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Of course, Echo came rushing as soon as he heard Zane had been captured. Of course, he worried for him.
Now, he knew the danger had passed. The Mechanic was gone, Unagami had been freed. But Zane still needed to recover.
The best way Echo could describe it was Zane is a metaphorical car battery, but starting the car could've killed him.
He's fine, now. He reminded himself.
The most Zane would need is some time to recover, maybe some RnR. Nothing too serious.
Hell, by the time Echo makes it there, Zane seems fine. Better than he was after the Neverrealm.
Zane's supposed death happened not that long ago, the lingering fear that he would do something stupid and get himself killed still remained.
Echo just had to see that he was okay.
And he was. Really, the trip was unnecessary, but it allowed them to catch up, let Tai-D see the ninja. But that was it. He almost felt stupid for making such a big deal out of it.
Zane didn't mind, of course. Neither did any of the ninja. It seemed they actually enjoyed his company.
He still had to get used to that.
Zane couldn't be more pleased.
He was overjoyed at how much Echo had changed over the course of a year, almost a year and half. He had made a change in himself and it showed.
His whole family was getting along. Even Pixal, who was more than untrusting of Echo's relations to the SoG at first, had cast a way all her judgement. She welcomed Echo like family.
It almost seemed like they were getting along too well.
One morning, while Zane was training with the rest of the ninja, Echo disappeared. This in itself was concerning, he didn't want his brother to run away on him.
But with Tai-D still working to clean the monastery, he knew Echo couldn't be far. He'd never leave him behind.
So Zane checked every corner of the monastery, finally working his way down to the Samurai X cave.
There he found Echo and Pixal.
"What's going on?" he cautiously asked.
Pixal was sitting in her computer chair. Echo stood next to her. The two were watching something together, shoulders bobbing. Zane almost didn't want to know what they could be watching.
"...Pixal?"
The two turned to him, grins spread across their faces.
"Zane..." Pixal replied, she couldn't help the chuckles that escaped her lips.
"What the fuck is wrong with you!?" Echo exclaimed.
"I don't understand,"
"What's with the get up?!" He motioned to the monitors, "And you're talking to yourself in the third person!" Echo openly laughed in his face, "So I'm repeating my statement, what is wrong with you?"
Zane understood now. Looking to the computer screen, he saw that they were looking through Pixal's memories. What they had been doing, while the ninja entered Prime Empire. Zane's attempt to emulate Noir film detectives.
He immediately turned to Pixal, "You said we'd never speak of this again,"
"I said I wouldn't tell the ninja," she smiled, "I never said I wouldn't tell Echo."
"What were you thinking!?"
"We had run out options!" Zane argued, "We were looking for Dyer and had no leads!"
"There he goes, using that word again," Echo snickered.
Pixal couldn't help, but smile.
"It worked!"
"I have to admit," Pixal said, "Zane's method did end up working. After his capture, I took after him and found Dyer.
I couldn't believe it."
"I can't, either," Echo exclaimed, "Talking to yourself out loud. How did you not realize that guy knew your next move because you were talking OUT LOUD!?"
Zane felt beyond embarrassed.
"Did you lose all your brain cells?"
"It's how they do it in he films,"
"It's narrators! And talking in your head! And SO ridiculous!"
"Well, next time we have an investigation, I'll come to you for help," Zane deadpanned.
"Yes, please!" Echo exclaimed, "I would love to see this in person!"
"Why are you watching these, anyways?" he turned back to Pixal.
"You are familiar with the term, 'We'll look back at this and laugh,' correct?" she said, matter-of-factly, "Well, we are looking back and we are laughing."
Zane huffed, he could expect this from Echo, while he never teased Zane this much before, there were instances of him "calling Zane out" on his... less thought out plans.
Disguising himself to infiltrate the SoG.
But Pixal, the most he'd get from her is a lecture on his actions.
He never expected the two gang up on him like this.
"I must say," Pixal added, "Now that the mission is over, the outfit and the act are rather... cute."
Well, that only made the sensors behind his face plate heat up.
"But only in proper circumstances." There was the serious tone he had come to expect.
Echo placed a firm hand on Zane's shoulder and gave him a genuine smile, "I... will never let you live this down."
And with that, Zane deflated, "What am I going to do with you two?"
The three were alerted to a new arrival with the ding of the elevator. Zane looked with wide eyes as Cole emerged. Pixal closed the recording.
"Oh, you found him," he said, "We were starting to get worried up there.
So what's goin' on? Why do you two look so... evil?"
Zane looked to the other two, they shared the same smug look.
"Nindroid business," Echo answered.
"...What?"
"Nindriod business," Pixal repeated.
"Zane?"
Zane looked the two dead in the eye. They stared back, all but daring him to tell Cole what they were talking about.
"... Nindroid business."