****

"Sleep in our eyes, her and me at the breakfast table
Barely awake, I let precious time go by
Then when she's gone, there's that odd melancholy feeling
And a sense of guilt I can't deny"

- ABBA

****

      As always, Zane awoke first. The rest of the ninja were hardly morning birds, much better suited for staying up late than waking up early, but Zane has always been an early riser. Even when he had lived with his father he'd get up chop wood, making sure there was a fire going to keep the house warm when his creator awoke. It continued into his time as a ninja, though he no longer had to spend his time cutting at birch trees. Instead he spent the early hours of the morning preparing a hearty breakfast to keep the group going throughout the day.

      The nindroid blinked as his systems whirred back on, the lights of his eyes flickering for a moment before settling. He looked over to see the pile of his family, draped over each other on the couch, and smiled softly. He enjoyed the moment of quiet for a moment, then quietly shifted so he could stand. Pixal was still asleep so he gently laid her back down, propping her against some pillows, then started to step through the tangles of his teammates. Cole was sprawled on the ground, snoring so loudly the walls rattled. Every so often he'd stop for a moment to twitch before resuming again. Zane had to carefully stepped over him, trying to avoid his fingers as he crept over the earth ninja's body. Then, Zane was forced to duck Nya's flailing limbs as she mumbled in her sleep. Kai grunted a bit as he was jostled by his sister but years of living with her has adapted his sleep to her restlessness. Zane only paused a moment at Lloyd's blanket pile. It still exactly where it had been before, pressed up against the couch with a candy bag beside it. The green ninja was no where to be seen, the blanket Zane had tucked around him now caved in and flopped on top of itself. The nindroid dismissed it as the other ninja leaving to get started on work or emails.

      Originally the ninja had only taken letters but when a bedraggled mailman complained they set up an email. It was mostly used for fans to send messages and for them to communicate and exchange reports with the police chief. If they were unlucky, Gayle would spam them with messages to try to get interviews. If they were really unlucky, idiot crooks would attempt to send them anonymous threats. It was a poor choice on their part, given that Pixal was able to track them down within the hour. Zane was able to reply to a few and Jay enjoyed interacting with fans but Nya thought it was stupid, Kai had no care for it, and Cole rarely checked himself. Lloyd had also been one to ignore their emails, but after Sensei Wu had disappeared from the incident with Krux and Ancronix Lloyd had taken it upon himself to start doing all of the more "boring" work that Wu would do. Not without a little bit of complaining though.

      Zane simply shook his head and moved on into the kitchen. He began to take out the ingredients he needed as quietly as possible. The team usually slept for a while so he figured he could make something heavier as a brunch. With a smile, Zane washed his hands and started to cook. He pulled out ingredients and wrestled pots from where they were crammed into the cupboards. Frozen dumplings were steamed in a pan, rice began to cook, and bao was beginning to be prepared. Zane had gotten decently far into making his meal, starting to roll the dough around the meat filling while the dumplings sizzled on the stove, when the rest of the ninja wandered into the kitchen. Well, all sans Lloyd. It seemed he was still working. But that wasn't out of the ordinary, so the team continued on without him, expecting the ninja to show up once he smelled food.

      "Smells good!" Jay commented, rolling up his sleeves as he made his way to the sink. He washed his hands thoroughly before stepping in to help make the food. Pixal stepped in after him and shyly pressed a kiss to Zane's cheek, ignoring the ninja's obnoxious cooing before disappearing into the pantry. Cole moved to join Jay with the cooking but Kai grabbed him by the back of his shirt and yanked him around.

      "Yeah- no." Kai snorted. "Why don't you set the table?" The earth ninja scowled but reluctantly grabbed some glasses and plates to ready the eating area.

      Once the other boy was gone, Kai instantly moved to steal one of the dumplings from the plate Nya was piling up, but the water ninja ducked out of the way just in time. "Hey!" She protested, slapping him with her free hand. "They're still hot, idiot!"

      "Kai made a face back at her, but didn't try again. He turned away, rubbing at his sore knuckles with a pout. Zane patted him on the back sympathetically before moving to steam the buns. "The food will be ready soon. We just have to wait for these buns to cook. Can you go get Lloyd so he can help too?"

      Kai rolled his eyes. "Maybe we should just let him miss breakfast if he wants to work so badly." The fire ninja tried to keep his face stern, though they could all see he was secretly salty that Lloyd had been ignoring his advice to rest.

      "Oh my god." Nya huffed, slamming the kettle onto the stove with more force than necessary. "Stop whining and retrieve him already!"

      "I'm not a dog." Kai replied and he crossed his arms, clearly just trying to be difficult.

      Nya's eyes narrowed. "You're right. A dog would be a lot less annoying."

      He stuck out his tongue, as all heroes of the realm do, but marched to the exit of the kitchen and stuck his head out. "LLOYD!" Kai shouted. "GET YOUR BUTT IN HERE!"

      Zane frowned at him. "I didn't mean for you to yell at him."

      "Yeah, Kai." Jay snipped from where he was scooping rice. "Anyone could have done that."

      "You know what, Jaybird-"

      "What, Greaseball?"

      Kai gasped. "I wash my hair everyday and you know it!"

     Jay scoffed. "Well, I can't see it!"

      "You fuc-"

      "Dumplings!"

      The two men- ahem boys- stopped fighting immediately, spinning around incredulously just in time to see a little green blur run by. They all gawked in shock as a small, blonde child scampered over to the counter where Nya had left the dumplings and stood on his tiptoes to reach towards the food. When he wasn't able to reach, he stomped his foot in annoyance before wandering over to the pantry, tripping on unsteady legs to find the stool inside. The group continued to watch in silence as the kid shoved the stool across the floor with a loud screech and placed it before the dumplings. He hopped on top, wobbling only once, and victoriously snatched a dumpling from the top of the pile, popping it into his mouth delightedly.

     "Hey, guys. What's taking so long-" Cole cut off with a giant screech, physically jumping back as soon as he set eyes on the tiny Lloyd, staring obliviously back at him. "Holy shit!"

      Lloyd laughed, the noise sweet, bubbly, and far too young for an adult male, and pointed back at the earth ninja. "You said a no-no word!"

      "He's small!" Cole exclaimed, whipping to stare at Kai. "Why is he small?"

      Kai sputtered. "How should I know? He walked in like this!"

      "Whatdowedowhatdowedowhatdowedo?" Jay screamed frantically and he plucked up their miniature leader by the armpits. "The green ninja is a child, guys!"

      "Oh really? I thought he was a dinosaur!" Nya snapped. She always got extra snarky under pressure.

      "Do you think something happened to him?" Zane asked in concern.

      "Well duh!"

      "I was trying to ask if someone cursed him or used magical power." Zane said with an unimpressed look Nya's way. At least she had enough awareness to look guilty.

      Cole gasped. "What if it's a bad guy? Do you think they snuck in?"

      Pixal, having heard everything, moved back into the kitchen. "Not without my security detecting it."

      "Well, the security has failed us before." Kai pointed out.

      Pixal's eye twitched. "The system I built is top of the line. Not even the mayor has technology this good."

      "I'd hate to see what the mayor's system looks like then." Nya grumbled under her breath.

      Pixal looked just about ready to shoot the girl but just before Zane could step in a loud wail split through the air. Everyone stopped talking, immediately looking to where Lloyd was now bawling. He still hung from Jay's grasp and the lighting ninja held him out far away from his body, looking confused about what to do.

      "Oh," Kai's expression immediately softened, and he rushed over to pluck the boy from Jay's hands. "It's okay, Green Bean, it's okay." The fire ninja heaved the kid up closer to his neck, not caring that snot was now getting on his shirt. He patted the child on the back reassuringly, whispering to him all the while. Lloyd just wailed louder, pressing closer into Kai and burying his face into his shoulder.

      "We're not fighting anymore. We're sorry for being so loud." Kai told him in a soothing tone. Then, much more pointedly said, "Right, guys?"

      "Yup! Very sorry!" Cole piped up, catching on. "Sometimes that happens! We just get a little too excited!"

      Lloyd's crying seemed to lessen at that and he turned away from Kai to look at them, nose red and eyes puffy. It was then that Zane was able to really look at him. Zane has seen his friends change their appearance change many times but it was more uncommon for them to have a change this drastic. Lloyd's strong jaw and high cheekbones had softened out into round cheeks with baby fat. His well-muscled stature had shrunken into a short body with stubby limbs. His eyes appeared much bigger, though still as green as ever, and his hair (thankfully) had not reverted into a bowl cut. It instead flopped in wavy baby hairs, fluttering around his face like wisps of sunlight. For some reason, Lloyd's pyjamas had shrunken with him too. But maybe that shouldn't have been so surprising considering the last time the ninja aged down their gi's had gotten smaller as well. The kid looked around three to four instead of Lloyd's usual twenty-year-old appearance, and judging by the pout he was sporting, his mind wasn't at twenty either.

      "Hey, why don't we get some breakfast, huh? You must be hungry!" Kai suggested, voice a forced chipper. Lloyd didn't seem to notice, frown forming into a broad grin at the mention of food.

      "Yay!" The little boy cheered, clapping his hands.

      The ninja wordlessly followed Kai to the dining room and sat uncomfortably into their seats, trying to act normal, despite the fact that the legendary green ninja was three-foot-nothing and could barely pick up cutlery. The group absently pushed food around, casting unsubtle looks at where Lloyd was perched on Kai's knee, obliviously gnawing on a meatbun. They shot glances at each other, trying to communicate through expression and raised eyebrows, their responses ranging from: "WHAT IS HAPPENING?" and "This is weirdly cute". Kai indulgently let Lloyd take from his plate, nodding along to the little boy's animated chatter, all while shooting glares at the rest of them over the blonde's head, daring them to break the illusion.

      So, they all ate, rather quickly given that they weren't really talking to each other, and once they were finished they rushed to clean up.

      "Hey, Lloyd!" Nya said with a strained smile, bending down to be eye-level. It was odd for her considering it'd been a long time since she was taller than him. "Why don't you go watch a show in the T.V, okay? I bet there's something fun on there for you while we talk for a bit."

      Lloyd frowned, looking nervously up at Kai. "I don't wanna watch T. V." He said, wording everything carefully. "I wanna stay here."

      "We'll be right back as soon as we talk for just a little bit. I promise." Kai told him, patting the boy on the head. "Why don't I help you pick a show?"

      The rest of the ninja waited impatiently in the other room while Kai flicked through the channels, trying to find some sort of kids network, before settling on some silly cartoon that was ironically based off the ninja. Lloyd seemed entertained by it, so Kai left him there to watch, then slipped off to the kitchen and shut the door behind him.

      "Oh my spinjitzu master." Jay burst out as soon as the brunette entered the room. "Lloyd is a baby!"

      "Toddler actually." Kai corrected half-heartedly, running a hand tiredly through his hair. He gripped it at its roots and groaned. "This is bad."

      "How did this happen?" Nya asked, she turned to Pixal. "Did you check the cameras?"

      Pixal blinked a few times, seeming to pull out from where she'd been scanning the feed. "Well, the general perimeter seems normal so far but it'll take me some time to look through everything."

       "But why would someone want to turn Lloyd into a kid anyways? Aren't there many, many easier options?" Cole pointed out.

      "Cole is right. It took a Mega Weapon to de-age us. That power needs to be very strong to work. And the golden weapons are secure, correct?" Zane looked to his girlfriend.

      Pixal blinked for a few moments, checking, before nodding. "All is as it should be."

      Nya shut her eyes for a moment, taking a deep breath, then opened them again. "Okay, the last time you guys de-aged we used Tomorrow's Tea to get you back to normal."

      "But Mystaké's kinda..." Jay trailed off, miming a slice across his neck.

      "Jay." Nya scolded.

      "Sorry."

      "Wu knows everything about tea." Cole said, leaning against the counter behind him. "Surely, he knows something about getting Tomorrow's Tea."

      "I believe Wu's said he's on a luxury-Sensei-No-Contact-excursion right now. He did not seem to think he'd be back for a while." Zane reminded the other.

      Kai rolled his eyes. "You say excursion, I say vacation."

      "Well, we need to do something." Jay said desperately.

       "Look, we'll do more research later, keep tabs on Lloyd, check the cameras." Nya said. "But Lloyd has aged down to a really young age, and a temperamental one at that. It's not like when you were whiny eight-year-olds. I'm not sure how aware he is or how much he remembers, but we need to make sure to keep him calm and keep him distracted. Maybe we can ask him some questions too. See what he can recall."

      "Perhaps we should contact Misako. I'm sure she'll know more about caring for young Lloyd." Pixal suggested.

      Kai snorted loudly at that. "Doubt it."

      They all shot him sharp looks. "I'm just telling the truth!" He said defensively.

      "He seems to do well with Kai." Zane said. "So at least he isn't unmanageable."

      Kai smirked. "Maybe that's because he likes me best."

      Nya crossed her arms. "No Kai, it's because our parents were kidnapped when I could barely count, and you have issues because of it."

      "All I'm hearing is 'most-skilled green-bean sitter'." Kai replied airily.

      "We'll take turns taking care of him while we figure everything out. Our daily ninja stuff will be a lot trickier without him and people might start to ask questions." Nya said, promptly ignoring her brother.

      Cole nodded. "If some crazy villain finds out our Green Ninja's out of commission we're all screwed."

      "So we'll keep this secret for now." Nya agreed.

      "What do you plan on telling Gayle when she comes asking?" Kai asked with a raised eyebrow.

      "I'm sure we can figure that out when the time comes." Zane said, not wanting his teammates to be overwhelmed.

       "Hey, how long are toddlers allowed to be left alone for?" Jay cut in suddenly.

       They all exchanged looks. The quiet allowed them to hear the crashing coming from the other room.

      "Probably not this long." Cole said faintly.

       Then suddenly they were all moving. There was some tripping,6 (and some cursing) but eventually they all crammed their way through the doorway and into the living area. They all froze as they took in the sight. The television was still going, cheerful action music filling the room mockingly as they took in the wrecked room. It was quite impressive considering it was a tiny child that achieved it. Pillows were strewn across the floor, books flung off their shelves, and surprisingly one of Wu's fancy vases was smashed on the ground in pieces.

        Cole whistled, the sound long and tapered at the end. "Our little Lloyd did this?"

       "No, even when he was a snotty kid he wasn't this destructive." Kai said, insistent. "Where is he? Something must've happened."

       "Lloyd?" Nya called out, rounding the couch and carefully stepping around the shattered pieces. "Are you in here?" No response.

       They all exchanged frantic looks. "Do you think someone took him?" Jay asked, starting to look with more urgency.

       Cole made a strangled noise in the back of his throat. "How would they have gotten in?"

       "Checking security." Pixal said, eyes glowing.

        Zane frowned, pressing a hand to his head and turning up his sound receptors, trying to pick up on anything. It was hard considering the rest of the team was panicking around him. He could hear Kai and Nya beginning to bicker as they tore through the various spots of the room. He could sense the telltale whir of Pixal's systems running quickly, trying to keep up with her as she rooted through their security. Jay was hyperventilating loudly and Cole was trying to calm him down. The television was also still running and the repetitive theme song was beginning to grate on Zane's nerves. But underneath it all there was one sound that was different from all the rest. Zane narrowed his eyes and switched his focus to that sound. He attempted to lock in on its location, despite it being small and faint.

        "Quiet." Zane hadn't even realized he said it, slightly sharp and a little stern.

       It was a testament to how much his teammates listened to him when they immediately fell silent, turning to look at him wide-eyed. Later, Zane would apologize for using such a strong tone but he was focused. The sound didn't seem to be going away thankfully so it allowed Zane to take the time to pin-point where it was coming from. The ninja followed the nindroid dutifully as he made his way out of the room and to the closet in the hallway. The closet was a small one, usually just used for linens and towels. It was rare for anyone to look through there, though it had been a hiding spot for a younger Lloyd when he wanted to do a prank. He'd stored supplies of whoopee cushions and glue there for months. He even started a nasty habit of jumping out and scaring anyone who walked but that was only a few weeks before he was revealed to be the green ninja. After that, he stopped hanging out there. Focusing instead on his training.

      Zane raised a hand to stop the people behind him and leaned forward to press his head against the door. The sound was still quiet but he was able to hear it much better. It was soft, like it was being muffled. It was tiny and strangled, a broken sound being sucked into closed walls. Zane cast a glance back at his teammates, hoping his expression conveyed what he needed, and then knocked gently on the door. The sound abruptly cut off, almost worryingly, as if someone had sucked in all the sound.

      "Lloyd, buddy?" Cole said, stepping up beside Zane. "It's just us. Can you come out?"

       Silence. Then a stubborn, "No!"

       Cole turned back around with a shrug. "Now what?"

        "Try again." Nya hissed.

       Cole awkwardly knocked once more. "Uh... Are you sure?"

       "Go away!" Said the door. Cole glanced back helplessly.

       "Get out of the way." Jay huffed, shoving the taller boy aside so he could stand by the door. "Hey, Lloyd? We were really scared that something happened to you. Could you come out so we know you're okay?"

        The door did not reply. "Lloyd?" Jay tried again. Nothing. "He's ignoring me!" The lightning ninja said incredulously.

      Nya pressed her lips together. It all felt very familiar. Empty room. Broken glass. Hiding away. "Lloyd?" She said hesitantly. "Did you break that vase?"

      There was a small rustling sound.

        "It's okay if you broke it." Nya told him, gently. She slid to kneel by the door. "I promise we're not upset. I hope you're not hurt from it." She glanced back at Kai. He gave a small encouraging nod as she continued.

      "I'm sorry we left you alone for so long. That must've been scary." She kept her tone light, but not too soft, trying to sound as sincere as possible. It wasn't hard. She felt her heart start to ache as the pieces came together. "I promise we're not mad about the room either. Wu can get a new vase. He didn't care much for that one anyway."

      That wasn't entirely true but Nya was sure he'd understand. She continued, "I'm not saying it's good what you did. Even if we're scared and upset we can't damage other people's things. But it's our fault too. I'm sorry we weren't there for you. We'll do better next time."

      The rest of the ninja echoed with sounds of their own agreement.

       "Will you forgive us?" Jay asked, tone sad.

      For a moment, they all thought the boy was ignoring Jay again. But then, slowly, the knob turned and with a click the door was quietly pushed open. Lloyd peeked his eye through the small gap, looking up at them with big, watery eyes. He looked so tiny there. His gaze guarded but hopeful. He seemed to search their eyes for something but it was hard to tell what. He must've seen something though, because then Lloyd pushed the door open and tentatively stepped out of the closet, dragging a blanket with him. He must've bundled himself up in it when he'd hidden away. Lloyd quietly padded up to Nya, and she stayed still and silent, letting him figure out what he wanted to do. The little blonde boy quietly crawled into her lap and pressed against her, tiny tremors shaking in his body. She slowly wrapped her arms around him, cradling him against her body.

      "It's okay." She whispered. "You'll be okay. I promise."

      Lloyd closed his eyes and Nya closed hers too. Memories of a little girl shaking just the same way flickering in the back of her mind.

       Never again. Nya thought. Never again.