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The problem began, as many problems in the Monastery did, with Jay touching something he was explicitly told not to touch.
“Jay,” Kai said, arms crossed, glaring across the kitchen, “do not open the fridge.”
Jay froze, hand hovering an inch from the handle. “Okay but—counterpoint—what if there’s food in there?”
“There is always food in there,” Cole said from the table, already eating something that looked like it had been fried, baked, and punched all at once. “That’s what fridges do.”
Jay squinted. “But what if Sensei Wu hid something secret in there? Like… a mystical artifact. Or leftovers.”
Lloyd looked up from his book. “Leftovers are not mystical.”
“You say that,” Jay replied, “but you’ve never experienced cold pizza at 3 a.m.”
“Jay,” Zane said calmly, “Sensei Wu specifically instructed us not to open the refrigerator until after training.”
Jay gasped. “Wow, Zane. Betrayed by logic and tone.”
Before anyone could stop him, Jay yanked the fridge open.
Nothing exploded.
Everyone waited.
Jay leaned inside, frowning. “Huh. That’s… weird.”
Kai stepped closer. “What’s weird?”
“The fridge,” Jay said slowly. “It’s… bigger on the inside.”
Cole blinked. “Jay, I swear, if this is another one of your—”
Jay stepped fully into the fridge.
And vanished.
There was a long silence.
Kai slammed the fridge door shut, then opened it again.
Jay was gone.
“…Okay,” Kai said. “I am officially concerned.”
“THIS IS AWESOME,” Jay’s voice echoed from somewhere inside the fridge.
Lloyd leaned in cautiously. “Jay? Where are you?”
“I don’t know!” Jay shouted. “But there’s snow! And stairs! And—oh cool, is that a penguin?”
Zane’s eyes widened slightly. “That is… highly unusual.”
Cole cracked his knuckles. “Alright. Field trip.”
One by one, the ninja climbed into the fridge.
The door slammed shut behind them.
They landed in a massive frozen hallway, carved entirely from ice. Frost sparkled on the walls. A suspiciously regal-looking penguin waddled past wearing a tiny crown.
Kai stared. “Why is there a penguin king in our fridge?”
A booming voice echoed through the hall.
“WHO DARES ENTER THE FROZEN REALM OF LEFTOVERDOM?”
Jay raised his hand. “Uh, hi. Question. Are you the reason my pizza keeps disappearing?”
A giant figure emerged—an ice sorcerer wearing a cape made of frozen lasagna.
“I AM THE FREEZER SPIRIT,” the sorcerer declared. “GUARDIAN OF ALL ABANDONED FOOD.”
Cole’s eyes lit up. “You mean… all leftovers?”
“Yes,” the Freezer Spirit said proudly. “SOUP FROM THREE WEEKS AGO. CAKE SOMEONE ‘SAVED FOR LATER.’ VEGETABLES THAT WERE BOUGHT WITH GOOD INTENTIONS.”
Jay wiped away a tear. “He’s beautiful.”
Kai stepped forward. “Okay, Freezer Guy. We just want our fridge back to normal.”
The spirit gasped. “NORMAL?! YOU WOULD CONDEMN THESE MEALS TO SPOILAGE?! NEVER!”
He raised his staff, and suddenly the hallway flooded with animated food.
Frozen burritos rolled toward them like boulders. Popsicles launched themselves like missiles.
“WHY IS THE PEAS MOVING?” Lloyd yelled.
“THEY’RE ANGRY,” Cole replied, punting a bag of frozen peas across the room.
Zane activated his powers, freezing the frozen food even more. “This seems redundant.”
Jay zipped around, dodging flying waffles. “I regret nothing but also everything!”
Kai launched a fireball, instantly turning an ice wall into steam. “Jay! Fix this!”
Jay skidded to a stop. “Me? I didn’t create the magical leftover dimension!”
The Freezer Spirit pointed dramatically. “YOU OPENED THE DOOR.”
Everyone turned slowly to stare at Jay.
“…Okay, in my defense,” Jay said, “I’m curious by nature.”
Lloyd stepped forward, glowing faintly with green energy. “What if we promise not to waste food anymore?”
The Freezer Spirit hesitated. “YOU… WOULD EAT YOUR LEFTOVERS?”
Cole nodded solemnly. “Every last bite.”
Kai crossed his fingers behind his back.
Jay saluted. “I will personally finish any pizza within a 24-hour period.”
The spirit considered this. Then, with a dramatic sigh, he lowered his staff. “VERY WELL. BUT IF YOU FAIL…”
The fridge world began to shake.
“…I WILL RELEASE THE TUPPERWARE OF DOOM.”
“Nope,” Kai said immediately. “Deal accepted.”
They tumbled back into the kitchen, landing in a heap as the fridge door popped open and shut behind them.
Everything was normal.
No ice. No penguins. No sentient waffles.
Sensei Wu walked in, holding a teacup. “Ah. I see you opened the refrigerator.”
Everyone froze.
Wu smiled gently. “Good. Dinner is ready. And remember—waste not.”
Jay looked at the fridge, then at the others. “…So, uh. Anyone want leftovers?”
Cole already had the door open. “Yes.”
Kai sighed. “I hate that this is our life.”
From deep inside the fridge, something ominous rattled.
Jay slammed the door shut.
“…Tomorrow,” he said. “We eat the leftovers tomorrow.”