A/N: Hey y'all! It's been quite a long while since I've uploaded anything to the site. Just haven't had much inspiration for anything or free time outside of college and work. (I'm also selling art commissions if anyone who knows my DA account is interested...) Anyways, I finally watched season 11 of Ninjago and remembered the Fae Ninjago AU I came up with in 2017. I had already written three parts of a short story for it and shared it in other places like Amino. But now I plan to finish that one and start on some others and share them here.

Each short story will focus on one of the ninja and how they have had to adapt to the world of this AU. This first chapter is just a general overview of the AU. If anyone wants to write a story of their own based on my AU, go ahead! I'd love to see what other people come up with.

Part one of The Automaton will be uploaded Thursday the 14th and the next part the next Thursday. I hope to keep a consistent upload schedule but there may be pauses in between weeks. College takes up a lot of my time, after all. Anyways, sorry for the long message and I hope you all enjoy this series of short stories! All constructive criticism is welcome!

General Info

The land of Ninjago has been a peaceful home for both humans and fae, magical creatures of myth and legend. All were protected under the dragon brothers Wu and Garmadon, until Garmadon was struck by a curse and was turned evil. Wu barely managed to seal away his brother but it was already too late.

The black dragon had caused much damage to the land and instilled fear in the hearts of humans. Humans no longer trusted fae and forced them to wear spells called Glamours, which suppressed their abilities and forced them to live like humans.

Years have passed and many groups of fae, such as the Serpentine and others, refuse to follow these rules and attack human cities in their rage. The remaining dragon Wu wishes to rekindle the pact between the various races of Ninjago as well as protect the innocent from attacks. He makes it his goal to recruit a number of young men and women fae folk and train them to defend the people.

Character

Wu

The eldest of the two dragon brothers, Wu is a white and gold imperial dragon. His great age has allowed him to gain an ancient wisdom of the world and the people in it. He very much enjoys the company of others, especially over a cup of green tea. Even after the destruction wrought by his brother, many people see Wu as a benevolent being and often consult with him on worldly affairs. Wu is a welcoming soul but often finds it hard to connect with newer generations, such as his nephew Lloyd. He hopes to put fae in a better light with his efforts in training his ninja.

Kai and Nya

Both Kai and Nya were born from elemental type fae parents. Kai is a fiery pheonix while Nya is an elegant water nymph. They lived in a small village that was very open and accepting of fae folk. When their parents suddenly disappeared one day, the village took it upon themselves to raise the two right. Kai managed to snag an apprenticeship with the local blacksmith while Nya used her abilities to help the farmers grow their fields. Kai refused to join Wu's team until Nya was kidnapped by another village that wished to use her powers. Of course, by the time they showed up, Nya had already freed herself. Wu then accepted both into the group.

Cole

Cole's father Lou is human and never knew his wife was a fae until she gave birth to their son. At first, he felt betrayed and almost disgusted, as he was not a fan of the fae. But Cole's mother died in labor and Lou couldn't bring himself to abandon his only son. Cole, a gargoyle, grew up trying to prove to his father that he is the son Lou always wanted. Being a gargoyle, Cole has incredible strength and a great attunement to nature. However, he's just not near agile enough to be a dancer/performer like his father. Cole knows very little about his people as he never had another gargoyle role model he could talk with. He agrees to join Wu's group so as to make a connection with other fae folk and find his own place in the world.

Jay

Jay grew up never knowing he was of fae decent until Wu came to recruit him. Ed and Edna adopted Jay in order to help hide him from poachers. Jay is a raiju, a Japanese storm spirit that takes on a wolf or fox-like form made of lightning. Raijus were hunted almost to extinction due to their bodies producing enough electrical energy to power large cities almost indefinitely. Jay was always required to wear a bracelet Glamour, even when he slept. While he never questioned it, Jay always wondered why he could do things like get shocked from his inventions yet retain no damage from it. His whole world was shattered when Wu told Jay about his true heritage. After a talk with his parents and accepting his true identity, Jay joined Wu to learn about fae culture and get better acquainted with others like him.

Zane

Even among fae, Zane is a bit of an odd case. Zane is an automaton, a robot powered by magic and a human soul. Dr. Julian had created Zane in an attempt to resurrect his son Icarus, who died in a lab explosion. But after placing Icarus' soul in Zane, Julian realized that Zane shared none of his son's memories. Rather than scrap him, Dr. Julian raised Zane and tried to teach him how to become his own person. Zane never learned the truth about his creation until after Julian passed away. Since then, Zane traveled the world, contemplating his own existence and identity. Word got to Wu about a seemingly un-ageing man that traveled around and he decided to investigate. The dragon discovered that Zane harbored a talent for casting spells like a mage. He took the automaton in and taught him how to harness that power. Zane was the first one that Wu recruited.

Lloyd

Growing up, Lloyd was feared by others. It was no secret who his father was and he never liked wearing the glamour to hide his true appearance. His mother Misako being a witch, Lloyd was born half human and half dragon. He looks mostly human sporting a long tail, a pair of wings, and patches of scales on his body. When he was young, Lloyd's scales were a deep green, almost black. That paired with his general appearance made people believe he was cursed and evil like his father. Lloyd was treated with fear and anger, which fostered a rebellious streak in him.

As he got older, Lloyd's mother decided she couldn't be the role model he needed and asked Wu to train him. Wu of course agreed and took in his nephew, trying to teach him about dragon culture and the importance of using his powers wisely. Lloyd was a stubborn child, rarely listening to what Wu had to say. But over time, he grew to love his uncle and appreciate his patience in raising the bratty child. Lloyd returned to his rebellious ways when Wu took in the others, believing he was being replaced. Yet it took nearly no time at all for him to see the others as older siblings and accept them as his new family.

As he got older, Lloyd's scales began to brighten to an emerald green. After a growth spurt, his scales changed again and now have a golden sheen.

Side Characters

Dareth - Satyr, a Greek creature with the top half of a man and the bottom half of a goat.

Ronin - Kitsune, a mischievous Japanese fox spirit with the power to cast illusions

Misako - Witch, follows the path of light and uses herbal remedies to help the sick and poor

Serpentine - Naga, snake people from Indonesian culture. Basically the same as they already are