Chapter 3: Stick around for "the talk"

Lloyd sat next to the older version of Scarlet, trying to find a good way to tell her what happened. "I didn't mean…I'm sorry that I…I had no idea you…" he sighed. "You should've ran off with your friends when you had the chance. I swear, I didn't mean to…" he pulled her into a tight hug and rested his head on her shoulder as she hugged back with her usual gentle hands.

"Uh…It's okay. Can you tell me what exactly you didn't mean to do?" she pulled away, giving him one of her cute lopsided smiles.

His eyes shot down and focused on the pattern of the bed sheets as he explained…Everything. He explained everything that happened after he was kicked out, how he built a tree house which soon fell apart, how Pythor betrayed him and took the map, how he was kidnapped, how he found out he was The Green Ninja, etc. "And then I found you lying unconscious." He concluded, still looking down.

Scarlet sat silent for a moment, but then a smile spread across her face. "Is that what you're stressing over? Lloyd, you practically saved me! I hated being a kid, now nobody can push me around!" She nudged him in the shoulder and made him look up. "Plus…Now that we're older, we can date, right?"

A light pink color took over Lloyd's cheeks. "Yeah…" he nodded.

"This is so awesome," Scarlet looked down at her clothes. "Uh…Do you have some clothes I can borrow? These are kinda' tight…"

He smiled, feeling better that she didn't really care for her childhood. "Sure, come with me." He took her hand and she stood. She was led out of the room and into a hallway.

"So, where are we?" she asked, giving his hand a light squeeze as her eyes scanned everything carefully.

"We like to call it Destiny's Bounty," They stopped in front of dining room door and he reached forward to slide it open.

The four other ninja, Nya and Sensei Wu all sat together at the table, eating breakfast. Scarlet hid behind Lloyd slightly, she would be shy sometimes. "Guys, this is Scarlet, Scarlet this is Kai, that's Jay, Cole, Zane, Nya, Kai's sister and my Uncle Wu."

She gave a small wave. "Hi,"

"Nya, can you lend her some clothes?"

Nya nodded and stood. "C'mon, I've got a few things that'll fit you." She pulled on Scarlet's arm, tearing her away from Lloyd's hand.

Lloyd looked at the ninja, who were returning his look with smirks. "What?"

"Lloyd, where exactly are you with this Scarlet chick?" Cole put his hand on his shoulder.

"We're best friends," "I hope we'll be more soon though…" he thought.

Kai sucked in air through his teeth to express fake pain. "Stuck in the friend zone, huh?"

"Friend zone?" he turned to everyone. "What's that?"

Jay changed his face into a grim expression as if someone had just died. "It's a cold, empty, torturing place that's hard to break out of. I was stuck in there with Nya for months, until I asked her out." Lloyd's widened a bit in fear.

"Quit scaring the kid," Cole scolded. "Lloyd, the friend zone is the place a girl puts you when she thinks of you as a friend, not a boyfriend. For example, Zane and I are in the friend zone with Nya. Jay isn't because he's her boyfriend."

"So…I'm in the friend zone with Scarlet?"

"If you're both calling each other my best friend, then yes," Jay nodded.

Zane cocked his head to one side. "I believe being in the friend zone is not as unpleasant as you all describe; if Lloyd wishes for a sexual relationship with Scarlet he should ask."

That earned the nindroid a slap on the back of the head from Cole. "Dude, he may be in a seventeen year old body, but he's still, like eleven why would he be in that type of relationship?"

Lloyd raised his hand to stop everyone from talking. "Can someone tell me what sexual means?"

All four ninja's faces turned bright red. "Sensei Wu can tell-" Kai stopped when he saw the old man had left, leaving them to give the sex talk. "Damn it…"

Cole sighed and sat Lloyd down. "Dude, we've been lying to you for the past few months, babies don't come from pumpkin seeds."

"Well, where do they come from?"

Kai, Jay and Zane surrounded Lloyd too and sighed. "Let's start with what the word sex means." Kai began.

Meanwhile…

Nya handed Scarlet a few articles of clothing which she happily changed into; a red hoodie, brown capris and red & white high tops. "So, how do you know Lloyd?" Nya asked as Scarlet brushed her hair on her own.

"He's my best friend…And my first kiss." She added, smiling.

"That's so cute,"

"Thanks, I really-" she couldn't finish because there was shouting coming from the dining room.

"THAT'S DISGUISTING!" Lloyd could've been heard by half of Ninjago.

Both girls looked at each other, before walking out of the room to go and see what had happened.

With the five ninja (including Lloyd of course)…

"People do that?!" Lloyd continued to freak out. "W-why…T-that's…Dude, you guys are messing with me, right? Right?! Please tell me babies come from pumpkin seeds!"

(A/N: That was how I reacted when I first found out where babies come from). "Lloyd, calm down, it's just the natural laws." Zane tried to cool The Green Ninja down.

"Natural laws my BUTT! That stuff is sick! Why would a guy…W-what…Sick I tell you! SICK!"

"I know it sounds gross, Lloyd but trust me it's not-" Cole's attempts did nothing.

"Are you all trying to scar me for life?! I mean seriously! Going into detail was going way too far! Why couldn't babies just come from pumpkin seeds?" Lloyd's face twisted in disgust and confusion. "So, if you have a girlfriend do you have to...?"

"No!" All boys said quickly. "Do not do that to a girl until you're married." Jay scolded.

"But what if the girl wants me-"

"Not until you're married!" Cole repeated louder.

"What are you guys talking about?" Scarlet asked as her and Nya walked into the room.

All boys except Lloyd and Zane cleared their throat. "Uh…Just…uh…Hm…" Kai trailed off.

"We were talking about how a human offspring is created when two humans-"

A hand flew right onto the nindroid's mouth to shut him up. "We were talking about pumpkin seeds." Cole growled through his teeth.

Scarlet shrugged it off. "Look, I'd love to stay, seriously, but my parents are probably worried I didn't come home and I might have to explain a lot of stuff so-"

"Wait!" Lloyd grabbed her arm before she could walk away. "Uh…We could…get the falcon to send a message to your parents, if you, uh stick around…"

She gave him a lopsided smile, but was truly confused. "What falcon?"

Zane blinked and his eyes turned icy blue, a few seconds later a black falcon flew into the room and landed on his arm. "Tell me when you are ready to send your message."

She nodded. "Sure, but for now…" she slapped Lloyd's back playfully, "I wanna' hang out with my best friend!"

Lloyd smiled, but inside he was twitching with anger and sadness. He was in the friend zone. That wouldn't be enough to keep Scarlet around, so he'd find a good reason for her to stick around for a while. "I'll be right back," he said, walking off to find his Uncle Wu. The old man would have a good reason for Scarlet to stay…Hopefully.