"It's been too long," Nelson muttered, his voice laced with anxiety. "What if they got into trouble? What if..."

He stopped himself before voicing his darkest fear. What if Mia had found someone else?

Rocky, ever the strategist, nudged him reassuringly with his head. "Don't worry, Nelson. Mia's a tough cookie. She can handle herself."

But even Rocky's confident words couldn't fully quell the unease gnawing at Nelson. He and Mia had been through a lot together, their bond forged in countless adventures and close calls. But lately, there had been a... connection between them. A connection he couldn't quite explain. 

Nelson winced as he shifted his weight, the sprained ankle throbbing in protest. He and the pups had been waiting for what felt like hours, the silence broken only by the occasional rumble from the depths of the caverns. worry gnawed at him, twisting his stomach into knots.

"What if..." he began, his voice laced with a tremor of fear, "what if Mia's found another boy to like down there?"

The playful energy that usually surrounded the pups seemed to have dimmed. Zuma, usually the first to crack a joke, remained silent, his ears drooping. Rocky, ever the strategist, chewed thoughtfully on a stick, his brow furrowed in concern.

Marshall, however, bounced to his feet, a determined glint in his eyes. "Nah-uh, Nelson!" he declared, his voice brimming with unwavering confidence. "Mia loves you! Always has. She would never just abandon you like that, not Mia!"

Nelson couldn't help but offer a small smile at Marshall's unwavering faith. Deep down, he knew the pup was right. Mia wasn't the type to give up on someone she cared about. But the uncertainty gnawed at him, fueled by the endless silence.

"Mia loves you, Nelson," he declared, his blue eyes glinting with unwavering belief. "Always has. She wouldn't abandon you."

Nelson looked down at Marshall, surprised by the pup's certainty. "But how do you know?"

Marshall puffed out his chest, a tiny puff of fur momentarily obscuring his view. "Because true friendship doesn't just disappear! You and Mia, you have that special thing. Like me and Rocky , or Skye and Chase. We stick together, no matter what!"

Nelson felt a surge of warmth at Marshall's words, his doubts momentarily pushed aside by the pup's unwavering conviction. Marshall was right; their bond was strong, built on trust, loyalty, and shared experiences. Mia wouldn't just abandon him, not after everything they'd been through together.

As if on cue, a faint sound echoed through the cavern, drawing their attention. Nelson's heart skipped a beat as he strained to listen. Was it Mia? Relief flooded through him as the sound grew louder, unmistakably Mia's voice calling out to them.

With a renewed sense of hope, Nelson pushed himself up, ignoring the protest of his injured ankle. "Come on, pups," he urged, a determined glint in his eyes. "Let's go find her."

With Marshall leading the way and Rocky by his side, Nelson limped forward, the darkness of the cavern giving way to the warm glow of Mia's lantern. As they drew closer, Nelson's heart swelled with relief at the sight of Mia, safe and unharmed, her face lighting up with a bright smile as she caught sight of them.

"Nelson!" she exclaimed, rushing forward to envelop him in a tight hug. "I'm so glad you're okay."

Unable to contain his emotions any longer, Nelson buried his face in Mia's shoulder, feeling the weight of worry and uncertainty lifting from his shoulders. They were together again, stronger than ever, ready to face whatever challenges lay ahead. And as he looked around at his loyal pups, he knew that no matter what, they would always have each other's backs.

Then, Nelson noticed Mia's ankle.

" You're hurt!" He exclaimed.

Mia smiled, clearly showing no pain.

" Nothing I can't handle with some help from my-"

" Husband!" The pups exclaimed, while Mia said, " true love."

The pups, collectively deflated, let out a chorus of disappointed whines. "Aww, not really?" Rocky whimpered.

Chase rolled his eyes. "Seriously, you guys? They're always like this."

Undeterred, Marshall nudged Nelson with his nose. "So, are you gonna propose then? We need a ninja wedding! Picture all the ruffage and katanas!"

Nelson choked on a laugh. "Maybe later, buddy. Right now, we have a bigger problem."

He gestured to the yellow orb pulsating with Master Wu's faint form. "Like, how to get the grumpy grandpa out of his disco ball."

Master Wu's voice crackled indignantly from within the orb. "Disco ball? I'll have you know this is a highly advanced containment field!"

Skye, ever the diplomat, stepped forward. "Alright, alright. Let's focus on getting Master Wu out of there. Any ideas, Mia?"

Mia tapped her chin thoughtfully. "Well, Wu did say it was Spinjitzu powered..."

A mischievous glint entered her eyes as she looked at the pups. "Hey, pups, ever heard of a synchronized tail wag?"

The pups perked up, their tails twitching in anticipation. A mischievous grin spread across Nelson's face. This was going to be interesting.

_____________________________________

"Okay, again!" Mia barked, her voice laced with barely-suppressed amusement. "This time, focus on the rhythm! Two, four, three, go!"

On cue, the pups launched into a flurry of wagging, their bushy tails whipping through the air with an almost comical ferocity. Nelson watched, a mixture of concern and laughter bubbling in his chest. It looked more like a canine breakdancing competition than a coordinated effort to generate Spinjitzu.

Rocky, ever the strategist, was the first to stumble. His tail, normally a metronome of precision, went rogue, swiping him across the snout and sending him tumbling head over heels. Zuma, caught off guard by Rocky's sudden departure, tripped over his own paws, landing in a heap with a yelp.

Marshall, ever enthusiastic, wagged his tail with such abandon that his entire body spun in a dizzying circle, barking uncontrollably. Even Chase, usually the picture of stoicism, found himself entangled in a whirlwind of wagging fur, his attempts at maintaining order dissolving into helpless laughter.

Mia, doubled over with laughter, sank to the ground. Tears streamed down her face as she wheezed between giggles. Master Wu's voice, surprisingly good-natured considering his predicament, crackled from the orb. "Perhaps a different approach is needed, my dear Mia."

Nelson, unable to contain his own laughter, limped over and offered Mia a hand up. "Maybe synchronized tail-wagging isn't the answer," he conceded, wiping tears from his eyes.

Skye, wiping a stray tear from her own cheek, chuckled. "Looks like we need a plan B."

Just then, a mischievous glint sparked in Nelson's eyes. He limped closer to the orb, a sly grin spreading across his face. "Hey, Wu," he called out, his voice laced with playful defiance. "Remember that time you accidentally dyed your beard pink with Zane's invention?"

Master Wu, a flicker of annoyance crossing his spectral form, sputtered indignantly from within the orb. "That was a... a scientific malfunction! And completely unrelated!"

Nelson winked at Mia. "Seems like a story worth telling while we brainstorm a new plan, wouldn't you say?"

Mia, a wide grin replacing her laughter lines, nudged him playfully. "You're incorrigible, Nelson. But you might be onto something."

As Nelson, with Mia by his side, launched into a detailed (and possibly embellished) account of Master Wu's unfortunate pink-beard incident, the air crackled with a renewed sense of purpose. Their plan may have backfired spectacularly, but their bond, their ability to laugh together even in the face of adversity, that was their true strength. And with a little ingenuity and a whole lot of teamwork, they knew they could overcome any obstacle, even a grumpy grandpa ( not blood-related) trapped in a disco ball.