Author's Note: Y'all seriously have no idea how much trouble this chapter gave me.

"Lloyd?" P.I.X.A.L. asked.

"Yes?" Lloyd put down his book and looked at the nindroid.

"How much mechanical engineering do you understand?"

"Practically none. You might want to ask Jay or Nya once they're done with their punishment."

"How much longer will they be?"

Lloyd shrugged. Wu was furious with them and had ordered them to do fifty laps up and down the mountain as punishment with Lloyd counting.

"I think it is something you should learn," P.I.X.A.L. said.

"Why? Between you, Zane, Nya, and Jay, everything here runs smoothly. And I can't think of any other reason why I would need to know that stuff. It's not like I'm going to quit being a ninja to go work for Borg."

P.I.X.A.L. was about to say something but was interrupted when they heard gasping coming up the mountain. The pair watched as the four ninja forced themselves up the last few steps and pulled themselves over to Lloyd's chair in the middle of the courtyard.

"We're at… Tell me… we're at… fifty." Kai grabbed his knees and tried to catch his breath.

"Close. You're at five. Now get moving before Wu sees you." Lloyd herded them back towards the stairs.

"You're killing us!" Nya complained.

"You're the ones who tried to steal the Realm Crystal. Now go."

"Can't you tell Wu we're done?" Jay asked.

"No. Just be grateful you're allowed to use the stairs," Lloyd said.

Everyone groaned as they trudged over to the stairs.

"Fifty laps seems excessive," P.I.X.A.L. said once the team was gone.

"Well, punishments aren't supposed to be fun, and Wu feels it is sufficient so who am I to argue?" Lloyd picked his book back up.

"Shouldn't they be learning Spinjitzu?"

"We've tried to teach them. I think the problem is they're far too undisciplined to learn. They keep going on about their mechs, and yeah mechs can be useful, but they shouldn't be the only tool you use. Besides, I finally have a chance to read the latest Starfarer comic."

"I have never understood the appeal of comic books."

Lloyd rolled his eyes and turned the page. Wu came out and looked at him.

"Lloyd, why are you not training?"

"You told me to count their laps!" Lloyd protested.

"And what part of that involves lounging around reading comic books?" Wu crossed his arms.

Lloyd glared at his uncle as he put his book down and grabbed a sword. He swung it around a few times. Wu watched him for a few minutes until he was satisfied and headed back inside. A minute after the door closed, Lloyd put the sword down and went back to his comic book.

"You are not training?" P.I.X.A.L. asked.

"Nope. And as long as you don't mention anything to Wu, everything will be fine."

P.I.X.A.L. stared at Lloyd for a minute before heading back inside. Lloyd really didn't care anymore. About forty minutes later, he heard the group coming back up the mountain. He watched as they trudged over to him.

"Good job. You're at six," Lloyd said as he handed them cups of water.

"We're never going to finish this," Jay whined.

"Sure you will. You just have to keep moving."

"I don't think I can keep moving." Kai was on the ground. He looked like he was about to fall asleep.

"Seriously, how did you ever survive training back in your world?"

"Training? This isn't training. It's torture!" Cole said.

"No, this is easy compared to some of the punishments I've endured."

"I seriously doubt that," Nya snapped.

"A few months ago, Cole had to go to a wedding one weekend. While he was away, the guys and I decided to take his Earth Driller into Ninjago City. On the way back, we ran out of gas and were trapped underground for almost a whole day. Cole had to leave the wedding early and come rescue us. As punishment, Wu made us pull him back to the monastery in the carriage, and when we got back it was time for Sunrise Stretches. He would not let us skip them. After breakfast, we had to clean out the Driller because Jay peed in it. Once that was done, we had to beg for Cole's forgiveness. So, yes, fifty laps up and down the mountain is one of his easier punishments. It's right up there with training all day with no break."

"You were trapped underground?" Kai asked.

"Yes. Actually, the hardest part of that was earning Cole's forgiveness. We were sure he was going to kill us."

Everyone turned to look at Cole, who was leaning against the wall. He just shrugged.

"Cole is usually pretty laid back as long as you don't touch his stuff. Then you're on your own," Lloyd explained.

Just then, Lloyd's phone beeped. He took it out and looked at it.

"Ah. Time to feed the prisoners. Keep going, guys. At this rate, maybe you'll be done before sunrise tomorrow."

Lloyd ignored the groans as he headed inside. He wandered into the kitchen where his mom was preparing some sandwiches.

"Are they almost done?" Misako asked.

"Nope. They still have forty-four more laps to go," Lloyd said as he put two sandwiches onto a tray.

"They've been out there all morning and have only done six laps?!"

"Yes."

"I didn't realize they were that out of shape."

"They rely on mechs. We don't. I don't know how to get that through their heads."

"I'm sure you'll think of something. Krux and Acronix are probably hungry."

"I know." Lloyd picked up the tray and headed towards the laundry room. They still had no clue what to do with the twins. Kryptarium Prison was an option, but no one was confident that the pair wouldn't figure out a way to break out. A time vortex required finding the Time Blades, and even that wasn't a guarantee. So for the time being they stayed chained up in the laundry room.

When Lloyd opened up the door to the laundry room, he was shocked to find it empty. He set the tray down on the washer and looked around. They weren't hiding anywhere, but he also didn't see their chains on the floor. Lloyd ran across the hall to Wu's room and knocked.

"Yes, Lloyd?" Wu asked when he opened the door.

"Did you move Krux and Acronix somewhere?"

"No. They aren't in there?"

"No!"

The pair ran back into the laundry room and looked around again. The window was still locked. Wu checked the windows of the other rooms while Lloyd ran back outside. The four ninja were still in the courtyard.

"What's going on?" Nya asked.

"Krux and Acronix have escaped!"