Cole hummed to himself as the radio softly blasted its beats. Snippets of tunes intermixed with the news: Both Lord Garmadon and the giant cat had been stopped, neither to be a threat to Ninjago. And who had stopped him? The secret ninja force, led by Lloyd Garmadon. His son. A secret ninja force that Cole was a part of.

"I'm glad you're safe, that's all." His mom was saying as he refocused. "What with that cat and all, your father and I were worried sick!"

If only she knew... Cole thought you himself. "Sorry mom. Cell service went out, and I was... on the other side of the city." Not a lie.

"Still, who would have thought that the green ninja was Lloyd? Your friend, Lloyd!" She exclaimed. "That was a twist! Think you're going to ask him about it?"

Cole shrugged. "I think he'll have enough people doing that already."

...

No kidding.

Lloyd was actually surrounded by a crowd at school, so large that Cole had to push his way through.

Poor kid looks like he's going to faint. Cole thought.

"Whoa, dude, you're his friend, right!?" One kid asked. "Man you're really cool and awesome to be friends with the Green Ninja! Can you help me be friends with him?"

I have to get to him first, Cole thought. "Maybe later!" He yelled.

"Excuse me, friend to the Green Ninja coming through!" Kai yelled as he and Nya pushed through.

Figures Kai would be using this. Cole thought. Though I must admit, being popular feels nice.

"Cole! There you are! Wanna run security on Lloyd?"

Cole nodded, and shouldered through to Lloyd, whose head was down and hoodie up. "Hey dude, it's me. You OK?"

Lloyd shook his head.

"How was the bus ride?" Nya asked.

"Real nice." Lloyd replied, his face not matching his words. "For the first time ever, people wanted to sit next to me."

One day they all wanna mock him, next they all wanna be him. Cole thought.

Nya pursed her lips. "Well, seems like you're quite the attraction now!"

Lloyd nodded hesitantly.

He is freaking out. Cole thought. Despite everything now going right... he's scared.

There would be time to bask in adoration later. For now, Lloyd needed to get away from the people.

"Lloyd! Lloyd!" Jay squeezed next to Cole. "Lloyd, what should we do!?"

Lloyd was in no condition to answer at the moment.

We need to get away from the crowd. Cole thought. But how? We're at the school, and there's not a lot of exits. I always thought school was a trap. Think, Cole, think. There are few days where I wish I was Zane, but today is one of them.

An idea came to mind. "Jay! Get Kai and Nya to cause some sort of distraction, then we take the lockers to the ninja base."

"What about school!?" Jay yelled. "We haven't even made it to first period yet!

"Irrelevant, look at Lloyd." Zane replied, suddenly behind them. "Lloyd will be unable to learn in this condition, and frankly so will we."

I'll have to thank you later, Zane. "He's right, come on dude."

Jay sighed, mumbled something about a grade point average, and was lost to the crowd. A few seconds later, a fire warning happened, and all the students left the building in an orderly fashion.

"Thank goodness for ample firepower, amirite?" Kai quipped.

Nya elbowed him, then walked over to Lloyd. "Hey man, are you ok?"

Lloyd shook his head.

"He needs space." Cole thought out loud. "Let's go to the base. Maybe Wu can help."

...

The trip to the base seemed longer without the threat of danger, which was fine by Cole.

Will we even need this anymore? He thought, a twinge of melancholy popping into his mind. The world is different now. Though I suppose not so different. Nothing is truly new, and I'm sure that a solution will present itself. He tilted his head. Now that's a line. Gotta remember that.

"Hello students." Wu said as the ninja arrived. His hat was lowered, and his eyes betrayed a certain sadness that Cole couldn't place. "I suspected that I'd see you."

"Lloyd's short circuited." Jay stated. "We got to school to find him being hounded by paparazzi."

"I see no broken electronics at all on him." Zane replied.

Leave it to Zane to take a metaphor literally. Cole considered as the others continued to talk. It wouldn't be any use to try and interject, as the others were talking over each other faster than he could. Lloyd is getting everything he ever wanted, but it's too much for him. But why? And why do I want that attention? To be dragged out of the niche you've been in for so long... That's not something that happens every day. What if I was the one who stopped Garmadon? Would I feel the way he feels now?

He didn't have an answer for that.

"Do you think he'll be ok?" Jay asked, leaning over to him. His face was deepened with worry.

Cole gave him a pat on the shoulder. "He'll be fine. I'm sure of that."

Am I sure?

Master Wu was talking now, so Cole focused. "Students, a great weight has been placed on you all, now. Lloyd is known to be the green ninja, and has just come from an amazing victory. A victory you all shared in. But with that comes crushing responsibility and expectation. Thus I ask you— how will you support your friend. Because he will need it."

"Guys, I'm fine!" Lloyd exclaimed. "There's no need to—"

"Dude, you were freaking out." Nya interrupted.

"That's right." Kai affirmed.

Lloyd does need shoulders to lean on... and that's what we're here for. Cole considered. He's our leader, and he can't lead if we don't support him.

"What do you think is a solution, Lloyd?" He asked, carefully.

Lloyd thought for a moment. "Master Wu? Is it possible make everyone forget that I am the Green Ninja?"

The others gasped.

"I'm just saying! It would be a whole lot easier if... people just didn't know." Lloyd sighed. "I don't suppose there is a way to do it?"

Wu thought. "Yes. There is a way. I can use the amazing power of the Plot Relevant Mind Eraser, but once I do so, it will never be undone."

People forget that Lloyd's the Green Ninja, and everything returns to normal. Cole thought.

"What about us?" Kai asked, seeming to voice the thoughts of everyone in the room. "I mean, we were nothings before all this. Then, Lloyd gets famous, we get famous! And we didn't even have to show our secret identities either!"

Lloyd shook his head. "I won't do this without the permission of everyone here. It's a big step to not have more approval."

Cole considered the options. Everyone was talking at once again. Finally, he raised his hand and cleared his throat.

"Perhaps the most effective solution would be to think about it overnight, and come to a conclusion tomorrow. I'm sure that we could all use some rest."

The others murmured in agreement. and Lloyd shot him a look of silent thanks.

...

Cole wasn't sure what to do. His friend was very important to him, but here was a chance at not being outcasts, at being seen as heroes. Lloyd would come to terms with it in time... right?

He needed advice. And the best source of advice he knew of was his father.

"Hey dad, could I ask you a... hypothetical question?" He asked, walking down the stairs of his apartment.

Lou looked up from his book. "Of course, son. What is it?"

Cole phrased his words as carefully as he knew how. "Suppose... For years now, because of your association with someone, you've been an outcast, considered a loser. But one day, that friend becomes super popular, so popular that your own popularity rises as well, and people want to hang out with you and everything. But your friend feels stressed because of it. Then suppose... you could put things back to the way they were. Would that be the right decision?"

Lou pondered this a moment. "I suppose in return, I'd have to ask you a question, Cole. Given the choice between your friend being unburdened from the power of popularity, or you and them being popular up until you graduate High School, well, what do you think you would choose?"

I suppose the answer really is obvious. Cole decided. "Thank you, dad. You've given me a lot to think about."

...

"What are you saying, Cole?" Jay exclaimed. "That's obviously crazy talk!"

"Is it though, Jay?" Cole asked, waving back at the students who passed him. "Why should we sacrifice the well being of our friend for our own interests?"

Jay opened his mouth to reply, then closed it. "You're right. Besides, I think Nya was starting to lean towards that anyway.

Cole gave a good natured chuckle at that. "Still trying, huh?"

"Hey, someday I'll get a full sentence out, just you watch!" Jay protested.

Lloyd came in then, and in what could only be described as the worst timing ever, the nearby wall exploded.

"... Tell me! Where issss the Green Ninja!" A voice that could only be described as Yzma with a lisp yelled. "I would have wordsss with him!"

A snake lady floated into view, eyes narrowed and holding a long staff with a blade on the end. "Well? Where isss he! I will sssspeak with Lloyd Garmadon, the Green Ninja!"

"On third thought, secret identities should probably stay secret for a reason!" Jay panicked as the students fled in terror, leaving behind Lloyd and the others.

"I am that guy! You're asking about!" Lloyd yelled. "What of it?"

"You are coming with me!" The snake yelled. "Aspheera the sorceress commands you!"

"Who-now the what?" Kai asked, dropping into an attack pose. His sister followed suit. "What's your deal?"

"I require the elemental powers for a cryptic ritual!" Aspheera replied. "And where there is green... there the others will be!"

Cole wasn't sure if the logic followed. At any rate, if Aspheera wanted Lloyd, she would have to go through them.

"Come one guys! Ninja go! Protect Lloyd!" He shouted, running at the snake. Zane and Jay flanked him, with Kai and Nya behind.

Lloyd snapped out of his funk. "Everyone, positions! Jay, above! Kai, Cole, Zane, keep her occupied! Nya, water! I'll go in for the gold!"

Aspheera laughed, batting them away. "You think you can take on me!?"

"Maybe not apart..." Lloyd winked at Cole, who got the idea.

"But together!" He yelled, thrusting an earthquake pound from one angle as Nya doused her with water from another. Zane and Kai made a smokescreen, where Lloyd and Kai began to pound on her. By the end of it, Aspheera was gasping for breath.

"ENOUGH!" She yelled, throwing them all back. With a wave of her hand, she pinned the others to the dirt, and raised Lloyd towards her.

Cole realized that he had an opening. She put him into the dirt. His dirt. Using his powers, he blasted himself out, only for Aspheera to sigh and put him into the air.

"Goodbye, wannabe nin-" She was cut off as Wu came out of nowhere, smacking her across the face with his staff.

"You..." She spat.

"Return now to the shadows..." Wu replied. "Or else your judgement here shall be switt!"

"I've learned a few tricksss, Wu..." Aspheera hissed. "Including thissss one time sssspell... I CURSSSSE YOU, THAT THE NEXT TIME YOU FACCCCE ME, YOU SHALL BE THE ONE TO FALL!"

And with that, she vanished in on herself and fled.

Cole dropped to the ground, and used his powers to free the others. "Master Wu, you seemed to know her. Who was she?"

Wu stroked his beard. "A formidable foe, and one not to be taken likely. It seems that more training is what you will all need. But first..."

"Guys, I wont use the PRME without your permission." Lloyd repeated. "What is it that you have decided."

Cole cleared his throat. "If I have your attention... I think that this, and all the things that Lloyd has faced have shown that, during this season, our masks exist for a reason. To protect our family, friends, school, and ourselves. For myself, I say that to forget and return to normal is better than to remain popular but endanger those around us."

Jay was the first to nod in agreement. Zane as well, and then the twins.

Lloyd sighed. "Thank you guys. Thank you all. I promise I wont forget it."

Yeah, everyone else will. Cole thought wryly. But this new threat... a sorceress named Aspheera... and a snake being to boot. Whatever our problems are, I suspect that they are only beginning.

...

FIRST VERSE OF CONTENTMENT

BY COLE BUCKET

I guess you could say that my life was the best,

Between my family, my friends, and my school.

Things couldn't be better, the stone came to rest,

Enemies stopped and I'm finally cool.

But what is the price of this newfound height?

And are all of my future foes gone?

I suppose that all this

shall be put to the test.

After all, if there's one thing I've learned,

Status sure can be bought, but friendship is earned...