CH 1 - BABY SHARK!

Author's Note: If you haven't seen the Baby Shark music video for kids on YouTube, just go do so. It's absolutely precious and vital to understanding this chapter. (The order of sharks is a little different here, but I didn't think it was important enough to change anything.)

Dedicated to Sunny Lighter, whose original idea it was that Lloyd and Garmadon were (are) Baby Shark fans.

~~ ! Go Ninja Go ! ~~

Zane was astounded. Absolutely speechless in wonder and delight. He'd never imagined such an incredible find on searching the volcano's intranet.

Lloyd had given his friends the WiFi code without even being asked, and Garmadon himself gave them the intranet code, literally telling them to have fun exploring and that, to quote, "There's some great stuff on there!"

Including a stockpile of adorable baby videos of Lloyd.

Which included one with Lloyd, probably about four years old, dressed in a shark costume. Dancing along to the Baby Shark song.

"This is the greatest thing ever," murmured Zane aloud, a helpless smile beginning to curl his lips.

"Whatcha watching, Zane?" asked Jay, from in front of his own laptop. It was hard to know what Zane was looking at online at any point in time, but his friends recognized the way his eyes would flicker when he was connected, and sometimes his expression was a dead giveaway that he was looking up jokes or memes instead of doing homework.

Instead of explaining, Zane gestured at Lloyd's TV, which was also connected to the intranet, so he was easily able to pull the video up on the screen.

~Ba-by Shark, do do do do do do ~

Baby Lloyd was the most adorable thing in his little shark costume, green eyes absolutely sparkling as he danced and sang along, swinging from side to side in time with the music.

"First. Spinjitzu. Master," gasped Jay, eyes widening.

"What are you guys watching?" asked Cole, having come back from the kitchen with snacks. "Wait, is that-!"

Garmadon had joined Lloyd in his own shark costume on the screen as "Daddy Shark", though his costume had a blue tie on. His deep voice cheerfully joined his son's as they sang along with the track.

Zane, Cole, and Jay couldn't even laugh. It was just too adorable. They could only stare, minds blown, uncontrollable smiles growing on their faces.

Nya and Kai returned at the sound of the familiar children's song to see what the others were up to, and barely got past the doorway before they froze too.

Right on time for Mommy Shark, starring the great white Maude. In a curly brown wig and an apron. With Lloyd and Garmadon still dancing in front of the underwater viewing area for the shark area. Obviously she couldn't actually do the arm movements, but it really looked like she was trying her best.

Too soon to fully process what was before their eyes, Garfield, the second of the three great whites, had joined in as Grampa Shark, with a short white wig and glasses somehow secured to his head.

Lloyd came back into the room then, and was immediately pinned by Kai in a hug with Nya covering his mouth to block any protests. They HAD to see this to the end, and both were blind and deaf to their adopted bro's squirming and muffled shouts.

Zane turned up the volume.

It shouldn't have been a surprise to see Donatello, the last of Lloyd's precious great whites, as Grandma Shark. Complete in curly gray wig and also with glasses.

A muffled groan came from Lloyd as he resigned himself to this torture as the end of the video played through. Even to a couple seconds after the song with his baby (shark) self screaming in joy and thanking his daddy and his sharks for doing such an awesome job.

The screen went dark as the video minimized to the corner.

"Best. Video. Ever," whispered Cole, dark eyes huge and glittering. Enormous smile taking up half his face.

"Sooooo cute!" gasped Nya, breathless.

"That was awesome," murmured Kai. "How has this never been shared outside the volcano before?"

"Don't even think about it!" cried out Lloyd, momentarily breaking away from the twins and lunging for the TV. Only to be dog-piled by all five of his determined friends, who desperately needed more of this adorable goodness in their lives.

Zane hit replay.

It would be many. Many. Replays later that Lloyd was finally freed. And only after the others had all downloaded the video to their own devices.

And after Garmadon had joined the group and happily danced along to the video. Lloyd did not deign to join him, despite much cajoling. Though at least his dad seemed to finally bring his fascinated friends back to Ninjago and out of their Baby Shark marathon.

"Hey, it's part of a playlist!" exclaimed Zane, oblivious to Lloyd's horrified expression. "Next up, Shark Cam! episode one."

"Oh, that's the best one!" boomed Garmadon.

"Put it on already!" squealed Nya in absolute delight.

"I'm gonna die," despaired Lloyd. "I am literally going to curl up and die. Right now."

Everyone ignored him, too rapt on the opening scene to some sort of gameshow, with Garmadon and a tiny Lloyd around maybe eight years old sitting at a desk with a big red button...