Children of Destiny
Yeah! We're finally gonna see some action in this chapter! As if that wasn't good enough, one of the original couples will finally join in on the action so I hope you like it!
Chapter 44: People Change
It was very faint but Forrest could hear it. The voices of those who possess no mouths to speak managed to reach him even amongst the clouds on his dragon.
"I hear something…" He warned Amy who flew beside him.
"What are you talking about?" The earth wielder was initially confused at his sudden attitude, "There's nothing but- "
"I can communicate with plants, don't you remember?"
"Oh…"
"It's not your fault. It has been a long time since we saw some action."
"So what are the plants saying?"
"It's very faint but I sense their voices coming from there." The teal ninja pointed ahead.
Amy had her doubts but with no other lead, she might as well give the nature ninja a chance.
The duo guided their dragons and found themselves in a little patch of jungle right next to the beach. Before Amy can ask questions, Forrest closed his eyes in a mediatory manner, blocking off all kinds of sounds of the outside world until his mind was one with nature.
'…He lurks…' The palm trees whispered.
'…The seeds have been scattered…' More voices echoed from the bushes.
'What are you talking about?' Forrest asked the plants, 'Can I please get some more details?'
'The time of assimilation comes ever closer…'
'What assimilation? Are you talking about the Overlord or us?'
'…'
(*) "Hemmetti!" The nature ninja angrily stomped the earth now that his patience ran out.
"What's wrong?" The black kunoichi offered him support.
"It's nothing… I'm able to communicate with nature just fine… it's just that… the plants can be very vague and it's really frustrating. Even my mom had trouble interpreting their words when she first became a kunoichi."
"It's no use getting upset about it. Now tell me what they said and I will interpret them."
"Well, the plants said that the 'seeds have been scattered'…"
"What do you think they mean?"
"Now that I really thought about it, I think it refers to both us and the Overlord's goons."
"See? It may be tough but I know you have what it takes to fully understand nature."
"And after that, they spoke of some 'assimilation'. Just like the quote from before, I think those words might be an implication of the final battle. It's too important for any of us to miss out."
Seemingly out of nowhere, Amy and Forrest can hear the echoes of a clap.
"Well done." A venomous voice said but the duo can hear the sarcasm in the person's remark.
"Whoever you are, show yourself!" The black kunoichi held the Scythe of Quakes at the ready.
The leaves rustled and the figure finally revealed itself to be no other than…
"You!" Amy glared at the creature.
"The one and only." Skales flaunted himself before the surprised teens.
"What are you doing here!?" Forrest hissed at the blue snake.
"I jusssst happened to be sssslithering around here when I heard you incessssssant chattering." The Hypnobrai smirked cruelly at the
"Enough talk!" The kunoichi of earth silenced the enemy, "I know you're after my mother well guess what? You'll never take her as long as Melody and I are concerned!"
Skales let out an eerily calm chuckle which disturbed Amy and Forrest but they quickly wished they hadn't felt such sentiment so soon because the Hypnobrai's snickers evolved to deranged cackles echoing through the small jungle.
"That Karl or whatever hisssss name isssss can have Luna! I onssssse thought a beauty sssssuch assss hersssself will never be equaled until I sssssaw you and your equally lovely sssssisssster."
"What…?"
Amy nearly gagged in disgust and Forrest instinctively shielded her from the creep because he would've done the same if it was Liana that lecherous creature wanted.
"Why sssssettle for an old washed up hassss-been for true beauty sssssuch asssss yoursssss?"
"Why you shallow…" The kunoichi of earth was ready to wail on the Hypnobrai for insulting her mother but her partner quickly got in front of her to defend her.
"There's NO way I'm letting you have them!" The teal ninja held the Forest Staff at the ready.
"Let me ssssee you try." Skales taunted and his eyes started to glow red albeit for a very short time because Forrest poked his eye with the tip of his staff.
"Hey!" The blue Serpentine hissed childishly, "What do you think you're doing? Blind me!?"
"Exactly." The teal ninja smirked.
"Misako, can you hear me?" Amy whispered to her communication device, "Forrest and I found Skales at the Oase Peninsula."
"Look into my eyesssss…" Skales quickly recovered from Forrest's little prank and tried to draw Amy into his hypnotic gaze.
"No!" Amy refused to look into Skales' glowing eyes and struck at him with her scythe.
The snake slithered far from the scythe's range but the tip of the curved blade managed to cut into the scales on his chest. He hissed painfully at the sight of his blood seeping out of the cut.
"NINJA-GO!"
Forrest took advantage of the enemy's moment of weakness to engulf him in a flurry of leaves that left the Hypnobrai battered and beaten.
"If you tell us where your master is hiding, then we might spare you." The tall ninja was literally staring down at the debilitated Serpentine.
"Looksssss like you alsssso like to play dirty." Skales weakly sneered at the humans.
"Guess that makes us the same." The kunoichi of earth said icily.
"I've been going too eassssy on you… You and your pathetic family…"
"Don't you DARE insult my family!" Amy howled and slammed the palms of her hands onto the ground, causing an earthquake and Skales nearly fell into one of the chasms caused by the black kunoichi's fury.
"You miserable creature! Die already!" The kunoichi of earth howled.
Skales only smirked, something the green-eyed human never expected.
With a strength the humans never knew he possessed, Skales pulled himself from the abyss and tackled Forrest but the teal ninja was quick to resist. He blocked the Serpentine's claws with his staff and used his true potential to manipulate the surrounding foliage to ensnare the villain. He tried to claw his way out of the shrubbery locking him in place but strangely, his fangs and claws had no effects on them.
"Do you have any idea who I am!?" Skales screeched at the top of his lungs.
Forrest did nothing but glare at the Hypnobrai with his own eyes glowing with the power of the elements flowing through him. With his powers imbued into the vines, they won't be torn up so easily and will most likely keep Skales bound for as long as the nature ninja desired.
"Untie me you cretin!" The humanoid snake commanded but Forrest was in no mood to comply with the enemy.
"Amy! Are you alright?" Misako's voice finally echoed from Amy's device.
"Yeah… though I'm sure I'm going to be scarred for the rest of my life…" She answered.
"Did something happen?"
The black kunoichi remained silent, thinking it better to wait until everyone else can hear what she and Forrest have to say.
"Amy, is something wrong?" Her teacher's calm voice grew concerned by the sudden silence.
"I think it'll be better if Melody's with us before I say anything… I don't want to say it myself so soon…" The earth wielder finally replied.
"I understand. I'll contact the others."
While Amy was making contact with her teammates, Forrest started to play 'good cop, bad cop' with Skales except there won't be a good cop to sugarcoat the snake's situation.
"Where are they?" The teal ninja glared at the humanoid snake.
"I don't know what you're talking about."
"Don't use that old bullshit on me. You know exactly what I'm talking about."
"You'll never get anything from me."
"Well, then I guess you'll have to stay here." Amy said nonchalantly.
Amy and Forrest whistled for Rocky and Leaf respectively and left Skales to suffer by himself.
And just for good measure, Forrest made sure those vines had thorns…
With everyone back together in the Bounty, there was much to be discussed so the ninjas didn't waste any time getting to business.
"So, did the rest of you find anything?" Forrest wanted to see if his comrades found anything of interest to delay the inevitable.
"We did." His sister raised her hand to get attention.
"Okay. Spill the beans." Alex goaded Liana and Kyle.
"While we were looking around, we came across this thing." Kyle handed over what appeared to be nothing more than a tiny ring of metal.
"That's it?" Leon raised an eyebrow.
"I know it doesn't look much but when Kyle took a closer look, he said it looks very much like a part of a more complex machine… like a robot…"
"What are you getting at?" Chris grew impatient, "Just say it already."
"This ring looks very similar to the one on Cryptor's left optic." His brother finally said.
"How do you know?" Alex looked at her cousin suspiciously.
"Believe me, I know. I remember every last feature on Cryptor's face and this chunk of metal IS the same one as the piece that covers his left optic and I'll prove it to you. Liana, can you bring Haukka in?"
The kunoichi of ice was also confused but obeyed her teammate and summoned her friend.
"Haukka, can you scan this and find out if it matches with Cryptor?" The metal wielder handed the tiny part over to the artificial creature.
The robot bird scanned the piece of metal and from his eyes, a holographic screen came up and went through the various machines it scanned until it finally found which one the ring would've been a part of.
"Match confirmed." Haukka droned.
The ninjas were surprised that the machine the fragment was matched to was none other than the android Kyle said it belonged to: Cryptor.
"So it is the same as Cryptor's..." Liana stared at the hologram of the nindroid in astonishment.
"Kyle, remind me to punch myself for not believing you." Chris deadpanned to his brother.
"How in the world were you able to figure that out?" Leon was surprised at Kyle's intuition.
"I guess it's because of my attention to detail…" The metal ninja chuckled sheepishly. For once, the younger Walker brother was grateful for his perfectionist habits.
"But that's not all we might've found. Amy and I also found something…" Forrest wasn't exactly looking forward to telling the others about Skales, especially with his new scheme.
"Forrest, something is bothering you," Liana observed, "Did something happen?"
Although the teal ninja looked uneasy, the other ninjas noticed Amy looked particularly tense…
"We found Skales."
"You saw him!?" The other ninjas sans Forrest shouted at once.
"Where was he!?"
"Was there anyone else with him!?"
"Why didn't you say anything in the first place!?"
"One at a time, please!" The teal ninja complained.
"First, where exactly did you find him?" Akira asked first.
"At the Oase Peninsula, though I don't think he'll linger there for long." Amy answered.
"Don't worry," Forrest consoled her, "Those vines will keep him in place."
"At least we know where one of those snakes are…" Alex muttered.
"But there's another problem." Amy said.
"What now? The Serpentine are after our moms! How could it get any worse!?" Akira shouted.
"At least for Skales, it's no longer Mom he wants… it's us." The black kunoichi concluded grimly.
"Quoi!?" The water wielder's face contorted in disgust as did everyone else.
"That doesn't mean Mom is out of the woods either. Karl still wants her."
"What are we going to do!? Skales is now targeting US and that creep is still out there!"
"You should probably stay back," Akira suggested, "If you're gonna try facing him, you might as well serve yourselves up on silver platters."
"Are you trying to imply something?" Melody gave the fire ninja a distrustful look.
"N-no! Nothing at all! I just don't think it's wise to show up when that's exactly what the enemy wants. That'll make it too easy for them." The olive-skinned teen stuttered.
"Hey! We can fight too!" Amy reminded him, "We're not damsels in distress you know!"
"I wasn't trying to deny anything!" The red ninja tried to defend himself.
"That's enough both of you." Misako calmly chastised the Charbonneau sisters.
"We're sorry…" Amy and Melody bowed their heads apologetically.
The moment was quickly interrupted by Haukka's random cawing. Liana tried to figure out what was going on with her robot companion but the inorganic animal flew off out of the room and away from the Bounty before anyone can catch him.
"What was that about?" Chris stared in the direction where Haukka flew off.
"I don't know," Liana admitted, "Haukka is usually a well-mannered bird…"
"I'm sure he'll come back," Alex reassured her, "We have bigger things to worry about."
"Yeah…"
One of the greatest things about eating together was that it was a time for the ninjas to unwind and take a break from their duties to hang out with one another over a delicious meal. Today's special was Salisbury steaks courtesy of Chris.
"I know this sounds weird but I actually missed traveling and fighting evil with you guys." Chris confessed after placing a plate for himself.
"It's not weird," Liana shook her head, "I also missed spending time with you guys."
"I'm surprised, given what you were like before." Leon pointed out.
"I'm more willing to be myself but I like to think that deep down, I'm still the same… well… not the special snowflake part but… you understand what I mean, right?"
"Of course," Melody answered, "I've learned a lot but still like to think with my heart."
"I understand," Alex added, "I don't feel any different with my friends back home but they keep saying I've changed a lot."
"Same here." Liana said.
"All of you have changed," Misako pointed out, "But at the same time, your hearts remain just the same as before you started your journey. Each of you can only be the best you."
Some of her students blushed,
"By the way, did you do anything besides rebuilding Ninjago City?" Willow asked.
"Whenever we weren't dragging our own weight in lumber, we helped Dad come up with some new P.I.X.A.L.'s." Kyle started.
"He has some pretty big plans for the next one which he expects to be released by the start of next year." Chris added.
"Our parents got their house rebuilt and we got to spend a lot of time with Grandpa." Amy said.
"That's nothing!" Forrest boasted and threw his arm around his sister, "Liana's finally standing up for herself and has gotten over her special snowflake syndrome. I'm proud of her."
The white kunoichi can only blush but it actually felt nice being part of the 'in' crowd…
The next day, the ninjas and Misako were back in the bridge resuming going through all the info they managed to get their hands on for the time being…
"What's the agenda for today?" Forrest started the discussion.
"For now, we know where some of the Overlord's minions are hiding." The old scholar turned back to the information her students managed to gather.
"So if a part of Cryptor or one of his copies was wherever Liana and Kyle were, then that means there are more enemies not too far." Liana theorized.
"But there's still more servants we haven't found yet." Melody pointed out.
"Then we'll have to interrogate that snake," Akira concluded, "We're not through with him."
"We still have no clues about the Overlord himself but we'll have to make do with what we've got." Alex concluded.
"We can check back on the Oase Peninsula if there's any clues that linger." Forrest suggested.
"And what about Cryptor or whoever this tiny hunk of metal belongs to?" The kunoichi of wind pointed at the ring-like piece.
"Right now, Skales is the bigger threat but with Forrest retained, we have a solid location of him and we have to take advantage of it." Leon concluded.
"So have we all made a decision?" Misako asked her pupils, who nodded and went to summon their dragons but like before, the Garmadon siblings stayed behind.
"Hey! Aren't you coming?" Akira looked back at Leon and Willow.
"We'll stay here and keep a lookout for anything suspicious outside the Oase Peninsula," Leon offered, "But if you need anything, we'll come for you."
"Knowing Skales, you should still be careful." Misako suggested.
"Okay."
Looks like they'll be paying a special someone a visit…
Much to the ninjas' surprise, Skales was still tied up with the vines Forrest summoned yesterday entangling him. Akira and his cousins even laughed at the admittedly hilarious spectacle but the Hypnobrai was obviously far from amused.
"Laugh all you want. There isssss ssssstill much for you cretinsssss to learn." He glared at them.
"We can start all over Skales," Forrest walked up in front of his face, "You tell us where the rest of your kind and the Overlord are hiding and then we'll consider letting you go."
"I'm surprised you're still here," Kyle retorted, "It's like you weren't even trying."
Unfortunately, the metal ninja just HAD to pick the worst time to say it…
Suddenly, Skales' whole body glowed and with a mighty roar, broke free of the vines. Not even the original ninjas have known that he possessed such strength…
"B-b-but how…!?" Akira stared in shock as did his teammates.
"The Overlord can be generousssss to thossssse who ssssswear allegianssssse to him." The blue Serpentine sneered.
"Kinda lame how he waited until the last minute to do that." Forrest whispered to his friends.
"Enough!" Skales barked, "I've grown weary of your inssssolent behavior! I may have made the misssstake to underessssstimate you but not anymore! I will have my queensssss!"
Skales' eyes glowed but the ninja and kunoichi were quick to resist. The Hypnobrai was aware that this tactic may not be enough and had another trick up his sleeve. The ninja and kunoichi had yet to realize that the powers the Overlord gained from his seal were also bestowed to his zealots in exchange for their undying loyalty…
The humans attempted to take another step but despite their efforts, they just can't budge. It was like their feet were frozen in place. Even their whole bodies became stiff, which was exactly what Skales wanted. The Hypnobrai slithered up to Amy and Melody who were unable to keep themselves away from his hypnotic gaze.
"Come…" Skales had the sisters under his spell, "Come with me… Ssssstay by my sssside and I'll offer you power and wealth…"
The Charbonneau sisters kept their eyes sealed shut but the Hypnobrai's hypnotic powers were not limited to their eyes. Whenever situations got desperate for them, the blue snakes can also use their voices to pull their victims into a trance and Skales took full advantage of it.
"Lissssten… Thesssse ninjassss have held you back for too long… It's time to break the chainssss that they have bound to you… Obey…"
Amy and Melody suddenly went limp and when they opened their eyes…
…they were blood red just like Skales.
"This can't be good!" Kyle panicked.
Skales' spell on the other ninjas wore off but they immediately tried to stop their sisters.
"Amy! Melody! Snap out of it!" Liana tried to restrain Amy but the kunoichi of earth pushed her aside with the strength only she can muster.
"The ninjasssss… they are the true enemiesssss. They're the onessss who held you back… Show them your true power…"
"As you wish." The sisters droned and the spell on their bodies wore off.
"Amy! Melody! Do NOT listen to him!" Alex cried out to her sisters but it was too late.
With feral roars and hisses, the Charbonneau sisters turned against their allies, who can't even fathom the thought of hurting the normally sweet girls.
"Crap!" Forrest barely dodged a swipe from the Scythe of Quakes, "Girls! Snap out of it!"
"Is there any way to free them!?" Liana barely managed to ask when she nearly got whipped by Melody… literally.
"The only known way to completely sever the Hypnobrai's hold on their victims is the melody of the Sacred Flutes but they were lost in the battle with the Great Devourer!" Chris cried.
"So there's no cure!?" Kyle cried.
"We can't give up on them!" Akira vowed, "They're still our teammates and I will NEVER leave a man or woman behind!"
The situation was bleak and the ninjas' fate appeared to be sealed when the air was filled with a flute-like melody that freed Amy and Melody from Skales' clutches. Just as mysteriously as the tune played, a large creature landed between the humans and the snake.
Between the ninjas and their enemies was a brown dragon whose ear-piercing roars shook the land and creatures to the very core.
"Rocky...?" Amy was surprised to see her dragon when she didn't even summon it.
Taking a closer look, she noticed a figure sitting on the draconian beast's back and immediately recognized the person who's joining the battle.
"Dad…!?" Amy and Melody were bewildered at the sight of their father wearing a simple black gi and glaring daggers through the bare part of his hood at his longtime enemy.
"Dad! What are you doing here!?" The purple kunoichi finally asked for her and her sister.
"I got a message from the falcon and I figured you can use a little bit of help." Cole turned to his daughters and his steely green eyes softened with love towards his children.
As if on cue, Haukka also returned to the group, chirping and perching on Liana's shoulder. The falcon played a recording of the Sacred Flute's melody to prove it was he who freed the sisters.
"Well you couldn't have come at a better time." Both girls hugged their father, who embraced them in return. This time, he was cautious of his immense strength and didn't crush them.
"And there's no way I'll let him do all the work." Another familiar voice said behind them.
The sisters turned around and saw their mother on Rain, ready to join the fray.
"Mom!" Amy and Melody also greeted their mother with a hug.
"You're fighting too?" Amy looked up at her mother.
"Even after you truly grow up, you'll forever be my children," The original purple kunoichi held her children like her most prized possessions, which they were, "And I will always protect you."
An ear-splitting roar interrupted the family moment and they saw Skales glaring at them with a look that could kill aiming at Cole.
"You…!" The battered Skales slithered towards the black ninja.
"You! You never ssssseassssse to fuel my fury for my hatred isssss neverending! Unyielding!"
"Give it up Skales!" Cole barked, "This is the last time you'll ever harm me or my family!"
"Not until I
"Melody, can you hand the Whip of Oceans to me for a second?" Luna asked in an eerily calm tone and her youngest daughter was more than willing to oblige…
Luna charged at Skales, accompanied by a tidal wave throwing him off balance. Before he could recover, the original kunoichi of water tackled him and unleashed her fury with ruthless swings of the Whip of Oceans.
"DON'T! YOU! EVER! LAY! YOUR! FILTHY! CLAWS! ON! MY! DAUGHTERS!"
With each word, Luna struck the Hypnobrai with her whip. The others, even her family, can only stare in shock at the sight of her beating up Skales because no one has ever seen the aqua-eyed woman so pissed off in her whole life, not even when she was a kunoichi.
Skales' body glowed again and started to transform. His claws grew longer while rows of spikes grew along the edge of his frill and back. Even his fangs grew sharper and dripped with venom. His arms and torso bulked with muscle and black marks appeared throughout his growing body and tail. By the time his transformation was done, he was thrice the size he used to be.
The ninjas were disturbed by the grotesque scene and even Luna cried out in horror as she held Cole's hand to feel any sense of security from her husband's touch.
Skales cackled again but his voice was now low with an otherworldly echo as if it came from the pits of hell itself.
The ninja and kunoichi can only stare mutely at the changed snake since terror had stolen their voices but there was one thought that united them…
They were doomed.
(*) Hemmetti = Dammit (Finnish)
Holy shit! What's gonna happen to the ninjas & how did Skales get such power? And where are the other henchmen?
All will be explained in the next chapter & as always, please review!