ShinyShiny9: Yes, every character in this fanfic is nine (with the coming exceptions of Zane and PIXAL, of course)! I'm sorry if it was a little confusing in Vania's story. And actually, I watched the movie first, then watched the series chronologically with my brother, only deciding to continue watching once I got to S4. It's one of my favorite seasons though!

This was actually the first story I wrote for this collection which is why it may seem a little different from the rest as far as structure and flashbacks and things like that.

picture frames

Cole wondered if he should bother to bring anything fancy to wear. The ninja would be on duty most of the time, so wouldn't he only need a couple of gis? Eh, he should bring one suit just in case-after all, they were going to stay in the palace of the royal family of Ninjago.

The royal family was about as secretive as someone in a position of power could be. Even the ninja didn't know nearly as much about them as they would have liked. Cole didn't have much experience with dignitaries, but his father always reminded him that presentability was everything. Perhaps, he was right.

Cole counted everything over again. His duffel bag was nowhere near full, but he'd learned to pack light. Yes, he was sure he didn't miss anything. He sat next to his luggage and let his gaze drift to the side table near his bed. No, he wasn't done yet.

…

He was nine, holding the largest batch of cotton candy his mother could find at the festival. It was the lightest shade of blue. He always preferred blue over all of the other colors; well, except for orange. Who didn't like orange? It was clearly the best color and his mother's favorite too.

"Are you going to share some with me?" his mother asked him with a tender smile. She gestured to the soft cloud of sugar he was holding before glancing back and forth at the game stalls, looking for a game they could play together.

Cole thought for a moment. He handed the entire cone over to her. There was at least a half of it left. "You can have the rest, Mom." He knew that she didn't want him to eat all of that extra sugar on top of the funnel cake he had earlier.

His mother laughed warmly. She took a small tuft of the treat and gave the rest back to her son. She usually would have only let him eat a quarter of it, but it was a special day. "I just wanted a little, Cole."

He took back the cone with a contented smile. His mom really was the best. Hand in hand, they went from game to game. He knew the other kids were staring at him. They didn't walk alongside their parents. They hung out with the people that were as cool as they were. They could have been sneering from the sides, but Cole walked proudly with his mother. They could act like they were fifteen if they wanted to, but he was content to be nine. He couldn't imagine anything more wonderful than spending time like this.

He didn't want to be a grown-up anyways. His father had cancelled their family trip to the carnival so he could perform with the Royal Blacksmiths. Cole could never understand that. His father told him that when he was an adult he would understand. But shouldn't family be the most important? He heard his mother say that to his father when he tried to sneak into the kitchen late at night. She had to be right; she was always right.

The two strolled down the boardwalk until sunset. As they walked to the exit, they stopped at a photo booth. "Hey, let's take a picture to show your father when he gets home," his mother suggested.

"But we already took a hundred pictures," Cole complained. "That should be enough for ten scrapbooks."

She laughed because it was true. It would take hours to sort out the photos she took. But… Her smile faded for a split second, too quick for her son to catch. "Just one more memory," she said gently.

"Okay, one more for you, Mom." Cole ran toward the photo booth expecting her to do the same. Instead, she watched him for a brief moment. That day, he was just a child with an almost-empty cone of cotton candy and a plush turtle tucked securely under his arm. But in a little bit of time, he would be a young man ready to make his way in the world. She sighed. How time flies.

"Mom, hurry up!" He turned around to grab her hand and drag her to the photo booth. "You're the one who wanted to take another picture." She followed him with a smile. With Cole kneeling on the seat beside her and the plush turtle almost blocking her entire face, they took the picture.

Most parents wouldn't have considered it a good one. Cole was bouncing around from the cotton candy, and she was trying to get in the picture as best as she could. But she thought it was perfect, and Cole seemed to think so too. She would need to buy a picture frame for it. They wouldn't be letting go of it for a long time.

…

Cole still remembered the vintage frame that his mom bought for the photo. She left it on his bedside table, and they would laugh about that day whenever she tucked him into bed. She always remembered to hand him the plush turtle too, although he insisted that it was for her. But he could never get her to take it away.

But nine was the last time she tucked him into bed. Nine was the last time he saw her. She wasn't around anymore. Neither was the plush turtle. His father had given it away the moment Cole left for Marty's. And the picture frame broke when he hurriedly gathered his things from the music school after deciding to leave and never come back. Honestly, he blamed himself for being in such a rush to run away from someone else's future, that he didn't guard something so precious from his past.

But none of that was important really. Glass breaks, toys are given away, and mothers—well, mothers aren't forever. He knew that better than anyone. But memories are forever. At least, he hoped they were. Because picture frames can be replaced while memories-they can't.

Cole placed the photo in his duffel bag. There. He was done.

…

Once the smoke cleared from the crash, Cole dusted himself off. Wu was squirming in his arms, but he seemed to be unharmed. Where did Mistake send them anyways? The landscape looked like death: dust blowing everywhere and small shrubs littering the ground. Although it looked like sunset was approaching, the elements were still beating mercilessly on the already parched region.

He put Wu down for a moment and pulled out his wallet from his shoulder pad. He took out the string of pictures: One of his favorite cakes which he put away very quickly before the cravings started again. A couple that he and Jay took together on their various adventures to find the best pancakes. That was their thing. And of course, some nostalgic group shots. Those reminded him that Nya and Lloyd were left behind. He missed them already.

He put the rest back in and pulled out the last photo with a smile of relief. After all this time, the picture was still intact. That was all that mattered. "New adventure, mom," he said quietly.

Little Wu was looking up at him as if wondering who he was talking to. "Let's go find the others," Cole said. He put the picture away, tucked the wallet securely under his shoulder pad, and stepped into the fading daylight.