Lloyd sat on the couch, browsing the internet semi-mindlessly. He clicked a video and laughed a bit at the first advertisement, one for action figures of him and the other ninja, then clicked the skip. He was about to skip the next ad too, but paused. This ad was for an online university, bragging about flexible hours and low payments and insistent about the importance of an education.
Lloyd watched it for a while, then clicked past it to his video, not thinking anything of it. But a few days later he found himself researching online schooling options. The other ninja had worked pretty hard to educate him when he first came to live with them, Lloyd remembered, but it had kind of gone out the window the closer they got to the battle against Garmadon and the Overlord, then once the battle was over no one had really ever thought to keep going, Lloyd included.
He ran into an article about getting a GED, which he remembered Nya studying for a while back. He read the article. Down at the bottom there were some links to websites you could use to study, as well as schedule a test. Lloyd clicked one.
A few months later, Lloyd stood up at the dinner table. "So, I have an announcement to make," he said with a deep breath, "A few weeks ago, I took my GED test," he held up the letter he'd received, "And I passed."
Everyone cheered. Emboldened, Lloyd pressed on.
"I am also now enrolled to start the spring semester at Ninjago Online University," Kai got up to ruffle Lloyd's hair and he batted Kai away as he continued, "If I work hard they think I could get my associates degree in a year, then move on to my bachelors."
"Have you decided what you're majoring in yet?" Nya asked.
"Not yet," Lloyd admitted.
Sensei Wu came up and put a hand on Lloyd's shoulder. "I'm very proud of you, Lloyd," Wu told him.
"I'd say this calls for a celebration!" Jay cheered, "Hey Zane, do we have any ice cream?"
"We do," Zane smiled, "And cookies. No cake though, sorry Cole."
Cole groaned good-naturedly but went to help Zane carry the ice cream buckets.
"Thanks everyone," Lloyd smiled bashfully, "I'll try not to let you all down."
"Not gonna happen," Nya told him as Kai swung an arm around his shoulders, "Now come on! It's your party!"
"I'm coming, I'm coming," Lloyd laughed.