Jaya Week 2024

day 3: our distance and that person

It’s been 143 days since she last went outside.

143 days since she last sparred with someone.

143 days since the disease spread to within the city’s borders.

She stands up from her desk, trying to stretch out her aching hands. She’s been sitting here, typing, for the past… three hours? Four? They’re all blurring together.

Powering down her computer, she picks up a mask from the box by her bedroom door. Zane put them there, insisting that if the ninja were to leave their designated spaces, they were required to wear a mask.

She hooks the mask over her ears. Bends the wire to her nose. Pull out the folds. It’s habit at this point, improving the effectiveness and comfort of the mask. She takes a deep breath through the papery fabric and opens the door, doing a quick check to see if anyone else is in the hallway.

There’s no one.

She shoots out a quick text to the monastery group chat.

Nya: anyone using the training room rn?

Everyone answers quickly.

Kai: nope, might join u in a bit tho
Zane: Not at the moment.
Cole: nah i trained earlier, all yours
Pixal: I concur.

She waits.

Jay: just finished in there, sprayed everything down w disinfectant js in case. be safe as always 💙

A small smile creeps onto her face. She decides to text him directly. 

Nya: can we watch a movie together later? i miss you.

His reply is swift- 

   Jay: ofc!! does ten work? I can make popcorn :)

She pumps her fist with joy. None of them have been outside unmasked in months, but for safety purposes, they still usually keep their distance from each other. Especially after missions, no one is allowed to have physical contact with anyone except Zane or Pixal for at least a week afterwards. The rules for Jay, Kai and Nya are a little looser, but Kai and Nya got back from a small mission a little over a week ago, and they were both pronounced clean just yesterday evening. 

She pulls her brain back into the present, walking down the hall to the training room. She pulls two strips of fabric out of the pocket of her leggings and starts wrapping her knuckles. She’s gotten better at doing this herself- she had to, usually she would ask Jay to help her a bit- but the wrap on the right side isn’t as tight as she’d like it.

She grits her teeth. That’s gonna piss me off.
No use rewrapping, she’s already through the door and can definitely work through the uncomfortable feeling.

Right? Right.

She does a couple of stretches, trying to loosen the wrap on her left hand and make it even.

Popping her earbuds out of their case, she opens a news podcast on her phone and hits play. The familiar jingle of the podcast intro plays in her ears as she starts with a few laps around the room, punching the dummies as she goes.

“Gooood morning Ninjago! Dan here-” 

“And Pete,” a second voice cuts in.

“And Pete,” Dan agrees, “with your daily update on the goings-on in the great continent of Ninjago!”

They launch into a feature about the upcoming election, give some upbeat praise to an animal shelter in the Sea of Sands, and finally reach the point of the podcast where they update about the disease.