A/n- Yes S11 is my least favorite season, BUT there is still good one-shot material because let's be honest, Zane would totally (momentarily) crack psychologically under the realization he'd been an evil dictator for decades.
Wordless exclamations of joy pierced the previously quiet mountain top. Flurries of hugs quickly followed and a jumble of voices began talking at once.
"-What happened?-"
"-How did you make it back-?"
"-How long were we gone?-"
A loud crack resounded above the noise causing everyone to fall silent. Master Wu leaned on the staff he'd struck on the ground and smiled broadly at his returned students.
"I'm so glad to see you all back." His gaze lingered on Zane, who wouldn't meet his eye. "I'm sure you have quite the story to tell. Why don't we head inside and you can tell your story there."
Once the group settled in the living room, Wu studied each of them in turn. "How is it you were able to return home? The reason I tried so hard to dissuade you from leaving was because I believed it to be a one way trip. All the methods we tried to reach you over the last couple days failed."
"Only a couple days!?" Nya exclaimed. "Time sure is crazy between realms. We were there for weeks- Zane for years!"
"Years?!" Wu and P.I.X.A.L. asked in unison. P.I.X.A.L. looked at Zane who had an uneasy expression on his face.
"Please, what all happened to you in the Never-Realm?" Five voices began to clamor again but Wu held his hand up. "One at a time please."
Kai leaned forward and conjured up a fireball. "Well, most importantly, I got my powers back!" There was a moment of unimpressed silence as Wu just nodded cordially. Lloyd spoke next.
"The Scroll's blast sent us to this cold- and I mean cold- tundra place."
"And we were on a cliff and the Bounty fell off which caused Cole to drop the Traveler's Tea we'd brought."
"Jay! You didn't have to say that part-!"
"But it's important. Otherwise we wouldn't have met Krag!-"
Only Wu noticed when Zane stole quietly out of the room within the first ten minutes. Over the course of the next few hours the ninja continued tripping over themselves telling the story of everything that took place. Finally, just after midnight, they exhausted the tale of their adventure.
Wu shook his head. "I shouldn't be surprised at this point, but you all never cease to amaze me."
Tired grins met his statement.
"I gotta say," Cole settled deeper into his chair, "I won't miss the realm itself, but we did get to meet some pretty cool people. And Krag. I don't if he counts as a person per se. And now with Zane being good again I'm sure they wouldn't mind seeing all of us again, right Zane?" Silence met his question. "Zane? Hey, where'd Zane go?" The ninja looked around, just now realizing their titanium brother wasn't in the room. Cole frowned. "I guess we didn't really think how telling what happened would affect him."
A small beep came from P.I.X.A.L.. "He's turned off his GPS locator." Her eyes flashed with concern. "Master I have to find him."
"I think I know where he is. Let me talk to him. You all need to get to bed." He held up his hand to the onslaught of protests. "It's been a long ordeal for all of you. I'll speak with Zane."
After a long moment a general murmur of consent came from the group. One by one they bid their goodnights until only P.I.X.A.L. remained with Wu.
"I want to come with you."
Wu sighed. "I know P.I.X.A.L., but I think it would be best if I talked to him alone first. I can see how he is after and if he wants to talk more."
Reluctantly P.I.X.A.L. nodded and excused herself from the room without another word.
"Zane, Zane, Zane." With another sigh, Wu headed toward the monastery's main doors.
Outside the wide gates to the courtyard were cracked open. Wu walked through them and took the familiar trek toward the base of the mountain. At the bottom an indistinct figure sat shrouded in shadows. Approaching quietly, Wu observed Zane, who sat still as a stone, staring up into the night sky. Wu joined him but Zane didn't act like he noticed his mentor's presence.
"The stars are beautiful tonight."
Zane flinched liked he'd been expecting something else. After a long pause he hesitantly spoke, "I suppose they are. I'd forgotten what they looked like." The last sentence was spoken so quietly Wu almost didn't hear it.
Wu let the silence grow between them, knowing Zane would talk when he was ready. Several minutes passed before Zane abruptly looked down at his lap.
"How do you forgive yourself? Especially when you've done something so horrible everyone should hate you for it?"
"Hmmm. I assume you're speaking of the events that transpired in the Never-Realm?" Zane nodded, keeping his gaze down. "To be honest I had to ask myself that very question since Aspheera's reappearance." With a start Zane jerked his head toward Wu. Wu laughed mirthlessly. "Aspheera targeting us and Ninjago City came directly because of my reckless actions- both now and as a child."
Zane frowned. "You couldn't have known at the time..."
"I knew enough. My father's word should have been the end of it, but I continued on anyway."
"But you weren't trying to destroy an entire civilization."
"Yet that was still almost the consequences for my actions." Wu stated pointedly.
"I don't think I've paid enough for my actions." Zane whispered brokenly. "My directive is to protect those who can't protect themselves. And it was me who people needed to be protected from."
"Zane, what happened in the Never Realm isn't excusable, but you were under the corruptive influence of Vex and the Scroll of Forbidden Spinjitzu. Yes your actions caused harm, but as soon as the poisonous influence was broken, you started to right your wrongs."
"You don't understand! I was a tyrant for decades. I imprisoned and terrorized hundreds of people. I fostered an eternal winter that could have killed many others. I almost killed Lloyd and yet they... they still fought to bring me back."
"Of course they did Zane. They're your family regardless of what you may or may not do." Wu gently lifted Zane's chin so they were looking eye to eye. "While the Never-Realm's inhabitants may want you to keep your distance from their world now, you showed, again, that together with your brothers and sisters you can overcome anything the Realms may throw at you.
"Yes, you have done things you regret. Accept that it happened. We can't change the past but we can learn from it. You are sorry for your actions and worked to rectify them. That says more about your character than anything else. None of the others, including Lloyd, begrudge you for what happened. Meditate on that instead." Wu's voice softened. "Often the hardest person for us to forgive is ourselves."
"I don't deserve their forgiveness... or my own."
"More often than not that's the case whenever anyone asks for forgiveness. The fact it's undeserved makes it that much more precious of a gift."
Zane's gaze turned back to the sky, but Wu noticed he looked more thoughtful than troubled. "I think- I think it will still take time to work this out with myself, but thank you Master for your words. I will try to take them to heart."
"That's all I ask. You are loved, Zane, no matter what. Speaking of... there is a female nindroid who would also like to make sure you are ok, but only if you are up for it. We both will respect it if you need more time to yourself."
"No... no." Zane's voice grew in surety. "I think it would be good for both of us to spend time together. It's been so long..." Zane's tone turned wistful.
"By all means." Wu helped Zane to his feet and the two began the long climb back to the monastery.
Though he knew it would still take time for Zane to move on from what happened in the Never-Realm, Wu felt confident the nindroid would indeed continue making steps forward. And, if his family had anything to say about it, he wouldn't have to take any of those steps alone.
A/n- this stemmed from a conversation with LunaSdc on Wattpad.