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While all the ninja had suffered trauma because of their unfortunate jobs, Lloyd in particular had lived a harsh life. He was the youngest of the six, but forced to be a leader when Wu wasn’t around.
And that’s why Kai thought it was a good idea to give him a baby panda.
It was supposed to be a surprise, so he made sure Lloyd wasn’t around when he showed the gift to the other ninja first. Their initial reaction… wasn’t the best.
“Whose permission did you get before buying a panda again?” Cole asked.
“No one’s. I’m old enough to make my own choices.”
Jay looked at the basket Kai was holding, the panda poking his head out of it and staring at everyone. “And why was it a panda in specific?”
“I think he’ll find it cute.”
Even Nya, who Kai thought would love the panda, had a look of disgust on her face. “Why couldn’t you get, I don’t know, a kitten?”
“Why can’t you all mind your own businesses?”
“BECAUSE YOU BROUGHT A PANDA ON THE BOUNTY!?”
“Shhhh!” Kai snapped. “We don’t want Lloyd finding out.”
Just then, the panda found an escape route and tumbled out of the basket. It fell on the floor, thankfully uninjured, and sneezed.
That sneeze held the power to switch everyone else’s moods.
“Wait, I didn’t know he was this tiny!” Nya said, picking up the panda like a baby and running her fingers over its stomach. “Are pandas ticklish?”
As if to answer her question, the panda started squealing and squirming, which melted everyone’s hearts.
“I want to hold him now!” Cole demanded.
“Me too!”
“According to my calculations, it is totally safe and normal to keep a baby panda as a pet…”
The ninja kept arguing over who would hold the panda next until Kai snatched it from his sister.
“This is a gift from me to Lloyd. You’ll have to ask him for permission when he receives the gift.”
Kai put the panda back in the basket and went looking for Lloyd.
“Lloyd? Where are you?”
“Hey, Kai,” Lloyd said, waking out of the bathroom. “Do you need me?”
Kai handed him the basket and smiled. “I got you a present.”
Lloyd saw something poking out of the basket and lifted the lid– to see a baby panda. He immediately pulled it out and held it in his arms just like Nya did.
“A baby panda? Is this a prank?”
“Nope. It’s all yours. It’s what you get for being an amazing brother.”
Lloyd set the panda on the floor and crushed Kai in a tight hug.
“I love you…” he mumbled.
***
“Please, Lloyd?”
“NO!”
“What’s all this about?” Kai asks, walking towards Lloyd’s room. He and Nya were there, clearly having an argument.
“Nya wants to take Cuddles to Steeper Wisdom.”
Kai sighed. “You know Sensei has a no pets policy, right?”
“Yeah, but he’ll let Cuddles in cause I’ll be bringing him in and I’m not a customer!”
Lloyd groaned. “Fine. But you owe me twenty bucks.”
Nya smirked. “Deal.”
***
“NO! I NEED ONE THOUSAND BUCKS!”
Two hours later, Cuddles had been sent to a zoo, since he created such a mess at Wu’s tea shop. He literally turned into a monster and destroyed the place. Once a tea with reversing effects was forced into the animal, it was taken away, never to be seen again.
“I’ll give you the rest later! I don’t even have that much–”
“NOW!”
“On second thought,” Kai told the remaining ninja. “Maybe I should have bought a kitten.”