Chapter Text
As Uzi slammed her doors roughly enough that the hallways were echoing, she stomped over to her vanity and started to adjust her beanie, facing the mirror. She couldn’t help but try to let out a smile on the reflective mirror but all those effortless tries resulted in Uzi producing a disturbing grin like she had just killed someone, and the eyebags underneath her eyes weren’t supporting either. She quickly changed her expression and backed away from the mirror. She bit her lip feeling frustrated. Lately, Uzi has been getting into disagreements with her dad with these cases known as the “Murder Drones”. She wanted to volunteer for the investigation. If only her dad would just believe in her for once and let her help out, but he was just too doubtful of his own daughter’s abilities.
I mean, Uzi is the current princess of Copper-9. The people meant the world to her, and she didn’t want the people to burden anything on their shoulders. And ever since her mother, Nori Doorman passed away, the people began to get concerned over the princess’s wellbeing left and right. If it wasn’t for their support then Uzi would’ve just stood back and watched as the murders went on.
It just didn’t help her that her dad became overprotective over her after that certain prior incident.
“Your highness, your father is just worried for your health. It's not unusual that he has to worry about you after your mother died. And I’m positively sure if you are too engrossed with helping your people out then this will physically damage your health princess. Overworking is not an option for you.” One maid goes as they gently comb Uzi’s purple hair.
Uzi scoffed, "Sure he does, but he wants me to just stand there and watch the people continue to die? The knights are getting killed left and right no matter how strong they are and they need help.”
The maid sighs as they set the comb down, “I understand, but what would he do when his only daughter is now dead? I’m sure you don’t want that either.” Uzi’s eyes softened, as she frowned.
“Please get some rest, now.”
Uzi nodded, “Good night.”
And although Uzi did listen to the maid’s words she didn’t follow the words of “get some rest”. Her eyes were very much open and even though she closed her eyes, she couldn’t feel any numbness of exhaustion from her body. Not wanting to stay up like this, she decided to take a walk to the garden to ease her mind and hopefully eventually feel tired. As she took one step towards the garden, the smell of dried up oil was all around her. She quickly backed up and looked around at her surroundings. There was nothing or nobody there, so why does the scent of oil smell so strongly here?
Uzi raised a brow and let out a simple, “Hello?”
And to her amazement it responded to her, “Hi!”
She quickly toppled on the ground, frightened and immediately got back up to see someone on the tree branch. She met their gaze as they jumped out of the branch, his eyes a bright golden yellow, his syringe-like tail was stained with the dried up oil. And his bright reassuring smile was a bit unusual for someone who just broke in.
Uzi maintained her distance with the mysterious figure, “Who are you and why are you in my garden?”
He cocked his head, confused, “I’ve kinda been staying here for a while … you didn’t notice me?”
Uzi blinked and she looked at him with disbelief, “How..whatever, just explain to me why you're here?”
“Can’t really tell you full details but I got injured pretty badly so I’ve been staying here for a while.” He replied as he sheepishly scratched his head.
Uzi pointed at his blood stained tail, “And that?”
He looked at it, “Oh, that's what I used to defend myself.” He replied bluntly.
“Uh-huh,”
“Well, as soon as I’m better I’ll have to leave, so it’s okay. Just please don’t tell anyone.”
Uzi took a glance at his eyes as they softened with sadness, she sighed, “Fine, just don’t cause any trouble.”
He smiled brightly, “Thanks!”
“So what’s your name?”
“N! And you?”
“Uzi.”
“Nice to meet you Uzi!”
“Mhm.”
There was an awkward silence between the two until N broke it, “So, do you think you can stay here for a while?”
Wanting to know more about N, she agreed to spend time with him.
The next two hours was just Uzi rambling and venting about her issue with her dad doubting her abilities to help and N listened carefully to every word she let out. He vents to her about his issues with his fellow co-workers and the fact that he is called out as useless. Being in the same boat with him, Uzi empathizes with him.
She never realized until now that she knew someone who had the same issues as her, “I guess we have a lot of things in common huh?”
N nodded as he sheepishly scratched the back of his head, “Well after I opened up to you I’m starting to feel a little bit better. Is this what it feels like to vent to someone?”
Uzi shrugged, “Have you never vented before?”
“Not really, I never really had anyone to vent too actually.” Her eyes soften on her visor.
“I only ever vented to the maids, I’m pretty sure they’re tired of it though.” N shook his head disagreeing, “That’s not true, they still hear you out right?”
Uzi thought for a moment before answering, “Now that I think about it, yeah they still listened to every rant. Same as you.”
“See?”
The two shared a laugh together. As they laughed Uzi felt something unusual from her body like she was hit with a wave of emotions or even overwhelmed by N’s kindness and good-nature. She felt genuine happiness, an emotion she never felt after..
“Uzi?”
“Hm, yeah?”
“It’s already been two hours, right?” Uzi blinked then realized it was. “Oh..yeah, well ,I’ll see you later then?”
N’s eyes began to widen, “You mean you’ll visit me again?” Uzi nodded, hiding the faint blush on her visor with her arm.
“Woohoo! I’ll wait till then, goodnight!”, he exclaims as he starts wagging his syringe-like tail feeling quite pleased as he climbs back up to the tree branch.
Uzi plopped on her bed like a star shape, ruining the bed sheets. As she covered herself up with the blankets she slowly began to fall asleep and let out a relieved sigh, feeling excited to talk to N again, her new friend who suddenly appeared in her garden in the middle of midnight. She still wondered who he really was though.
As the young Uzi desperately over stretches her arms, trying to get a book on the shelf, she heard upcoming hurried footsteps that were nearing her. The door burst opened by the maids who were panting for air.
“Princess Uzi, there you are!” One maid goes.
The little one cocked her head, “What’s wrong?”
“It’s your mother, Queen Nori.” As soon as the words slipped out of the maid’s mouth, Uzi finds herself overworking her little legs to run over to her dying mother’s side. As she was almost to her parents’ bedroom servants were overcrowding the door, “MOVE!” The servants quickly rushed to the side, making a clear path to Nori’s bedside.
Her father, Khan was there right by her side clutching her trembling hand. When Uzi reached her bedside she saw her mother’s eyes were nowhere to be seen on her visor. Uzi clutched to the bed sheets as her legs trembled, overwhelmed by the trauma of her mother’s corpse. Uzi grabbed a finger of her mother’s hand, it was cold and lifeless like a frozen feather. She couldn’t be dead, she’s just sleeping, she’s just sleeping, she’s just sleeping, she can’t be dead. I don’t want her to leave me. The voices were surrounding her mind as she trembled to the ground, maids quickly ran to her side to help her up.
As desperate voices were overcrowding the room Uzi mumbled under breath, “Mama..”
If only her mother would have smiled at her one last time when her sweet little girl made her very own flower crown. If only she could’ve said her last words to Uzi. What a foolish fantasy.
“ Mama, I won’t be angry at you anymore, I’ll keep making flower crowns for you, I won’t cause trouble for papa anymore, I’ll keep doing this so that you can be so proud of me that you’ll be brought back to life, so please don’t leave me now. You didn’t even say goodbye to me, so cruel.”
The sharpened arrow of reality pierced right through her fragile heart, her visor never felt so blurry before. Her mother was never coming back.
As N continuously plucked out the tree leaves out of boredom he overhead footsteps of someone coming into the garden, it was Uzi. He quickly became overwhelmed with excitement and hopped off the branch to give a hug to Uzi but she quickly stopped him by shoving a small black box, “What’s this?” He cocked his head.
“A gift, open it.” N held the box and slowly started to open it, revealing a golden yellow opal necklace inside.
Uzi clenched her fists, feeling nervous, “It..usually means something like your confidence and understanding your full potential. Hearing you open up your issues to me, I don’t think you're useless at all. Mom always told me that if someone tries their best then it’s not useless, I’m pretty sure you try your best. So don’t listen to what your co-workers say so easily.”
She raised up her head to see N warmly smiling at the necklace as he pulled it out, his eyes softened. Seeing him like this strikes a warm feeling in Uzi’s heart. N happily wore the necklace smiling bright as ever, his tone of voice seemed much happier.
“Thanks so much Uzi!”
“No problem.”
“I’ll treasure this!” He exclaims brightly.
Uzi smiled, but slowly she started to frown, realizing that as soon as his injuries were completely healed he would be leaving soon to return back to his co-workers. “You’ll still visit me right?” N notices Uzi’s sudden change.
N realizes the reason, “Ah, well sure I may have to leave but that doesn’t mean I won’t see you again. I will!”
“Promise?” N lifted his pinky up to her, smiling.
“Promise!” Both pinkies intertwined with each other, fulfilling a new promise.
“Woohoo! Also forgot to tell you, but meet me here at midnight alright? I have a surprise for you.” Uzi snickered, “Alright then, I’ll see you there then.”
N nodded, his tail never waggled with this much excitement before.
As two maids did Uzi’s hair and dress, one maid said, “Come to think of it, princess, you’ve been feeling quite a bit happier than usual. Did something happen?” The question made Uzi flinch.
“Huh?”
The other maid goes, “Could it be that you found someone dear to you? You did request a rather expensive custom-made necklace.”
A faint light blush applied on Uzi’s visor, “Should we celebrate with your father?” The two maids giggled with each other.
“You got it all wrong you two.” She bluntly states.
Oy Vey, there’s no possibility that she would fall for him, right?
“You made it- huh?” N was awaiting the moment to see Uzi’s face once again but it’s been a day since they met and Uzi is standing in front of him, gasping for numerous amounts of fresh air. “Woah..what happened to you?”
Uzi wiped off the sweat from her visor, it took her a while to speak while panting, “Maids..questioning..me...” N gave Uzi a pat on the back as he let out a laugh.
“Haha! Must’ve gotten the scare out of you!” N teased her, she gave him a light shove to the stomach, “Anyways moving that aside, what did you need me here for?”
“Oh yeah!” He reached to his left pocket shuffling his hand left and right in the pocket and pulled out a black box, this time the small box had a golden symbol on it.
Uzi looked at N who signaled her to open it, then back at the box. Her hands removed the lid of the container and out was a polished amethyst necklace. Like N she had the same reaction as him as she widened her eyes. She looked back at him, who had a bright smile on his face, “Do you like it? And if you didn’t know, we’re matching now!” N exclaimed as he tapped on his opal necklace.
Uzi was on the verge of dripping tears, her smile and eyes trembling with a wave of happiness and glee, “I love it, so much..thank you.”
The two then pulled in for a long embrace. It wouldn’t already be long enough when their friendship would begin to develop faster than expected and become the first key-step into reality. The love and friendship they carried was genuine happiness, if only N could have the ability to stay with her a little bit longer. Just talking with her, accompanying her, taking her out to places she has never witnessed before in her life, and their promise would be sealed for eternity’s will.
Their little comfort of space, in their little garden of oil.