus so she can have time to think about who she truly was and decide whether or not she was really one of them.

The ninja and kunoichi never said a word while their vessel flew towards the northwest woods while Zane shut himself in Liana's room, being the only person to keep his daughter company. The former ninja comforted his daughter and stroked her pale hair while she curled up on her bed, weeping bitterly.

"Don't cry Liana," He softly hushed her, "I've been through the same thing. I'll help you and so will the ninjas. If only you can see that we truly love you and let us in."

His daughter can only respond with more sobs but Zane was still there for her, keeping his oath from the day she was born.

Finally back in Arbouria, the ice ninja still supported his vulnerable daughter as they returned to their home where her mother awaited them.

"Oh Liana…!" Heather held her daughter tight like a little girl would do with her favorite doll.

Liana still wept as she held her mother, needing her support more than ever.

"We should leave," Misako shooed off her pupils, "Give them their moment."

"What about Liana?" The former plant wielder asked, "Isn't she coming with you?"

"Right now, she needs her parents' love and support more than Ninjago needs her. She will stay with you until she decides she's ready to resume her life as a kunoichi."

"We'll take care of you Liana," The English woman stroked her daughter's fair hair, "We'll help you now that you're home."

The kunoichi of ice sank into her parents' warm embrace, the only place where she belonged…

Ninjago was peaceful for now but the same can't be said at the Bounty.

The ninja and kunoichi can't help but feel empty as if they truly lost Liana forever.

It felt so strange having one less kunoichi on the ship. Despite what Liana believed, she was one of them and without her, the team was divided. She may not think it but she belonged with the team. Her ice powers had come in handy and she had worked with Akira a few times.

Liana's absence also took a particular toll on her brother.

Forrest was always a 'go-getter' but with Liana gone, he didn't have much energy to practice his Spinjitzu or even talk with the other ninja and kunoichi. He would only talk if spoken to first and even then, he only mumbled. Otherwise, he would sit at the far end of the deck, staring off into space. He was in his own little world, thinking about these recent events. He had called out his sister for having special snowflake syndrome like Chris but he was never as harsh. He started to think that little 'shove' may have been what Liana needed to snap out of it and open up to the ninjas but maybe there could've been another way…

'No…' The teal ninja shook his head, 'Chris had every right to chew out Liana but she's still very sensitive… I don't know if I should feel bad for her or not…'

Even the other ninjas gave their own say on Liana's situation.

"I can't believe Liana's gone…" Leon sighed, "Other than feeling lonely, she seemed alright…"

"I know," Kyle added, "I understood how she felt but she kept pushing us off. At the same time, she seemed like she didn't have a problem."

"Not all scars are physical," Misako lectured them, "Some run very deep in the mind. Garmadon is the perfect example of this. Even to this day, he still bears the scars of his nefarious deeds as the dark lord deep in his heart. Leon, Willow, I'm sure you already know that."

The Garmadon siblings were aware of their more somber grandfather's dark past. Unlike their 'Gruncle' Wu, he didn't like talking about his past but told them anyway so they know all about their family's history, even if it opened his old wounds, which was part of the reason he always had such a gloomy air to him even before their adventures have begun.

One day, the ninja and kunoichi will bear many scars from the adventures they'll embark in the future, both physical and emotional. Life as a ninja is never easy…

But Liana's hiatus from the team wasn't the only issue amongst them.

The 'talk' Alex had with Liana also caused a rift between the Pyrrhus twins.

Akira still blamed his sister for pushing Liana away from the team while Alex firmly believed he would break her fragile heart anyway. The twins still thought only one as responsible for Liana's breakdown when both of them were really at fault. Akira hid his true colors from Liana and Alex gave the ice wielder the harsh truth, not caring if she'd take it well or not. The rift also showed during today's training session. Akira and Alex always stayed on the opposite ends of the deck and when the entire group worked together, they still ignored each other.

"This wouldn't have happened if you hadn't said those things to her!" Akira hissed at his sister once he put the training equipment away.

"You were the one filling her with false hopes in the first place!" Alex snapped back.

"What's done is done," Misako spoke with a calm but stern tone, "There's nothing any of us can do about the past. It's done now. You have done your part in Liana's reaction so both of you are at fault for it."

"But HE/SHE started it!" The Pyrrhus twins still accused one another for making Liana run away, much to their teacher's exasperation.

"Both of you and Liana are responsible for these events." Misako raised her voice slightly, which was enough to finally silence them.

"It was primarily Liana's fault for choosing to react the way she did but both of you had a role in her decision to run away." The scholar sternly reminded the siblings, "Alex, you told Liana about Akira's true colors before he can tell her while he concealed it much like how Liana enforced a barrier between her real self and society. At least she now knows that her problems were from within. When she can accept life as a kunoichi again, we'll help her."

"That is IF she wants to rejoin us," Leon said, "I think it'll be weird to get some total stranger to be the new ninja of ice. She's just too important for us to replace."

"But Chris," Forrest turned to the eldest ninja, "Don't you think what you said to Liana was a bit harsh? I know tough love is necessary sometimes but she's pretty sensitive…"

"I did feel bad for her but if she kept acting like a tragic princess, she'll never find acceptance." The lightning ninja still said nothing but the harsh truth.

"But maybe you were still being a little too rough on her," Willow added, "We all know by now Liana doesn't take rejection very well and I don't blame her after all she's been through."

"It's tough love," Chris said, "She needs to face her problems or they'll just get worse. I've done it to Kyle and Sayuri a few times."

"Tough love?" The naïve kunoichi tilted her head.

"Yup." The metal ninja quipped, "He did it to me a couple of years ago when I had to make this presentation in front of the whole school but I was worried I'd screw up but Chris said I would if I keep stressing out. You wouldn't believe how many times he had done the same to our sister."

"Yeah," The raven-haired ninja admitted, "She's always trying to stand out much like how Liana wants to be accepted and I always tell her that she shouldn't resort to wild chases just so Mom and Dad can acknowledge her. It's sad how society's always demanding people to be the same. It only tells people to be something they're not and sometimes, they still get shit for it, just like what happened with Liana."

"But still, Liana was very vulnerable when you said all those stuff to her." Melody pointed out.

"She's much more stubborn than she seems," Chris spoke bluntly, "I've seen it in Sayuri plenty of times. She was so caught up in her special snowflake syndrome that there's no way to snap her out of it without getting straight to the point and even give a little push."

"The words we need to hear aren't always so pleasant," Misako said, "Chris' words were quite abrasive, yes, but Liana had to learn that her problems weren't entirely external but internal as well. She wasn't being seen for who she was because she never showed it. As Chris said, there are times where being gentle just won't cut it. I believe your parents have done the same."

Akira and Alex can definitely agree on that one. Their father was very loving towards them most of the time but whenever they faltered in anything from training to academics, he would point out that it's their own fault for falling short if it truly was the case. But he said he had done it to push them into bettering themselves. He had faith in his children but sometimes, they needed a little push to help them down the road of destiny.

It was also that same push Liana needed to come out of her shell but it only pushed her AWAY from the team.

But hopefully, it won't push her out of their lives forever…

It's been a couple of days since Liana came home but the ice wielder was still wallowing in her depression and with Zane at work, Heather did whatever she can for their daughter.

"Liana…?" Heather gently knocked on her daughter's bedroom door, "Liana, sweetie? Are you alright? You haven't spoken since you came here…"

"…Come in…" A frail voice barely whispered from the other side.

The kunoichi florist felt her heart break seeing her daughter look so downtrodden. The kunoichi of ice laid on her bed, continuously weeping as if her eyes, echoing those of her mother, were like little greyish blue fountains for tears to flow.

"Liana, I know that at some points in our lives, we start to question our place in society and our destiny. Your father went through the same thing but so have I. During the Trial of Nature, I had to figure out my destiny and think about the bonds I had with your father and aunt. At the time, your father broke up with me because he was a robot back then and thought he would inhibit any hopes of a family I had. At the same time, my sister was visiting and we told you we had a strained relationship back then."

"What does it have to do with what I'm going through?" Liana asked coldly.

"The way Ivy and I saw each other was very much like how you see yourself compared to your brethren. We saw each other as too different from one another but after the Trial of Nature, I learned to accept my sister's differences and she with mine. Let the others in and they'll do the same for you. You always got along with them when you trained together every summer."

"But they were all different in their own way. The girls had their differences but they didn't like the things I liked and I thought they'll just laugh at me."

"Just because you think something will happen doesn't mean it will," Heather soothed her, "No one can predict the future and you can't decide if someone will like you or not. All humans are unique and you're no exception. There will be people who won't accept you but there are also those who will but if you keep closing yourself off, you'll never be seen for who you are."

Liana considered her mother's words but she still felt like she needed more time...

"I still want to be alone…"

"I understand," Heather kissed her daughter's brow, "If you need anything, I'll always be here."

It wasn't long before the former kunoichi's husband returned.

Finally, Zane was home but he wasn't back in the comforts of home to kick back. He still needed to talk with Liana about her dilemmas and situation. The ice wielder was too important to her team to leave them forever. The Overlord may also be taking advantage of her absence to build up his army of vengeance.

"How's Liana doing?" Zane asked his wife after sharing a tender kiss with her.

"She's still depressed," Heather sighed, "She does eat and come out once in a while but she still has an air of sadness to her."

"She has a lot to think about," The former ninja looked back to similar times, "She feels like she doesn't belong. I used to be a robot amongst humans so I know how she feels."

"Do you think she'll be able to fight again…?"

"This is something for her to decide but no matter what her choice will be, she'll always be our daughter and we must support her as parents."

The couple knew this feeling from all the adventures they had but this may be a new challenge in of itself…

Back at the Bounty, the ninja and kunoichi still had a hard time adjusting to their daily training without one of their sisters, especially a certain fire ninja.

"Watch it!" Leon barely managed to jump away from the sandbag that was flung in his direction after the red ninja knocked it off its hinges.

Akira was always aggressive when training but today, he seemed even more so

"Do you need anything?" Amy offered to console the fire wielder but he would have none of it.

"Why would you wanna know!?" The fiery ninja snapped at her.

"Hey. No need to bite our heads off." Kyle retorted.

"I just need to be alone!" Akira huffed and stormed off to his room.

Alex can't help but feel 'hurt' not for herself but for her brother. She told herself she did what she thought was right to protect Liana but it only driven her away from her brother. Zane said that some actions can end up leading to the opposite of what they intend to do and that was a lesson she learned the hard way. She would've followed him if not for her teacher.

"Leave him," Misako said, "Just like Liana, Akira needs some space."

"Fine…" The orange kunoichi relented but still wanted to make thing right.

All she knew was that it won't be easy…

Locked away in his room, Akira finally let out his frustration.

"Dammit!" The fire ninja repeatedly cursed as he punched his pillow.

Even he knew he was a flirt and even broke some girls' hearts but it was also true that he never told Liana of his flirtatious ways but why?

Was he really what Alex said he was? A foolish playboy out to break innocent girls' hearts?

Or… was he afraid of something…?

But what was he afraid of?

Liana was already hurt the moment she learned of his deceitful habits so it's a little too late for that one but for some reason, he still felt uneasy over something he can't place his finger at. He had no idea what it was and he didn't want to know… for now.

'Liana…'

Akira felt a surge of these strange feelings he had whenever the ice wielder was near before she ran away. He still had no idea what to make of them and it really frustrated him.

He just needs some time to think…

Zane approached Liana's room with a tray of food in his hands. He tried to cheer up his child by making her favorite cream stew flavored with cream cheese but even the delicious scent of one of her favorite meals failed to entice the kunoichi of ice out of her room.

"Liana, please let me in." He pleaded his daughter.

The former nindroid was left waiting for minutes until the smell reminded Liana of her hunger and finally let her father in.

"I know the last few days have been difficult for you but it's not good to keep shutting yourself away from the rest of the world. The only way to conquer your fears is to face them head on."

"I'm sorry…" Liana whispered, "It's just that I've been thinking a lot as of late…"

"I understand," Zane set the tray before her so she can eat, "What are you thinking about?"

"About what you and Mom told me about your relationship and the bumps on the road you've faced before declaring your love for one another, as well as what Chris said to me."

"Are you hurt by his words?"

"A little," The white kunoichi sighed, "But looking back now, I'm starting to understand why he said those things…"

"How so?"

"He said I've been shutting myself off before getting the chance to be accepted or even rejected and I was causing my own problems. I've been looking back on my own actions ever since…"

"What Chris said was true, as harsh as his choice of words had been. If you keep imposing such negative beliefs upon yourself, you'll only make it harder for you to find acceptance. You have to show everyone the real you so they can have an honest opinion of you. The other ninja and kunoichi have trained alongside you for years so they know the real you."

"But I still feared I'll be rejected."

"And that fear is what was keeping you from finding acceptance," Zane concluded, "This is what Chris meant when he… chewed you out. Your fear of being hurt more than you already had was what held you back from the acceptance you desire."

"How do you know?"

"I went through the same thing in my youth. When I was a robot, I felt certain I'll never be one of the ninjas and I would never find someone who would love me regardless of my origins until I met your mother. We had many bumps on the road such as when I revealed my true self to her, she rejected me just like many have done to you."

"Mom… didn't accept you…?"

"Kyllä," Even today, the memory was still painful for Zane, "She assumed I was a soulless being incapable of love and even called me a thing. The pain I felt from hearing her words were nearly unbearable but the ninjas helped us get back together but that was only the beginning. The fact that we weren't the same kind hindered our relationship until I thought it was better that we go our separate ways, even if hurt me even more to let her go. But Heather still wanted to be with me because she loved me for who I truly was and after all we've been through, the pain we felt during our adventures, made it all worth it."

Liana heard the tales of her parents' love many times but the stories never lost their poignancy.

"So all the pain you've went through made it worthwhile?" She asked.

"Liana, I want you to find acceptance but it won't be easy. You will go through many trials and tribulations but after going through so much until you're finally seen and appreciated for who you are, it'll make it even more worthwhile. Things always happen for a reason, Liana. I'm sure you'll be accepted but the experiences you'll have before that won't always be so pleasant but knowing that you have conquered those obstacles makes the warm and tender moments you'll have afterwards even more precious. At least that's what I believe. Though you already follow in my footsteps I want you to choose your own path in life. All I want for you is to be happy with your choices and find at least one person who appreciates you for who you are. Only you alone can decide which path you'll take but no matter what, I'll always support you."

"Dad…"

The kunoichi of ice clung to her father and cried but Zane was more than willing to support her.

The next day, Heather was taking a breather from her work at the flower shop and but she was in for a surprise when she found her daughter standing in the living room.

"Liana, what are you doing outside your bedroom?"

Liana looked downward shyly but she felt a new determination growing deep within her.

"Mom, I… think I'm ready to go back…"

The kunoichi florist was surprised by her daughter's decision but she wanted to make sure she was ready to resume the difficult life of a protector of Ninjago.

"Are you sure?" Heather asked, "I know only you can make your decisions but are you ready to go back to being a kunoichi?"

"Dad told me that things happen for a reason. Maybe these events are telling me something…"

"What do you think they're telling you?"

"I began thinking about what Dad and Chris said to me about my problems that are not caused by society but from myself…"

"Yourself…?"

"At the Glacial Barrens, Chris said I was the cause of my own problems by shutting everyone out before giving them a chance and Dad also said my fear of rejection kept me from being myself in front of the other ninjas despite training together for years."

"Then show them," Heather cupped her daughter's face in her hands, "Give them a chance to see and appreciate you for who you are, not what you are."

"How can you tell who I am from what I am?"

"Liana Julien, there can only be one you and no matter what you look like or even what you do, you are who you are and that's why your father and I will always love you. Your looks, powers, and even hobbies are part of what you are but your true self deep down defines who you are. You are an intelligent girl who just wants to be herself and that's the Liana I know and love. I'm sure there's someone out there who'll love you for who you are. You'll have to be strong. I can't guarantee you'll get hurt along the way but as your father said, these trials and tribulations will make it all worth it."

"I'll try."

The former kunoichi embraced her daughter, knowing who she was deep down and was willing to show it again.

The ninjas on the Bounty were prepared to welcome Liana back to the group. They were VERY relieved that she wasn't going to leave them forever. They never knew how important she was to the team until now and that made them even more grateful to have her back.

The Bounty hovered not too high above the forests of Arbouria when a roar echoed not too far from where the vessel was.

Shard flew towards the airborne ship and on its back was none other than Liana.

"Liana!" Forrest was the first to greet his sister once she landed on the deck, "We were worried about you!"

The kunoichi of ice eagerly embraced her brother the moment she stepped onto the deck.

"I… missed you all…" Liana embraced all the ninja and kunoichi, grateful that they were willing to take her back.

"It's good to have you back," Misako too was delighted upon her student's return, "I'm sure you had plenty of time to heal from your emotional wounds."

"Yes," The pale girl nodded, "I've also done some thinking while I was away."

"Over what matter?"

"I thought about what you've told me and of the memories I've had training with all of you. All of you were kind to me yet all I've done was doubt you.

"If there's any way I can make it up to you, I'll gladly do it." Alex said with earnest, staring right into Liana's cool greyish blue eyes with her fiery amber orbs.

"The past is in the past," Liana spoke, "But now I know you meant well and I'm also at fault for reacting the way I did."

"But- "

"Alex, I was hurt by what you've told me but I could've chosen to be more calm about it. It was my fault for not hearing you out and overreacting in such a way."

The kunoichi of wind was grateful and accepted Liana back but still wanted to make amends for the things she said…

"And Chris," The white kunoichi faced the ninja who called her out so harshly before, "I thought about what you said. At first, I thought you were just out to hurt me but I thought over the way I acted around you before all this and I'm starting to think you were right. I was closing myself off without giving any of you a real chance. I guess I owe you one."

The blue ninja only gave a knowing expression on his face but he was still happy to have the ice wielder back in the group.

While Liana made peace with her teammates a certain ninja kept his distance.

Akira wasn't sure if he deserved a second chance from Liana.

He too thought about his relationship with Liana and the possible outcome if they really end up as a couple, something the flirtatious adolescent never really thought about before.

Does he truly want to be with Liana or will he end up breaking her heart?

He didn't have time to put much thought into it before she approached him.

"Akira…"

The fire ninja was startled but kept a straight face in front of the white kunoichi.

"L-Liana…" He stuttered, "W-w-why would you want to be back here after what I've done?"

"Akira, I'm still hurt by your actions before but my parents taught me to learn from my pain and move on. The only thing I want from you is to see me for who I truly am. That alone is all I ever wanted from you. They said that only by overcoming these trials will I be able to find someone who'll see me for who I truly am and the events I'll go through will make it all worth it. Perhaps we can start over…"

Akira was shocked that Liana decided to give him a second chance, especially with the way she reacted upon learning of his true colors. But he was also grateful that the white kunoichi stood strong and try to move on and decided he should do the same.

"I… would like that…" He smiled gratefully at her.

And finally, the team was complete.

Looks like Liana's on the road to recovery!

I might focus a little more on Liana's emotions & a bit on Akira & Alex's relationship in the next chapter but after that, I'll give them a break & put the other characters in the spotlight.

Again, thank you SO much for your wonderful reviews & I'll see you all in the next chapter!