Chapter Text
Reflectio-N flapped his wings before N or Uzi could react. The former was tackled into, rolling and bouncing closer to the weird pond. N barely stopped himself with a kick to his mirror opposite’s chest.
The darker drone landed on all fours, his serrated claws dragging in the snow. He ran back into the fray and raised a claw to swipe at N. Said drone parried it, but his stance was too wide.
Reflectio-N’s other pair of claws came in, leaving a nasty gash across N’s chest. He held back the pained cry and stabbed his tail into Reflectio-N’s side. The cord was grabbed and the limb was painfully yanked right off.
Uzi used the Solver to toss whatever she could Reflectio-N’s way, tree branches, ice, rocks, anything. They managed to make Reflectio-N stagger for but a moment, but it was never enough.
Gritting her teeth, Uzi ran over with the dismembered sword again. She took a swing at Reflectio-N, who blocked it with a wing. Uzi wouldn’t let up, using what she learned from pirated anime to keep the onslaught going.
Reflectio-N stomped a foot onto N’s head, keeping him down while he fought with Uzi. His claws never aimed for her frame at all, only trying to disarm her. Uzi could see it, the hesitance to hurt her.
It created an ample opportunity for Uzi to get a good strike in. With a few more blocked bows, she trudged forward enough to let the sword go and use the Solver to carry it to Reflectio-N’s neck.
He reared it back as quickly as he could, his green eye lights going void. He nearly lost his balance at the same time, his foot on N’s head slamming down onto his chest. It dented it and started to crush his core underneath, N letting out an agonized shriek.
Uzi flinched at the cry, her voided optics turning lower and the sword missing its target. The very tip managed to slice through the metal of Reflectio-N’s neck, some oil droplets spraying with the momentum.
They flew into the pond just behind the group. The ripples they created grew unnaturally large, traveling across the entire surface of the water. The reflection inside it soon changed, turning into a world of daylight.
Reflectio-N noticed the pond’s change in reflected scenery. He could recognize the striking of light hitting the tall trees. He even saw a familiar grave sitting in the very corner of the pond.
Using his foot, Reflectio-N pushed N closer to the pond. He swiftly turned around and grabbed him by the neck. With a beat of his wings, he made Uzi fly away. He ignored the pang of guilt in his chest and her echoing yell.
A manic smile spread across his face plates as he forced N back to the ground. He struggled in his grasp, Reflectio-N holding his bangs and dunking him into the pond. N’s feet kicked and his arms clawed at Reflectio-N’s own.
“LET’S SEE HOW YOU LIKE MY HELL!!” Reflectio-N hollered.
Again, he pushed N deeper inside the pond. On the other side, N was struggling to keep his head below the water’s surface. As his tail regrew to full, it used it to corrode Reflectio-N’s elbow.
He yelped and instinctively let go. His arm fell limp as his elbow joint was corroded away. N used this time to lunge from the other world and back into his. He then grabbed his doppelganger and tried to force him back into his rightful world.
But Reflectio-N never went down without a fight. He jabbed his serrated claws into N’s torso, just near to his core. Oil quickly filled the area as a few machines and oil tubes were hit. N bore through the pain and pushed his darker twin into the pond.
“I’m-m not goin-g back i-n there…!” Reflectio-N snarled, baring his sharp teeth. “I’d ra-ather DIE THAN GO BACK THERE!” He then yelled.
With one strong tug, Reflectio-N yanked N into the pond with him. The two fell into the water and disappeared on the other side, just as Uzi managed to catch up with him.
“N! REFLECTIO-N! SHIT!” She cursed, skidding to a stop right by the pond’s edge.
She fell to her knees and looked into the water, her hand instinctively dipping inside it to grab onto N’s tail. While she didn’t get purchase, she did manage to keep the pond from deactivating.
Uzi’s eye rings went bolder. With her hand in the water, she realized she wasn’t short-circuiting or feeling wet. In fact, she felt snow brush past along with the wind. Confused, Uzi dipped her head inside.
Looking around, Uzi spotted Reflectio-N pinning N to the ground. The latter’s whole body and visor glitched as he screamed in torture. The sunlight hitting him was making him overheat, smoke and sparks coming from the seams of his plating.
Uzi grit her teeth and fell right in. She grappled onto the snow on the other side, feeling the sun’s rays set her on fire from the inside out. Uzi heaved through the excruciating torment and trudged her way towards the two male disassemblers.
Her HUD flickered about as her vision went grainy and staticky. She struggled to even walk, only able to catch glimpses of N and Reflectio-N. She could faintly hear the latter’s maniacal laughter over the fuzz in her audials.
“GOD, YOU’RE WEAK!” Uzi could barely hear Reflectio-N taunt. “AFRAID OF THE SUN?! HOW PATHETIC, HAHAHA!!”
“MAYBE NOW THAT YOU’RE STUCK BURNING AWAY FROM THE INSIDE OUT, YOU’LL KNOW HOW I FELT!” He then screamed, clutching hard at N’s ruined collar.
The brighter-colored drone couldn’t respond, just continued to shriek like a tortured animal. Molten, liquid metal came bubbling up from his throat, making him choke. His claws were becoming too soft to do anymore damage to Reflectio-N’s conical forearms.
“Now you’ll see,” Reflectio-N hissed, leaning in closer to the overheating Disassembly Drone. “How much I breathed, how much I screamed, for the Uzi I once loved to never come back to me-”
The feeling of a warm pair of arms, so small and thin, wrapping around his back made Reflectio-N pause. He froze entirely, the sound of N’s harrowed howling becoming background noise.
Reflectio-N turned his head over his shoulder, finding a familiar set of locks resting against his back. He knew something about it was off, for more reasons than one.
The way this drone glitched and flickered. The way this drone was barely clinging onto him. The way this drone was darker than he knew her to be. The way this drone was dead. The way this drone was buried by his own two hands.
Yet all Reflectio-N could see was the bright orange hair, the black tiger stripes, the cute tiger jacket, the black and orange boots, the adorable tiger beanie, and the neon orange optics moving to stare up at him.
“Please… Stop this…” Reflectio-N swore he heard his Uzi’s voice, so meek, so soft.
Reflectio-N knew it wasn’t his Uzi. He knew she was long dead. He knew she was long buried. He knew how many times he’s breathed and screamed for her to return. He knew she never did and never will.
But he knows he’s seeing her right now.
But he knows she’s speaking to him right now.
But he knows she’s come back right now.
But he knows she wouldn’t want this.
But he knows she’d be so disappointed in him.
Reflectio-N can’t stop it. He can’t stop the tears. He extends his wings from his back, lets go of his burning counterpart, turns around, and envelopes Uzi in his arms and wings.
He can feel the heat quickly cool, registers how her bright orange turns into deep purple. It makes his core wrench, yet he doesn’t let go. He can hear N be dragged back to the pond, getting tossed inside for his own safety.
Things go quiet. Things are silent. Reflectio-N holds Uzi tighter.
“I know you’re not her,” He whispers, his voice on the verge of breaking. “But you still remind me so much of her.”
“I know…” Uzi’s weak voice returns. “I’m sorry…” She adds.
Reflectio-N’s wings wind around them firmer. The sun is completely blocked from the smaller Worker Drone. Reflectio-N doesn’t want her to die again.
“Pl-lease… Don’t leave me a-gain…” Reflectio-N begs. “Don’t m-ake me bury you aga-in…”
“...” Uzi is silent.
Reflectio-N can’t help the hiccuping sob that escapes his voice box.
“Only if you promise,” Uzi speaks again. “To be a good boy.” She smiles at him.
“I-I promi-se…” Reflectio-N nods. “I sw-ear I pr-romise…” He said through his sobs.
V patted N’s back hard to help get all the liquid metal out. Once he’d heaved and threw up everything he could, he flopped onto his side. His pants made mist in the air, his body still wavering with heat.
“Dammit, just what the hell did he do to you?” V asked, already knowing the answer.
Movement from the pond had V whipping her head over towards it. N managed to lift his head enough to get his chin propped in the snow. The two watched as Uzi and Reflectio-N hoisted themselves to their feet.
V stood back up and whipped out her swords. A mean snarl formed on her lips as she prepared to continue the battle.
“Don’t-! Put your swords down, V.” Uzi said, her voice laced with static.
“Like hell I will! He’s back! Is he holding you hostage now?!” The female disassembler accused with a pointing sword.
“I’m not.” Reflectio-N replied, tears still pricking at his optics.
“Yeah right. Like I’m gonna believe you.” V snarled with a lashing tail.
Uzi rolled her optics and groaned.
“He isn’t gonna hurt you guys, geez!” She exclaimed. “I had a talk with him. He’s…” She trailed off and eyed the dark drone up and down.
Reflectio-N refused to meet her gaze. He sniffled through his vents. His tail was tucked close to his feet. The only thing he did was cling onto the side of her jacket with a few fingers.
“He’s got some problems, but we’re gonna work on them. Together.” Uzi settled on, turning back to the other woman.
“Oh, so he suddenly had a change of heart now?” V scoffed, putting her swords on her hips.
“Yes, actually.” Uzi replied flatly.
“B-Bullshit.” N seethed.
He struggled to get to his feet, Uzi quickly running over to help him. Reflectio-N finally turned to the Worker Drone, his hand left hovering in the air.
“He’s-s a liar! He’s just- Just tr-icking us!” N pointed, a deep frown on his lips.
“Yeah, yeah, you don’t trust him, I get it.” Uzi nodded, helping keep her boyfriend steady. “But I mean- Look at him! He’s not killing you now, is he?!” Uzi then asked with a gesturing hand.
V and N gazed at Reflectio-N with untrusting glares. The green-eyed drone huffed and turned his head away.
“Yeah, I’m still not trusting him.” V told the Worker Drone.
Uzi groaned again, letting her head hang in defeat.
“I won’t kill you. Not anymore.” Reflectio-N finally spoke up.
Everyone turned back to him. Albeit, most had glares on their face plates. Reflectio-N ignored the angry looks.
“But I still don’t like either of you.” He stated.
He had nothing more to say, simply walking towards the group. V deployed her wings, just to be knocked to the ground by Reflectio-N’s own. He then shoved N to the ground and held Uzi to his chest.
Her visor went a bit flush, but she couldn’t say anything before N was scrambling up to his feet again. He and his twin soon got into an argument over her, Uzi being squished between the two male drones again.
“THAT IS MY GIRLFRIEND!” N hollered.
“WELL SHE’S MINE NOW, TOO!” Reflectio-N argued.
“LIKE HECK SHE IS!” N screamed, his tail jolting into the air.
“IT’S TRUE! YOU CAN ASK HER!” Reflectio-N countered, anger ticks littering his visor.
“UZI! TELL HIM IT ISN’T TRUE!” N demanded.
“U-Uh- Sh-Sharing is caring?” Uzi said back questioningly.
N made an offended gasp, a hand clutching his core. Reflectio-N laughed at him, holding the smaller lady close.
“HA! TOLD YOU!” He taunted with a point.
“YOU MANIPULATED HER!” N pointed right back. “MANIPULATOR! MANIPULATOR! MANIPULATOR!” He then started to chant.
“YEAH, YEAH! KEEP TELLING YOURSELF THAT! YOU’RE JUST JEALOUS, LITTLE FUCKIN’ IDIOT!” Reflectio-N flipped his brighter twin off.
Uzi managed to shimmy herself out from between the two feuding guys. She blew out a sigh of relief at finally getting some personal space back.
“For as great as that is, it’s certainly claustrophobic…” She muttered as she fixed her hair.
V watched the two Ns before turning her gaze to Uzi.
“Tell me you aren’t actually gonna try dating the both of them.” She commented with a deadpan look.
“I mean, why not?” Uzi shrugged. “‘Two is better than one,’ isn’t it?” She then smirked smugly.
V stared at her blankly for a few seconds. She then smacked the smaller robot upside the head.
“Whatever mess this creates, you’re gonna deal with it on your own.” V said as she turned to walk off.
“Yeah, yeah, I know…” Uzi grumbled.
She then sighed again and turned her optics back to the two male disassemblers, now tumbling across the ground in another brawl. Uzi’s face fell for a moment, knowing this is gonna take a lot of work to, well, make work.
As she kept staring at the two, an idea came to her. The thought made another smug grin spread across her face plates.
“Hey, you two~!” Uzi sing-songed.
N and Reflectio-N turned to her, stopping their fight to give her at least a moment’s worth of attention.
“If we get home fast enough, we might just be able to have the house to ourselves for a little while!” She said. “And if we can have the house to ourselves, we can see who the goodest boy is~” Uzi then grinned.
N and Reflectio-N stared at her. Their gazes flicked to each other. They turned back to Uzi.
“I’M THE GOODEST BOY!” Reflectio-N then hollered, shoving N out of the way.
“NUH-UH! I AM!!” N shouted back, grappling onto Reflectio-N’s coat and tripping him up.
‘Heheheheh, this is gonna be fun.’ Uzi thought to herself with a giggle.
“You know, you two fighting isn’t gonna get us anywhere!” She said as she turned around. “Maybe I should just go home by myself! I can just meet you back at home, though I doubt we’d have the house to ourselves by then!” She continued mischievously and with a shrug.
N and Reflectio-N quickly sobered up and ran over to her. They took her hands and deployed their wings, taking off before Uzi could even blink. Although she made a startled yelp, it soon turned into a laugh as she was dragged through the air.
“HEEEEELLLLLLLL YEEEEAAAAAAHHHH!” She screamed in glee. “THANK YOU ROBO-JESUS FOR BLESSING ME WITH MY VERY OWN HAREM!!” Uzi then laughed and kicked her feet.
“What’s a harem?” Reflectio-N asked.
“Eheheheh, you’ll find out~” Uzi giggled cheekily back at him.
“Whatever it is, I bet I’m better at it.” N mumbled.
“YEAH RIGHT, JACKASS!” Reflectio-N yelled.
“LIKE YOU WOULD BE ANY BETTER, CONSIDERING YOU DON’T EVEN KNOW WHAT IT IS!” N argued loudly.
‘Ohhh, man. This is going to be amazing.’ Uzi thought smugly, spotting the bunker in the distance.