The ninja hadn't seen each other in forever. Lloyd missed them. When they left for their own missions his heart always ached as he watched his family part ways. Some times they'd return to the monetary, and they had many phone and voice calls but they never stayed long.

Since their Sensei's disappearance they began to spread out farther and farther outside of Ninjago city. They all said it was because people needed them all over Ninjago but they all knew it was because they were hoping to find Wu somewhere out there.

Everyone had changed too. Though the majority of their personality stayed the same the slight physical tweaks reflected the small impacts on their inner self.

Kai switched his spiky locks into a more wavy flame-like look, Nya grew out her bangs and stopped straightening her hair. Jay's hair darkened as well as his freckles, making the small marks that once faintly dotted his cheeks into more prominent splatters. Zane's once sandy hair has bleached lighter and turned into a white tone instead. His eyes flashing from the darker colour to a brilliant blue. Cole as well had a slight physical change. His raven hair became more choppy, when Jay asked about it, he had blushed admitting that he may or may not have cut his own hair. Much to the newly changed brunette's glee.

Lloyd was getting ready for the day. Everyone had gone off on their own missions, leaving him to keep watch on city. He couldn't remember a time he had left even for a few hours since everyone had begun taking the off road missions. Sighing he brushed his teeth quickly and after spitting into the sink he glanced up and froze when he caught a good look at his reflection.

His hair had grown out a little longer, losing the tighter waves he originally had but to his surprise he realized his face shape had changed as well. Becoming more angular. Squealing in surprise he tripped and knocked over the cup holding his toothbrush sending it crashing to the ground.

"Lloyd?" Misako stuck her head in. She had stopped her search for Wu briefly when she realized her only son had been alone for more then she would've liked.

She furrowed her eyebrows when she saw him examine his jawline. Misako let out a chuckle when she realized what had happened.

"My little boy is growing up." She cooed taking his face and looking at it as well.

"Mmf." He grunted, he couldn't form proper words since she was squishing his cheeks.

Misako let him go and smiled brightly. "Come on, let's get some breakfast."

"Okay." It came out funny and Lloyd frowned, cough slightly. But even after he cleared his throat multiple times his voice came out cracked and more like a croak.

Misako gave him a funny look as he continued coughing and trying to clear up his wind pipe as they walked into the kitchen.

"I think I'm sick." Lloyd said finally as they sat down and he poured them each a bowl of cereal.

Misako glanced up. Tilting her head at the funny noise his mouth was making.

"Hm..." Was all she said at first, as she made herself a cup of tea, a small smile growing.

Lloyd paused and frowned. Narrowing his eyes at his mother suspiciously. "What?" The question came out as a rasp as he hacked a bit to try and fix it.

  Misako sat down, gently taking his hand and passing over the tea, which he gladly took. "Honey, I think you're going through puberty."

  Everything in Lloyd stopped. The milk shifted as his head jerked up, causing the liquid to run onto the table. His face was red as Kai's gi.

  "Mom!"

  "It's perfectly normal, it just means you're going through some changes-"

  "MOM!" Lloyd plugged his ears.

  Misako rolled her eyes. "Stop being dramatic. I knew it would happen eventually."

  "I already grew!" Lloyd complained. "Why couldn't the tomorrow tea skip over that part?"

  Misako laughed. "You already were having small changes, some acne here and there, but these are the nicer parts of the..." He glared at her. "Changes." She finished.

  "It's what turns you from a child into a man." Her eyes turned glassy as she stared at her son. How could she have missed those changes? His shoulders were broader, now his voice was deepening, and he had grown taller then she was!

  "Mom, don't cry!" Lloyd sighed, he didn't like it when that happened. It always sent a stab through his tender heart.

  She sniffed. "You're getting so old! I missed the majority of your childhood because I left you and then the magical tea took away the rest of your tween days, I thought maybe I had enough time for the moments in your teenage years..." She trailed off.

  Lloyd got up and came up beside her, drawing her into a hug. Misako tried not to focus on how darn big his shoulders had become as she wrapped her arms around his.

  "I'm still here." Lloyd told her. "And I'll always need you."

  She breathed in deeply and nodded. "I know, I'm just being silly." Misako said more to herself then to him. "Why don't you call one of the ninja?"

Lloyd visibly paled. "Oh no." He groaned, rubbing his face.

  Misako glanced at him in concern. "They are so going to make fun of me!" Lloyd whined, the noise sounding funny with his adjusting voice.

She chuckled as she took her empty cereal bowl. "I'm sure you can handle a little light teasing." Misako said fondly as she left into the kitchen.

"I don't think Kai and Jay know what 'light teasing' means!" Lloyd yelled after her.

*****

There was a beep as as giant face appeared in the small box on the screen. Lloyd rolled his eyes as he helped his mother fold her laundry. She was leaving tomorrow and he was helping her pack.

"Is this thing on?" Jay squeaked as he jabbed it, his large eye peering into the camera.

Cole dragged him away. "Yes it is, you feather head!" Cole snapped.

Suddenly another box appeared beside them. "Kai, I advise you get your clothes on the video is starting." Said a polite robotic voice.

"ZANE!" Kai ran out of a hotel bathroom with only a towel wrapped around his waist. Zane gave a small amused smile as he turned back to the screen.

"What's going on now?" The last visitor chimed in. Nya was washing her face as she joined the video call.

"Kai just ran around half naked!" Jay howled with laughter. Kai's furious face appeared in the screen as he yanked on a pyjama shirt.

"Why am I not surprised?" Nya said, bemused as Kai made a face at her.

"Shut up Jay!" Cole scolded, though he was grinning from ear to ear as well. "We don't want those cranky seniors next door yelling at us again!"

"I CAN HEAR YOU!" A loud elderly voice shrieked from the other wall.

Jay sat up. "WELL ALL I HEAR IS A PARROT BEING SQUEEZED BY A BOA CONSTRICTOR!"

Cole rubbed his temples as a loud banging and curses in Dutch followed. Jay sat down again with a smug smile.

Nya frowned as she started untying her hair. "Jay! Be nice!"

"I was nice until they threatened Mr. Cuddlywump!" Jay protested. Lloyd snorted as Nya squinted at the peeling wall behind her boyfriend.

"Where are you staying?" Nya asked.

"Just some motel." Cole shrugged. "We're on our way to this temple thing, we should get there in about a few weeks."

Jay whipped his head to look at his best friend, the brown curls bouncing like springs. "A few weeks. You said a few days!"

"That was before you made us late for the second train! Again!"

Lloyd rolled his eyes as they bickered. Thankful that his team was over talkative. Maybe he could get away with his plan of just grunting and nodding along.

"What have you been up to Lloyd?" Zane's voice cut in as he froze when the arguing paused.

"Oh..." Lloyd rasped, he coughed lightly. "Just the usual." He tried to say quickly but his voice made an embarrassing squeak at the end.

There was a rustle as Jay picked up the device to stare into it. "What was that?"

"Yeah, Lloyd." Kai finished buttoning up his shirt. "Are you sick?"

"I'm fine." Lloyd tried to say quickly. Nya's eyes narrowed at the imperfect words.

"Hang on, I think his face shape changed." She announced.

Lloyd sputtered. How did she notice that? "No, it didn't!"

Cole took the device from Jay. "Yeah! It's less round like a cookie! And more...defined."

Lloyd shrunk, trying to get himself hidden behind the table.

"I believe Lloyd is going through a stage in his maturity called 'puberty'." Zane informed them.

"ZANE!"

Jay burst out laughing. "Lloyd's going through-"

"Don't say it!" Lloyd snapped, his voice cracking.

Jay pressed his lips together but his body shook as he held back a laugh.

"It's not funny!" Lloyd complained, chucking some socks in his mother's bag.

"It kind of is." Kai replied, he leaned his elbow on the table and placed his chin into his hand. "So Lloyd, when did your voice start changing?"

Nya giggled as Lloyd grew red. "Today." He muttered huffily as he rolled up more socks.

Jay and Cole had muted themselves as they started laughing so hard that they fell off of the bed they were sitting on. Lloyd scowled as he watched the walls behind them shake from the soundless pounding of their neighbours. He watched as Jay jabbered back to them, unable to hear the muted words as he spat insults back. Cole suddenly joined in before what looked like a riot happened as someone broke down their door and started a fist fight.

Kai laughed out with vigour as they watched the person take down the ninja. Nya was shrieking at them as Jay electrocuted the old bent over man that was beating Cole with a cane. Zane looked concerned as finally the motel owner stomped into the scene.

Cole clambered back up, a large bruise forming by his eyes. He jabbed the mute button. "We'll call you later." Then their screen blacked out.

"I'm calling Jay," Nya muttered. "I'll phone in private so you don't have to see me shouting at a cellphone." Her hand covered the camera as she signed off as well.

Lloyd scrunched his brow when Zane proclaimed he was going to rest and Kai joined in.

"Well, hope puberty goes well for you." Kai sang with a smirk as Lloyd ranted indecipherable words at the screen when it beeped showing that everyone had left.

Lloyd sighed and placed the last of his mom's clothing in the suitcase before hauling it to where she was talking to someone at the front of the building. When he arrived, Dareth was there. The self-proclaimed Brown Ninja threw a grin at Lloyd.

"Hey Dareth." Lloyd grumbled as he set down the bag.

"Woah!" Dareth said in surprise at the odd sound. "You going through puberty?"

"NO!"

The End.

Authors note

This story was originally going to be a depressing one about character growth, brotherhood, and whatnot. I'm not sure what happened. I got inspired by Jay's words in Possesion when he announced that "Lloyd's gone through puberty!" So I thought a funny short about when he changed into the rebooted look would make an amusing short for this contest Ninjuly hosted by NinjagoPunsPranksOrg .

Thank you!

LuckyBugBooks