Good Morning

Fever

Nya wakes up with a scratchy throat and a hazy feeling of sluggishness, but she ignores it. There are too many important things to do today besides training, and Ninjago isn't going to save itself.

She finds Zane in the kitchen, already making breakfast. It seems as if he doesn't sleep anymore, and she wonders why he hasn't taken up the offer of the extra room.

"Good morning, Nya," Zane says in greeting. "I trust that you have been sleeping well?"

"Yeah, I slept really good actually," she answers truthfully.

"That is good to hear."

"How about you? You seem to be up early."

"I am usually an early riser. I prefer to get up and start the day as soon as possible."

"It's not a bad thing," she defends. "You've been working hard lately, and you need your sleep."

"I agree with you. And I know that you have been working hard as well."

"I'm pretty sure everyone's been working hard," she says.

"Yes, but you have been working more than the rest of us."

She opens her mouth, then closes it again. She knows that he's right, but she doesn't like to admit that she needs to take breaks. It's always been her job to protect. That's what she does. But maybe she could use a little help from her friends.

"I guess I have been working a lot more," she agrees. She grabs a piece of toast from the countertop of food that Zane is preparing and heads out the door towards the courtyard.

The other ninja are already training outside, and she joins them. Kai is swinging his swords at the air, Cole is lifting heavy rocks, and Jay is shooting lightning bolts at random targets. She notices that Zane has arrived too, and she goes to join them as well.

But when she reaches the center of the courtyard, she feels dizzy. Her headache spikes and her stomach rolls in nausea, but she pushes through the discomfort and attacks the dummy with her staff.

"Nya, you seem unwell," Zane comments. "Are you feeling alright?"

She turns to face him, panting for breath. "I'm fine, just tired."

"You should go get some rest," he insists.

"I don't need rest," she snaps. "I can do this."

"You do need rest," he insists again. "If you continue to push yourself, you will become ill."

"I'm fine, I-" She starts to argue but instead stops herself. She puts her staff away and looks down at the ground. "I'm going to get some water," she announces before leaving.

She finds herself in the kitchen, gulping down water straight from the faucet. She's feeling much better now, but the exhaustion is still present. She doesn't want to admit it, but she needs to take a break.

She hears the door open and closes her eyes. She hopes that it's Kai or Cole who come in, not Zane. She doesn't want to admit how sick she is to him. She's not weak, she's not. She's Nya, she's the Cyan Ninja, she's the Master of Water. She's strong, she can do this.

"Nya, are you alright?"

She opens her eyes. It's Zane.

"I'm fine," she lies. "Just tired."

"I know that you are tired," he says. "But you cannot continue to push yourself like this."

"I don't need to be coddled."

"I am not trying to coddle you. I am simply telling you that you need to take care of yourself."

She sighs, knowing that he's right. "I guess I could use a break," she agrees.