Author's Note: So, before we start, I want to apologize for the fact that I'm about to break all y'all's hearts, but I promise I will glue them back together by the end. There is a slight reference in here to my other oneshot "The Ninja Merman," so you can check that out if you want. Oh! And, um, you know how I said any Oneshot in this book would be no longer than six-thousand words? Well, I was wrong. I got super-duper extra carried away, and this Oneshot is a little over seven-thousand-seven-hundred words long. That is all. Enjoy the angst! Buh-bye!

It had been some time after the ninja returned from the never realm. And Pixal and Zane had been dating for almost a year. And on this particular night, the ninja were on a mission to take care of some rogue Serpentine in Ignacia.

All seven of them were on the bounty, flying there at this very moment: all six color-coded ninja, plus Pixal.

Nya was steering, and Lloyd was standing next to her, his head stuck in a magazine. It had a picture of Pixal and Zane on the front, and the header read, "Ninjago's most perfect couple!"

He looked up for a second. "So, what are these rogue Serpentine doing, anyway?"

Cole walked over. "Something about an apartment complex being built over top of one of their underground tunnels. Then they got mad and started destroying stuff in Ignacia."

"Makes sense," Kai chimed in. "Speaking of Ignacia, it's gonna be nice to see it again, right, Sis?"

"Yeah," Nya agreed. "It's been a while."

Lloyd shivered with embarrassment. "I don't think I've been back there since I released them," he mentioned softly.

Kai put his hand on Lloyd's shoulder and gave a reassuring smile. "Don't worry, Lloyd. I'm sure they've forgiven you by now! Plus, they've probably heard so much about the great things you've done as the green ninja they won't even remember!"

The greenie relaxed a little. "Yeah, you're probably right."

Nya glanced at Cole. "What are Zane and Pix doing?"

"Oh, just some tune-ups on the ship. Routine checks and stuff," Cole explained.

"Alright," she replied. "Can you let them know we're almost there?"

"On it."

Zane was concerned. His icy blue eyes occasionally darted from the control panel he was testing to his girlfriend's pretty face, hoping that she didn't notice.

Everything about her was mesmerizing to him. How her cool metal skin was so flawless, how purple circuits trailed over it like beautiful inscriptions of the future, how her green eyes sparkled in the sunlight; her every quality made her seem more and more like a dream.

And he never wanted to wake up.

But he noticed something off about her on this particular night. Her wavy silver locks were tied up tighter than usual, and her lips seemed glued closed in an emotionless expression.

She didn't utter a word, but her eyes said it all. She was dreading having to go on this mission with them.

And it made sense. When the alert came, Pixal obviously wanted to opt-out of it, but she was too selfless to do so.

That was something he loved about her.

She had insisted, "You might need my help." She tried to hide a sigh. "I should come."

Nya tried to disagree but to no avail. Pixal was too stubborn for that. Nya understood. After all, they were similar in ways.

And Zane understood as well. He would have loved for rogue Serpentine to give up destroying buildings and manage an ice cream truck, but that was an illogical notion.

Regardless, he still wished they had not had a mission, and he could have stayed with his love on this windy February night, curled up under the covers, and talking for hours about dreams and good books.

When she glanced over at him, he tried to pretend he was not staring and screwed the panel back on.

She shrugged and went back to her work, as well.

So, he quietly made his way over to her and put his arms around her neck. "What is it, Luna?"

To Pixal, his voice sounded like silk felt. Rich, velvety, cool, and comforting; how people described the taste of chocolate.

She looked up. "Why do you call me that?"

He smiled. "It is Italian for moon." His hair waved slightly in the breeze. "You are like the moon. You light both my days and nights, even if you are not always appreciated."

She felt her systems heating up slightly. She had gotten somewhat more used to his poetic ways since they had started dating, but sometimes it still caught her off-guard. "Ah-I, thank you," she stammered awkwardly.

He placed a gentle kiss on her forehead. "I love you, Pixal."

Her power source fluttered as he let go. She let her hair down, stroked it back smooth, and tied it in a low ponytail. She thought to herself, 'That man is my whole world.'

Zane was satisfied. He had a smug smirk on his face, as he was sure he had cheered up Pixal. And he was walking through the bounty, back to the front, when he bumped into Cole.

"Oh!" The buff earth ninja squeaked. "Sorry, Zane!"

"It is alright," the nindroid assured him.

Cole grinned. "Thanks. Nya wanted me to tell you and Pix that we're almost to Ignacia."

"Oh." the ice ninja's lips pursed. "I will inform her."

"Okay, buddy." Cole turned, getting ready to walk back to the helm. "Thanks."

And after Cole left, Zane pulled out his phone and scrolled to his favorite contact. It read, "💜Luna💜"

And then he quickly typed a message. "We are almost there.🙂❤️"

She replied almost instantly. "Sounds good. Love you. 💜"

And before he knew it, they were fighting Serpentine with the others in the heart of the small village.

A Constrictai wrapped its tail around his ankle.

He had hated those guys with a burning passion ever since they had attacked him many years ago. Thankfully, the fact he was a nindroid prevented him from suffocating, but it sure felt close in the moment.

He still had nightmares about a black snake wrapping around his neck and taking him away from all that he loved—protecting people, being a ninja, his family, and his princess, Pixal.

He tried to shake it off and stomped on the tail.

Cole jumped over to his aid. "No one messes with my brother," he remarked sternly, grabbing the Serpentine's neck. "Got that?"

"Alright! I'll sssstop!"

"See?" Zane said. "You do not like it either."

Cole let go. "Tell your friends we won't stop until this town is safe."

"Sure," he replied, lacklusterly. Then he shaped up at the sight of Cole's glare of steel. "Of course, sir! Mister ninja, sir!"

And in a flash, he ran away.

Zane smiled. "Thank you for the assistance, Cole."

"No problem." Cole grinned back. "What's family for?"

The nindroid glanced in another direction. "I think I am going to go help Pixal."

"Alright," Cole replied before Zane started to walk over there. And once he was out of hearing distance, Cole muttered to himself, "More like flirt with her."

But when Zane made it over to where Pixal was fighting the snakes, he noticed something peculiar.

Her frown was back!

Well, it wasn't precisely a frown, but it definitely wasn't a happy expression.

He sighed. 'Maybe I did not try hard enough,' he thought, 'My efforts did not succeed.'

And as he took down a few Fangpyre, he kept glancing over at Pixal and missing that beautiful smile.

He would do anything to make it come back.

And then he got to thinking. How did Jay make people laugh? What were those things he said that made people crack up? Muns? Pums? No, puns!

He looked over at Pixal. "What is your best move? Snake attack?"

She rolled her eyes.

Maybe that one wasn't good enough.

"Do you think this tail will go down in hisstory?"

"Please stop."

He needed to find a better one.

He seemed to be getting slightly distracted, and before a Hypnobrai could catch him unawares, Pixal took it down with one swift high kick.

"Why, fang you." Zane grinned. "You really saved my tail."

"Stop that!" Pixal burst out, knocking snakes down with her fighting skills left and right. "You are not taking this mission seriously!"

"I am taking it seriously!" he retaliated. "I was just attempting to lighten the mood!"

"No!" she disagreed. "You are getting distracted by dumb jokes! Like, like...Jay!"

"I am not distracted by 'dumb jokes!'" he retorted. "And even if I was, so what? What do you have against Jay, anyway?"

She put her hands on the sides of her head. "I do not! It is just, that is not you! You do not do those things!"

"Well, I just did!" he said, knocking down a Venomari. "What does that mean?"

She huffed. "Maybe I do not know you as well as I thought I did," she said, running away to join the others to finish them off, leaving Zane with a small group of Serpentine.

Zane was confused. His princess was acting odd, and he did not know how to handle it.

So, he just took it out on the snakes.

At least, until the village was safe, and he returned to the Destiny's Bounty to fly back home.

Pixal was frustrated. She did not like change. The static things in her life made her feel secure.

Like snakes attacking, her Samurai X suit staying the same, and her Zane being the same intellectual, charismatic gentleman he always was. Why was he trying to be someone he was not?

Did he not think he was good enough for her on his own? She shook her head. The thought made her uncomfortable. He was as perfect as a person could get in Pixal's logical mind.

He had to understand that, right? Of course he did. He was just being stubborn.

The others seemed to be acting the same as usual, and she understood why when Lloyd walked by her.

"Hey, Pix! Where's Zane?"

She felt her circuits spark up slightly. 'I should look at that later.' "I do not know. After the Serpentine were taken care of, we have not spoken."

Lloyd's eyes widened. "Oh. Thanks, Pix. I'll go try to find him."

She sputtered out, "But I did not help." But he was already gone.

She didn't bother to look for him while they were flying, but she couldn't figure out why. Maybe because she thought he might act that way again, and she couldn't deal with that, or perhaps he'd try to act like it never happened, and she couldn't handle that either.

So, they didn't speak again until all the ninja were going back into the monastery.

And the rest of the ninja didn't seem to notice the tension between them, all except for Cole.

Pixal noticed the black ninja standing next to Zane, talking to him and resting his hand on the nindroid's shoulder. And something else she saw, was that Zane looked a little dull. Colorless. Like how he was when she first met him. Like he was missing something.

She could almost read Cole's lips. He seemed to be saying, "Why aren't you with her?"

Zane looked back, stern, and emotionless. She watched his lips mouth, "I don't know."

Then without a moment's notice, Cole pulled him into a hug.

Pixal's heart sank. Did she really make him that upset?

She took a deep breath and went inside. She promised herself she would talk to him.

Pixal leaned against a column as she watched her love enter the monastery. Her lips drooped into a pout at the solemn look on his face.

She walked over to him. "I am sorry." She couldn't even look at him. "I was being harsh." Then she looked up at him. "But you are not going to do that again, are you?"

"Why?" His blocky eyebrows twitched with confusion. "I was just doing what I wanted to do. What do you have against it anyway?"

Her emerald greens glistened. "Like I said before, I do not. It is just, that is not you. That is not what you do." She didn't realize how sharp she sounded until the words had already escaped her mouth, but she didn't regret any of it.

His face shined in the lamps' lights. "Well, I did. So, what does that mean?"

Her brow furrowed. "Maybe I do not understand you as well as I thought."

Zane's stance stiffened. "And I do not understand why you are reacting like this. You used to be so, so, helpful!"

"What?" Her eyes widened to the size of an owl's. "And I am not anymore?" Her tone mimicked a scream, with all the power, but half the volume.

He talked with his hands. "I, I do not know! You have just been...distant lately! I wanted to talk to you," his whisper was like a plea.

"Well, did you not think that I may not need you to talk to me?" She raised her voice even further. "How selfish can you be?"

He blinked slowly in shock. "I am always thinking about you! How could you think I would not care?"

Her shoulders rose. "Because of your actions! You do not act like you respect my feelings at all!"

"I act like I am trying!" He patted his chest. "What have you done? When have you ever asked me how I felt? You just assume things about me without even asking!"

"I have done all I can!" Her throat was dry from screaming. "I do not understand you!"

Cold rushed through the air. "I do not understand you!"

She stomped, getting closer to him. "Well, then maybe we should not date anymore!" And as she shouted, she realized that the rest of the ninja were standing a few feet away.

The corners of Zane's eyes glistened. "Maybe we..." His arms slinked back to his sides as he reacted. "Should not."

She spotted the rest of the ninja silently gasping as they spectated.

And as she met Zane's gaze, she realized something. He was on the brink of tears. And if he started crying, she would start crying, and forget that this argument ever happened. So, she had to leave.

She started speed walking down the hall to her room, and Nya soon joined her, awkwardly escorting her to her room while the boys handled Zane.

Zane was dumbfounded. How could this have happened?! He should have said something or talked to her before this got so out of hand. This was all his fault! What had he done?

Speaking of being surprised, the red ninja definitely was. Kai's jaw was on the floor. "What just happened?"

Lloyd was wide-eyed. "Ninjago's most perfect couple just broke up."

Seeing it all fall apart in front of him was too much for Zane. Tears streamed down his face. He could hardly say a word. He choked out between sobs, "Why?"

Cole patted Zane's back to comfort him as his face grew wet. Cole didn't say a thing, but his face said it all. 'I'm here.' Zane hardly ever cried, and never in front of people, so Cole knew this was serious.

And of course it was. Zane had loved Pixal for years, and Cole was sure he had never stopped loving her, even if their communication had gotten worse in the past few weeks.

Zane was ashamed. He hadn't cried this much since he thought that Cole was dead. He should have done something, but now, he could barely even breathe. "I, I..." he coughed, tears in his eyes.

Cole's forest-green eyes glowed with support. "What it is, buddy?"

His icy blues were red from crying. "I." He sobbed. "Failed. What have I-" Zane choked back a sob once more. "-done?"

Cole shook his head, kindness in his eyes. "You didn't do anything, buddy. You tried your best. It's okay. Don't worry," Cole tried to reassure him.

Zane's arms gripped the earth ninja's shoulders in anguish. "But, I could have, I-" Tears rolled down his cheeks, falling onto his gi. "Why did this have to happen?"

Cole's eyebrows lowered. "I don't know, buddy, but everything happens for a reason."

Zane laughed insincerely, his eyes glossy. "You are right. It would be illogical for the universe to care about my suffering."

The earth ninja hugged his friend. "It doesn't matter. We do." He looked to the others. "We're here for you."

Zane felt a little better knowing that he didn't have to face this scary unknown alone, but even though his tears were drying up, his sorrows would not do the same.

Once Nya escorted Pixal to her bedroom, Pixal sat down at her desk and picked up a familiar book.

"Samurai X log two-thousand and thirty-eight." As her pen flowed across the paper, she kept a stern expression, saying it aloud as she wrote. "Today, Zane and I broke up."

"Why did you get so upset at him, anyway?" Nya asked, making Pixal jump in her seat.

The new samurai glanced at the old. "I thought that you had left."

The water ninja folded her hands. "Sorry. I thought you knew I was still here."

Pixal shook her head. "It is alright. I guess my mind was...elsewhere."

"Makes sense. When Jay and I broke up, I had a lot on my mind too."

The android flinched. "It is not about that," Pixal lied.

"Okay, I understand." Nya's chocolate brown eyes glistened. "It was the same for me, too."

Pixal waved her arms in a "no" gesture. "No, it is not like that. I am sure."

Nya shrugged. "Okay, if you say so. Just carry on writing, I don't mind."

"Alright," Pixal huffed, sitting back down. She picked up the pen once more and continued writing. "I thought Zane and I were forever, but maybe I was wrong. I just do not understand him like I thought I did."

"What do you mean?"

Pixal glared at her friend. "I thought you were going to let me be."

Nya bit her lip. "I changed my mind."

Pixal sighed, annoyedly. "Fine. I shall explain it to you."

The other girl crossed her legs and smiled with satisfaction. "Okay."

"I just do not understand him anymore. He does not care as much as I thought he did."

Nya's eyes went wide as dinner plates. "What? He cares so much about you! How could you think that?"

Pixal looked away. "Maybe that is what you think. He may say those things, but he does not act like it."

"I don't understand why you think that. He's always trying to help you."

Pixal shook her head. "He never asks me how I feel. He pretends like he cares, but he never stops to think about what I want."

Nya pursed her lips. "I can understand that. I'll leave you alone."

"Thank you," Pixal replied monotonously.

And then, Nya returned to her room to work on something.

Nya was worried. She was concerned about Pixal, and how closed off from everyone she had been lately, and now she was mad at Zane. Nya was also worried about Zane, as he was not the kind of person to be taking this kind of thing very well.

She walked out of her room and down the hall to join the others. She looked around, and she could see everyone, all except for Zane.

Pixal was fixing the elevator, acting as nothing had ever happened. Kai and Jay were playing video games, as usual. Lloyd was getting a snack from the pantry, and Cole was sketching in his sketchbook.

Nya walked up over to Jay. "Can I talk to you for a second?"

The blue ninja set his controller down as he finished a battle with Kai. "Of course." He smiled up at her. "Always."

She smiled back to hide her nervousness. "Well..." She deeply sighed as they walked together. "You know this is a lot." She took a deep breath. "I'm just worried about them." Her deep brown eyes glistened in the light. "Is Zane okay?"

Jay's face contorted like pulled taffy. "Well..." He talked with his hands, gritting his teeth. "It's complicated. But, short answer, no."

Nya's eyebrows rose. "You're not usually one for short answers."

Jay laughed awkwardly. "I don't think Zane would appreciate me talking about it."

The water ninja looked down at the ground. "Well, that says a lot."

"Mmhmm."

Nya was about to say something else, but then something dreadful happened.

Master Wu arrived home from his outing.

"Students, I have returned! Was your mission successful?" The teacher slowly walked in before stepping on something. He picked it up. "Which one of you left their magazine on the floor?"

Lloyd's eyes went so big he could have been mistaken for a frog. He ran over and snatched it out of Wu's hand. "Sorry, Uncle. I forgot to put that away."

His sensei's wise eyes were lined with sympathy. "It is alright, Lloyd. Just be less careless next time, or you may not get your belonging back."

"Yup, sure!" Lloyd replied, dashing for the trash can.

Wu blinked confusedly. His eyes scanned the room. "Where is Zane? Did your mission go badly?" He looked to Cole with concern, as he was usually the one who had a grip on what was going on.

Cole set down his drawing materials and walked over to his master. "No, Sensei, the mission went fine. It's just, well..." The earth ninja exhaled. "Let me put this bluntly. Zane and Pixal broke up."

Wu's eyes went wide. "Oh."

"And..." Cole folded his hands awkwardly. "Zane hasn't been taking it very well. He's been in his room for the past couple hours, and he just wants to be left alone."

"I see..."

"So, if you wanna go tell him you're back, you can. Just, he's probably not going to be cooking dinner tonight."

"Alright," Wu replied, bowing his hat. "I shall go do that."

Cole nodded silently before returning to what he was doing before.

To put it bluntly, Zane was a mess. His eyes wouldn't stop leaking, and every time he tried to get up from his bed, he would see another thing in his room that reminded him of the mistakes he'd made.

And then, he heard a faint knock at the door. He wiped his eyes and put his fingers through his hair, trying to hide the fact that he'd been crying on and off for two hours straight. "Come in."

The doorknob squeaked, and his sensei squeezed through the door. "I wanted to let you know that I am back."

Zane looked down at the carpet, not able to make eye contact for fear that Wu would see it in his eyes. "Thank you."

His master's eyes fluttered. "May I sit with you?"

"Sure," the nindroid replied half-heartedly.

Wu sat down on Zane's bed next to him and looked him up and down. "Cole let me know what happened." The elder put a hand on Zane's shoulder. "Are you alright?"

Zane laughed fakely. "We both know that the answer to that query is apparent."

The sensei's lips formed a line. He looked away. "Yes."

Zane's eyes darted around the room, until they eventually landed on his mirror, staring face to face, being faced with the face that had ruined everything.

He tried so hard not to see her screaming at him in the inky pools of his pupils. "Cole said I did everything I could, but it felt like I did all the wrong things." His icy blues glimmered, wishing that her smile would come back.

Wu looked at him even though the ice ninja wasn't making eye contact. "I understand." He smiled softly. "It may be hard to believe, but I was young once."

"You forget of our time in the first realm," Zane replied in an emotionless tone.

The sensei's eyebrows rose. "You're right. Those memories are a little fuzzy to me."

Titanium locks swished with Zane's movements. "I am rarely wrong." He looked back at his master sadly. "But this was one of those times."

The other took his hand. "It's okay. I understand."

Zane shook his head. "I truly doubt that."

"No," Wu insisted. "I understand."

The nindroid immediately stood up. "I do not know how you could possibly understand when you do not even know how much this meant to me!" Zane shouted, shaking as he spoke.

Wu sighed softly. "I apologize, Zane. I was insensitive."

His student quivered, slowly sitting back down. He held his head before sitting up a little and looking back at him. "I am sorry, master. I do not know what came over me."

"It is alright, Zane. It is understandable."

Tears formed in the ice ninja's eyes. "I guess I am not in the best mental state at the moment."

Wu nodded. "I will leave you be. You can skip the next few training days. Just, let me know if you ever need help."

"Thank you, Sensei."

Zane was distant. It had been a few weeks since the incident, but the effects on everyone were still clear as day. Zane was cold, quiet. Like he was before he met Pixal.

And, before he started speaking his mind more and not worrying so much about what everyone else thought, and how what he liked may have been seen as "weird" to others.

He didn't go on missions much anymore, mostly distracting himself by guarding the monastery, doing housework, and training.

Every day he sent Pixal a text and a voicemail, but she never answered. And even though they were still living in the same house, they seemed miles apart. His bed was cold, his shelves were filled with broken memories, and his dreams haunted him with hopeless fantasies and nightmares that had already come true.

He used to think that you could have everything in the world if you put your mind to it, but now, he knew that was simply unrealistic.

If he couldn't have her, what did anything matter, anyway?

He tried to fake a smile for his friends, join in their games, laugh at dinner, but Pixal wouldn't even come out of her room at that time. And most other times, she was at Borg Tower.

How many times did he have to lie to himself to realize the truth? She would never forgive him.

At least he found another way to cheer himself up. Running errands and keeping himself busy.

He knocked on the door, and a few seconds later, a familiar face appeared. Zane faked a smile. "Hello, Mr. Evans."

"Good afternoon, Zane." The middle-aged man smiled back, his daughter hugging his leg. "Thank you for coming to babysit Jamie."

"Anytime," the nindroid replied, offering a handshake to the little girl. "It is no trouble at all."

"Of course," Jamie affirmed. "I'm da best."

Her father laughed. "Well, you two have fun!"

Zane slipped inside, and the two waved goodbye.

Jamie bounced up and down. "We will! Bye, Daddy!"

After that, the two played a little, and Jamie showed Zane that her dolls knew how to kick butt just like him.

And then, Jamie got hungry, so Zane made her a sandwich. He contemplated making one for himself, but it just reminded him of times gone by when he and his Luna would talk for hours, laughing and cuddling on the couch.

He shook his head. No, he wasn't supposed to think about those things. He was supposed to forget and move on, right?

He forced a smile and made his way back to the couch next to his favorite seven-year-old.

Jamie was making her mermaid dolls air-swim, while making sound effects, of course. But while she was playing, it seemed like something occurred to her.

She looked up at Zane. "Where's Miss Pixal?"

His ice-blue eyes dimmed. "She..." He tried his best not to cry. "...does not love me anymore."

Innocent brown eyes looked back at him with confusion. Jamie set down her toys. "But, I thought you said that you loved her very much."

He looked down sadly, his blond hair flopping as he moved. "I do. It is just-I think that she is mad at me."

A small mouth formed an o. "Oh."

She paused for a second, seeming to collect her thoughts. "Well, why?"

His eyes welled up. "That is a question I ask myself every day."

Jamie's eyes were wide. "But, you guys are perfect!"

"That is what I thought." Tears started to roll down his cheeks. "But I guess I was wrong."

Zane looked at her and wiped his eyes a little, though he was still clearly crying. "I am sorry, Jamie. I do not know what happened. I was okay-"

Lies.

Jamie climbed into his lap and hugged his chest. "It's okay. Everybody gets sad sometimes."

He hugged her back. "Thank you. I just miss her so much. I have tried so many times, but I just cannot forget her. I wish she would talk to me," he explained, tears flowing a little as he spoke.

"It's alwight," she said, looking up at him. "I'm sure she'll realize what a dumb mistake she made and say sorry. I know it."

He grinned a little. "Little ninja are not supposed to say 'dumb,' but I appreciate the support."

Jamie giggled. "Okay."

They talked for a little while longer, and after, Zane felt better than he had in a long time. Bottling up your emotions isn't healthy for anyone. Not even for nindroids.

Maybe he should have been more honest with Pixal. Then perhaps she wouldn't be gone now.

Well, it wasn't hopeless anymore.

Maybe he would go for a walk in the park.

Pixal was lonely. She was frustrated. Why did she have to push everyone away? Just because she was mad at Zane didn't mean she had to be friendless. The only person she had talked to in the past few weeks was Cyrus Borg, and most of their conversations went like;

"How is work?"

"Pretty good. How bout you?"

"Nothing, really. Just locking up criminals."

As you can see, that was not the best for her mental health. Small talk was never as productive as it seemed. So, she hadn't talked to anyone else for quite a while. But that was no one's fault but her own.

She barely even went out of her workshop unless she had to.

It was the same old routine.

Wake up, write in her logbook, work on a project for a few hours, take a break and read a book, work some more, be Samurai X for a while, and then try to squeeze in three hours of sleep. Rinse and repeat.

The same old didn't seem so comforting anymore. Not like his arms.

She shook her head. No. She was mad at him. She didn't love him anymore. They were never meant to be in the first place.

There were things in her room that made her want to change her mind, but she was sure of her decision. She may not be certain of the future, but she was sure of one thing. She had feelings, and she was still upset at Zane.

Trinkets stared at her mockingly. Two little figures holding hands in a Ninjago city snow globe. She picked it up and shook it, making the fake snow swirl around and block the tainted memory.

A framed picture of them sat next to her toolbox, bright smiles teasing her with past happiness now lost. She set it face down on the desk.

Pixal reached her hand out involuntarily, searching for the matching one, which was long gone. She filled the hole with her wrench once more, but it didn't fill the hole in her heart.

She may have been mad at him, but that didn't stop her from loving him.

She didn't regret her decision, did she?

She should go to bed.

Zane woke up the next day with a song in his heart. There was hope once again in the world.

He smiled and picked up his phone. And then he did what he did every day, but with a little less hopelessness in his tone.

"I know that you probably will not hear this, but I wanted to say that I miss you. And I still love you. But if you want to be mad at me forever, then...I can respect that."

Beep! "Press two if you want to play your message again-"

He hung up and went to the texting feed. There were lots of messages from him, but the most he ever saw on Pixal's side were three little dots. He typed, 'Have a great day. :)'

And then he stuffed his phone back in his pocket and gathered his things. The ninja were on another mission, but he wouldn't dare disturb Pixal. That was his mistake, wasn't it?

He still wasn't sure, but he could only hope for closure. So, he walked out the door, down the many stairs, and into the city to run some errands.

The sun was finally shining after what felt like years of cloudy days.

Why did the workshop seem even darker and lonelier than before when Pixal woke up that morning? Maybe it was the fact that she had turned off all the lights to conserve power, or perhaps it was the empty Zane-sized dent in her bed.

Had she ever noticed that before?

It didn't matter. She was still mad at him.

Nothing could change that.

Not even the memories on her walls, the dreams they'd shared that dusted her desk, or the cold yet warm hugs he gave.

She was doing it again!

What was up with her today?

Her silver locks were messy, and her whole appearance was disheveled. And when she didn't hear any noise coming from upstairs, she decided to have a look.

But before she could, her phone started to ring. She looked at it. A picture of a familiar smiling ninja appeared on her screen. She contemplated answering, but she concluded that it would be just too painful.

It wouldn't do any good, anyway. She was still mad at him.

She heard a ding as a voicemail, and then a text appeared on her screen. She shoved her Borg-Phone back into her pocket and stepped into the elevator.

The music made her feel slightly less alone, but not by much.

And that all went down the drain when she made it onto the main floor.

It was a ghost town; there was absolutely no one in sight. The big building was utterly void of people.

Pixal called down the hall, "Hello? Anyone here?"

Her only answer was an echo.

She walked into the living room and spotted some video game controllers lying on the floor.

In the past, she would have been annoyed, scolding the ninja for being careless, but now she wondered, 'When was the last time Zane genuinely smiled?'

Her green eyes flickered. When was the last time she had faced him?

She had avoided him like the smell of week-old seafood, and did she ever stop and think how he felt? She was doing what she had gotten upset at him for in the first place.

She was a hypocrite.

She was running away from her feelings, like she did when she first fell in love with him. She was a coward.

Her eyes began to water.

Why did she try to convince herself that it wasn't a mistake? That she actually wanted this lonely life?

She walked into the kitchen and spotted Zane's apron hanging on a hook. The whole room smelled of him. Of his dreams, his hopes. How much he loved her.

How could she do this to him?

How could she ignore him every day, his messages, his face, his friends, why did she just push them away?

She was acting like the emotionless robot she thought she was long ago.

Tears spilled out, streaming down her face. She sat on the floor. "I was wrong!" She screamed. "I lied! I do still love you. I regret it. I regret it all."

She hugged herself, looking down at the tile floor. "I miss you so much, and it is all my fault, because I was too stubborn to admit I was wrong! Why did I push you away? No one even told me to, I just-" Pixal sobbed. "I just treated you like an old rusty nail or a dead battery. Something to throw away and forget that you ever loved, ever needed."

Her messy silver hair brushed against her shoulders. "But I do need you, and I love you, so much. And when you were gone, my heart broke into millions of pieces, but then I just left you, and acted like you would not feel the same. I lied, I said that we were not two halves of the same whole. That I could live without you."

She wiped her eyes, attempting to stop crying. "But we are, and I cannot. We make each other better, and I just threw it all away," she said tearily. She looked up at the picture of the two of them that hung on the wall. "I really messed up, didn't I?"

Even samurai get lonely.

Zane felt better. He had gotten a few things done, relaxed in the park, and now he was going to go get groceries.

He smiled at citizens that passed by as he walked, and even the sun seemed to be smiling at him.

It didn't stop him from missing her, but it helped.

He waved at the clerk as they handed him a shopping cart. He gave them his card, and then he put his phone on silent.

Was he smiling?

Maybe today would be the best day he had had in a long time.

Pixal was flooded with emotion.

She pulled out her phone at stared at its lock screen. It was a picture of some blueprints. Lonely and dull, like the past few weeks had been for her.

She changed it to a picture of her and Zane and tried not to tear up again.

Guess what. She failed.

She went into her calling app.

Twenty-seven unread voicemails, all from Zane. How selfish had she been?

She played each one, oldest to newest.

"Pixal, I am sorry. I should have respected your feelings. I love you."

"No," she cried. "I am the one who is sorry."

She continued playing them.

"Luna, I miss you. I wish you would talk to me."

"Please stop avoiding me. I just want to talk. I love you."

"Pixal, I still believe we are compatible, even if you may not."

"Nothing could ever stop me from loving you, even if you hated me."

The life in his voice drained as they got more recent.

"I know you think that we are not meant to be, but I just want to talk to you."

"It's hard to fake it. I wonder if you know what I mean. Please forgive me."

"I would give the whole world if you would come back to me. I'll wait for you."

"If you do not want to talk to me anymore, then I understand that. I just want answers."

And then there was one from earlier today.

"I know that you probably will not hear this, but I wanted to say that I miss you. And I still love you. But if you want to be mad at me forever, then...I can respect that."

He seemed a little brighter, happier.

Her eyes leaked. "Oh, Zane. Why do you have to be so selfless? I have to fix this."

Then, she stood up and started to read the texts. They were very similar to the voicemails, but a lot shorter.

I still love you.

Please call me.

I miss you.

Pixal.

And then the most recent one read, 'Have a great day. :)'

She had no idea how to fix this.

So she went to the only place left that she could go to for support.

Borg Tower.

She rushed through the automatic doors.

"Excuse me!" she remarked, looking at the person managing the desk. "I need to see Cyrus Borg, please!" she pleaded, teary-eyed. She didn't even care that no one here had ever seen her cry before. This was far too important.

The bespectacled lady looked back at her. "I'm sorry, but you need an appointment."

"Please," Pixal begged once more. "I need to see him."

The clerk looked her up and down.

Pixal was in bad shape, her usually perfectly styled silver hair matted and messy, her green eyes dim and dark, and her navy dress covered in fuzz. But the woman could just about make out some signature purple circuits hidden by frizzy silver locks.

"Wait. Pixal, is that you?"

"Yes." She wiped her eyes. "And I need to see my father."

The lady's mouth was wide open. "Oh, of course." She gestured to direct her. "He's upstairs in his office on the top floor."

"Thank you," Pixal replied swiftly, before dashing up the spiral staircase.

Pixal burst through the door, making Cyrus jump in his seat.

"What's wrong?" he asked frantically.

Green eyes glistened. "You know how I told you that I was mad at Zane, and I thought we were not meant to be after all?"

He nodded silently, spotting the tears in her eyes.

"Well, I was wrong." She threw up her hands. "Really wrong!" Her eyes were red and puffy from all the sobbing. "That was the biggest mistake I have ever made, and I have no idea how to fix it!"

Cyrus rolled over, wrapped his arms around his daughter, and pulled her close into a hug, comforting her as she started to cry again. "It's okay, Pixal. I'm here."

She looked down at him with sad, innocent eyes. "Father, what am I going to do? How could he ever forgive me after all the hurtful things I said to him?"

The raven-haired man sighed. "Well, Zane is a very forgiving person. And you two have something special. I'm sure that if you apologize, everything will be fine."

She cried, "I just cannot believe all of the things I did! I was so stubborn that I did not even think about how hurtful I was being!"

"Well, the past is in the past. There's no reason to get upset about it now," Cyrus reassured her, wiping her tears. "All you can do is try your best to make a better future."

Pixal sniffed. "You are right. I have to apologize and make things right."

Cyrus smiled as she got back to her feet.

"I'm going to fix this."

So Pixal wiped her eyes, fixed her hair, and pulled out her phone. She stood in the lobby of Borg Tower.

The phone rang as she awaited his voice. But no reply. "Record your message after the beep." Beep!

"Uh, I wanted to say that I need you, and I miss you too. Please meet me outside Borg Tower as soon as you can."

"If you want to play your message again-"

She hung up and went to send him a text, just in case he didn't get the voicemail. She typed a simple, 'I am sorry.'

And now, all she could do was wait.

How many Zane-shaped clouds did she need to wish on for him to appear?

Zane was cheery. He smiled at the other shoppers in line, and didn't forget anything on the list. There was even a sale on milk!

No, that made his life sound sad. That wasn't the best thing. He had hope.

And as the lady at the counter scanned his things, he got the same reaction he always did. "Have I seen you from somewhere? You look familiar."

"I was on a commercial once," he replied mindlessly, focused more on memories of times that this had happened to both him and his love.

She glanced at some magazines on a rack. "Huh, I don't know."

Then after she finished, she handed him his receipt, he gave his card to the people at the exit, and started walking back home; at least, until he got tired and sat down on a bench.

And he realized his phone was still on silent.

He pulled it out and saw the most remarkable thing.

He had a missed call, a voicemail, and a text, all from Pixal.

He viewed each of them, and his eyes brightened. He had to get to her as fast as he could.

So he paid for someone to take his groceries home, and hopped on a bus to Borg Tower before you could say "Ninja, go!"

Things were getting better.

Pixal was impatient. She couldn't stop fidgeting with her hands and staring at the reply he had sent her. 'On my way,' it read, though it said much more to her.

She could almost hear the eagerness in his voice, feel his cold touch, almost even see his smiling face.

Wait. That was him, getting off the bus!

What was she going to say? What was she going to do? She stood up, frazzled, and just stared at him. She almost faked a smile, but she couldn't. She felt too guilty.

He walked over to her. "So, why now?" he asked, with a hint of annoyance in his tone.

She bit back tears. "I cannot believe it has taken me this long to realize this. I was foolish for pushing you away. I should not have been mad at you for trying something new."

"Oh, Pixal. I was only trying to cheer you up. I should have been honest with you from the beginning."

She looked at him with confusion in her eyes. "Really?"

He nodded silently.

"So, will you get back together with me?"

Zane pursed his lips. "On one condition."

Her eyelashes fluttered. "And what is that?"

He talked with his hands. "That from now on, we are completely honest with each other."

"And try to understand each other better," she added. "I have been far too selfish in that regard."

"We both have."

She stepped closer to him. "Zane, I am so sorry that I ever thought I did not love you."

"And I am sorry I did not do something sooner." He wrapped his arms around her, filling the hole in her heart once again.

She looked up at him. "Zane, what is it?"

"Luna, never let me go."

They pulled each other close as it started to rain.

"Never again."

The End.

Bonus:

"Everyone, we are back together again," Zane announced to the team.

"Phew!" Jay remarked. "I couldn't handle all that awkwardness!"

Nya laughed. "Neither could I."

Author's Note: So, that was Ice Cold Nights! I hope you enjoyed it! It'll probably be a little while until my next oneshot, but hopefully, this extra-long one will tide you over for a while! Feel free to submit suggestions in the comments with the form! Have a great whenever, and bye for now!