Nya woke up early the next morning, as she did most mornings. It gave her plenty of time to make sure the shop was in ship shape before she opened it.

Everything on display was shining brightly and free of dents. Swords and shurikans were sharp. Shelves were dusted as was the counter. Nya smiled and opened the doors.

It wasn't long until a group of customers came in. Nya immediately saw that they were strange. They wore long kimonos with hoods and masks. Not even their eyes could be seen. At first Nya wondered if it was the ninjas playing a joke on here, but they weren't due back for two more weeks. Besides there were four ninjas and five covered figures.

Well, Nya thought, dad always said a customer is a customer. No matter how strange they should all be treated equally.

"Welcome," Nya said smiling her usual up beat smile, "Is there anything special you're looking for?

"Five bowls of shrimp ramen to go!" said one of the strange men in a gravelly voice.

Nya did a double take, "I'm sorry?"

"Five bowls of shrimp ramen to go! Come on! You want our money don't you?" the man said again taking out a bag.

Nya sighed, "5 shrimp Ramens it is…"

She headed up to the small kitchen and managed to find just enough ingredients to make such an order.

While the soup cooked she searched the kitchen finally finding five wooden plates. I guess I'm only feeding myself these days, anyway. I don't need all the extra plates, she thought.

When the soup was finished Nya distributed it into the five bowls and brought them down.

"Here you are sorry for the wait." She said keeping her smile.

The strange men put the bag on the counter and walked off with the bowls.

No need to thank me or anything, Nya thought sarcastically.

Nya was about to count out what was in the bag when 6 more customers came in. these ones were covered just like the last ones except they were in silver. The others had been in black.

"Welcome!" Nya said again smiling, "Anything specific you're looking for?"

"We heard this place sells some of the finest jewelry." said the strange customer. His voice was similarly gravely as the man before, but had more of a tenor voice.

"You did?" Nya asked quickly slipping off and hiding her bracelet. She had plans for that and anyway it was all she had from her mother. She wouldn't sell it for all the money in Ninjago.

"Yes indeed. Won't you show me your wares?" the customer asked.

"Um…of course…" Nya said barely managing to hold her smile, "Let me go get them."

Nya headed back into her home thinking fast. She was sure her mother wore jewelry when she was alive, but she had no clue where they would be now. Then she thought about the jewelry she used to make when her father was first teaching her how to smith. She had kept those for old times' sake. But she never wore them.

Quickly she went to her room and got out the box they were in. They silver and gold were obviously crafted into their shapes by an amateur. They were bulky twisted, and had weird shapes coming out of them.

I was really once this bad? Nya thought. They looked like something her brother would make.

"I guess it's all in the presentation," Nya sighed.

She took the box down and displayed the jewels.

"Oh my! They look magnificent!" said the customer.

"Only the best things made here," said Nya making herself sound much more confident then she was feeling.

"We'll take the lot!" the customer exclaimed taking the box and leaving a bag 3 times as big as the last one. They he left before Nya could say another word.

Nya gave a tired sigh. She then closed the shop doors. She needed to eat lunch before she could deal with anyone else. Too tired to cook anything, she found some leftover seaweed salad and ate that.

I wish Kai was here, Nya thought, back when it was the two of us, Kai always knew which customers just meant trouble and how to turn them away.

Nya was assertive when she needed to be, but sometimes struggled to know when she needed to be. Besides, her way of asserting herself normally required going behind people's backs. Not a possible suggestion right now.

"It can't get any worse," Nya said trying to cheer herself up, "And they are paying me for these. Yeah it's a little strange, but a customer is a customer."

After lunch Nya re opened the store and braced herself.

Before long another covered man stepped in. He was much bigger than the others had been as well as hunched over.

"Welcome!" Nya said brightly, though she was certainly feeling less bright than she sounded, "Looking for anything in particular?"

"I require 50 kabuto helmets," said the man in a familiar voice.

Nya's eyes widened. 50? That would take her 2 or 3 days.

"I'll…need time to make such an order. I only have a few kabuto helmets left." said Nya.

"I will only pay for them if I have them by tomorrow." said the man.

Nya sighed and closed the shop behind him. She was going to be up all night at this rate. She had better get started. A customer was a customer.