Hey guys!

Just a few chapters including some characters I'd made for my AU 'Six Years Later'. I've drawn these characters if you want to pop over to my dA or Instagram to get an idea of how they look.

Hopefully you will like this/them!

Jay came running into the temple with a package in his hands. He had been waiting for this to arrive for absolutely ages and couldn't keep his excitement to himself. As he spun around on his heel, embracing the brown paper parcel, it wasn't long until he bumped into someone and promptly fell backward.

"Sorry, honey, you okay there?"

Jay looked up to see Nya holding out her hand.

"Oh, hey babe," Jay beamed, taking her offer as she helped him to his feet. "sorry for bumping into you."

"You seem pretty excited," She noted, seeing the item in his hand. "whatcha got there?"

"Uh, it's a new video game, I've had it on pre-order, and it finally showed up today." He admitted.

"Not another one-on-one fighter." Nya rolled her eyes.

"No, actually, this one is multiplayer," Jay shifted his gaze to the floor. "but if you wanna play we can have a go after lunch."

"I'd love to, but it's group training today, remember?" Nya chuckled.

"I heard it was cancelled."

"From who?" Nya tilted her head.

"Cole," Jay confirmed. "he said Sensei was going on a mission with Pixal."

"This is the first I'm hearing about it," Nya said with slight annoyance in her voice. "why wasn't I told before?"

"It was kinda last minute." Came a gravelled voice.

Jay and Nya turned to see Cole himself, leaning in the doorway. The earth ninja strolled over to them with a cookie in his hand – which he promptly shoved in his mouth – before eyeing up the package in Jay's hand.

"Did I miss the mail guy already?" He mumbled. "He didn't drop anything off for Zane, did he?"

"No, it was just this," Jay replied, edging his parcel further out of sight. "why?"

Cole raised his eyebrows, answering Jay's question without saying a word. Jay gave him a knowing glance in response, and the three of them exchanged a concerned look.

It had been just over a year since the island incident – where the team saw Zane and Pixal's personalities warp as a result of the Angel subroutine – and peculiar things had started happening to Zane. On occasion, he had been hearing a female laugh. No one else ever heard it, but Cole, Jay and Nya all knew what laugh he was talking about.

In the middle of his protocol-driven rampage one year ago, Zane had engaged in a battle with a security droid unlike any they had previously encountered; she was fast, lucid and had riled Zane into stabbing her through the chest. She also had a very distinctive type of laughter, weighty and sinister and loud. They had taken Zane back to Borg Industries a few times for diagnostics, but there were no faults or malware detected.

"Is he still hearing that droid's laughter?" Nya asked.

"He must be, he had another flashback about half an hour ago," Cole said. "at the moment he's upstairs meditating."

"So that's why Sensei has gone on a mission…" Jay realised. "Do you think they're going back to New Ninjago?"

"It's possible; maybe Mr Borg has found something to fix him." Cole nodded.

"Or maybe they found the droid who started it, maybe she was a rogue and they've finally caught her." Nya theorised.

Zane sat peacefully in his room, trying to drown out the demonic laughter. He kept hearing it; in the middle of the night, during training, while he was spending time with his darling Pixal. The echoes of that wicked droid's chortle that appeared at random, haunting him with her taunting vocals:

["So much fire, for such a cold element… your darling wife would be so proud."]

He shook his head to try and chase the voice away.

["How cute that you think I would be involved in harming her… knowing who she is, and who she's married to – who would be that stupid?"]

With a deep breath in, and a slow breath out, he attempted to clear his mind.

Pixal is safe… He told himself. She is with Sensei Wu, and her training is going well…

["…who knows what could be happening to her while you waste your time on me?"]

Suddenly, another round of demented laughter echoed inside his head, and he felt himself snap.

"Infernal tormentor!" He stood up and shouted. "Leave me alone!"

Zane let out the loudest, angriest roar he'd ever emitted. It was so loud, that the ninja downstairs thought that one of the dragons had been summoned. He heard rapid footsteps heading towards him, and he instinctively pulled out a weapon, but the footsteps did not belong to an enemy; it was Cole.

"Dude, are you okay?" the earth ninja asked him.

"That voice! That blasted voice! It will not leave me be!" Zane put his hands on his head and slammed it against a wall, leaving a crack in the drywall. "That evil wench; she is going to hurt Pixal, we have to go find her!"

"Woah, woah, calm down," Cole said in a low, soothing tone. "I'm sure she's fine – Wu would've messaged us if there was a problem."

"But what if that wicked droid gets to her?" Zane fretted angrily. "I should have gone with them; I cannot let anything happen to Pixal!"

"Zane, look at me," Cole put his hands on either side of Zane's face and looked him square in the eyes – the icy blue orbs now white and glowing. "nothing is going to happen to Pixal, she's not the defenceless droid she was last year; she can fight now!"

Cole stared Zane down with intense eyes. As the nindroid began to regain a sense of calm, he realised that Cole was right. Pixal had come a long way in her training since the island incident last year, and she certainly was not as vulnerable as she was on that same island a few years ago. Deep down, Zane already knew that, but the torment of the voice and his inherent fear of losing her was affecting his ability to think straight.

"Say it," Cole demanded. "Zane, you have to say it!"

"Pixal can fight now, she will never be that defenceless again." Zane muttered.

"Louder!" Cole growled.

"She can fight! She will never be that defenceless again!" Zane stated factually.

"You've seen her fight, you know she can fight," Cole insisted, letting go of Zane's face and gesturing dramatically with his hands. "so, say it louder!"

"SHE WILL NEVER BE THAT DEFENCELESS AGAIN!" Zane bellowed. "SHE CAN FIGHT, AND SHE CAN FIGHT LIKE A DEMON!"

"YEAH!" Cole threw himself into the moment and raised his fists in the air.

Having expended a decent chunk of energy by yelling at the top of his voice, Zane's fury dissolved into just heavy breathing, and the white hatred in his eyes disappeared. Cole put a hand on his shoulder.

"Feel better?"

"Yes, thank you for the reassurance." Zane smiled.

"I know you got some stuff going on in there," Cole added, poking Zane in the forehead. "but we'll get it sorted, okay?"

Zane nodded appreciatively.

"Well, since your missus has redirected Sensei from our group training, how about we go do some individual training? We'll go lift some weights," Cole suggested. "it'll take your mind off things, and we can have some guy talk."

"Guy talk?" Zane wondered aloud, following Cole to the main training room.

"Yeah," Cole confirmed. "I know she's the love of your life and everything, but you're pretty much joined at the hip, and a bit of dude time isn't gonna kill ya!"

"It is difficult to make time for everyone," Zane sighed. "I did not mean to neglect my male friendships."

"Look, I get it; you're in the honeymoon phase – probably have been since you met her – but we gotta get some bonding in before you ride off into the sunset to run New Ninjago."

"That decision has not been made yet." Zane corrected.

"Well, we'll cross that bridge eventually," Cole shrugged. "anyway, come and train with me for a bit, it'll be like old times and hopefully take your mind off stuff."

"We can but hope." Zane grinned.

It was late when Pixal and Sensei Wu got back, and all was dark and quiet. They entered as silently as possible, and when they walked into the living room, they saw Zane sitting on the floor. At first, he appeared to be meditating, but on closer inspection, was actually asleep.

"I do not wish to wake him; he seems very peaceful." Pixal lamented, observing the serene face he held.

"It can't be helped, you need to tell him about tomorrow," Wu sighed. "besides which, how would you get him upstairs without waking him?"

Without a word, Pixal knelt down in front of Zane with her back to him. As if sensing she was there, Zane leaned against her, draping his arms over her shoulders. After that it was as simple as standing up and tucking her arms under his legs. Wu was momentarily stunned as Pixal breezily lifted and carried Zane via piggyback up the stairs.

"I did not see that coming." Wu looked on, shocked.

"He is not as heavy as you may be imagining," Pixal replied. "and it should be noted that it is your training that gives me the confidence to attempt this."

Wu shook his head and chuckled as he traversed to his own room on the first floor.

"Darling…" Zane mumbled under his breath.

"Yes angel, I'm here." She whispered back.

Pixal opened and closed their bedroom door quietly, not wanting to disturb anyone else.

She sat on the bed and delicately nudged Zane onto it by rolling her shoulders back; he landed on the soft duvet with a smile, still fast asleep. She lay down next to him and he immediately reached out for her, happily clinging to her supple form. He made the most adorable faces when he was sleeping, and she hated to disrupt such joyful expressions, but Wu was right, he needed to know.

"Angel…" She cooed in his ear. "can you hear me?"

"Always, my darling," He sighed wistfully. "do you doubt me?"

"Never," She asserted, playing with his hair. "but there is something I need to tell you, and you need to remember it."

"I remember everything you tell me," He insisted sleepily. "every word you say is important."

"Has the voice been bothering you again today?" She asked.

"Relentlessly," He growled as he held her more tightly. "I will find that droid and destroy her myself."

"You do not need to; the problem has been resolved."

"Is that why I feel so peaceful?" He beamed.

"Possibly, but I must tell you that-"

Suddenly there was a knock on their bedroom door.

Zane was startled out of his slumber for a moment, but when he realised that Pixal was with him, he promptly fell asleep again.

"Who is there?" Pixal wondered in a hushed tone.

"It's just me, can I come in?"

Pixal recognised the voice as Nya's.

"If you wish, we are decent."

Nya slowly opened the door and entered the room. Wherein she promptly went doe-eyed upon seeing Pixal and Zane laying on top of the duvet, the room lit only by their glowing circuits.

"Forgive my rudeness in not opening the door, but you can see for yourself the restricted position I am in." Pixal said sheepishly as Nya approached.

Zane was snuggled into her chest and had both arms wrapped around her waist; he looked like a snake coiled about its prey with the intent to devour it.

"Yeah, I see, Zane appears to be mimicking a python," Nya nodded, crossing her arms. "so, how did it go in New Ninjago? Did they find the droid?"

"She had never escaped," Pixal explained. "she was a prototype that was put on the back burner after the island incident."

"Let me guess – they started working on her again recently?"

"Correct," Pixal nodded. "they discovered that she was too powerful as a single entity, and they have split her neural drive into two additional bodies."

"So, there's three of them now?" Nya fretted, trying not to make too much noise.

"In a way, yes; honestly, it is rather a lot to explain right now, but there will be solid answers come the morning." Pixal deflected.

"If you say so," Nya replied. "in the meantime, I'll leave you to your boa constrictor."

"Goodnight." Pixal giggled.

"Goodnight." Nya grinned as she left the room.

Pixal gazed at Zane's tranquil face.

"The voice will bother you no more," She kissed him on the forehead. "I promise."

He yawned and stretched and rolled onto his back as a deep rumble left his throat. She took the opportunity to curl up to him and purred at the feeling of his body warmth. All thoughts of tomorrow floated away as she sighed contentedly and fell asleep.

As they all sat in the living room – awaiting the arrival of some 'special guests' – the ninja were all wondering what this was about.

Well, they knew a little bit. Pixal had told them that a solution to Zane's auditory hallucinations had been found, and that Mr Borg was coming to explain it. They had all been awake for a couple hours at this point, and he had shown no signs of mental instability, so there was definitely some truth to it, but Pixal's refusal to give much detail was concerning to say the least.

"Helicopter just landed outside," Jay stated from his place at the window. "Mr Borg is getting out... and he's got three girls with him."

"Girls?" Kai responded in confusion. "What kind of girls?"

"Can't see, they're holding up fans over their faces."

"How about opening the door?" Lloyd spoke with annoyance in his voice.

The green ninja walked over to the front door and prepared to open it for their guests.

"Zane, stay calm," Pixal said quietly. "and remember what I told you this morning."

"I am alright, Pixal," He smiled and patted her hand. "now that the voice has left my head, I'm feeling much more relaxed."

"Good morning, Mr Borg!" Lloyd chirped as Cyrus and the three girls entered the temple.

"Ah, young Lloyd," Cyrus beamed. "how good to see you!"

"Nice to see you too," Lloyd bowed politely. "you're looking well."

"Thank you," He nodded. "come along girls, this way."

The three girls tottered past him in their cute kimonos and zori sandals, giggling behind their hand fans – one of them even winked at him and waved her fan a little faster than the others.

As they came into the living room, Pixal stood up to greet them.

"Father, how wonderful to have you here." She grinned as she hugged him.

"Hello my daughter," He replied. "thank you for having us; the girls are very excited to be here."

The three ladies bowed.

"Are these your new assistants?" Kai asked.

"Sort of," Cyrus responded. "I'm training them to know my duties."

"Like, in case you get sick?" Jay wondered.

"Yes, they've only been activated for a week or so, but they're doing very well."

"Activated?" Cole queried. "Are they…?"

All three girls simultaneously collapsed their folding fans, leaving everyone bewildered. The girls were not human, they were droids. Not just any droids, they were almost exact copies of Pixal. With silver hair, metallic bodies, and visible blue circuit lines, the three of them stood beside Pixal as though they were sisters.

"And here I thought you were an only child, Pix." Cole joked.

Nya glanced at Pixal, who nodded back at her to verify that this is what she spoke of last night.

"May I introduce, Miru, Kiku and Hanasu," Cyrus clarified. "they are extensions of my dear daughter, and each of them has specific skills linked to their name."

"I am Miru," The green-eyed droid stepped forward and bowed. "tracking, scanning, and recording specialist."

"I am Hanasu," said the one with sapphire eyes, as Zane immediately reacted to her voice. "high-pitch signalling, announcement functions, and speaker of ancient… languages…"

She trailed off as Zane swiftly stood up and approached her; his narrowed, icy blue eyes locked onto her sapphire ones with heavy suspicion in them. He stared her down in such a way that Pixal hovered nearby nervously.

"Zane-"

"That voice…" He growled. "…does not belong to those eyes."

"And I am Kiku," the last droid spoke, a certain smug tone slipping through. "audio recording, long range signal reception and security detail…"

Zane glowered directly at her and snarled under his breath.

"Hey, dude, you okay?" Kai asked.

He held up one hand and continued to glare at Kiku.

A wicked smile began to play on her lips, as she realised that Zane finally remembered her from the island – she no longer had the voice that taunted him initially, but he still remembered her. He stared at her purple eyes as his expression twisted into fury. Pixal immediately got between them and began forcing him backwards.

"You!" He hissed, pointing at Kiku.

"So much fire, for such a cold element…" Kiku smirked.

"Kiku, behave!" Cyrus scolded her, and her smile instantly vanished.

"You said the voice would no longer bother me," Zane said to Pixal. "but here she is in the temple."

"Her voice was relocated late last night," Pixal corrected, gesturing to Hanasu. "and if I told you beforehand that she would be here you would not have reacted well."

"For good reason, I might argue," Zane countered. "when she is the one who put fear in me that you were in serious danger!"

"I did no such thing!" Kiku yelled.

"Do not speak to me!" Zane barked. "Or I will put you down as I did before!"

There was a unanimous flinch among the other ninja, and Kiku backed away as the vivid memory of being stabbed through the chest rolled through her mind. Sure, she laughed at the time, but it was a cover for the amount of pain she was in.

"If she were the exact same droid from the island, would she respond that way when you threaten her?"

"I am very sorry that this has upset you, Zane," Cyrus apologised. "but the single droid you encountered on the island no longer exists in that capacity."

"Father has altered her neural drive and internal programming for domestic purposes, then split it into three parts, to allow her skills to be harnessed in a more productive way," Pixal added. "she is a danger to no one."

"And what of these two?" Zane asked, nodding to Miru and Hanasu.

"We mean you no harm, Master of Ice," Miru bowed. "we exist to serve, as Pixal once did."

"Our sister acted badly, we cannot deny this," Hanasu also bowed. "but rest assured she serves as faithfully as we do; she strives to attain redemption."

"Does she not deserve a chance to prove herself?"

Zane turned to see Sensei Wu standing in the doorway, having overheard the conversation from the kitchen.

"I cannot trust her, sensei," Zane shook his head. "she is treacherous."

Kiku began to feel very guilty. She was only kidding around, and she thought that he would perceive her audio signals as an in-joke between them, but he clearly didn't find any of it funny. She silently approached Zane and fell to her knees in front of him. She bowed, placing her forehead on the ground.

"I know you do not trust me, and I know that I do not deserve your trust, but will you at least give me a chance to earn it?" She pleaded.

Zane was still furious, but he looked at the beseeching eyes of his beloved Pixal and felt himself weakening; she seemed to have genuinely taken on these three droids as her sisters. He glanced at the droid by his feet, and as much as he wanted to hate her, he knew she was sincere and honest at heart – her biometrics indicated no falsehoods.

"Very well, I will give you this chance," Zane stated factually. "but you must stay away from Pixal and I for the time being."

"Good, now that's settled," Wu smiled and turned to Mr Borg. "she can stay for training while she's earning Zane's forgiveness."

"Training?" Zane raised an eyebrow.

"As you have seen for yourself, Kiku is undisciplined, and she also needs specific training to fulfil one of her intended job roles," Cyrus explained. "Sensei Wu offered to assist with this, but given her… history with you, we agreed that we needed to get you on board first."

"I will not question your decision, Sensei," Zane began. "but if she so much as looks at Pixal or myself the wrong way, I will tear her apart with my bare hands; and no one will ever find the pieces."

He made one last scowl at Kiku, gently took Pixal by the hand, and waltzed back up the stairs with her. The silence left in their wake was intense.

"Wow…" Cole exhaled. "was anyone else holding their breath or was it just me?"

"I thought for sure he was gonna like, chop Kiku's head off or something!" Jay whistled.

Nya roughly swatted his shoulder and leaned over to whisper in his ear.

"Maybe don't say stuff like that when Kiku is in the room to hear you!" Nya admonished him.

"Sorry!" He whispered back.

"So, she's staying with us for now?" Lloyd asked, seeking confirmation.

Wu casually nodded.

"Hopefully, no one else has a problem with me being here," Kiku sighed in relief. "I shouldn't have yanked his chain, huh?"

"We warned you not to jest," Miru shook her head. "I had a feeling he would not be receptive to it."

"Zane's sense of humour is… limited, depending on whether his funny switch is on or not," Lloyd attempted to assure the worried droid. "just keep your head down and don't try to make any more jokes until he's a bit calmer."

"Looks like you'll be sleeping on the couch for now," Hanasu chuckled as she opened her folding fan and held it in front of her face. "there's no chance he will let you stay in their room."

"Not after that disastrous introduction, certainly." Miru added.

"She can stay with me if she likes." Kai suggested.

This offer was greeted with a number of curious looks from his teammates.

"What?" Kai stated. "I'm on my own, and my room is the furthest away from Zane and Pixal's – seems like a good idea."

"When you put it like that, it's a great idea!" Jay laughed. "Best to keep 'em apart until icy boi has cooled off."

"Thank you, Master of Fire," Kiku bowed to him. "I will do my best not to be a further nuisance."

"Just 'Kai' is fine," He grinned. "we're pretty casual here."

"I am relieved that you have made at least one ally, Kiku; do not make any more provocations," Miru cautioned. "thank you for giving her your assistance, Kai."

"No problem." He declared.

"Since Zane has decided to retreat, perhaps the rest of us can become better acquainted with our new houseguest," Wu advised. "I'll go prepare some tea."

"I'll help." Lloyd offered, following Wu into the kitchen.