One day, Jay was in the kitchen, meticulously putting rice into his bowl with his chopsticks. The soft clinking of the chopsticks against the bowl created a rhythmic background noise. As he focused on his task, he noticed Mia across the room, scratching at her freckles with increasing intensity.

"Mia, are you okay?" Jay asked, looking up from his rice.

Mia, still scratching, glanced at him with a frown. "Yeah, just itchy."

She grabbed a small brush from the counter and began to use it on her freckles, but the scratching didn't seem to help. Eventually, she walked over to the wall and started brushing her face against it, the motion looking rather peculiar.

Jay raised an eyebrow and chuckled softly. "Is it that time of year again?"

Mia paused and gave him a puzzled look. "What do you mean?"

Jay shrugged, still amused. "You know, when you get all itchy and start doing... whatever that is. Is it some sort of seasonal thing?"

Mia stopped brushing her face against the wall and let out a sigh. "Yeah, it is. Every year around this time, I get this weird itchiness. It's like my freckles just decide to rebel or something."

Jay laughed, shaking his head. "I guess some things never change. Well, if you need any help with that, let me know. And maybe try not to use the wall as a scratching post."

Mia grinned sheepishly, rubbing her face with the back of her hand. "I'll keep that in mind. Thanks, Jay."

Jay went back to his rice, a smile on his face, while Mia continued her unusual routine with a bit more restraint.

Kai's phone rang, breaking the relative calm of the kitchen. He glanced at the screen and answered with a casual, "Hello?"

"Hi, this is Clara from the Ninjago Gazette. We were hoping to schedule an interview with Mia. Could you let her know?"

Kai's eyes widened slightly. "Uh, sure. I'll let her know."

When he turned to Mia, who was still dealing with her itchy freckles, he said, "Mia, some people from the Gazette want to interview you. They're here, and they're waiting."

Mia's face went pale, her eyes widening in panic. "What? Now? Oh no, no, no!"

She darted out of the kitchen, her mind racing. "I need to look perfect! I need my best soap!"

Jay and Kai exchanged confused glances as Mia scrambled around the house. She burst into Wu's room, her eyes scanning frantically. Her gaze landed on Wu's iconic hat, resting on a shelf.

"Got it!" Mia exclaimed, grabbing the hat and carefully pulling out her favorite soap from inside it. She held it up triumphantly before darting back toward the bathroom.

Kai and Jay watched in bewilderment as Mia disappeared down the hallway.

"What's the deal with the soap?" Kai asked, genuinely curious.

Jay shrugged, chuckling. "I have no idea, but I've learned not to question Mia's quirks."

As Mia emerged from the bathroom a few minutes later, freshened up and looking much more composed, she took a deep breath and said, "Okay, I'm ready. Let's do this."

Kai nodded, leading the way back to the living room where the interviewers awaited. Jay followed, feeling a mix of curiosity and amusement at Mia's unusual but endearing preparation ritual.

The interview began with the Gazette reporters setting up their equipment, and Mia, looking slightly anxious but ready, took her seat.

Clara, started the conversation. "Mia, we've heard a lot about the amazing work you've done with animal rescues. Can you tell us about the animals you've helped?"

Just as Mia was about to respond, Blackie strolled in, taking a casual look around. "What's with the bushwazi?" he asked, his tone nonchalant.

Mia blinked, slightly thrown off by Blackie's sudden appearance. "Uh... what?"

The interviewer raised an eyebrow but quickly redirected the focus. "Yes, Mia, if you could tell us about the animals you've rescued?"

Mia took a deep breath, gathering her thoughts. "Oh, sure! Let's see... There was my cat and his litter, the elks, pelicans, otters, deer, chicks, cheetahs, dolphins, seals, whales, and a bunch of others."

The reporters' eyes widened in amazement. Clara nodded, impressed. "That's incredible! You've truly made a significant impact. Can you tell us about any particularly memorable rescue?"

Mia's face softened as she thought about it. "Well, one of the most memorable ones was when we rescued the chicks. They were in a really bad spot, and it took a lot of effort to make sure they were safe and healthy. Seeing them thrive afterward was really rewarding."

Blackie, now lounging comfortably in a chair, sipped his tea with a satisfied smirk. "See, that's what I call a solid bushwazi. Rescue, refresh, repeat."

The reporters exchanged glances, clearly amused by Blackie's laid-back attitude.

Clara smiled warmly at Mia. "Thank you for sharing your stories with us, Mia. Your dedication is truly inspiring."

Suddenly, the phone rang, its shrill tone slicing through the conversation. "WHAT NOW?!" she exclaimed, visibly frustrated.

Kai, glancing at the screen, said, "Uh, Nelson wants to see you."

Mia's eyes widened. "What?!"

Without a second thought, she bolted out the door, practically flying down the hallway. In her rush, she collided with Nelson, who had been waiting right outside the door.

"Nelson!" Mia exclaimed, catching her breath. "What's going on?"

Nelson, slightly taken aback but smiling, said, "You know those penguins you rescued?"

Before Mia could respond, a cacophony of flapping wings and chirps filled the air. A parade of penguins, waddling in unison, appeared around the corner, making a beeline for Mia.

Mia's jaw dropped, and she stumbled backward, barely managing to stay upright. "WHAT?! HOW DID THE... THAT... WHAT?!"

The penguins, looking as cheerful as ever, surrounded her. Some began to nudge against her legs, others flapped their wings excitedly. The sight was so unexpected that Mia could barely process it.

Nelson chuckled as he watched the chaos unfold. "Seems like they missed you."

Mia, still in shock, managed a shaky laugh. "I— I can't believe this. I thought they were... well, I didn't expect this!"

The parade of penguins continued their joyful commotion, their presence a delightful, if somewhat bewildering, surprise. Mia couldn't help but feel a surge of happiness despite the initial shock. It was a heartwarming reminder of the lives she had touched and the animals she had saved.

As Mia stood surrounded by the cheerful penguins, still trying to wrap her mind around their unexpected return, the reporters quickly seized the opportunity. Cameras flashed as they captured the heartwarming scene, the penguins waddling around Mia and Nelson with a playful energy.

Mia, realizing what was happening, tried to compose herself, though the smile on her face was impossible to hide. She bent down to pat one of the penguins, who responded by nuzzling her hand affectionately. The reporters caught every moment, snapping pictures of Mia interacting with the animals she had once rescued.

"This is incredible," one of the reporters murmured, clearly moved by the scene.

Mia glanced up, momentarily embarrassed by the attention but also proud of the connection she had with the animals. "I guess they just couldn't stay away," she said, her voice tinged with a mix of disbelief and affection.

As the penguins continued to mill around her, the photographers kept clicking away, capturing a story that would undoubtedly warm hearts everywhere. Mia, despite her initial shock, found herself enjoying the moment, surrounded by her unexpected visitors and the people documenting this reunion.

Jay stepped out, rubbing his eyes as he took in the scene before him. He blinked in disbelief, then pointed at the penguins. "But... they were in Antarctica? How did they get here?"

Mia, still surrounded by the waddling penguins, shrugged, looking equally baffled. "They came back... I guess," she said, her tone half-exasperated, half-amused.

Just as Jay was trying to make sense of it all, a loud flapping noise filled the air. He and Mia looked up simultaneously to see a flock of pelicans descending from the sky. The large birds gracefully landed nearby, joining the growing assembly of rescued animals.

The pelicans strutted around confidently, as if they had every right to be there. One even approached Jay and tilted its head curiously at him, making him take a cautious step back.

Mia let out a small laugh, shaking her head. "First the penguins, now the pelicans... what's next, the dolphins?"

As if on cue, one of the pelicans let out a squawk, and the rest of the flock echoed it, as if agreeing with Mia. The reporters, who had just finished taking pictures of the penguins, quickly shifted their focus to this new, unexpected spectacle.

The scene was a chaotic blend of feathers, cameras, and bewildered looks. Mia glanced at Jay, who looked like he was still trying to wake up fully. She grinned at him and said, "Well, at least life's never boring, right?"