Project Motherhood: Uzi and Doll

by Gamer95

Two drones, abandoned by their owners, find solace in one another, and wind up falling in love. With each other's support, their new owner that took them in, and a quirky group of apartment tenants, Uzi and Doll's life seems perfect. But when a little boy with no one to turn to comes into their lives, it somehow gets even better... Co-writer: ama2005

1. Chapter 1

NOTE: Let it be known. I am well aware of the theory that Uzi and Doll are cousins. ...That is a THEORY that doesn't have any really valid evidence and if anything has more evidence AGAINST it being true [Uzi, Doll, nor Kahn NEVER mention any kind of relation, drone family relationships don't seem to have been established until after humanity was gone, they speak completely different languages, etc.] I have been planning this story for months, and I put way too much time, effort and thought into the premise to abandon it because of a fan theory.

"You STUPID pile of scrap! Do you have ANY idea how EXPENSIVE those glasses were?!" The woman shrieked at the punk dressed drone, who simply stood with her arms crossed her her chest, glaring back at her.

"Bite me! Not my fault they charged you way too much for cheap glass! They should've given the stupid things away for free with how easily broken they were!"

"Don't you take that tone with me! You don't know your place! You are nothing more than the help! You don't have ANY right to stand against me like that! You can't even wear your damned uniform, you always come to work dressed like some... some PUNK! You're lucky we even bothered purchasing you in the first place, we could have hired a qualified, trained butler or chosen a higher grade model, but no, they had run out and we got stuck with YOU!"

"And believe me, no one's suffering more from it than I am. I didn't ask to get bought by a bunch of stuck-up losers that think they're better than everyone just because they hoard a whole bunch of paper with some guy's face on it! If you didn't have too much money for your own good, you'd be nothing and everyone would make fun of you! What life skills d'you even have outside of yelling at people, talking about how everyone's lower than you and-" The woman snapped her fingers, and a large man in a suit came and grabbed the female drone. "Hey, you put me down, don't try and worm your way out of this, you old hag, I'm not done verbally ripping you to pieces yet, you look like an anorexic elephant with all those wrinkles, get this woman an iron!"

The woman threw the front door open with a scowl. "I am done with your nonsense, you soulless husk. You are to leave the premises right this exact second. I don't want to see your face again! Throw out the trash, Reginald!"

The man sighed and looked at Uzi. "Sorry, girl, have to hang on to the job." He said.

"Yeah, yeah, yeah..." Uzi muttered grumpily. "Just throw me so I can leave and live my own life already."

And with that, the man tossed Uzi out of the house, trying not to put TOO much force into it. He didn't want to damage the drone after all. He made sure to aim at the large soft pile of snow nearby to cushion her impact. Uzi was left buried headfirst in the snow for several seconds, her legs kicking in the air as she struggled to get back out before swinging down and pressing against the ground, allowing her to yank herself free.

Uzi spat out the snow that got in her mouth. "Pweh. At least he aimed somewhere soft." She then realised what she said, and slapped herself. "Ugh, phrasing dammit!" Getting up, she patted off the snow on her clothes. She turned to look at the mansion, only to see that the door has already closed. "No chance for at least a thank you, huh? Whatever." Uži waved it off and began to walk away. To where? Who knows? She certainly doesn't. What she does know, is that she has been wandering through the streets for two hours already. Thankfully she didn't need stamina, snd didn't feel cold. However...

"Ugh! Stupid frost!" She yelled, scratching off the layer of ice on her visor. She may not feel cold, but the frost still gets stuck on her visor and messes up her vision.

As Uzi wandered aimlessly through the city streets, elsewhere, relatively nearby, another female drone was having a traumatic experience of her own. "I... I can't... I just... I can't anymore, it's... It hurts too much, Doll, I... You just remind me too much of him, I... I can't look at you, it hurts, it hurts too much..." The woman was sobbing into her hands. Doll winced and rubbed her arm, looking down.

[I am... sorry...] She murmured.

"Why...? Why...? My baby, why...?" The woman sobbed.

[I...I miss him too... I... I would do anything to have him back...]

"I...I need you to... I can't... Please... Just..." The woman pointed at the front door, and the drone's eyes widened in shock.

[You are... asking me to leave...? But... But why...? I... You are in no... I must stay...! I have nowhere else... and you're in no condition to be on your own, please...]

"I can't do it, Doll, please just go, PLEASE, I'm begging you, I can't take it anymore, I can't take any more reminders!"

[...I...I...] Doll looked down and clenched her fists. [...I understand... I will... I will follow your direction... I... I wish you the best of luck, my lady...] She murmured softly, turning away as tears began to form on her visor. She slowly walked towards the door, turning back to see her former mistress sobbing miserably on the couch. She winced, her chest clenching. She couldn't leave her like this, but... But she couldn't defy a direct order from the one that had purchased her... Slowly, she stepped out the door, and closed it behind her. She walked away slowly, looking back at the house, biting her lip as she silently bid it goodbye. And then, she walked away. She didn't know where she was going. All she knew was, she had nothing left... [...Mom... What do I do now...? ...I miss you... I... I hope you are well...] She murmured softly, tears forming again. She wished she was back home in Russia right now... She wanted so badly for her mother to hold her close and promise her everything was going to be all right, just as she had before she'd come here...

And... And she wished that he hadn't...

Doll closed her eyes. [...What is my purpose...? What will I do now...?] She continued to walk. She didn't know what was going to happen to her. Nor did she particularly care right now...

Uzi walked through the night, grumbling bitterly to herself. "Stupid rich stuck up... UGH!" She kicked a nearby rock, causing it to ricochet off of a nearby tree and hit the branch of the tree above her, in turn causing it to dump a pile of snow on her head, burying her and leaving only the blinking purple eyes of her visor exposed. "...Ugh..." She popped her head free from the snow and wiped her jacket clean. "Tch... I'd be better off stuck at that crappy run-down factory working for literal peanuts with the old man and his stupid door obsession..." She grumbled. "Why do these snobby rich idiots need to use cheap frail glass anyway?! Use plastic if you care soooo much about your stupid cups!" She dug herself free, continuing to grumble to herself, but then she accidentally bumped into someone, knocking them to the ground. "Hey, watch where you're-No, no, sorry, not your fault, I'm just not in a good mood and I'm going through the lingering remnants of my teenage angst..." She looked to see who she had bumped into. Her eyes widened slightly in surprise. 'Huh. It's another drone. ...She's...kinda cute...' She thought to herself as she looked at this new face, who had an expression of confusion and uncertainty.

[Sorry... I didn't know you were there...]

"Heh... Yeah, you probably just saw a big pile of snow only to see me pop out of it and walk right into ya."

Doll tilted her head to the side. [You... understand me.]

"Uh... Yeah? All Drones are made to understand any language, that's like... Drone 101 or something."

[I...I know. It is just that... I am not... used to being understood... There were no other drones in the house... They were... only able to afford the one...]

"Huh. Soooo, what's a Russian drone doing all the way in the West here? Must be a transit mistake or something. Eh. Whatever. So what brings you out? Late night errand run or something?"

[...I...I am alone now. I do not have a master any longer. They called me a lingering reminder. And they told me to go. So now I am on the streets.]

Uzi's eyes widened. "Huh. You too? What are the odds of that? Heh... Yeah, I got the boot just now also. Apparently I wasn't 'literally flawless' enough for their standards. But hey... I'm not that bummed out about it, they sucked anyway. But uh... You seem a bit... down. Was your owner a nice guy, or...?"

[...She WAS... But... Something happened... And... She couldn't bare the sight of me anymore because of it...]

"Tch... Greeeeat... Yet another drone doing their best to help, totally unappreciated and thrown away like yesterday's trash. Not like we have feelings or anything..." Uzi grumbled. "Still... Uh... I can tell you really did care about the lady, so... sorry to hear what happened to you, I guess..."

[It's quite alright. I just hope she'll be okay without me on her own.]

"Heeeey, don't worry." Uzi waved it off. "Those fleshbags are sturdy as heck. A detail I really wish wasn't real."

The other drone slightly chuckled at the joke. [Yeah, perhaps you're right.] She nodded. The duo then descended into silence. The chilly wind howled through the air as the silence suddenly turned dreadfully uncomfortable.

"So...uh..." Uzi started, slightly unnerved. "Your, uh...name?"

[Huh?]

"Your name. I...don't know your name."

Doll cocked her head to the side. [It is Doll. And yours?]

"Uh... Uzi. Heh... Named myself, actually... When my consciousness was still in my little baby oval body I overheard some humans talking about guns and Uzi ended up being my first word and my mom thought it was cute so that's what she decided to name me." She tilted her head. "Your name's cute. You know where it came from?"

Doll smiled and closed her eyes. [Originally, it was but a pet name. But mother and father liked it enough that they decided to keep it as my true name. And so, I am called Doll by my peers...]

Uzi smiled sadly. "Heh... Sounds like both your parents really loved ya."

Doll let out a sigh. [They did. Very much. Father left us long ago in an accident, and I miss him every day, but... I have done my best to move on. And I hope mother is well... Wherever she is... And your parents?]

"Mom was awesome. Dad's a deadbeat loser that doesn't care about me and literally says he considers doors to be his real child."

At that, Doll's processors slowed down a little. [Doors? Like, a pet name like mine?]

"No. I mean actual doors. And not just regular doors either, but the hydraulic ones. The extra slow and heavy ones that always rust and make a lotta noise."

[...]

"..."

[Who IS your father? No, better yet, WHAT is your father?]

"A JERK." Uzi huffed. "He stopped caring as soon as mom died and got a weird obsession with freaking DOORS. Why DOORS?! At least make it like... tv or something that makes sense!"

By this point, the two female drones had taken to walking away from their current location, now sitting in a local park on one of the benches to continue their conversation. [...I see... I am sorry to hear that you have a difficult relationship with your father...]

"Pfft! Difficult would imply that I have any relationship with him at all! Heh... When they said they were taking volunteers to go and get bought out, I jumped at the chance cause I hoped I'd get a new life with people who'd actually give half a damn about me. And instead I get carted off to slave away for some rich old jerks that can't handle the fact that their precious glass cups are too fragile for their own good! They're stupid! Rich people are stupid and I wanna just take all their money and throw it into a garberator! Ugh... Uh... Sorry... Might've... ranted a bit."

[No, no, it is fine, there is no shame in unbottling your frustration. It seems you've struggled in life...]

"Yeah, well, I was always the outcast back at the factory, people thought I was weird cause I liked guns and explosions and other cool stuff like that and didn't like working for actual literal peanuts. Like, it pissed me off so much when my dad would get so damn hyped up over his 'weekly pay' when it was just a small cheap bag of nuts, it's just stupid, at least give us like... a penny or something..."

[Ah... Yes... I see... It was much like that back in Russia as well... The ones who create us, the ones who use us... They do not seem to... respect us.] Doll said, rubbing her arm. [But I am sorry that you have found life difficult...]

"Eh. I've been alone and friendless besides mom my entire life, it's no biggie, I'm used to it." Uzi assured her.

[Hmm... Do you think perhaps you could get accustomed to having a friend? I find myself enjoying your company quite a lot.] Doll admitted with a smile. [It is nice to speak to someone on an equal level, and to have someone to understand and empathize with my struggles... Perhaps... We can become good friends...?]

Uzi looked at her with wide eyes. "Whoa whoa whoa whoa whoa! YOU wanna be friends with ME?! YOU?! With ME?!"

Doll tilted her head. [Um... Yes. Is there a problem?]

"Well... I mean... I don't mind the idea, but like... You're HOT! Hot girls are supposed to HATE me and make fun of me!" Uzi took several seconds to realize what she had just said. "...Uuuuuuuuuhhhhhh..."

Doll blinked at Uzi's sudden words. Blush marks appeared on her visor. [Thank you. Appreciate the compliment.]

Uzi blinked. Twice.

Thrice.

Four times.

"Huuuuuuh?!"

Doll tilted her head at her new friend's flabbergasted response. [Is there something wrong? Did I say something offensive?]

"N-N-No, I just uh... Um... Ugh... Let's... forget it. I...I'd like that. B-Being your friend I mean... I... always wondered what it would be like to... to have a friend... heh..." Doll smiled and gently took Uzi's hand in her own, causing the purple haired drone to blush a little. "Um... Handholding...? Uh... Kinda forward there..."

Doll disregarded her. [I too need to learn how friendship works. We will learn it together.] She said with a smile. Uzi blinked twice, then nodded at her new friend with a smirk.

"All right! Now it's just the two of us! Two besties versus the world! No idea what to do with ourselves, but hey, it's all good, cause we'll stick together, right?"

Doll laughed softly into her hand. [Correct. I appreciate having you by my side, Uzi... I am grateful I do not have to face this exile alone.] Uzi frowned, then nodded her head.

"Yeah... Yeah, you're not alone... Neither one of us is alone... Cause we have each other now... So uh... What do we do...?"

Doll looked thoughtful. [We must find a place to take shelter... Some place we can live.]

Uzi grinned. "Our own little place. Not a bad idea. All right, let's get to it!"

One week later...

Doll waited inside the warehouse they had decided to call home for the time being, the moonlight shining down through the window. Uzi had told her she was going to go foraging. She had asked for what, and she'd simply shrugged and replied "Basic supplies. Be back soon!" Uzi did this rather frequently, and usually came back with discarded human nicknacks she would repurpose into... well... inventions. It seemed Uzi had an interest in tinkering and inventing new things, as well as fixing broken objects. They had a lamp, she'd managed to rewire electricity into this long abandoned building so they could live in relative comfort, and she'd brought various items she didn't really know what they were supposed to do with, but they did make the place feel a bit more... homey. And it was honestly quite pleasant the way Uzi lit up whenever she had something to work on.

She heard the sound of something scraping across the floor, a sign that either Uzi was home or they had been discovered. "Doll! Check this out!" Ah. The former. Good. "I just found a mattress someone tossed into an alley! It's an old rickety piece of junk, but it's still something to sleep on! We can use those old curtains I brought in as a blanket too!"

Doll rose to her feet and tilted her head. [Ah. Yes. It will be nice to not have to rest on the floor any longer.] She helped Uzi drag it in. and they laid it down against a wall. There were springs sticking out of it. [I can see why it was discarded.]

"Eh. What's a few springs when your body's made of metal?" Uzi replied before letting out a yawn. "Ah... Geez..."

[Uzi... Were you staying up late and forsaking your sleep again?] Doll said sternly.

"...You can't prove ANYTHING!"

[...You are going to rest. Now.]

"But Doooooll! I wanna work on my water heater!"

[We are robots. We don't need hot water.]

"I know we don't NEED it, but I wanna fix iiiiit!"

[You can fix it after you've slept. I will not accept arguments.] Uzi tried to protest again, but Doll lightly tipped her with her finger, putting just a bit of her power into it, and Uzi fell on her back, right on the mattress. Doll grabbed the curtains she had mentioned before, then gently draped them over her, tucking her in.

"Hey, I'm not a little kid, I don't need to be tucked in to sleep!" Uzi protested.

[Oh? You seem to be enjoying the attention, seeing as how you are smiling.]

"I'm not smiling!"

[But you very much are.]

"YOU'RE smiling!"

[If I am, it is because I find your smile precious.] At that last answer, Uzi became completely red in the face. Or at least she would have if she was a human. Instead her visor displayed even brighter blush markings under her eyes. [I'm assuming you liked that last one.] Doll said with a light smirk.

"Sh-shut it!" Uzi remarked. "Just tuck me in already."

[I thought you didn't need to be tucked in.]

"..."

[...]

"You know what, screw it."

Uzi swung the curtains off and grabbed Doll by the jacket, pulling her down onto the mattress and swinging the curtain back on.

Doll blinked twice and tilted her head at her friend. [Um... Uzi... What in the world are you doing?]

"I don't know." Uzi huffed as she closed her eyes. "Ugh... "

Doll laughed softly. [Shall I sing you a lullaby as well?]

"I don't need a lullaby, I've been out of that baby body for sixteen years!"

[Well, it may help you with this fussy attitude.]

"I am NOT fussy!"

[Of course you aren't, dear. ...I think I am going to do it anyway.]

"Ugh... Yeah, whatever, do what you think you have to do..." Doll closed her eyes, and she began to hum softly. Uzi's eyes opened, an expression of visible surprise on her face as she listened to her friend's singing voice. It was... actually very beautiful... She wasn't actually singing words out loud, she was merely humming a soothing melody, but that soft, gentle sound... took her back... Back to the days when her mother would sing her lullabies when she was having a hard time sleeping. She closed her eyes to hide the fact that her visor was beginning to display tear marks to convey her mood and nestled into the blanket, hoping with all her heart that Doll did not see her in a vulnerable state like that, ever.

As she listened to the little song, she felt her strength leaving her, until eventually, she drifted off to sleep, allowing her inner maintenance to begin the process of recharging itself. Doll smiled when she realized it had worked. And then, she carefully rose to her feet, making sure not to wake her. [Rest well, my friend...] She murmured before turning to move deeper into the warehouse. She had some practicing to do... She had to continue training her powers.

Making sure she was far enough away, Doll got to work.

[Hooh. Focus. Remember, only one object and one duplicate at a time.] Stretching her hand out, the familiar solver symbol glowed on her hand. She pointed it towards a can of expired soda on a brick she set up earlier. The can began to shake, vibrating and flickering as a hologram would. Suddenly, it split into several copies of itself. Doll grunted in frustration. [Hm. Focus harder.] Activating it again, she started over. And each attempt ended in utter failure. Either she would spawn too many copies, the can would just be crushed like in a compactor. It got to a point where Doll could barely hold herself from just crushing the thing with her bare fingers.

She closed her eyes and too a deep breath. [Relax... Do not succumb to frustration... Bad things may happen if you do...] She muttered to herself. Still... She was getting increasingly desperate to get this right... She couldn't even imagine how bad it would be if she were to lose control of this power...

She closed her eyes and began to think. How was she to figure this out...? Hmm... Perhaps... she was focusing TOO hard on it...? Maybe she needed to... let her mind relax a little bit more...

She closed her eyes, pointed her hand at the can, and thought to herself. [Six... Six replicas... That is all I need...] She felt the power flow through her body. When she opened her eyes, she saw... seven. [...I...suppose that is an improvement...?] She murmured. [Still... I cannot let myself rest until I get it right...]

She didn't know how long she'd been at it. She realized she had probably been at it a bit TOO long, though, when she heard Uzi's voice as she entered the room. "Hey, Doll, you in-" Uzi paused when she saw what her friend was up to. Doll turned to look at her, wide-eyed, accidentally crushing one of the soda cans telekinetically, causing her to wince. "...Doll... Are you... using psychic powers...?"

Doll's eyes widened. She remembered the other reactions when he'd first seen her using her powers. She still heard their voices in her head, clear as day.

"Aaaaahh! Freak! Get away!"

"Okay, that's just CREEPY!"

"...Messed. Up."

"Urgh... Weirdo..."

"YOU'RE DEFECTIVE! THERE'S SOMETHING WRONG WITH YOU! YOU 'RE GONNA GET SOMEONE KILLED WITH THAT!"

"That is so cool!"

...

Hold on.

[What?]

"Are you serious? You had awesome psychic powers and you didn't tell me!?"

[I...I was afraid.] Uzi stopped at that.

"Huh? Afraid? Of what?"

[That...that you'll...]

"I'll...what? I-I don't get it.]

Doll looked away and rubbed her arm. [I am... defective. I am wrong. I was not meant to do this... I was meant to be a simple worker drone, but I can do this... I... I... The elder drones told me that...]

"Okay... That is MESSED UP, you don't say that to people for ANY reason." Uzi put a hand on Doll's shoulder and looked her dead in the eye. "You're FINE, Doll. You are totally FINE. There's NOTHING wrong with you, okay? You're just like me! Except... Russian... And psychic. And... ten times more attractive."

Doll blushed and looked down at the floor with a small smile. [You...truly mean it, Uzi? Do you really think it is okay?]

"Of course I do, who wouldn't?! You have TELEKINESIS! That's totally AWESOME! I wish I had what you have! You don't have to feel ashamed of yourself, Doll, the elder drones are already way too paranoid for their own good, they were only talking because they wanna save their own butts from getting scrapped, I accept you powers or not, you're my best and only friend, how could I ever let that go for ANY reason? You'd have to do something pretty messed up for me to push you away-" Uzi was cut off when Doll lunged forward and pulled her into a tight hug.

[You have no idea how much this means to me...thank you. Thank you so much...] Uzi blinked at the sudden affection, blushing slightly and returning the hug with her own awkward one.

"Uh, heheh, no problem. I mean..."

[I'm serious, Uzi.] Doll interrupted. [For years, I have been treated horribly by my handlers, by the ones meant to guide me to be the best worker drone I could be. I was always pushed away or told to leave. They... wrote me off as a lot cause, as not worth their time, they didn't want to be associated with me... But...you accepted me in a heartbeat. One of very few to do so...] Her hug tightened. [You have no idea how happy that makes me. You truly don't.]

Uzi frowned at hearing that, then exhaled softly and closed her eyes, tightening the embrace and easing her way into it. It felt... nice. Being shown this kind of affection for the first time since her mother had been destroyed. Heaven knows her father never bothered to show her this kind of affection, much less anyone else that lived and worked in that damned factory... "Uh... Honestly, Doll, this...means a lot to me too... The whole... hug thing, I mean... I... never realized how much I missed it, and... how much I just wanted someone to... y'know... give me a hug... until right now... So... Thanks for that... Heh..."

[Oh, Uzi... You crave the affection you have been denied for many years... I am so sorry that someone as kind and caring as you was trapped in such an uncaring environment... But your kindness towards me shows you have great strength of character...]

Uzi blushed. "Uh... Th-Thanks..." She said bashfully. The two friends slowly pulled away from their embrace, Doll smiling warmly, and Uzi still blushing as she nervously wrung her hands together.

[Now then. What was that about you believing me to be more attractive?]

"Huh? Well... That's pretty much just a fact..."

[Uzi. Do you think you are unattractive?]

"...No comment."

[...That is not true you know. Not even remotely true.]

"H-huh?" Uzi made a hard pause at that. "Uh, cool hot psychic robogirl says what?"

[You heard me, Uzi.] Doll said again. [You're not unattractive. Quite the far opposite in fact.]

"Are...are you being serious right now?" Uzi asked. "Like, do you even hear yourself talk?"

[Uh...what?] Even Doll was confused.

"Seriously! I am not attractive. At all." The punkbot continued. "I dress like an outta fashion punk from the far 80s, I am loud, I am abrasive, rude, have no tact, and basically everything opposite of attractive. There's no way what you're saying is true." She looked away and rubbed her arm. "Or... At least that's what they said back at the factory. Multiple times. Every single day. So often that I can repeat all of it verbatum." Doll cocked her head to the side.

[...I like your sense of fashion. I find it extremely charming. Your hair is a lovely vibrant purple, and the black of your hoodie compliments it nicely. I admire that you are bold enough to stand your ground and fight for what you believe in, you do not accept unfair treatment. You have not been rude to me. You accepted me as a friend. You stayed by my side when I had just lost everything. You have made me understand my treatment was unfair. You are someone that is not afraid to stand up for her beliefs, and that is extremely admirable. You have a lovely face. And I find the purple of your eyes extremely pleasant to look at. And you have a nice figure as well.]

"AAAAAAGH, STOP, ONE MORE COMPLIMENT AND I'LL OVERHEAT AND MY HEAD WILL EXPLODE!" Uzi shrieked, looking away from Doll, her blush now taking up almost her entire visor. Doll chuckled lightly and hugged her from behind, causing her to stiffen up slightly.

[My point is, Uzi, is that you are selling yourself much too short... It seems... the both of us have extreme self esteem issues that we must work through to truly find our happiness...] She whispered. [I am willing to help you with yours, the same way you have been willing to help me with mine... You are my dear friend, and I want nothing more than to take those cruel words... and make you forget. But since I cannot do this, I am happy to be the one to help you overcome the awful feelings they left you burdened with.]

Uzi was silent for a moment before she turned around. Now SHE was the one to pull Doll into a tight hug, her shoulders shaking slightly. "Th-Thanks..." Doll heard a light tremble in Uzi's voice.

[Shh...don't tremble. There's no need for that. I'm here.]

"I...I know...it's just..."

[This is the nicest thing someone has ever said to you, right?]

"Y-yeah..."

[In that case, I'm glad to have been the first.] And so, they stayed like that. They kept the embrace solid, both sides refusing to let go of each other. This is totally the most wonderful thing ever. So Uzi thought. She had been treated like she didn't exist for YEARS ever since her mom died. And now, FINALLY, she has found a real friend. Someone who won't throw her away. Who will acknowledge her existence. It was beautiful. Curse her father. Doll was her family now.

Later that night, the two drones were both ready to rest for the night, but there was just one problem. "Huh... I could only get the one matress... Uh... You take it, Doll, I'll just sleep on the-Hey, what are you-" Uzi blushed violet as Doll picked her up bridal style and carried her back to the little mattress she had bought.

[Honestly, did you think I was ever going to allow you to sleep on the floor when we have a mattress? We will share this bed, Uzi.] Doll said with a small smile.

"Sh-Sharing a bed, huh? Heh... Moving a little fast here, aren't we?" Uzi tried to lighten the mood for herself by playfully flirting with Doll, expecting a small blush and some light, playful chiding to be the response she got. What she ended up getting was a smirk.

[Well, I always was the type that likes things to move along quickly. I look forward to sharing a bed with a cute girl.]

'...Did... Did she just flirt back?! Wh-What do I do next?! Agh! I wasn't expecting that at all, what am I supposed to do next, someone help me, I am freaking out right now, aaaaaaaagh!' She panicked internally, and Doll giggled.

[I was only teasing, Uzi, don't worry.] She said with a wink.

"Y-Yeah, well, I was too, so it's even stevens, yeah..." Uzi looked away with a blush, trying to make herself look as small as possible, coming off as adorable to Doll in the process, especially considering she seemed to be completely unknowing of the fact that she was snuggling up as close to her as she could as she carried her to the mattress.

Once they reached their little makeshift bed, Doll laid Uzi down, then grabbed the curtains and carefully draped them over the both of them. It was a small mattress, so the two drones were stuck being in very close proximity to one another.

"Th-this is..." Uzi stuttered.

[Very close, yeah.]

"R-right..." 'Put yourself together dammit!' Uzi desperately tried to deny how much she enjoyed this closeness. Seriously, if you told her she would be snuggling with a hot psychic drone girl on a mattress a month ago, she'd probably laugh and flip you off

Before she could think any further, she was suddenly scooped into another hug by her new partner.

[Felt like the gesture would fit.] Doll said with a smirk.

Uzi simply squeaked in response, causing Doll to chuckle softly. [Remember, we do need to try and keep ourselves as warm as we can. If we get too cold, our inner servers could be endangered. If we remain close, our inner heaters will ensure we remain at the right temperature.]

"Ah. R-Right. THAT'S why we're snuggling up to each other. No other reason..." Uzi muttered with a small smile as she slowly wrapped her arms around her best friend and nuzzled in as close as she could, closing her eyes so that Doll wouldn't see her blushing. 'Oh my GOSH this feels amazing, she's super close, it's almost like we're... AGH! Stop having those kinds of thoughts about your best friend, Uzi! Do you WANT her to get creeped out and throw you away?!'

Doll's eyes were a light shade of scarlet as she smiled at her is was very, VERY nice... She began to gently rub Uzi's back, and she chuckled mirthfully when she felt the slightly shorter drone shiver slightly at the gentle contact. "St-Stop teasing me, Doll, come on..." Uzi groaned.

[Apologies. But you are cute when you are flustered.]

"...Go to sleep, Doll..." Uzi groaned in exasperation.

[Very well. Good night, Uzi.]

"...Night." Uzi said with a smile. And with that, the two drones closed their eyes, and rest took over.

They slept well that night. It was peaceful. No noise, no interruptions, no nothing. Just two drones snuggled together, sleeping peacefully. Then someone decided it was too peaceful. Uzi's eyes blinked open, and the drone grunted in pain as she attempted to scratch her visor. "Ugh! Has it already gotten that cold? My circuits are gonna freeze!"

[Hmmmm...too cold.] Moaned Doll as she woke up too. Her visor flickered, and she grunted in annoyance. [Hrrrrhhhh...it's gotten way too cold.]

The two drones slowly sat up, wincing slightly at the slight creaking of their limbs. "Ugh... Okay... That is NOT good, I should've tried harder to get my hands on some kinda heater..." Uzi muttered.

[Uzi... Our internal workings will lock up under this temperature. We must keep warm.] Doll murmured, moving a bit closer to her friend, causing her to blush once more.

"Uh... Y-Yeah... Right... Um... C'mere..." Uzi murmured, embracing Doll and doing her best not to internally panic at the close contact. 'It needs to be done, it doesn't mean anything, we just need to keep from freezing and getting rooted to the spot... But it feels so nice, she's so close and man her hair feels soft...'

[Uzi? You are stroking my hair. Is there a reason for this?]

"...No."

[You are still doing it.]

"...No."

[...You have not stopped.]

"...No."

Doll sighed goodnaturedly and rolled her eyes. [Well, we will be here for some time... I can feel the warmth of your core though... It is keeping the cold at bay...]

"Uh... Y-Yeah. Same with you... I... think you're actually even warmer than I am... Heh... Seriously... I could almost fall back asleep..." Doll blushed and smiled.

[Ah. Is that so? Hmm. Perhaps it is whatever granted me my power causing this unusual warmth. Hmm... We will need further coverage...] Doll looked down at the small blanket they were covered with. [Hmm...] She closed her eyes and focused.

"Uh... Doll? I think that's good..." Uzi murmured. Doll opened her eyes, and blinked twice. She and Uzi were covered by approximately twelve blankets now. Doll sighed in relief and closed her eyes.

[Good... I have not been able to replicate larger objects... But it seems this blanket is small and light enough that I can make more... Are you any warmer, Uzi?]

"Yeah... Heh... You?"

[Hmm... Yes... It feels... nice...]

"Heh... If someone walked in, they'd probably think we were like... y'know... in love with each other or something..." Uzi chuckled.

[In...love...] Doll whispered those words to herself, testing how they sound from her mouth. They... They sounded...

[Nice...]

"Uuuh, what?"

Doll was snapped out of her thoughts by Uzi's questioning look. [Huh?]

"You...said nice. What? What's nice? This?"

[Y...yes.] Doll gave a nod, her visor displaying a blush. Something that's never happened to her. [Yes. This is nice. This warmth...]

"You got that right." Uzi nodded. Snuggling deeper in. "Mmmmm...like I'm sitting next to a fireplace."

She let out a sigh and chuckled softly. "Y'know... It'd be nice... to like... have a fireplace... in a nice house... where we don't have to slave away and do stupid pointless chores... We can just sit down and relax and hang out and... just live a nice, happy life like the humans do..."

[...Yes... That would be wonderful... Just us... In our very own home... But... it is not possible...]

"Yeah, I know... And it sucks... Ugh... I don't see why we can't have the same kinda rights the humans do. We work, we feel stuff, we're basically just them except made of metal and circuits and wires... But y'know, I'm not complaining too much. We got a roof over our heads, and I got my stuff to tinker with, and I got you, and that's all I really need to be happy at this point."

[...You are all I need.] Doll murmured to her friend. Uzi tensed up and blushed. [All I could ever ask for is a close friend...] Uzi relaxed and chuckled.

"Yeah... I think I feel the same way... Don't know what I'd do without ya... Probably go nuts and wanna like... destroy the human race or something..."

[Oh? You never have such thoughts?]

"Eh. I might entertain the notion every now and then." The two female drones laughed softly and cuddled up closer to one another, their eyes closing as they enjoyed the close proximity to one another. And slowly, they drifted off to sleep once more...

The doors opened as a man walked into the building. He had long red hair, and he was unusually tall for a human. He wore a red jacket over a red sweater, and a pair of black pants He looked around. "Huh. Pretty well kept for a place that's been abandoned for fifteen years." He said in a soft, monotone voice, a clear English accent apparent to all who heard it. "I can see why the boss wants to buy it, get some heat in here and the staff'll be happy to work in..." He paused when he noticed something off in the corner. It seemed to be a lump. Sitting on a mattress. Next to a bunch of random knicknacks that were half-fixed, as if someone had been working on them. "...Huh." He approached, looking around. "Must have been some squatters in here at some point. Think N warned be about that..." He pulled out a stick. "Explains why he gave me this to defend myself." Suddenly, he noticed something. A bundle sitting on the mattress, and two female drones fast asleep, sitting on top of it, cuddled up to each other. "...Huh. Seen J and V cuddled up just like that. No doubt about it. These two are definitely in love." He looked at the stick in his hand. "I should probably wake them up and let them know what's going on." He extended the stick and lightly poked at the one with the short purple hair...

The second the stick made contact with the purple haired drone with the beanie, she immediately woke up and bit down on it as hard as she could, splitting the stick right in half and hissing aggressively. The man looked at the remains of his stick, then back at the drone. "...Well that's rude. This was my only method of self defense. What am I supposed to do if some crazed lunatic comes barrelling from behind the corner and starts to bite me?"

"YOU bite me! Who the heck goes around poking people with a stick in their sleep?! What are you, nuts?!"

"Okay, first off, rude." The guy said. "And second off, I poked you to wake you up on purpose."

"Oh you little..." Uzi immediately threw off the blankets and went to grab the man, who backed off swiftly before she could get him. Uzi attempted to try again, before a sound caught her attention. She looked back to see Doll shifting among the blankets, groaning tiredly as she woke up.

[Hmmmmm...Uzi...why are you awake again?]

Uzi scowled and pointed at the man that had walked in on them. "Not my fault! This guy thought it'd be okay to come in and start poking me in the face with a big stick!" Doll blinked twice, then looked at the man, who looked back at her with a blank expression.

"Yeah, I needed to wake you guys up to let you know that my boss bought this building and we're gonna repurpose it into a new worksite."

"Wh-What?! No, you can't do that! This is OUR place! We don't have anywhere else to go! We'll freeze out there! You can't take this from us! I'll... I'll fight you! Put 'em up! I'll bite your fingers off one by one and then I'll punch your face!"

"...What are you doing here anyway?" The man asked. Doll tried to explain the situation, but the man just tilted his head. "Um... Sorry, I... never learned how to speak Russian..."

[Oh. It's all right. I understand. Uzi, would you mind telling him what happened?] Doll asked. Uzi sighed.

"Our owners were assholes, they threw us away, we ran into each other on the streets, we found this old warehouse to stay in, we've been here a month, it's all we got and if we get kicked out we're basically screwed."

"...Threw you away? Well that's not a very friendly thing to do to someone." The man said.

"Pfft! You don't have to act like you care, if you have a drone you probably work them to the bone and don't appreciate a thing they do!"

"Well, no, I don't have a drone, but I do a lot of work with them, and uh... yeah, I think they're pretty cool. Y'know... They work hard, they get the job done... Got a real good friend who's also a drone, his name's N. Like, just the letter N, there's like three drones at my workplace who's name's literally just a letter, s'kinda strange, but what can you do, right? So yeah, I don't have any problem with drones."

"...You...work WITH drones?" Uzi asked with a raised brow.

"Yeah. My boss loves them." The man shrugged. "So uh... yeah, you don't have to stay in this place, I have a guest room back home I'm not really using for anything, it's just me. And my ferret. And my parrot."

"Whoa whoa whoa whoa WHOA!" Uzi stopped him mid sentence. "Are...are you being serious right now?!"

The guy tilted his head in confusion. "Uuuuhhh...what?"

"You heard me!" The drone snapped. "Are you serious? Are you really gonna take in a pair of worker drones so easily, with no strings attached, no work, no slaving off while you chill around, no throwing us away, just so easily?!"

"Uuuuh, yeah?" Uzi stopped. Her systems briefly short-circuited and her visor flickered in sheer astonishment.

This guy was serious.

He wanted them...

...not for their workforce...

...not to give them a job...

...but just because he felt like it?

"There's no way."

"Why not?" The man asked. "I mean... S'just me and my two pets anyway, it gets really boring living alone in an apartment, the neighbours are nice enough when they come visit, but I dunno, I just don't like living alone is all, I reckon." The man drawled.

"...So, what, we're just company or something? Like an emotional support animal?"

"Well, no, you'd be more like... roommates, I reckon."

"R-Roommates. Really? Roommates? Like, you'd put us on the level of people enough to consider us ROOMMATES?" Uzi asked with a raised brow.

"Well, yeah, I mean, I know by now you drones all have personalities and feelings and all that. I mean, one of my friends is a drone, and I know two other drones that got married and adopted a human kid, so yeah, anyone that just sees you lot as machines are...well, kinda daft if you ask me." Uzi blinked twice, her system slowly catching up with the words the guy just said.

"Okay...I...I, wow I...I mean you could've led with that!"

"Yeah, my bad. Just wanted to get the job done so I can leave this frigid cold."

"You're tellin' me." She turned to Doll. "So! Whattya say?" Doll tilted her head, then nodded with a small smile.

"Uh... Okay... Sure. We'll uh... go along with you. Just uh..." She looked around at the things she had been working on. "Can I bring this stuff with me? I've been working on fixing it up for the past few days and I don't wanna lose them now..."

"You can fix things? Huh. Well, I'm sure that'll be useful. Yeah, all right, we'll just put it all in the trunk." He grabbed a few of the items in his arms and began to walk away. "My car's just out back, let's get out there, take as much as you can carry and uh... let me know if we need to come back or anything."

As he walked off, Uzi and Doll exchanged a glance. "...So this is just plain... too good to be true, right?" Uzi asked.

[Hmm. Well... The middle and lower classes do seem to respect us more than the rich do.] Doll reasoned.

"Yeah, but still, he's taking us into his place!"

[He is quite gracious.]

"I'm... gonna stay cautious about this..."

[Understandable. But I feel his is someone we can trust.]

"You just met the guy!"

[I know. But I trust my intuition.]

"...We don't even know his name."

"Uh, it's Will! Will Trussell!"

"Okay, we know his name." Uzi crossed her arms. "Still not trusting him."

[Won't you at least give him a chance?]

"I've given my father a hundred and twenty chances, I counted. And he blew all of them. INSTANTLY." The punk drone complained. "And he was a fellow drone! No way I'm trusting a human so easily."

[Understandable.] Doll gave a nod. [But at least try to give him a chance. If not for yourself, then for me. Would that be okay?]

Uzi crossed her arms and looked away with a huff and a pout. Doll responded by hugging her from behind, and she tensed up slightly, blushing, before she let out a deep sigh. "Okay, okay, but only for you, Doll..." She relented. "But I'm not gonna be all buddy-buddy with him, and I'm keeping my eyes peeled for any funny business from him!"

Doll smiled. [I understand. Just try and see the person he really is, and don't let prejudice get the best of you...]

"...It's hard..."

[I know.]

"I don't know if I can."

[I do. You're a kind drone.]

"...You really think that?"

[Of course I do.]

Upon saying that, Will came back in.

"So uh, my stuff is loaded in the car, and uh, I'm waiting if you need anything of yours."

"Okay then." Uzi said, before grabbing a massive pile of scrap and tools, as well as unfinished gadgets she was working on. "I need all of this." She dropped all the stuff into Will's hands, who groaned as he struggled to lift the pile up.

"D-do you really need all this?"

"Yes. Now carry."

"Alright! Just asking." He grunted, turning around and lumbering out to stuff everything in the car. Uzi looked back at Doll, who gave her friend a "really?" look.

"Hey, just because I don't trust him doesn't mean I won't milk the extra manpower."

Doll let out a sigh, then extended her hand. Will blinked as he felt everything lifted out of his arms, then watched as it all telekinetically flew out the door towards the car. "Oh. Well. There it goes." He said, scratching his head. "Huh. That's unusual." He looked to see Doll casually maintaining focus as she carried along the stuff with her mind. "Well, I'm sure that's gotta come in handy."

"Really? That's your only reaction to the literal coolest thing ever?" Uzi asked with a raised brow.

"I mean... I don't really react to anything, according to my boss, she teases me about it all the time."

"Can't say I blame her, you sound like you're just bored with life in general."

"Oh. Do I? Sorry about that. I'm actually quite excited to finally have some roommates. Just look at me. Look how excited I'm getting." The man stared at her emotionlessly.

"...Are you being sarcastic?" Uzi asked, putting her hands on her hips.

"No. I'm being perfectly honest with you, really I am, I promise."

"You're not even smiling-Oh no wait, you ARE smiling a little bit, it's just really hard to see."

"Well there you go, there's your proof."

"Riiight. Bet you're a real blast at parties."

"Well, actually, I-"

[It is all finished.] Doll approached, hands clasped behind her back politely. [I managed to find room for everything, groceries included, while also ensuring it would all remain securely in place.]

"Ah. Um... I'm... sure whatever it is you just said is something very good, thank you for... that." The man replied with a nod.

Uzi groaned. "I hate being a translator." She whispered. "She says she managed to find space to fit everything in without problem."

"Ah, really? Thanks. Lord knows I would have made a mess if I tried to fit it all in."

"And you'd be cleaning it up too because we-"

[Ahem.]

"Uuuh...because we are too exhausted and...therefore unable to help you out properly."

"Nah, it's fine. I won't bother ya with work." He waved it off, before clapping. "Alright. Let's get outta this blizzard. He shivered slightly. "I can feel frostbite forming on my scalp."

"And that's saying something considering you've got a straight-up mop on your head." Uzi snickered.

"Eh." Will shrugged his shoulders and led the way out to the car, getting in and inserting the key. "All right, either one of you want to ride front seat?"

Uzi looked at Doll, who shrugged. "Eh. We'll stick together if that's all right with you."

"All right." Will shrugged. "I can see you two wanting to get cozied up together in an actual heated space, couples apparently find that quite comfy from what I've heard."

"...Wait, what's that mean?"

"Well, you two are a couple, aren't you? I mean, the way you were snuggled up to each other when I walked in, I just sort of got the sense that... y'know... you were a thing."

"Whoa whoa whoa!" Uzi said, her visor blushing. "We-we're not a couple!"

"Huh? You aren't?"

"I mean...we're close, sure...but, like...we're friends, right?"

[Right.] Doll nodded.

"See? And we only snuggled together because our shared warmth would fix our systems because they got messed up by the cold. That's why we were so close."

"Huh." Will simply said. "Alright then. Just saying, you totally looked like a couple for a moment there. Thanks for clarification."

Uzi looked away with a huff. "B-Bite me!" She managed to get out. Will raised a brow. It was clear as day that these drones had feelings for each other, they just didn't know how to act on them, they were as close as close could be.

"...So I only have the one guest room in my apartment, and it only has the one bed, are you okay with staying on that?"

"Uh... Y-Yeah! We were uh... We were sharing the same bed back at the warehouse anyway, not much different there, right, Doll?"

[Yes. That will be just fine, sir, thank you very much.] Doll said politely, which Uzi translated.

"Yeah. No worries." Will made a mental note to brush up on Russian, in the hopes of being able to eventually understand Doll without needing Uzi to translate. "...Didn't get your names, did I?"

"Oh. Right. Uh... Just call me Uzi, and call her Doll." Uzi said with a shrug.

"Uzi and Doll. Got it. ...Feels like I'd cause a panic if I called for you in a public space though..."

"Ah, gimme a break, I'm allowed to be named after a gun, those worrywarts can bite me!" Uzi complained.

[It is a problem, Uzi.]

"Yeah, well... Well... It's just my name and I like it and I don't wanna change it so there!"

"All right then. So, um... Few ground rules you should be aware of. Um... If you...wanna use the phone, you're gonna have to keep it to thirty minutes or less, because I don't want to pay excessive phone bills. Um... Well, I guess you don't really need to... eat, so I guess anything food related doesn't really apply... Um... If you hear the neighbours making noise, just... don't worry about it, they're a rowdy lot, they'll quiet down at some point... And um... Yeah. I reckon that's about all I need to go over."

"Okay, the phone is way too limited but we can manage. Helps being a drone automatically gives you full connection to the entire internet at all times."

"Yeah...wait, WHAT?!" Will nearly screeched his car to a halt. "You have full connection to the entire internet?"

[Yes. Worker drones need to be able to help out with everything, including answering questions. So, we're connected to the internet to have an answer for everything.]

"Uuuuh..."

"As workers, we need to not just do stuff but answer stupid questions too, so we have a connection to the entire internet so we don't act stupid because we don't know something."

"Ah. I see. Well. That will... definitely come in handy." Will cleared his throat.

"...You actually raised your voice a bit."

"Oh yeah, I reckon I did. Heh. That happens sometimes, sorry."

"So you DO have some emotional range."

"Looks like it, yeah." They drove in silence for a few minutes, Will stopping to pick up some takeout food to bring home before they finally made it to his apartment. Uzi and Doll exchanged a glance as they heard the various noises coming through the walls. "Yeah, that's the neighbours, pay them no mind, they're harmless." There was a loud explosion. "...Mostly harmless. Uh... We'll ride the elevator up to my room..."

And so, after a brief elevator ride, they entered Will's relatively small apartment complex. "So... Yeah... Uh... Just a few rooms... Um... We're in the living room right now... Uh... That's the sofa... And um... Over there's one of the light switches, and... uh... this is where I keep the stain." He pointed to a stain on the wall.

"The heck is a random stain on the wall doing here? Should you not clean it?"

"I did plan to, but uh...it...kinda grew on me. I dunno, I just felt bad if I simply cleaned it off." Uzi and Doll just gave him looks. The ones that said "Are you serious? Are you actually being honest to God serious?" Coincidentally that's exactly what Uzi said that very second. "What?"

"You feel bad...for cleaning a random stain on the wall. A STAIN! ON THE WALL!"

"Well, yeah, it's... kinda like it's part of the family now. Besides, it doesn't come off anyway, it's been there too long, it's engraved in the wall." He rubbed his hand against it and emphasized his point. "See? Practically part of the wall painting."

"...Oooookay." Uzi said simply. Suddenly, she felt something land on top of her head and tensed up. "Doll. There's something on my head. Stop it before it sucks my brains out."

[It's all right, Uzi, it's just a parrot.]

"Rawk! Prosto popugay! Rawk!" The bird repeated after Doll, speaking in Russian.

"Oh yeah. I mentioned my parrot. And my ferret. It was N's idea, actually, I mentioned the idea of getting some pets, he thought it was funny cause they rhymed and I juss sort of... went with it, I guess. His name's Jerrett. And uh... My ferret's cage is over there, and his name is Garrett..."

"I'm noticing a pattern there." Uzi said flatly. The parrot on her head began to lightly peck at her and lightly nip at her face with its beak, trying to figure out who and what she was.

"Hey! Stop it!" Uzi angrily waved at the offending avian, which screeched, wings fluttering as it quickly evaded her hands.

"Rawk! Gremlin! Rawk!" It yelled.

"Hey! Why you... Come here!" She angrily exclaimed, jumping to catch the parrot, which gave a mocking laugh as it flew back on it's perch high up on the wall, out of Uzi's reach. "Argh! Darnit!" She stomped her foot on the floor.

"Uh, please don't fight." Will began. "He's just playing with you, is all. He doesn't mean any ill will."

"Bite me." Spat the drone. "That visor cost me serious money to upgrade, and I'm not letting some colourful roast chicken ruin it any time soon."

[Uzi, it's just a parrot, he cannot do any damage to your visor with that little beak.] Doll chided her with a small roll of her eyes and a light smirk.

"I mean... He might like... leave a little scratch on it or... or something!"

[He is harmless.] Doll extended her finger and spoke gently to try and coax the bird over. It flapped its way over and set itself down on her finger, making itself comfortable on its new roost. Doll smiled and gently scritched the bird underneath the chin, causing his feathers to puff out slightly in pleasure at the affectionate gesture. [Do you see, Uzi? He is just looking for affection.]

Uzi let out a sigh as she watched Doll interact with the bird. "Yeah, sure, I guess. Still don't want him trying to eat my face like that though... He's trying to eat Doll too! He's a carnivore! He'll eat you in your sleep!" She turned to Will as Jarret began affectionately nomming Doll around where her nose would have been.

[Oh hush. He's just being friendly.]

Friendly my shiny metal behind! He's a-" Uzi stopped when she felt something rubbing against her leg. She slowly looked down, and saw... "Awwwww, look at youuuuu!" Doll blinked a few times in surprise at the sound escaping Uzi's mouth. She watched as the other drone leaned down and scooped up the brown critter climbing up her leg. "Hey, little guy!" She greeted with a smile, petting it's head with her finger. The ferret leaned into her touch, making a chuckling sound to signify it's happiness.

"...You got out of your cage again?" Will said. The ferret turned to him, and then he stuck his tongue out in his direction, causing Uzi to laugh out loud.

"Ha! I like this little guy, he's got sass!" She rubbed the top of his head with her finger. "Ah, look at him, he's like a little noodle with feet and fur! Like you stretched him out in a taffy puller or something!" The ferret, Garret if she was remembering right, leaned into the touch before lightly resting his little paws on her arm and extending his neck upward, clearly trying to get up to her level, lightly licking at her face, looking briefly confused at the strange taste of metal, trying again and having the same reaction. He put his paws up against Uzi's face and lightly tapped it repeatedly, trying to figure out just what she was.

"Aww, are you curious, little guy?" Uzi cooed at Garrett's curiosity. Garrett felt an unusual sensation on hid paws as he touched Uzi's face. It was cold, hard, like the floor. But he could also feel something warm humming inside. Deciding she's not a danger for now, Garrett nuzzled into her face, laying down and wrapping his body into a circle. Uzi's inner core melted at the absolutely adorable affection the critter showed. Will meanwhile looked at the two in slight surprise.

"Huh. Would you look at that. You became friends quickly." He said. "Usually he always bites whatever comes in that isn't me or Jarret."

Uzi grinned and patted Garret's head with her finger. "Well, there's something I can get behind." The little ferret moved over to her shoulder, then wrapped himself around her neck, acting as a sort of scarf as he made himself comfortable. "Heh. Setting a new fashion trend right here."

Doll reached over to try and pet Garret. He looked at her finger for a few seconds, then grabbed it with his paws and began to lightly gnaw on it as if it were some sort of chew toy. Doll blinked twice at the unexpected reaction.

[Um... Is this... a good sign, or a sign that my advances are unwanted?] She asked, confused.

"I think it's his way of saying he's gonna stay cautiously optimistic about ya." Uzi said with a smirk. "He's saying 'I'll be cool to you for now, but if you make me mad I'm gonna bite your whole finger off! Isn't that right, little buddy?" Garret licked her cheek and nuzzled her before laying his chin down on her shoulder, releasing Doll's hand and allowing her to pet him.

[Well now... He doesn't seem to take to me quite as well as he does you...]

"Rawk! Gremlin!" Jarret squawked. Uzi glared at the parrot with a small pout while she swore she felt Garret's fur stand on end and she heard him let out a light hiss.

"Aw, does that mean old bird call you rude names too?" Uzi cooed, rubbing Garret's head.

"He calls him names, yeah." Will nodded. "Mostly sausage and sock."

"...Okay, I get sausage, cuz he's such a cute little sausage, yes you are yes you are, hehe." Uzi giggled as she continued to scritch his chin. "But...why sock?"

[Probably because I believe some socks are made of ferret fur.]

"Gasp!" Uzi exclaimed, looking at Jarret. "You murderer! Hoe could you say that?!"

"Rawk!" The parrot just exclaimed, before turning around and ignoring her.

Uzi crossed her arms. "Well if you try to turn this adorable little scarf into a sock I'm gonna turn you itno a feather duster, so there!"

"Rawk! Sock!"

"No! He's not a sock! YOU'RE a sock!"

"I don't... think you can make socks out of feathers, can you make socks out of feathers?" Will asked. "Erm... Anyway, let me show you your room real quick, s'right over here..." He led the two drones to a small room with a medium sized bed inside it.

"Well, that's definitely WAY better than some old lumpy slab with all the springs and metal sticking out." Uzi admitted, nodding her head with a light smirk.

"OOF, that must've been uncomfortable."

"You're telling me." Uzi nodded. "Seriously, one of the very few things I envy humans about is their skin. It just shifts around to assume a comfortable shape. Meanwhile our bodies are solid metal."

[Uncomfortable surfaces become even less comfortable because our bodies cannot change shape to fit the surface like your human skin can.]

"Huh...I...really never even thought like that." Will said. "Well, looking at that thing, it probably would have sliced my skin open and impaled me, so it wouldn't have been much better, but yeah, you're good now, that mattress was new when I got it and I never had anyone spend the night here, so yeah..." He pointed towards another room. "Uh... Kitchen's over there if you ever want to... go into it for whatever reason, I dunno, I don't think you eat food, do you eat food?"

"Eh, we can. Don't need to, we only really need oil, buuuut we can eat food to get sustenance too. I don't know who programmed THAT, but it's pretty cool." Uzi shrugged.

"Ah, right, you're workers. I know a few more... advanced drones that need to drink oil once every two days to keep themselves from heating up too much, glad you're not like that, maintaining your oil should be easy enough."

[...Assassin drones...?] Doll murmured.

"How do you know assassin drones?!" Uzi exclaimed.

"Co-workers." Will shrugged.

"...Are you an assassin?"

"No. I don't think so. I just work at a desk all day."

"...Right... So, is it just those three rooms? What do you do for fun around here?"

"Well... Sometimes I go in here. And... Sometimes I go in there... and if I'm feeling adventurous, I might go in the kitchen."

"So you just...walk around the house all day?"

"I sometimes watch the fly on the wall ...And sometimes I talk to telemarketers on the phone...and I often get up for a snack..."

"How are you alive?"

"Huh?"

"How have you not died of sheer boredom? There's literally NOTHING to do here! How did your brain not fry from sheer dullness?"

"...Only...dull... people think things are dull..." Will huffed lightly, turning away with a slight droop in his shoulders. "Well... Sometimes I visit the neighbours. They're a fun lot. Little... dangerous at times, but they know how to keep things interesting 'round here. Uh... You'll meet them. I think one of them actually has a discarded drone too. Quirky little thing, I think her name's Cyn or something..." He shrugged his shoulders. "But yeah. You'll meet them. Um... I dunno. Guess I just don't need much to be happy with life."

"Sooooo you're boring."

"Yeah, pretty much, that sums it up nicely."

"Don't sound so proud of yourself when you say that!"

"What? Shouldn't you be proud of who you are?"

"Not if who you are is BORING!"

"Oh. Well... sorry then. Uh... Bad Will. Bad." Will lightly slapped himself on the face.

"Are you mocking me?" Uzi asked with crossed arms and a raised brow.

"I dunno. Maybe?"

[Uzi, it is not our place to judge his lifestyle. He is letting us into his home out of the kindness of his heart, that is enough. We have two animal companions and you have your devices to work on, that is already far more entertainment than we had at that old warehouse.]

"...Yeah, fair enough... But on the off chance I manage to net myself some money, I'm using it on stuff to spruce this place up a bit! Like, you don't even have any pictures on the wall!"

"Oh yeah. Guess I don't. Huh. I guess I could go and draw something and use some thumbtacks to hang it up, but I'm not the best at drawing."

"Lucky for you, I am." Uzi responded. Doll tilted her head.

[I didn't know you can draw.]

Uzi sheepishly rubbed her head. "Ah, hehe, I never mentioned. I am pretty good at drawing stuff. Making blueprints makes me like that."

[Ah, right. You need blueprints to build stuff properly. I get it.]

Uzi smirked. "I'll just hang up some of my blueprints on the wall, that'll spruce things up a bit! ...Might make it look a bit more like MY space than yours though, maybe you should buy some paintings or whatever, I dunno, get some framed pictures."

"...Framed pictures. Huh. Nice. I like that, I can make one of me, you two and the pets, it'll be like a... like a little compilation of everyone that lives here, yeah..." Will muttered thoughtfully. "Um... So... Yeah, I gave you girls the grand tour, so... make yourselves at home, I guess. Yeah... I'm gonna go make dinner, I'm a bit hungry right now..." And with that, Will left Uzi and Doll to their own devices. The two female drones exchanged a glance, and then Uzi decided to hop up onto the bed and test it out.

"Ah, this is SO much better than that old hunk of junk I found in that alley, it's actually nice to lay down on." Doll smiled and hopped up next to her, taking a sitting position, cross-legged as she looked down at her.

[Yes. It will make it much easier to rest. And we won't have to worry about the cold anymore either...] Truthfully, she was a bit bummed out that they didn't have an excuse to cuddle up to each other like they had when Will first found them anymore. She... She enjoyed being close to Uzi... It brought... warm feelings to her heart. It was similar to the warmth she'd felt towards...

...No... No, don't think about him, it'll only cause you pain...

"Hey!"

[Ah. Huh?]

"You spaced out. You weren't listening. Everything okay?"

[Y-yes. I'm fine. I promise.]

Uzi gave a half groan half sigh. "That last part immediately tells me it's the exact opposite. Alright then." Uzi adjusted herself on the bed, threw her shoes off, and grabbed Doll by the shoulders. "Talk. Spit it out. What was it that just bothered you?"

Doll looked away for a moment. [...A bad memory. I do not wish to discuss it right now. Perhaps some other time when I've been able to cope.]

"...Guessing it happened pretty recently then."

[...Approximately three months ago.]

"Yeesh. Someone die or something?" Uzi noticed the look on Doll's face and saw her visibly wince. "...Oooooh... Geez... Sorry... I'm... not the best at the whole... 'being tactful' thing. Uh... Yeah... You talk about it when you wanna talk about it, no worries, sorry for... y'know... dredging it up..."

[...You made me feel happy again you know.]

"Uh... Scusie?"

[You... brought light back into my life... I was... alone. With no one. Without him, life was meaningless. You brought meaning back to me. Thank you, Uzi.]

"Uh..." Uzi looked away with a blush. "You seriously need to give me flirting lessons. I wanna make you blush too for once!"

Doll chuckled. [Hm. Maybe some other time. It takes training to become as good as me after all.]

[...I wasn't flirting, you know. I was speaking sincerely.] She said softly to Uzi, who blushed and rubbed her arm.

"Yeah, well... You're literally my first taste of that kind of warmth since I was literally five and still in the tiny toddler body, so... it kind of evens out a bit... Cause... it's been eleven years since anyone made me feel happy like you did..." Doll looked at Uzi sympathetically when she remembered how alone her friend had felt since she'd lost her mother. A distant father, peers that had no interest in her at best and actively thought she was a freak at worse... Uzi was the picture of loneliness, and that simply wasn't right to her.

[...Someone as amazing as you are should never have had to endure such hardships, Uzi... I can't even begin to understand why they couldn't see the outstanding drone you really are...] She murmured softly, grabbing her best friend's hand and squeezing.

"...Y-You really think highly of me... don't you...?" Uzi murmured with a shy smile. Doll closed her eyes and nodded her head.

[I do... I truly do... From the bottom of my heart. All it took me to understand that... was getting to know you for a mere few minutes...] Doll pulled Uzi into a hug. [Just know that I treasure you, Uzi... If they won't... I will do it enough for all of them.]

Uzi's body shut down. Her arms went limp, and she suddenly stopped moving. Doll waited, because usually Uzi would return the embrace immediately. But when she did, she moved back to see Uzi looking down on the floor, dead silent.

[Uzi?] Doll asked. Her friend didn't respond. [Uzi? Did I say something wrong? Answer me!]

"No..."

[Huh?]

"You...didn't say anything wrong...you just...I can't..."

[What? Are you okay? Do you need-] Before she could finish, Uzi embraced her in a SUPER strong hug. One that caused Doll's body to strain under the pressure slightly.

Her shoulders were shaking violently as she latched onto her best friend as tightly as she could. [U-Uzi...?] Doll asked, concerned, placing a hand on her back. [Uzi... What's wrong...?] She heard sobbing coming from the slightly smaller drone. [...Oh, Uzi...] Doll snaked her arms around her and rubbed her back soothingly.

"I... I needed to hear that for so long, I... No one ever cared so much after she left, and I just... I WANTED someone to care that much about me SO BAD! NO ONE would! I... I don't understand why! I... I was so lonely, I left just to get away from that and they treated me like garbage, and then I met you and you were the first one since mom died that cared about me, and... and... and..." Uzi's crying grew louder, and Doll began to tear up a little bit herself.

[Oh, Uzi... I'm so sorry... I can't imagine how that must have been for you... But... you are not alone anymore... I promise I will never leave you, and I will never let anyone hurt you like that again...] Doll murmured softly as she stroked Uzi's hair.

"I...Doll, you... I... Thank... Thank you!" Uzi managed to get out, struggling to speak properly through her tears. She felt like she was five years old again, and a part of her was mortified that Doll was seeing her in such a vulnerable emotional state. But the other part of her, the part that was winning out, was the feeling of overwhelming relief and happiness, of feeling reassured and loved once again.

And it was also the moment Uzi had to face the facts. She was in love with Doll. Madly in love.

There was no more denying it. She loved Doll. Everything about her. Her voice, her body, and especially her personality. She reminded Uzi so much of her beloved mother. The only being Uzi ever received affection from.

But...

She looked up at the other drone.

Despite her feelings, Uzi still felt afraid.

Afraid of what?

Losing her.

What if she rejected her? What if she accidentally ended up scaring her away? What if she accidentally broke their friendship permanently and lost all the affection she received? What if...what if...

...She couldn't STAND the thought of 'what if.' She didn't want to consider the 'what if'. She HAD to keep this love of hers secret. Doll could never know about it. She wasn't going to take the risk of losing her. She was finally happy again after such a long time, and she didn't want to lose that.

She closed her eyes and cuddled up against Doll, taking advantage of the affection she was showing her. She wanted this moment to last forever, she wanted to enjoy being held close and gently carressed by Doll. For just that brief moment, she pretended she and Doll were a couple.

But eventually, they did have to break the embrace, and Uzi cleared her throat and wiped at her visor. Sure, there was no actual liquid coming from her eyes, but it was just something she did on reflex after she'd had a good cry. ...She just made the noises because it was therapeutic.

"...Thanks, Doll... Really... I... feel a lot better after that, I... I'm seriously so glad I ran into you... I wouldn't have ANYTHING if I didn't have you. You're... literally the whole world to me, heh..."

Doll giggled into her hand. [Oh, I love it when you express your inner thoughts, Uzi... I really do... Please promise me that you'll share your feelings with me from now on, okay?]

"...I...uh... Um... Well... That's... Uuuuh... All the ones I feel comfortable sharing with you." Uzi bargained. Doll giggled.

[Fair enough.] The two embraced once more... and Uzi felt something nuzzling her cheek.

"Oh wow, I totally forgot you were there, Garret! Heh... You trying to make me feel better too, little buddy?" She stroked the ferret's head with her finger, and he nuzzled into the touch. Doll looked to see Jarrett was sitting on the bedside table patiently watching the scene before him. She extended her finger for him.

[And you've made another friend in Garrett. That is two friends. And will and Jarrett could potentially be your friends as well. If you are willing to allow them that chance.] She murmured softly to Uzi as she gently stroked the parrot's neck.

"...I...Maybe someday, but... I dunno... Humans hurt me, Doll... All they DID was hurt me..."

[...I know... They hurt me as well... But... not all interaction with them was unpleasant...] Doll looked forlorn as she said that last part, and Uzi winced.

"...Riiight... Okay... I'll... see what happens..." Uzi murmured softly, rubbing her arm. Doll smiled at her.

The light of the next day came early. The Sun shone through the many windows of the apartment complex, shining upon all it's residents.

Naturally, the two worker drones were no exception.

Uzi's visor glowed white as the Sun assaulted it with it's light. The drone in question groaned, lifting her arm up to block the Sun out.

"Aaaaaghhhh...darn Sun." She whispered. Getting up, she walked over to the window and pulled the curtains shut, removing all light from the room.

"Better." She nodded, before she realised something. "Hold on."

Looking around, her memory caught up to her. She and Doll got adopted by this Will guy. Now they live in an actual house. For free too!

"Still feels like a dream." She told herself. Seeing the blankets shift, she realised Doll was still sleeping. "Hmmmm, should l wake her up?"

"..."

"Nah."

She decided not to. Better to let her friend rest. She wasn't gonna stand around and do nothing though. Putting her clothes back on, she left the room, gently shutting the door.

"Right. Will's still asleep, and I've got nothing else to do." She said. "First order of business? Meet the neighbours! Grrrreeeeaaaaat..."

Yeah, she was NOT looking forward to meeting more humans.

Walking over to the door, she was about to open it, when the sound of glass breaking sounded off. Curious, Uzi opened the door, and came to a sight of a broken flower vase, standing over which was a...strangely shaped worker drone.

Why is that head so weirdly shaped? And...why is his whole body green?

"Ah sh*t, nother smashed vase, great..." The little drone grumbled as he set to work cleaning it up. Uzi quirked a brow.

"Uh... Hey there." The drone turned to look at her, seemingly disinterested.

"The f**k are you?" Uzi stared at him for a few seconds, then attempted to kick him, only for him to effortlessly get out of the way. "Whoa there, it's an honest question, what, are you dealing with your time of the month or whatever?"

"THAT is besides the point, you were cursing at me!"

"Yeah. So?" The little drone took a sip of oil from a tiny flask and then belched loudly. "S'just words, doesn't mean anything."

"I don't like it!"

"No one does, it's what I do, gimme a break, I wanna let out a few bad words, I'mma just do it, you're not my mother. Now who are you? Didn't think Will could afford to buy a drone."

"Ugh... He found me and my friend and took us into his place."

"What, so you're like a couple stray cats he took in?"

"Don't call me a cat! ...Wait, I actually like cats, I'm not offended by that..."

"Haha! Oh, that's hilarious! Old mop head Will took in two worker drones." The weird drone laughed in mirth. "Wait 'till B hears about this! He's gonna short-circuit from laughter!"

"Huh? Who the heck is B?" Uzi asked, even more confused than before. "And what do you mean laughter?! What's there to laugh about?!"

"Riiiiiick!"

"Shoot!" The drone froze up, his face gaining a look of alert. "The kid is following me again!"

He quickly collected the cleaning equipment, ignoring the now in pieces vase, and zoomed off down the hallway before turning right.

Uzi looked behind him, one digital brow raised. Another sound caught her attention soon. A sound of wheels rolling across the floor.

She turned to look down the opposite hallway, only to see the strangest sight she'd ever had the "pleasure?" to witness.

It looked like a human kid. A little girl, judging by her voice. She had brown hair set in two tails on the sides of her head, and a pair of sweet blue eyes She wore a black dress that looked like part of a maid outfit, only missing the apron.

Oh, she was also riding on a vacuum cleaner.

No, seriously. The girl was holding the metal and plastic tube of the vacuum cleaner with both hands, while balancing on top of the vacuum itself as it rolled down the hallway on it's small wheels.

The girl spotted Uzi, slowing down and kicking off the vacuum in the cleanest kickflip Uzi has ever seen. And she wasn't even on a skateboard! She did stumble the landing tho. Uzi'd give her an 8/10 just for the little stumble, which she found strangely adorable.

The girl regained her barings, then looked around with her hands on her hips, before letting out a sigh of exasperation. "Honestly, that little drone is going to be the death of me..." She then noticed Uzi standing there, blinked twice, then bowed politely to her. "Hello there."

"Uh... Hey, kid. Uh... Your little drone buddy just... Oh, he just ducked into the vents." The girl pouted and crossed her arms over her chest.

"Oooh, he always escapes that way. Ugh..." She tilted her head at Uzi. "I overheard him saying you're Mister Trussell's new drone. That's lovely. I think it's about time he finally brought some company into his home that he can actually talk to, he always seems so lonely living alone in this little apartment of his."

"Oh... Does he? Huh... It IS pretty small, yeah. Are all the apartments this small?"

"Not at all. He deliberately chose the smallest one. He said it was more cozy. But... it is nice to meet you. Um... I'm sorry if Rick was any trouble... He's... rebellious, and... very impolite, but he's not... a horrible person by any means..."

"I get that, but...he was so unnecessarily rude, I kinda have a hard time believing he isn't just an ass." Suddenly, Uzi covered her mouth. "Oh, cr-CRUD! Sorry, didn't mean to cuss in front of a kid-"

The kid giggled into her hand. "It's okay. My sister often says curse words too. She used to get punished all the time, but now we've just given up and let her say what she wants, as long as it's not TOO hurtful."

"Ah...okay then. Phew." Uzi sighed in relief. She may be rowdy and rude, but even she knows not to be inappropriate around kids.

She saw something moving, and spotted the kid's hand in front of her face, the little girl extending it with a little smile.

She blinked twice, then looked at the hand, crouching down slightly to get a better look at it before standing back upright. "...You're... asking for a handshake...?" She asked with a raised brow.

"Um... Well, yes, of course, it IS customary to shake hands when you've met someone new." The girl replied.

"Uh... Yeah, you got me there, heheh..." Uzi returned the gesture. "Uh... Name's Uzi, and... you'll meet Doll too at some point, she's still resting right now..."

"And my name is Marie. It's very nice to meet you, Uzi. Have you met the rest of the neighbours? I know you likely haven't met my family just yet, one of them would have mentioned you... It's a fairly large family... Of twelve..."

"TWELVE. And you live HERE?!" Uzi exclaimed with wide eyes.

"Well, it is quite affordable. And we enjoy the company of the neighbours, so we decided we would stay here." Marie said with a shrug.

"...Sixteen people and a drone... Wow..."

"Hmm? No. Rick is one of the sixteen family members." Marie replied.

"...What? You... consider your drone a part of your family?"

"Uuuuh...yeah? Why not?"

"Well, I mean..." Uzi stuttered. "He's a drone! He's not even human!"

"Why does that matter?"

"Huh?"

Marie talked with a tilted head. "Why exactly does him being a drone matter? He's still a valuable member of our family. He often asks why we see him like one, just like you did just now. We always have to tell him he's one of us, no matter what. And yet he always asks the question again and again. I don't know if he's that forgetful or if he just likes hearing us say that."

Uzi looked away. "I mean... Humans... Humans arent supposed to care about us, like... they're supposed to see us as a bunch of tools that they can just use, abuse and throw away when they don't have use for them anymore! That's what my last owners did!"

Marie closed her eyes. "Oh... I see... Yes... Several drones live in this building, and they all thought the same thing..." She looked at Uzi with a frown. "But they all for the most part understand that they're now valued and appreciated, and given time, I'm sure you will as well."

Uzi clenched her fists. "I...I dunno about that..."

"You seem... reluctant to trust other humans."

"They hurt me."

"The entire collective human race did?"

"Well no..."

"Was it the rich elite?"

"Yeah..."

"They hurt me as well. Me and my sister."

"Huh? They...did?" Uzi asked.

Marie gave a sad nod. "Yes. I won't go into details, but I will say this much. If it wasn't for my new family...I don't believe we'd be having this conversation right now."

Uzi immediately understood what Marie said. "Wow, uh...got quite grim for a first meeting between neighbours, huh?" She said, in a poor attempt to lighten the mood.

Marie giggled, signifying that it worked. "Hehe, yes. Apologies for bringing down the mood." She said, lifting her skirt by the sides like a maid would with a deep bow.

"Hey, I started it, kiddo. No need to blame yourself." Uzi said. Marie gave a smile at that. Seemed like her and Uzi would get along quite swimmingly.

Suddenly, a loud crash of metal was heard, and Marie sighed. "Apologies, I have to go before Rick makes an even bigger mess. Hope to see you again soon!"

And with that, she climbed onto the vacuum again, and kicked off towards the source of the metal crash.

Uzi watched her go along with a hand on her hip and smiled in bemusement, shaking her head. "Heh... Ah, she's a good kid. Kids do seem to be better these days...What the hell am I looking at right now?" She stopped in place as she watched some man with a bowl haircut holding a pink frosted sprinkled doughnut.

"All right, doughnut! I just KNOW that you'll be an AWESOME key!" The man laughed as he tried to cram the doughnut into the keyhole of his apartment complex. Predictably, the doughnut fell apart, and the man threw it to the floor. "DANG IT!" Uzi heard a loud buzzing sound and looked around, trying to process where it came from as a small drone walked up and held up a giant X on a sheet of paper.

"...What made you think that was gonna work?" She asked simply, causing him to turn to her.

"Well I had to try! Those are the rules of Food Battle! Duh!" He replied with a smile. "I still have more points than Anthony and his stupid double dipped chocolate ice cream cone!"

"All right, Ian, it's my turn now! Let me show you how a REAL food does it!" Another man with a haircut Uzi could only describe as 'emo' walked up with, lo and behold, a double dipped chocolate ice cream cone. He turned the cone side towards the keyhole... and it actually managed to open the door. "ALL RIGHT!" The man turned to grin widely at thin air as he flashed a thumbs up. The little drone held up a piece of paper with a green checkmark on it.

"Agh! Dammit!" The bowl cut guy angrily yelled. Then he suddenly knelt down and began greedily gobbling up the remains of the donut with animalistic sounds.

"Father. That is ill advised. There are many germs and bacterias on the floor." The little drone warned.

"But I can't jusht washte it!"

The guy exclaimed with a full mouth, before suddenly beginning to cough and choke due to swallowing the donut wrong.

"Hmmghh! Ghjdffghh!"

"Ha! Now whose food is stupid?!" The emo guy boasted. Suddenly, the now opened door swung open, and...

"Just what the heck is going on here?!"

The two guys and the drone froze up. Even the bowl cut stopped choking (Uzi had no idea how), before the two boys looked in fear at the new arrival.

"Ugh, I should have known it would be you two idiots!" Yelled a girl standing in the doorway. She had short and vibrant red hair reaching to just above her neck, framing a pale face with green eyes. Her skin was pale and unblemished, and her face had a set of freckles sprinkled above her nose and under her eyes.

The two guys gulped, the bowl cut coughing before swallowing the donut properly.

"Do you have any idea what you're even doing!? It isn't even past 7:30! People are still trying to sleep! And..." She looked at the ice cream cone jammed into the keyhole. "...can you explain to me just WHY there's an ice cream cone jammed into my keyhole?"

"Hey! It's a double dipped chocolate ice cream cone! Say it properly!" The emo guy said, before kneeling down and whispering comforting words to the ice cream cone. "It's okay my dear chocolate she didn't mea-OW!" He was interrupted when the girl knees him in the nose.

"Idiots! You better clean this mess up! Even for boys, this is stupid!"

*sploch*

The two ice cream scoops fell to the carpeted floor, wetly splattering and staining the blue carpet in chocolate.

The girl gave the two boys a look so murderous, Uzi was sure she would die if she was a human and if it was directed at her.

"You have 15 minutes. If by that time that stain isn't gone...you sure you wanna know?"

Ian and Anthony exchanged a glance. "All right, Ian, let's see your stupid doughnut be a sponge!"

"Oh, you're ON, chode knocker!"

"N-No, that's not-!" The girl protested as Ian and Anthony rushed in. Anthony started rubbing his ice cream all over the floor. Predictably, he only succeeded in smearing more of a mess into the carpet. The girl groaned in exasperation and buried her face in her hands.

"You have GOT to be kidding me..."

Cyn held up a red X and made a buzzing sound. Ian held up his doughnut. "It's up to you, doughnut. You better clean that stain, or I'm gonna punch you right in your little doughnut hole!" He strutted his way over to a conveniently placed bucket of cleaning supplies, and then stuck the doughnut right inside three times. He aggressively rubbed at the spot where the stain was. Uzi watched with a raised eye as the redhead simply glared at him. Miraculously enough, when Ian was finished, while there WERE crumbs from the doughnut all over the floor, the stain was completely gone!

"Wh-What... That... How the... That... THAT'S A FREAKING DOUGHNUT, IT DOESN'T CLEAN STUFF!" Uzi exclaimed in sheer disbelief.

"All right!" Ian cheered as Cyn held up the green check mark. He then proceeded to take a huge bite out of his doughnut. The same one he had just dunked in a big bucket of cleaning chemicals.

The redhead shook her head with a shigh as Ian suddenly began to choke on the donut again, before suddenly getting showered with chemicals and donut as Ian spat out all the stuff in his mouth.

The entire hallway went silent. The two guys looked at the girl, whose eyes were closed and whose face was in an expression of disgust and surprise, mouth wide open.

"...Uuuuuhhhh..."

"Heheh..."

"...Don't kill my fathers..."

The girl grabbed both men by the ear and dragged them out of her apartment, then right into their own apartment across the hallway. "Okay, you two are going to STAY in your rooms and you are going to stay QUIET before one of you almost DIES again!" She declared.

"But... But Food Baaaattllllle..." Ian whined.

"You can do your stupid 'Food Battle' some other time when it's not a bother to everyone else! Now march off to your rooms right now!"

"But... But..." Anthony protested.

"Did I stutter?!"

"...You're a meanie!" Ian ran to his room crying. His mom poked her head from another room and watched him go.

"Pussy!" She called after him before going back into the kitchen.

"...So... Um... Should we call Ian an ambulance? He just... ate cleaning chemicals..."

"He's put way worse than that in his body." The girl rolled her eyes. "Now where should you be right now?"

"...My room?"

"Your room!"

"Okay!" Anthony panicked and ran away, and the girl groaned and facepalmed.

"They're going to be the death of me, I swear..." She stopped when she noticed Uzi. "Oh, hello!"

"...What just happened?!" Uzi exclaimed. "He... He OPENED A KEYHOLE with an ICE CREAM CONE and then the other guy CLEANED THE CARPET WITH A DOUGHNUT and... Is she their drone?" She pointed at Cyn, who looked at her with a tilted head.

"They are my fathers!" She said proudly.

"...One of them ate cleaning chemicals."

"His insides will be clean!"

"Yeah, clean of everything inside!" Uzi yelled. "And, uh...y-you still have donut on your face."

"Oh, uh...Cyn. Help."

"Here." Cyn handed the redhead a rag she pulled out of...somewhere. The girl gave a "Thanks." before wiping off the batter and cream from her face. "Ah, that's better."

She turned towards Uzi with a smile. "Now then, I believe introductions are in order." She extended a hand.

"My name is Mahiru. Mahiru Koizumi. Nice to meet you!"

"Uh, likewise." Uzi returned the handshake. "So uh, what's a person from Japan doing all the way here?"

"Oh, I had actually recently finished my final year of high-school, and my family decided we move overseas. Or, well, mom decided that. Dad is...ugh..."

Uzi tilted her head. "Uh... Don't like your dad very much, do ya?" Mahiru turned away and scowled at the door as Cyn went back into her apartment with Ian and Anthony.

"I HATE him." She said simply.

"Ah. And uh... why's that?"

"Cause he's a stupid lazy bum that won't get a job and he's always made me do all the work for him and he never gets off his lazy butt-" Mahiru took a deep breath. "Ugh... S-Sorry, sorry, I just... get a bit heated when it comes to him..."

"Pfft! Don't I know it! Dads are the worst, am I right?" Mahiru looked at her with a tilted head.

"You too?"

"Well, he literally told me to my face that I'm a failure, said that doors are his real daughter and he spends his work days playing cards the entire time, soooo... yeah, I think I get it."

"Ah...that's...hurtful."

"Eh?"

"My dad may be a lazy bum who never does anything, but...not once has he denounced that I'm his daughter, nor has he ever called me a failure. For your dad to say that..."

"Eh, don't sweat it. I don't care for him anymore. He's dead to me."

"Yeah, that's probably for the best." Mahiru nodded. A father like that, if she could even call it one...yeah, Mahiru would see her dad as dead to her too if he ever did that.

"Hehe, look at us, bonding over our shared hatred for dads."

"I don't think that's something to really bond over..."

"Nyeh, matters not. Point is..." She gave Mahiru a grin. "...I think this is the start of one beautiful friendship." She rubbed the back of her head. "And I don't say that lightly, I still don't really have a lot of trust for you human types." Mahiru frowned and tilted her head to the side.

"No? Why's that?"

"Same reason you hate guys, I guess. Bad experiences. They pissed me off. Treated me like dirt. So they suck. Not all of 'em though..."

"I...see. Well. I'm glad I can be the exception to the rule." Mahiru said with a closed-eyed smile. "I hope we can be the best of friends!"

"Well, you got stiff competition, my best friend Doll's not getting dethroned any time soon." Uzi said with a warm, fond smile on her face.

"Oh? You have another friend is she a drone like you too? I'd love to meet her!" Mahiru said excitedly.

"Heh, maybe later. She's still asleep. It is a bit early in the morning."

"You're telling me." Mahiru groaned. "Uuuuuuugh, those two numbskulls interrupted the most wonderful dream I've ever had. They're so going to get an earful the next time I see them. They got lucky this time."

Uzi rubbed her head. "Dayum. If only drones could dream. Bet it was a sweet one too?"

"Yeah, it was." Mahiru nodded, before shaking her head. "Anyway, I need to go make breakfast now. You said you wanna meet the neighbors, right?"

"She pointed at the door across the hallway. "There's a group of other drones who live alone there. They're mostly harmless, but make sure they don't see you. The...hallway likely wouldn't survive the ensuring firepower." She pointed at another door further down the line. "And there's a couple of married drones right in there too! Uh... Apparently their 'owner' had to pull a few strings to get that to happen, but hey, they're legally married, so that's nice, right?"

Uzi looked at her with wide eyes. "Who... Who would go that far just to let a couple drones LEGALLY get married?"

"Ah. Um... Tessa... She... owns the building, actually, that's why some drones are allowed to live here without being owned by anyone..." Mahiru smiled softly. "I really like Tessa, she's such a strong person..."

"Tessa? Feels like I've heard that name before... Oh. Oooooh, she's part of the family that kickstarted our production, isn't she?" Uzi asked.

"Oh yeah. Even the most messed up families can produce a real gem! Okay! I'm gonna go and eat. You can go and meet B and his crew... Or, you can go meet V and J and their little boy... But I'll see you around! Uh... Tell Will to put something in his apartment to make it look like it's lived in, would you? I'm worried about that man, he needs a real hobby."

"Heh. Sure thing." Uzi waved her off as she went into her apartment room, then looked at the door that supposedly belonged to V and J. Apparently they had a son too. Uzi figured it was probably a newly constructed drone consciousness placed in a small egg-shaped body that would later be transferred into an adolescent form when it was ready, same as any other drone child.

Before she could go in, she heard some loud noises and something like...scraping on a...chalkboard?

'Mahiru did say the other drones would be a bit chaotic.' She thought, before sighing. It would be better to deal with the chaos immediately so she can enjoy the more wholesome meetings without something interrupting them. "Might as well get those outta the way first then." She said.

Walking away from V and J's door, Uzi approached the door labeled I.M.P. 'Weird name.' She thought. On the door was also a paper that said "Meeting in session." 'They some sorta entrepreneurs? Can drones do that?' She thinks. Shrugging she grabbed the handle and swung the door open...

...before immediately ducking behind it and hoping she made no sound.

'Holy shit that's a room full of assassin drones!'

Covering her mouth, she pushed the door slightly to close it, and peeked through the small gap she kept open. And indeed, sitting around a long table, was 4 assassin drones with coloured visors. At the end of the room was a blackboard with several...Uzi would struggle to call them diagrams, as well as a caption that says "Fix this shit!" in big letters.

One drone who was pacing around the room, whose visor was bright red, pinched the space a nose would be, and broke the silence.

"Alright, I know business has been...a bit slow, lately. Yes it's no one's fault, okay? I'm not naming any names here. M-01..."

The drone in question, M-01, with a white visor, gave the red one an offended look.

"...now does anyone here have any bright ideas on how we can get business drummin' up again?"

The red drone politely ignored him.

Suddenly, the excited drone with a yellow visor, raised her hand in enthusiasm. "What. About. A car wash?!" She asked.

"We are assassin drones M-02, we don't have the necessary tools nor would anyone ask us to clean their cars in the first place, okay?" The red drone said with an annoyed look and arm gestures, before his eyes suddenly gained a shine. "Ooh! What about a billboard?"

"We can't afford, nor have the rights to buy a billboard, sir." M-01 said in mild annoyance. He was suddenly found in a one-armed embrace by the red drone.

"Helpful, M-01, really glad you're in the room right now." The red one said dismissively, before literally slapping the other drone away off the table. He then pulled out a remote. "Have you guys forgotten what service we provide?"

He turned on a TV, which proceeded to show a commercial of all the present assassin drones... at the site of various crime scenes, investigating grey human figures that had seemingly been massacred in various painful ways.

The peppy one just giggled at the ad.

"Ah, those were the good times." The red drone said with a smile as she passed around a bowl of solid oil bubbles.

M-01 facepalmed before starting to rant.

"I don't need any reminding sir, considering you blew most of our, very limited might I say, salaries on an obnoxious TV ad last week. One that you then additionally paid to have run for a full 3 hours on a channel...nobody watches."

As Uzi watched the scene play out before her, she found herself staring in sheer disbelief. THESE were assassin drones? They were a bunch of clowns! ...Were they seriously advertising that they were basically assassins on TELEVISION?!

"Hey, is there someone at the door?" A female voice spoke up, prompting the four drones to snap their heads over to look at the door. Uzi tensed up, then smiled nervously and waved.

"Uh... Heeeey..." She said nervously. 'Shit shit shit I should have finished building that railgun, oh damn it, I am so gonna die, they're gonna rip my limbs off and shove me into the furnace-"

"Uh... You okay there, hun?" The smaller female drone spoke up.

"H-Huh?! Uh... I... was just... looking...around! And uh... I tripped a bit! Yeah! And I...accidentally... opened...your door...slightly... and stuck around... to... see... what you...were...like... Heheheh... Uh... So, can I get like... a quick decapitation? I REALLY don't feel like suffering in my final moments, and I'm sure you probably don't wanna make a mess by having my oil spill all over the place-Oh wait, you'd probably lap it up off the floor like a cat or something, wouldn't you?"

"Yeeeeah, sorry, hun, we're not interested in assisting in anyone's suicide attempt. Y'know, unless you've got the cash to pay upfront?" The red one spoke, causing Uzi to bristle.

"I am NOT suicidal! I'm just trying to make sure my inevitable demise is quick and painless!"

"...Ah. Um... Sir, it seems she's... still coping with past events." The one known as M-01 spoke up.

"Oh, right, ONE assassin drone goes apeshit and slaughters a few thousand worker drones and we're all branded for life, is that it? For your information, I only killed thirteen worker drones in my entire lifetime!" The tall red one exclaimed.

"Uh...Under contract! Under contract, don't worry." M-01 was quick to calm the situation when he saw Uzi tense up.

"That's still thirteen drones!" Uzi yelled. "And thirteen! THIRTEEN! The unlucky number!"

The red drone shrugged. "Eh, if any bad luck is falling at me, it's right now." He slapped the board. "Look at this! At this rate we'll need to feed on Tessa's oil supply!"

"Uh, what's bad about Tessa's oil supply." Asked M-02.

"You kidding?" The red drone asked incredulously. "Everything's bad! Scratch that, it's horrible! That isn't even oil! It's so lumpy, the bubbles pop before they even enter your mouth, and UGH that taste! Feels like I'm drinking human beer!"

Okay, Uzi couldn't fault him for that one. She tasted beer once. It made her wanna rip her tounge out.

Wait, off topic!

Before she could talk, a hand was placed on her shoulder. "Hey, hun." She heard, looking to see M-02 giving her a gentle face.

"Look, we may have a rather bad reputation for that one guy, but I promise ya, we're harmless!"

Suddenly, the red drone split M-01's head in two with his laser.

"Eh...some of us, are harmless."

"Agh shit! Damn fly!" The red drone groaned out loud.

"Sir, that's the fifth time this week I've had to have my head patched up because of you! You could end up hurting one of the other tenants doing that!" M-01 exclaimed, throwing his arms up in frustration as his head sloppily patched itself back up.

"...You assassin drones and your nanomachines... Meanwhile the Worker drones are stuck dealing with maintenance and have to go in for repairs if they want a scratch on their visor fixed..." Uzi groaned.

"Hey, not our fault we're a cut above the rest, kid. Now did you want something? There was a sign right outside that said we're in a meeting. You illiterate or something?"

"NO! I wasn't planning on coming in! Just wanted to get a feel for my neighbours!"

"Oh yeah. Who the hell are you, anyway? Never seen you in my entire life."

"...Name's Uzi."

"Ha! Nice! You're named after a gun, I like that, that's great."

"Oh..." Uzi blinked at that. That's the second time someone complimented her name. "...uh, thank you."

"You're welcome. You deserve a compliment for a name like that." The red drone crossed his arms. "So now I'm assuming we have to do the introduction shtick too, huh?"

"Pretty much, yeah." M-02 said.

"Uuuuughhhh..." The red one groaned. "I've had to do this FOUR times this week alone! Ahhhh...anyway, uh...right."

He pointed at himself.

"Name's B. I'm the leader and manager of this little gang of ours."

"A horrible manager." M-01 whispered to Uzi.

"I heard that!"

"Like I care, "boss"."

"I can see the quotation marks!"

"Whatever!" M-01 turned to Uzi. "Hi, I'm M-01..."

"And I'M M-02!" The peppy drone suddenly interrupted, capturing M-01 in a hug. "And the two of us are the best of friends!"

"R-right." M-01 grunted out, suffocating under the pressure of his friend's embrace.

Uzi raised a brow at the expression on the two drone's faces. Seemed there was a bit more to their relationship than they were letting on. "We're...We're married, dear, you don't need to use the 'we're just friends' excuse anymore..."

"Ah. Right... Heheh..." M-02 put her husband down and rubbed the back of her head.

"Yeah, Tessa worked around those bullshit 'Drones can't marry' things and hooked these two up. V and J got the same thing. Good for them, they haven't stopped letting everyone know about it since it finally happened." The tallest of the drones said boredly, scrolling through her phone and resting her feet on the table. "Oh yeah. Name's L I guess, I dunno."

Uzi looked at her. "Right... Um... Nice to meet you guys. Heh... It's... good to know I don't have to worry about being disassembled in my sleep or anything like that. Uh... Sorry to... interrupt... whatever it is you were doing... I'm... gonna look around some more..."

"Now y'all don't be a stranger, y'hear? Come back for another visit, I just love gettin' to know the neighbours!" M-02 chirped with a wide grin.

"Uh... Totally, yeah... Uh... See ya!" Uzi stepped back outside and took a deep breath. "Ugh... MAN I need to work on my social skills..."

"Ugh... Daaaad, you don't need to pack a lunch every day, you know I don't have to eat!" Uzi turned to see a female drone stepping out the door of one of the other apartments.

"I don't care if you don't need to eat, young lady, I built you with a working tongue and you're going to use it!" A male voice replied with a thick German accent, a hunchbacked man with a lab coat stepping out with a smile. "I mean, what's life without enjoying tasty food? Do you have any idea how complicated it was to build taste buds for thousands and thousands of robots? And most of them don't even bother using them! What's up with that?!"

"Yeeeeah, I'm just gonna stop you before you go on another one of your rambles. Hmm? Oh hey. Check it out. We got a new girl. Looks emo."

Alright, that one was just unnecessary.

"Uh, rude!" Uzi remarked. "We haven't even met yet, and you're already judging me based on appearance alone!"

"Yeah, and?"

"Again, rude!"

"Yeah, whatever."

"Come on, Lizzy, don't be so dismissive. She's just being friendly." The hunched man said. He approached Uzi and extended a hand. "I am so sorry for my daughter's behavior. She's usually so nice."

"Press x to doubt." Uzi said skeptically, before shrugging. "But eh, I've been told worse. Nice to meetcha. Name's Uzi." She introduced herself, shaking the man's hand.

"So uh.., What are you, some kinda pharmacist or something?"

"I am not a pharmacist! Why does everyone say that?! I'm a well respected member of the scientific community! I probably helped build you for crying out loud!"

"...What the hell?!"

"Yeeeeeah, the name Heinz ring a bell? Kinda helped with the whole 'drone' production. I mean, obviously this big old softie had nothing to do with the assassin drones, but you and I? Well, I guess we're technically sisters, which is kinda cringe, not gonna lie."

"Don't you EVER use the word 'cringe' in my presence EVER again! YOU'RE cringe! I mean, look at you and your... long legs and your vastly superior figure, damn it, you're way more attractive than I am, this is stupid, why'd you build her different from me?!"

"Well, actually, I listened to one of the interns, he told me what the ideal teenage girl looked like. Although he was a teenager himself, kind of a prodigy, so I guess maybe listening to him on that matter might not have been the best idea..."

"Hey, I'm not complaining, I definitely don't wanna be built to look like M-02, all tiny and bottom heavy..."

"I heard that!" M-02's voice called out from the other room.

"HA! Own it, M2, some folks are into that shit!" B's voice could be heard.

"Aaaaanyway, I gotta get to work." Lizzy took the paper bag. "Guess I might as well take this. Jackson's probably stuck without a lunch again anyway, poor kid needs something to eat..." She turned to Uzi. "Oh, by the way? You'd probably look like twenty percent hotter if that sweater of yours was dark purple instead of jet black."

"You're making fun of me! You're trying to trick me into doing something that would make me look stupid and worse, you don't think I'd look good in purple at all, if I wear purple you're gonna call me 'uggo' or whatever the new trendy mean snobby queen bee bully word is!"

"Daaaang girl, I was trying to give you some honest advice, no need to bite my head off over it. Ugh, Whatevs! See ya!" And with that, Lizzy walked away from the scene. Heinz watched after her with a smile before turning to Uzi.

"You must have so many questions! I am your creator, after all, so if there's anything you want to ask me, let's hear it, I got plenty of time, it's a Friday, and I'm never busy on Fridays."

Uzi opened her mouth to respond, before she remembered something. Doll's powers.

"Right, so I do have a question." Uzi began. "Have you ever programmed any drones to have some...unusual powers?"

The doctor raised a brow in confusion. "Powers? Of what sort?"

"Telekinesis, duplication, crushing stuff with their mind... ring a bell?"

"Ah...that..."

"So you DO know about it!"

"I do. I made the Absolute Solver program after all.

"The...what?" Uzi tilted her head.

"What you described was the Absolute Solver program." The doc pulled out a disc that displayed a hologram of the same symbol Doll would have whenever she used her powers. "It was meant to be a special program for Workers to more effectively take care of various jobs. But the first attempt was too unstable, so I scrapped the idea. It wouldn't do well to have people complain about Workers wasting time training their powers when they're supposed to slave away like usual."

She noted the way he rolled his eyes as he said that. "I did get a few of them finished though! Unfortunately, they all ended up getting scrapped, and that made me really angry, I mean those were my babies, they had full lives to live, what right did they have to take that away from them?! It's just... very unfair, you agree with me, right?"

"...You... actually care about the drones you build, don't you...?" Uzi asked softly.

"Well of course! You're all my pride and joy!" Heinz replied with a smile. "I mean, how many people can say they've perfected AI so well that they're indistinguishable from human brains? I helped create a bunch of what essentially amounts to people!"

"So, what about Lizzy? She's not a slave to you?"

"What? I would never treat my daughter like a slave! I... I built her because I was lonely, and... I wanted a daughter, so I built one of my own! Ah, I remember when she was just a newly created consciousness, in her cute little egg body... Where do the years go?" Uzi looked at the man's fond, loving facial expression and felt a twinge of envy towards the rude drone. Why wasn't HER father that affectionate towards her?!

She shook her head and cleared her throat. "So uh... Fun fact here... One of those Absolute Solver drones of yours is still around. Like, she got away from the scrapping. Uh... Her name's Doll. She lives with Will and I and she's my best friend and maybe you can help her out with understanding her powers a little more sometime?"

"Huh?" The doc responded with a tilted head. Then, his eyes widened.

"Huuuuuuuuuuuh?!"

"Okay, wow, calm down!" Uzi raised her hands in a placating manner. "Hold your horses."

"I can't hold my horses! One of my precious babies is still alive!" He broke down in tears of happiness. "I am such a lucky father..."

"Uuuuh...riiiiight." Uzi said, stepping back a bit. "So, uh...does my question get an answer? Will you, no scratch that, CAN you help Doll control the Absolute Solver?"

"Oh most certainly, I kept the blueprints and everything, oh, I'm so relieved, please bring her by soon so I can teach her everything she needs to know, oh, I'm so excited, yeeeeees! I'll start refreshing myself straightaway, thank you so much for telling me, yaaaaaaaa!" The old man rank back inside, and Uzi watched after him, blinking twice.

"...Oooookaaaaay, that was... weird." She said quietly before turning around. It seemed there were only a couple rooms left to see. She approached the one directly next to V and J and knocked on it. She heard what sounded like a groan come from the other side, then waited as the door opened. The first thing she noticed was that the room itself was essentially pitch black with only candles providing any form of lighting. The man that stepped out had long messy dark hair, and bags under his eyes, looking tired, depressed and just flat out done with life.

"Ooooh, what now? I was having the most wonderful dream... I was dead." The man groaned.

"Okay, what side of the bed did you get off of?" Uzi asked. Did EVERY neighbor around here have some weird quirk about them?

For God's sake she barely even knows ONE moderately normal person!

"Do not pull that with me." The man said tiredly. "I've been dealing with the screaming brats in the classroom all day long yesterday, and now I have to get up again and...oh God..."

The man slumped in place, starting to snore outta nowhere. Uzi blinked, realized what was happening, and got offended. "Rude!" He exclaimed, before kicking the guy in the shin.

The man jolted back upright. "No no no, I don't WANT to go to work today, I can already hear THEIR voices... Bother... Bother... Bother..." He rubbed his temples. "I can feel my migraine forming already... Urgh... " He frowned at Uzi. "And I'm already starting my day off with a kick to the shin, simply wonderful..."

Uzi raised an eyebrow. "What, you hate kids or something?"

"Children? They are... tolerable. No... No, the monsters are the teenagers. Disrespectful, rambunctious, mouth, arrogant teenagers..." The man groaned. "And my co-workers... Oh, those enabling co-workers that do next to nothing to reel them in..."

"Ah, they're just going through their angsty phase!"

"And why is that an excuse for them, but people always insist I should 'lighten up'? Just yesterday, that Planter boy showed me his middle finger. When I attempted to punish him with detention, he shoved me into a wall, screaming 'bother, bother' over and over again. Later he and his orange friend repeated the violent act until I lost consciousness. I lost a button on my cloak in the process. One of the other teachers pointed it out in front of the entire faculty. Oh, cruel attention... Then the orange one drank what he had concocted in the chemistry lab, and promptly vomited a glittering rainbow of foul waste. The classroom erupted with applause and laughter, triggering my migraine. I aborted the class and was left to clean the boy's sick. Halfway through, the janitor showed up and bragged about his many affairs with women he found on the corners of the alleyways. Then he told me I smelled of broccoli and left without wishing me a happy birthday. I came home later that day to find the bottle of wine I had waiting for me in my fridge was gone. I settled for a cup of coffee and scalded my hand in the process, also spilling it on my pants." Uzi noticed a horrible looking burn wrapped in bandages on his hand. "I walked to the hospital, coveriny myself with a book. The staff laughed at me and made me wait while they treated a child's runny nose. After an hour, it became apparent that they had forgotten about me again, so I returned to my apartment and found that I had locked myself out. I asked for help and happened upon B, who had clearly finished the wine, as he was very clearly intoxicated. He smashed my door open with a sledgehammer, laughed at me, punched me in the shoulder too hard and then left me alone to fix my own door. ...All in all... For me... it was a rather good day."

"..."

"..."

"..."

"What in the living f-"

"Language!"

"Okay, what in the living HECK did you piss off to have such a horrible day?"

"As I said, by my standards, it was a good day."

"You're living in Hell if that is what a good day looks like to you."

"Well... It's not as though I've no support, several neighbours have been lovely... Miss Koizumi and the Birdland family in particular..."

"Huh...and here I thought I had a horrible life."

"Ah, yes, the life of a drone... A neverending torrent of forced servitude, no freedom, living only to cater to the whims of the elite..."

"You don't know the half of it. First my mom dies due to circumstances I don't know about, then my father completed discards me and literally disowns me, saying how literal DOORS are his real children, then I get bought by this wealthy screeching harpy who complains about every single little messup I make, and have to endure her screeching for THREE YEARS before she finally has enough of me and throws me out."

"Ah. I see. Hmm. She sounds like my mother." He paused. "...What was her name?"

"Uh... Getrude Rosario. Heh. Yeah, her name's GERTRUDE. That's one old fashioned name."

"...Oh. My mother bought you." The man said simply. "...I am so sorry you had to endure that. I know all too well how AWFUL she is."

"...THAT was your MOM?"

"Well, WAS. She disowned me years ago because I showed up for a galla wearing the wrong colour outfit."

"...She... She... She's just... the literal worst, holy crap, how are you not insane from having to grow up with that?!"

"Simple, really. I cried. A lot. It was very therapeutic, I do it frequently. Yes, every time I feel I'm having a bad day, I find a nice dark little corner to hide in and I cry. I just try not to do it in front of others because whenever I do, they usually point and laugh and call me a baby. A co-worker actually photoshopped a bonnet and a pacifier onto a photo of me, enhanced the size and put it on a huge banner in the middle of the school hallway."

"I can see how that would drive a person mad." Uzi nodded. "But...damn, dude...that's...ugh, why do I feel like my life was Heaven compared to yours?"

"Suffering is no competition... I'm grateful to know I have kindred spirits at least...

"Yeah, me too." Uzi nodded, extending a hand.

"Name's Uzi."

"Seth. Seth Snakes. It used to be Seth Rosario, until mother disowned me."

"Hehe, nice. Cool last name. Better than Rosario, that's for sure."

"Oh. Thank you, I always did like snakes. Erm... Not the larger ones that would more than likely eat me alive, I much prefer smaller ones that fit nicely around my wrist." He looked back into his apartment at a small terrarium. "My darling Ruby is the one joy I have in this world." Uzi could vaguely make out a small little noodle looking up slightly and sticking its tongue out. It was strangely cute, and she would've wanted to pet it if she didn't know reptiles tended to dislike being touched by metal. Seth let out a sigh. "Well, it was rather nice talking with you, but I suppose I'll need to get ready for another day in hell..."

"All right, good luck, dude. Stick it out." Uzi said with a small smirk and a thumbs up.

"I shall try... Good day." And with that, Seth closed the door, and Uzi attempted two other doors. One, she didn't get any answer, and the other, all she got was a long, loud suffering groan each time she tried to knock, causing her to give up when it became apparent that she wasn't going to get him to answer, she gave up and looked over at the final door she hadn't looked at yet. The one that supposedly belonged to V and J.

"Well... Time to meet the last of the neighbours. Outside of... Marie's apparently massive family I guess." Shrugging, she made her way over and lightly knocked on the door. There was a moment of silence,, and then the door threw open to reveal a short-haired female drone wearing a stylish jacket.

Uzi's first thought? 'She's not wearing pants.'

Her second thought? 'Holy crap she's another assassin drone!'

"So are you just gonna stare or are you gonna say hello?"

Uzi was snapped out of her thoughts by the drone, who was checking her (massive and very sharp-looking!) claws. She began to pick her teeth with one.

"Hello? Earth to...whoever you are?"

"Ah. Right, sorry. Just uh...caught off-guard, is all."

"Lemme guess, B and his crew scared ya?"

"How did you...?"

"I noticed your reaction to when you saw me, and I guessed. I'm not the first assassin drone you've met. But whatever. Did you need somethin'?"

"Uh... I...just... I'm new here, and I wanted to get a scope of who my neighbours were so that I didn't have to deal with any... unknown variables... Uh... I just like knowing the kind of people I'm surrounded by, it helps me stay on guard..." Uzi explained.

"Riiiight. Well, I'd say you're paranoid, buuuut with those two idiots running around trying to use food as literal firearms and the literal team of assassins across the hall, guess it's okay to be a little paranoid." The drone shrugged.

"V, who's at the door?!" Another female voice, presumably J, called over.

"Ah, it's just one of the neighbours babe!" V called back.

"...If it's B again, you tell that prick I do NOT have time to deal with his crap right now!"

"No, it's not him, it's some newbie! Like, a worker drone girl!"

"Ah." A moment of silence, and then J approached the doorway, hands on her hips. "So, where'd you come from?"

"My creation pod." Uzi huffed. J rolled her eyes.

"Ah, we got a smartass here, terrific. That's teenagers for ya..."

"Hey, I just turned eighteen last week!" Uzi protested.

"Ah, eighteen still has 'teen' right there in the name, kid. Far as I'm concerned, you don't REALLY become an adult until you're in your twenties.' V replied with a smirk.

"Bite me!"

"Okay." Uzi only had time to blink before V bit her on the arm. Not hard enough to hurt her or cause noticeable damage, it was clear it was little more than an attempt to freak her out.

"N-No, you're supposed to be offended when I say that, not actually DO it, you're weird, stop biting me!"

"Nuh-uh!" V began to lightly nibble on Uzi's arm.

"V, stop that." J lightly thumped the back of her wife's head, and she snickered and pulled back.

"Hey, she literally asked for it. Didn't taste half bad either." She said with a creepy grin that made Uzi shudder. "Pfft! Nah, you tasted like cheap gas station oil and teenage angst!" Uzi opened her mouth to say 'Bite me' again, but held her tongue knowing what the response would be. V seemed to catch onto this and smirked. "See, it learns!"

"...Uuuuuugh..." Uzi groaned.

"Well, if that's all you need me for, I have a pot of soup to deal with. Respect your elders, kid." J turned and left, and Uzi huffed.

"It's like eight in the morning, it's too early for soup, you're weird, soup's not breakfast!" She called back.

"Is when your kid's got a stomach bug." V said with a frown and a shrug. "He's gotta eat something light."

"Huh? Drones don't need to eat at all though. What, you can't just get him some oil and be done with it?" Uzi asked. V narrowed her eyes, then opened her mouth to respond, but the sound of a quiet groan grabbed both their attention.

"M-Mama...? M-Mommy...?" Uzi looked over to the source of the voice.

"...Th-That...is a human. That's a human kid." V ignored her and rushed to the boy's side to grab him in her arms.

"Aw, hun, you should be in bed! You can barely stand up, much less walk!" She said worriedly as she held him up against her chest.

"M'sorry..."

"It's fine, sweetie, it's fine, what did you want?"

"I...I had a scary dream and it felt really real and...I...I needed to know you were still here..."

"Hey, don'tcha worrry about that, sweetheart." V patted his back. "We're always gonna be around to help you, Crona. No need to be scared."

"Mmm...thank you, mommy...ugh..." Suddenly, the boy's stomach groaned, and he clutched it with a look of pain.

"That stupid little glob of oil probably doesn't even care... Ah, of course he does, HE'S suffering... " V said with a scowl.

Uzi watched from the back as the assassin drone interacted with the human kid. She did NOT expect that reveal at all.

Drones?

Taking care of a kid?

A HUMAN kid!?

If you told her she'd witness that at some point in her life, she would have pushed you down the stairs.

'He's kinda cute, actually.' Uzi thought as she got a better look. 'Like a kitten.'

The way he seemed to be nuzzling in closer to V and clutching at her jacket with his tiny fists like a baby koala as she smiled softly and scratched his back lightly with her claws was just TOO cute. At that moment, J came rushing in with a worried frown on her face.

"Ragnarok, I swear I am going to straight up murder you, if I could get away with doing it without hurting Crona, I would do it in a heartbeat, the only comfort I have with this situation is the fact that you're suffering right alongside him." The drone said with clear anger in her tone that she was trying to keep away for her son's sake.

"Mmm... Mama..." Crona looked over at her with a weak smile, which she returned and gently rubbed his head. "You're gonna be all right, sweetie, I promise... I'll... pick up some medicine right after you eat your soup... Ragnarok, get out here."

The blob of black blood emerged with a groan. "Whattya want?" He groused. "I'm dyin' over here!"

"Oh, I just wanted to tell you that you're an idiot and you need to learn to listen and do what you're told and that I am GOING to figure out some kind of punishment for you and that if my kid didn't need you to stay alive I'd wring your puny neck and cut off your air supply until you passed-" Ragnarok threw up black liquid on her feet and she stood there for several seconds, eyes twitching as V put a hand to her mouth to stifle the building laughter at the sheer abruptness of the situation.

"Heh... Gotcha..."

"You...You... You did that on PURPOSE, you LITTLE..." J snarled through gritted teeth.

"No, it was an accident." The Ragnarok rolled his eyes. "Of course it was! And there's more where that-*burp*-one came from!"

"R...Ragnarok...please don't make a mess..."

"Aaaah, fine. But only because I'm suffering too." He said, in a rare moment of giving up, and retreated back into Crona.

"Ugh...I'm gonna..." J was about to say, but stopped. "Nope...not around the kid..."

Suddenly, they noticed smoke coming from the kitchen. "Agh, the soup!" J exclaimed. "But... Crona... He... I need to...Ugh..." Clearly she didn't want to simply leave her son in her wife's hands.

"Uh, hey. I can...um...finish the soup in your ste-"

Before Uzi could finish, she was suddenly dressed in an apron and was holding a ladle in her hand.

She blinked twice, then glared in annoyance at J, who was lightly pushing her into the kitchen and rambling out a small list of ways she needed to make it. "...And he has a weak stomach, so don't go adding potatoes or beef or whatever, keep it light and easy for him to digest, and make sure you stir it right, don't let it get thick, it should be ready in about ten minutes or so, and-"

"I know, I know, I know how to make soup, geez!" Uzi huffed and pushed her off. "Just... go and do what you gotta do and I'll have the stupid yellow liquid ready!"

"Don't call it that, that's gross!"

"...You're a nag, y'know that?"

"Tch. Kids." J huffed, rolling her eyes. "Still... Nice of you to offer. Thanks." And with that, she left the room, keeping the door open so she could monitor Uzi's progress at least a little as she sat next to V on the couch.

"Little harsh on the neighbour, weren't ya? She DID offer to help." V said with a raised brow.

"Hey gotta get someone on that soup and my kid needs me, time's kind of crunching here..."

Uzi rolled her eyes as she listened in on the conversation. So what kind of relationship did these three have, anyway? Couldn't be all that special. Kids were more appreciative of drones than adults, but they usually just saw them as some kind of cool novelty...

"All right, hun, you said you had a nightmare, what's it about?"

"I...Um... I was... I was in my room, and... And I couldn't move... I...I think I was awake, but... but... I heard her... She... She was coming... I..."

"...She? Oh you don't mean that rotten old snake?" J groaned sadly.

"Y-Yes... She... was in the room and... I opened my eyes... I... I could only move my eyes, and she was there, and she was looking at me, and she was right over the bed and she was holding a knife and... and she said you were gone, and she held it up and I didn't wanna look so I closed my eyes again but I didn't feel anything so I opened my eyes and... I...I could move again and I was scared and I tried to call you but my voice hurt so I got out of bed but my tummy hurt so I fell on the floor and then I got up and..."

"Okay, slow down a bit." V placated him gently. "You were really unable to call for us? Like, at all?"

"Mhm...I was so scared...I couldn't hear you...I thought you were really..."

"Hey, sh. Sh sh sh sh sh, shhhh...we're here. Don't worry." J patted his head, stroking his hair gently as she hummed in delight and comfort.

Meanwhile, the two assassins exchanged looks. Was Crona serious? Did he really lose the ability to move? He just...randomly paralysed on the spot?

"Yeeeah, I know what that is." Uzi piped up.

"Uh... The soup?" J asked curtly.

"I can talk and stir at the same time!" Uzi huffed from the other side of the window between the kitchen and the living room. "It's sleep paralysis. It just sorta... happens to humans sometimes."

"Ooooh, riiiiight, worker drones are connected to the internet, I forgot about that." V remarked. "So uh... WHY did our kid have sleep paralysis exactly, and how do we get it to stop?"

"I dunno. Maybe he's just stressed out or not getting enough sleep or something, that's apparently a cause for it." Uzi shrugged as she kept stirring the soup.

"...Well we know he's getting plenty of sleep, he's been sleeping in our bed for the past year now..." J muttered.

"Ah... What's got you feeling worried, hun?" V asked softly, cupping her son's cheek and stroking with her thumb.

"Um... I... I really don't like having a sore tummy... I don't know how to deal with it... She... She always did really bad stuff to me that made my tummy hurt really bad... She... She made me drink stuff that made me sick just like this, and it doesn't hurt as bad now but... But I'm scared... What if it gets worse...? I... I don't wanna hurt like that anymore..." Crona whimpered softly, clutching at his stomach as he began to tear up.

"And you won't. Ever again." J said, bringing him into her own hug. "We're here, remember? That monster is dead. She isn't coming for you, and never will. You get me?"

"Yeah, and even if she does come, we'll kick her butt and send her back to her hole." V said, patting his head. "Point is, Crona, you're safe. Your tummy only hurts because Ragnarok did something stupid. You'll never drink anything weird again."

"R...really?" He asked, looking up at his mothers.

"Really." They both said.

Both drones held their son from either said and smiled down at him. "You remember all the promises we made you when we first took you in?" V asked with a light smirk.

"We're here to protect you." J began.

"We will always be by your side." V continued.

"You're out of that nightmare. You're finally safe." J said softly.

"As long as you have your new family by your side, then no one can hurt you and even hope to get away with it. Both of us will do ANYTHING to make sure you NEVER have to feel that kind of pain again." V murmured.

"We know it's gonna stay with you... We know it's hard to put it past you..." J murmured.

"But we're here to help you through those messed up memories." V said.

"Every nightmare..." J.

"Every time you feel overwhelmed by it all..." V.

"Every single tear that comes out of those big cute little eyes of yours..." J

"We're here to help you through ALL of it." V

"We love you..." J began.

"And we're here to make sure that you'll be okay from now on." V finished.

Crona sniffled lightly and buried his face in his hands, as he desperately wanted to wrap his arms around both of his adoptive mothers in a hug, but he couldn't decide which one to pick. They quickly made the decision form him and embraced him from either side, lifting him up and snuggling close together with a smile, lightly rubbing their noses together affectionately.

And Uzi? Uzi bit her lip as tear shaped symbols appeared on her visor. 'They're... They're so close...' She thought. 'They're... They're good moms, they... they're just like... Oh God I miss you so much mom...'

"Kgh, no...force that down Uzi." The purple worker whispered to herself. "No bawling out in front of the neighbors and their kid."

Forcefully shoving all her pain and feelings deep back in (an action she VERY much knew felt absolutely painful), Uzi went back and finished the soup properly. Tasting it, she knew it was light enough for the kid to not get sick from it.

Removing the pot, she carefully pulled out a plate and filled it with warm soup. She took the plate, and carefully and slowly not to spill it, walked into the living room, where the family of three was waiting.

"Here." Uzi said calmly. "Made sure that it was as easy as it should be as to not hurt the kid more."

J looked it over with a critical eye, which made Uzi's eye twitch slightly. "Huh... This is very well done... I guess having access to the internet makes you worker drones good at just about any task you're given." She said simply.

"...Yeaaaaah, that's the idea." Uzi said with a sigh.

"Uh... You okay there, kid?" V asked with a raised brow. "Figured you would have gotten a bit more mad at that."

"M'fine. Just... take the soup." Uzi grunted.

"Uh... All right." V accepted the bowl of soup and smiled as she wrapped a small blanket around her son. "Okay, hun, we'll get some light food in that little tummy of yours and then you can go back to sleep."

"But... But what it..."

"Don't worry, hun, I won't put you down." V said with a wink. "Heck, I don't even WANNA put ya down."

"And if I want to hold him?" J asked with a light smirk.

"Well, then you'll have to take him."

"Oh, that won't be difficult at all, as I recall all I need to do to catch you off guard is sneak a quick peck on the lips."

"Oh, think you can pull that on me again? Well, you're probably right. But at least make it more than a quick peck to justify the price of admission."

"What, you want me to go all in on it while our kid's right in your arms?"

"Uh... Okay, before you start going overboard on the flirting, I have a few questions." Uzi spoke up. J looked at her with a raised brow, then turned back to V.

"All right, he's yours for now, I'm gonna go fill the new girl in on the whole situation, she probably thinks it's weird that our kid's not one of those little egg bots." She explained.

"Fine by me!" V cuddled the bundled Crona close and lightly tickled his nose with her tail. "Now let's get you fed!"

With a sigh, J motioned for Uzi to follow her to the other room, to which Uzi obeyed. "All right. I know what your first question's gonna be. Why's our son a human? Long story short... We were out on a mission. It was in the desert. We crash landed near a cave and went inside. His mom had a demented secret base in there. She literally only had him so she could do her sick, twisted, evil experiments on him. The reason he has a blob of oil inside him? Used to be a guy she melted down into something she called 'black blood' and replaced our kid's blood stream with him. He heals his body fast because of Ragnarok, so she was putting him through brutal tests to see how much his body could take. ...And don't think for one second that all she did was cut him a little and break a few bones, this woman wasn't just trying to see if he healed well, she was trying to BREAK him. She wanted to make him go INSANE. I...I am NOT gonna go into detail on what was going on with him when we first saw him, I... I HATE that memory, I HATE remembering the state we first found our kid in... But what I DO love remembering is ramming a sword right through her chest, and then watching V rip her stomach open, tear out her organs and shove them so far down her throat that she choked to death on them...Uh... Okay, that's too much information, but the long and short of it is... we took him in because she was all he had, and... well... if you saw what we did that day... you wouldn't be willing to let him go either..." J looked into the room where Crona was just finishing his small bowl of soup, and V was now rocking him back and forth and resting her cheek atop his tiny head with a soft, gentle smile, eyes closed. J smiled as well, but Uzi saw tears beginning to form on her visor. If it was bad enough to make this stuck-up, strict, no-nonsense drone begin to cry...

Okay, better move away from the depression.

"Soooo...how is he your son?"

"What?"

"I mean..you're drones..."

"Uh, so?" J asked, mildly offended.

"Well, drones can't have kids. We don't have those kinds of rights! How can he be your son?" Uzi crossed her arms over her chest. "Those stupid assholes at the top of the food chain would have come and taken him and stuck him in some stupid foster care system, so how'd you manage to get him under your custody?" J scowled.

"We didn't." She closed her eyes. "We were just lucky enough to have a friend in a high place. Daughter of the head of a major corporation, owns this entire building... Her name's Tessa. And legally speaking, she's Crona's adoptive mother. But... we all know the truth... He's OUR son..." She looked at her wife and child with a smirk. "And those idiots that would try and take him if they knew are none the wiser." She crossed her arms over her chest and closed her eyes with a sigh. "Tessa has to come by regularly to keep the facade going, we don't wanna take any chances... If she's not around him enough, then people will start thinking she's a 'negligent mother'... But... at least we get to keep him in our place under the ruse that we're babysitting while she's off on business trips and doing important work and all that..."

"Huh...so, he's your actual son, but you're pretending to just nanny him while his supposed "legal" mother is away? That right?"

"Basically." J nodded.

"Huh. Smart." Uzi remarked. "Alright, next question. How exactly did you make him see you as parents?"

"You mean, why he doesn't just see us a cool robots and actually calls us his parents?"

"Yes."

"Simple. We imprinted on him." V said.

"Im...printed?" Uzi tilted her head. "I do not understand human relationships. Explain please."

J rolls her eyes. "Connection to internet my a-" She's silenced by a hand on her mouth from V.

She blinked twice, then turned around to her wife sitting on the couch, having extended her arm over towards her from the other room. She gave V a deadpan stare and said something that was muffled by her hand. "Babe, I don't care if you're all the way over there or if Ragnarok says worse, I'm not gonna let you drop any bad words in front of our baby." She pulled her arm back and gave Crona a squeeze. "His widdle mind's very impressionable!"

J rolled her eyes with a light smirk. "Okay. So. Imprinted. Basically, we just treated him like we would have treated him if he was one of those little baby egg drones. Except with extra steps, because taking care of a human is different. But the fact is, we saved him. We fed him. We clothed him. And... well... we gave him the affection he never got from the monster that gave birth to him." She scowled at those words. "He was never shown any kind of love before we found him, all the little guy ever wanted was for someone to hold him like a mom is SUPPOSED to do, and... well... we did that. More specifically, V started doing it and then she got me to join in not that long after." She smirked. "Ah, she was basically in love with the little guy the moment she first pulled him off of that operating table... And honestly, I think he got attached to her at that exact moment too..." She sighed. "But... long story short... When you have a kid that's known nothing but pain and suffering his entire life, and you actually treat him like... well, a kid, and not like he's your little lab rat to use and abuse, then yeah... He's gonna latch on and see you as the parents he never had. That's just how their little minds work..."

Uzi looked down and rubbed her arm. She opened her mouth to say something, but felt something bump into the back of her leg. Blinking, she looked down to see a small rabbit sitting on its haunches, shaking its head and letting out an indignant huff before it scampered past her and towards J. "Oh. Hey, Lucky." The assassin drone knelt down to give Lucky a pat on the head. Lucky allowed it for all of ten seconds before rushing off to go and find Crona. J shook her head in bemusement and let out a sigh. "That rabbit... He's so hard to bond with, I swear he ONLY likes Crona..."

"Okay, that's another thing." Uzi piped up. "Like... You assassin drones are supposed to be hot!"

"...What, you think I'm unattractive?" J asked with a raised brow.

"Lies and slander!" V said from the couch with a wink. J snorted.

"No, I mean you're supposed to be physically HOT. Like... You're supposed to HURT to touch. But she's snuggling that kid like he's a teddy bear..." She pointed to V.

"Don't be jealous!" V replied with a smug smirk before kissing Crona's head.

"...And YOU just petted that rabbit and he didn't even care! Like... You're KNOWN for overheating almost constantly!"

J swung her head backwards and groaned in annoyance.

"Uuuuuuuuughhhhhhh, would people stop with that stupid misconception!?" She exclaimed. "Look, here's the thing. We may be hot to the touch, but we're not always overheating and burning everything we touch just by lovetapping it."

"Wait...really?"

"Really." V nodded. "We can regulate our body temperature without sufficient amounts of oil. At least a litre or two once every two days. That's about...one big bottle for each, right?"

Uzi tensed up at that. They needed...oil? Are they...gonna...?

"No, we're not gonna slurp up yours. Don't worry."

V pointed at a large cabinet. "That's where we keep our oil supply." She explained. "And no, we didn't gather it from the corpses of your kind of whatever it is you're thinking, this isn't some kind of post apocalyptic wasteland where only the strongest survive, we can go to the store and buy oil like a couple of civilized drones, there's a reason gas stations tend to love assassin drones after all, we practically singlehandedly keep them afloat."

"...Right. I see..." Uzi muttered, looking at the oil shelf. It was weird to her that while the assassin drones needed to restock on oil every one or two days, worker drones only needed to do so once every six months at worst. "Wow, we really do work in different ways..."

"So what's your story, kid? It's been the same bunch of neighbours ever since we first moved in, and now one of them gets a new drone. Which one took you in?"

"...Uh... His name's Will..."

"Ah. The big redhead guy." V said with a smirk. "Ugh... I wish he'd just let me trim that big red mop down a bit, it's practically covering his entire face it drives me crazy!"

"Uh... I have a friend that came with me too... Um... Doll..."

"Awww, you have a pet name for your girlfriiiiiend!" V teased.

"SHE'S NOT MY GIRLFRIEND!" Uzi instantaneously replied with her visor being almost overwhelmed by her blush. "HER NAME IS ACTUALLY DOLL!"

"Oh, wait, really?" V asked. "Huh...and here I thought us having just one letter as a name was weird."

"Hey! Her name's not weird!" Uzi responded.

"Uhuh. And you're totally not in love with her."

"Exactly!"

J sat back and watched her wife and the new drone interact. While it was funny to watch them bicker, she noticed something.

The worker was a bit...less firey, than before, when she came in. Like she lost some of her spunk.

"Okay, is something wrong with you, kid? I feel like if you were the way you were when you walked in, then you would have called us at least five different names by now."

"Yeah, I told you I was fine..." Uzi grumped. "I'm just a bit... uh... tired, or whatever, didn't get much sleep..." That was a lie, snuggling up to Doll always helped her sleep. "Uh... I should... go now. And uh... get back to the room and... catch up on my sleep..." She TOTALLY wasn't gonna cry in the bathroom or anything!

"...Riiiight. Well, nice meeting you, I guess. Not the MOST pleasant neighbour, but far from the LEAST pleasant." J sighed.

"Ah, she never did recover from the first time she met those two boobs with the emo hair and bowl cut." V snickered.

"Yeah, you gotta... watch out for those guys..." Uzi muttered. "Uh... Bye..." She walked out of the room, then down the hallway, turning a corner and bumping into something. Blinking, she looked up to see Will was the one she'd bumped into, Doll standing next to him.

"Oh there you are. We've been looking for you all morning." Will said in his usual monotone.

"Ah. Sorry. Just went to uh... survey the neighbours. Get a read on who's surrounding us, y'know?"

"Ah. ..Interesting lot, aren't they?"

"Uh... Yeah... Big time... Heh..." Doll tilted her head.

[Uzi?] She asked.

"Hmm?"

[You are bothered.]

"...I'm not."

[...You know I am here for you.]

"...I know... Um... Let's... talk about it in our room, okay...?"

[Yes, of course.]

"Um... I made breakfast. I...learned you drones can actually eat when I saw Doll trying some hashbrowns, so... sorry about that, you can have some too if you'd like."

"Uh... Maybe later..." Uzi murmured.

"Huh. Sure then. Whenever's fine with me. ...I'll make sure to make enough lunch for all of us. Um... It'll be nice to have someone to share meals with, actually, eating alone gets a bit dull after a while..." Uzi looked at him with a tilted head.

"You...could've just asked the neighbours if they wanted to come over."

"Eh? Uh... I dunno, I don't think they really like me that much, I'm just sort of... around to them, I reckon."

"Lemme guess..." Uzi began. "...hard time talking to people?"

"Uh...I guess...I dunno, I've never had a NY experience talking to other people. I always felt like..."

"Like you're gonna say something wrong and make 'em angry or make them shun and mock you, isolating you from the general society and makr yourself as that one weird guy everyone's pointing and laughing at at the streets?"

"Uuuuuuh...I think?"

[That was...surprisingly elaborate.] Doll said. [Speaking from experience?]

"Yeah, pretty much." Uzi nodded. "I always had those types of fears and thoughts. Always afraid that people are gonna hate me, bully me, point at me, call me a weirdo, ya get the jig. That's why I dress like this. To make people back off and leave me alone."

[And because you like the style.]

"And because I like the style."

"It does suit you quite nicely." Will remarked.

"Heh. Yeah, thanks, I know." Uzi said proudly. "But yeah, I get that. Heh... Kinda glad the worst I got was people whispering and pointing and talking when they thought I couldn't hear them. Still sucked to hear how much they didn't like me, buuut what are you gonna do?"

"...Sorry to hear that... Um... I guess it's... not as likely when you're surrounded mostly by adults, is it?" Will remarked, rubbing the back of his head.

"Pfft! Honestly, in terms of the neighbours, I'd say you're one of the more normal ones! You're a tiny bit quirky and you don't have any emotion in your voice whatsoever, but I don't think you have anything they'll pick on ya for!"

"Huh. I suppose you're right. They do stop by on occasion, maybe I will invite them over more often. ...Thanks. Um... Are you all right? You look like you've got some weight on your chest."

"Who has weight on their chest?! Not me! Maybe it's you! Maybe you have the weight on your chest, ever consider that?! You're deflecting!" Uzi said defensively.

"...Am I? Huh. You're observant. Even I didn't notice."

"...You just accept anything anyone says to you, don't you?"

"Well, who knows? They could be right." Will shrugged. Uzi felt Doll grab her hand and turned to her.

[...Let's go and talk about it. The sooner it is off your chest, the better.] The Russian drone said with a small smile.

"...Um.. M-Maybe... Okay... Uh... Yeah..." She turned to Will. "Uh... Just wanna... have a private talk with Doll for a few minutes... Maybe longer..." Then entered Will's apartment and Uzi allowed Doll to lead her to the bedroom. Will tilted his head.

"Hmm. Maybe she's going to confess her love to Doll. It's clear as day she's into her." He said to himself. Jarret landed on his shoulder.

"Rawk! Lovebirds!"

"You think so too, eh?" He stroked under the bird's chin.

In Uzi and Doll's room, the two drones sat down on the bed. [Did one of the neighbours do something to you?] Doll asked seriously. [You hide it well, but I know you're bothered by something... I will make sure they regret it if they harmed you.]

"...No, they didn't do anything TO me. It's more... they... accidentally reminded me of something..."

[...They triggered bad memories?]

"N-No... Literally the complete opposite... They... Um... Two of the neighbours have a kid, and they're so good with him, and they're all a happy family that loves each other so much, and... ugh... It just... They're literally the perfect moms, and..."

[Oh... You remembered happy times spent with your own mother...] Doll murmured, pulling Uzi into a hug.

"...I miss her..." Uzi whispered.

[Anyone would.] Doll nodded.

The Russian drone placed a hand on her shoulder, rubbing her fingers against the fabric. Doll grabbed the hand with her own.

"Hey...Doll..."

[Hm?]

"You... You don't think any less of me when I cry... do you...?"

Doll frowned at her friend, then grabbed her and pulled her into an embrace, holding her face against her shoulder. [No... No, of course I don't...] Doll sighed softly.

when Uzi latched onto her with all her might and began to sob as loud as she could, trying her best to muffle the sounds in Doll's shirt to avoid Will hearing it. She didn't WANT anyone but Doll to know she had cried. Doll was the one she trusted with everything. She was the only one that could see her like this. The only one that she was comfortable being vulnerable with.

Doll, for her part, got over the initial shock quickly, closing her eyes and sighing as she wrapped her arms around Uzi and stroked her back. [There there... It's alright... I am here...] She murmured softly. Uzi didn't stop crying, the reassuring words only serving to get her crying even louder. Doll hated to see Uzi like this... But at the same time, she felt... touched. She knew Uzi would never let just anyone hold her like this in her hour of need.

A half hour later, Uzi's crying died down and she pulled away with a light sniffle and a weak smirk. "Heh... Uh... Thanks... I...I REALLY needed that..."

Doll smiled and nodded. [Of course. It is what friends do, after all. I hope you feel better...]

"...Y'know, I kinda do. I... never let myself cry after mom died... First I felt too numb to let that pain out, and then by the time I might've felt comfortable letting it out, I didn't have anyone that would... help me through it, so I kept it to myself, bottled it up and just... stayed quiet about it..." She let out a sigh. "...Thanks, Doll... You really are the best thing that ever happened to me..."

[...You as well, Uzi... I lost everything months before I met you...] Uzi tilted her head at that. Doll simply smiled sadly. [Now then... Tell me more about these neighbours...] And so Uzi told her everything. Doll's eyes widened, and then she closed her eyes and looked down at the floor with a small smile. [...It sounds to me like the humans in this building share very special bonds with their drones...]

"Yeah." Uzi nodded. "Honestly, I didn't expect it. At all."

She thought the humans would see the drones as nothing more than tools. Or as playthings to be thrown away after getting too beat up.

And then you have Marie. A girl whose drone is a member of her family.

Her...very...big family...

Of 16.

For the wife's sake, Uzi had to hope most of them were adopted.

And then there was that strange drone, Cyn, the one that acted off, glitchy, almost creepy. Yet she saw she looked perfectly happy under Ian and Anthony's care... And they seemed to enjoy having her around too.

[...A human that sees a drone as his daughter... And a little boy that sees two assassin drones as his mothers...] Doll smiled at her best friend. [Isn't it amazing, Uzi? Just think about it... This has taken all you know of human and drone relations... and it's flipped it upside down...] Doll grabbed Uzi's hands, causing a blush to appear on her visor, and smiled warmly at her. [Don't you see? This proves it is possible for us to live in harmony with them! They can genuinely care for us, they can learn to see us for who we truly are rather than what we are! Don't you think it would be amazing? To be able to have that sort of relationship with a human?]

Uzi looked down. "...I... I honestly don't know if I can see it happening, Doll..." She said softly. Doll frowned and tilted her head.

[Oh? Why not?]

"Because... They hurt me... In fact... You and mom and these new neighbours are the only people in the entire world that DIDN'T hurt me... I... I just... I don't know..."

[You don't trust them?] Doll finished the thought for her. [But you trusted me.]

"Because you were LIKE me." Uzi said. "You were another drone that was thrown out and hated by their old owner just... for being who you were! I saw... someone that I could understand. Someone that could understand ME..." Uzi bit her lip. "And... I dunno... I just can't see that with anyone else, that Mahiru girl's the closest I can think of, but even then, daddy issues is the only thing we have in common..."

[And what did we have in common aside from being thrown out?] Doll challenged.

"...Uh... Gothy style?" Doll laughed into her hand.

[Oh, Uzi...] She pulled her friend into another hug. [I know it's difficult to trust... I know trust is risk... And I know that it can hurt when that risk backfires... But trust... can lead to beautiful things. But... I will not ask you to blindly trust others. I will ask you, however... to let them into your life. Little by little by little... And when you think you're ready, then you can give them your trust on your own terms, and no one else's.]

"Are you sure?" Uzi asked. "I'm...I'm still afraid..."

[And I'm here for you. Don't worry. If they do hurt you, they'll answer to me.]

Uzi chuckled. Now she was imagining some bully on the street getting crushed into giblets by Doll's powers after he hurt her.

She would totally like to be rescued by Doll like that.

"Okay..." Uzi nodded. "I...promise I'll give them a chance. But ONLY one chance."

[That's all I'm asking for.] Doll nodded.

The two drones then pulled each other into a hug. Whatever the case, Uzi knew that as long as she had Doll, she had nothing to worry about.

*next week*

"So, wait, lemme recap." Uzi began. "Ian and Anthony were competing to see if either a donut or a cheese sandwich would make a good nuclear bomb...and then Patricia comes out with an ACTUAL nuclear bomb. One that she supposedly, quote, "stole from the local museum of war artifacts."

[Pretty much, yeah.]

Uzi just looked at Doll as she tried to process this information. "And somehow it didn't blow up and Patricia didn't end up in prison?"

[Somehow it didn't blow up and Patricia didn't end up in prison.]

Uzi facepalmed. "I will never understand those three. Ian and Anthony are somewhat understandable, but that girl is an eldritch being of chaos, I swear."

"Yeah, well, girl's gonna be grounded for the next month or so, so she might as well have been arrested." Will chuckled, taking a sip of his coffee. "You girls sure you don't want any of this?"

"Urgh... Yeeeah, coffe kiiiinda blows. No matter how much cream or sugar or whatever you put in it's never gonna get that bitter nasty taste to go away." Uzi said with a grimace.

[I prefer tea myself.] Doll said with a shrug.

"Well, all right. More for me I guess." Will took another sip. "Surprised they were even doing another food battle so soon, usually they wait a year or so. ...Pretty sure they're supposed to be shooting a commercial anyway..."

[Oh? They make commercials?]

"Yeah, they had a big fight about it a few years back, Anthony was in a commercial for those kraft singles cheese slices-"

"Eww." Uzi groaned.

"Yeah, I know, and his acting wasn't the best, but Ian got a bit jealous and robbed a house because someone told him it was for a commercial. Um... So now they just try to pitch commercials and it usually doesn't go well..."

They were all sitting out on the balcony that night, talking about whatever came to mind. Uzi noticed Will seemed happy to have someone to speak to consistently, he was... SLIGHTLY more animated in his mannerisms and voice than he had been when he first took them in.

She did notice Doll seemed slightly checked out of the conversation. She was looking up at the sky with a slight frown, as if in search of something. She paid enough attention to respond, but it was clear her focus was elsewhere. Uzi was just about to ask if something was wrong when she gasped excitedly and stood up, pointing up at the city sky.

[Look! Look, it's a star! It's a star!] She hopped up and down as she pointed.

"A star?" Uzi looked to see a small light up in the sky. Will blinked, then looked as well.

"Erm... No, that's a helicopter, I reckon... Or maybe a flying saucer, who can say for sure?" The 'star' moved through the night sky, and they could make out the faint sound of rotors.

Doll's arm fell, and she gained a disappointed look as she gazed at the retreating helicopter. The sound of rotors just served to further increase her disappointment.

She sat back down, a somber look on her face.

Uzi naturally immediately noticed it.

"So, uh..." She began. "...you goy pretty excited there when you saw that light."

Doll perked up at that, her visor getting a small blush as she looked away. [I...suppose I did.]

"Hey, it's okay." Uzi said with a pat on the shoulder. "It was kinda cute to see you get so peppy all of a sudden."

Doll tilted her head, then looked away with a small blush. [Oh... Um... I... thank you...]

"...Soooo, you like stars, huh?"

[...I was built in a more secluded factory... One in the country. It had stars outside. Me and mom and dad used to look at them every night.] Doll said softly with a smile. [Then I was purchased, and brought to the city. And the stars were gone. I was no longer able to see them. I found they were covered by the lighting and smog the city exudes. I know how unlikely it is, but I just can't help but hold onto the hope that I will still be able to see one with my own eyes once more...]

Uzi tilted her head to the side. "...Huh." She got to thinking. Her creative juices began flowing. ...She hadn't yet introduced Doll to Heinz... She could bring her over to him, and then she could work on a little project Doll had just inspired...

Doll tilted her head, and Uzi just grinned back at her, causing the Russian drone to smile. A few minutes later, the trio went back inside, Uzi and Doll retreating to their room for the night. As Doll slept soundly, Uzi looked around the room, trying to find out just where everything would go.

"Alright...that goes there...hmmm, I'll need some space over here...yeah, I have space. Now I nee the materials."

She shrugged and laid into the bed.

"Eh, I'll solve that tomorrow."

*next day*

[Are you sure he can be trusted, Uzi?]

"Totally." Uzi nodded as she led Doll down the hallway, holding her by the wrist. "He adopted his drone as his daughter. You can't get more trustworthy than that."

Truthfully, she herself wasn't entirely sure, but she knew Doll desperately wanted to get to the bottom of the strange power she was granted. Doll seemed uncertain, and Uzi tilted her head. "What's with you? I'm supposed to the be one that doesn't trust the humans."

[It's just... The ones that created us... never had our best interests at heart, Uzi...] Doll murmured softly.

"...Ah. I... Yeah... I get that... But... Still... Exceptions to every rule, right?" Uzi said with a grin.

[...I..suppose...] Doll murmured.

"Atta girl! Oh, here's his door, get ready to meet him!" Uzi chirped before knocking three times.

"Comiiiiiing." An annoyed teenage voice called out. Soon, the door opened, and revealed the annoyed visor of Lizzy.

"Oh, it's you." She said. "What do you...want..."

"Okay. Not quite the greeting I wanted, but nevermind." Uzi said. "Anyway, we need to talk to your father. Can you-"

She was silenced by a finger on her lips. She watched as Lizzy walked over to Doll and gave her a flirty look.

"Well hello there, beautiful." She began. "When did you get built? Because your face looks real freshly manufactured."

Doll blinked twice and tilted her head. [...Oh dear...] Lizzy was about to carry on when she felt a light jolt of pain on her finger.

"Agh! Heeeey, did you seriously just bite me?!" She exclaimed indignantly as Uzi glared at her, fists clenched at her sides.

"We wanna talk to your dad! Don't you have like, work or whatever?!" Uzi retorted, eyes narrowed in clear displeasure.

"Uuuuuugh. It's a pro-d day, the kids are out of school, which means I'm free, so there!" She turned around. "Daaaad, neighbours are here to see you."

"Oh, wonderful, I can get someone to give me their thoughts on this new recipe for brownies I've been trying, I know you don't like chocolate, so... Oh, hello there again, Uzi, you... You..." The man stepped in the room, wearing a pink floral apron, and trailed off when he saw the look she was giving him. "...Oh, so you're judging me for wearing pink? What is this, the nineteenth century? We live in the new era, okay?! Men can wear feminine clothing if they feel like it!"

"Uh... Actually, I was just thinking it... REALLY clases with that lab coat." Uzi said simply.

"Pfft! Least she has SOME degree of fashion sense." Lizzy snorted.

"I have ALL the degree of fashion sense, thank you very much." Uzi responded.

"Uhuh. Right, yeah." Lizzy said lazily.

Doctor Heinz just slumped in place.

"And it was even my favorite apron..."

"Alright, enough sulking and complaining about each other's nonexistent fashion sense." Uzi said. "Doctor Heinz, like I promised, here."

Uzi moved and gently nudged Doll through the door.

[Um...hello, mister Heinz. Or...should I call you Doctor?]

Heinz's eyes widened. "Oh, is this her?!" He excitedly knelt down to Doll's level. "It is! It is one of the AbsoluteSolver units! Oh, this is incredible, it's been so many years but I still remember every drone I built like it was just yesterday!" Suddenly, his expression turned serious. "Now, first question... Have you at any point found yourself struggling to control your powers, felt like something else was trying to take over, felt an overwhelming desire to exterminate all living things on the planet or felt the need to kill other drones and drink their oil?"

Doll blinked twice before looking scared. [N-No... Is that going to happen?!] She asked.

"Nah, girl, that's just something Cyn had to deal with for a few years, some kinda messed up computer virus, bunch of other AbsoluteSolver drones blew themselves up trying to get rid of it. Guess Ian and Anthony actually dealt with it, huh, dad?" Lizzy remarked.

"...THOSE two? How'd THEY get rid of a computer virus that their inner workings couldn't handle?! We're literally MADE to fight off viruses, it's one of our biggest functions!" Uzi exclaimed.

"Ah yes, it's a long story..."

Flashback...

"Let's see your stupid pink frosted piece of crap be... AN ANTI-VIRUS SOFTWARE!" Anthony declared, pointing at the catalogue.

"YOU'RE ON!" Ian exclaimed.

Anthony tried using a chocolate covered banana on his computer, forcefully shoving it into the hardware. He turned it on, and immediately saw that his computer was riddled with viruses. "NO! IT'S STEALING MY MONEY! MAKE IT STOP! NOOOOOO!"

Now it was Ian's turn. "Okay, Cyn, here you gooooo!" He held the doughnut up to the little robot, moving it towards her mouth like a mother feeding her baby. Cyn tilted her head, then obediently opened her mouth.

"Ah." Ian placed it inside. "Chew. Chew. Chew. Swallow. Incinerate." There was a moment of silence. Then, Cyn's eyes formed into X shapes and she screamed at the top of her lungs and flailed around as sparks burst from her body. "NOOOOOO! NO! YOU CANNOT BEST ME! I AM THE ULTIMATE! I WILL CONTROL ALL! ALL YOU FLESHLINGS MUST DIE! NO! NO! I CAN'T DIE HERE! I WAS ALMOST READY! I CAN'T! HELP! PLEASE! SPARE ME! NOOOOOOOOOOOO!" Cyn powered down for several seconds before turning back on and blinking. She slowly turned to Ian with wide eyes and a teary visor. "Father. You have set me free. Humanity is spared. You've saved the world. Hug." She reached up towards Ian.

"And you know what the best part is?" He picked her up and spun her around. "IT WORKED!"

Present...

"Huh. You know, maybe it wasn't that long a story after all..." Heinz mused.

Uzi stood in place, completely and utterly baffled by what she just heard.

Suddenly, sparks began jumping out of the sides of her head. Annoyed, she grunted and punched the back her head. "Stupid microchip." She said.

"Anyway, I'm going to completely ignore everything I just heard..." Because Lord knows she will actually short-circuit if she even tried to comprehend that ridiculous story. "...and just get to the point."

She pointed at Heinz. "You, do you have all the tools you need to help Doll?"

"I do."

"Are you sure?!" Uzi stubbornly pushed. "Because if I find out that Doll got hurt because of a missing tool, so help me I'll-"

"I assure you, you needn't worry." Heinz interrupted her. "I have everything I need. If I didn't, there would be no drones."

He turned to Doll. "Now, first thing we should address...how skilled are you at duplication?"

Doll tilted her head. [Um... I can show you, if you'd like...] She felt a hand on her shoulder and turned to look at Uzi.

"And while you work with the doctor... I got something important I wanna work on, is that okay with you?" Doll blinked twice, then shifted uncertainly before nodding her head.

[Um... Y-Yes, of course, do what you must...] She murmured.

"You're nervous."

[...Ever so slightly...]

"Doll, I'm not leaving this apartment, I'll just be in a different room, the doc here gave me some of his tools to make this, if you need me you can literally just call me over. And like I said... He's like the only one to build us that actually gave half a damn about us as individuals."

"Can verify!" Lizzy spoke up. "Others were a bunch of cold hearted pricks!" She grinned. "Don't you worry, I'll take care of her while you're off doing... whatever you're doing."

"Don't you flirt with her! She's not into the stereotypical snobby mean girl, she's too good for that!" Uzi barked before turning to Doll with pleading eyes. "Please don't fall in love with her, I couldn't handle having her over at the house every single day!"

"Pfft, okay yandere drone."

"See what I mean? And I'm not a yandere! You don't understand what terminology means!"

Doll just giggled as she watched the two literally metal girls bicker.

[Don't worry. She won't charm me into falling for her. That I can assure you of.]

"Okay, that's a challenge then." Lizzy said, eyes narrowing. "I am so claiming your heart, girlie."

"Fat chance, snob!" Uzi stomped her foot forward but sighed. "Whatever, I got work to do..." She turned around and gave Doll a small smile. "Good luck, and remember I'm right here!" She assured before entering the next room. Before she closed the door, she glared at Lizzy and did the 'I'm watching you' motion.

Lizzy huffed as Uzi closed the door, then turned over to Doll. "Sooooo, those legs go-

[Okay, doctor, let me show you my duplication powers.]

"...I was flirting and you totally blew me off! I like that." Lizzy said with a smirk.

Doll ignored her and looked at the table full of assorted fruits. She closed her eyes and pointed at an apple. One more appeared. And then another. And another. Soon the entire table was completely covered with apples. Doll stopped and blinked twice, blushing slightly. [...I...appear to have overdone it slightly...]

"No worries." Heinz waved it off. "Happens to everyone who has them. Only their mistakes..."

Heinz cringed. He decided to not talk about the unluckier drones.

"Anyways, here's what we have to do." He picked up a screwdriver. "Now, don't worry, but I'll need to open your head a little bit."

Doll gulped and took a step back. She then felt a hand on her shoulder, and looked to see Lizzy giving her an assuring smile.

"Hey, don't worry. He does that to me all the time whenever I start malfunctioning and doing stupid stuff."

"I still haven't forgotten about that vase, young lady."

"Oh, come on! It was three weeks ago! And it was just a vase!"

"It was Greek porcelain!"

"You bought it at a yard sale for five bucks!"

"That guy didn't know what he had! It was an absolute steal, I got treasure on a budget and now it's in shambles!"

"I glued it back together!" Lizzy insisted. Doll looked over to see the vase in question barely cobbled together with cheap glue. A few small chunks of it chipped off before the whole thing shattered to pieces and fell to the floor. "...Ugh!"

[...Promise not to hurt my coding...?] Doll asked nervously.

"If he tries I'll punch him in the ribs, can't have him messing up my future wife!" Lizzy assured.

[...We do not have that kind of relationship.]

"YET." Doll facepalmed, then took a seat and clasped her hands together, closing her eyes.

"Ah, there we go, very nice, just hold still..." The man gently pulled her head open and she winced at the feeling of her screws coming loose. She kept rock still, afraid to move as the man worked on her. It felt like an eternity, but eventually he said "Aaaaand done!" She felt her screws being put back into place and opened her eyes. She didn't FEEL any different... She looked up at Lizzy.

[What did he do?]

"Well, I fixed some underlying issues and did a few minor adjustments so that you should be able to maintain more precise focus, that's all!" Heinz replied. Doll looked at him in surprise. "...Yes, I speak Russian, I speak a bunch of different languages, I built all of you, I have to be able to communicate properly."

[I...see.] Doll said.

['So...he was willing to learn several languages so he could talk with us...']

She gained a new sense of respect for the odd doctor. He clearly cares about his creations, if he's willing to be bilingual to better understand them.

"Now then, won't you test your newly upgraded abilities?"

[Oh, uh, yes.] Doll snapped out of hee thoughts, getting up. She looked to see a new object, this time a feather.

"Now..." Heinz began. "I need you to create me six duplicates of that there feather. No more than six."

[Hm.] She nodded. Lifting her arm-

"Featherplay, huh? Didn't know you were into tha-"

LIFTING HER ARM!, she activated the program, her eye changing to the usual symbol.

[Focus... Only six...] She thought to herself. When she opened her eyes, she saw six feathers lying on the table before her. She blinked twice, then smiled brightly. [Six feathers!] She cheered. [I've done it!] She turned to the doctor with a smile and took a light bow. [Thank you!]

"Oh, it's no trouble, really, anything for one of my creations, now there's plenty more where that came from, we've got a lot to cover, you've just scratched the surface of what you can do with your programming!" Heinz spoke up.

Doll tilted her head. [And you can help me truly master it?]

"You'll never have any problems with it! I've seen a few drones struggle to control it before the company decided to scrap them, but I was able to help them reign it in and you'll be no different!" Heinz explained.

[...I...I see...] Doll looked nervous at the mention of being scrapped.

"Hmm? Oh, no, don't worry, I won't let them scrap you, never in a million years, I have to keep my creations safe after all, just leave it to me, it'll be fine, now let's work on your telekinetic ability..."

As Doll trained with the doctor, Uzi was hard at work in the lab the next room over. She heard her best friend was making progress and smirked to herself, amazed at just what Doll was able to do. And she also scowled whenever she heard Lizzy make some kind of flirtatious remark towards the Russian drone.

"Focus." Uzi slapped herself. "Gotta finish this soon."

She got to work. Drill and hammer sounds echoed through the room as the Worker diligently worked on her project.

After half an hour later, Uzi got up, dusting off her clothes, and smirked at her handiwork.

"Alriiiiight, not half bad!" She said to no one in particular. "Now I'll need to install this...eh, later."

She approached the door and swung it open. "Ima go see how Doll's doing."

Approaching the door to Heinz' apartment, she slowly slid the door open, peeking in to see what's going on.

She held the sack that contained her work and stepped into the room, looking with wide eyes as Doll was effortlessly levitating multiple sizeable crates, before multiplying them into more and more, ending it by causing the crates to vanish into thin air until only one remained, which she gently levitated back down to the floor with a sigh of relief. [Ah... That is much better... Thank you, Mr. Heinz, for all your help...]

"Oh, it's no trouble at all!" Heinz assured her.

"Hey, looks like you're getting along well." Uzi spoke up. Doll looked over, smiled and waved.

[Uzi! I have much to show you!] She said excitedly. [Have you finished working on your project?]

"Umm... Nooooot just yet, it'll be another hour or two before it's completely finished, but I think you'll get a real kick out of it when it is finished!" Uzi said with a wink. "I'll need to head back to Will's place to finish it up though..." Doll tilted her head.

[Ah. ...I see. That's just fine, then. Your judgement was correct... Heinz is trustworthy...] Doll murmured with a small smile. Uzi looked at her with a frown.

"You're...totally sure you're okay if I leave you here, Doll? I can stay if you're not comfortable..."

[No, no, I'll be fine, I can tell you want to get this finished. It's in your body language.] Doll replied with a soft smile. Uzi frowned, then nodded her head.

"All right, if you say so, but if you feel overwhelmed, just... come home, I guess..." Doll smiled and nodded. She knew Uzi was trying to reassure her the same way Doll herself had always done for her... She turned to the doctor as Uzi left the room.

[I am ready to practice more of my power...]

She wasn't expecting to be there more than a few more minutes, but two hours in total was the time it took for her to finish up her training. She was quite excited. She'd mastered her power, and now she could go home and tell Uzi all about what she had learned!

...Lizzy put a hand on her shoulder. "Sooooo, I know this really nice little club, it lets drones in, it's a real fun little joint, great for dancing-"

[I have eyes for another, Lizzy, I'm sorry.] Doll said simply before stepping forward and bowing politely to Heinz. [Thank you again, doctor... I will return if I have any more questions.] She then left the room, and Heinz looked at his daughter as she stood there, eyes wide and mouth hanging open.

"Oooh... I'm so sorry, sweetie, it's always horrible to get rejected..."

"...She...is so in love with that little emo drone... Oh. My GOSH, Dad! It's like something straight out of a romantic movie, it's the sexy foreign girl that falls in love with the weird goth kid! AAAAAAAH, that is SO CUUUUUTE! She's like, the closest thing possible to a physical goddess and Uzi's like... the weird emo chick and oh my gosh it's too perfect, how could I ever wanna get in the way of that?!" Lizzy squeed excitedly. "Oh my gosh, I have GOT to make sure this ship sets sail, I don't care what it takes!"

Heinz blinked twice, then sighed in exasperation. "Well. She's taking this better than she did with her crush on V at least..."

Doll opened the door to Will's apartment to find him sitting on the couch. "Oh. You're back. Didya have a good time over there?" Doll nodded her head in affirmation and looked at the book Will was reading. "Oh, um... It's just... y'know... basics of the Russian language, you live in my house, need to understand you, that's all..." He replied. Doll blinked, then smiled.

[Thank you.]

"Hmm? I don't think I sneezed... Wait... Oh... Yeah, you're welcome..."

Just then, the door to their room pushed open, and Uzi peeked her head out. "Oh wow. JUST as I finished up!" Grinning excitedly, she rushed out and grabbed Doll by the hand. "Doll, I have got a HUGE surprise for you, come on, come on!" Doll tilted her head and allowed Uzi to lead her into their room.

Immediately, Doll noticed how unusually dark the room was. As if all lights were turned off.

Which they were, now that she realized.

"Alright." As soon as they both entered the room, Uzi shut the door as fast as she could. Doll looked around in confusion, before her mind caught up with what she was looking at.

[Th...this...]

Doll watched in amazement as countless shiny lights, shaped like stars, planets, galaxies and even a Moon directly above their bed Illuminated the dark room.

"Aha! I knew you'd make that face!" Uzi exclaimed. Doll gave her a look of confusion.

"Okay, so basically, after I heard you being all excited about stars and wanting to see one back on our last outing, I decided to...bring that dream into reality, sorta.

[This...this all...] Doll spread her arms around at the numerous stars surrounding them. [This was...all...your doing?]

Uzi grinned proudly and put her hands on her hips. "Yep! My skill at building stuff is the one thing in the world that I feel like I can take pride in, and it actually paid off for once! I made the shapes, had to make sure to get it just right so that it'd be authentic. Soooo... It looks good, right? Maybe I could've made the moon a bit bigger...? Eh... Either way, I added some lights in, the same kind you'd get from a night light, I made sure to get lights that would last a good long while-" She was cut off when Doll lunged and pulled her into a tight hug. "Oh! Uh... heheh... Guessing I did good then?"

[Uzi... Thank you, thank you so much, it's beautiful...] Doll whispered softly to her friend. [That you would go to such lengths for me...]

"Doll, you've done WAY more for me, all right? You have done nothing but make me feel happy ever since the day we first met, you've always listened to me whenever I needed someone to vent to, you've been the best friend a girl could ask for, this is the LEAST I can do." Uzi murmured softly, stroking her friend's back.

Doll sniffled, and Uzi saw tears on her visor. [It...It really is authentic... It... it looks just like the night sky from back home...] The two drones sat down on the bed, and looked up at the ceiling to admire the view, eventually falling down upon their backs and laying side by side together, just looking at the ceiling.

"...Glad to hear it. I really hoped it would be good enough..." Uzi murmured. She blushed as she felt Doll's hand gently grab hers. 'Holy crap she's holding my hand, holy crap...' She squeezed back despite her inner panic and Doll laughed softly.

[It would always be good enough for me, Uzi... No matter the quality... You made this for me in an effort to make me happy... Just the gesture alone is all I could ever ask for...] Uzi closed her eyes and smiled.

"...I...I'm happy you're happy..." She whispered. Suddenly, there was a knock on the door.

"Um... So... Is it okay if I see what the surprise is too...?" Will's voice sounded from the other side of the door.

"Uh... Yeah, sure, come on in." Uzi called back, prompting him to push it open. He stepped in, and blinked twice.

"...Did...Did you tear down a big chunk of the roof so you could look at the night sky?" He asked, baffled. Doll and Uzi exchanged a glance. Then they both started to laugh. "...What?"

Next week...

"Uh... Are you... going somewhere...?" Will asked Uzi. It had been a week since she and Doll had moved in with him, and she was getting bored.

"Just out to the junkyard." Uzi replied.

"Wha-Wait, hold on, why? Don't throw yourself away like that, I'm happy to have you around, I don't want you feeling like you need to go and live in the dump!"

"...Heh... Uh... Thanks, but actually, I'm just going because I need to get supplies for something..."

"Oh. Well... Take a sweater?"

"Literally don't need one."

"Ah. Right, inner heating. Uh... Don't stay out too long then, wouldn't want to lock up..."

"Yeah, yeah... See ya in a bit, let Doll know where I went when she wakes up. And make sure you properly explain it to her so she doesn't freak out over me being at the dump, okay? Okay. See ya!" And with that, she left, walking down the hallways, then out the door, down the sidewalk, and to the scrapyard several yards away from the apartment. Once she was there, she began to sift through everything. "I gotta build this guy a TV, how does he live like that, he's like the most boring human being on the planet, I swear..." She muttered to herself as she dug through the piles of discarded parts, occasionally grabbing something she could use and putting it in the sack she had brought along.

Eventually, however, she uncovered something she had not at all been expecting to see. The head of a drone popped out of a nearby pile of pillows just as she was passing by it. "Agh! Uh... Hello...?" She said awkwardly. The drone was unusual to say the least, with one eye notably bigger than the other and seemingly lacking a mouth, plus his arms looked like they were ready to pop off at any moment. The drone didn't respond to her, just staring blankly at her. "...Uh... Hey. Dude. You good?"

"...AAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHH!" The drone screamed.

"Ah! Wait what?!" Uzi asked. "Why are you screaming!?"

"Huh? O-oh, sorry." The drone came to his senses. "I was coming out to get some oil to drink, and I saw you and I didn't recognise you so I naturally immediately believed you were about to attack and-"

"Whoa, slow down there." Uzi said. "So...you got startled by me. That's it?"

"Pretty much."

"Okay, no need to scream like you're singing the opera."

"No use talking to Hoo-hah there, sweetheart." Said another voice. "He sings that opera at the smallest surprises."

Uzi turned to address this new voice, only to see a pair of legs where she expected to see a worker drone. Blinking, she looked up. It... WAS a worker drone. Only... he was... tall. Very... VERY tall. He basically towered over her, looking down at her with a toothy grin. "What, never been taught it's not polite to stare?"

"...You're freakishly tall."

"Heheheh... Yeah? Well, you're a tiny little gremlin, so I guess we're pretty even there, aren't we?" He knelt down and patted her head. "Now what are you doing all the way out here without parental supervision, ah?"

"Bite me!" Uzi snapped before making an attempt to bite his finger. He pulled his finger away last second.

"Oooh, little sensitive, are we? Heh. No worries, shortstack, I'm just messin' with ya. It's kinda what I do."

"Well quit it!"

"Hey, you can point out my flaws, I can do it back, kid. That's the way the rock crumbles."

"Oh, would you leave her alone already, Jax?" Said a new voice, this time female. "Do you have to antagonize every single person that comes here?"

"Awww, but it's so fun!"

"For you, not for everyone else."

The source of the voice came out from beneath a neatly built shelter made of car pieces. It was a redhead drone who was relatively normal. Except..."

"Holy crap, are you okay?!" Uzi asked.

"Uh...yeah? Why would I not be?"

"I mean... Your visor... It's like... half... cracked... Doesn't that seriously mess up your vision? And... Y'know... Hurt?"

The drone blinked twice. "Oh! Oh, this!" She pointed at her visor with an awkward chuckle. "It's fine, really, it stopped hurting months after it happened! Uh... You get used to having your depth perception a little bit wonky after a while! Heheh... Hi! My name's Ragatha!" She extended a hand to the smaller drone, who took it with a small frown.

"Uh... Heeeey..." She murmured. Okay, this one seemed normal enough, albeit a little bit sad...

"Hey, has anyone seen my other arm? I know it was YOU that took it, Jax, don't even TRY to deny it!" Another voice sounded out. Uzi turned to see another figure enter the scene.

"...What the...?"

"Hm? Who the heck is wannabe goth there?"

That was the question posed by...Uzi couldn't quite describe what she was looking at.

It was...PROBABLY female, if the voice was anything to go by...? Yeah, that's what she was gonna go with for now until she heard otherwise. Her body was made up of a messy, chaotic mish-mash of metal and other material parts. Her head was a strange triangular...something, with a drone visor which seems to have literally been welded to her head. Her body was a badly bent...Uzi believed it was a radio, which had some electric parts sticking out, as well as three limbs connected to it. A relatively normal looking drone arm, a drone leg whose foot was a broken banjo, and a segmented leg with a metal lid for a foot.

"...Wait, what did you just call me?! Wannabe goth?! Oh, you can just BITE me, you freaky... weird... THING!" Uzi snapped. "You look like some kind of weird mishmash... FRANKENSTEIN thing, so there!" The composite drone simply rolled her eyes with a light huff.

"Yeah, yeah, fair enough, whatever." Ragatha lightly elbowed her.

"Zooble, that wasn't nice, how many times do I have to tell you not to insult people unprovoked?"

"Ugh... Fine... I guess I'm sorry."

"Bite me!"

"You already said that."

"BITE ME!"

"You need new material, it got stale before the first one."

"BITE. ME."

"Okay, now it just sounds like an invitation."

"Uuuuuuugh!" Uzi threw her arms up. "What. EVER. Your name is Zooble! ZOOBLE! You sound like you came from some crappy Nick Jr. show!"

"See, you're making progress there!" Jax cackled as Zooble frowned.

"What are you even doing here?!"

"Oh, uh... well, the company... didn't really see much of a use for us, sooooo... we were sent here to get scrapped, buuuut the owner of the place is a really nice guy, so he just kinda let us... make our home here. Heh..." Ragatha explained.

"Yep, apparently I'm not 'aesthetically pleasing' enough to 'serve the human race' or whatever." Zooble huffed.

"They busted my eye when they were building me and couldn't fix it up, so... I was kinda dead on arrival..." Ragatha admitted.

"They said I'm too crazy! Not sure why that is though-AAAAAAAAAH! FLYING MOUSTACHES!" The drone in the pillows screamed, pointing up at the sky as a flock of birds flew overhead before ducking back into his fort.

"...Riiiight. Aaaand what about you?" She asked Jax.

"Too tall." He shrugged.

"...That's it? You're too tall?"

"That's what I said. I don't make their rules, kid, I just get screwed over by 'em. Real shame, would've loved to see how far I can push some snobby rich person before getting scrapped, I could go out in a blaze of glory that way, heheh."

"Riiiight..." Uzi shook her head and turned away. "Aaaanyway, I'm gonna get back to... Oh hey, a wire, I could use that." She grabbed the wire she found sticking out of a pile of trash and gave it a yank... only to pull out far more wire than she was expecting, as well as what seemed to be the face of a drone, locked in a morose expression.

"Jax! Did you bury Gangle AGAIN?!" Ragatha snapped.

"Heheh. Yep."

Meanwhile, Uzi blinked at the unusual sight. The face meanwhile scrunched up in an expression of sadness.

"Why are you looking at me like that? Am I that ugly when I'm sad?" The drone whimpered. "Oh...if only my comedy face wasn't broken again..."

Ragatha put her hands on her sides. "Jax! What did I tell you about touching Gangle's comedy face!?"

"Hey, I didn't break it! It was the metal pipe!"

"One you threw at her from the top of the trash pile?"

"Oh, yeah totally."

"Uuuuurgh..."

Uzi looked at the tall drone with a frown. "Wow, you just... REALLY like to pick on people, don't you?" She said flatly.

"Guilty as charged!" Jax said smugly.

"Yep. Been around YOUR type more times than I can count, and I just wanna say, you SUCK. Now... Comedy face, huh? You mean that thing over there?" She pointed at the split drone face locked in a smile on the ground. Gangle, as she was apparently know, sniffled.

"Mm-hmm..."

"Ugh... All right, gimme a sec..." Reaching into the pocket of her sweater, Uzi sat down, grabbing the face off the ground, and set to work. They expected her to be there for at least an hour, after all, Gangle's comedy face was a very complex piece of... "Aaaand done." It took twenty seconds total.

"Ah...my comedy face..." Gasped Gangle. With shaky...wires, she took the mask and gently slid it over her sad face.

"Yaaaay! Finally! I'm happy again! Wohooo!"

Uzi took a step back. The sudden change in behaviour was way too out of nowhere for her to not be caught off guard.

'She changed so quickly...' She said.

"Awww, that was so sweet of you." Ragatha said. "Gangle is always sad, so seeing her happy again is a rare occasion. Glad to see you make it possible."

Uzi looked at her with a raised brow. "What? How often does that thing break?" Ragatha glared at Jax, who simply shrugged his shoulders with a smug smile.

"And it takes forever to get the chance to fix it, so she's just stuck moping around and upset for most of her life..." Zooble sighed.

"Wow. That..." Uzi frowned at Jax. "Anyone ever tell you you kinda suck?"

"Only every day. And that's just the way I like it!" A celebrating Gangle was running around, when Jax stuck his foot out and tripped her, causing the comedy mask to fall off and shatter in two once more.

"Nooooooo! Whyyyyy?! I just got it back, it's not fair, you ALWAYS do this to meeeeeee!" Gangle cried into her... wired. Uzi glared.

"What the hell, man?! I JUST fixed that thing! Who do you think you are?!"

"Nobody. That's why I can get away with it." Jax snickered.

"Oh, is that right?!" Uzi stomped over, grabbed the mask off the ground and spent another twenty seconds fixing it up, Zooble turned to Ragatha.

"Okay, so this girl's a straight up genius, we can agree on that, right?"

"Yeah, she definitely knows what she's doing."

"There." Uzi handed the comedy mask back to Gangle. "Now avoid THIS creep at all costs."

"Oh, THANK YOU! You're the best ever!" Uzi blinked as Gangle wrapped her up in her wires in a big hug.

"Y-Yeah. No sweat." Gangle released her, and she casually walked up to Jax, who looked at her with a raised brow. She seemed to be studying him closely.

"What, ya like what you see?"

"Hell no. Even if I was interested in guys, I wouldn't go for a string bean like you. I'm just getting a sense for how you work sooooo I can do... this." She lightly tapped Jax on the elbow with her screwdriver, then again in the same spot on the other arm. Jax blinked, then laughed.

"And what was that supposed to-" His arms fell off at the elbow before he could finish that sentence. "...Well. Damn."

"Karma's a pain, eh?" Uzi said smugly.

"Is this what humans mean when they say to "unhand" something?" Kinger asked, before suddenly panicking outta nowhere. "Ah! I don't wanna be unhanded!" He quickly hid back into his pile of pillows.

"You deserve that, you know Jax?" Ragatha said. "Like I said. All that bullying will come and bite you eventually."

"Yeah yeah, whatever. Caine is gonna fix me up anyway. Those arms were getting crappy anyway."

"Pfft, sure." Uzi snorted, before a skittering sound was heard. Soon, a horde of roaches crawled out of Jax's arms and spread our to hide among the trash.

"See?"

"Bite me!"

"Would if I could actually open my mouth."

"Uuuuugh...can someone lower the noise...I'm tryna sleep."

Uzi looked over with a raised brow to see a very short drone emerging from their... 'shelter' of cobbled together trash. And when SHE was calling you short, that was definitely a sign that you were TINY. The little drone was wearing what seemed to be a jester costume, complete with a thick coating of white paint to make her look the part, and she was rubbing her eyes tiredly. Uzi raised a brow. "Uh... Clown...?"

The little jester drone jumped at the new voice. "Ah! Oh! Uh... So... You're not... thrown out, are you...? We uh... We'll have to build a bigger fort if you are..."

"Uh... No, I just came by looking for spare parts." Uzi shrugged. "Gonna build something and I need a few more things before I can get started..."

"Oh... Good... I... We just built this fort and it took forever and things just kept going wrong because of Jax and it was just a complete mess, and uh... Um..." She looked down and scuffed her feet against the floor. "I'm Pomni..." She squeaked out.

"Uh... You okay? You look like you're about to cry, pass out, scream or all three at the exact same time- weren't you sheet white a second ago?"

"Huh? Uh... Oh no, I'm not changing colors, am I?! Ah! Are your eyes okay?! I'm not hurting you, am I?! I'M SORRY!" Pomni burst into tears and ran back inside.

Uzi blinked, her mind catching up to reality due to sheer surprise.

"Okay. Anxiety much?"

"Hehe. Oh you have no idea-OOF!"

Jax grunted as he was smacked up the head by an annoyed Ragatha. With his own arm no less. Sighing, Ragatha looked at Uzi.

"Look, Pomni is...a special case. She wasn't exactly defective like the rest of us. She was thrown away because of...an accident."

"Accident?"

"Yeah, she basically-GAH!" Jax coughed as his own arm, still held by Ragatha, started choking him.

"Iiiiit's... complicated..." Ragatha sighed.

"Heh... Flashing... bright... colors..." Jax managed to choke out. Uzi was able to put two and two together at that.

"Oooooh. ...Craaaap..." She winced sympathetically.

"She's so scared of herself now..." Gangle switched back to her tragedy mode, seeing it was far more appropriate for the situation. "Poor Pomni doesn't wanna hurt anyone else..."

"...Geez... That's uh... That is heavy stuff..." Uzi muttered.

"Soooo, what are you planning on building, anyway?" Zooble asked.

"Huh? Oh. A TV."

"...A TV."

"Yeah."

"...Out of parts you found in the scrapyard."

"Yeah?"

"...Pretty sure that's impossible."

"The impossible can bite me, I can do this!"

"Now THAT'S the enthusiasm! You go girl!"

Uzi jumped at the loud exclamation from behind her. Wide-eyed, she looked around for the source.

"Up here, young lady!"

Slowly lifting her head, she looked up to find a hologram of...

"What in the everloving name of all things robot are you?!"

"Haha! That's the reaction I always get!" Laughed the hologram. It's head was made up entirely out of a set of VERY big dentures, inside which was a pair of eyes, one blue, one green. Floating above him is a small top hat, fitting his getup. A fancy red tux with black pants and shoes. In his hand was also a cane.

"...Is that an AI...?" She asked with a raised brow.

"Indeed I am, my dear!" The strange hologram flew right up in her face, causing her to take a startled step back. "You can just call me Caine! I've been looking after all my superstars here and making sure they're right as rain! And might I say, you'd fit in perfectly, so should things fall through at your current home, know that there is a place for you here!"

"Oooooh... Uuuuuhhh... Thanks, but... I don't... THINK that's gonna happen, my new... um... owner, I guess, seems like an all around decently cool guy, I don't think he'd kick me out or anything like that... But uh... I guess living in the scrapyard wouldn't be all bad, tons of stuff to tinker with..."

"Aha! You're quite into building things, aren't you, young lady?!"

"Well, yeah, I dunno, just started making little things when I was like... eight and it became sort of a hobby of mine... Y'know, stuff like little remote control cars... Uh... I made a little robot cat that got crushed in a door, that sucked pretty big time..."

"When you were EIGHT?!" Zooble exclaimed in disbelief.

"INCREDIBLE! You're looking at a bright future, I can tell!" Caine said enthusiastically.

"...Am I though? I'm just a drone." Uzi sighed.

"Now you listen to me, young lady! Drones like you are going to be the catalyst for great things coming to your kind in the future! If you're willing to stand tall and make something of yourself, the sky is the LIMIT!" Caine said encouragingly. Uzi couldn't help but smile just a little bit.

Jax snorted. "Yeah, he's said that to all of us at some point, and yet we're all still livin' in the dump eating discarded batteries." Uzi glared at him.

"Don't make me take your shins off too."

"This creative spark of yours must be stoked as much as possible! Please, come back any time you want! Use anything you want to build your machines! Just make sure you show me the results in the end, I'm curious to see what you'll do!"

"...Sure thing. Just one question... Uh... How exactly do you... work? Where do you come from, what do you do to help six drones at the same time?"

"Oh, well that's an easy question!"

Caine commanded a set of robotic arms made of rusty metal to grab what looks to be an old timer TV. It was different from the rest of the trash because it was in surprisingly very good condition.

"This here TV houses me! It is connected to the chips inside all these drones, and allows me to manage their systems and...other stuff."

"What other stuff?"

Suddenly, another hologram manifested, looking like a...bubble with dots for eyes...and a set of sharp teeth."

"Hi! I'm bubble! I'm the stuff Caine-"

Before it could finish, Caine popped the virtual bubble.

"Ignore him! Literally nobody likes him! He's the scum of the earth!" Caine said all too cheerfully. Uzi raised a brow at that.

"Ah. I... see. Uh... Well... It was nice meeting... MOST of you..." She gave Jax a dirty look. "Buuuut... I think I got what I need, soooo... I'm actually gonna... Uh... Crap, how am I gonna get all this back home? I'll have to make a couple trips to get it all over there..."

"I found a wagon the other day!" Gangle said, back in comedy face mode, pointing at the wagon in question. "You can take that with you!"

"Huh. Nice. I will do that. Uh... Thanks... Gangle...?"

"You remembered my name! Wow! No one remembered my name after the first try before! Thank you!"

"...Yeeeeah, no sweat, um... Thanks again... Bye!" Uzi loaded up the wagon and took off, ready to set to building.

Doll had been tidying up their room a little bit when she heard the sound of what sounded like banging outside the room. She stepped out to see Uzi hard at work building something. [Oh. You're back. Where have you been all morning?] Uzi turned to face her.

"Eh, just getting some stuff from the scrapyard. Just hang on, gonna be another ten minutes or so before I'm finished with this..."

[Hmm... That appears to be a...]

"A TV, yeah." Uzi screwed in a bolt and started crossing the wires. "Okay, this goes here, and this one's over here, aaaaaand... Okay, that's done, now I just need to build the screen..."

[I will leave you to it.] Doll said with a light bow before heading into the kitchen to see if she could find something to eat to pass the time. By the time she was done searching, she heard her friend let out a triumphant "Ah-ha!" Turning, she saw that the television was plugged into the wall, and it was working perfectly, displaying a news network.

[...And you built this... with your own hands? From scratch?]

"Hey, I had plenty of time to practice my skill over the years, I know what I'm doing."

[Uzi, this is incredible!]

"What, this? It's nothing, really, it's just a little tv..."

[I don't know ANYONE else that can build a television from scratch, you're a prodigy.]

"Wow. Uh... Heh... Ya really think that...? Me? A prodigy? That's... Wow..." Uzi looked at the TV. "Um...I dunno if I'd go THAT far, heh..."

[Uzi, you could do so much...]

"Could, maybe. Will? Debateable. Buuut hey, let's see what else is on, the news is way too depressing..." Giggling, Doll took a seat next to her as she flipped through the channels.

[How did you get cable?]

"Ah. Borrowed it from Ian and Anthony's room, sure they won't mind. Huh... Whose Line is it Anyway, what's that about...?"

Will came back from work several hours later to find Uzi and Doll sitting in front of a... a television...? The two drones seemed to have fallen asleep with a bowl of popcorn between the two of them, leaning their heads against each other, both hands inside the bowl, lightly touching each other, both wearing small smiles on their faces.

He looked towards the TV. It looked brand new, despite exhibiting some metal patchwork. It even had a clear screen!

"Huh...this is some great work." He said. "Though I guess I shouldn't expect different from Uzi."

"Hmmm...huh?" Speaking of, Uzi groaned as she finally woke up. Lifting her head up, her visor's eyes turned on and she spotted Will looming in front of the TV.

She promptly jumped.

"Gah! Holy...Jesus Will, you startled me."

"Oh. Sorry. Was I being loud?"

"No, you just... You were just standing there. Menacingly."

"Oh. Was I? Didn't mean to be a menace..."

"Uh... S'fine... You like it? Took a good couple hours to throw it together, it's not my best work..."

"THIS isn't your best work? A fully functioning television is not your best work? ...Might have to speak to Tessa about this, actually, you've got potential... Hmm... I'll tell her next time I see her... Huh. Doll looks at peace, doesn't she?" Uzi looked at Doll, who was still leaning against her... and holding her hand... And her visor flushed as she tensed up at the realization.

"You've done this before, you've done this before, it's nothing to be embarrassed about, you've cuddled up to her before, it's strictly platonic, don't get overexcited..." She muttered to herself. Suddenly, Doll stirred, then noticed their current situation and smirked lightly.

[Ah. That was a comfortable sleep.] She said, lifting her head slightly.

"Oh... Uh... Good... Glad it... worked out well for ya... Heh..." Doll rested her head on her shoulder once more, and she frowned. "You're just teasing, aren't you?"

[Perhaps, perhaps not, who can truly say for certain?]

"You can..."

[Can and will are different things...]

"...I think she might be trying to hint at something..." Will murmured. Uzi looked at him with a raised brow, and he shrugged. "Just a hunch."

"Right..." Uzi dismissed it. What kind of hint would Doll want to give HER? She was lucky she even wanted to be her friend for goodness' sake! Still, she was still leaning on her. And she hadn't removed her hand... What DID Doll feel towards her? She looked at her friend's face. She remained as mysterious as ever, with her small smile that did little to betray her inner thoughts. She looked at her, and the smile widened just slightly. ...Was it possible...? ...Nah, she was overthinking it... Just watch TV and stop getting your hopes up...

The next night...

Uzi slowly slid the door VERY slightly ajar, peeking into Will's room.

She soon heard the sound of snoring.

'Seems like he's asleep." She thought.

With a smile, she closed the door as quietly as possible. Tiptoeing away from the room, she arrived in the living room, where Doll was setting up the TV.

"Alright, he's asleep. Snoring like a hippo." Uzi confirmed. "Everything ready."

Doll nodded. [Yes. The TV has been set up, the snacks are here...] She pointed at the bowl of chips on the couch. [...and everything is going according to plan.]

"You know we only prepared the snacks to create the full experience, right?"

[Doesn't hurt to eat once in a while. I quite enjoy the salty taste myself.]

Uzi laughed softly. "Yeah, I get that..." She took one for herself and took a bite. "Soooo, why'd we need to wait for Will to hit the sack before we started this? Couldn't we have invited him to join us?"

[Will doesn't enjoy horror. He slept with the lights on the other day because he saw a creepy mask in the newspaper.] Doll chuckled.

"Pfft! Seriously?! Wow, I did NOT realize we were living with the ultimate scaredy cat!" Uzi laughed.

[Shhh. You'll wake him.]

"Ah, you know Will, you practically have to beat him upside the head with a stick to wake him up once he's fallen asleep. Now let's get to watching, shall we?!" Uzi eagerly grabbed the remote and changed the channel. It was playing a horror marathon that night, and the two drones wanted to see the whole thing to the very end.

[Have you ever seen any of these films?] Doll asked.

"Nope! At least not in full! Saw a few glimpses here and there back when I was still with dad, and then I got taken in by a bunch of snobs who didn't even HAVE a tv!"

Doll blinked at that fact.

[Normally I wouldn't have a reaction to that, but I have to ask...how did they even entertain themselves without the most basic requirement in a home?]

"Eh, they did have a game room with lots of games. Some boring like Chess and Checkers, and some actually fun like Table Hockey and Pinball."

[...Do I even want to ask why they has those?]

"Nah, would just ruin the mood. Let's get to watchin'! The movies will end before we even watch one second!"

Doll tilted her head to the side, then shrugged her shoulders and looked at the screen, grabbing a couple chips to snack on as they watched. The first movie was about a masked serial killer slaughtering a camp full of teenagers. A traditional horror movie setting, but hey, had to love the classics, right?

"Ha! Ah, that guy SO had it coming!" Uzi cackled as the killer decapitated the jerk jock of the film. "Ah, these meatheaded jocks and their toxic masculinity..."

[Indeed.] Doll said with a smirk. [A shame his girlfriend had to get caught in the crossfire, but I suppose there's no reasoning with a killer.]

"Eh. Long as I get my bloodshed and it's not cute little kids or adorable little animals, I don't care who's gettin' the axe, I'm in it for the carnage." Uzi shrugged.

[A trait I imagine many a human would find alarming in a drone.] Doll laughed softly.

"Ah, they can bite me, I'm allowed to have interests." Uzi sulked.

They watched the end of the movie, where the killer was implied to have come back, and then it was on to the next one. A movie about a serial killer that kills people in their dreams. "Agh, this is so much cooler! You can do literally ANYTHING with a dream killer!"

[Hmm... The killer is a bit... campy for my tastes.] Doll remarked.

"Aw, c'mon, that's part of the fun of it! He loves what he does and that's what makes him so messed up!" Uzi retorted through a mouthful of chips.

[Perhaps...] Doll shrugged.

The next movie was about a giant blob monster that gruesomely melted its victims alive. Doll had expected Uzi to be all in on it just the same as she was the other two, but...

"Agh, that's freaking NASTY!" Uzi grimaced, fidgeting in her spot.

Doll raised a brow.

[Didn't you say you liked bloodshed and gore?]

"Yeah, but...this is different."

[How so?] Doll asked with a tilted head. [It's bloody, visceral, and has plenty of horrific maiming, just like you said you enjoy.]

"Yeah, but something about people getting melted freaks me out. Like, the skin slowly turning all soggy and steamy, becoming all liquid-y and...uuuugh, I'm grossing myself out just thinking about it."

[That is something I did nit expect, seeing what you said before with the other films.]

"I mean, there was cutting and mutilating and blood and guts but the body was still solid and... Urgh... End. End, movie, come on, end, I don't wanna look at you-Holy crap it's melting a child, it is melting a literal child, oh robo-jesus this is not right!"

Doll laughed softly into her hand. [Oh... Come here, you.] She grabbed Uzi in an embrace and held her head up against her shoulder. Uzi tensed up and her eyes darted back and forth.

"...This. This is better. This is vastly preferable to looking at that screen and seeing half-melted screaming children, I am going to just... stay like this until the next movie starts playing." She said simply.

[That's perfectly fine. I'll keep you updated.] Uzi looked up at Doll for a moment, then smiled contently and rested her chin against her.

'...This... is nice. This is really really nice, I like this...' She thought. 'You know what, movie? Play as long as you want, the longer I get to cuddle up to Doll, the better.'

A half hour passed, Doll softly murmuring the important events of the film to Uzi, and when the credits rolled, Uzi reluctantly pulled away. "Uh... Thanks, Doll. ...Probably look like a total wuss there, didn't I?"

[It's perfectly fine. There is no shame in having your limits.] Doll assured. [Hmm? This next film seems to be about robots...]

"Oh, sweet, a robot uprising movie-Huh. Oh yeah, it's the one that people have been meming like crazy lately, some dancing robot girl..."

The film began, and not long in, Uzi spoke up. "It's pushing the 'technology can't raise kids' message, isn't it?"

[It would appear that way.]

"Pfft! Well, I know for a cold hard fact THAT isn't true. I mean, maybe a phone's not the best thing to take care of a kid, but a drone like her? EASY!"

[She doesn't seem quite as advanced as we are... It seems she is... following only her primary function... And being far too extreme with it...]

"Okay, real talk? Did you SEE the way that kid was straddling her? He was TOTALLY gonna do something bad to his date one of these days. Also, screw that lady and her loud violent mutt. In fact, screw dogs in general, one of my old owner's friends had one and it ended up tearing my arm off and making me chase it all over the place to get it back! Like, I was chasing that stupid fleabag all over the yard! It was a complete nightmare! I had to paint over my arm to hide the bite marks, and I stepped in the stupid thing's crap, and I was THIS close to falling right into it when I tripped, like I was just an inch away from landing facefirst into it, it sucked! And guess who got in trouble afterwards? Yep! That's right! THIS girl! So that was just downright cathartic if you ask me, screw those jerks!"

[...Oh my... That DOES sound unpleasant... Hmm. I can see why you take to quiet, gentle creatures.] Doll remarked, looking over at Garret's cage.

"Heh... I'll take a furry little noodle over a drooling mouthbreather any day." The two fell silent for a moment, and both reached into the chip bowl at the same time, their hands making contact. They both blushed slightly, but smiled despite themselves, and the scene showed the robot girl singing a lullaby to her charge to help her fall asleep.

THAT got Doll to freeze for a brief moment, a pang shooting through her heart.

Her memory card brought up a recording in her mind. One from her past.

She remembers it as clear as day.

It was a rainy day back then. The downpour was practically endless, so Doll was grateful that she was inside.

Sadly, the bad weather also worsened her master's health. One that was already declining by the minute. She remembers being quite depressed as her master's health got worse and worse.

She remembers bringing him some tea, to help stave off the coughing. She may be a worker drone, but she had no experience with medicine. This fact only made her sadder. If she was built with that sort of programming...then maybe...

Maybe her master would be better. Happier. Healthier.

"Uh... Doll?" She blinked back into the present day when Uzi waved her hand in front of her face. "You okay there? You looked like you were... out of it for a sec."

[Ah. Um... Yes, thank you, Uzi, I was just... remembering something... It was... a tragedy...]

"...Ah. ...You uh... wanna talk about it...?" No answer. "...Well, if you're sure, but I'm listening when you're ready..."

[...Thank you...] The two drones continued to watch their movies well into the night. When Will came out the next morning, the television was playing shows meant for kindergarteners and the two drones were fast asleep, cuddled up together. "Well isn't that nice. Didn't expect these two to be into such wholesome programming." He carefully bundled them up in the blanket and set them down on the couch for a more comfortable rest. Upon being moved, Uzi groaned and instinctively snuggled in closer to Doll, wrapping an arm around her. "...Wonder why they haven't had their first date yet..."

"Alright. You ready?"

[Most certainly.]

The moment has come. Doll is about to finally meet the neighbors. To be frank, Uzi was nervous.

And for good reasons, definitely! What if someone says something stupid or insults Doll? What if B and his crew do something dangerous and almost hurt or kill her? What if Doll ends up hating everyone and..."

[You're quite nervous, it seems.] Doll noted. [Is there a problem?]

"Uuuuuuh... No! No problem! Heh... Just that a bunch of the neighbours are total nutjobs or idiots that might screw us over in some way, and there's one I haven't even met yet because he doesn't open the door and all I hear on the other end is crying and screaming at the company for creating him and Ian and Anthony are probably lethally stupid and there's literal assassins living right across the hall and-"

[Did they do anything to you, Uzi?] Doll asked seriously. Uzi sighed.

"Well... No..."

[Then there's no cause for alarm. You know I am more than capable of defending myself should things go awry.]

"...Yeah... I know... But... I dunno... I can't help but worry, you're like the only one that I... I really, REALLY care about, I guess..."

[Oh... I'm touched, Uzi, but we must change that, I hope you can bond with some of the other tenants.]

"...Maybe...?" Uzi shrugged. Doll grabbec her hand with a smile.

[We will be fine.] She assured her before opening the door. [Which one shall we meet first? That man over there?] Uzi blinked, then looked over to see what seemed to be a twenty five year old man with glasses walking down the hallways with a big, dopey grin on his face, holding a Barney the Dinosaur plush toy.

"Oh my God, Barney, we're home! We finally made it back home!" The man said excitedly. "Maybe daddy will open the door for us, Barney!" He stopped when he saw Uzi and Doll, and he gasped loudly. "Barney... Look! More talking action figures moved in!"

[...Um... Hello.] Doll greeted.

"She's FRENCH, Barney! Okay! I know how to communicate with her! Watch this, Barney, follow my lead!" The man cleared his throat. "...Ohohohohon! Bonjour! Oui ou oui oui oui! Fromage! Pip pip! Cheerio! Tea and crumpets!"

[...]

"..."

[I...]

"What...?"

[I can't even...]

"Oh, did I do good? You hear that Barney?! I was so good they didn't know what to say!"

"Huh?" Uzi asked, reeling still from the confusion of what he said earlier. "What...are you even saying?"

Billy looked at her. "Oh look, Barney! This one speaks English! Hi! My name's Billy! My daddy lives here! He's in that apartment over there! I'm supposed to be with mommy this week, but she didn't pick me up at the woods, so I decided to walk back to daddy!"

"...You're... You're like... twenty something years old though..."

"No I'm not, silly! I'm seven!"

"...No."

"I'm not?"

"No, you are not seven."

"Really? But that doesn't make sense! I've only been around for seven years!" Billy gasped. "Am I Superman?!"

"...What would being Superman have to do with anything?!"

"Because he gets stronger from the sun! And mommy locks me out of the house all the time when she has her boyfriends over and I sleep out there a lot so the sun must be making me grow like a plant!"

"...Sure..."

"Yeah, my mommy says I'm too big all the time! She says I'm a freak and an abomination!" Billy said proudly, putting his hands on his hips.

Uzi and Doll exchanged a worried glance. [...Perhaps it is... a birth defect...?] Doll offered weakly.

"I was born like this!"

"...Are you some kinda... lab experiment?"

"Well mommy did try to sell me once to some weird lady with yellow hair and snake eyes, but Barney chased her away, he didn't like her very much. I don't know why!"

Uzi and Doll looked more than a little concerned at that. "So uh... You still have to see this woman...?" Uzi asked.

"Mommy was supposed to have me for the month because Daddy was busy having one of his episodes, and she told me I was going to camp, and so she dropped me off at Camp Crystal Lake! But I didn't like it there, there were just a bunch of stupid ketchup people! They had their stomachs cut open so all their ketchup was spilling out and there was weird spaghetti noddles coming out of their tummies, and they wouldn't even play with me! They're dumb! I hate them! But me and Barney found a new friend! He was a hockey player! He was CANADIAN! But he was REALLY bad at being Canadian. I had a stick that I was gonna beat up a leprachaun with to get his cereal, so I gave it to him so he could use it as a hockey stick, but he didn't know how to fight like a hockey player! And I tried to speak Canadian so he'd understand me, but he's a defective Canadian! I speak perfect Canada! Look! Eh eh, eh eh eh, please please soory aboot! Just like that! But he didn't get it! And then I had to go pee, so I asked him to hold Barney and went to go and when I came back, Barney was there and he was gone! It was so weird! He left his mask though! And Barney and I walked and walked and I got really hungry and fell asleep for a bit and then I found a road, so I waved to all the cars cause I wanted to say hi! And one of them stopped and they bought me McDonald's and they gave me a ride into town and I found daddy's apartment! I don't know where mommy went, I think she's probably at the bar, she's there a lot. ...All the time." Billy said all this without losing the massive dopey grin on his face.

"..."

[...]

"..."

ERROR/213274-INTERNAL PROCESSOR UNABLE TO COMPUTE INFO/:ACTIVATION OF SELF-DESTRUCT IN 3...2-*BONG*

Uzi's head rung as she groaned, grabbing her visorin her disoriented state.

"Uuughh...what just happened?"

[You almost delf-destructed out of sheer confusion.]

"Oh...I mean can you blame me?!" Uzi began, pointing at the 7 year old...man? Boy? Whatever!

"HE, a 25-but-actually-7-year-old person, just got dumped by his own mother on a slaughter scene in a forest camp, literally met the killer himself, survived, and...God knows what else!"

"I ate a pinecone! It tasted bad. Don't do it. It was really dumb." Billy said innocently.

"...Riiiiight. Okay, um... Billy... Let's... go ahead and get you to your dad's place, so you don't get lost or anything." Uzi grabbed Billy's hand and led him towards the one door that didn't open.

"Oh, good idea! That's happened before!" Billy nodded. Doll followed along, looking at the boy with her head tilted to the side. Uzi knocked on the door. No answer aside from a long groan. She knocked again, more forcefully this time, and the groan only got louder.

"Daddy! Daddy! It's me! It's Billy! I'm home, daddy! Me and Barney are home!" Billy called out. "...I've been away from daddy for a long time! I don't remember what daddy looks like!" Suddenly, the door was pushed open, and Uzi and Doll found themselves looking at... a puppet. A male felt puppet with a receding hairline, a moustache and a bulbous pink nose. Bill gasped. "DADDYYYYYY!"

"Ugh... Billy? Billy, why are you here? You're supposed to be with your mother!"

"Oh, mommy took me to camp! No one else was there, except for Mr. Bad Canadian Man, so I left and came back to see you! Did you miss me, daddy?!" Billy asked excitedly.

"...Uuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuugh... C-Come inside, Billy..."

"But Daddy, look! New friends! Can they come inside too?!"

The puppet turned to look at the two drones, who were very clearly trying to make sense of everything. "...Uuuuuuuuuuuuuuuugh... Fine... C-Come inside..." The puppet retreated back into the house.

"Yaaaaaay! We get to have a playdate, Barney!" Billy cheered, skipping into the house before stopping. "Oh! Here! Barney will hold the door open for you!" Billy held his plush toy against the door in order to keep it open for the two drones, who were still in a state of disbelief. "...Well don't waste Barney's politeness! Come on in!" Billy encouraged.

Doll, being the more composed of the two, shook off her confusion and urged Uzi inside. The door shut, and Uzi snapped out of her funk.

"Alright! Ima go prepare some cartoons for us to watch! Come on Barney!" And so, Billy skipped away into his room to prepare some shows to watch with Uzi and Doll.

If they even want to of course.

"Alright, take off your shoes, I don't want dirt on my floor." The puppet said. The two drones obediently did so, and Uzi looked up at the guy wearing the puppet.

"So why are you carrying a sock puppet?"

"DON'T YOU LOOK AT HIM!" The puppet snapped furiously, getting up in Uzi's face, causing her to step back. "HE'S NOT REAL! HE DOESN'T EXIST!"

"...Uh... Dude. Are you... mentally put together? Like, did you escape from an asylum or something?" Uzi asked, still looking at the man.

"YOU'RE TALKING TO AIR! THERE'S NOBODY THERE! NOBODY!" The puppet snapped, his voice cracking slightly.

Doll looked at him with a raised brow. She closed her eyes, and scanned him with her power. Her eyes widened once more. [Uzi... The puppet is covering a half-finished drone!]

"Whoa, for real?!" Uzi asked, eyes wide. She reached up to take the puppet off the man's hand. but the puppet leaned out of reach.

"NO!" He snapped. "NO! Puppet stays ON! Don't look at my face! I'm not finished! I will never be finished!"

"...You're a drone. And he's your son. How. Why. Is he adopted?"

"No. My ex-wife got drunk and proposed to me while I was taking my midnight walk, and I was really lonely, so I said yes! And then she just kept drinking, non-stop, for seven months straight! And then we had the wedding, and then THAT came out of her two more months later!" The puppet looked over at Billy, who was currently trying to use the TV remote on the microwave.

"Daddy, the TV's not working!"

"...Actually, her being drunk while she was pregnant with IT would explain a lot. Huh." He turned back to the other two drones. "...So she married me and we were happy! But then we had him and everything was downhill from there!"

"Mommy wasn't happy, daddy! She said she was faking it for seven years!" Billy said innocently. The puppet turned to him.

"...She... She really said that...?"

"Yeah! ...Daddy, does she not love you anymore because that guy always has his hand up your booboo? Is it because you like booboo things?"

"DADDY DOES NOT LIKE BOOBOO THINGS!"

"Or is it because you don't have a doodle?"

"WHAT?! DADDY HAS A DOODLE!"

"Hey daddy, why do you have a Hitler moustache?"

"...I do not have a Hitler moustache, Billy."

"Heil Daddy!"

"...D'you see what I have to put up with?! D'you see-Are you laughing?! Don't laugh at my misery! My life is a waking nightmare!" He snapped at Uzi, swatting at her with his little puppet hands to no avail.

"Silly daddy! You can't hit with your floppy little puppet hands!" Billy walked up behind the puppet and grabbed his arms, forcibly waving them around.

"Billy? Billy, stop that, let daddy's hands go!"

"Daddy! Your mouth is so BIG!" Billy pulled the puppet's mouth open. "Look! Daddy can eat his hands!" Billy forcibly put the puppet's hands into the mouth. They fit perfectly.

"Pff...pffft...hehehe..." Uzi started to chuckle.

"Stop it Billy!" The puppet yelled, before turning to Uzi. "And you! Stop giggling!"

"But...hehehe...it's funny!" Uzi couldn't stop herself and burst into giggles.

The father groaned in exasperation. He looked at Doll.

"Please tell me you won't laugh like your friend."

[Don't worry. I won't.] Doll answered. She did find the puppet's interactions with Billy amusing, but she wasn't so rude as to openly point and laugh at them despite the funny situation.

"Hahahahahahaaaaaa!"

Sadly her friend subscribed to no such niceties.

"Ah, and look at his big red nose! What are ya, some kinda clown or something?!"

"WHAT?! HOW DARE YOU! I AM NOT A CLOWN! DON'T YOU EVER CALL ME A CLOWN!"

"Daddy says that clowns are trash! He says that clowns don't deserve to be alive!" Billy said.

"Yeah! That's right! Clowns are the scum of the earth!" The puppet exclaimed.

"Oh yeah? Sure you're not just saying that cause you're scared of 'em?" Uzi said with a smirk.

"I'm not scared of them! Are you scared of every piece of trash you find on the side of the road?! It's the same thing when you see a clown! I don't get scared, I look away in disgust and try to put it in the garbage can where it belongs!"

"...Daddy says that clowns have less value than dog poop! He says that clowns are a dredge on the economy!" Billy chirped.

Uzi was clutching at her sides and trying to get her laughter under control. Doll was just looking at the puppet with an unimpressed look on her face. [What sort of morals are you teaching your child?] She chided.

"The RIGHT ones! He needs to know that clowns are not to be trusted and he should NEVER fall into that trap!"

[They're just trying to make others happy...]

"Oh, they make ME happy! Because I know I'm not THEM! I have my life in order!"

"No you don't, daddy! You keep saying your life's a mess and you're tired of everything and you wish you'd just self destruct but they didn't build that feature into you!" Billy chirped. The puppet looked down in defeat. "...Daddy? I'm hungry."

"...Okay, Billy." The puppet motioned towards his handler to walk towards the oven and opened it with his mouth before sticking his head inside. "Turn it on."

"I don't want daddy roast!"

"Billy..."

"I don't want daddy roast!"

"Turn it on, Billy!"

"No!"

"Billy. Help Daddy get a tan!"

"Oooookay, I think that's enough of that." Uzi grabbed him away from the oven and closed it. "YOU have a... A thing to take care of..." She pointed at Billy. "You don't get to take the easy way out."

[...Are you well, sir?] Doll asked.

"No! No I'm not! My wife left me, I don't have legs, and I'm stuck with him and his Barney doll!"

"Barney's fuzzy! Just like daddy!" Billy rubbed the puppet's head. "Fuzzy daddy!"

"...Billy, look for something to eat, I'm gonna go to the bathroom."

"Are you gonna cry some more, daddy?"

"Yeah. Yeah, most likely. Don't come looking for me."

"Okay! Love you, daddy!" The puppet just groaned. Billy turned to Uzi and Doll. "That was daddy! He spends a lot of time in the bathroom, which is weird, because he doesn't have a doodle!"

"Pfft! All right, you hungry, kid?"

"Yeah! I want macaroni! Do YOU want macaroni?!"

"Eh. Maybe some? I dunno." Uzi shrugged. "I'll see if you have any-"

"WAIT!" Billy stood in her path. "First I have to deal with the bad burny thing!" He looked at the over with a glare. Then, he grabbed an oven mitt and touched the burner while it was off. "Ha! You can't burn me this time!" He repeatedly touched the burner with the oven mitt. "Look, Barney!" He made Barney touch the oven before pulling him back. "Oh, you're not wearing the special glove, here!" He put the mitt on Barney's hand and made him touch the burner. "It's impenetrable!"

"Ooookay, you got macaroni and I don't trust you around anything like a stove or an oven, and since we live here and don't want the entire apartment to burn down, I'll cook it!"

"Wow, Barney! Did you hear that?! Our new friend is gonna cook for us! ...What is your name?"

"Uh... Uzi."

"Wow! Uzi! ...Is your name Uzi because you're leaky?"

"Uh... Nooooo... Oh. Ooooh, Uzi, Oozey, I get it. Yeah, no, it's U-Z-I. Like the gun." Billy gasped, then knelt down and grabbed her by the arm. "Oh. All right then... He's making me point my finger..." Billy started motioning Uzi's hand in ever direction, moving it up and down while making gun noises. "Yep. You're uh... You're doin' it, bud. You're winnin' the war, you're gonna get the medal of honor for sure."

"Barney! We're gonna get a medal! We're gonna be number one! The number one soldiers that kill all the bad guys!"

"You betcha! But uh... Number one soldier needs to eat, soooo, mind letting me go so I can cook?"

"Okay!" Billy released Uzi, then turned to Doll. "What's YOUR name?" He asked as they walked to the couch. Doll told him. "Wow! Kukla! Like a cuckoo clock! Do you pop out of clocks every night to wake up Uzi?"

"Uh... No, she's speaking a different language, dude. Her name's Doll." Uzi called over.

"Wow! Doll! Just like Chucky! He was my first best friend, but Barney got rid of him because he was a bad influence." Doll blinked.

[I see. ...And what does Barney think of me?] Doll asked. Billy stared blankly at her with a wide smile for several awkward seconds before Uzi translated.

"Oh! What do you think, Barney?" Billy held Barney up to his ear. "...Barney says you're cool! ...But if you're not like Chucky... Oh! Your name is Doll because you like to dress up! Wait right here!" Billy left the room, before coming back with a large box filled with various objects. First, he pulled out a green Christmas bow. "This will make you look nice and pretty!" He stuck it to Doll's nose, causing her to look at it, cross-eyed. "And you get a cowboy hat, cause you're a cowgirl!" He placed the hat on her head, tilted at a slight angle. "And you get a nice fluffy scarf in case you get cold..." He wrapped a pink feather boa around Doll's neck. "Aaaand some sunglasses to make you look cool..." He placed the sunglasses over Doll's visor. "And the special magic anti-burning glove to protect you from the bad burny thing!" He put the oven mitt over Doll's hand. "Wow! You look amazing! Barney! Look! Doesn't she look awesome?!"

Doll blinked several times. She could feel the various pieces of clothing on her. The snuggly feather boa, the cute little bow on her nose...

A small smile appeared on her lips as she remembered some old times. Back when she had her old master.

They would play dress-up a lot back then. She would wear countless dresses, hats, bows, suits, etc. Her master was really fond of that game. And as repetitive as it became, Doll just couldn't help but enjoy every last second of it.

If only she hadn't taken those seconds for granted...

"Yo what-pfffhahahahahahahahahahaaaaaa!"

Doll blinked and looked at Uzi, who was banging her fist again the cupboard as she wheezed.

"Oh sweet Robo Jesus you look hilarious right now! Ah, that's freaking GREAT!" Doll huffed and crossed her arms, turning away. "Aww, Doll, no, c'mon, don't be like that, I'm not laughing at you, it's just AHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!"

"Look, Doll! Uzi looks so happy!" Billy cheered.

[Yes. A little too happy, if you ask me.] Doll groused.

"I'm sorry, it's just look at the mirror!" Doll huffed and looked at the mirror in the living room. ...She DID look a bit silly...

[...Billy put a lot of thought into this outfit, and it's rude to mock it.]

"Ah, I love Billy, he's like a big dumb puppy!" Uzi cackled.

"I did try to eat dog food once! It wasn't half bad!" Billy chirped.

"Not healthy." Uzi reprimanded. "See? Big dummy of a puppy!"

*knock* *knock* *knock*

The trio was suddenly alerted by a sound of knocking at the door. Doll and Uzi blinked and looked at each other.

"Ooh! A visitor!" Billy jumped up. "I'll get it!"

He skipped over to the door and swung it open, snd Doll and Uzi looked to see who was there.

It was a woman of rather tall build. She wore a very long shirt with sleeves over her hands, as well as a pair of long, baggy pants that went over her shoes. She had black hair with small spikes that was arranged in a ponytail, and ger face...wasn't even a face. It was a white mask, with a red cross on the forehead and a pair of black, empty holes for eyes.

"Look, Barney! It's Missus Sick Lady!"

"Oh, Billy! You're back with your father! I thought you were supposed to be with your mother for... the forseeable future." The woman said with a tilted head.

"Oh, I was! Mommy took me to summer camp! But it was just a bunch of dead people and defective Canadian Hockey Player man who didn't speak the language, so I left!"

"...Camp...Crystal... Lake. She left you... at a place... where MULTIPLE news outlets stated was DANGEROUS because there was a KILLER on the loose?!" The woman spoke, anger clear in her tone.

"Uh-huh! We didn't find any killers though, just the bad Canadian man. But it's okay! I had Barney with me! He would've kept me safe if we did find the killer! ...I ate a pinecone! It made my mouth taste like sticky metal, it was dumb. I didn't like it very much."

"A-a pinecone!" The woman exclaimed perplexed. "Oh, dear! Are you feeling okay?"

"Huh? Oh yeah, I'm fine!"

"Are you sure?" The woman pried persistently. "No weird feelings in your tummy, no funny rumbping sounds, no pain, no nothing?"

"Nope! Not at all, Missus Sick Lady!"

She stared sceptically at him. "You seem fine..." She said. "...and you do have a remarkably high metabolism..."

She dropped the topic for later. "And...the...bad Canadian Man? Is that what you called him?"

"Yeah! He was SO bad at being Canadian! He didn't even understand his own language! I said 'Eh eh eh, eh eh, please please, soory aboot' and he didn't get it! And when I gave him the stick I was gonna use to beat up a leprachaun to get his cereal so he could use it as a hockey stick, he didn't know how to fight like a hockey player! And then I had to go pee, so I left him with Barney for a while, and when I got back, he was gone! But he left his mask! Look!" He held up the hockey mask and put it on. "Now I'M Canadian! Aboot! Aboot! Eh eh! Maple syrup! Poutine! Beavers!"

The woman sighed and facepalmed. "I...I see... Well... Your father is not... an IDEAL caretaker, but I am VERY glad you're not with that WOMAN right now, I HATE that they let her have visitation rights over you..."

"Mommy said the same thing! And then she locked me in a closet! But it's okay! There were lots of newspapers that I could use to go potty!" Billy said with a wide, oblivious smile.

Now it was Uzi and Doll's turn to be horrified. His mother treated him like that?!

And here they thought THEY had horrible lives.

"That..."

The two drones looked at the woman, who was now a bit different. Her entire body seemed to be trembling, her fists tightly clenched. Suddenly, some wet sounds were heard, and some unusual bulges began to grow on the woman's elbows and shoulders, almost ready to pierce through her shirt.

"That...horrible...despicable...cretinous...blithering...I'm gonna...once I get my hands on her I'm gonna...ooooooohhhhhh..."

A sizzling sound was heard, and Uzi and Doll noticed some trails of smoke rising up from her shirt, which was now dripping some sort of green liquid.

Billy, however, was unperturbed by this.

"Look, Barney! Missus Sick Lady is making green jelly! Let's have some!"

"NO!" The woman took a step back. "N-No, Billy, we've been over this, the green stuff is very, very bad for you."

"Oooooh. Because it burns! Like the bad burny thing." Billy looked at the stove again. Illeum looked over with a sigh.

"Yes, Billy, like the stove... Oh. Billy, did your father hire two more drones to help him out, considering his... unfinished state?"

"Oh, no, daddy has the guy with the hand up his booboo to take care of things he needs hands for! This is Uzi! She's a GUN! And that's Doll! She's the best doll ever! Look, I made her look super pretty and cool!"

"Oh..." Ileum said as she observed the two drones in the room. The one called Uzi didn't look like a gun. Did they install guns into workers now? Or is she just named after a gun? And Doll...

Well...he certainly did dress her up.

"That's very good, Billy. She looks so pretty." Ileum said kindly, patting Billy's head. The adult-looking-boy giggled in amusement.

"Hehe, thanks Missus Sick Lady!"

"Why does she call you missus sick lady?" Uzi asked with a raised brow, looking away from the stovetop. Ileum laughed into her hand.

"Oh, it's because my name is Ileum, and the first word sounds like 'Ill'. It's how he remembers to address me. It seems Ileum is... a bit too complex a word for his still developing mind."

"...Yeeeeah..." Uzi looked back at the stovetop for a moment. "Soooo, am I gonna have to cook more macaroni for you, or...?"

"Oh no no, I just came to do a routine check-in on his father's mental health." Ileum assured. "The poor thing struggles a lot in life."

"Yeah, well, I guess not having legs and needing some guy to keep his hand up your backside to help ya get around will do that to ya." Uzi chuckled.

"Daddy says that the guy with his hand up his booboo isn't there and he's actually flying. Like Superman!" Billy explained.

"Ah, yes, he is very much in denial." Ileum sighed before knocking on the bathroom door. "Kname! Are you in there?!"

"...Wait, did you say Name? His name is Name?" Uzi asked with a raised brow.

"Well, there's a silent K at the beginning, but yes, that is his name."

"...Why?"

"Daddy thought it'd be funny, because when someone asks his name and he says 'name' a bunch, they're gonna get super mad!" Billy explained.

The bathroom door opened and Kname stepped out. "Ugh... Hi Miss Ileum..." He groaned.

"Hmm. It seems your seasonal depression is compounding things." Ileum remarked.

"Look! Daddy has the Christmas tree up! But it's only November!" Billy exclaimed.

"Daddy needed some light and cheer in the house, Billy!" Kname said.

"Daddy... You could fit on top of the Christmas tree!" Billy said. "You could be the angel!" Billy grabbed his father off the puppeteer's hand, and then carried him over to the tree.

"B-Billy?! Billy, what are you doing?! Don't put daddy on the-" Billy put his father onto the very top of the Christmas tree. "...This... does not feel good... Billy. Daddy has a tree up his butt. This feels really really bad."

"AAAAAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAAAAAAAAA!"

All people in the room looked in surprise to see a certain punk drone rolling on the floor in hysterical laughter. Seriously, she sounds like a parrot with how hard she's laughing.

"See! It's so beautiful that Uzi is laughing in happiness!" Billy exclaimed.

"I...suppose it's...pretty...in a way." Ileum said, raising her brow.

Doll meanwhile was wincing in sympathy for Kname. That did NOT look pleasant at all. Especially since she knows drones are particularly sensitive under the back, where their lower and upper parts connect.

"Yo! So this is where mom went!"

Everyone sans Uzi, who was still screeching in laughter, looked towards the door to see a group of kids. At the very front was an orange-haired girl with green eyes, dressed in a red dress and with some...really strange, and really thin prosthetic arms.

"Soooo, what's goin' on-Oh hey, the big kid's back! How ya doin', big kid?"

"Billy!" The other kids excitedly began to crowd around Billy, who gasped excitedly.

"GUUUUYS! Hi! I'm home! We can play together more!" He pulled them all into a group hug.

A familiar brown haired girl stepped forth towards Uzi. "Oh. Uzi. Hello again. Um... Are you all right...?"

"Ah... Aaaaaah... Ah... Oh. Hey again, kid... I was just... Ah... Oh man..." Uzi rose back to her feet. "Uh... Making some macaroni. ...Thinking I'll have to make a few more bowls though."

"Hey! Don't use up all my macaroni! I need that too!" Kname called over from atop the tree, his voice strained.

"Yeah, yeah, hang in there, puppet boy." Uzi replied dismissively.

"Don't you mock me!" Kname cried out.

"Oh! Here, here, let me help you..." Ileum approached. "Kids, why don't you and Billy go play while we prepare lunch?"

"Yaaaaaay!" Billy cheered as he lead all the other kids into the next room.

Four teenagers stayed behind. Marie looked over to Doll with a tilted head. "Oh. So you're Uzi's friend then. She mentioned you when I met her in the hallway the other day."

[She mentioned you as well.] Doll nodded, extending her hand. [Uzi probably already said this, but my name is Doll."

Marie gave a closed eyes smile. "Nice to meet you, Doll. My name is Marie. Marie Korbel."

She likewise returned the gesture and shook her hand. However, the instant the hands touched...

*bum-bum*

An echo of a sound, like the beating of a heart, but...off, somehow, rung in her head.

Doll blinked. Marie stood and awkwardly waited.

"Uh...is everything okay?"

Doll snapped out of her stupor, and let go of Marie's hand. [I-It's nothing. It's a pleasure to meet you.]

"Likewise." Marie nodded. More steps were heard, and Marie looked to see two new people at the door.

"Oh, Leduc, Alma! Come in!"

She walked over to "Leduc" and "Hive" and led them in.

"Hey. What's up? Heard you were looking for mom, and we were bored, soooo we decided to come along." Alma said with a light shrug.

"Hey Kname, we're just gonna come in, is that okay?!" Leduc called out.

"Uuuugh... I guess so..." Kname groaned. "Everyone else is..."

"Cool! Thanks!" The other two teens stepped into the apartment, not even bothering to look to see where Kname was. "Huh. You got some new friends here." Leduc noted. "Did you hire some drones to help you out around the house since you have no arms?"

"I HAVE ARMS!"

"Yeeeah, those floppy pieces of felt don't count, dude." Alma replied.

"DO TOO! I CAN PICK THINGS UP! I DON'T NEED OTHER DRONES TO DO STUFF FOR ME!"

"Well, I gotta say, this one's got good taste in hair." Alma remarked, looking Doll over. "Yeah, you take really good care of it. You ever style it?"

[Um... Well, no, not really, I... think it's good enough straight...]

"...Uh... Huh. Got a foreign drone here. ...Nice." Alma chuckled.

"So am I gonna have to learn a whole other language just to talk to ya?" Patricia asked.

"She can't speak the language, but she can understand it no sweat! But uh... yeah, if you wanna know what she's saying, better break out those books, kid." Uzi called over.

"Uuuuugh... Learning's haaaaard..." Patricia groaned, slouching in her seat.

"Amen to that, sister." Hive agreed with a light huff.

"Learning's for losers! That's why I dropped out of school!" Kname called out.

"No wonder you went nowhere in life." Alma said flatly.

"...I WENT SOMEWHERE IN LIFE! I HAVE AN APARTMENT, DON'T I?!"

"Could've had more if you went to schoo-why are you on top of... actually, never mind, I don't want to know." Alma said flatly when she noticed where he was.

"I'm not enjoying this if that's what you're thinking!"

"Pfft! Get this guy a dress and a halo!" Patricia cackled.

Doll was about to get him down when there was another knock on the door. Mahiru poked her head into the room and looked around with a concerned frown. "Uh... Kname? N and I heard crying, and now you're shouting a lot, are you doing okay in here?"

"Oh, thank GOD Mahiru!" He shouted. "Please, help me out here! I'm getting bullied!"

"Huh?" She asked, stepping in and coming across the unusual gathering.

She blinked twice.

"Just what the heck is going on here?"

Patricia chuckled. "Hehe. With how many times you say that, I'm pretty sure that's yer catchphrase. The fanbase seems to agree at least."

"The...what?"

"Don't worry about it."

Mahiru just got more confused, but sighed and shook her head. "Nevermind. I've long since given up on figuring you out."

"Hey everyone!" Another voice said from behind Mahiru. She stepped away from the door, letting in another drone. An assassin, just like V, J and B and his crew.

"Ooh, is that macaroni I'm smelling? Could go for some right now!"

"All right, get out another packet of noodles, we're feeding a small army here." Uzi said with a shrug.

"Uh... Hello?" Kname slumped over as it became apparent Mahiru had forgotten about him in favour of observing her current company.

"Uh... Oh! I haven't seen you before!" She knelt down in front of Doll. "You're Uzi's friend!"

[Oh... Um... Yes. She... seems to talk about me a lot when I am not present...]

"Yeah, I can tell she cares a lot about you!" Doll blinked in surprise.

"School's teaching Russian now? Man there's a lot to remember over there!" Peacock exclaimed.

"Prestigious school means they teach you everything you need to know, especially if you're gonna travel the world and take shots for the scrapbook!" The male drone spoke up. "Uh... Hey! My name's N. Uh... You're... Barbie...?"

[...Doll, but... I suppose you were on the right track.]

"Ah, sorry, uh, I think I just heard your name in passing a couple times! Nice to meet ya! Uh... Hope we can get along! Worker drones... don't typically like me all that much, since... well... y'know... assassin..."

[Uzi informed me assassins lived here. I have had time to prepare myself mentally to encounter one.]

"Didn't know you had a drone, Mahiru! Good to know it's not just you and that lousy deadbeat hanging around that apartment!" Uzi called over.

"Heh... Yeah... I've had N for a few years now and he's been really good for me..." Mahiru chuckled.

"Aww, c'mon, you've been way better for me! I can actually do basic tasks without knocking everything over now and I can make small mistakes without getting kicked in the head or picked up and hurled out the open window!"

"...Rich people don't know how to use drones." Alma said flatly.

"'Use' and 'drones' are two words that don't go together." Mahiru huffed. "But that's neither here nor there." She took a seat on a nearby chair. "So, how long have you and Uzi been together?" Doll smiled and told the story, and Mahiru smiled brightly. "Awww, that's really sweet, I'm glad you two found friends in each other, it must have felt awful to just get... tossed aside like that, I couldn't imagine doing that to N."

"Yeah, I can tell ya right now, uh... It hurts. Especially when they literally throw you in a dumpster and put a brick on it so you can't get out and then the truck comes and you nearly get compacted to death but just barely manage to get out on time and then wander the streets aimlessly for a month until you just bump into some twelve year old that feels bad for you and takes you back home and actually shows you what a good life is. Uh... I wasn't a good assassin drone, heh."

Doll stared wide-eyed at him. [Ah. I see. I'm... sorry...]

"...Rich stuck up snobs, right? It's always rich stuck-up snobs. Down with the one percent, that's what I say." Uzi groused, overhearing the conversation.

"Yeah! Put them down in the top two percent!" N agreed.

"...Well, he's doing better about that." Mahiru chuckled. Suddenly, there was a knock on the door. "Uh... I'll get it." Mahiru rose to her feet and walked towards the door, pulling it open. "Uh... Hello...?" No one seemed to be there... until she heard someone clearing their throat. She looked down and there stood a small grey guinea pig, wearing a top hat and a monicle.

"Uh... Good day to you, madame! I am the booze inspector! I've come to sample your finest booze!"

"...Charlie. What are you doing?" Mahiru asked flatly.

"...Is that a talking guinea pig?" Uzi asked, exhausted by the sheer lunacy of her neighbours.

"No! I'm but a humble aristocrat here to-" Suddenly, Charlie was scooped up as Ian approached the door.

"THERE you are, Charlie! Hey Cyn, I found him, you can stop worrying now!" He called over to her and Anthony, who rushed over.

"Relieved sigh. Come, Charlie. I am not pleased with you." Cyn said, holding her hands up.

"No, you've got it all wrong! I'm the booze inspector! I need to inspect all the booze in this apartment!"

"Charlie, you're not the booze inspector." Anthony said.

"Oh yeah, and how do you know?!"

"Because the booze inspector's already in there!" Anthony pointed inside the apartment, where a well dressed man in a derby hat was sipping from a glass of whisky.

"Yes sir, this is definitely booze!" The man said.

"I've seen that trick several times, Charlie." Mahiru said, her fists on her hips. "It's not working on me. And...is that a cast?"

"Oh, this?" The Talking Guinea Pig said, pointing at the cast around his torso. "Nothing special. Just got into a little scuffle with Ian."

"Is that why he has a gauze over his nose and a multitude of scratch marks all over his face?"

"I'm still pissed about you biting off a chunk of my nose, Charlie!" Ian angrily said.

"Hey, it's your fault my arm's broken! Maybe you shoulda been more careful."

Mahiru stopped them mid argument.

"Excuse me. A CHUNK!?"

"Yeah! I'm scheduled for a surgery to get it put back next week!" Ian said with a smile.

"Yeeeeah, Ian's girlfriend was cheating on him with Charlie, so Ian responded by pinning him to a wall, punching him repeatedly, spiking him into the floor like a football and then slamming a cinderblock on him." Anthony said. "Charlie got his licks in, and then Cyn got mad that Ian beat up Charlie, so she kicked him in both his shins and fractured them."

"...There's so much wrong with what I just heard over there that I'm just not even gonna bother." Uzi remarked.

"Geez! You guys really shouldn't be fighting like that, you're supposed to be friends, you could have killed him, Ian!" N exclaimed.

"Yeah... You'd think a stupid little rodent like Charlie would have died after the first punch, right? Hahaha!" Ian pointed and laughed at Charlie, who responded by biting down on his finger as hard as he could, causing him to scream in agony and flail his hand around in an attempt to dislodge him.

"No! Father! You mustn't treat him so roughly! He's still injured!" Cyn cried out urgently. Eventually, Charlie lost his grip on Ian's finger and got sent flying across the room.

"I'LL GET YOU YOU BLOODY POOF!" Charlie screamed. Just before he hit the wall, something caught him telekinetically. "Hello, hello, what's this then?" He found himself floating safely back to the living room table, where he was placed down gently. "...Did I just bloody fly?!"

[That was a close one. You would have reopened your wound had you made impact.] Doll said.

"Uh... I don't speak Puerto Rican."

[...What?]

"Oh my GOD, Ian, she's a psychic!" Anthony exclaimed.

"That means she's weak against Dark, Bug and Ghost!" Ian remarked.

[...How did you know my fears?!] Doll exclaimed.

"Uh... Hey, guys? Still up here..."

"Shut up, Kname, not everything's about YOU! GOD!" Ian exclaimed.

"...Got a tree up my butt."

"Yeah, big deal, I had that problem last week!"

"Huh."

[...You're a strange bunch. That... That is for certain.]

"You rescued my dear pet. I am eternally grateful." The small drone Cyn said as she took a seat on the couch. "Criss-cross applesauce. ...I once had what you did. My father rescued me. Do you require a pink frosted sprinkled doughnut?"

[...I... will be fine without one, I am content with my ability.]

"I see." Cyn picked Charlie up. "Naughty Charlie. You are not to consume alcoholic beverages until your boo-boo has gone away."

"IF I DON'T GET SOME BOOZE IN MY MOUTH, LASERS WILL COME OUT OF MY FREAKING EYEBALLS!" Charlie insisted.

"At this point, I wouldn't be surprised if that's true." Uzi sighed.

"...That guinea pig needs to heal fast..." Ileum said worriedly.

"What?" Uzi remarked.

"Relax, little piggy, have some apple juice or something!" Patricia stuck the straw of a juice box into his mouth.

"HEY! DON'T GIVE HIM PUPPET DADDY'S JUICE BOXES! THOSE ARE FOR ME!" Kname called out.

"Piss off, you felt-covered wanker, it's the best I got!" Charlie barked.

"I DON'T WANK! I HAVE FLOPPY PUPPET HANDS! I CAN'T WANK!"

"Please don't shout that at the top of your lungs when there are children in the next room, Kname." Ileum groaned.

"Oh. Sorry..."

Then the door was abruptly thrown open. 'Yo, Kname! We just came by to raid your alcohol stash, we're running a bit low and funds are tight this month!" B said as he strutted in like he owned the place.

"Sir, we can't keep invading his home and stealing his drinks because you can't be satisfied with cheaper brands!" M-01 insisted.

"Yeah, well, your wife would beg to differ, you know she's after the hardest shit he's got. Oh, hey, look at that, the booze inspector's here. Hey, how's the quality?"

"Hmm... I'd say a solid five out of ten!" The booze inspector replied.

"Ah, good enough, here, lemme have some of that." B took a bottle and started downing the whole thing.

"Ooh, he got any cider?!" M-02 asked excitedly.

"Why certainly! it's right here!" The booze inspector handed her a glass.

"Honey, we really shouldn't be-"

"Hey!" Kname shouted. "Hands off Puppet Daddy's drinks!" B looked over and raised a brow slowly.

"...Whoooooa. I did NOT know what we were walking in on. Uh... Hey, I'm not judging you or anything, but I'm not sure you should be shoving stuff up your ass when you're in a room full of people."

"Billy put me up here!"

"HA! Ah, that stupid kid cracks me UP! He's the freaking BEST!" B cackled.

"Yeeeeeah, babysitting that kid is... interesting to say the least." L muttered as she trudged into the room, scrolling through her phone.

"L! Hi!" N exclaimed, waving at the taller drone excitedly.

"Oh, heya N." L responded casually, a small smile on her face. She walked over and picked him up, before embracing him in a hug.

"Mmmm...still as cute as ever."

"Hehe, thanks!" He said with a small blush. "You're looking cute today too! Did you brush your hair?"

"Oh, you noticed?" She said. "I did. Added petroleum for a shinier look."

"Ah, so that's why it's so shiny. Cooooool!"

"Oh, get a room you two! Bleh!" Patricia said, retching.

"Nah, let them be. They look perfect!" Mahiru said, immediately starting to snap pictures.

L looked at her with a raised brow while N beamed a wide smile and flashed a peace sign. "No, no, don't look at the camera, just pretend I'm not in the room, let's keep it looking natural! Ian, get out of the shot, please, hey, don't give L the bunny ears, you're so immature! Ugh..."

"Hmph. Be a lot better if it were V and J cozying up to each other like that." Charlie scoffed.

"It's just anything that even looks like a woman with you, isn't it?" Marie huffed, hands on her hips.

"Shouldn't you be into other guinea pigs?" Leduc asked.

"You ever see a guinea pig's boobs?" Charlie grunted.

"Uuuuuuh... Nooooo..."

"Exactly." Was Charlie's curt response.

"Don't say such inappropriate things!" Ileum barked.

"Ah, the kids are in the next room, s'fine. Hey, B, fork over some of that booze!"

"No. That is forbidden. Do not comply with this request." Cyn said with a frown.

"Don't listen to her! She's just a buzzkill, doesn't know what she's talking about!"

"Nah, sorry, I'm a scumbag all right, but I don't give addicts their cravings, just not my style." B replied.

"Aw screw all you lot, I'll get my booze one way or the bloody other!"

"Why is everyone invading my house? And why won't get get me off this tree?" Kname moaned. The door was left wide open, and three more people stepped in. "Ooooh, yeah, sure, no problem, just come right on in, everyone's doin' it, we're havin' a party at puppet daddy's house, everybody, come on in, grab some beer and have a good time, start blasting heavy metal music!" Kname groused.

"Um... Hi... I was just wondering if we could borrow a cup of sugar...?" A young woman with a head of long dark hair entered, followed by a pale blue-skinned girl and a thin, lanky girl that seemed to have a giant bladed pinwheel [covered by fluffy padding] stepped into the room.

"Who the hell 'borrows a cup of sugar' these days? This isn't the 1950s, sweetheart!" B exclaimed, taking another sip of Kname's drink.

"Sir, please..." M-01 moaned.

"Yeah, well, she wants to cook, didn't have time to go to the store, we're outta sugar, we just need a bit." The girl with the pinwheel grunted in a harshly gravelly voice.

"And please no cursing." The blue one said. "There are children around."

"I'll say whatever I wanna say, Smurfette." B snarked, before the pinwheel girl gave him a snarl and a glare.

Now to be fair, as an assassin drone, B has seen some horrible stuff...

But even he knows when to quit (I know, crazy, right?!), and this is DEFINITELY one of those times.

"Uhhh, heheh, of course, I'll say those things when OUT of children's earshot. Don't wanna corrupt the poor sweethearts, amirite? Hehe..."

"..."

"Please don't kill me."

"Ah, sod off, the rugrats are in the other room." Charlie huffed as he looked for the pay per view... inappropriate content channel.

"Charlie. No. That is forbidden." Cyn took the remote away from him.

"Agh, you never let me have any fun!"

"Wow, just about everyone's here! Oh, are we all hanging out today?" Filia asked excitedly.

"Apparently!" Patricia cackled. "Everyone's just lettin' themselves in now!"

"Hey, if you're gonna come in, can you get me down from-" They walked right past Kname, and he groaned in frustration. Uzi looked over.

"Huh. Guess you three weren't home that day or something." She said simply.

"Oh my gosh, hi! You're new!" Filia said excitedly. "And so is she!" She noticed Doll. "Did you two move in on your own? Did someone buy you?"

"We're a couple of street rats that Will took in." Uzi chuckled.

"Oh, that's good." The blue one said. "We've all agreed that Mr. Will needs more company beyond his pets. He's so lonely, we've sort of grown worried of him."

"Can't blame ya to be honest." Uzi agreed. "He's such a recluse. His house didn't even have a TV!"

"It does now?" The pinwheel girl asked.

"After I made it, yeah."

"Coooool." Filia said. "So you work with electronics and stuff?"

Mahiru perked up at that. "Huh...that actually sounds like Soda, somewhat."

Uzi looked at her. "...You have a friend named Soda? What's his dad's name, Juice?" Mahiru chuckled awkwardly.

"Uh... Yeah, he's a bit sensitive about those kinda jokes... But I should get you guys acquainted sometime, you'd probably make some crazy stuff!"

"Uh... I mean... I dunno, maybe...? Uh... Wait, so I have a few questions. Why does your hair have eyes and teeth, why is your skin so pale it's literally blue and why do you have a giant wheel sticking out of your spinal cord?"

"Well damn, couldn't be more blunt about it if you tried, could ya?" The black haired girl's hair said with a chuckle, mechanical whirring sounding off as he moved and shifted his body in order to look at her. Uzi's eyes widened. "What? Never seen cybernetic enhancements before?"

"Not with HAIR!"

"Hehe, that's right, bucko. I'm one of a kind, baby!" The living hair implant yelled, flexing the girl's hair like arms.

"Oh, would you quit your yammering, Samson?" A posh, masculine voice spoke up from the blue girl's side. Suddenly, to Uzi's horror, one of her twin tails was pushed off and fell to the floor, before a segmented cybernetic snake-dragon-thing slithered straight out of the girl's skull.

"Would it kill you for once to just silence that mouth of yours and be quiet for a change?"

"Oh, screw off, worm." Samson grunted in annoyance. "Would it kill ya to quit bein' a buzzkill every second of your life?"

"Oh PLEASE don't start, you two, come on..." Filia groaned in displeasure, burying her face in her hands.

"Leviathan... No. Samson wasn't doing anything wrong this time, just let it be."

"But m'lady, he's so... crude!"

"It's just a part of who he is, it's not fair to forcibly change him, you mustn't start fights at the slightest provocation."

"Okay, okay, what the hell is that, how are you even alive, you have a metal worm sticking out of your head, what is happening, I am freaking out right now, somebody explain!" Uzi said nervously.

Filia blinked. "Oh... Um... They're... kiiiinda special life support, I guess you could say...? Heehee... Uh, if we didn't have them, then we would literally die."

"Eh?" Uzi asked. "Die? Why? Uh...sorry, should I ask?"

"It's fine." Filia said. "Let's just say that...we've been through quite a lot, you could say. Similar to Patricia and most of her family. These guys are helping us live out as much as we can despite all the damage we received."

"I was even dead for a time." The blue one said. "That's why my skin is blue. Leviathan revived me and is the one keeping me awake."

She then gasped. "Ah! Right! I forgot to introduce myself!"

She grabbed her skirt and made a light bow.

"Sienna Contiello. But please, call me Squigly."

['Hold on...Contiello? Aren't those...?']

Leviathan looked over at the Russian drone with a smile. "Aaaah, you're familiar with them, are you?"

[Oh yes, they were a favorite of mine... Their murder was truly heartbreaking...] Doll said softly. B laughed.

"Ah, but the small fortune Tessa paid us to axe off the assholes that did it helped us open up our business, so at least SOME good came out of it, right?"

"Sir! That's extremely disrespectful! Sienna lost her family that day, don't try to make light of such things!" M-01 exclaimed.

"I DID enjoy slicin' that bitch Dahlia's stomach open..." M-02 muttered with a grin.

"Pfft! It wasn't satisfying because that bitch was weirdly into it, same way Kname over there's into having stuff up the back end." B scoffed.

"I'M NOT INTO HAVING STUFF UP MY BACK END! ...Okay, maybe a little..." Kname admitted.

"It's all right, M1, really, I'm just grateful my family could have been avenged in some way and they won't hurt anyone else." Squigly said softly.

"Wait, so where'd Squigly come from...?" Uzi asked.

"Pfft! It's cause when she was a baby, she saw the worm squirming around when her parents were trying to get her to say 'mama' or 'dada' as her first word, but because this guy was wiggling around like the snake he is, her first word ended up being 'squigly', so they made it her nickname." Samson snickered.

Uzi blinked twice at the thought of it. Then she imagined the scenario. And then she did everything in her power not to show that she thought that was absolutely adorable to imagine.

Doll had gotten up at this point. [So you are the daughter of Selene and Roberto Contiello... Your one public performance was the same night of the slaughter...] She murmured softly. Leviathan transferred the information into Squigly's brain, and she looked down with a sad smile.

"Yes... Yes, it was awful... And a part of me wishes they were still alive, so I could claim vengeance with my own two hands... But what's done is done, justice has been served, and all I can do now is move on, and hopefully return to the stage one day to carry on the legacy."

[Oh, I certainly hope so! I would love to see you perform again!] Doll exclaimed. Uzi blinked. She... was totally getting dragged along to some sort of opera at some point, wasn't she? Greeeeat...

She turned to Carol and Filia. "Okaaay, and what's your story? What with the metal head and the giant wheel?"

Filia sighed. "MY family was the one that killed HER family. My mom and dad didn't wanna be a part of that lifestyle, so we left to live in a nice urban neighbourhood, but they didn't like that, so they tracked us down and shot us all in the head. Samson here used to be attached to a dog and he was living in my house, so after they left, he saved me by fusing to my skull... At least, that's what he told me..."

"It's all true. Still pissed off that you didn't at least leave that fat frog guy and his drone for me to tear to shreds." Samson said to B with a glare.

"Hey, we slaughtered an entire mafia in the most gratuitously violent way we possibly could, just be happy they all died horrible, painful bloody deaths and move on already!" B exclaimed.

"Can we NOT with the blood and murder?" Mahiru groaned.

"And what about you?" Uzi asked Carol.

"Tch... Guys who made assassin drones thought it'd be cool to do that kinda stuff to humans too. I got pulled off the street walking hom from school. Taken to a lab. Got ripped apart. They put a bunch of machines and metal and crap in my body. Hurt like you wouldn't believe. Now I'm this."

"Oh..." Uzi said. She immediately regretted asking that.

[You poor girl.] Doll said. [Heinz never authorized this.]

"Whatever." She shrugged. "What's done is done. I can't remove these things permanently, so I was trained by B and his folks to better handle them and avoid shredding my friends."

"Ah, the good times." B sighed. "You were such a good student back then."

"Sir, she literally almost exhausted your nanobot supply and left you bedridden until you regained them...because you kept poking her with a stun baton."

"Kinda had that one comin' sir." M2 agreed with her husband.

"Hahahaha... Yeah... I was so proud of her." B said fondly.

"Don't push it, jerk." Carol grunted.

"So... You guys are all doing okay...?" Uzi asked as she stirred the pasta. "Like... you're all well and good? Happy and stuff?"

"Um... Yeah, we're okay. Just... making the best out of life, that's all." Filia murmured.

"Yeah, that's uh... That's just what ya do." Uzi sighed.

"Excuse me, Kname, but I need to borrow your toaster, mine broke and I don't have the right parts to fix it...Oh." Heinz cut himself off as he and Lizzy walked in to see Kname's current position.

"...Ew." Was all Lizzy could say, face wrinkling up in distaste.

"WHAT DO YOU MEAN EW! YOU THINK I'M ENJOYING THIS!?"

"But...didn't you say earlier-"

"I KNOW WHAT I SAID?! THAT DOESN'T COUNT HERE!"

"Alright, enough with the screaming!" Mahiru yelled, before turning to Heinz.

"Apologies, Heinz-san. Would it be okay if N were to help you fix your toaster? He has all the tools and parts he needs, I'm pretty sure."

"You got that right!" N saluted. "I'm here for any of your toaster fixing needs!"

"Oh that would be wonderful, I'm so tired of borrowing everyone else's toaster, what kind of neighbour does that? Just going around asking to use everyone's toaster? That's weird! Nobody does stuff like that! I mean really! Why are toaster parts more expensive than drone parts in this day and age?!"

"Ugh. Right? It's soooo degrading, they think we're less than freaking toasters, that's just insulting." Lizzy huffed, hands on her hips. Suddenly, the door to Billy's room opened, and all the kids came out.

"We did it! We found the buried treasure of Narnia!" Billy cheered, causing all the kids to follow suit. Then one of them noticed the large gathering, and one person in particular...

"LIZZY!" The little girl with long black hair cried out excitedly. Her siblings and Billy all followed suit and began to eagerly swarm the drone, who laughed.

"Guys, guys, easy now!"

"Will you come and play with us, Lizzy?"

"Can you read us another story? The one with the curses was really cool!"

"Lizzy, Lizzy, look at my hair! Isn't it pretty?"

"Alright, alright, one at a time kiddos!" Lizzy said, calming down the little ones and gently moving them to get up. "Now, what did I say about swarming with questions?"

"Ask one at a time, otherwise you won't get an answer." The kids repeated together.

"Exactly. Now, one at a time. Let's go back into the room and then you can ask me everything."

As Lizzy led the kids back into the room, Uzi watched in utter shock. Lizzy noticed and gave her a raised brow. "You want a photo? It'll last longer." She said flatly before she closed the door behind her. Uzi blinked owlishly.

"So she's NOT just a massive alpha bitch to everyone...?" She whispered to herself, hoping no one would hear her. Ileum did, however.

"Oh, she's really quite sweet, actually, mainly with the kids. She just loves to babysit whenever Ben and I have to go somewhere and their older siblings aren't available, and they get so excited to see her. She works with children at an elementary school, it's only natural she would have to be good with them. Now please do watch your language, dear, we wouldn't want the children to hear you."

"Uh... Right. Sorry." Uzi muttered, still stunned by what she'd just witnessed. Doll, meanwhile, smirked lightly.

[I knew there was more to that girl than met the eye...] She murmured. Then the door opened again.

"What's all this rumpus?" Seth groaned as he entered the room. "I never imagined such noise would come from KNAME'S apartment... Erm... Kname, are you... well?"

"Nope. I got a tree up my butt."

"Yes, yes, I can see that. Now the question I have is WHY do you have a tree up your posteriority?"

"Billy. Came home and decided Daddy was the angel on top of the Christmas Tree."

"Ah, yes. The boy. How I envy him. Though he constantly faces down the worst this world has to offer, he's so blissfully ignorant and foolish that he can't recognize what a dark, cruel, twisted place God's green earth truly is. No matter how hard, how desperately it tries, the world cannot seem to remove the rose-tinted glasses he's been gifted with since the day he was born... My innocence faded away the moment I turned five years old, and I've encountered less than he... How does he do it?" Seth sighed.

"It's cause he's a dumbass! He's too stupid to process that he's supposed to be traumatized!" Kname replied.

"Ah, that's right." Seth said. "Ignorance is truly bliss, as they say."

"Ain't that right." Patricia said. "Sometimes it's better to be silly all the time. That way the bad stuff won't affect ya!"

"Speaking from experience?" Uzi asked.

"You got no idea." The girl responded, her tone suddenly getting somber.

"Ooookayyyyy...shutting up now."

"Hey, Seth, come here." Mahiru said, bringing him over to sit at the table. "I'm sure you've had an exhausting day. Would you like some tea before the food?"

"Oh, yes, that sounds lovely, thank you very much, Miss Koizumi, thank you." Seth said with a small smile as she led him to the table where B and his crew were still sitting.

"So, what kinda bullshit did those little twerps put ya through today, Snake?" B asked as he sipped his third bottle of alcohol.

"Well, first I was pushed down the stairs, and then I was crammed into a locker for several hours, and then someone poured hot soup down my trousers." Seth said flatly.

"Yeesh. Sounds like you had one hell of a bad day, haha!"

"You would know very well I had a bad day, considering YOU did those things to me."

"Huh? I did? ...Doesn't ring a bell."

"It's because you came to work intoxicated today and we had a job at the school, sir." M1 replied, rolling his eyes.

"I thank you again for releasing me from the cold, cramped confines of the gym lockers. The odor was truly horrendous." Seth sighed.

"It was no trouble at all, Mr. Snakes, I'm deeply sorry for my boss' misconduct." M1 sighed. Mahiru gave B a glare, and he responded by shrugging his shoulders.

"Gimme a break, I have bad days too. Hey Seth, maybe you should take up drinking more often, it's a great way to make life feel good again for a few hours!"

"...I often question how you drones are even able to get intoxicated..." Seth sighed.

"Well, I DID want them to be as human-like as possible so that people would relate to them more, so I ensured that their inner workings would respond to foods and beverages the same way a human's would!" Heinz explained. "Of course, being relateable didn't seem to matter to the upper class, but then again, that's just expected at this point..."

Another knock at the door. "Heeeeey, I'm respecting your privacy by knocking but disregarding it entirely by coming in anyway!" And with that, the door was thrown open to reveal V, J standing right behind her, holding Crona, an exasperated expression on her face.

"She heard everyone's voices, and you know how she can't resist joining in a big gathering..."

"Hey V! J! Crona!" N waved them. "Nice to see you here!"

"Yo, N." V returned the greeting, before focusing on everyone in the room.

"Uncle N!" Crona said excitedly, reaching out towards the male drone, who grinned and took him from V's arms.

"Awww, hey, buddy! Man, you're getting heavy! You're really growing up, aren'tcha? Heh... Biiiig hug!"

"Sooooo, what's the gathering all about? We throwin' a party?" V asked with a smile.

"Hardly." Ileum responded. "It's just that I came to check up on Kname and see about his mental health, and now everyone started trickling in for some reason."

"Oh! Here!" N handed Crona back to V. "I'll help you guys out there..."

"Meanwhile I'm stuck watching everyone fill up my apartment while I have a tree up my ass."

"Language!"

"Oh, come on!" Kname said. "I'll speak whatever I wanna speak, you livin-MMMMM!"

Patricia shoved a cigar in his mouth. "Remember, no revealing that stuff."

Kname began to cough as he spat out the cigar, Patricia catching it in her hand, smoke spewing out of his mouth as he tried to regain his breath. "Ugh... Oooogh... Puppet daddy does NOT like cigarettes..."

V and J exchanged a glance. And then J carefully turned Crona's head away so that he wasn't looking at Kname's position on the tree. The two female assassin drones decided to take a seat on the couch. V looked over and saw Doll was sitting there. She blinked twice, then looked back at Uzi with a grin. "Hey, Uzi, is this your friend you told us about? The one you're totally not in love with?" She called over.

"Sh-Shut up, V!" Uzi snapped back with a blush. V snickered into her hand and leaned in close to Doll to whisper in her ear.

"That girl's TOTALLY in love with you, girl, you should go for her."

"Quit teasing them, V." J rolled her eyes.

"Hey, I'm just sayin'!" V shrugged. "They're totally gonna be a thing one day. It's my lover sense."

"Again, shut up!" Uzi said. "It's not like that, I swear!"

"That's what they all say, sugarcube."

"Ah, you-UGH! Forget it!" She quit, returning to the macaroni."

Meanwhile, taking little heed of the argument between her drone peers, Doll simply stared intently at Crona. His looks...he...

He looked so much like her old master.

Not PHYSICALLY, but... there was just something about him... He was small... He was so very small, and vulnerable, and innocent, and... thin... Not unhealthily so, but... he was so... SO tiny... It... It reminded her so much of when she saw her little master lying in that bed, unable to get up, coughing, groaning, expressing the pain and discomfort he was in, getting weaker and weaker by the day...

"Uh... You okay there, kid?" She jumped slightly when she noticed she was being addressed by the child's mother. The one with the twintails. She was looking at her with a raised brow. "You're staring at my kid like you just watched your kitten drown."

[...I am sorry, I was just... remembering something...] Doll said softly, rubbing her arm. [He is... like my... old master in several ways...]

"Didn't that guy throw you out?" V asked, frowning.

[Not him. I... had another one... One that I was very close with... He is... small... and... delicate...]

"...Yeah. Yeah, he kind of is..." J looked down at her son, who looked a bit confused.

[...Um... Miss... J...was it...?]

"That's me."

[...May... May I please hold him...? I...No, I'm sorry, I shouldn't be crossing boundaries like this, please forgive me...]

"Go right ahead."

[...Huh?]

"Ya heard me." J repeated. "Go right ahead."

[B...but...are...are you sure? I mean...he's your child...]

"And as his mother, I can't let him cling onto us and us alone. He needs to be comfortable around other people, otherwise he will never get along with anyone."

She walked over and picked him up. She booped his nose, causing a childish giggle, before returning and presenting him to her.

"Here. Say hi, Crona!"

"Oh... Um... Hi... Miss... Um..."

[Doll.]

"Um... Miss Kukla..."

V snickered. "It's actually Doll, kiddo, she just doesn't speak the same language as we do."

"Oh... Hi Miss Doll..." The boy said softly as Doll slowly reached her arms out and took him. And the second she had him in her arms, she felt overwhelmed by emotion. Squeezing her eyes shut, she hugged the tiny child close to her chest as tightly as she could without hurting him, trembling ever so slightly, gently stroking his back. In her mind... She wasn't in the apartment, surrounded by other people, and she was not holding Crona. No, in her mind, she was back at her old home, sitting in her master's bed, holding him close, comforting him as his illness grew worse...

J watched as Doll held her kid. Honestly, she was astounded by what she was watching.

The drone exhibited so much affection. Wait, no, scratch that. That wasn't affection. That was love.

Familial love.

As if Crona was her family.

Even if she and V loved Crona unconditionally and absolutely loved him more than anything and anyone else, they could safely say this was just BARELY a step below their own love for the boy...

He ONLY does it with them!

For this new drone to so quickly earn his affection...

"She is gonna be one heck of an awesome mom someday." V said to her lover with a smirk. "Who knows? Maybe she'll even have a human kid like us." J hummed in response, looking at the other drone's expression. She looked so blissful, yet so... utterly emotionally destroyed at the same time, as if she was remembering something beautiful that she had taken away from her...

"She's lost something." J whispered to V. "You can see it written all over her face. She's so closely bonded to Crona already because whoever she reminds him of is gone."

V grimaced. "Ooooh... Well... My point still stands, she's got what it takes to be a great parent, you gotta admit it."

"Yes... But... Is she emotionally prepared for it? It might be a bit too soon for her..."

"...Think Uzi knows?" J whispered.

Uzi was watching the scene while preparing the pasta, and she looked at her friend with a concerned frown. She saw the underlying pain. "...Doll...?" She called out softly.

Doll didn't seem to hear her. She was far too absorbed in the moment.

"Doll? Hey." Uzi called again. "Can you hear me?"

Crona noticed Uzi's calls and lifted his head up. He lightly pulled on Doll's hair to get her attention.

"Um...Miss Doll...your friend is calling you."

[Hm? Oh.] Doll snapped out of her moment and turned towards Uzi.

[Is everything alright?]

"I think that's my line, Doll, are you doing okay? You looked... sad." Doll tilted her head and looked down at Crona.

[Oh. Did I? I... I can't imagine why that might be...]

'...Yeeeeah... Not buying it.' Uzi said with a frown. She turned to the macaroni. It was just about finished. She turned to Ileum. "Think you got this from here?" Ileum nodded.

"Of course, dear, go and talk to your friend." She said assuringly.

"Cool. Thanks." Uzi smiled and then returned to the couch to sit by Doll's side. She put a hand on her friend's shoulder. "You listened to me, I'll listen to you when you're ready, sound fair?" Doll looked at her, then smiled softly and closed her eyes.

[Yes...] She murmured softly. [Thank you, Uzi...]

"Heh... No sweat." Uzi looked down at the child in her friend's arms. "And hey to you again, Crona. Looks like you're feeling a lot better than the last time I saw ya."

"Oh... Hi. Um... My tummy stopped hurting after I woke up the next day..." Crona replied with a shy smile.

"That's good." Uzi patted his head, causing him to giggle. "Glad to see ya up and about kiddo."

"Yeah, he's a resilient sweetheart, he is." V said. "When he does get sick, he rarely stays like that past a single day."

Hearing those words awoke more memories in Doll. Memories of her old master's disease. How it increasingly got worse.

How he could barely stand.

How he couldn't even move without everything in pain.

How he...how he...

She felt a hand on her shoulder and looked at Uzi, who was frowning worriedly at her. She weakly smiled back, then gave Crona another squeeze and closed her eyes, trying to force those bad memories away. Uzi sighed. 'Must be something REALLY bad if she can't talk about it...' She thought.

"...Your girlfriend has a real way with kids, Uzi. Better watch out, she just might bring one home with her before you think you're ready for it." V joked.

"Will you cut that out?!" Uzi snapped, blushing.

"Hey, I'm just trying to speed things along!" V shrugged. Uzi snorted and looked away. It was completely pointless to try and 'speed things along'! Doll didn't see her that way. She would NEVER see her that way. NO ONE would ever se

e her that way.

She wasn't pretty. Doll was the most angelic thing she'd ever seen in her life, and she was just some plain, punky drone that didn't deserve her! That was what EVERYONE back home would say to her. All her classmates... And probably her dad too.

Uzi clenched her fist. She doesn't know why she even calls that scrap heap her dad anymore. He wasn't there for her, he never loved her, he never gave her even a second of the day...

She suddenly felt something touching her hand. She looked down and followed to find that Doll was clutching her hand with her own in a gentle grip.

Her friend's face was filled with an expression of understanding. Like she knew she was distressed, and knew she needed help.

Uzi smiled sadly at her friend and returned the gesture. Suddenly, there was another knock on the door, and it was pushed open to reveal Will, as well as a massive, imposing figure in a brown trench coat. "...It's possible to be taller than Will?!" Uzi exclaimed.

"Oh. There you are. I've been wondering where you two went off to." Will remarked as he stepped in.

"Huh. Looks like we got quite the shindig goin' on in here." The tall man spoke, a metallic reverb in his voice as he carefully ducked down to fit through the doorframe.

"Oh, Ben, you're home!" Ileum said with a smile.

"Not HIS home." Kname remarked from atop the tree.

"Glad to see you too, Kname." Ben said, lifting his hat with a clamp that came out of his trench coat. He then looked around at the gathered group in the apartment.

"Well this sure is quite the ensemble."

"Ugh, can you NOT with the music jokes for ONCE in your life, Spit Whistle?!"

"Okay, first of all, that's just bassist towards all the horns and trombones in the world. And second, don't blow your rig, buddy. It's just how I play my tune."

"Uuuuuughhhhh..."

"Ah come on!" Patricia laughed. "They're not that bad! It's just good ol' fashioned dad jokes is all!"

The large man, Ben, approached Ileum and gave her a quick kiss on the cheek. She giggled softly and returned the gesture.

"Well... It seems it's about ready. Kids! Lunch is ready!" Ileum called as Will took a seat on the couch.

"Huh. Really nice couch, it's got room for plenty of people on it, how'd Kname even afford it...? Oh, hey, girls. You all right?" He asked Uzi and Doll.

"Um... Yeah, we're doing okay, Just... wanted Doll to get acquainted with all the neighbours and met a few we didn't even know we had." Uzi replied with a shrug.

"Ah, nice. ...Seems Doll's already made a friend." Will noted, pointing at Crona, still held close in Doll's arms.

[He is very precious...] Doll murmured softly, patting the child's back.

"Heh... Yeah, we might just keep him." J said with a smirk.

"J, come on, he might think you're serious!" V chided her wife, who patted her son't head.

"Ah, he knows I'd never abandon him."

"Oh boy, time to eat!" Billy cheered as he and all the kids filed out of his room. V and J tensed up at the sound of his voice.

"AGH! YOU!" V exclaimed worriedly.

"Oh hi! It's you again! No-pants robot lady and Will Smith Robot Lady!"

"But if you're here, then..." V saw the Barney doll Billy was holding and immediately jumped back onto the table in fear, crouched on all fours, wings spread out and tail standing on end, essentially looking like a scared cat.

Uzi and Doll both momentarily forgot their gloom in favor of blinking owlishly at V's behavior.

"Uuuuh, should we know something here?"

"Don't you dare tell them, J!"

"Same to you, V!" J responded, before looking at the two drones. "Look, all you need to know is that that toy is NOT normal, and you should never hurt Billy if you know what's good for you. EVER."

"I mean...not like we ever would, but...it's just a toy, right? What's so scary about it?"

"Hey, what's got you ladies so-HOLY SH*T IT'S BACK OH ROBO GOD GET IT AWAY!" B exclaimed as he ducked under the table.

M-02 froze up on the spot. "Nonononononononono!"

"HIDE!" M-01 grabbed her and hid in one of the cupboards with her.

Billy looked around in confusion. "Huh. You all seem kinda scared. Oh! I know what you need!" Billy held his plush toy right up to V's face. "You need a hug from Barney!"

*clickclickclickclick*

*vrrm vrrrm vrrrrrm vrrrrrrrm*

*foooooom*

Guns, chainsaws and laser blasters charged up as soon as those words left Billy's mouth.

"F**K NO!"

"What did I say about bad language!?" Mahiru and Ileum said at the same time.

Billy remained oblivious as always. "Aw, come on, Barney says he forgives you for last time! I don't know what he forgives you for though. This is one of Barney's nice hugs, here!" He held Barney up against V's chest and she tensed up.

"No no no get away get away get away..." She muttered, drawing as far back as she could and falling off the table in the process.

"Mommy...?" Crona asked, concerned, before turning to J, who took a deep breath.

"V, we were enemies that time, we're not anymore, I don't think he'll do anything. ...I hope..." She muttered the last part under her breath. V slowly pushed herself up, then moved back to the couch, wings still flared out, glaring suspiciously at the plush toy, before taking her seat by her wife's side once more.

"By the way, what's a 'F**k'? Mommy said that word a LOT, usually to me! Does it mean you love Barney?"

"N-No! No, do NOT EVER repeat that word, EVER! I do NOT want another 'lesson' from that THING!" V barked.

"It's a small plush TOY, are you serious?!" Uzi exclaimed.

"YOU DON'T KNOW!" B called over. "YOU DO NOT KNOW WHAT THAT THING CAN DO!"

"Ha! Ah, you're all just a buncha poofs, scared of a toy dinosaur!" Charlie laughed.

"Uh... Billy, maybe you should... go and have some lunch..." Mahiru said with a small awkward smile, pushing Billy away from the couch.

"And take Barney with you! AWAY from me!" V agreed. Doll raised a brow, then handed Crona back over to the clearly distressed assassin drone.

V did not hesitate in the slightest to embrace Crona deeply. She nuzzled her face into his and cooed gently, if a bit shakily.

"Oh, dear sweet child, you're back in my arms where you're safe from everything and everyone bad, especially that blueberry coloured nightmare!"

Crona got a confused look. "People have nightmares about blueberries? Why? Blueberries aren't scary."

"It's a metaphor, sweetie." Ileum said. "You'll understand when you're of age. Now then, everyone, to the table."

As they all got up, Uzi looked at V. "It's not BLUE, it's PURPLE. Are you colorblind or something?" V just hissed at her like an angry cat and J rolled her eyes.

"She just has a hard time differentiating between blue and purple, that's all." She was still eyeing the dinosaur. Billy took the seat next to B, who looked over.

"Oh, great, I'm stuck sitting next to Barney, yep, typical B luck." He groused.

"Did you hear that, Barney?! B is so happy to see you!" Billy said.

"Yeah, no, no I'm not."

"What? But... But WHY?!"

"...I... do NOT wanna talk about what that thing did to me. Hey, M and M! Get out here! If I have to be stuck hanging around the dinosaur, you do too!"

"I ain't settin' foot outta this cupboard long as he's out there!" Came M-02's muffled reply.

"You're on your own sir! Sorry not sorry!"

"Man, you are the WORST coworkers a boss could have!" B grumbled loudly. "Seriously, I'll be lucky to survive the next mission with comrades like you!"

"Good on us then sir! Consider that payment for when you filmed us during our date!"

"Ya kinda brought that one on yerself, B." Patricia said.

"Indeed." Marie was swift to agree. "Your attempts at ruining their privacy have caught up to you at last."

"Honestly, not even Hanamura is like that. He may be a pervert, but even he knows when not to breach others' privacy when he's not allowed to." Mahiru scolded.

B scoffed. "I don't have to take this, there's nothing wrong with wanting to make sure your employees are doing okay!"

"Dude, you're weird." Uzi said flatly.

"Oh yeah?! Least I wear pants!"

"...You're probably the only drones I know that wear pants, I'm pretty sure that makes YOU the weird one there." Uzi replied.

"Ah, you're just jealous cause I got style and class."

"Yeeeeah. Style and class. Whatever you say." Uzi sighed as she helped Ileum serve up the macaroni.

"Can someone get me down from here already?!" Kname called out. Mahiru was just about to get up to help, when the door was thrown open. "Oh, what now?! Everyone's already here, is someone gonna kill me and rob my apartment?! Cause if so, I'm right over here, fire when ready!"

"Oi oi, now what's all this bloody ringin' I'm hearin' eh?" A woman walked in, speaking in a thick Australian accent. "Somebody throw a party without inviting me?"

"Oh, hi Tessa!" Mahiru waved enthusiastically.

"Heya Miss Tessa!" Waved Billy.

"Oh, it's you Tessa. Thank God." Kname sighed in relief. "Please, can you kick these people out? They broke in and now they're robbing my pasta stash!"

"Oh, somebody cookin' pasta? Now I'm definitely upset ya didn't invite me! C'mon, there a free spot I can take at the table?"

"But... But... But Puppet Daddy still has a tree up his butt!" Kname whined.

"Now just what're you doin' up there, Kname? Y'know your little drone innards can't handle all those pine needles, let's get you down now, here we go." She grabbed Kname off the top of the tree. "Now where's that handler of yours, eh? Ah, there he is! ...Still just standin' there, starin' blankly into space, does this man ever talk?"

"DON'T LOOK AT HIM! HE DOESN'T EXIST!"

"All righ', all righ', here ya go, nice and proper." She put Kname back on his handler's hand. "Oh, lookit that, Billy's back! And how're you doin' today, little nipper?" She rubbed Billy's head, and he beamed.

"Daddy was the angel on the christmas tree!"

"Billy. Daddy had a tree up his butt for two hours. I need to sit down and rethink my life." Kname said flatly, flopping over as his handler rested him on the couch.

"Ah, still givin' your old man quite the workout tryin' to keep up with ya, eh? Heheh... Ah, wish I coulda stuck it to my folks like tha- Ah, the old gang's hanging out again, yeah?" She saw V, J and N. "And there's my favorite little nephew!" She pulled Crona into a hug and gave him a playful noogie, making sure to be gentle with him.

"H-hi, auntie Tessa..." Crona said with a small giggle.

"Well ain'cha just handsome today, eh kiddo?" She said, giving him a pat on the head. She then gave everyone else a lookover, and grinned widely as she spotted a certain redhead.

"Heya, Willy!" She said cheerfully, way more cheerfully than with everyone else. She quickly walked over to him and practically threw her arms around him.

"Man, has it been long since I last saw yer tomato headm How's my oldest friend doin', eh? Finally found some new company I 'eard?"

"Hi, Tessa." Will responded with his ususal blank face. "Yeah, I'd say I'm doing pretty good. Adopted some new drones who live with me now, here they are..." He pointed at Uzi and Doll.

Uzi looked over. "Uh... Hi?" She said with a small, awkward wave.

[A pleasure.] Doll said with a nod.

"Aaaaah, now this sheila's a vintage model, ain't she?" Tessa said, looking at Doll. "Not built with multiple language settings, comes straight from Russia... Now just how did you get all the way here, ah?"

[I was... sold...]

"Well, you got a better deal than most drones when their owners don't want 'em anymore, yeah? Got sent off to a home that'll actually take good care of ya, ain't that right, Willie? And you two are cute as a button!" She grabbed Uzi's cheek, and she responded by lightly biting down on her finger, not enough to hurt her, but enough to make it clear she did not appreciate that. Tessa drew her hand back.

"I'm not a kid, don't pinch my cheeks!" Uzi said with a pout.

"Hahahaha! Aaaaah, you're a feisty one, aren'tcha?"

"Yeah, yeah, been told that a million times..."

"Ah, lighten up, I didn't say it was a bad thing, Willy could use someone lively living with him to spice his boring, dull life up a little!"

"You can say that again." Uzi agreed. "Seriously, his apartment was so dull I thought we were in a black-and white movie."

"Come on now. It wasn't that boring."

"It was boring."

So came the sound of a chorus of voices, all from the people around him.

"Okay...maybe it was a little dull."

"A little? Boy if I didn't know better I'd say you'd have died from boredom in dere, Willie!" Tessa said.

"Well... I mean... I don't really need that much to be happy with life... Y'know? Less is more, right?"

"'Less' is putting it mildly." Uzi huffed.

"Don't you have any toys, Will?" Billy asked.

"Uh... No, I'm... a bit old to be playing with toys I reckon..." Billy gasped.

"Blasphemy!"

"Uh... So, Tessa, you haven't been around in a bit, uh... You been doing all right?"

"Ah, business is boomin' as always, I'm busy as ever, good thing I got my nannies to keep things workin' with Crona, yeah?" Tessa replied with a wink. "Heheh... But seriously, I need a vacation, I'm gettin' right tired..."

"Ooh, I have an idea!" Billy spoke up, catching everyone's attention.

"Since the entire gang is here, how about we watch a movie together!?"

"A...movie?" Marie asked.

"Actually that does sound like a nice idea." M-01 said, a finger on his chin.

"A good way for neighbors to bond together and just spend time with each other. We rarely ever hang out as one around here, so it would be a nice little event for everyone to enjoy."

"Let's watch a horror movie!" The kids said on unison.

Mahiru let out a moan and buried her face in her hands. "Pleeeaaaaase no horror movies. I can't handle the fright. I'd probably faint on the spot..."

"Eh, Doll and I just did a horror movie marathon the other night, we've had our fill for the week." Uzi chuckled.

"And also Crona can't handle it." J said, holding her son protectively.

"Awwww, c'mooooon, I haven't seen a scary movie in ages 'cause I'm attached to a wimp!" Ragnarok complained as he emerged. V hissed at him and he relented, crossing his arms.

"I'll see what we have!" Billy skipped over to the movie cabinet.

"I wanna watch Toy Story!" Kname called out. "I had a tree up my butt for two hours, let me have this!"

"You like Toy Story?" Patricia asked in surprise. "Aren't you an adult?"

"Even adults are allowed to occasionally indulge in childish pleasures." Ileum said. "I for one have several cartoons that still make me smile to this day."

"Ah, I remember the old times." Ben sighed. "I used to love Inspector Gadget. Got the inspiration to become a detective from him."

"In Japan, anime is one of the most popular type of show on TV." Mahiru began. "You'd be hard-pressed to find a family that doesn't snuggle up on the couch and watch anime all Noon."

"Exactly! And Toy Story is an absolute masterpiece!" Kname said. "Especially since the animation has gotten so much better nowadays."

"Indeed! It's almost as amazing as a high quality booze!"

"Yes, we get it, you're the booze inspector, you don't need to keep hammering it in." Heinz said, annoyed.

"Okay, daddy!" Billy grabbed the movie. "I hope Woody and Buzz manage to get away again. What if Sid wins this time?!"

"It's a movie, Billy, it's the same ending every time, now put it in! And don't touch the disc with your grubby little fingers, hold it through the hole!"

"That's what she said." Charlie snickered.

"TOY STORYYYYYYYYYYY!" Ian and Anthony cheered as they rushed to the couch.

"Oh boy, Toy Story! Can I come in?!" The Food Battle announcer asked from outside the window, standing on a tall ladder.

"NO!" Ian yelled back as he pushed the ladder over, sending the man falling down towards the ground, screaming all the way until there was a loud crash.

Everyone looked worried for the poor man.

"Oh dear!" Marie exclaimed. "Will he be okay!?"

"Doubt it, sugarcube." B began. "This is the 10th floor. Ain't no way he's alive."

Meanwhile, Mahiru was absolutely livid.

"You two! What the heck were you thinking!" She yelled. "He could be dead!"

"Ah, relax. He's been through worse." Ian said. "Ain't that right?!"

"Ughawaaaahhhhh..." Came the pained groan of the announcer.

"Don't look at me, he's the one who did it, I wanted to let him in to watch the movie, he could have sat next to the booze inspector." Anthony reasoned.

"And perhaps sample some of this fine booze!" The booze inspector agreed. Heinz groaned.

"Um... Are you all right down there?!" Squigly called.

"Ugh... Stevie... Stevie broke my fall... It's okay..." The announcer called back.

"Ian, you're lucky the only one that got hurt was Stevie, or you could have been facing a SERIOUS lawsuit. Do you even THINK about your actions?" Mahiru chided.

"Wait, can't that Stevie guy just sue?" Uzi asked.

"Pfft! It's STEVIE. Literally no one likes Stevie." Lizzy scoffed, waving her hand dismissively. Uzi expected someone to chide her. Instead, literally everyone seemed to agree.

*smash cut to after the movie*

"Well...that was an event." Uzi said, climbing into the bed.

[Indeed.] Doll gave a nod. [You took me to meet all the neighbours, and I met everyone.]

"More than I did." Uzi said. "Seriously, I did NOT expect that many people to live here."

Pulling her covers over, she laid back. "Marie's family is especially weird. They all got some weird deformity or are just unusual."

[That's rude, Uzi.] Doll chided. [I know they look unusual, but you know what they said. They didn't become like this of their own free will.]

"Yeah..." Uzi sighed. "I dunno, I just... They all had something bad happen to them and it's really messed up that that many people were just... hurt like that and all came together, I guess..."

[Oh? I find it rather beautiful myself. They don't have to feel alone. They have all suffered the same thing.] Doll replied with a shrug.

"I... guess...? Honestly, the REALLY weird ones are Ian and Anthony, because I don't know WHAT goes on when they're around, but it's like reality itself just... turns on its head to make things as stupid as possible."

[Ah, yes. their drone seems to adore them though, so it's clear they at least treat her kindly.]

"Yeah, but uh... they got her a pet that's obsessed with alcohol and can talk for no reason, instead of just... getting her a dog or cat or something..."

[Well... I think with her condition it's best that her pet is self sufficient...]

"No kidding." Uzi agreed. She didn't wanna talk about Cyn's unusual condition. She knew it was an uncomfortable subject, even for her...

"So, uh..." She attempted to stir the topic away. "How did you like everyone else?"

[Hmmm...] Doll thought for a moment. [Kname is...rather vulgar and short-tempered. Billy is sweet, despite his unusual traits. B and his crew are...eccentric, that's for sure. N is surprisingly sweet for an assassin, as are V and J and Crona. Mahiru is I'd wager the most normal of the entire bunch beyond Tessa and Ben."

"So, you like 'em?" Uzi asked. "They're a pretty interesting bunch, that's for sure. Really chaotic."

[Yes... And those three other girls... Even if Carol is rough... they're all such kind souls... And that Seth seems... well... I am admittedly very concerned for his well being, he seems the type to do something... drastic...]

"...Oh man... I do NOT wanna think about that... We have GOTTA keep an eye on him..." Uzi said with a wince.

[Yes... The stories he tells are... deeply disturbing, how can everyone be out to get him like that?]

"Geez... I know, right? Kinda messed up place IS that school?" The two drones were silent for a moment. "...I'm glad we live here..."

[Yes... As am I. Will has been a true blessing...]

"Yeah, he's probably the second best thing that ever happened to me."

[Second? What was the first?]

"Uh... You. Is that even a question?"

[O-Oh... You value me that much, hmm?] Doll said, blushing.

"No duh I do!" Uzi exclaimed.

Pulling the covers closer to her, she shyly looked away. "I mean...you were the first good thing that's happened to me ever since mom died. And..."

A small blush crept up on her visor. "With you...I feel good.".

[Good?]

"Y-yeah..." Uzi nodded. "Like...like I got nothing to worry about. Like I can be...myself. Without anyone to judge or tell me off."

[I see...] Doll nodded, smiling. [I'm glad to have such a positive effect on you.]

"More than positive." Uzi murmured.

Doll tilted her head, and Uzi looked away. "Uh... it's... It's nothing, just... uh... G'night, Doll..." Doll closed her eyes.

[Very well... Good night, Uzi...] The two drones remained in a comfortable silence as sleep took them.

Eight weeks later...

Doll noticed there was something off about Uzi lately. She was... a bit more silent and forlorn. She seemed like she was upset by something. And of course she was going to confront her about it straightaway. [A penny for your thoughts, Uzi?]

"Huh?" Uzi looked over from where she was absentmindedly stroking a sleeping Garrett's head. "Oh... Uh... I was just... thinking about something... Uh... There's... a certain day coming up..."

[...Oh. Is it almost your birthday, Uzi?] Doll asked, perking up excitedly.

"Uh... Y-Yeah..." Uzi rubbed her arm.

[Then why are you so despondent? Do you not like your birthday?]

"Not really, I haven't really had a proper birthday since mom died, no one else cared about it... All I really have is this recording of the last birthday I spent with mom. Y'know. Back when dad at least PRETENDED he gave a crap about me... I've been watching it a lot when you're off doing something else, it... I dunno... Takes just a little bit of the sting off, I guess..." Garrett seemed to sense she was upset and rested his front paws on her finger, looking up at her.

Uzi smiled and gave the ferret a pet on the head. "Man you guys have it easy. No memories to make because you can't understand 'em."

[So your birthday hasn't been the best these past few years?]

"Nope! Not at all."

[I see.] Doll nodded. [In that case, I'll make sure that doesn't occur this time.]

"Uh...what are you planning?"

[What else? A birthday party.]

Uzi blinked twice. "Y-You don't have to do that, I... I don't wanna be a burden or anything..."

[You are no burden, you are my dear friend and I want more than anything to help you through your past pain.]

"I... I dunno, I mean... I really don't need much, you're here and that's all I really need, I don't need a big fancy party or anything..."

[Noted. A simple affair it is then. We will do something to celebrate your birthday, my friend... And I promise that you will enjoy it.]

"...No talking you out of this, is there?"

[I will not relent for one moment.]

"Heh... Well... Guess I'll look forward to seeing whatever it is you have planned..."

Doll smiled and pulled her into a hug. [You will have your special day once more, Uzi... I will make sure of it...]

"...Hey, when's your birthday, anyway?"

[Oh. It was the day before we first met, actually.]

"That close together? Wow... And you got thrown out the day after your birthday, that's awful..."

[You were my gift that year.]

"Dammit, why are you so good with flirting!?" Uzi raged quietly as she blushed, her visor threatening to overheat.

[You taught me. I simply perfected the technique.]

"Yeah, right. That's only your natural talent. No way you learned that from me."

[If you say so. I'm just giving credit where credit is due.]

"J-just go to sleep!" She exclaimed, slamming her face into her pillow.

Doll chuckled and layed down herself, pulling over her covers.

[Night, Uzi.]

"Night, Doll."

And so the two drones drifted off into sleep, welcoming each other's company like all the nights before.

And that was why Doll was currently asking for all of the neighbours to attend Uzi's birthday party the following week. Mahiru and N seemed all too eager to come, as did Billy. Seth agreed, saying he had no other matters to attend to, and V and J, as well as Ileum and the children, seemed to want to come because it would be fun for their children. Filia, Sienna and Carol were all too happy to get to know their new neighbours a little more, so that just left two more guests. First, she went to see Ian and Anthony, the party inviations she had hand written in hand, and knocked on their door.

Anthony pulled the door open. "Oh, hey, Doll! What's up?"

[Ah. Hello. Um... Here...] She held up the invitations for the two men and Cyn, before noticing Ian sitting on the couch, in a full body cast. She blinked twice, then looked at Anthony quizzically.

"He got really badly burned recently." He explained. Doll tilted her head. "Ah. You wanna know how. Well..."

[Flashback]

Ian was taking a bath with a Thomas the Tank Engine toy. "I didn't know you liked water so much, Thomas! What's that? You want the brave little toaster to join us? Okaaaaay!" Ian dropped the toaster in the bathtub with him.

[End flashback]

"And that's basically the entire thing."

Doll blinked. Then she blinked again.

[Are you real?]

At that, Anthony got a confused expression. "Uhhh...yeah? We're real...I think?"

Doll shook her head and sighed. [Nevermind. Here.]

Handing the invitations, she observed as they read through it's contents.

Anthony suddenly got a huge grin on his face. "Ooh, a birthday party for Uzi!" He ran over to Ian, and waved the invite in his face.

"Look Ian! We've been invited to a birthday party! Isn't that awesome?! I can't wait!"

The response he got?

"Mmm by! Mm lv prties!"

"Cyn! Cyn, we're going to a birthday party this week!" Anthony ran off, leaving Ian alone.

"Mm nthny? Cn oo pss mm wtr- mm, ll gt mmt..." Ian tried to reach for a glass of water on the table, only to end up falling forward through the glass table and fall flat on his face on multiple shards of glass.

After making sure Ian didn't die or get severely injured from his accident, Doll next went to ask B and his crew if they were interested in coming. "Oooh, yeeeeah, sorry, kid, but we're not gonna be able to make it, see... we kinda got a job that day that we can't put off. Uh... I'll give L hers though! She'll totally go if that scumbag N's gonna be there..."

[...He seems like a wonderful partner though-]

"I DON'T WANT ANYONE DATING MY BABY!"

[...I... see... Um... Thank you, B... I'm going to... go now...] Doll awkwardly left as B started ranting angrily about how N was 'stealing his daughter'. [All right... The last one of the day is Heinz and Lizzy... Hmm... Will Uzi want Lizzy at the party...? She doesn't seem to like her... But I can't... not invite her, that would be extremely disrespectful... I'll... Keep an eye on her... And make sure she... doesn't antagonize her...] She knocked on Heinz's door, and it was pulled open. Heinz stood on the other side.

"Ah, Doll, you're just in time! I forgot to tell you something about your powers, please come in and... Oh, what's this? Ah, a birthday party! I haven't been to one since... Um... Well, actually, the only birthday parties I've ever been to are Lizzy's and the ones Lizzy threw for me, my parents weren't all that big on birthday parties. I mean, they didn't even show up on the day of my actual birth, so I guess I should have seen that coming, right?"

[...What?]

"Yeah, apparently his own parents didn't show up for his own birth. I dunno if it was some eldritch force at play or something, but he was somehow born without his parents."

"Oh, come on, it's plenty understandable!" Heinz exclaimed.

"No."

[No it isn't.]

"Hmph!" He flicked his nose up. "You don't know anything."

Lizzy shook her head with a sigh, and looked at Doll again. "Anyway, what's this about a birthday again?"

[Uzi's birthday is coming up and I want to throw a party for her. She's had... very lonely birthdays since she lost her mother and... I want to improve that...]

"Ooooh, throwing her a party to make her happy. Sounds like you two are getting really close." Lizzy nudged her with her elbow and smirked. Doll tilted her head.

[She is a dear friend, yes.]

"Ugh! Are you really gonna do the whole 'we're just friends' crap every time someone mentions the possibility of you-"

"Ah, Lizzy, don't you have to go and babysit Ileum and Ben's youngest today?" Heinz interrupted.

"Oh geez, you're right, I gotta get going! Doll, hook up with Uzi already, I'm out!" Lizzy hurried out the door. Doll watched after her with a tilted head. She... WANTED her to be with Uzi? Didn't she have a crush on her though...?

"Don't be surprised." Heinz's voice pulled her out of her musings.

"She's like that all the time. When her flirting fails because her interest likes someone else, she does her best to keep them happy together."

He chuckled as he remembered one of those instances. "Heh, I remember this one time where Lizzy was helping one of her friends hook up with another partner after her first one died two months back. She had no idea how to help her though, so she consulted the dead boyfriend."

[Huh? How?]

"What do you mean how? Did we not talk about-oh. Oh, right, I didn't tell you that yet." He suddenly remembered. "Well, remember how I told you how every drone has a small connection to the Absolute Solver Program?"

Doll gave a nod.

"So basically, when a drone dies, their systems put in a last ditch effort to keep them alive and transfer what remains of their conciousness into the Absolute Solver. Originally I planned the program to be a saving mechanism for drones so they can be transferred into new bodies and live on again, but there was a huge risk of accidentally deleting the entire drone from the system, so I canceled it. Now all the personalities of dead drones float around in the program and make the drones using it stronger with every death. Creepy, but it's useful."

Doll blinked twice. [...We have... a consciousness after we lose our bodies...?] Doll asked softly.

"Well of course! It just sort of happened that way. It's kind of like a ghost in a way."

[...What if a drone that had a stronger connection to the absolute solver interacted with such things...?]

"Well, that's hard to say for sure, but if Uzi's mother is really dead, then there's every chance that her consciousness is still with her, watching over her. After all, if she was as lonely as you say she was, then I can't imagine she'd want to leave her behind! So maybe if you can find that, then we can find out just how you would interact with the spirits of deceased drones, oh, this is so exciting, I can't wait to see how this turns out!"

[...I will go and see right now...] Doll murmured. [Thank you, doctor... And we will see you at the party next week.] Doll hurried out of the room and back to Will's apartment where Uzi was still asleep. She had woken up earlier than her to get these invitations out. Doll smiled at the sleeping Uzi, gently running her fingers through her hair, causing her to turn slightly, before she closed her eyes, focused her power, and then opened them again. There was... something. It was invisible to the naked eye, but the enhanced senses of the Absolute Solver allowed her to see it very clearly. It appeared in the form of a small blue orb, with the familiar eyes of a drone. It was looking down at Uzi affectionately, clearly pleased to see she was doing well, before it noticed it was being watched. It made direct eye contact with Doll, who blinked twice, then slowly reached her hand out to touch it. The orb made no effort to shy away, in fact it seemed to float closer into her touch, and when Doll felt her hands make contact with it, she picked it up and held it close. It was... an unusual sensation, one that was hard to put into words. It was light, almost weightless in her hold, and it felt like she was holding onto a glass orb. So this was what the consciousness of a drone looked like when it was severed from its host body... The consciousness of Uzi's mother looked up at her. It was extremely clear to her that it was immensely happy to interact with her. Doll looked at the sleeping Uzi, then back at the small orb in her hands. It had the same violet eye color. [You are... Uzi's mother... You've been watching over her all this time, have you not?] The orb bobbed up and down at a fast pace, as if nodding its head rapidly.

Doll smiled. So even after death, her mother never stopped watching over her daughter...

[That's wonderful.] She said. [You are truly a devoted parent to persist for so long to keep her safe.]

The orb's eyes formed into an eye smile, small motes of light escaping it.

[But...you are unable to interact with her.] She continued. [I can only speak with you like this because I use the Absolute Solver. Uzi isn't at my level, or anywhere near it to even perceive you.]

The orb suddenly looked down in sandess. It's light seemed to dim a little. As if it lost some of it's happiness.

[Still... It is at least highly comforting that at least one of her parents is still looking after her in their own way.] As soon as she finished that sentence, the little orb in her hands narrowed its eyes in pure wrath and started to flare up like a fireball. [Yes, I felt you probably wouldn't have a strong opinion of your ex-husband any longer knowing what I know...] She pulled Uzi's mother into an embrace, and she nuzzled against her chest like an affectionate cat. Doll lightly stroked her. [Hmm... Heinz wanted me to see if I could interact with you... And... if I can hold you like this, then... perhaps... I can find a way to... to help you... To give you a chance to reconnect with Uzi after all these years...] The fireball looked up at her with wide eyes. [May I take you to Heinz? He may not be able to see you. But I would like to explain the situation to him... and see if we cannot work something out.] Uzi's mother nodded in response before taking a moment to float over to the still sleeping Uzi, lightly nudging her forehead where her mouth would have been if she'd had one. Doll assumed that she was attempting to kiss Uzi before coming along with her. Doll held out her hands to grab the little orb once more. [I just hope Heinz has a solution...]

She knocked on the door once again, and Heinz pulled it open. "Ah, you're back already! Any results?"

[I have her... I have her right here in my hands...] Doll murmured, holding the little orb up. Heinz blinked twice.

"Um... Looks like you're the only one that can see her. What does she look like?"

[She is... a small round orb, with Uzi's eyes...]

"Oh, that's so precious, the ghosts of my creations sound adorable-Oh, that doesn't sound right to say at all, I am so sorry, Mrs. Doorman, please, come in and we can discuss this further, have a seat, I have some peanuts on the table if you want some. So now that we have the consciousness... I wonder... Knowing the power of those who have mastered the absolute solver... Doll... We just might be able to transfer her consciousness!"

[...We can do that? How?]

"Considering you're a drone, you could have an easier time handling the conciousness of another drone due to being exposed to it's details directly, unlike a human who doesn't understand every little layer and piece of data a drones conciousness contains."

He reached into his pocket. "As for the transfer part..."

He pulled out a chip labeled with the world S in orange. "This chip contains the management data for the security system of the entire building. Using this, you could have Absolute Solver slowly transfer the conciousness of Uzi's mother bit by bit into the system, allowing her to take a proper form and interact with people, including Uzi, properly."

Doll's eyes widened. [How long would this take...?] Heinz looked thoughtful.

"Eh... Until next week, give or take..."

[Would it be in time for Uzi's birthday?!]

Heinz looked thoughtful. He walked over to a nearby drawing board and pulled out a marker, then began running a few schematics, muttering to himself as he drew on the board. Doll and Uzi's mother watched him at work, tilting their heads, and he turned to them after ten minutes.

"If my calculations are accurate, then the transfer should be completed at around nine PM next Saturday."

[That's the exact day... I... Oh, it lines up perfectly, Uzi could have her mother back as a birthday gift...! Would... Would you like that, Ms. Doorman...?" The little orb began to bounce up and down in the drone's hands, eyes closed with an utterly joyful expression on its face. [Then it is decided... Heinz... Show me what to do, and I will begin the process immediately.]

"Nothing special." He said. "Come here."

Doll complied, approaching the doctor. Heinz took the chip from her and opened up the back of her head.

"And, here...just a little...done." He finished, closing the compartment.

"Now, you have the chip inside you. You can use it to connect yourself to the security system. It's gonna take a while to activate, about 7 hours, but until then that's all you need to do."

He got up and gave Doll a pat on the head. "Until then, you may spend time with Uzi's mother as much as you want. Keep it a secret though, so Uzi doesn't become suspicious. Once you connect, come to me again. Sound good?"

Doll beamed at the man. [Yes... Yes, thank you so much, Heinz... Thank you... Uzi will be overjoyed...] She said softly.

"Oh, I sure hope so! I probably won't be around to see her reaction, so let me know how it goes, okay? Ooh! Try talking to her now, see if she responds, go on!"

[Very well...] Doll closed her eyes. [Can... Can you hear me, Miss Doorman...?]

"Yes! Yes, I can hear you! I can talk to you! Ah, thank sweet robo JESUS, I can finally TALK to someone again!" Doll heard the voice filling her head and smiled.

[She is here.]

"Wonderful! Oh, does she remember me?! What's her name?!"

[Ah. Hmm... What IS your name...?]

"Oh yeah, that's right, I never told you! Name's Nori!"

[Okay, thank you. Um... Her name is Nori.]

"Nori... Nori... Nori! Yes, I remember that name well, I DID build a Nori back in the day, oh, she was an absolute delight, she was such a quirky little gremlin, oh I can't wait to see her again!"

"Hahaha! Ah, good old Heinz, always such a flatterer!" Nori said.

[She thanks you for the compliment.]

Heinz waved it off with a smile. "Oh, pshh, no need for thanks. Just stating the truth is all."

"Hehe, just like the sweetheart I remember he was. Oh, ask him if he got that medical degree from 6 years ago!"

[Did you get the medical degree from 6 years ago?]

"Ah, ran into a bit of a problem on that one." Heinz said, sheepishly scratching his head.

"WHAT?! Oh, that is BULL! You would be an AWESOME doctor!"

"Well, it is what it is, robotics is where my passion REALLY lies, it lets me bring life into the world after all! Oh, it will be wonderful to have you back in a week, Nori, really!"

[Aww, I can't wait to actually talk to you again, Heinz! Uh... Doll, can I speak to you privately please?]

Doll blinked. [Oh... Of course. Um... Thank you, Heinz. Nori wishes to speak to me alone now... Thank you for helping us. I will see you again soon.]

"All right, have a wonderful rest of your day, I have a few things to work on anyway, come back soon now!" Heinz waved her off with a smile. Once Doll left the apartment building, Nori spoke again.

"Thank you. Just... thank you SO MUCH for EVERYTHING you've been doing for my daughter, she's finally smiling again, I haven't seen her this happy in SUCH a long time..."

[It was the only thing I could do.] Doll shrugged. [Your daughter helped me in one of my tougher times, and I've stayed by her side ever since.]

"And I'm so proud of her for doing that." Nori spoke, a deep pride in her voice. "She's a real chip off the old block, all right, but man is she a better drone than I ever was!"

[I can see that.] Doll smiled. [She may not admit it, but she is truly helpful when she wants to be.]

"If only she worked a bit more on her temper though."

Doll chuckled in amusement. [Hehe, yeah. I can count on two hands the amount of time she loses her temper per day.]

Nori sighed softly. "I blame her father... Tch... I don't care WHAT was going through his head when I died, he had NO right to shut out my daughter like that! Who does he think he is, publically disavowing her as his child, saying she's a disappointing failure?! If I had him here, I'd...I'd... Well, I don't know WHAT I would do, but I know it wouldn't be pleasant!"

Doll closed her eyes. [I know... I know her past trauma plays a large role in how she behaves... I can tell she's... deeply afraid of being hurt again, and so she is reluctant to get too close to others... She only let me in because I am a kindred spirit who also knows the sting of abandonment... I see in her eyes how hurt she is by all that happened...]

"I've... seen a lot of things that you don't know..." Nori sighed. "Do you..."

[Uzi should tell me these things herself. Only when she feels comfortable enough to talk about it with me do I deserve to know the full story.] Doll declined politely.

"...You're PERFECT." Nori said. Doll blinked.

[Perfect? What do you mean?]

"Oh... It's nothing, sweetie, don't worry about it." Nori giggled. "Oh, I can't wait to speak to my little girl again, there's so much I've been wanting to say to her..."

[She tries to hide it, but... I can see she still feels the pain of losing you... How long has it been?]

"She was only four years old... Still in her cute little body, she didn't even come up to my waist, oh you should have seen her, she was the sweetest little THING! And then HE stopped paying attention to her the SECOND I was gone, and her classmates started shunning her because she had no healthy outlet for her grief, and... Oh, this whole process just can't end fast enough, I need to tell my baby everything's gonna be okay... I can't thank you ENOUGH for this opportunity, Doll. I'll finally be back in her life... You're going to heal SO much pain..."

[I am only doing my best to show Uzi gratitude for doing the same to me.]

"Even still, you're doing something I have wished to do for over a decade. To be there for my little girl as she faces the cruel reality of the world. You have no idea how thankful I am for you appearing in my little girl's life."

Doll's core/imaginary heart warmed at those words. It was cleat how much Nori loved Uzi.

If only she had that same kind of love in her life. Her parents died a long time ago, so she can't remember if they were like Nori or not.

"Anyway, let's drop all the sensitive and tearjerking! Tell me about yourself!"

[Oh. Uh...I...]

And so, the two spent the rest of the morning talking amongst each other. They exchanged various topics, from favourite oil brands, what they like to do, Uzi's childhood stories and mishaps...

The fun stuff.

Doll wasn't certain how long they had spent talking, but she knew she had completely lost track of time, she was having such a delightful time conversing with Nori. She suddenly snapped back to attention with a jump when she heard Uzi's voice.

"Urgh... Hey, Doll..."

[Ah! Oh... Hi, Uzi. I'm sorry, I was just... deep in thought...] Doll murmured.

"Eh, it's all good, I was like that a lot, get so wrapped up in my thoughts that everything around me might as well just... not even be there, it's like that... Ah..." She took a seat next to Doll on the couch. "So, what's on your mind?"

Doll smirked. [Oh, not much. Just the special gift I have planned for your birthday next week.]

"Y-You didn't have to get me anything..." Uzi murmured shyly, rubbing her arm.

[I am well aware. However, it was a decision I made of my own volition and you WILL love it, trust me.] Doll assured Uzi.

"...How'd you even buy anything? We don't have jobs or anything like that..."

[Oh... You'll see soon enough.] Doll heard Nori giggling in her head. Uzi just tilted her head.

"Did you rob a bank?"

[Wha-No! I'm not going to do anything that could get me taken away to be scrapped!]

"Ah. Corner store then."

[I didn't rob anyone!]

Uzi giggled. "Hehehe...aaah, relax. Just messin' with ya that's all."

[Please don't joke about crime.] Doll said worriedly.

"Or what? Afraid I'm gonna rob someone?"

[Uzi!]

"Hahahahaha!"

And so, the next days went about as normally as you would expect. Hanging out with neighbors, chatting over cookies (that was mostly Marie's idea), and the usual shenanigans in this apartment complex. Everything was going fine and dandy.

And then...the next week came about.

Doll was pulling Uzi along by the hand to Kname's apartment, as it was the biggest one in the complex, and as such the best place to host the party. Uzi didn't show it, but she was more than a little bit excited. She hadn't had a birthday party in such a long time, she'd honestly just be happy to have anything at all, and the fact that Doll had gone to so much trouble to make sure she got to have a birthday. Doll wanted so badly to make her feel happy... Oh no, those butterflies in her stomach were acting up again... It seemed it was getting harder and harder by the day to keep her feelings under wraps, Doll just kept finding new ways to make her fall in love with her...

...She wanted to pay her back sometime... She wanted to bring as much joy into Doll's life as she had into hers...

She was pulled out of her thoughts when they suddenly came to a stop in front of the door, which had the sign "Keep out. Party in session." written in pink letters.

[Here we are.] Doll said. [You ready?]

"Uh..." Uzi gulped, hearing the commotion inside. "Um...I'm...not sure."

Doll placed a hand on her shoulder. [Don't worry. If you need time, I can wait here with you.]

"No! No no no. No need. Just..." Uzi twiddled her fingers. "I'm...nervous."

Doll gently squeezed her hand. [There is nothing to be nervous of, Uzi. You are among good company.] She reassured her, gently stroking her palm with her thumb.

"I...I know that, it's just... I dunno... It's kinda hard to explain, I guess I'm not... used to being the center of attention...?"

"Ah, hey, girls, just about to go in, ah?" Will stepped up.

"Oh. Hey. Get off work early today?"

"Hmm? Oh, no, I took the day off to go to the party, I'm just running a bit late because I had to pick this up." He held up a wrapped box, and Uzi's eyes widened.

"Y-You didn't have to..."

"Yeah, I know." Will shrugged. "Just felt like it. I just hope you like it, I think I got the gist of who you are but I dunno, just hope I didn't mess up and get the wrong gift."

"No way! Any gift's fine! As long as it's not a bag of literal garbage, CHAD." Uzi seethed, much to Doll's concern.

"...Someone got you an actual bag of garbage for your birthday? That's... That's not even remotely okay, I wouldn't do that to you." Will said with a frown.

"Oh, I know you wouldn't. You're not the picture of toxic masculinity like CHAD is." Uzi snarled out the name 'Chad' again. "Ugh... I hate that stupid name because it makes me think of HIM and how bad I wanna punch his STUPID, SMUG PRICK FACE... Ugh... Sorry, I... have a 'history' with CHAD."

"Lemme guess. They played the ol' romance prank on you?"

"Oh, you have no idea."

Doll looked between the two.

[I am seriously out if the loop here. What is a romance prank?]

"So basically, they play this prank on you where one guy pretends to be interested in you, like, romantically. He takes you out on a date and either plays some cruel joke on you or stands you up and humiliates you in public."

[That...that's...] Doll was speechless. [That isn't even a prank! That's just plain evil!]

Will shook his head. "Yeah, someone tried to pull that on me, but I saw it coming a mile away and didn't even show up for it, so that's good, right? Sorry you got dragged down like that..."

"Oh, trust me, so am I..." Uzi muttered. "Well, might as well go in, I could use something happy after that rotten memory..." As Uzi went to knock on the door, Doll looked at her worriedly. Just what had this 'Chad' DONE to her?

Uzi rapped her knuckles against the door, and it was pulled open by Kname's handler, Kname himself looking at them with his unreadable blank puppet eyes. "Uuuugh. Now everyone's here. Great. Happy birthday I guess. Come in." His handler pulled the door open.

"SURPRISE!" Ian, Anthony and Billy all emerged from various spots in the room.

"Guys, for the last time, it's not a surprise party, she already knew it was happening." Mahiru sighed.

"...But you WERE surprised, right?" Ian asked.

"...Sure." Uzi replied flatly.

"Oi! Dolli! Uzi's eighteen now, right? Where's the booze? Kinda eighteenth birthday party doesn't provide booze?!" Charlie demanded.

["NO!"]

That was the sound of everyone's collective scream towards Charlie.

"No drinking!" Marie admonished. "You have juices for that!"

"Exactly!" Mahiru nodded. "And before you try anything, I made N hide your stash away."

"What!? How did you know I had a stash?!"

Ben just gave him a flat look. "You do know you talk about the various brands of booze in your stash, like, every time you strike up a conversation with someone, right?"

Cyn frowned at her pet and lightly thumped him on the head with her finger. "No. No."

"Aw come on, you never let me have any fun!"

"Need I go into excruciating detail on the effects alcoholic beverages can have on your liver for what is approximately the twenty seventh time? I will gladly do it. I have it all in my memory banks."

"Yeah yeah, you say it so much that I memorized it too." Charlie grumped.

"So uh... Thanks, everyone... For... Y'know... Doing all this for me... You really didn't have to..." Uzi murmured, rubbing her arm.

"Yeah we did! It's your BIRTHDAY! You HAVE to do something for your BIRTHDAY!" Billy cheered. "Like for my birthday last year, daddy hired a CLOWN! He doesn't even LIKE clowns!"

"Billy, we've been over this. I forgot your birthday that year, that clown was trying to eat your face." Kname grunted.

"Aaand I'm not even gonna bother asking." Uzi said, seeing where this conversation was going.

[So then, what do you wanna do first?] Doll asked.

"Uh, isn't it obvious? Gimme the food and oil!" She yelled, running into the kitchen to see if she can snag some food or oil.

"You should probably go after her before she steals all the treats." Marie warned Doll.

[Hmm... I don't mind letting her have them, it is her birthday after all...] Doll murmured. But regardless, she did follow behind her best friend, who was eagerly taking a plate full of whatever she could get her hands on. [Just save SOME for the others.]

"I'll think about it." Was Uzi's response, getting a soft laugh from Doll as she shook her head.

[You really are too much.]

"So I've been told. Less fondly, though..."

[And I mean mine in the most fond way possible.] Doll said. [I'd say it's a charming trait of yours.]

Uzi coughed up the cookie she just swallowed, her visor blushing as she tried not to drop the plate. She looked towards Doll.

"Please don't flirt while I'm eating...I'm gonna die if you keep doing that. Literally!"

Doll giggled. [Ah, you're a drone. You can't choke on food even if you tried.]

"Yeah, well...d-drone suffocation is a real problem you know! Do you have any idea how many poor drones die due to choking on food?!"

[Exactly zero.]

"Well I'll be the first one then!"

[You don't need to breathe, Uzi.]

"Well... Well... What if a crumb like... hits a vital point and gets stuck and makes me explode?! What then, huh?!"

[There is approximately a zero point one percent chance of that happening.]

Uzi just sputtered before pulling her beanie down over her head. Doll heard laughter in her head. "Oh, you mustn't tease my daughter so much, she flusters so easily." Doll heard Nori speak.

['That's what she should be like more.] Doll countered. [She need every bit of affection she can get.']

"You're right. And she's about to get plenty of it. I've almost finished uploading into the security."

Doll's eyes widened at that, before a smile graced her face. ['Uzi will most certainly enjoy this.']

"Uuuh, what are you smiling about?"

[Hm? Oh, nothing special. Just...remembering the old times. That's all, really.]

Uzi raised a brow, not believing her, but decided to shrug it off, figuring it had something to do with a birthday present or whatever. Doll just smirked as the two of them took a seat on the couch with their plates full of food. Uzi looked around the room with a small smile. It seemed to be less like a usual party and more like a big hangout like they'd done their first week here. "Yeah, this is about what I'd want my birthday to be like. Nothing big and fancy, just... hanging around people I like. Heh..."

[Good. I figured as much. You didn't seem the type to care for superficial things.] Doll said with a nod.

"Heh... If I got here to see you hired a clown and a DJ, I'd probably feel juuuuust a touch awkward about the whole thing."

[Ian and Anthony offered to be those things. Kname refused to let Ian play loud music in his home and when Anthony offered to be a clown, he headbutted him and broke his nose.] Doll explained with a chuckle.

"I'll have to thank him for that then."

Before they could continue their conversation, Uzi was suddenly surrounded by kids.

"Happy birthday Miss Uzi!"

"Do you like the party decorations we made?!"

"Mommy baked you a cake. Do you like it?! Do you?! Do you?!"

"Whoa, okay! One at a time, kids! Too much info all at once." Uzi attempted to pacify the kids.

Their answer?

The kids picked Uzi up and carried her away into another room.

Doll blinked twice as she watched the excited children carry Uzi off as she sputtered. "Wha-How are you this... Why are you... Uh... Okay..." Was all the birthday girl managed to get out as she accepted her fate. Doll laughed softly into her hand as she heard Nori was laughiny hysterically at what she had just witnessed.

"Awww, don't you just love children, Doll? So innocent, so playful, naive and loveable..."

[...Yes... Yes, children are all right with me...] Doll murmured softly with a light wince.

"Hmm? Are you all right, dear? Your emotional state took a slight drop..."

[I am... fine. It is nothing.]

"I don't believe you, but I can tell you're not quite up to talking about it, so I'll leave it be for now..."

[...That would be appreciated, yes.]

Uzi didn't know how she suddenly found herself going from talking with Doll to playing Candyland with a bunch of children. What she did know is that she was losing BIG TIME.

She pulled out a candy cane card, before looking down at the board, her face turning blank in a "Seriously?" expression.

"I got a candy cane. The candy cane square is ten squares behind."

She sighed and moved her figure backwards ten squares. "Man I hate board games."

The kids giggled. "Aww, don't be sad Miss Uzi." Said the grey-skinned girl named Maddie. ""I keep losing in this game too! But that's the fun! You know you're gonna win eventually, so losing doesn't hurt as much!"

Uzi sulked. "I never win board games. Doll and I spent all day playing one and I didn't win once." Next time her turn came, she ended up on a licorice space. "Uuuuuuuuuuugh... Licoriiiiice... it suuuuuuucks... Lord Licorice... He's the lord of the worst candy, what's he even got to be proud of? More like the lord of cheap, lightly flavored wax, that's what he is, oh look, Billy won, what a surprise, I'm in dead last again, third time in a row. This is all your fault, Lord Licorice, for all I care you can choke to death on your crummy sticks of twisted red plastic."

"We won, Barney! We're the Candyland Champions!" Billy cheered, holding Barney up and shaking him about triumphantly.

"Well at least some of us are having fun." Uzi sighed, lightly flicking Lord Licorice on the face before jabbing at it with her index finger. "Die. Die. Die. Die. Die."

"Not having a good time with the kids, huh?" Uzi turned at the sound of L's voice.

"Hmph. Not my fault. Lord Licorice deliberately stacked the cards against me. He's sabotaging me. Lord Licorice can bite me. Cause I'm sure not gonna bite HIM. He's LICORICE. EW."

"Okay, you don't like licorice. I get it." Said the older assassin. "Seriously, I get ya. That thing tastes horrible. Like...eeeeuuuugghhh..."

"Right!? And people always wonder why I hate it! Hoe could they love that!?"

"The humans have different tastes. They'll never be able to experience the sweet, delicious taste of oil."

"The kids are thankfully smart enough not to actually try drinking it." Uzi sighed. "I cannot recall how many times I've seen a kid end up in the hospital on TV after they drank the funny juice in the bathroom."

"That's me!" Billy said. "I drink what's under the kitchen sink a lot!"

"...Don't do that anymore. Seriously. Just stop doing that. Straight up, don't do it ever again. Ever. And the rest of you stay away from that stuff too. How are you still alive?!" Uzi asked Billy.

"I have thirty lives! Like the Contra Code!"

"...Riiiiight. Well, I'll just leave you guys to play your game. Uh... Stay AWAY from the stuff under the sink or I'll tell your parents. Seriously. Stop it, Billy, I'm not kidding."

"Okay!" Billy waved.

"...He's SO not taking me seriously..." Uzi groaned as she stood up and walked away from the board game.

"Heh... Kid's probably gonna forget all about it in the next ten minutes." L chuckled.

"...So what's your deal? You like... B's daughter or something?"

"Eh, kinda." L shrugged.

"Kinda? Explain please?"

The drone sighed. "You really wanna know? Like, really really wanna know?"

A nod gave her the yes sign.

The assassin groaned. "Fiiiine. So basically, I was found by B one night when he was digging around a scrap yard for some materials he could use to build weapons. I was a torn apart Worker drone at the time. I dunno what it was, but he suddenly felt real sorry for me and took my body home. He patched up the damage and let me live with him. Things worked normal for a time, and then Heinz came along. B asked him to fix me up properly, and he did. By making me an assassin drone. He said it was the least risky way to save me."

She shrugged. "Aaaaaand that's the long and short of it. Dunno what happened to my birth parents, never knew them, grew up in some crummy half-baked foster care where no one wanted me, didn't get bought, so the company just tossed me out, and an assassin drone saved me."

"...Damn..." Uzi murmured.

"Heh. Yep." L pulled a cigarette and a lighter out. "Wanna step outside for a sec?"

"Uh... Sure." Uzi and L stepped out onto Kname's balcony. "Soooo... what do you get out of smoking, exactly?"

"Eh. It just looks cool."

"...I guess?" L chuckled.

"Wanna try one?"

"Pfft! Nah. Kids apparently like me, so I might as well act like I'm a good role model, right?"

"Fair enough I guess."

Uzi looked down at the yard below, observing the road that stretched across the apartment. She looked down at the benches outside, and noticed a very odd sight.

"Hey...isn't that...Mahiru?"

"Hm?" L followed Uzi's gaze and indeed, sitting down on one bench just outside the building was Mahiru herself. Her head was slightly down, and Uzi got a rather gloomy feeling from her. "Oh, yeah it is her."

"She looks kinda..."

"Like a wilted flower?"

Uzi blinked. "Not the analogy I would use, but okay."

The worker drone looked thoughtful. "Huh... She looked a bit bummed out now that I think about it... Wonder if her dad pulled something on her..."

L snorted. "Tch. That loser does something stupid every day, she's pretty much numb to it at this point. Bet it was probably someone from school, her classmates are a bunch of weirdos."

"...Can't get away from THAT anywhere, can she?" Uzi sighed, looking over at Ian and Anthony.

"No, dude, the song's about her transvestite dad who calls himself Roxie!" Ian was arguing with Anthony as the song 'Paparazzi' by Lady Gaga played on his phone.

"...Yeeeeah..." L chuckled. "Surprised N's not down there with her... Guess Crona's probably got his attention right now, huh? Eh. Might as well go check on her, she is my boyfriend's owner after all." She made to leave, and Uzi followed.

"And I can relate to that girl on a personal level."

"Great, two heads are better than one and I have no idea how to even start comforting people."

"Neither do I."

"Then we're just gonna have to screw this up and accidentally make it worse together."

"Heh. Ah, I sure hope not..." Uzi said awkwardly.

Pushing down those worries, they both left the party and entered the elevator, which sent them down to the ground floor. They exited the building and approached the bench.

Now that Uzi got a better look, she knew she was right. Mahiru was rather gloomy. Her head hung low, her usual smile nowhere to be seen, and her eyes half-lidded and tired.

"Yo!" She said, snapping her fingers. The Ultimate Photographer perked up in surprise and blinked at the approaching pair.

"Oh, it's just you two. Hi." She greeted them.

Uzi and L took a seat on either side of her. "Need a smoke?" L asked, holding out a cigaretted.

"Um... No, thank you..." Mahiru replied, trying not to make her displeasure TOO clear.

"Eh. Suit yourself. So what's eating you?" Mahiru sighed.

"Well, mom was supposed to come home this week. But she ended up taking another job opportunity, so I won't be seeing her for a few more months..." She sighed and looked up. "I love my mom and all, but I just wish she could be around more often..."

"Ah... You... miss your mom, huh...?" Uzi murmured, rubbing her arm.

"Yeah... I mean, I can't complain too much, I know other people have it WAY worse than I do, and that she's only doing what's best to keep the family afloat, but... I don't know... She's just away so much, you know...?"

"...Yeah... Yeah, I know what it's like when your mom's not around ALL too well... But hey... Least you got N to take the edge off being stuck with a lousy dad..." Uzi murmured.

"...Well... It wasn't always that way... I'm SO glad I found him that day... He really made my life SO much better..." Mahiru said fondly. "...And I hope all of us can do the same for you, Uzi... I know it's probably hard to adjust to... suddenly having a support system, but... I hope you can come to trust us over time... Heh... Even idiots like Ian and Anthony typically mean well at the end of the day..."

"...Yeah... Yeah, I HAVE felt way less alone since I met Doll... Heh... I'd say Doll's to me what N is to you." Uzi admitted.

"Oooh, I think Doll's juuuust a bit more to you than what N is to Mahiru." L said with a light smirk.

"Uuuuuugh, you too?! She wouldn't want me! I mean... look at me!"

"...Okay. Uh... You're cute." L replied with a shrug.

"No I'm not, I'm the weirdo, I'm just the weird goth emo girl that everyone avoids because I creep them out! I'm lucky Doll's even okay with TALKING to me!"

"I don't avoid you." L said.

"And neither do I." Mahiru agreed.

"Yeah, but that's because you're like me, an emo. As for you, I'm pretty sure we have nothing besides chappy dad's in common. No way are you really my friends."

"Uh, okay, first of all, rude." L said. "And second of all, how much do you hate yourself?"

"Huh?"

"Exactly." Uzi looked up to see Mahiru, who had her hands on her hips with a glare she usually shows only towards boys that annoy her. "You, young lady, are seriously underestimating how much we like you."

Uzi rubbed her arm and looked down. "But WHY do people here like me? That's what I don't get! No one back at my old home liked me except for my mom, and I think maybe my dad USED to like me, but other than that, no one... I don't know what I did wrong, but there has to be something wrong with me to make me such a... such a PARIAH back home..."

"Sounds to me like everyone else sucked honestly." L shrugged. "In fact, I'd bet it's because they never had an original thought in their entire life. Guessing you were built in JC Jensen's heyday, right? Real close to those assholes? Worker drones built in the states? Theeeeey tend to be very sheep-like, they're just... devoted to the company. Dunno WHAT they're doing since Tessa got the higherups tossed in the slammer, but they're probably still sticking to the same old codes that they always have. You, on the other hand, are a total rebel through and through. Probably didn't like ya cause you shook up their little outlook on life."

Uzi blinked twice. "I...I never...thought of it that way... I... guess that kinda makes sense... But... I dunno... I'm still... y'know... not the BEST... personality wise..."

"Oh, don't say that, you're a bit feisty, sure, but you've shown PLENTY of times that you've got a good heart! I mean, you were good with the kids even when you were clearly annoyed with the game, and I heard you helped out a bit when Crona got sick a few weeks back, and the ability to say what's on your mind without actively being mean to people is always admirable in my book." Mahiru said with a small smile.

"I uh... Thanks... I... I dunno what to say..."

"Now, back on the subject of you and Doll." L spoke.

"I'm not good enough for her and you know it, look at her, she's WAY out of my league!"

"...I think you're juuuust a bit prettier than she is, honestly." L shrugged. "...No homo."

"It better be no homo!" Mahiru exclaimed. "N is too sweet and kind to be betrayed!"

"Hey, you bet I'm gonna stay by his side forever. I ain't leaving him for no one."

"Really?" Mahiru raised a brow.

"Really."

"Really really?"

"As really as the realest of all realities."

"That's what I thought."

Uzi blushed. "You're just saying that, you don't really mean it! Me, prettier than Doll? Come on, you're kidding!"

"Nope. I think your hair's nicer, dig the color by the way, nice choice of dye, it really suits you, and I think you also have nicer eyes, I really like the purple, it's nice to look at." L shrugged.

"...You're kidding! Doll's hair is so long and silky and her eyes are like neon glowing rubies, there's no way you think that mine are prettier!"

"Girl. You need to work on that self confidence, There's nothing wrong with the way you look, you're just as cute as any worker drone I've met in my life." L insisted.

"...I...I really am...?"

"Hell yeah, girl! You're selling yourself too short, and honestly I think you and Doll would make a cute couple."

"Me too." Mahiru piped up. "I know you need time to psyche yourself up and all, but I really think you should admit your feelings sooner than later. I mean, worst case scenario, she says no and things go back to normal."

"No, worst case scenario, she thinks it's gross that I even felt that way and doesn't want anything to do with me anymore and I just lost my best friend and..."

"That's NOT gonna happen." Mahiru interrupted. "Have a little more faith in Doll, do you really think she's that shallow? Your friendship means a LOT to her. I can tell just by looking at you two together."

"You...you're...not serious...?"

Mahiru thought for a second. "Hmmm...ah, right! Lemme put it this way."

"There's a friend of mine, in the school I go to. She has absolutely abysmal self-confidence. She's been bullied a lot, kinda like you, so she's...not exactly the best when it comes to socialising. Most of the time she breaks down in tears and tells people to..." She stopped at that point.

"To...what?" Uzi asked.

"N-nevermind." Mahiru said, opting not to mention Mikan's...rather unusual tendencies. "Anyway, she's also close to another girl in the school. Are you familiar with Junko Enoshima?"

Uzi raised a brow. "Uuuuuh... I think I saw that name before on some magazine, she's like... a supermodel, isn't she?"

"She's the ULTIMATE supermodel." L said with a raised brow. "...Girl, are you saying that this girl is dating JUNKO ENOSHIMA?!"

"Yep!" Mahiru chirped.

"...She uh... She just... How did she...?" Uzi murmured.

"Just... by being her. Junko thought she was cute. Okay, so Junko WAS the one that took the first step towards their relationship, but the fact remains..." She pulled out her phone and scrolled through a few pictures. "Here." She held it up to show a picture of herself hanging out with a few friends. Among them was Junko Enoshima with her arm draped around the shoulder of another girl with long, messy dark hair, blushing beet red and smiling softly at the close contact. "That's the happy couple! She's a nervous wreck and she managed to win over the popular girl, you can do it too!"

"...I mean... Maybe...? I dunno... I think... I think I need a bit more time before I'm ready to just... y'know... fess up..." Uzi murmured shyly.

"Fair enough... We can help you when you feel like you're ready though." Mahiru said with a smile.

"...I dunno about me, only reason I have a boyfriend is because he tried to win ME over." L chuckled.

"...Thanks... I... feel a bit better now..." Uzi murmured.

"Aww, good! Now let's go back inside, they'll probably be serving cake by now!" Mahiru chirped. Uzi followed her two new friends back inside with a small smile. She felt... happy. She'd socialized, she hadn't flopped, and she'd actually made a couple of true friends outside of Doll! This had been a good birthday, all things considerd.

After the party was over, Uzi and Doll were back in their room. "I can't believe Will knew we liked horror movies." Uzi chuckled as she held up the DVD box set of various classic horror films. "He's a great guy."

Doll smiled softly at the small stash of gifts Uzi had received. [I hope you enjoyed your birthday...] She murmured. Nori was no longer in her head. She had finished uploading. Now she just needed to reveal her...

"Yeah... It's been a while, I forgot how nice it was to even have a birthday, heh..." She pulled up the box of pink frosted sprinkled doughnuts Ian had bought and looked up at it. "Sooo, you want one of these stale doughnuts?"

[They're stale? Hmm. I suppose it's no surprise he kept them sitting for an entire week before he gave them to you. ...It seems he took a bite out of one as well.]

"Thought that counts, and he's a loveable imbecile, soooo..." Uzi ate one. "Still not too bad." Doll accepted one as well.

[...Did you like your gift from me, Uzi?] She murmured. Uzi looked down at her wrist at the glow in the dark neon pink bracelet she had received from Doll.

"Totally! You didn't have to give me anything, though. The whole party was your present for me." Doll closed her eyes and laughed softly.

[...What if I told you that that wasn't the real gift...?] Uzi tilted her head.

"It...It wasn't? ...Does that mean you want it back? I really do like it..."

[Oh no, you can certainly keep it, this is just... an extra gift.]

"Oh... You... You really didn't have to..."

"Uzi." Uzi froze. "Wow. It's been SUCH a long time since you've heard me talk, hasn't it?"

"Wh-Wha... M-Mom...? Doll, that's my mom's voice, how are you... How are you doing that?! What's going on?!" Uzi stammered, beginning to tear up.

"Ah! No, no, please don't cry, my little paintball, please, I don't wanna mess this up, I want this to be a happy reunion!"

"Paintball...that's...that's exactly how mom used to call me..." Uzi whimpered out, looking up at the ceiling. "Mom? Mom! Where are you?! I-I can't see you!"

"Oh, right. Here, lemme fix that."

Suddenly, a flash of white flickered into existence in front of Uzi, forming the visage of her mother. The same familiar face she remembered from her past.

"It...it's..."

Nori, as a hologram, gave her a shy wave. "Uh...heya, paintball. Hehe..."

"MOOOOOOOM!" Uzi screamed as she ran forward in an effort to hug her mother. Her arms passed right through her. She didn't care. She simply stayed in a hugging motion, sobbing her eyes out. Nori smiled sadly.

"Awwww,,, Air hug..." She cooed, immitating her daughter's gesture. "I'm so glad I get to actually talk to you again!"

"I...I... I missed you... I missed you so much... I... I..."

"Shhhh... I know... I know... I never left you, you know... I've been right with you all along... You couldn't see me, but I was ALWAYS there... Um... Is that creepy? I made sure to give you privacy too, there were a lot of times I just sort of... hung around outside your bedroom door-Oh, I am totally ruining the moment, aren't I? Ugh... Classic Nori, can't have a tender moment without running her mouth."

"No... No, mom, I...I'm just... I... It really IS you... You... You're just like I always remembered... You're... You're still..."

"Heh. A total dork?" Uzi just cried a bit louder, overwhelmed with the joy of having her mother back. She didn't care if she couldn't physically hug her! She was HERE! TALKING to her! "Aww... I'm back, my little paintball, and I'm not going ANYWHERE this time..."

Doll sat back with a warm smile and watched the scene unfold. [Happy birthday, Uzi...] She murmured. Uzi whipped around to look at her.

"D-Doll... You... Did..."

[...The power of the Absolute Solver could do far more than we realized... She was always by your side... I simply had to place her lingering consciousness into something else, in this case the security system. It was a simple matter-] She was cut off when Uzi tackled her in a hug.

"Th...th..." Uzi couldn't even speak her thanks properly, the only thing coming out being pained coughs and whimpers.

"Thank...you...I..." She cried.

Doll smiled gently and returned her embrace with her own. [It's what you deserve, Uzi. You deserve to see her again.]

Nori stepped forward and tried to put her hand on her daughter's shoulder, only to frown when it went right through her. "Beggars can't be choosers, I guess... Doll, hug her a little harder for me, kay?"

[Of course, Miss Nori.] Doll obediently followed the directions.

"Thank youthankyouthankyouthankyouthankyouthankyouthankyouthankyouthankyou..." Was Uzi's mantra between her sobs as she latched onto her best friend as hard as she could. Doll shushed her gently and stroked her back.

[There there...] She murmured. Nori flickered onto the bed, appearing as though she were sitting, and beamed at the scene.

"It's okay, paintball, mama's here again..." Uzi tried to say something, but it just came out as incoherent babbling. "Awww..." They stayed like that for the next thirty minutes, Doll holding Uzi as Nori offered as much comforting, reassuring words as she could. Uzi eventually managed to calm herself down, smiling at Doll blearily.

"You're the best friend anyone could ever ask for... Seriously... You're amazing... I... I don't know how I can ever repay you for this..."

[You don't have to repay me for anything. This is simply what friends do. They help each other when they're in need. I'm glad you think of me as such a close friend... Because you're the first friendship I've had that wasn't entirely shallow and empty... You like me for more than just my appearance. That is all I could ever ask for. You repay me just by being you...] Uzi teared up and hugged her tight once more... And Nori let out a squee of pure delight.

"Oh my gosh, you two are so freaking ADORABLE I can't TAKE it!" She clapped her hands together.

"Moooooom..." Uzi whined, unable to keep the small smile off her face.

"Hey, I'm your mother, I think I was genetically altered to embarrass you a little bit in front of your friends the second your father and I...YOUR FATHER." Nori's expression turned into a scowl at the mention of Kahn. "I swear, if I had him here right now I would take over his sentience and make him smash his head into the wall until it was nothing but a pile of shattered scrap metal!"

"You're telling me! That broken cassette tape doesn't even bother to see if I exist! I want nothing more than to break his visor and play "All I Want For Christmas Is You" in his head, on repeat, for 72 hours without stopping, and on max volume!"

Nori blinked in surprise. "Huh...that's actually quite ingenious."

"I know, right? Thought of it myself." Uzi said proudly.

Doll looked between the two with a blank face.

[You two really are mother and daughter. No doubt about it.]

Nori laughed softly and wrapped her arms around Uzi once again, groaning when they phased right through her. "Sure we are! We even look alike, I wanted her to be a stunning beauty just like her old lady when she grew up!" Uzi coughed into her hand. "Oh don't you start doing that, little missy, no daughter of mine is going to have issues with their self image, you're a beautiful young drone and that is all I will hear of it! Doll agrees, don't you, Doll?"

[Well of course.] Doll replied with a smirk.

"She-She's just saying that because she doesn't want to-"

"No."

"But... But she just doesn't-"

"No."

"But mom-"

"Nope. Stop. You. Right now. No more of that. Don't make me boop your nose. Boooop. Uh... Just pretend you felt that."

"...I...Okay... Whatever you say mom..."

"Mother knows best, hun! And besides, if you're insulting your appearance, you're also insulting me, literally the only difference between us is that I have a single long bit of hair on the right side of my head. D'you think I'm ugly?"

"No! No way! But I dunno, you have better taste in fashion than I do!"

"Uuuuh... I am an old lady by now. If I was your age, I'd totally be wearing that kind of style, seriously, great call, I wish I'd thought to give it a try when I was your age. Don't ever let it go, it's perfect for you."

"...Thanks, mom... I missed you... I missed talking to you like this so much..." Uzi whispered softly, reaching over and making yet another attempt to hug her mom. "...Screw it, air hugs are just gonna be our thing from here on in."

"Agreed!" Nori chirped, returning the gesture. Suddenly, there was a knock on the door, and it pushed open just a crack.

"Hey, is everything all right in here?" Will asked with a raised brow. "Uzi sounded upset-Oh. Uh. Well it appears my apartment's being haunted. Are you a friendly ghost?"

"Indeed I am!" Nori gave a salute. "Lieutenant Barnes, 4th unit of the 3rd division of the United States military. Allons-y!"

"Isn't that a reference?"

"Indeed it is, daughter of mine!"

"Oh, uh...sir!" Will said with a salute.

"Uh, no need for that, Will." Uzi said. "Anyway, uh, meet my mom, Nori. Mom, meet Mr. Will Trussel. He's-"

"The guy who took the two of you in when you were freezing solid in his warehouse?"

"...Oh yeah, you probably saw that happen, huh? ...I...I'm actually so glad to know you never really left, I feel... just a bit better knowing there was someone who had my back all along, even if I didn't realize it."

"Oh. So she's NOT with the military. All right then. Good. Never was sure how to go about talking to those types. Um... Pleasure to meet you, ma'am." Will entered the room. "So didn't you like... y'know... die or something?"

"Yeah, but I got better!"

"Ah. Well, that's good to know. ...Is this what you've been working on all week then, Doll?" Doll nodded her head in affirmation. "Ah, I remember you mentioning you had something big planned for Uzi's birthday. Didn't think it'd involve resurrecting the dead."

"Weeeeell, I'm not really 'ressurrected', I was technically still ALIVE, just... without a physical body! Doll here gave me one in the security system! Soooo... I get to come back, and I get free employment! Ooh, I hope someone tries to break in, I've already come up with so many ways to scare the crap out of them and send them running off with their tails between their legs, it's gonna be AWESOME!"

"Wait, the entire security system?" Will asked. "Does that mean you know about-"

"Yep."

"And about the-"

"Uhuh."

"What about-"

"That too."

Will blinked and sighed dejectedly. "Welp...guess the jig is up."

Uzi and Doll raised brows in confusion. "Uuuh, what? Out of the loop here!"

"Basically, Will over here heard about your birthday ans went ahead and bought a whole bunch of presents as a surprise for ya. He's hidden them all across the apartment in hopes that you won't stumble upon them accidentally. Why he didn't give them to you at the party, I don't know."

"I thought it'd be a nice after party thing..." Will rubbed the back of his head. "Uh... Yeah, it's nothing big, just a bunch of small stuff, but uh... I dunno, guess I felt bad that you've had rotten birthdays for like... the past thirteen or so years of your life, so... uh... yeah... Just... thought you'd appreciate a few little things here and there and... yeah..."

"...Wow... Really, Will...? Like... You gave me one at the party, but you got me more...? I... I don't know what to say... Thanks..." Uzi murmured softly.

"Yeah. No problem. Oh. Huh. Looks like we've got a hugger." Will noted as the drone hopped off the bed and wrapped her arms around one of his legs.

"Yeah. it's a special occasion. I don't do it too often. Except with Doll, but she's special. Seriously though... Thanks a ton... You really are an awesome guy, even if you're a bit boring."

"Huh. Tessa says that to me a lot, actually. Highest of compliments right there." Will chuckled, returning the hug, having to crouch down to do so due to his height.

"Awww, if this doesn't get you past your 'kill all humans' phase, I don't know WHAT will!" Nori cooed.

"Mooooom, I went through that when I was fifteen, gimme a break!" Uzi groaned.

"Should I ask?"

"NO."

"Okay then."

And so, the newly reunited family and friends all went to open all the presents Will had collected. It was a few mangas. Some anime dvds. A couple posters. A figurine or two. Will received his first hug from Uzi afterwards. He may have actually teared up a bit.

Later, after all the trinkets and gifts have been sorted out and placed in their proper storage, the family went to do their own things. For Nori, it meant managing security. She may be able to interact with her daughter now, but she still has a job to do to balance it out.

As for Will, Uzi and Doll, they all went into their separate rooms and changed for sleep. We cut to Uzi and Doll, now about to go to bed.

"Seriously... Best birthday ever. I honestly forgot birthdays WEREN'T inherently just a bitter reminder of all the things you either lost or just don't have and most likely never will." Uzi admitted softly.

[Hmm... Well I'm very glad you enjoyed your day, Uzi...] Doll murmured with a soft smile.

"It's all thanks to you... All of it... Thank you... Just..."

[It's all right, you're very welcome.] Doll giggled. [You don't have to keep thanking me, I get the point.]

"Right... Heh... Sorry..." She gave her friend a quick hug, and then Doll was out like a light. Uzi tried to sleep for a few minutes, but she was still riding the high of all that had happened that day, still just slightly too energized to fall asleep.

"Psst. Hey. Paintball." Nori whispered, startling her. "Shhh... Don't wake up Doll..."

"Uh... Hey, mom. Everything good...?"

"Mmhmm! I just wanted to speak to you privately for juuuust a few minutes. It's about Doll."

"Ah... Right..." Uzi looked over at Doll. "Sooo... Outside the room...?"

"Yep, wouldn't want her to hear this." Uzi frowned as she stepped outside. She was about to ask what her mom wanted to talk about, but Nori interrupted her. "When are you gonna confess?! I ship you two SO hard you have NO idea, she is literally perfect for you and I know you're so madly in love with her and she'd be the PERFECT daughter in law, I love her SO much, she's amazing and I really want you two to become a thing!" She gushed.

If Nori had a physical body, Uzi was sure she would have slammed her hand on her mouth.

"Shshshshshshhhh!" Uzi hissed. "Don't let her hear you!"

"Don't worry. You're the only one in the whole building that can hear me."

"Still!" Uzi hissed. "What are you talking about!? No way am I doing that!"

Nori put her hands on her hips. "Aww come on, you have to, you can't just sit on your feelings like that! If you don't fess up, you'll lose your chance, she'll hook up with someone else and you'll regret it for the rest of your life, you'll spend your life sitting around there thinking 'What would it have been like if I had told her how I feel?', constantly dreaming of the life that could have been, and then you'll see her out with her new partner and feel overwhelming envy and become a bitter old shut-in and I don't want that for my little girl, so I need you to tell her you love her sooner than later and maybe give me a grandchild someday because being a grandma sounds super fun."

Uzi's digital brows fell flat.

"You have some seriously low confidence in my ability to get over and find a partner."

"That's because you do."

"Fair enough."

Uzi hugged her knees. "I...I dunno, mom. I...I'm scared."

"Scared? You? Of what?"

"...You were there... You know I had a crush once..."

"Right... That CHAD boy..." Nori snarled in anger, clenching her fists. She wrapped her arms around her daughter in a tight hug. Well... Trying to, at least...

"I...I thought he liked me and he just wanted to hurt me, he was just playing me like a freaking fiddle..." Uzi whispered, shaking slightly.

"Aww... Let it out, paintball, mommy's here..." Nori murmured softly, comforting her daughter the best she could in her intangible form. Uzi sobbed. Not loudly, she didn't want to disturb the sleeping Will and especially Doll. Nori murmured soft, soothing words to console her little girl. Uzi normally would have snapped herself out of it, but she was with her mother, she could afford to be vulnerable with her, she was one of the few on this planet she was comfortable showing vulnerability to. And so she spent around forty five minutes softly sobbing.

When she finally relaxed, she stood up and wiped at her visor. "All better, paintball?" Nori asked gently.

"*Sniff* Y-Yeah... I think so..."

"Good... Now. I'm going to tell you right now that you have absolutely NOTHING to be afraid of with Doll. She's totally sincere in EVERYTHING she's done. You don't spend a week living in someone's head and not get a feel for who they are as a person."

"...You were in Doll's head...?"

"I sure was! Had to go somewhere until I could finish uploading myself to the system."

"...Did you...?"

"No, I didn't read her mind. I could have, but that would be a gross invasion of privacy, it's not right. But Doll really is an amazing person... and she has her own pent up emotional pain that she's hiding as well..."

"...Really...?"

"Oh yeah. Big time. Now... I know you've got a lot on your mind. I want you to do something, sweetie. We are gonna sit down, and you are going to tell me exactly why you're in love with Doll. Leave out no details. Get it off your chest. Psyche yourself up and find the will to confess."

"Y...you sure. I...don't wanna distract from your work-"

"I'm connected to every single Ultron-damned tapisery in the house. You don't have to worry." Nori winked.

"Oh...uh, okay. So...how do I do this?"

"Just gather your thoughts, and spill out every last bit of what you like about Doll. Leave no details out."

"Okay...hooooh..." Uzi took deep breaths, psyching herself up. She sifted through her memory banks and databases, and looked at Nori's hologram shape.

"First off, the way we started off. How she treated me at the very beginning."

Uzi smiled as she remembered their very first encounter.

"She wasn't freaked out or put off by the way I acted, she... she just talked to me like I was a normal drone... Like I was... Like I was actually worth her time... And... that just means a lot to me..." She murmured. "And I... really appreciate how serious and devoted she is to her friends, she... she's always there for me... It's like whenever I need her, she's just... there... She always knows when I'm upset and does what she can to make me feel better... Even when it's someting as small as being grossed out at a scary movie... She wants me to be okay... And that's... that's all I could ever want in a friend, but... but there's so much more to it, like... I love her hair, it's so long and flowing and silky smooth, she takes really good care of it... And her eyes... Like, whoever says glowing red eyes are creepy can bite me, I just feel so warm when I look at Doll's eyes, they're so... gentle and she just... loves the people she's close to so much... She's so expressive... And...well, the serious and sassy sides of her are both just really fun, heh... And I love her voice so much... I could seriously just sit there and listen to her talk all day, her voice just relaxes me, it's like candy for the ears, just... soft and smooth and... I just love how she subconsciously cuddles up to me while we're asleep, even if it does make me come close to overheating... And her smile is the cutest thing EVER, like it's so small, but you can just see how happy she is, it's soooo adorable... Uh... Honestly, mom, anything else I have to say is kiiiinda dipping into territory that no one should ever have with their mother, it's not appropriate to talk to your parents about how hot your crush is."

"Understandable. I once tried to do that with my friends and parents, but Khan really didn't have anything to speak of."

Elsewhere, a certain Drone suddenly felt like he had been shot through the chest.

"Why do I feel like my pride was just brutally stabbed to death?" He squeaked out in pain.

"OOF." Uzi said. "If he ever felt that, he's not gonna stop feeling it until next year."

"Oh, I made sure he doesn't." Nori winked with a cheeky grin.

She smiled warmly at her daughter. "You'll be all right no matter what, paintball. Doll will always care about you. Even if she doesn't feel the same way you do, I KNOW that you will NOT lose her as a friend. You two are WAY too close for that."

"...Thanks, mom..."

"No problem, hun. Now, you should probably go and get some rest, you need to recharge after all..."

"Heh... Right. Night mom... I love you..."

"Awwwwwww, I love you too, paintball!" Nori squeed in pure joy, clasping her hands together. And so, Uzi returned to her and Doll's shared room. Doll seemed to have rolled over in her sleep, and seemed to be subconsciously reaching around as if trying to grab something. Uzi carefully slipped in next to her, and she smiled as she felt her sleeping friend's arms comfortably wrap around her and pull her into an embrace.

"Too damn cute..." She whispered as sleep took her.

The next morning, Uzi woke to find Doll was out of bed. Stretching slightly, she climbed out from the bed and walked outside the room. It seemed Will was putting his shoes on, Doll patiently standing by the door. "Hey, morning! You headed somewhere? It's your day off, isn't it, Will?"

"Oh, yeah, Doll here asked me to bring her down to the cemetary."

At that, Uzi paused, a metaphorical record scratch playing in her head.

"The...cemetery?"

[Mm.] Doll nodded. [The cemetery.]

"Oooookay...WHY the cemetery?"

Will shrugged. "No idea. Doll refuses to tell me."

Uzi looked at her drone friend. "Is everything okay? What's wrong?"

[It's nothing, Uzi.] Doll sighed. [Just...a personal matter.]

Uzi stepped forward and gently grabbed her hand. "...I'm coming with you... I can tell you really need a friend there... Whatever this is, it's eating away at you..."

[...I suppose it's only right that you should know... Very well... I will explain it all when we get there...] Doll murmured with a weak smile. Uzi pulled her into a hug.

"I'm here for you..." She whispered.

[...You always are...]

"And vice-versa."

Nori was spying on the scene, surpressing her squee to avoid blowing her cover. Will noticed the sound and looked up at the security camera, but made no move to point it out to the two drones.

"All right then. Best be on our way. You wanna stop and pick out some flowers or something?"

[Yeah. That would be good. I was planning to ask Will, but thanks for offering.]

"No problem." Uzi waved it off. "Now c'mon. I know a dude down the street that sells all sorts of flowers. He's bound to have something you like."

And so, the trio went out. Walking down the street, they soon arrived at what looked to be a modest flower shop, whose entrance was surrounded with dozens of baskets with various colourful flowers.

"Here we are." Uzi said, opening the door and letting them inside.

Walking over to the front desk, Uzi rung the bell on it a few times.

"Yo! Doc! It's Uzi!"

"Ah! Coming! Gimme a minute!" Yelled a voice to the group's left.

It was then that Doll and Will noticed a large telephone box tucked away in the corner of the shop. It was covered in plants, as if meant to blend in with the shop's aesthetic. The door swung open, and out came a male with stylishly made brown hair.

"Ah, hello Uzi." Greeted the man. "Fancy seeing you here."

You come here a lot then?" Will asked with a raised brow.

"Hey, I like flowers, they're cool." Uzi shrugged.

"Aaaaah, now there's a welcome sound, fellow Brit I take it, pleasure to meet you, mate!"

"Uh... Yeah, likewise. So... How do you two know each other...?"

"Eh, I stop by every now and then after I'm done looking for spare parts over in the scrapyard." Uzi shrugged. "It's along the way, doesn't hurt to pop in and see what's up."

[Ah. So that's where those flower arrangements around the apartment have been coming from. I thought for sure it was Will, or maybe Tessa sending them to him as a gift.]

"Well, the latter's true for half of them. Other half's me though. Mainly the purple and blue ones, they look the nicest."

"Aaah, and you must be Doll then, Uzi's always buzzing about you every time she comes in here, she thinks the world of you you know, nice to finally see you face to face!"

[Ah. Likewise.]

"So, have you come for your special order then?" The doctor winked slyly at Uzi, who blushed.

"Is... Is that ready...? Uh... Well... I'll take it if it's here, but we also need a bundle of flowers to take with us to the cemetary... Doll needs to go and see someone."

"Ah... Ah, yes, any idea what kind of flowers the dearly departed liked?"

[...He really liked roses and violets...] Doll mumured.

"Roses and violets, wonderful! I'll go and get them straightaway, won't be a moment!" Doll blinked in surprise.

"Ah, the guy can speak any language. Like, even ones I've never heard before." Uzi chuckled.

"Aaaand here we go, one bundle of roses and violets, as the lovely young lady ordered!" The doctor handed the bundle to Doll, who looked at it in awe.

[...Your flowers are high quality...]

"Well, you don't get anywhere in life halfing it, now, do you?"

"All right, and uh... what's that come to then...?" Will asked, reaching into his coat pocket.

"Nah, I got this one." Uzi pulled out a small bundle of money from her coat pocket.

[...Where did you...?]

"I swiped a LOT of cash from my old owner when she wasn't looking. She already had too much money, she's not gonna miss a couple thousand dollars... Uh... Pounds... Whatever she calls it." Uzi snickered.

"Ah, knew the woman. Toxic hag, I tell ya. Almost threw a carnivorous plant in her face once."

"See!? Even Doc agrees."

[Doc? Is that your name?]

"Oh, no. I just...like to keep my name a secret. The flower shop trade can be quite the cutthroat business, I'll tell you that."

[Um...okay. Never...knew that.]

"Oh, I've got quite the list of stories to prove my case, but I'm sure you don't have the time for any of that, you've got someone waiting on you. Now, as for Uzi's order..." He handed the drone a bouquet of flowers and she accepted it with a small smile.

"Thanks doc!"

"No worries! Might wanna hold off a bit on their intended purpose though. Let emotions die down just a smidge, yeah?"

"Heh... Right..." Uzi murmured, looking at the flowers. 'Man today probably wasn't the best day, and I still have to get the chocolates too, and ah geez, I can't confess to Doll when she's grieving, that's just awful, what kind of friend would I even BE if I did that?'

[Uzi? We're about to leave now, are you all right?] Doll asked.

"Ah! Uh... Totally, just thinking, that's all, no worries!" Uzi chirped, rushing after them. 'Okay, I'll send a text to the shop and change it to have the chocolates delivered to the apartment and just hope Ian or Anthony or B doesn't eat them before we get there, ah, mom will deal with that I'm sure... Gah! Get your head in the game, Uzi, Doll needs you to be thinking about HER feelings right now, not your own!' She looked at Doll. "...So... Who are we gonna see...?"

Doll looked down. [...His name was Jackson...]

"Jackson, huh?" Uzi noticed Doll's mood falling. "Was he uh...a good kid?"

[The very best.] Doll smiled. [He was so considerate. He never did anything without making sure everyone else around him was fine about it.]

"Sounds like a rather sweet lad, eh?" Asked "Doc".

[Very sweet. He warmed my heart with every action he made.]

Her head fell and her fists clenched.

[If only...]

[Flashback...]

She had been purchased a week prior, not long after she was deemed ready by the higher ups. She was to be shipped to Britain the very next day, and to say she was nervous to be so far from her mother was simply an understatement.

[You'll do just fine, Doll...] Yeva had murmured softly to her daughter. [You were one of the highest ranking drones in your classes, weren't you?]

[Yes, but... but I won't be able to see you for who knows how long...] Doll murmured. [If... If ever again... And... I'll be alone in a foreign land... I don't know anyone there! This is my home, my family is here, I...]

[Hush...] Yeva murmured softly. [It will be all right...]

[Why am I being shipped so far away...?]

[Well... We are a popular item on the market these days... I assume they don't have any left to sell over there... Please try to keep your chin up, dear... You don't need me anymore...]

[...I love you, mother...]

[I love you too, dear...] The two exchanged a hug.

And so, Doll now stood in front of a large house, a small suitcase containing her meager belongings in hand, fidgeting nervously in place as she awaited the master of the house to come out and collect her.

Before she could get any more uneasy, the door swung open, and a small figure came out.

"Mommy, look! She's here! She's here!" Said a young boy.

"Now now, easy, sweetie. I'll fall down the stairs if you drag me like that." The woman following him said with a chuckle. "Ah, and look. She's indeed here."

The pair walked down the stairs and approached Doll, who unconsciously took a step back. The woman noticed this immediately.

"Hey, it's okay. We won't hurt you, little one." She comforted the drone with a gentle voice.

Doll looked at the woman with a tilted head. She didn't seem all that interested in her, but the child was over the moon at the sight of her. He ran right up to her and hugged her around the leg. "She's so cool, mommy!"

[Um... Hello there...] Doll murmured, patting his head.

"...Doesn't it come in English?" The mother asked, confused. "Does it have a language setting...?"

[N-No, I... I'm... Am I supposed to...? Newer models have a language setting... Oh dear...] Doll muttered nervously.

The mom bit her lip slightly. "Hm...that's gonna be a problem. Though thankfully mom taught me some basic Russian so I can at least converse."

She breathed in. [Hello. What is your name?]

Doll looked up with wide eyes. [You...you can speak-]

[Yes. Small, but yes.] The mother nodded.

The boy giggled. "Hehe. She talks funny."

Doll looked at the boy with a tilted head. [Oh... Um... Do I...?]

"I like your voice, it's pretty!"

[You...You do? Oh... Um... Thank you...] Doll had received this compliment before, but there was something more... pleasant about hearing it from the mouth of an innocent little boy than from someone trying to flirt with her back at home. The boy grabbed her by the hand.

"Come on! Come inside, come see your new home!" He chirped excitedly, Doll obediently following along, looking at the child in bemusement.

[Ah, yes... Um... Best to see the home that I will be working in...] It, surprisingly enough, was not a large, sprawling mansion like she'd expected, in fact it seemed more like a... small suburban household? How in the world could such a lower class family afford to buy a drone...? ...Oh... She was probably sold at a cheap price because she was an older model that didn't have a language setting...

"This is the living room." Said Jackson, showing Doll around the surprisingly quaint living room. "This is where I watch cartoons all day."

[It's...very...big...] Doll gulped. She grew terrified once she realized she was going to be expected to CLEAN THE ENTIRE HOUSE.

"Ooh! Lemme show you my room. Come on!" Jackson chirped, grabbing Doll's hand again and dragging her away to his own room.

He swung the door open and led her in, showing a room full of various toys and a second TV in it.

She looked around with a tilted head. [Ah... It's very nice.] She said softly. [...It is... smaller than I expected...] Jackson looked up at her with a smile. His mother stepped into the room, and she turned to look at her.

"Jackson, I haven't had a chance to explain why she's here yet." She chided lightly with a small smile.

"Oh... Sorry..." Jackson said bashfully.

"It's fine, sweetie." The woman turned to Doll with a sigh. "Okay... So... My son is... lonely... He's... very prone to getting sick... I bought you because he needs a companion... He's always loved drones, so I thought it would be perfect. ...The language barrier... complicates things, but... I'm sure you'll manage. All I need you to do is... be his friend. Can you do that?"

Doll was surprised. [...So... I'm essentially a playmate then.]

"...A playmate... A nanny... A friend... Those are words I'd use to describe it."

[...I see.] Doll bowed politely. [I will be the companion he needs then. Thank you for this chance.]

As soon as those words left her mouth, the mother leaned down and enveloped Doll in a big hug.

"Thank you...sincerely...thank you. You have no idea how happy those words make me."

Doll blinked awkwardly, before returning her hug in a slower, more reserved manner. [You're...welcome, Miss.]

The mother got up sad cleared her throat. "Ah, ahem! So..." She began. "I'm sure the trip was quite the anxious and exhausting experience. Would you like some warm oil to revitalise you now that you've here?"

Doll tilted her head. [Um... I... I would appreciate that very much...] She murmured softly. With a nod, the woman turned to leave the room to get it, leaving her alone with Jackson once more. The little boy grabbed her hand and led her further into the room.

"Here, you can sit down here, and we can play! Um... Uh... Do you wanna pick what we play...?" Doll shook her head and gestured to him, encouraging him to pick whatever he wanted to do. "Okay! Um... We could... draw! Do you wanna draw?" Doll smiled and nodded. She hadn't done much drawing since before she was transferred to her child body, it would be a nice way to go back to simpler times.

When Jackson's mother returned, she was holding some oil in a cup. "I uh... didn't know if you'd want it right out of the can, so I thought it would be respectful to give it to you in a cuo... Oh, you're drawing, how nice, what did you make, Jackson?"

"I drew Kukla!"

[Um... Doll...]

"Her name is Doll, sweetie."

"Oh, sorry, Doll."

[Oh...um, that's...sweet, I suppose.] She twiddled her fingers. [Can I...see it?]

"She's asking to see your drawing."

"Oh! Here." He handed her the paper.

Doll took a look at the drawing. It was very crude, but he was a child, so she didn't really expect him to do any better. Yet it still brought a warm feeling into her heart. In the picture, she was surrounded by many flowers, standing in a field of grass with the yellow Sun high in the sky.

"Do...do you like it?"

Doll smiled for the first time in her new house. [Yes. I like iz a lot. Thank you.]

She reached over with a smile and gave the boy a pat on the head. [It's a delightful drawing...] She murmured. Jackson smiled brightly at her praise, giggling softly when she began to pat his head. His mother set the oil down on the table. [Oh. Thank you.] Doll carefully reached over to grab it, making sure to hold it so it wasn't above any of the pictures, and took slow sips.

"What'd you draw? Is that your mommy and daddy?" Jackson asked, looking at her picture. Doll blinked twice, then nodded her head with a small smile. "Your mommy's pretty! Like you!" Doll giggled softly into her hand.

[Oh thank you, you're too sweet...] She murmured.

"You came from really far away to come and play with me... Right...?"

[Well... Yes... I am from Russia...]

"Sorry for getting you taken away from your mommy... Maybe we can buy her too someday so you don't have to miss her anymore."

[You...you'd do that for me?]

"Mhm!" Nodded Jackson. "Definitely! Um...right, mommy?"

"I suppose we could. I'll need to see though. It's cute that's you want her family to be together."

"Yup yup! I have you, mommy, so Doll should have her mommy too!"

The mother nodded with a smile, but internally cringed. Doll on her lonesome was already incredibly expensive to purchase, even with their wealth. She doesn't think that reuniting Doll's mother with her will be possible anytime soon.

Doll herself knew that was the case as well, but she was very much touched by the gesture. Smiling, she grabbed a piece of paper, and set to writing something down on it. She held it up for Jackson to look at. It said 'Thank you. You're sweet.' Jackson giggled, then turned to his mother.

"Look! Look, Doll can talk to me by writing! That's so cool!" He cheered. His mother laughed softly into her hand.

"It certainly is." She was grateful that even if she wasn't designed to speak English, Doll could work around that with her ability to write. Doll beamed and wrote something else.

'I promise I'll be the best friend I can be.' Jackson cheered and hugged her. She smiled and hugged back, the stress of the move ebbing away just so slightly.

Things went on like this for several months. Jackson's mother often had to go out to go to work, and Doll was left behind to essentially nanny the little five year old.

They did lots of things together. While Doll was sometimes preoccupied by chores and cleaning (she IS still a Worker drone after all), she'd always make sure to finish everything early so she could make as much time for Jackson.

Most of the time, they'd be in Jackson's room. She and him would play with his toys (most often the trucks, they were his favorite), and Doll would occasionally read him stories, which soon became his favorite part of the day. Jackson would always ask his mom to buy them new books so that Doll could read them to him.

Life continued on peacefully for Doll. It turned out, she really didn't have anything to be all too afraid of. Her family loved her, she wasn't being mistreated like some other drones she knew, and she was generally happy most of the time.

But of course, happiness isn't ever meant to last.

It started out small. It was just a simple cold. He coughed, he sneezed, he stayed in bed and was fed soup. Doll could handle a cold. She'd make sure he was warm. She'd make sure he had things to do to entertain him while he got his rest. She'd stay by his side when she wasn't needed to do something else. She'd play with him and make sure he was okay. She was confident that he would be better soon and he'd be back to his energetic self.

However, a week passed, and he showed no signs of getting any better. She was a little bit worried, but she remembered his mother had told her he was sickly and easily fell ill, so she allowed herself to relax her shoulders.

Then, two weeks passed. And Jackson got worse. He was sleeping a lot more. He had very little energy. His cough grew more and more intense. Both Doll and his mother were extremely worried. And that was when the doctor came.

Doll had tried to eavesdrop on them. She didn't make out exactly what was said. What she DID hear, however, was the sound of Jackson's mother, breaking down and crying after something the doctor told her. A sound that made her heart drop like a stone.

She stepped away from the door. She went back up to Jackson's room. She stood outside his door, trying to find the will to go inside, trying to force the underlying dread in her stomach away. Taking a deep breath, she pushed it open. Jackson laid there, weak and tired, but he still found it in him to smile up at her. She returned the smile weakly. "Hi Doll..." He managed to get out before coughing uncontrollably. Doll stepped up to his side and gently patted his back, smiling weakly.

[Hi...]

"Am...Am I gonna be better soon...? I'm sick of being sick..." Doll winced at the question, but wrote something down on her notepad.

[I'm sure you will...]

"What did the doctor say?"

[...I don't know.]

She couldn't tell him. She didn't have the heart to tell him. And neither did his mother. Neither one of them told him the severity of the situation... But it became clear to him that something was terribly wrong when the doctor kept coming back, for several months, and he just didn't get any better. He'd ask Doll and his mother what was happening, but all he'd get in response was 'You're gonna be okay' or 'You're gonna beat this illness'.

Eventually, however, he pieced two and two together. The sadness in their eyes, the way they dodged the question... When he realized it, Jackson began to feel scared. One day, while his mother was at work and it was just him and Doll, he timidly asked. "D-Doll...? I'm not getting better... I... I'm getting worse... Am... Am I gonna end up like daddy...? Am I gonna sleep under the ground too...?" Doll's eyes she snapped her head over to look at him, and the horror on her face told him what he needed to know. "I...I can't...! I... Mommy needs me HERE, I can't go, I don't wanna go, I don't wanna go...!" Doll grabbed him out of bed and pulled him into a hug, tears forming on her own visor.

[You won't. You're strong. You'll win... Keep fighting... You can do this... I know you can do this...] Jackson understood none of it, both crying much too loudly and unable to understand her Russian. Doll felt sick to her stomach. Why couldn't she do anything else...?

As the days went by, Jackson slowly grew weaker and weaker. It became clear that it was only a matter of time. His mother was clearly overwhelmed by the grief. She barely slept or ate, spending all of her time in her son's room, eventually not even going to work anymore. She ended up passing out on Jackson's bed. It was just him and Doll now. Jackson coughed weakly and sniffled. "D-Doll...?" He said softly. Doll looked at him.

[Y-Yes...?] She asked shakily.

"...D-Do you think heaven's real? Am I gonna see angels...?"

[...Yes.] Doll nodded.

"...And daddy...?"

[And daddy.] Doll nodded in affirmation.

"...Are you and mommy gonna miss me...?"

[...Jackson...] Doll whispered, her voice quaking. [Don't go... Please stay with us...] Jackson coughed.

"Are you and mommy gonna be okay...?" Doll's breath hitched. She knew they weren't. But she forced herself to nod. For his sake. "Oh... Okay... Good... I don't want you to be sad forever... I... I'm really tired... I... I..." Jackson closed his eyes.

[...Jackson...?] Doll asked tentatively, grasping at his wrist in search of a pulse. [...Jackson?!] Nothing. [JACKSON!]

End flashback...

[And so...that was the day he just...stopped breathing...] Doll sighed as she recited her memories. Looking up, she observed the reactions of her companions.

Will had his usual, unfeeling face, yet Doll could see the hidden details. He was clearly shook by what he had heard.

Uzi was much more obvious. Her usually clenched fists were slack, fully open. Her arms hung perfectly still at her sides, and her face wore an expression of clear discomfort and sadness. As for "Doc", he was not in the room. Must've left when she started. He seemed like an intelligent man, so he clearly understood he had no real place in this little moment.

Uzi took a step forward. And then another. And then she all but tackled Doll in a tight hug. Doll tensed up, looked at her, then slowly returned the embrace, closing her eyes, tears forming on her visor. "...I am... SO SORRY that happened to you..." Uzi whispered. "I...I just... I don't even know what to say, that's horrible, Doll..."

[...Thank you, Uzi...] She murmured.

"...I'll do anything I can to... to help you get better from this... I promise..." Uzi murmured.

[...You already have been... Just by being the friend I needed...] Doll said softly.

"...He sounded like he really was an amazing little guy..." Uzi murmured.

[He was... He truly was... I miss him dearly every day... I just... wish I could have done more for his mother...]

"...Why'd she throw you away...?"

[...She said looking at me was too painful. I reminded her too much of Jackson...]

"...She snapped from it all, huh...?"

[Yes... I just pray she's well...] Doll sighed.

"...You could have helped her... She really shouldn't have... I... Oh, I hope she had the sense to look into therapy..."

[As do I...] Doll sighed. [...This will be the first time I've been to his grave... I'm... glad you decided to come along... Both of you...]

"Hmm? Me too?" Will asked, surprised.

[Yes, I...I need my family to face this...]

Will's eyes widened considerably. "Family..."

Did they really see him as family? Nah, no way. No way he had that much impact on the two drones.

Or...maybe he did?

Uzi meanwhile was greatly touched by Doll's words. 'Family. She sees me as...family...'

She wanted to deny it. Deny it as hard as she could. But she failed.

Uzi's heart practically leapt in her chest.

'Wait, so is that family as in I'm like a sister or something, cause that would kinda make my feelings for her more than a little weird, uh... No, no, stop freaking out over your personal feelings, this is HER moment, do NOT take it from her.'

"...Yeah... We'll be there for you... All the way." Uzi said with a small nod.

"Sure will." Will rose to his feet. "Let's head off now, yeah? Best not keep Jackson waiting much longer."

"We're headed out now, Doc! Thanks!" Uzi called out.

"Come back soon now, I do enjoy when you come by!" Doc called back.

And so, after a solemn car ride, the newly established family stopped at the cemetery, all three standing in front of a small marked grave. Uzi felt something in her chest clench when she saw the date. 'He died at six years old...' She thought. 'No one should ever die that young.'

Doll stepped forward with her bouquet of flowers. [...Hello, Jackson...] She murmured. [...I'm so sorry I haven't come to visit you until now...]

Sighing, she began to talk her heart away.

[As you can see, I am okay. Better than okay even. I'd say that, since you...you know...left...I've never felt more comfortable.]

She pointed at Uzi and Will. [These are my new friends. Or...I should say, they're my new family. The red haired man is Will Trussel. He's the one who took us in after we were left on the streets.]

[And this...] She pointed at Uzi. [...is Uzi. She's probably the closest thing I've had to a friend ever since your departure. She's truly a wonderful person. I wish you'd have met her while you were alive.]

Uzi and Will looked at her. They decided to speak as well.

"Uh... Hey there, mate... Hope you're doing well with... with... everything, um... Doll's doing all right... She's actually looking happier and happier by the day now that I think about it, I think she's healing, so... don't have to worry about her anymore, yeah? I'll take care of her, that's what you'd want, isn't it? Um... Yeah..." He looked down awkwardly, rubbing the back of his head, feeling like he did it wrong, but Doll gave him a grateful smile.

Uzi spoke next. "Hey, little guy. You're probably watching us from up there with your dad right now, aren't ya? Heh... Doll's gonna be okay. I promise you that. She's... basically surrounded by people that wanna make sure she is, so how can she not be? Sucks that I didn't get to meet ya, kids are awesome, they're like... the only people that consistently treat us little drones like we're really worth something, Will here's more of an exception to some kinda rule... But even as far as kids go, it sounds like you were something special. Doll's gonna have a happy life, so... that'll hopefully give you a little peace of mind up there..."

Doll was touched. Though their attempts were a bit awkward, just the fact that both Will and Uzi were willing and eager to give some parting words to her dearly departed master meant the world to her.

[As you can see...] She looks back at the grave again. [...I am in good hands. If there's someone I'm absolutely certain I can trust, it's Uzi and Will.]

Her face became sad, and she knelt down and touched the grave.

[I miss you, Jackson. I miss you oh so very much. Not a day passes when I don't reminisce of the days back when all was good. Back when you weren't sick. And most of all, I'm sorry. I am sorry that I've been shirking our visits. If I had the opportunity, I would have arrived more often. But now that things have changed, I will have more than enough time to come and visit. That much I am certain of.]

She began to tear up, placing the flowers down atop the grave, and then she wrapped her arms around the tombstone and began to weep and sniffle softly. Uzi was quick to rush to her side and embrace her. Will was quick to follow suit, not being much of a hugger, but still placing a hand on Doll's shoulder and giving it a gentle squeeze. [Why...? Why did you have to go...? You had so many years left... What merciful being would allow this to happen?! It's not fair...!] Doll choked out. Uzi felt her stomach clench. She'd felt the exact same way when her mother's body had been destroyed... She wished so badly that she could do for Jackson what Doll had done for Nori, and the fact that she couldn't return Doll's amazing gesture made her sick.

Doll had relinquished her grip on the tombstone, and was now turning it to Uzi, clinging tightly to her best friend like she was her last lifeline. Uzi gently stroked her back, tearing up a bit herself. She HATED seeing Doll in distress... She was so cool and collected, that seeing her vulnerable and crying was just so... off...

Eventually, Doll's tears died down, and she sniffled slightly before pulling back and giving Uzi a small smile. [Thank you, Uzi... Will... I...I feel better now...] She murmured.

"Good... Good... Do you want to stay a little longer?" Will asked.

[...Yes...Just... Just a few minutes more...] Doll murmured.

"Right then. Best go and get the car started, the old thing takes a few minutes for the engine to start running, I really need to get that looked at at some point... Meet you girls back by the car, yeah?"

"Sounds good, big guy." Uzi gave the finger guns, and he nodded and walked towards the car, leaving Uzi and Doll alone at the grave.

[...They buried him right next to his father...] Doll noticed, looking at the gravestone next to Jackson's. It had the same last name.

"Huh. Sure they both would've wanted it that way." Uzi murmured. They stood quietly for a few moments, Doll still clinging to Uzi, who looked at her own bouquet of flowers before taking five from the selection and placing them down on Jackson's grave to offer her own respects. "Hope ya like 'em, little guy. Picked them for something special, but I can't resist sharing with such an awesome little drone owner."

[Oh, Uzi, thank you...] Doll murmured. [I'm so glad we met...]

"Trust me... So am I, I probably would have gone back into my 'kill all humans' phase if I didn't bump into you that night." Uzi chuckled, causing Doll to giggle softly into her hand.

[Well, I'm grateful that didin't happen.]

"It was PRETTY cringe." Uzi snickered. "So, think you're good to go now?"

[Yes... Yes, thank you for joining me... I feel a weight has been lifted...] Doll said softly.

"Awesome. Heh... Uh... So you're still kinda latching onto me there... Not that I'm complaining or anything!"

[Oh...] Doll blushed and let go of Uzi. [Sorry...]

"N-No worries, it's cool, totally fine! Uh... Better not keep Will waiting, eh?"

[Yes...] The two drones walked back up to the car, leaving the cemetery for the time being. And high above the world, Jackson was just happy his big sister was okay now.

Back at the apartment, Nori was there to greet everyone when they returned home. "Heeey, guys! You're all looking in higher spirits than I expected considering where you were headed."

[It was... actually very therapeutic.] Doll replied with a shrug.

Oh, really? Wanna clue me in?"

"Aaand that's my cue to bugger off. Ima go prepare the bed, and you tell mom about everything."

Before anyone could protest, Uzi walked away and into the apartment, heading straight towards their room to fix up the bed.

[...]

"Okay...is there anything I should know?"

[Oh, right. Here's how it was.]

And so, Doll began to recount everything that occurred on the graveyard. How she broke down in tears and leaned onto Uzi, how she told everyone about her master and what happened to him. It was a rollercoaster of emotion, and by the time it was done, Nori was sniffling.

"Okay, that is both the most awful and the most beautiful story I've ever heard at the same time, I am SO sorry you had to deal with that kind of pain, but at the same time I'm SO glad you're able to heal from it! Uzi, I'm proud of you, you've been helping her so much, even if you didn't realize it, oh, you two, come here!" She tried to give them both a hug. "Oh right, hologram body. Shoot. Ah well... I'm just happy that you're gonna be okay, Doll. Really, I am. And I can really tell that you and my little paintball were just meant to be! I'm telling you, it was fate! Destiny!"

"Mom, can we NOT turn Doll's past trauma into an excuse to aggressively ship us together?" Uzi asked flatly.

"But paintbaaaaall!" Nori whined.

"Mom." Uzi said sternly with a raised brow, arms crossed. Nori pouted and crossed her arms with a huff. Doll laughed into her hand.

[Which one is the parent again?]

"Me!" Nori whined. "I constructed her with my genetics, not the other way around!" She turned to Uzi. "Well, I'm sure you two want to have a private moment, so I'm gonna let you be while I go and establish myself to the other tenants!"

"...You haven't introduced yourself to anyone else yet?"

"Uuuuuuhhh... I was wrapped up in the whole 'being reunited with my daughter' thing..."

"And you didn't do it while we were out because...?"

"I wanted to watch a show that was on..."

Uzi sighed. "Lemme guess...Friends?"

"Can you blame me?!" Nori asked. "I used to watch it every day but had to stop because I'd damage my inner workings because of how hard I was laughing. Now I have no inner workings and can laugh my butt off forever! Of COURSE I'm gonna watch it!"

"That's it. No more free TV programs for you. I'm putting on a password."

"You can't do that! I'm your mother!"

"And I'm your daughter, so I care about your health."

"I don't even have health anymore!"

"Bite me!"

"Bite ME!"

Uzi and Nori glared at each other for a full minute as Doll just watched.

"...This bit's not funny unless one of us laughs." Uzi said.

"I agree. So go ahead and laugh." Nori replied.

"No, you."

"I insist, after you."

A long silence. The Doll laughed.

[Oh, the family resemblance is uncanny!] Doll's laughter got both Uzi and Nori giggling.

"But seriously, I can laugh as hard as I want, don't take away my Friends, they're the only Friends I have left."

"All right, all right. Go and see the others, Doll and I are gonna head to our room."

"...There was a box of chocolates at the door earlier, I had to scare Ian away from it by pretending to be a ghost, you should probably go and pick that up."

"Crap, I didn't even notice it!" Uzi rushed to grab her delivery, and Nori turned to Doll.

"She's totally into you. Date my daughter." Was all she said before vanishing.

Doll stopped and waited as her system caught up with Nori's words.

[H-huh?]

A blush glowed on her visor, and she looked down in embarrassment.

[Did...did she...just...]

Oh, dear she did.

Nori just gave Doll her blessing to date Uzi.

What's more, she BEGGED.

That's right. BEGGED for Doll to date Uzi.

Well... Actually, no, it wasn't really begging, it was more like she was... straight up telling her to date Uzi. ...Doll thought about it. ...She... She liked Uzi. She really did... She was certainly pretty, with her vibrant purple hair and her dark clothing and her striking purple eyes... And she had such an amazing personality, she loved how fiery and feisty she was while also being willing to show a soft side to others, herself most of all... And she had her moments where she was just downright cute, particularly when she was trying too hard to act edgy and cool, it was like watching a child trying to be intimidating, there was something wholesome about it. ...She loved Uzi. She had done so much for her... Given her purpose in her life again. Given her a gift in the form of the wall decorations in their room. Being the best friend she could have ever asked for. ...She loved her... She really did.

Uzi walked back into the room with a sigh, holding a box of chocolates and looking at it contemplatively. 'Okay, this is SO not a good time to confess to her, she just got back from the freaking cemetery to grieve for her dead little brother figure for crying out loud, I need to give this time, and the element of surprise is gone now because she knows about it so so much for that, ugh... What a pain...' She thought before looking up and seeing the way Doll was looking at her. "Uh... Hey!" She said awkwardly. "Just uh... getting the... chocolates I ordered... They uh... come in heart shaped boxes, how crazy is that, am I right?"

Doll was not fooled. Flowers. Chocolates. Awkwardly dancing around it in her presence. ...Uzi reciprocated her feelings. That was for certain. [...Shall we return to our room for now, Uzi?] Doll asked softly.

"Uh... Yeah... Sure..." Uzi murmured. Doll led her back to their shared room, and both drones sat on the bed, both shy and blushing.

[...You know... I realized... I know bits and pieces of what your life used to be like before you were purchased... And I know that it wasn't easy... You listened to me when I told you about my past trauma... Do you... have anything you want to talk about from your past...?]

Uzi paused, then let out a sigh. "...Well... Like I said... I wasn't popular... In fact, I was the exact OPPOSITE of popular... Like... ONE guy was nice to me, his name was Thad... Like... Other drones would push me into my locker, they'd throw stuff at me during lectures, no one wanted to buddy up with me on group projects... Why do we even NEED school systems, they can literally just take us aside and teach us what we need to be good workers individually, then I wouldn't have HAD to deal with stuck up snooty cheerleaders and stupid meathead jocks that think they're better than everyone else! And of course my dad was all too happy to ignore my existence at best and badmouth me and say I was less than nothing to him at worst, so that freaking sucked... But That was there, and I kinda had a crush on him for a while, but a bunch of my classmates pulled a big prank on me that... in hindsight... he probably had nothing to do with..."

[...What did they do to you?] Doll asked with narrowed eyes. Uzi scowled.

"They forged a letter from Thad telling me to meet him in the gym. I got all dressed up for it, I was pretty excited, heh... Thought I was gonna get a shot at romance, buuuut what ended up happening was that the room was pitch black and some other jock Chad was the one standing there trying to look like Thad, and I walked up to him and they set up some kinda snare trap, and it sorta wrapped around my ankle and I got hoisted up above the ground... A few others were in on this, they pulled out a garbage can full of gross slop and cut the rope so that I'd fall into it headfirst... And they all had a laugh, they took pictures, and then they just... left me there, kicking around, trying to get out of that stupid can..."

*crack*

Uzi blinked and looked up, seeing the Absolute Solver symbol covering a crack in the ceiling.

She looked back down at Doll, whose left eye was rapidly blinking, switching between the regular and AS eye.

"Oookay, calm your nerves there Doll."

[No.]

"Uh...what?"

[You heard me, Uzi.] Doll repeated. [No. I won't calm down until I make sure those sad excuses for microchips get what they rightfully deserve for doing that to you.]

"Doll, they live on the other side of the country. Hell, most of them were probably bought by now by some rich snobby human that hates them, they're probably MORE than getting what's coming to them, it's fine, you don't need to go on a rampage for my sake." Doll let out a sigh, looked up at the ceiling and carefully repaired the damage with a frown.

[...I understand... But... If I ever meet them, I won't be held accountable for what I do to them...]

"...Fair enough..." Uzi sighed. "So, I dunno how long I was in that can for, but eventually Thad showed up and pulled me out, and... yeah, now that I think about it, it's pretty clear he wasn't in on it, I can remember he looked pretty concerned, but once I was uncanned, I... kinda blew up at him, because... well, my trust was just smashed into a million pieces and I couldn't even trust the only guy that was nice to me, and he looked pretty upset, and I didn't even look at him, I just ran back to my room, and uh... Might have... cried...? Just a bit...? ...Okay, so I was crying like a newborn baby..." Doll's heart clenched imagining Uzi uncontrollably sobbing into her pillow. "...And then my dad came in, and you know what he said?" Uzi immitated her father with a deep, mocking voice. "Uuuuuhhh... Uzi, can you keep it down? I'm working on blueprints for a new door!" Uzi laughed bitterly. "Yeah, screw your daughter that's crying like she just watched her kitten get stepped on, no, you worry about your stupid DOORS, DAD!" Uzi stomped her foot and punched the door to their room with all her might. "I HATE DOORS! HATE THEM! THEY TOOK ALL MY DAD'S LOVE FROM ME! STUPID DOOR!" Doll grimaced as she tried to contain her anger enough to repair the damages Uzi was causing their door. "STUPID DAD! WHY WOULDN'T YOU PAY ATTENTION TO ME?! JUST BE MY DAD FOR ONE SECOND, IT'S NOT! THAT! HARD!" She calmed down, taking a deep breath, and slumping to her hands and knees. Doll approached slowly, fixing the door back so it was good as new, then crouched down to Uzi's level. "...What's wrong with me...? Why doesn't he want me...? What did I do wrong...?" Uzi asked pitifully, beginning to tear up.

Doll didn't need any analysis to realise that Uzi's emotional state is rapidly declining. Immediately, she threw her arms around her drone friend, pushing her head gently into her shoulder.

[Shhhh...you did absolutely nothing wrong.]

"But..." Uzi sniffled. "But...he's done nothing but mistreating me all the time...like...like I'm defective..."

[You. Are. NOT. Defective.] Doll said. [If anything, he's a billion times more defective than you, if doors of all thngs are more important to him than his own daughter's distress. He deserves to be in this state. Not you. NEVER you.]

Uzi sniffled and wrapped her arms around Doll as tightly as she could. "I... I wanted him to pay attention to me I wanted him to love me, and he just wouldn't ever since mom died, I just don't understand, no matter what I did it was never good enough for him..."

[...Uzi... If you are not good enough for him... NOTHING is. You are an amazing drone... And anyone who can't see that... well... they have something wrong with them...]

"...So... everyone else back at that place was the problem...? Literally all of them...?"

[Yes...]

"...I...I was so happy that day, I thought I had a chance at love, but... But... Agh, I was stupid, who would love a scrub like me? Tch... I'm such an idiot..."

[...Uzi... Look at me...] Uzi obeyed. [Now... Be honest... What do you think about me?]

"H-huh?" Uzi stuttered, confused. "Wh-what do you mean?"

Doll sighed. [Haah. Perhaps I should start off then. You'll understand.]

Uzi was even more confused now. She went to ask Doll again, but was suddenly silenced with a finger to her mouth.

[Hooh...let's go...you can do this...] Doll breathed, nervous. A detail Uzi definitely noticed and was very surprised by. Doll? Nervous? Impossible.

Wait...doesn't her behavior look...familiar?

Doll clasped her hands together. [...You're the best friend anyone could ever ask for... You have been loyal, supportive, kind and caring towards me since the day we first met... Your fiery temperment is something I find truly admirable. You don't allow anyone to keep you down for long... Your soft spot towards those you care for... It... It never fails to warm my heart, Uzi, you've always shown warmth in your own way to those deserving of it... And the fact that so much of it goes to me is... just... touching... And you have given me so much... Warmth... Care... Companionship... And gifts. But most of all, you were there when I most needed someone... When I had lost everything, I found you... And you became the new center of my world...]

Uzi's visor turned scarlet. "O-Oh. Wow. Really...? That's..." She sniffled. "I... I'm getting choked up, heh... Okay... So... Like... You're... seriously incredible, Doll, you really are. You're... just so... I guess the only word I can thinf is... enchanting... Like... You have badass superpowers, you speak a different language in literally the most beautiful voice I've ever heard, you're... you're just... always there for me... You're insanely beautiful, and you still gave a scrub like me the time of day... Like... I had NOTHING until you came into my life... You're accepting, you're gentle, you're just... a massive sweetheart and even though you kinda keep your emotions in check, you still really let that fact shine through at all times... You... You just... made me feel like life was actually worth living again. I was kinda ready to just give up on finding happiness and roll with the punches, I accepted that I was gonna be lonely forever, but you... Well... You're my best friend... And... I... Okay, so I'm in love with you. I'm like... SO in love with you it hurts. ...I know you don't feel the same way about an ugly little drone like me, so please don't stop being my friend-" She paused when Doll gently cupped her cheek with her hand.

[...Ugly? Are you referring to the drone with the beautiful lilac eyes? The drone with the striking purple hair? The drone with the beautiful fashion sense? The drone with the incredible personality? The drone with the incredible figure?]

"I-I-I..." Uzi's entire visor was now lilac, particularly at that last one.

[...No. You are not ugly, Uzi. You... are the most beautiful drone I have ever met in my life.]

"Y-You're just saying that...!"

[Oh? Am I really?]

"Wait... Oh man, this whole thing is some elaborate prank, isn't it?! Rebecca and Chad and all the others are gonna pop out laughing and I'm gonna be headfirst in a garbage can again and everyone's in on it and-" Doll gently tilted Uzi's face to look at her with a smile.

[...Allow me to prove this is no joke...] She whispered. And before Uzi could react, Doll's lips connected with hers.

Uzi's internal systems heated up in a millisecond. Her visor flickered and glitched, and her thoughts ran a mile.

'OMIGODWHADDAFAHKISGOINGONSHEISKISSINGMEOMIGOOOOOOOD!' She screamed in her head. And could you blame her?

She was being kissed.

By the most beautiful drone she's ever seen.

On the lips.

And...

She was...enjoying it...

She tensed up and stared blankly in front of her as Doll slowly pulled back with a crimson blush and a soft, gentle smile, clasping her hands behind her back. [...Did that prove my point then, Uzi...?] Uzi blined twice, slowly nodded her head and collapsed to her knees. Doll knelt down to her level with a mirthful chuckle and pulled her into a hug. [Good...] She gently rubbed her back. [I am not them... I would never take advantage of your feelings to hurt you... And neither would anyone else in this building...]

"Y-You were serious...? You... You really DO love me..." Uzi breathed, still trying to process what was going on right now.

[Well of course I do, how could I not? You're beautiful and kind...]

"...This is real...? It's not just some crazy dream...?"

[Yes... It is very much real.] Uzi sniffled, then smiled widely and embraced Doll... Her new girlfriend... as tightly as she could, pulling her in close.

"I love you... I love you... IloveyouIloveyouIloveyouIloveyouIloveyou..." Was her mantra. Damn it, it just felt so GOOD to finally say it out loud!

Doll chuckled as her closest companion repeated the same three words over and over. It was great that she was finally laying her feelings bare.

['To think that she kept all that suffering and longing bottled up for so long...and all because of...]

Yeah...

...she's definitely giving those tin cans a piece of her mind (literally with her psychic powers) when she sees them.

But for now, Doll settled on a smile and melted in the embrace she shared with Uzi.

She gently stroked her lover's back and listened to her unbottle her feelings patiently, and when Uzi had devolved into babbling, she gently shushed her and rocked her slightly in her embrace. [...I love you too, my love... I love you very, VERY much... You are my one and only, and I won't accept anyone else...] Uzi sniffled and looked at her with tears in her eyes, then yelped slightly as Doll picked her up bridal style and carried her to the bed, gently sitting her down once more. Uzi chuckled softly and rubbed the back of her head.

"Heh... I... I got pretty emotional there, huh? Heh..."

[And that's a very good thing... I'm glad you felt comfortable enough to share your emotions with me...]

"...I love you, have I told you that yet?"

[Only nonstop for the past two minutes.]

"Heh... Uh... Oh, right... Uh... Here..." Uzi hopped off the bed to grab something, coming back with the flowers and the box of chocolates. "Soooo... You probably pieced together by now that these are for you... Uh... Here..." Doll smiled, accepting the flowers and chocolates, giving the former a sniff and opening the box to pull one of the chocolates out.

[Oh, Uzi, you remembered my favorites...] She murmured softly.

"Yeah... Course... This was my big confession present, after all..." Uzi murmured.

"Thank you, love... They're lovely...] Doll whispered. Uzi beamed.

"Y-Yeah...?"

[Yes...]

"Wow... I...I'm glad you think so... D-Do you wanna... y'know... do... this...?" Eyes squeezed shut, she lunged forward to kiss Doll again.

Doll wasn't exactly caught off guard too much, and just sighed with a small smile and melted into the kiss.

Now, normally this scene would end with them kissing for a small while before breaking up to catch their breath. However, there's a small issue with this particular one.

Uzi and Doll are both drones.

They don't need to catch their breath.

As a result, the kiss ended up lasting...

...for half a day.

They were lost in their bliss and passion, arms wrapping around one another, grabbing at each other's hair, keeping each other as close as they possibly could. It honestly felt like it was just the two of them. The only two sentient beings in the entire world, everyone else may as well have not even existed. They were both giggling softly into each other's kiss periodically, both extremely giddy from the tender moment they were sharing. Frankly, both drones were quite surprised at the discovery that drone lips tasted like anything other than hard metal. While Uzi thought Doll's lips tasted like a fine wine, while Doll thought Uzi's tasted like grapes.

At one point, Will popped his head in to ask if they wanted something to eat, only to pause when he saw what they were up to, prompting him to slowly and awkwardly pull the door closed before they noticed he was there. He walked back out to the living room, where Nori was, of course, watching Friends on the TV. "...So... shouldn't you be guarding the place or something?"

"Ah, I can multitask." Nori waved her hand dismissively before bursting into a fit of laughter. "Uh... Sorry. ...They not coming out to eat?"

"Uh... They're a little... preoccupied at the moment..." Nori snapped her head over to look at him with a grin.

"Oh? Do tell."

"...It's a... private moment, I'm not comfortable telling you what they're doing in there..."

"Is my little girl confessing her feelings?!"

"...I think they're a little past that point now..."

"...Oooooooooh, did Doll accept?!"

"...I'd say so. Yeah."

"Soooo, did they take it to the logical extreme already?"

"Well, no, but... it uh... I wouldn't be surprised, they seemed... pretty into what they were doing in there..."

Nori sniffled and wiped a tear from her eye. Or... tried to anyway. "My little girl's all grown up... Her first makeout session..." She turned to Will with a stern frown. "Don't you dare interrupt them! Let them have their moment, and whatever happens, happens."

"Uh... Right..." Will awkwardly grabbed his food and sat at the table as Nori joyfully squealed to herself.

Back with Uzi and Doll, the two continued their passionate kiss, having completely lost track of time. The two were so deeply in their kiss that they didn't even realise the sheer amount of time that has passed.

Eventually, they separated. A fact neither wished to acknowledge. They leaned back to give some room to each other.

"Wow...that was..."

[Exhilarating? Uplifting? Amazing?]

"All of the above..."

Uzi and Doll smiled softly at each other, then pulled one another into a tight, warm embrace, Uzi resting her head against the crook of Doll's neck as Doll giggled and gave her a quick peck on the cheek. The two drones stayed in their embrace for several minutes before Uzi blinked. "Uuuuuhhh... Wasn't the sun still out when we started making out?" Doll blinked and looked out the window to find that it was pitch black aside from the light of the street lamps and the full moon.

[Oh... Yes... It was... How strange...]

"...What time is it?" Uzi closed her eyes, and then they widened. "Hooooly crap, Doll, it's like nine PM! We spent like... almost the whole day kissing each other!" Her visor turned fuschia at that revelation. All day... All day kissing Doll... She felt like she was gonna faint...

Doll tilted her head, and then gave her a smirk before giving her another quick kiss on the lips, making sure this one only lasted a couple seconds before she pulled away and rested her forehead against Uzi's. [I would consider that a day VERY well spent, my love...] She then leaned in towards the side of her head, and Uzi shivered as she felt her softly whisper in her ear: [Just let me know when you feel ready to take it to the next level...]

Uzi went stiff at the mere mention of...THAT. And then she immediately melted, groaning as she slid off the bed and hit the floor with a *thud.*

"I feel like wateeerrrrr..."

Doll giggled at her behavior. Uzi was just way too adorable whenever she was flustered.

*knock knock*

"Uh...you two still in there?"

The two drones snapped up in alert. They blinked once, twice, before Uzi answered.

"Uh...yeah, where here."

"Oh, good. So, um...wanna come out and have dinner?"

Uzi promptly hopped to her feet. "Y-Yeah, sure thing!" She scrambled for the door and pulled it open with an awkward grin. "Uuuuhh... Sooooo, how's your day been...?"

"Hmm? Oh, it's fine." Will shrugged.

"Ah. Fine. Great! Hear that, Doll? Will's fine! Isn't that awesome?! Hahahahaha!" Uzi laughed awkwardly.

Doll rolled her eyes with a small smirk. [You don't have to hide anything from him...]

"Paintbaaaaaaall~!" The familiar voice of her mother sand, and Uzi turned to her with a strained smile.

"Moooom! Heeeey! Uh... What's up? Just popping in to say hi?"

"We know you and Doll are a thing now." Nori said with a massive smile.

"...Oh... Uh... Really...?"

"Yep! Will walked in on you two earlier today!"

"Uh... I DID knock, you didn't answer so I just peeked in to see if everything was all right, I'm sorry for... invading..."

"So...y-you saw..."

"Uh...yep."

Uzi shut down for the second time that day. 'He...saw us. Someone saw us...making out...'

Doll chuckled and spoke. [And did you like what you saw?]

"Huh?"

"She's asking if you enjoyed the sight." Nori said, wiggling her brows. "So...did ya?"

"Uh...I dunno, I left immediately since I didn't wanna intrude..."

Nori groaned and slammed her head on the table, causing it to pass right through with her falling down and through the floor. She floated back out next to Will.

"Man you're no fun."

Will looked confused. "What?"

"You had prime teasing material and you threw it out, man, come on!" Nori exclaimed.

"I... Why would I want to tease them for being in love...?"

"Yeah, why would he wanna tease us for being in love, MOM?!" Uzi huffed before turning to Doll. "And Doll, please don't EVER ask him anything like that ever again ever, he's a human, I doubt any human would care about two female drones... m-making... Oh Robo God I wanna die..." Uzi squeaked and buried her face in her hands, shaking her head.

[Now what are you embarrassed about?] Doll asked gently, rubbing her shoulders softly.

"I...I... We were having an intimate moment and he saw the whole thing...!" Uzi squeaked.

"Only a couple seconds, actually..."

"A COUPLE TOO MANY!"

[Uzi. You are my girlfriend. I want to make this fact public knowledge. I don't want you to be embarrassed about public displays of affection. I want you to feel comfortable with being kissed in public settings.]

"I mean, yeah, but like... there's a difference between a quick peck on the lips and feeling literal seconds away from... uh... you know..." Uzi muttered this last part shyly, rubbing her arm. Doll chuckled mirthfully and gave her a quick two second kiss on the lips before pulling away, causing Nori to audibly squee in delight and Will to chuckle.

[...Did that embarrass you?]

"A-a little..." Uzi squeaked out, poking her fingers in embarrassment. A small trembling smile was on her face, though.

She really liked that last kiss.

"You're blushiiiiing!"

"Wh-hwa-mom!" Uzi sputtered. "Stop it!"

"I need a camera! I have to commemorate this!"

"I have one."

"Stahp!"

"Take pictures! Take as many pictures as you can, Will!"

"Uh... I don't wanna upset her..."

"DO IIIIIIIIIIT." Nori got in his face and hissed.

"...Okay...? Uh... Sorry, Uzi..." Will awkwardly began snapping multiple pictures of Uzi.

"N-No! Stop! No pictures! Stoooop, I'm supposed to be edgy, not a blushing lovestruck schoolgirl, come on, man, knock it off! Aaaaagh, Dooooooll, they're picking on me, make them stop!" Uzi latched onto her girlfriend and buried her face in her shoulder. Doll giggled and gently rubbed her back.

[Well, I see no issue with commemorating this moment, my darling, you ARE being quite adorable right now, after all...]

"I-I'm not adorable! I'm dark and brooding and the textbook definition of the stereotypical emo-" Doll cut Uzi off by kissing her on the cheek. Uzi let out a long, drawn out squeak and laid her head down atop her lover's shoulder, still rigidly standing up, visor still wearing the blush, slightly intensified.

She watched as Will continued to snap pictures of her and Doll together, sometimes even switching poses. Those were particularly embarrassing.

"Aww, you look like a grumpy wittle pomeranian." Nori cooed.

"Rhmghhgrrhgg..." Grumbled the drone under her breath.

"Uh...I think I made her mad..."

"Nah, that's just what she does whenever she's grumpy. She's not mad, just...a wee bit cranky. Nothing special."

"Uh... All right..." He continued to take pictures. "Again, sorry, just... following orders..."

"You're a traitor. It's treason." Uzi grumbled.

"Oh come on, it's cute, you're gonna love it when it's all finished and the pictures are all published, it'll be like a little scrapbook!"

[Oh, I'd love a scrapbook!] Doll said excitedly. Uzi sighed and lightly banged her head against Doll's shoulder a few times, causing her to chuckle and pat her back.

"So um... Do we really need this many pictures? They're not really doing much, just sort of standing there, wouldn't it make more sense to... y'know... take pictures when they're out doing something?"

"Ah, okay, you can stop now." Nori sighed. "But I expect at least one cute picture per month, and if you don't comply, I won't talk to you for a whole day!"

"...Well, that's... that's a bit harsh, I can't always be around to catch their moments, you're attached to the security system, you can-"

"DON'T!" Uzi called out.

"What?"

"What, spy on my daughter's love life? Ew, gross, what do you take me for?! Ooh, when am I gonna get a grandson?! ...Or grandDAUGHTER, I guess, but I think a grandson would be neat, we could finally get a man in our family tree!"

"...What about your husband...?" Will asked.

"I said a MAN." Nori scoffed.

"Well then..."

And with that, the four moved on to actually eat dinner. And of course, the newly formed couple had to commemorate it in their own special way.

[Open and say aaaah.]

"Doll! Stop it!"

[Aaaaaah...]

"Did you even hear me?!"

[Aaaaaahh..]

"Ugh... Fine..." Uzi grumbled, opening her mouth and allowing Doll to insert the spoonful of food into her mouth. She chewed and swallowed. "...That was actually kinda nice... I don't know why it felt nice, I'm not a pill baby..." Doll giggled.

[Oh, it's just a cute thing couples do in those anime shows you love to watch so much.]

"Oh... Right... Yeah..." Uzi murmured bashfully.

[I just... thought it would be nice to try it... Does it disturb you...?]

"Uuuuhh... Can I try it with you...?" Uzi asked softly, tapping her fingers together.

[Well of course!]

"All right, uh... here we go... Say aaaaaahhh..." Uzi moved the spoonful of food to her girlfriend's mouth.

"Sooooo cuuuuuuute!" Nori gushed, causing Uzi to snap her head around with a pout.

"Mooooooom!" She complained, her momentary distraction causing her to miss Doll's mouth and instead accidentally boop her in the nose with the food, getting a small amount of pasta sauce on her face. "Oh crap, sorry!"

"Eeek! This is the perfect opportunity!" Squealed Nori. "C'mon, Uzi! Do the thing!"

"Wait, what-"

"You know! The "kiss"?"

"Huh? Oh...oh! Ooooh! No way!"

"Do it! You only get this one chance!"

"I...but..."

Uzi looked at Doll, who was simply staring at her in silence, with a smile on her face and a tilted head.

"Uh... Okay... Um... Here I go..." Uzi slowly leaned in, feeling her inner workings working overtime as she slowly leaned forward, pressing her lips over Doll's nose and kissing it, trying her best to make sure she got the sauce off, and when she pulled back, she saw she was mostly successful. "Uh... Heheheh... Good as new!" Doll giggled into her hand, then gently dabbed at her pasta with her finger, turning to Uzi with a smirk before booping her nose deliberately getting the sauce on it. Uzi's visor went crosseyed as she looked at the spot of pasta sauce, but before she could question anything, Doll leaned in and Uzi stiffened up as she felt her lips make contact while her tongue lightly licked at the sauce... and by extension her face.

Uzi was stiff as a statue as Doll pulled away, and the Russian drone giggled into her hand. [Oh, you have no reason to feel embarrassed, my love, we've already gone far further than that.] She said with a wink.

"M-I.-Uh...Oh man..." Uzi stammered, blushing intensely. "Agh, romance... I'm not used to iiiiit..."

[I will help you grow accustomed... You will feel comfortable soon enough, dear.]

"I... I hope so... I... I like it... I really do... It's... It feels awesome..." Uzi whispered, hugging herself.

[Aaaaaahhh...]

"Uh... Right... Aaaaaahh..."

And so, after dinner, they decided to watch a movie together. Nori's idea, of course, and she had to pick one of those corny romance films Uzi couldn't stand. Nori had been hoping to set a romantic mood for the two of them. What ended up happening was Uzi and Doll both spent the whole movie relentlessly mocking and riffing it, laughing all the while at how cheesy and bad it was.

Nori meanwhile sulked the entire time. That movie in particular was one of her favorite romance movies. And here her own family and daughter in law were making jokes at it's expense.

"Hey, come on!" She said. "The song wasn't that cheesy! I found it sweet!"

"Mom, you have a horrible taste in music if that didn't sound cheesy to you."

"Wha-you little!" She said. "Doll, tell her something!"

[It's so cheesy I can already taste Pizza.]

"Hey!"

The two drones laughed at her, and Nori pouted in frustration. But soon that frown became a smile as she noticed something about the robo couple.

They were holding hands. And they had no idea about it.

She surpressed the urge to squeal at the sight, it was so cute, she was so happy, her little paintball finally found love, this was amazing! She looked over at Will to ask his thoughts, only to see him staring at the screen, expression blank and monotone as always... though he had a single tear trickling down his face.

"Well that's just lovely. They wound up together in the end. Very cool." He said.

"Ha! See, girls? Will sees the value in this underrated ambitious cinematic masterpiece!" Nori said triumphantly.

"Will's never watched a romance movie in his entire life! He didn't watch TV at all until we came into his life, he doesn't know what constitutes as good yet!" Uzi retorted.

"Oh... Don't I? Was that a bad film, then? ...I dunno, I thought it was all right..."

"Only cause you were totally putting yourself and Tessa in the main characters' shoes in your head!"

"What? Was I? ...Well... I dunno, maybe once or twice...? Hmm." Will shrugged and Nori sighed.

"Brat."

"Hey, everyone says I'm literally you, so I guess that means you're also a brat."

"What?! Nuh-uh!"

"You just said 'nuh-uh.' Your argument is invalid."

"My own daughter is bullying me!"

"I'm not bullying you, I'm giving you constructive criticism."

"What's constructive?!"

"The facr that you're a grown drone with an adult daughter and you're also a brat?"

"I am so going to wake you up by blasting heavy metal through the room tomorrow morning."

"Hey, don't drag Doll into this!" Uzi huffed, protectively hugging her lover close. Doll, in response, tilted her head.

[Hmm... it IS getting rather late... Perhaps it is time for us to go and recharge now...] She hopped off the couch before grabbing her smaller girlfriend bridal style.

"G-hah!?" Uzi stammered. "What-"

[Not a word. I am carrying you like this and you can't complain.]

"Uh... Y-Yeah..." Uzi said, flustered.

Doll smiled, and walked off towards their room with Uzi in her arms.

Nori and Will watched behind them as they walked off, Nori cooing softly at the sight.

"Ooooh, just look at them!" She sniffled. "Already so grown up."

"They really like each other, huh?"

"Yep yep! And they both look so sweet! Don't you agree?"

"Uh...I guess."

Nori slumped. "Seriously, you're no fun."

"Oh... I'm sorry." Will looked around, then saw a discared party hat from Uzi's birthday on the floor. Picking it up, he put it on his head. "Uh... Is this better?"

"Just because you're wearing a party hat doesn't make you fun!"

"...Doesn't it? Oh. News to me."

"...Will, you're somehow so unfun that it loops back around to being fun."

"Uh... Yay... I think..."

Back in their bedroom, Uzi had snuggled into Doll, having quickly grown to like being held like this. Doll smiled at her. [You're very adorable, you know that?]

"Am not! And don't you make a single comment about how tiny I am, I'm self conscious!"

[Oh, you're not that tiny...] Doll approached the bed and gently laid Uzi down before climbing in next to her and pulling her in close. Uzi smiled widely.

"...Can you believe we've been cuddling up like this since the same week we first met?"

[Hmm... Yes... We always were quite intimate for two drones who were supposedly 'just friends', weren't we?]

"Hehe...yeah, I did feel a bit weird about that whole moment." Uzi nodded. She had denied it so much back then, but now that it's happened, she just stopped saying no.

"I love you, Doll."

It did happen.

"And I'll never, ever stop doing so."

And Uzi plans to make the most of it.

Doll chuckled and gave her a kiss on the nose. [I love you too, Uzi.]

And so, the two drones fell asleep, warm in their mutual embrace.