O" PIKAAAAAAAAA!"

" CHARMANDER!"

" BULBA BULBA BULBA!"

" SQUIRRRRRRRRRTLE!"

Wake up!

We need your help!

Please wake up!

Wake up wake up wake up!*

Mia groaned as she opened an eye. " What ha-"

She stopped. " Oh sweet mother may I!"

She jumped out of bed and ran to the kitchen.

It was on fire.

" What happened?!" She exclaimed.

" Pika Pika pi." Pikachu said crossing his arms.

You sleepwalk and you came here and baked a cake

" Th... That's impossible!* Mia took the cake out of the oven. " I don't sleepwalk!"

" You do." Jay said as he and the others walked out of the dark.

They jumped slightly from their voices.

" Ah- hahaha. Very funny." Mia said crossing her arms.

Mia stood there, staring at the smoldering cake she had just pulled from the oven, her face a mixture of disbelief and embarrassment. The kitchen was still hazy with smoke, but at least the fire had been contained thanks to her animals.

She blinked a few times, trying to process what had just happened. "I don’t sleepwalk!" she repeated, her voice firm but clearly tinged with uncertainty. She set the cake down on the counter, turning to face Jay and the others, who were now casually leaning against the kitchen doorway.

Jay crossed his arms and raised an eyebrow, a smug grin on his face. "Oh, you definitely do, Mia. This isn’t the first time either."

Mia’s eyes widened. "What do you mean, 'not the first time?'"

Kai, standing next to Jay, nodded in agreement. "Last time you tried to make a pizza in your sleep and almost set the whole place on fire. Thank goodness for Squirtle that time."

"SQUIRTLE!" the small blue turtle Pokémon piped up from the corner, giving a proud little salute.

Mia groaned, running a hand through her hair in frustration. "I can’t believe this... I mean, baking a cake? In my sleep?"

"Yeah, well," Jay said with a smirk, "it wasn’t just the cake. You were talking to yourself too. Something about Pikachu needing frosting and Charmander lighting candles..."

"Char... Char!" Charmander said, flames flickering from his tail as he mimicked lighting invisible candles, clearly pleased with his imaginary contribution.

Mia buried her face in her hands. "Oh, sweet mother, this is a nightmare..."

"Nope," Kai said, walking over to inspect the now slightly charred cake. "It’s real. And honestly, this cake doesn’t look half bad. Maybe sleep-baking is your superpower."

Mia shot him a glare from between her fingers. "Kai, this is not funny! What if I had burned the entire place down?"

Pikachu crossed his little yellow arms and nodded, as if agreeing with Mia. "Pika Pika," he said seriously.

"I think Pikachu’s still upset about being woken up by a smoke alarm," Jay chuckled, earning a glare from both Mia and Pikachu.

"But seriously, Mia," Nya chimed in, appearing from behind the others, "we’ve been worried about your sleepwalking for a while now. Maybe it’s time you saw someone about it."

Mia sighed, finally letting her hands fall to her sides. "I guess I’ll have to. I just... I don’t even remember any of this happening. It’s like one minute I’m dreaming about battling Pokémon, and the next I’m in the kitchen making desserts in my sleep."

"Pika!" Pikachu exclaimed, hopping up onto the counter and pointing at the cake like it was evidence of her midnight antics.

"Well, at least you didn’t dream about something worse," Jay offered, trying to make light of the situation. "Imagine if you were dreaming about battling an Onix. That cake might’ve ended up as a pile of rubble."

Mia couldn’t help but let out a small laugh at that. "Yeah, I guess it could’ve been worse."

Kai clapped a hand on her shoulder. "Look, you’re safe, the cake’s... sort of edible, and the Pokémon saved the day. Let’s just clean up and get back to bed. Tomorrow, we can talk about getting you some help for the sleepwalking."

"Yeah," Mia agreed, though she still looked a little shaken. "Thanks, guys. And Pikachu, thanks for the quick thinking."

"Pika Pi!" Pikachu smiled proudly, puffing out his chest.

As they all began to tidy up the mess in the kitchen, Mia couldn’t help but glance back at the cake sitting on the counter. It was slightly burnt on the edges, but somehow, it didn’t look half bad. Maybe sleep-baking wasn’t her worst habit after all.

Jay nudged her playfully. "Hey, maybe we should try a slice, huh?"

Mia rolled her eyes. "Don’t push your luck, Jay."

" MIA WAKE UP!"

" PIKA-TCHU!"

Mia stirred slightly, pulling the blanket tighter around her. "Pikachu, let mommy sleep... mommy’s busy in the morning..." she mumbled, her voice barely audible as she buried her face deeper into the pillow.

But Pikachu wasn’t having it. "PIKA-TCHU!" he cried again, this time louder, his cheeks sparking with tiny bolts of electricity.

Suddenly, Mia’s eyes shot open. "AHHH!" She jolted upright, hair disheveled and eyes wide with confusion. "What the—?!"

Jay stood at the foot of her bed, arms crossed and grinning from ear to ear. "Mia, you're seriously sleep-talking again, huh? And I guess you’re Pikachu’s 'mommy' now?"

Mia blinked, still half-asleep, trying to piece together what was happening. "Wha... what do you mean? Pikachu... why...?"

Jay chuckled, nodding towards Pikachu, who was still bouncing up and down on the bed, looking quite proud of himself. "You were talking to Pikachu like he was your kid. Not to mention, you almost burned down the kitchen last night while sleep-baking."

Mia groaned, rubbing her eyes as the memory of the chaos from the previous night slowly came back. "Oh no... that wasn’t a dream?"

"Nope," Jay replied, stifling a laugh. "It was very real. And you were out of it. Completely. Sleepwalking, sleep-baking... the whole nine yards."

Mia flopped back down onto her pillow, covering her face with her hands. "I can’t believe this... I'm never going to live this down, am I?"

Jay smiled, his voice softening as he sat down on the edge of the bed. "Look, Mia, it’s not that bad. We’re just glad nothing serious happened. Besides, Pikachu here was your hero."

"Pika!" Pikachu cheered, climbing onto Mia’s chest and giving her a playful poke.

She peeked out from behind her hands and gave the little Pokémon a tired smile. "Thanks, Pikachu. I guess you saved the day, huh?"

"Pika-pika!" Pikachu nodded enthusiastically.

Jay stood up and stretched, glancing over his shoulder as he headed for the door. "Alright, Mia, I’m letting you off the hook this time. But just so you know, we’re keeping an eye on you from now on. No more midnight cake-making sessions, okay?"

Mia laughed lightly, finally sitting up properly. "Okay, okay, no more sleepwalking shenanigans. I’ll... try to see someone about it. Maybe."

As Jay left the room, Mia glanced down at Pikachu, who was now curling up contentedly at her side. She sighed and shook her head with a small smile. "Pikachu, you might just be the best alarm clock ever."

"Pika," Pikachu murmured sleepily in agreement, settling in for a well-earned nap.

" MIA WAKE UP!"

" PIKAAAAAAAAA!"

" BULBA BULBA BULBA BULBA BULBA BULBA BULBA BULBA!"

Wake up!

You've set the kitchen on fire trying to make cupcakes! Sweet cupcakes!"

Mia opened an eye. " Huh?"

" Mia the kitchens on fire! Squirtle and Blackie  are there trying to stop it."

Mia jumped out of bed and dashed to the kitchen. Summoning her elemental powers, she made the water come out of every sink in the house and directed it to the kitchen.

The result? A wet cat and turtle and a safe kitchen.

Mia skidded to a stop in the kitchen, heart racing as she took in the chaotic scene. Water streamed from the sinks, creating puddles everywhere. Squirtle was valiantly trying to douse the flames, spraying water from his mouth. Blackie, soaked from head to tail, stood in the middle of the mess, fur sticking up in every direction.

"MIA! I HATE YOU!" Blackie screeched, shaking her paws furiously. "I'M A CAT, AND I'M SOAKING WET! THIS IS UNACCEPTABLE!"

Mia winced, hands flying to her mouth. "Oh no, Blackie, I didn’t mean to get you wet! I was just trying to put out the fire!"

Squirtle, exhausted but victorious, gave a proud "Squirtle!" as the last of the flames flickered out. He looked up at Mia with a thumbs-up, as if to say, "Crisis averted."

Mia exhaled deeply, surveying the damage. The kitchen was a soggy disaster, water dripping from the counters, and the remnants of what could have been sweet cupcakes were charred beyond recognition in the oven.

"I'm... so sorry, everyone," Mia said, running a hand through her messy hair. "I didn’t mean to set the kitchen on fire while sleep-baking. Again."

Blackie’s eyes narrowed as she shook herself off dramatically, droplets of water flying everywhere. "AGAIN?! This is the fifth time, Mia! I can’t take another kitchen catastrophe!"

Mia winced. "I’ll... I’ll clean everything up, I promise! And I’ll get you the fluffiest towel ever, Blackie!"

Blackie huffed, tail swishing angrily as he padded out of the kitchen. "You’d better. I’m a cat, not a fish."

Squirtle, meanwhile, looked at Mia and gave a cheerful nod, seemingly proud of their teamwork despite the mess.

Mia sighed, her face flushed with embarrassment as she surveyed the soaked kitchen. "I need to figure out this sleep-baking problem. It's getting out of hand."

Jay strolled in, trying to stifle his laughter but failing miserably. "Mia, you and cupcakes... it’s like a disaster waiting to happen. At least the house is still standing."

Mia groaned. "I know, I know... but I just wanted to make something sweet! I didn’t think I'd burn the place down!"

Jay smirked. "Next time, maybe bake during the day. And keep Squirtle on standby."

Mia couldn't help but smile, despite the mess. "Yeah, lesson learned. No more sleep-baking. Or setting the kitchen on fire."

Squirtle gave a triumphant "Squirtle!" and puffed out his chest proudly.

Mia bent down and gave him a pat on the head. "Thanks for saving the day, Squirtle. You're the real hero here."

As Squirtle basked in the praise, Mia sighed, looking back at the soggy mess. "Guess I better get started on cleaning this up before Blackie decides to claw me."

"Good luck with that," Jay teased, tossing her a towel before heading out of the kitchen. "And maybe, just maybe, try not to flood the house next time."

Mia laughed and shook her head, getting to work. "I’ll do my best, but no promises."

" MIA WAKE UP!"

Mia jumped. " What did I set on fire this time?"

" Nothing!"

Mia was confused. " But then why did you wake me up?"

" Because you hung Kai by the roof of the monestary, and no one can bring him down."

Mia blinked, still groggy from sleep as she tried to process what she had just heard. "Wait... what?"

Jay, standing at the door, sighed. "You heard me right, Mia. You sleepwalked again, and somehow, you managed to tie Kai to the roof of the monastery."

Mia's eyes widened in shock, fully awake now. "Oh no! Is he okay?"

Jay smirked, clearly amused despite the chaos. "He's a little irritated, but yeah, he's fine. The problem is, no one can figure out how to bring him down without making it worse."

Mia groaned, burying her face in her hands. "How does this keep happening? I don't even remember getting out of bed!"

Blackie stretched lazily, not even bothering to sit up. "That's fantastic," he purred with a mischievous grin. "Next time, aim for the old smelly man instead. He could use some excitement."

Mia shot the cat a look. "Blackie, that's not helpful."

The cat yawned and blinked slowly. "What? I'm just saying. Maybe he could use a little fresh air."

Jay chuckled, shaking his head. "Come on, Mia. Kai’s not going to untie himself. Besides, if we don’t hurry, he might just start screaming for Master Wu, and you know how that goes."

Mia scrambled out of bed, throwing on her jacket. "I can't believe I did this again! Poor Kai!"

Blackie rolled over, waving a paw lazily in the air. "Don't forget to tell him it was your unconscious self, not your waking one. He’ll understand... eventually."

Mia was already halfway out the door, muttering apologies to herself. "I can’t believe I tied him to the roof. I didn’t even know I could do knots that well in my sleep!"

Jay grinned, following her. "Honestly, I think that’s what scares us all the most."

They rushed out to the courtyard where several of the other ninjas were gathered, staring up at the roof of the monastery. Sure enough, there was Kai, dangling from a rope, arms crossed and looking none too pleased.

"About time!" Kai shouted when he saw Mia. "I’ve been up here for hours!"

Mia winced, waving awkwardly. "I’m so sorry, Kai! I don’t know how it happened!"

Kai narrowed his eyes. "Oh, I think I have a pretty good idea. You need to get this sleepwalking thing under control, Mia."

Mia looked around at the others. "Does anyone have a ladder or something?"

Cole scratched his head. "We tried that, but the way you tied him up... let’s just say it’s a masterpiece of complicated knots."

Jay snorted. "You really went all out this time, Mia."

Mia groaned again, turning to Zane. "Can you just, like, fly up there and untie him?"

Zane shook his head. "I already tried. The knots are too intricate. It’s like you knew exactly how to tie him up so we couldn’t get him down easily."

Kai sighed dramatically. "I’m not gonna be stuck up here forever, right?"

Mia bit her lip, feeling guilty. "No, of course not! I’ll figure it out!"

As Mia surveyed the situation, Blackie’s voice drifted from the doorway. "Remember what I said, kid. Next time, aim for the old man. At least he’ll enjoy the view."

Mia ignored him, focusing on the rope. "Okay, here’s what we’re gonna do. I’ll climb up and—"

Kai interrupted. "No way! You’re not climbing anything! You’ll end up tying yourself up next!"

Mia threw her hands in the air. "Then what do you suggest I do?!"

Kai looked down at her, clearly exasperated. "Just... untie the knot from the bottom and lower me down! Slowly!"

Mia took a deep breath. "Okay. I can do that."

With Jay holding the rope steady, Mia carefully began untying the knots she had somehow created in her sleep. It took some time, but eventually, Kai was lowered safely to the ground.

As soon as his feet touched the floor, he shook out his limbs and gave Mia a pointed look. "You owe me for this."

Mia rubbed the back of her neck sheepishly. "I know, I know. I’ll... I’ll bake you some cupcakes or something."

Kai raised an eyebrow. "You’re going to bake? I think I’d prefer if you didn’t."

Jay burst out laughing, and even Mia couldn’t help but chuckle. "Fair enough," she said. "How about I just stay away from any sharp objects for a while?"

Kai smirked. "Now that sounds like a plan."

Blackie, watching the whole scene unfold, stretched lazily and muttered, "Told you. The old man’s next."

" MIA YOU TIED MASTER WU ON THE ROOF IN TEN ROPES!"

Mia froze in place and jumped up her face going pale. "Wait... what?"

Jay, trying hard to suppress laughter, pointed toward the roof of the monastery. "You didn’t just tie up Kai this time. Master Wu is up there too, wrapped up in ten ropes. How did you even manage that in your sleep?"

Mia's mouth fell open as she ran and stared up at the roof. Sure enough, Master Wu was dangling there, swinging gently in the wind, looking completely unimpressed. His usual calm demeanor was still intact, but the ropes binding him were so intricate, it almost looked like a spiderweb.

"Unbelievable," Master Wu sighed, adjusting his hat that somehow stayed on despite his predicament. "Mia, I expect this from you when you're awake... but in your sleep?"

Mia’s hands shot up to her face, covering her eyes in embarrassment. "Oh no, oh no, oh no... I didn’t mean to do this! I don’t even know how it happened!"

Jay, clearly enjoying the chaos, nudged her. "You’ve really outdone yourself this time, Mia. I mean, ten ropes? You even went for extra security!"

Kai crossed his arms, a smirk creeping onto his face. "Guess I wasn’t enough of a challenge for you, huh?"

Mia groaned, glancing back and forth between Kai and Master Wu. "This is a disaster."

Cole, who had been watching from the side, walked over and looked up at Wu. "How exactly did you manage to tie him up in your sleep AND use ten ropes? Do you have a secret ninja technique we don’t know about?"

Mia threw her hands in the air. "I don’t know! Maybe I DO have some secret sleepwalking ninja powers!"

Master Wu, hanging patiently, raised a brow. "Well, whatever it is, I expect you to undo it, Mia. Preferably soon."

"Right!" Mia said, rushing to the base of the ropes. "I’ll get you down, Master Wu, I swear!"

Zane appeared, calmly assessing the situation. "If I may offer some assistance, I’ve already analyzed the knot patterns, and with your help, we should be able to untangle him in no time."

Mia shot Zane a look of gratitude. "Thank you! I can’t believe I did this... to Master Wu!"

As Mia and Zane began working on the knots, Jay couldn’t help but laugh. "You know, Mia, maybe you should take up knot-tying as a profession. You’re a natural."

Mia shot Jay a glare. "Not funny, Jay!"

Kai added, "Yeah, you could start your own business—'Mia's Midnight Ropes'—for all your unintentional tying-up needs."

Mia groaned, tugging at one of the ropes. "You guys are NOT helping."

From above, Master Wu sighed again. "While I appreciate the humor, I would prefer to be untied before the next sunrise."

Mia and Zane worked quickly, with Mia muttering apologies under her breath the whole time. After what felt like an eternity, the final knot was loosened, and Master Wu was gently lowered to the ground.

As soon as his feet touched the ground, he straightened his hat and robes. "Thank you, Mia. Now, I believe we have some sleepwalking habits to discuss."

Mia swallowed nervously. "Right... Sorry about that, Master Wu. I swear, I’ll get it under control."

Master Wu gave a small smile. "I trust you will. But perhaps we should move all the ropes to a place where you can’t reach them in your sleep."

Jay snorted. "That’s probably for the best."

Blackie strolled in, yawning. "Next time, aim for Lloyd. I want to see him stuck on the roof for once."

Mia glared at the cat. "Blackie, stop giving me bad ideas!"

" MIA ELIZABETH WALKER GET OUT RIGHT THIS SECOND!"

Mia groaned. " Later Jay. Later."

" PIKAAAAAAAAA!"

" CHARMANDER!"

" SQUIRTLE!"

" BULBA!"

You tied all the ninja on the roof!

We have a picture!

Jay isn't happy!

I suggest you go and untie them before they get angry.

Mia shot out of bed. "What?!*

" Yeah!" Blackie said with a smirk as he handed his owner a picture. " Look."

It was true. Jay looked unhappy, and so did the others.

" Eh. Let's just leave them out for now." Mia said as she walked back to her bed.

Pikachu jumped in front of Mia, his small body radiating determination. "Pika! Pika-tchu!" he exclaimed, shaking his head wildly.

Mia sighed, rubbing her eyes. "Pikachu, it's the middle of the night. I’ll untie them in the morning. They’ll be fine until then."

"Char!" Charmander added, lighting up his tail with a flicker of fire for emphasis. "Char-char!"

Bulbasaur stomped his feet, his vines twitching in frustration. "Bulba, bulba!"

Squirtle crossed his little arms, water bubbling at the ready. "Squirtle, squirt!"

Mia blinked at them, unimpressed. "Guys, it's not like I tied them up that tightly."

Blackie, with his usual sass, stretched and purred. "I think you underestimate your midnight knot-tying skills, Mia. They’re stuck up there, and if you don’t untie them soon, Jay might actually explode."

Pikachu nodded, eyes wide with urgency. "Pika pi!"

Mia took the photo from Blackie’s paw and examined it closely. In the dim moonlight, it was clear that not only were all the ninja tied to the roof, but they were each bound in a unique, intricate pattern. Jay’s face, in particular, was a picture of pure frustration, while Kai looked like he was holding back laughter. Cole, on the other hand, seemed resigned to his fate, while Lloyd appeared more irritated than anything else.

"Okay, okay," Mia grumbled, sitting up fully now. "I'll go untie them. But seriously, this is getting out of hand. I have no memory of doing any of this."

"Sleepwalking ninja skills, apparently," Blackie purred with amusement, hopping off the bed.

Mia threw on her slippers and followed the Pokémon and Blackie outside. The cool night air hit her face as she approached the roof, where the ninja were still tied up, squirming in their bindings. Jay noticed her first.

"Finally!" he groaned. "Mia, do you have any idea how long we’ve been stuck up here?"

Mia scratched the back of her head sheepishly. "Um... not really? I only just woke up and found out."

Kai chuckled from his side of the roof. "You’ve got a real talent for rope work, Mia. I haven’t seen knots this complicated since Wu taught us advanced trap-setting."

"Yeah, well," Cole grumbled. "I’d appreciate it if you didn’t practice on us while we’re sleeping."

Lloyd was staring daggers at her. "Next time, if you’re going to sleepwalk, at least tie up someone else. I’ve been hanging here for hours!"

Mia rolled her eyes and started climbing up to undo the ropes. "Alright, alright. I’ll get you guys down."

As she worked on the knots, Jay’s voice echoed from above. "I swear, Mia, if you don’t stop this sleepwalking thing, I’m going to have to tie you down next time."

"Yeah," Mia muttered under her breath, untying another rope. "Good luck with that."

After what felt like an eternity, she finally freed all of them. The ninja groaned as they stretched their sore limbs, grateful to be back on the ground.

"Thanks, Mia," Kai said, patting her on the back. "But maybe you should start locking your door at night."

Mia shot him a look. "Or maybe you should learn how to untie knots better."

Jay, rubbing his wrists, shook his head. "I’m gonna need a nap after this... and we’re all having a serious talk about this tomorrow."

Mia smirked, walking back toward the house. "Goodnight, boys. Try not to get tied up again."

" MIA WAKE UP! YOU'RE THE BEST!"

Mia opened an eye. " What?"

" You tied the ninja AND pixel AND master Wu AND a dining table up there!"

Mia took the picture in Blackie's hand. " I'm not going out there."

" Pika!" Pikachu agrees as he snuggled back into his bed ( a drawer) and into his lightning covered blanket, his little fluffy pom

pom hat going off the side.

" MIA GET OUT HERE RIGHT NOW!*

Mia thought for a second. " NO!*

" WHAT?!"

" YOU NEED TO LEARN HOW TO UNTIE ROPE! AND BESIDES KAI CAN BURN IT!"

" ITS FLAMEPROOF!"

" oh."

Then she said, " YEAH WELL IM GOING TO SLEEP ENJOY!"

Mia pulled her blanket back over her head, snuggling into her pillow. "They can handle it," she muttered to herself, already drifting back to sleep.

Outside, Jay's voice echoed through the courtyard, frustration and disbelief evident in his tone. "MIA! You can't just leave us like this!"

Pikachu snickered from his cozy drawer bed, clearly siding with Mia on this one. "Pika-pi," he whispered softly, rolling over.

Blackie, ever the instigator, trotted over to the window and peeked outside. "Looks like they’re really stuck this time," he said with a purr of satisfaction. "It’s gonna take them hours to figure this one out."

Meanwhile, outside, the tied-up ninja and Pixel were indeed in quite a predicament. Pixel was attempting to calculate the best way to escape, but even her advanced tech couldn’t cut through the ropes Mia had used. Master Wu sighed, hanging upside down next to the dining table. "This is... quite a unique situation."

Kai looked at his flameproof bindings and shook his head. "Who makes flameproof rope, anyway? Seriously?"

Jay wriggled in frustration. "Mia! We’re going to be here all night!"

Mia, hearing their complaints muffled through the walls, chuckled softly to herself. "They’ll figure it out," she murmured, closing her eyes again. "Eventually."

Jay, clearly not amused, yelled one last time, "I swear, Mia, this is the last time I let you near ropes!"

Mia smirked from under her covers, her voice just barely audible as she whispered, "Good luck with that, Jay."

" Oh hey guys. Why do you look like prunes?"

Jay opened an eye. " Prunes?! PRUNES?! MIA YOU LEFT US OUT HERE IN THE NIGHT!"

Mia giggles. * Don't be so dramatic. I'll get you food."

" No, you will get us off here!"

Mia paused. " Mmmm.... No."

Jay's face flushed with frustration as he struggled against the ropes. "Mia, seriously! We’ve been out here all night! My arms are numb, and Kai’s been glaring at me for hours!"

Kai, his usually cool demeanor slipping, growled under his breath. "I’m going to burn every rope in this monastery once I’m free."

Mia giggled again, not taking any of their complaints seriously. "Oh, come on, you all look fine! You’re just being a little dramatic."

Zane, still calmly hanging beside the others, raised an eyebrow. "Mia, we’ve calculated that if you don’t release us soon, hypothermia might—"

"Okay, okay!" Mia cut him off, waving her hands dismissively. "I’ll get you something to eat first, then I’ll think about letting you down."

"MIA!" Jay and Kai yelled in unison, their patience wearing thin.

Mia paused mid-step, turning back with a smirk. "Mmmm... no." She crossed her arms, her tone teasing. "I think you guys need to learn a lesson in... patience. Besides, hanging around like this builds character, right?"

"Character?!" Lloyd grunted, shifting uncomfortably. "We’re ninjas, Mia. I think we’ve got enough character."

Master Wu, still somehow serene despite the situation, cleared his throat. "Mia, perhaps you should reconsider. While this is an... interesting predicament, it might be best for everyone’s sanity if you untied us."

Mia rolled her eyes. "Fine. But I’m doing it after breakfast. Enjoy the view, everyone!"

With that, she turned and sauntered back inside, leaving the entire group to groan in unison. Jay dropped his head in defeat. "I’m never letting her anywhere near ropes again."

Kai, still glaring at the flameproof rope around his wrists, muttered, "Next time, she’s getting tied up."

" MIAAAAAAAA!*

Mia groaned. " What now?*

Blackie hopped on her chest. " You stuffed Jay into the washing machine, you tied Kai and Cole in a tree, Wu, pixel and Nya are in the dryer, and Lloyd and Zane are tied up again."

Mia groaned. " This is the fifth night ie something."

Blackie nodded. * It's fun!"

Mia thought for a second. " Yeah, it is"

Mia stretched lazily, still half-asleep as Blackie sat on her chest, tail swishing with amusement. "Fifth night in a row, huh?" she muttered, rubbing her eyes.

"Yeah, it’s becoming a regular thing," Blackie replied with a purr. "But I think Jay's getting dizzy in the washing machine. Might want to check on that."

Mia giggled softly. "Well, I didn’t think they’d be so easy to mess with."

"They are ninjas," Blackie added, hopping off her chest to curl up on the bed. "But clearly, they’re not great with ropes... or appliances."

Mia smirked, contemplating her next move. "It is kinda fun, though. Maybe I should just leave them like that for a while. They might learn a thing or two about escaping."

"You might get in trouble for it," Blackie teased.

"Trouble? Pfft. They’ll be fine. Kai can probably burn his way out of the tree, and Wu... well, he’s a wise old man. He’ll figure something out in the dryer." She swung her legs off the bed, feeling a wave of mischief.

"Or, I could go get some popcorn and watch them struggle for a bit. That’s always entertaining."

"MIAAAA!" Jay’s muffled scream came from the other room, probably still spinning in the washing machine.

Mia grinned wickedly. "Yeah, I think I’ll grab some popcorn." She stood up and stretched. "I’ll let them out eventually... maybe."

Blackie’s green eyes gleamed with approval. "You’re evil."

Mia shrugged, making her way toward the kitchen. "Nah, just creative."

Mia grabbed a bowl of popcorn, each kernel popping and crackling as she strolled back into the living room. Her grin widened as she saw the chaos she had orchestrated the night before.

Master Wu, Pixel, and Nya were stuck in the dryer, their faces pressed against the glass door. The rhythmic tumbling motion made them look even more ridiculous. Jay, still trapped in the washing machine, occasionally let out groans as he spun slowly, his cheek squished awkwardly against the door.

Mia plopped down on the couch, crossing her legs as she popped a piece of popcorn into her mouth. “Y’know, you guys really should learn to escape these things. Ninjas, huh?” She giggled to herself.

Jay, dizzy and clearly irritated, tried to shout through the glass, but all that came out was a garbled noise. His face was priceless—red and frustrated but unable to do anything about his predicament.

Mia couldn’t resist. “Jay, you’re looking a little… washed out.”

Jay’s eye twitched.

She turned her attention to the dryer. Wu, Nya, and Pixel had resigned themselves to their fate, sitting cross-legged as they tumbled in slow motion. “You guys okay in there? Need anything? Water, perhaps?”

Wu, his long beard tangled from the spin cycle, simply raised an eyebrow. Nya gave her a death glare while Pixel tried to maintain her composure.

“Oh, don’t look at me like that, Nya. It’s not my fault you guys can’t handle a bit of rope.” Mia threw another piece of popcorn into her mouth, savoring the moment.

Outside, she could hear muffled groans from Kai and Cole, who were tied up in a tree. She sauntered over to the window and saw them dangling from branches, arms bound with ropes. “Hey, Cole! Kai! How’s it hanging?”

Kai groaned. “Mia, seriously? You’re leaving us here?”

Cole just sighed, clearly too tired to argue.

Mia laughed, swirling the wind around her fingers playfully. “Relax, you guys. You’re ninjas. You’ll figure it out.” She turned and focused on Lloyd and Zane, who were dangling from the ceiling, tied up in more of her expertly crafted knots.

With a flick of her wrist, she summoned her elemental wind power, gently swinging them back and forth like pendulums. "Wheee, look at you guys go. Isn’t this fun?"

Lloyd’s face flushed red as he hung upside down. “Mia, let us down already! This is embarrassing.”

“Maybe later,” Mia replied with a smirk. “I’m kinda enjoying the show.”

Zane, ever the calm one, merely sighed. “This is highly inefficient.”

“You’re all just lucky I didn’t tie myself up in the tree and make you find a way to rescue me," Mia teased, leaning back in her chair with a satisfied grin. "But, hey, if you need a bit more wind to untie yourselves, just let me know. I’ve got plenty to spare."

“MIAAAA!” Jay’s voice echoed, still trapped in the washing machine.

Mia giggled, watching her handiwork with delight. "I really am the best at this." She popped another piece of popcorn into her mouth and settled in for what was, to her, a very entertaining afternoon.

In the quiet of the night, Blackie hopped onto Mia’s bed, his fur slightly ruffled. He pawed at her face insistently.

“Mia, wake up!” he meowed urgently. “You put Master Wu in the oven!”

Mia stirred, blinking against the dim light. “What?! I did what?” She shot up, her heart racing. “That’s ridiculous! Why would I—”

“Because you did! And now he’s in there yelling!” Blackie’s eyes were wide, a mix of concern and amusement.

Mia scrambled out of bed, her mind racing. “You’ve got to be kidding me!” She rushed into the kitchen, her heart pounding in her chest. As she approached the oven, she could hear muffled voices coming from inside.

“Mia! Get me out of here! This is highly inappropriate!” Master Wu’s voice was filled with exasperation.

Mia threw the oven door open, and a wave of heat hit her face. Inside, Master Wu was indeed crammed into the oven, looking rather disgruntled. “What were you thinking?” he asked, trying to maintain his dignity despite the absurdity of the situation.

“I wasn’t thinking! I thought I was just—” She stammered, cheeks flushing. “Wait, why are you in there?”

“I was trying to avoid getting tied up with the others, but you seem to have taken it to another level!” he exclaimed, his patience wearing thin.

Blackie snickered beside her, clearly enjoying the scene. “See? I told you it was a bad idea!”

Mia reached in and helped Master Wu out of the oven, his robes slightly singed. “I’m so sorry! I didn’t mean to—”

“Clearly!” he snapped, brushing off the flour that had settled on him. “Next time, maybe keep your antics to a minimum?”

Mia bit her lip to suppress a laugh. “I’ll try, but no promises. You know how it goes.”

Wu sighed, shaking his head. “Let’s just hope there aren’t any more surprises tonight.”

“Agreed,” Blackie said, tail flicking with mischief. “But let’s be honest—this is the best night ever!”

Mia grinned at her cat. “Okay, fine, it was pretty funny. But now what do we do with the oven?”

Wu crossed his arms, trying to look stern but failing to hide a small smile. “I suppose I’ll have to teach you how to properly use it next time.”

Mia laughed, the tension breaking. “Deal! Just don’t let me lock you in it again.”