Lloyd watches a group of kids playing ball from the deck of the Bounty, a sad look on his face.
"Lloyd?" - Kai called out to him. - "Lloyd!" - He turned. - "Focus." -.
"Now that the Bounty's with us, we can train you even better. But you'll have to stay focused. Once again!" - said Zane.
"Ah," - Lloyd sighed - "But we've been training all day." -.
"All this is to prepare you for the fight against your father," - Cole said, stepping closer. -Now, get into position." -.
Moon frowned as she saw Lloyd watching the other kids play.
(He... looks so sad. After training, I'll take him to get some ice cream. Maybe that'll cheer him up.) - Moon got into position for another round.
Lloyd sighed, getting into stance with a yawn.
The Ninjas put their masks back on. Everyone gets ready to attack.
"Whatever." - Lloyd didn't really care.
The first to leap forward was Kai, but Lloyd easily punched him away.
He yawned again, taunting the others to come at him. Jay and Zane were next.
"Ninja, Go!" - Lloyd used Spinjitzu to knock them all back.
Cole managed to grab Lloyd from behind and tossed him into the air, spinning him around. Moon caught him easily by the collar before placing him down.
"You're usually better than this, Lloyd. You tired?" - Moon asked as she pulled her mask down.
Lloyd smiled.
"That was fun. Are we done yet?" - He was eager to finish.
"Moon's right! You are better than this! What's going on in that head of yours?" - Jay asked, frowning.
"Ah... The latest issue of Starfarer just came out at Comic Doom, and it's a limited edition! If I don't go grab one, they'll all sell out." - Lloyd explained. - "Last issue, Fritz Donnegan was surrounded by Imperial Sludge! If I don't find out how he gets out of it, that's gonna be my doom!" -.
"Star... what? Sorry, didn't quite catch that." - Moon said, trying to understand what Starfarer was.
"The fate of Ninjago is in your hands. As the Green Ninja, you have a huge responsibility now. Sorry, but you don't have time for childish stuff," - Kai said firmly.
"The other kids get to play. All I ever do is train." - Lloyd sighed, watching the village drift away below.
"I think you're all being a little harsh. Lloyd's still a kid- he should enjoy his childhood too." - Moon added.
"Not when the fate of Ninjago rests on his shoulders," - Kai countered.
"I know that, but that future's still a ways off... Until then... tomorrow, Lloyd and I are going out." - The Ninjas blinked. - "To relax. No training." -.
Lloyd looked surprised but smiled, happy that Moon wanted to give him a break.
The Ninjas were about to argue, but Nya cut them off.
"Guys, there's been a break-in at the Ninjago City History Museum. And the cameras caught you-know-who." - Nya ran up to them.
"Garmadon! Let's stop him before he uses the Mega Weapon for another evil plan!" - Jay clenched his fist.
Lloyd started to step forward but already knew the answer.
"Yeah, yeah. It's safer if I stay here and train." - He sounded disappointed.
Even Moon nodded this time, agreeing with the others.
Lloyd just crossed his arms.
o0o0o
"We'll meet back on the Bounty once this is over," - Kai said inside the Ultra Sonic Raider.
Moon found the inside surprisingly comfy and a bit jealous, remembering the Ninjaball Tournament.
At least she and Sprint had fun, even though the Ultra Dragon was still recovering from its dislocated shoulder.
"Hope you all come back safe," - Nya said as Kai nodded and started the engine.
Lloyd turned to her.
"Too old for comics, too young to fight. When are they gonna make up their minds?" - Lloyd grumbled.
"Come on, half-pint, show me what you've got." - Nya smiled, trying to cheer him up.
o0o0o
The Ninjas arrived under cover of night. They used a rope to climb into the building.
Moon wondered why they didn't just scale the wall- it wasn't that hard.
Either way, they were inside, acting like true Ninjas: stealthy and silent as they infiltrated the museum.
They crouched low, watching as the Serpentine Generals arrived.
"Thisss doesn't look anything like me!" - Skales hissed, disgusted by his portrait on the wall.
"Actually, it kinda does... you," - Ashley teased, stepping forward. - "Equally ugly." -.
"Ha-ha, very funny," - Skales rolled his eyes.
"Why did we even come to a mussseum if we're not gonna ssssteal anything?" — asked the Venomari General.
"Because Massster Garmadon hasss other plansss to dessstroy the Ninja," - said the current Fangpyre General.
Leadership of the Fangpyre was still being debated between him and Ashley neither wanted to split the tribe.
Ashley's eyes gleamed as she spotted a peculiar item.
"The red jewel from Aspheera's crown..." - she recognized it from old Fangpyre scrolls.
While Skales argued with the others about Garmadon, she took the opportunity to snatch the gem.
Then, Garmadon appeared- just as she expected.
"This time, I will not fail!" - Skales jumped at the sudden appearance, dropping his lantern.
"Yesss, Lord Garmadon," - the Generals bowed, Skales last and most reluctant.
"Yesss... Lord Garmadon," - he muttered begrudgingly.
"Observe. Dromaeosaurid Theropod Grundalicus, also known as Grundal. Though extinct, in its time it was the most feared and dangerous creature in all of Ninjago. With claws that could cut through steel and senses sharp enough to detect prey from miles away. It could track even the stealthiest Ninja- and once it caught your scent, there was no hiding." - Garmadon explained.
"Grundal? I've heard of that. I'm just glad I live in a time when it's extinct." - Jay said, relieved.
"Thanksss for the hissstory lesson, but what are we gonna do with a pile of bonesss?" - Skales asked.
"I'll make the beast walk again!" - Garmadon said with a frown.
"Alright then, let'sss see it," - Skales replied.
"Rise, Grundal! Feel the power of the Mega Weapon! I wish to give you the strength to be young again to turn back the clock and undo extinction!" - Garmadon declared.
The Mega Weapon glowed, channeling energy into the creature's bones.
"But hungry, hungry for the Ninjas." -.
"Oh no! He's bringing it back?!" - Jay panicked.
"Not if we can stop him!" - shouted Zane.
The Ninjas drew their weapons not the Golden Ones, but regular ones, still deadly in skilled hands.
"The Ninjas! Stop them!" - Garmadon ordered.
The Ninjas charged, dodging thrown spears. Ashley watched, studying their movements before striking.
"Rise, Grundal! Rise!" - The process was slow.
"We can't let him finish!" - Cole shouted.
The Ninjas leapt onto Grundal's skeleton.
"Give it up, Garmadon!" - Moon smacked the surrounding serpents with her staff.
"Never! Stop them!" - Garmadon roared.
The snakes aimed their spears, nearly hitting them. Cole, Zane, and Jay fell; Moon flipped in midair and landed face-to-face with Ashley.
"I feel so lonely up here," - Kai quipped, the only one still on top of the bones.
"Hello, little Ninja," - Ashley hissed, lunging to bite her.
Moon blocked her fangs with the metal parts of her armor. Ashley hissed in pain and recoiled. Moon kicked her away.
She turned just in time to see Kai's sword strike the Mega Weapon. Its glow ceased- the energy vanished.
"Not again... not again!" - Garmadon groaned, exhausted.
"And you sssaid you wouldn't fail," - Skales mocked.
"Retreat!" - Garmadon ordered, grabbing the Mega Weapon and fleeing.
"Ha! We did it!" - Jay cheered.
"Curssse you, Ninjas!" - Garmadon snarled, running off.
"Looks like we handled that nicely. Wait- they're stealing the golden sarcophagus!" - Jay pointed.
Ashley was gone already, slithering away with the red jewel in hand.
The Ninjas ran after the remaining Serpentine.
"After them!" - Kai shouted (stating the obvious).
The snakes were fast, but Moon managed to keep up better than the others.
(Weird... I'm starting to feel slower...) - she thought, ignoring it.
Unfortunately, the snakes escaped, leaving the golden sarcophagus behind.
"Can't believe they got away! I'm usually faster than that- it's like my legs are half their normal size!" - Jay exclaimed.
"Why does that thing look bigger?" - Kai asked, confused.
"Or... did we shrink?" - Zane suggested.
"Is anyone else feeling like their outfit's way too loose?" - Moon asked, adjusting her pants.
"Oh, come on!" - Kai pointed at a mirrored window.
They all stared in shock.
"We shrank!" - Jay practically screamed, pulling off his mask.
"We're kids!" - Kai yelped, removing his mask too.
They all screamed, staring at their younger selves. Moon was too stunned to react.
"This is bad! Really bad on every level!" - Jay said, then turned to Moon. - "Even Moon's frozen!" -.
"Tell me we're dreaming, Zane! Please tell me we're dreaming!" - Cole begged.
"Nindroids don't dream! Maybe Garmadon turned back time, but instead of reviving Grundal, it affected us," - Zane reasoned.
"Yeah, but Nindroids don't turn into kids either! Explain that, genius!" - Jay snapped.
"I've expanded all my logical parameters, but nothing- there's no record of this ever happening!" - Zane stuttered, even glitching a little.
"Moon! You okay? Hey, Moon!" - Cole waved his hand in front of her.
Moon blinked and snapped out of it. She pulled her mask back, and a cascade of white hair fell down. revealing a cute, round-cheeked little face.
Cole blushed and looked away. Kai, flustered, quickly turned too.
"Unless your hair's always been like that as a kid... why did mine change?" - She held a strand, puzzled.
She looked so different with long hair but beautiful either way.
"Okay, let's not freak out. We're in this together." - Cole tried to calm everyone down. - "But man, I hated being a kid! Can't drive, nobody listens to you, and-oh no... there's nap time!" -.
"You're worried about that? I'm more worried about losing control. When I was younger, I couldn't control my aura- I used to have bursts of energy. I'm scared I'll hurt you guys," - Moon said, trembling. - "Let's just hope it's only our appearance that changed- not our powers." -.
"Well, I told Nya we'd meet back at the Bounty. Sensei will know what to do." - Cole said, and the others nodded.
Suddenly, a police car screeched to a halt in front of them.
"Ha! Well, well, what do we have here? Looks like we found the culprits behind the museum break-in. Who would've thought- just a bunch of kids. And what's with the pajamas? Some kinda yogurt gang?" - the cops laughed.
"This isn't pajamas! We're Ninjas!" - Jay snapped.
"Sure, and I'm Santa Claus," - one officer joked.
"Ninja, Go!" - Kai tried using Spinjitzu, but his tiny body couldn't handle it. - "It's not working! We're too small!" -.
Kai accidentally flung them onto the hood of the car. Moon landed right on top of Cole.
One officer grabbed Moon by the collar like a kitten.
"Easy there, kid. You're all coming with us to the station," - he said, holding them effortlessly.
"Hey, officer! This is just a misunderstanding! My friends and I were trying to help!" - Kai protested.
"Yeah, sure. Save it for when you're explaining why you robbed the museum," - the cop said.
"But we didn't-" -.
"Quiet," - the cop interrupted.
The kid Ninjas were tossed into the back seat - it was a tight fit.
"You have the right to remain silent," - the officer said.
"Ugh! Kids..." -.
o0o0o
The day had dawned, and Moon felt tired. She had forgotten that when she was younger, she was much weaker than in her adult form.
"Sorry for stealing," - Jay, Cole, and Kai bowed their heads in apology.
Moon stood with her arms crossed; she saw no need for that since she hadn't done anything wrong. Still, she unconsciously pouted.
"But we didn't steal anything! I don't get it!" - Zane was confused.
"Shh! The faster we get out of here, the faster we'll figure out how to turn back to normal!" - said Kai.
"Sorry for stealing too!" - Zane quickly bowed.
Now all eyes were on Moon. She sighed.
"Sorry for stealing, I hope you can forgive us," - she decided to go with the innocent, cute act.
Aaron once said:
"If you've got cuteness, use it to your advantage. If you're attractive, use charm to your advantage." - Young Moon only looked confused.
His old friend the father of Wu and Garmadon smacked him on the back of the head as a response.
"What?! My student's a heartbreaker! With that cuteness, she can get anything she wants!" -.
And fortunately, it worked. The boys were a little jealous of her act.
"Thanks for returning the sarcophagus. You did the right thing. But what about the bones and the jewel?" - the museum director asked.
"Bones and jewel? We didn't steal any bones or jewels!" - Jay exclaimed, confused.
"The bones of Grundal and the Crimson Jade Jewel," - the museum director pointed to where the items should have been.
"The bones of Grundal? They're gone! You don't think..." - Jay started getting nervous.
"They just walked away?" - Kai asked.
"If Garmadon's wish affected us, it might have worked on Grundal too bringing him back to life!" - Zane concluded.
The Ninjas grew anxious at that thought.
"You have to believe us! Grundal is out there! His only purpose is to hunt Ninjas! Everyone's in danger as long as we're here!" - That only made the adults laugh.
The Ninjas were sat down on a bench.
"Well, we'll keep watch, okay? Now, you five sit here while we call your parents." - The officers walked away.
"We gotta get out of here, fast!" - In the background, a school field trip was passing by.
"Come on, guys," - The Ninjas followed the group of schoolkids.
They borrowed some clothes from the kids without them noticing.
(Smells like kids) - Moon wasn't too thrilled, but had no choice.
Moon now wore a red skirt, knee-high socks, sneakers, a white blouse, and a headband.
"This is so humiliating," - Jay definitely didn't like what kids wore these days.
"Without Spinjitzu, we can't beat Grundal," - said Zane.
"Then we have to get back to the Bounty," - said Kai.
Once they left the museum, the Ninjas ran as fast as their little legs could carry them.
"Where do you think you're going? Come back here!" - said the teacher, thinking they were his students - "What was that?" - Something fell from above, catching his attention - "Hello? Anyone there?" -.
Grundal emerged, green slime dripping from his half-open mouth, revealing sharp, crooked teeth.
"A monster!" - Everyone ran back inside the museum, screaming.
o0o0o
At that moment, Jay was trying to use a payphone while Cole and Kai lifted him up since he was too short.
Zane and Moon stood guard.
"Collect call, please. Hold me steady!" - Jay was calling the Bounty.
A few seconds later, someone picked up.
"Lloyd! It's Jay! Let me talk to Sensei!" - It seemed the kid answered - "Apparently, you need parental permission to get on a bus, and we can't leave the city." - he explained - "...Ah, never mind, it's complicated. Meet us at Buddy's Pizza in ten minutes and bring our weapons!" -.
"Hope that worked," - Moon murmured as Jay hung up.
"Probably did," - Zane tried to sound positive.
o0o0o
The Ninjas waited for Lloyd at the said pizzeria.
"Oh, come on. Of all places to meet, you picked this one?" - Cole's high-pitched voice was oddly pleasant.
"Why not? I like the pizza here," - Jay crossed his arms, frowning.
"Psst! Lloyd," - Kai whispered when he spotted him nearby.
"Beat it, kid, I'm on a mission," - Apparently, he didn't recognize them.
"It's me. Kai!" - Kai said, stopping him.
Lloyd looked closely at the group of children and dropped the weapons in shock.
"Whoa! What happened?! You guys... ah," - he couldn't even find the words - "You're so small!" -.
Unfortunately, Lloyd said it loud enough to attract some stares from other customers.
"Keep your voice down! We're trying to stay under the radar!" - Kai hissed - "Your dad's Mega Weapon turned us into kids and released a creature whose only goal is to hunt Ninjas!" -.
"Easy there, Kai, you'll run out of air," - Moon said, watching him talk too fast.
"It's just like Garmadon!" - Cole slammed his fist on the table.
"And now every time we try to tell someone, no one believes us, 'cause we're kids!" - Lloyd chuckled at Jay's irony.
"What's so funny, huh?" - Kai asked.
"Well, now you know how it feels to be treated differently," - Lloyd placed the weapons on the table.
"Look, this is serious. If we don't grow back up to use Spinjitzu, we'll have no chance against Grundal," - Zane explained.
"But what about me? I know Spinjitzu!" - Lloyd pointed at himself.
"Yes, we know, Lloyd. But it's still dangerous, and I can't let you get hurt!" - Despite her conviction, Moon's tiny, cute voice made it sound like a silly statement.
Lloyd looked down, then saw a comic book and got an idea.
"Lloyd, focus! We need to find a way to beat Grundal!" -.
"I know. I think I know the right guy," - Lloyd said with a grin.
"If you say so," - Moon sounded cautiously hopeful.
o0o0o
As they walked toward their destination led by Lloyd, he glanced at Moon again, she looked adorable (only in appearance, of course) as a kid his age.
He wondered what it would've been like if they had met at the same age. But now wasn't the time focus on stopping Grundal.
They arrived at Ninjago DoomSDay Comix. The Ninjas weren't very impressed and thought it was a bad idea.
Moon, however, found the place fascinating- especially the books, from the thinnest to the thickest.
"You brought us to a comic book store?" - Cole asked, indignant.
"Trust me," - Lloyd said confidently - "If anyone knows how to beat a monster that doesn't exist, it's the person I'm here to see." -.
"We're not buying your dumb comics! This is serious!" - Kai exclaimed.
Jay gasped suddenly, holding a comic.
"Look! The first issue of Daffy Dale! I loved that nutjob as a kid!" - Jay laughed joyfully - "Ah..." - he cleared his throat - "So childish." -.
Lloyd just pushed the others forward. That snapped Moon out of her trance with a comic titled The Adventures of Firestar and Eliza: Heart of the Jungle. It reminded her of somethin- especially the title- but it was probably just a coincidence.
"Guys, meet Rufus MacAllister, a.k.a. The Lord of Doom," - Lloyd introduced him.
"Well, if it isn't Lloyd Hemorrhoid Garmadon," - Moon immediately disliked that nickname - "If you're here for the last issue of Starfarer, it's sold out." -.
"What?! Sold out?!" - Lloyd nearly panicked - "Uh, actually, we need your help," - he quickly changed the subject.
(Guess Lloyd's matured a bit) -.
"I'm intrigued..." - said Rufus.
"We've got a problem. There's a Grundal on the loose, and we need to know how to stop it," - Lloyd said.
"Ah, a theoretical question," - Rufus assumed.
"Yeah, theoretical. Can you help?" - Lloyd asked.
Rufus stepped out from behind the counter.
"Dromaeosaurid Theropod Grundalicus. Though extinct, there were several films, series, and comics about the myth of this primitive predator. It's said that it always catches its prey," - he explained.
"I think this guy knows what he's talking-" - Kai was cut off as Lloyd moved past him.
"Can it be stopped?" - Lloyd asked.
"First thing you need to know: its thick carapace is invincible to swords, scythes, and shuriken." - Great, basically everything the Ninjas used. - "So your cheap replicas won't do much." -.
"Oh, come on," - Cole deflated.
"This has gotta be a joke," - Moon said with a bored look.
"Second, it's nocturnal- it only hunts at night," - Rufus added.
"Oh, good! It's still daytime, so we can relax a little," - Jay said, glancing outside.
Rufus raised an eyebrow. Kai stared at him.
"I mean! In theory!" - Jay quickly corrected.
"And the only way to defeat it is with light. Like a vampire- lots of light will destroy it. If I were to pick a weapon, I'd recommend the Sword of Light. These are authentic replicas- useful if you ever come face-to-face with a Grundal. And if swords are your thing, maybe you'd like an authentic Ninja Gi," - he pointed at a glass case with the Ninjas' kid-sized suits including Moon's - "Signed by the very Ninjas who saved Ninjago. Except for the Purple Ninja- she's a bit complicated." -.
"I'm not complicated, I just don't like that kind of stuff," - Moon muttered, crossing her arms.
"We'll just take the Swords of Light," - Kai said, but Rufus stopped him.
"Hold on there. The Starfarer Combo Pack can only be won in the Fritz Donnegan Trivia Battle," - he said, looking at a group of kids - "Think you can handle it?" -.
"You got this, Lloyd," - Jay encouraged.
"Definitely. You're the comic book genius here," - Moon said, stepping closer to him.
Lloyd smiled, more confident now.
"I'm in!" - he declared.
o0o0o
"Just two questions left! This one's for Lloyd!" — Lloyd was up against another comic nerd.
The crowd cheered; Moon stayed quiet but supported him in her own way.
"What is Fritz Donnegan's famous catchphrase?" - the quizmaster asked.
Lloyd thought for a moment.
"Fair? 'Fair' isn't a word where I come from," - he even deepened his voice.
"Correct! They're tied!" - The crowd erupted in cheers.
Moon couldn't hear what Zane said amid the noise, but judging by the sunset, she guessed he mentioned it was getting dark. When the noise died down, she saw Kai scolding Jay for eating cotton candy. She'd never tried sweets before.
"Makes me feel young! Let me be!" - Jay grinned.
"Final question! Whoever answers wins!" - The host turned to the boys - "In the last issue of Starfarer, how did Fritz Donnegan escape the Imperial Slime?" -.
What a cruel ending. Moon frowned, seeing Lloyd completely blank.
"Wait... I haven't read the last issue!" - Lloyd exclaimed.
"By reversing the polarity of the ship's gravity inducer," - the other kid answered, in a nasally, annoying voice.
"We have a winner!" - Rufus announced.
Lloyd grew nervous and disappointed in himself. The Ninjas tried not to show their own disappointment. Moon didn't pity him, that would only humiliate him more. but she wanted to comfort him.
Suddenly, the roof shook, and the lights went out.
"Who turned off the power?" - Rufus asked.
The big neon letters fell backward.
"He's here," - Kai said nervously.
"Who?" - Rufus asked.
"Remember that theoretical talk? Yeah, it wasn't theoretical," - Moon explained.
Grundal's head appeared through the window; he hadn't spotted them yet.
"No way, that's..." -.
Grundal stomped forward, cracking the glass, then looked down green slime dripping from his jaw.
"Let's get out of here!" - Zane shouted, starting the evacuation.
But debris blocked the exit.
"Ah! He's coming!" - They turned to see Grundal approaching.
The glass gave way under his weight, and he crashed into the store.
"We're doomed!" -.
"Like Britt Sarsovski in the Phoenix War! Page 15!" - They dodged Grundal's tail.
"This way, quick!" -.
Grundal hunted for the Ninjas, who now armed themselves with the suits and plastic Swords of Light.
"Hey, Lizard Breath! Come and get us!" - Moon taunted, drawing his attention.
Grundal snarled, baring his teeth. When they pointed the Swords of Light, the bright beams hurt his eyes.
"It worked!" -.
The Ninjas attacked, uselessly, since the swords were made of cheap plastic that bent on impact. Only Cole's sword remained intact.
Grundal struck back; Moon tried to use her Aura, but her small body wouldn't allow it. The Ninjas were thrown against the store wall — about to be eaten.
(Guess I've had a good life after all) - She didn't fear death much; she felt she'd already lived enough.
"Fear not! I'll handle this!" - Lloyd appeared, charging forward.
"Lloyd!" - The Ninjas cried out in surprise.
Lloyd focused, summoning a sphere of green energy. Grundal roared and swung his tail to stop him- it was working. This could be the end.
"Gross! Guys, this is it, isn't it?" - Kai trembled.
Nya burst through the door, with Sensei Wu behind her.
"Everyone out!" - she commanded.
The kids, adults, and Rufus didn't need to be told twice.
"Use this!" - Wu threw a vial of glowing liquid toward them.
"What's this?" - Jay asked, catching it.
"It will push time forward- aging you back to normal and turning Grundal to dust and bone! But be careful- there's no going back!" - Wu explained.
"Grundal! Get ready to go extinct!" - Jay aimed, ready to throw.
"Wait!" - Moon stepped forward, forcing Grundal to shield his eyes from the light - "What about Lloyd? He'll get older too!" -.
The Ninjas turned to him.
"Do it!" - Lloyd said, impatient.
"But... but you'll lose your childhood... and there's no way to go back," - Moon said, worried.
"We can't do that to you! It's not fair!" -.
Grundal slashed the last working Sword of Light.
"Oh no!" -.
Grundal lunged; Jay dropped the potion- it landed in Lloyd's hands.
He knew what he had to do- even if it scared him- he'd do what was right.
"Fair? 'Fair' isn't a word where I come from!" - He threw the potion at Grundal.
"He used it!" - Wu exclaimed.
"It's working!" - Nya watched as Grundal turned back into dust and bones.
The skeleton collapsed lifelessly- as it should be. The Ninjas stood up- now adults again, just as they were meant to be.
"What happened? We're not kids anymore," - Cole looked around, dazed.
"It worked!" - Nya smiled, relieved.
"They... they're the real Ninjas!" -.
"Lloyd!" - Moon was shocked to see the young man standing up.
Pale blond hair, green eyes... Yes- it was Lloyd. Not the little kid anymore, but the young man he was destined to be.
"I'm... older," - Lloyd looked down at himself, studying his new form.
Even his voice had changed.
"The time for the Green Ninja to face his destiny has come sooner," - Wu said.
The Ninjas smiled, gathering around him. Lloyd smiled back, a new sense of maturity about him.
"I'm ready," - he said firmly.
They began to leave, but Rufus stopped Lloyd - which made Moon pause too.
"Here, Lloyd. You can have my copy of Starfarer. You deserve it," - Rufus said, wiping a tear.
"It's okay. I already know how it ends," - Lloyd replied, running off.
"And one more thing," - Moon turned to him - "I'm not 'complicated'... I just don't like autographs. But here," - she handed him a comic.
The Adventures of Firestar and Eliza: Heart of the Jungle.
"It's a good story. You should read it," - and with that, she left.
He looked down and saw a signature on the cover:
Purple Ninja.
I'm not kind of complicated.
Rufus wanted to laugh, but he was too emotional to do so.
Indeed, she wasn't kind of complicated, she was entirely complicated.
There comes a time when all of us have to grow up.
And when that time comes, it's important not to forget the lessons of our childhood.
Because our childhood is the best training we could ever have.
The time left for the final battle had become shorter, but the Green Ninja had grown stronger.
.
.
.
.
.
o0o0o
"Hey, where are Moon and Lloyd?" - Cole asked when he couldn't find them anywhere.
"Moon said she was going to fulfill what she promised Lloyd... back when he was a kid... They're going to an ice cream shop now," - Nya explained.
"Like... a date?!" - Cole's eyes widened.
It was still strange getting used to an older Lloyd. Sometimes they treated him like a kid, and other times like an adult.
Nya just raised an eyebrow at Cole's behavior and surprise.
o0o0o
"How's the adjustment going?" - Moon asked as they walked to the ice cream shop.
"Well, it's actually going pretty fast. It feels like I've always had this body, even though it was just yesterday," - Lloyd looked down at his hands - "You know, you didn't have to bring me here." -.
"I promised, didn't I? You were supposed to have some time to relax," - Moon opened the shop door - "I keep my promises." -.
Lloyd just smiled softly.
They chose a table and placed their orders. Moon preferred to stare at her own hands, while Lloyd grew a bit uncomfortable with the silence.
"So, what's your favorite ice cream flavor?" - He decided to start a conversation.
"I've actually never tried ice cream before, so this will be a new experience. I only knew it existed because of you, Lloyd," - Moon confessed.
"What?! You've never had ice cream?! That should be a crime!" - Moon blinked as Lloyd suddenly leaned over the table - "We're going to try every kind of ice cream there is!" - he said, holding her hands - "Together! It's a promise!" -.
Moon blinked for a few seconds as she looked at his determined expression. Then she blushed — it felt like a promise for life.
Lloyd blushed too when he realized what he'd just said, but he didn't pull away.
"Here are your orders," - the waitress said as she set the dishes down - "Ah, did I come at a bad time?" -.
Lloyd quickly sat back, nervous and flustered. Moon seemed a bit more composed.
"N-nothing happened!" - Lloyd said hurriedly.
The waitress just chuckled to herself and remarked, "What a cute couple," as she walked away.
Lloyd tried to calm his heart, which was pounding wildly in his chest.
"B-better start eating! I got cookies and cream! What about you?" - Lloyd tried to change the subject while fighting to cool his burning face.
"Strawberry," - Moon said, picking up her spoon.
She scooped a bit of the ice cream, staring at it as if she expected it to be poisoned- but swallowing her worries, she put it in her mouth.
"Look, Moon!" - Aaron appeared, holding something in his hands - "I just picked these! Look how red they are!" -.
He showed her what he had: small red fruits with tiny seeds all over and a few green leaves on top.
"They're strawberries! I bet you'll love them! Go on, try one!" -.
Moon hesitated, but took one and bit the tip.
"Moon?" - Lloyd looked worried when he saw her freeze.
Moon closed her eyes, savoring the taste. A yellow aura surrounded her- she could barely hold back a smile.
"I see why it's delicious. It reminds me a little of home," - she said, eating another.
Lloyd could only smile. If she was happy, then so was he.
_TO BE CONTINUE_