" This is absolutely ridiculous." Kai grumbled as he sat next to a very hungry Cole.

" And why's that?" Cole asked, his mouth stuffed with cake.

" Because we're the older ones, yet somehow, Mia's always the hero!"

Cole finished his cake and glanced at his best friend.

" You know, I think it's nice of her to go on all these missions. She knows that, after the Merge,, we all want to be together. So, as her way of giving it to us, she's going on these missions."

" Yeah, I guess you're right." Kai sighed, picking up the plate which held the chocolate cake which Cole had devoured. " But, sometimes, I wish she wasn't so reckless."

" What's this about my sister being reckless?" Jay demanded, walking into the room.

" I was just saying how, sometimes, I wish your sister didn't take that many risks."

Jay sheepishly scratched the back of his head.

" To be honest, so do I. But then I remember how much she loves us. And, when she takes these risks, she thinks about our well being."

" Guys!" Lloyd said, bursting into the room. " We think the Mechanic was the one who sent those stone warriors out!"

" What?!" Jay whirled around to face the green ninja.

" It's true." Nya agreed, stepping into the room. " Zane found evidence while being a dog."

" Zane was WHAT?!" Jay asked, giggling. The image of a nindro-dog was clear in his mind, and he really wanted to be there to see it.

As luck would turn out, he didn't need to be there to see it.

Because right there and then, the TV turned on, and Galyle Gossip, the local news reporter, was right on the scene.

" Ninjago's resident nindroid and Ice master, Zane, was just seen to be acting like a dog. Locals claim that something, or someone, hacked into Zane's body, creating this whopper of a mess."

" Zane would never be like this," Cyrus Borg, owner of Borg industries claimed, gripping the microphone tightly. " I've known him since he was built, and Dr. Julian would never make something that would do this much destruction!"

Gayle took over again. " Police and the Ninja are on the case, but that won't be easy, especially with a missing ninja and an injured one. More about this catastrophe after our sponsors say a word or two!"

The TV shut off. Kai, with the remote in his hands, was wearing a determined look.

" We need to find the Mechanic," Kai said. " He's the only person that can help us!"

" But that's the problem!" Nya replied. " He flew off on a helicopter when he threw the bomb at us!"

" And Mr. I- Have- A- Very- Sensitive- Nose just HAD to faint!" Lloyd glared at Jay.

" For your information, I have always had a sensitive nose. Just ask Mia! And Nya!"

" It's true." Nya sighed. " Ever since I first met him, and up until now, he gets woozy when a bad smell comes his way."

Cole, ever the pragmatist, chimed in. "Alright, alright, enough bickering. We need a plan. Kai, you're right, we need to find the Mechanic. But how? We don't even know where to start."

Lloyd, looking thoughtful, tapped his chin. "Zane might be malfunctioning as a dog, but maybe Pixal can hack into his system and see if he picked up any clues while... well, while being a dog."

Nya's eyes widened. "That's actually a brilliant idea, Lloyd! If Zane was chasing squirrels or sniffing around suspicious characters, there might be a digital record of it."

Jay, still chuckling at the thought of Zane as a dog, piped up, "And hey, maybe we can use this 'dog mode' to our advantage! Zane could sniff out the Mechanic like a bloodhound!"

Kai snorted. "A bloodhound? Zane's more of a... well, a metallic bloodhound at this point. But it's worth a shot."

Suddenly, a high-pitched whine filled the room. They all turned to see Zane, who had somehow managed to enter the hospital. He was sporting a bedraggled look, his metallic frame covered in grass stains and what looked suspiciously like drool.

"There you are, Zane!" Lloyd exclaimed, rushing over to his teammate. "We need your help. Pixal thinks she can use your... uh... recent canine experience to track down the Mechanic."

Zane, who seemed to have retained some semblance of his usual stoicism despite the ordeal, tilted his head. "Canine experience? You mean my temporary... malfunction?"

Cole chuckled. "Temporary malfunction or not, Zane, you might be our best lead right now."

Zane, ever the loyal ninja, simply nodded. "Then let's get to it. I may have be stuck in that... unusual form, but my ninja training still holds true."

As Pixal hooked Zane up to her computer, a glimmer of hope sparked in the room. They might be down a ninja, have a nindroid malfunctioning as a dog, and be facing a missing criminal mastermind, but the Ninjago team never backed down from a challenge. They would use every resource at their disposal, even a drool-covered, squirrel-chasing nindroid, to find the Mechanic and protect Ninjago.

________________________________________________________________________________

Vania, unlike the rest of the weary ninja crew, couldn't settle into the sterile hospital environment. While the rhythmic beeping of machines lulled the others to sleep, her adventurous spirit craved the thrill of the unknown. Glancing at her still form teammates, a mischievous glint sparked in her eyes. Tonight, she was going on a solo mission.

But where to go in a hospital at night? Her eyes darted around the room, landing on a peculiar sight – a cracked, dusty window hidden behind a faded curtain. Intrigue piqued. Normal hospitals wouldn't have a forgotten window. This one clearly had a story to tell.

Vania crept out of bed, her movements silent as a shadow. She grabbed a spare pair of clothes from her bag, opting for a dark, practical outfit that wouldn't snag on anything. Tiptoeing to the window, she strained to hear any sounds from the other side. Silence. With a deep breath, she pushed on the dusty pane. Thankfully, it creaked open with minimal resistance.

The cool night air washed over her, carrying the faint scent of rain and city grime. Below, a narrow fire escape snaked down the side of the hospital building, bathed in the soft glow of a nearby streetlamp. Vania, ever the risk-taker, hoisted herself onto the flimsy metal structure. Her heart thumped a steady rhythm against her ribs, a mix of excitement and apprehension.

Climbing down the fire escape, she found herself in a deserted alleyway. The only light came from flickering neon signs advertising dubious late-night establishments. Vania pulled her cloak tighter, the worn fabric offering a sense of comfort and anonymity. Where would this adventure take her? Perhaps there was a hidden passage within the hospital walls, a secret the old window guarded. Or maybe the bustling streets below held a hidden clue, a whisper of something the Mechanic was planning.

With a determined glint in her eyes, Vania ventured deeper into the city's underbelly, ready to face whatever mysteries the night held. One thing was certain – her solo mission had just begun.