"Hey Zane, you got a minute?"
Zane turned off the faucet then wiped his hands on the pink apron securely fastened around his waist.
"Of course Cole, what is it?" He asked, turning around.
"It's about Echo."
The smile on Zane's face dimmed, and his sensors advised him of a pending shift in mood. Concern.
"What about him?" the nindroid cautiously responded.
Cole gave a quick glance over his shoulder, as if Echo might spontaneously appear in the doorway to the kitchen.
"Uh, well, do you know if he- well you do-" the earth ninja paused, and Zane watched as Cole's eyes shifted, his hand beginning to rub the back of his neck. A nervous habit. "...-but technically-"
Zane cocked an eyebrow. "If he does what?"
"Sleep." Cole said, finally meeting his eyes.
Zane closed his eyes for a moment, and sighed.
He opened his eyes again.
"Assuming that my father created him in an attempt to replicate my design," he began, subconsciously picking the knot at the front of his apron, "-he should have a designated resting mode. Why do you ask?" Zane asked, following up immediately.
"Because he's keeping us awake, that's why!" Jay exclaimed, popping his head in the doorway before stepping into the kitchen.
Zane looked to Cole.
"More or less." He confirmed. "It's just-"
"He roams around at night just looking for other things to do!" Jay interjected. "Those puzzles that Kai gave him the past couple days? He's already finished them! I caught him wandering around at night when I went to get a glass of water, but it's not like he has feather-like footsteps." Jay finished, gesturing towards his own feet, only to continue his rambling. "Besides, haven't you ever heard of that one scary video game where the robots creep around at night and try to-"
"-Alright Jay, he gets it." Cole scolded gently.
Stepping closer to Zane, Cole places a hand onto his shoulder. "We've tried to keep him busy and even tried to see why he might not want to rest, but maybe this is a conversation he should have with his brother instead." he said softly.
"And by the looks of it he's almost finished with the big ol' encyclopedia of 'Ninjago's Flora and Fauna' I managed to dig up out of Master Wu's library." Jay announced, next to his newfound spot over by the kitchen window.
Zane and Cole strode over to see Echo sat outside under the big tree in the courtyard. Lined up next to him were various flowers in different sizes, shapes, and colors just waiting to be put under his eager identification. Zane watched carefully as the copper-colored android quickly skimmed the pages, blissfully unaware of the three ninja inside watching him.
The nindroid turned away from the window, and carefully began to remove his apron.
"I'm sorry I have not kept a closer watch on him." He said, folding up the pink accessory. "These past few nights Pixal has been assisting me in creating a possible update that is compatible with his current systems. It has admittedly taken longer than expected."
"Nevertheless, I will talk to him tonight." Zane finished, taking one last glance out the window.
After dinner, Zane made his way over to Echo's "room". Truthfully, it was a renovated storage room, but Echo didn't even care to mention anything towards it.
Now that he was standing in front of the door, he found himself unable to move.
It should not be this hard. We are brothers.
Part of knowing Echo was his brother really hurt Zane.
In a way it reminded him of his abrupt discovery of being a nindroid.
Accepting that Echo was his brother meant accepting that his father had kept things from him. Accepting that his father was capable of abandonment. Accepting that while the ninja were in the lighthouse, Echo was somewhere, hidden away.
Left behind.
Even though Zane could accept these things, everything since then had been an adjustment.
He finally knocked, wondering if Echo was already in there.
Not even half a second later, Echo swung open the door, looking as chipper as ever.
"Hello Zane!"
"..Hello." Zane responded, internally wincing at the sudden loudness of his voice. "Careful, the others may be getting ready for bed."
"Oh. Okay." Echo replied, his voice dropping to a whisper.
"Can I come in?"
"Yeah! Kai mixed up my puzzles so I get to solve them all over again! We can do it together!" smiled Echo, before returning to his spot on the floor.
He continued on with his puzzle as if Zane hadn't entered at all, the box with the reference photo propped up, carefully sorting out the pieces.
Zane looked over to the bed. By the looks of it, it hadn't been touched since his arrival nearly two weeks ago.
"Actually," Zane began, sitting on the floor next to Echo, "I came to talk to you about something."
Echo hummed a sound of acknowledgment, but continued with his puzzle.
"I notice that you make your bed so neatly."
Echo paused for a moment and stopped sorting.
"I do not sleep."
"I have heard. Might there be a reason?" Zane pried gently.
"…Sometimes I believe that I might wake up there…back there in the lighthouse." Echo said, his voice becoming tiny as he continued to speak. "I…I know that it is illogical, but I…I cannot go back…" Echo said unsteadily. "It was dark. Too dark."
Zane moved closer as the nindroid became increasingly distressed.
"I do not want to be alone. I am so afraid. I cannot go back. Please-"
Zane reached out for Echo's hand above the puzzle pieces. He gave it a squeeze, and watched as his brother finally met his gaze.
There were tears in his eyes.
"Echo, I assure you, that will never happen. You will never have to go back there. And you will never be alone."
"Really?" Echo squeaked.
Zane smiled softly and nodded.
"We are brothers. And brothers never leave each other behind."
Zane carefully brought him into a hug. They had not embraced before.
"Your home is here to stay with us."
But it certainly felt long overdue.
"Promise?" Echo whispered.
"Promise."
After a moment, Zane pulled away. "We can try establishing a nighttime routine, with sleep. I will be here with you."
Echo smiled and returned to his puzzle. "But after the puzzle?" He asked, looking at Zane.
"Just one." Zane chuckled.
It was safe to say that Jay was not awoken by the sound of footsteps that night.