Zane and Pixal strolled through the park, snow falling gently around them. Pixal had recently gotten her father's help to upgrade herself with a holographic projector in her arm, and she was using it to show Zane the digital photo albums she had been compiling. They'd already flipped past a variety of nature shots, some interesting pictures of city streets and skylines, and even a few action shots from various battles. Pixal's favorite album, though, was made of tender moments, most taken directly from her own memory banks. She was thinking of having that particular group of pictures printed out and bound, actually. Having spent so long as essentially a ghost in the machine had taught her the value of having tangible, physical possessions.
"This is the time Lloyd and I went to the cat cafe," she said, showing Zane an image of the green ninja being swarmed by cats while he ate a strawberry danish, happy as a clam, "And the time the team went to volunteer at the children's hospital." There were several pictures of that one, Cole with several small children climbing all over him, Zane reading to several more, Kai and Jay showing off some miniature pyrotechnics to the children too ill to leave their beds.
"And here's the time Skylor and Nya took me out for a girl's day," Pixal continued, smiling at a picture of Skylor and Nya in a dressing room, showing off the dresses they'd been trying on. In a mirror in the background you could also see Pixal, wearing a silvery blue dress and smiling warmly.
"These are wonderful!" Zane told her sincerely, "Do you have any pictures of when we found Echo?"
With a thought, Pixal brought up her favorite shot of Echo, taken just after he'd been rescued from the lighthouse. Pixal's father had been planning to set up a research facility in the old lighthouse, in honor of Dr. Julien, but when Zane had gone to gather his late father's belongings, he'd received the shock of his lifetime in finding Clockwork Zane, or Zee as their father had apparently called him. Zane had wasted no time bringing his newly discovered little brother home, where Jay's "Echo" nickname had stuck. There had been a lot of pictures taken of Echo since then, but Pixal's favorite was the one she'd taken when he saw the mainland for the first time. The unadulterated glee and wonder on his face at his first glance of civilization warmed Pixal's heart every time she saw it. Zane evidently agreed, staring at the image fondly.
"That's my favorite picture of Echo, but not my all time favorite picture," Pixal said shyly, "My all time favorite picture is this."
She brought it up with barely a thought. It was actually two pictures side by side, both of Zane. In the first he was standing in the lobby of Borg tower, wearing a sweater vest and a consternated expression. In the second, he smiled at her in the Walker's old trailer, chest standing open to show the missing half of his heart. The moment they met, and the moment she'd lost her metaphorical heart to him the same way he'd surrendered his literal heart to her.
"Pixal," Zane breathed, "I have no idea what I did to deserve having you in my life."
"Exist," Pixal replied, "But honestly, Zane? I'm really the lucky one to have you."
"That reminds me," Zane said, taking a few steps back, "I did have a question I needed to ask you. Pixal Borg, Samurai X, defender of Ninjago," he pulled out a ring box and knelt, "Will you marry me?"
Pixal gasped. "Yes!"
She rocketed forward and Zane stood to meet her with a laugh, lifting her off her feet to swing her around in pure joy. Eventually he set her down and she pulled him into a deep kiss. Her eyes were closed, but she could feel him slip the ring onto her finger. All around them, she could hear camera phones going off, but she couldn't bring herself to care. Let them watch. Let them see. This was the happiest moment of her life. One thing was for sure. That image? Zane lit up with happiness, rising to meet her with the ring box still in his hand? Was her new favorite picture.