Don't screw up...again

Chapter 1

"Great. Remember the plan..."

"Get to the past, before the incident, hopefully around the time of the heist explosion, find Vi and the others, and explain. Explain, that oughta be easy." Ekko chuckled slightly, picturing himself trying to explain this fucked up situation to his now dead family. Who knows, maybe they won't even believe me. Of course they won't believe me. His only hope was that they would somehow recognize the similarities between young Ekko and himself. He's really glad now he didn't go through with that one off plan of dying his hair. What? It was a phase, okay?

"And explain..." Heimerdinger pressed on.

"Explain that we have to go hunt down Vander's crazy ex partner, and destroy him before he gets the opportunity to ruin our lives forever." Ekko quipped, carefully trying to hide the frustration in his voice.

Heimerdinger wobbled over, placing a hand on Ekko's knee, being far too short to reach his shoulder, but hoping to make the same lasting effect. "You know, I asked if you were ready earlier. You only answered that the capsule was. You're a brilliant inventor. While there are clear down sides to our situation, I have full faith in the capsule and your capabilities, that's not what I'm worried about. How are you?"

Ekko replied with a sigh, plopping back down onto the bench, making it creak and wobble due to its obvious decrease in stability.

"It's okay if you are not ready, my boy." He hesitated after 'my boy' left his mouth, remembering what Ekko scolded him for multiple times during their time together about calling him that rather than his name. "...Ekko, my apologies, I can only imagine how immensely difficult just seeing them could be on you..." He started.

"Yeah, you can imagine." He scoffed. Looking up from his lap, he's met with a look of good intention behind Heimerdinger's eyes. He means well, don't be an asshole. Not now. "Look, I know what you mean, it's just...kind of overwhelming that's all."

Heimerdinger gave him a good natured smile, one Ekko could only return with a half assed attempt at reciprocation. "I understand. I do wish I could assist you on this journey. To act as some kind of support, take the pressure off, but who knows how reliable this contraption is." He said, taking his hand from the place it had previously been resting on, Ekko's knee, and making his way towards the project, now placed at Ekko's side on the bench, the two had put every ounce of the past few weeks into. "As impressive as what we have done in such a short amount of time is, who knows how definite it will be with just one person, let alone two." He turned back towards his newly established partner. "You're sure you are okay to go? My offer still stands to go in your place."

Ekko nodded, reluctant fear and hesitation still stinging his very soul. "Yup, it should be me." He said, probably more definite than he should have. "No offense, but I know my family. They're not gonna trust the situation with some future ex councilor showing up, telling them what to do. At least...from what I can remember of them." He sighed, voice as reclusive as before. He briefly raised his head, to be met with the clear pity in Heimerdinger's eyes. He shot his head back down to the capsule calmly resting beside him, silently placing it in his hands again. "There's, um...there's something about the capsule I haven't told you yet." He changed the subject.

He looked up, expecting to see any sign of anger or distrust in Heimerdinger for not telling him sooner, but he only gave him a nod as if to say 'go on', the same overly trusting twinkle in his eyes. As much as Ekko hated to admit it, this Yordle was definitely not what he had originally expected, the idea of what most topsiders, especially councilors, were like deeply ingrained in his head.

"I added something. Something that would, I guess, make the explaining part of this easier." Ekko said, not completely sure how to explain it. He was never quite good at the specifics when it came to inventing. He grew up inventing a different way than most inventors, coming up with his own names and terms for things. It made it somewhat difficult to collaborate with Heimerdinger at first, but they made it work. "To act as proof I suppose, in the case they don't recognize me and think I'm just some mad man."