Ekko.

“The rest of the saying is ‘satisfaction brought it back.’”

"A hex crystal? Is that the same as a hexgem?"

I reach into my pocket and remove the glowing gem from Jinx. "One of these?"

There's no guarantee that the hexgem power of this world would interact the same as the power source that this Ekko is used to. But the prospect gives me a new burst of hope.

"At least," I confirm. It's clear that I had been concerned about doubles. Multiples definitely doesn't settle my nerves.

"But you have something? A 'Z-Drive'? You can get us back then. I haven't done any of this type of multiverse travel before. I don't know how to get back."

The excuse should work. I nod in agreement and appreciation.

"And you'll be okay there? Sleeping outside?" I wonder if that's where she normally stays. This is a big room.

They're fighters. Soldiers. Warriors.

I'm just a man.

"You sure that's okay?"

I guess since he's missing, this room is technically unoccupied.

"I'm not going to have to pretend to be him, right? For his gang?"

"In my defense, she found me first."

"Is now a bad time to mention I've also met your wife...?"

"Yes, but..."

There's no point in hiding the truth. This multiversal convergence throws a lot of rules out the window.

"There's something you should know. This alternate reality you're in...I'm not from it either."

|| Although technically, Alt!Ekko stranded in this universe trying to get back to his home is the beginning of his own odyssey...

Surely it's not poetry because it repeats...

|| This exactly!

( evelyn. )

cough cough-

After a moment, I release her and step back. My hand lingers on her arm.

"It's okay. You can't change the past. But it's alright. Everything that's happened has led you to who you are today. And..."

I gesture to my current circumstances. "And I, for one, at least am glad you're here for this."

|| I guess I'm the "I Can't Help but Wonder" version.

Wow, that version of me is. . . Harsh.

I'm not battle torn at all. The only marks on my skin are from experiments gone awry. And even then, they're nothing compared to the aged wounds on the face I'm staring at now.

"You're Ekko?"

I know it's a dumb question. If the face isn't enough evidence, there's a strange resonance between us.

She isn't Powder. She knows this. I know this.

But instinctively, I wrap my arms around her. I can hear in Jinx's voice Powder talking about Vi. The sadness, the guilt, the weight is there.

"I'm sorry," I repeat. My hug is tight, but I'm half-expecting to be pushed away in a split second.

"How are all the other one's of me so...

Am I fighter in every other universe?"

I can't help it. I flinch at the sight.

I've met my other version. The one that belongs to this universe. At least I thought I did.

Does this mean that there's another other version of me?

"You're...you're..." I try to form a complete sentence. "How?"

Zaun's Royalty.

The Boy Savior.

And now, The Owl?

I'm not sure exactly what I'm looking at.

The masked figure in front of me sounds familiar but their voice is muffled by the armor. This must be one of the Firelights of this universe?

"I'm Ekko." I say, pretending to be my otherworldly counterpart: The Boy Savior.

- shoulder. My thumb rests on a baby blue cloud.

"I'm sorry. I...I don't know if you two were close, but where I'm from..."

I trail off. Maybe it's different here. I keep forgetting.

I swallow the lump in my throat and take a deep breath. It feels like I'm on autopilot. As I take a few steps, I don't know what I'm going to do in that moment. Yell? Demand for answers? Run away from her? Just fall and mourn?

It turns out I don't do either. I reach out and I put my hand on her -

Imagine if he said "was it you?" right here.

That would have been insane.

Right?

"Who else could be gone?"

- hear it, but to not know might be worse.

I'm stunned and I feel a terrible pang in my chest.

Dead?

I can see his knowing smile. I can hear the lift in his voice when he urged me to apply the academy. I know this is another world and he's not the Silco that I knew -- know -- but it still hurts.

"He's dead...How?" I almost don't want to -

“Silco!” Finally a familiar name.

“Do you think he’ll be able to help me? Would he understand this whole thing?”

I then reconsider. “Or is he too busy with council work?”

“Okay,” I offer the hexgem back to her.

I still feel confused on the science of it all, but I don’t plan to stay that way for long, if I can help it.

I’ll try to follow what Jinx does as best I can without stalling the process.

“Where did you learn all of this?”