The Eight, Aphmau, and Skymedia Story

Echo of a sound. Echo of a person. Echoes of the past.

     Echo Pov.

     All the different lives I've led. All the different friends. All the different lies. It was all because of him. Loki. He was the reason for all those lives, and I can't hurt him! If I do, h-he'll, he'll...He'll kill them. I won't have time to stop him. It'd be my fault. It IS my fault. You already have Sly to worry about. It was your fault. All your fault! I jolt out of the minor nightmare with a shock. I've only had small nightmares since seeing Sly. It is nice, to know you are on a fast recovery from mental and physical torture. It is nice... I sit up suddenly, realizing it's still dark out. I know the Few are sleeping in the other room, so I remove my hood. It is nice to see again! I slowly stroll out of the tent, careful not to step on people. I see Ross sitting on watch, obviously tired. He slumps a bit, so I just creep behind him.

   "Ross. Move, I'm taking watch." Ross startles, and almost reaches for a dagger before realizing it's me. Then he just protests.

   "No J-Echo! You need sleep! The rest will kill me if I let you take watch! I won't let you!" 

    "No. This isn't a choice you are tired, and Max is next. Max has been lifting the firewood all day. You have to obey my commands too." Ross shakes his head, and speaks.

    "You can't! No, I won't move! You need the sleep more than me!" 

    "Ross, last warning." I threaten. I don't want to argue with him, but I know a way out. The way is a bit well umm, iffy.

    "No!" He squeaks a bit when he says that. Fear. Am I really scary? It hurts my feelings that he thinks I'll hurt him. Unfortunately he may be right.

    "I'm sorry, but you're too stubborn." At that, I pull a piece of wood of the floor. I bring it up where he can't see, and I hit him over the head with it. I immediately use my healing ability, and take the bump onto my forehead. Hmm. Not too bad, just an annoying sting. I drag him in the tent, and put up my hood. I lay him right next to Shelbs, and take a picture of them, with a camera that Shubbs bought at the nearby city. Rolby! I move to the watch, and view the rising sun after six hours. I wake up to hear arguing in the tent. I peek through a small hole and see,

    "Oh! Where is A-Echo?!" Probably Ross, angry about me hitting him. 

    "I don't know. Why's does yous ask?" Weird English, Barney.

    "She took watch." I hear Sky start rant at him,

    "You let her take watch?! How insane are you?!" Ross tries to speak,

    "I d-didn't-"

    "She took watch the last four nights! Why did you do that?! You..."

    "I wasn'-" Ross starts, but I hear Shelby interrupt.

    "Hey! Ross was probably tired, or she-" Jin interferes this time,

    "She has been taking care of us first! Why didn't you do the same?!" Ross looks scared. Max starts to get really angry. It seems Red is staying out of it.

    "You shouldn't of let her! How could you?! She's almost killing herself, by trying to help us!" Ross finally gets the courage.

    "Stop interrupting! Every time I try to say something you interrupt!" Everyone seems to be in shock. He's usually soft spoken. My little Ross is growing up!

   "G-Go ahead." Max stutters. Ross seems to have regained his shyness. He mumbles,

   "S-She hit me over the head with a stick." No one seems to have heard him.

   "What was that?" Red asks.

    "She hit me over the head with a stick when I refused!" Everybody looks at him in disbelief.

      "Wh-What?!" Shelby panics. "Are you hurt?! Why'd she do that?!"

      "I seem to be fine. I think she did that thing again. You know, the healing one. I don't even remember feeling pain.. I look out for a moment, but a new voice speaks.

   "A-Am I interrupting something?" Sly. I look back to see Sky shake his head.

    "No. We just don't know what to do with Echo. She keeps helping us, but in the process, ignoring herself." I hear Sly laugh.

   "We had the same problem with Jess" His voice cracks. "Until..." He trails off, but regains composure. "Anyways, we got her to stop with chloroform. It worked until she got a resistance to it. We just locked her in her room after that. She had nothing better to do but sleep, after she ran out of death threats of course." I remember that! Sky looks at him, dead serious.

   "How do we get her in one room?" Sly looks happy, I wish I could wipe the smirk off his face! It wasn't funny!

   "I left a fanfic in the middle of the room, and threatened to burn it. She came running, her Asgardian hearing can be useful. So with Echo, I recommend replacing the fanfic with something else she loves." I hated how he knew me. Or at least understood my personality. No one knows everything about me, I didn't tell them about the village that beat me. Or the jobs the mayor sent me on. Or anything about my past really.

   "Ohs, I's thinking fanfics wills work. Shes would kills for thoses!" Barney exclaims. Stop giving them subliminal hints Barney! It's like an author of my life is trying to make a story about me opening up! Or something.

    "I understand why Jess was a friend of hers then!" Sly laughs. "We have to leave for Ru'an soon." Suddenly everyone looks guilty. Sky speaks.

   "A-About that-" Max cuts him off.

   "Sky, Echo told me why! If you tell now, she might just have to leave!" Adam looks outraged, and Sly is really confused.

    "She told you?! And you didn't tell us?!" Max looks like he was caught red handed. 

    "Last night, she just let me know a few things. Only a little bit." Adam calms down, but still seems a bit miffed.

   "We'll talk later. Let's go." They leave the tent, the tension still between them. I just hop into a tree, watching Sly, Katz, and Steven leave. I don't notice right away, but a tear falls down my cheek. I'll probably never see them again.

  Author here! Three hundred forty four views in a month!? You guys spoil me!