Children of Destiny
Ah! It's good to be back!
After planning out so much, I'm ready to get back to writing this story! All of your support meant so much to me & it still does! Now let's get this story back on track!
Chapter 40: From the Ashes
A few months have passed since the new generations' epic battle against the Overlord and his forces of evil. They managed to do what was once thought impossible: combine all their powers over the elements as one into the Tornado of Harmony. Though they prevailed, victory doesn't come without a price. Ninjago City and the monastery was destroyed.
But every end marks a new beginning.
The city was being rebuilt and the ninja and kunoichi all had to lend a hand.
"Of all the places we could've fought, the Overlord just HAD to pick this place." Alex complained over all the grunt work she had to do.
"What's done is done," Liana consoled the kunoichi of wind, "The life of a ninja isn't a carefree life nor is it easy. There's nothing we can do about what has already happened."
"I know…" The olive-skinned girl sighed but sucked it up.
Life wasn't all fun and games and neither was being a ninja. All the glory that comes with being a hero does have its price but as Lloyd said, nothing in life is free.
But at least all the manual labor saw some results: some parts of the city were inhabitable once more and even some companies were back in business. Even Grand Sensei Dareth's Mojo Dojo was mostly fixed and the brown ninja was sure he'll be back in business before long.
Of course Dareth lent a hand as he oversaw the reconstruction of his dojo slash house.
"This takes me back," Dareth sighed wistfully while his dojo was being rebuilt, "I remember the day your parents were in the Ninjaball Run to save my dojo. I was honestly scared for them."
"My parents told me all about it," Akira replied, "It was my mom's idea to sneak into the race to help the ninjas win. She's really a clever woman and I can see why my dad fell in love with her."
"By the way, how are our parents doing?" Kyle asked.
"I'm sure they're fine," Forrest answered, "They are the original ninjas after all…"
Obviously, original ninja also helped repairing the damage the Overlord had done to Ninjago.
At the monastery, even they were hard at work restoring it to its former glory.
"Hey Cole!" Kai called the earth ninja over, "You sure you can handle all that load?"
"I still got it!" Cole boasted while carrying several pounds of lumber in his hulking arms.
The fire wielder shook his head but he could've have his brothers any other way but he also had his own work to do. The ninja turned blacksmith forged the metal foundation for the building as well as creating new
At a tiny patch of earth that was able to support plant life, Heather used her elemental powers to grow trees for lumber and Luna nourished them with fresh water she can conjure with sheer force of will. Aria took a more 'hands-on' approach by actually helping her husband handle the immense task of building the monastery's foundations.
Jay occupied himself repairing the electronics that got damaged by the battle. Being the ninja of lightning, these common gadgets were child's play for him and he already got a bunch of them working as if they were brand new. He was mostly focused on rebooting the hacked computer of the Destiny's Bounty but he still lent a hand at the monastery.
"How's the electricity?" Zane inspected the ninja turned inventor working on some wires.
"Just gotta work out a few kinks and it'll be good as new!" The Scandinavian man exclaimed.
Thanks to Jay's hard work, the lights in some of the rebuilt rooms now worked and most of the electric outlets were fully functional but he still had a way to go.
At the remains of the monastery, Wu and Garmadon were hard at work rebuilding it along with Lloyd and Iris. The former kunoichi reversed the flow of time to undo some of the damage done to the monastery but even after mastering her powers, using it so much can still be taxing. Her husband soon noticed her struggles to keep up.
"Iris, you should get some rest." The former hero of Ninjago held his wife.
"I don't want you being burdened with building the monastery alone." The violet-eyed woman brushed off her spouse's urgings for her to take a break.
"It's not me alone doing all the hard work. I still have my brothers and family."
"But I don't want to just sit idle. There must be something I can do."
"Your support is all I need to keep going. You already saved me from myself all those years ago. I may have taken you for granted when I was young but I've since grown up and appreciate all you have done for me. That's all I could ever ask for."
"Lloyd…"
The former kunoichi finally accepted her husband's offer to take some time recuperating.
Wu took a small reprieve from all the work, meditating and drinking some warm green tea.
Even if Ninjago was peaceful at the moment, he knew this era of calm will be fleeting.
It's been months since the Overlord was defeated but they knew this wasn't over. He was still somewhere out there recovering from his loss and he will come back, more vengeful than ever and they'll have to prepare for it too.
"It won't be long until he returns…" A familiar voice reached the meditating man.
The bearded old man looked up to see his brother staring down at him.
"It's only a matter of time." Wu responded.
"The new generation's paths will only grow more difficult to the point that the battle they have faced months ago will be a walk in the park."
"They must prepare themselves for darkness' inevitable return."
"As ephemeral as these peaceful times will be, we must make the most of it. No one can predict what the fates have planned for them or when."
"Until the time comes, brother?"
"Until the time comes."
The new generation and their parents were very happy when it was time for a break.
The families were all exhausted from all their hard work but at least they got to spend time with one another like proper families should.
"You must be exhausted," Heather rubbed Liana and Forrest's shoulders, "I brewed some fresh earl grey tea for you."
"Thanks, Mother." The wielders of plants and ice accepted their mother's love gratefully.
"You made any progress at the city?" Kai asked his kids.
"We're still helping rebuild Dareth's dojo." Akira answered.
"But compared to then and now, I'd like to think we made a lot of progress." Alex added.
"All that matters is that you managed to defeat the Overlord. I couldn't be more proud of you." Aria hugged the twins like they were her most prized treasures, which they were.
"We still have some time left before dinner. We can go down and check on downtown Ninjago City." Liana suggested.
"But we already did a lot." Akira whined.
"I understand but there's nothing wrong in double-checking." The kunoichi of ice persuaded the fire wielder to be more diligent, who paused for a few moments before giving in.
"Liana, stop worrying. The Overlord's not a threat and even if he comes back, it probably won't be for another long while."
"Am I… am I frustrating you…?" The white kunoichi asked, feeling a little hurt.
"N-no!" Akira stuttered, "I understand you want to take the extra measure to make sure we're all safe but it wouldn't hurt to let loose, you know?"
"What would you like to do?"
"I just wanna take a break but if you want, I could accompany you…"
"You don't have to if you don't want to. I can take care of myself."
"But being with you is better than being stuck here with nothing to do."
With her pale skin, even the lightest blush was glaringly obvious on the ice wielder's face. Akira chuckled but not out of any negative emotions. He knew Liana felt comfortable with him and he wanted to ensure that she fit in with the team.
"Then let's go, shall we?" Liana offered.
"A-alright…" A blush also bloomed upon Akira's olive skin.
The new generation chuckled at their interactions but the young couple didn't care and set off for a little incursion at the city.
Little did Liana know her father had a pretty good hunch on what went on between them.
Zane was quick to notice the way his daughter interacted with Kai's son. They were opposites in many ways but they worked really well together. Liana had a charming wit that very few people outside her family knew about but it always showed whenever the fire ninja was around…
'Perhaps Liana may not have only found people who truly accept her but someone compatible as well…'
The ice ninja knew he'll have to confront them one day but he was only glad that his daughter was finally opening up to others. If she really wanted to be with Akira, then he'll bear no ill will towards the fire ninja if the feelings are mutual. It was the least he, as Liana's father, could ever want. His daughter's happiness was his happiness.
But the fire ninja's behavior towards Liana didn't go unnoticed by his father either.
Kai too noticed his son's change of attitude whenever Liana was around. Like him, the new fire ninja can get extremely cocky but when the ice wielder was near, he became more diligent and always going out of his way to make sure she was content.
It was similar to the way he and the other couples acted back in the day.
And how does Zane feel about all this?
"Do you think Akira might actually have a thing for Liana?" Kai asked the former nindroid once their children were gone.
"I still have yet to know if his attraction to her is deeper than that between friends but if Liana is happy with her relationship, I see no reason to object." The white ninja answered calmly.
"But they're still young. They can't just rush into things as big as a romantic relationship."
"We were young too," Zane reminded his hot-tempered brother, "Liana and Akira are both still confused over their feelings like we were before we knew what it is to love. Give them time to sort out their emotions and if their feelings are true, romantic or not, we as parents must give them all our support."
"And if things don't work out…?"
"I'd rather not think of it but if anything were to happen to my daughter by your son's hands, I can't guarantee I'll let him go unpunished."
"Nah. I'll set him straight if he even thinks about hurting your daughter."
The ninjas of fire and ice knew their children will have to grow up and letting them go was one of the biggest trials every parent will have to face but had faith in their children…
In a dark chamber, familiar voices echoed amidst the shadows.
'These fools have become arrogant. They have no idea that they haven't won.'
'While they were busy rebuilding their precious little city, we also made our own improvements.'
'And they're still weak. This is our perfect chance to strike.'
'No… let the cycle take its course… Our time will come…'
'And when will that be?'
'When the time is right… when they least suspect it…'
The voices faded out into the shadows from whence they came…
Until the monastery was completely rebuild, Lloyd and Iris stayed at the latter's parents' home in Vremya. Even Leon and Willow were staying with them until the monastery was fixed. Their tranquil slumber was all-too-quickly interrupted by insistent banging on the door.
"Mom! Dad!" They can hear Willow's voice echo from the other side.
The very second Iris opened the door, her youngest child came in and clung to her like a lifeline.
"Willow! Is there something wrong moya doch'?" The former kunoichi stroked her hair as if the simple gesture could quell her emotions.
"I had a bad dream…" The youngest kunoichi whimpered into her mother's nightgown.
The former heroes of Ninjago felt their hearts descend into a dark pit.
One of the abilities that came with being the kunoichi of time were visions of the future or even events that were going on elsewhere. Even to this day, Iris still had such dreams every now and then and already knew that whatever her daughter saw, it was a cause for concern.
"Can you tell us what you saw?" Lloyd sat his daughter down next to him.
"Everything was so dark but I heard familiar voices…" The violet-eyed girl shivered.
"Is there anything else? What were they talking about?" The green ninja gently inquired.
"They were saying something about letting the cycle take its course and we were still weak."
Lloyd and Iris immediately knew it was the Overlord already making plans for his next big move.
"I should've known the day will come when the battle between good and evil recommence…" The green ninja berated himself for being too optimistic.
"Is the Overlord coming back soon?" Willow looked up to her father.
"I don't know exactly when but this is an omen that it won't be long before he does."
"We'll still help you to the very end. As your parents and as the original ninjas, we'll never leave you to do it all yourselves. We are all but one part of a team. Don't ever forget that." Her ever loving mother held her as to protect her from the dangers of the outside world.
"But when he does, I'll make sure he'll never lay a finger on you." Lloyd also held his daughter in a protective manner.
Willow sank into her parents' embrace, just happy to be with them until her mind drifted into a dreamless slumber.
The old and new generation of ninjas were ready for another day of rebuilding Ninjago. Today, they were cautiously optimistic because most of the city as well as the monastery was fixed. If nothing goes wrong, they might complete the reconstruction of Ninjago City and the monastery in a couple of days.
However, not every morning had such a great start.
But Amy and Melody knew something wasn't right when their senses were invaded by the foul stench of burnt food coming from the kitchen.
"Good morning, girls!" Cole greeted his daughters once they arrived in the kitchen, "I made you some omelets!"
Amy and Melody were immediately alarmed that their father got to the kitchen and cooked and their fears were confirmed with the shriveled black mass on each plate. Ever since they got sick from the fondue their father made four years ago, their mother banned him from the kitchen. It was one of the rules she enforced strictly and if he managed to get in, that meant their mother wasn't here.
"Dad, do you know where Mom is?" Amy finally asked.
"She's at another fundraiser concert." The earth ninja answered.
To get the money needed to restore the city, the former kunoichi diva returned to the stage to raise funds for rebuilding Ninjago City. She may have retired but can still sing and dance just as good as she had been after all these years and still utilized her gift to help her loved ones. The former water wielder had been performing recently and getting to hear her sing again brought the civilians' spirits up, which was just as important as repairing the physical damage.
"Aren't you going to eat your breakfast?" Cole noted that his daughters didn't even take a bite out of their omelets.
"Um… yeah…" The Charbonneau sisters felt bad for lying to their father but they didn't plan on leaving this world so soon.
"Cole, there you are!" Heather spotted him in the kitchen, "I need to ask you something."
"Sure. What is it?" He got up, giving his daughters the opportunity to preserve their lives.
While Cole's back was turned, the girls let the eerie black 'omelets' slide into the trash can.
"Finished already?" The earth ninja stared at the empty plates, oblivious to what happened.
"Yup! Licked the plates clean!" Melody showed off her clean plate along with her sister.
"Alright then, have a great day." Their oblivious father saw them off.
One upside the new generation faced since the defeat of the Overlord was the popularity and fame from pretty much the entire population of Ninjago.
They were young but already made it clear they had a lot of potential… and the guys were fairly attractive to teenage girls' eyes…
"It's them!" A cluster of fangirls squealed at the sight of the ninjas.
"Not again…" Forrest sighed in aggravation before he and the guys ran for the hills.
Even amidst the ravaged Ninjago City, the fangirls were relentless on their pursuit to make the ninjas their boyfriends or even husbands.
"How did Dad manage to put up with these psychopaths!?" Chris ranted while being chased.
"Earth!"
A wall of solid earth suddenly rose up, creating a barrier between the ninjas and the obsessive lunatics. The wall stretched from the very edge of one building to the other on the opposite end of the road.
"Amy…!"
The ninjas' conversation was interrupted by groaning coming from the makeshift barrier. Cracks began spreading out across the wall that seemed to literally shake until it crumbled down. The fangirls came back, possibly even more ruthless than ever in their perpetual attempt to be the ninjas' shoehorned girlfriends.
"Akira! Be my husband!"
"Nothing can get in the way of my love for you, Chris!"
As for the kunoichi… some quotes are best left unheard…
"Shit! Shit! Shit!" Kyle cursed while trying to stay a good distance away from the psychopaths.
"I swear to the First Spinjitzu Master, if we live through this, I'll never take my sister for granted ever again!" Forrest raced faster than he can remember.
The ninjas and kunoichi all ran faster than they ever ran before. They were now starting to think the Overlord and all the battles they've faced are nothing compared to a pack of rabid fangirls.
But they had no idea that psychotic fans will be far from the only thing to worry about…
So what do you think?
I know it's been quite a while but there's gonna be some big stuff going on soon! Once again, thank you all so much for your support & I really missed you all!