#ninjagofearfulassault

[ninjago-fa-story]

Ninjago FA Prequel: Restart Chapter 5: Past Life

Life's been going great recently, asides from the fact that I can physically feel Cruz's absence within my body. I do have the full element, but I also possess the one part that once belonged to him, which is something my body is not used to. This would not be too much of a problem if he were around, but he isn't. All I can do at the moment is to wait it out, which I know will happen eventually, if given time. Aniela sure knows how to take care of me in a way it makes me feel comfortable, I felt better in just about 3-and-a-half weeks.

It was one of those days where Aniela and I just sit and chat for a while, joined by Bethany and Liberty. I may not have existed in this timeline until recently, but most of the events I knew of still happened, minus the serpentine war. Take Liberty as an example: Her personality is the same as the one I got used to; bubbly, energetic and never sitting still. Her jokes are just as bad, but still amusing nonetheless. Today, she has been showing me Polaroids of her husband, whom she just recently got married to, the same guy she married in my time, except that it happened a lot sooner, around 15 years ago. Everything takes its time I guess, and who knows, maybe that will cause fate to play out differently, too.

Chatting with her felt somewhat comforting, this entire restart does, to be honest. "You know, Cliff is a very talented actor, and an even better husband. He is always right by my side when I wake up, softly smiling during his sleep. I can tell he is just as happy with me than I am with him. We truly are soulmates." The way she was talking about him made me wonder how they ended up so driven apart. For all I know, she went as far and abandoned her own child after leaving him. This was the first time I genuinely felt sorry for a fate I don't have anything to do with, it's not like I could have avoided it. Even if I would have tried, the chances of him believing me are almost equal to zero. In the end, knowing the truth may not actually help, but worsen the situation completely. I wish I could just disappear like this. No sorrow. No sadness. No painful memories. Just nothing. I wish I could just disappear and make all the terrible things that happened because of me come undone. Everyone would be a lot happier without me. I caused immense pain. My life just doesn't matter…

"Hey Adonis, are you alright? You seem to be quite shaken up by something…" Whatever it was that she said, it brought me back to reality right away. Her gentle and motherly voice gave me a feeling of safety, yet I was able to feel that something bothers her. It is I who was the reason. "Sorry for being a burden to you..." I swallowed a big chunk of air, not really knowing how to put it. As soon as these words left my mouth, an uncomfortable sensation ran down spine, knowing that I probably won the lottery with them. But the truth couldn't be any further from my expectation. "Oh heavens! You aren't a burden, dear! I am actually quite glad to have a roommate like you, it was ways to quiet before you moved in! Besides, I really like taking care of you, because I know you would do the same thing for me. Well, at least I hope so. I want to show you that not every person you meet always wishes you the worst."

My body felt achy and cold, yet so stiff and warm at the same time. My breath got pretty unstable just thinking of the heavy weight I put on others, but Aniela's soft hand on my shoulder calmed my mind down enough for me to snap back into reality. I was not alone, and I certainly won't be ever again. "Your life is what you make of it. Nobody can tell you what to do. You are not someone else's puppet, you are you. I know what you have been going through and I can tell you are happy to be free, but don't let the past control your future." "For once I feel like I can finally be happy and start a new life. It's one of my biggest dreams come true, but I have lost everything once before, I don't want it to happen again." Aniela remained silent the entire time, just sitting there to offer me comfort. Even Liberty decided to help by bringing me a glass of water. To be honest, that was something I have always appreciated about her, she is always friendly and tries to help wherever she can. It was a trait I learned to appreciate in the previous timeline, that apparently didn't change in this one. The four of us decided to have a sleepover tonight, just like real friends do, throwing me back to a time long ago.

---

"Hey Acronix, may I come in? I am somewhat lonely all by myself." "I thought we aren't supposed to be in other people's rooms... But I will allow it. The others cannot expect us to stay all by ourselves the entire time, can't friends stay over at another friend's place? Besides, we have always trusted each other."

"I guess. It's just that Kōri is neighboring my room and the walls are kind of thin... His room is so cold, that I need two heaters to keep mine somewhat warm. And your brother snores." "I know. He just sleeps badly, that's all. You should get used to it after a while."

Neither of the two were able to properly sleep that night, so they decided to beat time by playing some board games. As hours went by, even more Elemental Masters decided joining the late-night game session, and soon the entire monastery gathered around a game of Hazard. Despite the initial dissatisfaction stemming from Wu and Garmadon, even they did not mind, despite the training planned for the next day. They figured that a day of wouldn't hurt anybody, as long as they are prepared for what's to come. it was the first time in the History of the Elemental Alliance that every single member engages in a single action.

All except for one. Krux was unable to sleep, just like his brother has suspected. He instead paced around the Monastery, blocking out the laughter and conversations that originated from a single spot. He tries fighting it for a while, but it gets increasingly strenuous the longer he tries. Maybe it is just best to give in and let his mind consume him, it will surface sooner or later anyways, it's better willingly than forcefully.

"Brother! What are you doing here? I heard steps and had no idea you were awake. Maybe you want to join us? We are playing Hazard. Looks like Bhāra is winning though."

"What are you guys doing?! You know the Serpentine are on the rise! It's our duty to protect this world! We can't be prepared if we are playing games all night! We need to be well-rested to be able to fight. Don't forget that, Adonis." "The world is not just about fighting, brother! Where is the fun in that? I would prefer not having to, anyways. Why aren't you happy that we don't have to focus on a potential war for one second?" "It might start sooner than you think! Don't be irresponsible!" "We are only 17, Cruz. All our life it has just been about the protection of this world, how to use our powers in battle and how to avoid being killed. I want something else. I want that carefree teenage-hood everyone keeps talking about. And don't forget what you have done, either. You can be glad i didn't tell anyone that you are the one responsible for their deaths. You live for the fight, which is exactly what padre has warned us about. Don't think we can win a fight just because we have Elemental Powers, using them to much can cause disaster. No matter what power, there is always a risk." "Don't come with padre, Adonis! He isn't here anymore, and he is certainly not coming back, either. Don't you dare talking about him ever again! I told you millions of times that it was another me who is responsible for all this. How dare you think that I wanted to kill them." Krux snapped at his brother in such a loud voice that even the other Elemental Masters got alarmed about the situation, making their way to the battleground. The older brother quickly got a hold of the younger's throat, almost suffocating him to death, just before throwing him against the nearby door, which gave in under the pressure. Adonis was back on his feet just as quickly, unsuccessfully attempting to calm his brother down. Cruz grabbed a nearby sword, pointing it towards his brother, who received a fairly deep cut in the process. Right on his cheek. "I don't want to fight. I never did... I just want my brother back!" "There is no brother anymore, weakling. It's just me, your biggest FEAR!" Acronix swiftly ran back outside to where the other Elementals were standing, getting Bhāra to hold the other back in place. The twin struggled to free himself from the invisible force, but once he did, he just plummeted to the floor, drained from all his energy. "What... just happened? Why am I... here...? Brother? Is that you?" The Time Elemental had no clue about what to say, he just ran over to his brother to embrace him in a hug.

Krux was locked up in his room after that. Every single Elemental Master lost their trust after what has happened. Even if it was true that Krux was just a vessel for something greater, that thing is out to cause harm, they can't risk letting it lose. However, it never resurfaced and Krux was out to slowly re-socialize again. The others couldn't quite recognize their friend, he has really changed since. The older Time Elemental really tried his best, which made the others very happy. Acronix's wound has healed up fast, thanks to some minor use of his own Elemental Power, but the scar will probably forever stay where it is now. The recent battle has left an emotional trauma that keeps Acronix up at night. There is just so much about it that his mind cannot comprehend. "Hey Liberty, I once again have a restless night. Can I stay at your place? I don't want to be alone." "Heh, guess you are asking me for advice after last time. Want to talk about it?" "I am just worried about my brother. He is acting weirdly nice over the past few weeks. While he is probably just trying his best to regain our trust again, i can't help but wonder if it even him doing all this. What if it is just FEAR acting as him? I hope so much that it is the first case, I really don't want to lose him, he is all I have ever since he ki- our parents died. I really miss them, but knowing that my brother is around eases the pain a little. Well, it did until now. Now I am just scared about anything that could potentially happen at some point in time. I am genuinely terrified just thinking about it. I wish these two strangers never came into our lives, they ruined him. They ruined everything. I know I swore of fighting to the best of my abilities, but it these two men ever cross our paths again, I will coldly end their lives without hesitation. They don't deserve life. They took the only people I ever knew to love, they deserve to get the same fate. Maybe then I can finally be at peace. Maybe then that thing will finally leave my brother at peace. I WANT THIS PAIN TO JUST STOP!" "He killed them. didn't he?" Acronix just quietly nodded, keeping his head low, eyes pointed at the ground. Liberty did the only right thing and embraced the male, who was clearly shaken up by the current conversation. There was nothing but pain and fear within his head, so much so that he has difficulties to handle them sometimes. His friend's act of kindness released those worries, however. There was absolutely nothing but her steady heartbeat and her calm breathing and for just a short period of time, there was absolutely nothing inside his mind.

[ninjago-fa-story]

Ninjago FA Prequel: Restart Chapter 4: Home

~~~Acronix's PoV~~~

The day that I was released came just as quickly as prophezised, just three weeks after I woke up from coma. Even the doctors were surprised about how quickly I had healed up, but that probably has something to do with my Elemntal Powers. And just maybe, the pendant Aniela gifted me worked its magic too. After weeks in this quite uncomfortable hospital Gown, it felt nice to be back in somewhat normal clothes. Sure, It was just my Battle Suit minus the armor, but it should be enough until I got new stuff. Aniela was kind enough to slightly alter it to look better, she did not want to leave me in rags, after all. There was some other stuff that I have gradually forgotten about, though I was pretty surprised about my BorgWatch and Phone still working. Sure, there was no cell-service, but all the offline features still worked just fine. I still remember Aniela's reaction when she first saw them. "No way! Phones don't look like that! How does it even work?!"  To be honest, I don't think I can answer that quetion. 

Her home was pretty nice, it was small but had everything you need. A kitchen, living room, full bath and two bedrooms, despite her living alone. I guess she uses the other one for guests or some extra storage. I was immediately amazed by the way the rooms were styled. Despite the old-looking wooden furniture, she combined it with decorations a way it looked pretty modern. It reminded me a little of my childhood home, a style that my sister suggested to combine future and past, to symbolize the power my family holds. 

I took a quick glimpse onto my phone as it started to vibrate ever so slightly, signalizing a low battery. I was lucky to find a power outlet that matched my charger, they have been standartized for ages. Aniela was quick to ask questions once again, though just like before, I had no answer to them. Technology is just as foreign to me as it is for her, just because I am from the future does not mean I know everything about it. it might as well be magic. I put my Watch and MP3-Player aside and went to shower. The lady in pink was kind enough to let me move in with her, it's not like I have places to go.

The shower was more than needed, sometimes all it takes to clear your mind is cold water raining down on you, though I did turn it a little warmer to wash myself. Once I finished after about half and hour I noticed an unfamiliar smell in the air. As soon as I saw the neatly covered table, I knew what that scent was. "Since you can still only consume light food, I decided to cook a traditional dish passed down in my family. It's a simple soup with spices and chicken." "Oh, this looks tasty! Though I did forget to mention that I am a vegetarian... No worries, you spent all this time to prepare it for me, I will eat it anways. Pure respect towards everyone, even if they are from cultures other than my own." That sentence has pleased my roommate entirely. 

There was this one thought that kept plaguing me for a while, I know I can trust Aniela and I really need someone to talk to, after all, I am free to do whatever I want. "Aniela, can I tell you something?" She just nodded quietly. "I was not a good guy where I am from. I was... well... evil, a bad guy. It was not really my choice, but I still feel bad for what I have done. The guilt is what keeps me up at night. I really wish to have the ability to go back in time far enough to change my mistakes, but I know I cannot." "You are here now, with me. I see that you are not really a bad guy. You have told me your story and I can tell it was really not easy for you to do. Out of all the bad guys out there, you deserve a second chance the most. You decided to break free for a reason." "There is one thing that I haven't told anyone ever before. Back then, after our family was murdered... My brother an I set our house on fire to burn the evidence. He was old enough to sit for it and we did not want to be seperated. We have always done everything together. We burned our house down and never even dared to look back, yet the memory remains. I have commited many crimes in the other timeline and I regret every single one of them. Honestly, I was pretty surprised I was not spoken guilty once I came here."

Aniela stayed quiet the entire time, I guess she was to stunned to speak anything at that moment. Though she noticed how close to tears I have been getting talking about my past, it has always been a touchy subject, especially in reference to my parents. She calmly put an arm around my shoulder and pulled me closer until my head was resting on her collarbone. My body became limp and sank in entirely, her heartbeat calming my troubled mind. My mom used to do this to me whenever I felt any sort of negative emotion and I can tell exactly why. I guess it is the part of me that's Tawali that feels this bond to her as if it was physical. It can be compared to the umbilical cord, exept that it's not really there, but always present. Like a mental link. When she died, I felt it in my chest, as if someting was torn apart inside of me, I can't really explain why, but it's something that's subconciously there. Aniela wasn't one of us, but what I feel this very moment, is very similar to that.

Just by the time I calmed down, someone was ringing the doorbell. It was a woman about Aniela's age, her hair a flaming red. It is not someone I recognize, but she was defenitely known around this house, a few pictures hung on the walls made it fairly obvious. "Hi! I am Bethany, Bethany Barnes! You must be Adonis, Aniela's new friend." My mind was a little bit overwhelmed, but I still managed to snap out and agree.

Adonis... A name that was always my own, but also a name that doesn't really fit me. No matter how many times I have been thinking about it, it never really felt right to me. Sure, I was known as Acronix by a lot more people, but even that was just derrivative. Without any obvious explaination, that name made me feel uncomfortable in my skin. There is a lot of things I don't like about myself, but the exact problem can not be found. I just don't know what it was. Maybe it was just all those years I used the face paint and my costume. It covered up pretty much my entire body, so I was not used to seeing myself it without it on. Everything that shows the 'real me' doesn't feel so much like the 'real me' after all. Well, sometimes at least. Today is one of those days, yesterday was different. 

My mind trailed off once again, but I didn't notice until Bethany tried talking to me without success. I saw her lips move, her eyes were clearly directed at me, but I heard no sound. Stuff like that keeps happening sometimes, so I know it will go away enventually. Technically, this is the part where a vision appears, I know that from my sister, but instead of a vivid picture in front of my eyes, my normal vision remains. My body is probably not used to the full element yet, with some time given everything should work the way it was intended. For now, I will just sit down and drink a hot tea. There is nothing else I can do at the moment. 

Bethany was a very kind-hearted woman, something that I never expected to experience, especially directed towards me. We quickly became friends as well. The three of us enjoyed spending evenings with each other, usually watching movies or playing board games. Despite me missing the technological advancements of the future, it felt nice to be back to older times, it just made me realize how much I actually missed out on. An maybe I would be able to see it develop now, instead of bursting in right in the middle of its existance.

~~~

"Hello, are you alright? It must be exhausting to work on this machine 24/7. I got you some leftover food, it's all I could get without being suspicious. Don't worry, it wasn't touched by my hands or my mouth, you can safely eat it." "I didn't doubt that, and I am just a little exhausted, that's all. Thanks for taking care about me." "I try my best, at least. Want a pillow, I am pretty sure you need some rest. I heard that it's not good to stay without sleep for too long." "If you can get one, otherwise I can just use my arms as such." Acronix stood up in exitement, coming back just a few minutes later. "Here, I got a small one to not be noticed, but it should be good enough for now. I can try to get somthing bigger next time!" "It's alright, thanks. It should even fit in this drawer so that I can hide it once your brother arrives. Also, can I ask you a question?" "Of course, ask ahead. I don't bite." The inventor laughed at that. "Why are you so nice to me? There is no need for you to do all this. Unless it's part of your plan to gain my trust just to backstab me..." "No no no! That's not the reason why. I just want to help! i never wanted to be evil, but I am stuck with it. There is no escape now. Just because my brother hates you doesn't mean I have to. I know it's risky, but he doesn't have to know, right? Besides, I truly hate the way he treats you, I could have never imagine what cruelty and inhumanity he's capable of. I genuinely hate Krux, he doesn't even see how much all this hurts me. I just wish that one day, he would understand that this is the wrong path, but the more I try to stir him in the right direction, the more I realise that it is already too late. My acting skills are decent enough to keep this façade up for a while longer, but I feel like I am going crazy with all this! I just want a brother, but not someone like him, someone who actually cares about me. All this time only has been about his stupid plan, defeating the Ninja and winning a battle 40 years in the past. What about the 6-minute-rule! He didn't reverse our family's death because of it, and now he wants to go back 40 entire decades! What the hell is wrong with him!" "People can chance, even though some of them never do, but he is definetely part of the first group. No matter how innocent of a child he has once been, that Cruz is gone. You told me your story, he died alongside his parents, we both know that. He's gone. But you are not alone. Right now, I can understand this feeling more than ever, just know, you are not alone. I will believe in you. I will be there whenever you need me, all you need to do is ask." "I don't want my brother to win this. I want his plan to fail, maybe then he will realize that what he's doing is wrong, how much this pains me. Can you maybe do something for it?" "There is one thing that I could possibly do with this strict surveillance... But for now, please let me sleep." "Alright. I will go watch the door in case my brother comes."

~~~

"My night was relatively good. At least I know who I can trust and who to leave behind. I may be an only-child, but at least I have no manipulative siblings surrounding me. At least, for the first time in forever, I was able to experience what freedom feels like. I genuinely hate you and I wish you weren't my brother and once the time comes, I will let go of the pain you caused, but that time isn't now. Until then, goodbye. I won't miss you. Ace, out..."

[ninjago-fa-story]

Ninjago FA prequel: Restart Chapter 3: What He's Done

~~~3rd Person PoV~~~

"Hello, stranger, it's me again, Aniela. Sorry for not visiting you yesterday, but my friend Bethany broke her wrist and I had to work an extra shift… But don't worry, I am here now." The woman paced a little closer to the hospital bed, covering the patient's left arm. She carefully sat down on the edge of the matress, running her hand up and down the thin, white blanket. After taking a deep breath, she decided to continue her little speech. "I feel infinitely sorry for you. Whatever happened must have been undeniably painful. I hope you can forgive me for my decision, but there was no other way to save your life. But better this than dead, am I right? I know how much of a change this will be, perhaps even a good heap of trauma, there was just no other option. Though I wish there was, I really do…" Emilia started tearing up after looking at the patient once again. The smaller wounds and scratches have healed up really fast, but some things still will never be the same again. All those tubes and cables aren't really helping the sight, either. "It's been three months since I found you in the park… since you fell from the sky. I wonder what was going on before it all happened, the injuries you were suffering from were clearly not caused by the fall. If you evere need someone to talk to, I am right here to listen." The visitor held her hands up to her chest, giving her a good idea. Her hands were lead around her neck once, just until they reached the hook of a thin metal chain that was hanging down to right about her chest. It was a small rose-golden necklace with a red heart made out of stained glass, a gift given to her from her father right before he has passed away from cancer. It was used as a lucky charm ever since, though the stranger propably needs it more than she does now.

The pendant was carefully placed around the man's neck, Emilia just had to make sure to dodge all the important stuff. Now all she could hope for, is that this was not a useless act of kindness, but actually helping.

---Acronix's PoV---

Darkness. That's all I've been seeing for the past... I don't even know how long I've been here for. I guess the woman who visits me every day said something like 3 months... Is my condition really this bad? I really hoped it wasn't. Though I wasn't able to regain control over my body, no matter how hard I try. The void looks different too. Usually it has a comforting gray tone, but now it was pitch-black and I couldn't see my body, just my astral shape. Unlike everything I ever experienced within this space, that constant and monotoneous ticking of a clock is new. There was no clear source of the sound, it was everywhere and nowhere at the same time, but I can tell it's not just all inside of my head. Whatever this is, it slowly makes me go insane. I gotta get out of here! Maybe that merging technique can help, the one my mother taught me when I was little.

Despite the moderate difficulty, I managed to get into a possition that allows me to meditate and focus on nothing but my own body. The Void is a timeless place, though while my soul is trapped here, my body in the outside world keeps its ability to age, though that obviously depends on how much time passes there. Less gravity means less Time-Dilation, and less Dilation means less aging. And in spaces with zero gravity like the Vortex and the Void, including their position outside time and space, aging comes to a halt completely.

My eyes where darting around quickly, my disoriented mind slowly catching up with reality once again. I crossed my legs and streched them out again, over and over again until I found the perfect position. Everything needs to be perfect. Despite my rusted language skills, I somehow managed to get the phrase together perfectly. "Tawana ohala wo. Nakisa nala to." (ng-TW: "Let them merge. Body and Soul.") My astral figure was slowly dissolving into a colorful dust, colors that appeared to have washed out over time, as slowly, the black void turned white and regained shape that resemble the real world.

My vision was still blurry, but i can tell that I was back to consciousness. I felt a rush of electricity run through my entire body, my Elemental Powers. they didn't activate, they just reacted to my living state. For the first time, was able to see Aniela with my own eyes. While I was stuck in the void, her pressence would be announced with a faint pink light. The lady in pink is just as pretty as I imagined her to be judging by her voice. She is probably a little older than me, but that might also just be caused by my slower aging.

Her black hair is worn in a flowing bob, her dress was a certain shade of pink, I assume #de5d83 Blush, my sister's favorite color. The straps and belt were a less certain color, just a normal shade of cyan. But the color complimented her blue eyes quite nicely. just like mine, her skin was tanned, yet ways brighter. Her smile was warm and friendly, pointed right at me. She must be very happy seeing me awake.

It didn't take long for a Doctor to arrive, a face that I was a little to familiar with. It was Liberty, the Elemental Master of Lightning. She has always been one of my closest friends back in the day when the Elemental Alliance still existed. Though it ceased to exist once my brother and I turned our backs. How I wish to have never done that in the first place. I truly do regret everything, but now, things can never be undone. But now that I have the chance to write my future anew, I can finally get rid of what pains me. I can finally let go of my old self. I was kind of relieved to see a familiar face, but the time I am in can not possibly be the future. I am in the past.

Despite my brother's and my initial travel forward, I must have somehow ended up here instead. I know that my father once told me about the living of the Elemental Power of Time, that it will help you if all hope is lost. Maybe this is the safest option. My eyes quickly scanned their surroundings, but except my Battle suit and my father's Pocket Watch, everything seemed brand new. My fathers watch? It was glowing differently than usual, just like my Powers, it reacted to me being awake. Some of it's Power must have been transfered to me back when I was fighting my brother. just like padre said, the Element knows when you are in danger, it saved my life.

My mouth and throat felt dry, the ability to speak was taken away from me. While Libery was gone to get me a glass of water, my mind arrived in reality. I lifted my left arm to wave at Aniela, but the lower arm was missing almost entirely. If I was able to speak, at least now I would be lacking all of it. "There was simply no other way-" I just nodded quietly, I have heard what she was talking about while I was stuck in coma, I may not be mad for her decision, but this naturally came as a shock. Aniela had moved from all across the room all the way to my bed within the matter of a second, holding my weakened body in am embrace I was not expecting. Tears were flowing, the realisation that this was all my so-called brother's fault, what he's done to me… and Freedom. Yes, despite the unspoken hate towards Krux, I was also happy to finally be free. There is a light at the end of the tunnel, the dark tunnel I once called my life. All this was finally over. This is something I don't want to miss out on. 

Aniela and I hat been sitting like this for a while longer, just until the Master of Lightning came back with a glass of still water. Though I was still not able to speak after drinking the entire thing, so it was more than just soreness. "It is completely normal to lose certain abilities after coma, they should come back after a while. You may have to relearn them, though." My hand was lightly stroking my face, the area where my face paint would usually be, now there was nothing. It had become the signature look of Krux and I, but despite this, that never really bothered me. It has even been my own suggestion to add it. Not to hide our identities, but to embrace our roots. Typically Tawali markings, usually worn by hunters and warriors, but they stopped doing these things ages ago, and wore it simply to accessorize. I guess your point of view about some things change if half of your people died in a genocide…

Trailing a bit further down, my hand reached my neck, finding something unfamiliar, appearing to be some sort of necklace. "It's my lucky charm. But it's yours now, it has served me well." My face formed a smile, nobody has ever been this nice to me before, well, with a few rare exceptions.

My body felt incredibly weak, I was barely able to stay awake. This might be caused by al of my injuries, but since most of them have already healed up almost completely, I suggest a weakened state in combination of me having new Elemental Powers, that should go away once I am used to them. Curiousity has struck my mind, I wonder what else I can do with them. But these thoughts faded just as quickly as they appeared, Elemental Powers are not toys, especially not mine. It kind of sucks, to be honest, other Elementals do not carry the burden of an entire Timeline on their backs at all times. But a Keeper of Time's gotta do what a Keeper of Time's has to do.

The five remaining fingers on my right hand formed shapes in the air, I don't know much, but I was quite lucky that the Inventor has taught me Sign Language. Only fingerspelling, but it was better than nothing, especially now that I only have one hand to use. "L-I-B-E-R-T-Y" Just one tiny word and the Doctor was left in shock. "How do you know my name? I never introduced myself..." I asked for pen and paper. reading should work better in this case. We fought together in the Serpentine War. Don't you remember me? I am an old friend of yours. Well, before my brother forced me to turn away and switch sides. I am sorry for what happened, but I had no choice. I promise, one day I can make up to my mistakes. "I am sorry, but I have no idea what you are talking about. my name is Liberty, but you must be mixing me up with someone else. And we never had a Serpentine War. We are at good terms with them." You are Liberty Mclaughlin, married to Cliff A. Gordon, Elemental Master of Lightning. You train alongside some other Elemental Masters in the so-called Monastery of Spinjitzu, all of you part of the Elemental Alliance. "Okay, tell me who you are RIGHT NOW!" My name is Adonis Rivera González, Elemental Master of Time. Speaking of it, what is the current date? She was visibly and audibly confused, but still decided to answer my question. "August 29th 10765. Today is a Saturday." I knew exactly what I had to write, despite knowing that she will probably think I am crazy. I am 25 years from the future. And now I know that I am from a different Timeline as well. A timeline, where we once called each other Best Friends.

It only took me a small demonstrations of my powers to make her believe me. I guess it's easier to believe someone with Elemental Powers if you have one yourself. There is still so much that I don't want to talk about though. Simply because I myself haven't really learned how to cope with it. My brother was really about to kill me, and he would have succeeded if it wasn't for my savior, Aniela. I lost my arm because of him, all of my friends, my family. I have lost everything. But now that I am here, I have the chance to start anew, in a place where "I" did not even exist until now, but that's the good thing. Since there is no other me in this timeline, I can do whatever I want without having to fear disrupting the Time-Space-Continuum. I am free to do whatever I want. I AM FINALLY FREE! All these years in fear of my life and now I can finally be free. A feeling that I never expected to experience again. All this torture finally has an end. I have finally reached the end of the tunnel. I remember, not so long ago, I wanted to end it all, all my suffering, but I knew it wouldn't change anything. The will to not give in and the hopes to change my brother's heart had somehow kept me going. Though soon after entering modern time I knew all help was lost and I got back to where I was before, but now… Now that there is nothing to worry about, I can finally see the hope within myself again. One that I once had given up upon alltogether.

It is finally over.

[ninjago-fa-story]

Ninjago FA Prequel: Restart Directory

Description

Chapter 1: Breaking Free

Chapter 2: How It All Began

Chapter 3: What He's Done

Chapter 4: Home

Chapter 5: Past Life

[ninjago-fa-story]

Ninjago FA Prequel: Restart Chapter 2: How It All Began

---3rd Person PoV, 51 years ago---

"Just like there are three hands on a clock, there are three of you. A rare occurrence, yet a welcoming one. The three of you have a wonderful gift, but be careful not to temper with it. Time is a dangerous gift. If held in the wrong hands, the outcome can have a terrifying effect. That's why you, as the Hands of Time, have the task to ensure your Powers' safety. And remember: Todo es El tiempo, El tiempo es todo. Everything is time, time is everything. Without time, our world would fall apart by its seams. I know it sounds like great responsibility, maybe even a burden, but that's where I come in. It is the role of the previous Master, me, to take care of you, to teach you all ups and downs, all advantages and disadvantages, all perks and dangers. Someone like me is called 'the Keeper of Time'. I will keep you in good hands. And maybe so will this watch. Some peole say that time is a living and breathing thing with its own mind. It will protect you if truly, all hope is lost. Estrella, you are the oldest, the Hand of Seconds. Cruz, you, as the middle Child, represent the Hand of Minutes. While you, Adonis, are the Hours Hand. This is what makes you even more special than our Power itself. One master each representing one hand of a clock. You need to be careful though, together, the three of you are strong and nearly invincible, but one of you alone can be even more easily manipulated. This little pocket watch will let me know if any of you is in danger, so don't worry about anything, that's my job. You are only nine years old anyways, your time to concern hasn't yet arrived."

The next day was just as joyful, it will be the first time the trio is going to train their powers together, as the previous sessions were held seperately for their own safety. But their powers are dependant from each other, keeping them apart for too long can have egregious consequences. Their training went better than expected, much to Carlos's surprise. "You know, we Masters of Time usually have some sort of alias. Safety measures. Mine has always been Chronos, but now that I do no longer possess the Element, that won't be necessary anymore. You don't have to come up with one right away, but make sure to pick one sooner or later, that's how it has always been. And hopefully will ever be." His only daughter nodded, looking at Cruz behind her father, who was sneaking up on her for a scare. Instead of the usual game of tag, she just looked at him somewhat disgusted, backing away carefully. Their father noticed the issue and confronted his children about it, but neither would say anything, stating that 'it's nothing'. Since training couldn't continue with the grudge, Carlos decided to end it early this time, promising to start earlier tomorrow.

The youngest son also felt kind of odd, but not that there was something wrong with his siblings, but with the nearby bushes, so he started investigating. "¿Hola? Is anyone there?" Nothing. The bushes were entirely empty, though something must have recently been there, footprints were covering the damp soil underneath. Now, there was nothing but twigs and leaves. Adonis shrugged it of and headed back inside, being greeted by two unfamiliar faces.

Naturally, the young boy was confused, though he immediately recognized the shoe soles to be matching with the ones under the bushes. Since his parents did not mind the unusual guests however, Adonis decided to trust the men and tried to talk to them. They however appeared to only have eyes for the middle child, conversing with him the entire afternoon. Nobody knew who these men were, yet they introduced themselves as the family's new neighbors, just wanting to get to know the other inhabitants of this small village. The youngest had stayed sceptical about the strangers, they looked different than the other villagers, as they all usually wear similar attire to recognize each other. They are not from here.

The two strangers were otherwise friendly, so there was no reason for anyone to get worried. Or so they thought…

The upcoming few years had been anything but easy for Adonis, his brother distanced from him more and more, only letting the weird men close enough for a talk. Everyone else did not exist in his world. Cruz had been acting differently too, not just in terms of socialization. He asked oddly specific and weird questions to his father, one that he did not dare to answer. "Is it true that the Element of Time is superior to any other?" Chronos was confused at the question, not exactly knowing what his son was asking for. "Well, yes and no. Most Elemental Powers, with a few rare exeptions, have similar Power stats, weaknesses and strengths. The Power of time can easily neutralize itself, but the Temporal Branches can also work against others. You in paticular can stop and reverse time, to dodge an enemy's attack or to know how they will act, but that is also what makes the branch of past so dangerous. If you go to far back into the past and alter it, you can and will change the future. So use your powers wisely and keep an eye, you never know the outcome of your actions. As much as it pains me to say, I need to spread awareness. If I were you, I wouldn't risk more than six minutes." Cruz nodded in agreement, he wants to keep his reality as safe as he possibly can. The boy already knows how to use his powers to an extend. He used them back then during the stair-race, halting time around him to get ahead easily. Of course, nobody noticed the short stop, just as intended.

Estrella's visions appear to be worsening the more her brother hung out with the two men. They came a lot more frequent and vivid than usual, so much so that she refuses to even enter the living room alltogether. Ace was out to play with a friend just on the other side of the lake they were living next to. He would sometimes race her while swimming through the lake, just to see what Element works better within such wet environment. It was a close call most of the time, any body of water acted as a natural habitat for the Elemental Master of Water, naturally giving her a certain level of affinity, while Adonis was able to speed up time and himself, granting him the ability to boost for a short period of time.

Unpredictable visions are very tiring for the young master, so she decided to take a short nap to restore her energy, but yelling downstairs had awoken her from her slumber. Once she saw what was going on, she tried escaping, but someone else was keeping her at place.

It was already dark out before Ace decided to leave his friend to head back home. Something about this house felt different. This small distraction from reality caused the boy to break his keys, but he knew someone was home, so he just knocked at the door instead. Someone will defenitely open it. One knock. Two. Three. Even after the bombardment of fists on the wooden barrier, nobody answered. Now there were rocks flying at it with force, eventually making the door give in. The hallway was ransacked, though it was clear that nobody has broken in. The living room had shown what can be compared to a horror movie. Blood was scattered all over the floor and walls, in the middle of it, four people, three of them dead. Cruz was the only survivor of the assault, holding his sister's body as close to his own as possible. His eyelids were closed, but a faint yellow glow was clearly coming from the eyes underneath. "I can't reverse. I must resist. It's been more than six minutes. I am sorry. It's all my fault. It's all my fault. It's all my fault. It's all my fault. It's all my fault." The clearly distraught twin kept repeating those words over and over again, as if they were recorded and played on repeat. Adonis could not stand the stench of blood and death, he felt so nauseous and had a hard time even staying conscious. He ran. He ran as fast as his legs could possibly carry his body. He just wants to forget those images and erase them from his head, but he knew running away would do nothing, it never will. Besides, Tawali don't run away from their problems, they always try to solve them, and no-one can defy nature, no matter how hard they try. At least that's what his mother has taught him. Makala Rivera, born in 10709, full-blood Tawali, the first one of her kind to ever see Ninjago Island, she fell in love and had three children, one of them dead and another responsible for it. Oh, what sick and twisted sense of humor this universe has.

By the time Adonis reached home again, the sun was already rising, but Cruz has been sitting there in the same position as he did hours earlier, though his eyes were now open wide. He most likely realized the outcome of his actions now that the adrenaline wore off. In that very moment you could tell, he has long died alongside his parents. "Let's leave…" His younger brother said lowly, Cruz surprisingly following these orders. Adonis silently walking over to his father, taking the golden pocket watch out of his hand, hanging it around his neck by the attached chain.

The twins both decided to swim around in the lake, to wash of the blood from their clothes and skin. But it also had a calming effect on the younger's mind. He was able to shut of for a short period of time, before he was dragged underwater by a childish hand. Below the surface, the lake was less charming, a lot of rocks and weirdly shaped, undeterminable objects scattered around on the ground. Right in front of him, there was a familiar face, one that bore a horrifying expression of thirst. Cruz realized what was bound to happen, worriedly letting go of his brother's ankle. Both were equally grasping for air at this point. "Sorry, hermano. I have no idea what just happened. This wasn't me, I swear! I am so sorry for scaring you."

Maya already regognized her two friends, hurrying over to them carrying two fresh towels. News spread quickly across the village, she already knew about the murder of the lake-side family, but not about the actual culprit. And she never will. After a small talk with her mother, she grabbed the Hands of Time by their hands and brought them inside, making sure that they won't catch a cold.

Cruz and Adonis, later known under their aliases Krux and Acronix, the same boys who started a war just three years later. The same boys who would later betray their savior and best friend. The same boys who would turn against everyone.

***

"If I don't want this to happen again, I must do whatever he pleads for. Even if it means my own dissatisfaction. And maybe one day, I will able to get the evil out of him. And then, and only then, we can be true brother's again."

[ninjago-fa-story]

Ninjago FA Prequel: Restart

Chapter 1: Breaking Free

---Acronix's PoV---

My head was spinning and I felt so dizzy, it was hard to stay on my feet. I was aimlessly tumbling around the Iron Doom, falling to the ground with a loud thud. It was difficult to stay conscious, but I was still able to see what was going on on the other side of the room. Even with my blurry vision pulsating.

Krux was fighting against Wu, who was much older than him. It may appear like an unfair battle, but both were great warriors, equally skilled. But something was strange, Wu looked different just a few moments ago. a possible effect by the Reversal Time Blade. Mentioning it now, where did it go? Though I quickly realized that the siblings of Fire and Water probably took it for their father. Despite the inability to actually show it, I was genuinely happy about that fact: Ray gets to see another day. The battle appeared tough, though I could only hear what was going on. My consciousness was fading to black.

"I seriously don't understand your problem, Acronix. Why is it so hard for you to let go of someone who hurts you? I had to do it twice and yet I am totally fine... Well... As fine as I can be... I am free from them now. I know you want that too, just like you said! If you cling onto your brother any longer, it will hurt you more than it would do good. And if Krux can't see how much he is hurting you, does he really deserve to be your brother? I have seen how he treats you, or even the Vermillion, and you simply cannot tell me you like it this way. You are like his puppet! Like a marionette!"

"And that is exactly my point! If I ever go against him, he will discard me just like them! I can never leave, I have no choice! My choices don't matter! They never did, they never will. I am trapped."

"Why didn't you leave while you still had the chance? Right after you got here?"

"I wanted to! But Krux is everything i still have ever since. I just didn't want to lose him too! And after I realized that he didn't change in the slightest, I hoped to be able to change his mind. I was so focused on my brother, I totally forgot about myself."

"I totally know how that feels like, only doing things because others want me to. When I first started inventing, I rebuilt gadgets from Video Games to get a hang of Technology, then I built myself legs and Nindroid Assistants, once my skills advanced more. Over time I gained more popularity and I had to build whatever the people wanted. I even lost interest in something I knew I once loved. I eventually learned to ignore my own feelings to serve those of the others, I forgot that the words 'me', 'myself' and 'I' even existed. All of this took a toll on my mental health. Seriously, don't end up like me. I can't leave because prety much the entirety of Ninjago depends on me, but you can still run away. It is not to late yet, it never is. Your choices do matter."

What is this? Why was he crying? Was it the inventor's hopeful and encouraging spark within his gray eyes? Whatever it was that caused this outburst, it was helping. Acronix finally realized it wasn't to late yet. He finally collected all the strength he needs. The inventor noticed the breakdown Acronix was going through and engaged in unusual behaviors. He slightly inched forward to hug the other, patting his back lightly. Acronix didn't question anything that was going on, instead, he decided to continue with the downpour.

"Thank you so much, and I am terribly sorry for what happened to you. i wish I could undo my actions."

"It is not your fault.I forgive you. And more importantly, i believe in you, you can do it."

Now all he still has to do is wait for the right moment to break free.

I woke up from my slumber again, the fight between Wu and Krux was still going on. However, Wu has aged down once again, and with age, his skills and combat knowledge faded as well. The only skill he could potentially use properly was his size, though his sword was ways longer than he was himself. That didn't make it's handling any easier, since the weight distribution was a lot more difficult now. Krux did not have a hard time getting Wu to drop his sword, which fell onto the floor with a high-pitched ringing sound. I quickly shut my eyes to act unconscious, I did not want to be seen awake just yet. The younger Wu pointed at me, telling my brother that something was wrong with me, he, however, didn't care at all and continued to point the tip of his sword at the boy's neck. my hand was hastily searching for the nearby sword and eventually found it. After a quick breather to regain my orientation, I tried standing on both of my feet again. While still slouchy, I managed to regain strength in my legs, making my way towards the fight scene.

I actually didn't want to fight, I actually hoped that my brother would realize what he was doing and that it was wrong, once I threaten him. I mean, who would willingly attempt to kill his own brother? Of course, Krux simply didn't care, he didn't care about me at all. Despite the tears filling my eyes, I looked right into my brother's face. It was left entirely emotionless, lifeless even. It has been this way since our family died. The family he has killed. I actually doubt he was actually responsible though. They may have died by his hands, but those hands were controlled by something else. Even back then I knew he didn't mean to, but that doesn't change or undo what has happened. Krux has been living with this guilt for over 40 years, slowly turning him insane. Today he was just a soulless vessel. I can't tell if that thing was back, or if it was actually him who was doing this right now.

The grip around my sword has tightened, I know how heavy his blows are. Slowly backing off from the scene just before attacking was one of the best strategies do use in a fight, as it helps building up strength. At least for me. I charged at my brother with full speed, but this time felt different, yet familiar. My powers have returned. How was still a mystery, yet they somehow did. That sudden surge within the me heavily disturbed and destabilized the iron Doom, causing something to explode. There wasn't much time left until this entire thing would blow up entirely. my brother looked at me in surprise, but happily accepted the challenge. What a monster he truly is... I am coming for you, Cruz. It was a tough fight, I must admit. We may be brothers by blood, but not by heart, he has had his last change. I was angry, truly mad at him and what he has done, how he treated me and others like garbage. he doesn't deserve to be spared. If I want to win this fight, I have to ignore the pain, I cannot focus on that now. There was one advantage I had on my side though: my age. I was far more agile than him and had a lot more stamina too. Despite being stripped my powers, I aged a lot slower and barely any time has passed since my teenage years anyways. Krux however, aged normally like every other human being, the past 40 years. He must be almost 60 by now. I jumped high and did a roll above my brother's head to end up behind him. Though his reaction time was good enough to turn around quickly and block my sword with his own. I, however, fell backwards due to the sudden pressure on my leg. My head hit the wall behind me with a pretty strong force, causing it to start bleeding. My hair became sticky from blood and my face paint washed of just as quickly, making it hard for me to see. I closed my eyes to focus, maybe I could use my superior sense of hearing to know where my brother is. Finally my Tawali heritage came in handy. my mind completely shut of, even leaving my body. It felt strange, especially since no Power of Time had this abilty. Must have something to do with my heritage then. I saw myself crouched in-midst of a gray void, my brother being a little bit to close. i tried reaching out to him and my view switched back int my body. There was this unbearable pain in my left arm, immediately bringing me back to consciousness. My arm was held up in the air, blocking an otherwise fatal blow. Blood was dripping down from his blade, as well as from my arm. Even the armor couldn't help at this point, it was shattered into a million pieces, leaving just as many scratches on my skin. The cut was deep, going almost all the way through, probably even through the bone. At least I think it did, judging by the way my arm looked like. By this rate I will most likely bleed out, most certainly dying within minutes. I had to yield. But of course that wouldn't change anything for my situation. I need to escape somehow. though being trapped within Time and Space doesn't really give many options. What happens if I jump now? maybe I'll end up somewhere safe and people can help me. maybe I'll end up back in local time and get arrested... no matter where I end up being, every place is better than here. Anyone is better than him.

"Las palabras no pueden describir cuánto te odio en este momento. Ojalá no fueras mi hermano..." (es-MX: "Words cannot describe how much I hate you right now. I wish you weren't my brother...")

My body felt infinitely heavy, I was not able to breathe at all and I felt so cold. I was barely able to stay on my feet, but somehow managed to get to the 'window'. I didn't dare to turn around and look at Krux once again, but I caught a glimpse of him in the reflection within the wall. he left me alone and didn't attack, he just stood there, his face appeared to not be able to decide whether to feel guilt or anger, trying to stay as blank as possible. my mind couldn't handle it, I reached my healthy arm out and froze my brother in time, jumping without hesitation.

I plummeted down slower than expected, I was basically floating on the spot, there is no gravity within the Temporal Vortex, after all. I saw the young Wu jumping after me, he too, managed to escape. He appeared to age down mid fall, now he was just a helpless toddler. my consciousness was slipping away and my vision was already fading. This is it. My life ends here. Endlessly I was floating around without a destination, my lifeline going flat as I close my eyes.

***

My entire figure was surrounded by glistening golden light. I felt as if I was as weightless as a feather, there was no pain or any other feeling, just my mere body and mind. An unknown figure approached me, she must be an angel and this must be, what death feels like.

[ninjago-fa-story]

Ninjago: Fearful Assault Full Directory

Prequel: Restart

[ninjago-fa-story]

Ninjago FA Prequel: Restart Introduction/Story Description

My father once told me, "El tiempo es todo, todo es el tiempo." (es-MX: "Time is everything, everything is time") Nothing could ever exist without Time having its hands in it. Entire mountains can be shaped to its will, turn even the biggest oceans to dust, erase even the greatest nations. Nothing and nobody is safe from it's wrath. That's why it's a dangerous gift, and not to be tempered with.