***Guys, this took everything out of meeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee. That being said, sorry for the late-night post, but it's here! Hope ya like it! And I will give you a music cue ;) Also, there's not a perfect spot in this chapter to start music, but it still fits pretty well. You may have to pause it, depending on the part. Oh! And some of you will marvel at the difference in how Nya acts around Skylor. I tried to keep things authentic, given the upbringing Nya's currently had. She is a dynamic character in this story :) ***

***(Kai's POV)***

Four years later...

"Nya!" I shout. "How much longer are you gonna be in there?"

Her voice is annoyed when it comes back to me. "Gee, I don't know, Kai. Maybe if you give me more than half a second to get ready, I'll be out soon!"

I moan, dropping my head on our front counter. "Whatever happened to the sweet little girl who used to help mom and dad around the house?"

"She died, Kai, just like they did." Her voice is serious.

I immediately feel guilty. "Look, Nya, I'm sorry. I won't bother you anymore."

She sighs in relief. "Thanks, Kai."

That lasts for about half a minute.

"Nya, you are aware that you're hogging our only restroom, right?" I yell.

She huffs. "Fine, fine! I'm coming! No wonder we haven't had many customers lately. You, brother, are a world-class grump." I hear the bathroom door open, and I turn.

"Nya, stop poking fun! You're such a – "

My mind comes to a standstill when I see her.

"What?" she asks, blushing madly.

When I can finally form words, they come out in a growl. "I think you know exactly what."

"Humor me." She raises a brow.

Where on earth does this attitude come from? "Nya Smith, I don't care if I have to wait for an hour. You get back inside there and put on something..."

"Something...what?" my sister challenges.

"Oh, I don't know. Something that doesn't show off ninety-eight percent of your legs!"

She crosses her arms. "My shorts are not that bad, Kai. The two percent leftover from your calculations actually goes down to my mid-thigh."

"Could you stop it with the sass for one moment?" I groan. "I can't think a coherent thought right now!"

"I can tell."

"I said cut the attitude, Nya!"

She sighs and comes to stand beside me, looping her arms around my shoulders.

"I forgive you," I smile, accepting her silent apology. Nya isn't exactly good with "I'm sorry's".

"You know," she wonders, "if I moved my arms up a little higher, they'd be around your neck. Then, I'd just have to – "

"Haha, little sister. Your humor does not escape me." I roll my eyes. "But seriously, what's with the shorts?"

"Well, see, you know we haven't gone shopping in a little while, and since it's officially summer and all, I figured I'd try on some of my old warm-weather clothes."

"You're a hermit. All you ever do is go to work at the autobody shop or sit in your room and read. Or look at pictures of the Jonas Brothers on your phone, or whatever girls your age do."

"Hey, I hang out with Lloyd a lot. And why do you suddenly feel the need to point out my isolated existence?"

"I'm just saying, you're not outside all that much. You don't have a good reason to wear pants that fall above the knee."

"What time period are we in, Kai?"

"I'm simply calling your bluff, Nya. You weren't trying on shorts just for the sake of trying them on. I think I know when my sister's got something up her sleeve."

"Well...a friend of mine may be hanging out today."

"Get back in your room and change," I order. "I'm not letting one of the guys see you wearing that."

"Golly, Kai, I have more friends than just the team!"

"The team" refers to my fellow ninja. We basically all possess different elemental powers, and we use them to save Ninjago. We do hero stuff. All in a day's work.

But Nya only ever spends time around us, so I know she can't have any other friends. "Nya, who on earth could you possibly be hanging out with that isn't one of the ninja?" It's probably Lloyd. He's her favorite.

"Well, um, there's this girl I go to school with..."

I snap up. "Wait – you have friends who are girls?"

"Surprise, surprise." She rolls her eyes. "Anyway, she's cool. We were hoping to go spend a day at the mall. You know, since my birthday's coming up in a week and all...I thought maybe you could let me pick out a present early?"

I sigh and rub my face. "Go get changed, Nya. We can talk once you're decent."

She crosses her arms and stalks off. "Fine. But, for your information, there is nothing inappropriate about what I'm wearing." The bathroom door swings closed.

All the while, I still have to pee. Really. Bad.

My eyes stray to the wall-mounted clock. It's five minutes until we close, so if Nya takes an exceedingly long amount of time, I can always run down the street in a moment and use the restroom at the noodle shop.

Or, I could use Nya's potted plant in the corner. She was really into growing things a few months ago, but she forgot to water everything. The result is a small, dead tree, sitting aimlessly in my shop.

Well, there's not much more damage I could do to it...

Right as I'm contemplating the dangers of going through with that idea, the shop bell rings.

I sigh to myself. Finally, a customer! And if they had come only a moment later –

The first thing I see when I turn is a pair of well-defined legs. Feminine legs.

My gaze travels upward to see fashionably faded shorts and an off the shoulder top. And then there's her neck –

"Stop checking me out, bozo," a voice says, clearly peeved.

My eyes land on her face, but are soon drawn to her natural red hair.

"Hello? Earth to weirdo?" the voice repeats. I realize it's hers. "I'm here to see your sister."

This gets my attention. "Wait. You know my sister?"

"Um, you are Nya Smith's brother, correct?"

"I mean, if that's who you're looking for..." I shoot her a killer grin.

"Nope. I'm actually waiting on her, not her complete imbecile of a brother." She flips her hair. "I think I'll stay outside until she's ready."

My brain is now officially working again, and I jump from behind the counter. "Stop. Let me talk to you for a second. Are you the friend she's supposed to be going to the mall with?"

She barely glances at me. "Yep."

"But...you're so..." Hot is the word I'm thinking of, but let's not go there yet. "Trendy. You're so trendy, and she – no offense – is kind of...not?"

She arches one perfectly shaped brow. "Oh, okay. Well, if you think you've got the wrong girl, then you must be the wrong brother. I'll be happy to end this sorry encounter now." She turns on her heel and sashays toward the door.

"Skylor, wait!" Nya cries, bursting out of the restroom.

That name...I can't place it, but it seems familiar.

"Skylor!" Nya latches onto her arm. "Oh, my goodness! You don't know how happy I am to speak with another female!"

The redhead throws back her head in a laugh, wrapping Nya in her arms. "Good to see ya, Sis."

Nya hangs on tight, and I try to remember the last time I hugged my sister. I mean, she hugged me around the neck, but it doesn't count.

"Ready for a perfect evening at the mall?" Skylor smiles.

"Yes! Thank you so, so much for doing this!" Nya is so excited, I see her bounce.

I didn't know my sister could actually do that.

Skylor bumps hips with her. "What are friends for? Let's go." She gives Nya a little shove toward the door, not even acknowledging my presence.

"Um, I suppose you two think I'm just going to let you leave?" I speak up.

Nya turns to me. "Well, yeah. I changed out of those shorts. Why not?"

"Because you have no parental supervision."

"You're not my parent," Nya points out.

"Yeah, but I'm an adult."

"So am I," Skylor chuckles.

"Well, yeah, but – "

"Goodbye, Kai," Nya giggles, skipping out the door.

My sister...giggling? She's literally one of the guys! Tomboy Illustrated called her up for a cover photo last week!

I rush out after the two, but my feet stop working again when I see Nya climb into the passenger side of a red Corvette convertible.

My mouth drops open. My dream car...and Skylor...she must own it.

"You have to let me go with you." I meant to say it in a tough way – you know, the "I'm-not-going-to-let-you-corrupt-my-sister" way – but it comes out awestruck.

I am in love with that car.

Skylor shakes me off her foot. "You are pitiful," she hisses.

"What do you have against me?" I exclaim, throwing my arms in the air.

She starts to speak, then pauses. She thinks for a moment.

"You'll leave Nya alone if I let you come with us?" she asks, clearly debating.

"That depends on what you mean by 'leave Nya alone'."

"It means you won't bother her about the items we pick out after we're done at the mall. We might as well compromise on this."

"Deal." I head right for the car. I can almost smell the clean leather of the seats when –

"What do you think you're doing?" Skylor questions.

"Going...with you?" I raise a brow.

"Oh, no, no, no. Drive yourself."

"But – your car!"

"Kai, get away from my vehicle before you get left behind." Her combat boots clomp along the ground. She opens the door and effortlessly slides in.

I'm still frozen next to her convertible.

The last I see of her is a smirk as she closes her door and zooms away.

***(Skylor's POV)***

Once Nya and I are alone in the car, I release a huge breath. Her brother makes me want to scream.

He's changed since I last spoke with him. His face is a little more defined, his voice slightly deeper. An undesired smile twirks my lips as I recall his hair. It no longer hangs shaggily in front of his face, but is gelled into spikes. It's cute, in a playboy, break-your-heart kind of way.

"Wow, your car is super nice!" Nya exclaims from beside me.

I smile in full now. "Thanks. It was a gift from my dad for my sweet sixteen." Not that he bothered to show up, himself.

"Needless to say, a pair of wheels is not in my future for my sixteenth birthday," Nya moans miserably. "Kai hasn't taken me driving yet. Not once! How am I supposed to get a license without practice?"

"He keeps a tight leash on you."

"Yeah." She moans, defeated. "I guess it's for the best."

*Cue da Musiiiic*

"No way," I argue, trying to buoy her spirits. "Once our plan is complete, Kai's going to realize just how much you're capable of." I give her a wink, hoping it's safe to keep my eyes off the road. "And you'll have the attentions of your obviously blind best friend."

Nya blushes. "I wish."

"Oh, come on, now. You're a cutie, Nya."

"Yeah, but you...you're, like the Angelina Jolie to my...Brittany Spears, when she was still a child actress."

I can't help but crack up a little. "Yeah, but she was still popular."

"You've got this gracefulness about you, though – you're tall, slender. Don't think I didn't notice Kai staring at your legs earlier."

"Your brother is messed up. He probably has a leg fetish, and he has nightmares every night about a disembodied pair of legs kicking him where the sun doesn't shine."

"I know. But I'm just saying – look at my legs! They're stubby! And they're bigger than yours are, even though you're much taller."

"It's because you work out, Sis. You've got muscles any girl would envy."

"Yeah, but you work out, too! The difference is, you get lithe ballerina muscles, while I get Norse god muscles!"

I flat-out laugh. "Don't sweat it, Nya. You're perfect just the way you are. Our plan is simply to enhance some of your best features."

"Such as?"

"Your eyes. They're such a pretty, sparkling blue. And you have a cute nose. And that mole on your cheek – it makes you look mysterious."

She laughs humorlessly. "Trust me, I'd get rid of it, if I could. You don't know how many times people have picked on me about it. They say it looks like a bug on my face."

"Who are these people?" I shout. "Tell me, and I will personally blackmail them so they can't buy from Master Chen's Noodles anymore."

This gets a small chuckle. "They're nobody. And don't worry, I can stand up for myself. I'm trying to be more like you - you know, not taking flack from others."

I smile. She makes me so proud.

"And," she continues, "It doesn't hurt that a vengeful older brother has my back."

My forehead furrows. "You're telling me your evil older brother actually serves a purpose?"

"He's not evil, Skylor. I mean, with all he's put you through – "

"Don't even get into it."

" – it might seem like that, but in reality...he cares. That's why he's so overprotective."

"Huh." I don't respond, not wanting to upset her. Thankfully, we're already here.

I try to rush into the mall so Kai can't catch us. We're speed-walking toward the revolving door when –

"There you guys are." He steps out from behind a pillar, yawning. "What took you so long?"

"How..." I start.

Nya cuts me off. "He's a reckless driver. Let's go." She grabs her brother's hand and all but drags him into the mall.

Where she completely stops. "Oh, my." Her eyes light up. "This place is huge! Is that a snow cone vendor?"

Now it's my turn to pull her along. "Kai, you keep her inside way too much."

He shrugs. "She doesn't like this kind of thing. Whatever."

"It doesn't seem like you've ever given her a chance to like 'this kind of thing'," I toss over my shoulder, heading for Forever 21. I feel my creative juices flowing, plus a big sister love I've never had for anyone else.

As soon as we get inside, I'm drawn to a rack of fitted jeans. Nya, on the other hand, is drawn to a rack of mark-up clothes. I redirect her.

I immediately locate some perfect items for her. "Quick, tell me your size," I order, digging through them.

"That's personal," she frowns, her face flushed.

"Come on, Nya. We've already talked about how you're muscular, not overweight."

She moans and rattles it off, and I shove some clothes at her. "Take these and head to the dressing room. You'll model for me in a minute, but right now, I've got to go distract your brother."

She stumbles off, her arms piled high with jeans and shorts. Meanwhile, I make my way to the front of the store.

"Hey, Kai," I call.

His attention turns to me. "What do you want?"

"Smoothies."

His forehead scrunches. "What?"

"You're on smoothie duty, buddy." I hand over some money. "I like peach. Have fun."

He just stares at me.

"What?" I snap, annoyed.

"You look really familiar," he smiles slowly.

"I'm sure I'm not the only redhead you've hit on. You've probably just lost track."

"You act really familiar."

"I'd bet a dunce like you incites a lot of negative reactions from girls."

"See, I'm sure we've met before," he goes on. "That would make sense, given that you don't like me so much."

"Look, I don't have time for your stupid games, Kai. Go buy smoothies." I shoo him away with my hands.

"I must've hurt you pretty bad for you to be this upset with me."

"Oh, so you think it's not painful to – " I realize I've fallen right into his trap. Schooling my face, I change the subject. "I'm going to go check on Nya." I stride toward the dressing rooms.

"I'm going to figure out what our history is!" he calls after me.

"I don't care!"

An older employee next to me frowns. "Can you please lower your voice?"

I sheepishly apologize and go check on Nya.

"Are you in here, Sis?" I call.

"Yeah. Um, I think we might need to go a size up."

"Let me see."

She fiddles with one of the dressing room doors. I wait in anticipation.

And then she walks out, and I know we've hit the mark.

"Nya, those fit you like a glove. They highlight your curves in all the right places."

"What if I don't want to show my body off like that?"

"Don't hide a good thing, Nya. You look fabulous. Now, go change back into your regular clothes. We need to get out of here before Kai gets back."

"Where are we going next?" she closes the door to the changing room.

"We're getting your brows done, first of all."

She yelps. "My eyebrows? But – isn't that painful?"

"If you don't want to, you don't have to. I thought, though, that it would be a nice touch."

She's silent for a moment. Then, opening the door, I see a brave look on her face. "I'm trying to be more like you.  So I say, let's go."

We head to the front and pay for Nya's selection. I notice she doesn't have money on her, but that's okay. I mean, it's her birthday, and I don't use my credit card too much, so I'm sure my dad will be fine with it.

Plus, I've never gotten to experience the joys of having a younger sister. I'm sure a little splurging is forgivable.

On our way to Nya's doom (as she calls it), we stop by a few clothing shops. I introduce her to makeup at Sephora, but she's wary of buying anything too "showy".

"I'm not going that dark for my lips, Skylor. Kai would have a fit of apoplexy."

"Wow, girl, you're smart. I don't even know what that is."

She heaves a sigh. "It means he'd have a heart attack or a stroke or something to make him pass out."

I tap my chin. "Hmm, your brother, unconscious. He'd be a lot easier to deal with then."

"Haha. Seriously, we need to pick something lighter."

"Fine." We settle on some paler, shimmery gloss that complements the color Nya already possesses.

That's when a text pops in on Nya's phone. She pulls it out, and her eyes widen. "Um, we've got trouble. Kai is looking for us."

I grab her arm and drag her to the register. "We need to get your eyebrows done, and fast. Let me handle distracting Kai."

She hands over the phone, and I read his text.

Kai: Bored. Got smoothies. Peed. Also, bored.

A wicked smile creeps on my face.

Nya: Smoothies, then the bathroom? I seriously hope you didn't do it in that order.

Kai: Where r u?

Nya: Guess

"What are you telling him?" Nya asks, nervous. We head out of the shop and toward the escalators.

"I'm just poking fun, don't worry."

"Be careful," she warns. "You know he has a temper."

Kai: I can ground you

Nya: Oh, really? I'm not your sister

Kai: . . .

Kai: . . .

Kai: So...Skylor?

Nya: Bingo.

I feel someone grab my arm. It's Nya, looking up at me with huge eyes.

"Um, so, it may have been a few years since I rode an escalator."

"Oh?"

"And...I kind of don't want to try now."

I laugh. "It's simple. Step with me." I place my foot forward, and she cautiously does the same.

Nya's phone has buzzed twice by now, and some part of me is itching to see what Kai says. Boy, he's fun to annoy.

Kai: What have you done with my sister, evil witch

Kai: Evil witch who looks like an angel

Nya: Find us

Kai: Give me a hint

Nya: Not hap-

"Skylor!" Nya gasps. I jerk upward to see her toppling backward.

Oh, great. Not good! I reach out to catch her, but it's too late.

I'm a horrible big sister. I'm a horrible big sister. Nya's going to break her neck, and then Kai's going to blame me, and then –

I realize, in my moment of panic, that Nya has stopped falling.

Huh. Gravity doesn't usually work like that.

As my gaze travels upward, I realize it isn't gravity that failed, but someone else who succeeded. Some guy reached out and kept Nya from falling down the escalator.

Weird. That kind of thing usually only happens in romances.

"Nya?" he asks, helping her untangle herself from his arms. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah, I'm fine, Jay. Uh, fancy seeing you here."

"I could say the same about – "

This is the point where we go to get off the escalator. Nya, however, is still trying to pull herself off of this Jay person. The result is her falling – again – and being caught – again – by the same guy.

Now that we're off, I put an arm around Nya's shoulders. "I'm going to despise the ride back down."

The most determined look I've ever seen crosses her face. "I'll be fine once I try it again. I just needed a practice trial." She shoots Jay a smile. "Thanks. Will you be at the monastery tomorrow?"

He nods. "Um, y-yeah. I guess you'll be coming with Kai again?"

"Yup."

I tug her hand. "Hate to ruin the reunion, but Nya and I need to get out of here. It was nice meeting you, Jay. I'm Skylor."

He gives me a little wave, but his eyes are only for the girl at my side.

I smirk as we turn to go. "I think he likes you," I whisper in her ear.

Actually, "think" is not the word I'm looking for. I'm at least one hundred percent sure. The way he looked at her, they way he talked, how he blushed.

She shrugs. "Nah. I don't know him all that well, but what I do know is that Jay Walker only ever talks about himself. I'm pretty sure that means he's not interested."

"Whatever you say." I feel Nya's phone buzz against me, and I freak out.

Kai: Are you okay????

Kai: Hello??

Kai: Why haven't you responded

Kai: What did you do to my sister

Kai: Do I need to call for emergency help

Kai: Skylor, I will do it

Kai: You have one minute to reply, and five to bring my sister back

I type furiously, hoping he hasn't already alerted anybody. That boy is way too overprotective.

Nya: WE'RE FINE

He responds almost immediately.

Kai: Get to the food court ASAP

Kai: I need to see that she's okay

Kai: And you and I will be talking later

"Change of plans, Sis," I sigh. "I need to get you back to your brother before he sends the First Spinjitzu Master after us."