Children of Destiny
WHOOO! Triple update!
As you can tell, I've been on a roll all weekend! XD In this chapter, we'll take a lighthearted break but we'll see who'll get their next true potential & we'll also get to see some sibling bonding time! Enjoy!
Chapter 29: Together yet Apart
Although they were now beyond the halfway point on this step of the journey, the ninjas were also back in square one with the Overlord. With his base of operations having been found out, he most likely won't be seen here ever again.
"What about that mark at the Monolith of Atlas?" Willow brought up the previously speculated location of the Overlord's hideout, "I don't think they'd put the symbol there for nothing."
"What difference will it make?" Akira shrugged, "We're gonna have to search for the Overlord's lair all over again. Just when we thought we finally got him…"
"You shouldn't bring your hopes up too much."
The ninja and kunoichi stood silent, allowing Misako to continue.
"Not all of you have found your true potential and the final battle wouldn't have taken place so soon. You still aren't ready yet and it won't be easy."
"So what do we do now?" Amy asked.
"With most of you unlocking your true potential, I'm cautiously optimistic but try not to reach out too eagerly. The more you reach, the further it'll get."
"But then how will we be able to find out true potential?" Akira complained.
"Patience is the key." Misako reminded them before leaving.
"So it's down to the twins and Amy," Forrest mused aloud, "I have a feeling things won't be as easy as they used to be…"
"What are you implying?" Alex narrowed her amber eyes at the teal ninja.
"Nothing," The plant wielder raised his hands in self-defense, "I'm just saying that just because we're getting close doesn't mean things will be easier."
The hotheaded ninja gritted his teeth in aggravation. He hated to admit it but he was right. The ninjas can only keep moving forward and the road will only be filled with more obstacles. It was foolish to assume things will get easier as more powers are awakened.
"Now what?" Willow asked.
"We still have a long way to go," Chris said, "We no longer know where the Overlord is and that gives him the perfect opportunity to continue what he started in earnest. We need to look for his new base right away."
"Looks like we're gonna have to start all over again." Forrest sighed.
"But at least most of us have our true potential, right?" Melody reminded the team, still trying to remain optimistic to keep their spirits up.
"Yeah," Amy nodded, "We need to keep our heads up. It'll make all the difference…"
The ninja and kunoichi knew that there was going to be a lot in store for them in the future. The least they can do for now is anticipate it.
While Amy preferred to wait until the time comes, Akira and Alex were already itching to unlock their true potential. They spent hours training but Misako noticed that they trained separately despite being twins. She can sense that despite their similarities there were also differences in their personalities. Akira was quicker to anger and Alex sometimes lost her sense of reality and let her mind drift.
Finding true potential meant letting go of all emotional restraint but knowing the Pyrrhus twins, it won't be so easy for them…
Dinner time was a time where family and friends can spend time together but for the ninja and kunoichi, it can be chaotic. In short, dinners at the Destiny's Bounty were never boring. Today's meal was a feast of chicken, pasta, and pizza with plenty of potatoes, salad, and rolls. The ninja and kunoichi loved nothing more than to chat away over a good meal.
Alex's head was in the clouds thinking of all the possibilities that will open up to her when she finds her true potential. She didn't look at her pasta when she took a bite and shuddered at the sudden bitter taste that tortured her taste buds. With manners being the last thing in mind, the kunoichi of wind felt for whatever the bitter thing was in her mouth and spat out a chewed up green pepper. The kunoichi of wind gagged and hunted down every last bit of green pepper in the pasta and discarded them.
"Why aren't you eating the green peppers?" Kyle pointed at the chopped vegetable pushed to the edge of his cousin's plate.
"I just don't like them…" The orange kunoichi grimaced at the green peppers on her dish.
"What's so bad about them?" Willow asked. She too didn't like green peppers but not as much as Alex, who seemed to downright despise them.
"They're bitter and I don't like bitter things." She complained.
"Awww, little sis still doesn't like her vegetables!" Akira teased her and wagged a chunk of the hated vegetable in front of her face.
"Urusai! I'm only a fifteen minutes younger than you!" Alex shoved her brother and the green pepper away.
"Doesn't matter!" The fire ninja continued riling her up and laughed raucously.
The kunoichi of wind has had it, grabbing a handful of green peppers and shoving them into her brother's mouth. Everyone else laughed at the fire ninja trying to spit out the bitter capsicum.
"What was THAT for!?" The amber-eyed ninja glared at his sister.
"Little sister doesn't like her veggies." The brunette girl retorted in a sing-song voice.
"Oh yeah?" Akira took the salad bowl and dumped the fresh greens on her head.
'Children…' Misako shook her head over her students' antics.
Everyone else laughed at the squabbling twins who threw any food they can get their hands on at each other. Akira grabbed one of the remaining slices of pizza and hurled it at his twin, who sidestepped the pizza just in time to greet a different face.
SPLAT!
Leon, who had gone to the bathroom, returned to a slice of pizza hitting him square in the face that soon slid off but his face had no emotions written on it.
"Uh oh…"
The ninjas stared at Leon's blank face, not wanting to find out or even know what was going on in his head right now.
"You've done it this time, Akira!" Alex whisper-yelled at her brother.
"This wouldn't have happened if you didn't shove those peppers in my mouth!" He hissed back.
"Then you shouldn't have taunted me in the first place!"
The innocent victim's lips twitched and then opened to say…
"FOOD FIGHT!"
Leon suddenly grabbed a roll and threw it at Akira but he ducked and Chris got hit instead.
"Hey!" The eldest ninja scooped up some potato salad with his spoon and sent the tuber-based mush flying at the green ninja but he too dodged and the food ended up hitting Amy.
The kunoichi of earth was quick to retaliate by throwing a piece of chicken and this time she hit her target. The quarrel soon dissolved into a culinary brawl and food was flying everywhere and splatters and stains marred the ninjas' gi as well as the walls.
Misako sighed in exasperation, now knowing why Wu looked much older than Garmadon, who was the older son of the First Spinjitzu Master.
Although it was nice to join in on the fun, Liana wasn't sure if she enjoyed making such a huge mess and let so much food go to waste…
"So… who's up for dessert?" The white kunoichi asked abruptly to end the food fight.
Her teammates were quick to behave themselves if it meant getting a sweet treat in return.
The others chuckled at the way Akira tried to wipe the food off his face to look presentable to the kunoichi of ice, who remained oblivious to his attempt to impress before leaving to get the lemon cakes.
"Geez Akira, you're the weirdest cousin ever." Chris sneered at his fiery relative.
"Says the guy who talks in his sleep." The fire wielder snapped back.
"That was one time!" The blue ninja blushed.
"And what about that time back home you were dreaming of 'Mr. Snuggle Pants'?" Kyle ended up taking the red ninja's side.
"Kyle!" The blue ninja complained, much to the amusement of the other ninjas.
"What's so funny?" Liana asked, coming in with a plate of sweets in her hands and oblivious to the reason for the ninjas' sudden guffawing.
"We were just talking!" Akira stepped up to take the cakes for her.
The others chortled at the fire ninja's further attempts to curry the ice wielder's favor. They felt that Liana might be important in helping Akira unlock his true potential…
But Misako knew better than to assume a simple teenage romance will be able to reveal such a mighty force within…
She sensed something else that was holding him back but it wasn't her place to interfere. After all, this was going to be a test of the ninjas' minds…
In order to find her true potential, Alex trained with more fervor in each session. Knowing that her time was growing near, she did whatever she could to get ready for it.
"Wind!"
Alex summoned a few mini-tornadoes that swirled all around the deck. Some of the parts of the obstacle course got caught in the tempests and were sent flying. Her sisters cheered her on but their support won't be enough for her to find her true potential. Misako told them that each of them had something deep inside them that held them back and she wasn't wrong. For example, Liana kept imposing the belief that she'll never be accepted, Melody didn't think with her head very often, and Chris thought being a big brother was the only thing going for him.
But what was her obstacle?
How can she look within when she needs to keep her eyes forward?
"Alex…?"
Was there something she subconsciously avoided?
"Alex!"
Could there be something missing in her life?
"ALEX!"
The kunoichi of wind cringed, swearing her eardrums would burst. She glared at Melody, who yelled to get her attention and apparently, it worked.
"Finally!" The raven-haired girl let out an exasperated sigh.
"What have I been doing…?" Alex muttered.
"You were staring off into space." Liana answered.
The wind wielder groaned. Ever since Misako announced that there were only three ninjas left without their true potential, she was more determined than ever to unlock hers. She knew she had to be patient sometimes but the long wait was starting to leave her anxious and sometimes made her distracted easily.
"Aria! You're zoning out again!" Amy exclaimed.
"Is something wrong?" The kunoichi of water grew concerned with the headstrong girl's recent bouts of absentmindedness.
"I'm just thinking about a lot of stuff."
The other kunoichi understood and gave the orange kunoichi some much-needed space.
Alex stared off into the clouds where her mind kept drifting as of late. She kept wondering what the ninjas' next adventures may have in store for her. Or if she'll be able to overcome them…
'Pull yourself together!' She mentally slapped herself, 'This is Ninjago we're talking about! This is no time to be selfish!'
The orange kunoichi's head started to ache with all these thoughts and questions swarming her head. She was so desperate to clear her head the last idea she could've thought of surfaced.
Alex often saw Sensei Wu meditating back at the monastery, saying it helps clear his mind. She never liked to sit still for very long but with so much going on in her head, maybe she can give a few minutes of meditation a try… until she caved in three minutes later.
Like the kunoichi, the ninjas also enjoyed hanging out with one another.
The ninjas watched with bemusement at Akira performing his hundredth push-up. The Walker brothers and Forrest snickered that he's probably trying to impress a certain kunoichi.
"Do you think Akira will be your brother-in-law?" Chris playfully jabbed that certain kunoichi's younger brother on the arm.
"Not likely," Forrest sneered, "He's probably embarrass himself in front of our parents."
"True that." Kyle let out a light snicker.
"But I don't think our parents would disapprove if Liana really wants to be with him…" The plant wielder continued.
"Does she?" Chris was next to inquire the tall ninja.
"How should I know? People change and it's possible she'll end up with someone else…"
"What about your parents? What would they think and how would you feel?"
"If Liana loves someone so much, than I see no point in disapproving. She already went through enough shit as it is for not following the so-called 'social norm'. My parents also tell us to love people for who they are, not what they are."
"What do they mean by that?" Chris raised an eyebrow.
"When my mom first found out my dad was a nindroid, she didn't take it very well and thought he was just a simple machine but your mother convinced her to give him another chance. Ever since then, she grew to love him because of his personality, not because of his looks and stuff."
"Do you actually think anyone could love Akira?" Kyle gave the teal ninja a quizzical glance.
"Miracles can happen," The tall ninja shrugged, "I'm not one to decide who Liana should love… Or she even wants a relationship at all…"
Meanwhile, Akira was too focused on training to be in on the conversation. He tried figuring out what was holding him back from his true potential. He wasn't sure what his problem was. Right now, everything seemed fine for him. He had the ninjas that were like family to him, a sister he (mostly) got along with, devoted parents, and plenty of friends he cherished back in Ignacia.
What was it that was holding him back?
The fire ninja racked his brain for an answer but alas, he couldn't find any. Letting out a roar of frustration, Akira ignited his fists in flames and incinerated one of the punching bags, much to the shock of his brothers.
"Dude! What's the matter with you!?" Chris exclaimed.
The olive-skinned ninja stared at his hands that still glowed like embers. He wasn't sure how to deal with all this and left.
"I don't know," Akira grumbled, "I need to be alone…"
Not waiting for a response, the fire ninja left, leaving his brothers to clean up the mess.
"Okay. Now he blew up any chances to be my brother-in-law…" Forrest deadpanned.
Another member of the team also had a lot to think about outside of the Destiny's Bounty.
Willow perched herself on the crow's nest of the Bounty, gazing into the crystal heart necklace that reminded her of the life she left behind…
'The heart is the symbol of love and whenever you look into it, you'll know that it's us loving you and it's also our love reaching out to you.'
The kunoichi of time reminisced her loving mother's advice when she gave her the pendant that marked who she was. In a way, she passed down her identity as the kunoichi of time and space onto her daughter.
She was aware of her powers since she was a toddler but never thought she'd go on such a big adventure with a bunch of ninjas she saw as siblings just as much as her biological brother. But she can never forget the carefree days back at the monastery with her family. She still enjoyed being with the ninja and kunoichi but her parents had a special place in her heart. She stared at the heart charm and knew her mother was right. Looking at it made her feel loved and she also knew her parents still loved her, even if they were many miles away…
"Sis!" A familiar voice echoed far below.
Willow was pulled out of her daydream and back to reality by her brother's call. Leon wandered the deck, looking for his little sister. She sometimes had a habit of wandering off…
"I'm up here!" The pink kunoichi waved to her sibling from the crow's nest.
"Is something bothering you?" Leon asked once he joined her at the top of the vessel.
"Not much…" The youngest kunoichi sighed, "I'm just feeling a little homesick…"
"I know how you feel. I miss Mom and Dad too but I tell myself that their spirits are still with us. It's not like we'll never see them again and I know they'll be proud of us. What Mom said back there is true. She and Dad still love us even if we're half a world away."
"But it's still a bit strange being separated from them to keep them safe."
"We're not the only ones. The ninjas have their families and friends they've left behind in order to protect them. Life isn't going to be carefree and without worries forever. We'll have to take responsibility and grow up."
Leon knew all this may be a bit much for his twelve-year-old sister and that their father was the same age when he began his journey to become the green ninja. He wondered how he felt on the day they left on their quest to save Ninjago and if he regretted never telling Willow what it was like for him to grow up too fast for the sake of Ninjago.
"Leon?" Willow looked up at her brother.
"What is it?" He responded.
"Do you think we'll save Ninjago?"
The young ninja sighed, not sure how to answer. He had no idea if they even have what it takes to become the next saviors of Ninjago and Willow was not as naïve as she seems. After all, she's the daughter of the first green ninja and kunoichi of time and space. They told their children all about the hardships and dangers they've faced in their youth and trained them at an early age to prepare them for their turn to go through such endeavors.
But will they be able to fill in the huge shoes their parents left behind?
"I don't know…" Leon finally answered, "The final battle's still a long way off and we still have a lot to learn before we're ready."
Willow tried to climb down but lost her balance and would've fallen if Leon hadn't caught her in time. The pink kunoichi wasn't clumsy all the time but she can be accident-prone at the worst moment possible. The green ninja was used to his little sister's quirk but it can get annoying.
"This is what I meant when I said you can't do anything right." Leon rolled his emerald orbs.
"Zatknis'!" The pink kunoichi pouted with her cheeks puffed up, a little quirk both she and Leon got from their mother.
The green ninja scoffed but helped his sister anyway because deep down, he truly cared for her and like she does with him, the pink kunoichi was the only part of his family he had here. But he can't forget the bond he had with the other ninjas. To him, they were family too and like family, they'll have to stick together in these tough times…
The kunoichi also enjoyed spending time just talking to each other in their room. They may not be related by blood but if anything, they were truly like siblings. They just had different parents.
"Is there anything you would've liked to be if you were never a kunoichi?" Alex asked.
"I'm not sure," Amy shrugged, "We're still young and deciding which road to follow…"
Liana opened her mouth to say something but fell silent as usual.
"What were your interests back home?" Melody asked the white kunoichi.
"I was always into taking care of animals and learning about machinery. It's not that much of a surprise knowing my father…" The pale girl sighed.
"Liana, don't let those bullies from your school get to you. You are who you are." Amy consoled the still lonely girl.
"I know… But the memories still hurt…"
"But at least you can start making some good ones with us." The ever optimistic purple kunoichi pointed out.
"You're right…" Liana let out a small smile.
"What about you?" The black kunoichi turned to Alex, who asked the question in the first place.
"I don't know either," The kunoichi of wind sighed, "There's still so much I want to do and even as a kunoichi, I still wonder about my life's true calling."
"Is there anything you consider yourself particularly good at?" Liana asked.
"People always tell me that I'm very creative but that's something Akira's good at too. I'm not sure if there's anything that makes me special…"
"What about something you really want to do?" Amy suggested.
"Well… I'd like to explore the whole of Ninjago one day…" The olive-skinned girl started.
"But we're already doing that." Melody pointed out.
"Wait, really?"
Liana managed to hide her chuckle, remembering that Akira told her that his twin sister can get pretty airheaded at times. Looks like this is one of those moments. Melody and Amy remained oblivious to the wind wielder's quirk and remained confused.
Like the wind, Alex always had her mind somewhere else. It can be a good thing when it comes to figuring out a way through a puzzle but she won't find her true potential if she keeps losing focus and letting herself get distracted…
"NINJA-GO!"
Akira immersed himself in a cyclone of fire and cleared the obstacle course within minutes.
The wise Misako watched the Pyrrhus twins' every move closely. Every time they trained, they gave nothing less than their best effort as if this was a competition but she sensed that neither of them were trying to be better than the other. Not only did they train by themselves but they also seemed to only care about furthering themselves.
"I noticed you two have been training separately since the incident with Sayuri." Misako said.
"What about it?" Alex didn't know where her teacher was getting at but let her continue.
"I think there may be a rift between you two and that could be what's holding you back."
"Qué? But siblings don't always get along! It's normal!" Akira complained.
"Yeah! What's the big deal?" Alex asked.
"True, but I can sense something deep within you and it's something you must discover on your own but at the same time, you have to work as a team to find it."
"Sensei… what is it that you're really trying to say to us…?" Alex asked.
"You two will only train together until you find your true potential."
"What does Alex have to do with me finding my true potential!?" Akira's temper flew.
"Your elements complement one another yet you haven't been working together lately. There's a reason why fire and wind are often said to go well and that was why your parents fell in love with each other. You two are different yet similar at the same time and you need to see that."
The Pyrrhus twins remained oblivious to their problem but Misako can tell they were definitely their parents' children. They both inherited Kai's hot temper and Aria's headstrong attitude. It was no coincidence they were born at the same time but the rift between will only force them further apart if they don't find their true potential.
They'll need all the help they can get…
The Walker brothers were busy at the bridge scouring the atlases for any potential locations for the Overlord to continue his evil schemes. It was truly a race against time and they had to win or else the world will be doomed.
…
Well that sounded cliché…
"Any more clues on the Overlord's new location?" Misako asked the brothers once she joined in on the search.
"Nothing yet…" Kyle sighed.
"Have you found anything new in those scrolls?" Chris asked.
"I'm still deciphering them. I'll let you know more once I find more information." The intelligent scholar said before getting to work translating them.
Misako studied the blueprints and scrolls left behind when the Overlord and his forces escaped. Most of them were designs for more war machines but some contained spells that were written in the old language. Thankfully, the old scholar learned the ancient tongue way back when the original monastery still stood and hadn't forgotten it. She scanned through the yellowing pages multiple times and tried to put the pieces together.
One of the fragments she found described a spell that will trigger a transformation. She wished she could find out more from the tiny bit of text but the rest of the words became blurred with age. Yet it was just enough to give a pivotal clue to the Overlord's true motives or even that of his cohorts.
But what was it that the Overlord was trying to change?
It can't always be a person he was trying to change. Perhaps he was trying to change something else like destiny or even the timeline. Whatever it was he was trying to transform, the ninja and kunoichi can NOT let that happen. However, that didn't quell the bad feeling the bespectacled woman had the moment she deciphered the old words…
"Chris, Kyle. I have something very important to tell you…"
Cliffhangers. They never fail to keep us hanging on the edge of our seats.
So what is it the Overlord is trying to change? Will Akira & Alex find their true potential?
Again, review & find out in the next chapter! Also, I'm surprised with the poll results for my Beauty and the Beast story! All I can say is… the results are a coincidence! But I can't reveal them until the story is publish! Until then, review!