Ninjago

Scene: The Monastery Courtyard, Midday, Summer

The sun hangs over the monastery, bathing the stone walls in a warm gold. The air shimmers with the heat, and even the usually tireless ninjas move at half speed, letting the summer lethargy take hold.

Lloyd sits cross-legged beneath a tall pine tree, his emerald gi slightly damp with sweat. His eyes gleam with a golden light as he watches a dragon-shaped cloud drift lazily across the sky. Beside him, the Heart Flame katana rests on the ground, untouched for the first time in days.

Kai stretches out on the sun-baked stones, setting aside the twin-flame katanas. He fans himself with a scroll, muttering, "Too hot even for a real firestorm..." A lazy grin spreads across his sunburned face as he watches Jay chase a small butterfly in erratic zigzags, chuckling at his own clumsiness.

Jay, his hair crackling slightly with static, has abandoned any attempt at discipline. His blue gi clings to his body, and he crouches over a small contraption he fashioned from bamboo scraps and string. "I call it... the Butterfly Zaptron! Zero damage guaranteed, maximum chaos." He jumps back as a beam of harmless sparks arcs between his fingers, narrowly missing Zane.

Zane, calm as ever, leans against a marble column, arms crossed. He barely flinches at Jay's missed shots, his gaze tracing patterns in the clouds. A bead of sweat trickles down his temple, and he murmurs in his soft, precise voice, "Even machines... and minds... need rest."

Cole lies sprawled on the grass, his dark brown eyes closed. A gentle breeze ruffles his black hair. He hums softly, feeling the warmth of the earth beneath him, letting the world quiet down for a moment. "You know?" he says lazily, "it's nice