Work Text:
Zane is a human– the others are not. That's just how life is.
The day the ninja found this out was messy and full of blood and emotional distress, but they figured it out and have since learned and adapted to their given circumstances accordingly.
By, “adapting to their given circumstances” it sorta translated to: treat Zane gently.
After reading up on what “humans” were in more depth and getting everyone educated on the history, they all sort of realized how easily Zane's life could go south. None outright mentioned it, as it would've ruined the mood drastically, even if Zane himself could feel them all thinking it with the way they switched eye contact between one another.
“It doesn't even change much about how we view you! You've always been as smart and helpful as a Nindroid anyway.” Cole supplies from the side of the group, giving him a reassuring smile.
Zane takes a deep breath and returns the smile as best as he could.
Even with their confidence in Zane's ability to take it easy from then on, they all still followed the unspoken rule to treat him gently and with care– the human skin apparently was very soft (softer than synthetic skin, how'd they never notice?) and easily penetrable, having the ability to completely disable Zane or even worse– Kill him in the more dire situations.
None said it, but they all feared to lose him one day. Even if they'd had this thought about everyone before, it's different when you're comparing a very normal and healthy human to a literal block of metal and hardware.
They're all Nindroids, Robots. Their skin isn't made so soft, their innards weren't meant to be so easily broken and amputated, they didn't have actual blood, they could be repaired and new ‘amputated’ parts of theirs can be replaced. There's a limit to what Ninjago can help humans in terms of healthcare, and none of them wanted to risk it for the sake of Zane.
So all they could do I look out for him, and he'd look out for them in the process the best way he knew how.
With his brain.
–
Zane had always been interested in technology.
Even before he found out he was a human, something about Androids and technology and creating life so easily had always fascinated him.
The way Androids were built, what components reside inside their chest cavities and the way their arms and legs work, all the different models throughout the years– luckily for him, each one of his friends differed in a certain way.
He doesn't deny this isn't fascinating, but also… it can get super tricky sometimes, as he's placed in the position of local engineer for the team after every mission they go on.
Some parts he'd use on Kai wouldn't work on Jay, and so on and so forth. This has led him to postpone many repairs just because he didn't have the right arm, ball joint, or wires to match up with each one of their models.
After a while of this, he decided that's it. He's gonna find a better way to help his friends whether it kills him or not.
With that thought, he worked tirelessly day and night to try and replicate each one of his friends' blueprints and body parts– he'd begin creating them himself instead of scavenging around for parts and making them wait.
The first prototypes were… not so great,–“Zane… I’m sorry, but that looks like pure optimism and hopes and dreams had a baby.” (comment crusty of Kai)– but overtime, he learned to build them properly, kept testing them out on the ninjas, and kept making tweaks here and there based on their suggestions.
He got to a point where he'd started making spares and backups beforehand, so they'd never have to go days without their arms or working legs ever again.
They were so thankful of the work Zane had put into keeping them all comfortable and functional, that they did everything in their power to lessen his stress about everything. From doing chores, to making breakfast, lunch, and dinner, they had it all covered whilst Zane stayed up countless nights restudying robot engineering from top to bottom just for his friends.
Out of everyone on the team however, Kai and Jay were the worst.
Zane would see them at LEAST after every mission, with a missing hand, arm, leg, neck, a wire going loose, a blue screen– everything from hardware to software, Zane's seen and learned from one or both of these two.
You'd think ninjas would be even just a little bit more aware of their surroundings, considering… Ninjas and all. But apparently the word “Ninja” is a joke when it comes to these two specifically.
Sure, it helps Zane learn and adapt should these situations happen to them later in the future (again (probably with the same people too)) but it gets to a point!
Cole, Nya, and the others don't have an issue with this at all– Zane curses Jay and Kai for their recklessness each time they show up at his lab.
–
Considering Zane thought he was malfunctioning before– forgetting things has always been a constant annoyance to him. He's only human, after all.
So what better way to make sure you never forget anything than to use your Android friends’ memory banks for your own needs?
Not like it'd hinder any of their lives– they're very innovative Androids, if Zane says so himself.
Casually, he'd let Cole save the shopping list for the week and take him along when he does the shopping. Or how he gets Jay to catalogue how many wires, metal sheets, nails, hooks, and the like are in his lab so he keeps track of them. Hell, he made Kai memorize the Bee movie script just so he can repeat it as a sort of ‘bedtime story’ for Zane. (Surprisingly works really well, Zane recommends it to everyone (they think he's gone mad)).
Anything and everything to make his life just that bit more easy, even if it's stupid.
–
Something about the thought of being the only of your kind scares Zane a little.
No way to repopulate, no way to advance– just work and live with your Android friends and family and accept it as it is.
He sometimes thinks about his parents.. possible siblings, and wonders: where could they have gone? Were they also human? They had to be, for him to be conceived. Are they alive? Where are they, if they are?
So many questions, too little answers, and he's starting to get real tired of having no answers or explanation to his existence.
How was he found? How did he even make it to Ninjago?
He'll never find out, and he'll have to accept that as fact of life.
…Until it isn't, one day.