Disclaimer - I don't own Phantasy Star 2 Online. The following one-shot is a Fix-It for "The Right Time to Get Married"and the subsequent events relating to said event which does mean Echo's in canon behavior is called out for what it is.

Disjuncture

"Wait! That's my job!" Xiera protests.

I watch as Echo looks at her in confusion before saying rather dumbfoundedly, "What?"

"It's my job to take notes at meetings, so why would Zeno need to take notes? Or do I not do my job good enough?" Xiera's hands flap around in frustration, yet I'm not surprised at her reaction, yet also imagine her first chance at getting to meet the two in person is quite disappointing. In some ways that's a bit disappointing, as I remember quite well the positive impression Zeno left on me when I first started at ARKS.

Echo on the other hand didn't leave a positive initial impression, what with her becoming jealous of the thought of anybody other than herself getting together with Zeno, yet I'd hoped things might have changed while I was in stasis for the last few years. Hell, I'd hoped she'd have grown stronger and come into her own rather than remaining in Zeno's shadow, but...

"And what's with this laying into Zeno about not doing his job when if you were actually doing your job, you'd know that Maria was butting in and have contacted Sarah already, or do you just want to be able to put him down?"

I flinch. Xiera, like her creator Xiao, certainly didn't hold back from being honest with people. Glancing over at Echo, I see her blink, but I wonder if anybody ever called her out for...

"You sound like Melfonseana," Echo swallows.

Okay. So maybe, just maybe there was one person who called Echo out in the past, but I can't help but notice Zeno looks a bit upset at the mention of said name, although—he quickly glanced over at Melfonseana's younger sister as his expression turned to worry, almost as if he worried she might overhear the conversation they were having.

"And I'm only stating the truth."

"Truth?" Xiera honestly sounds like she's going to cry. "It's my job to take notes at meetings! But..." Yes, she definitely looks like she's going to cry. "When everyone told me you act like a married couple..."

"What?" Zeno flinches at that said statement, but Echo perks up suddenly. I can't imagine this ending well.

"Let's get married," Echo blurts out.

"Hell no."

"Why not?"

"Because we're not a couple."

"What do you mean we're not a couple?" Echo glares at Zeno only for him to give her a look saying she was insane, but I'm reminded of the vomiting sound a younger Zeno made when I traveled back in time, his frustrations at her butting in quite apparent.

"Could you let me finish?" Xiera asks, obviously frustrated with the fact Echo interrupted her.

"No. We're going and getting a marriage license," Echo grabs onto Zeno, pulling him away while he looks on in horror. He glanced back at me, pleading while Xiera pushes her lips together.

"I made a mess of things. I mean, she didn't let me finish saying that I thought when people said that, that it meant they get along, but it means the exact opposite, doesn't it? Why do they even partner up if she treats him that way?"

"You meant well," I say to her. "As for why they partner up..." I decide to say, "It's complicated. And no, it's not because he reciprocates her feelings."

"I'd better let the division in charge of marriage licenses know what's up," Xiera sighs.

I think that's the end of the conversation.

"Did you hear! Did you hear?"

I didn't think anything of it when Pati calls out beyond the fact the exasperated look on Tia's face said everything—her sister was going overboard again. "Hear what?"

"That only the hottest couple ever is getting married."

I groan internally, having an idea already of who Pati is referring to, but apparently, the conversation I had with Xiera wasn't the last I'd heard of the matter. "Let me guess. Are you talking about Zeno and Echo?"

"Correct!" Pati points a finger at me and winks while her sister groans. Tia rolls her eyes, then glares at me, arms crossed.

"My question is, where did you get your information from?"

"Why, from Echo of course!"

"Straight from the horse's mouth, so to speak," I give Tia an apologetic look which results in one of her eyebrows shooting up.

"Pati, Echo, and Zeno aren't getting married."

This time Pati's eyes roll. "What is with you saying they're not getting married every time I tell someone?"

"Because they aren't."

"But Echo said..."

"Echo has issues."

"That's mean!"

Except, I know it's rather true. After all, Zeno admitted just moments before that Echo showing up at the leadership meetings bothered him, but her excuse for doing so—well, she was doing Xiera's job and wasn't needed, so that meant she was stalking him? I shake my head, wanting to put that image out of my head. I like Echo, except for when it came to her infatuation with Xeno, but again I'm thinking of how she could have—when he disappeared—stepped out and become her own person. Everything though had to revolve around Zeno.

"It's sadly true, but that's Echo's side of things."

"What other side of things would there be?"

"Zeno's."

"But wouldn't it be the same? I mean, they are a couple, so..."

"Except they aren't a couple."

"They're not? Echo gave me the impression that they started dating sometime while the Guardian was in stasis. And they know about them getting married."

"They..." Tia turns and looks at me. "Yeah. How did you know about that?"

"Blame Xiera," I say.

"Why should blame Xiera."

"Actually, blame Echo for not stopping to listen to Xiera or Echo." I then add, "And I think Xiera's first impression of things outside of the command bridge isn't what she'd hoped for."

"You mean she didn't know about Echo and Zeno being..."

"A couple?" Pati piped up. "Everyone says they're like an old married couple, so..."

"That's actually not said to be flattering."

"What do you mean?"

"They mean the old married couple that bickers all the time Pati, not the other kind."

"Oh. Wait. What?"

Tia sighs. "Sorry, but this may take a bit of time to explain to her."

Which I know means the rumor will get spread further, much to Echo's delight and Zeno's...

I don't want to think about it.

Something is bothering Stratos. I can tell from the way she worries her lip. "What's the matter?"

"It's romantic I guess?" Stratos shifts uncomfortably, watching me carefully. She then says. "I mean, marriage."

I let out a sigh. "So you've heard as well?"

"About Zeno and Echo? Yeah."

She still seems uncomfortable. "Something the matter?"

"Well, I know everyone says they're a couple..."

"Is everyone meaning Pati?"

"Well, I guess." Stratos looks at the floor. "Am I wrong for thinking they're not suited for each other?"

"Why would you say that?"

"So, I'm a new recruit. Right?" Stratos looks me in the eye, still worrying her lip.

"Yet you're able to start your own class."

"Yeah. That, but the point is I trained under Regius and Zeno, so I've seen what goes on. Echo says she's helping the second command of the training bureau out, but..."

"She's not?"

"You don't sound surprised." Stratos let out a sigh of relief, almost as if she'd worried her opinion regarding the matter might not be met well. "All she does is complain about how Zeno's not doing his job and she's doing all the work for him, but how can he do his job when either she's undermining him by badmouthing him in front of the new recruits or Maria happens to be there taking over?"

"Sounds about right."

"He's actually quite good at his job, you know, when he's allowed to do it," Stratos tries smiling. "He was rather encouraging when I said I wanted to start a new class, but there was this spark in his eyes." She then pauses. "Echo on the other hand..."

"You don't have to say it. Not suited for each other except as friends."

"I'm not sure. I guess someone has to be a really good friend to put up with being treated like that, but sometimes I think someone's just got to say enough is enough."

"True," I reply, hoping yet again that this would be the last I hear about the matter.

"Should I be happy for them, boss?"

"Zeno and Echo you mean?" Yet again I hear the conversation come up.

"I feel bad for not feeling happy for them.," Io says.

"Oh?"

"Instead, I feel really bad for Zeno. But, I should be happy for them, even getting jealous that they're getting married and all, but all I feel is dread."

This is of course how I feel, but I can still imagine Xiera almost crying upon learning that Echo didn't think she was doing a good enough job of taking notes during meetings. Perhaps I should explain that to Xiera the next time I see her, that it isn't her, but Echo.

"Don't. Please, don't..." I hear Zeno say before I even have a chance of speaking with Xiera again. I glance up to see Zeno being dragged towards Melrandia. I can't help but notice how Zeno's face is turning red. Embarrassment is certainly there, but he's also obviously upset while Echo doesn't pay any attention to what he says, that his no means no.

Instead, she walks over to Melrandia and says, "Xeno and I are getting married!"

"No, you're not."

This time Echo is the one looking on in horror, though Zeno is still visibly upset. I watch as he rubs the back of his head and gives Melrandia an apologetic look and she simply glares, first at him, then at Echo. Echo continues to look at her flabbergasted. "What do you mean, we're not?"

"Zeno still has feelings for my sister."

Well, isn't that a surprise. Echo finally lets go of Zeno's hand. "What are you talking about? Melfonseana was with Gettemhult."

"I honestly don't know if they were or weren't, but wouldn't that just mean Zeno's feelings for her were unrequited just like your feelings for him are unrequited? He's dealt with that a lot better than you are, isn't he?" Melrandia narrows her eyes at Echo. "But surely you've known since academy that he's had feelings for her?"

"That..."

The look on her face says she knew, but she's looking down at the ground. Zeno mouths an apology to Melrandia for Echo's behavior, only to flinch when Echo tears off. This time she's the one who looks like she's going to cry and the guilt on Zeno's face simply grows. He starts after her, but Melrandia stops him by grabbing onto his wrist. "Don't. That won't help either one of you, but isn't one of the reasons you can't move on regarding your feelings for my sister because of what's going on between you and Echo?"

"That..." Zeno looks at the ground, a look of utter rejection on his face.

"Look, Zeno. I know you don't like hurting people, but if you marry Echo just to make her happy, you're going to be the one getting hurt," Melrandia says, shaking her head at him.

"Isn't..."

"It's not worth it. Not at all." She then adds. "And don't think that you'll be the only one hurt if you're hurting, because I know for a fact I'll be hurt knowing that you're hurting, what with the fact you're the last living connection I have with my sister."

"Plus," I pipe up. "Echo won't grow as long as she remains in your shadow."

Both Zeno and Melrandia look at you. Zeno is shocked, but Melradia gives a quick nod. "There is that.

"But she did grow. She..."

"Trying to be stronger while you were gone isn't the same as actually becoming stronger, but if she really did become stronger then she wouldn't be relying on you like she is."

"So..."

"I told Xia about the situation and she informed Echo that the marriage license would take time, which Echo handled quite well."

I look at her with a bit of confusion. "Didn't that get resolved?"

"If by that you mean whatever Melrandia said to Echo, I honestly don't know."

"You were spying."

"Spying?" Xiera nearly chokes. "I was simply following the unfolding situation on camera, but to be honest, I don't know if it's resolved. I..."

"You do know that Echo taking notes at the meeting had nothing to do with your note-taking abilities, right?"

"That kind of bothers me, to be honest. I mean, it would have bothered me if it was because she thought I didn't take good notes, but having talked to Commanding General Ulc—well, she was under the impression like myself that Echo was there because Regius and Zeno gave her permission to be there. Well, it would be silly to think a situation such as this so easily resolved."

Xiera's still frowning. I say, "That wasn't what you expected when you stepped off the bridge, was it?"

"No! I was actually expecting-" A blush spreads across Xiera. "I kind of would have liked, had they been a couple that hadn't moved onto the next step of being the one to get them there and have done something good, but don't tell anyone that. I mean, I kept hearing from Pati how they weren't married and should be, so I assumed..."

"Take what Pati says with a grain of salt and always watch Tia's expression," I say, slightly amused even though seeing two friends of mine have their relationship strained simply because Xiera misspoke wasn't amusing, yet, in the back of my head there was still the hope of things ending up resolved in a manner where Xeno and Echo could still be friends.

Note - There's no getting around the fact I'm going to remember Zeno/Echo as the pairing which became canon to sell a wedding dress, albeit a digital one for digital characters.

Putting that aside, I know there will likely be those who disagree with me. In fact, I get the fact Echo's feelings were hinted at from the very beginning. So was Zeno either being indifferent or unaware of how Echo felt, but his feelings towards her became quite clear during season two material. The way she treats him disgusts him, but "The Right Time to Get Married" opens up with her treating him in the way that disgusts him, yet we're supposed to believe minutes later he's suggesting they go and get married.

Like, no.

I get that the narrative wants us to believe Zeno is the problem, that Echo is simply calling him out for being lazy, yet said narrative also wants us to ignore the fact Zeno's job of training recruits - a job anyone who knows his character well would realize he loves - is being taken over by Maria to sympathize with Echo because she's doing all the paperwork nobody asked her to do in the first place which means it's, GASP, not her job.

It was after looking back over the scene that I realized that not only had neither Regius or Zeno asked her to take notes, that there wasn't a point to her taking notes. Not only would that job fall to Xiera, but these meetings would be recorded, yet even before that I wouldn't put it past Zeno to either remember in his head what he needed to or refer back to the video of the meeting rather than the notes.

Realizing though that Echo was taking over Xiera's job made me realize that Xiera's reaction to what Echo said shouldn't have been, "oh, you two should get married" which led to this particular one-shot where I changed up how everyone responded. Well, everyone except Pati of course, who is a bit dense.