Children of Destiny
Hi guys! I'm really glad some of you enjoyed my newest story, 'Within Destiny'! Go check it out when you have time! It'll mean a lot to me! Anyway, the big secret I've been talking about will be revealed here & another ninja will find their true potential! So let's sit back & enjoy the ride!
Chapter 28: True Colors
The ninjas and the Walker couple were busy planning out another strategy to save Sayuri. They learned from their mistakes last time and tried to come up with a better plan.
"We'll sneak into the layer while Alex blows the wind in the opposite direction so Pythor won't be able to smell us."
(*) "Capito." The orange kunoichi nodded.
"We'll have to fight the Overlord's forces but we shouldn't get too distracted. Our objective is to save Sayuri. The final battle isn't now so we can't bother too much with them."
When Chris said he got his true potential, Nya can see it within her younger son's eyes.
She can see hints of jealousy, the same one she felt before she became Samurai X. She can tell he was trying to keep it under control but if he keeps bottling it up, it'll consume his mind until everything he does will be motivated out of pure envy. But as much as she wanted to help, this was a sign that his time was coming. Nya still planned to help her younger son but also let him grow on his own.
"Kyle, can I speak to you for a moment?" She eventually beckoned him before bedtime.
"What is it, Mom?" Kyle asked once they were alone in the hall.
"I know how you feel." Nya said almost randomly but she knew her son was aware of what she really meant. It was no use hiding the truth from the ever intuitive woman.
"I-I can't help myself…" The yellow ninja lowered his gaze, "You're already worked up on saving Sayuri and Chris now got his true potential. I'm starting to feel… left behind."
"I went through the same thing back at the very beginning," The former kunoichi lifted up her son's chin so he can look at her, "I often felt left out when your father got to go on all kinds of adventures with the ninjas. It was because of this that I became Samurai X. But remember, this isn't a competition between you and your brethren and it shouldn't be treated as such."
"I know…"
"Kyle. Don't let these things get to you. Perhaps that's what is holding you back. Ever since you were little, you always wanted to be good at everything you try for the first time. You can't be good at everything. Even I have my own shortcomings in that I'm not the best at doing laundry and cleaning, something mothers are supposed to be very good at."
"But I still have a fear of being judged if I screw up."
"You already got over them, remember?"
"Yeah… But that fear hasn't exactly gone away."
"I know. Everyone has something they're afraid of and even if you conquer them, they don't go away so easily. Life isn't a fairy tale and that's what separates the two. Nothing can be what we expect them to be. Only when you're truly ready shall your time come."
"When will that be?"
"No one knows and that is all part of destiny. Good and bad things always come when you least expect it. Maybe today, maybe tomorrow, but your time will definitely come."
"Thanks Mom."
Kyle was grateful to have such a kind yet wise mother like Nya, the former kunoichi of metal…
Today was the day.
The ninjas were going to ambush the Overlord's lair and rescue Sayuri.
"Okay guys, do you remember the plan?" Jay asked the new generation.
The ninjas nodded and had their weapons and elemental powers ready. This was a mission they did NOT plan on failing.
Alex stood in front of the group and took out the Fans of Gales. She pointed the Silver Weapons towards herself before they emitted a light breeze to blow away their scent. She maintained it while they got closer to the mouth of the cave.
"The Serpentine can't smell us." Melody whispered.
"When do we go in?" Alex asked her aunt.
"When the time is right," Nya hushed her, "He might be expecting us so we'll have to be VERY careful. He already fooled us once and we can't let him do it again."
"But we also stalled a bit last time," Kyle added, "So we can't waste a single second."
The group continued to eavesdrop, waiting for the right time to strike again…
Inside the lair, the Overlord circled around Sayuri for the umpteenth time. Everyone can tell he had something in store for the seemingly ordinary girl but he kept making her wait and that was what made her afraid and that was what he relished, second to world domination.
"What are you gonna do with her?" Ash asked impatiently.
"Don't ruin the moment." The dark lord dismissed the corrupt inventor.
There were so many things Sayuri wanted to say but she was too scared to say even one word, for it could be her last.
The Overlord created a strange dark purple orb right in front of his intangible form.
"What is that?" She asked before she could control herself.
"Take it," He commanded, "It's what you want, no?"
Sayuri knew what he was talking about what did she want it this way?
Half of her wanted to take it but her other half didn't want it. She can't decide which part of her to obey. Her desires or her conscience?
"Take it!" The Overlord raised his voice impatiently.
Both sides of her were stuck in a game of tug-of-war with no sign of winning.
Just outside the den, the ninja and kunoichi can hear the Overlord threatening Sayuri.
"I can't take this!" Kyle took out the Steel Kunai, "I'm going in!"
"We're right behind you!" Chris followed alongside him with the Nunchucks of Lightning.
For once, the whole ninjas rushed headstrong into enemy territory. Nothing mattered to them anymore, save rescuing the innocent Sayuri from the Overlord…
The youngest Walker child stood her ground and thought about her decision.
Did she really want it to be this way?
What will her family think?
'Mom… Dad…'
"Make up your mind!" The ground shook under the Overlord's raised voice, "Time is ticking!"
Before Sayuri can make her final choice, a familiar battle cry echoed from afar.
"NINJA-GO!"
The girl's view was blurred by several elemental tornadoes barging into the subterranean base and taking down any who stood in their way.
'They came back because of me…?'
"How did you get back here!?" The Overlord was NOT pleased with the ninjas' return.
"So you've truly forgotten how strong we stand together." Jay glared at the dark lord.
Before the Overlord can warp them away again, Akira sent a torrent of flames towards him and the incantation was interrupted. The ninjas were not stalling on this battle.
(*) "Blixtar!"
In a single blinding flash, Chris unleashed his true elemental power and the other ninjas who've already unlocked theirs followed suit.
"Don't just stand there!" The Overlord glared at his servants, "Get them!"
"You remember the plan, right guys?" Melody glanced at her teammates.
"Yup!" Leon readied an orb of pure energy in his hands.
"NINJA-GO!"
The ninjas engulfed themselves in their elemental tornadoes, commencing the battle.
Forrest and Liana dealt with the nindroids while the others fought off the Overlord's servants. The Serpentine and human goons too charged into battle but the ninjas were ready for them.
Chris hurled a single bolt of lightning at a group of evil nindroids and they were fried instantly. Melody also used her true potential to drown the automatons and the blue ninja electrocuted them while they were still wet, intensifying the agonizing bolts coursing through their systems.
Liana dealt with the Serpentine by coating the ground underneath their bodies in a thick sheet of ice, causing them to slip and stumble all over the place. Those that barely escaped from the slippery floor were greeted by a whirlwind of elemental fury from the ninjas. The human goons also took part in the battle but they were also no match for four ninjas with their true potential.
"Water!"
The cave was quickly flooded by Melody's tidal wave, giving the white kunoichi an opportunity to amplify her powers.
"Ice!"
Liana froze the tidal wave, sealing everyone stuck within it but not for long.
The nindroids caught in the ice used the lasers from their eyes to break free but the ninjas were ready for them and continued brawling.
Throughout the battle, Kyle thought over his parents' advice. He can't be good at everything on the first try and this wasn't a competition between him and the ninjas. Only when he's mentally ready that his true potential will be unlocked, no matter how far ahead or behind he is.
This wasn't a competition amongst his brothers but it was still a race. A race to decide the fate of the world and the ninjas can NOT lose. Especially not when his sister's life is on the line.
'I'll do my best not for myself but for Sayuri and all of Ninjago.'
The images of his friends, family, and everyone and everything he held dear flashed before his hazel eyes and he can feel a surge of energy empowering him.
He now knew what his teachers meant when they spoke of his time coming when needed most.
With a loud battle cry, Kyle unleashed his true metal powers.
His body glowed and gave off a brilliant metallic shine like pure gold. Jay and Nya stared in awe at their younger son, who just unlocked his true potential.
"Let Sayuri go or there will be consequences!" The metal ninja's voice boomed with fury.
"Kyle…!" Jay was astonished at his son finding his true potential in front of him.
He was proud of his middle child but he can't forget about the mission.
"Mom! Dad! Get Sayuri! Leave these guys to us!"
With their powers over lightning and metal, Chris and Kyle proved to be fearsome foes for the nindroids. They either had their systems overloaded by Chris' electricity or their bodies twisted and distorted painfully by Kyle's control over metal, which their forms were comprised of.
"These guys are stronger than before!" Clouse complained, "We don't stand a chance!"
"Don't jinx it for us!" Ronin smacked the former cop upside the head.
"Earth!"
Amy slammed the Scythe of Quakes into the ground, causing the ground to shake underneath the henchmen's feet. The ninja and kunoichi have become noticeably stronger since their first encounter. It won't be long until their time will come…
Out of the corner of their eyes, Jay and Nya saw the Overlord sneaking away from the fray with Sayuri being dragged with him by his lesser subordinates. With their blood well beyond boiling point, the furious parents chased the dark lord to the deeper parts of the lair until the Overlord was finally cornered.
"Just one chance Overlord!" Jay growled at the dark lord, "Give back my daughter or there WILL be heads rolling and it won't be the ninjas'!"
"If it's not the ninjas', then perhaps it will be hers!"
A high-pitched yelp pierced the atmosphere and Jay and Nya were appalled at the sight of their daughter with one of the Overlord's delinquents pulling her hair.
"Step down or say goodbye to your precious lily." The evil orb hovered mockingly in front of the Walker couple's faces.
Jay and Nya expected the dark lord to stoop so low but that didn't quell their rage towards the dark lord for endangering their daughter.
"You shall never hurt my daughter!" The former kunoichi growled at the epitome of all evil.
Sayuri saw the carnage that was happening because of her. She didn't want things to turn out this way. She didn't want this anymore.
"P-please stop fighting…!" The girl who started it all now just wanted it to be over.
"Why not? Isn't this what you want?" The Overlord sneered at Sayuri.
"No!" The little girl panicked.
She didn't want her parents to know the truth… not now…
"Sayuri, what is he talking about…?" Jay was shocked that his daughter may have something to do with the Overlord's ulterior motives…
"Daddy! Don't listen to them!" Sayuri begged.
"Tell us the truth!" The former ninja commanded.
The little girl hesitated, knowing her family will hate her once she tells them…
"Of course she hasn't told you." The dark lord chuckled menacingly.
"My daughter, what are you hiding from us…?" Jay implored his youngest child.
The hazel-eyed girl remained silent. She was too ashamed to say anything.
"My servants succeeded in kidnapping her because she wanted to be kidnapped." The Overlord finally spilled the awful truth.
"You're lying!" Chris snarled at the dark lord.
"Really?" The sentient orb would've made a cruel smirk if he had a face, "Then ask your 'oh so innocent' baby sister. She knows everything."
"Is this true, dotter?" Jay gasped.
With a very heavy heart… Sayuri nodded, finally affirming her true colors.
Her parents were too shocked to say anything.
Who can once they find out their daughter was working with the enemy?
"You got kidnapped on purpose!?" Kyle couldn't believe what his little sister had done.
There were times she resorted to wild chases to get their parents' attention but Chris and Kyle never thought she would go so far as to work with the Overlord to make herself feel special.
"Sayuri, this can't be true!" Nya pleaded, "You didn't actually side with the Overlord, did you?"
Sayuri can't hide the truth nor her true emotions anymore and broke down in bitter tears.
"It's true! The bad guys told me I can have elemental powers and get your attention if I say yes and I did!" She sobbed.
"Sayuri…!" Jay was too shocked to say anything else.
"Why would you do this!?" Even Akira was flabbergasted by his cousin's terrible secret.
"I just wanted to be the center of attention for once!" Sayuri cried, "Mom and Dad kept giving you all the attention because of your powers and what do I have!? Absolutely nothing! You all get to have powers and I'm stuck with absolutely nothing! I'll never be special!"
"Then join me," The Overlord floated towards her, "I can give you the powers you desire. You'll become a very special girl for me. All you have to do is obey."
Sayuri didn't know if she wanted to feel special this way. Her parents went through so much to make sure he'll never hurt anyone and she'll be putting all their efforts to waste. She was very scared of the Overlord but a sense of desire still kept its hold over her heart.
'Is this what I want…?'
"Why do you hesitate?" The dark lord asked impatiently, "Choose!"
"Sayuri! Please don't do this!" Chris and Kyle begged their sister.
The girl faced another battle between what she wanted and what was right. Either way, it won't be a happy ending for her. Even if she'll never have powers, she didn't want her family and the ninjas to reap the penalties of her actions.
Even if she still wanted it now, she didn't deserved to be one of them…
"I don't wanna!" The little girl cried like the child she was.
"You dare back away from our deal!?" The Overlord roared.
Sayuri only cried louder and her parents would've come for her if not for the nindroids to catch up and restrain them.
"She's no use anymore! Get rid of her!" The dark lord commanded Cryptor.
"Objective: termination. Commencing task." The diabolical nindroid droned and stepped up.
Cryptor targeted Sayuri and raised his claws to finish her off. Nya was the first to notice the evil robot's malicious intentions. All she can think about was saving her daughter.
"Sayuri! No!"
Nay pushed the nindroids away from her and dove in to shove his youngest child out of the way but Cryptor's claws dug into her back instead. Her screams of agony reached her husband.
"NYA!"
Jay also broke free from the androids' hold and made a beeline towards his wife and daughter. Large bloody claw marks were torn through the back of Nya's gi and skin but she was still alive.
"Nya! Sayuri! Are you both okay?"
"Jay, you know I've been through worse…" Nya hissed in pain.
"But Mom…" Sayuri stared at her mother's pained expression in concern.
"It's not your fault. I would gladly give my life for you…"
"Oh Mom! This is all my fault!" Sayuri sobbed.
"No…" Despite her pain, the former kunoichi still smiled at her daughter, "Your father and I will do anything for you, no matter what."
"Even if I went with the Overlord on purpose?"
"No matter what you do, you'll always be my precious daughter and I will always love you."
Nya collapsed from her wound but Jay won't let her go. Not yet.
"Melody! Liana! Go heal Nya!" The former ninja commanded the 'healers' of the team.
"On it!" The kunoichi immediately went to work healing their predecessor.
"NINJA-GO!"
Chris and Kyle grew furious at Cryptor for hurting their mother and trying to kill their sister. The brothers banded together and unleashed their true potential at the same time on the nindroid. His body was frozen in place by the yellow ninja manipulating his metal body to remain stuck on the spot while his brother electrocuted the evil robot.
"Chance of victory for the Overlord is forty-five percent." Cryptor analyzed the ninjas' improved skills and the potential outcomes of this battle.
"Shit!" Karl growled in vexation.
"We have to leave here for good!" Jacob exclaimed, "The ninjas now know where we are!"
"Not anymore!" The Overlord used the same spell to warp himself and his cohorts out of here. After this, they'll have to find a new place to plan out their machinations against mankind…
Once the smoke was clear, it was just the ninjas and Sayuri in the cave now.
"Sayuri, are you alright?" Nya asked once she was healed.
The nine-year-old girl was too ashamed to say anything and still wept.
"You don't have to say anything," Jay held his daughter close, "No matter what you do or where you go, you'll always be our daughter."
Sayuri clung to her father even more, letting out all her tears.
"It's okay Sayuri," Nya stroked her strawberry blonde hair, "We're here now."
"E-even after all I've done…?" She sniffled.
"Yes," The former lightning ninja comforted her, "We'll always be here for you."
The ninja and kunoichi stood back, letting the parents and their daughter have their moment.
Now with both sons finding their true potential and their daughter safe with them, the Walker couple were ready to bid their sons and the team farewell.
"I'm sorry I caused so much trouble…" Sayuri apologized to the ninjas.
"It wasn't your fault," Alex comforted her cousin, "You were tricked by the Overlord."
"But I agreed to follow him."
"He lured you with false promises," Akira pointed out, "He saw you as nothing more than a tool for his schemes."
Even if she was tricked, Sayuri still felt guilty for causing so much trouble…
"Be careful out there." Nya squeezed the living daylights out of her sons when she gave each of them a tight hug topped with a big kiss on the cheek. They were embarrassed but it was one of the things they'll miss once their parents leave.
"I gotta admit, it was kinda nice fighting to save Ninjago again." Jay confessed.
"Perhaps there will be another time when you will be needed." Misako said.
"But for now, we have someone who needs us more than anyone else." Nya gazed at her young daughter, who still refused to look at the ninjas in the eye out of guilt.
"Sayuri, don't you want to say something?" Her father asked.
The hazel-eyed girl still looked down with a guilt-ridden face. The ninjas couldn't blame her but her heart was still consumed with deep guilt and regret.
"Sayuri, say something." Kyle tried to get his sister to talk.
"This is all my fault," She sniffled, "It's because of me you were…"
"Sayuri, none of this was your fault. The Overlord would've never given you any powers. He's a deceitful being who must be destroyed at all cost. Besides, Chris and Kyle finally got their true potential if it weren't for you."
"Yeah," Kyle stepped up, "In fact, we now owe you one."
"But still… I followed the bad guys because…"
"You didn't know any better," Her father answered, "Even if you were willing, the Overlord's a despicable monster who'd resort to trickery to get what he wants. He wouldn't have given you what your heart desired, even if you sided with him. It was his fault for using your emotions."
"But what do you really want?" Misako asked Sayuri.
"I just wanted Mom and Dad to treat me the same as my brothers. They always give them more attention because they had to train every day. I do my best to be good in at least something but no matter how much I study at school or pay attention to Dad's machines, they still ignore me. I even think they don't even love me."
The little girl couldn't control her tears again and wept in front of everyone.
Jay and Nya were astonished to think their daughter was under the impression that they didn't care for her at all.
"That's not true!" Jay wiped her tears away, "Your mother and I love you for who you are."
"But who am I!? I'm just a nobody! I'm nothing compared to Chris and Kyle!"
"No! You're a smart girl and you always made us proud every time you brought home all those A's on your tests and projects! I even see so much of myself in you and I want you to find your own life's calling." Nya embraced her daughter.
"What if I never?" Sayuri sniffled.
"You're still young and have much potential. Maybe there will be something unique in store for you later in life. You just have to be patient. The meaning of 'ninja' is one who endures and that is what we do. We endure all hardships to keep Ninjago safe and you must endure your feelings of loneliness before you discover whatever destiny has in store for you." Misako said.
"Do you know?"
"No, but that's the beauty of it all. You never know what lies ahead but that also leaves you in control of your destiny. Only you can decide where you will go from here."
"Do you think I'll be able to do something great?"
"Of course," Jay encouraged his daughter, "I can see the potential in you. Right now, Mom and I will help you find it."
"You will…?"
"Of course." Nya answered.
"But for now, the race against the Overlord isn't complete," Misako reminded everyone, "But at least you're just beyond the halfway point of this part of our journey."
The Walker brothers knew this was time for their family to part ways again. Even with knowing their sister was safe, it's never easy to say goodbye.
"Sayuri… we'll see you soon." Kyle gave his little sister his farewell.
"When will that be?" She asked.
"You never know. But this isn't goodbye, we'll come visit when we have time. Just remember, you will always be our beloved little sister." Chris said earnestly.
"I'll miss you…" Sayuri embraced her brothers, who gladly returned it.
"We'll see you soon." Jay and Nya also said their farewells to their sons.
"We'll make you proud." The ninjas of lightning and metal vowed.
"And we know you will." The parents embraced their children, knowing that Ninjago will be safe in their hands…
After Jay, Nya, and Sayuri left, the ninja and kunoichi wanted to unwind but Misako still wanted them to know what lies ahead on the difficult road that was destiny.
"There's only three of you left but that doesn't mean you should let your guard down. The road will only get more difficult from here on out." Misako told the three remaining ninjas.
"But it's not likely we'll be seeing the Overlord or his minions here again," Forrest started, "He's probably building a new base somewhere…"
"So we'll have to find it before he completes it." Leon finished.
"Guess that leaves the three of us." Amy glanced at the Pyrrhus twins, who knew exactly what she was taking about.
They still haven't unlocked their true potential and despite many lectures to have patience and because of that, the trio felt left out.
They knew their time will come but there's nothing wrong with wanting something, right?
"Why do we have to be last?" Alex stomped her foot indignantly.
"Remember what Sensei Lloyd said, 'if we keep reaching out for something, it'll only get harder to obtain it'. I know our time will eventually come. I just don't know when…" Amy answered.
"I hope it's soon." Akira sighed.
"You never know…" His sister replied before heading off for the living room to catch up on the latest of Ordinary Show.
The fire ninja knew that their quest was far from over but as the time goes by, the moment of destiny grows ever closer.
They'll have to be ready…
(*) Capito = Understood (Italian)
(*) Blixtar = Lightning (Swedish)
So what did you think?
With Chris & Kyle finding their true potential, we're down to the final 3 but I'm planning on doing something unique very soon & I may have some more plans for Sayuri in the future!
Now, I like to say a few things.
As some of you know, I'm making a Ninjago version of Beauty and the Beast in honor of the live action movie coming out in 2017 & because it was one of my favorite movies as a child. There's more info at my profile & if you haven't, please vote on my poll. Lastly, is about Ninjago itself, mainly the fandom. TBH, I'm not too thrilled at the announcement of another season & because it's been pandering to the spoiled fans for so long, I feel like the fandom's becoming pretentious like the show itself…
But with my sour mood aside, I'd like to know what you think in the reviews!