[I'm making plot stuff happen, finally! Congratulations to me! :D]

-*~-*~-

Echo had been dead a few weeks. He didn't know exactly how long, because time was odd here. It was better than he would've expected, (he no longer fell apart when hugged to hard) but still not ideal. He'd liked being alive.

But, in that time he was dead for, he'd learned his father was here. He was dead too. Not surprising, considering his age, and Echo did have some questions.

"You really sure you want to do this?" Morro asked him nervously.

"Yes." Echo nodded. "I... I think I need to."

"If you say so."

Eron snorted. "Oh, darling! If he hurts Echo, I do have a sword for a reason!"

"But we're already dead, how could that help?" Echo asked.

"It's... complicated. If you can hurt someone here enough, they will disintegrate. I don't know what happens after, but it seems rather permanent."

"Okay, then. Only do that as a last resort please." Echo said. No matter how much he hated his father, he didn't want him dead. Again. Dead squared? Whatever. He just didn't want him hurt more than nessescary.

"Sure, kiddo." Morro chuckled, ruffling his hair.

"I'd like to help if we do decide to re kill him though." Echo mused. He ducked away from Morro.

"That's the spirit!" Eron laughed, gently smacking his back.

"Ack! Thanks." He shifted. "Let's go."

"Right, right!" Eron grabbed both of their hands, and started off. "Soooo... Which way?"

Echo sighed. "Follow me."

"Okay!" The older two said in unison.

They walked for at least an hour, probably more. Everyone was antsy to meet Echo's "dad".

"This is taking forever!" Morro groaned.

"You've been dead for near a half century." His boyfriend reminded him.

"So?! I get bored! I'm a simple bit- uhh, person."

"Please just say bitch." Echo sighed.

"You can swear?!" They both looked shocked.

"Yes! Of course I can!"

"Aren't you like, five?"

"Technically, but I'm mentally twelve."

"Yeah... Still pretty young."

"I said fuck when I was three hours old, my small lover."

"Hey! Just cuz you're taller than both of us doesn't make me short!"

The others just laughed.

"It's not funny!"

"It iiis~!" Eron giggled.

"You're mean." Morro pouted.

"Yes, but so are you!"

"We are almost there, so if you could both stop arguing, I'd appreciate it!" Echo said.

"Fine." Morro sighed.

"If you say so." Eron grumbled.

"Okay, thank you."

"So, how long till we get there?"

Echo just sighed. "You're acting like an obnoxious child."

"Maybe I am."

"No, you had a flesh body. You can't look like a young adult, be your height, and be a kid!"

"Your point?"

"You're impossible."

"Morro, Echo, shush. If we want to sneak in for a surprise attack he can't hear us coming at least a mile away!" Eron pinched his the bridge of his nose.

"It's not a surprise attack!" Echo yelled.

"It's gonna turn into one." Morro grinned.

"I would prefer if we didn't get violent!"

"Like I said, shush." Eron nodded.

"Mmmm, no."

"How about yes." Echo leapt onto his back, and covered Morro's mouth.

"Mmf!" Morro squeaked, and stumbled around, trying to pry Echo off of him.

"You two, cut it out! We want to try seem civil, at least!" He pulled Echo off Morro's back. "Intimidating is preferable, though."

"Right, we gotta scare his sorry excuse for a dad into being semi decent." Morro nodded.

"THANK you, Eron! You're my new favorite tall person." He said, wiggling around. "Now please put me down."

"Ah, sorry." He gently set him back down.

"Hear that? He thinks I'm tall!" Morro laughed. "Wait, what was that about him being your favorite?"

"Uh, noooothing!" Echo's voice cracked.

"Uh, no⁰thing!" Morro imitated.

"Sorry, sorry!" Echo chirped, looking nervous.

"It's fine, kid, really!" Morro quickly said, noticing Echo's expression.

"Really?"

"Yeah, it's just a joke!"

"Okay. Sorry."

Morro stifled a growl. "You're fine, kid. It's nothing."

Echo nodded, still looking a bit scared.

"Aw, Echo..." Morro patted his shoulder. "I'm serious, you're fine!"

"Thanks."

"We're here." Eron said, patting Echo's head.

The three looked at the small hut, two of which wondering how such a cute little home could hold such an ass. They'd almost been expecting a dark, scary castle, fitting of such a bitch ass motherfucker.

"So... Should we knock?" Morro questioned.

"Sure." Echo stepped forwards, and gently knocked the door. "Hello?"

"Who is it?" A voice called back.

"It's Echo. Your child, who you left to die."

"Oh. It's you." He sounded almost dissapointed. The door opened, revealing an elderly man with white hair.

"Why did you leave me?" Echo asked, trying to look serious.

"Yeah, why did you leave him?" Morro stepped forward, glaring down at him.

"I, um-"

Eron cut him off. "You do know he is a person right? He is a small child."

"He is defunct." Dr. Julien said quickly.

Morro started growling. "Why the fuck would you say that? How could you even think that!?"

Eron was silent. His usually bright eyes were dark with anger. His arms were crossed, like he was trying to not punch him.

Echo's hands shook. He hadn't wanted to believe it. He still didn't. His father really hated him... He didn't realize how much it would hurt.

"Why did you make me like this, then?!" Echo snapped back. "You didn't have to make me to imitate the kid you actually care about, but you did!"

"I didn't want you, I wanted my actual son!" He hissed.

Echo's mind became fuzzy. Two dark blurs tackled his father. He barely noticed, too distracted by the mix of emotions in his gut. His fists balled up. Eyes burned. Throat clogged.

"I hate you!" Someone screamed with a shrill voice. They sounded like they were about to cry. He didn't know what was happening. Nothing mattered anymore. His own creator. His damn father didn't want him, and for what? His mistakes when he'd built Echo? He shouldn't have just left him alone to die! He should have at least pretended to care...

He heard angered screams. Fighting. Morro and Eron must be attacking his father, probably trying to turn him to nothing. He didn't know how to feel about it.

He felt his legs move, he was running. Away from the fight. Away from the pain. Away from anyone who cared and didn't care.

He knew he'd said he would fight his dad too. He acted like he didn't care. But honestly? He cared too much. He wanted his dad to give a fuck. That didn't seem like much to ask. Especially when he'd died because if his negligence.

He kept running. On and on, he ran away. His (probably stolen) robe fluttered around his legs. His eyes blurred, and he wiped away the tears. He started choking up, but kept running. He was a dead nindroid anyways. It didn't matter. Hell, he barely mattered!

He ran for a long time, it felt like forever, until he saw a person. He would have to slow down to avoid hitting into him.

He skidded to a stop. "Excuse me!" He went to walk around him.

"No." He stuck out his staff.

"Wh-" Echo was cut off by a strike to the head.
-*~-*~-
Gizmo paced around the lighthouse, feeling distressed. Something was about to happen, and given his track record it would be bad. He could feel it. He growled in anger, punching a wall.

"Why the fuck don't I know how to get out yet?!" His shoulders shook. "Echo's still dead and I can't even hurt our father for what he did to him!"

He blinked away his tears, going back to pacing around the room. His little brother was still gone. He was still stuck here, and he couldn't avenge Echo. And he had no damn plan. He was a failure of a brother.
-*~-*~-
Zane watched him pace around. He seemed to be in mourning, as he punched a wall and started crying. His words were muffled, and Zane couldn't make out an appearance.

He did know where he was, somehow. The pacing boy was in his father's lighthouse. He should probably go get him... He could be hurt.

Zane jolted awake, panting. He remembered every detail of his dream, and that he had to save that crying kid!

"PIXAL!" He shook the taller nindroid's shoulder. "Wake up, there's someone at my father's lighthouse!"

"Huh? Okay." She mumbled, still half asleep.

"Great! Let's go right now!"

"Uh, it's three am..."

"That's nice, come on!"

"Ugh, fine." They grumbled, sitting up.

"Great, I'm going to get him some food!" Zane nodded, scampering to the kitchen.

She sighed. She understood Zane's worry, but she thought it could wait until morning. Who knew how long it could take to prepare? Besides, it'd be a good idea to take everyone else just in case.

Zane rushed back, holding some plastic bags of varying foods. "I tried to be thorough, just in case he has allergies."

"That's nice sweetie. I'll get medical supplies." They stumbled out of bed, green eyes dim from tiredness.

"Oh, good idea!" Zane nodded. "I'll leave a note so no one gets scared, and prepare the Bounty!"

"Thanks." PIXAL went to the infirmary to gather some smaller but useful items. As they gathered boxes of bandages and gauze, she wondered what that kid was doing at the lighthouse. How did he get there? Did someone put him there? If so, why the fuck would they do that?! She sighed, going to where the Bounty was kept.

"Zane? You there?" They called, glancing around.

"Yes!" Zane yelled back, waving from the Bounty's deck. "Come on, we must save him!"

"Coming!" PIXAL leapt up, landing near Zane.

"Let's go!" Zane rushed off to start the ship, and it lifted off.

After a few hours, they were both getting tired. There was no land in sight, and waking up at three in the morning wasn't exactly good for someone's constitution.

PIXAL sighed. "How long till we get to the lighthouse?"

"I think it will be soon."

"Really, why?"

"Look over there!" He pointed to an island in the distance, with a lighthouse on it.

"Finally!"

They arrived at the island in half an hour, setting the boat as close to the island as safely possible. It took some struggle, but they got onto the island.

Zane knocked on the door. "Hello? Is anyone there?"

No answer.

"We're not here to hurt you."

Still nothing.

"I'm coming inside now, okay?"

PIXAL pulled the door open. "Hello? I am PIXAL Borg, and my friend Zane is here with me to help you." She called out. "No harm will come to you."

There was a creak, and they both saw a shadow flash across the wall.

Zane ran after the shadow, calling for the kid to wait up.

He fell down a hidden set of stairs, and the trapdoor closed behind him.

"Who are you? Why do you look like my baby brother?!" Someone hissed, pressing something to the back of his neck.

"My name is Zane, made to protect those who cannot protect themselves. I do not know who your brother is, but I assume it's chance we look similar." He said, remaining calm.

"Were you made by a man called Julien?"

"Yes. Why do you want to know?"

The thing was removed from his neck, and the kid he'd seen in his vision stepped into view. He held a metal pipe, probably what he'd been threatened with. "Because we have the same creator."

"...What."

"You didn't think he would've gotten lonely and tried to replicate his favorite creation? His own son?"

"I- that makes perfect sense..." He muttered. "I can't believe I never thought of it. I'm sorry I left you and our brother here. Where is he? And what should I call you?"

The kid was silent for a moment. "My name is Gizmo. His name was Echo."

"Gizmo... That's what the little tea bot was- oh shit."

"Echo died horribly. He tried to get out, so he could save me. I tried to get him back." Gizmo choked up. "He was- I miss him!" He bawled. "I just want my little brother back!"

Zane hugged him. "Shhh, shhh... It's okay. You're okay." He cooed.

"No I'm not! Echo died! I stole his body because I thought he might be alive but he's gone! He didn't deserve to be the one who died!"

"You don't deserve to die either!"

"Father does! He left Echo to die! He's cruel and I hate him!"

"He already died."

"I hope it hurt!"

PIXAL tore open the trapdoor. "What's going on?! Is everything okay?"

"No! I-"

"The child from my vision is my brother and more deeply traumatized than we thought because-"

"I was abandoned and treated terribly by my father. I was the only companion he had."

"But what about-"

Gizmo's expression shut him up. He didn't trust PIXAL yet, not with Echo's death or anything about his younger years.

"...Home? Do you want to come back with us?"

"Yes." He sounded grateful.

"Let's go then, this place is creepy. It feels like a graveyard."

Gizmo tensed up. "You don't say."

"It's probably nothing. Come on, we'll get to know each other on the Bounty." PIXAL reached out to help the brothers up, and went back upstairs with them following her.

-*~-*~-
On the Bounty, PIXAL tried to befriend Gizmo.

"What're some of your interests? I like mechanics and quantum physics."

"I... Don't know?" He shrugged. "I guess I like hiding. It's safe."

"I think that's a survival tactic but okay."

"There's not much I could do in the lighthouse."

"I suppose not..."

"You're both very tall. You're taller though. Is there a reason?"

"Not really for Zane, but before I became Samurai X I had to help my father reach things in high places. He uses a wheelchair, so it's hard for him to reach things that are very high up."

"I... Don't know what a wheelchair is."

"It's a chair with wheels. People who can't use their legs to get around use those."

"Oh, that makes sense."

"Yes. I think you and Dad will get along well, honestly. He already disliked Julien for refusing to remove the memory switch from Zane and basically taking away his autonomy."

"He did that?!"

"He was not a good person, but you already knew that." They nodded.

"He was an awful person." He hissed.

"It seems like it." PIXAL put her arm around Gizmo's shoulders. "Dad wouldn't do that though. He's much kinder."

"If you say so."
-*~-*~-
They arrived. PIXAL carried Gizmo down from the ship, despite his insistence he could climb down himself.

Once they were all down, Zane took Gizmo's hand. "There's gonna be a lot of people here, and I know you're probably gonna be overwhelmed. Just tell me if you need to leave, okay?"

He nodded. "Thank you."

PIXAL opened the door, the siblings behind her, and six people rushed out.

They all looked so different, in every way! Gizmo was stunned. He didn't know humans were all so diverse...

The smallest one with dots on their face and the tall one with a similar hairstyle to PIXAL looked... Nervous? Suspicious? He didn't like them.

"Are you the kid Zane talked about in his note?"

"Ack!" He yelped in surprise, looking over at who'd spoken.

He was tall, and had long curly hair. His skin was dark, and his hair was darker. He looked very huggable.

"Sorry! I should've known you'd be skittish." He chuckled. "I'm Cole. What's your name?"

"Gizmo."

"That's a cool name!" He grinned.

"Thanks."

"By the way, are you related to Zane somehow? You kinda look like him."

"Well, uh, it's... Complicated."

"Oh. Sorry."

"Don't be, please." Gizmo held up his hands. "It's okay, really."

"If you say so." Cole shrugged.

"Are you all related to my brother? You look so... Different."

"Your brother... Oh! You're Zane's brother! Duh." He chuckled again. "Not really, but we are kinda like family."

"How does that work?"

"It's... Well, we care about each other and want to protect each other. Like a family does, right?"

He thought about Echo. "Yeah. Right. But what if one of you gets hurt?"

"Then we protect them and hurt whatever hurt our family." He said, placing his hands on Gizmo's shoulders. "What means you now, okay? All of us are gonna protect you."

"Heyo, Cole! Lemme see the new guy!" A person with brown hair that kind of looked like a porcupine appeared. "So you're Zane's brother? Yeah, I can see the family resemblance. I'm Kai."

"Nice to meet you? Uh, how's the weather..." He trailed off, unsure what to say.

He chuckled. "You're cute. I'm adopting you." He glanced around, like he was looking for something. "Yo Nya! Lloyd! We got a new baby sibling!" He yelled.

Two other people who seemed to have been talking to Zane and PIXAL came up, one with lighter hair and skin. The other was Her.

"...hello." he stared at her. She looked muscular, like Cole, but a bit shorter.

"Hi. I'm Nya." She looked as suspicious as he felt.

"Gizmo."

"Uhhh... Do you two... Know each other?" Lloyd asked. "Or something?"

"Or something." Gizmo didn't look over at him. He didn't know why, but Nya made him a little angry.

"Hey! You're Zane's brother, right?" The small, dotted one came over. "Uh..." He looked nervous upon seeing him.

"I am. Who are you?"

"I'm Jay."

"My name is Gizmo."

Jay looked surprised. "Huh. That's... A nice name?" He tried, but Gizmo didn't buy it.

"Thanks."

"Is everything going well?" Zane asked, coming back over from a conversation with an elderly person who had a very long beard.

"Yes." Gizmo stepped towards Zane. "It's going fine."

"That's good." He nodded. "Do you want to meet Master Wu?"

"Sure." Gizmo didn't want to be around Jay or Nya longer than he had to.

Zane introduced him to the old, bearded person he'd been talking to. He seemed okay at least, and Gizmo didn't feel angry around him for some reason. That was good, at least.
-*~-*~-
Gizmo sat on Zane's bed, with said nindroid asleep. He'd apparently woken up early to get him, but Gizmo wasn't tired. So he waited.

He started thinking about Echo, how he'd love having Zane and PIXAL and Cole to look up to, how he might be intimidated by Kai but warm up to him because he was protective and kind and cool, and how he'd be so glad to have a reliable adult to look up to in Master Wu, but he was dead so he couldn't have this. He'd had it stolen from him, by Dr. Julien.

He sighed. His baby brother never got this. He never got to have a real family, or freedom. He deserved it more. His vision blurred, he thought he must be crying.

Zane shifted, sitting up. "Are you okay?"

"I- Echo's- he didn't-" Gizmo sobbed, trying to hold back his tears.

"Oh, Gizmo..." He hugged him. "I'm so sorry."

"He never got this..."

Someone knocked. "Hello? What's going on?" PIXAL. Good.

"I'm- uh, I'm just having a hard time." He choked out.

"May I come in?"

"Sure."

The door opened, and PIXAL sat next to Gizmo, opposite of Zane. "I heard you crying about someone called Echo? Who are they?"

Gizmo froze. "You're not supposed to know about him!" He yelled, shoving her away.

"Hey!" PIXAL yelped, looking angry.

Gizmo realized what he'd done. He knew they'd be mad, and he was going to get hurt, he had to run!

He scampered through the house, looking for a good place to hide. He saw an alcove with a large potted plant in it, so he ran in there.

There wasn't much space behind the plant, so he hid in the plant itself, hoping he wouldn't be seen.
-*~-*~-
Zane followed Gizmo out, but his younger brother was fast! He lost him quickly, and went to check on PIXAL.

"I'm fine, Zane. I'd be more worried about Gizmo."

"I know! I just think we should look for him together."

"You lost him?"

"Yes."

PIXAL sighed. "I'll check the left half, you take the right."

"Sounds good!"

After much searching and asking everyone else if they'd seen Gizmo, a tip from Lloyd led them to a plant that a kid like Gizmo could hide in.

"Hey Gizmo, you okay?" Zane asked the plant.

"Please don't hurt me, I'm sorry!"

PIXAL sighed. "Why would I hurt you over that?"

"Because I hurt you!"

"No, you were kind of rude but that's it."

Gizmo poked his head out. "Still, I'm sorry."

"You're forgiven, okay?" PIXAL reached out to pet his head.

"Thanks." He stepped the rest of the way out.

"By the way, it's almost time for dinner. C'mon, let's go wash up." Zane said, smiling.

[Chcigc this took forever I'm sorry]