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Chapter Text

(11:25, May 13, Ninjago 1642)

 Prof. Linera checked the calculations for their department's rocket. "Finally, our work will be finished and we can test Ninjago's first space transportation!" She cried aloud.

 The department workers cheered loudly.

 Prof. Linera took hold of Dr. Beront's arm. "My children, Doctor. Where are they?"

 He pointed the professor in the proper direction and she moved on to find her children.

 The daycare assistant smiled as she entered. "Ah! Mrs. Linera. Your husband is bringing the children to see the completed transport. You will find your children with him."

 Prof. Linera was losing patience. I need one of them, NOW!

 Prof. Linera walked out of the daycare and marched back to the main workplace. "Darling, Miss Fiona said you have the children?" She asked as she approached her seven-year-long husband.

"Ah! That I do." He pulled her closer to show her the view of the children. The five of them were together and playing. Prof. Linera's firstborn, her pride and joy, Misako, was three by then. Her three older ones were adopted. Marianne at four, Lucien at six, and Marcus at seven. Prof. Linera didn't mind the unrelated children, so they were safe from the next assignment. Her youngest was also blood-related, but she had ruined her chance.

"Her. I need to teach her something special, so she will respect the others. Adopted or not, she will respect them." Prof. Linera used the excuse to secure her husband's approval.

 Prof. Linera took her youngest out of view and placed her beside the rocket's door. If she doesn't survive...that's too bad. We will learn what we did wrong and- where did she go?

"Melissa? Melissa?!" Prof. Linera couldn't believe she had been so irresponsible that she had lost her child.

"Hannah? What is it?" Her husband asked with dread.

 Prof. Linera critically examined every inch of the workspace. "I...I cannot find Melissa! Wilson, what do we do?!"

 Prof. Linera never searched the door to the rocket.

(11:32, May 13, Ninjago Airspace 1642)

 She knew it had something to do with her. She knew that. Prof. Linera had known that the completion of the rocket would drown out remarks about her age. It was her birthday. That's why it was chosen. To overlook the fact that 'Melissa' had an existence.

 She was in the rocket now. For some reason, the air felt stuffy. The stars glittered prettily in the distance. Where was she going? Prof. Linera had never set a proper course, but the whole system was attempting to land on another planet.

 The professors call it, 'Phanthosar.'

 She was supposed to be two now. They were supposed to count on. They forgot. They all forgot.

 It was meant to be her special day...not the rocket's. It was her birthday and she was turning two. Or she did. Or she was.

 She didn't know. Her name was not her own.

 She didn't feel it when the rocket broke through the atmosphere of the other world. She didn't feel the ominous presence of land rushing in towards her.

 She didn't feel the crash.

 She didn't-

Chapter Text

(3:12, May 14, Tiakin 6, Phanthosar 1179)

 Ariach walked through the jungle brush to reach her family's favorite fruit in their strange world. Her wings twitched to fly through the air as she approached the tall tree. She wasn't the biggest or smallest, but she was the best at finding Jiakrie Fruit. There were two variants of the fruit. The common variant was a dusty sand color on the outside and fluorescent silver within. It tasted like sweet Karioj sap and lemonfruit. The rarer variant was a vibrant, intoxicating gold on the outer rim and pure white inside. It tasted like a blend of sweet honeydew and sour strawberries and blueberries, still managing to taste either with every bite and controlled flavors melded together in a sweet-or-sour delight.

 Ariach hooked her claws on the tall Jiakrie tree surrounded by the Karioj jungle. Tipping her tail to keep her balance, she heaved her wings to launch herself up to the treetops. Ariach deftly snatched the Jiakrie Fruit and put them in her leaf-woven satchel. Some drakgens had monkey-like claws to weave things together.

 There was a significant difference between a drakgen and a dragon. A dragon could fly for days and was native to Ninjago and it's realms, while a drakgen could only launch itself upwards in swift motions. Flying was impossible on Myern, which was the true name of Phanthosar. The air was heavy with toxins only drakgen's could breathe safely, and the density was so thick that true flight was impossible. The animals on Myern could safely climb and jump, but flight would tear at the drakgen's wings, which eliminated their ability to fly.

 Ariach's scales rippled from her shiver as she stopped herself from thinking about the last drakgen to attempt flying on Myern. He was a younger drakgen, who never learned his lesson to stop trying to fly, so he climbed one of the highest Karioj trees near their home and jumped off. He landed with a sickening crunch and no drakgen had attempted to fly since.

 Ariach calmed herself, as she realized she had started breathing heavily. Calm Ari. Calm. Ariach heaved herself slowly down the tree and checked to make sure she hadn't smashed the fruit she worked so hard for.

 She heard a whistling noise from above and looked up quickly to search for the source. Is that...oh! It's one of those metal dragons from Neiraco. Languages were tested and undone, so Ninjago was known as Neiraco to the drakgens. Just as Myern was known as Phanthosar to the humans.

 Ariach didn't account for her special ability to awaken at that moment and alert her to a life form on the metal machine. A drakgen's special ability could be anything, and Ariach's ability was sensing life...which was helpful in searching for the fruit.

There is a still-alive being on the metal thing?! Rescue! Ariach warred within herself whether to rescue to creature or not. If it was still alive, then it would be the first survivor on Myern other than the drakgens and the Jiakrie Fruit and the Karioj trees.

 Ariach waited for the metal dragon to lower to an acceptable height for wing-lifting and used her wings to launch her through the air towards the metal. Fire couldn't burn a drakgen, given they lived on an acid-toxic planet, so the fire surrounding the...Aume?...(at least, that was what she read from the wall)didn't burn her.

 Ariach ripped open the door with her sharp talons and shoved it away. The ground was getting closer. Where was the creature? Ariach searched for half a minute before her ability acted up and directed her to a sleeping creature. She grabbed the survivor and cautiously pressed her into the plush pouch of the satchel so as not to harm it.

 Ariach dropped down from the low height and tucked her satchel to her underbelly and wrapped her wings around it. The metal dragon exploded.

------

(4:00, Tiakin 6, Myern\Phanthosar 1179)

 Ariach wiggled her tail to test it's range and movement. I'm free then. Ariach opened her wings and stretched her aching limbs. The others would be worried soon, but not yet. Ariach felt motion in her front talons and glanced at her satchel curiously. She opened the pocket with the creature she had found.

 It wiggled and yawned. It blinked it's eyes open and Ariach knew exactly what the thing was.

 Ariach had rescued a human child. A child from Ninjago. She cleared her throat and spoke to her in the language of the drakgens. "Um...how- how old, are you...child."

 The baby blinked again and giggled in a joyous laugh. Ariach found herself laughing lightly with her. "Well, um...to find out how old you are, I'll have to introduce you to the drakgens at home. Would you like to see?"

 The girl once more did not answer, but giggled at Ariach's roars. Ariach knew that time on Myern differed than time on Neiraco. On Myern, she would be around twenty-one years. On Neiraco, Ariach was to be about one thousand seventeen.

"Well then, child. I need to discover your age and give you a proper name. You wouldn't happen to tell me...?" Ariach tried.

 The girl yawned and rolled over to face the destroyed metal thing.

"Is your name there?" Ariach glanced over at the metal dragon.

 She ventured closer and the baby fell asleep in her satchel's comfy pocket. On the metal side was a messed up Aume, in drakgen-speech anyway, and Ariach glanced inside. There were sigils and runes everywhere. The characters were unfamiliar.

"Aume doesn't suit you, since you survived the toxic air of my home and it means 'alive'. Erel is the word for 'surviving against the odds'. Aumerel sounds more fitting. Alive despite the odds. Does that sound nice?" Ariach glanced at the newly named Aumerel in time to see her smile and hear her coo.

 Ariach smiled at the little baby. "I'll take care of you and introduce you to the family. How about that?"

------

(5:59, Tiakin 6, Myern 1179)

Ariach grinned at the scowling face of her father.

"Ariach. Do you mind explaining how you found the human child? Explain how she has survived this long?!" Ruekal demanded.

 Ariach's mother tried to speak up. "Uh...Kal? Do you mind-"

 He sighed. "Not right now, Meori. I am striving to comprehend why and how."

 Meori kept her silence as Ariach brought the satchel closer. "I believe you will find that I have collected Jiakrie Fruit. And the girl's name is Aumerel."

"Aumerel?" Ruekal repeated. "Seems fitting as she has lived this long."

 Ariach smirked. "I know."

 Ruekal sighed deep within his throat. "You can keep and take care of her, but when she dies...do not say I did not warn you."

 Ariach nodded. "You have been heard, Father."

 Ruekal waved her away and Ariach clutched Aumerel closer.

"Do not worry, little one. Fiamora always knows how old something is. It is why we are not poisoned by bad fruit." Ariach explained as she approached the home of her best friend and cousin.

"Ari?" Fiamora stepped towards Ariach to see Aumerel. "Ari, what is that?"

 Ariach smiled softly at the tiny baby. "This is my new ward, Aumerel. Fia, meet my ward."

"Aumerel?" She echoed.

 Ariach laughed, which startled Aumerel into waking again. She didn't cry, though, which seemed odd in Ariach's experience.

 Fia studied Aumerel closely, but Aumerel didn't flinch and just blinked at the big drakgens that looked over her with a giggle. "She has recently turned two years."

 Ariach's eyes widened. "Two years? They sent her into the metal dragon at two years? She cannot even speak yet!"

 Fia gasped. "The metal dragon?! They tried to kill her on purpose!"

 Ariach hugged Aumerel closer to her cool scales. "I will not let them hurt her. She will stay with us."

 Fia nodded in her understanding. If the humans of Neiraco ever found her, they would take her away. Far, far away.

Chapter Text

(iWARNING!)

(THIS IS THE CLOSEST TRANSLATION AVAILABLE TO ENGLISH)

(2:19, Tiakin 6, Myern 1192)

"Aumerel!!!" Called a familiar voice as she ventured higher into the tree. She had been told, long ago, that she had been found on this very day. Tiakin 6th.

"AUMEREL!!!" She called again. The girl sighed. In Myern, she was fifteen. In her homeland...she had no idea, but Myern was her home for thirteen long years, and she would never claim Neiraco as hers.

 When she called again. Aumerel hopped down from her sixty-four foot tall tree. Using the power she had, she called up a vortex to slip her through space and directly on the ground. She had learned to use it from the age of four, and mastered it at nine. She had a feeling that since the planet's atmosphere was toxic, her ability had been forced to develop faster for her survival.

"Aumerel! I warned you not to do that!" Ariach scolded her firmly, and Aumerel listened.

 Aumerel bowed her head in apology. "I am sorry, Ari. I did not mean to make you worry, but I spotted a new Jiakrie Tree over to the left of the family Jiakrie grove. It was the rare kind."

 Ariach studied her and nodded. "If it's here, then the plant is going to be harder to find with all the new poisons the air is corrupting."

 Aumerel sighed. "I had feared that. We should collect it before it gets warped by the radius of the sun."

 Ariach muttered about Jiakrie and the poison that was beginning to infect the plants.

 Aumerel blinked slowly. "Ari?"

 Ariach paused her ranting and watched Aumerel. "What is it?"

 Aumerel closed her eyes and prepared for the shouting. "I believe I have finally discovered how far to travel to find Neiraco."

 Ariach frowned and her scales pulled painfully. "That is impossible. It is several systems away. You have only travelled back and forth from our side of the planet to the other, but there is no measure past that."

 Aumerel smiled. "I can discover more about the place I come from."

 Ariach sighed. "I knew this day would come. When you would want to learn more about your birthplace. Just...promise me that you will visit."

 Aumerel smiled. "I promise."

 Ariach gave Aumerel a stern look. "Remember not to blindly teleport and end up exploding someone by accident. We all remember what happened to the tree."

 Aumerel gulped. "I was terrified for years. I remember that trauma. But I also learned how to make a watch-portal, to study where I am to land, and also so I do not accidentally leak toxic air into Neiraco."

 Ariach sighed. "Let us tell my father, so he may allow us to pack your satchel to journey there."

 Aumerel nodded. "If I use a portal gate, there is a higher chance of leaking the poison. Best to blindly teleport when I have the accurate coordinates."

 Ariach smiled at her ward. "I know, dear. It is only that I will miss the chaos you have caused in our lives, and I am sure Fia thinks the same."

 Aumerel gave her a salty glare. "You know as well as I that Fiamora has never liked my presence in her workplace. Especially since I also have a monkey's fingers and can compete against her in the making of our forest garb."

 Ariach grinned and ruffled Aumerel's hair with her wing. "You made yourself a properly woven outfit with your skillful claws. You can compete against Fia anytime you desire."

 Aumerel smiled sadly. "I'll collect the Jiakrie Fruit. You head back and tell them of my discovery and decision."

 Ariach coughed, a sign that the poison was starting to affect the old drakgen after years with her strong immune system. The younger drakgens had stronger systems. "Very well. But I should tell you...my father has claimed my brother Zachreyel as his successor for the head of the family."

 Aumerel frowned. "But you aren't very old. Look at me! I look very young for fifteen!"

 Ariach smiled. "That is because humans live a bit longer than drakgens. Thirty four may be young for humans, but drakgens have a weakening immune system as a result of the poison and do not always live longer than forty or fifty. I have heard of humans living for more than a hundred years."

 Aumerel yawned as the sun slipped through the trees. "I should hurry, but I would like to know how Kiamryn and Lucearis is."

 Ariach pushed Aumerel forward with her tail. "My children are just fine. You are my ward and may be older in terms of life, but are still younger by mind."

 Aumerel shook her head to clear of her sleepiness. "I should collect the Jiakrie. Please tell the families that I will be leaving after this last venture."

 Ariach sighed. "Very well. I will see you one last time, I believe?"

 Aumerel smiled. "Of course. You cannot be rid of me that easily."

 Their laughter echoed through the rough trees as they separated to complete their own tasks.

------

(2:03, Tiakin 6 :night:, Myern 1192)

 Aumerel was greeted by shouts and tears as she entered her home. The entire community had been informed of her departure, and Aumerel was surprised, but pleased that Fiamora wept openly. She would miss her company after all.

 Ariach gifted Aumerel her old satchel, the one she had when she first found Aumerel in the metal dragon. The satchel contained several of the rare Jiakrie Fruit variants. Aumerel was shocked they would part with their favorite fruit.

"Be well, Aumerel!" Some said.

"Safe travels, Aumerel!" The others wished.

 Aumerel smiled and studied the watching-portal no one else could see. She found herself looking down at a metal jungle, so she was in the air. Aumerel wished her family a happy life while she was away.

 She blindly teleported into the open Ninjago sky.

------

(iWARNING!)

(EVENTS HAPPENING IN NINJAGO ARE IN NINJAGO'S TERMS; EXCEPT THOUGHTS IN OTHER LANGUAGES)

(2:03, Tiakin May 14, Ninjago 2754)

Aumerel didn't shriek as she fell through the night sky. She was able to breathe without feeling the spikes of poison in the air, so she was no longer on her home, Myern.

I'm in Neiraco, now. Or whatever these people call it.

 Aumerel opened a portal at her feet as she plummeted towards the ground and spotted Ninjago City Park. She gripped the vines as she rocketed down the length of the not-very-tall tree. She hit the ground with a slight puff of dirt being shot into the air and Aumerel rolled on impact.

 Aumerel glanced up at the decent coverings of the tree and glanced down at her clothes. They were browning, so she would have to refresh with green leaves. Aumerel hopped back into the tree and studied the humans passing by. They had either brown, black, or blonde hair. Not both, not neither. Few had red or orange. None had a single black streak in their blonde hair.

I shouldn't stick out. Aumerel plucked a few large leaves from the tree and wrapped them around her withering outfit. She sewed them on top skillfully. With that plan in mind, she sewed a new mask to keep her hair and face hidden. She hadn't had time to observe their eyes, so she only hoped her eyes weren't unique.

 She finished quickly and observed herself within the leaves. She glanced at herself when she finished and marveled at how well put together it was. I'm skilled. I'll have to tell Fiamora when I get back.

 Aumerel did a quick flip as she dropped from the tree. She was startled when someone spoke.

"Greetings child. Where do you come from?"

 Aumerel whipped around to look for the voice. She asked who was there, in the language native to her.

 His voice asked a different question she could not understand. "What language is that?"

 Aumerel growled and searched for the owner of the voice. She spotted an old man with a long white beard. She asked him who he was, but he had yet to answer. Right. Language was a barrier.

 The man pointed to Aumerel and she stepped closer hesitantly. The old man shook his head and asked, "Who are you, girl, that you cannot understand my language?"

 Aumerel stepped back, as she still couldn't understand him.

 The old man sighed and studied her. Then, he spun around in a glowing golden vortex. Aumerel jumped and tried to climb a tree, only to be swept up by the tornado.

 She clutched her head after she was released. "Ow...my head."

 The man smiled. "Ah! Now I can understand you."

 Aumerel froze and looked back at the man's face. "What just happened? What was that? Why couldn't I understand you before? Why can I now?!"

 The man chuckled and held up a hand. Aumerel didn't understand the gesture and stared at his hand. He passed and explained. "This means to stop talking and listen."

 Aumerel was taught obedience, so she listened to what he had to say.

"I am known as Sensei Wu. I would like to teach you how to be a ninja." He waited for Aumerel to answer, but she didn't understand his pause. "Erm...you may answer."

 Aumerel had a question first. "First of all. What's a ninja? What's a sensei?"

 Wu sighed. "A sensei is a teacher. A ninja is a person who fights to protect."

 Aumerel nodded slowly. "So...what's a teacher?"

 Wu shook his head, but answered her question with patience. "A teacher is someone who instructs another on how to properly do something."

 Aumerel frowned and entered her thoughts. "So, Fiamora was my sewing teacher, and Ariach was my tracking teacher?"

 Wu blinked. "I...I guess?"

 Aumerel smiled. "I can be a ninja?"

 Wu nodded. "Yes. I offered. What is your name, child?"

 Aumerel blinked in confusion. "My name?"

 Wu sighed. "What shall the team call you?"

 Aumerel frowned in thought. "Celeste. Your 'Spinjitsu' gave me the understanding to know what it represents." She passed and looked back up at Wu. "What's a Spinjitsu?"

 Wu tensed. "Spinjitsu is a fighting art."

 Aumerel shrugged. "Okay. Where do I go?"

 Wu reached into a pocket and pulled out a map, as he guessed she didn't know where the monastery was. He pulled out some money as well, so she could buy an outfit instead of using leaves.

 Aumerel picked at the cloth containing the money bag. "What is this?"

"Cloth. You have a bag, do you not have clothes other than..."

 Aumerel blinked at her satchel. "This was found in a rocket." She gestured to her trusty satchel. "Since you obviously aren't of my home, I can trust that you've never had Jiakrie Fruit?"

 Wu paused. "Jiakrie?"

 She nodded and opened her satchel to pull out two Jiakrie Fruits. "Here. By the way, what's the coin even for?"

 Wu didn't eat yet, as he wanted to answer her question. "Go to this clothing store," he gestured to the map. "Get yourself an outfit to wear to the monastery and a ninja gi. It's a ninja's traditional outfit, and it's similar enough to the one you made yourself."

 Aumerel studied the map and nodded. "Got it. Now, try the Jiakrie Fruit." She ordered him. Wu obeyed quietly and bit into the ripe fruit. He slowed his movements to savor the unique taste of it.

"It is very...tasty." The word felt inadequate. "But, I must be off. I'll take this fruit with me while I travel."

 Aumerel watched him go and bit into her own meal. "He's weird. But I'm Celeste for now...well, while I'm near the ninja, I guess."

 She had no idea her choice would create a lot of drama, but also save her some unnecessary pain.

Chapter Text

(5:13, May 14, Ninjago 2754)

 Aumerel followed the map with the precision of an expert. The symbols were the same as the ones that survived the rocket crashes. She only knew the term because of her thoughts and the magic tornado that the old sensei person did.

Spinjitsu. It was called Spinjitsu. Her mind supplied helpfully.

 Aumerel rubbed the spot where the headache was building painfully. She found the shop that the old master pointed her towards, and entered slowly. She gripped her satchel nervously until her fingers turned white. She let out a breath and released her death grip on the bag.

"Ah! A new customer!...oh." A human adult approached Aumerel with criticism in his eyes. "My dear, what happened to you?"

 Aumerel opened and closed her mouth several times as she searched for the words to say. "I-I just moved here. From somewhere far-far away. Most of my clothes were lost during the move."

 His eyes grew kind. "Ah. I see. Very well. You may call me Sir Fanerre."

 Aumerel smiled and drew her pouch of coins out. "I think I only have enough for two outfits. I'm going to be training at a dojo and need a gi. I also need an outside outfit for after lessons."

 Sir Fanerre hummed and studied Aumerel. He snapped his fingers with a wide smile. "Ah! I know. I will show you the ninja attire section and then you will try it on while my assistant Phyllis will bring the casual outfits."

 Aumerel nodded and Sir Fanerre led the way. She wondered if the shop was where all ninjas got their outfits. Fanerre showcased several colorful pieces.

 Fanerre explained which colors already belonged to which ninja as she walked through the many different clothes. "We have a Red, Blue, White, Black, Cyan, and a Green ninja! Earlier this year, they defeated Lord Garmadon, who called himself the emperor. I so adore Lloyd's new voice! He sounds so grown up!" His accent curled the 'r's delicately and Aumerel grounded herself to the foreign shifts.

Red, Green, Blue, Cyan, Black, White... Her eyes landed on a dark gray gi with purple and indigo accents. She walked towards it and Sir Fanerre noticed her approach. He perked up.

"Ah! That's one of our newer pieces. Colored off the battle against Lord Garmadon! I can retrieve the mask, if you would like?"

 She nodded and rubbed the material of the sleeve. Of all the clothes, orange, yellow, actually full purple, gray, pink, gold, silver, bronze, and countless other shades she couldn't name, she chose the one created for the battle against the dark lord. It was a bone deep instinct that drew her closer. She tugged the gi off the rack and waited for Sir Fanerre to bring the mask. He couldn't actively see her face because of her leaf mask, so his kindness was unexpected.

 He returned and she took hold of the mask as he brought her to the changing rooms. "That gi has a discount, as it seems no one wants a reminder of Garmadon's attacks. I thank you for choosing it."

Discount? Aumerel entered the changing room and Sir Fanerre explained about Phyllis bringing a set of clothes that would compliment her chosen gi and her skin tone. "Thank you, Sir Fanerre."

"You are very welcome!" He said in his warm tone. Aumerel was grateful that she found someone to help her. A few minutes passed as she swapped the gi with her old leaf-woven clothes. She tugged on the mask and realized that the bottom had white cloth to look like her family's drakgen teeth.

 Phyllis came by quickly with a suit of clothes in a pleasing shade of indigo and purple, with a strange black sash to tie around her waist. Phyllis didn't explain more except to use it to hide weapons. Any size? She sniffed the air and realized with a start that Phyllis was a weak Oni, so the sash was infused with some amount of Oni magic. Any size, then.

 Aumerel examined her reflection and realized that the people she met didn't have strange colors in their eyes like she did. She covered her eyes with a layer of her long bangs and smirked at her success. She could see through them.

 She quickly changed into the dark gi and exited to pay for her purchases. She saw a tip box and read the card about being donations. She dropped a coin into the box and exited without much fuss.

 Aumerel examined the map and spotted a flat roof of one of the buildings. She grinned and blindly teleported to the top. Anyone watching her would say a swirl of fog engulfed her before she vanished. She stumbled on the roof, as she teleported an inch or so off the top.

 She checked her map and looked through her looking-portal for the monastery. She found an empty room an opened the full portal to walk through.

 She tripped on some debris and fell through her portal. It closed before she hit the ground.

------

(6:00 PM, May 14, Ninjago 2754)

 Wu gathered his students to inform them of the elemental master he had recently discovered. He didn't even know what element it was that she used.

"A new teammate?"

"What sort of element?"

"Who is he?"

"What was that sound?" Jay asked with a worried voice at a sudden thud inside the monastery.

 Wu honed in on the sound. The only person he invited into the monastery that could teleport, would be the girl he had met in the park. "That would be her."

 Nya's curiosity broke through the boys' nosiness. "Her? We're getting a new girl?!" Her excitement rose as she realized the full implication. They could bond over many things she couldn't bring up with the boys.

"Yes. Now, we must check on her." Wu confirmed.

"How exactly did she sneak past us? We're in the yard!" Cole exclaimed.

 Wu ignored Cole and approached the inside of the monastery, exactly where the ninja had heard the thud. The door opened before Wu could touch it and Celeste stepped forward before pausing. Her gi was a dark gray with indigo and dark purple accents that reminded Wu of his now-missing brother. He heard Lloyd suck in his breath at the odd choice of gi, especially since they had just gone through the attack. Even her mask had his sharp teeth.

 Celeste's hair covered her eyes, so they could see she was blonde. "Why are there so many?" She asked with her foreign accent.

 Kai hissed and whispered to Zane. "She's a foreigner? What accent is that?"

 Zane studied Celeste with his critical eyes and shook his head. "I cannot identify her accent. She is from a land unknown to me." Wu's last hope of discovering where she was from flickered and died.

 Wu looked back to Celeste. "Welcome, child. Would you care for some tea?"

 Celeste tilted her head in silent question. "What is...tea?"

 Wu sighed. He had forgotten that she knew less of Ninjago than he expected. "I will explain as we walk to the kitchen. Any questions you have, you may ask."

 Celeste nodded slowly. "If it is so, might I know their 'names'?"

 Wu waved to the ninja to introduce themselves. Lloyd was hesitant and motioned for the others to go before him. He had trust issues after the fight with Harumi.

"I'm Cole. The red hot-head is Kai, the girl is Nya, the nindroid is Zane, this blabbermouth is Jay-" Cole was cut off by Jay's offended "HEY!" Cole continued the introduction. "And our fearless leader, Lloyd Garmadon!"

 Lloyd gave Celeste a polite nod.

 Celeste glanced at Wu, but sat on a chair without a complaint. "My name is Celeste. I have come from very far, and I do not know many customs of this place."

 Zane dipped his head in polite greeting. "A pleasure. May I ask, where did you come from? Your accent has peaked my curiosity."

 Celeste frowned beneath her mask, but Zane read her hesitance.

"It is alright if you do no tell us, I only wish to know why your accent is unfamiliar." Jay had flinched at the mention of 'wish' and Nya gave him a subtle hug.

 Celeste shook her head. "It is not that I don't want to say, it is only that I promised my family to keep people safe."

"What is unsafe about your home?" Zane asked with a burning curiosity that drew the attention of his fellow ninja.

 Celeste sighed. "The air is poison to those who cannot breathe it, and even those that can...slowly lose their immunity until it kills them too." I wonder how long it has been since I left home...

 Zane was about to ask, when Jay interrupted. "If the air is so toxic, how did you survive? Does it have something to do with your elemental power? Or is it just something special about you?"

 Zane opened and closed his mouth. "That...is what I also wished to know."

 Jay shrank back at his second mention. What is it with Jay and wishes? What are wishes?

"I do not know how I survived, only that Myern has two species of fruit trees that have survived the poison. Jiakrie Fruit." Wu's eyes brightened at her mention.

 Wu glanced at her satchel, but decided not to sneak any away. He went the honest route. "Do you have any now? I believe the ninja wish to try some."

 The ninja glanced at each other and looked towards Celeste.

 Celeste shrugged. "It is the rare variant, and it is the more delectable one." She pulled out a fruit and used her sharp nails to cut the fruit into slices for each ninja, plus Wu and herself.

 Nya looked amazed at her swift work. "How did you do that?"

 Celeste studied the only other girl. When you grow up with drakgens, you learn quickly how to use the tools at hand.

 Jay asked Celeste a question that made Celeste realize with a start that she answered out loud. "What's a drakgen?"

 Celeste calmed her racing heart with practiced ease and eyed Jay. "Go ask a dragon what a drakgen is. They might still remember."

 Wu cleared his throat loudly. "That reminds me. Celeste, how did you get in here?"

 Celeste froze. Uh oh.

Chapter Text

(6:22, May 14, Ninjago 2754)

 Wu knew how Aumerel got in there, sort of, so he was bringing it to his students' attention. Aumerel swallowed hard. Her nervousness was decreased when Zane commented that she didn't have to answer the question. He looked like he still wanted to discover the answer, however.

"Um...why don't you guys tell me more about Ninjago?" Aumerel suggested brightly.

 Nya glanced at Kai in a silent question that Aumerel didn't catch. Kai responded with a slight shrug, so he didn't know either. Lloyd elbowed Kai to pay more attention, and Kai yelped at the pain and rubbed at his injury. Giving Lloyd a flat glare.

 Aumerel didn't understand their quiet communication, but perhaps that was due to her previous home. "Myern is a lovely place, but we don't have any reason to communicate quietly. In fact, the only reason I know stealth is because I sneak up on my caretaker all the time." She murmured, mostly to herself.

 Cole, who stood beside her, blinked at her statement. "Myern? Where is that?" He asked.

 Aumerel grimaced at the way he mispronounced the name, but kept her silence. Zane took note of what Cole had said and searched up records of 'Myern' from his catalogued places.

 Zane shook his head and informed the ninjas of no such records. "I could not find any mention of a land called Myern. Perhaps that is only what the inhabitants know it as?"

 Aumerel leaned back in her seat and considered his question. Ari had told her that the people of Ninjago only know it as Phanthosar, so it was possible that they never learned its real name.

"I guess so. Drakgens named it Myern. Ninjago calls it Phanthosar." Aumerel said mildly. She had no idea how many people died trying to land on the toxic planet, until all attempts had been banned. About a hundred years after her rocket's initial launch, in Ninjago, the whole escapade was banned.

 Zane started with a true expression of shock. The other ninja had no such reactions, as no one mentioned the failed landings. Zane sighed and explained to the ninja of Phanthosar's existence and the failures.

"Phanthosar is a-" His explanation was cut off by Jay trying to be the smarter one.

"An island?"

 Zane gave him a look that made Jay shrink back in embarrassment.

"No. Phanthosar is a planet. Far away from Ninjago, with its own time difference. For years, many tried to reach the planet without success, until it was banned from exploration. People were losing too many resources to continue the plans for Phanthosar."

 Aumerel blinked and sat straight. "Is that why the rockets stopped coming?"

 Her question grabbed all the Ninja's attention. Including Master Wu.

 Wu asked her a very probing question, that she already answered. "What do you know about Phanthosar?"

"More than you. Clearly. I lived there." Aumerel scoffed with a small grin. They didn't have to know her elemental power, just her origins.

 Zane asked another question that she had no idea how to answer. "How could you survive the toxic atmosphere, when so many trained astronauts couldn't?"

 Aumerel was trained to speak the truth, since the drakgens grew weaker with lies. "Personally, I have no idea. The poison in the air was to heavy for drakgens to fly through, so their wings are used to launch themselves higher on the trees."

 Zane frowned and studied Aumerel, but found no lies in her statements. "Very well. Do you mind if we test it?"

 Aumerel scowled. "I don't know why the natural poison of Myern's air didn't affect me, but I've never subjected myself to artificial poison."

 Nya pulled Zane back to ask Aumerel a new question. "What sort of elemental power do you have? We all have one, and even past trainees had one." With a subtle glare at Wu, she returned her focus to Aumerel.

 Aumerel shrugged. "We didn't really have any idea on what elemental powers were, so I have no idea if I've ever used them."

 Zane released an uncharacteristic sigh. "Very well."

 Aumerel relaxed her muscles and decided to honest. "It might be an elemental power...but I don't really know. I can teleport to far off places. That's how I found Ninjago."

 The ninja gasped and murmured questions amongst themselves. Wu cleared his throat to recapture their wandering attention. "Do you have a place to stay?" Wu asked her. "Considering you are not from here..."

 Aumerel shook her head. "I could teleport home whenever I wanted. If there's a cave anywhere on this mountain, I can live there."

 Nya grimaced at the idea. "No. Nope. Nuh-uh. I finally have a friend that would think wisely compared to my idiot brothers." Kai and Lloyd made sounds of outrage. "You are going to live in the monastery with me!"

 Aumerel frowned. "As much as that sounds fine...I don't want either my lifestyle or my habits to get in the way of your lives. I also don't want to lose touch with my family." Speaking of her family, it had been less than a day in Ninjago and she hadn't yet checked on them. "I should probably talk to them now. I don't want Ari dying to early." She muttered quietly.

 Aumerel hopped up from her seat and ran outside to summon a looking-portal. "What the...why are the trees so much bigger than last time?...Right. Time difference."

 She sighed and closed the portal, no one ever saw them anyway. She glanced up at the sky and shivered from the heat of Ninjago's sun. Colder. It needs to be colder. She shook herself firmly and reentered the monastery.

"I...I guess I could um...study...here." She said nervously. Aumerel didn't want to see their faces and lowered her hood over her eyes. "Can...can I call it the elemental power of...space?"

Chapter Text

(6:39, May 14, Ninjago 2754)

 Aumerel patiently waited for their responses. The first two definitely surprised her.

"I cannot recall hearing about an elemental master of 'space' before. Neither has Master Wu mentioned it." Zane said tonelessly. It sounded like he was purposely sounding flat to disuade the newcomer.

I just said that I call it the 'power of space' right in front of them! Can they not hear?

 Aumerel angrily crossed her arms and stiffened where she was.

 Kai murmured to himself. "Elemental power of space, huh? Gotta nice ring to it." Kai echoed the title with a pensive look.

 Lloyd noticed Kai's murmurings and playfully shoved him. "You shouldn't think too much. You might light your own head on fire." He teased with a bright laugh.

 Zane sighed at their banter. "I apologize for their responses, Celeste."

Maybe you should apologize for your own? But I think you were merely stating from factual evidence and your own memories. I cannot complain about you using the logic at your disposal. Aumerel's thoughts froze. I don't know half of those words I just thought about. Thank you Master Wu.

 Aumerel accepted the apology halfheartedly, since she knew she couldn't wait for him to apologize for his own reaction.

 Nya finally spoke up. "What exactly is the elemental power of space?"

"Teleport, obviously. Space manipulation." Aumerel concluded swiftly.

 Lloyd's interest was piqued by her casual mention of teleportation. "Teleport? Could you explain in detail?"

 She nodded to his question and decided that a demonstration was best.

 First, she blindly teleported a foot above where she stood. Then, she created a portal outside and dove through, out of the sight of the ninja.

"Goodbye!" She called.

 After revealing her powers, she realized that she didn't fully trust them yet, so she left at the first opportunity. All she had to do now was find a temporary home.

I regret showing them. If only I could teleport through time, too.