Work Text:
His arrival on the small beach was met without an audience, as expected. He carefully left his vessel, and made his way across the sand.
First Spinjitzu Master did he hate sand. His filtering system kept most of it at bay, but some of the small grains still managed to get farther into his systems--he would definitely need a thorough cleaning when he got back.
He made quick work of the outside steps, and slowly opened the door. He really wasn’t sure why he was being so cautious--no one had been here in years , and no one else knew of the lighthouse’s location.
As he stepped inside, he looked around the small first floor. Everything seemed exactly as it had been left, and there didn’t seem to be any dust on the floor. To almost anyone else, that might’ve seemed odd, but he knew that Gizmo--a little robot his father had made to serve tea and help with cleaning--was still in the lighthouse.
Guilt welled up as he thought about the small robot. They could’ve--and should’ve--taken him with them all those years ago…but they didn’t. They left him alone in the lighthouse.
Not this time.
He couldn’t remember the original reason he came to the lighthouse, but now his mission was to get Gizmo and get him out of there.
Or so he thought.
It didn’t take him long to ascend the inner staircase and reach the top floor of the lighthouse. He began to head for Gizmo’s ‘home’ to activate him, but stopped--Gizmo was already activated. He was near a small table next to the window and making noises as if he was talking to something or someone...but no one was there.
When Gizmo noticed him, he jumped in surprise. He quickly recovered though, and wheeled over to him while ‘talking’ frantically. When Gizmo was close enough, he reached out with one of his small hands, and pulled on his pants. When he wasn’t able to pull him anywhere, the small robot let go and pointed across the room, once again ‘talking’ frantically.
Gizmo’s actions brought upon a feeling of confusion. No one else was in the room with them, and nothing seemed amiss, so what was Gizmo pointing at? What was he trying to get him to notice?
Out of curiosity, he took a few steps in the direction Gizmo was pointing. He was starting to worry about the little robot, and wondered if the time alone affected his mind.
It hadn't.
When he was a few feet away from the area Gizmo pointed at, his extra sense kicked in. Something--no, someone --was there; hidden from his view, but not his extra sense. And unless his extra sense was off, they were in great distress, and needed immediate help.
He had to help them.
*******
Zane woke with a jolt. He was gasping for air and shaking, though more out of shock than fear.
It had been quite awhile since he’d had a vision, especially one that clear. Sure he was confused about who was at the lighthouse and how they got there, but it was pretty clear they were in distress and needed help.
Without a second thought, he got out of bed and changed into some jeans, a gray long sleeve, and his white sneakers.
Once changed, he grabbed his elemental-based duffel bag and filled it with some extra clothes and shoes--sure he didn't know the size of the person, but something was better than nothing, and who knew what state their clothes were in. He also added a towel, a blanket, and the first aid kit he kept in his room. When that was done, he left his room and headed for the kitchen to grab some food items and water. He had no idea what had happened to the person in the lighthouse, but he wanted to be as prepared as possible.
After double checking everything and leaving a note explaining his absence, Zane headed outside to the Destiny's Shadow. Yes it was Lloyd's, but the Green Ninja had given them permission to use it in case of emergencies. And with as frantic as Gizmo was--and the fact that he couldn't see the person in his vision--Zane was certain this was an emergency.
Zane checked everything in his bag one more time before securing it, and did a quick scan of the Shadow to make sure everything was as it should be. When the scan came up clear, he started the small ship and flew away from the temple.
He still wasn’t sure what to expect at the lighthouse, but he hoped he made it in time.
*******
It took a little longer than he expected to get to the lighthouse, but the first--and only--time he’d been there had been a complete accident.
To avoid as much sand as possible, Zane landed the Destiny’s Shadow at the end of the outside staircase. After cutting the engines, he unbuckled his safety belt, grabbed his bag, and then hopped off the small ship and made his way up the stairs.
Unlike his vision-self, he wasn't as cautious when he opened the door. Similar to his vision-self, he wasn’t surprised by the cleanliness, but he did wonder how Gizmo managed to keep everything so clean on his own.
Zane shook his head. Now wasn't the time to be thinking about how clean the lighthouse was. Right now, someone needed his help, and he intended to give it.
With a deep breath, he began the ascent.
It didn’t take long for Zane to get to the top of the staircase, and when he stepped onto the upper floor, he looked for Gizmo first. Sure enough, the little robot was in almost the same place he had been in the vision, and once again, he seemed to be talking to someone.
Zane turned his head a bit to the right, and froze at what he saw. Sitting at the small table near one of the many windows was an android--an android that, despite being made from different technology, seemed to share a similar appearance to his own. However, that wasn’t what got to Zane the most.
What affected Zane most, was the state they were in.
There was rust covering almost their entire body, and in some spots, there were holes where the rust had eaten through, revealing some of their internal workings. Their left leg was pretty much entirely gone, and while their right leg was attached, it didn’t look too great. Their right arm was missing below the elbow, but their left one seemed to be fine--aside from the rust and holes. Their front panel was gone, and there was a crack in the glass of what looked like a pressure gauge in their chest. There weren’t as many holes in their face, but there was still a bit of rust. As for their eyes, one was off completely, and the other seemed to flicker and not quite focus.
Zane wouldn’t be surprised if the android couldn’t see at all.
Slowly, the android’s mouth turned into a smile. “Gizmo,” they said quietly and in a voice similar to Zane’s own, “I sense that we have a visitor.”
Gizmo finally turned and noticed Zane. Like in the vision, Gizmo made his way over to him, most likely to try to get Zane to help the other. However, before Gizmo could get close enough to grab Zane’s pants, the other android started to move.
Zane quickly went to their side. “Please, do not move. I am not a visitor--I came to help you.”
“Help...me?”
“That is correct. This may sound strange, but while I was resting I had a vision--a vision about coming to this lighthouse and discovering that there was someone here that needed my help.” He looked at his duffel bag. “Though, it seems the items I brought with me aren’t going to help in this situation. Truth be told...I cannot help much either. Despite also being an android, I am not very knowledgeable or skilled in robotics. However, if I can get you to Cyrus Borg and his daughter Pixal, I know they can fix you up.”
It was silent for a few moments as the android seemed to think about what Zane said. However, Zane wasn't quite prepared for the android's response.
“You sound familiar. Have we met before?”
“No.”
“Oh. Well, I am Zane, built to protect those who cannot protect themselves. Who are you?”
“I’m...the Ice Ninja,” Zane replied. It wasn’t the best, but it was the only thing he could think to say. If he said his true name, the other Zane would only start asking questions, and even though he wanted to ask questions too, now wasn’t the time.
“Ice Ninja?”
“Yes. I’m part of a group with five other ninja. Altogether there’s six of us: the Earth Ninja, Lightning Ninja, Green Ninja, Water Ninja, Fire Ninja, and me, the Ice Ninja. We also work closely with Samurai X, but I can tell you more about all that later. Right now, I need to get you out of here.”
Zane looked around the upper floor as he tried to think of the best way to get the other Zane to the Destiny’s Shadow . As he thought, his eye caught on a familiar-looking blueprint. He walked over to it and studied it closely. The overall size and a lot of the components were changed--most likely to match the available materials--but there was no doubt that the blueprints were based on his original blueprints, and belonged to the other Zane.
“Gizmo, gather whatever copies or versions of Zane’s blueprints you can find up here and put them in my duffel bag.” He unzipped and placed his duffel bag on the floor. “Cyrus and Pixal could really use them.”
The little robot saluted and beeped--in what Zane assumed was understanding--then turned to the damaged android and gently patted his leg before starting on his mission.
Zane smiled softly at the interaction. Despite the situation, he was glad that Gizmo hadn’t been completely alone all these years.
His eyes wandered to the other android. He’s existed all these years, and probably years before then. Why did Father not--
“Ice Ninja, is everything alright? You seem distressed.”
Zane shook his head and snapped out of his thoughts. “I’m fine, Zane. However, I’m not entirely certain how to get you out of here.”
“Why not just take the stairs?”
“Because while that is the most obvious option, there are quite a few stairs to go down on both the inside and outside of the lighthouse--I don’t want to risk jostling you too much and damaging you further.”
“Do not worry. I might look pretty bad, but I am tougher than I seem.”
“Perhaps...but still. I cannot bring myself to risk adding to your current damage. I’ll just have to think of something else.”
“There really isn’t anything else,” the other Zane said. “Unfortunately I’m not in any shape to walk on walls, or we could use one of the windows. Other than that--”
“Zane! You’re a genius!”
“Huh?”
“We could go through a window! They are pretty high, but fortunately I have the Destiny’s Shadow , which can fly through the air as well as hover in place. I could place the Shadow outside a window, and then all we would have to do is build a makeshift bridge and I could carry you over to it.”
The other Zane seemed to process the information, and then nodded. “Yes, that could work.”
“Alright. I’ll take my duffel bag and go get the Shadow .”
Zane grabbed his duffel bag off the ground and looked inside. Gizmo had neatly placed the other Zane's blueprints inside the bag, so there was no reason for him to rearrange them. Once the bag was zipped, he made his way to the stairs.
He descended with a sense of urgency, and quickly found himself at the Destiny's Shadow once again. Like before, Zane secured his bag and did a quick scan of the Shadow before starting up the engines.
Zane was careful when he flew to the top floor of the lighthouse and was careful when choosing a window to hover next to. Once the window was chosen, he got as close to the lighthouse as he dared, and set the Shadow to hover.
As he began to unbuckle his safety belt, he heard Gizmo over the noise of the engines. Though Zane couldn’t understand what he was saying, the small robot sounded frantic.
Zane quickly made an ice bridge and headed over to the lighthouse. Once inside, he looked over toward Gizmo. The small robot was once again at the other Zane’s side, but something was clearly wrong. Before, the other Zane had been sitting up mostly straight, but now appeared to be slouching. And while one eye had been flickering before, neither seemed to be active now.
He went to the android’s side and put a hand on his shoulder.
“Zane?”
No response.
“Zane.”
Still nothing.
“Zane!”
When he still didn’t respond, Zane began to fear the worst. Panic started to build up, but he fought against it--if he panicked now, it could mean the end for the other Zane.
In a rush, Zane picked up Gizmo and took him to the Shadow. He secured him in one of the cargo areas, much to the little robot’s protest.
“Gizmo, I know you aren’t fond of it, but I have nowhere else to put you. I need the pilot’s seat, and Zane needs the other one.”
Zane didn’t stick around to see if Gizmo agreed or not. Instead, he quickly went back to the lighthouse to get the other Zane.
Carefully, Zane picked up the damaged android and carried him toward the window. He walked up the small ice ramp, and with some careful maneuvering, he managed to get the other Zane through without hitting him against anything.
Zane quickly crossed the ice bridge, and gently placed the android in his seat. Once the other Zane was buckled in, Zane headed to his own seat. After fastening his own safety belt, Zane took the Shadow out of hover mode and sped away from the lighthouse, once again hoping that he would make it in time.
*******
Zane paced back and forth. He was currently in one of the many hallways at Borg Tower, right outside the workroom where Cyrus and Pixal were. He had contacted them on the flight from the lighthouse to the tower, and gave them a basic rundown of what was happening before asking for their help. They agreed, and were now attempting to stabilize the other Zane with the help of his blueprints.
A million thoughts ran through Zane’s head, but nothing he did could stop them. They just kept coming, and only served to put him more on edge.
Zane stopped pacing and was about to scream in frustration, but then he felt a few taps on his leg. He looked down to find Gizmo staring up at him with an unreadable expression.
“Oh...hello, Gizmo. Did your check up go well?”
Gizmo responded in what Zane thought was a positive way, but he couldn’t be sure. “That is...good? I hope?”
Gizmo responded again, and then seemed to ask a question.
“Apologies Gizmo, but I cannot understand you.”
Gizmo repeated the supposed question, and pointed to the door they were near.
Zane caught on immediately. “Oh, you’re wondering how Zane is doing. Well, I haven’t received any news yet, but Cyrus and Pixal are some of the best--if not the best--at what they do, so I am certain they will succeed.”
Gizmo was quiet and still as he took the information in, then he patted Zane’s leg before going to wait by the workroom door.
Zane looked at the little robot for a few moments, then went and sat next to him. The two sat in silence for a while, and then Zane spoke.
“I know it probably doesn’t mean much, but I’m sorry this is happening. You and Zane seem to be good friends, and I know what it’s like for a friend’s life to be on the line. We never should have left you at the lighthouse all those years ago. I should have convinced Father to take you with us, or for us to come back for you afterwards. As for the other Zane, I...I cannot believe it. Father never mentioned building another android. But...why? Why not tell anyone? Why not tell me ? Did he think I would be upset? I mean, I am, but not at or about the other Zane. He did not choose to be built based on me, that was Father’s decision. And leaving him, abandoning him--and you--like that--”
Zane was cut off as Lloyd’s voice came over his built-in communicator.
“ Zane? You there? ”
“Yes.”
“ Good. We got your message. Is everything alright? ”
“No.”
“ What happened? ”
“I made it to the lighthouse, and there was in fact someone there that needed help. However, their situation was...unexpected.”
“‘ Unexpected’? ”
“Yes. It will be best if I explain it in person at Borg Tower.”
“ Okay. I’ll get everyone rounded up and onto the Bounty. We’ll be there soon. ”
*******
Zane was still sitting in the hallway next to Gizmo when his friends arrived. They were trying to appear calm as they walked down the hallway, but he could sense that they were worried--mostly.
A few moments later they were in front of him. After a bit of a tense, awkward silence, Lloyd sat on the floor in front of Zane. “So...what happened out there?”
Zane opened his mouth to speak, but was suddenly overcome with emotion. Artificial tears welled up and spilled as his eyes unfocused and he started gasping for air. In an instant, multiple pairs of arms were around him, and soft voices tried to calm him down.
It took a good few minutes, but Zane found his voice. “He...he was...so damaged. I wasn’t sure if he would make it here. I...I’m not sure if he’ll make it now.”
“Who was damaged, Zane?” Cole asked quietly.
“An...an android. He...looked like me and...sounded like me and...said his name was Zane.”
Silence fell upon the rest of the Ninja as they took in the information. Lloyd was the first to speak. “How did he react to seeing you?”
“He...didn’t. One of his eyes was off completely, the other flickered and did not seem to focus...I-I do not think he could see at all. But, he seemed to have an extra sense, because the first thing he said was, ‘Gizmo, I sense that we have a visitor.’” Fresh tears spilled from Zane’s eyes. “He smiled and sounded happy when he said it. Despite the damage he had, despite sitting there dying , he was happy to have a visitor.”
“It...makes sense,” Nya said. “He was probably alone with Gizmo ever since…”
“Ever since we took Father away,” Zane said quietly.
“Zane…”
“It’s my fault. If I had paid closer attention to those blueprints, I would have realized that they did not completely match up with my own. If I had paid attention, maybe he--”
“It’s not your fault!” Jay interrupted. “We all saw the blueprints, and they did look a lot like yours! You had no reason to think this...other Zane existed, especially since Dr. Julien never mentioned him!”
“He’s right, Zane,” Kai said. “There’s no way you could’ve known.”
Zane remained quiet. Deep down, he knew his friends were right, but he still couldn’t help the guilty feeling he had.
*******
A few hours passed, and they still hadn’t heard anything. By that time, the other Ninja had relaxed a bit, Zane was still on edge, and Gizmo was...Gizmo. Zane would’ve liked to understand the little robot, but try as he might, he just couldn’t. He hoped he wasn’t doing too badly with the situation, and that he knew neither himself nor the other Ninja ever wanted this to happen.
As if he could read his thoughts, Gizmo patted Zane’s leg.
At this small sign of support--or at least he viewed it as support--Zane pulled Gizmo into his arms and began to cry again. “I’m sorry. I’m so sorry.”
The little robot didn't resist.
Due to their communication issues, Gizmo couldn't properly convey how he was feeling, but he had started to like and have some respect for this Zane. When they first met all those years ago--though this Zane had looked much different--Gizmo hadn't thought much of him. Then, when this Zane--and his colorful friends--had taken Dr. Julien with them and left himself and the other Zane behind, Gizmo became angry at everyone involved.
He was still angry when this Zane showed up at the lighthouse, but upon seeing his genuine surprise when he saw the other Zane, and his desire to help him, Gizmo found his anger momentarily displaced. It had started to creep back in on the way to this location, and returned while he had a ‘check up’, but once again displaced when he saw this Zane pacing outside the room the other Zane was being repaired in.
And when this Zane sat down and started talking to him, his anger--at least towards him--vanished completely. He couldn’t be angry at someone who seemed genuinely remorseful for leaving him behind, and who not only made an effort to help, but also seemed to genuinely care about an android he just met, who’s existence had been kept from him by his own father.
Gizmo couldn’t exactly say the same for this Zane’s colorful friends.
Like with this Zane, Gizmo hadn’t thought much of them when they first met--aside from purposely spilling tea on the boy in blue--but they seemed alright. They obviously cared about this Zane and what he was going through, and seemed to have some concern for--and interest in--the other Zane. But, unfortunately, since they couldn’t understand him, none of them were able to get much intel on the other Zane, and there had yet to be an update on his condition.
The feeling of movement brought Gizmo out of his thoughts, and he looked up.
“Sorry about that,” Zane said as he released Gizmo from the hug, but kept him on his lap. “I’m not normally so...outwardly emotional, but this situation is...more difficult than I thought it would be.”
Gizmo wanted to tell him that he understood, but since he couldn’t, he settled for patting his arm a few times.
This time, Zane smiled a little. Even though it was hard for them to communicate, he felt that some connection had been made between himself and Gizmo.
The moment didn’t last long however, as the repair room door opened and Cyrus wheeled through.
Zane’s arms wrapped around Gizmo once again, and he shot up like a rocket. “Is he…?”
“He’s fine Zane,” Cyrus said. “Well, not fine, but he’s stable for now. He’s also awake, and has asked to see Gizmo.”
At this news, Gizmo wiggled violently in Zane’s grasp. Quickly-but-carefully, Zane set him on the floor and watched as he took off toward the repair room door, which opened automatically when he got close. When the door shut, Zane let out a sigh of relief. The others voiced their relief as well, and a weight seemed to have lifted.
But only for a moment.
"I'd hate to ruin the moment," Cyrus began, "but we need to discuss his condition.”
Zane frowned. “I thought you said he was stable?”
“I did...but it’s only temporary. The damage is extensive, and sooner or later he’ll cease to function.”
“Is...Is there anything you can do?”
“Yes, but neither option has a one-hundred percent chance of success. The first option is to repair his current body. However, because we aren’t prepared to deal with his outdated technology--just stabilizing him was hard enough--gathering the proper parts and equipment could take more time than he has. The second option is a transfer, but it runs into a similar problem because we would have to take time to create something compatible with both his technology and ours.”
“Have you told him?”
“Not yet. We’re giving him some time with Gizmo, then we’re going to discuss it with him. I’m telling you because I thought you should know.”
“Thank you. I appreciate everything you and Pixal are doing.”
“It’s not a problem. We’ll always be here to--” Cyrus cut off as the repair room door opened and Pixal stepped into the hallway. “Pixal? Did something happen?”
“No, he’s still stable and talking with Gizmo,” Pixal said.
“Then why…?”
“He has asked to see Zane.”
*******
Once the shock wore off, and he took some time to prepare, Zane was ready to meet the other Zane. With a deep breath and a final round of encouragement from his friends, he walked through the automatic doors and into the repair room.
When the door closed behind him, he stopped and looked at the scene before him. The other Zane was laying on a worktable--Gizmo was on a chair next to the table--and there was a cable leading from his chest to a nearby machine--an external power source. What had remained of his left leg had been removed, as had the worst part of his right leg. His left arm was still there, and since the remaining part of his right arm had been okay when they met, Zane assumed it was still there as well. There was still rust on almost every part of his body, but that was understandable, since Cyrus and Pixal had had more important things to tend to.
He was caught off guard when the other Zane turned his head and looked at him. And this time, Zane was sure he could see him, because while the one eye was still off, the other stayed a solid, golden color and seemed to stay focused.
For a moment, the two just looked at each other. Then, the other Zane broke the silence. “Gizmo was right, we look a lot alike now.”
Zane was taken aback. “‘Now’? You knew?”
“Yes. Gizmo told me about you years ago, and again after I woke up here.”
Zane waited until he was next to the other android to speak again. “You knew about me for that long? And that Father came with us?”
“Technically, yes. Like I said, Gizmo told me about you years ago. I didn’t want to believe it at first, but eventually I had to know. So, since I couldn’t ask Father himself, I read his journals to find out the truth.” He paused. “I have to admit, I wasn’t sure how to feel about you for awhile. I wanted to believe what Father wrote about you, but since I never thought he would leave me--or Gizmo--like that, I couldn’t be sure. But now I know that what Father wrote was correct.”
“How?”
“From our meeting at the lighthouse, and from what Gizmo has been telling me.”
Zane looked from the other Zane to the small robot, who just looked back at him.
“I was really surprised when he started talking about you so positively,” the other Zane admitted. “He had some...choice things to say about you and your friends years ago.”
"I imagine so. We-- I --did take Father away from you after all."
The other Zane frowned slightly. "Please don't say it like that. Gizmo and I now know it wasn't your fault--you couldn't have known if Father never told you."
Zane was at a loss for words. His friends had told him almost the exact same thing, but it was different coming from the other Zane. He had been hurt the most by their father's actions. He could easily be mad at everyone involved with getting their father off the island...
But he wasn't.
Zane didn't realize he started crying again until the other Zane appeared worried. "Zane? I'm sorry, I didn't mean to upset you."
"You have nothing to apologize for." Zane paused for a moment. "You...called me 'Zane'."
"Yes. That's your name isn't it?"
"Well, yes, but...actually, I need to talk to you about that. I'm afraid things could get a little confusing if we are both called 'Zane'. Is there anything--"
"Ezra."
Zane looked at the other Nindroid in surprise.
Ezra chuckled. "I guess you weren't expecting that. Truth be told, I've been thinking about a new name for awhile. But I was nervous to use it, because I wasn't sure what Father would think." He paused. "Guess I don't need to worry about that now."
Silence fell over the room. By Ezra's tone, Zane got the hint that he knew what happened to their father. Exactly how he knew, Zane had no idea, but he didn't want to ask.
The room stayed silent for a few moments, then Ezra spoke. "So what's going to happen to me?"
It was another moment before Zane answered. "Cyrus and Pixal are going to do everything they can to either repair your current body, or to get your consciousness transferred into a new body. All they need is to know what you want to do."
"What do you think I should do?"
Zane blinked in surprise. "Me?"
Ezra nodded. "It's common for younger siblings to ask for advice from older siblings, right? At least, that seemed to be a thing in some of my books."
"Siblings?"
"Oh, uhh…" Ezra hesitated. "Yeah. I thought...since we both viewed Dr. Julien as our father...we could be considered siblings. But, if you don't want to--"
"That's not it at all," Zane interrupted. “Truth be told, I had thought about us being siblings--I just hadn’t thought of a good way to talk to you about it.” Zane smiled. “Guess I do not have to worry about that any more.”
Ezra was surprised, but smiled nonetheless.
After a few moments, they were ready to resume their previous conversation. However, before they could, Pixal and Cyrus entered the room.
Cyrus was apologetic. “I’m sorry to interrupt, but it’s important that we start as soon as possible. Has he made a decision?”
“We were just talking about that actually,” Zane said. “Ezra was asking me what I thought he should do.”
“And?”
Zane looked at Ezra, who looked back with wide eyes. He placed a hand on his shoulder, then turned to Cyrus. “I think we should go with the transfer. It worked for both myself and Pixal, it should work for Ezra as well.”
“Ezra? Is that what you want to do?”
Ezra was quiet for a moment, then he nodded. “If Zane thinks it’s best, then yes.”
“Understood. Pixal and I will start immediately.”