Since the day Zane reunited with his father en route to defeating the Overlord he'd felt some closure about himself, about his family, about who he was. He was no longer in the dark regarding his past, but some things were still cast in shadow. Enter Elena Lee, a sister he doesn't remember, and Echo, her companion, his replica, his brother. Zane has made the ultimate sacrifice for his family and friends, but she has found him and restored him to his formerly pristine condition. Now reawakened he is full of new, daunting questions, little does he know that the answers he seeks are just across the street.

Prologue

Elena

The tiny boat bobbed rhythmically as it cut through the moody swells of ocean water. The undulating air was damp and cold, and the atmosphere was morose.

A storm was coming over the horizon-I could smell it.

"Echo, you should come into the cabin with me." I stated, picking myself up off the deck, though nearly tumbling back down as the boat was rocked by another wave. "Or you'll rust stiff before we reach the mainland."

Heavy creaking of Echo's machinery sounded as he turned to give me his attention. "But…the motor." He softly protested. "Ww-ww-we will be…stagnant."

I could only wince as I heard the lag in his voice, it only serving to remind me of how decrepit his robotic body had become. "You are more important than a timely arrival, come here." I insisted, though being more maternal in tone rather than dictative, to which he quickly obeyed, responding with a well-mannered: "Yes ma'am!"

He took one of my hands and led me into the cuddy, then guided me to a place to sit while he trudged noisily around the room.

"Do you want your book sister?" He queried, likely referring to the one of many in the series of my fathers' journals that I had been reading over the course of our trip.

"Yes please, and bring the oil rag too, I want to give you a polish."

Even in the sounds of his movements it was apparent that Echo was excited by this, and it made me smile. For a short time I knew it would greatly increase his range of motion, not to mention improve upon the toughness of his withered exoskeleton, all the while I could get a great deal of studying done.

Soon Echo returned to me with everything I'd requested, I setting the book beside me and opening it to the page I'd left off on while I accepted the freshly oiled rag in my free hand.

"Thank you." I offered politely, gesturing for Echo to take a seat before me as if I were to brush his hair.

Of course he responded to me promptly, lowering to the ground with a painful-sounding clang. I heard flecks of rust click as they fell to the floorboards; the humid ocean air was doing him no favors.

Polishing Echo was ingrained into my muscle memory by this point, I doing so effortlessly with one hand while my other traced the pages upon pages of Braille.

The topic I perused in that moment included detailed instructions on how to make biomechanical skin replacements, and it was just as complicated and fascinating as each topic preceding, though in spending the past few years with my father, I already knew it well.

"Echo...how would you feel about getting an upgrade?" I asked my oxidized companion, already going through the building process in my mind.

"An upgrr-rrrade?" He queried in return, a note of pessimism edging his failing voice. "Father was unable; I don't believe it is possible."

I frowned at this, freeing my grip of the book and rag. "Echo, stand up, face me please."

He obeyed, and I reached up to hold his face in my hands. "What are you feeling right now?" I pressed, expressing concern in my tone and touch.

"Feeling?" He paused, but I could sense the movements of his facial machinations beneath my skin. "I...I am afraid."

"Why?"

For another moment he remained silent, his gears turning, but a light tap on his cheek brought him back out of his head. "I could die." He finally spoke. "Or be reset, which I supposed would be the same, and I do not want to die."

I sighed, shaking my head slightly. "Echo you could die if you don't let me fix you." I informed. "The risk is much higher if you stay as you are." After this statement I softened my demeanor, realizing the harshness of desperation in my voice.

"It's perfectly reasonable for you to be afraid." I assured him. "But I'm sure you know I would never let you die...and listen–once we reach Ninjago we'll be able to find everything we need and so much more." I smiled. "When I'm done with you, you'll never have to fear death again."

Surely, I assumed, Echo would have something to say to this, or if not, perhaps he did feel some relief, but before he could react to me or express himself the boat was shaken by the sounding of a loud boom. It was as if lightning had struck us, but the thunderclap carried with it the drone of broken machines.

"The storm is here…" Echo declared, and in that moment he sounded every bit the opposite of the child he was. A pit of dread formed in my stomach as he brushed my hands from his face and moved away toward the other side of the room, the only side with a window.

"It sounds terribly close…" I mused worriedly aloud, standing in my place.

"It is." He confirmed. "Come, feel."

Creaking of the porthole sounded as Echo opened it, and with an arm outstretched I walked his way. When I was close enough he took my hand, bringing it to the sill of the window, but I knew even before my fingers touched the chilled metal; I could taste the snow in the cold of the air.

It tasted like home.

But it also tasted like loss…

. . .

Hey guys! Long time no type! I've had some really rough times hit me, but I've gotten better lately and found the drive to write! So here is one of my first new updates, a homage to my original cringefic that was Snow Angels (16y/o edition). Hope you like it!