Things became far easier now that the Bounty was back in the hands of the ninjas.

Easier for the prime four, anyway. Scarlett thought training was difficult already, but now that they had complete access to their full weaponry and deck course once more, there was no holding back for her.

Jay grinned at the idea of working her ass off. "So you think you're hot shit because you can turn into a dragon, huh?"

She gulped. "No, I don't think I'm hot shit at all. Jay, I don't like that look on your face. Wipe it off, please."

"I'll do no such thing. Did you know I was actually the first to learn spinjitzu?"

"I think you've briefly mentioned it... what does that have to do with me?"

"I'm gonna beat it into you."

"That's mean."

He chuckled. "In all seriousness, though. I'm gonna show you the way I did it. I think it's pretty easy, and it'll help you out athletically, too."

The ninja in blue prepared himself to demonstrate first. "Over the planks, dodge the swords..."

He twirled in the air, kicking nothing three times before landing on the floor. The second he made contact he jumped once again to somersault above multiple times. Alighting on his two feet again, he then spun into that blue tornado.

Five seconds later Jay stopped and confidently placed his hands on his hips. "See? Lightwork!"

Scarlett blinked. "I don't think I'm gonna make it very far."

"Well just try! I don't expect you to get it on the first go."

She inhaled a sharp breath. "Okay..."

The teen was able to jump decently enough, but had absolutely no distance. She kicked just once before sloppily landing on the floor. She tried to flip, but couldn't complete the spin and just fell on her back.

She cringed, letting out a short hiss as her fists clenched. "Ow..."

Jay stood over her, staring down. "That... could've been worse."

"Man, fuck you."

"Okay, round two! Up and at 'em."

Scarlett heavily sighed, wanting to make sure her displeasure was known. But she slowly rose to her feet, stretching out her back.

"Wait a minute... you don't do this to spin all the time, though."

He thought about it. "No, it kinda just happens. We all kinda did some funky shit the first time we learned."

"Interesting... so if I just, like—" She cut herself off by spinning in a circle.

Nothing happened.

"I mean... technically, there's nothing to stop you from doing that," Jay told her. "But you have to want to do it. Don't just spin because you have to. You gotta find your way to make it happen."

The teen paused for a moment, absorbing his words. "Okay..."

She flicked her palms up, little scarlet flames rising from her palms. Now that she had power coursing through her body, she felt it was easier.

The flames shot up a foot before dissipating. Scarlett then spun, feeling the heat from her feet.

It then rose as a tornado the color of her name formed around her. For a brief moment, she finally did spinjitzu on her own accord.

Jay smiled with his arms crossed. "Okay, fuck my method. But I am such a genius."

The second she stopped, the teen beamed brightly. "No fucking way."

"Just to make sure we're both not seeing things, do it again."

Scarlett didn't hesitate to spin into the tornado again, this time effortlessly. Even stopping was clean.

The two gave each other an aggressive high five out of excitement. That was one more thing down with her.

Lloyd, on the other hand, was completely out of focus. He stood at the rail, looking out at Jamanakai Village. Children his age were playing ball and running around without a care in the world.

This upset him. The past few days had proven one thing; despite being a child, he could no longer do things all kids did. He had to mature mentally in order to become a hero.

It kind of sucked.

"Lloyd? Lloyd!"

Kai's scolding voice took him out of his thoughts. "Concentrate."

Zane smiled, his tone far calmer than the former's. "Now that the Bounty is in our possession again, we can train you more effectively. But you'll have to focus. One more time."

"Ah, but we've been training all day!" Lloyd whined as he threw his arms up.

"It's all to get you ready to face your father," Cole added, pointing to his right. "Now, in position."

The little green ninja sulked to the center, lazily holding his fists up with a yawn. Meanwhile, the remaining three lifted their hoods over their heads and got into position.

"Man, whatever..."

Kai jumped up to land a kick at his face. A bit too easily, Lloyd punched him in the gut that knocked him down.

He yawned again.

When Zane hopped up next, he simply spun into his tornado and launched him into the stairs. Landing on his feet again, he began to feel confident.

Cole then slid from behind, taking him out completely. With a scream, Lloyd flipped in the air about five times before smacking his face on deck.

Even Scarlett and Jay stopped to turn.

The kid didn't seem fazed at all and instead lifted his head with a wide smile on his face. "That was fun! Are we done?"

The teen ninja frowned. "You okay, babe? You're out of it."

"Well, ah..." Lloyd stood up, walking past the three he trained with. "The latest issue of Starfarer just came in at Doomsday Comics, and it's a limited run. So if I don't go out and get it, it's gonna sell out."

That's when he began to explain the plot. "Last they left off, intergalactic rogue Fritz Donnegan was surrounded by the Imperial Sludge, and if I don't find out if he gets out all right, I think I might have my own Doomsday!"

Kai sighed at his childish, yet expected immaturity. "The fate of Ninjago rests on your shoulders. As the Green Ninja, you have a giant responsibility to hold. I'm sorry, but you don't have time for such childish things."

Lloyd frowned as he sulked to the edge of the rail, slamming his hand on it. "Other kids get to play and have fun! All I ever do is train..."

He was genuinely upset. To the ninjas, it didn't make much sense at all why.

Well, except maybe for Jay. He was raised with a very open and creative childhood, so he couldn't fathom being so confined.

Scarlett, too. She knew well the wonders of being a child and she hated seeing the little ninja in front of her slowly lose his.

She walked up to him, placing a hand on his shoulder. She leaned down to whisper in his ear, "You want me to make some calls? I'm sure I can get one for you."

He whipped his head up so fast he nearly broke his neck. "Really?"

That's when Nya came running up from below in a hurry. "Guys! There's been a break-in at the Ninjago City Museum of History... and the security cameras picked up you-know-who!"

Cole was the one to say it. "Garmadon."

"We have to stop him before he uses the Mega Weapon to start another one of his diabolical plots!" Jay announced.

Lloyd smiled, stepping up to the group. "Um..."

But when the main four turned around and gave him sympathetic looks, he knew damn well what they were going to say and sighed. "Yeah, yeah, yeah, I can't go, and it's safer if I stay here and train."

"Mhmm!"

He crossed his arms with attitude.

After an hour of preparation, the sun had already begun to set. Scarlett was still surprised that the ninja allowed her to join.

"Um, isn't this a little unfair?" she asked from atop the Radar. "I still feel bad that Lloyd isn't able to go but I am... we're both still training."

"We've discussed this, Scarlett. One of you is seventeen. The other just turned eleven," Zane told her nonchalantly.

"Oh... that makes sense."

Jay looked up from his seat. "Also, one of you is destined to save the world. The other isn't."

"Okay, like fuck you actually."

Kai lifted his head toward his sister, who stood in between the child prodigy and Red. "We'll meet up at the Bounty as soon as we're done."

She nodded. "We'll be waiting for your safe return."

"Ready, Scarlett?" the ninja in black questioned.

"I guess so!" With a single hop, she transformed into a dragon. It took a lot less effort now, and everyone was already starting to accustom to the bright light that came with her change.

As she flew off in the sky, the ninjas followed on ground.

From the deck, the child in green groaned in exasperation. "Too old for comic books and too young to fight. When are they gonna make up their minds?"

Nya grinned. "Come on, pint-size. Show me what you got."

Again, he obnoxiously yawned.

Red couldn't help the small smile that crept up his lips. "Cheer up. I heard my sister spoke to the comic store owner. He won't hold that new one for long."

Lloyd audibly gasped, his tiredness long gone. "No way!"

"But you have to continue training."

"Yes sir! Don't gotta tell me twice."

¤ ¤

The night sky was a beautiful navy blue by the time the ninja arrived on top of the museum building. Scarlett's landing had become a lot neater, which made her smile.

"Guys. I'm getting like, so good at this."

Jay felt a surge of cocky confidence wash over him. "Just to let you guys know, I showed her spinjitzu."

"Jay," Zane whispered, "nobody asked."

Cole nearly couldn't contain himself as he dropped a long rope down the building. But the banter eventually stopped once each ninja slid down it.

The ninja in blue was the first to open the window as they each silently hopped inside. Fortunately, Scarlett was able to follow along.

The five watched from above as Skales entered the premise with the three other generals behind him. A flashlight was in his unoccupied hand as he observed everything.

They listened in on their conversation.

"Why would we come to a museum if we weren't going to sssteal anything from it?"

"Because Master Garmadon has another plan to destroy the Ninja!"

"Massster Garmadon? Huh!" Skales actually scoffed at the mere idea. "He's no master of mine! Since his so-called Mega Weapon has failed every time, I don't see why we don't call our own shots."

Said lord surprised them all as he suddenly appeared in the room. "Because this time, I will not fail!"

The Hypnobrai general jumped so hard he lost grip on the flashlight that ironically pointed directly at Garmadon himself.

Jay, being as dramatic as he was, gasped.

All three generals fell to their knees rather quickly. "Yesss, Lord Garmadon!"

But the main one hesitated, having a lot of attitude as he slowly bowed. "Yes, Lord Garmadon."

Now a small army of snakes were behind as the four generals rose. They slowly slithered and walked toward the weapon wielder, who confidently pointed it at an array of bones.

"Behold! Dromaeosaurid Theropod Grundalychus. Otherwise known as the Grundle."

Even in its fossilized state, the dinosaur did look pretty threatening.

Garmadon gave a brief history lesson. "Although now extinct, in its time, it was the most feared and dangerous creature in all of Ninjago. With claws that could slice through steel, and heightened senses that could detect its prey from miles away!

"It could track the stealthiest of Ninja, and once it had picked up your scent, there was no hiding from it."

Jay backed up to fearfully whisper. "The Grundle? I heard about them... boy, am I glad we live in an age when we don't have to deal with those things!"

"Jay..." Scarlett muttered in the same tone volume. "Why the fuck do you think the evil lord with a weapon that can grant any of his wishes brought it up?"

"Thanks for the history lesson," Skales cut him off, "but what are we gonna do with a pile of bonessss?"

"I am going to make it so the beast shall walk again!"

"Yeah, right! Well show us, then!"

The ninja in blue closed his eyes. "Ohhh... got it."

Garmadon turned around to face the ancient beast. "Rise, Grundle, and feel the strength of the Mega Weapon! I wish to create the power to make you young!"

The golden weapon in his hand began to glow and shake, signifying the beginning of its power. "Turn back the clock, so that you are no longer extinct... but hungry! Hungry for the Ninja!"

Zane was the first to stand. "We can't let him bring it back!"

The four jumped on the rail with shouts, making their appearances known with weapons in their hands.

Scarlett looked up before slowly climbing on and posing as well.

Garmadon whipped his head around. "The Ninja... stop them!"

At least she was able to follow them across the upper level as the minor snakes threw their weapons at them. All the while, the dark lord never let go of his prized possession.

"Rise, Grundle. Rise!"

"We can't let him finish! Go!" Cole alerted his teammates as one by one, they jumped onto the shaky bones.

"Stop them!"

"This is not solid ground, Cole!" Zane warned as he wobbled.

Fortunately, the teen was able to make it on to the end. "It might get a little hot in here!"

She released a wave of scarlet flames, knocking the snakes down like dominoes.

Even with the trouble of the minor snakes gone, the movement of the Grundle and magic swirling around made it difficult for all of them to stay on. Scarlett was the first to fall, with Jay, Zane, and Cole following suit in that order.

Kai was the only one left. "Uh, I'm feeling pretty alone up here!"

The spell seemed to be nearing completion. As he felt himself slipping, he did one last thing; launched his sword right in the direction of the Mega Weapon as he landed on top of Cole and Jay.

And it worked. The gold was ripped right out of his hands, sliding on the museum floor.

"Not again..." Garmadon actually shook from sheer anger. "Not again!"

Skales found pride in his disaster. "And you said it wouldn't fail."

"Retreat!"

As all five got to their feet, Jay laughed. "We stopped him! It didn't work!"

"Curse you, ninjas," Garmadon swore before heading out of the museum.

"Well, I thought we handled that well."

But then they caught the serpent generals hauling another priceless artifact of the museum.

"Hey, hey! They're trying to steal the golden sarcophagus!"

They slithered out as quickly as they could, with the ninjas following close behind.

"After them!" Kai shouted.

Though the snakes seemed to be slithering a lot faster than they were running. It seemed a bit weird, especially considering two of the fastest team members weren't ahead.

By the time the five turned the corner and poked their heads out, the serpents were gone. The golden treasure had its bottom corner stuck inside the sewer hole.

"I can't believe we couldn't catch up to them. I'm usually faster than that," Jay uttered in slight shame. "It's as if my legs were half the size."

Kai frowned. "I don't remember that thing being so big. Did it grow?"

"Or did we shrink?" Zane asked.

"Zane, how would we shrink?" Scarlett questioned. "That's impossible."

Funny enough, their voices sounded a little squeakier than usual.

Kai hesitantly pointed to a mirror across the street. "Uh, guys?"

The five stood in a straight line and simply stared for a solid two minutes, trying to process the situation. When they did, Jay let out the most blood curdling scream.

"We shrunk!"