" Mia, can you help me with the groceries?" Jay asked as he juggled a few bags.

Mia looked up. " Ask Kai for hewp."

" Hey Mia? Can you help me carry the trays outside?" Kai asked.

" Ask Jay."

" Excuse me, Mia?" Wu asked. " Would you mi-"

" Ask Kai. Or Jay."

" Has anyone noticed something weird with Mia?" Lloyd asked as they gathered in the living room.

"that she won't help us? Yeah, Lloyd, I think we all noticed that."

" But this happened after yesterday." Lloyd pointed out.

Nya sighed and put a hand on her cheek. " It could be she doesn't want to help."

" Or she does but she's worried something bad's gonna happen!" Kai said suddenly as he looked at Wu

Wu sighed. " It seems yesterday's incident has affected her more than I thought."

Jay raised a brow. " What happened?"

" Mia?" Jay asked as he knocked on the door. " Can we talk?"

Mia looked up from petting Blackie. " Suwe."

Jay sat on the ground next to her. " Kai told me what happened yesterday. And, I just wanted to ask, why aren't you helping us?"

Mia turned away and picked Blackie up.  " Because I don't twust you."

With that, she stood up and walked away.

Jay sat there for a few seconds before standing up and returning to the others.

" She doesn't trust us."

Mia had decided that today was going to be a day for her and Blackie, far away from the chaos of the Ninja’s world. After her confrontation with Jay, she felt a storm brewing inside her. Trust was a big deal, especially when it came to her family and friends, and right now, she just didn’t feel safe. With Blackie nestled in her arms, she made her way to their favorite spot in the garden, a little nook tucked away behind some bushes.

As they settled in, Blackie began grooming himself, licking his paws with meticulous care. Mia watched, her brow furrowing in thought. “What are you doing, Blackie?”

“Just maintaining my royal appearance,” he replied nonchalantly, glancing at her. “But more importantly, I’m demonstrating how to avoid unnecessary troubles.”

Mia tilted her head. “Avoid troubles? Like how?”

“Simple,” Blackie said, sitting up and giving his fur a shake. “When faced with a situation that makes you uneasy, you don’t just confront it head-on like the Ninjas do. Instead, you evade. Cats have perfected the art of avoiding things they don’t trust.”

Mia's eyes widened in intrigue. “Like how? Show me!”

Blackie smirked, his green eyes sparkling with mischief. “Alright, watch closely.”

He leapt gracefully off Mia’s lap and slinked through the garden, demonstrating a series of stealthy movements. He crouched low to the ground, moving silently from one flower pot to another, careful not to make a sound. He paused behind a bush, peeking out cautiously, and then darted back, as if an unseen threat had approached.

“See that?” he said, returning to Mia. “That’s how you avoid detection. You don’t want anyone to see you if you don’t trust them.”

Mia clapped her hands excitedly. “I wanna try!”

Blackie nodded, encouraging her. “Alright, pretend there’s a Ninja nearby. They might try to ask you to help again.”

Mia giggled and crouched down, mimicking Blackie. “Okay! I’m gonna hide!”

With that, she darted behind a large flower pot, peering out just enough to see the path where the Ninja usually passed. She watched as Nya and Kai strolled by, talking and laughing, unaware of Mia’s presence.

“Good job!” Blackie praised, his tail flicking with satisfaction. “Now, remember, if you see them coming and don’t want to interact, don’t make any noise. Just stay quiet until they pass.”

Mia nodded, absorbing the lesson. “I can do that!”

After a while, Mia’s curiosity got the better of her, and she peeked out again, but this time, she saw Jay walking toward their hideout. Panic shot through her, and she immediately ducked back behind the flower pot, her heart racing.

“Stay calm, Mia,” Blackie advised, his voice soothing. “If you trust your instincts, he won’t find you.”

Mia clenched her fists, feeling a mix of fear and defiance. “What if he does?”

“Then you move quickly,” Blackie replied, his tone serious now. “Avoid, avoid, avoid. Remember that.”

Mia took a deep breath, trying to steady her racing heart. Just as she was about to look again, Blackie added, “And if you need to, you can always run. Don’t forget, you’re not just a girl. You’re a ninja too.”

Feeling emboldened by Blackie’s words, Mia focused her energy and held her ground, listening as Jay approached closer. She could hear him calling her name, concern lacing his voice. “Mia? Where are you?”

But she stayed silent, just like Blackie had taught her. After a moment, she heard Jay’s footsteps recede, and she relaxed, letting out a breath she didn’t realize she was holding.

“That was great!” Blackie cheered. “You avoided him like a pro! Now, remember, this isn’t just about hiding; it’s about being smart and listening to your instincts.”

Mia nodded, feeling a thrill of accomplishment. “I’m good at this!”

Blackie chuckled, his eyes shining with approval. “You’ve passed my lessons with flying colors. But remember, this is a temporary solution. There are times when you’ll have to face those you don’t trust.”

Mia scrunched her nose. “Like when?”

“Like when they come looking for you and you can’t hide forever,” Blackie explained. “It’s about picking your battles. Some fights are worth having, while others aren’t.”

Mia pondered this as they continued to hide, and the two spent the next hour practicing the art of evasion. Blackie would playfully pretend to be a Ninja, sneaking around the garden while Mia practiced her hiding skills. Each time she successfully evaded him, her confidence grew, and she laughed, feeling free for the first time that day.

As the sun began to set, Mia and Blackie made their way back inside, their bond strengthened by the day’s adventures. But as they entered the house, Mia’s heart sank. The others were gathered in the living room, and she could see Jay’s concerned expression lingering in the air.

Mia glanced at Blackie, who gave her a reassuring nod. “Just remember what we practiced. Avoid if you can, but be brave when you need to be.”

When they walked in, Jay's face lit up. " Hey, Mia? Can we talk?*

Mia brushed right past them, Blackie walking behind her with a high tail.

Nya let out a nervous chuckle. " Uh, Mia....?*

Mia kept on walking.

" Mia, can you hear us?* Master Wu asked.

Mia didn't answer.

Kai sighed. " Maybe she's become deaf."

Mia's eye twitched, and she turned dangerously. " Wat you just say?"

Blackie proudly meowed. " That's it." He coached. " You're doing great."

Mia stomped to Kai and shoved him to the ground. " Tink before you speak!*

And with that, she grabbed her cat and stormed to her room, slamming the door shut behind her.

Jay stood in front of Mia’s closed door, his heart racing. He could hear the muffled sound of Mia’s frustrated cries echoing from inside. He sighed, running a hand through his hair. “Mia, can we talk?”

There was no answer, just the sound of something hitting the wall, followed by Blackie’s low, soothing purr. “You know, you really should have thought before you spoke, Kai,” Jay muttered under his breath. He knew how sensitive Mia could be, especially after what happened yesterday.

Jay took a deep breath and knocked softly on the door. “Mia, please. I’m sorry if I upset you.”

Inside, Mia was fuming, her cheeks flushed with anger. She clutched Blackie tightly, his fur comforting against her skin. “Why do they always want to talk? Why can’t they just leave me alone?” she hissed.

Blackie sat calmly on her lap, his tail flicking back and forth. “Because they care about you, Mia. But you did well standing up for yourself. You showed Kai that you won't be pushed around.”

Mia felt a sense of pride swell within her. “I did, didn’t I? I’m not a baby anymore.”

“Nope! You’re a fierce ninja,” Blackie declared, puffing out his chest. “And don’t forget it. Now, let’s think about how you want to handle this. Do you want to ignore them or talk it out?”

Mia thought for a moment, the tension in her shoulders beginning to ease. “I don’t know… What if they don’t understand?”

“Then you tell them how you feel. You’ve already made your point with Kai. You can do the same with Jay and the others,” Blackie advised, his tone encouraging.

Outside the door, Jay continued to plead. “Mia, please. I just want to make sure you’re okay.”

Hearing his voice softened her heart a little, but she still felt wary. “What if he doesn’t understand how I feel?” she whispered to Blackie.

“Then it’s your job to explain it to him,” Blackie replied firmly. “You’re brave enough to do this. Trust yourself.”

Taking a deep breath, Mia looked at Blackie and nodded. “Okay, I’ll try.”

With newfound determination, she stood up, placing Blackie on the bed. She walked to the door, her small hands gripping the doorknob tightly. “Jay, I’m coming out!” she called, her voice steady despite the butterflies fluttering in her stomach.

The door creaked open, and Jay’s eyes widened with relief and a hint of worry as he saw her. “Mia!”

But she wasn’t finished. “Wait! You can’t just talk. You have to listen too!”

Jay nodded, taking a cautious step forward. “I’m listening. What do you want to say?”

Mia took a moment to gather her thoughts, her heart racing. “I feel… angry. Like you and everyone else don’t understand me. You just want to talk, but I don’t want to talk! I want to be left alone!”

Jay furrowed his brow, his voice gentle. “Mia, I get that. But we’re worried about you. Yesterday was… well, it was scary. We just want to help.”

“Help how?” Mia challenged, crossing her arms. “By making me do things I don’t want to do? By forcing me to face people I don’t trust?”

Jay opened his mouth to respond but then paused, realizing she had a point. “I see what you mean. But it’s not about forcing you. It’s about being there for you. We don’t want you to feel like you have to hide.”

" I always have to hide!" Mia shouted. " You're the ninja I always have to look up to, who everyone looks up to. But do I WANT to? No!"

And paused and turned to her cat. " My only family member once told me to always appreciate the person who I am. He also told me that when I'm older, I'm gonna achieve great things."

Jay furrowed his brow. " I said the second. Not the first."

Mia stepped back on. " You're not my family."

And with that, she slammed the door shut.

Jay stood outside the door, his heart sinking as he heard the heavy thud of the door slamming shut. He sighed deeply, rubbing his temples as frustration and sadness coursed through him. He wanted nothing more than to be there for Mia, to understand her feelings, but it seemed like every time they tried to connect, she pushed him away.

“Jay?” he heard Kai’s voice call from down the hall. He turned to see the other ninja walking toward him, concern etched on his face.

“What happened?” Kai asked, his brow furrowing as he took in Jay’s expression.

“Mia just… she feels like she always has to hide, like she doesn’t want to be part of this family of ninjas,” Jay said, his voice heavy. “She thinks we’re trying to force her to be something she doesn’t want to be.”

Nya joined them, her eyes wide. “What did she say exactly?”

“She said I’m not her family and that she doesn’t want to look up to us anymore,” Jay replied, his voice tinged with hurt. “She wants to be her own person, her own ninja.”

Lloyd, who had been listening quietly, stepped forward. “We have to respect her feelings. Maybe she needs time to figure out what kind of ninja she wants to be.”

“Or what kind of person,” Nya added thoughtfully. “Mia is still so young, and she’s trying to find her identity. We need to support her in that.”

Meanwhile, inside her room, Mia sat cross-legged on her bed, her heart racing. Blackie curled up beside her, his fur warm and comforting against her skin. “What’s wrong, Mia?” he asked softly, his eyes wide with concern.

Mia hugged her cat tightly. “They don’t get it, Blackie! They think I want to be like them, but I don’t!”

Blackie purred, nuzzling against her cheek. “I know, but you can be your own kind of ninja. You have your own strength, remember?”

Mia nodded, her brow furrowing in thought. “Yeah, you taught me that! I don’t need Master Wu. I can defend myself my own way.”

“That’s right! You don’t have to follow anyone else’s path. You can carve out your own,” Blackie encouraged. “You’re smart and brave, and you have your own special skills.”

Feeling a surge of confidence, Mia stood up, her tiny fists clenched. “I want to show them I can do this! I can be a ninja my way!”

As she looked in the mirror, she saw herself—not just as Jay’s little sister or Wu’s student, but as Mia, the fierce warrior she aspired to be. “I don’t need to be like anyone else!” she declared to her reflection. “I can do it on my own terms!”

Back in the living room, Jay, Kai, Nya, and Lloyd sat in a circle, their expressions heavy with worry. “What if she never wants to be a ninja with us?” Jay said, a hint of desperation creeping into his voice.

“Then we’ll support her decision,” Kai said firmly. “But we need to make sure she knows we’re here for her, no matter what.”

Suddenly, they heard a soft knock on the door. It was Mia. The ninja exchanged glances, surprised by her sudden return.

“Can I come out?” she asked hesitantly, her voice small but determined.

Jay jumped to his feet. “Of course, Mia!”

As the door creaked open, Mia stepped out, her chin held high. Blackie trotted behind her, looking proud.

“I want to talk,” she said, looking at all of them, her voice steady. “But I want you to listen.”

“Absolutely, we’re all ears,” Nya replied, a warm smile on her face.

Mia took a deep breath, feeling the weight of their eyes on her. “I do want to be a ninja. But I want to be my own ninja. I don’t want to follow anyone else’s way. I want to learn in my own way.”

Jay nodded, his heart swelling with pride for his little sister. “You’re brave, Mia. You don’t have to follow us if you don’t want to. We’ll support you no matter what.”

Mia’s eyes brightened. “Really? You mean it?”

“Of course!” Kai chimed in. “You’re part of this family, and families support each other.”

“Even if it means you do things differently?” Lloyd added.

“Yeah! I want to protect myself and be strong in my own way, just like Blackie taught me,” she exclaimed, her face glowing with enthusiasm.

Jay knelt down to her level, a proud smile on his face. “You have your own strengths, Mia. We believe in you, and we’ll be here to cheer you on.”

Mia beamed, feeling the love and support surrounding her. “Thank you, everyone! I’m going to be the best ninja I can be!”