The Destiny's Bounty flies over Jamanakai Village, Lloyd and Aria were watching some kids play ball.

"Lloyd?... Aria?... Guys!?... Concentrate!"

Aria sighs, Lloyd and her turn and look at the ninja.

"Now that the Bounty is in our possession again, we can train you two more effectively. But you'll have to focus" Zane says "Now, one more time"

"but we've been training all day" Lloyd complains

"yeah, we wanna go" Aria agrees

"It's all to get you ready to face Garmadon. Now, in position" Kai commands

The two kids sigh as they go up to the middle of the deck. As they put their hoods up they yawn before they got in formation. Kai charges at Lloyd first, but Lloyd punches him, knocking Kai back as he yawns again. 

Zane and Jay soon come at them from the air and the two use spinjitzu, knocking them both down. But as Lloyd lands, Cole comes up him from behind and slide kicks him, knocking him into the air. As he spins, Lloyd lands facedown as the others take off their hoods, in concern.

"Are you ok Lloyd?" Aria asks going over to him

"yeah" Lloyd replied getting up "Well that was fun. Are we done?"

"yeah can we go now?" Aria adds

"Oh, come on. You guys are better than this" Jay complains "What's on your mind?"

"Well...The latest issue of Starfarer just came in at Doomsday Comix and it's a limited run, so if I don't go out and get it, it's going to sell out. Last they left off, intergalactic rogue Fritz Donogan was surrounded by the imperial sludge, and if I don't find out if he gets out alright, I think I might have my own doomsday" Lloyd explained

"yeah and the latest issue of my comic No Choice But to Accept Me came out too, I want to get the next copy" Aria says

"Ok I got Lloyd's... but what the heck is yours Aria, is it a romance comic?" Kai questions

Aria looked away

"It's a BL" Lloyd answers

"a what?" Jay questions

Zane thought for a minute before turning to the ninja "...you don't want to know"

"stop talking about it!" Aria shouts embarrassed

"guys the fate of Ninjago rests on your shoulders. As the green and purple Ninja, you have a giant responsibility to hold. I'm sorry, but you don't have time for such childish things" Kai tells them

Lloyd grumbled "Other kids get to play and have fun-

"-all we ever do is train" Aria whines

Lloyd and Aria go to the railing and sees the Bounty is almost out of Jamanakai Village, where they hear the children playing in the distance

Nya comes up from below deck "Guys, there's been a break-in at the Ninjago City Museum of History and the security cameras picked up you-know-who"

"Garmadon!" Cole shouts

"...why are you shouting?" Aria questions

"We have to stop him before he uses the Mega Weapon to start another one of the diabolical plots" Jay says, ignoring Aria's comment

Lloyd comes up to them, hoping to come, but they look at him, causing him to sigh "Yeah, yeah, yeah. I can't go and it's safer if I stay here and train"

They nod, causing Lloyd to fold his arms in disappointment. Several minutes later they're outside Ninjago City.

"I'm surprised you didn't ask to go" Nya said to Aria

"If Lloyd can't go then I doubt I can" Aria replies "I'm younger then him... by 5 minutes but still younger"

"We'll be back as soon as we're done" Kai tells them

"We'll be waiting for your safe return" Nya smiles

They soon take off

Lloyd sighs "Too old for comic books-"

"-and too young to fight" Aria continues

"When are they gonna make up their minds?" Lloyd questions

"Come on kids. Show me what you got" Nya says

Lloyd yawns before walking over to Aria.

-

The following morning, on the Bounty, Lloyd is reading a comic book while Aria sat next to him reading her comic.

"Oh, they should be back by now" Nya says worriedly

"Oh, I fear something horrible has happened to them" Wu turns to Lloyd, who was eavesdropping "Lloyd" Lloyd gasps before quickly switching his comic book for a lesson book "you're in charge of the Bounty while Nya and I have a look around town"

"why him!" Aria shouts

"because he's older" Wu replies

"by 5 minutes!" Aria shouts

Lloyd smirks as Wu walks away, Lloyd then turns back to the comic book.

"this sucks" Aria complains turning her attention back to her comic book "oh my god Qian Mo just kiss Feng Ge already!"

"Calm down Aria" Lloyd looks at her "this is why I don't let you read"

Aria pouted in embarrassment and Lloyd laughed

-

Later Lloyd and Aria are playing a video game on the console as a nearby phone rings. Lloyd struggles to answer it while still playing the game before he manages to grab the phone, but drops it.

Lloyd puts the phone on speaker while resuming his game "Destiny's Bounty"

"Lloyd, it's Jay! Let me talk to Sensei!"

"Jay? Where are you?" Aria asks

"Why haven't you returned? Sensei's out looking for you" Lloyd adds

Jay groans "Apparently, you need parental permission to take the bus and we can't seem to get out of the city!"

"what?" Aria questions

"Oh, never mind, it's a bit complicated. Just meet us at Buddy's Pizza in ten minutes. And bring our weapons" Jay instructs before the phone hangs up

"Weapons?" Lloyd falls off the seat

"ha I win!" Aria cheers

"because I fell" Lloyd argues

"too bad so sad" Aria taunts "now let's go"

-

At Buddy's Pizza Lloyd heads inside with Aria, they look around for their friends. Lloyd's carrying the weapons while Aria's carrying nothing.

"Really? Of all places we could meet, you pick this place?"

"What? I like their pizza"

"Psst, Aria, Lloyd"

Lloyd stops and turns to see a group of kids "Beat it, brat. I'm on a mission" He goes to move again, but Aria grabs him.

"Lloyd, I think it's the ninja" Aria whispers to him

"It's me, Kai" the boy who got his attention said

Lloyd looks closer to see his friends, all as young as him and gasps, dropping their weapons "Whoa! What happened? You're, uh, uh, small!"

Everyone in the restaurant turns to look at them.

"Keep it down. We're trying to lay low" Kai whispers "Your father's Mega Weapon not only to turn us into kids, but unleashed a creature whose sole purpose is to hunt down Ninja"

"And now, every time we try to tell someone, they won't believe us, 'cause we're kids" Jay complains

"Welcome to our world" Aria says crossing her arms

Lloyd laughs and puts their weapons on the table 

"Look, this is serious. If we don't turn big so that we can use our Spinjitzu, we don't stand a chance to against the Grundle" Zane says

"Well, what about us? We know Spinjitzu" Lloyd says gesturing to himself and Aria

"Yeah, but you don't know the Grundle. We all need to be at full strength. What we need to do first is to find someone who might know more about how to defeat one of those things" Kai argues

"I think I know just the guy" Lloyd says

"Are you thinking who i'm thinking?" Aria questions

"Definitely" Lloyd smiles

-

They come up to Doomsday Comix and enter it.

"You brought us to a comic book store?" Cole questions

"Trust me. If there's anyone who knows how to defeat a monster that doesn't exist, I know just the person to talk to" Lloyd says

"He knows basically everything" Aria adds

Kai stops the two "We're not coming to pick out your stupid comics, this is serious business"

Jay grabs a comic book, gasping "Oh, look. A first edition Daffy Dale. I used to love that nut growing up" He laughs before he soon clears his throat "So juvenile"

Aria rolls he eyes "come on boys"

Lloyd and Aria guide their embarrassed friends to the register, where a man with a ponytail and beard sirs.

"Fellas, meet Rufus MacAllister" Lloyd introduces

"AKA Mother Doomsday" Aria smiles

"Well, if it isn't Lloyd "Hemorrhoid" Garmadon and "Princess" Aria Lord. Sorry Lloyd, if you came looking for the latest Starfarer, I'm all sold out" Mother Doomsday says

"Wha—Sold out?" Lloyd screams, causing everyone to look at him.

Kai turns to Aria "nicknames?"

"yes, me and Lloyd snuck out of school a lot to come here" Aria replied

Lloyd shook his head to get himself together "Oh, actually, Mother Doomsday, we need help"

"We have a problem. There's a Grundle on the loose and we need to know how to deal with it" Aria tells him

Mother Doomsday lowers his seat, gets off and comes out from behind the register "Dromaseric theropod grundalicus. Although extinct, there has been a plethora of film, television and comics exploring the mythology around the primordial predator" He grabs a nearby comic, showing the Grundle "Supposedly, they always get their prey"

"Sounds like he knows his stuff" Kai says

"Can it be stopped?" Lloyd asks

Aria notices something and walks away

"First thing you need to know is its thick shell-like hide is invincible to swords, scythes, nunchucks, and throwing stars. So your cheap imitations will do nothing to slow him down" Mother Doomsday answered "Second of all, it's nocturnal and will only hunt at night"

"Oh, good. It's still daylight, so we can relax for a bit" Jay looks outside a window before Rufus looks at him, suspiciously "Uh, I meant theoretically"

"And the only way to defeat it is with light" Mother Doomsday puts the comic back "Like a vampire, with enough of it, it could potentially destroy him" He comes up to a display" If I had my weapons of choice, may I recommend the Illumisword?" He opens the display case, revealing four purple bladed Illumiswords

"These are authentic replicas that would come in handy were you to live long enough to actually face a Grundle. And if swords are your thing" Mother Doomsday points to another case "maybe I can interest you in an authentic ninja gi" The display has Kai, Zane, Jay, and Cole's ZX Gi inside "signed by the very Ninja that saved the city"

 "Uh, we'll just take the light swords" Kai goes up to the fake Illumiswords and is about to grab one before Mother Doomsday stops him.

"Not so fast. This Starfarer combo pack can only be won in the Fritz Donogan Trivia Battle Royale" He points to a fan, dressed like Fritz Donogan, talking to some cosplayers "You have what it takes to be the best?"

"You can do this, Lloyd" Jay encourages

"Sign me up" Lloyd smirks

Aria walks over "me too, I'll join"

"Let's do this" Lloyd says giving Aria a high-five

-

Later that night at Doomsday Comix, Aria, Lloyd and the fan are on a stand.

"It's down to the final three. This question is for Lloyd" Mother Doomsday says "What is Fritz Donogan's famous catchphrase?"

"Fear? Fear is not a word from where I come from!" Lloyd answers

"Correct! We're all tied up" Mother Doomsday said happily

The crowd cheers as the fan looks at Lloyd, who smirks at him. As they keep celebrating, Zane looks out the window

"It's getting dark. The Grundle will be on the prowl soon" Zane says

"Don't worry. I got faith Lloyd can win those Illumiswords" Kai says

"thanks boys" Aria rolled her eyes in annoyance

The ninja hear slurping and turn to Jay, who is eating some cotton candy

"Is this really the best time to be eating cotton candy?" Kai asks annoyed

"It makes me feel young. Deal with it" Jay replied

"Final question. The first person to answer this will win" Mother Doomsday turns to the competitors "In the latest issue of Starfarer, how did Fritz Donogan escape the imperial sludge?"

"But I haven't read the latest issue" Lloyd complains

The fan smiles "By re-"

"By reversing the polarity of the ship's gravity transducer" Aria answers quickly

"We have a winner!" Mother Doomsday shouts happily

The crowd cheers.

"How did you know?" Lloyd asked surprised

"while you guys were learning about the Grundle I spotted the latest issue of Starfare and read it" Aria shrugged

The lights shake before the power goes out. Everyone looks up at the sound of the disturbance as the sign falls off.

"It's here" Kai says

"What's here?" Mother Doomsday asks confused

"You know that theoretical discussion we had earlier?" Jay chuckles nervously

The Grundle appears on the glass roof.

"Not the..." The Grundle steps on the glass, cracking it before looking down "Grundle!"

"We've got to get out of here!" Zane shouts, they run up to the door, but it is blocked by the fallen down sign "The door is jammed, we can't get out."

They look up to see the Grundle move along the roof.

"Look! It's coming!" Jay shouts

The Grundle breaks through the glass roof, landing in the store. Everyone screams, Lloyd worriedly pulled Aria close to him.

"We're doomed!" Jay screams

The Grundle swings its tail at Rufus and the kids, making them dodge as they scream. As it looks at them, the Grundle's tail breaks the glass on the display case to the Ninja's ZX gis. They run down a nearby section as the Grundle turns back to where the Ninja originally were. Jay grabs Kai's gi as Zane and Kai grab some Illumiswords and they immediately glow.

"Hey, McNasty, I thought Ninja were on your menu!" Cole shouts

"Don't make it angry!" Aria yells

The Grundle turns to the Ninja, who are wearing their gis while holding the Illumiswords. They wave them in front of the Grundle, who backs away a bit. They start moving forward, waving the Illumiswords as they do so before Jay jumps at it and strikes it, but his Illumisword immediately breaks and stops glowing as he slides back. Kai jumps at the Grundle next and strikes, but his Illumisword also breaks and stops glowing.

"Stupid toy!" Cole strikes the Grundle at its leg

Zane jumps onto the Grundle and hits it with his Illumisword, but it breaks and stops glowing as he lands near the others.

"Oh. We got a problem, guys." Jay says

"Lloyd at this rate the ninja are going to be eaten" Aria looks up at him

The Grundle knocks them into the register as Kai, Jay, and Zane drop their broken Illumiswords. The Grundle comes up to them as it growls, causing them to scream.

Lloyd lets go of Aria and runs over, he raises the seat behind the register "Not to worry, I'll take care of this"

"Lloyd!" the ninja shout

"you idiot don't!" Aria shouts

Lloyd summons his power, the light affecting the Grundle as it backs away and the others cheer, but the Grundle soon uses its tail to knock Lloyd down with the Ninja

"Lloyd!" Aria shouts worried

"this is the end isn't it?" Cole questions looking up at the Grundle

The front door is soon kicked open, revealing Nya and Wu as the Ninja turn to them.

"Everyone out!" Nya shouts

The crowd run out the door as Wu holds up a jar of tea. Aria stayed where she was, behind the Grundle.

 "Aria you need to hold the Grundle in place!" Wu instructs "Use what I taught you yesterday!"

"Yes Sensei" Aria replies, she held her hands out "Script!" a purple magic circle appears under the Grundle "Binding Chains!" Black chains come out of magic circle and wrap around the Grundle, holding him down. Aria kept her hands in place concentrating on the spell "I can't hold the spell that long!"

"Use this!" Wu throws tea to the ninja

"What is it?" Jay asks catching it

"It'll turn forward the hands of time, turning you old and reducing the Grundle back to dust and bones" Wu took a step back "But be careful, there's no turning back"

"right!" Jay holds up the Tomorrow's Tea "Grundle, prepare to be extinct!"

Cole stops him "No, wait" he holds his Illumisword at the Grundle "What will happen to Lloyd and Aria? They'll grow old, too"

"Just do it" Lloyd tells them

"and hurry!" Aria shouts

"But you'll miss out on the rest of your childhood guys" Kai argues "We can't do that to you. It's not fair!"

The Grundle breaks one of Aria's chains and strikes the last Illumisword, knocking it out of Cole's hand

"Ah!" Aria shouts in pain after the chain broke "Bind!" another chain came out and wraped around the Grundle

The Grundle attempts to chomps at them, making them fall as the Tomorrow's Tea soon lands on Lloyd as the Grundle comes closer.

"Fair? Fair isn't a word from where I come from" Lloyd says sadly and looks at Aria

"Lloyd do it!" Aria shouts

 Lloyd gets up and throws the tea at the Grundle. Aria releases her spell, the Grundle spins as its skin dissolves away. The Grundle is again a skeleton as it soon comes apart. Kai, Cole, Jay, and Zane soon stand up, removing their hoods now back at their original ages

"What happened?" Cole asks in his normal voice once again "We're not kids anymore"

"It worked!" Nya shouts happily

"Lloyd! Aria!" Wu called out, not seeing either one of them

Lloyd stands up, now older with more hair and he and the others are shocked, he has a deeper voice now "I'm...older" he looks at himself then looks around "where's Aria?"

"Lloyd!" they heard Aria shout "nothing fits!"

"what do you mean?" Lloyd asks "you turned older too right?"

"Yes! And my clothes are still kid sized! My top's too tight and my skirt is too short!" Aria shouts

The ninja's faces all turned red

"Just come out" Lloyd says

Aria comes out from behind a shelf looking embarrassed

"...they're bigger then mine" Nya says looking at Aria's chest

"Nya!" Kai shouts embarrassed "don't just say that!"

Aria's face was red and Lloyd placed his jacket around her "we... we'll get you new clothes"

The ninja walked over to the two

"Your hair's so long" Jay says taking a strand of Aria's hair

"we're older Lloyd" Aria says still in shock

"yeah, we are" Lloyd said putting an arm around her

"The time for the Green and Purple Ninja to face their destiny has grown nearer" 

"I'm ready" Lloyd smiles

"Fuck that! I'm not!" Aria shouts

"...well she learned some words" Zane says

Lloyd chuckles "come on Aria, let's go get you some new clothes"

"You know that chain thing you did to the Grundle was amazing" Jay complements Aria

"yeah how'd you do it?" Kai asks "it was so cool"

"I guess it's park of my dark powers" Aria replied " Sensei taught me it yesterday"

"Well it's amazing" Jay says excitedly "i can't wait to see what else you can do"

They prepare to leave the ruined building as Rufus/Mother Doomsday stops Lloyd while holding a comic book

"Here you go, Lloyd. You can have my copy of Starfarer." he sniffles a bit "You deserve it"

"That's okay" Lloyd lowers it "I already know how it ends" he leaves to catch up with the others

There comes a time when we all must grow up. When that time comes, it's important not to forget the lessons of our childhood because our childhood is the greatest training one can ever have. Yes, the time until the final battle has grown shorter, but the Green and Purple Ninja have grown stronger.

"Are you ready for the future?" Lloyd asks

"nope" Aria replies then smiles at Lloyd "let's do it"

Lloyd held his hand out to her "together?"

"Always" Aria replied taking his hand

Lloyd held Aria's hand as they walked with the ninja back home.