So here we go again guys with the next instalment. Slightly more fluffy, a bit less humorous but with a bit more plot building...

Thank you as always for the reviews, I've been so grateful to see my attempt at humour worked out ok in the last chapter!

From Katanas to Lemon Drizzles.

The katanas clashed with the ear-splitting screeches of metal on metal. Both grunting from the exertion, they pushed apart from each other, Kai narrowing his eyes and stepping back slightly. Widening his stance, not taking his eyes from his foe, left arm held across him and the right raised behind him, the point of his second katana was challenging whilst the one in his left blocked. Come on then. His opponent did exactly as Kai predicted, raising his right arm and rushing Kai, trying to unbalance him. Kai swiftly sprung up, left katana blocking his rival's stabbing assault, whilst he lifted his right arm and swept downwards, forcing them to drop and roll away from his sharp blade. Landing lightly, he sprung straight back up, flipping neatly into a backwards somersault so that he did not have his back to his opponent, who was also already up and mid-air, twisting to face Kai. They both landed with grace, Kai crouched and ready, left leg back, body weight perfectly balanced, both katanas held by his sides as he eyed his sweating but not fading challenger, who then twisted and jumped onto the wall to his right, running across it and using their speed and momentum to rush Kai again, the katana in their right hand back and poised, ready to strike, whilst the one in their left was held behind them. But that was their weakness, and Kai utilised it. Stepping back, switching all of his weight to ground him and take the brunt of his opponents force, he raised both arms, taking the strike from their raised katana with both of his own as one, using his attacker's momentum against them, twisting his twin blades against the single one together, swinging them round and using them to throw his opponent unceremoniously to the ground.

Lloyd landed, momentarily winded and blinking, a strand of blonde hair peeking out of his hood. Kai put both his katanas back into their holster on his back, flipped his own hood off and bent down to help the green ninja up.

"Urgh, you had me again." Lloyd straightened, also putting his katanas away, hood now pushed back and readjusting his gloves, whilst Kai smiled lightly at his leader.

"Remember I've used twin katanas for quite some time now; it takes a while to master how to use them together properly."

Lloyd hummed. "But what am I doing wrong?"

"You keep favouring your right hand still, making your moves more predictable. You need to become more ambidextrous."

"But you're right handed, how do you do that?"

"Ha, I may write like I'm right handed but I eat like I'm left handed. Weird, I know. My mom is the same though."

"Huh, never noticed that." Lloyd slapped the red ninja on his back as he walked round him, "Always knew you were a bit odd, like…" looking over his shoulder and smirking, reaching for his katanas once more. "Again?"

Before Kai could accept the challenge, Nya's voice rang across the training yard.

"Are you two going to come in and get some breakfast before Cole eats it all?!" followed by an indignant "Hey!" from the ruffled ninja of earth.

Lloyd turned and looked at Kai, smirking: "Last one in has to wash up!"

"You're so on!" They both sped off to the door, crashing through it together and scrambling to reach the table, Lloyd nearly knocking PIXAL flying . "Sorry Pix!" he grinned as he leapt into his seat first.

"Ah damn it!" The fire ninja exclaimed, eliciting a "Kai!" from Sensei Wu who was sipping his tea as he made his way out of the kitchen.

"Sorry Sensei." Kai bowed his head towards Wu, grimacing as he turned and took his seat, ignoring his sniggering team mates.

"We're going to have to get you a cuss box." Nya tsked as she placed plates down in front of the two sweaty ninjas. "And eurgh, you both need a shower."

"Sorry sis."

"My fault, I'm trying to get to grips with the twin katana thing." The ninja did not normally train on a Sunday, taking it as their day to rest and do whatever. But Lloyd had been relentless in his bugging of Kai to help him out, knowing that Kai was the master of twin katana fighting moves and also knowing it was highly unusual for Kai to turn down an opportunity to fight. Lloyd felt uneasy at the moment, restless. He just knew, could feel it that the oni would be coming soon, if they were not already there, infiltrated into Ninjago. He shuddered at the thought. They had to be ready, and that meant sharpening his skills.

"So what are your plans with Skylor today then, Kai?" Zane's query brought Lloyd back out of his musings, looking over to the master of fire with interest as he shovelled scrambled egg into his mouth, obviously ravenous from the early morning sparring. Hmm, so he was favouring his left hand, Lloyd noted with interest…

"I don't know. She just told me to meet her at her flat in," he glanced up at the clock on the oven, "a couple of hours. Wearing loose training gear…" Kai paused, looking perplexed. "I can't fathom what she has thought up, especially as anything on 'the list' was supposed to be relaxing and non-exerting!"

They all looked thoughtful, chewing on their breakfasts and slurping their teas, coffees and orange juices, contemplating. No one could work this one out.

Skylor looked awesome, wearing black haram pants and a little brown crop top under her unzipped burnt orange hoodie, red hair twisted back into a messy bun, strands falling down and framing her face. She didn't have a scrap of makeup on, but she didn't need it. Her long, dark lashes were still as enchanting, and her lips had a natural, alluring red tinge. She bit her bottom lip slightly under his scrutinising gaze, which soon broke into a huge open-mouthed smile as he grabbed her around the waist, spinning her round and planting a soft kiss on her lips.

"Well good morning, handsome." She giggled as he set her back down on her feet. "You're a little late…You ready to go?"

"Yeah, sorry. Jay wouldn't get out of the bathroom. Hmm, go where?" He replied. She could tell he desperately wanted to know where they were going, but that would ruin it.

"Guess you'll have to wait and see. Come on, we won't have time to warm up but it'll be ok…"

"Hmph, tease." He retorted, folding his arms playfully and giving her a lop sided smile.

"Oh you have no idea…" she breathed, leaning around him and locking her door, taking his arm and leading him down the corridor which led to the lift of her apartment building. She noted he had followed her instructions, kitting himself out in loose black sweat pants and a loose red t shirt, which pleasingly clung to his frame in all the right places, giving hints of that ultra-toned physique.

As they made their way down the sidewalk, chatting and catching up on the events since they had last spoken, she smiled to herself. FSM, why had it taken them so long to sort themselves out and finally get together properly? He looked down at her, noticing she had gone quiet.

"You ok?" Her eyes lit up as she met his.

"Absolutely perfect, Fireboy." She stopped outside a whitewashed building, steps leading up to its large elaborate doorway, incense burning in one of its open windows. "We're here."

He looked up at the sign above the doorway, reading out "The Yoga Space. Yoga?" He turned and looked at her, surprise written all over his face, followed by a look of concern. "I've never done yoga…"

She couldn't help but snort. "Oh don't worry! I used to do this every Wednesday, it's easy! And you should be fine, finely tuned and balanced spinjitzu master that you are!"

"Ah, I don't know Skylor. I don't really fancy standing about pretending to be a tree…" He winced as a couple walking past them up the steps into the building shot him looks of indignation. Skylor rolled her eyes.

"There is more to yoga than that! Come on." Gripping his arm she followed the couple before them, the hesitant ninja meekly looking around and taking in his surroundings. Leaving their shoes with the pile of others just inside the doorway, Kai could feel the butterflies in his stomach fluttering as they padded down the small corridor towards one of the closed rooms, labelled "Ashtanga Classes".

"I thought you would be better suited to ashtanga; it's too easy to over do it in yin classes, and bikram and vinyasa would have been too energetic when I was making the list. If you like this we could try them at some other time though?"

He shrugged at her, not having a clue what she was talking about. "I'm sure this will be fine."

She smiled and pushed open the door, revealing a small, wooden floored room filled with mats and a handful of other people who were in various stages of stretching and warming up. What had he got himself into…

"Skylor!" An older looking lady with grey streaked hair shaped into a neat bob looked up and came over, taking hold of the master of amber and hugging her warmly. "And you brought a friend…oh!" She met Kai's gaze, taking in the tousled, spiked hair and looking him in the eye. "Oh, forgive me for being rude, you look vaguely familiar. I'm Hazel. Have we met before?"

He smiled, hoping against hope that she wouldn't place him. "No, I don't think so." He shook her hand and nearly broke into laughter when he caught Hazel's knowing glance and subtle, approving nod at Skylor as she turned away from them.

"Ok everyone, into your places." Hazel clapped her hands gently, taking her place at the mat at the front of the room. Kai's eyes nearly popped out as the elderly lady dropped straight down into the splits on her mat perfectly and with ease, laying her torso down across her right leg, smiling at her students. What had Skylor got him into!?

With his hands clasped firmly above his head, right foot tucked neatly inside his left thigh with his right knee bent and pointing horizontally out to his right, Kai found himself doing exactly what he had said outside he couldn't see himself doing; a perfect tree pose, otherwise known as the vrikshasana pose, he had learned. Kai hated to admit it, but he had quite enjoyed the class, relishing in the strength and concentration needed to contort his body into the various poses, some of them incredibly strenuous to attain, let alone hold them in place for several minutes at a time. Hazel had seemed impressed with his efforts, commenting on his natural balance and agility (if only she knew…), although there had been one moment of embarrassment when the class had been asked to stand and fold forward at their waists, keeping their legs straight and gripping onto their toes. Kai's hamstrings felt tight, not warmed up properly or tired from the morning's impromptu training with Lloyd he thought, and he couldn't get hold of his ankles let alone his toes! Hazel had not failed to notice, instructing him to "stretch! Hold onto those toes!" Kai had retorted with a wailing "I'm trying!" causing Hazel to step back, look the struggling student up and down and mutter "well try harder then, dear!" at him. She was fiercer than Sensei Wu! Skylor had not missed this, trying to hold in her laughter as she gracefully held the pose. The red ninja had grunted and tried harder…

"Oh I didn't realise you had already been training with Lloyd today." nodding at him apologetically in-between mouthfuls of her noodles. "That explains you not reaching your toes!" she sniggered at him, causing him to sit back and shake his head at her.

"Alright, that's enough!" He pointed his chopsticks at her, feigning annoyance. They had elected to go to the little noodle house opposite the yoga place for lunch, Skylor promising they did the best cakes for dessert.

"Excuse me? Could you sign this?"

A little kid with a spattering of freckles all over her cute button nose and a shock of curly blonde hair fluffing out over her small shoulders, was looking up at Skylor earnestly.

"Oh! Me? Erm, not him?" Skylor pointed at Kai, who grinned and raised his hands at her.

"Nope, she wants you."

The kid looked over at Kai, confused, then shrugged at him apologetically. "No, you please." She pointed at the reddening master of amber.

"Oh, ok. Here you go." Skylor signed the napkin, neat lettering of her name flourished with a line underneath and handed it back to the little girl, who clutched it to her heart, grinning and brightening as she skipped back to where her mother was sat at a table by the window.

"Thank you!" the girl called, followed with a "The resistance never quits!" as she sat back in her place.

Cradling his mug of genmaicha tea and smiling at his slightly embarrassed girlfriend, Kai eyed up the cake specials board on the wall. They did sound good, and he'd be in a lot of trouble with a certain cake loving ninja if he didn't take some home with him. Must remember to pick some up before they leave he thought to himself. If the cakes were as well made as his noodles had been, they were in for a treat.

"Kai?"

"Huh?"

Her eyes widened, grinning at him. "You were a mile away! I was asking if you wanted to go again?"

"To the yoga place? Yeah, maybe. It surprised me."

She smiled fondly. She loved how he was willing to give new things a go with her, although she also knew that even though she might be able to drag him along for some more yoga sessions, he was never going to turn into a yogi; his spirit was too fiery, too impatient and erratic for that, even if his calling to the martial arts and the spirituality which came with them was not that dissimilar to that of yoga when you compared them, looking at their cores. The peace yoga had helped bring her after all the events and upset of the Tournament of Elements was priceless…

"So have you thought anymore about Wu and Lloyd's proposal?" She could have sworn he must have been reading her mind, as she looked back up into his brown eyes, gaze soft, searching. She exhaled softly and looked away, pushing the remains of her noodles away.

"Come on, let's get the bill. You'd better choose which cake you're getting for the others."

"Ok. Ooh!" she looked up at him as he rubbed at his leg, having started to get up from his seat.

"You ok?"

"Yeah, guess that yoga found muscles I didn't realise I have!" Kai laughed, straightening out gingerly. "Come on." He held his hand out to her. "Help me choose?"

They walked hand in hand through the park, Kai balancing the box containing the whole lemon drizzle they had chosen in his free left hand. They had walked in a comfortable, easy silence since they had left the noodle house. She still had not answered his question…

Eyeing a bench coming up, he gestured to it and sat the cake box down, drawing her down to sit next to him. The seasons were just starting to turn, with the leaves in the trees beginning to change to the bright, vibrant colours of autumn. The first few were starting to flutter down in the still warm, gentle breeze. He leant back, looking up at the trees.

"You know I wouldn't change how I felt about you whatever your decision. I'd love you regardless, member of the team or not."

She took his hand and smiled at him. "I know."

"What is troubling you over it?"

Wu had sat her down with Lloyd a long while ago now, not long after they had returned from the 1st realm and managed to defeat Garmadon. Together, with Lloyd and the resistance members. In fact, it had been the day after Firstbourne had taken back to the skies and returned to her home. They had taken Kai to one side and chatted with him about it first, separately, about how he felt he could handle it if Skylor was to join their team officially, and his simple answer had more then satisfied them.

I don't know where our relationship is going, but she will always mean the world to me. I would do anything, anything to keep her safe. But I can't control her. It is her choice. And besides, I handle Nya being a part of all this…

But she was really struggling to make up her mind over it. He knew Wu and Lloyd were patient, but he couldn't quite work out why she was resisting making a decision so much. There again, decision making and thinking things through weren't really his forte; he just listened to his gut and went with it, regardless of the consequences.

"I want to join with you all, Kai, I really do! But at the same time, I don't. It's like, umm…" she hesitated, looking up and watching a leaf fall, gracefully looping in the breeze.

"Go on." His voice soft and gentle.

She sighed, not turning to look at him. She couldn't.

"I've not exactly got a great track record. I mean, look at my past. I betrayed you all." She looked at him now. "I betrayed you. How could you all truly trust me?"

He almost snorted in contempt but stopped himself. That would not help.

"Are you kidding me? Do you think that everything you did for the resistance was worthless? All the times you've helped us out before then, all the times you've helped me out?" He raised an incredulous eyebrow.

"Skylor, that kid in the noodle house, she wanted your autograph. You are as much a hero to Ninjago as any of us. And besides, do you not think I've done my fair share of, erm, slightly stupid things which the guys have had to forgive me for? Besides which the past is the past. It can help shape us but it does not define us: your present actions define you."

Skylor hummed at him, not wanting to admit he had a point. Well, several points.

"The decision is yours and yours alone. I will support you, whichever path you choose. But you do have to choose…" Gently now. "…maybe not today, but soon."

She sighed, gazing into the brown eyes, taking in the mellow amber flecks, scars running across his striking face.

"I promise I will decide soon."

He leant over to her and kissed her. "That's all we could ask for." They both closed their eyes and leant into each other, breathing in the early autumn air and feeling the wind around them.

"Let's get this cake home." He stood up, taking her hand and they continued on their walk. Quietly and at ease with each other, just enjoying each other's company.

"So, next week…" She looked at him.

"Hmmm, the list?"

"Yeah. How would you feel about a little water…?"

"Wait, what?!"