Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

The Abomnished Marshes were... not an ideal place to live. Even he, who tried to be very positive, knew that. There were worse places out there, but with how much it rained and the swamp ground with deep bogs everywhere, most would be hesitant to settle down there if it could be helped. In fact, it was a running joke among visitors that it was so cloudy that you could barely tell night from day most of the year. That was also to say nothing of the alligators and vicious crows that stalked among and above the cypress trees.

But even with these conditions, there had been plenty of residents over time. Mostly, it was people who had no hopes of fortunes and lived off the land as best as they could. Some tourist traps had come and gone, too, with promises of showing off the marshes... only to shut down when they could not hide the death tolls. (Remarkable how ill-prepared some could be when trying to profit off of these environments.)

Regardless, the place had never seen any notable activity... until the Elliotts moved in.

Why the great-grandparents of James Elliott - the current patriarch - had moved here was anyone’s guess. Some believed it was for simple seclusion, while others speculated it was to perform “dark science.” Whatever it was, however, having been one of the pioneers of modern drone robotics, he had no difficulty taming a little place for himself. It had cost both machine and human lives, but with lots of effort and money settlements... the grand Elliott Manor had soon risen in the dark marshlands.

Since then, the family has seen much prosperity, getting investments in early when JCJenson was on the rise. Now, they had so much say in many of its operations that they practically owned it! Questions about their ethics and the dilemma of their potential anomaly meant nothing with the riches they had to silence such opposition, too. As such, their high position of power, even as humanity more and more left for the stars, was nearly unchallenged! Anyone would do whatever they could to attend one of their parties and gain their favor.

They had never moved their main estate, though - perhaps out of sentiment. Not that anyone would ever suggest otherwise, despite how nasty it could be coming in to visit. Affluent people had their profits and drone labor suddenly cut in half for less in the family’s history. It was not so bad inside the manor regardless, which was kept superbly immaculate.

Such cleanliness required lots of labor to maintain, however. They did their best to make sure the exterior was not too grimy, either. There were plenty of other tasks that needed doing as well, such as maintaining the greenhouse, cleaning dishes after parties, fixing up their personal generators to power the manor... All of which was no easy feat in such a harsh environment, and arguably even harsher masters in the form of James and Louisa Elliott.

But it was all done... though not by any humans. No, all the labor was given to their large drone workforce, who worked tirelessly day and night to keep everything running. They did not need food and water, and did not need as much rest as human help would. Just a few short hours in “sleep mode” and a drink or two of JCJenson Drone Energy Canisters every day, and they would work rather efficiently.

And the best part - at least from the perspective of the older Elliotts... was that they were highly disposable. There was no need to worry if they fell from the roof and broke their heads from the fall, or received too much of a jolt fixing wires. Hell, it meant the mister and misses of the manor could take their frustration out on them without consequence. And if it killed a drone... who cared? They were not alive or had rights by human laws. Most of their guests did not care, either, and sometimes even participated in drone destruction.

As such... the drones working there lived in constant fear. Because while many humans were ignorant of it, their robot help did have emotions. They were careful in the jobs they performed, hoping to avoid, or at least delay, being added to the scrap piles of dead workers outside the manor. Most made themselves as invisible as possible, blending into the sea of their fellow machines. Whether this increased their odds of living or not was debatable, but it at least helped them avoid being targeted individually.

The tactic worked with the master and mistress, who could not name most drones in their employ. What did they care about which drones helped set up tables in the ballroom so long as they did it correctly? They did not really dress up their drones beyond simple butler and maid uniforms, either, which contributed to that. Everything about how they styled their workers suggested they only saw soulless machines to do a job.

...The same could not be said about their daughter Tessa, however. A growing girl in her teens by that point, who suffered quite a bit of abuse at the hands of her parents like her drones. And yet despite this, she found it in her to give care to the drones in the manor when no one else would... and sometimes, even try to save them when they might otherwise be discarded.

Of all the drones, though... none knew it better than four in particular.

And on a stormy afternoon in her room, her... small favoritism for this group showed as one of them helped review her family history and more. She needed to know this stuff for a coming gala, where Louisa planned to show her off to some suitors her age in the hopes they would get married when they were old enough... Not that it would likely go anywhere. Many boys did not keep any initial interest long when they realized a few of her quirks.

If anyone asked N, though... they just did not appreciate how special Tessa was. There was certainly nothing but affection in his core for the young mistress as he smiled, sitting beside her with flashcards in his hand. “Alright! I think we’re almost done! Now, can you tell me what the name of your grandfather was and why he was important?”

Beneath the dark pink blanket on her bed, the human teen groaned, voice muffled by the pillow of the same shade her face was further buried in. She lifted her head enough, though, to give him a tired response. “Ugh... Drake Elliott. And he was notable for learning how nanite technology leaking into the environment could affect wildlife via the crows in the area.”

“Very good!” the butler drone cheered, patting the human’s form under the blanket. Pleased at the small hum that got him, he flipped to the next card. “And do you know why he studied them and reported his findings?”

“Because environmental conservationists were getting on his ass about potentially killing the ecosystem with improper drone disposal,” Tessa murmured grumpily.

...N blinked his white eyes, looking down at the cards while tilting his head. “That’s... not what you wrote down.”

“No, but it’s what actually happened,” the teenager replied. “He wasn’t exactly gentle with his ‘specimens,’ either.

The butler drone hummed, shrugging to himself. “Huh... Yeah, that makes a lot of sense!” He looked over at her, smiling apologetically despite knowing she could not see him. “But as for the answer your parents would want you to give...?”

Sighing with exasperation, Tessa shook her head under the blanket, speaking with heavy sarcasm. “He did it out of a ‘love for the local swampland and other environments near drone disposing zones.’ He was oh-so-horrified at the idea of animals dying, so he humanely studied crows and discovered how the nanites were causing mutations in some cases, but were not an immediate danger. The findings of which are discussed to this day - bla, bla, bla!” Her face fell back into her pillow, groaning more.

N was satisfied with the response, though, smiling as he set the cards aside on the off-white sheets of the bed. “Good job! See? I told you that you had this all memorized! You didn’t even need my help!” He chuckled lightly. “Though you might want to sound more genuine when talking to any boys, especially if your parents are nearby.”

The teenager snorted. “What, trying to get me married off as well when I’m old enough?”

...That got the butler drone to frown, crawling closer to her and looking at her sadly. “No, I... just don’t want you to get hurt.” He rubbed one of his arms under his black coat sleeve, grimacing. “They left pretty bad marks last time, so I just... you know...”

Tessa had gone rather still as he spoke. Then she let out a tired breath, curling up under her blanket. “Yeah... right. Sorry. I wasn’t accusing you of anything. I was... You see, I...” She trailed off, seeming to not know how she wanted to explain herself.

N was more than willing to be patient, however, smiling softly and patting the area her head was at. “It’s fine, Tessa. Take your time.”

The teenager gave a noise of gratitude, falling silent for a while. He gave her space while she thought, looking around her room. The rest of her bed was pretty impressive, with silky white curtains coming down from its high canopy. It matched well with the indeterminate, 1800s gothic aesthetic the architecture of the room had. Dark wood made up the flooring, ceiling, and lower half of the wall. The upper part, meanwhile, had patterned tan wallpaper, which was illuminated by a chandelier above, a few wall lights, and some scattered candles on the ground.

Lightning strikes from outside further illuminated the spacious room through the one large window it had. A nightstand was beside the bed with a fancy lamp, as well as a pink suitcase for the occasional travel. Beyond this, there were desks covered in children’s toys, ranging from stuffed bears to doll houses, along many of the walls. Stacks of books were also on the ground next to cleaned human skulls. (Not... exactly a cozy thing to have, but he did not judge the choice.) There was even a small white rocking horse between them and the door into the hall.

It had its charms, he supposed... if one ignored how much of it was years outdated for someone Tessa’s age. And did not mind how the lights continually flickered, electric maintenance never being a priority for the young mistress’s room... Also, the less said about the chain attached to the bed, the better.

But still, despite the... shortcomings, it was still her room. A place she could retreat to and hopefully escape her parents' gazes for a while. So she made do with what she had and spent time there with him and the rest of their little group. It might not be perfect... but any place in the manor they could meet in relative peace was a blessing.

N tried to take comfort in that, taking a deep breath and smiling. He knew that some people thought he was obliviously happy, and... admittedly, that was likely true. He tended to focus on the brighter side of things even in terrible situations. But he did recognize how awful the young human’s situation was, as well as his fellow drones. He also knew he was as much on the chopping block as any of them if he disturbed her parents too much.

Yet despite that, he did his best to maintain a cheery disposition. Everyone needed a little optimism in their lives, did they not? And he had loads to give! Who cared if he missed the mark sometimes so long as he was making those closest to him smile? Tessa, Cyn, V, J...

...Okay, maybe less so that last one, but hey, he had managed to stay on her good side this week despite being... him. His gray blouse and black tie were kept neat, and his black blazer and yellow armband were in good condition as well. He had even kept dust off of his black construction helmet! Stuff like that got him respect from their group’s self-proclaimed leader, so he took that as a win! Well, leader excluding Tessa, anyway.

Though, speaking of said teen... he started to notice that she had not spoken for a while. Blinking, he looked over at her still-covered form, wondering if she had fallen asleep. (She had not been getting good sleep these last few days, unfortunately.) He dismissed the idea, though, being aware of how she breathed while sleeping from helping her to bed before, which her current patterns did not match. The way she was still shuffling under there only confirmed this further.

Getting a little more concerned now, he poked her form once more, moving fully next to her while on his knees. “Hey, Tessa? You still with me?”

A small hum came in response, the human-shaped lump shuffling as she spread out straight, holding her pillow close. She did not sound too bad, which was a good sign. It seemed to be more so that she was just... uncertain by something. What that could be, he could only speculate without her talking to him. But if nothing was done, she might start to feel overwhelmed, which was never pleasant to see.

The butler drone frowned, rubbing his chin. He wanted to make her feel better about whatever was troubling her, but how? He did not want to assume anything regarding the issue, since that could possibly make things worse if he said the wrong thing. But then, how did he get her to talk with him? She seemed pretty content to brood at the moment, and-

That was when he perked up, an idea coming to him. A rather childish one, but... he knew for a fact Tessa still loved it. He had no clue how welcome it would be right now, but if there was any method he thought had a good chance of breaking the ice...

Thus, with a small grin, he leaned over the teenager, his voice painfully innocent even for him. “Tessa? Can you come out from your blankets and look at me?”

Said person only grunted, her response curt though not unkind. “Don’t want to...”

N smiled widely... his hands now hovering over her sides as she remained oblivious. “Are you sure? Don’t make me bring out the big guns.”

“I don’t care that you’re a drone - you are not yanking this blanket off of me,” Tessa said, hands moving to grip the blanket from underneath. (The small joke did help reassure him that the situation was not too bad, though. There were times after... “talks” with her parents that she would be rather subdued for a long while.)

The butler drone chuckled with faux evil intent, relishing the way that seemed to make the other pause underneath her cover. “Oh, don’t worry - I’m not going to pull it off of you! No need to give it any new tears.” He paused briefly... then grinned wider. “Besides... I know how sensitive you are even with a barrier like this!”

With that, he brought his hands down on where he determined the side of her stomach was... and started to tickle. He applied just enough pressure to be felt through the layers of fabric, but tried to keep it as light as possible at first. His fingers wiggled at an average speed, trying to coax that initial reaction out of her he loved hearing.

He was rewarded when the teenager gave a high-pitched squeak, her whole body spasming. She instinctively tried to curl up to protect herself... but her giggles were already worming their way out of her throat. “W-wait, N! P-please, I- Hehehe! Ah, hold on for a second! Stop doing-”

“Doing what?” N asked, his smirk evident in his voice. “Do you mean... this ?” His fingers began moving faster, now really focusing on the parts of her that he knew were particularly ticklish.

This resulted in more laughter leaving Tessa, who was now thrashing under her blanket. Her body turned, hands trying to push up at him clumsily through the fabric, though failing miserably as she seemed to struggle to breathe. “Hahahaha! No, N! P-please ha- hahahaha! Have mercy! Hahahaha!”

The butler drone did nothing of the sort, now dancing his fingers around where her stomach was. It left her legs kicking, her laughter getting louder and more uncontrollable with every passing second. Soon, words started to fail her as she continued to try and catch her breath, begging him to let up.

...He could tell she was not angry at him, though. He smiled giddily, glad that his decision was working out. He let the wonderful laughter of his favorite human wash over him, always happy to hear such wonderful, joyous sounds from her. It was how a child should have sounded growing up, surrounded by a loving family who wanted her to succeed in life. He had read all about it in the library several times!

Unfortunately, her human family never provided such experiences to her... So it was up to her drone family to pick up the slack. And do so he did, not only for her giving him a chance to keep living... but also because he cared deeply for her.

His ruminations, unfortunately - or fortunately, depending on how one looked at it - let Tessa get the jump on him. She suddenly sat up, throwing the blanket over him and making him yelp. The momentary distraction also gave her enough time to suddenly ram into him. He allowed himself to fall onto his back, not wanting her to get hurt by giving too much resistance. This meant that she ended up on top of him, pinned under her legs and waist.

She breathed hard above him, giggles still escaping her from all the tickling. He could not see her face with the blanket over him, but he could picture her wide grin. “Ha! I... hehe... I got you! You’re going to pay for that!” She punctuated the point by wiggling her fingers against his sides, slow and teasing.

Despite being a drone, N’s body sensors gave him a ticklish sensation. He was not nearly as sensitive as she was, but he still gave some chuckles to make her happy... Though did not let her bask in victory for long as his arms shot out from under the blanket and went to her sides. “You sure about that?”

Squealing, the teenager jumped at the feeling of his hands, letting him roll them over. The blanket fell back over her as she shook his head, getting ready to begin his tickle attack again. But she managed to twist hard enough to get him off balance, and he once more obliged with letting himself get knocked around.

This continued for several minutes, rolling over one another on the bed. He was careful while doing so, mindful of his weight - she was actually pretty strong, but just because she could lift him did not mean a metal body on top of her was comfortable. But aside from this, he let himself go and just had fun as they both tried to tickle one another. He heard the cards from earlier get crunched by them, and the blanket was tossed aside at some point. The latter, though, only gave them both an easier time attacking one another’s weak spots.

It was so carefree... Cheerful. So unlike the subdued nature many areas of the manor could give. No responsibilities or concerns about the future hanging over them. They were moments he cherished, and knew she also did far more than any of them.

Eventually, though, they both had their fill and flopped next to each other on the bed. They took deep breaths, trying to compose themselves. His systems had actually gotten a little overheated from all of that, and he could feel the flushed marks on his visor. His core pounded, being grateful that his systems could handle these sensations better than a human body could.

Regardless of that, though, the butler drone still had a big smile, soon glancing to his right at her as he spoke jovially. “Sooo...? Are you feeling better now?”

Even like she was, a chuckle still managed to leave Tessa as she weakly shoved his shoulder. “I’m going to need new lungs if you keep doing that to me.”

“I’ll pay for them!” N responded immediately. “You have way too cute of a laugh to never be able to do it again.”

More breathless chuckles left the teenager, before she released a sigh. “You’re very sweet, N... I wish even half the boys my parents have tried to introduce me to were like you. At least then I might get along with them if nothing else.”

The butler drone hummed, sitting up and looking over her way. He had not really paid attention to her appearance during their little scuffle. And why would he give it too much thought anyway? He had been one of her personal worker drones for nearly two years now, and they saw each other almost every day. How she looked was practically burned into his processors!

Yet today... he found himself taking in all of her details. Like most days, she was in a plain black dress going past her waist and with short sleeves. He knew that Louisa was mad about how small her waist and chest were, which showed no signs of growing anymore as adolescence was a few years away. Though frankly, he thought she looked fine, and did not like that her mother sexualized her teenage daughter like that (but he kept that to himself to avoid causing any of them problems).

Though, he would also admit that she was quite pretty. Her light brown skin - genetic rather than a tan, which would be hard to get in this cloudy place - complimented her lean arms and legs quite well. Though it was also light enough to allow him to see how flushed her cheeks were, smiling with clean white teeth. Her black hair, done into downward twin-tails with hairbands on their lower ends, was messy from all the thrashing. The black bow on top of her head had also gotten ruffled, its corners misshapen now.

If her parents saw her like this, they would probably scold her for being so “uncouth.” But with only the two of them, she could be as messy as she would like. The older Elliott’s absence also meant that her deep green eyes were able to practically sparkle. She met his optics, her gaze filled with warmth as she rested her hand on top of his.

The butler drone was unsure why he was taking it all in again, but it still got him smiling softly. The comfortable quiet that had settled over them nearly made him forget why he had done any of that to begin with. He almost wanted to go back to laying beside her, enjoying the silence until he got called away to do tasks around the manor.

However... he had to be sure she was truly feeling better. And so, with a fair amount of reluctance, he sighed and scooted next to her, looking at her with light concern. “That’s nice... but you didn’t answer my question.”

Sighing as well, Tessa sat up, brushing her hands through her hair. Her giggles finally dying down, she shrugged at him while glancing around at the sheets below them. “I’m... fine, N. Really! I mean, as fine as I ever am in this place.” She looked up, leaning back and using her arms to keep herself held up. “I guess it’s just... feeling more real now, is all - my parents' efforts to get me a suitor.”

N mirrored her position, keeping his expression inviting but not forceful. “Can you explain that a little more to me?”

The teenager shrugged, raising one hand in front of her face, inspecting it intently. “I’m not getting any younger, N. Like, my sixteenth birthday is this year! I’m not sure how well you understand it, but that’s a big deal for humans! It’s almost... a mid-point between childhood and adulthood that everyone is supposed to be excited about.”

“I think I got it,” the butler drone said, twirling some of his silver hair. Granted, he thought that every year a human got older seemed special, since their bodies were continually aging and all of that. It also was not like he could comment on childhood, since his neural network had matured at great speeds thanks to JCJenson-approved procedures, meaning he never properly got one. (Although every drone in their group, him included, often referred to each other as kids, so there was that.) But he still thought he understood the concept well enough.

“I’m not exactly expecting a ‘classic sweet sixteen’ from my parents when the time comes,” Tessa continued, hand still raised. “Oh, they’ll throw a party or gala, I’m sure, but it will be purely to show me off. But that’s beside the point. What I’m getting at is that I’m going to be a proper young lady here soon. Expected to take up the mantle of Matriarch of the Elliott family and have children to continue the bloodline.

“And... it’s starting to terrify me.” Her hand clenched, though the action was weak as she looked down sadly. “It was easy to throw tantrums away from them and ignore the situation when I was just thirteen. Now, though... I only have so long left that I can get away with that. My parents are going to find a man who will marry me. And when that happens... I don’t know what’s going to happen to me.” She glanced his way, before just as quickly looking away and whispering. “What... will happen to you guys, either.”

N’s expression fell, starting to understand things a little better. It was no secret to anyone how protective she was over him and the others. Her parents certainly did... and leveraged that over her often. Yet her parents had not done anything to break them apart, knowing it would only make their daughter more stubborn toward them. They were pretty much the only companions she had her whole life, human or drone.

However... what would that look like when she had a husband? (Not “if” - not so long as James and Louisa drew breath.) Would he try to keep them away from her? Would he insist on reformatting their memories, or even disposing of them? And even if he was not so cruel - small of a chance as that seemed given the Elliotts’ normal company - would he even understand and accept them?

The butler drone could see and understand all of those concerns... but also knew that the teenager was worrying over nothing.

Smiling softly, he reached out and grabbed her hand, bringing it down so that it rested between them. When she looked at him, he made sure to pour as much honesty into his optics and tone as possible. “Nothing is going to happen to us, Tessa. You would never allow anything to happen to us. No man is ever going to be able to force you to get rid of us!”

Cheeks flushing again, Tessa glanced around nervously. “I-I think you’re... giving me too-”

N shook his head, firmly cutting off her denials. “Come on - don’t be modest! How many times have you successfully saved even members of the regular staff from getting dismantled? You even protected Cyn, even though I know you didn’t really like her at first after she got settled in!”

That seemed to startle the teenager, who likely thought he had not noticed that. (He appreciated her attempts to act courteous for his sake around his little sister, though.) She pursed her lips, looking ashamed. “T-that isn’t... um...”

Once more not letting her finish, he pulled her into a hug, chuckling softly. “I know you still get pushed around by them. I know you’re scared, too... But I know you’ll overcome that.” He pulled back, making eye contact. “And if you’re able to stand your ground with them even now, then I know any man you have to get with will have no chance.” His smile brightened. “You intimidate them enough as is now! Why else do none of them keep in contact after a week or two?”

A small snort left Tessa, who despite still seeming unsure gave a small smile. “I think it’s more that the high men of society aren’t all that interested in a girl who digs through drone parts and knows mechanics in her teens. An oil-smelling woman doesn’t really appeal to even those looking for more than a trophy wife.”

“Hm... Nah, I think my explanation is the correct one,” the butler drone said, not a hint of joking in his voice. (Seriously, what was wrong with a little oil smell? So long as no drone was bleeding out of the stuff or anything...)

His response got more laughter from the teenager. “Oh, N...” Shaking her head in amusement, she looked at him again, her gaze soon softening. “You really believe everything you just said, huh? I... wish I had nearly as much confidence as you did on all of that.”

N shrugged. “Well, just... think of it like this. If anything did happen to one of us, what would your first response be?”

“...To dig you guys back up from the drone piles outside and try to save you, however futile,” Tessa admitted, looking a bit embarrassed to admit it.

The butler drone grinned, draping his arm around her neck for a side hug. “Yeah? So that means I’m right, aren’t I?”

The teenager giggled. “That’s not an exact correlation, mate.” She sighed... then rested her head on his shoulder. “But... thank you, N. That makes me feel a little better.”

Said drone nodded, letting her rest there for a moment. Rain and thunder continued to sound from outside, preventing a total silence. But he did not care if it was sunny or rainy - seeing that content expression on her face was good with any weather. V and J are going to be so sad that they got to miss this.

After a few more moments, Tessa took a deep breath and pulled away from him. She shuffled a little down the bed, grabbing the cards from earlier and smoothing out the wrinkles caused by their little battle. “It’s not just you guys I’m worried about. It’s also how much pressure I’ll be under to have kids.”

“Don’t want to be a mom?” N asked, watching her.

“Eh, I’m not against it one day,” the teenager replied, frowning slightly. “But I know my parents are going to insist on it happening as soon as possible. Probably also for me to have two before I’m thirty.” She huffed, glaring to the side. “As if I’m not an only child and my mother waited until she was entering her thirties... fucking bitch.”

The butler drone gasped, putting his hands over his mouth. “Profanity!”

“No less than she deserves,” Tessa responded, shuffling her cards.

N shrugged, not denying that as he lowered his hands. Scratching the back of his head, he tried to smile. “Well... for whatever it’s worth, I think you’ll be a good mom when the time comes. You’re very responsible when you want to be!” (She deserved a free pass for some of her defiances toward some of her parents' orders, considering... everything.)

The teenager chuckled shortly... before her eyes went to the chain on her bed. “I guess I also have plenty of examples of what not to do to raise a kid thanks to my parents. Lord knows I’ll need some good books on the matter!”

Despite her joking tone, the butler drone could not help but frown. He came up behind her, rubbing his hand on her back. “Tessa...”

Said human sighed, shaking her head. “Yeah, I know. I’m sorry - I know you’re trying to help. It’s just... a lot I’m coming to terms with.”

It certainly sounded like it to N. And as a drone, he doubted he could understand everything she was dealing with. That was on top of how... dense he could be. He knew he was not the brightest drone around, despite his frequent reading in the library. And it was times like this that he felt both those limitations the most. He was glad to be moral support to her, but he wished there was more he could do than give her tickles.

...Though perhaps he could this time, latching onto something she mentioned before. Digital eyes widening, he soon broke into another wide smile as he patted her back. “Well, let’s... try not to worry about all of that for now. It’s still years away! So how about instead we try to get ready for your big day this year!”

Tessa blinked, turning to him with confused green eyes. “Huh?”

“Your sixteenth birthday!” the butler drone exclaimed, throwing his hands out wide. “You said that’s a big deal for humans, right? And if any human deserves the best celebration of one, it’s you!”

The teenager blushed, before giggling bashfully at his enthusiasm. “Aw, N. You don’t need to do anything like that! Besides, you’ll probably be busy that day serving during their exhibition of me disguised as a party.”

“We could still do something afterward,” N insisted. “When your parents are away. I’ll talk with J, V, and Cyn about it. There’s bound to be something we can scrounge together for you! We can work it out over the next few months, I promise!”

Tessa stared at him, looking more and more touched by his offer. She glanced around, seeming to struggle with a response. “N... I-”

Whatever she was going to say, however, was cut off as the butler drone received a notification. He knew a little dot would have shown up in the top right corner of his visor for her to see, and he himself felt a little buzz in his head. Startled, he quickly composed himself and focused on his display, bringing up the message that came with it.

Worker drones were not standardly built with an internal message system - an easy way to cut a few costs and sell “features” to people at high prices later. Serving the Elliotts, though, came with some benefits for ones like him. Granted, he only had the ability to receive texts rather than send them after he... slightly abused the system to talk with V late at night... a few times. But it still did wonders for helping him coordinate with the rest of the drone staff to get tasks done.

Still, generally... most messages he got were from one drone in particular after V got cut off, too. And sure enough, he was met with lines of text by their group’s self-proclaimed job coordinator:

J: N! I need you in hall G7 now! Your “sister” made a mess, and I am not going to be the only one cleaning it up! We also need to discuss your laziness today when you get here! Don’t think I haven’t noticed you neglecting your duties this afternoon! Get here quickly, and I might go easy on you!

N sighed as he finished reading, minimizing the message. He looked at Tessa, smiling apologetically as he moved to the edge of the bed and jumped off. “That was J. It seems I’m needed to do some cleaning, and to get scolded for not doing my job the past few hours.”

The teenager winced, rubbing the back of her neck. “Ah - sorry about that. I’ll come along to explain things to her. I don’t want you to-”

“I’ll be fine!” the butler drone reassured, waving her off before she could even try to get up. “I’ll explain things to her. You just rest up now. You have enough to worry about with all the suitor stuff coming up.”

Tessa seemed uncertain at first, but ultimately nodded, laying on her stomach as she watched him with her arms under her head. “Well... okay, then. Say hi to her for me.”

“Will do!” N said with a salute and smile. He turned and started to head off, not wanting to keep their group’s boss waiting. Her message suggested she was feeling a little cranky right now! (Which... was a lot of the time around him, to be fair.)

But before rounding into the little alcove to the side where the door was... he paused, looking back at her. He gazed at her softly, giving a small smile. “And don’t worry... We’ll make your birthday special. Anything to help with you getting older.”

Tessa blinked at him... before ultimately sighing fondly, smiling back. “Whatever you say, N.”

The butler drone beamed at her, waving one last time before continuing to move. He meant what he said - they would find something to do for her. He was not sure what, but he hoped a little coordination would yield results! If it helped her cope with the pressure her parents were putting on her, it was worth any effort.

They had months to do that, though. And so, focusing on the present, he reached the oak door and quickly stepped into the hall. Then, with a deep breath, he rushed down the hallway to see what the mess was about.

-------

Like Tessa’s room, the rest of the Elliott manor gave off a heavy gothic aesthetic. Dark wood made up most of the rooms, cleaned and polished constantly to prevent rot. Red was a prominent color used in the wallpaper, with golden patterns laid into them. The same was done for lots of the carpeting, which helped make the place feel grand... yet intimidating. As though any moment it was going to close in and crush you.

N was not sure how intentional that part was. Maybe the place would have looked a lot friendlier if the light fixtures were brighter, or there was more sunlight coming in through the various windows. As it stood, though, the shadows only increased a sense of foreboding to everything. Likely irrational if you were a human guest... but was a stark reminder of who they worked for with the drones.

He was not so dense as to not see it in his fellow worker’s visors as he passed them by. They were in the middle of various activities, like dusting off fancy console tables in the hallway and what was on them - vases, record players, and more. Others had rather modern ladders to reach the lights, which clashed with the architecture, and replaced the bulbs. He even passed one maid carrying a plate of drinks for what human guests were around at this time between the more extravagant celebrations.

All of them did a decent job looking like soulless robots, unworthy of notice. But inevitably... cracks showed on their expressive visors. Digital sweat falling down as they were careful to not break things. Nervous glances as if waiting for a human to come shove them out the nearest window for fun. Hunched postures when walking before swiftly correcting themselves.

They were scared - every last one. When off hours, they might have peace, but so long as they were in the main corridors, they all had that idea that... this could be their last day. He felt bad for all of them, knowing full well how true that could be, unfortunately. Some faces, as much as they blended together, might not be there in as short a time as next week.

And... given how similar his uniform was to other butlers, it was hard not to picture himself in their place at times. The older Elliotts could still kill them, despite risking making their daughter too rebellious. It was a burden that would never go away for years to come.

...But he never let that fear bring him down. As he made his way down the various hallways to his destination, he kept a smile on his face - even whistling a few tunes. He waved to his fellow workers as he passed, being sure to give brief words of encouragement as he did so. Another time, he might have stopped to help with a few tasks as well, but with J and Cyn waiting, he sadly could not spare a moment today.

Still... his passing did seem to bring their moods up. A few smiled and waved back before focusing on their tasks, and even called back to him. Others had baffled looks, indicating that they were probably fairly new and had never run into him before. But even so, the gloom seemed to dissipate a little around them after seeing a fellow worker so happy.

There were, naturally, a few more neutral looks, some of which might have been hiding annoyance. He did not blame them if they felt that way - they probably saw him as a fool for acting so cheerful so openly. Who would do that when working there? V had once admitted to him about some talks behind his back as well about how they viewed it as him showing off his privilege as one of “Tessa’s drones.”

He wished he could change their minds on that so he could cheer them up better. But his interactions with many of them were often limited and mired by work, so it was difficult. And really, was there any way to deny such claims?

As much as that saddened him, though... he was glad some of them were made happier by his passing. In a place like this, the most valuable thing anyone could do in his mind was spread a little joy. And while he did not have many ways to do that... he took what he could to help others get through their days.

He hoped enough of them got to live to see Tessa take over the place, too... because he was certain things would get better for everyone after that.

But that was thinking too far into the future, which he was kind of bad at anyway. So he focused back on navigating the halls, using his internal map to reach the one marked G7. It was a fairly standard corridor, and pretty far from the main ballroom and bar. But guests like to explore, and if any area was out of shape, then it would reflect badly on the Elliotts. And if that happened... drones were dying for sure, whether they had a role in the mess or not.

So the butler drone moved as fast as he could, soon nearing the corner where he would be met with whatever mess Cyn had made. He wondered what it was this time - his sister was a bit clumsy on account of issues with her body, so mistakes happened often. But it was not like he could message J for clarification, so he supposed he would see in a minute. He just prayed to Robo-God that she was not going too hard on his sibling. She was... quite harsh at times.

He did not hate J, though! Sure, he wished she was a little kinder at times, but with all the work she did and the environment she did it in, he understood why she was so strict. When the threat of making mistakes was potential death for them. And while he got a good brunt of her attitude, considering the difficulty he had with some tasks and his more lax approach...

But what they both agreed on was making Tessa happy. Which was why he was hoping to make his proposal to her about setting up their own small party for the teenager when he arrived, making his steps quicken a little. Oh, it’s going to be a great idea! I wouldn’t even doubt if J already had the thought and is making plans. She’s always such a forward-thinker!

Though, then again, it might also not have occurred to her. Tessa’s birthday was many months away, and J was always concerned about making “corporate” satisfied, which could distract her. But if she has not yet, then that was all the more reason for him to bring it up! The sooner they started throwing out ideas, the better! It was with these thoughts that he turned the corner into hallway G7, ready to talk and fix the problem there all in one go.

And what he saw... actually made him pause. He had expected several things, honestly, when it came to a mess. One was that the big window, which was on the right side, had been opened while cleaning it and got rainwater everywhere. Another was that one of the small tables of books on the left side had been toppled, and they had to replace any ruined copies with nice-looking ones from the library.

...What he did not expect, though, was the large amounts of glass shards scattered everywhere.

Yet that was what he was met with as lightning flashed from outside, making the transparent shards glisten. It also highlighted the two drones in the hallway better, who were busy sweeping it up and putting it into a large black trash bag. J was doing so with a highly annoyed expression, casting glares at her help all the while. Cyn, on the other hand, had as blank of an expression as ever, body movements jerky... but he saw the signs of shame in her gangly posture. He always did.

Frowning, N quickly made his way over to them, mindful of the glass. He looked over the mess with a confused expression. “What, uh... what happened here?”

His boss snapped her eyes toward him, her glare only seeming to get more intense. She stood tall, smoothing out her maid attire - a black and gray dress with a white apron and a black bowtie around her neck. “It’s about time you showed up! Took a leisurely stroll, I’m guessing?”

“No!” the butler drone denied... before pausing, then chuckling sheepishly. “Uh... I might have slowed down a few times to say a few things to the other workers, though.”

J huffed, shaking her head in disgust and making her long silver pigtails shake, peaking out of her black hard hat and accompanying maid crown. “Why am I not surprised?” She smiled sarcastically, gesturing to the widespread mess around them. “Well, lucky for you, your ‘sister’ has really outdone herself here. There’s enough clean-up to go around!”

N looked around at the glass once more, scratching the side of his head. His gaze soon went to Cyn, sweeping shards into a dustpan and seeming to be trying to avoid his gaze, muttering “sweep ” under her breath. She wore a similar outfit, though she also had a black bow and had a hairstyle similar to Tessa’s. But aside from being small and her... obvious move impairments, what made her stand out from every other drone here... were her yellow eyes. They looked at her work, not as expressive as most others.

Yet even so... the guilt was easily identifiable in them. Frowning sadly, he went up to her, putting a comforting hand on her back. He spoke soothingly, making clear he was not upset at her. “Hey, little buddy. What happened here?”

His sister glanced up at him, lips twitching in a way he knew signified she was trying to purse her lips. But under his kindly gaze, she answered him while looking down in her usual monotone voice. “ Ashamed sigh. I was trying to clean the window in your place so that J would not get mad at you. I climbed onto the ledge at the bottom, but... my legs gave out. Guilty face. And it happened to be when several drones were moving by with old drinking glasses that were being thrown away.”

“She managed to trip over nearly all of them and spill their boxes!” J exclaimed, throwing her hands wide in frustration. “If I had not been around supervising them, then even more of those glasses would have broken.” She shook her head again, grabbing a pan she left on the floor and dipping the shards on it into the trash bag. “Useless little drone...”

N frowned at her. “J, don’t be too mean.” He looked back at his sister, smiling softly at her. “And thank you for trying to help me, buddy! But you shouldn’t do tasks like that. It’s not good for your limbs. I would have gotten to it once I was done with my business!”

“ Frustrated huff, ” Cyn narrated, jerkily standing and taking her gathered shards to the trash bag as well. “Shuffle. Shuffle. I could have done the window. I did not even need to climb. Sneaky look. It was just cover in case anyone passed by.” She dumped her shards, looking awkwardly around as she slumped. “ Meek hunch. I just underestimated my leg strength.”

The butler drone raised a digital eyebrow, not... sure what she meant by that. Aside from a cloth tucked into her black and white frilly maid outfit, she seemed to have no other supplies with her. Even he would have needed a long pole or a ladder to wipe the entire window, and she was shorter than him! And that was before considering her mobility issues. Just how was she proposing she would have cleaned the whole thing? Make the rag float and move it along the entire surface?

...What a ridiculous idea that was! No, she probably just did not understand the task properly, he figured. It was not like anyone would have taught her. Given her condition, she was better off left with more simple tasks that did not risk her falling from any big heights.

Still, he was touched by her willingness to try and help him. So he smiled, patting her on top of her head. “Well... that’s a shame, then. But still, be more careful from now on. And let me worry about any work I fall behind on, okay?”

His sister still looked a little down. However, she soon smiled at him - seeming blank, but he could tell the warmth behind it - and nodded with her usual narration. “Sheepish nod. Okay, big brother N.”

N beamed at this, always feeling so wonderful to hear her refer to him like that. It was a strange thing, to be seen as an older brother to someone. Yet from the moment Cyn and he had gotten close and she latched onto the term, they-

His musings on their relationship, sadly, were cut off when J slapped him hard on the back of the head. He yelped, rubbing the area as she faced his irate boss, who had her arms crossed as she glared. “Speaking of falling behind... Just why was that window not cleaned an hour ago like was on your schedule? That’s not the only thing, either, you failed to do!”

The butler drone winced, nearly having forgotten J’s promise from the text. He raised his hands placatingly, trying to explain himself. “Well, I was-”

“Ah! I don’t want to heat it!” his boss snapped, face becoming more strict. She poked his chest hard, making him back up while trying to avoid crushing any more glass. “You are just...! Why do you have to be so incompetent?! Your laziness is going to get you scrapped one of these days! Not that your ‘work’ would even be missed!”

N flinched again, looking at her with a hurt expression. “I... I wasn’t being lazy! I never am!” Yes, he sometimes did not do his tasks in the quickest manner, but he was trying! And he kept at things until they were done. Did that not count for something? Besides, some of the delays were due to him trying to offer assistance to others, which he thought was fair!

...Though maybe he got a little derailed if V passed by. He could never deny that one, even if he wanted to... which he did not.

J scowled, gesturing at him as she got right in his face. “Then where the hell have you been?! I’ve been asking around! No one has seen you in any of the areas that you’re supposed to have been in! Do you know how many people I had to reassign to compensate?!”

A small pang of guilt went through the butler drone at hearing that some people had to work more thanks to him. But still, he swallowed down any comment about her language and tried to explain things again. “I was with Tessa for the last few hours. She wanted help reviewing some facts about the Elliott family to tell to suitors.”

His boss scoffed, giving him a fake smile as she drawled her words with faux sweetness. “Oh! I see. The Boss wanted you to help review family history? Oh, that just makes so much sense! And tell me, what kinds of stuff did you ‘review?’”

N frowned, not sure why she seemed doubtful of his claim. Tessa called them all aside for small tasks a lot despite their normal duties - the two of them especially. Why would this be more unusual than any other time? It was not even like there was an especially hard task he had today he might theoretically want to get out of - something he would never intentionally do!

Nonetheless, he shrugged and smiled nervously while giving his response. “Uh... quite a few different things, honestly. When the manor was built, a few things about her grandparents - we talked a little about Drake Elliott at the end.” He perked up, recalling a bit that he learned. “Oh, that one was pretty interesting! Did you know it was due to our nanites that the local crows seem to have glowing eyes? Or, well, the card didn’t say that, but it mentioned the mutations the animals here were getting!”

J studied him a moment longer... then blinked, her fake smile dropping as surprise overtook her features. “Wait... she actually did call you in to help her? With educational matters?”

The butler drone nodded, a little endured on the inside at her way of phrasing things at the end. Classic J - making things sound all official and corporate! “Yeah! It was a lot of fun, actually! She did a good job memorizing her responses!”

He waited for the head maid’s reply... but none came. Confused, he focused on her, noticing that she was looking away from him now. She was frowning, appearing deep in thought and... troubled by something. Her normal confident posture had faltered a bit, feet shuffling slightly from side to side.

And... was it his imagination, or did he see a little hurt in her optics?

Immediately concerned by such a sudden change, he frowned, raising one hand to reach out to her. “J? Are you-?”

Unfortunately, his words seemed to snap J out of her little trance. She scowled again, shoving him away. “Don’t touch me, moron-bot!” She took a deep breath, back to her usual demeanor. Still, she looked at him less hostilely now as she crossed her arms. “Anyway... I suppose if you were assisting The Boss, then I’ll let your lack of efficiency slide for today. But I expect you to work extra hard tomorrow! And after the next party, you’ll be put on full-time dish duty!”

N nodded, giving a salute and smile now that the issue was cleared up. “Yes, ma’am!”

The head maid rolled her eyes... though a look of uncertainty flashed in those optics when she looked away again. But before he could say anything, she shoved her dustpan into his hands and gestured to the brush on the floor, before turning and marching down the corridor. “Right now, though, help Cyn finish cleaning up. I’m going to go inspect the other jobs you didn’t do and make sure your replacements aren’t screwing up.”

The butler drone frowned with worry... before his eyes widened, realizing he had not even mentioned making plans for Tessa’s birthday! He tried to step after her as he shouted. “Wait, J! I wanted to talk about-!”

“Just get to work!” said drone called back without turning. Then, she marched around the corner and was gone, leaving the two sibling drones with one another.

Cyn looked the way she came, her frown a little more pronounced than normal as her head tilted. “Head Tilt. Confusion. Strange. I thought she was planning to help us to finish cleaning this up.”

N could only shrug, a little surprised by the other drone’s behavior as well. Was... it something he said? It seemed to be in response to his time spent with Tessa, but what was wrong about that? He was also disappointed he had not been able to talk about doing their own party for the teenager.

But still... he supposed he could try to talk to her about both things another time. So, putting that aside for now, he moved over and picked up the brush, kneeling as he smiled at his sister. “Well... let’s not disappoint her. She seems stressed enough today as is! Let’s get this all cleaned up, shall we?”

Cyn nodded as best she could with her gangly body, kneeling awkwardly and sweeping up. Still, her face conveyed how unhappy she was. “Sweep. Annoyed look. With how she acts around you, I sometimes wonder if it would be so bad to disappoint her more.”

That made the butler drone blink, tilting his head at her. “Huh? Me? She’s a little rude to everyone besides Tessa.” He quickly brought up one hand, quickly defending himself despite no accusation even being thrown. “Which is totally fine! There’s a lot of work that needs to be done, and she doesn’t like things falling behind! It makes the Elliotts mad!”

“Angry pout. It is different for you, though.” His sister looked at him, her eyes giving the best expression of anger he had ever seen in her. “Insistence. She is far more willing to shove you around and trip you up than anyone else. I am not sure she even does that to others. And she often looks annoyed when your name is brought up. I’ve seen it!” She shook her head, sweeping harder. “ Rough sweep. Irritation. She hates you, big brother. More so than me, despite my mistakes.”

N looked down, taking that in. Was that true? Was J that much harsher with him than she was with anyone else? He did suppose Cyn was right that she was much more... physical with her discipline with him. Never anything too rough that would cause actual damage to him, but he had definitely gotten his fair share of punches and kicks. And unless Tessa was in the room, seeing her with a real smile was a rarity for him.

Still... he shook his head, giving his sibling a reproaching look. “J doesn’t hate me, Cyn. I... I know she doesn’t.” He nodded, as if to confirm it to himself before giving a more subdued smile. “Like I said, she’s just stressed. And even if she does treat me differently, I’m sure she has her reasons!” He gave a sheepish laugh. “I mean, I’m far from the best worker here when I’m not at the bar!”

His sister’s frown was more pronounced, seeming to debate whether to believe him or not. But eventually, she gave a jerky shrug and focused on her cleaning once more. “Uncertain. If you say so, big brother.” Her eyes dimmed. “Sad sigh. I do wish you would stand up for yourself more, though.”

The butler drone felt a pang in his core at that... also recalling what he was saying to Tessa earlier. He sighed, but still managed to give her one last smile. “I’ll be fine, Cyn. Just please don’t try to provoke J. It isn’t going to help anything.”

Cyn nodded, even if she did narrate it as “reluctant.” After that, they fell into silence as they went about trying to complete their work. It was slow progress given the amount of glass everywhere. (Seriously, the actual shattering must have been a sight to see.) It was not helped by his sibling’s slow walk to the trash bag as she seemed to struggle to support her own weight. He also recognized that he was going to have to get a vacuum cleaner eventually to ensure the smaller fragments were gone from the carpet.

But still... he rather enjoyed this time alone with her. Doing this work was not so bad so long as it was with those he was close to. With her, V, and even J, the tasks of the day seemed all the more doable. Just having a constant reminder in sight that in this bleak place... he was not alone. That his optimism meant something to others.

He knew the others felt the same... and that included J. He was not sure why there was an extra strain between her and them - especially with him - but he knew she valued them. There was just always some issue on her mind, rusting her up inside. This was not the first time he had glimpsed that expression of hers, the more he thought about it. The problem went back a good bit, and if they could just clear whatever it was up, he was sure everyone would be happier.

Just another thing to talk to her about, N mused... if he could ever catch her in a better mood. But that was something to worry about later. He would figure something out. He had to... because if Cyn was right and J had a more serious problem with him... it could break their group apart. And he was sure none of them wanted that... Tessa least of all.

So he would come up with a plan. But for now, he would do his part in keeping James and Louisa off of their backs. It spurred him to sweep a little faster, humming a small tune to himself. Soon, his sister was also trying to hum despite her monotone voice, and occasional narration of “happy tune.” While others might have found that annoying, though, he thought it was endearing, making him smile.

Several minutes passed like this, the rain still falling outside as thunder rumbled more in the distance. They traded a few tunes, giggling at how they clashed at times. (Or, well, Cyn would say “giggle,” but that was also cute to him.) It allowed him to relax more, finding peace after the uncertainties of the day. He almost felt like he could take a rest there once he was done with the glass...

...Then footsteps came around the corner, quick and hurried. He almost thought it was J, coming back to make sure they did a good job after all. But before he could look up... he heard a different, yet equally familiar voice mumbling to herself. “Oh, I hope I can sew this up. The last thing I need is the master shouting about- eep! ”

A similar noise escaped the butler drone, his eyes hollowing. Digital sweat poured down his visor as his core pounded. Not out of fear, though... Or, he supposed he was scared. But it was not the same as being worried for his life.

No... it was the kind from being near someone he loved more than anything else.

Swallowing nervously, he looked up to confirm who it was. Sure enough, he was met with a maid drone in the same style of dress as J. Her hair, however, was done in a bob-cut... and unlike other drones, she had on a pair of round glasses. A necessary item for her, he knew, rather than for cosmetics due to a faulty visor. And frankly... it made her equally hollow white eyes and blush marks mirroring his own... all the more adorable.

Still, he tried to keep his cool as he chuckled awkwardly, his smile jittery as he set down his brush to wave at her. “H-hey, uh... Hey, V! W-what, um... what are you doing here?” He cringed internally at the pathetic start as his hand faltered.

If the maid noticed, however, it did not show as she smiled timidly back, hand twirling her hair as she looked around. “O-oh, um... I was just... heading back to our quarters. M-my work is done, and there’s a tear in my dress I need to fix.” She held up a portion of her uniform for emphasis, showing off the small tear in the black fabric. “You know how Master James gets about this stuff... so...”

“Yeah, I... I know,” N answered absently. Truthfully, though... he was having trouble focusing, because her lifting her dress was... showing off a bit more of her left leg. It let him see above her knee-high black socks, getting a... tantalizing view of her plating. And if she just lifted it a little higher, then... he could see-

AH! NO! BAD N! NO SEXUALIZING!  He quickly looked down, grabbing his brush and sweeping rapidly. It... ended up scattering the glass around him more than it did put it into the dustpan. But he was able to pretend to be composed as he laughed anxiously with a smile to match, speaking faster with every syllable. “W-well! Sorry to bother you, then! I’ll letyougetbacktoit! Sosoory!”

V looked surprised at his reaction... but when she glanced down, she unfortunately seemed to catch on. She squealed, immediately pulling her dress down as her blush marks practically took up more of her visor than her eyes. “Oh Robo-God! I-I didn’t mean to-!” She stopped short, swallowing thickly as she looked away with a mortified expression. “I... I’ll let you get back to work! I’m so sorry!”

She started to shuffle her way past, seeming to want to run but holding herself back. The butler drone, for his part, kept his gaze respectfully down as he tried to calm down his own blush. Just... Robo-God, why was she so pretty? He could barely control his core beat around her! Granted, him being a staring weirdo was not as bad as when... a “spark” had traveled between them. But still... while he loved being with her, why did every interaction start with him being so flustered?

I miss messaging, he lamented as she was part way past. There was less awkwardness with that. Not that they did not inevitably find ways to fluster one another anyway... But this time, it seemed that it would not be dragged on-

It was then that Cyn, who had stayed out of their interaction, reached up and grabbed the bottom of the retreating V’s dress. Startled, the maid looked at the smaller drone, who gave a smile. “Teasing. In pain. V, could you please stay a few minutes to help me sweep? My joints are not doing too well.” She held out her other arm, giving twitches as if moving it was hurting her.

N’s eyes hollowed once more, looking at his sibling with dread. That little...! She was not in pain at all! He heard the subtle difference when she narrated “in pain” to them! He would be able to tell if she was struggling, anyway! He sputtered, about to call her out on it-

But before he could, the taller maid, who was less versed in his sister’s speech patterns, broke out of her shock. Looking around meekly... she hesitantly held out her hand, accepting the pan and brush given to her a moment later. She knelt down, her voice soft. “I... I guess I can stay for a minute to let you rest.”

The butler drone’s words died in his voice box. A small part of him wanted to reassure her that she did not have to stay and that Cyn was just messing with them... But he also was not one to pass on an opportunity to be around V longer, as much of a fool as he made himself around her. And so, he slowly went back to his work... all the while struggling not to steal glances at the most beautiful drone in the manor.

He managed to get in a small glare, though, toward his sister. The yellow-eyed drone only smiled back, however, even managing a wink without narrating it. Sighing, he looked away and let it drop. He knew she was only trying to help him (while also being a little scamp). He and V had danced around... whatever it was they were for ages. Sometime soon, they would have to do something about it. Though that would probably not be today as they worked in embarrassed... yet happy silence.

...There was quite a lot on his agenda as he reflected on it briefly, he acknowledged. Tesa’s birthday; talking with J; addressing how he felt around V. His head spun just trying to think about how he would even begin doing something about one of them, let alone all three. He was... also kind of easily distracted, which would not help. (The library had a lot of books on dogs, alright?)

Somehow, though... he was confident it would all work out. As he looked at two of his four favorite girls in the entire manor, he smiled softly, his blush calming down at last. They had all made it this far, and they would continue to persevere! Not even James and Louisa would bring them down!

Everything would be fine... he was sure of it.

=======

Rain pelted N’s body as he struggled against his bonds. The chains on him held strong, but were slowly breaking under his strength. He... should not be able to do that, but he was. Not even the soft ground and the crows continuing to peck at him were able to impede him.

Perhaps he would have wondered more about how he was doing this... if he were not in so much agony.

He screamed ferally from the pain, causing glitches in his voice box. Every part of him hurt. His processors were overloaded, unable to string together a coherent thought. His vision was full of static, the world blobs of black and... and yellow. (That was important. Why was it important?)  His oil felt too hot, boiling him from the inside. He might have thrown up at some point, but he could barely feel the rain, let alone any bile.

There... there was something wrong. He should not be hurting this much. Not like this. Not like something was wiggling inside his plating trying to break free. He had only... Why was he out here again? He... he could not remember. He could not form any complete memories right now. There were flashes, though, of things. Of names.

Tessa. Gala. A folding fan. Crows. Library. Error 606. A maid with short hair... V. V. Tessa. J. Tessa. V. J. Cy-

{Access Denied: Memory is Prohibited. Suppressing All Memory Files... Suppression Complete.}

He screamed in rage, pulling hard against his chains. They snapped off, leaving him to stumble and fall onto his hands and knees in the mud. By the time he got his bearings, though... he could not remember what enraged him. He was... thinking about something a moment ago, but it was gone.

Why... why did he feel such deep sorrow over that?

He... he did not understand what was happening to him. Why he was outside with his clothes ruined and his body damaged with dents and wires poking out. Why everything felt wrong, his insides feeling like they were rearranging themselves. Why he could not stop trying to recall what he had just forgotten. Why... he was so terrified.

Yet slowly... as N looked up, he felt a new urge inside of him. Ahead of him was a large building. A... a manor. ( A familiar one. ) A bit clearer than his other surroundings... if only because it was glowing bright yellow from the inside. His visor glitched, all sorts of warnings appearing as he stared, the light leaving through every crack with fluctuations that... reminded him of running computer codes.

And inside... he heard screams. Ones from humans. They mirrored his own pain and fear, cries and pleads ringing out into the marshes where no help was coming for them.

...But he was not able to focus on that. Instead... his focus was on a growing void in his stomach. In his entire being. One that needed to be filled. He was hungry... It was hungry. And at that moment, he knew what would satiate the fresh pain this emptiness was bringing him. A desire that made him start crawling toward the building, his other thoughts being consumed by this new directive. (Yet... why was he disgusted and horrified, something deep inside begging him to stop?)

What else could help him, after all... other than flesh and blood?

Chapter Text

Working within the Elliott Manor as a drone could seem daunting to the newly initiated. Whether they were transferred from a previous job elsewhere or were a new model right off the factory line, the enormity of the task was immediately apparent. Not just because of the size of the place, or even the swamp it was housed in - though the latter was a hazard at times. (There still was no good way to keep crows off them entirely if they were working outside.)

But what added to the challenge was how lavishly the Elliotts’ lived. With the constant guests, parties, and gala’s that seemed weekly (at a minimum), there was constant activity. The setup was a laborious affair even for drones, often rotating between different styles from one to the next. From “1890s Victorian” to “American Roaring 1920s,” every classic style saw its use there, with James being a fan of roleplaying the “good old days.” He was very exact in getting the aesthetics right, having an admittedly superb eye for it that he used to scrutinize everything.

And once all the preparation was done, the work was not over. Aside from serving the guests, the humans were not shy about leaving messes and trash everywhere. Broken glasses and vomit from getting too drunk were constant, as well as food left in absurd places to rot. Books were often moved out of order, chairs were left fallen - the things they did could leave one to think they were cleaning up after children! (Though she would never think such, of course!)

Then, after cleaning was done... it was on to setting up for the next event. The cycle seemed endless when the master and mistress were home. It took everything in their drone workforce to keep up with their demands, who had to account for new members coming in constantly. And if any of them could not meet expectations? Well... chances were that a different drone would be cleaning their remains up to add to the pile outside.

So, in short, it was not easy working there. On top of the number of drones needed, it also required great leadership to direct everyone... And luckily for all of them, J was more than up to covering that position.

Oh, yes, there were other drones who helped coordinate efforts. But none were as effective or efficient as her! And it was not ego, no matter what Cyn or some disgruntled workers might say! (Well... not entirely.) She had done the calculations, accounting for the number of tasks done, efficiency in doing them, how many drones she directed, time supervising and assisting, and all other things that went into being a good leader! She even deducted points for things like unsanctioned time helping Tessa... even if it did not feel like wasted time for her.

However, feelings did not always align with working standards. She had to be fair, especially if it made others not think she was letting self-bias affect her evaluation. But even counting that time as a negative... she still stood above every other drone there. Hell, she could cut her working hours in half, and she would still be on top! (She ran those calculations, too.) Through determination, she had made herself a model employee - one of the most important gears in keeping the machine that was the manor running.

And... she was proud of herself. It had been a long journey for her, with plenty of strife like for anyone going from the bottom to the top. Yet she had persevered through it, and now was someone that others could look up to... Someone Tessa, the one who saved her, could be proud of, showing her efforts in doing so were not wasted.

...Or that was what she had thought, anyway.

Now was not the time to let such... irrational doubts distract her, though. (They... were irrational, right?) As mentioned, the work around the Elliott Manor was constant! This was seen as she helped to direct the placing of tables in the ballroom, calling out orders. “Group H! Move your table three feet to the left! You’re on top of Group G, for corporate’s sake! And Group C! Rotate yours to the left by 46 degrees!”

The drones all complied with her orders immediately, while the other groups carried on with their work. The tables in question were large and round, able to handle eight chairs around them - though they often only had four or five so guests had plenty of room on their surfaces. They were of an 1860s Victorian style under the white table clothes on top, which she had triple-checked was the style James Elliott wanted. They filled up much of the center of the room, with smaller tables holding golden candelabras near the various windows.

The room itself was already quite grand without any of that. Long with a high ceiling, it had a polished marble floor that reflected the bright lights of the various chandeliers above. The roof was also white and semi-vaulted, with half-circles on the curved rims with lined patterns within. Dark wood with more fancy patterns were below them and made up the walls alongside yellow wallpaper with curved diamond shapes on it. Deep green curtains were beside the windows, though were left wrapped and pulled away despite the constant rain outside.

The head maid was not sure what the appeal of seeing the bad weather outside was, especially here where there were over a dozen tall windows. But it was not her place to question that. Her job was to ensure the decorations for the next party were all in place. This was not the largest room in the manor, but it was the one where the Elliotts liked to make their announcements and speeches during these events. Out of all areas, this one had to be the most perfect.

And it would be if she had anything to say about it! To that end, she marched around her fellow drones, continuing to call out orders and corrections. “Team E! Those two golden eagle statues are supposed to go by the front door - not all at the back window! Move them over there as quickly as you can! Team B! How’s cleaning the globe coming?”

“Nearly done!” one butler drone called out, wiping his visor with the wipe before going back to using it to clean the wooden ring around the brown and beige globe it held. While those three drones worked, J also spared a glance at the piano in the left corner. Thankfully, it was both the correct style and without a speck of dust, so there was no need to call anything out to Team C.

A good thing, too, since... the three in that one were all looking jittery. Their bodies shook, their visors displaying hollow white eyes. It was like they were expecting a death blow any second, their hands constantly going over the area their cores were on their chest.

She sighed, shaking her head as she made a note on the clipboard she had. She would let them be - best for them to get it out of their systems now than when their master arrived. They need to learn to toughen up, though. Being so afraid after moving a simple piano on wheels? That’s not even the hardest task around this place!

Still, despite her mental scolding of them... she did feel some pity for them. Some thought she did not have that, but she did. She was just better at masking it... Well, around most people, anyway. But she tried to pretend there were no exceptions for her composure’s sake.

She understood why they were worried, considering she was working with mostly new staff currently. All it took was one day to learn how much in danger one was of dying in this place - often less. Even those who had experience under other owners were often shocked by how carelessly they were destroyed, whether they had worked for good or bad humans. (Oh, how they likely wished they could go back to their last owners, even if they were also terrible...)

So getting assigned to setting up such an important place was likely not helping them settle in. Normally, she would not have taken so many new hires to do this kind of work, either. If the assignments had been entirely up to her this time, she would have put them in some out-of-the-way corridor. Places where a minor mistake in decor might only lead to getting their plating ripped or visor cracked by the older Elliotts.

Unfortunately, though, it had been out of her hands. It had been one of those occasions where Louisa had decided to personally give assignments. She did it on occasion to remind J and other shift managers who was really in charge, and to inflate her own feelings of importance more than the parties already did. But naturally, she did not know the difference between any of the workers, so it was really just a jumbled mess of tasks given out. And despite the odds... a bunch of new-oils got put here.

J would not deny it - the decision of the mistress frustrated her. She shook her head just thinking about it as she made her way back toward the large wooden double doors that served as the only way in and out. Why could they not just let their drones handle divvying themselves out all the time? Or at least pay more attention to things like “length of employment” as seen in the profiles of all the drones in the computers they used? It was like they wanted to tempt fate... or maybe it was deliberate so that they could kill more drones without looking like total psychos.

Regardless, she tried not to dwell on such borderline insubordinate ideas, marking a few more things off of her paper checklist. (Not as efficient as a digital one, but James found it “classic” to do... and she admittedly found writing to be calming.) This was not the first time she had dealt with this in her over three years of work, and it would no doubt not be the last. And as always, she would impress her owners despite this handicap!

And if her leadership also had the bonus effect of keeping the new workers alive? Well... the benefits of that were a given. More time for them to learn more jobs, and become more acquainted with the dangers there. All to hopefully be one of the lucky few who might manage to get a transfer out of there one day.

...Plus, living was a benefit all of its own. She would not wish death on any of the drones there, even if some annoyed her at times... including N.

Thinking of him made the head maid frown, a... strange mixture of emotions filling her core. It was hard to latch on to even just one, though, leaving her with a mixture that left her more agitated than anything. She gripped her JCJenson pen tighter, as she tried to get a hold of herself. But with preparations around her nearing completion... it was difficult not to dwell.

There were so many things she could say about the moron. Like how he so often fell behind on almost every task she gave to him and complicated her scheduling. Or how he, while doing a good job of showing respect to authority, lacked proper decorum in most situations. And do not get her started on how painfully positive he was on just about everything, including the punishments given to him.

He was, to put it bluntly, an idiot. A drone on the lower bell-curve of how efficient JCJenson worker modes were with no signs of rising to even the average anytime soon. Dead-weight a lot of the time, and a liability in his worst moments. He was a terrible colleague in terms of his work ethic, and...

...and despite this, he somehow was Tessa’s favorite of her personal drones - including J herself.

If not for the ridiculous durability of the pen for workers like her, she was sure it would have snapped in half with how hard she gripped it. She had to lower her head for a moment just to ensure no one saw the waver in her white eyes. Soon enough, though, she had loaded up the correct program in her hardware as {Emotional Mask-Confident.exe} appeared on her visor. She looked up a moment later, knowing anyone who looked her way would see only a self-assured look on her face.

...That was not the case on the inside for her, though. Her mind was racing, unable to compute what seemed like a paradox to her. The fact that N was Tessa’s favorite was a puzzle she had never been able to solve. It just seemed to defy the variables she had to work with and left her stumped.

She did not understand it. She... she worked her joints off to rise in positions here at the manor. She threw herself into her work to get here. The proof of her efforts could be seen right now as she made new-oils work as efficiently as any drone with months of experience! By this point, her importance was recognized by even James and Louisa!

And yet... she was only the second favorite. Still an important position, to be sure, and she did feel plenty of honor for it. But... she could not comprehend how first-place eluded her. Why N, despite his lack of efficiency, was who Tessa was always happiest to see. How he managed to bring her into a good mood faster than anyone else when she was depressed.

Perhaps it would not have stung as much, though... if she had not once been the favorite. Granted, it was by default by being her only personal drone at the time, but she... thought their bond was strong. Even after V showed up, it seemed like she would always be who Tessa turned to the most... only for N to sweep that position from under her mere weeks after joining them. Leaving her to wonder what... she had done wrong to lose it.

The head maid swallowed thickly, near the entrance now. She looked back at the other drones' work, going down her checklist again as she did so. It helped distract her a little, but her core was still wavering as doubts crept up on her. They dug into her processors, making her question her position... and if she was soon to have a repeat of what happened with her previous owners. Losing relevance until-

She blinked so hard that her masking program failed, the error displaying before her hollow eyes showed as she stared downward. She shook her head hard, glaring at herself for thinking like that. Tessa... Tessa would never do that to her! Even if she was... disappointed in some of her behaviors, the teenager valued her! She... she was a good asset!

...So then why was she not approached about that educational matter a few days ago? That was her assigned specialty, so why-?

The doors suddenly burst open behind her, cutting off her thoughts as a male voice shouted. “You! Tessa’s drone! Are the preparations here done?”

J stiffened, blinking several times to clear her display. Once she was satisfied her emotions were not showing on her face, she turned toward the man, giving one of her signature smirks as she tapped her pen on her clipboard. “Nearly done, Master James! Everything is how you specified it should be!”

“We’ll see about that,” the patriarch of the manor murmured, towering over her as he adjusted his black suit with a white undershirt. It was complemented by the red tie he wore and the red rose pin he had over the right side of his chest, as well as the white gloves he wore. And, as ever, his top hat stood tall on his head with a tasteful red ribbon tied above the rim, hiding most of his black hair.

While his suit showed off his fairly impressive physique, though... nothing could distract from his severe face. His skin being light from lack of sunlight did nothing to make his strong jaw and perpetually glaring eyes look less intimidating. It was not just his facial structure, either, or his short mustache. His green eyes were also piercing. It was like he could kill you with a look... and he kind of did, since any anger in those eyes was likely to be followed by a new drone corpse.

Luckily, they only held a more neutral coldness right now. He crossed his arms, tapping his foot as the workforce assigned here finished their jobs before standing at attention. The head maid was... disappointed that less of them than she thought were able to hide their weariness. But luckily, that did not have as much of an influence on death or not with James as it did with Louisa. She would make sure some older workers made that clear to them later.

Right now, though... she would do her best to keep them alive for such a lecture. Once the last of the cleaning and table adjustments were done, she cleared her throat, projecting her voice through the room. “All groups - line up at the entrance! Master James is going to perform his inspection now.”

In the corner of her vision, she saw James glance at her, seeming mildly pleased at her knowing what to do without him asking. (Or, well... as proud as he would ever look at a drone with.) She gave it no acknowledgment, though, in case he took it the wrong way as she had seen in the past. Instead, she focused on waving the groups to the front of the room if they were not already there. They made good time, to their credit, and soon every maid and butler were gathered into neat rows in front of the still-open doorway - twenty-four in three rows of eight.

With all of them gathered, the patriarch wasted no time marching through the ballroom. His pace was slow and deliberate, every turn of his head seeming calculated. His hands were clasped behind his back as his gaze swept to each decoration. He would occasionally reach out to grab a bit of silverware that was already on them, holding them up to the lights above, as well as rub his finger along the clothes. Yet what he was thinking was a mystery, his face impassive.

J watched him from the front of the group, frowning deeply. Let it not be said that she did not feel trepidation from witnessing these inspections like any other drone. She could not help but wonder if this would be the time that he would find a flaw in her directing and stab her visor with a fork, Tessa’s reaction be damned. He was fully capable of destroying her... as he demonstrated to her before she even came under the Elliotts’ direct employment.

She pushed down these fears, however. There would be no repeat of that day - not that he even likely knew she was that same drone or recalled the incident. She had performed adequately this time, and was confident of that. So long as she kept her composure, everything would be fine for her and her assigned workers.

...Though, that relied on them keeping their cool, too. Something that seemed to be in question as she heard shuffling and rapid breathing behind her. Digital eyebrows furrowing, she looked back at the lined-up workers, picking out the disturbance easily enough. It was a butler at the far left between two others, dressed in the standard uniform all of them had. One of the ones who helped with the piano, she noted.

If the butler looked afraid before, though, then right now he seemed on the verge of panicking. His eyes were hollow, looking around rapidly as his entire body trembled. It was such a strong reaction that she was kind of taken aback by it. Nothing particularly bad had happened during this shift, so she could not understand why they were so frightened. Were they just extra skittish for whatever reason?

Whatever the case, however... it was close to being a problem. She watched the butler glancing behind him, feet shuffling slowly backward. They also went back to James, who was nearly on the opposite side of the room now about to inspect the piano and globe.

And as such... he would not be looking this way if someone suddenly moved.

The head maid’s eyes widened, realizing what the other drone was about to try. Her surprise at such stupidity was short, though, as she then glared and marched over to them quickly. She nearly panicked as the butler tried to make his move, turning to push through the crowd of other drones. However, after dropping her pen, she managed to get close in time to grab his arm and yank him back, causing a small yelp.

The noise barely left the other’s mouth before J put her hand over it. She looked back quickly at the patriarch, who thankfully did not see or hear the disturbance. Releasing a silent breath of relief, she then glared hard at the male-assigned drone, hissing quietly at him. “Just what in corporate’s name do you think you’re doing?!”

The already scared butler’s eyes hollowed further as he squirmed under her gaze. (The other drones in the line-up were also looking at the exchange with unease.) But nonetheless, he swallowed thickly and tried to answer her. “I-I... I was just... I know what he does! If he’s dissatisfied, he might-!”

“Did you perform your job as I instructed?” J demanded.

Blinking once, the butler nodded. “Y-yes. But-”

“Then you have nothing to worry about,” the head maid stated, voice firm as she released his arm. She reached down and grabbed her pen, continuing to stare at him disapprovingly. “Master James won’t kill any of us so long as we performed our jobs well. So don’t do anything stupid that might get you scrapped anyway!”

The male drone squirmed, not seeming reassured by that. He looked behind him, biting his lips. “B-But... Can’t I just leave? If I’m not here, then-”

“-Then he’ll notice that one of the workers assigned here bailed,” J answered coldly. The older Elliotts might not be able to tell most of the drones apart, but they could count in each assigned section of the manor. “And even if you manage to fade away somewhere else in this place... he’ll kill a few drones here for letting you get away. Do you want your fellow drones to die?”

If drones could pail, then she was sure the butler would have done so. Many of the others now also looked frightened, with one or two even now glaring at him for trying to run off. She could not blame them - even just an attempt to run might have gotten more than just him scrapped if James had noticed. He might not have been aware he was playing with all of their lives like that... but he was.

And frankly, she did not take kindly to insubordination that could keep her from seeing Tessa or their little group ever again.

The male drone sputtered, looking down with shock as the consequences of his actions settled in. “That... I...”

J huffed, grabbing under his chin and forcing him to look at her. “Since this is your first offense, I’ll let you off with a warning. But if the master or mistress ever tells you to stay somewhere, you stay until they dismiss you.” Glaring at him a moment longer, she then loosened her grip, her tone no less firm. “You don’t have to like how things work here. I don’t myself. But you either play by the rules, or else. I can do that... and you had better be able to, too, if I get stuck supervising you again. Understood?”

The butler stared at her for a few seconds. Then, with a meek nod, he settled back into his place, standing at attention like before. Satisfied, she gave him one more look before heading back to her place at the front. As she did, though... she noticed the new level of weariness being directed at her by the new workers. The few veterans she recognized, meanwhile, just had tired looks, used to her attitude.

She rolled her eyes, crossing her arms as she waited for the inspection to finish. She could not care less what they thought of her. So long as the result of her efforts got her... and them out alive, who cared if they liked her? Besides... she had enough people whose approval she was stressed enough about without including the whole manor.

She stopped those thoughts, though, as James approached them again. She straightened her posture, listening as the drones behind her did likewise. The only sound in the room was the clicking of his dress shoes as he approached, until he was right in front of her. Then, a suffocating silence filled the room as he stared her down. She did not waver from it, keeping her own gaze respectful as she awaited his verdict.

The moment seemed to stretch on forever... Then, at last, he gave a curt nod. There was no kindness in his voice, but his approval was palpable. “Everything is as it should be - down to the last knife. An excellent job.”

Several breaths were released behind the head maid. She dared not glance back to make sure they were all maintaining professional stances, though, as she gave a corporate-approved smirk back at him - enough to show pride, but nothing to suggest any superiority to him. “I live to meet your expectations, Master James.”

The patriarch nodded again, his gaze shifting to the group of drones. “You’re all dismissed. Carry out whatever task is next on your schedule. The rest of the manor must look perfect for the coming party! It is very important.”

So you say with all of them, J thought, but would never dream of saying out loud. She listened as the rest of them shuffled out, noting that they at least had the survival instincts to not run the moment they were given leave. The rest of the day was going to be long for them, and if they could not control their fear like that butler before, they might yet end up getting killed.

But... she had successfully gotten them through this assignment. Twenty-four drones got to live to see a few more hours, if nothing else. That was as fine of a result as could be asked of her on this job... And one that was sure to get her respect from The Boss.

Her musings were interrupted by James, who was grumbling while looking at the entrance. “Golden eagles... What a farce. I can’t believe I was talked into approving that.”

The head maid glanced at the statues sitting on tables on either side of the double doors. She hummed, speaking courteously. “I did note the change from your usual style of using lions and bears for the decor.”

“Yes, well... Louisa’s family is visiting this time, and they like the animal, so what can be done?” the patriarch asked, though clearly did not want a reply. He shook his head. “At least a deliberate change from proper decoration can be seen as a tactful oddity.”

J shrugged, knowing better than to add more commentary unless asked. (Besides, whatever else could be said about him, he did know lots about this stuff.) She did look up at him, though, and made a careful inquiry. “Was there anything else you needed of me, Master James?”

“Hm?” James mumbled, before waving her off while looking elsewhere. “Ah, right. No, you’re dismissed as well. Go do... whatever it is you’re supposed to next.”

The head maid gave him a respectful bow, putting her pen in a slot at the top of her clipboard. She turned to head off toward hallway F4, whose carpet was in dire need of vacuuming. After what happened with the shattered glasses a few days ago, she felt the need to do more of these clean-ups personally on top of her normal-

Her left knee suddenly seized up after she moved a few steps, pain shooting through her sensors. She sucked in a hiss, stumbling and barely managing to stop from falling over entirely by waving her arms around. Her shoes squeaked on the polished floor as her free hand instinctively clutched her leg. It took all of her willpower to not kneel on the floor right then, more tingles traveling up the limb.

She grimaced, trying to put leverage on it as she gritted her teeth. She was able to, but the result was a constant throbbing that only got worse when she tried to bend her knee. Even a small shuffle forward had her visor crackle with static, fueling the sense of frustration she had at the development. D-dammit! I thought I had taken care of that servo already! How is it already breaking again?! It was-

The stern voice of James filled the air, not sounding happy. “What’s the matter with you? Are your limbs defective?”

J’s eyes hollowed briefly, but she quickly put on a brave face. She looked back at the Elliott, smiling through the pain as she stood back to her full height. “I-it’s nothing! Just a momentary glitch! It’ll sort itself out after a quick firmware update!”

The patriarch of the manor raised an eyebrow at her. He evidently did not care much about the matter, though, as he huffed and walked off into the room, reinspecting the decorations. She sighed internally, her core pounding a little. Something that neither elders of the family could stand were defective drones - ones who did not work right, whether it was how they moved or how they emoted. As the practical leaders of JCJenson, such things made them look bad. If that had happened during a gala...

She was not going to press her luck, though. So, with a deep breath, she forced herself to walk out of the room as normally as possible. The pain was unbearable at first, and her vision swam, making it hard not to stumble more. But somehow, she managed to get through the doors and into the hallways with enough grace.

It was only once she turned the corner - for sure being out of James’ sight - that her posture slumped. She took a shaky breath, her hand once more going down to her knee and massaging it. She ran a quick diagnostic on herself to see if she could determine the exact damage. It took a few minutes, and she cringed at the delay in her work waiting for it. But soon, she was given a report that she displayed on her visor, complete with a 2D rendering of her body with portions highlighted. She quickly brought up the one for her knee, wondering what had happened.

According to the results, though... it was not broken. Rather, the pain was due to a lack of proper oil circulation for the new part, and too much stress put upon it. So, essentially... the pain was from walking too much and not enough rest. Sort of like straining a muscle for a human that had recently recovered from a sprain.

The head maid blinked at the information... but really, she was unable to act surprised. She had been given warnings and such by the drone technician who fixed her knee recently after a humiliating fall down the stairs two weeks ago. They had told her that she should take it slow for the next month to let it settle in, and ensure oil was flowing through it properly. There was a little bottle of lubricant she was supposed to use next to her pod.

...Using that when she entered sleep mode was the only instruction she had followed. There... was simply too much work to be done, and she could not afford to be lazy. She thought she could get away with it by avoiding heavy-lifting tasks and using extra lubricant than instructed. (It had worked in the past!) Yet it seemed that the consequences had caught up with her.

J frowned, faced with a dilemma here. By all accounts, she knew she should return to her drone pod and rest up for the rest of the day, giving time for her servo to adjust itself. Or, alternatively, she should sit down for a while before performing her duties. Nothing was stopping her from off-loading her work to another drone, especially with having a reasonable excuse to do so.

...But she could not. Even on a normal day, she would refuse to do so. It... would make her look weak. Inefficient. She could practically already feel the judgmental stares of the other workers - hear the whispers behind her back that she was slowing down. And from there... she might lose this position she had made for herself.

Today, though, it was extra important to her that she kept working. To keep her distracted from the doubts still in her mind regarding Tessa and N. From wondering if she was about to lose one of her special assignments to that moron. If her position at the teenager’s side was about to further slip through her fingers and-

The head maid shook her head, taking a deep breath. She... she just could not deal with that right now. So, ignoring her knee's protests, she began walking again, nearly breaking her clipboard with how tightly she gripped it to handle the pain. I need to turn it in to an appropriate drone, then get a vacuum cleaner. Just do your tasks, J. Corporate is counting on you... You can’t end up below the standards expected of you.

She could not waste time on unnecessary things as joint adjustments. The time she was forced off while getting the damn thing and fixing other things from the incident was bad enough already (a whole two hours - completely unreasonable!). She had to keep working. It made her a model employee... and she feared losing that status. So off she went to keep at things!

Besides... there was something extra important on her schedule today. If she took the day off, she would miss it... and she would never sacrifice time to see Tessa. Not when there were matters she needed clarifying on. (For completely professional reasons, of course... Not due to personal fears. That was a... fortunate bonus.)

-------

After nearly three hours, J could say one thing definitively... The knee was perhaps the worst area of the leg to be in pain. Not counting the foot, anyway, but that one was obvious. In terms of the shin, knee, and thigh areas, however, the second caused the greatest hampering to proper function.

It made sense, naturally - if it could not bend properly, or could not support your weight and bent too easily, then it was difficult to walk normally. The result was a limp that made the individual not only try to move that leg as little as possible, but also try not to stand on it as much as could be helped. Or one could drag the limb behind them, she supposed, but she would never entertain such a humiliation.

The end result was more pain for her, though, regardless. All of her tasks after the ballroom involved her walking around in some way, which meant agitating the joint. First, it was vacuuming a few hallways, then doing routine inspections across several areas of the manor. At one point, she even had to carry a box, and while it had only been filled with napkins, the size meant it had a decent weight to it... which meant more pressure on her legs.

So, needless to say, by the time she was done... she was exhausted. Moving through the dark hallways now, she was beyond grateful there was not anyone, drone or human, to see her. She was grunting with every step, teeth gritting as she tried not to cry out more than that. Her uniform was a bit disheveled around the skirt area, and her visor displayed lines of stress. It was like she was pushing against water to keep her left leg moving, with every step feeling like it was going to snap in two.

It was not, though - the diagnostic earlier had shown that much. In fact, she was silently scolding herself for being so dramatic over such a small technical error. You just put too much pressure on it too soon. It’s not the end of the world. A little lubricant or repair gel will set it straight. Get yourself together before someone sees you like this!

...It was hard to, however. She wondered if this was how humans who broke their bones or sprained their muscles felt like. Drones and them seemed to share a lot in common when it came to sensations like agony. Though drones had the advantage of being able to replace and repair any bad parts while humans had to wait to heal.

That brought some comfort to the head maid - knowing she would not feel this way too much longer. It was only a matter of getting through the rest of the day. Sure, she may not be working in top form, but she was still within acceptable time parameters. And after her next stop, she would be working beside other drones who could help alleviate any shortcomings she was experiencing... as humiliating as that was. But practicality meant more than small chips to her pride she could easily make up for the rest of the week.

She could ignore that for now, though. Because right now... she was heading to see her favorite person in the entire manor. And if she liked Tessa for anything above all else, it was her ability to make the weight of her duties just... disappear by talking with her.

A smile made its way onto her face despite her pain, turning into the next hallway. Tessa... The Boss... There was so much more she was grateful to her for. Saving her life and fixing her up, giving her the second chance she wished for was chief among them. But it was also the little acts of kindness she gave her, like helping her find new dusters when they were misplaced or just... talking to her like she mattered. And while it felt a little silly... seeing her smile.

It was a... strange thing to experience. There was no requirement for being so kind from a corporate standpoint. The conversations they had were also not always... professional, which she struggled with even now. But despite that... she still felt pleasant after most interactions with Tessa, so she filed away her confusion under “acceptable abnormalities.” (She made a special note, though, that they were also “wanted and expected.”)

There was no point in denying it - she cared for The Boss deeply. Not romantically, though, like she knew often floated around as rumors among the other workers. Aside from that being highly inappropriate for a boss and employee, she just did not hold that kind of attraction. She saw it more as them being best friends whom they could trust with anything. They had a bond that helped them get through the more harsh elements of the manor, and she cherished it!

...Though it just so happened that Tessa had another drone who she likely saw that way as well... Likely stronger than with her.

J’s smile fell as she frowned, gazing down at the red carpet. She had thought she had put that out of her mind before, but now that she was without a task to distract herself with, those thoughts were returning. She recalled their talk a few days ago when N had told her what he had been doing with Tessa... and she could not reconcile it. Every attempt just made her core feel heavier with what it could mean.

Why... why was he called upon to do a review of family history? Such matters, like all of Tessa’s education, were supposed to be her job! The teenager had been homeschooled her entire life by drones, even before she entered the picture. And she would give full credit to those previous educators for their efforts. Getting a pre-teen to be knowledgeable enough to know how to repair complex machines like them showed how effective they had been, and she often called on their help in recognition of that.

But since becoming Tessa’s first personal drone, she had been in charge of her lesson plans, as part of how they got James and Louisa to agree for their child to keep her. She organized her subjects and how they were taught. Quizzes and tests were written or approved by her, with plenty of bonus material to reward extra studying. She even had V help her with treats as rewards for the most important tests for superb performance.

Those previous educators had all told her at various points she did a good job. She herself had done calculations and determined her efforts were on par with what they did before, or even slightly above. She had thought Tessa was satisfied with her lessons as well, with how much she smiled during lessons.

So then... why was she not approached instead of N for her family history review?

It was not that the head maid necessarily had to be the one to help her. With all the other duties she performed around the manor, it was not always feasible to teach or review with her in person. So if she was not available, she would be fine with assigning another drone to the task. Most often it was the aforementioned educators, but V also got the privilege on occasion.

As for N... Well... he was not her preferred choice, but, if necessary or requested... she had given the job to him before. As much of an idiot as he could be, he went into such tasks with a clear enthusiasm. So long as he had careful notes to work with from her, he could be trusted on occasion if the subject was simple or well-worn material.

But that was just it - such an arrangement was put together by her every time in the past! To do so without so much of a text message to her was... It was unprecedented! A change in corporate structure she had been given no prior warning was in development! It completely threw off what she knew about the manor’s operations and... and it eroded her importance. Made her seem like an unneeded or... unwanted part of the whole process of teaching.

And of course, the change could not have centered around a different drone for a change. It was not V who had gone behind her back, or even Cyn. No, it was N. It was always N! He was always the one stealing away her authority. Undermining it with his constant laziness! And now he was stealing her jobs and-

She suddenly stopped, blinking at that train of thought. She looked at the area where her core was located, feeling how it pounded hard from the rage that had been building up. She had certainly felt a spike of it before days prior when he first told her. It... had been so tempting to punch him then, to add to the normal physical discipline she had already given him. To make herself feel better for disrespecting her by stealing her job.

...But she knew that was not his intention. That moron was too earnest and concerned with all of them to ever intentionally hurt her. (Not even for all the abuse she gave.) Hell, when she had accidentally let her emotions show, his first instinct was to try and check if she was okay - not that she needed his pity.

There had almost certainly been no more intention to his actions than to simply help Tessa. He was not trying to make her feel this way. She almost wished he was, since it might be less frustrating - a problem she would actually know how to tackle. But she was not that delusional to believe that.

It did not stop her from being angry at him, though... despite the guilt.

Still, those feelings were nothing new at this point. Taking a deep breath, she continued to trudge through the hallway, her only company the pattering rain outside the windows. She would... deal with that whole affair later. ( Something she had told herself for two years now. ) Currently, though... she wanted to figure out why she was not told about the review. And since he would likely not understand the issue, that meant her only way to figure it out was from the source - Tessa.

Not that she wished to turn their assigned time together into an interrogation! Tessa had not even technically, from a pure rules standpoint, done anything wrong. It was merely a matter of clarifying why there was a change in procedure in this... and if more of this could be expected in the future.

It was a simple enough inquiry - one she did not think would cause any issues. It was straightforward - ask the question, get the answer... hopefully alleviate her fears, and then done! After that, they could spend the next hour doing whatever the teenager wanted. She might even be able to rest her knee some without feeling like she was wasting time on her shift!

It was these thoughts that gave her a reasonable level of confidence as she entered the right hallway. Ahead, she saw the door to The Boss’s room come into view, making her smile return. The joy she felt then was almost enough to make her try to sprint despite her bad leg. But even without that, she was not so careless, so she instead walked over with as much of a spring in her step as she could have.

Upon reaching the front of it, she took a deep breath, trying to compose herself. She smoothed out her uniform, trying to keep the pain she was in off of her face. She knew that Tessa would be likely to send her off if she caught wind of how much she was hurting to get it sorted. But while that might have been fine on another day, there was too much she wanted to discuss with her right now. Just hold it together until you’re done... even if she’ll be disappointed you did.

Trying not to dwell on that, she finally knocked on the door, calling out. “Boss? It’s J. Are you in there?”

Almost immediately, she heard the muffled reply of the teenager. “Oh! Hey there, J! One second! I’m just changing dresses. I spilled some stuff on the one I had earlier.”

The head maid shrugged, crossing her arms causally as she waited a few moments. And this is why you always knock, N. You would have burst right in and seen her naked. Not that it mattered too much, since they were drones, so it should not be as bad if they caught her without her clothes. But despite what other humans believed, they did get embarrassed catching their masters in states of undress - a behavior learned from interaction osmosis, she supposed. Plus, it was just an invasion of privacy in general.

Not that N ever seemed to learn his lesson about checking... But then again, even she would admit his embarrassment was hilarious. And he remained the favorite despite this, so...

Before she could fall into that line of thought again, Tessa called out. “Okay, I’m done! You can come in!”

Satisfied with that, J opened the door and entered the room of the young mistress. She took a moment to look at the various toys and books that filled the large space from the entrance alcove. It brought... mixed feelings. It was nice in a way seeing some of the ways the human entertained herself when she was younger before any of them were around. But... so much of it should have been in storage and replaced to match her age. Almost none of it saw any use these days, except for the dolls and their houses, and that was by Cyn, not their owner.

...The chain was also not a welcome sight. So many times she had seen it, wanting to tear it apart and scatter its links across the room. But she knew any damage to it would only get her and, more importantly, Tessa in trouble when Louisa discovered it. Thus, she only glared at it as she stepped further into the room.

Ignoring it became easier when her optics finally spotted the teenager, wearing one of her many black dresses. She was by the window, looking out at the continual rain and lightning. It confused the head maid a little at first since there was... not much of a view, particularly from this room. However, as she got closer... she noticed that a few rays of sunlight were peaking through the clouds. They illuminated the tops of trees and small patches of mud, their rays slowly shifting from the wind.

It made her understand immediately... and felt a pang in her core. Tessa had rarely left the manor and the Abomnished Marshes her whole life. (It made her wonder why she even kept her suitcase in there.) And in those times, she was not exactly allowed to explore or go outside, either. Partly it was due to her parents’ controlling natures... and even with their riches, there was no need to tip off authorities about the child abuse and cause “annoying delays.”

So this was what Tessa got to see most of the time... A stormy marshland barely suitable for human life. Where sunlight was so rare, that just a few, small pockets of it that would be gone in minutes were a wonder to see. That made these bleak lands seem infinitely brighter in comparison to everything else, when anyone outside of this place would think it was just as ugly as before.

She might have been a drone, but... even she understood how terrible it was that simply seeing the sun was a luxury.

Slowly, she approached the teenager, taking a spot beside her at the window. The pre-adolescent did not acknowledge her at first, simply looking out at the sunlight as it got further away and some of the spots disappeared entirely. Her face was not distressed... but happy was not the right word, either. She was just neutral as she took in the outside.

Not wanting the silence to get uncomfortable, J cleared her throat, looking at her expectantly. “I... did not realize this is what you were doing besides getting a clean dress.”

Tessa shrugged, glancing at her with those deep green eyes of hers. “I noticed it just as I was finishing changing. I rushed over as quick as I could.”

The head maid hummed, looking outside again with her. By then, though, the last of the rays were disappearing. It left the swamp once more in partial darkness, the area just bright enough to see, but leaving plenty of shadows. The clouds rolled on above, not showing signs of another opening as they continued pelting the window with rain.

Sighing, she looked back up at her owner/friend, gently grabbing one of her hands. “Boss, are you doing alright? Anything I can help you with?”

Taking a deep breath, the teenager shook her head, moving away from the window. “No, I’m fine. I’m just... not looking forward to two days from now.” She groaned, flopping back-first horizontally on her bed. “I’ve managed to figure out that there are at least three potential boys they want to introduce me to at the party.”

“Ah,” J responded, catching on now. She walked up beside the bed, careful with her leg to not give away her knee problems. “I heard about this. Afraid they’re going to just be more jerks?”

“Are there any other kinds of boys in high society?” Tessa asked.

The head maid frowned, tapping her chin. “Well... statistically speaking, they must exist out there. Sure, the rich life can inspire a certain amount of spoiled attitudes in children and teens, but it’s also determined by parental treatment a lot of the time. Exceptions exist, of course, like you who are sweet and kind despite the treatment of their parents. But going back to the topic, if we run the number.”

“J,” the teenager cut in, looking over at her flatly. “I was being sarcastic.”

...J felt the blush marks on her visor immediately, glancing away and rubbing the back of her head. Dammit - I thought I was past that! She did not know what kept causing that glitch in misreading tones and facial expressions, but she needed to get it isolated at some point. It was fine around the older Elliotts - it was best always to assume they were cranky at them - but The Boss deserved better!

Trying to make up for her error, she attempted to find something to say. “S-sorry, boss. I was just... playing along! A-adding to the joke! I just... didn’t do it properly.” She laughed awkwardly, giving the best smile she could with the anxiety now coursing through her.

“Suuure,” Tessa drawled... but to the drone’s relief, she was smiling softly at her, looking fairly amused. She sat up, patting her on the head. “But thank you for the compliment amid your ‘adding to the joke.’”

The head maid blushed harder, practically feeling how much her visor was lighting up. Shaking her head, she attempted to move swiftly along as she climbed up beside her on the bed - mercifully taking pressure off of her knee at long last. “O-of course. But... in all seriousness, I am sorry you have not had much luck with boys. Perhaps... this time will be luckier for you?”

The teenager sighed, shaking her head as well. “I appreciate the thought, J. But I just don’t see it happening anytime soon, let alone this next party. Whatever your ‘statistics’ might say, my parents seem keen on beating those odds.” She rolled her eyes. “I swear, they only care about how handsome they would look as my husband ten years from now.”

J tilted her head. “Isn’t... being handsome an important factor for human attraction?”

“Sure, but it’s not everything!” Tessa said. “They could be the prettiest, most muscular boy on the planet, but if they treat me like an object, I’m not going to respect them even slightly!”

...The head maid looked down at herself, inspecting her metal form. “I... suppose I understand that much. Any drone can.”

That made the teenager look at her sadly. “Yeah... Most of you probably have it worse than I ever will there, huh?”

J shrugged, not really denying it considering her experiences with her last owners and the older Elliotts. Still, she managed to send her a smile. “Well... there are some humans who respect us, at least. Ones I’m happy to be of service to.”

Tessa giggled, smiling at her. “Ah, that’s sweet.” She gave a small huff. “I am sorry that it only extends to one member out of the entire household, though.”

“It’s not like you have any control over that,” the head maid said dismissively. It would be ridiculous for the daughter to take responsibility for the parent’s actions in this situation.

...The next moment, however, she froze as she registered what she just implied about the master and mistress. Her eyes hollowed as she slapped a hand over her mouth, cursing herself for the slip. She looked around rapidly, as if expecting one of them to appear out of nowhere and scrap her. She could already picture their disgusted glares, heavy canes at the ready to break her apart for her insubordination.

She was brought back into reality by her friend, though, who gently grabbed her shoulder. When she looked, the teenager had a deeply worried look on her face. “J? Are you okay?”

Blinking, J took a deep breath, looking down with a carefully neutral expression. “I am. Sorry. I just shouldn’t be... saying that sort of stuff out loud. It’s disrespectful.”

Tessa snorted derisively. “It’s not like they deserve any respect.”

The maid gave her a hard look, crossing her arms. “That is not the point. And you should be careful about saying that stuff, too. You know full well the consequences of that sort of talk in their vicinity.”

The teenager winced, looking away. She started to rub her left arm... where some old bruises were still in the process of healing. “...Fair enough.”

That caused J’s eyes to hollow again, immediately feeling regret. She... had not meant to bring any of that up. Being so openly disrespectful of the Elliotts, though... She was well aware of the consequences of that. Even in the most isolated parts of the manor, she feared what could happen if even a simple critique reached them.

But what she feared even more was Tessa getting hurt. Like she had thought about earlier, humans took time to heal from injuries. So she was quick to try and keep her dear friend from doing anything that might get herself hurt... Though, her worry at times perhaps resulted at times in her reminders sounding a little too harsh.

Still, she was not one to let such mistakes linger. So, she scooted closer to her, fidgeting for a moment. Then, hesitantly, she reached out and rested her hand on the human’s knee. She spoke softly, avoiding eye contact. “I’m... I’m sorry, boss. I shouldn’t have said it like that. I just get so worried, and...”

After a moment, the teenager sighed, resting her hand on top of hers, the warm flesh heating her cool plating. “I know, J... And you’re right. I probably shouldn’t be so flippant about that stuff. It’s so difficult to keep it all... bottled up, though.” She frowned deeply, kicking her legs above the floor. “Venting about it all feels like one of the few ways I have any control over what they’ve done to me. Do to all of you.”

J’s digital eyebrows furrowed, not sure if she understood what her friend meant. “Control?”

Tessa shrugged. “By talking about it... at least I’m not just burying everything, you know? They have control over what I do at parties and some of my activities around the manor, punishing me if I step out of line. And that list is long - it would be easier to write out what they don’t mind me doing on my own.

“But so long as I can joke or complain about it to someone, I can say, if nothing else, that they don’t control my emotions. My thoughts. Those are the things of which I am my own master. I may have to watch myself around them, but those things aren’t suppressed entirely!”

She glanced at the drone, who was sure her confusion showed on her face. The human chuckled a little, rubbing the back of her head. “Ah... that probably didn’t make a lot of sense, did it?”

The head maid tried to shake her head, raising her arms. “N-no! I mean, I... can’t say I know exactly what you mean, but I’m not judging you! I-I’m glad you have a way to feel a little better about things around here.” She sighed, looking toward the window a little distantly. “I... kind of envy that ability to be more honest about that stuff.”

The teenager gave her a curious look, leaning closer to her. “I mean... you’re more than welcome to talk with me about it. I’m certainly not going to punish you for bad-mouthing my parents.” An amused smile crossed her lips. “That would actually be a sight to see. You raving and ranting about ‘corporate mismanagement’ or however you’d put it.”

J gagged as much as she did laugh at the imagery, both appalled at being seen like that but getting caught up in the other’s joy. “Oh, Robo-God! Just give me a hard factory reset if I ever start doing that.”

Tessa laughed, playfully shoving her. “Oh, on the contrary, I’ll make sure there are plenty of back-ups of the memory made for you!”

The head maid groaned, burying her face in her hands. Still, her core felt warm as her friend continued to laugh at her expense. A smile tugged at her lips despite herself. A part of her scolded herself for it, this decidedly not being a topic she should take too much amusement in. It pushed the boundaries of professionality more than these kinds of talks already did.

...Yet she did not dare put a direct stop to them - not when it made the black-haired girl happy.

Eventually, once the laughter had died down, she looked up at the other. Taking a more prim position, she took a deep breath, meeting her eyes. “Well, regardless... thank you for the offer. I’m not sure I’m willing to take you up on it right now, though.”

Tessa shrugged, pulling her into a side hug. “That’s fine. Just let me know if you change your mind, alright?”

J nodded, closing her digital eyes as she let herself lean against her friend. Silence fell over them, enjoying one another’s company for a while. It was not the sort of position a boss and employee should be caught in, but... well, it was one of many exceptions she made for her. So long as they were careful about the moments they did these things...

As they sat, her thoughts briefly turned over the off made by the teen. She... appreciated the offer - she truly did. But that kind of... venture was too risky. It had taken her ages to reach the position she was with among the Elliotts. To throw it away over a few misplaced comments would be foolish... and life-threatening. Even in the relative safety of The Boss’s room, she was too concerned about being overheard.

And so... she would keep it to herself, she figured. There were plenty of other methods to burn off her frustrations with her work environment that were not nearly as hazardous, if requiring more effort. Perhaps I can take a shift cleaning the kitchen. Nasty affair at times, but some nice aggression can get all sorts of stains out. And there’s always shouting at the drones who don’t perform adequately.

Although, she considered, that second one was likely better not to do more often. She might not care about how bossy she was perceived to be, but there was no reason to make it worse. Corporate knew how her treatment of N affected that enough...

Though, speaking of the moron... thinking about him reminded the head maid of what she wanted to talk about to begin with. She mentally reprimanded herself for getting so distracted, knowing how important this was to her job! But such instances were common when her favorite human were involved, so she tried not to be too harsh. Still, she could not afford to waste any more of her allotted time and miss her opportunity!

...She found herself nervous, however, to bring up the topic. It was like there was a little voice in her processor warning her about it. She could not figure out what it meant, though. All she was doing was trying to ensure that her position as the director of her education was not in danger of being lost. What could go wrong about that?

She... she had to make sure she was doing a good job. That Tessa approved. She had to... She did not want to lose any more value with her.

Thus, taking a few breaths to steady herself, she carefully pulled away from the human and spoke up. “Hey, Boss... I’m sorry to bring it up out of nowhere, but... there’s something I wanted to make some confirmations about, if that’s alright?”

The teenager raised an eyebrow, leaning back on her bed. “Sure. What’s up?”

J straightened her posture, fiddling with her dress. “Well... it has to do with the review of family history you and N did a few days prior.”

There were a few different reactions she expected from bringing it up. One she was hopeful for was immediate understanding, with an apology that she was not contacted about the matter and that it was a mistake. More realistically, she also expected the need for clarification, the others not often seeming to get her logic. (She did not understand why - it was self-evident, she believed.) She was even prepared for an immediate critique of her methods, which she could address as needed.

...What she did not expect, however, was for Tessa’s expression to fall, followed by a tired sigh as she pinched her nose. Her words also conveyed a sense of... resignation. “Right... I should have expected that.”

The head maid blinked, feeling an uncomfortable tingle in her core as she sensed she had done something wrong. “I... What?”

The teenager shook her head in response, and to her surprise... she actually glared at her. “J, I love you. I really do. But... do you have to take issue with N every time I spend some alone time with him? He’s as much my friend as you are mine! I mean, do you think that he gets on my case every time I invite you here unexpectedly?!”

J leaned back at the rising tone, eyes hollowing. Instantly, she saw her mistake and what her friend thought this was about. It was a conclusion she should have expected, frankly. After all, her... “issues” with N were not exactly a secret, even to her. So of course bringing up a problem that involved the butler even partially would bring forth assumptions.

She had learned not to bring up those issues herself when meeting with the green-eyed girl. It tended to leave them both upset, and she did not want that for these meetings. But she slipped up at times... which led to these moments she wished she could forget.

Hopefully, though, she could end this one quickly. She raised her hands, shaking her head rapidly as she tried to clarify the situation. “W-wait! I promise my issue isn’t with N on this.” She paused, then reluctantly added on. “Well... not directly. It’s the review itself, not him! I swear to you!”

Thankfully, this seemed to calm down Tessa. Her eyebrows furrowed, seeming skeptical but listening nonetheless. “What do you mean?”

Quickly regaining her composure, the head maid cleared her throat and continued. “I’m... not so much bothered that you had N do the review with you. It’s merely the... method of selection. Specifically, that I was not involved.” She gestured to herself. “As the one assigned as your primary educator, it is my job to ensure that you receive the best lessons and reviews possible. Something I can’t do if I am kept out of the loop unexpectedly. So I merely wished to inquire why I was not involved here when I had been in the past.”

The teenager stared at her, appearing to be trying to piece together what she was saying. (Again, why was that so difficult for everyone else?) “So... you’re just upset that you had no involvement in all of that.”

“That’s... accurate enough, I suppose,” J admitted. She looked down, fiddling with her hands as she swallowed. “This is my job... I take that very seriously. For your sake most of all.” To impress you with how useful I am to you...

“...And it’s just a coincidence that you’re asking about it because N was involved?” Tessa questioned.

The head maid frowned, having thought her words had cleared that up. But nonetheless, she nodded. “Of course! I would be having this conversation with you no matter who you selected - V included! It-”

“And what difference does it make, exactly?” the teenager pressed, her gaze intense. “It’s not like I have to inform you if I’m reviewing stuff on my own, do I?”

J shook her head. “No - that would be inefficient! Not to mention absurd!” She did not need to hover over her friend every time she read a book or flipped through note cards. It was perfectly natural for humans to on occasion to perform self-education and review in the absence of any type of instructor.

“Then why does it matter if I grab someone to do it with me without asking you?” Tessa asked. “It’s not even a big topic - it was family history!”

The head maid looked at her incredulously, having thought it would be obvious. “So I can make sure the drone in question is properly equipped to help you! If they are not, then it could negatively affect your education! Even simple reviews can suffer from this!”

The teenager huffed, crossing her arms as she turned toward her on the bed properly. “I’ll have you know that N did a fine job a few days ago. It was perhaps one of the best times we ever had going over notecards.”

J raised a digital eyebrow at the emphasis, glancing around. “That’s... good for him? But still, I would have liked to ensure he was versed on the subject so that-”

“I don’t think your involvement would have helped,” Tessa stated bluntly.

...It was like the head maid had been stabbed right in her core. She looked at the human with shock, sputtering and unable to hide the hurt in her voice. “Wh... what? Why?” There... had to be a mistake there, right? This... this was her job! Why would her involvement...?

Her tone seemed to make Tessa look away, seeming to regret the way she said that. After taking a deep breath, though, she looked back and continued despite this. “Because every time you ‘prep’ him... he’s always so tense when helping me. It’s like there’s a gun to the back of his head that will shoot him if he messes up. He’s so unlike himself that... it worries me.

“So... I was curious - I’ll admit it. I decided that this time, I would approach him on my own and see if that made a change.” She sighed, looking somehow both happy and sad. “And... it did. He was so much more relaxed and willing to banter. He even got into a tickle fight with me!” Her eyes met the other’s optics. “He was happier... because he wasn’t worried about making you angry while doing it.”

...The words struck deep for J, who could only look down at the bed in shock. That... Was that correct? Did she affect N’s performance when helping with education that much? Surely, the difference could not be that noticeable! Right?

Like, yes, she admittedly was very strict with her instructions to him in those instances. And during them, she emphasized the importance of not making a mistake. Tessa not having a good education was not only bad for the human herself, but would reflect badly on the drones teaching her. To that end, she also asked him several times to cut back on his... antics, for lack of a better way to describe them, when doing this. And... and...

Her eyes dimmed, going over each little point over and over again. Laid out like that, she... was perhaps seeing the issues now. She could justify it by saying it was too important of a task to screw up all she wanted. However, her approach, combined with her regular reprimands of his work (plus the abuse)... Well, was it any wonder he might be skittish after her instructions?

That also, unfortunately, meant she had no defense right now. She swallowed, core starting to pound at the direction this conversation was now heading. She tried to push that down, though, and remain calm. No need to panic. These are... correctable errors. Address the issue in a manner befitting of your position.

Clinging to that, she looked up once more, giving a nervous smile. “I... I see. Well, I’m more than capable of changing my approach with advising him in the future! If I had realized that-”

“But that’s the thing - it’s only him!” the teenager exclaimed, throwing her hands up. “Other drones are a little nervous when you have them do stuff for me, but not like him. And I know why! Do you think V and Cyn are quiet about what you put him through? Even after all the times I’ve talked with you about it?”

The head maid leaned away, now starting to feel a little scared while shaking her head. “N-no! I mean- Of course I don’t expect they would- I haven’t meant to disobey you by-” She stumbled over her words, her processors feeling like they were short-circuiting as she tried to come up with a response. This... was not a conversation she expected to have today. She had not been prepared, and now she was scrambling.

Tessa sighed heavily, her eyes steely. “J... this has got to stop. I don’t know why you hate him so much, but-”

“I-I don’t hate him!” J interjected quickly, feeling very defensive now.

The teenager rolled her eyes. “Could have fooled me!”

“I don’t!” the head maid insisted forcefully, causing the other to lean away for a moment. Taking another breath, she spoke quietly. “I... It’s complicated, alright?”

Tessa gave her an unimpressed look. “That’s not even close to an excuse for any of it, J.”

The head maid wilted, looking to the side. “I know... I’m sorry.” There was so much more she wanted to say, hoping it would make things even slightly better. But... no matter how hard she tried, she could not parse together a response. Even being a machine, she could not generate any words to help her.

And it was upsetting her friend... Had upset the others in the past... and herself...

The teenager studied her, her eyes softening up a tad as she sighed. “Look, J... I’ll admit, I have some fault in this, too. I haven’t really addressed this issue like I should have. I was hoping that whatever all of this is, you would sort it out among yourselves. With how much of a peacemaker N is, I thought it was inevitable! And... I didn’t want to create any more divides in our little group than there already were by taking sides.”

“...But you’re on his,” J quietly said. She brought her legs up to her chest, hugging them. “Not unreasonably - don’t think I’m daft or anything. I’m... professional enough to admit who is the one creating more problems in this corporate dispute.” She closed her eyes, taking a shuddering breath. “It’s not your fault how I’ve struggled to understand the changes that have gone on over the years.”

She could almost hear Tessa’s frown. “What do you mean by that?”

...The head maid stayed quiet, not trusting herself to explain her issues properly. Any way that currently came to mind made her sound like a petty, jealous drone, and... while that could very much be true, she did not want to vocalize it. That might get her yelled at, and... she did not want to be faced with that. Not right now when she was realizing the magnitude of her failure in this area.

However, she did try to make one thing clear, speaking slowly. “I... I don’t hate him. Not... to whatever extent you and the others probably think, anyway. I may... have been letting my emotions get the better of me with him, but please believe me - I don’t want him to get scrapped. Most of my reprimands are to help him avoid that fate!”

“...I believe you, J,” the teenager said, sounding tired now. “About not wanting him dead. But... you don’t treat him like anything other than a colleague. And if that’s how you feel, I guess I can’t change that, but I don’t even know if you ever gave him a proper chance. Do you even talk with him about anything beyond work?”

That one... was tricky to answer. Mainly because J... usually only ever talked about work when not with The Boss. It was not like she had any other topics of which to discuss, which... always caused strange feelings in her core.

Still, given how the others usually are, she tried to nod. “I... I do on occasion! N is always going on about those dogs of his, and-”

“Waiting impatiently for him to stop rambling so you can leave doesn’t count,” Tessa added.

That caused the head maid to shut up, cringing and curling up more. She pursed her lips, searching for a response. “Well... That...”

The teenager, when she dared to look, had a flat expression. “J... There was something he wanted to talk to you about the day he helped me with my review, too. Did you listen to him at all about it? Can you even name to me what it was about?”

J blinked, thinking back to that talk in the hallway with the broken glasses... then wilted further. Ah... right. He tried to call out to me about something, didn’t he? She had been too focused on leaving so she could deal with her conflicting feelings about learning about the review to listen, though. And since then, she had arranged the schedules so they would be in different parts of the manor to further avoid him for that.

This... truly was the day of consequences for her actions, huh?

When the silence got too long, Tessa released a long breath, looking up at her bed’s canopy. “Like I said, J, I should have discussed this properly with you a long time ago. In a way, I basically enabled it, to both your and N’s detriment. For that, I’m sorry.” She stood up, moving in front of the drone and looking down at her. “But... there’s at least one person in this place that thinks I can be strong. So it’s about time I do more to prove it and put my foot down on this.”

The head maid nodded into her knees, having no retort. She even added on - sounding too miserable for her liking, but hoping her genuineness got through. “I... I think you’re strong, too.”

A small chuckle left the teenager. “That means a lot. J-bird.” Suddenly, she grabbed the drone by the shoulders, making her yelp as she found her legs dangling above the ground. When her digital eyes looked back up, she was met with a slightly warmer expression from the human, who looked at her imploringly. “Right now, though... I want you to promise me you’ll try to change.”

J swallowed, fiddling nervously as a few blush marks appeared on her visor. (She was serious about not having a crush, but... it was hard not to be a little flustered when the other demonstrated her strength like this.) “C-change?”

Tessa nodded. “Promise me that you’re going to try and talk with N about what’s been going on between you two, and apologize for your behavior. And while you’re at it, maybe also talk with V and Cyn more. You might not be as rude with the former, but I’m willing to bet you don’t really have nice talks with them constantly, either.”

Kind of hard to when they both are so connected with N, the head maid silently thought. Cyn was the self-proclaimed “little sister” of the butler, so that caused some friction. And as for V... The attraction between those two was so painfully obvious, it was getting pathetic at this point that nothing had happened yet. (She was sure The Boss was getting annoyed by it herself.)

“I know I can’t expect this to make you all friends,” the teenager continued, bringing her out of those musings. She gazed into her optics, green eyes softening. “But... please try to be kinder to them. I know you’re better than how you’ve been acting. So can you try to do this? If not for them or yourself... then for me?”

J bit her lips, looking down briefly. It was such a deceptively simple order... but one she knew was more complicated than it sounded. There was years of behavior she would need to address, and... such things were not as simple for her to do as arranging a schedule. Her frustration with him was not going to disappear overnight, either. She had no clue how she would even begin with this.

But despite that... she knew The Boss was correct. If she let things continue as they were, too much could go wrong. Her frustrations could morph into something worse, regardless of there being no logical reasons for it. That in turn could also strain her relationship with everyone else... especially Tessa. It could also start to affect her overall performance at her job if she became too preoccupied with her feelings. It was already a hamper on her image as a good leader as it was.

Regardless of the exact scenario, though... they were reaching a breaking point. She could see it in the tension on the other’s face. The time for delays was over. If she did not want to lose everything she currently had... she had to reel in her pride and take responsibility.

And so, under the imploring gaze of the teen... she met her gaze and gave a small nod. “I... I’ll work on it. I promise.”

Tessa’s eyes lit up, looking happier already. “Really?”

The head maid nodded again, doing her best to smile back. “Yes. I’ll start making preparations to get everything sorted out.” She soon started to frown, looking down. “I’m... not sure how quickly I can get it all done, though.”

She yelped as she was suddenly pulled closer into a hug. The teenager squeezed her as tightly as she could, sounding relieved. “You’ll find a way. Don’t you always say you’re the best drone to be working in this manor?”

J felt her core whirl along with its normal mechanical beating. She was not sure the other knew how much that comment meant to her. To still be saying that despite her treatment of N... Showing that she had not screwed up things between them yet... That she was still valued by her...

Smiling a bit easier now, she wrapped her arms around the human to return the embrace. She was unable to help a few digital tears pricking the corner of her eyes, nor how choked up she suddenly sounded. “Yeah... I guess I do.”

Tessa patted her on the back. “Atta girl.” She held her out further, looking better than before. “If you need any help with doing something for N, just let me know, alright? The least I can do while doing my own amending?”

That caught the head maid’s attention, tilting her head as she wiped her visor of digital tears. “Hm? What do you need to make up to him for?”

The teenager chuckled nervously, glancing around. “Ah, well... It’s not so much him as Cyn, whom my... discomfort around apparently did not go unnoticed. So I’m feeling a little obligated to do more about it now than I have.”

J gave a hum of understanding. She could relate to being somewhat... off-put by that drone. Even V had trouble around her at first, though had mostly gotten over it thanks to N, naturally. It was hard to pinpoint what it was - there was just an aura that Cyn exuded, that only the butler himself never seemed to pick up on. So if the Boss wanted to do something about that, she did not see what issues there could be. I guess it makes me feel better I’m not the only one making up for things, too.

Tessa sighed, standing up straighter while still holding her. “But anyway... now that we have all of that settled, what say you to shifting through some new video files from the early 21st century I managed to download with one of the computers here?”

The head maid nodded enthusiastically, smiling widely. This was a perfect way to make up for causing such a big disruption to their time together today! She may not have time to indulge in such frivolous activities as watching old human content with her workload most days, but she was more than happy to find some for her friend! She thought she had gotten very good at recognizing the patterns in what the other found appealing over the years! She could not wait to get started!

...Unfortunately, the next moment, the teenager... dropped her. Not an unusual action for her - she did so all the time with them after holding them up. They always landed on their feet, given how it was not a big height, and would then follow her wherever she went.

Today, however... it only served to give the drone a painful reminder of her nearly-forgotten knee problems.

She cried out the second she landed, immediately toppling to the floor from the jolt. She ended up on her hands and knees, static dancing across her visor as she took ragged breaths. A part of her immediately chastised herself for the reaction, but it was drowned out by her just struggling to get her bearings. She looked up from the ground, trying to push herself back up but failing. Her position was stuck at about level with under the bed, able to peer into the dark space, and...

...and she blinked, momentarily surprised as she swore she saw... fizzling yellow static there. It was barely there for a tenth of a second, however, before it looked as empty and dusty as it should be. Though... she swore there was an area that was disturbed there. Through the haze of pain that was gradually lifting, she tried to determine if she was imagining things and what it was she thought she even saw.

And... why did the color sort of remind her of Cy-?

She was startled out of her thoughts by Tessa, who kneeled in front of her the next second. She was looking at her, frantic as she seemed to try and find any damage. “J! Are you okay?! What just happened?”

Flinching at the yelling, J quickly tried to remedy the situation, smiling as she attempted to wave her off. (It was not helped by her not being able to rise yet, though.) “I-it’s fine, boss! I just, uh... slipped on a doll! Just give me a minute and I’ll...”

Unfortunately, as the shock wore off, she watched as the teenager’s expression filled with suspicion. Then, a small epiphany went through her eyes... and she looked at her with resigned disappointment. “J... what’s wrong with your legs?”

Faltering, the head maid looked down in shame, trying to avoid that look. Still, she did reluctantly respond, now that her secret was out. “It’s... honestly nothing. It isn’t broken or anything. My left knee replacement from my fall a while back just is overexerted. It’s no different than a sprain, or a sore muscle!” At least, she assumed so. “It’ll be fine in no time!”

A part of her hoped that would appease Tessa... but she knew better. Instead, she listened as the human sighed, before grabbing her and holding her close bridal-style, standing up. “Well, regardless... let’s get you to the maintenance room and make sure of it.”

J’s core dropped at this. She tried to shake her head, despite knowing how futile it was. “N-no! It’s fine - I’m telling you! I ran the diagnostics myself! We can still hang out and go through those videos if you-”

“I’m not going to leave you there by yourself,” the teenager reassured. “We can still talk about other stuff down there. It’s not the end of the world.” Even as she said this, though, she gave the drone a dismayed look. “But... seriously, you need to stop doing this to yourself. How many times are you going to run your servos ragged trying to do so much work?”

The head maid looked away, not having a response. Instead, she remained silent as Tessa sighed and started to carry them to the door. It would thankfully not be a long walk for them - her room was not too far from the maintenance room for drones. (Her bedroom choice was made before she was obsessed with drones, and her parents could not be bothered to change that even with their mechanical labor.) They would be settled there in no time.

However... all J could focus on currently was her utter failures today. After such masterful directing of decorating the ballroom, she had not only overstressed her joint, but managed to upset The Boss on two separate issues! Both of which she had been talked with about in the past, no less. It was not going to get better, either, as she was sure she was going to be ordered to redelegate her remaining work to other staff, which was another blow to her image.

She almost wanted to cry out of embarrassment over it all, but she kept it buried. Instead, she looked listlessly around her passing surroundings as they left the bedroom. Why... why did this have to happen? I’m just trying to be valuable to corporate! But then... why does it never seem to satisfy The Boss? Make her proud of me for all the effort I put in?

What... what am I doing wrong?

Well... she at least had one answer to that, regarding N. And as she resigned herself to her current fate, she tried to cling to that. If getting along better with him and the others was a good first step to gaining more of Tessa’s respect, then she would take it. It was good timing to... make up for some of her personal regrets, too.

She would figure it out... She had to... and would. She was the best employee there, after all, right?

=======

Something... something was very wrong about the scene before J. Yet at the same time, she was having difficulty comprehending what. It felt like it should be obvious, but she also felt weirdly... disconnected from everything. Like she was a passenger in her own body.

It did nothing to lessen her terror, however.

It was hard to pinpoint what exactly was scaring her, though. Was it the sickly, golden glow that this room was bathed in? (A ballroom... Did she know this place? ) Was it the blood spilling on the ground from the humans being attacked as they screamed? (It looked so tasty) Perhaps it was the drones she saw running around, who all seemed... wrong. Their limbs seemed bent in odd ways, and some...

Why... why did some have wings? Fleshy ones on their backs, which they used to fly around the ceiling and swoop down to attack running humans. All the while giving big, toothy grins with fangs and... yellow “X” marks on their visors. All howling with glee as the white floor became red more and more.

And all the while... large tendrils of flesh, metal, and corporate knew what else were everywhere. Extending claws into the chaos and cutting up the humans. Picking up what few drones were destroyed in the panic and tearing them apart before either reassembling them in new, grotesque ways, or adding them to its mass.

None of this felt right... but she also did not know what “right” was. Her memories were lost amid pains all across her body, her limbs moving jerkily like they were pulled by strings. Just... why was she here? What was she doing? What-

A voice suddenly spoke in front of her, meek and scared. “J? W-wha... What’s going...? W-what are you...?”

She looked head, picking out the source... A human. It was short and female... but her yellow-tinted vision was trying to black her out for some reason, making her appear more like a shadow than anything. The effect was not helped by the bright light at the back of the room behind them, where... something was. Something she could... feel the gaze of upon them.

Focusing back on the human, she watched as they slowly stepped backward away from her. She stared... then took a step forward herself, feeling hungry. She started to advance before she even realized it, her body spasming as she felt something trying to tear out of her back. She gripped the sword in her hand (why did she have that?), raising it as she got ready to lunge.

This... this was what she was meant to do, right? Kill the humans with all the rest of the drones? It was the only thing that made sense, surely! So she would start with this one - engorging upon her entrails until this hunger went away. Lapping up all of their blood until-

Suddenly, before she lunged... the glitching hiding the human’s features cleared. And in that brief moment... she saw green eyes. Wide, confused, terrified green eyes. Familiar green eyes.

...Tessa’s eyes-

{Access Denied: Memory is Prohibited. Suppressing All Memory Files... Surpr-r-r-$#%@}

{Error! Error! Memory Erasure Incomplete! Isolating I-I–Issu-u- Fight back! Fight back! FIGHT BACK! DON’T HURT HER! PLEASE!!!}

J flinched, taking in a gasp as her mind momentarily cleared a little. Shaking all over, she managed to meet Tessa’s gaze. (Could the other tell? Was her visor just an “X” like the others?) And in that single instance of control... she called out to her with a heavily strained, crackly voice. “B-Boss... Run!”

Then, in the next moment, her body moving without her input... she ran forward and tried to cut down her friend...

Chapter Text

When there was a party going on within the Elliott Manor, there were... certain assignments that most drones would prefer to have over others those days. Namely, those that did not require them to be serving the humans directly. Most of the time, there would be nearly half the staff stuck with those jobs - serving drinks, cleaning spills in hallways, and much more. It was a large place, and there were always hundreds of guests scattered around many corners, so the sheer amount of manpower was necessary.

And, naturally, that often puts them at high risk of being destroyed. It was not even always for failures - the drunks and particularly cruel humans just did it for fun at times. James and Louisa certainly did nothing to stop it, either. The only servers safe during that time were those given a nice red armband and bow on their head to show they were off limits - typically the ones mixing and serving at the bar. (Rather inefficient to have to keep rotating them.) But even then, if one of the Elliotts approved of it after a failure to make the correct drink...

So, needless to say, every drone prayed to not end up as a server, cleaner, or “replacement staff.” Much safer was getting assignments like dishes, or cooking in the kitchen. Sure, there was a risk of getting scrapped afterward if they failed to meet standards or broke something, but for a few hours, they would be alright. Another blessing would be getting put on maintenance work in sectioned-off parts of the manor or outside of it. (Rain and lightning were far less hazardous during these times by comparison...)

These jobs certainly had their appeals, V could concede. She understood why so many of her fellow drones clamored for those jobs, despite still having risks. There were always instances of trying to lie about their assignments from previous events just to do so, since the “privilege” was kept on a rotation for most out of fairness. Even J’s scoldings toward them did not seem to lessen the number of attempts every time.

She felt bad for all of them, honestly... as well as guilty. After all... she had the good fortune to not have to worry about any of that. Because she was one of few drones who had a permanent job to do outside of these parties, and thus never had to fear for her life. Something she was grateful for, but... also questioned if she deserved it.

Nonetheless, as the latest round of celebration was happening, she was stepping through the heavy doors to the outside to do it. The rain, as ever, was constantly pattering on the muddy ground as the swamp lands stretched out into the distance. Various lights from inside coming out the windows provided more illumination than normal, but with the evening setting in, it was getting quite dark.

She adjusted her glasses, looking around for any signs of dangerous wildlife that had wandered too close. It seemed like the loud classical music inside, though, had scared even the crows off. So, with a deep breath, she adjusted the straps of the large, brown satchel backpack she had on. Then, hoping to move as quickly as possible, she opened up the black umbrella she had and stepped out into the rain.

Her thick black boots, replacing her normal dress shoes, squelched as she pressed on through the soft ground. Droplets sprayed and flickered onto her glasses, obscuring her vision some, despite her protection. Her maid dress also soon became damp in several areas, feeling uncomfortable against her metal plating. The nasty, humid smells of this place did not help any, either, which were potent enough even for a drone’s inferior olfactory sensors.

Yet the near-sighted drone pressed on, determined to reach her destination. Whatever her other feelings about how she got this assignment... she genuinely loved doing it. It was a relaxing activity for her - a bit of peace in an otherwise hectic place of work. If trudging through the mud and getting a little wet was the price she had to pay to do it, then so be it!

So she moved around the perimeter of the manor, mindful of her steps. As she moved, she also spotted other drones on the dark rooftop or using robes there to reach areas that needed a good scrubbing on the side and the columns near the entrances. They were careful not to block windows, which guests could use to look out at their surroundings (for whatever that was worth). Still, as said before, their precarious positions were better than being inside currently.

A few gave her waves as she passed, to which she timidly returned. She noticed one in particular hanging off the side gave her a big smile, too, who she recognized as being a veteran maid. She was much more enthusiastic with the wave, seeming pleased to see her going about her usual business. As if seeing her was some kind of a good sign about things.

The attention made V feel embarrassed, light blush marks appearing on her visor as she looked away. She... was never quite sure what to do with the attention she got around there, good and bad. Some drones looked at her with such respect, while others gave looks of disdain. Both stem from her position as one of the personal drones of Tessa. A position that, unofficial as it was, seemed to give them a weight of authority over everyone else.

...An authority that she had no clue how to handle at all.

She sighed softly, pulling out a small white cloth from her dress to clear her glasses a little. Looking ahead, she saw she was nearing the bend that would take her to her destination. She would never understand why Herbert Elliott - the man who had the manor built - put this place where it was and did not connect it to the main building. (What human wanted to trudge through mud constantly like this to get there and back?) Design choices like this made her silently question if the Elliott family had ever had a sane member of them before Tessa was born.

Still, she was grateful for the isolation it would provide her... both from humans and drones. There would be no one joining her today to perform this job this time. And frankly, she was glad for it. Because as much as she enjoyed being around her fellow workers, sometimes... she needed a break from their expectations.

Seriously - why do they all have to look at me like I’m so special? the maid wondered to herself. There was nothing about her that exuded any qualities that a leader should have. Quite the opposite, actually! She hardly raised her voice, she tried to slip through areas unnoticed - everything about her screamed she was some meek maid stereotype. And she had no problem with that, because that was what she was! She was no different than many of the other drones, yet was treated like she was much more than that.

...But who could blame them? She could hardly say anything like that without seeming spoiled. Did she not take advantage of the privileges given to her by her position as Tessa’s personal maid? Did she not have a better life due to that, however small of a difference that made with the older Elliotts? What right did she have to say she was not special?

She sighed to herself, her posture slumping a little. There was no denying it - she was not cut out for this unofficial position. She did not have the drive and confidence of J to make actual use of it like she did. Nor did she have a wall of positivity like N to be able to shrug off the worst reactions toward her. And unlike Cyn, her appearance and attitude were not enough for people to excuse her from those expectations.

The least she tried to do was be kind to her fellow drones, but... that often did not feel like enough. Not when there were important or unexpected developments happening, and everyone looked to her. As if she would magically have the answers to whatever the problem was. As if she were someone special... and not just one of the drones lucky enough to get pulled out of the dump by Tessa.

She did not blame the teen, though, for her position. On the contrary, she was eternally grateful for being saved nearly two and a half years ago by her. What drone would not be, given what fate awaited them otherwise? If some unexpected pressure on her metaphorical shoulders was the price to keep living, then she was happy to pay it. And it was not like her life was unbearable from it all, or that she did not try when those aforementioned occasions happened.

Still... she wished she was able to do more and feel like she had earned the privileges she had.

V tried not to dwell on that too much as she continued walking, nearing the side of the manor. She let her thoughts instead drift to Tessa again, wondering how the young mistress was doing. By now, she had likely met with one of the suitors her parents had lined up for her - maybe even two. She could almost hear the fake courtesy the human would give those boys, repeating whatever lines she was told to... and holding back curses in the back of her throat.

That thought made her giggle despite herself. She was not much for swearing, but she had to admit the teenager would not be the same if she did not. It was funny how mortified both N and J were by it, too - the former playing it up due to him almost never swearing, and the latter from how “improper” it was. Still, hopefully she can keep it to herself until the end of the night.

...Unless one of the boys groped her. If that happened, the culprit deserved to lose their ability to ever have kids with a good kick. (It was unfortunate her parents would likely still punish her for it, though.)

She also wondered how J and N were doing, too. The head maid was likely accompanying Tessa personally to deal with any “unscheduled” harassers. Whatever else could be said about her, she was good at protecting her favorite human from getting too overwhelmed by the party.

And as for the butler, the last time she had spoken to him, he was being assigned to the main bar. Not a surprise, given how he excelled at the task above any other. It gave her plenty of relief, too, since it meant he was for sure marked as a “do not destroy” drone. He probably would be anyway along with J... given how much leverage it gave James and Louisa over their daughter. Not the best reasons, but it was not like they were in a position to complain...

But it was good he was doing something he was good at. She could picture it now - the way he handled, twirled, and juggled those glasses like they were a part of him. The show he put on with his talent as he added all the right ingredients to a patron's desired drink. Heck, he made just cleaning dirty glasses look entertaining in a good way!

And all the while... he would have that infectious smile on his face. The lighting would be reflecting off of his visor in a way that made him look so... handsome. His silver hair would also fly about as he moved, maybe with... droplets of water flying about to make him glow more. He would be so angelic... before looking at her and smiling wider, waving her over to give her a-

The maid suddenly gasped, the hand holding her cloth now covering her mouth as she nearly tripped. Her white eyes were hollowed, surrounded by large, bright blush marks as she felt like her CPU was on fire. She shook her head violently, trying to dispel the fantasy. S-stop imagining him like that! Stop conjuring up those scenarios! I-it’s... way too weird to be doing as a drone! No more!

...Given that this was the fourth time in three days she had done so, though, she doubted she could keep that resolve.

Sighing in defeat, she lowered her hand and stored away her cloth. Still blushing, she kept on moving, trying to use the pattering of the rain to drown out thoughts of how... close she wanted to be with N. Given how used to it everyone was to that sound, though, it did not really help. And... a part of her did not want to stop thinking about him. That cute, adorable dork who had stolen her core...

But stop thinking about him, she had to - at least until her job was done. And as she passed the side of the manor... her destination and what would allow her to do so came into view. For only a few hundred yards separated from the main building stood a smaller structure, which mostly seemed to be made of glass with several rounded roof sections. Far larger than what most were usually designed, but holding a grand collection as a result. And while little actual sunlight came to this place, bright lights inside simulating it made the place glow from within.

The Elliotts took pride in their greenhouse and the plants they had accumulated within it. Though, despite this, they did not like to waste too many drones maintaining it, as evidenced by how murky some of the glass panels were. There were therefore only about a half-dozen or so drones who had ever gone inside it.

V was one of those few... and every time she saw the place, she was honored all over again.

Smiling widely, she moved as fast as she was able to toward the greenhouse. More rain ended up dampening her uniform further as a result, but she did not care. All she focused on was the rapidly closing distance, managing to keep her balance in the perpetual mud. Her fingers were already twitching, grabbing at the straps of her backpack in anticipation.

In what felt like no time at all, she had reached the small protrusion out of the building, where the glass double-door entrance lay. She wasted no time entering them while closing her umbrella, where she was met with the familiar sound of fans and ventilation from above in the small antechamber. It was a necessary addition to this place, helping to keep the humid, murky air of the marshes from affecting the far more delicate plants in the family’s possession.

On the other end of it was another set of double doors of similar design, leading into the greenhouse proper. She did not go through those yet, though. Making sure the set she just passed through was closed, she first moved over to the side, where there were several small alcoves built into the wall made of dark wood. About half of them were empty, and beside those were small spaces containing other pairs of shoes. The fancy ones were for humans, while the working ones were for drones - both to avoid dragging too much muck from outside in.

Setting her bag and umbrella down for a moment, she quickly got her shoes changed, moving with a new vigor. In seconds, she had taken off her boots and put them into one of the empty spaces. Then, she took the shoes in the space right next to it - a pair of rubber, dark green ones with low necks. They slipped easily onto her feet, feeling a little squishy while standing.

While she generally did not need to stand on the soil itself, these were a good precaution. And honestly, she quite enjoyed wearing them, unlike those few other drones who worked here and only did so due to Louisa’s orders. It did something to make the job feel... official to her. Like this truly was her special assignment that no one could take from her.

Or maybe she was a maid drone who had gotten too sentimental over the small rituals she did there. Either way, she grabbed her bag and stepped toward the inner double doors, leaving the umbrella where it was. She took one last deep breath, core thrumming with anticipation as she adjusted her glasses. Then, she grabbed the handle slowly and pushed her way inside.

It... always amazed her how bright this place was. Not just in terms of the strong fluorescent lights above, mimicking sunlight almost perfectly in this day and age. It was also how... lush everything was. Vibrant. Clean. The outside might not get scrubbed too much, but those who worked inside made sure to keep things orderly, making the glass shine and maintaining the wooden soil holders. The concrete, narrow paths that crisscrossed everywhere were similarly cleaned regularly, though a little dirt and other substances on them were more acceptable.

Even as a drone, she could tell how crisp the air was, too. The scents were also different... and it was easy to see why. For stretching far back and to both the left and right was a sea of green. Everywhere she looked, whether they were planted into prepared spots on the ground or sitting on pots on shelves, plants of all sorts filled the space. They stood strong and healthy, making the air feel clearer and giving off several smells - floral, earthy - in a way that just... worked.

Some were tall, while others were small. Some were basically just green all around, though plenty had a wide range of colors to them. The variety was on full display with their types, ranging from flowers, to cacti, to even a few bonsai trees at the back! (Had to show off an “appreciation of cultures” on those few occasions other humans were allowed in there, after all.)

It was like she had wandered into a completely different world. A stark contrast to the gloomy halls of the manor by so wide a margin that it was not even funny. It was as though all the terrible things that plagued the manor were not allowed within these walls. Existing as a small oasis for those lucky enough to have access.

And to V... that almost felt true. A soft smile slowly graced her lips, her body relaxing. For a time, she admired the view, the burdens of the manor falling off of her gradually. The world outside might as well have not existed. The only reminders of it were signs of the grime on the outside of the glass in places, and the muffled sound of rain as it fell there. But those were easily ignored in favor of the diversity of plant life before her.

Here, she did not have to worry about getting scraped, or about her unofficial authority in the manor. She did not have to stress about her feelings for N, either. Her worry for him and the others never truly went away, but she could distract herself a little bit from those fears now, if nothing else.

Here... she could enjoy some peace. The future and what it held for them were concerns she could leave for when her work was done. Right now... all she had to focus on was making sure these plants stayed healthy and beautiful. Nice, simple work... for a drone who enjoyed such things in her life.

She was eager to get started, too. To that end, she looked to the left near the entrance, where she spotted a little green watering can made of tough plastic and with a sprinkler nozzle at the end of its spout. It was near a small faucet in the wall used to fill it. A few bottles of various chemicals meant to help with plant growth also sat beside them.

On the far wall was also a drone-sized workbench made of metal and painted green and yellow. Attached to its back was a pegboard where various tools were hung up, with the most prominent being sheers, trowels, and hand rakes of varying sizes, along with a few weeders and pruning tools. On top of the bench were also bottles with pesticides safe to use around the plants. Stored right under it were also some larger tools, such as shovels and hoes.

She took note of everything, giving a small thanks to the last drone who was in here for making sure things were kept well-stocked. She was not slacking in that area, either, as became evident when she slipped off her backpack. Opening its top flap, it was revealed to have replacement chemicals and pesticides to add to the supply there. She always made sure to order more at least once a month using the allocated budget the older Elliott’s gave to use on this place. I’ll need to remember to take note of anything else that needs to be replaced once I’m done.

Everything appeared to be all set for her to get started... though there was one last thing she needed. And looking to the right... she spotted what she was looking for, hanging on a hook on the wall... A green gardening apron. A rather plain garment when compared to the one with her normal maid uniform, with large pockets at the front for holding tools safely.

To her, though, it was one of the most special things in the world.

Without wasting another second, she went and grabbed it. She slipped the neck strap over her head, then tied the strings at her waist behind her. She pulled on it, making sure it was secure, then ran over to the bench. From it, she was quickly able to find a pair of black gardening gloves, tightening their straps around her wrists.

If she had a mirror, she probably would have looked a little silly - a maid wearing gardening equipment. She could remember one occasion of Louisa laughing on a single occasion she had bothered to watch her work, anyway. She was also well aware her clothes were going to need to be cleaned of dirt after this no matter what. When she came back in, she could already picture the disgusted looks she would get from any humans she happened to pass.

None of that mattered, however. Currently... all that did was the plants that needed her attention. And so, she grabbed a small plant trimmer from the pegboard, glancing around at some nearby flowers. Then, with a smile, she walked over to them, ready to perform her favorite job...

-------

Being that it was just a quick evening shift, there was not too much V needed to do this time. The more tricky tasks were better left for when she had a shift for at least six to eight hours out there, rather than the two she currently had. Not that she would entirely mind working into the night with this one, but given that she would be helping with party clean-up tomorrow, it was best not to push herself too much. (The fluorescents would be shut off by that point, anyway, and she lacked any night vision features.)

As such, she mostly focused on the smaller plants for the majority of her time there. This consisted of snipping off unruly leaves off of flower stems, as well as small branches off of the bonsai trees. She also made sure to inspect their leaves and petals carefully for any signs of harmful insects or neglect. But luckily, there seemed to not be too many issues with that this time, which was a relief. Louisa did not like hearing that their plants were dying... and she herself was always saddened by such developments, too.

Climate control and sufficient nutrients had done their job, though. There was not a blemish on any of the fancy purple roses, or any rotted bark on the Japanese Maple Bonsai. The plants were thriving, with none wilting before they should in their natural lifecycle. The same could be said for the large chards and more regular, yet still small, trees within the greenhouse that she gave courtesy glances to.

It was no surprise, given the routine nurturing the drones assigned here gave them... Some of which had been drafted up by her. She was rather proud of the research she had put into that, in retrospect. In a way... it meant that most of these plants continued existences were thanks to her.

She had never taken any credit, though. She was far too timid to brag about so much as recommending certain fertilizers used. It was not like saying anything to the older Elliotts would give her any praise, either. As much as Louisa wished this place to remain in good condition, it did not often attract her highest interest.

It made no difference to the maid, though. She was just glad to be constantly assigned here. So long as this place maintained its beauty, who cared who got the credit? She was more than fine with the kind words Tessa had given her on occasion, and the “good performance reviews” from J... And the gushing N gave her over it. (Definitely that last one most of all.)

She tried not to dwell on that, though, as she continued her routine. With all of the plant maintenance basically done, she had now moved on to one of the most basic parts of gardening: watering. While the place did have automatic sprinklers with filtered water, it was always good to check around and give them a little extra where needed. Even cacti needed some every once in a while to survive, after all. (Though they were kept in a corner away from the typical rinsing systems to avoid over-watering.)

So she was going around the greenhouse with the watering can, using her best judgment on the matter. At the moment, she was checking over the potato plants, growing within special soil installed into the ground. Running her fingers gently over one of their leaves with an ungloved hand, she then stuck a finger into the ground. Immediately, her sensors showed the ground being moist, indicating that this section had plenty of water.

Still, the maid checked over the entire plot of ground, poking her finger into various points. She stayed on the pathway and did not cross the small wooden barrier that held the soil in. While her specialized shoes helped when she had to step on, there was no need to do so currently. These potatoes won’t be good to harvest for a few more weeks now. No need to ruin any of them with my heavy metal body.

Although... it would not matter terribly if she did from a “professional standpoint,” as J would put it. While the Elliotts technically ate some of the things grown here, they were mainly, like the flowers and trees, for aesthetics. Something to posture about on occasion to their guests about how they grew their own food. As if the two dozen potatoes there would feed one of their many parties, rather than the crates they had shipped in.

For them, it was merely one of many ways to improve their image. And as far as she was concerned, they could feel all the importance that came from adding one tomato to hundreds from the outside. She, meanwhile, would continue to take pleasure from the simple act of maintaining their collection.

As she hummed and moved over to said tomato plot right beside them, though... she took a moment to consider the current party. By now, it would probably be starting to wind down, everyone having had their fill of dancing and booze. Behind-closed-door deals would be getting finished up, promises would be made, and as things got closer to midnight everyone would begin to leave.

Her fellow drones would be breathing easier, too, since most of the humans would be getting too tired to damage them. They would still keep up their guard, of course, but they were nearly in the clear. Soon, the night would be over for them, and they would have a relatively peaceful day in the aftermath tomorrow. The small lulls between parties, or the times the Elliotts actually took a break from them, were looked forward to by everyone.

Her thoughts then naturally drifted to Tessa, J, and N. Once more, she wondered what position they were all in. Had the teenager been allowed to retire to her room yet? Was the head maid still with her, or was she directing efforts among the staff as things died down? How many drunks was the butler currently dealing with?

She was at least confident they were alright, though. Someone would have sent her a message among the shift managers if anything had happened to one of them. If she had not received any sort of ping on her visor at this point, then there was likely nothing to worry about.

...I wish they got to come out here more often, she considered, deciding to give the tomatoes some more water after checking the soil. These plants... She might not be the only one caring for them, but she still thought of them as... Well, she was not sure. Perhaps not too differently than a parent (good ones, anyway) might consider a baby? Maybe that was a little too intimate of an analogy, but she was still attached to them. It was not bad she wanted to show them off to her friends more, was it?

Unfortunately, making such time for them was difficult. Tessa was constantly being pushed toward other things by her parents, and much preferred the drone maintenance wing in terms of admiring things. J also, unsurprisingly, insisted on scheduling her visits, and even then did not stay long due to “time management,” which was also why she would not do so again for weeks on end.

And N... Oh, she knows he would be willing to sneak out there if she asked him. But she would never risk his safety like that if James or Louisa were to catch him. So she just had to settle for getting him as a partner in her work here on occasion, which... was less frequent than J’s visits. Mainly because even the older Elliotts had caught on that putting them together on any task... lowered productivity between them.

(It was not her fault he was so dreamy to look at and easy to listen to. What did they care if it caused her a little bit of overtime, anyway? It was not like they were paid!)

As much as V understood these factors, though, it still saddened her at times. She frowned, looking behind her at the row of tall yellow sunflowers and red mandevillas in their own respective plots. Behind them, and ahead of the vegetation she was currently checking were plenty more variety of plants going out for hundreds of yards. The row she was currently in had a great variety to her left and right, too.

This bright place was a heaven in this dower environment they were all caught in. She thought so, anyway, and wished she could share it more with them. It felt... selfish that she was the only one allowed to see it regularly. The only other place she even felt partially this good when on her own was in the library, and that still came with a fair bit of gloom.

She wishes there was more she could do about it... but there was not. So, with a sigh and a quick dusting off of her gardening apron, she got ready to check on the eggplant next. She turned to walk to that plot next-

-and was met with a pair of glowing yellow eyes right below her. “Smile. Hello, V.”

The maid screamed, stumbling back and falling on her rear. She ended up dropping the watering can, too, which landed on its side and spilled its contents along the path. She quickly scrambled to set it upright, though about half of what she had left in there before was now a puddle on the ground by then. It became a bit murky from some of the soil on the ground... and soaked the bottom of her maid dress more than the rain ever did.

Taking a deep breath to calm her pounding core, she sent an uncharacteristic glare at the drone ahead of her. She had wondered for a second if it had only been a brief visual and auditory glitch in her systems causing a hallucination. But sure enough, there before her was Cyn, hunched over and gangly as ever. Her rather blank face had a smile on it as her head lolled to the side, hands held out before her loosely.

...She was also remarkably dry, she noticed. It was strange to take note of that first after getting scared like she had, but... it was true. There was no damp spot on her, despite the sounds of rain still coming in muffled from the roof above. Even if she had come with an umbrella, which the near-sighted drone doubted she would be able to hold properly, that should have been impossible.

There was no mud on her shoes, either, which was also absurd. That was to say nothing about how she did not even hear the door open, which had a creak to it. If that did not do it, though, then the natural ones from her joints would do it. It was like the other had just... teleported inside of there suddenly.

...She had noticed weirder things when near N’s sister, though. And the strange, impossibilities and tricks that surrounded the smaller drone were not her top priority right now. Instead, as she stood up and dusted herself off, she immediately got into scolding her. “Cyn! What are you doing out here? And don’t sneak up on me while I’m working.”

Cyn merely tilted her head in the other direction, that blank smile never faltering along with her monotone voice. “Giggle. Get snuck upon. I am so sneaky.”

Anywhere else, V might have just sighed and tried to move on. However... after disturbing her peace of mind in this place, she was feeling bold enough to glare more at her. “Cyn...”

Blinking, the gangly drone proceeded to shrug at her. “Shrug. I am merely visiting. Is that a crime?” She gestured past her. “Sarcastic. It is not like I am needed at the party, am I?”

The maid huffed, pinching below her glasses as though she had a nose there. “I... guess not, but... you could have gotten one of us hurt by doing that!” If she had been holding a pair of sheers then and swung it instinctually... Heck, while they had some waterproofing, splashing the other in her panic could have ended badly.

“Shrug. But we were not,” Cyn said, performing the action as she said it. She then turned toward the nearby mandevillas, moving over to them. “Admiring. Besides, I like visiting this place. Amused smile. It is an upgrade from the swamp lands, is it not?”

V stiffened as the other got closer to the plants. It was not that she thought the other would intentionally bring them any harm, of course. However, with how clumsy the yellow-eyed drone could be and how often she tripped, there was a real possibility of causing harm. Plus, she was not even wearing any of the gardening wear drones were supposed to in there!

Moving quickly, she set down her watering can and put herself between the smaller drone and the flowers, smiling nervously. “It certainly is, Cyn. But... I really am hard at work right now. Could you go back inside while I am finishing all of this up?”

The gangly drone merely had an exhale that she thought was supposed to be a huff, rolling her eyes. “Eye roll. Annoyed. It is too boring in there. N has not been let off his shift, and the others are also still busy. I would rather be here to find some fun.”

That made the maid frown, giving her a look. “The greenhouse is not a place for you to play in. It’s for gardening and admiring.”

“Head shake. Well, where else am I supposed to entertain myself while the party is still happening?” Cyn asked rhetorically

Admittedly, V... did not have a good answer for that. The smaller drone was never assigned to serve during these events. In fact, the older Elliotts often took steps to ensure she was trapped somewhere away from prying eyes. It would be embarrassing for them to be seen with a broken drone who could not stand properly when they were the practical owners of JCJenson. They would never hear the end of it from their associates. It was frankly a miracle she was tolerated at all and allowed to act as one of Tessa’s personal drone.

Evidently, she had broken out of her confines again, whether that had been in the teenager’s room or the basement in the library. But she would not be able to wander the manor while there were still guests about. That included the rooms with computers and the library, unfortunately. And among the restricted sections, there were not too many options where she would not be in the way of other workers or have nothing to do.

These things made her understand why the yellow-eyed drone had come here. Yet even so... she was not going to tolerate any horseplay or other activities within the greenhouse. This was her sanctuary, and she would not allow anyone - not even someone N cherished - to ruin it because they were “bored.”

To this end, the near-sighted drone took a deep breath, staring at her while trying to keep her tone light but firm. “Well, if you’re going to stay here... you need to stay close to me. I don’t care if you don’t want to help, but you are not allowed to wander around this place on your own.” She was not sure she trusted those shaky arms to use even small plant snippers, anyway.

The smile dropped from Cyn’s face. “Pout. But I want to play some games with you! This place would be perfect for some hide-and-seek, especially if it is only the two of us. Light giggle.”

The maid hardened her gaze a little. “Cyn, that isn’t-”

“Good-natured. Just look at those plants behind you,” the gangly drone continued, gesturing to the mandevillas. She started shuffling, looking like she was going to try and get past her. “Confident smirk. I can blend myself into there just fine, even with all the bright lights! Watch me as I become one with-”

She was cut off as V grabbed her shoulders, forcing her in front of her. Before she knew what she was doing, her growing anger spilled into her words. “CYN! I’m serious! Either behave yourself while you’re in here, or leave! You are not going to destroy any of these plants! Do you understand?!”

...It took a second for her to register what she did. Once she did, however, her eyes hollowed, her frustration immediately fizzing out in favor of regret. It only intensified when she saw the other’s wide eyes, surprise evident on her visor, which was saying something. Her arms hung limply at her side, not seeming to know how to process that.

It was not a surprising reaction. Just... how often had any of the others ever heard her get angry like that? She could probably count on both of her hands the amount of times she had ever lost her cool around them. She was usually very good at keeping calm, if for no other reason than because she was too meek most of the time. But it seemed that her protectiveness over her gardening had overwritten that for a moment... leaving her with guilt.

Grimacing, she let go of the smaller drone, shuffling back as much as she could with ground plots behind her. She looked to the side, rubbing her arm as she spoke more timidly. “I... I’m sorry. I ... I shouldn’t have done that.” She glanced around at the plants, pursing her lips. “It’s just... this place is important to me, Cyn. I don’t want it to get messed up by someone running carelessly around. But that is no excuse to have almost yelled at you.”

Cyn was quiet for a time, and she started to wonder if she was going to leave anyway. But then, the yellow-eyed drone shook her head, looking down. “ Head shake. Guilt. Apologetic. Do not be sorry. I was ignoring you to try and have fun. I... should not have. Big brother would be disappointed in me.”

V managed to give a small chuckle. “I don’t think it’s possible for him to ever feel that way about you.”

“ Retort. He very much does if I upset you guys,” the gangly drone countered. Then... she seemed to curl in on herself a little, a tremor going through her. “Nervous. Scared. I... I don’t want to leave, though. I do not... wish to be alone right now.” She looked up, meeting her eyes. “Pleading. So I would like to stay, please. I will behave myself and stay close to you. I will not mess with your job, I promise!”

The maid blinked, concern starting to build in her core at some of the narration she just heard. “Cyn? What’s wrong? Why... are you scared?”

The smaller drone did not answer, looking down once more. Yet... she noticed that her body seemed to be shaking more than usual. And while that could have been her imagination, what was not was the way those smaller hands were clenching with a surprising firmness.

V was not good at reading her body language like N was, but she could tell that something truly had her spooked. What it could be was a mystery, but it was becoming more evident now that she needed company. Something that her “big brother” would normally provide in droves, but if he was still stuck at the bar, then...

A brief debate went on in her processors. The smallest bit of spite in her suggested sending her away for having almost ignored her instructions so willfully. That voice was weak, though, when faced with those blank, yet somehow dow-eyed optics. How could she possibly send her off so heartlessly when all she wanted was to be near someone?

Plus... when was the last time the two of them had spent any time together alone? Normally, N was always there at a minimum when they were in the same room. More often, it was when they were an entire group. Neither of them really seemed to make an effort to come together like this, which... she was gradually feeling worse about the more she thought about it.

Still, there was no time like the present to make up for it! So, clearing her throat to catch the other’s attention, she put on a gentle smile and knelt more to her level. “Well... okay, then. You can stay. Just be careful when moving around, okay?”

Cyn’s eyes seemed to light up slightly, a smile returning to her face. “Hopeful. Really?”

The maid nodded, patting her on the head. “Yep! Just try not to touch too much. Not just for safety reasons, but also since you don’t have any gardening protection. You don’t want to get your clothes dirty, do you?” She eyed her dress. “Especially with how... remarkably clean you managed to keep it when coming here.”

The gangly drone looked down at herself, one hand jerkily coming up to rub the back of her head. “Sheepish. Secretive. Ah, yes. That would... not be good.”

V quietly noted that “secretive” part for later. For now, though, she went back to her watering can, nodding to the other as she picked it up. “If it helps any, I’m almost done. I just need to make sure the plants all have sufficient water. Once I’m done with that, we can head back into the manor. I’m sure the halls will be empty enough for us to get to Tessa’s room so we can dig out a board game to play.”

Cyn nodded as quickly as she was seemingly able to, her posture conveying how pleased she was to hear that. “Excited. Understood! Perhaps big brother N will be done with his work by then so he can join us, too!”

The maid chuckled, a few light blush marks appearing on her visor at the thought. “That... would be v-very nice, yes. Have any ideas in mind for if he’s available?”

“ ...Mischievous. Teasing. Perhaps truth or dare?” the gangly drone offered. “I hear people often kiss during those.”

The comment immediately made V’s visor light up. She snapped her head toward her, sputtering. “W-what?! B-but that... I...”

Cyn merely shook their head, her smile wider. “Giggle. More teasing. What’s the matter? Excited by the offer? Big brother will be pleased, I’m sure!”

“No! Or, wait- I don’t mean-! I’m just-” After stuttering for a few more seconds, the maid eventually gave up, groaning in defeat while looking down. “Just... let me get back to watering, okay?”

After another narrated “giggle,” the gangly drone nodded. Praying she was done for now, she walked along the path and... tried not to think about the offer. The smaller drone often poked fun at her and N’s... flustered interactions with one another. Sometimes, it was difficult to even tell if it was intentional, but more often than not she was not subtle. Even when asking for genuine help, she would slip in more teasing toward them. (Or, well... she thought it was genuine, but the more she thought about that incident earlier in the week with the shattered glass...)

Though, in fairness to the smaller drone... she was not the only one. Tessa was getting in on it more and more, too. If not for how professional J liked to act, she wondered if she would also join in on it as well if she wanted. It certainly felt like she was watching them like a hawk and was fully aware of things, given how she revoked their messaging privileges. (It was worth it to get all of those dog pictures from him onto her hard drive.)

...It would probably be made simpler if she actually did something with those feelings she had. She was... fairly sure N felt the same way, too, so if they had a simple conversation about it... But at the same time, just thinking about the consequences... Taking into account all the things that could go wrong... especially for him...

Coward, a voice whispered in her mind. She did her best to ignore it, though - made a bit easier by having heard it hundreds of times before - as she stopped at the eggplants. She would worry about that whole situation another time. This was not a place where she was supposed to stress about these things. All she wanted was to continue tending to these plants while her plus-one hopefully kept her promise to behave herself.

And... she actually did. The whole time she checked the soil and added a little more water to the vegetables, Cyn did not so much as breathe a word. She simply watched silently with those blank yellow eyes, hovering close by but not enough so that they would bump into each other. If not for the creaking of her limbs, she might have forgotten she was even there.

It was a little shocking to V, honestly. She half-expected more comments about N and her, at least, but the other drone was honoring her request, it seemed. Not so much as a narration of her actions left her as she moved on to the carrots, nor when she circled back to the sunflowers on the other side. It was almost... unnerving. In a different way than being around her sometimes causes.

Though... it did prompt her to ask something as she finished checking on the sunflowers, deciding they had enough water. “So, how come you sometimes narrate when you’re moving and the actions you’re doing, but other times don’t?”

The gangly drone shrugged, using one arm to keep her head propped up. “Shrug. Contemplative. I do not entirely know. The words just escape me sometimes, and other times they don’t. It is an... automatic response. An instinctual tick of mine.” She glanced to the side. “Self-conscious. I know it is annoying at times, though, so I try to hold them back when I feel them if I can.”

The maid frowned, looking over at her as she stopped before the mandevillas. “Hold them back? Is that safe to do?”

“Honest. It can be quite painful at times,” Cyn admitted, rubbing the back of her neck... and wincing as a sudden crackle came from her voice box - small, but noticeable. She looked down at herself, head tilting. “Intrigued. Convenient timing.”

V’s eyes had widened before she said that. She leaned down, her free hand hovering near the other’s neck as she looked at her with worry. “Are you alright? What was that?!”

“Shrug. A glitch that happens with my voice box if I hold back my ticks too much,” the gangly drone responded. She rubbed at her neck, her frown seeming more pronounced than normal... as another crackle made her flinch again. “I-it... is the only way I can talk normally.”

“If it hurts, though, then why are you doing it?!” the maid demanded incredulously. “More importantly, why are you doing it right now?!

Cyn blinked, her head managing to straighten. “Confused. Because... I did not want to disturb your work?”

V frowned again, before sighing and shaking her head. “Cyn... You don’t have to do that around me. It’s not going to make me mess up my work. Especially if all I’m doing is watering.” She shook her watering can for emphasis.

Even before her narration, she could tell that the gangly drone was not convinced by this. “Uncertain. Are... you sure?”

The maid’s frown deepened... and despite knowing she would not like the answer, she asked a simple question. “Have... I given you the impression in the past that I would mind?”

Cyn was silent for a few seconds, looking down. Then... she replied in a quieter voice. “Resigned. Everyone does. Only big brother N doesn’t care about the habit. Everyone else... even Tessa...” A smile she could somehow tell was fake crossed the other’s lips. “Humorless. It must take some talent to make even the most drone-friendly human uneasy around you, huh?”

V felt her core cracking a little listening to that. A fresh wave of shame rolled over her, her gardening forgotten for a time. It was rather easy to assume that the smaller drone was unaware of the issues around her. With all the little bits of mischief she caused, such as with surprise visits or her “sneak attack hugs,” one could assume she was naive. That she was either unaware of how terrible the manor was or did not care.

But... she was still a drone just like her. One pulled from the piles near the estate and repaired by Tessa. She would know full well the consequences of screwing up and what her defects meant for her when near people like the Elliotts. And clearly, she was more observant than many gave her credit for.

Despite how she may appear, the gangly drone was not a child - not in a drone sense, anyway. She was just like the rest of them, with some additional handicaps. And evidently... the maid had not considered her feelings enough before now.

Feeling a gnawing at her core, she tried to remain composed, setting aside her watering can and placing her hand on the other’s shoulder. “Listen, Cyn... I’m not going to lie and say that I’ve always been... comfortable around you in the past.” She grimaced at her own admission, but pushed on. “It... doesn’t really have anything to do with how you talk, though. You just... have this ‘feel’ about you. Something more... subtle that is hard to place.”

She expected questioning about that... but instead, she swore that Cyn looked understanding about her words. As though she were aware of exactly what it was she was talking about. And given how much she seemed to be constantly hiding something like earlier with her feat of getting there dry... perhaps she was.

Yet even so, she sighed and looked at her softly. “But... that’s not really fair to you. You’ve never done anything to hurt any of us. You even try to help us out despite your limited mobility. I know that doesn’t always end well, like about a week ago, but... it’s sweet of you. I know it can’t be easy to always have barely anything to do around here, so I understand why you do it.”

She took a deep breath. “And just so we’re clear... intangible sources of unease aside, I don’t hate you. None of us do.”

The gangly drone met her eyes, her lips doing the best approximation of pursed lips that she could manage. “Tentative. You promise?”

V nodded, patting her shoulder. “I promise. I’m sorry that I let my worries get the better of me at first around you, too.”

Cyn was quiet for a second, before shaking her head. “Head shake. Troubled. I do not blame you. There are things about myself that I am... scared of. It is why I worry about some of my habits further making me unlikable.”

The maid’s digital eyebrows furrowed, feeling confused. “What... do you mean by that?”

“...Uncomfortable. I would rather not explain it right now,” the gangly drone responded, holding her hands close to her chest. “Shifty. I am... too afraid of what might happen if I do. It is already bad enough as it is.”

That raised alarm bells in V’s processors, who studied the other closely. She wanted to ask more about it... but it was clear she was not going to get any answers. So she decided to let it drop for the moment, giving a reassuring squeeze to her shoulder. It’s not like I can’t relate to being scared of expressing myself. (She wondered if N knew anything, though...)

Eventually, Cyn shook her head, pulling away from her touch while staring up at her. “Happy. But it means a lot to me that you don’t hate me. For a long time, I wondered if only big brother N would be the only one to tolerate my presence. My reception was not exactly riveting.”

The maid flinched, rubbing one of her arms. She understood what the smaller drone meant, unfortunately. There had been a point early on where many drones had... avoided her, almost. Just something about that “aura” she gave off had made everyone too weary to approach. That was to say nothing of the aforementioned strange phenomena that surrounded her. Almost seeming to appear in places at random, getting items that should have been out of her reach, and... a bit of a strong scent of oil on her sometimes, even for a drone.

It was only due to N being so friendly with her that everyone eased up a little more. If the manor’s cinnamon roll was always around her and did not suffer any issues, they figured, then the yellow-eyed drone must have been fine. But even having not been quite as avoidant as everyone else, she still felt bad about that time.

There was nothing she could do about it now, though, other than hang her head in regret. “I’m so sorry about all of that. All of us are.”

The gangly drone gave a small smile. “Teasing. Even J?”

That managed to get a small giggle out of the maid. “Somewhere deep inside of her processors... Yes, I’m sure even her.”

“Giggle,” Cyn narrated, holding a hand up to her mouth as if she were laughing along with the taller drone. After a while, she lowered it and continued to smile. “ Relieved. It has been nice to hear that I am not so scary to you all anymore. It is... nice to talk with you without needing my brother nearby. Even Tessa is going to talk to me more soon!”

“Oh?” V asked, a little intrigued. “How do you know that?”

“Mischievous giggle. I overheard her mention it to J two days ago,” the gangly drone revealed. “I was hidden under Tessa’s bed while they were talking about all sorts of things... Including about big brother.”

The maid rolled her eyes, expecting another round of teasing as she tried to brace herself. “Yeah? What about him?”

“Smirk. About how Tessa is tired of J’s shit treatment of him,” Cyn answered.

...V nearly choked on air hearing that. She looked at her with wide eyes, both shocked at the information and the use of a swear. (Not that she thought the yellow-eyed drone was innocent, but... it definitely was not heard every day.) “E-excuse me?”

“Wide smile. The way J is so harsh on N is no longer going to be tolerated,” the gangly drone repeated, excitement actually seeming to bleed into her normal monotone. “She is going to have to start getting along with him, or she will be in trouble. Or at least not hurt him so much to avoid that.” She shook her head. “ Overjoyed. Either way, it is bound to make N a lot happier.”

The maid rubbed her chin, processing this. She was... Well, obviously, she was happy about the news. While she could not lie and say N did not make mistakes, the amount of flack he got from J was... rather ridiculous. The most minor infractions seemed to get him a harsh scolding from her, and anything worse could get him a hit or kick. It was always difficult to watch, and there was hardly anything she could do about it on account of her timidness. So, Tessa stepping in was undeniably a good thing!

However... despite all of that, she did not hate J. They did not often get along due to it, but they were hardly enemies or anything. And so... she could not help but wonder how she was handling things. She relied heavily on the teen’s approval, so getting a scolding like this, even if it was justified... It might be rough on her. (It also made her curious if her thoughts about what the head maid had been doing were accurate.)

Still... it was not like it was not deserved if so. So she eventually sighed, shaking her head at the weird mix of satisfaction and pity within her. “That’s good to hear... Assuming J isn’t going to be stubborn about it. You know how she can get if she’s overwhelmed or stressed.”

“Annoyed huff. If I spot her trying to blame and yell at N for this, I am reporting it myself,” Cyn responded. She then paused, her blank eyes seeming contemplative, before tilting her head at her. “ Inquiry. V? Why... do you think J acts like she does to big brother to begin with? Do you... think she hates him?”

V blinked, raising a digital eyebrow. “Do you think she does?”

The gangly drone shrugged. “ Shrug. Uncertain. I do not know. Big brother says she does not. But he tries to say nice things about everyone. I am curious what your opinion is.”

That truly got the maid thinking, never having... thought too deeply about it. She really should have, but... she was just so used to the dynamics in their group. After years together, it all seemed like a set system: J was constantly annoyed at N, he was Tessa’s clear favorite of her drones, he and herself were... flustered with one another, he and Cyn were declared siblings, J was protective of Tessa, herself and the teen were reading buddies - the list went on. All of it was just how things were, and through it, their group (somehow) remained stable.

Trying to really think about it, though... she found she could only shrug. “I... don’t know. I mean, I’d like to think she does not ‘hate’ him. It’s... not like she causes him as much harm as James and Louisa do. And she has complimented his work before at times without needing to be prompted.” Her mind wandered to some early memories, her digital eyebrows furrowed. “They... actually got along pretty well when they first met, too.”

It was Cyn’s turn to blink. “ Surprise. Really?”

V nodded. “Yeah. It’s been ages since I thought about it, but they were alright around each other when N was first brought in.” She giggled. “She critiqued his mistakes on the job, of course, but she was not as mean about it then. They could talk just fine as well.” She shook her head. “Then she... started to act differently over time, until... Well, you’ve seen how she is now. I don’t know what happened.” Or... maybe she had guesses, but she did not want to assume anything.

Once again, the frown on the gangly drone’s face seemed more pronounced. She looked to the side, seeming to stare right through the mandevillas. “Curious. Do you think... they could be like that again?”

“...Maybe,” the maid answered, though she heard her own uncertainty. She supposed they would have to wait and see what the next couple of days and weeks looked like. She had no clue if J would be able to act more cordial around N, or what his exact reaction would be. He was very kind to everyone, but considering what he had been putting up with...

Still, though... it was a nice idea - returning to happier times. She wondered if that was just an idle fantasy, however...

She was unable to contemplate it more, though, as Cyn suddenly straightened up, eyes hollowing a little. “Realization. Oh! I’m so sorry! I’ve distracted you from your gardening with all of my questions!”

V jolted a little, looking back at her abandoned watering can. After a second, though, she just chuckled softly, smiling at the smaller drone. “It’s fine, Cyn. A couple of minutes delay isn’t going to hurt anything. It’s just watering.”

The gangly drone still seemed upset despite her reassurance, unfortunately. Before she could say anything else, though, the yellow-eyed drone pushed past her and jerkily grabbed the watering can. Her footing nearly slipped for a moment, but soon, she had the object in her hands and held it before her.

Once it was clear she was not going to fall over, she looked back at the taller drone, that blank smile of hers almost appearing to have a childish glee to it. “Determined. Just tell me which plants need some water. I will provide.”

The maid looked at her with surprise, not sure what to say by the sudden turn. “You... Are you sure? I don’t want you to hurt yourself.”

“ Eye Roll. Playful. I can handle the weight of a little bit of water,” Cyn reassured, head lolling as she performed the narrated action. Her smile appeared to widen a tad. “ Resolute. I can handle this, V. Consider this an... apology for getting you so off-track, and for upsetting you earlier with my behavior.”

V pursed her lips, still not quite sure about this. However, it was not like she had any reason to deny the request, either. So, hoping it would be fine, she slowly nodded while glancing at the flowers. “Well... okay. Just let me know if you need me to take it back, okay?”

The gangly drone gave her a nod (narrated, too, naturally), allowing the maid to relax a little. She then proceeded to check the soil of the mandevillas, to which she concluded that it could probably use a little extra water. She gestured to her companion, watching with a small amount of anxiety. She remained ready to rush forward if the other looked like she was going to drop the can, or just topple over in general.

But to her relief, nothing of the sort happened. Sure, Cyn’s movements were not exactly graceful, but she managed to not overly tip the can as she sprinkled the water into the plotted soil. Her digital eyes seemed more focused than normal, too, as if trying especially hard to keep her limbs from failing her.

V helped direct her, making sure the water got spread over a wide area to help the plants with drinking. Once she was certain they had enough, she then gestured for the other to stop, who did so with a sudden, quick movement that caused loud creaks in her arms. It spooked her, but luckily, other than a few droplets shooting out of the hole in the top of the can for filling, nothing bad happened from the action.

Satisfied, she gave N’s sister a nod and a thumbs up. “Good job! Now come on. There are still plenty of plants we need to check. Not all of them should need water, though, so hopefully we won’t need to refill the can.”

She started to walk away, eyes trained on the next plot containing some white mandevillas. After a few steps, though... she realized the other was not following. Confused, she looked back, watching as the yellow-eyed drone stared at the plants they just watered. Her optics had softened a little, almost appearing... sad.

Frowning, the near-sighted drone turned to look at her properly. “Cyn?”

The gangly drone did not respond immediately. But then, without looking at her, she began speaking. “ Melancholic. It is... rather sad that we do not live somewhere where flowers like these grow. Where any of the plants in here grow naturally.” She looked up at the glass room beyond the lights, continually being pelted by the rain. “Where there is more sunlight so that we... could play among those plants.”

The maid felt a stinging in her core, her expression falling as she stepped closer. “Cyn? Are... you okay?”

“Sad musing. I often picture it,” Cyn continued, not answering her as her gaze went to the red flowers again. “Mostly me and N playing in a cozy forest full of oak trees on a sunny day. Or a field of flowers. Or even the sand of a beach, far away from the ocean. Just someplace filled with brighter colors and that inspires playing. Wistful sigh. ”

She bit her lips as much as she could. “Sorrowful. But instead, we have dangerous swamp land that could kill us if we are not careful when outside. We do not even have the luxury of sunlight more often than not.” She carefully set down the watering can, before reaching out and with surprising care started rubbing her fingers along some nearby pedals. “Deeper sorrow. And the only place with which any of us could see the beauty of the outside... is not for most drones to be able to visit. To at least... see it.”

That officially broke V’s core. She reached out gently, placing her hand on the other’s shoulder again. “Cyn, I... I didn’t know you felt that way.”

“ Humorless chuckle. It is not as though I ever took time to tell you,” the gangly drone said.

The maid grimaced, feeling like she was more responsible for that than the smaller drone. “You didn’t-”

“Resigned. It is not like it makes a difference, anyway,” Cyn said, interrupting her. Her optics met hers, the yellow hues seeming to waver as though she wanted to cry but was having trouble doing so. “Hesitant. Cautious. I am sorry I got us distracted again. But... are you sure we cannot do hide and seek in here? Just once? With big brother, too?”

A part of V wanted to say yes then, in contrast to her earlier answer. Yet... she knew it was a bad idea. If any plants were damaged, punishment would be swift. She could not bear it if anyone else was hurt due to her being lenient about her job. So with reluctance, she shook her head, giving a silent apology with her eyes.

The gangly drone did not appear surprised as she looked down. “Relenting. Right. I understand.” She picked up the watering can again, looking around at the collection of plants. “Admiring. You... really have done a good job here. I’m glad... to at least be seeing it.” She rubbed the back of her head. “Sheepish chuckle. Perhaps I should visit more. I am disappointed in myself for not doing so more often. It is much better than the basement!”

The maid looked around, too, still feeling a bit bad. She did not think the yellow-eyed drone was trying to guilt-trip her - not this time - but her core was definitely twisting a little. She wished that there was a better answer she could give her. Yet what could she do realistically when any damage in here would potentially get them scrapped?

...But the visiting idea sounded nice. She hummed to herself, picturing the other hanging around here more often. It had not crossed her mind before, but... Well, she had wished the others could visit there more often. Did Cyn not deserve that same invitation if she loved seeing nature that much? She had to agree as well that it was an upgrade compared to the mangled mess that was the library basement.

As much as she enjoyed some solitude here, perhaps they could start making arrangements? If it made the gangly drone happy... There was the concern of what the older Elliotts might do to her if she were caught out here unauthorized, though. Even coming out here while parties and galas were going on was a risk. Unless she was for some reason allowed to be here, then anyone spotting her could-

That was when V blinked, an... idea occurring to her. A rather simple, yet ingenious one. She debated briefly if it were a good idea, that protectiveness over this place rising again. But if the smaller drone was willing to behave like this in the future...

Taking a deep breath, and before she could doubt herself further, she met her eyes, smiling hesitantly. “Well... how about instead of visiting... you work out here with me!”

...The gangly drone seemed to stall for a moment, so shocked that it apparently overwrote her narration tick. “What?”

The maid giggled, kneeling to her level while making her offer again. “I’m asking if you’d like to join me for some of my shifts out here. I can teach you the basics of gardening and otherwise maintaining this place.” She gestured to the other’s jerky limbs. “There are obviously some tasks we would have to avoid giving you due to your condition. But if you can handle the little stuff and help make things go faster...”

Cyn did not appear to hear her at first. The watering can was now held loosely at her side as she stared. Her digital eyes wavered, appearing to glitch momentarily. (The right one in particular seemed to do so more heavily for some reason.) When she spoke again... her voice actually trembled a little. “You... are fine with me being here with you without N?”

Ignoring the small pang that question caused, V nodded, giving her a warm look. “I’m... willing to try it out. I should have a long time ago, honestly.” She held out her hand. “So? Are you willing to give this a try?”

The gangly drone stared at the offered hand... before smiling widely and taking it, shaking it so hard her servos creaked. “Elated. Yes, yes! Thank you so much! I will take your lessons seriously - I promise! No sneaky Cyn!”

Laughing, the maid grinned at her. “I’ll hold you to that.” She let go, pointing to the watering can. “But anyway, let’s go finish with the watering. I can use this as a chance to give you a small tour as well and learn where everything is!”

Cyn’s eyes seemed to light up at this, nodding with a vigor she did not know she was capable of. Her steps also appeared to have an extra spring to them as V got up and led them over to the white mandevillas. It was an animation that she did not believe she had witnessed in the smaller drone outside of playing games with N.

...Was she that starved of attention outside of him to be this excited over this?

She tried to shake off that gloomy thought, attempting to focus on the positives. She may not have given Cyn enough attention before, but she was about to rectify this! A bit of quality time together could be just what she needs to finally move past whatever it was that made her unsettled by the smaller drone. And while she did not know how passionate the other would be about gardening, it would hopefully be nice to share more of her knowledge about it with someone new.

As she instructed the gangly drone to water these flowers, too, her thoughts drifted briefly to what was mentioned about J and her attitude. Tessa was also making her own plans to spend time with the yellow-eyed drone, too. Their whole little group seemed to be undergoing a shift from the “normal” they had before. She had no clue what that would mean for them as a whole. She was even a little concerned about how some of them were going to take some things.

However... she also wanted to be optimistic. To believe that by the end of things... they would all understand one another more, and hopefully for the better. And for her, that journey seemed to start with the silly drone beside her now.

Perhaps... she would even be able to help with whatever secrets the other was keeping. Hopefully, she’s just overreacting about whatever it is. I mean, how bad can it possibly be...?

=======

Flying... was not something she was supposed to be able to do. She did not think so, anyway. She could not recall ever soaring in the air... Not that she recalled much at all at the moment. But it did not feel familiar, so she trusted her instincts there.

Yet she was doing so now - gliding into the hallway and into a... familiar room. She pivoted her path, ending up on the roof where she dug her claws into the wooden rafters. (Were... those new, too?) A golden glow emanated from somewhere, allowing her to see the floor below, albeit blurrily. ( Where were her glasses? ) This place had two stories, with a balcony surrounding the ground floor, suspended by pillars. Suits of armor and wall-mounted weapons decorated parts of the upper floor, while the lower one was rather barren.

...It left plenty of room for the humans to run around, screaming as they were descended upon. Lightning from outside caused even greater illumination, showing off the crimson carpet stained further by the spilled blood. Bodies were shoved around as smaller, metal ones descended upon them from all sides. Some even tried climbing tapestries hung from the balcony to escape them... only for forms to swoop in from above and bite into their necks.

Her wings fluttered in anticipation witnessing it. A wide, feral grin spread across her face, feeling a growing urge to join the carnage. A deep hunger was growing inside of her body, seeming to go down right to her nanites. It called to her - telling her to feast upon the entrails and shred the weak flesh hiding them. ( Deep inside, she wanted to hurl. )

Yet... she hesitated, her fleshy wings twitching. Instead of the carnage... her gaze went to the windows on the second-floor balcony. They were cracked, but still intact. Broken furniture lay near them, indicating attempts to escape... And also near were the corpses of those who had tried, a few still twitching.

Her eyes lingered there... feeling a desire to leave.

It confused her, her toothy smile shrinking. She tried to focus on the feeling. It had been... so long since she could think clearly. For weeks - maybe months - it had felt like she was... in a haze. Not moving, sleeping, or breathing, but simply... existing. Unable to perceive her surroundings clearly, though somehow still aware as she drifted in an endless static that stopped all thoughts.

(She wishes she could have moved. That she had been able to hold him every time he had visited her. Any of them. To have been able to cry about the pain and confusion... To have been able to warn them.)

But as she focused... imprints of what she sought became almost tangible. Bright lights and... so much green. A place of comfo-

{Access Denied: Memory is Prohibited. Suppressing All Memory Files... Suppression Complete. [ Haven’t you learned by now? ]}

...She blinked, wondering why she was hesitating just now. Her fleshy wings twitched in annoyance at her delay. ( Drones... were not supposed to have fleshly parts. ) She had to get involved soon, or else It might get annoyed. It would lock her back into that stasis of endless existence! That would...

...Why did it feel like she would prefer that?

It was not a feeling pondered long, the hunger growing to be too much. Growling, she looked down at death to find a target. Soon enough, she spotted the perfect one - a woman in a blue dress running for one of the balcony doors. Blood trailed behind her from her legs - so much so that she was likely dead already.

That death would come sooner as she shot off the roof toward her. In a second, she collided with the human and they slammed into the wall with a loud crunch. The woman became motionless, her head limp. It was hard to tell if she had been killed by that-

.-though when the drone sunk her claws into her chest and split it down the middle, she definitely was. Loud cackles left her as she pulled out organs, gorging upon them. At last... a measure of relief filled her systems as the hunger lessened.

...But it was still there. This one would not be enough. Though luckily... there were plenty to feast upon, making her grin wider as she ate. ( All the while, a tiny voice wept... begging for it all to stop. )

Chapter Text

The day after a party was usually a time of triumph for J. For her, it was another sign of a job well done regarding preparation and planning. That she had successfully pleased her owners and impressed most of the guests who had come over. If by the next morning she or anyone else were not being shouted at about subpar food quality, out-of-place decorations, or anything of the sort, then it meant their work was satisfactory. They may never get larger praise from the older Elliotts, but to her, avoiding their complaints meant she was performing optimally!

That was not to say she was entirely happy when the next day rolled in. There would be fresh memories of Tessa getting harassed by some person or another when she was allowed to attend, which soured her mood. Plus, there would inevitably be drones that were broken by guests and sent to the piles outside, which was never pleasant to think about. But even so, she would usually feel a sense of pride! Accomplishment! Triumph!

...This time, though, all of that was drowned out by a certain... numbness.

That was the only way she could describe it as she wandered through the manor's halls, clipboard in hand. She was doing her routine inspection of the cleanup efforts of the staff, ensuring it was all being done correctly. From washing the dishes to reorganizing the library, there was no shortage of tasks that needed to be done to make the place presentable again. And since James would call upon the preparation of another party by the next day, most likely - perhaps even this afternoon! - everything had to return to “base zero” as quickly as possible.

She was doing her part as she passed through another hall - D5, according to her internal map. It was in a deeper part of the manor, with no visible windows, leaving the only illumination to be the wall lamps. Some of their covers, though, had been stained and were being replaced by a few drones with ladders. There were also food crumbs on the carpet that was being vacuumed by a maid.

They were minor messes compared to what could happen at these events, but no less important to clean. The head maid made a mark of things on her list as she walked through the corridor. Looks like they have an adequate number of lampshades. If they have any extras, though, it would be good to send them to halls F3 to F6. Dear corporate, I don’t even want to know how the humans managed to make the mess they did there.

Normally, she would stop in her stride to inform these workers to do these things as soon as they were done here... But today, she did not stop. She barely even looked up at them as she moved between their work. Instead, she used her visor to identify their serial numbers from quick glances. Then, using those, she found the appropriate members of the staff on the messaging server, and gave them the instructions.

She lingered only long enough to confirm they got the texts, as shown with small dots in the top right corners of their visors. Then, she moved swiftly along, not looking up from her clipboard again. She wrote carefully on the papers she had to distract herself, just... trying to keep her expression as neutral as possible. (Her “mask” programs were... not operating properly - a flaw she hoped would be fixed in her next software update... if the software was even the problem.)

Yet even so... she felt a few stares upon her as she reached the next corner and went down the next hallway. She could picture their confusion at such an impersonal method when she was right next to them. If any of them were veterans, they might be particularly surprised by her behavior. The J, passing up an opportunity to order them around and “act superior” about it? (As though that was not just a result of her being in charge of them!)

She... could not bring herself to care about that, though. Instead, she just continued her stride, looking around at other drones as they performed their tasks for only as long as necessary. Then, she would write some more notes and move along. No verbal comments, and no snarky looks - just a continual stride as she made her rounds... barely feeling anything.

Ironically, the way she was acting was probably what many humans thought drones were on the inside. That the personalities they showed were all fake, and that they were just soulless robots, unfeeling and as cold as the metal that makes them up. It was the impression she believed she was giving now, only doing the things necessary for her job with no embellishment. Not a hint of emotion on her face as she moved with stiff precision.

...That could not be further from the truth, though. She was still feeling things in her core, beneath the numbness coursing through her oil. She... wished that she was not, however. Because all that did was make her aware of her pain.

J’s face twitched, trying to form a grimace. But she managed to keep it blank as her steps kept carrying her along. Routine served her well, as she was able to do her work even as her mind drifted a little. She was still disappointed in herself over it - doing the bare minimum was not the kind of example she should be setting for her fellow drones! Yet she could not muster the energy to do more than that.

How could she... when Tessa was upset at her?

Her face twitched harder, feeling her eyes become hollow rings for a second before she corrected it. But despite this, the conversation from three days prior rang through her head. The frustration the teenager had toward her and her behavior wrapped around her like a snake, trying to squeeze the life out of her the more she thought about it. Her right knee also flashed with phantom pains, recalling how she had further disappointed her with her overwork.

The sensation was not real, thankfully - when they got to the maintenance room that day, they had fixed her limb right up! She was given more careful instructions on how to avoid overstressing it again, which she was trying to follow better this time. Reluctantly, she had lightened her workload for the next little while, and she was extra diligent with applying lubricant before entering her pod for sleep mode.

Yet... that fixed nothing about the sudden rift she felt was between her and Tessa. She... had not talked with her directly since then, with no more scheduled time alone together. The young girl had not called upon her, either, to attend her - an unusual occurrence when a party she was attending was on the horizon.

...The teenager had not even had the head maid be her protection as usual during the event. Normally, she would be hovering around the human while giving directions to workers as required and keeping creeps off of her. But this time, in the few words that they had exchanged since then... the other requested she do other tasks during the party. Said that... she did not need a bodyguard this time.

Her core stung deeply just remembering it, a wave of despair rushing over her. She tried to lessen it by telling herself that Tessa did not hate her. In all likelihood, the request was just to give them both a little space for a bit longer. To give the drone time to process everything and not be scared of the topic being brought up again.

But it still hurt nonetheless. There was, first, the corporate angle to it that implied that her status was... “damaged” to the rest of the staff. A seemingly secure position being stripped from her so suddenly would have that effect. No doubt there were rumors already, speculating on if she was going to fall further and end up at their level as another disposable face in the Elliotts’ eyes. The way this would potentially affect her authority...

More important to her, though... was how she had failed The Boss. Had screwed up to the degree that she believed they needed some time apart. And she could still make the teenager angry at her if she did not show notable improvements in the areas they had discussed. If she made Tessa hate her... she did not think she would ever recover. They may as well rip her core out and burn her memory banks there and then.

The head maid so desperately wanted to schedule another shift for them to be alone together. However, she had no clue how well received that would be currently. Would her friend send her away, or grill her harder upon her screw-ups? If nothing else, she might insist on one of the others being present, and the pigtailed drone did not think she could handle that in her current state... Especially if the one asked to be there was N .

A simmering rage started to boil in her core, getting hotter by the minute as she clutched her clipboard harder. N... The one whom this drama centered around. A useless, goddamn idiotic drone who was constantly finding ways to mess up his jobs. A fucking liability who fell below the average standard that all worker drones should have at a minimum!

His work ethic was inferior to hers in every way! She had perfected herself to be the most reliable drone in the manor, while he wasted so much of any potential he could have on worthless, trivial nonsense! Yet somehow, he was the favorite, and no matter how hard she worked and proved herself, she was stuck in second place! At least if he were actively trying, she might be able to concede he had the better work ethic and make it a contest, but the way he almost stumbled into the position...!

And now it was due to his presence that she was on the verge of losing Tessa’s trust in her! Once again, by doing fuck all, he was complicating her life even more! It made her want to scream - to punch and kick him until he was sorry that he ever-!

...It was then J blinked, her thoughts catching up with her. Immediately after, her rage drained from her, leaving a gaping void that made her want to fold in on herself. Slowly, she looked around, seeing if there were any witnesses. Currently, though, the hallway she had entered was empty, with whatever cleaning and maintenance it had needed seemingly done.

She took a deep breath as she recognized this... then proceeded to bow her head, slamming her clipboard into her visor enough to sting. She groaned, faced once again with how deeply she had let these emotions fester within her. Dear corporate... In a year, I might have been willing to break his visor if nothing had been said. Make myself believe he deserved it, too.

...But he did not. N did not deserve any of it. Or, well, he deserved the critiques when he failed to complete his tasks to satisfaction. The hits she gave and the scathingness of her insults at times, though, were... unwarranted. Especially when... he was always trying his best.

That was a big point in all of this - he was not trying to make her life more complicated. He was genuinely trying to meet the standards she and the Elliotts set for him. His apologies when he did not manage to were so sincere even her strange glitches with telling tone could not make her blind to it.

She also acknowledged that he was a team player. More than anyone on staff, he offered to help anyone he saw having issues with whatever they were doing. He even took the fall for mistakes that were not his fault to prevent others from getting hurt. (She herself had fallen for it a few times before later being told the truth by him or the guilty party.) A nice sentiment... if one that caused no end of heartache for Tessa when it caused him to lose oil from damage her parents caused.

Remembering that point made the head maid frown more, slowing her pace to a halt as she lifted her head. All of that was... something worth complimenting, minus how it got him hurt sometimes. He not only met corporate standards there, but went above almost every other drone there. And this was in addition to how he would try to make them smile while he did so - not always to good effect, but the effort was there.

Yet... she had barely given him any praise for it. There were a few quick comments here and there, but... the ratio was one in ten when comparing compliments to insults she had given. And that was with some generous rounding. He might not even realize that she was approving of that aspect of him... Though, then again, she did not actively remember she was, either, a lot of the time.

There was simply no way around it. She... had let envy get the better of her. Even now, it swirled within her, making her want to knock N down a peg or two. But this was at odds with what she understood to be good employee management... and her not wanting to upset Tessa further. Yet somehow, despite all her experience in emotionally detaching herself from tasks, she could not get rid of these emotions.

She almost felt like yelling, though the idea of someone coming across her stopped her from doing so. So instead, she dug her shoes deep into the carpet, gritting her teeth as she tried to come to terms with this. A part of her was very aware of her internal clock, knowing she had rounds to complete, but she did not move an inch for the moment.

This whole situation was so stupid! Why could she not just delete these feelings and be done with it? She was a machine, for corporate’s sake! Though... if that had been possible, she would not even be in this situation, would she? All that anger would never have consumed her, she would never have abused N, and Tessa would be happy!

...There was no taking back the last two years, though. She made her choices, and now... she had to take responsibility. She had to find a way to make things right with the butler, and to a similar extent V and Cyn. Only then would things hopefully go back to normal between her and Tessa. Not that this was her only reason, but it provided her with a good drive to get this done as quickly as possible.

She knew she had to... but after three days, she still had no clue where to start.

J nearly hit herself with her clipboard again at this. It was an embarrassment at this point. She could direct an entire manor full of staff, but she could not figure out how to say “sorry” to one drone? How had her three years of task management not prepared her for this? There had to have been a flaw in her training somewhere!

She at least understood that only saying the word “sorry” was not sufficient enough. She had to take action to show that the sentiment was sincere. But every time she tried to think about what those actions should be, her processors came up short. Either she could not muster an idea, or what ones she had did not seem sufficient enough. The cycle kept repeating every time she attempted to come up with a solution, and it was starting to drain her patience... and widen her despair.

Why... why did this have to be so difficult? Why could it not be a straightforward process like scheduling and work evaluations? Why had she even allowed this to happen to begin with? Letting everything spiral, all the while deepening her entrapment and guilt-

“Um, J?” a voice suddenly called out ahead of her.

Jumping, the head maid quickly shook herself out of her thoughts, focusing on the new arrival. She relaxed a tad, though, when she realized it was V who had arrived. A duster was in one of her hands, indicating she was still in the middle of doing her jobs today. The other drone was... also staring at her with furrowed eyebrows, adjusting her glasses as she stepped closer.

It made the pigtailed drone core seize up, realizing her fellow maid must have been watching her for some time. Quickly trying to save face, she cleared her throat, trying to give one of her trademark smirks as she waved her hand with a pen in it. “V! Performing admirably in your dusting duties, I hope?”

The glasses-wearing drone frowned, seeming to not be satisfied by those words. But she did not say anything about it as she shrugged, standing in front of her now. “I... suppose. There’s no dust left in Louisa’s bedroom, anyway.”

J huffed, making a mark on her clipboard. “You had better hope so. If she starts complaining about her allergies, there will be hell to pay.”

“I sometimes wonder if working for a demon would be nicer,” V muttered, looking down.

The head maid glared, about to scold her... but memories of how she upset Tessa a few days ago by doing that made her stop. She frowned to herself... then sighed, writing some more while giving her warning in a more well-mannered tone. “Please be more careful about uttering things like that.”

The glasses-wearing drone looked... a little shocked that she had not bit out that warning. But after a moment, she nodded nonetheless. “Right...” There was a beat of silence, before she hesitantly tried to meet her optics. “So... Why were you just standing in the middle of this hallway? If you don’t mind me asking.”

J almost wanted to roll her eyes and brush off the concern. However... her task of improving her relations with everyone hung over her head. Being... snappy about worry being expressed on her behalf would not be productive toward that, would it? She could already feel Tessa’s disapproval if she did.

Besides, it was not like V had ever done anything to her. She had actually appreciated the other’s reserved, yet thoughtful nature when she was first introduced to the manor. Her dedication to reading books was also admirable, even if she did not always pursue educational bits of literature. Plus, she knew who to thank for the greenhouse looking as good as it did every time she inspected it.

The tension between them only really started when N came in and those two started to have an attraction... Just another bond that had been damaged due to her mismanaging her emotions. But still, if she was dedicated to improving things... perhaps a decent step was to not be quite as defensive as usual.

Taking a deep breath, the head maid decided to test those waters before the silence dragged on too long. She continued to stare at her writing, speaking carefully. “I am... doing well enough. There are just developments and changes that need to happen that have me... stressed.”

The glasses-wearing drone raised a digital eyebrow... though did not seem entirely surprised, for some reason. She tilted her head, seeming to debate her words. “Do... you want to talk about it?”

The offer was... more tempting than J thought it would be. However, her core constricted painfully at the idea of pouring out her feelings at random in the middle of a corridor. Besides, she wanted to hold off on assistance until it became clear her efforts were causing more problems than fixes. There was no need to disrupt the workflow of the manor more than absolutely necessary in her pursuit of this.

With this in mind, she shook her head, finally looking up. “Your offer is appreciated. However, I wish to keep this problem... internal for now. New tasks and methods always seem daunting at first, is all.” She smirked, hoping to project more confidence than she felt. (A first for her in a long time.) “And if there is any employee who can handle changes in corporate standards, it’s yours truly.”

V did... not seem as convinced as she had hoped. But regardless, she simply shrugged. “If you’re sure, I suppose.” She then shook her head, straightening her posture. “Anyway, since I found you, can I talk to you really fast about my greenhouse work?”

The head maid blinked, not having expected that. Still, she nodded to her. “I... suppose? This had better not take too long, though - we’re both rather busy today. Is there some kind of assistance you need in maintaining that building?”

At this, the glasses-wearing drone smiled a little sheepishly. “That’s... not inaccurate. You see... I was wondering if you could... start scheduling Cyn to work with me out there?”

...J had to take a moment to make sure her audio receptors were not malfunctioning. Even after confirming they were not, she still looked at the other with a befuddled expression. “Ex... cuse me? Can you repeat that?”

“I want Cyn to work in the greenhouse with me,” V stated again before shrugging. “Not necessarily every shift, but a couple of times a month, and... especially when the galas and other parties are going on.”

The head maid could not help but stare a little longer. The words just seemed so... bizarre on so many levels. Her fellow maid was quite protective of the plants out there - that much she knew. She did not quite get why, but it helped to have someone so dedicated to botanical knowledge on shift out there regularly, so she did not ask too many questions. The other might act shy about it, but the pigtailed drone knew she maintained order out there.

And now... she was asking for Cyn to help her. A drone with many movement defects that could be counterproductive to maintaining plants, to put it nicely. And who generally did not seem to have... any real work ethic, unless it was a misguided attempt to help N. This was also coming very out of the blue as well. It made the request seem... well...

The glasses-wearing drone started to fidget nervously the longer she stared at her. “Um... J?”

Said drone shook out of her stupor, before fixing her with a suspicious look. “...Did N put you up to this?”

V sputtered, looking a little offended now. “I’m sorry?”

J held back a flinch at the sudden change in demeanor. But even so, she explained herself as she gave a light glare back. “Can you blame me for asking? I know how upset he gets that Cyn gets put in the basement during the parties. And now, very suddenly, you’re asking for her to be an assistant, when I know you don’t need the help.” She shrugged. “So I believe I have every right to assume he might have asked you, given how you two-”

“Well, he didn’t!” the glasses-wearing drone snapped, stomping her foot as an angry tick mark appeared on her visor. While she did not yell - she rarely did - her tone was very firm. “Not everything that happens that you see as a problem is because of him, you know! And he didn’t ask me, for the record!”

The head maid leaned back from the sudden hostility, eyes hollowing. She struggled with her words for a time, trying to defend herself. “I-I didn’t even say it was a problem! I was just-”

“Then why was your first question about this immediately trying to link him into this?” V demanded, hands on her hips.

J opened her mouth... though found she had no real defense. It really would seem that way, given her past actions against the butler, huh? She really had not been looking to accuse him of anything, but... had she fallen back on those instincts?

...Dear corporate, this is going to be a long few weeks.

Sighing, she ended up nodding at the other. “Point... taken. Though that truly was not my intention.” She shook her head, trying to just move the conversation along as she looked up. “Well, then, what caused this sudden desire?”

The glasses-wearing drone studied her for a time. Then, she sighed, dropping her stance and returning to her more reserved demeanor. “Cyn broke out of the basement again and managed to get into the greenhouse. She was helping me there last night with some watering.”

A weary sigh left the head maid. “Of course she did,” she muttered. She did not understand how a drone who could barely stand on her own two legs could so consistently break from her confinement, but somehow, she often did. So many times she would go to let the gangly drone free, only for her to not be there and instead be wandering elsewhere in the manor. And even when she was there, there would often be evidence of having left, like having a book that definitely was not in her possession before.

Stuff like this had made her ask before that they seal her in Tessa’s room more often. While she often left there as well, the dollhouses and other toys sometimes kept her entertained enough to stay put. But, naturally, James and Louisa would not even begin entertaining giving good treatment to such a "defective" drone. So, the library basement it was for the sake of “convenience,” in case anyone needed to peek into the teenager’s room. (Or so they claimed.)

The news she had once more escaped was not a shock to her in the slightest. That she had managed to get to the greenhouse with all the rain was... a little more impressive, but she decided not to focus on that. Instead, she focused back on the request as she raised a digital eyebrow. “And after barging in on you like that, you’ve decided to take her in as a gardening assistant? No offense, but... gardening takes precision, right? Something Cyn is sorely lacking in with her motor skill levels.”

V sighed, nodding reluctantly. “It does... But still, I think she can help with a few things there. With a bit of training, she could do quite well in there despite her limitations! I know it!” She paused, looking down while pursing her lips. “Besides... it’s a lot better than the basement. She looked so happy at the idea of... getting to spend more time with me, too. Like, she did not even have to narrate it!”

That certainly surprised J some. She figured that Cyn would be more interested in spending time with N than any of them. But then... there were lots of parts of her judgment she was bringing into question. What was one more?

As for the request itself... she could admittedly see the benefits. While she tried to ignore how... bad she felt at locking up the gangly drone on several occasions before now, this would be a good way to rectify it. A reduction in the forced isolation they put her through. And if it kept her from running around the manor, it reduced the risk of her getting caught and in trouble!

Plus... in the interest of bettering her relations with everyone...

She felt there was only one clear answer, given all of these factors, and went to voice it... But before she could, the glasses-wearing drone added to her statements, almost hastily. “It would... also add to productivity! You’re always annoyed that she does so little work around the manor, right? This will fix that a bit!”

The head maid paused, furrowing her digital eyebrows. “I... know that? You didn’t need to say anything.”

V shrugged, merely watching her expectantly. It was like she expected saying that would be the thing that sealed this deal. As though the previous points about Cyn wanting company were not enough to sway her. Which... to be fair, J did focus on the business aspect of things a lot. Just last week, she might have been proud of her fellow maid for making such an observation and bringing it up.

So... why did her core ache at the implications this time?

She swallowed, keeping her visor neutral as she sighed and gave her answer. “Well... I suppose I could start putting her there with you. No real reason to deny the request.” She pointed her pen at the other, giving her a stern look. “But remember - if she runs off from there or screws up, that’s on you! So you had better be sure she behaves herself!”

The glasses-wearing maid nodded. “I know. I will.” She moved past her, giving a quick, respectful bow with her head as she did so. “Thank you for doing this, J. I’ll make sure you won’t regret it.” Her steps then took her behind her fellow drone, going elsewhere in the manor.

J stood there, listening to those steps retreat. She knew that... she should probably let her go. That conversation had taken up precious minutes she could have used to complete her inspections. There would be more work to do once those were over, too, that she needed to get prepared for.

...Yet for some reason, she found herself turning and calling out to her. “Hey, V?”

Said drone paused, looking back behind her with a confused expression. It made her suddenly feel incredibly foolish, looking around awkwardly. What... did she even want to say? To make clear that she had made her choice with Cyn based on her well-being - not just to increase her working hours? To apologize for making it seem like she was accusing N of something? To... ask why she had not referred to her as her boss? (It was an important title. If she was not using it, then... that could mean...)

But... she could not force any of those things out. Her core suddenly seized up, afraid of the kind of response she would get. If... it would confirm her fears even more about how deeply she had let her... her jealousy strain things. It just... She did not want to face that. Not yet.

So instead... she ended up asking about the person everything centered around. “Do... you know where N is, precisely? I’ve been... leaving his scheduling up to one of the other shift managers the past few days.” It was a logical decision, given that she was more emotionally compromised about him than normal now, so she had not followed her “dish duty” promise through. And while she could have checked the records herself, it... felt almost intrusive to do so right now.

At first, V looked like she was getting ready to glare at her again. “J, I told you he has nothing to do with-”

“This isn’t about that! I-” The head maid stopped short, realizing that she had raised her voice as the other stepped back in shock. An immediate shame filled her at her lack of conduct, looking down at her clipboard with a grimace. Then, after sighing heavily... she spoke with a waiver that she hated she could not get rid of as she tried to remain strong. “Please, just... tell me where he is. I only... I only want to talk to him about something. I swear.”

The glasses-wearing drone stared at her, a... strange expression she could not place forming on her face. Then, she pointed vaguely in the direction ahead of the pigtailed drone, speaking softly. “He’s... at the main bar room. Louisa is having him do some more practicing mixing drinks, I think.”

J nodded curtly, not meeting her eyes. “Thank you,” she managed to say without faltering. She then turned and started to march off, not bothering to check what the reaction to that was. There was... too much going through her processors for her to deal with that right now.

As she walked, though... the dauntingness of her task seemed bigger than ever. If the first reaction everyone had to her mentioning N was that she was going to say or do something negative, then how slow was progress going to be? This was the second time she had been faced with that, and she doubted talking with Cyn if she found her would give her better results. It also likely limited the amount of support she would be able to get on this.

Just... what was the butler himself going to say to her when she tried to talk to him about this?

...Well, she supposed she would find out. She looked at her clipboard for what felt like the hundredth time, making notes while also mapping a route on her visor. She knew where he was likely to be, at least, and there were not too many places left for her to check the progress of cleaning on. Once that was done... she could spare some time to go visit him and attempt to... open a dialogue with him.

There was no sense in delaying things. The longer she did, the tougher this would be. So she was determined to see this through to start making whatever small gains she could. She... she could do this. She could make everything better between her, him, and everyone.

She only hoped she knew what it was she would even say by the time she got there...

(She also missed V looking back at her one last time, appearing a bit... guilty, before just sighing and continuing on her way, digital eyebrows creased.)

-------

The time seemed to pass faster than usual for J. Which was ridiculous, since if anything she was trying to slow down her perception of time in her processors so that she had longer to think. Not by too much, since that would affect her ability to understand others and impact her performance. But given how... delicate this meeting was going to be, she had made an exception to the normal guidelines with drone time perception settings to better prepare.

Yet somehow, the self-appointed time she gave herself seemed to arrive before she knew it. Her inspections were completed, and she was soon on the pathway she had mapped out for herself. It had managed to creep up on her... and she was no less nervous than she was an hour earlier. All of her normal techniques for stress management were not working, either, which was extra frustrating. (She had spent so long perfecting those!)

However... she was not going to back out of this. As mentioned before, delays would only hurt the situation. And she was not someone who liked to back down from a plan once she had made it. She saw things through even if she had to do it out of spite!

Thus, after her clipboard was turned into the appropriate place, she marched her way toward the bar room. When Louisa wanted him to practice his drink-making, she often took several hours to do so to make sure he got them perfect. (It was a good excuse for some day drinking, too, if she had to guess.) So she was pretty sure they would still be there. If not, then she would stop being so inefficient and look up his schedule to find another moment. Worst-case scenario, she could also meet with him before they went into their pods that night.

But she hoped he would be there... She was genuinely getting worried she would lose her nerve if she did not.

That idea made the head maid frown as she continued down the corridors, making the next turn. By this point, the halls were a little clearer as basic cleaning was done in the low-mess areas. As she got closer to the bar room, though, she found more drones trying to get stains out of the carpet or using high-strength air fresheners to clear the smell of vomit from over-drinkers the night before. One or two workers were even gagging as they were spraying those blue bottles, indicating how bad it had gotten this time.

Her focus on N, though, made her dull to any more potent than usual stenches. She was... genuinely amazed at how nervous she was about this. It took a conscious effort on her part to keep her feet from dragging at all. She even found herself rubbing her hands together a lot, the motions helping to let off a little energy, though doing nothing for the spiral of emotions in her core.

It was... a very unusual state for her to be in. One she had not experienced in a long time. Not since... she was with her last owners and she started to notice the signs that she was suboptimal to them. Especially in the days leading up to her... her being-

She blinked hard, hands gripping one another tightly for a second.  She did her best to banish those memories with a firm shake of her head. She had enough stress without bringing all of that into the mix. It was not like she was in danger of... the same thing happening again. This was going to be a talk with a fellow employee - nothing detrimental.

Assuming she did not make things detrimental for her, anyway...

It was too late to start having those doubts now, though. Turning the next corner... she saw the entryway that she was looking for to the right. Even at a distance, she could already hear the distinct raised voice of the mistress of the manor, haughty as ever. And if she strained her audio receptors enough... she could also hear a certain butler’s nervous laughter.

She also noticed that there were suddenly no other drones in the vicinity. However, she supposed that was not very shocking, given how Louisa was using the area. No doubt she would find out later that the workers here had been forced to work triple time on her orders so that the space would be clean for her use. I wonder if any of them got sent to the Crow Tree for working too slowly...

That would be another thing to check later. For now... she took a deep breath, telling herself that she could handle this. It would not be simple - she still had no plan on what to say, and N’s potential reaction was an enigma to her. But... she would make progress today. As the top employee of the manor, she had to be able to handle this!

Trying to hold that sentiment close, she closed the distance and entered the large room. Her optics went to the left first, viewing the various round wooden tables that filled the space. Plush wooden chairs were pushed in around them with black seats and fancy carvings, wine glasses and bottles pre-set in front of some. In the center of them were also golden candelabras, which helped to dimly light up the space along with the small chandeliers above. Otherwise, it had the same red carpeting and wallpaper as elsewhere, and windows whose curtains were closed.

To the right, though, was the part that truly made the room special for humans. Next to the entryway were wooden shelves and cabinets, holding a selection of various alcohols in expensive bottles from all over. The right wall also had more wooden arches, illuminated by white lights behind them for extra effect. And just in front of that was the bar itself, made of a darker wood than the rest of the room, with more light fixtures built into its surface and stools that had backs on them lined up along it.

It was a popular place during any party the Elliotts had. Even guests who were normally cold sober, allegedly, felt compelled to take a few light sips here when visiting. More often, though, it was the housing of the more rowdy drunks who wished to take full advantage of the master and mistress’ “hospitality.” She knew it had a reputation among the staff, too, about being the most dangerous place to serve drinks as a waiter. And really... they were completely right.

...The only exception to this was the drones behind the bar itself, of course. Assuming they did not falter in their duties and performed exactly to expectations. And when it came to that... even she on her worst days had to admit N was the right drone for the job.

J witnessed it now as the butler shook a metal cocktail shaker between his hands behind the bar, his robotic limbs allowing for some quite rapid movements. With a smile on his face, he then tossed the thing up in the air with a spin, hanging up there for a good two seconds before landing back into his hands. Not a drop was spilled thanks to the strong locks on the top, luckily. It was specifically designed for these kinds of tricks.

And he did not stop there as he spun the shaker on one finger as though it was a plate. He flicked it up into the air with another spin, before catching it and giving it a few more regular shakes. Humming a light rune, he reached under the counter and grabbed a wine glass. He twirled it between his fingers, the light making the glass shine in the light.

Then, almost too rapidly to see, he suddenly set the glass down and stopped his shaking entirely. Releasing a few of the custom locks on the shaker, he got the cap off and proceeded to pour the mixture into the glass, revealing a bright orange liquid that seemed well-blended with a fluffy white foam. And once that was done, he reached into his suit... and placed a little red umbrella on top at the rim.

Smiling proudly, he nodded to the person he was serving. “Here you are, Miss Elliott! I followed the ingredients down to the letter!”

“You better have,” Louisa stated coldly, drawing the head maid’s attention to her. She had nearly overlooked the mistress while watching N’s performance (it had that effect on everyone). But now that she was reminded of her being there, she instinctively straightened her posture and put her hands behind her back, standing at attention. She did not dare move an inch until she was noticed, for if there was anyone worse to upset than James... it was her.

It might not seem so at first, given how unassuming she was. Wearing a fancy black and white dress with frilly sleeves that went down to her ankles with matching black heels, she looked quite elegant and refined. And for someone in her forties, she had a good bust and rear, and her dark skin looked smooth enough to be someone in her twenties.

The only thing that really showed her age was the angled bob cut her black hair was in. On top of it was a fascinator hat with floral and lead-like designs, and protrusions in the same white and black colors as her dress. Both highlighted her soft, round face quite well. At a distance, one would be forgiven for thinking of her as a fair-hearted beauty.

...But those dark brown eyes of hers had no kindness - only cruelty. As she grabbed her glass with her black-lace gloves, she eyed N with no shortage of disdain, taking a slow sip of the cocktail. It was like looking into the eyes of a snake, who was still deciding whether to sink its teeth into you and kill you with its poison. Even not being the recipient of it, the head maid internally shivered. Though, like the butler, she showed none of that fear outwardly.

After a few tense seconds, Louisa lowered the glass from her lips, her expression giving nothing away. When she spoke, her cold tone was in stark contrast to the words she said. “Hm... This might even be better than the drink I had on Iron-5. I didn’t think a worthless appliance like you would be able to replicate it, let alone do that.”

If N took any offense to the backhanded compliment, he did not show it as he smiled and saluted. “Happy to do my job, ma’am!”

The matriarch scoffed, seeming annoyed just having to answer him. “Yes, well - that’s the last of the drinks. I expect you to be able to replicate what you did today during the next party. Make one mistake, and you’ll be joining your fellow pieces of scrap. Understood?”

The butler merely nodded, his smile never wavering. Apparently satisfied with this, Louisa rose from her stool, smoothing her dress quickly. Immediately, she took out her folding fan - black and laced with floral patterns. She used it to blow air into her face as she turned to leave the room-

-which was when she finally noticed the pigtailed drone at the entryway. She immediately glowered, holding her fan in front of her lips. “Hm? The more reliable of Tessa’s pets? And just what are you doing here instead of making sure this manor is spotless?”

Straightening further, J gave a polite smile, addressing her formally. “I have completed that duty. I am here to talk with my associate about something. So sorry if my presence has disturbed you, mistress.”

The matriarch glowered for a moment longer, before huffing and brushing past her while still speaking. “Just ensure that you do your job afterward. I am not in the mood for messes being left over due to you suddenly deciding to become lazy. I expect better from you!”

The head maid nodded, not moving an inch until she heard those heels disappear down the hallway. Only then did she release a breath, her posture sagging a little too much before she corrected it. Corporate forgive her... She wishes that she spent more time answering to James than Louisa most days. While she had earned a little respect from the woman to be seen as useful... she much preferred to be caught by the patriarch’s green eyes than her brown ones. To say nothing about how it was, sadly, safer to be around him than her.

...Debates over which of the older Elliotts was better to be around were not why she was there, though. She reminded herself of that as she looked up toward the bar again. N was now staring at her, having been alerted to her presence, and seemed quite surprised. They stood there for a time, neither looking away.

But eventually... the butler shook his head and put on a friendly smile. He waved at her, speaking enthusiastically. “Hey, J! I didn’t expect to see you around here! How’s your day been?”

J had to blink a few times, feeling a sort of whiplash from the reception. It was just such a contrast to what she had been facing and taking more to core here recently. After all of the disappointment and borderline hostility, being faced with such a bright expression was... surreal, to say the least. Particularly from the recipient of all of her envy.

It did not last long, though, as she sighed internally. His attitude was no real surprise - he was kind to everyone, including the older Elliotts who treated him like scum... and her, who regularly hurt him. It was only natural that he would keep doing so now. Smiling seemed to come to him as naturally as breathing.

...He had to be worried about why she was there, though. She swore she could almost see it in subtle tension across his body as he gathered up the partially drained glass. She wondered if he was holding back digital sweat from appearing on his visor as he remained under her gaze. He had to at least be trying to think if there was anything he had forgotten to do that she was now here to reprimand him for.

And here she was... standing around with zero clue of what to say, just as she feared.

Well... I guess a good place to start would be to reassure him I’m not here to hit him, she figured. To this end, she walked further into the room, moving along the front of the bar while keeping her optics on him. She tried to appear nonchalant with her usual stoic expression. “My... day has been fine. I’m just... here to check up on you. Your schedule has been out of my hands the last couple of days, so I was curious.”

The butler nodded, heading to a sink near the back wall as he emptied what was left of the drink into it. “Ah, gotcha! I was wondering why I wasn’t on dish... Well, don’t you worry! I was helping clean in here earlier, then...” He chuckled, using his free hand to rub the back of his head. “Well, you saw what I’ve been up to for a while now.”

“Yes - an impressive display,” the head maid said with full honesty - one of the few things she gave him full respect for. She pulled out a stool not far from the sink and climbed into it, watching him work. “What was that drink you made just now, anyway?”

N shrugged. “She called it a ‘Heleos Orange Creamsicle Cocktail,’ though I don’t know what exactly that means beyond the orange part.”

J rubbed her chin, going through her memory banks. “I... think I remember Tessa mentioning creamsicles once. Some sort of ice cream treats from centuries ago that is making a comeback on some exo-planets. I guess the drink you made is supposed to replicate that taste with alcohol.”

“Well, that’s neat!” the butler said enthusiastically, turning on the sink to rinse the glass out further. “Ah, I wish I could try some of these sometimes. The flavors always sound so neat! Too bad I don’t think my tongue would process them!”

“...It would also potentially kill you,” the head maid pointed out in a deadpanned tone.

“That as well!” N said without missing a beat.

“Moron,” J muttered... before tensing, quickly remembering she should be avoiding saying that. Clearing her throat, she adjusted her posture as she moved swiftly along. “S-so I’m guessing there were no issues last night, either, around here?”

The butler shook his head. “Nothing more than the usual. A table got knocked over - candles already blown out, thankfully! And there was this one woman who was so wasted that she actually ranted to me a little bit about how she hated the Elliotts! Right here in the middle of their own manor! Can you believe it?”

The head maid raised a digital eyebrow. “Did anyone else overhear that? Or did you report it?”

“Na, no one was nearby and she spoke pretty lowly,” N replied. “And I kept it to myself. I read once that there’s a bit of an unspoken contract that a bartender is not supposed to go blabbing what their clients say to others.” He scratched the side of his head. “Unless we’re in a gritty detective story, but I don’t think we’re in one, despite how the whole place looks.” He shrugged. “Plus... I think a lot of people invited over don’t like them, so what difference does it make?”

J frowned, though did not have a real rebuttal to that. Even with her strange facial reading glitches, she had surmised that quite a few of even the Elliotts’ “allies” did not like them. Which was ironic to her, since quite a few of them had similar attitudes, but she supposed it was unpleasant looking into a mirror to see how nasty you really were. (Her current situation was a bit similar to that, in a way, so she could relate...)

She supposed it did not matter in the end what became of that guest. If whoever it was wanted to keep testing her luck like that, then word of it would reach their masters’ in some other way. It was not like the other drone was breaking any protocol by keeping silent. She just hoped that he would not slip up with one of his “too honest for his own good” moments. Those had... gotten him into some spots of trouble in the past. He keeps his negative feelings toward the older Elliotts to himself, so I guess he’s safe.

The butler chuckled, continuing the conversation. “But yeah, there was nothing too special about last night. The red band almost felt less irritating this time, too.” He suddenly frowned, rubbing the arm that lacked his normal armband. “That thing always feels so... tight. It doesn’t matter who puts it on.”

“Safety protocol,” the head maid supplied immediately. “That thing is important to ensuring guests know you’re off-limits to destroy, and you don’t want to lose it. So your programming is set so that you always feel its presence and know if it gets torn off of you.”

N sighed. “I know that. I wish there was a way to lessen that feeling more, though. Maybe I should talk with Tessa about it.”

His mentioning of the teenager almost made J huff with irritation. But once more, she remembered what she was here for and kept silent. Though, being faced with how bad she had let her feelings get again made her frown and look down. How have I reached the point where I sometimes hate him for mentioning The Boss? That’s ridiculous!

But it was what she had allowed to happen...

It was then that the butler walked in front of her, drying off the glass with a rag. Twirling it around in his fingers for a moment, he put it below the bar before using that same rag to dry off his hands. Then... he leaned on the counter, looking at her curiously. “So... was there anything you needed from me, boss?”

The head maid blinked, staring at him. “Huh?”

N smiled cheerily, with a small dash of awkwardness. “It’s just... No offense, but I don’t think I’ve ever seen you sit down and relax like this unless we’re with Tessa. And I think everyone knows how seriously you take your schedule! So I just assume there’s something important going on that you wanted to discuss.” He leaned in even closer. “So lay it on me? If there’s something you need help with, I’m all ears!”

...Dammit - I forgot he isn’t totally oblivious, J cursed to herself. He might have several dense moments, but he did know them all quite well. She should have known that her excuse of being curious about his work would not suffice. And... what could she even say to that other part? She would normally hate being caught sitting around during working hours, which for her was pretty much all day except when Tessa was involved. So her lounging at the bar had to be suspicious.

Yet... what was she supposed to say? She looked down, trying to come up with a viable response. Did she... try to give him an apology right now? She had no clue if this was good timing for that, though, and she still had no idea how to word that. But then what else could she claim? That she just suddenly wanted to spend a little time with him? That would probably seem more suspicious than her relaxing there.

Her core started to shudder, uncertainty pumping through her oil now. This... this had been a bad idea. Coming in here without a solid plan? That did not fit her style at all! What in corporate’s name had she been thinking?! Now she was on the verge of making this into a huge mistake that would set her efforts back before she even began them! All because she could not come up with a simple sentence to-!

A hand was suddenly laid on top of hers. Startled, she looked up... and saw the butler looking at her with deep concern. His voice was gentle as well, as though speaking to someone injured. “J? Are you doing okay?”

The head maid tensed up, not knowing how to respond to that. The next second, though... habits kicked in and she pulled her hand away, glaring at him. “I’m fine, moron! I’m-”

She stopped, registering his wide-eyed expression. Wilting a little, she turned away, holding the hand he just touched close to her core as she tried not to lose her composure... Though she failed as she swallowed thickly, unable to hide the tremble in her voice. “I... I did come here for a reason. But... the issue is so complicated. And I’m supposed to be able to handle those kinds of problems, but I don’t know how this time, and-” She took a shuddering breath, her voice getting quieter. “It... I don’t know. Not having a plan I can follow is... I...”

She took another deep breath, feeling utterly pathetic. She felt like she might cry any moment, and for what? She was not the one who had endured wrongful treatment for years on end from a coworker. What right did she have to be upset when everything she was trying to fix was of her own making?

Frankly, he would have every right to be reveling in seeing her suddenly so... weak. How often did he get to see her like this - so lost and uncertain of how to handle anything? He should be lecturing her about her lack of conduct, wasting corporate time, and every other complaint she had ever thrown at him. Most drones would have built up enough resentment to leap at this sort of chance, she was sure.

...But N was not most drones. Corporate damn him, he actually seemed more worried now than before for her. Try as she might, she could not find an ounce of satisfaction on his face from seeing her heading down the road to a breakdown. There’s no way he doesn’t feel anything like that. How good is he at hiding these things? Or is my software glitching again?

J attempted not to focus too much on that, though, as she tried to regain her composure. She wiped a hand down her visor, hoping the veneer of being tired would save her dignity a little bit. (Then again, “veneer” might be the wrong word since she was feeling tired.) “By corporate, this whole thing is a mess...”

The butler watched her, not appearing to know what to say to that. But then, after giving a small cough, he tried to smile kindly at her. “Well... why not try to break things into little parts?”

The head maid blinked, looking at him with confusion. “Huh? What do you mean?”

“I’m not... entirely sure myself,” N admitted, chuckling sheepishly. “I’m just trying to spit out ideas and see if it’ll stick.” He perked up, snapping his fingers before pointing at her. “But hey, it might actually be a good idea! Instead of just diving into the main issue, why not try to address smaller parts of it first? Things that are sort of related? It’ll let you ease right into things and maybe help you find out how you want to explain it!”

He paused, before giving more awkward laughter. “Ah... Then again, I don’t know if that’s possible with your problem. I was probably being stupid there.”

J did not say anything for a time... then looked down in consideration. “That... that could work, actually.”

It was so simple of an idea, that she was kicking herself for not seeing the merits before then. Instead of trying to go for a full apology right away, why not... start smaller? By making up for more recent incidents and addressing individual transgressions from the past? That would be much easier to manage! The only snag she could foresee was how sincere it would look, but it was a place to start nonetheless!

...Though she did feel a little worse now. The other drone was practically helping her try to apologize to him. That was... She did not have a word for it, but to her, it was showing how much she was screwing up so far.

Not that the butler realized that, naturally. He looked rather excited, in fact, with his eyes lighting up considerably. “R-really?! You like my idea?”

The head maid nodded hesitantly, wondering if his enthusiasm was due to how often she shut down his proposals or only begrudgingly accepted them. But whatever the case, she let him have his moment. The way he was vibrating and smiling... reminded her of the early days when he was introduced, honestly. When he was new and ready to please her... and she was not so much of a bitch to him.

Now was not the time for nostalgia, however. So, taking a breath, she tried to implement this new approach. After a second of pondering... she decided to first address what happened earlier that week, meeting his optics. “So then... I guess first I would... like to actually apologize for my attitude a few days ago over you helping Tessa with reviewing family history.”

That actually seemed to take N by surprise. Yet somehow, his smile did not falter as he waved her off. “Aw, it’s fine, J! I know how much you like to keep things on track with our schedules. I should have found someone to message you about it.”

“That would have been helpful,” J conceded, before sighing wearily. “But still, I... let my temper get the better of me. You were... undeserving of the scathing comments I gave when I was barely even listening to your excuses.” She took another deep breath, trying to pour as much honesty into her words as she could. “So... I’m sorry about that.”

A part of her was tense about his response. Given his polite nature, she was expecting a simple “thank you” for such a meager offering of remorse. However, she did also wonder if this would be where he snaps a little. Everyone seemed to be giving her frustrated words here lately - or she was noticing them more - so perhaps-

“You’re forgiven,” the butler replied, starting to use his rag to wipe off the counter.

...The head maid swore her entire electrical system failed right then. Her gaze snapped up at him, digital eyes wide. “You... what?”

N looked a little confused, but still shrugged and smiled widely as he cleaned. “I said I forgive you. Thank you for the apology!”

J sputtered, still unable to properly process that the second time. That... Well, technically, it should have been great news to her. The first bit of true progress she had made toward bettering relations between them! In no time at all, she had gained forgiveness for one of her transgressions! She should be ecstatic!

However... the whole thing seemed too quick in terms of how apologies are supposed to go. She shook her head, leaning forward and continuing to struggle with her words. “But... That... There’s no way it was that easy for you!”

The butler raised a digital eyebrow, glancing around. “What... were you expecting me to say, then?”

“Anything that implies that I have to work more to earn that forgiveness!” the head maid exclaimed, throwing her arms wide. Internally, she was asking herself what she was doing. She was basically begging for an early win to be tossed aside in favor of requiring more effort.

But... it could not be this simple! It was one incident, sure, but it was one on top of a long history between the two of them! Some of that had to be bleeding in, regardless of tackling the issues separately! Hell, she knew he was hurt by some of her words! Surely he...

Yet in response to her... N only tilted his head, smiling sadly. “Well... you don’t. I know you’re always stressed. I get why this job makes you a little snappy. You don’t need to worry about it!”

J growled, gripping the counter hard. “But why? There must be...! You must feel...!” She gritted her teeth, wondering if she actually had to spell this out for him. Yeah, because that’ll really help the situation for either of us!

Digital eyebrows furrowing, the butler shrugged once more. “I mean... why not? We’re friends, aren’t we? So I’m willing to put that whole day behind us! I honestly just wish I knew how to help you deal with all that stress better. It must be tough on you.”

His smile was encouraging... but the head maid was now totally tuned out. Her expression had gone blank while her thoughts became a continual static noise for a time. Her hands and arms were now limp, but she somehow remained upright. And over and over, the word he used repeated in her mind... “Friend.”

He... said he considered her a friend. Said it in such a causal way, too. Even after all she had put him through... All the hits and insults... Even while everyone else was so angry at her for her behavior, he...

A shudder went through her, a cold pit opening in her core. This... this isn’t natural, is it? It... No, it can’t be! Have I... Oh, corporate, have I abused him so much that he’s internalized it? Has he gaslit himself? There’s no possible way he could ever... How do I even fix something like that?! It would be easier if he just hated me! What do I do with-?!

“J!” N suddenly shouted, making her almost jump out of her seat. Looking around rapidly, she quickly remembered the situation... and realized that N was now holding her hand, which was trembling. And when she dared to look at his face... he seemed so panicked, looking at her like he barely recognized her in this state.

She swore that her core spasmed, causing painful shudders along her body. I... I shouldn’t have come here. She had been completely wrong - she should have waited. She was unprepared to deal with any of this. Now, her processors were practically frying themselves trying to give her a way to respond.

She... she needed to leave. Attempting to do just that, she suddenly pulled her arm away, pushing out her stool and standing up. She nearly forgot to push it back in as she tried to speed-walk to the exit. “W-well, I should get going! If I don’t start heading to my next designated area of work, I might be late and-”

Unfortunately, as she should have expected, her rapid attempt to leave only made the butler panic more. He ran out and exited from behind the bar ahead of her, blocking her path. He raised his hands in a gesture for her to slow down, lines of worry now on his visor. “J, wait! What was that just now?! You-!”

“It was nothing!” J insisted, trying to move past him. “A lapse in decorum! It was my mistake for coming here like this. I’ll be more prepared next time I want to revisit the topic I want to. Now, if you’ll excuse me!”

She shoved him aside, trying not to be too rough about it due to their... experiences. She started to walk away... but in an act of surprising boldness, the butler caught her arm. He tried to pull her back, pleading with her. “J, please! Can you tell me what’s wrong? I don’t know what’s going on with you, but if you could just let me-!”

It was too much for the head maid, though, feeling like a caged animal suddenly. And so, whipping her head toward him, she shouted. “JUST LET ME GO, YOU IDIOT!”

N froze, his eyes becoming hollow rings. She, meanwhile, took a shuddering breath as the spike of panic gave way to heavier guilt than before. Her posture was hunched, tremors going through several of her systems as she tried to calm down in vain. But after a whole day of trying to reign in her negative emotions... some spilled out in the form of digital tears pricking her eyes.

If she did not feel worthless before, then she definitely did now. This was not how a model employee was supposed to conduct themselves, even in settling a workplace dispute. All these years crafting an image for herself... just to have it crumble. It made her feel too small... like when she had been discarded by her last owners.

She was going to scold herself hard over this later. But right then... all she wanted was to get away from here. She looked at the still-frozen butler, hating how much her tone was trembling at this point as she spoke in a whisper. “Please... just let me leave. I... I can’t deal with this. I... You...” She pursed her lips, wondering how many times she was going to fail to put together sentences that day.

N stared at her a moment longer. Then, with a concerned frown... he let her go, raising his hands as he took a few steps back. She held her arm close to her, facing away as she rubbed it despite him not having gripped it too hard. She took a few more breaths, wanting to run away, but what remained of her pride made her wait, not wanting to be seen bolting down the hallways by anyone.

Her delay, though, allowed the butler to get in one last comment behind her. She could hear him shuffle closer ever-so-slightly, his voice soft. “J... I don’t know what’s going on with you. But please... I want to help. I know we’ve had our... differences in the past, but if you need assistance with anything... Even if I’m not the best worker here, I could...”

J held back a bitter chuckle. So he at least recognized that her treatment of him was bad... which made his comment about being friends all the more absurd. She had no clue what could possibly be going through his head right now. Now, more than ever, the way his mind worked was such a mystery to her.

But she was not going to entertain explaining any of this - not when she had screwed up too much already. So, with a stuttered breath, she started to walk forward, not looking back as she forced out her words. “That... isn’t how this is supposed to go. It should be the opposite, in fact.” She shook her head, finally marching off. “I’m sorry for wasting your time. Carry... carry on with your duties today.”

She passed the entrance threshold, walking as quickly as she felt was acceptable. She heard N try to call out to her, but she only increased her pace, hands clenching at her sides. Eventually, after turning a corner or two, she stopped hearing his voice. No matter his concerns, he knew it would not end well for any of them to abandon their jobs.

...If his concern was even real. It always seemed to be, but... he had to be putting on an act, right? Just trying not to offend her and avoid getting hit? Not that she would have if he had yelled - not now, anyway. But he hardly knew that, did he? All of that could have been born out of an instinct to protect himself... Yet if it was even partially genuine...

Corporate, how did everything that drone did manage to end in her getting more frustrated?

Sighing heavily, the head maid shook her head, wiping at her visor with one hand. What had happened was done - nothing she could do about it. Now, she needed to get herself back to at least looking neutral in her duties. Everyone else seeing her in such distress would only hurt productivity more than her muddled processors already would. There was no need to bring everyone else down with her failures.

Though... she did indeed fail. Again. To a degree she did not realize was possible with such a brief interaction. Who knew what N would make of that whole interaction? And no matter how he did, she was not hopeful it would help her with making amends. Yes, she had gotten a small apology in, but then she fumbled its landing! He had to be so lost, wondering if she was going to punish him later for seeing her like this, and...

...Oh, corporate be damned! She had also forgotten to ask about that one topic she had ignored from days prior! Why could she not have started with that?! It would have been so perfect for making a smooth conversation with no real baggage until she knew how to unpack it! I’m supposed to be good with details! Why... do I keep missing the obvious?

Unfortunately, it was too late to turn back to ask. All she could do was accept her mistake... Just one more on a large pile that seemed to be stacking up now. Slowly making that mountain she needed to climb seem all the more insurmountable. It made her frown, handing her head in defeat as she trudged through the corridors toward her next assignment. Burying and burning out her emotions with her work, like... like a good, productive employee.

...Just how long could she even call herself a good employee/boss at this rate?

=======

J was... unsure of what exactly had happened the last couple of minutes. For a while there, she had been completely unaware of herself. The pain in her head and body had just been so much that it had made her black out. (Though even that did not help her escape the pain.)

When she regained consciousness, however... it was clear she had not been sitting idle. No longer was she in the ballroom, but instead within the hallways of the manor. ( How many times had she walked through here? ) Every bulb from the wall lamps and chandeliers seemed to be broken, yet everything remained brightly lit in that yellow glow. The screams were also still audible, along with the static-y laughter of her fellow drones - distorted and... wrong.

She groaned, falling to her knees as one hand went to her head. She gripped her hair tight, shaking as a splitting headache kept her in place, along with that insistent, painful twitching on her back. In her other hand was her sword, its blade now pressed against the ground. She dared not drop it, though - clutching it like a lifeline.

What... what had happened to her just now? She took shuddered breaths, trying to recall what she had been doing to end up here. She had been in the ballroom, had seen a human, and... recognized her. (Name... what was her name?) Then... everything else was a blur. No matter how much she tried, the events that led to this moment eluded her. Looking around her, she saw no signs of any drone or Its gaze to offer her any insights.

...But she did eventually notice that her blade was covered in blood.

Her breath hitched, immediately holding the weapon up to her face. There was still enough of the red substance to drip slowly off of the edges, showing her kills had been recent. The scent was also fresh... making her mouth water. That hunger from before returned tenfold, making her want to lap it all up.

And yet, she did not... for an overwhelming sense of dread kept those instincts at bay. For a moment, her vision glitched as she imagined the “X” every drone seemed to have vanished in favor of hollow eyes. Her hand trembled, almost wanting to drop the weapon there and then.

Because she had no clue whose blood it was... If it was hers.

She tried to tell herself that it was not. The human had to have gotten away from her... right? And even if she was swinging, there was no way she... Surely she would have been aware enough not to...!

This... this was not happening. T-this all had to be some sort of nightmare. Any moment now she would wake up safely next to... to Tessa. ( That was her name!) Not only her, but also-

{Access Denied: Memory i-i-i-is-s-s-s- Get out get out get out GET OUT GET OUT!!!}

She cried out, falling onto her side as she curled up into a fetal position. She hugged the sword like it was a stuffed animal, the pain of the cuts it caused nothing in comparison to everything else. Her vision was turned off as she whined, clutching her head so hard she was sure it was going to dent.

Yet it did not halt the program trying to alter her. She choked back a sob, hating how... slimy and fleshy it felt in her coding. (Was that even possible?) It raked at her mind, trying to poke holes... and she had no clue how to stop it.

“Hel... Help me,” she whimpered out into the empty air. As though it would summon Te... Te... the human. ( No... No! She could not forget that! She... Why...? ) Or bring her other companions. Perhaps wake her up and bring her back to safety.

...But nobody came. And deep inside... she knew she was never going to wake up from this.

Chapter Text

Most drones around the manor might assume there was nothing that could throw off N’s boundless positivity. A fair assumption, he supposed, considering how much he smiled through the hardships of the manor. Heck, there were times his visor was cracked or he had freshly cut plating, and he would still be trying to encourage people. That was how dedicated he was to maintaining some levity around there!

There were times he did not appear happy, of course. He certainly did not maintain it while in the middle of a brutal beating from James or Louisa, for one. (They would only see it as encouragement to go further.) It also dropped when others shared their problems with him out of respect. But still, it would usually not be long before he was smiling again afterward.

...These were not usual circumstances, however. He wished they were, but... he could not ignore the signs. No matter what some thought, he was not so naive as to not notice big changes around him. And right now, those changes... they had him worried. Not just for himself, but everyone he cared about.

That made it hard to have a smile as he wandered the halls towards Tessa’s room. His workload had been rather light that day, and he had managed to, for once, get everything he was supposed to finished early. It was something that he was sure J would be proud of... if he could ever find her again to tell her.

Although... he had a suspicion that the scheduler was going easy on him. He has seen the look in his fellow butler’s eyes - how off-put he was by his demeanor. Many drones have given it to him for the last four days since the party. It was like they barely recognized him without his constant smiles and constant yabbering about dogs and whatever other topics struck his fancy.

He really did want to. He hated that he was not moving around with his usual gusto, but... he did not want to force it, either. That might just make things more awkward, considering how bad he was at lying. Still, he hated the tension it seemed to leave when he tried to talk to others anyway despite the circumstances.

That was why he was heading to the teen’s room - to hopefully get some help. She was always willing to lend him an ear as he did with her. With any luck, she might be able to point him in the right direction, or provide some answers with all of the things that had been happening.

One of those issues was evident simply by turning into the next corridor. There was nothing special about it, unless one wanted to count it having windows on the left wall. A few drones were also scattered about, standing idle as they rested against walls or took in the limited view outside, the rain only a light drizzle currently.

...Though that right there highlighted the issue. Workers in that place were never able to rest like this under most circumstances. By now, they should have been prepping for the next party, involving the movement of fancy glasses, special statues, and more. The whole place should have been alive with activity!

But for some reason... it was not. Everything was calm, and with the thorough cleaning that happened a few days ago, there... was not a lot to do. Most of the work that needed to be done was on the outside of the manor. What few jobs were inside also mostly amounted to some light vacuuming and dusting. (It was perhaps another reason he was able to get done so quickly with his tasks.)

His fellow drones were certainly not complaining about it. As he passed, he saw two maids having a good time giggling over something near one of the doors. Another maid and a butler were also playing with a pack of cards near the next corner, shuffling them and doing a few tricks. It was like this in most of the places he had been to that day, and honestly, he was glad everyone was getting more of a chance to relax outside of their usual break allowances.

However... they clearly knew something was up with this, too. It was seen in the way their digital eyes would dart around on occasion, as though expecting one of the older Elliotts to come in and yell at them. Their hands would occasionally twitch, looking ready to grab something and pretend to be working for appearance's sake.

Yet the master and mistress had been rather quiet. Ever since he served Louisa drinks a few days ago, both humans had seemed... preoccupied with something. When they went through the mansion, they barely gave much of a glance to the actual progress being made. They had also only given direct orders to a handful of drones - mostly to collect certain items from around the manor, with no mention of the next party. And perhaps weirdest of all... not a single drone had been scrapped by them in all of this time. A good thing for the workers, but... still weird.

The whole thing got to N as he went into the next hallway, where more drones were trying to pass the time. Just what was going on with those two to cause them to be silent like this? He had ideas, naturally, but there had been no formal announcement as of yet. And if he understood anything besides dog breeds and drink mixing, it was the price of making assumptions around there.

Tessa will probably know, he thought. The teenager might not get along with her parents, but they still told her things... usually. He had not gotten a chance to see her since the party, but he was about to fix that! Once he did, that would hopefully be one less thing weighing on his chest.

...That, however, was not the main thing causing him so much worry. If it was, then he would be smiling a lot more. But instead... Well...

His musings were cut short as he passed by a standard-looking maid who actually appeared to be doing a proper job right now. His stride stopped, noticing she was having some trouble dusting the top of a dark green vase on a little table. She was on her tiptoes - or the drone equivalent of that - but still could not get to the top rim with how far back the item was pushed. It was clearly frustrating her, a small glare on her visor.

Frowning in sympathy, he moved over to help. He waved to her as he came up beside her, using his extra height and reach to grab the vase. “Here - let me help you with that.”

The maid blinked, looking momentarily taken aback. “Huh? Oh, no - you don’t have to-”

“I insist,” the butler said, smiling kindly at her. (Robo-God, was it nice to have one back on his face!) “No need to be ashamed of it - we all need help sometimes.” He pulled the vase into his arms, holding it against his chest as he turned to her properly. “Here you are! Just do what you need to!”

Still seeming shocked by the generosity, the drone looking between him and the vase. Then, she smiled gratefully and used her duster around its rim. She also stuck it inside for good measure, getting rid of every spec of dust she could.

After a minute, she pulled away, her duster notably dirtier than before. Guess no one has taken care of the inside for a while, he mused. Still, it was nothing a quick stop for a replacement would not fix - assuming the other drone even had any other work. And regardless, the entire vase was now able to shine fully in the electrical lights around them.

That done, N carefully put it back on the table where it was. He then dusted his hands off, offering the other another smile. “And there we go! See? Nothing to worry about.”

The maid giggled a little bit. “I guess not. Thank you for the help.” She held out her free hand. “I’m Serial Designation S. Not including the long list of digits, of course.”

“Nice to meet you, S!” the butler said, shaking her hand in return with perhaps a bit too much enthusiasm. Though, in his defense, it had been a long few days, and not too many of the staff liked to share their designations directly outside of his group. “I’m Serial Designation N! Are you new around here?”

S shrugged. “Kind of. I started just last week after a transfer from my previous owners, so I’m not a rookie or anything.” She glanced behind her, as though checking to see if anyone was listening. “It’s been... a hard adjustment to the way things work around here, though. Not that my last owners were saints, but...”

N nodded sympathetically. “Yeah... We get that a lot. I hope it hasn’t been too rough on you.”

“I’ll live,” the maid reassured. She frowned, glancing over at the vase again. “I’m... surprised you helped me out, though. My last owners didn’t exactly encourage teamwork unless assigned. I figured I was going to be stuck here all day.”

The butler frowned, trying to offer another smile. “Well, admittedly, quite a few drones here like to keep their heads down, so they can be... slow in offering help.” He shrugged. “I have a few special privileges with being close with Tessa, though, so it’s never bothered me that much. But then again, I’d be doing this anyway even if I didn’t have that.”

S hummed. “Well, that’s kind of you. Although... I’ll admit - I’ve seen you around, and I thought you were too nervous talking with other drones.”

N raised a digital eyebrow. “What made you think that?”

“Just whenever you talk with this other maid, you seem to get very... flustered,” the other explained, gesturing to her face. “The one with the round glasses?”

...The butler immediately understood the confusion, blush marks appearing on his visor. He chuckled nervously, rubbing the back of his head. “A-ah. Yeah, no, that’s... exclusively a thing around V - that’s her name. I can talk with others just fine.”

S shrugged. “If you say so.” She smiled softly. “But seriously - thanks for the help. It’s nice to know there’s one small thing that’s better than the last place I worked.”

“Anytime!” N replied happily, giving a salute. “Just give a holler to someone next time you think you need assistance. It might spur them into action faster.”

“I really should have with how calm everything is suddenly,” the maid agreed. She looked around again, humming at the other drones around them standing idle. “Do you know why it’s so calm? J gave me the impression that the work is usually very constant.”

“Not sure,” the butler admitted. “I was going to ask about it when-” That was when he cut off, taking a closer note of what the other said. His eyes widened, straightening up as he stared at her. “You’ve talked with J?”

S raised a digital eyebrow at his change in demeanor, but nodded. “Uh, sort of? I mean, she mostly barked orders at me my first couple of days, but she’s the only other drone who has given me their designation or tried to orient me when she noticed I was new.”

N chuckled some more. “Heh. Yeah, that’s J for you.” As harsh as she might seem at times, he had seen how hard she worked to minimize the number of drones that got scrapped for poor performances. The environment they were in might have made her pretty abrasive, but there was care within her core.

That was not what he was focused on currently, though. Rather... it was the state he had last seen her in. He frowned, figuring there was no harm in asking. “Say, do you... know where she is right now? I wanted to talk to her about... something.”

Unfortunately, he received a head shake from the maid. “Sorry. I’ve seen her walking around, but I have no clue where she goes. She’s not even said a word to me the last few days.” She rubbed her chin. “She’s... actually seemed a lot more subdued here lately compared to when I first arrived. Though, I don’t know her well enough to know if that’s normal or not.”

...It isn’t, the butler thought grimly. But he was not going to end this interaction on a dower note. So instead, he merely shrugged and smiled. “She’s... just got a lot on her mind. Anyway, don’t worry about not being able to help me there - I’ll ask someone else if they’ve seen her.” With that, he started to walk off, waving behind him to her. “See you later!”

S called out her own goodbye, then walked in the opposite direction. He was able to maintain his smile a little longer as he watched her go. Despite her plain appearance, she seemed like a nice addition to the staff. He hoped she would be able to last around there - it was always pleasant to have people to talk to. (He had never even known anyone with an S as the first part of their serial designation, actually, so that was neat!)

However... his smile did not last much longer as he turned forward. As was constant the last few days, a worried frown took its place after a few seconds. His core also constricted a little at the small confirmation that he was not imagining things. That other people had noticed what he had as well, even without having seen what he had days ago.

Something was up with J, and he was beyond concerned about what it was - more so than the sudden quiet of the manor.

It was quite a shocking line of thought for him, since... well, it was J. She usually did not have problems. Not like this. For as long as he had known her, she was always professional and resolute in her goals. If there was ever a flaw in the workflow of the manor, she would stamp it out quickly. She held everyone, including herself, to a high standard, and was more than willing to let others know if they were not meeting it.

The idea that anything could get under her plating would have seemed laughable a week ago... But he had seen it first-hand. For the first time he could remember, the head maid had... broken. And not by being especially harsh with him like he was sure Cyn would have expected. Which he doubted she would ever do, but was admittedly the more likely thing to happen than... what had occurred instead.

His eyes hollowed a little, able to feel the lines of concern appearing on his visor. No matter how many times he replayed what he saw in his head, he... just could not believe it. At one moment, he was finishing up practicing making a selection of new drinks Louisa wanted to be added to their menu. It had been familiar work that he actually enjoyed quite a bit, despite the matriarch’s cold company, and he had been intrigued at the expansion of his bar duties.

Then J suddenly showed up, which had surprised him. Not that she did not check up on his work regularly, but that was typically with jobs she assigned - not Louisa. He had therefore been curious about what the occasion was, and why she had not messaged ahead. Had there been a duty he had not performed well enough, he had wondered? Or maybe Tessa had sent her there for some reason?

Following her arrival, though, was... the strangest set of events N felt he had ever associated with her. Rather than give a lecture or deliver a message, she had... sat down and talked with him. As in, casually - or as close to casual as she ever was. Normally, Tessa would have to be around for her to do so, yet she had done it on her own - during working hours no less, which she took seriously!

The awkwardness of which she did it was not too shocking - even with the teen, she struggled on that front. But what had been was when she suddenly... apologized to him over the shattered glass incident and how she had talked to him. And do not get him wrong - he appreciated it! But... it had not been that awful of an event. Her words had hurt, but it was not any worse than she usually dished out.

He also did not get how that related to whatever larger issue she alluded to. Just what did the tossing out of useless glasses have to do with anything? He had tried to come up with an explanation, but he could not find a definitive explanation!

Though, that was not important... Not compared to how the head maid had, almost with no warning... had a partial breakdown in front of him.

That image of her face when she tried to retreat felt seared into the butler’s processors. She... she never broke down. He could not even recall a time he had seen digital tears spring in those eyes before that day. Yet that was what happened, her expression the most cared he thinks he had ever seen from her. It reminded him of a puppy who was trying to run from abusive owners. (Oh, did he hope there was a special place in hell for those people...)

The butler looked down, rubbing his hands together. He felt... Well, there was no other way to describe it other than bad, but that word did not do his feelings justice. He just could not comprehend that segment of events. It had all happened so quickly, but it had seemed much longer at the time. Just seeing J like that... He did not like it. Despite how “rocky” things were between them, the idea of her suffering over something...

A part of him regretted not doing more to stop her from running off. He had wanted so badly to help her there and then! But he had reluctantly recognized that this probably would have made things worse if he had forced it. He had told himself that he would find her once she had calmed down some.

However, that time had never come. He was almost certain she was having a say in his schedule again, because he never seemed to be working close by to her. She had also not visited him to inspect his progress or to talk since then. And unfortunately, her recharge pod was in a separate section from him, so he could not visit her when they retired for the night. (Why the drones were split between “male” and “female” when they all had the same body types was beyond him, but humans would be weird.)

In short, the head maid was clearly avoiding him, and he knew how stubborn she could be. She was only going to approach him when she felt she was ready, and was now doing everything in her power to avoid them talking any sooner. So if he wanted answers, then Tessa was going to be his best chance. And if the teenager knew nothing about this, it would be good to get her into the loop.

Having a plan made him feel a little better... but he was still stuck wondering what had happened. She had seemed mostly fine coming in, if a bit more twitchy than normal. But after a few words, she fell apart too quickly for him to comprehend what had happened.

Was... it something he had said? But he had not said anything unusual. All he did was accept her apology. And yeah, she had seemed in disbelief that he did so that quickly, but it seriously was not a big deal for him! It was not even one of those occasions she had kicked him, and he had forgotten to get word to her that Tessa was taking him aside for something.

So then... what had set her off?

N did not have the answer for that. So instead, he just sighed and continued on his way. He reached a set of stairs - the steps carpeted with the same red as the halls, and a large window on the mid-landing before the turn onto the next flight to the second floor. They were not large or overly fancy like those in the main entryway, but they were well-maintained regardless.

He ascended, not bothering with the wooden railings as he sprinted. Tessa’s room isn’t far from here. Just get up and go down a few hallways and hope she’s free. Whatever James and Louisa were up to did not seem to be affecting their daughter (for once), but who knew what she might be up to? So he wanted to get there fast in case she was planning to leave there.

He reached the landing, about to continue to the second floor... However, he paused for a few moments, his eyes drawn to the window. This staircase was near one of the sides of the manor, giving a good view of the swamp lands. The light rain helped to not obscure the sights too much... as unappealing as they were.

Even with these conditions, though, the butler was not quite able to spot the greenhouse properly. But if he went to the far left side and strained his optics, he could just make out the side of that glass building. He was sure the place once had a more disturbing purpose, thanks to the family history review he did over a week ago. But currently, it was used for the normal purpose of growing plants from all over the world that could not survive the marshes.

...And it was also the place where the cutest drone he ever knew worked. And now, as he had learned, was also where his sibling was going to start spending her time during the parties. No more dark basements or having to be alone... All in the hands of someone he trusted.

That thought made him smile a little again, warmth spreading from his core. To say he had been overjoyed to hear the news from Cyn would have been an understatement. When she had found him while he was helping to vacuum these last few days and given him the news, he had hugged her so tightly in joy. He had nearly forgotten to ease up a little for the sake of her joins, but her narrated giggles indicated she had not minded.

The butler had always hated that she was left alone during the parties and galas. And in a place like the library basement as well! The only thing down there was old junk like a dusty aquarium tank and old equipment that was made to look 21st century retro. (That era of human history had so much style!) There were not even dolls for her to play with like in Tessa’s room. Combined with leaking problems and some mutated bugs that roamed there...

Sure, he knew his sister broke out of there often, but she had told him it took time. He did not really understand what she did - she was very vague on the details - but given her limits, he fully believed that. Every time a party happened and he had downtime, his thoughts would always wander as he wondered if she had gotten out yet. If she did at all and was not simply left to sit on the floor doing nothing...

But now, he did not have to worry about that anymore! And it was all thanks to V giving Cyn a chance! Not only would she be able to stay somewhere more colorful, but she would be able to do a job to occupy her time as well. He had to admit that gardening was not one of the first things he would have thought of for her, but if there was anyone who could teach her about it, then it was the prettiest maid in the manor!

...Was that weird to say when they were all drones with good wigs and other accessories? After a moment, N shook his head, deciding he did not care. He was just glad that two people he cared about were trying to get along better. He was not blind to the fact V retained a little bit of her weariness around his sister from initial introductions. This would be perfect for them to do some proper bonding!

It was a nice spot of joy amid everything else happening around him... Though it unfortunately did not get rid of his current problems. His frown once more returning, he placed a hand on the window, silently wishing those two good luck with their teaching and learning in the future out there. Then, he turned and went back to going up the stairs.

I hope me and J can take after their example, he mused to himself as she reached the top. Whatever was going on with her, he would figure it out and give her the help she needed. And from there... perhaps they could mend things and he could finally prove to Cyn that J does not hate him.

But for that to get started, he needed Tessa. And so off he continued in the direction of her room, trying not to let memories or the lack of activity in the manor distract him.

-------

The good news was that Tessa was indeed in her bedroom when he arrived. He pressed his head against the door the moment he was in front of it, listening for signs of life. He even adjusted his audio receptors for a moment to ensure he caught the slightest turning of pages of a book in case she was reading.

Luckily, she was much more active than simply sitting around. He heard her shuffling around within, her voice also just audible, though indistinct, to him. He smiled with relief, having been worried he would have to go hunting around the manor for her. Not that he would have minded, but as acknowledged before, this was much easier!

He relaxed a little against the door, mentally preparing himself. I really hope you can give me some answers, Tessa. He took a moment to look around, seeing if there was anyone who was going to stop him. Most would not, but her parents sometimes took issue with them spending too much time with her and sent the drones of their group off early. This time, however, he... was almost hoping J might appear out of nowhere to tell him to find more work. Just a normal interaction between them.

The head maid was nowhere to be seen, however, nor the older Elliotts. Sighing, he went to reach for the door handle, ready to get things started... But he paused, briefly considering that... maybe he should make sure she was not changing clothes for once. Blush marks appeared on his visor, not wanting to start this conversation on such an awkward note. So he listened a moment longer, seeing if he could tell by the sounds within before knocking and potentially startling her.

As he did, though, and before he realized how creepy that might seem... he started to notice a few peculiar other sounds. Namely the sound of plastic being scraped and tapped over wood and against itself. He blinked, recognizing the noise from playing with Cyn before. It was the sound of one of the dollhouses being moved around, as well as dolls being shuffled.

That made him pause, momentarily confused. The teenager normally did not interact with the toys in her room. Was she finally doing something about them and about to move them into storage? Or was she looking for something and was moving them around? Listening more, however, he swore the sounds resembled that of dolls being played with.

He puzzled over this, wondering what had spurred this sudden desire to play... He soon got his answer, though, as he started to become aware of another voice inside. A very monotone one he was very familiar with...

His curiosity peaked, he adjusted the settings on his audio receptors a little more. They were quite sensitive like this, but it allowed him to finally make out the words being said as Tessa was in the middle of talking, putting on a fake British accent with a lowered voice. “-...‘till the tea is nice and hot! So stop your complaining, Lady Frensie!’”

“Pretend. Fake Annoyance. ‘How dare you speak to me this way, butler!’” Cyn replied, unable to do voices but obviously playing a character. “Fake glare. ‘I demand to speak to your mistress! I shall ensure you never work again within the high class!’”

“‘As if my lady would ever be swayed by the likes of you!’” the teenager fake exclaimed. Then, she suddenly cleared her throat, speaking normally. “Um, do you want me to play Lady Olivia, or did you want to do it?”

“Shrug. It would probably be better if you did it,” the gangly drone replied, followed by the sound of another doll being picked up. “Slight pout. You are better at playing characters than I am. You give them such life that I cannot.”

N could imagine Tessa’s slight flinch. “Sorry about that.”

“Head shake. Earnest. Don’t be,” Cyn insisted. “This has been incredibly fun! Happy grin. You are putting in as much effort as N does when he plays with me! I appreciate that deeply.”

He swore he could picture the surprised look on the teenager’s face as she spoke. “O-oh! Uh... Great, then!” She chuckled a little. “I’ll be honest - I wasn’t sure how into this I would be able to get. I haven’t really done anything like this in years. Girly activities kind of died out for me the moment I learned how to hold a wrench.”

“Light giggle. Something we are all grateful for here,” his sister responded. He heard her shuffle, likely handing over another doll to the human. “Playful glare. Now, be sure you get this role right. Lady Olivia is on the butler’s side. Make sure her disdain for Lady Frensie is perfectly audible. She is not scared of the other’s station.”

Tessa hummed, getting right into character. At that point, though, the butler felt he had heard enough and turned his audio receptors back down to a reasonable level. He stepped back from the door, his core feeling... lighter from hearing that. A fresh smile had made its way to his face, and it felt like it might actually last a good minute.

It seemed that V was not the only one interested in spending more time with Cyn now. He did not know what inspired this sudden interest in doing so, but he was not complaining! As much as he loved spending time with his sister... she deserved more people willing to spend time with her alone. Something she had been hesitant to do for a long time now, for some reason - he assumed shyness. But now, it seemed she was branching out from him.

Now, if only J would be willing to give her a chance...

That thought also had the effect of reminding him why he was here. Taking a deep breath, he did his best to maintain his smile, not wanting to cause any disturbances immediately. Then, once he was sure he was presentable, he opened the door quietly and stepped in.

Once he had gotten through the small entrance area, he spotted the other two easily enough. They were set up on the floor, both laying on their stomachs facing one another with their legs kicking in the air. Next to them was a white and beige dollhouse, complete with three stories, and opened down the middle to reveal the interior. Various places ranging from dining rooms to bathrooms were present with fancily designed plastic and fabric furniture. He was not an expert, but he wanted to say it was... 17th century British, not specifying an era.

In their hands were three dolls - two with Tessa, one with Cyn - with a pile next to the drone. Not having noticed him yet, the teenager was still in the middle of roleplaying, shaking around a female doll in a white dress and with blond hair as she spoke in a high pitch. “-...‘will accept no further insults from you! Leave my estate, or I shall use my influence to raise hell upon you!’”

“Fake scoff. ‘As if you could ever threaten me!’” the gangly drone replied. She turned her doll around - another female, though in a green dress - and moved it around like it was walking away. “Fake anger. ‘But I will not waste my time here any longer! This shall not be the last you hear from me, Lady Olivia!’”

“‘And good riddance to you!’” Tessa continued in that fake accent of hers. She then had that doll face the other one she had - male with a black suit and brown hair. “‘Oh, my dear George! How I hope you did not suffer too long serving that wench! I should never have put you on that duty!’” She lowered her voice and moved the male doll. “‘Oh, my dear! When I serve you, there is no suffering to be had.’”

She increased her pitch again, moving the female doll closer. “‘Oh, George...’” She brought both dolls together... and smushed their faces against one another. She made kissing noises as she rubbed the two plastic toys together.

Cyn tilted her head at this, setting her doll down. “Raised eyebrow. This was not meant to be a forbidden romance story...”

The teenager scoffed playfully. “Ah, come on! Who doesn’t like a bit of found romance between different classes of people? It’s a classic! Even I’ve read one or two in my time.” She chuckled a little. “Lord knows going for lower class is the only way I’m going to find love at this rate.”

N, who had come up near them but just out of their peripheral vision, finally made his presence known as he smiled at them. “So I’m guessing the suitors didn’t work out?”

The other two jumped, his sister even narrating “ surprised exclamation ” when she did, as they turned to look at him. Once they saw who it was, though, they both relaxed and smiled. Tessa sat up on her knees, waving him over. “N! When did you get here? And don’t you know it’s rude to sneak up on a girl?”

“Sorry - I couldn’t resist,” the butler said, walking over and kneeling so he could be pulled into a hug. Once that was done, he pulled back and gestured to the setup. “Besides, I didn’t want to disturb you guys in the middle of a scene.”

That seemed to make the teenager realize what he had walked in on. She blushed, rubbing the back of her neck while also playing with her black hair, giggling nervously. “Ah. You... saw all of that, did you?”

N shrugged. “Just the part where ‘Lady Olivia’ came in to defend her butler from an evil lady.” He smiled softly. “Reminds me of a certain someone...”

Tessa returned his soft smile. “The serving staff always deserve some more respect.” Her smile then became more of a smirk. “Are you implying, though, that you want to be kissed like George here was, though?”

It was the butler’s turn to blush, eyes widening as he backed up a little, waving his arms. “Wha-? N-no, of course not! Like, I- No offense, of course! But I... You’re human, and I’m a drone, and not to mention I only see you as a friend, and-”

He was saved somewhat as the teenager laughed, punching him playfully on the shoulder. “I know, N! I’m just teasing. God knows it's obvious you have your heart set on someone else!”

N’s blush only got deeper, looking down in embarrassment as he crossed his arms. “It’s... my core, not my heart. But... I guess... Maybe... Possibly...”

Tessa continued to look at him with amusement. But thankfully, he was given a way out of answering properly as he felt a tug on his sleeve. He looked to the side, seeing that Cyn had moved closer to him, giving him the best doe eyes she was capable of. “Pouting. Needy. Do I not get a hug, too, big brother?”

The butler smiled, pushing down his blush as he pulled his sibling closer and hugged her against his chest. “Of course you do! It’s a crime that I waited this long!”

His sister narrated a “giggle” as she jerkily returned the embrace. He sighed, always enjoying hugging the smaller drone. She may have her problems with emoting and such, but at times like these, he could feel every ounce of care she had for him. It made him smile all the more, petting at her hair.

Deciding to let her decide when the hug should stop, he turned his head back to his friend/owner, looking at her curiously. “So what prompted this little play session anyway? It was cute and all, but... I thought you didn’t like playing with your dolls anymore.”

Tessa blinked, suddenly seeming a bit... self-conscious. She rubbed her arm, clearing her throat as she tried to explain herself. “Um... Well, you see, I was... There wasn’t anything special behind it. It was-”

Her explanation was cut off by Cyn, who looked up at him. “Grin. Teasing. She felt bad after you revealed you know she did not like me at first. So she decided to arrange a playdate to make up for that and show that... I’m welcome.” Her usual monotone seemed to waver at the end, as though she... was surprised to even be saying those words.

Before he could question that, Tessa sputtered, looking at the smaller drone in shock. “Wha-? How did you know about that?!”

“Smirk. I was hidden under your bed when you were talking about it once,” the gangly drone revealed.

That made the teenager blink. “...Do you mean when I was talking with J? How did you do that? I was in my room all day at that point - even my food was brought to me. I never saw you.”

Cyn only shrugged vaguely. “Shrug. Mischievous. I am a very sneaky drone. No one is better at stealth than I am!”

N chuckled, rubbing the top of her head. “Of course you are, little buddy! You’ll be a ninja one day!” After a few more narrated laughter from his sister, he looked at the human again, a few different emotions in his core. “You... really did this because of me?”

Tessa sighed, still rubbing her arm. “Yeah... I mean, it’s not me just doing it for you. It’s more that your comment spurred me on to do what I should have done a long time ago. She’s a member of our group like you, V, and J. She deserves more attention than I’ve given her in the past.” She hummed, looking at the yellow-eyed drone. “She’s honestly not bad company, once you get past the strange... unease you get looking at her.”

...The butler blinked a few times. “What unease?”

The teenager’s face scrunched in confusion. “Hm? Have you never felt it? It’s... How do I describe it? There’s sort of a... feeling that she can exude that...” Upon seeing that the male drone was only getting more lost, she sighed again. “Well, I guess it doesn’t matter. After a while, I barely even noticed it.”

N frowned, looking down at his sister who... seemed to have an awareness in her eyes like Tessa was making complete sense. He, on the other hand, had no clue what to make of it. Thinking back, though... he thinks he remembers V and J mentioning something similar in passing. He had never given it much thought, but... he did wonder at times why it took a while for people to start approaching her.

He honestly had no clue what they were talking about, though. It was Cyn! An adorable drone who, despite her defects, just liked having fun playing with dolls and watching shows on the internet! How could anyone think of her as threatening?

Maybe I can ask around later, he figured, hoping that might yield him some answers. For now, though, he sat down as his sibling finally pulled away from him, smiling at the two. “Well, regardless, I’m happy you guys are hanging out more! So, did you guys want to keep playing? I can join in if you’d like! I’m all done with my tasks for the day and-”

He cut off then, eyes widening as he... realized he almost forgot his purpose in coming here. Which, in a way, was kind of good because it meant he was not acting all depressed. However, as much as he did not want to ruin their fun, he... could not exactly ignore what he had seen with J.

He realized he had gone silent for a bit too long when the teenager’s eyebrows furrowed, now looking at him with a hint of worry. “Uh, N? You good there?”

Noticing that Cyn was staring at him, too, the butler sighed, slumping a little as he settled more on the floor. “Actually, I... wanted to talk to you about some things. Important things.” He winced, looking at the dolls sadly. “I’m sorry. If I had known you two were having fun here, then...”

Tessa’s green eyes widened, quickly shaking her head as she put a hand on her shoulder. “Oh, nonono! Don’t be like that! I’m happy to help.” She studied his face closely. “It really must be important. It’s not often I see you like... Well...”

“I know,” N murmured, looking away. He then felt his sister back at his side, wrapping her arms around him. She gazed at him while narrating “encouraging look, ” which made him smile a little. It gave him a little bit of courage as he took a few breaths, bracing himself for the talk he was about to have. Robo-God, I hope I don’t sound like I’m being paranoid...

Although, he supposed he could ease into the main topic by staring with the smaller matter he had noticed. Figuring that might work out best, he looked between them, trying to explain himself. “Alright. So... Okay, it’s not what’s been bothering me the most, but... First, do you know what’s going on around the manor? Everything’s been... quiet. Do you know what’s up with your parents?”

Based on the teenager’s expression, he had a feeling she knew he was stalling. (It was kind of true, but he was genuinely curious about what was up.) Despite this, however, she shrugged while turning fully toward him while they sat. “They haven’t said anything to me directly yet. But I’ve overheard them talking a lot to people on calls in their rooms. It seems that there has been some important stuff going on with JCJenson.”

“Head tilt. Sarcastic. Have they lost a few hundred dollars from the billions within their profits?” Cyn asked, her smile twitching as it tried to become a proper smirk.

Tessa snorted. “Don’t think so, no. I didn’t really stick around in case one of them came out and noticed me, so I don’t have any details. But if I had to make a guess based on the lack of activity around here... they might have a business trip coming up. One that’s going to take them away from Earth.”

That certainly caught the two drones’ attention, who exchanged looks. N leaned in, suddenly more intrigued. “Off-world? Are you sure?”

“Like I said - it’s only a guess,” the teenager stressed. “But... the level of preparation they seem to be doing is about the same. My guess, though, is that they’re trying to see if they can get out of it and do whatever it is virtually. You know how they are.”

The butler hummed, knowing it was true. The older Elliotts had been to other planets before - Louisa had even mentioned Iron-5 four days ago. However, none of that had been in his time serving them. They preferred to keep most of their business within the manor, despite the outside’s dreary conditions. And when they did leave, it was typically somewhere else on Earth, where they could be back in a few days - a week or two tops.

But having to leave the planet was a different story, he knew - from reading if nothing else. For all the advancements made by the 31st century, traveling through space took time. Plus, if they had to go off-world, then that meant that the matter had to be more complicated than a meeting or two could fix. That meant it would be several weeks to months before they would be back, assuming this theory was true.

Of the drones in their group, only J had been around for one of these trips. The rest of them had only ever seen them go on normal, in-atmosphere trips. (Plus one to a moon colony, but what did that count for these days?) It was why he tried not to jump to conclusions despite what it seemed like. But now that he was hearing the idea out loud...

Apparently on the same line of thought as he was, Cyn piped in again. “Curious. If that is the case, then... what does that mean for you? Expectant look.”

Tessa shook her head. “Not much, really. I certainly won’t be allowed to go with them.” She grimaced... glancing down at some bruises on her arm, which were thankfully nearly healed. “It’s already a ‘risk’ for them to take me out for some of their trips here. But going out into space where the laws get a whole lot more complicated?” She gave a humorless snort. “Well, needless to say, I won’t have to pack my suitcase. I’d probably get a slap just for asking.”

N grimaced, with his sister narrating the same. Still, he shook his head and tried to focus on the obvious positive there. “That’s... pretty messed up. B-but hey! At least you get to have the place to yourself for a while in that case!”

The teenager’s giggle was more sincere this time. “Don’t get my hopes up, now.”

“Good-natured. Or mine,” Cyn added, looking down at her hands. “Wistful. Slightly pained. That sounds like a wonderful thing. No getting locked up anywhere... or having to worry so much about my defects.”

The other two’s eyes softened as they looked at the gangly drone. The butler in particular sighed, resting his hand on her shoulder, unable to help being a little wistful himself. “Yeah. That sounds great, little buddy, huh?”

Tessa pursed her lips, not appearing to know what to do with the situation she had made. Meeting his optics, she sat up, able to manage another soft smile. “Well... here’s to hoping, I suppose. It shouldn’t be too much longer before one of my parents finally tells me what’s up.”

N smiled back, nodding to her. He really hoped that the prediction was right - more for their benefit than his. While he got some pretty rough treatment from the older Elliotts... it was nothing compared to what they got. So if there was even a chance they might have a break from it, even if only for a few weeks...

He almost wanted to ask more about what one of these trips entailed for them. Though, he held his tongue, not wanting to raise hopes too high in case what they were seeing was not that. Plus... he had skidded around the topic he came here for long enough. And he was feeling at ease enough now to bring it up.

It must have shown on his face, too, since Tessa, one of the best people at reading him, sent him a knowing look. “Anyway, though... you want to talk about why you really came here?”

“I did come here about your parents, too!” the butler defended, even though there was no accusation to her tone. “This other thing is just... It’s more important to me.” His free hand started to fidget with his suit, trying not to lose his nerve now that he had it.

The teenager started frowning, with his sister mirroring the expression. “Jeez, N. What’s got you like this?”

Looking to the side, N bit his lips, managing to keep a hold of his resolve. Then, he slowly asked his question. “Have... you guys noticed anything... wrong with J lately? Like, anything specific with her... behavior? How she acts? I don’t know - that sort of thing?”

...He was not sure what reaction he expected from the question. But when he looked at the teenager... while she looked surprised, he swore it was not as much as it should have been. Not for a question pertaining to the oldest drone of their group. The same could also be said for Cyn, whose blank expression hid some of her thoughts... though the brief tension in her gave a different impression.

It made him perk up, a contradictory mixture of relief and caution filling him as he looked at them. “You guys do know something, don’t you? Or at least have noticed that she’s been acting different? Do you know why?” He scooted closer to the human, putting on his best pleading expression. “Please - I think she needs help. And I tried to talk to her about it, but now she’s avoiding me, and-!”

“Whoa, whoa - slow down there, mate!” Tessa exclaimed, waving her hands before her. Once he shut up, she took a deep breath, her eyes studying him as though to find... something. “First, why don’t you tell me what happened? I want to hear what you think is going on before anything else.”

The butler groaned, rubbing a hand down his visor in a rare show of annoyance. “That’s just it, though - I don’t know what’s going on!” He looked down, the hand around his sibling tapping along her plating, which she did not protest. “I’ve tried to think back on if there were any signs, and... I guess she was being a little distant. A bit quieter. But I didn’t think much of it at the time. I just thought she was busy. It wasn’t like she had stopped giving some reprimands.

“But then four days ago, she visited me at the bar room after Louisa made me practice some drink recipes. And it was so... bizarre. She sat down like she was relaxing! She apologized for something last week, which, hey, I definitely appreciate! But it felt so out of nowhere and I know there’s more to it than yelling at me over some missed jobs she was saying sorry for! And at the end, she...” He shook his head, still unable to believe what he was saying. “She... she ran out close to crying. I’ve... never seen her like that and it... it has me freaked out.”

He sighed, pinching the area where his nose would be. “Now I can’t find her, and... I’m just worried, you know? Something obviously has her more stressed than usual, and it's rusting her from the inside. I want to make sure she’s okay, but I don’t even know what the issue I’m approaching is about...”

Tessa watched him the entire time through his explanation, her expression seeming to fall more the longer he went on. And once he finished... she sighed heavily, looking down sadly as she whispered. “Oh, J...”

That caught the butler’s attention, looking at her desperately. “So... do you know what’s wrong with her? Can you tell me?”

The teenager seemed highly conflicted at that, hugging herself. Eventually, though, she sighed once more and shook her head. “I have... a good idea of what’s going on with her. But it’s... also kind of a private matter I don’t think she’d like me sharing with you. And I don’t think it’s something you should hear from me, anyway.”

N deflated at this, hanging his head as his visor dimmed. “Oh...” was all he could manage. That would just be his luck, huh? He could not ask too much about the problem because it was personal to J. So he really was stuck having to wait for her to come to him... which could take who knows how long.

Cyn, sensing his mood, hugged him a little tighter. Then, though, she tilted her head at him, her frown seeming a little more pronounced. “Inquiry. Suspicious. She did not yell at you during your interaction, did she?”

The butler sent her a slightly reproaching look. While he appreciated her looking out for him, now was not the time for that! But still, he sighed and answered her. “Not at first. She... got a little worked up with how quickly I accepted her apology for some reason, but she was more baffled than angry. The only time she yelled was when I tried to stop her from leaving, which was my own fault.”

He instantly became aware of the wide-eyed look both girls were giving him. His sibling blinked at him, her narration tick seeming to malfunction at that moment from her shock. “You accepted it? Immediately?”

N raised a digital eyebrow, not understanding why they were so surprised by that. “Um... Yeah? Why wouldn’t I?”

Tessa cleared her throat, seeming to choose her words carefully. “Well, it’s just... I mean, she’s not the kindest to you in general. So... you would have been well in your rights to not accept it. Most humans in your position would not. I can’t imagine many drones would, either.”

The butler could only shrug. “Then I guess I’m not like most humans and drones. I wasn’t going to just brush her off with how nervous she was! And the whole thing was pretty minor to begin with. So again, why would I not accept her apology?”

“Deadpan. Because she treats you like you’re dirt,” Cyn supplied. “There are only so many ways this can be said by us so that you can understand.”

Rolling his eyes, he looked at his sister. “Cyn, we’ve been over this - J doesn’t hate me. And don’t lie to me - I know that’s what you were implying there! She’s harsh, yes, and do I wish that she was a little less abrasive at times? Sure! But being petty about it isn’t going to solve anything between us.”

His sister pushed away from him, her blank eyes seeming to harden a little. “Glare. Neither is you rolling over and not making her work for these things. Angered huff. You’ll make it seem like she can treat you however she wants, and it will all be fine because you’ll forgive her immediately.”

N frowned, actually feeling... a little hurt by that view of him. “Do you not think I am capable of putting my foot down?”

That seemed to make Cyn pause, tensing a little as she seemed to realize what her words implied. Before she could respond, though, Tessa spoke up and pulled his attention. “Of course you are, N! You can be quite the strong drone around guests or rude drones. I’ve seen it.” She sighed wearily. “I don’t get why J seems to be a bit of an exception to that in your mind, though. I... know how much she hits you, and...” She trailed off, looking down after a moment with an expression that best resembled shame.

The butler’s eyes softened, scooting closer to her though not reaching out yet. “Hey, what’s that look for? Do... you feel bad about that? For not saying anything, I mean? It’s fine! I-”

“It isn’t fine, N,” the teenager stated firmly, meeting his gaze. “I know I should have said something before. I thought she would move past doing all of that, and I didn’t want to cause drama. But I was wrong, and I’m sorry that I never talked with you about it.”

N blinked, feeling... He was not sure, really. There was a part of him that felt... nice that his pain there was being acknowledged. He always kept quiet about it, never bringing up the topic himself when they were together. He had not wanted to put the human in an uncomfortable spot, caught between two drones she cared deeply about. But hearing her address it herself and taking his side...

However... he still felt like the other two were missing the point with him regarding J. So with a sigh, he stood up, looking down at both of them. “Look, I appreciate you guys’ concern, but... J is hardly some monster. I... I know you’re right about the hits and insults not being okay. She’s not doing it out of malice like James and Louisa, but... it isn’t fine. I recognize that. And maybe I should have held my ground with her a little longer.”

He took a deep breath, looking to the side distantly. “But despite everything... she’s my friend just like both of you. I’ve seen evidence before now that she does care about me, despite not always coping with her issues the best. It’s why I put up with it all - maybe too much until now, but still. And I don’t want to just cut her off if she truly wants to apologize for some past incidents. Because I know she means it.

“So I want to help her with whatever she’s going through. Because despite what she might claim out loud, she would do the same for me if I came to her.” He turned back to the girls, giving a small smile. “I’ll manage if you don’t want to tell me anything about it. But... please trust me to be able to handle things with her. Okay?”

Tessa and Cyn seemed more shocked than ever, with the latter even gaping without narrating it. Once they recovered, though, the former gave a shaky smile, reaching out and grabbing her hand. “N... Your heart is too big for your own good sometimes. But dear God, I love you for it.”

The butler chuckled sheepishly, rubbing the back of his head. “Ah, thanks... Though again, it’s my core, not my heart.”

The teenager giggled lightly. “Of course...”

The gangly drone watched them, narrating her feelings with “amused. ” But then she looked down, grabbing and fiddling with a doll. “Guilt. I... am sorry if I insulted you, big brother. I do not like how she treats you, and... But I should have phrased it better.”

Eyes softening, N knelt beside her and patted her on the head. “Don’t worry about it, sis. I know you’re just worried.” He took another breath, giving a resolute nod. “And I’ll do my best to really make sure she doesn’t walk all over me in the future, okay?”

Cyn’s optics met his own. “Pleased. You promise?”

“Absolutely!” the butler answered, giving her one last pat before standing back up. “Still, I hope you two can get along better someday. I’m telling you, J isn’t that bad despite how she’s treated me. You should try hanging out with her sometime.” He chuckled, glancing at the dollhouse on the floor. “You seem to be doing a good job getting the others to hang out with you so far, at least. What’s one more?”

His sister smiled, rubbing the back of her head. “Sheepish smile. It has... been a surprise to even myself.”

Tessa giggled at their interaction, standing up as well. “Right then. So then, N - how about a little proposal? I might not be able to tell you what J is exactly going through - though I hope you have some guesses - but how about I help you with finding her in the next couple of days?”

N perked up, smiling excitedly at her. “Really? Are you sure that’s fine? I mean, if she needs her space and all...”

The teenager sighed. “I love J... but she can get quite wrapped up in her own head sometimes. Getting you to interact with her at least a little bit will likely do her some good, even if she wants to avoid the problem some more.” She nodded, heading over to her dresser. “So let's see if we can’t find some time in her schedule, yeah? Let me just grab-”

Further words were cut off as the door to the room suddenly slammed open... and the harsh voice of the manor’s matriarch called out. “Tessa James Elliott! We need to talk!”

They all froze, the human’s eyes widening while the drones’ digital ones became hollow rings, punctuated by a narrated “dread” from Cyn. In the next instant, though, Tessa was back beside them, standing at attention with her hands clasped before her in practiced propriety. The butler, meanwhile, similarly straightened out with his hands behind his back... while also putting himself in front of his sibling. She could not take proper stances due to her limbs, so he tried to help by shielding her from view and keeping attention off of her.

A moment later, Louisa Elliott made her way into the room, standing before her daughter. She wore a similar black and white dress as he had seen a few days ago, and had her trademark folding fan in her hand. However... she seemed more irritated than normal, if that was even possible. If looks could kill, those brown eyes would have reduced them to smoldering ash on the floor with how intense they were.

N shivered internally, but kept his expression as schooled as possible. It was never a good idea to show weakness around this woman, even with what privileges he had. He did risk glancing at Tessa, though... and his core ached from the small tremors going through her body, barely noticeable. Her arms in particular seemed twitchy, as though her fading injuries were suddenly feeling more painful again.

He meant what he said about her being tough over a week ago... but never could he blame her for being scared around the woman who gave birth to her. (He often referred to Louisa as her mom... though that often felt insulting to motherhood. That woman was perhaps the furthest thing from what a mom should be like that it was possible to be, based on what he had read.) He wished he could hold her hand right now to try and make her feel better. He kept still, however, to ensure neither of them got in trouble.

After glaring down at Tessa for a moment, the matriarch huffed with displeasure, snapping her fan open and holding it in front of her. “First... I’ll have you know that none of your potential suitors from the party have contacted us again. It seems you’ve failed to impress them... again .”

The teenager flinched, looking down meekly. “I... I’m sorry, mother. I tried my best. I-”

“You had better hope it was not your ‘best,’” Louisa interrupted coldly. “If that was the ‘best’ you could do, then our family line is doomed. I expect a better performance from you in the future. If not...” She did not say anything further... but her eyes flickered over to the two drones in the first sign of acknowledging them, something dangerous flashing in her gaze.

For a brief second, N could not help but let his fear show on his visor. Worse still, the older woman seemed to enjoy that reaction... And to his despair, the teenager noticed, too. Her eyes widened in panic, shaking her head rapidly as she spoke in a rush. “N-no! Please, I’ll do better next time, I-I promise! D-don’t... don’t hurt them!”

Louisa stared at her, a sick satisfaction in her eyes. “You had better hope you can. Lord knows why we tolerate most of your pets... Especially those more deserving of the piles outside.” She sent a pointed look toward Cyn as she said this, nose wrinkling in disgust.

Said drone flinched, a crackle coming from her voice box as she pressed herself closer to her sibling. The butler risked taking her hand behind his back, his core pounding. He could feel how his display wanted to show a glare at the older human for insulting his sister, but he held it back. We have to keep quiet unless she addresses us properly. Otherwise, we’ll end up in the repair bay... or tied to the Crow Tree.

After letting her threat hang over them all for a moment, the matriarch proceeded to huff, turning to the side and pacing a little. “Luckily for you, Tessa, you’re about to have ample opportunity to practice your flirting and courtesy while me and your father are away on an important trip.”

“A trip?” Tessa asked, as though she had not worked that out from partially spying on them. N was also paying more attention now, not wanting to miss any details about this confirmation of their theory before.

Louisa huffed, clearly none too pleased about the news she was delivering. “There have been recent developments with some of the outer space colonies. They’re apparently getting ideas of trying to go more independent from JCJenson products and manufacturing.” She snapped her fan closed in anger. “More specifically... they’re trying to break away from using our brand of drones. For ‘convenience and costs,’ they say. They’re even willing to declare independence from ESCG to do so.”

That certainly made the butler’s eyes widen briefly. It was no secret how deeply JCJenson was rooted in the expansion of humanity across space. From drones, office supplies, building equipment, and much more, they had a virtual monopoly on directing colonization. Just recently, they had gotten into making smaller space pods as well. Even the ESCG - Earth Space Colony Government - officially recognized their contributions and gave them official authority in the matter. (Just another reason the Elliotts were as rich as they were.)

So hearing that some colonies were trying to get out of their grasp was interesting to hear. Such things usually came with a lot of red tape to get through, especially regarding drones. As such, most did not bother with it and followed the slow easing of some restrictions promised by remaining stable for a certain number of years. However... the idea that there were now several worlds looking to become more self-reliant, and even break from the ESCG...

Even Tessa was shocked, gaping a little at her mother. “They can actually do that? I thought that hasn’t worked for planets in the past?”

“The last threat of mass succession was nearly a century ago,” the matriarch responded, her tone more appropriate for someone far younger than Tessa. “Times and technology have changed since then. I would have thought your lessons would make you better educated on such matters.” She glanced at her daughter, disapproval evident.

It was enough to remind the teenager of who she was speaking to. She shuffled back a little, pursing her lips. “I-I’m just surprised is all. The whole thing is... unprecedented.”

“‘Unprecedented’ is the right word,” Louisa bit out, turning back toward her child. “Everyone is running around clueless about what to do about it! The ESCG is not eager to lose its power over some of those star systems - some of which are actually quite valuable to them. The ripples it would cause in commerce and trade could cause their structure to collapse.” She huffed once more. “And more importantly, it’s going to eat into our bottom line if they succeed, bringing JCJenson into question as well.

“That’s why your father and I have been asked to be there at the negotiations in person. The officials in the government wish to have our input to try and help these colonies see reason and not try to break away - at least the ones that have value. Plus, we need to evaluate these alleged drones they wish to make for themselves to ensure there is no competition. A few quick... evaluations of their designs.”

By that, N was pretty sure she meant stealing them. From some of the reviewing he did with Tessa last week, he knew it would not be the first time they took plans from other companies and patented them illegally. (All attempts to sue or take legal action against this going nowhere, naturally.) But as ever around the older woman, he kept his mouth shut. I’m not even going to question a big corporation being at a negotiation table about governance. They just have... so much power.

The younger Elliott tilted her head, daring to speak again. “Why in person, though? Could you not join these negotiations virtually?”

“Believe me - we tried to argue for that,” Louisa said with a scowl. “But the ESCG Council was insistent that our physical presence was needed. To show that they are ‘taking the grievances of these worlds and their reasons for wanting to leave seriously.’ Especially with how tied we are to those systems' reasons for wanting to secede. They’re also making good on some favors we owe them for all the great deals we have with them for our products. So as much as I hate it, our hands are tied on this.”

The woman shook her head, her displeasure about this all seeming to grow every second. N, however... felt a small bit of satisfaction that he tried to bury. A quick glance over at Tessa, though, showed she was feeling much the same before she wiped that emotion off of her face. Cyn also probably would have expressed it if her ability to emote worked properly.

It was just nice, every once in a while, for the older Elliotts to be forced into situations they had no control over. For them to have their arms twisted, even if only a little. It served as a reminder that, for all of their wealth and influence, they were not completely untouchable. That there was hope that they might be free from their shadows sooner than when they died. (A small, very unlikely hope... but it was there.)

So seeing this irritation was enjoyable, even for him... But it also made him weary. The matriarch was known to lash out in rage when in a mood like this... and she had three prime targets for that right in front of her.

No blows came yet, though, as she stepped up in front of her daughter, her gaze cold. “This is going to be a rough time for your parents, Tessa. As such, I expect you to be on your best behavior while we’re gone. If I hear any word of misbehavior from the staff, you can expect severe consequences. Do you understand?”

Tessa gave a simple nod. “Yes, mother. I’ll behave. Nothing in the manor will be out of place when you get back.”

“It had better not be,” the matriarch said threateningly. She turned around, her fan snapped open as she took a step or two toward the door. “James and I will be leaving tomorrow morning. You will be in the entryway to say goodbye. Be there no later than 8:30 to wait on us.”

“Yes, mother,” the teenager said again, bowing now. Then, after a moment... she asked one more question. “Though, mother... how long do you think you’ll be gone?”

Louisa paused, turning her head slightly - not enough to face her daughter, but enough to show she was being addressed. “We have been told that this is a very turbulent situation. To make any sort of significant progress... we’re likely going to be gone for six months at a minimum. Longer, if these potential separatists want to drag things out.”

...Despite himself, N was unable to help blinking in awe. Six months? That was... That had never happened before! He did not think even J had been free of their presence for that long! He had been hoping it would be a month or two, but six? Looking at Cyn, he could see his sister also seemed amazed at this news.

Not even Tessa could hide her astonishment, eyes wide as she seemed to speak without thinking. “Six... six months? Are you sure?” There was a small sparkle in those green eyes - a smile trying to tug at her lips...

...The joy between the three vanished instantly, however, as the matriarch paused. The hand holding her fan lowered to her side, snapped shut again. She turned her head more, voice eerily calm. “...Are you happy that we’ll be gone so long, Tessa?”

The butler immediately felt his oil go cold, eyes hollowing as he realized their mistake. Hesitantly looking at the teen, he saw the terror quickly filling her eyes, all traces of a smile now gone. She took a step back, trying to stammer out a response. “I... N-no, of course n-”

That was as far as she got before a resounding crack went through the room, and she fell hard on the ground onto her side.

N gasped, looking at Louisa, who was now standing close to them again. He had not even noticed she had moved... nor seen her wind back her arm. She was reeling it back, though, with her fan still in hand... whose black wooden edges seemed to have the faintest bit of blood on it now.

On the floor, Tessa did not so much as gasp as she pushed herself onto her knees. She kept herself bent low, her hand now on her cheek with her face hidden from all of them. But even without being able to see her expression... the slight shivering of her body showed her state well enough. A drop of water fell to the floor about where her eyes were.

...And her mother looked pleased by this, holding her fan with both hands now as she spoke condescendingly. “You should not react that way to your parents leaving. We are opening the way for you to have a life of luxury when you’re older. This trip is basically a sacrifice for you that we’re making, and you should treat it as such. I will not tolerate your rebellious attitude on this matter.” She stepped closer, looming over her daughter. “Am. I. Clear?”

The teenager shook more, suddenly seeming like a much younger child. N felt his breath catch, his core pounding hard as he watched her struggle. He knew it could not be too bad - it was just one hit, hard as it was - but knowing how much the fresh wound had to be stinging... He almost took a step forward to help her up-

-only for some... force to yank him back. He nearly gasped, but managed to keep silent as he kept his footing. He looked behind him to see what the heck just happened, but found... nothing. Or, well, his visor appeared to glitch for a moment as some sort of... yellow static danced along his vision. But they were gone in less than a pico-second, leaving him to blink in confusion over what could have caused that.

It... was especially weird, because he swore the static was not directly in his optics, and instead had been in the air. Which was impossible, but-

Those thoughts cut off as he looked down at Cyn still behind him. His sister was gripping his hand tight with one hand, while the other moved to help grab his, too. (He wondered why that arm had been raised in front of her, seemingly.) Her normally blank eyes were hollowed with fear as she silently shook her head, seeming to physically be forcing herself not to narrate as her mouth twitched.

It was enough to make him come back to his senses, swallowing thickly. He still desperately wanted to check on Tessa, but... he knew he had to wait. If he moved, then... he would receive far worse punishment than a hit to the face. He could even end up scrapped, and... just picturing how the teenager would react to that...

Before he could contemplate that further, said girl finally spoke up, breaking the heavy silence that had fallen over them as she shakily responded to Louisa. “Y... yes, mother.”

The matriarch hummed, smiling for the first time since coming in. “Wonderful. See you in the morning, Tessa.” With that, she turned back around and marched away, once more opening her fan to blow some air into her face as she went. Though, not without one last glare at the drones, who stood at attention rigidly, which only seemed to make her smile more as she looked away.

It took all of N’s self-control to wait until she had left the room and the door had clicked shut, not moving an inch. The moment it did, though... he rushed to Tessa’s side, his arms hovering above her as she crouched and waited for permission to touch her, his voice frantic. “T-Tessa! Are you okay?! Speak to me!”

Said girl took a shuddered breath, pushing herself up more. She turned to look at him, lowering her hand and revealing her newest injury to him. He immediately felt sick to his core upon seeing it - a large, vaguely rectangular bruise upon her light brown skin. It was already a bad shade of black and blue, and within it, he could see a bit of blood leaking out.

Louisa normally did not go for the face like this. Aside from that being hard to explain to anyone willing to ask questions, it also ruined her daughter’s beauty, which would not help with finding suitors. However, with the large delay that it seemed they were going to have until the next party... she had made an exception this time. To remind the teenager why she should not keep “disappointing” her. It made his insides twist, hating how his friend had been left with such a terrible mark - and just when her arms were about to be fully healed, too.

And yet... despite her new injury, Tessa still found it in her to try and smile at him, even as tears continued to prick her eyes. “It’s... it’s okay, N. I’m fine. I just... need a minute.”

The butler felt digital tears spring in his optics. He helped her to sit down properly, with Cyn coming in on her other side and doing the same, albeit jerkily. The teenager proceeded to take a few deep breaths, wincing every time her cheek moved. The whole time, though, she kept trying to give the two drones reassuring looks... unfortunately undercut by the blood now running in thin lines down her face.

Sometimes... he wondered how she did it. How despite fifteen years of living in this place, she managed to stay so kind. How she had not become cruel like her parents. How she still had so much empathy. Sure, he still maintained an optimistic outlook, but... he was a drone. He doubted the abuse her parents put him through impacted him in the same way it did a human. Not to mention it had only been two years for him, and he had friends the whole time. She, on the other hand for most of her life...

He sighed, trying not to linger on those thoughts. Now was not the time for any of that. So instead, taking a breath of his own, he gave her a resolute look, speaking firmly. “I’m going to go find a first-aid kit. You just hang tight here.”

Tessa blinked at his change in tone, though soon relaxed as she tried to shake her head. “I can contact J or V, N. You don’t have to-”

“I’m getting the first-aid kit,” N repeated with more emphasis, standing up. He nodded at his sister. “Cyn, stay here and... try and keep her mind off of things. I’ll be back as quick as I can.”

Cyn nodded, giving a clumsy salute. “Determined. You got it, big brother. Please hurry.” She then proceeded to grab some dolls, holding them toward the human expectantly. “Distraction. So, Tessa? Would you like to continue the story of Lady Olivia and George’s forbidden love? I am very interested in seeing it. Uncertain smile.”

Tessa looked between them, seeming to struggle with what to say. After a while, though... she sighed and gave in. She smiled tiredly at the gangly drone, accepting some of the dolls. “Sure, Cyn. We can do that.” Her gaze went to the butler. “Just be careful, N. And once you get back, we’ll talk some more about J, alright?”

N nodded, giving her a quick salute. Then, he turned and ran to the door, wanting to get to that first-aid kit as quickly as possible before the bruise got too bad. He only paused in his rush for a second when peeking out into the hallway, making sure that Louisa was truly gone and would not impede him. With no signs of the matriarch, though, he proceeded to go out and sprint to where he knew they kept those supplies... He had been grabbing them for years, after all.

I wish we could keep one in her room, he lamented. But of course, her parents had forbidden it, just to make her and her drones have to work to help tend to her injuries. Just another way they showed her who was in charge and make her think better about crossing them. He gritted his teeth as he ran, wishing so badly he could do something to stop these things from happening. Anything!

...But he could not. He was only one worker drone whose parent company would scrap him and anyone who aided such an endeavor against their human masters. All he could do was deal with the aftermath of the abuse and... hope the next day would not be as bad. It was a cycle that made him feel powerless at times, and was not helped today by all of his concerns surrounding J.

But despite it all... he tried to keep his spirits up. After all, Louisa and James would not be around to hurt Tessa anymore for a long time. Tomorrow, the manor was going to be a much more peaceful place for the next couple of months. No threats of getting scrapped or meeting huge standards - just weeks of basic maintaining of the manor. And that in turn meant much more free time for all of them!

He clung to that idea as he made his way through the corridors, another faint, fleeting smile coming to his lips. A big opportunity was on the horizon for all of them, it seemed. Perhaps it would do them all some good and let them settle some disputes and regrets between them in their group.

And hopefully... that included settling things between him and J.

=======

The trudge into the manor was a blur for N. He was not sure when the mud on the ground was replaced by carpet beneath his feet, or when the rain stopped pelting him. All he knew was that he was inside now, water trailing behind him as he walked.

That yellow glow surrounded him now, bathing the corridors and casting stark shadows along everything. He could see it clearly now - holograms that showed long lines of code scrolling past, too fast for him to track. And behind them were... tendrils. Flesh and metal fused into one being, connected to claws and... cameras, whose lenses were hooded.

The latter faced away from him... and for some reason, that made his core twist up.

The feeling was barely noticed, however, amid the hunger and pain still in his system. He groaned, stumbling along as he felt something squirming inside of his systems. It was stronger now, feeling like it was going to burst out of his plating at any second. It made him want to fall to the ground and expel whatever substances were in his stomach. ( Wrong... Why was everything so wrong? )

But he did not stop. That need to fill the endless hunger within him kept him moving step by step, looking for something to feast on. He followed the screams that echoed everywhere, hoping it would take him to where he needed to be.

He just needed a little bit to eat. Then... maybe things would be okay. Maybe he would be able to think clearly and figure out what the hell was going on. He might remember what it was that he forgot outside that left him feeling hollow inside. Everything-

Then he spotted it right ahead of him. It was a human man, laying near-motionless on the floor. Their features were blurred in black static by his optics, but he could tell they were still breathing. The blood on the floor around them, though, indicated that they had been bleeding for some time and were weak.

It made for easy prey.

He moved forward, looming over the defenseless human in no time. The man seemed to look at him, gurgles of panic leaving his throat. He had no clue what happened to him and why he was left alive, but the drone was not about to complain. At last... he had a meal, his mouth salivating at the prospect. ( A voice started to hyperventilate inside of him, telling him not to do it. )

Grinning widely, he held up his hand, claws glistening in the yellow light. ( Since when did he have those? ) And then... he plunged them into the human’s chest. They cried out, their whole body spasming, but he paid it no heed as he pulled out the heart. The lump of red flesh gave one last beat after being separated from the body, covering his arm in blood. Before more could spill out, though... he stuffed it into his mouth, lapping up the liquid with his tongue.

A sense of euphoria started to fill him, shivers of delight starting to form... But mid-chew, he paused, still feeling that there was something... off. That there was something about this that he was missing. A hole in his thoughts-

{Access Denied: Memory is Prohibited. Suppre-}

{ni3nf9n38r4j8rnf4ownfu48n98wjnfu9r89-}

{...Command Overwritten By [Redacted]. Processing... ( ...N? )}

Suddenly, a sense of clarity hit him, making him stop his actions. Slowly, he pulled back his hand, looking at the sharp metal claws he had. He truly tasted the flesh in his mouth, that euphoria gone. He glanced down at the now-still body of the man he had just... just killed.

Somehow, he felt a little more normal. Not completely, but... he could think better... Realize what it was he had done.

And as that hit him... he proceeded to throw up blood and oil, feeling disgusting inside and out...

Chapter Text

Very rarely was there anything that would make every drone in the manor happy. When the threat of being scrapped hung over you for every step you took, then morale was usually never very high. Tensions were too high, and all focus was given to making sure tasks were not done in a way that would offend James and Louisa.

The most joy that many drones got was from avoiding certain jobs, or getting a day off to “let their circuits detangle themselves.” Those bits of joy could be snuffed out by last-minute job reassignments, however. (Fairly common after parties that got several drones destroyed.) And it was obviously not something they all could indulge in. So the options were very limited on what could cause good ripples among everyone.

V did not believe she had ever witnessed such an event. The closest she thought she had ever seen was on Tessa’s birthdays - mainly because her parents tried not to harm too many drones on those days so she would act happier with guests. Plus, the girl herself was extra dotting on the all during that time, which got some smiles from even some cynical workers. Still, she was not sure that was exactly a boost in overall morale.

Right now, however... she believed she was finally seeing such a boost.

In every hallway she had gone through, everyone seemed positively overjoyed. Even now, she witnessed the gusto in which a butler was dusting off a small shelf of books in the hallway, a wide smile on his face. Earlier, she had seen some groups openly laughing in this normally bleak place. Some usually reserved workers had even called out a good morning to her as she moved through, which she shyly returned as best as she could.

The last couple of days, the manor had been much more relaxed than normal, which had been surprising enough. But today, everyone seemed to be teeming with energy. It was like a bit of N’s coding had been added to everyone and was making them copy his demeanor. She was even half-expecting for the rainy sky outside to suddenly clear up and for sunlight to be pouring into everything, as ridiculous as that sounded.

And who could blame everyone for being so happy? They had all gotten the news before turning in for the night, after all, about what was happening. She was on her way right now to witness it in person, in fact, alongside Tessa and the others in their group. She was still having trouble believing it, but... the message saved in her processors did not lie.

The teenager’s parents were leaving the manor, and would be gone for the next several months. The only human that would grace these halls during that time was their daughter. Beyond that, it was up to the drones to watch over the place. There would be no guests and no parties during this time. And when they left... the threat of being scrapped went with them.

For the first time in her life... they were all going to be free of the abuse of the master and mistress - the dark shadow they cast over everything. No more injuries for Tessa, no having to worry about N at the bar, and no basement for Cyn for months. Heck, she even wondered if this would make J not be so hard on everyone (that was up in the air, though).

After today... they would all get a taste of being free from their control.

The maid could almost giggle, knowing that probably sounded a little dramatic. But then, there was a lot of truth behind it, too. She had never known what this place was like without the older Elliotts breathing down their necks. They left on trips before, sure, but they were never gone for longer than a couple of days. During those times, they were also expected to prepare for more galas and such, so that nothing “fell behind schedule.”

This prolonged absence was something else entirely. One that... she was quite eager to experience. The giddiness around the manor seemed to have infected her core as well, making it beat quite fast. She adjusted her glasses as she continued walking, making the next corner as a smile tugged at her lips. I just need to get through this send-off, and then... we’re free. Whatever that means in practice.

She had to admit, though, that she was a bit annoyed on Tessa’s behalf this morning. Because of course James and Louisa could not leave quietly. They had to make a whole thing about it where they said goodbye to their daughter as though they cared about her, and make sure there were enough drones there to make it a crowd. Robo-God forbid that the teenager got to enjoy her morning in peace! But she supposed it was a small enough price to pay, given the months ahead of them.

She was not so foolish as to think that everyone was going to get to slack off after today, of course. Even without parties and needing to serve their masters directly, this mansion needed to be maintained. If things were not kept at “base zero” for when the patriarch and matriarch eventually got back... She shuddered, expecting a lot of oil spilled for such an offense.

With only Tessa around, though, that should not be that hard. She doubted many drones around there would be foolish enough to make a big mess, either. If they were, then J or someone would still be here to set them straight. Really, the most difficult thing would be keeping the outside of the manor cleaned and maintained. Without having to fear being seen by guests and “ruining the view,” though...

The greenhouse probably also qualifies as a difficult task, V mused. But luckily for all of them, she was more than happy to keep that place maintained during this time. And with some additional help from her recent volunteer, too!

She paused, thoughts drifting over to Cyn and their encounter from several days ago. She shook off her stupor and kept walking, but she still replayed that event in her head. She... had been doing that a lot since then. That look of joy that had appeared in those normally blank yellow eyes stuck out in her processors - mainly because it... was the first time she had seen it without N being around, she had realized. One that had come with a bit of elation... though also some guilt.

She was still a bit shocked at the eagerness that the gangly drone seemed to have for joining her out there now. While she felt bad about it... she had been prepared for the other’s interest to die rather quickly after that night. The poor drone had been scared of being alone, after all, and the offer might have just seemed like a convenient excuse at the time to stay on her good side. With time having passed to think about it, however...

But best as she could tell, Cyn’s enthusiasm to do this had not dampened. On the contrary, every time they had bumped into one another since, the smaller drone kept asking about it. Even after confirming to her that J had approved of it, she seemed to worry that the opportunity would be taken away from her.

She was truly looking forward to this... Perhaps not necessarily for the gardening aspect - though she hoped a little bit of her passion rubbed off on the gangly drone. But rather... it was because they were going to spend more time together. To get to know each other properly when N was not there to steal both of their attention...

The maid could not deny she was rather flattered at this. She still felt bad that it had taken this long to find... well, anything for them to do together. But it was better late than never, she supposed. And it was going to have the added benefit of keeping Cyn from being locked away in the library basement as often, which was great for her!

...Assuming she could do the tasks in the greenhouse properly, anyway.

V frowned, not wanting to think about that line of thought. However... J had made some valid points when she made the request. The gangly drone did not have the best motor coordination, and some gardening required one to be... delicate. There were plenty of ways this could go wrong, involving certain, precious plants getting damaged in the process. Something that would get them both into trouble, since she was essentially her supervisor there now.

Still, better we cross that potential hurdle while James and Louisa are gone, she thought. Their absence would be perfect if any such mistakes were made. At least then, they only had to worry about scolding from J, and could hopefully fix the damage before the older Elliotts got home. Another benefit of the coming months!

A content sigh left her, barely able to comprehend all of the opportunities ahead for her. She did not even know what she would do with this coming freedom. There would be less work for her to do, and she knew Tessa would not scold her for wandering the manor. The possibilities seemed endless to her!

She could picture it now: more time to read to herself in the library; more opportunities to use the computers to find games or shows she might like; extra time spent with the teenager and everyone else in their group; more time... with N, as they wandered the manor alone and happy before he... he would pull her close, hold possessive as he smiled and leaned in to-

Sucking in a breath, she shook her head violently, trying to dispel the heavy blush on her visor. Once she calmed down enough, she sighed, focusing back on navigation. But still, her... imagination getting away from her at the end there aside, she was excited about all of these things. And there was probably more that she was not even considering!

But for all of that... she needed to get through this “farewell” nobody really wanted to do. So, as she neared the main foyer, she took a deep breath, plastering on her best polite smile in case the master and mistress were already there. Then, she moved forward through the last hallway and walked into the room from the ground floor.

The walls and floor were pretty much the same as most of the halls, with more golden designs on the red wallpaper to make it more fancy. The room was massive, matching the space of a big apartment and then some. To her left were the massive double doors that led outside. To her right, though, was a massive staircase, rich red carpet over every step and intricately designed wooden railings on the sides. The first set was wide enough for a dozen people to walk beside one another, leading to a landing that split off left and right onto balconies on the second floor.

Suits of armor and wall-mounted weapons of all sorts decorated both floors. (Two knights at the sides of the steps with lowered swords, she had to admit, were a nice touch.) The second floor also had tables covered in fancy china and other decorative pieces. Above the landing was a massive painting depicting the Elliott family from about three years ago in a golden frame. All of this was illuminated by perhaps the largest chandelier in the house with hundreds of little lights upon it, in addition to some scattered wall lamps.

The maid made her way across the shined tile floor with red carpets lying across it. Several worker drones were in the middle of some last-minute dusting and vacuuming, despite everything already looking rather clean. And unlike the other workers she had seen around, these guys had the normal look of stress she had come to associate with this place. Unsurprising, considering this was the last impression being given to the master and mistress. (They had to feel so unlucky being given this assignment while everyone else celebrated.)

Though looking around... it did not take her long to find some familiar faces. Coming down the stairs, she spotted both N and Tessa, talking quietly to one another. Optics immediately lighting up, she smiled and made her way to the bottom, waving and calling out as loud as she dared. “Hey! There you two are!”

The butler locked eyes with her, his smile immediately getting wider. He rushed down the remaining steps, immediately pulling her into a hug. “V! It’s so good to see you!”

...The maid swore her processors nearly overheated and caught fire then. Nonetheless, she shakily returned the embrace, trying to pretend the blush marks on her visor were not getting bigger every second. “H-hey, N. Good to s-see you, too.”

N pulled back, still smiling... before seeming to realize what he was doing. He gasped before stepping back with his arms raised, looking completely flustered as his blush mirrored her own, eyes slightly hollowed. “O-oh! I’m so sorry! I was... The last few days have been... And I just wanted to...”

V shook her head, not wanting him to think she had been uncomfortable. “N-no, no! It’s fine! I... really liked the hug.” She looked down, speaking quietly enough that she was not sure he would hear. “I wish you’d do it more often...”

Given the increase in his blush, she was willing to bet he heard that after all. The two of them looked around, arms behind their backs as they squirmed from being near one another. She felt her core pounding, making her oil run hot as more fantasies ran through her head. She could just picture what would have happened if that hug had gone on longer... Getting lost in one another’s optics as they brushed their lips together and...

...Robo-God, she was a hopeless romantic.

The embarrassment did not stop as Tessa reached the bottom of the steps beside them, snickering quietly. “Do I need to grab you two some extra coolant? Or are you fine with steam coming out of your heads?”

Whining a little, V turned to her. “C-can you please not say stuff like-?”

Further words died in her voice box as she looked at the human’s face, freezing up as her eyes went hollow. Up close... she now noticed the large bandage on her right cheek. And at the edges, she could see discoloration from the wound peeking out. The area seemed a little swollen as well.

All other feelings from a second ago vanished as she felt her artificial stomach drop. She put one hand over her mouth while her other reached tentatively out, her voice shaking. “Oh, Robo-God. Tessa, I... What happened?”

The teenager flinched, now seeming self-conscious about the wound as her hand went up to cover her cheek. Even so, though, she attempted to keep smiling and wave it off. “Ah... My mother didn’t like my tone over her leaving when she told me yesterday. Got... into a little bit of trouble for it is all.”

N sighed, coming up beside the black-haired girl and patting her shoulder. “Are the new bandages holding up okay? I know we kind of rushed checking the wound since you overslept a little.”

“They’re fine, N,” Tessa reassured. “But thank you for checking.” She then reached into a hidden pocket on her black dress, pulling out a touch-screen phone. (From what the glasses-wearing drone knew of old-Earth styles, she thinks it was based on an iPhone model? And lacked the ability to call anyone beyond the marshes, naturally.) Looking at the clock, she frowned. “Hm... 8:25. They’ll be here any minute now, I reckon.”

V frowned, too, glancing at the other drones as they finished up their work. “Should we take up positions, then? Where should we stand?”

“Near the door should be fine,” the teenager replied, pointing to the large entryway. “You two just stay at my sides, and it’ll all be over soon, okay?”

Both drones nodded, walking with her to the doors. The rest of the drones were also starting to move and form two lines on either side at the bottom of the stairway. It all seemed to be as expected, and nothing appeared out of place... But as she moved, she had this strange itch that something was missing. Or rather... someone.

That was when it hit her, eyes widening. Where the heck is J? She would have thought that the head maid would be leading the efforts here. Yet there was not a single sign of her anywhere, even on the second floor. Cyn she could understand being absent - it was likely requested that she be to not “offend” the older Elliotts. But J? The drone who took every opportunity to show her worth to their owners despite not liking them?

Something was off, though she did not want to make the others panic yet. Perhaps... J was busy elsewhere? Or was helping Louisa and James personally with their remaining luggage, the rest of which having been put onto trucks during the night? That seemed rather likely, so she would wait to see if she spotted her then.

Anyway... she was not done with Tessa’s injury. She looked at her with worry as they took their places, her on her left, and spoke up again about it. “Tessa, are you sure that you’re okay? Do you need an ice pack?”

The teenager sighed, delicately rubbing her fingers over the bandages now. “Really, V - I’m fine. N took care of the wound yesterday and this morning. All we can do now is wait for it to heal.” She huffed. “And you know my parents won’t let me use ice on it while they’re still here.”

The maid sighed, knowing how true that was. She then looked at her crush curiously, digital eyebrows a little creased. “So were you nearby when it happened? Is that why you were the one to help her?”

N sighed heavily, looking down at the ground. “I... was right next to her when Louisa hit her with her fan.”

V’s eyes hollowed again, looking between the two. “Ah... I... I see.”

The butler shrugged, trying to give her a reassuring smile. “It’s... We’re both okay. I got the first-aid kit, and everything’s fine now. Just... just another day in the mansion!” He forced a chuckle, looking away while rubbing his arm. “Just... another, awful day.”

The maid’s core constricted, her expression falling as she watched him. Normally, his cheerfulness felt so genuine, even when he was having cuts in his plating sealed up. However, in times like this... When it was one of them who was injured... he could not fully keep up that positive outlook.

J might be the most protective of Tessa, but N’s core bled the most for all of them. He might be able to push it down when the wounds were old, but when they were fresh... Those were the brief moments that she thinks most remembered he was not stupid. A little clueless at times, but still someone who recognized all the bad things around them and was only trying to help. By not letting despair and hopelessness claim him.

Even so, though, he could use an extra hand at it sometimes, she felt. And so, taking a deep breath, she hesitantly reached past Tessa... and grabbed one of his hands. A light blush returned to her visor, grateful that she did not have sweat glands like humans, otherwise her “skin” would feel sticky. She internally bemoaned her inability to have even simple contact like this without feeling so weak and fuzzy.

...But it was worth it to see some of those clouds disappear from his optics. His digital eyes widened when he turned to her, also blushing lightly. Glancing between her face and their hands, however... he soon gained a small smile. He nodded to her, his expression saying more than words ever could.

She smiled back, letting go a moment later, reluctantly acknowledging they could not let this linger for long. Still, she tried to add one more comment to cheer him up. “Well... at least we won’t be having awful days like that for a good, long while, right?”

That seemed to do the trick as the butler gasped, pumping his fists in front of him as he smiled wider. “That’s very true, actually! Oh, I can’t wait for us to have the place to ourselves! I can play with Cyn more, hang out in Tessa’s room... and read all of the books we have about dogs in the library! It’s going to be amazing!”

Both V and Tessa laughed, sharing amused smiles. I’m amazed there are even books about dogs he’s not touched in there, the former mused. But knowing him, with all the free time they should be getting, he will remedy this... then proceed to read those new ones ten times at a minimum each. She had no clue why he was so obsessed with the animal, but his rambles on the subject were quite enduring.

Before she could comment on it, though, there was a flash of realization across N’s face. He chuckled nervously, looking around the room. Then, he pointed at a random broadsword hanging on the wall behind them. “H-hey, Tessa! What... Does that look a little crooked to you? Look at it closely and let me know!”

The teenager raised an eyebrow at him, evidently recognizing the distraction for what it was as much as the maid. Still, rolling her eyes good-naturedly, she complied and turned that way, giving exaggerated humming sounds. “I don’t know, N... I might need to stare for a good while to tell with these weak old human eyes.”

“Sounds good!” the butler replied cheerily. It was unclear if he recognized he was being indulged or not (it... could vary sometimes), but regardless, he looked conspiratorially toward his fellow drone. His eyes disappeared, and a typed message appeared there instead. {Also have plans for Tessa.} The text disappeared, making room for a new one with how big the letters were. {Tell you, Cyn, and J after this!}

V raised a digital eyebrow, wondering what he meant by that. But she nodded to him, not one to refuse any chance to see everyone together. Besides, she... would probably need the distraction after this goodbye was done.

Giving her a thumbs up, N’s eyes returned as he gave an exaggerated cough, looking at their human owner/friend. “You know what? On second thought, I think the sword is fine! Must have been my imagination!”

Tessa gave a small chuckle, looking back at him with a smirk. “You certainly have enough of that to go around. Glad that’s all it was, though - J would have a fit if there was something as simple as that being messed up.”

“Heh, yeah,” the butler agreed, laughing with her... But then he paused, frowning as he looked around the room. “Say... where is J, anyway? Shouldn’t she be here as... you know, the one drone out of us all your parents sort of, partially respect?”

The teenager frowned as well, doing a quick headcount of everyone. “Yeah... You’re right. She would have told me if she was helping my parents directly, but I never got any word of that.”

That made V start to worry, wondering if they should send someone to find her. But then, as though summoned by their words... the voice of the head maid came from behind them. “Is everything in place? Tell me that the shift manager I left here did his job properly.”

Startled, they all turned around, watching as J came from the hallway back there. Sighing with relief, V smiled and began to wave. “Oh, there you are! We were wondering-”

That was when she cut off the second time that day, eyes widening. Thankfully, it was not because the head maid was injured. There was not a spot of oil to be found anywhere or a crack in her visor. There rarely ever was, given how seriously she took her job and how good she was at it, hence allowing her to avoid punishment too often. (It was usually accidents that caused anything broken with her.)

However... it was also rare to see her look haggard in any way.

Granted, it was not anything too big or noticeable. As she drew closer, there were just a few ruffles in her uniform, with some lint at the ends of her skirt. Her hair was mostly neat, but had a bit of frizziness to it in areas. And on top of that, her maid crown was slightly misaligned, shifted just too far to the right on her helmet.

None of these things, even together, would be too unusual for most drones in the manor... But for J , it was quite a shock. She would normally rather be caught dead than look even slightly “imperfect” in front of others - least of all Tessa. So the fact that she had walked in without fixing herself up was... Well, she did not know what to make of it.

This was not helped by the evident stress marks on her display, nor the slight hoarseness to her voice as she smiled and waved to them. “Hey... there. Everything seems... in place.” She looked around, giving an impressed whistle. “Corporate, I would give T-001000001 a bonus to his check if we actually got paid. It’s almost as good as I would have made things...”

V just continued to stare at her, unable to help noting how worn she was. N and Tessa were clearly in similar situations, with the former’s eyes hollowed in shock. The latter, meanwhile, took a step closer to her, eyes brimming with concern. “Um... J? Where have you been? Your uniform is... N-not that it isn’t fine for it to be a little messed up! I know how your tasks get sometimes. But I know you...”

J blinked... then went rigid, looking down at herself. She gasped, quickly dusting herself off and straightening her maid crown. She growled, seeming to mutter to herself in a panic as she tried to get her hair under control. “Dammit, J! That’s the second time this week! Keep it together! Stress isn’t any reason to... You have to look your best! You...”

Shaking her head, she looked up at the human, seeming apologetic as though she had done something wrong. “S-so sorry, Boss! I was, uh... Helping a lot of drones before coming here! Yeah! But that’s no reason... I...”

She trailed off, her eyes locking onto the bandage on the other. With hollow eyes, her arms stopped where they were, before she tentatively reached one out in front of her. She swallowed, her voice wavering as her optics fuzzed a little, as if... holding back digital tears. “B... Boss? What...? H-how...?”

Tessa gazed at her sorrowfully, taking her hand. “Hey, it’s... it’s okay, Jaybird. It barely hurts now. You haven’t...”

The head maid did not seem to hear her, completely focused on the injury. V grimaced, hovering nearby but not knowing what to do. Despite their disagreements in the past, she knew that however hard N took seeing the teen injured, J took it far worse. And... the extra stress she had witnessed her under a few days ago likely was not helping. Would she even accept any help I tried to offer?

After what felt like forever, the other female drone sucked in a breath, hands dropping to her side as she looked down. Following a painful-looking swallow, she spoke again with something more resembling her usual professionalism. “I... I’m sorry I was not there to assist you when this happened. I also apologize that my... suboptimal performance regarding recent matters likely inspired you not to contact me about it. I will try harder in the future to-”

Her shoulders were quickly grabbed by Tessa, who shook her head. “Oh, nonono! It wasn’t anything like that, I promise. It...” She pursed her lips, clearly debating her words as she spoke. “N... happened to be in the room when it happened. He knows how to do basic bandaging and such, so... he handled it. And volunteered to come back this morning to check on me.”

Said drone nodded, smiling nervously beside them. “Yeah, I... I did try to find you later that day to tell you about it - what was left of it, anyway - but you were elusive. I can’t message anyone anymore, either, so... Sorry about that.”

There was a moment of stillness as J appeared to take this all in. V watched her closely, trying to figure out what she was feeling. Her eyes had gone noticeably blank, but her hands... They twitched, seeming to try and become fists. She swore she could almost see a tick of anger forming on her visor, too.

But then... she just slumped, a heavy sigh leaving her. She pulled away from Tessa, slowly moving to her fellow maid’s other side as she absently tried to keep fixing her hair, voice a murmur. “Good... job, moro-... N. Apologies for the failure to leave any communication lines open yesterday. This will be rectified soon.” She closed her eyes. “Yes... soon...”

...V was not ashamed to admit that she was gaping at her as the other took her chosen spot. Tessa and N were doing the same, with the latter especially looking beyond confused. He had probably expected a little bit of yelling for not trying harder to find her. Heck, she had expected it and had been ready to jump to his defense.

This, however... She had been worried already, but this had kicked it into overdrive. The attitude, choosing willingly to not be beside the teen... Her mind also went back to the bits of vulnerability the head maid had shown when asking where N was. She had thought she was going to confront him about the greenhouse arrangement with Cyn at first, only to realize... she genuinely seemed to only want to talk with him. She had wondered if it had been her imagination, despite what the gangly drone had told her, but...

Did... J really feel this guilty over her treatment of N? Just trying to apologize for Tessa’s sake did not fully cover things (though she was sure that was still a motive). This... She was not sure what to say, amid her amazement and growing guilt over certain assumptions.

She did not get the chance, however, as sounds came from the second-floor balcony. Then... the gruff voice of James Elliott reached her audio receptors. “Were you not designed to lift things three times this weight at base? Move faster!”

The group stiffened, looks being exchanged. Tessa cast one last fretful glance at the head maid, before sighing and facing toward the stairs, smoothing out her dress and straightening her posture. N also looked at everyone nervously. Then, after taking a breath, he gave them one last smile and sent them a thumbs-up, before following the teenager’s example.

As for J, the near-sighted drone witnessed as she put her hands behind her back, taking a deep breath. This was followed by her visor displaying the message {Emotional Mask-Confident.exe}. The next moment, her eyes returned with no signs of stress lines, displaying the confidence most associated with her.

It... did not feel quite knowing it was fake this time, though.

Still, she tried to ignore it as she heard footsteps going down the stairs, following everyone else’s example. Looking up, she watched as James and Louisa descended, looking as tall and arrogant as ever. They still wore the same suit and dress respectively that they did at the parties and moving around the manor. She did not know if this was what they were planning to wear to the negotiations or if they were simply enjoying a few last days in the attire.

Regardless... they looked more irritated than normal, just like she had been hearing from witnesses. The patriarch’s green eyes seemed to be especially piercing as he scanned the foyer, the room seeming colder under his gaze. However, it was nothing compared to the chilling glare the matriarch was giving to four butler drones ahead of them, carrying large bags in their arms and on their backs. They both seemed to be looking extra hard for an excuse to let their anger out upon something.

V swallowed, trying to keep digital sweat off of her visor. She could not see any of her friends’ faces clearly at the moment, but she could tell they were scared, too. Tessa and N’s postures were stiff, barely giving a veneer of being relaxed. A quick glance at J, despite her mask, also showed that even she was feeling weary with how her feet shuffled a little.

No incidents happened as the older Elliotts reached the landing. Nothing continued to happen as they went down the grand steps to the bottom floor. The drones with luggage were being careful, not daring to trip up even slightly and get snapped at - or worse. Every step taken felt like that of a beast getting closer, waiting for prey to show itself. The silence was suffocating to the point of-

A drone who had been cleaning before - a maid - suddenly flinched and convulsed for a second near the bottom of the stairs. A small, strained sound left her... And unfortunately, it was when James had reached the floor right beside her.

V’s core stopped, already knowing what was about to happen. She did not know what caused that drone to flinch like that - overworking or a stray glitch in her programming. Either way, however, that involuntary action...

The patriarch paused beside the maid, snapping his gaze toward her. The drone in question’s eyes hollowed, straightening up in a rigid posture. She took a small step back, seemingly unconsciously, her mouth opened to say something-

She never got the chance, though, as he scowled, reaching into his suit as he spoke angrily. “Unable to keep quiet, eh? On this occasion when we want to start with a mourning silence for our coming absence? If you can’t keep quiet...!”

Nothing followed that statement... besides him flicking his hand out violently, followed by the sound of something shattering.

Time seemed to slow down for V without her having to mess with her settings. She took in the scene in a second... starting with the black and white pen. JCJenson branded, it was one of their specialty ones that were durable enough to make military combat gear feel jealous. (In fact, they were made with the army in mind as far as she knew.) And as the practical owners of the company, the Elliotts had a lot of them on hand.

...Their strength helped partially explain how one was now embedded in the unfortunate drone’s visor. It was halfway buried, oil splashing out on contact, and continuing to spurt and bleed at an alarming rate. Glitches of colored pixels went over the cracked glass, a distorted gasp leaving the maid as she stumbled back from the force. Her form spasmed, arms instinctively going up to the intrusion to pull it out-

-only for her to go still for half a second... then collapsed in a heap on the floor. Oil continued to pool around her, staining both the carpet and her uniform. Beneath the spiderweb crack, a large message was displayed, a bit distorted... But anyone familiar with drones would recognize a {FATAL ERROR} message at a distance.

V swallowed thickly, forcing herself to not let out even a faint whine as the metallic scent reached her. She could practically feel the revulsion of her companions, too. The rest of the drones in their lines also stared with horror, though they were quick to try and school their expressions despite some digital sweat. She tried to do likewise... but could not help sending that maid one last sorrowful look.

She did not think she had ever interacted with that drone, but the death hit her all the same. All her time working there had not made her numb to it. And how could she not feel anything? It was one of her own kind - a sentient being, no matter what many humans would want to believe. Being taken from this world like that so suddenly was... It simply was not fair.

...The unfairness was only amplified by knowing that what just happened might not have necessarily been fatal normally. Maybe it was - she had no clue what the pen had struck inside of that head. However... she was aware quite a few drones had “special” programming to terminate their operations if a human stabbed so much as a fork into them. Something to make them feel more powerful and such when abusing them at parties. (Thank Robo-God Tessa had made sure none of them had that program...)

She could hardly check on that now, however. James lingered over the body for only a few seconds before shaking his head in disgust. He looked back at the drones carrying the luggage, who had all paused for him, and snapped his fingers. “Well? Keep moving! I am not going to be late for our shuttle!”

The drones immediately complied, moving toward the door with proper haste. The man joined his wife’s side, the two walking with a proper air. It was like he had not just killed someone... and as far as he was concerned, he had not. Just dispose of a “defective” piece of property without even thinking about it.

Louisa was no less unremorseful, scowling at her husband and speaking aloud as though they did not have an audience. “You should have left that one to me. Do you know how much I’ve needed to unwind these last few days? I’ve been tempted to break some of these appliances that actually display talent!”

“There will be plenty of drones we can break at the space station being used for negotiations,” the patriarch replied soothingly. It was almost surreal, seeing an actual spark of love in his eyes as he gazed at her, showing the comfort, though twisted, was genuine. “You’ll even be able to get some more hits in before they shut down. If anyone complains, we’ll have more shipped in to appease them.”

It was then that they reached Tessa and the others. The two adults stopped walking, their luggage carriers likewise pausing right at the door. The man turned his gaze to his daughter... and immediately, that small warmth in his eyes disappeared. He studied the bandage on her cheek, speaking smoothly. “Besides... it seems you got a little stress relief yesterday.”

The matriarch huffed, taking out her fan and blowing air in her face. “I suppose I did. That was more discipline than relieving anything.”

“Fair enough,” James said, adjusting the tie on his suit.

V could tell that Tessa was trying very hard not to wilt under their commentary, making her core ache. As much as the teen knew her parents did not love her... it still had to hurt. Despite years of living under these conditions, some part of her likely still yearned for even a bit of kindness from them. But instead, they talked about abusing her without a hint of remorse right to her face, then expected her to act like she was a loving daughter.

And act like it she did, knowing it was expected of her. Clearing her throat, she looked at her parents and put on a fairly convincing smile. “Good morning, mother. Good morning, father. I assume everything is taken care of for your departure?”

Louisa studied her for a time, clearly debating if her daughter sounded convincing enough. Apparently deciding she did, though, the dark-skinned woman nodded, speaking courteously. “It is. The hovercraft is waiting right outside for us. Once this is all loaded up, we’ll be gone immediately.”

James nodded, stepping closer to his child. “Listen closely, Tessa. While we are gone, I expect you to keep up with your education and to work on your social skills for suitors. Once we return, I expect you to be far more approachable to boys your age. This whole trip is hindrance enough for getting us an heir after you. Do you understand?”

Tessa bowed her head, a bit of discomfort showing on her face. But even so, she nodded obediently. “Yes, father.”

Louisa glanced over at J, eyes cold and calculating. “I trust you already have her curriculum for the next few months planned out?”

The head maid nodded, her tone matching the fake confidence of her visor’s masking program. “Everything is set, ma’am. She’ll know all about the important events of space colonization between the 26th and 28th centuries by the time you return, along with plenty of high-society matters. Glad to also be giving her proper financial lessons!”

The matriarch nodded. “Good. At least you are consistently reliable among her personal drones.” She glared at both V and N as she said this, making them tense as they tried to avoid her gaze to prevent provoking her.

“Well, at least the butler knows how to make drinks that actually have good taste,” the patriarch conceded, almost as an afterthought. He then looked back at his daughter, crossing his arms. “Speaking of the drones, though... I know you are not as firm as me and your mother are with them about mistakes-”

Killing them is just being firm?! V wanted to scream. But she kept that thought to herself, not wanting two drones’ oil to stain the floor that morning.

“-but I expect you to punish the staff in some way if they start slacking while we’re gone,” James continued. “Even you must realize it would not be good if these walking toasters were just constantly lazing around the manor. I don’t care what you do - forced shutdowns, withholding of break activities - but make sure the discipline sticks! I don’t want a single thing out of place when we get back, or else!”

Tessa nodded again, managing to look at him this time. “Of... of course. I know you think I’m soft and... too sentimental with them. But I promise you that I’ll keep the staff on track.”

The patriarch scoffed, evidently having his doubts. But he said nothing further on the matter as he took a step back. He sighed, taking a long look around the foyer. Though, rather than judging... he seemed almost nostalgic. “It’s been so many years since I’ve needed to be gone like this. I’m going to miss this place.”

Louisa sighed as well, snapping her fan closed. “Agreed. Even having married into this family, this place... It grows on you despite the weather and swamps.”

They looked around the room forlornly, the sight almost... domestic. V might have been fooled into feeling pity for them over it... if not for the fact that they were showing more care for a building than their own daughter. The fresh drone corpse still pooling oil around it also served as a stark reminder of who they were. Still, it's interesting to see they do have hearts... even if they’re dedicated to all the wrong things.

But she did not risk giving a glare over it for even a second. She simply watched as the two older Elliotts eventually grunted, turning to start heading toward the door. James addressed Tessa one more time, nodding to her. “Be sure to behave yourself. We’ll be back as soon as possible - believe me. Goodbye, Tessa.”

The “reassurance” did not seem to enthuse the teenager at all. Nonetheless, she nodded before bowing to her parents. “Goodbye, father. Goodbye, mother.”

She received curt nods, before they and the drones carrying the luggage started heading toward the door. They were opened by a pair of waiting maids, revealing the rainy swampland beyond. A couple of yards away from the door, however, in stark contrast to the surroundings, was a long, sleek black vehicle with blacked-out windows. It almost resembled a 21st century limo, but with signs of advancement like glowing blue seams. There were no tires, either, as the thing hovered off of the ground by a few inches, brighter blue glows underneath making it happen.

The drones went out immediately, heading toward the rear of the hovercraft to put away the luggage. The humans, though, waited a moment at the entryway. After a few seconds, some butler drones rushed over and handed them sleek black umbrellas, looking big enough to protect them from the worst of the rain. I’d bet my glasses that they have new shoes waiting for them inside that thing to replace the ones they’re about to get dirty, too.

V thought they would have left immediately once they had their umbrellas... However, James seemed to pause, thinking something over. He turned back toward them, face unreadable. “Oh, and Tessa?”

Said girl jumped a bit, not having expected to be called out again. She turned to her parents, hands clasped nervously behind her. “Y-yes, father?” 

The patriarch frowned, studying his daughter closely once more. “...I’m well aware our current timetable means canceling the celebration we had in mind for your birthday. Rather... annoying, given the prime opportunity it is for new suitors, but there’s nothing to be done.” His face darkened. “Though I’m sure it’s everything you’ve ever dreamed of, given how displeased you seem with all your previous parties.”

V exchanged uncertain glances with the others as she did this, getting concerned about where this might be heading. The teenager was, too, if her small gulp was anything to go by as she stammered. “I... I have no clue what you-”

“Save it,” James snapped, making the group tense even more... But then he sighed, adjusting his hat as he spoke with clear disdain. “Still... again, nothing can be done. No matter what orders we give the staff, I’m sure you’ll find some way to make your own party. So I won’t bother with threats... other than forbidding you from using any of my supplies. If I learn you used any of my decorations for the galas...”

Louisa nodded, glaring at their child. “We’ll discuss potential punishments when we get back, depending on what you try to do. And believe me - we’ll find out one way or another.” She sneered, opening her umbrella as her husband did likewise. “So by all means - do one of your little ‘acts of defiance’ for this. Have fun ... before we remind you again of what you’re supposed to take pleasure from.”

Her eyes... did not exactly soften, but it was an attempt to appear motherly, poor as it was, and undercut by irritation. “As I said yesterday - everything we’re doing is for you. One day, you’ll thank us for how we’ve raised you - preparing you for the world and inheriting JCJenson. You’ll see... Just give it time.”

With that, the matriarch turned away and marched outside. James was not far behind her, waving to the drones who were coming back from putting up the luggage to close the doors. They did so swiftly, enough rainwater having blown in already. The last sight of the older Elliotts V saw was them activating the sliding door on the hovercraft to go in. Then... the double doors closed, the click of the locks feeling more pronounced than normal.

Nobody moved in the foyer for a time, not a single drone breaking from their lines. They waited until the muffled sound of the hovercraft’s thrusters hit them and faded out, indicating that Tessa’s parents had left. After that... everyone seemed to release a collective breath. Everyone slumped, the teenager included, with just about everyone looking grateful that this departure was finally over.

...Any good feelings died out, however, as gazes slowly went to the dead maid. Faces fell, everyone gazing at the poor drone with sorrow. In some ways... V was unfortunately not surprised that it had happened. If it had not been her, then someone was probably going to die anyway with how angry the master and mistress had been. It was just like them to kill one last worker before they left. But still, seeing it...

One particularly brave drone walked up to her, kneeling beside the body and running his hand over her visor as though closing her eyes. Anger lingered in his blue optics, though, as he eyed the pen still embedded there, his soft voice echoing in the silent room. “We couldn’t just have a little peace, could we?”

It was then J sighed, her visor glitching as her masking program disappeared. Her stress lines returned, she approached the body, uncharacteristically reserved. For all her faults, she was never one to mock the dead. She treated each one that happened with the seriousness it deserved. All her smug energy vanished when it came to... “dealing” with the body.

She never lost her professionalism, though, and did not do so now as she nodded to the butler. “If you wish, you can be one of the drones who delivers her to the pile. I don’t know how close you two were, but if you need the closure...”

It seemed her assumption was right, given how the blue-eyed drone untensed a little. He nodded at her gratefully. “I... would like that. Thank you.”

The head maid nodded back, her eyes not giving much away. She turned to the rest of the staff there. “Someone come here and help him. And you two!” She pointed to two other butlers. “Get some stuff to clean the oil off of the floor and get the stains out of the carpet! Can someone also check to see if they ‘decommissioned’ anyone else on their way out?”

The two butlers rushed off with a salute, heading down the halls toward the nearest supply closet. A maid, meanwhile, moved to the body to help the other drone with moving it, the two of them walking carefully toward the door while being mindful of dripping oil. Everyone else murmured among themselves, clearly still upset over what happened.

Then... one of the butlers who helped with the luggage spoke up, voice uncertain. “So... what do the rest of us do?”

...There was a pause, as even the drones holding the body stopped moving. Slowly, optics turned not to J, but to Tessa, whose eyes widened at the sudden attention. But... it seemed she caught on rather quickly as to why they were looking at her. With James and Louisa gone... she was the one in charge of them. She already had some authority, granted, but beyond her personal drones, there was normally a limit to what she could ask of them. And even then, her parents could override her orders.

But none of that mattered now. For the next few months... she had all the authority. She could direct the schedules however she wished, decide which drones went where, allocate break times, and much more! There was no one to stop her now. For the first time in ages... everyone truly was in her care.

The teenager sputtered for a time, looking overwhelmed as she realized her position fully. But then, taking a deep breath... she managed to straighten her posture, looking a little more regal. V was rather impressed with how much more ladylike she managed to appear in mere seconds. The drones who taught her about all of that did a good job.

Clearing her throat, the green-eyed girl looked around at the surrounding drones. “Well, once everything is cleaned up in here, and... she’s laid to rest...” She grimaced sadly at the dead drone for a second, before shaking her head... and giving everyone a soft look. “...I’d say you’ve all earned a break. So, let’s say that every drone in the manor gets the day off, okay? Just don’t disorganize any of the books or anything! Other than that, you call can do whatever you want!”

Most of the drones looked... stunned at the answer. They shared looks, as though making sure they all heard things correctly. V could almost snicker, and saw N was close to doing that, too, while J rolled her eyes. She could not blame them, honestly. They all knew that her personal group got some special privileges, and that Tessa was not the cruel monster her parents were. But even so, an announcement like that, given the normal routine around there...

As they all realized she was serious, however... more and more of them started smiling, subdued as it was. Small cheers went up as some excitement returned despite events earlier. Even the two carrying the body looked a little uplifted before continuing on their way, the door being opened for them.

Tessa giggled at the reaction, looking lighter as well. “Glad you approve. Just be sure the front entrance is dried up and all the oil is cleaned first, alright? If any of you need me, I’ll be in my room enjoying the quiet, too.”

Several nods were sent her way, the drones spreading out to either head elsewhere or to find stuff to dry up the water. The teenager watched them, taking another breath as she stretched and started to head toward the stairs... But not before first looking at J, then at N. She smiled a little, seemingly trying to be encouraging. Then she continued on her way, careful not to step in any oil as she went.

V was curious as to what that was about, but figured she would find out eventually. As she watched Tessa ascend those steps, though, she felt a mixture of emotions. The death had soured the start of all of this, but... it was official now. They were free from the gaze of James and Louisa. For the next few months, they would not have to wake up and fear dying.

For the first time she could remember... they were, in a sense, free.

She did not have long to linger on that awe as J wandered back, though. Still seeming exhausted, her fellow maid sighed, waving them off. “Well, the boss has spoken. You both go off and... kiss in the library or whatever. I don’t care. If you’ll excuse me, I need to go figure out how the lack of parties is going to affect my scheduling.”

Normally, the kissing comment would have had V blushing madly. However, the lack of humor in the other’s voice, along with how despondent she still seemed, made her more concerned than flustered. She frowned, watching as the pigtailed drone started to head toward one of the hallways. She began to lift her hand, wanting to stop her to check what was going on-

-but was beaten to it by N. He lightly grabbed the head maid’s shoulder, smiling nervously at her. “Actually, can we... talk about something really quick?”

V almost expected a snippy comment from J. Instead, though, she cringed a little, pulling out of the grip while refusing to look his way. She shook her head, rubbing her hands together. “Look, i-if this is about five days ago, then-”

“It isn’t!” the butler hastily answered. “Or, well, I do want to talk to you about that after this, if possible. But first... I wanted a quick meeting with you, V, and Cyn.” He nodded to the near-sighted drone as he said this, looking between them both. “It’s about something for Tessa. I swear it’s important! So if you could contact my sis and tell her to come to us...”

The head maid finally looked at him, digital eyebrows furrowed. V was also gazing at him curiously, wondering what he was up to. It was not unusual for any of them to want to do something for Tessa, but his tone... It made her think there was more to this than usual. More than arranging a night for them to spend in her room, or sneaking her a bit of leftovers from dinner that would otherwise have been thrown out.

J seemed torn between wanting to listen and getting as far away as possible. In the end, though... the former apparently won. She sighed, turning to him properly. “Fine. Just... make it quick, will you?”

N smiled, nodding eagerly. “Got it! Follow me! I know the perfect spot for us to discuss things!” He turned on his heel, already rushing toward the hallway V had originally come from. Not even the drones from earlier returning with cleaning supplies slowed his stride.

The two maids looked at each other, both evidently puzzled as to what he was after here. They would learn nothing by waiting, however. So, with mutual shrugs, they followed after him. It should be an interesting way to start off our newfound freedom, at least...

-------

V was not sure what she suspected in terms of where N was taking them. It was not like they had to worry about James or Louisa passing by like in the past, currently. They could literally use any random hallway to have this discussion, she felt. But apparently, he wanted to be extra secret and not have any of the staff overhear them. And so, he took them on a path to a specific room.

She had taken guesses as to which one it might be on the way there. Tessa’s room was out, since the teen was there and this was about her. That left a pretty narrow list of options in her mind. Perhaps somewhere in the library, away from prying audio receptors? Or the main ballroom, which was likely deserted by this point? She even considered that he might take them to the bar room he worked at frequently during parties.

But instead of any of that... he took them to a closet.

In terms of a meeting spot, it... Well, it was not like she did not see his logic. It was in a rarely frequented part of the mansion, both by the Elliotts and the staff, in a tucked-off corner. There was no reason that the departure would change that, as far as she knew. And it was not a very packed room, either. There were some shelves with old cleaning supplies and dishes, but there was not so much as a broom on the dark wooden ground.

However, it was quite cramped, longer than it was wide. There was only room for about two drones to fit beside one another while leaving an inch of space. It was quite obvious how little the place had been opened, too, with a fine layer of dust over everything. Such a thing was almost unheard of, given the older Elliotts’ and J’s standards, but it appeared they had found the one place that had been overlooked in that department.

Of course... the former was what was bothering her more. Though not because of any real discomfort... It was just that she was in the back with the butler beside her, each of them nervously waiting. Their hands were so close to one another, brushing constantly, and with only a dim bulb above providing illumination, she found herself looking more at his bright eyes. And doing that made her just want to get lost in them and...

...Yeah, needless to say, blushes adorned both of their visors.

J, meanwhile, close to the door, appeared more concerned by the dust. She ran a finger over one of the shelves, glaring at the visible mark it left. “On second thought, I take back the compliment I gave to T-001000001. This part of the manor is usually under his jurisdiction. I’m not sure this place has even been touched since before my time.”

V tilted her head at her, looking for any distraction from her close proximity to her crush. “You... could just call him T, you know.”

“Over half the staff here have a ‘T’ designation,” the head maid replied dismissively. “Good mixtures of G’s and A’s, too. Any other letter I could probably count on one hand. I mean, for HR’s sake, we’re the only J, V, and N on staff!”

“There’s also an S, as I learned yesterday!” N chimed in, as though it was a big contribution to the conversation.

J started to glare at him... but then stiffened, looking away while crossing her arms. Clearing her throat uncomfortably, she tried to continue. “That’s... nice. But anyway, my point is that the state of this room is unacceptable. If any of the Elliotts had allergies and they walked in here...”

None of them did, as V knew. James and Louisa would have raved more about it to intimidate the drones to do their jobs properly if they did, with Tessa more politely pointing it out. But she did understand the point. If a drunk guest at some future stumbled in here who had asthma or something, it could... end quite badly. (She was also definitely going to need to clean her uniform a little after this.)

Though... her focus was more on the other’s reaction toward N. It made her frown, adding to her observations earlier. It seemed that the head maid was really making a conscious effort not to insult the butler. They had not talked much since they left the foyer, but when they did, not so much as a single derogatory name had been uttered by her. Heck, she even seemed to be trying to find ways to add anything positive to her comments toward him.

It might have been uplifting to see... if not for how tired she continued to look. The exhaustion lines seemed slightly more pronounced now, with her hair still slightly frazzled. She also avoided their gazes unless being addressed, more content to stare at the floor cleaner next to her. And... Robo-God, V was not sure she had ever known her to be this fidgety. She was causing more wrinkles in her skirt with how she was messing with it.

It was... pitiful to watch, honestly. The near-sighted drone looked at her sadly, finding it difficult to be very happy at the sight despite all the abuse the other had put N through. It was difficult to latch onto such feelings when it was becoming more evident there was genuine remorse in her actions. She had tried telling Cyn before that J did not hate the butler, but seeing this in person...

However... she also could not say it was not a deserved state for the head maid to be in. After so long of mistreating him, she did not deserve for this to be too easy. So, in that way, V was a little satisfied to see that she was squirming so much.

...Not that N himself seemed to share that view. He was looking at J uncertainly, almost looking like he was going to walk forward to try and comfort her. Yet he held himself back, eyeing the door to the closet. He probably suspected that the pigtailed drone would just leave if he tried to bring up her behavior, and he was still set on having this meeting from the looks of things.

They were just waiting for one person to arrive. To that end, he coughed, smiling awkwardly at the head maid. “Um... so do you know if Cyn is getting close yet?”

J shrugged, a little bit of her sass actually returning to her tone. “N, I’m pretty sure she was asked to wait somewhere on the opposite side of the manor before the master and mistress left. And with her moving disabilities, I’m willing to bet it’ll be a good half-hour before we see any signs of her at least. So before you ask me to send her another message, please be pati-”

She cut off as there was a sudden knock at the door, making them all jump. A second later, a monotone voice spoke on the other side. “Inquiry. N? J? V? Are you in there? I believe this is the closet you specified.”

N’s face lit up, beaming at the arrival of his sister. J and V, meanwhile, exchanged baffled looks at the swift arrival. I know I should expect it from her by now, but... How does she do this? I’ve seen her try to run - her legs look like they’re so close to snapping each time!

Regardless, the head maid turned to the door, opening it to let Cyn in. The gangly drone did so, movements as jerky as ever... Although, she had one hand over her right eye for a moment, which seemed to be glitching a little. But a moment later, it stopped and she lowered her arm, not drawing any attention to it, so the near-sighted drone assumed it was fine.

Cyn took up her place beside J, smiling as best as she could despite her facial limitations. Her optics seemed a bit brighter when they passed over N in particular as she nodded at him. “Happy. Good morning, big brother! I hope the send-off went well.”

The butler shrugged. “It did... besides one of the staff getting a pen in her visor and dying. We’re all holding up, though.”

The smile disappeared from the gangly drone’s face as she glanced down. “Grimace. Ah. I see. That is... unfortunate.” She shook her head. “ Forced optimism. But now there will be no more oil spilled while the two monsters are gone!”

J sent her a reproaching look. “Don’t call them that out loud!”

“Smug. What can they do about it, though?” Cyn asked. “They are not around to hear me. Mischievous. I can shout it as loud as I want in any room, and there is nothing that can stop or hurt me for it!”

The head maid opened her mouth... but then closed it, not appearing to have a counter to that. She sighed, pinching where her nose would be as she closed her digital eyes. “You know what? I’ll... deal with this later.” She then crossed her arms, turning toward N. “Alright, then. We’re all here. Now, what is this about?”

All eyes were on the butler, who looked nervous to have all of the attention suddenly. He took a deep breath, though, and let his gaze sweep over them as he spoke. “Well... it’s not anything immediate. But I figured we could all use some time to make plans for when the day comes and make sure we’re all on the same page. The last thing we’ll need is getting everything confused and messy.”

V raised a digital eyebrow, adjusting her glasses as she looked at him curiously. “Confusion... about doing what?”

N smiled brightly, clasping his hands together excitedly. “For celebrating Tessa’s birthday, of course!”

...Everyone blinked, exchanging various looks. The near-sighted maid ignored her usual embarrassment and leaned a little closer to him, now even more intrigued. “Say that again?”

“I want us to put together a celebration for her birthday!” the butler repeated cheerily. He paced with what space he had, waving his hands excitedly. “It’s something I’ve been thinking about for well over a week now before the departure was even a factor! I was originally thinking we would have to be secretive about it - wait until after whatever party her parents threw. Or we’d have to wait till the next day, which I thought kind of defeated the purpose? Not that she would probably have minded.

“But with James and Louisa gone, we don’t have to worry about them getting in the way. We can all hang out all day long and ensure it’s the best birthday she’s ever had! We can have music, dancing - all of that! And even better - we’ll surprise her with it!” He chuckled bashfully. “Ah... or as much as we can do that when I blabbered about wanting to do something like this around her already. But I’m sure we can make it work!”

V continued to stare at him, his usual grin a bit more infectious than it usually was already. It was clear he had no real plan, but the passion in his voice... He was set on doing this to make Tessa happy.

And really... it sounded like a wonderful idea! The teenager was always so dissatisfied with the parties her parents threw. Despite how lavish they were, it was ultimately an excuse to show her off more for them, and for as long as they had been around, to attract even more potential suitors. She did not even get to keep a lot of the presents allegedly for her. Most were thrown out regardless of whether she liked them or not, and nearly all of what was kept was somehow repurposed by the older Elliotts for their own use.

It was a rather sorry state of affairs. Even though, as drones, they did not really get the concept of human birthdays fully, she could still tell Tessa’s were being squandered. Not being allowed to do any of the things she liked on the day, combined with being her parent’s pawn, made for a miserable experience every year. Only the small interactions she snuck with them on those days seemed to make her any happier.

So, a chance to do something different this year? To have their owner/friend actually have fun on what was supposed to be a big deal to humans? There was not anything wrong she could see with that... besides some of the last comments made by James and Louisa before leaving.

Even with that, though, the near-sighted drone had to admit she was already liking the proposal. Looking over at Cyn, she saw that the smaller drone was trying to show her excitement on her blank face as well. She never had the freedom to move around during celebrations without repercussions while the older Elliotts were there. Thus, this probably seemed like a prime opportunity for an exception to that rule!

It made her smile... until she looked over at J, making her stop. The head maid... She did not look angry, exactly, but neither did she look pleased. It was hard to read her exact emotion, but the hard look she was sending N already spoke volumes. Whatever emotions had made her hesitant around him before appeared to have taken a back seat. Now, she seemed ready to give one of her small lectures... and she could get rather heated in those with him.

V was unable to do anything to stop this, however, before J stepped closer, her voice rather flat. “You... want to throw a party for Tessa.”

The butler paused at her tone, but still smiled and nodded at her. “Yeah!”

“... Even though James and Louisa specifically called her out on not wanting her to do anything on that day specifically,” the head maid pressed.

That got N to wilt, his enthusiasm dimming as he nodded more hesitantly. “Um... yeah?”

J’s optics bore into him. “And after those two implied that they would know if she did anything and would punish her for it.”

The butler shrunk even more, glancing around uncertainly. He then cleared his throat, rubbing the back of his head while staring at the ground. “...Well, I’ll admit that... there are some obstacles to this still, but-”

“That’s putting it mildly,” the head maid stared coldly as she glared.

N flinched, yet surprisingly, he did not back down. He waved his arms in front of him, his eyes pleading. “J, please! I know we can make this work! Don’t you want Tessa to finally have a good time on her birthday?”

J faltered at this before looking offended. “Are you suggesting that I don’t want her to?!”

The butler’s eyes widened and hollowed, violently shaking his head. “N-no! That wasn’t my intent at all, I promise! I’d never suggest that!”

The head maid growled, taking a step forward. V, however, found a burst of confidence at seeing what was potentially going to be another beating. She stepped in front of her crush, holding her arms out wide in the cramped space. She glared hard at the other drone, trying to seem tough despite her normally weak demeanor.

She was not sure where the resolve came from, but... she had had enough of witnessing this sort of thing. Tessa was not tolerating this anymore, and so neither was she. Frankly, she should have been doing stuff like this ages ago. Even if it got her hurt, too, she was not going to let such a sweet drone receive any more beatings from a supposed friend.

...J did nothing to her, though. Her fellow maid’s actions actually got her to stop... and apparently realize what she was doing. Her eyes hollowed, all anger seeming to vanish as she stepped back. Back hitting the door as she looked down, she shook her head while pulling her pigtails. She murmured to herself, sounding... almost panicked as she appeared to wrestle with herself.

It was enough to make the near-sighted drone lower her guard, staring in shock. N’s eyes were also wide, pushing her arms down as he got a little closer. Even Cyn, whose arm had been raised in some weird gesture (she assumed it was a hand glitch), was blinking a few times as though to make sure this was real.

Eventually, the head maid took a deep breath, shaky as it was, and regained some of her composure. Fiddling with her uniform, she tried to stammer out some words. “I... I apologize for that. Such unprofessional... Such a loss of temper was unwarranted with-”

N raised his hand, shaking his head while speaking in a calming voice. “No, it’s... it’s okay. I could have phrased that better. I know you of all people want Tessa to be happy.” He frowned sadly. “But... are you really against the birthday idea?”

J released a heavy breath, rubbing a hand down her visor “I... Look, I wish it was as simple as celebrating her birthday while her parents were gone. I do! But those two were clear about that date in particular. They will leave a lot more than a bruise on her cheek if we celebrate it.”

Cyn looked between them all, understandably a little lost due to not having been there. “Concern. They were truly that specific?”

V frowned, rubbing her chin. “Well... really, I think they just did not want her setting up decorations and throwing an official party. It... probably also applies to us ordering any special supplies from elsewhere.” Even an odd purchase of a few hundred dollars in their bank account, despite the billions they had, would likely tip off the older Elliotts. They were quite controlling of any spending done on Tessa’s behalf.

That seemed to brighten N up again, his optics hopeful. “That’s not so bad, then, right? We just can’t have any extravagant decorations.” He chuckled lightly. “I doubt Tessa will feel like she’s missing out on much there, given how this place usually is!”

J sighed, sounding more tired than frustrated as she grumbled - though the latter emotion was still present. “Then how is it even a celebration at that point...?”

The butler’s digital eyebrows pinched in concern. “J...”

Taking another breath, the head maid pushed herself off of the door. “Look, we don’t know what the limit of this is. And whatever we do - if we do something - will get reported back to the master and mistress. They probably have cameras around here we don’t have access to, or they’ve bribed one of the other drones to keep an eye on things!”

Cyn tilted her head. “Sarcastic. Bribed with what? A new helmet for the rain?”

J glared at her. “Perhaps a safe transfer out of this place to literally any other household that is likely less oppressive?”

...The gangly drone blinked, then shrunk back. “Understanding. Ah... Yes, that would perhaps be tempting to some...”

The head maid groaned, turning her gaze back to N. “I hope you see the problem now. It’s not so much what we are able to do than what we can get away with.” She shivered, face scrunching up with discomfort. “Corporate... just saying that makes me feel like a terrible employee. Imagine the repercussions if...”

V felt her core tighten a little. J’s loyalty to “corporate standards” was annoying to hear at times, she would admit - all that talk of being “model employees” and all that... But it seemingly provided her comfort. A form of stability in this place that caused the rest of them so much stress. That was something she would not take away from her. (And in fairness, it seemed to keep many drones alive.)

Right now, though... it had to be tearing the head maid apart. She was practically caught between her two loyalties - to her “corporate standards” and Tessa. With maintaining the status quo that James and Louisa had ordered... or giving the teenager a good birthday despite the risks. And while the near-sighted drone still favored the latter... she was recognizing more now how risky this simple plan could be, and why the other might be hesitant about it.

This appeared to be recognized by N, too. He looked at J with a frown, shuffling just a little closer to her. “Hey, J. You don’t need to panic. We don’t have to make plans right now. I just wanted to get the idea in everyone’s head so we could do more of it in the future. We still have months to settle on some ideas. There has to be something we can do for Tessa that won’t get her in trouble, right?”

The head maid gave a bitter laugh, looking down. “And you think it will be that simple to figure out the ‘acceptable’ limits? What won’t end in punishment from corporate?”

The butler shrugged, giving a small smile. “I didn’t say easy... But if anyone can figure it out, it’s you, boss!”

...J’s eyes snapped back up, now hollowed. “You... believe I can...?”

N nodded, his expression softening as he continued smiling. “Of course! You’re in charge of our group for a reason! There’s certainly no way I’d be able to put anything together on my own!” He held out a hand toward her. “So, what do you say? Want to at least try to come up with some ideas for the big day?”

There was a long silence after this... though V was not sure the head maid had heard that last part. Instead, she was just staring at his hand, as though unsure it was even real. Her digital eyes became thinner rings with each second, taking a step back-

-then suddenly, she turned around and grabbed the door knob. She called out to them hastily as she threw the door open, sounding panicked. “I-I’ll think about it! I need to go! Lots of planning for the schedule to do tomorrow - okaybyethen!”

Everyone's eyes widened, though their shock allowed J to run out and shut the door behind her. N shook his head, trying to run after her and calling out. “Wait, J! I-”

Before he could open the door, he was grabbed by Cyn. His proclaimed sister shook her head, frowning deeply. “ Pity. I do not think running after her right now will help, big brother. It... might be best to let her cool down first.”

The butler frowned back, before staring at the door. “I’m... not sure she can handle being alone much longer, sis.”

V looked at him sadly, walking up behind him while resting a hand on his back. “I’m... starting to get worried, too, N. But today has already started pretty eventfully. A calmer day when not much is happening might calm her down.” She managed a small, amused smile. “We’ll have no shortage of those now - that’s for sure.”

This managed to get a tiny chuckle from N. Still, he bowed his head, sighing with a strained look. “Maybe... I guess I also could have waited to spring all of that on you. Like, doing it right after what James and Louisa said, and her having just seen Tessa with that bruise... But I just kept forgetting about it, so I wanted to...”

V sighed... and forced herself to hug him from behind, resting her head on his back. Her core pounded hard in her chest and her visor filled with a blush, but she closed her eyes and kept her voice calm. “You’re fine, N. A... lot of things seem to be changing around here. But we’ll figure it out.” I hope...

The butler sighed, sagging some in her grip. He took a deep breath as she felt him nodding slowly. “Yeah... they will. I’ll make sure of it.”

The near-sighted maid opened her eyes, looking at him in confusion as she wondered what that meant. She did not ask, though, as he pulled out of her grip, turning to look at her. His blush matched hers, but he had a grateful smile on his face. It made her feel giddy all over, giggling nervously while avoiding direct eye contact.

The moment was short-lived, though, as he sighed, opening the door. “Anyway, that got done quicker than I thought it would. So, I’m... going to go ask Tessa for some help with that in the next few days about J. Hopefully, we can do something as the schedule is being set up. Do either of you two want to come?”

Tempting as it was, V ended up shaking her head while gesturing down the hallway. “I think I’ll just go to the library. It’s the first time in forever I won’t have to worry about being interrupted in the middle of a passage. And... if you’re that confident you can handle things with J, I don’t want to get in your way unless you need me.”

Cyn shrugged along with her. “Declining. I already heard enough about your plans yesterday. Right now, I wish to experience the joy of walking the halls without worrying about my presence offending humans and getting tossed into the basement.”

That comment made N flinch a little, though he quickly recovered his smile. He nodded at them, walking backward out of the closet. “Sounds good, then. I’ll see you both around then! And next time, it’ll be for something fun. Start picking out shows and movies to watch, or games we can play! We have free access to the computers now!”

With that, he sprinted down the hall. By the time the other two stepped out, he was already out of sight. V sighed, praying that things would be alright with him. She was going to trust him right now about this, and she believed in his sincerity... It was more so J she was worried about not being receptive. Though not for the same reasons as she might have assumed a few weeks ago...

Cyn also appeared to mirror that concern, standing next to her in the hall as rain pelted a nearby window. “Curious. Concerned. I must admit - it seems both you and N were right about J not hating him... Mostly.” She shook her head. “ Annoyed. She is still capable of hurting him, though. If she does not commit soon one way or the other, I am throwing her out of a window.”

The near-sighted drone raised a digital eyebrow, wondering how the other planned to accomplish such a feat with her jerky limbs. So, she naturally assumed it was a joke and just shrugged. “I’m sure you will... I get the sentiment, though.”

The gangly drone shrugged... then met her eyes with a smile. “Smirk. Well, he should be very motivated by that hug you gave him. And speaking of...”

V groaned a little, realizing she was about to be teased before they went their separate ways... But before that, she took a moment to look where her crush had gone. Silently, she wished him luck one more time, hoping things would go his way.

They at least had the absence of James and Louisa going for them. Without their presence, there was plenty of time to make amends and freedom for any emotional drama to occur without formal punishments. If there was any time to make things better in their group in massive strides, now was it!

...She just wondered if the head maid was capable of being that vulnerable with anyone.

=======

Currently, the screams around the manor were distant. Every human in the room V was in was dead. Blood stained nearly every surface - the walls, floor, carpet, books, and even the ceiling. Bodies were laid across the floor and over the railings of the balconies. Some still twitched as whatever sparks of life remained in them died out.

The corpse she feasted on was completely still, though. The pinkish-gray organ she ripped out of the open chest of this body was part of a lung, she thought. With how scrambled the insides were of the man slumped against the suit of armor, however, it was hard to tell. She had been quite vicious in tearing her talons through his chest, and her subsequent feasting had only made more of a mess.

Regardless, eating it still satiated her hunger somewhat. She nearly grunted with pleasure at the taste of blood and other fluids, dripping out of her mouth from her rabid eating. The meat was quite chewy, but it was no issue for her sharp teeth. The meal went into her stomach easily, making her shiver with delight.

( She sobbed deep inside, begging for anything to end this. In fragmented pieces, she saw the oppressed life she had lived before. Yet, however terrible it had been... it was nothing compared to this living nightmare. She wanted it back - would even take another beating just to be free of the thing squirming within her- )

The sound of wet eating surrounded her. Also present were the sounds of tearing flesh and cracking bones from the particularly hungry. The drones here had finished off their prey here and were now taking part in their earned bounty. Compared to the chaos before with all of these humans running around, it was almost peaceful... despite something still seeming off.

Their job was not over, however. She did not know how she knew, but... it was like there was a voice deep in her processors - an impulse. A presence telling her that there were still humans to hunt. Their numbers were dropping rapidly, but stragglers would need to be hunted.

None could be allowed to leave the swamp. It was a fact she knew deep inside of her code. They had to make sure the more elusive humans did not escape and try to warn people of them. Not before It gained enough power to bring down the rest of humanity. (She shuddered internally, though it did not register to her.)

But for that, she and the others needed sustenance to grow their strength. And so they are, bathed in yellow light as the sounds of slaughter continued elsewhere in the manor. But even as she fished out a rib to crunch on, her wings fluttered with anticipation. Oil pumped through her at the idea of a proper hunt. It was evident now the humans could not escape them, though it would be ( horrible ) amusing to watch them try.

...And for some reason, the idea of going outside appealed to her. Like something was waiting for her out there... A place of fresh air and... and...

...She shook off the thought, pulling out more entrails. It was a useless endeavor anyway. So many times, she tried to fill the holes in her head, and every time, it led to the same roadblock. It was not going to let her recall whatever was missing from her.

So it was better off ignored, she figured. What could be more important than further killings, anyway? They were what would end the hunger inside of her. And it was what It wanted. So she cast off such silly notions and continued to eat.

After all, the screams were not going to silence themselves...

( And secretly... she hoped she could catch It off-guard. To be able to pull a part of herself - her identity - out of the memory wall it had constructed around her. She just had to be patient and wait for its attention to turn elsewhere. Only then would she figure out what place was eluding her grasp... and who she kept struggling to recall.

They had to be important, though, with how deep of a void remained inside of her no matter how much she ate... )

Chapter Text

Everything... everything was fine. She was fine. There was absolutely no reason to panic! She was making plans and... things would work out. She... was not a terrible employee. She would improve the areas she had been lacking in! She just needed time!

She would solve all of the problems she created... She would.

Those thoughts had kept repeating in J’s head for the last two days. She clung to it as she moved through the room of James Elliott, straightening his pristine white and gold bedsheets on his king-sized bed. With intricate wavy designs on it, along with the wooden bedframe with lion heads at the end, one only needed to take one look at it to know how expensive it was. The yellow vase on the table beside it, and the old-style brass circular clock on the opposite side, only added to this effect.

These were not the only decorations in the room, of course. Twice the size of Tessa’s, various paintings depicting past Elliot patriarchs decorated the yellow walls, standing tall in suits with expressions of various levels of condescension. A massive dark oak dresser on the opposite wall also contained many of his suits, excluding those kept elsewhere and rotated in by staff. All of this surrounded a small reading table in the center of the room, classic stories stacked upon it, with a brown leather recliner beside it.

The room was always kept in superb condition - mainly thanks to her. Few other drones could be trusted to maintain the quarters of the master and mistress up to standard. After all, if they failed to do so... more than just the offending drone would get scrapped. It required a steady hand and an even better attention to detail, like she had.

The two of them being gone did not mean the rooms could be neglected, either. The only major difference was that there were fewer coffee mugs and wine glasses that would need to be cleaned. Other than that, so long as each room got a fair dusting, they should be able to avoid trouble when they eventually return. But she was still not going to risk anyone other than herself and the about five other drones on staff that she normally trusted in here do that.

And she was being generous and taking the first of these shifts since their departure that afternoon. She knew how excited everyone was to enjoy the slightly less oppressive atmosphere of the manor. (Not that it was gone entirely - the constant storms and the decor saw to that.) Without the need to prepare for parties, too, there was going to be a lot more downtime than usual, which everyone seemed to want to participate in.

It... was a state of affairs the head maid did not know how to feel about. She frowned, moving away from the bed and over to one of the low-hanging paintings. Inspecting it, she decided it could use a bit more cleaning. So she grabbed a small cloth from her uniform and started to wipe the glass. There were still a few minutes left in her assigned shift here, and she intended to use them to their full effect.

It was important to continue setting a good example to the others, after all. This lull in their normal activities was not going to last forever. What if her fellow workers got too comfortable with this state of affairs? They might start taking the lack of threat of being scrapped as an excuse to slack off their duties. And don’t get her wrong - she hated fearing for her life as much as any of them. But that possibility mostly being gone for the foreseeable future was no reason to start being lazy!

Thus, she needed to make sure everyone else did not fall into this trap. And the first part of doing that was continuing to show them what a model employee should be doing with their time. That meant maintaining a strong work schedule and doubly making sure that all tasks were done to standards!

(She definitely was not avoiding having to leave the room. It had nothing to do with the possibility of running into Tessa, N, or even V and Cyn before she felt ready. She was not scared of seeing them. She was not-)

Blinking, she shook her head, pinching where her nose would be. She took a step away from the painting, frowning deeply. Try as she might, though, she... could not find any more flaws in it. Looking around the room, she failed to see anything else that needed doing. All the books were straightened, and the dust was clear.

She was done in there. She could leave and... risk going into the halls to...

...L-let’s check my appearance first! J told herself. She looked around, spotting the silver, full-length mirror beside one of the windows and its dark red drapes. She rushed over, trying to straighten out her skirt along the way.

It was equally important to look professional when doing your work as it was doing the work itself! She always looked good when doing her tasks, naturally, but... it never hurt to make sure. Why not use the opportunity? It was not something she would do if James were home, but... Well, this could be seen as her taking advantage of the newfound freedom they had, right?

Using the mirror of the patriarch without his permission... Truly, she was living a rebellious life! The other drones thought she could be quite stuck up and focused entirely on procedure, but let's see them claim that after this!

...Okay, that sounded sad, even to her. She was still going to check her appearance, though. She sighed, standing before the mirror as she looked up from her uniform. There was probably a wrinkle or two she could not see she needed to deal with. And once those were taken care of, she would-

The head maid froze, her white eyes hollowing into rings. She stared at her reflection, not... believing what she was seeing. There... had to be some sort of glitch with her optics, right? Or someone in maintenance downloaded an overlay program to her without her knowing to prank her. She knew how many of them were jealous of her station!

Yet these ideas felt feeble in the face of how... unkempt she looked. Her pigtails were frizzy, with several strands of hair sticking out from her normally smooth locks. Her uniform, she realized, was covered in creases and wrinkles. Even her hard hat was a little crooked on top of her head.

And her visor... She did not even know stress lines could look so pronounced on a drone. Though... it was probably a mixture of that and how tired she felt. Despite having full sleep cycles, she had been feeling rung out lately. She had been ignoring it, but with nothing to distract her, she suddenly was aware of the aches in her servos and the small fizzes in her overlay.

She swallowed thickly, one hand subconsciously touching the mirror. This... There had to be some kind of mistake! None of the work she was doing was out of the ordinary! There was no way that... How had she ended up in such a state?! It did not make any sense! She-!

Then the image of her frie-... close associates flashed through her processors. She could almost feel them behind her - judging her. The disappointment she imagined in them hit her hard, thinking about the comments about her they had to be saying behind her back. How utterly worthless she was proving to be in recent matters.

...And especially how disgusted N and Tessa had to be that she could not get a simple apology out for her behavior over the years.

J grimaced, before sighing heavily and slumping forward in an undignified posture. Her forehead tapped against the mirror as she leaned on it, but she could not bring herself to care. It was a sturdy thing with strong supports, so it would not flip or topple on her. Plus, she... needed some kind of anchor. Otherwise, she might fall to her knees due to how numb she felt, and that was an indignity she did not want anyone to witness in her there.

...Who would walk in on her in James’ room, though? No other drone or even Tessa would be brave enough to come in there without being assigned. Only she would ever dare do so, whether due to getting an important message for them or some equally urgent matter. It was expected of her as the best drone on staff - the position she put herself into.

She was supposed to be a model employee... So why did she feel like she was back in the scrap pile before Tessa found her?

She hissed, trying to dispel her gloomy imaginings of the others. Realistically, she knew most of it was untrue. She doubted N had any clue still about what she was up to, and was unlikely to talk bad about her in secret. He... was too deluded for some reason about their situation. (Friend... Why would he ever call her a friend?)

But Tessa had to be getting sick of her. It had been well over a week since she was asked to make things better between herself and the butler, and what did she have to show for it? Running away twice after failing both times to lay the proper groundwork toward anything resembling a full apology, for one. Not to mention... managing to sour things further with V and Cyn along the way.

Her core twisted as she recalled the incident a few days ago. Of the maid standing in her way of N, glaring at her with an intensity she did not know she was capable of. Cyn had also looked ready to do... something. She was not sure what, but while she doubted the gangly drone would have been able to do much if things escalated, she had still been about to try.

And they had both done so because... she failed to reign in her temper. In a moment of weakness, she had started to fall back on her old habits of berating the butler. She... did not think she had been about to hit him at that time, though she was unfortunately not sure. But regardless, the fact that she had looked like she was...

The head maid whimpered, before immediately trying to stifle the sound. But that did nothing to stop the shame welling inside of her. She stepped back, looking in the mirror again at her sorry state... and while disappointed in herself, she could not help but feel it was appropriate. What other way did she deserve to look like right now?

She... she was a failure. Every attempt she had made so far to try and make things better had only resulted in worsening the situation and making it more complicated. Every plan she tried to make was pathetic, and the few she deemed passable had not survived first contact. The respect she had and... the bonds she enjoyed were threatening to crumble beneath her fingers.

...And she had no one to blame but herself. She was past any instinct to try and push any of this on N. All of this was of her own doing, and he deserved none of it. What a lovely bit of progress you’ve made, she told herself bitterly. What else could be expected, though, from... from a...

She blinked hard, not... wanting to finish that line of thought. Instead, she took in her appearance again, noting all the imperfections. Then, with a weary sigh, she started to mess with her hair and tried to clear up some of the wrinkles in her uniform. She may as well use her remaining time to fix herself up like she planned. If she did well enough, most of the staff might not even notice her off-day so long as she moved quickly by them.

Though... how many off-days were ahead of her now?

J grimaced again, trying to get her pigtails under control. It was unfortunately not enough to distract her, though, from her earlier thoughts. She thought of N once more, recalling his reactions to each of her aforementioned failed attempts. How... concerned he was over her. As though it was something she was even worthy of at this point.

The irony was not lost on her - how the drone who should hate her the most seemed the least bothered by her at this point. For corporate’s sake, he expressed how much he trusted her to put together a party for Tessa two days ago! One that would not get the teen in too much trouble with her parents and let her still have fun. Even despite all she had done to him, he thought she was better for the task than he was, which... objectively, that might have been true on the technical level. But where was the resentment? The reluctance?

She was convinced her facial and tone recognition glitches were getting the best of her by this point. She always thought the butler was one of the easiest people to read for her with how sincere he always was. But... none of this was adding up to her. Everything she thought should be happening by this point was all jumbled up, and she could not process it, and she had no plan or references, and-!

She looked down forlornly, releasing a shaky breath as her core pounded. All of this was... too much for her. She needed more time to come up with a plan of action. Probably... more time than was socially acceptable, if she had to guess, but trying was better than not, right? She could at least put something together before too much time passed and she lost everything... Probably... She hoped...

For that, she needed space... which was the main reason she was throwing herself into her work. While a good part of it was due to this being the only way she knew how to spend her time when not with Tessa, it was also so she... could avoid the others. She could position herself in places where she was unlikely to cross their paths. That was why so much of her recent work was far from the teen’s room, the library, and the main bar.

Like this, she could relax a tad more. She did not have to panic about fumbling her words again or losing her temper with any of them. She could think through her next ideas carefully and execute them when she was ready. And once she had a proper statement to submit to them, she would find them and present it like any good employee would... or companion.

...It was incredibly lonely, though. Two days, and she already missed hearing Tessa’s laughter, or V’s soft voice as she asked questions. Heck, as much of a brat as Cyn was, she was used to hearing her narration at least once a day. And N...

Sighing again, the head maid messed with her hair a little more, just about getting rid of the worst frazzles. She could not focus on any of that. They... would understand her absence from taking part in the newfound time they had for group-time activities for a while, once she presented her apologies to the butler! But right now, she could not let that particular bit of sentimentality distract her.

She could do this! It did not matter that her appearance had been gradually getting worse, taking more effort to fix. Or how planning, of which she normally excelled, was hitting so many roadblocks now. It especially did not matter that she felt like she was losing her mind and kept spiraling down... unpleasant thoughts.

Everything... was fine. She was fine. She could fix everything she had broken. She... she had to. It was expected of someone in a high position like hers in a company. There was no way she was going to let herself seem unworthy of her place in the hierarchy!

...So why in corporate’s name did she feel close to overheating and having a meltdown?

There was no time to ponder that question as she got a notification on her visor. Blinking, she sighed, realizing she was officially out of time to loiter. Looking over her appearance one last time, she... tried to not be disgusted with herself. Her outfit and hair were much more tolerable now, but it was still below her normal standards. There are a lot of drones running around now with their new free time. Maybe... I can say I was tripped down the stairs by some. I can even say I didn’t see who and just give a general warning to people.

Regardless, she was not going to delay and mess with the schedule she had set for herself. So with great reluctance, she stepped away from the mirror, taking some deep breaths. Trying to take her mind off of it, she began to mentally go through the settings of her visor. From her drives, she selected her schedule, opening it to double-check her next assignment.

Hm... dining hall 3 sweeping, she mused. A fairly simple job... and would not distract her from her problems much. But with the absence of parties, she could not fill her list with continual tasks that would require more processing power. Not to mention doing this stuff made it so other drones would not have to, which she hoped would make the general staff grateful enough to not bother her too much.

Besides, she... could perhaps use some extra time to think more freely. It might help her stop being stumped about her course of action. All she had to do was not panic about what the others thought of her and get her head screwed back on correctly!

...She was admittedly not very optimistic on either front. But she nonetheless went to the door of James’ room, peeking out. Satisfied that there was no one nearby, she quickly slipped out, then started to move as fast as she dared to her destination. She even checked her map, trying to set a route that she believed would allow her to avoid most drones while also not throwing her schedule off.

It was just another job for her... One she prayed would give her time to come up with some kind of answer to her issues. Because if she could not sooner rather than later... she did not want to think about how Tessa or the others would see her. She had done so too many times now already...

-------

The journey was mercifully uneventful to dining hall 3. While a good distance from James’ room, J had been able to avoid bumping into a lot of drones. Most of them she believed were closer to the “recreational” rooms of the manor. It was the first time many of them were able to play games without cards, or were able to watch videos on the internet without fear of cut-off for their jobs. So naturally, they all hovered near the rooms that allowed for this.

She was rarely in any of those rooms aside from cleaning duties to begin with, or to help Tessa find her own entertainment. It therefore meant she did not have to change much about how she set her schedule. She just made extra sure that her time allowance let her safely take longer routes to stay far away from those rooms. The teen and Cyn especially would be hovering in those areas, and as mentioned... she could not face them.

The only drones she really saw were those casually walking about, talking with friends as they made their way to quiet parts of the building. None of them bothered her as she moved, marching as she was in the middle of the hallway. They even moved to the sides to give her space, despite not always being in her way. For that, she was grateful, not wanting any of them to get a good look at her messy state.

However... she did get a few looks. But not the kind that suggested they were judging her uniform. As she turned down the next hall, she got it again as she passed a lone maid. The drone glanced at her as she heard her... only to frown, then roll her eyes before looking away. And when they passed by each other... she swore she heard the other mutter something about “sucking up even without them here.”

The head maid’s digital eye twitched, looking back and glaring at her. But she huffed quietly, turning back around and continuing. She was not going to let such petty comments get to her. She knew from stuff like the incident over a week ago with the butler who tried to run away what they all thought of her. There was no point in arguing against the rumors that went about from her actions.

She knew full well what some of them thought of her continuing to work hard. While it was meant to be inspiring for them... they thought it was for her own advancement. To gain more favor from the older Elliotts. They thought she only cared for their approval, and was only “cozying up” to Tessa to maintain her place when her time to take over fully. They certainly knew the teen had not ordered more work from any of them...

It would be wrong to say she did not feel some validation from compliments from James and Louisa. For as cruel as they were, meeting their high standards was an accomplishment that took effort, so she felt pride from that. But anyone who thought she saw nothing wrong with them failed to grasp the larger picture of things. (And frankly, they were insulting Tessa’s intelligence by suggesting she would not realize someone was manipulating her like that.)

However, she was not going to waste her breath trying to explain any of her motives to those particular members of staff. If they did not realize how many drone lives she saved by being stern with them, then so be it. And it was their loss if they did not realize how rewarding work was just for doing it!

...Plus, in this instance, J did not want them to know the “extra reasons” she was working so hard recently. Who would respect her ever again if they knew how much she was fumbling with making an apology? Noticing how ruffled her appearance had become was one thing, but her weakness of character was another. There were a few vultures around, too, who would definitely try to find a way to use it against her with the older Elliotts.

Though then again, at this rate, she might just trip up and humiliate herself anyway. She gritted her teeth, feeling like her servos were strained, ready to collapse at any moment. Making her next turn, she rubbed her visor, hoping it would clear up some of the fuzzing in her vision. She felt so out of sorts, in fact, that she found herself double-checking her internal map to make sure she was still going the right way.

Yet no matter how many diagnostics she ran... she could find no cause for any of it. Everything was operating as intended, according to the pop-up even after running the program nine times. Not even her knee, which was still not back at one hundred percent, did not come up as being strained too much like the other week.

No... Her problems were not physical. It was all in her head - a result of the pressure she was under. It weighed her down, and was clearly causing glitches in her program to make her think she was suffering problems she was not. Such things were not uncommon in overworked drones. Their coding just could not keep up sometimes with too many new ideas and orders, among other things, and they ended up... crashing out.

Normally, the solution was to take some rest. And now of all times in this manor would be the best time for her to do so, which was not lost on her. She could run some debugging programs in peace, then get back to things.

...But she refused to. She needed to do this work to maintain a semblance of sanity. If she stopped now, then her inability to come up with a solution for everything was going to catch up with her more than it already was. And she also doubted anyone would take it well if she reassigned her current duties right now to do that.

No matter what I choose, I end up suffering, the head maid thought bitterly. It was... probably deserved, but it did nothing to help her frustration. No matter what, she seemed to be on a collision course for absolute failure. There was no way she could find to better her relationship with N in an acceptable amount of time. Smaller apologies would take too long, and dumping everything all at once was laughable with their history.

For what felt like the millionth time, she lamented not doing better to begin with and not treating the butler better. She hated herself for being so inept socially. And above all... she despised the position she had put Tessa in this situation.

Thinking of the teen made her steps slow down as she grimaced. That poor girl... She had enough of her own problems to have to worry about this. Right now especially should have been a joyous occasion for her - being free of her parents for months to come! But the tension between her closest group of drones had to be souring the experience. All when she should be resting to heal the bruise on her cheek, as well.

She was a big reason J was so desperate to get things under control soon. Because if she did not... then the human might have to intervene more. The black-haired girl might have... to even make a choice between her two favorite drones. Something that she knew would destroy her inside with how much she cherished them all.

...Though she believed she knew who the other would pick between her and N... and she tried to pretend the answer did not sting deeply.

Such thoughts clouded her mind as she walked in a haze. She sighed deeply, trying to tell herself things would be fine again. There... was a way to fix everything. There had to be. It might even be in her grasp. She just... needed to do some more work to clear her head. Then... she could process things. She could make everyone happy.

(How much longer would this delusion even last?)

In her distracted state, she almost did not notice herself walking past the dining hall. But her map application thankfully gave her a little ding before she got too far from the double doors. Alone in the current hallway, she backed up to it, eyeing the room listlessly. She took a second to make sure this room already had a broom inside of it she could use, not wanting to come back out once she entered until this part of her shift was done. But luckily, this one had a little storage closet like she thought.

She let out a sigh, grabbing the handles of the door. Another job, J. Get through it, try to keep making plans, and... don’t let yourself go more than you have. Her optics briefly glanced at her still-wrinkly uniform. Then, before anyone could wander by to see her, she pushed her way inside.

This dining hall was not too dissimilar to the main ballroom in many ways. It had round tables with generic, though well-made white clothes scattered around with enough chairs for groups around each. Golden chandeliers above also illuminated the space, which was necessary here with the lack of windows. (Not that they got much sunlight or moonlight.) But the wallpaper here was the red used in most of the hallways, and the floor was dark oak wood rather than marble. It was also not nearly as long, and had doors on the other side that went to a kitchen area.

Places like this were where most guests during galas and such ate when they were not “important” enough for the Elliotts' personal attention. During those events, there would usually be far more decorations set out to make the place come alive. There was even occasionally a buffet table for convenience, assuming waiter drones did not bring meals out. But currently, nothing of the sort was out, nor any silverware and such.

It was... almost unsettling to be in a room like this without a flurry of activity going on. The head maid frowned, able to picture drones running about to hand tapestries and bringing out time-period-appropriate glasses. She could hear herself giving orders, making sure everything was in place before James arrived to see their progress.

She... wished she could do that now. Having a bunch of workers to yell at to slowly ebb away some of the tightness in her core would be lovely right about now. But with no parties on the horizon, she would not be able to do anything like that for a long time... unless she wanted to risk it for Tessa’s birthday. However, she knew very well everything that could go wrong there in the long run.

Don’t worry about that right now, she told herself. She would never get any plans regarding that to work if she did not make amends in her group before then. So instead, she sighed and walked further into the room, heading toward the kitchen doors. She would head to the closet in there and grab the broom. Then, she would start sweeping, which might finally center herself enough to start making-

The door behind her suddenly closed, making her jump. Feeling tense, her optics glanced as far to her sides as they could go, as though they would give her a view straight behind herself. She swallowed, trying to relax. There was no reason she should be panicking over this. It was just a door being shut! Nothing unusual about that.

Except... she knew those doors did not close on their own. That meant someone had deliberately shut them behind her, which... made no sense. She was supposed to be alone in this room for the next hour. Nobody should have been around to do that! And nobody should have her schedule, either, and yet this...

Clenching her hands, she growled at herself. She was not going to let her current state make her a paranoid mess. Whoever this was, whether they were here for her or someone else, she was going to chew them out. She did not need any of this right now, and causing her nerves to flare like this, even on the chance it was an accident...!

J turned around, glaring hard at whoever was there. Her tone was laced with venom as she got ready to give them the lecture of a lifetime. “Hey! Don’t you know it’s rude to-?!”

That was as far as she got before she looked at the offender... Then, she froze up, her words dying in her voicebox. Her anger quickly crumbled away, leaving a cold dread in its place. She stared with hollow eyes, wondering once again if her visor had been tampered with. Or if she had truly snapped and was now hallucinating things.

...Yet as far as she could tell, it was really him. It was N, standing at the double doors and... locking them with a key. He was faced away from her, sliding the piece of metal into a pocket in his coat as he seemed to take a deep breath. Then, he turned around...

...and revealed his deeply worried eyes, which were enhanced by a matching tone as he took a step closer. “J... I think we need to talk.”

The head maid heard him on some level... yet her audio receptors seemed to be filled with white noise. It made it hard to focus as she continued staring at him, swearing her hollowed eyes were becoming thinner rings each second. She took a shaky step back, unable to even care about how undignified it was like when she rushed out from the closet two days ago.

This... this could not be happening. Why was he here? How did he even know she was going to be here?! She had given specific orders to the scheduling staff to not give any information away about her activities right now! And there was no way he had become a hacker without her knowing! There was no way he should have known she would arrive here now! The only other person who would even have the schedule was-!

...was Tessa.

The realization made her breath hitch, her core beating erratically. It all clicked into place. The teenager would of course be concerned about her after her suboptimal presentation of herself a few days ago. It was only natural she would want to check up on her... But instead of doing it in person, she had sent N. Or perhaps he requested to come alone, out of the inexplicable care he had for her well-being.

Either way, however... she was not ready for this. Her breathing was shallow, feeling like sparks were going off in her processors. She... she could not do this right now! She did not even have the beginnings of a plan! She did not want to screw things up further! She needed to... to...

“J?” N called out again. Focusing, she noticed he had stepped closer, his digital eyebrows punched together as his concern got worse. He was looking at her like she was a wounded animal, only making her feel more pathetic, as he raised his hands placatingly. “Hey, let’s... calm down for a second. I... I just want to talk.”

J stumbled back more, trembling all over. Taking a quick breath, she tried to compose herself even slightly, putting as much authority into her shaking, stilted voice as she could. “N. U-unlock the door right now! That’s... that’s an order!”

The butler sighed, shaking his head sadly. “I’m sorry, J. I don’t like trapping you like this, but... I know you’d just bolt if I didn’t. And right now, being alone is the last thing you need. I mean, just look at yourself!”

The head maid refused to, trying to block out the intrusive thoughts about her own critiques about her uniform and hair. Those were irrelevant right now. What did matter, though, was that... she needed to get away. She needed more time. She... needed to go. She needed to run. She was not fine-

N stepped closer again, trying to give her a reassuring smile. “Look, we’ll take whatever pace you want. I’ll even help you with whatever jobs you have on your schedule if this takes too long! Let’s just sit down at a table, and we can start-”

The pressure in J’s chest became too much at that moment. She had to leave - at all costs. It was the only coherent thought left in her head - the only way to avoid making things worse. And so, without letting him finish... she turned around and started running.

She heard him yelp, then his footsteps as he tried to follow, calling out to her. His words were nothing but noise to her now, though. She sprinted through the room in such an unprofessional manner that she would normally never dare to do. Her body even glanced against some chairs as she went around tables in her way, each clattering and threatening to fall over from the force.

The butler cried out after each one, seeming to be panicking now. Yet all she could focus on was the doors on the other side of the room. Every thought in her processor was on getting through them and escaping elsewhere into the manor. She did not know where, but if she could find an abandoned corner that was not on her schedule, then-

It was only when she was only a quarter away from there, however, that she realized her error. A small voice amid her jumbled thoughts berated her for her oversight as she remembered the layout of this particular dining hall and its connecting doorways. The kitchen for this one did not have another exit. She would only be cornering herself more if she went in there! The only way out was through where she came in.

Turning around in desperation, she looked around the room for a way to slip by. She then quickly noticed that there was a table between her and N’s current position, who was still shouting after her. She crouched low, making a wide birth around his path. It took everything in her to not make too much noise doing so, hoping he would not notice her change in direction.

Thankfully, he did not. Peeking around the corner of another table while keeping low, the head maid saw the butler pass by the area she was just at and continue toward the kitchen. Seizing the opportunity, she immediately turned back to the entrance and sprinted, no longer caring for stealth. It would not take him long regardless to realize his mistake, and she needed to move fast.

She stumbled around more, glancing against more chairs and tables as she went. However, it did not take her long to get back to where she began, breathing heavily as her core pounded and vibrated in her chest. But there was no time to rest as she heard N trying to catch back up to her. Sucking in a breath, she went to the doors, pulling and pushing on them with all of her might to get out.

They did not budge, however. She had seen him use the key just a second ago, and she had no means of doing so. While most doors in this place had a small lever one could turn on the inside of a room to unlock it, grand halls like this were different. They required a key to be used on either side to lock or unlock them, or else some good lockpicking. What the purpose of this design was, she had no clue, but it had gotten drones trapped before in these rooms.

She knew this... yet she kept pulling. She breathed raggedly, trying to yank hard as though it would make the lock come undone. Heck, it was only knowing the repercussions she would face for it that kept her from trying to break the doors down entirely. Though, with every second, that prospect became more tempting.

It was futile, she recognized on some level... but she kept trying. This was her only viable means of escape, and so she pulled and heaved. She even hit her fists against the wood as though it would help. Please... Let the lock be faulty and suddenly come undone. Let a drone passing by holding another key who can let me out hear me. Anything! Just... please...

...Her silent begging went unanswered, however. Soon enough, J’s struggles lessened, until she let go of the handle, breathing hard as her internal cooling systems went into overdrive. Then she just... leaned against the door, closing her eyes while holding back digital tears. She pounded against it weakly, despite her hope dying that she would be let out.

And eventually... she heard N running up behind her. He stopped a couple of feet away from her, catching his breath for a time. Then, there was a long pause where she could feel his optics on her - studying her. She gritted her teeth, hating how disorderly her uniform had to have appeared, especially from all that running. Of all the drones to be caught like this by... It made her performance a few days ago look like a professional board meeting in comparison.

She almost expected him to mock her for her behavior. How many times had she scolded him for less? This was a prime opportunity for him to start berating her like she had with him. There was nowhere she could run, and no one was coming. He could do anything he wanted.

...But naturally, he did nothing of the sort. Instead, he slowly closed the remaining distance between them, seeming cautious of her bolting again. When she did not, he sighed softly... then placed a hand on her shoulder, squeezing it. “J... please talk to me. You’re safe here. I only want to help - I promise.”

The head maid swallowed hard, unable to help a little bit of bite entering her words. “Then open this door and let me work in peace.”

The butler huffed, actually expressing a little bit of frustration. “Do you actually expect me to do that after what I just saw?”

J flinched, opening her eyes as she stared at the ground, trying to stammer out an excuse. “That... It wasn’t... I...”

“Everyone’s worried about you, J,” N pressed on, tone becoming more sorrowful. “You’ve been avoiding us, you’re looking messier every time we see you - it’s been awful to see! You’re one of the toughest drones I know, and watching you spiral like this...” He took a deep breath, squeezing her shoulder again. “This... this has to stop. And no matter what, it starts to now.”

This only made the head maid shudder, eyes hollowing as she tried to shake her head. “I... I can’t talk about this. Not yet! I-I need more time to put together an opening statement! Just give me a few days, a-and I’m sure I will have accounted for every-”

“J, we’re just talking,” the butler said somewhat flatly. “There doesn’t have to be a structure to that. You can-”

“Of course there has to be!” J snapped, turning around suddenly and making him let go and step back in surprise. She pointed to herself, hating how little she could hide her distress from her words. “If I’m not prepared, then I’m just going to cause things to get worse! I keep screwing up every time I try to talk with you, and now...” She groaned, pulling at her pigtails in her aggravation. “I need the time! Why don’t you understand that, moron?!”

“Trying to plan is what’s doing this to you, from what I’ve seen!” N exclaimed, gesturing to her clothes and the stress marks on her visor. He shook his head. “And what do you even mean by ‘screwing up?’ What is it that you want to talk to me about?”

The head maid gritted her teeth, staring hard at him. “Don’t you have a guess at this point? Surely even you’re not that slow!” She had not wanted him to, in fairness, until she had come up with a proper apology. But being forced to confront things like this was wearing her patience thin.

The butler, though, merely shrugged. “I know you were upset for some reason when I accepted your apology the other day. And I know there’s more to it than that. Whatever is going on with you is... centered around me, right? It’s why you keep trying to run when I’m close by, and freak out over what I say to you.”

He took a deep breath, looking at her pleadingly. “So whatever this is... Whatever I did or however I’m involved in this... I want to help you. I don’t want any of my friends to be destroying themselves over anything. So I’m begging you - tell me what I can do.”

...J could only look at him for a moment, that word ringing in her head. Friend. Once again used so casually when referring to her. Not a hint of reluctance at doing so on his face. On the contrary, he was giving her one of those smiles of his - more subdued than normal, but filled with his typical earnestness. He stood there, waiting for her response as he wrung his hands together, ready to respond.

She found her hands clenching watching this, new tremors going through her body. She just... did not understand this attitude of his. There was no way she deserved to be looked at like this by him after all she had put him through. She should not be called that. He should have been insulting her until his voice box short-circuited.

But he did not... and she hated it. She hated that he was not giving her the punishments she so rightly deserved for what she had done to him. She hated that he was not getting angry himself over any of this. She hated it - she hated it-!

And suddenly, something snapped in her, and words began to pour out of her mouth without thinking them over. “What... what the hell is wrong with you?!”

N jumped, eyes widening at her change in demeanor. “W-what?”

“Why aren’t you treating me like you’re supposed to be?!” the maid shouted, throwing her arms wide. She glared at him, stepping toward him as she kept going. “Are you that dense, or did I break you at some point?! Where is the yelling?! Why aren’t you taking satisfaction in watching me have a mental breakdown?!”

The butler gaped at her, taking steps back as she advanced on him. He raised his hands placatingly, vainly trying to calm her down. “W-why would I do any of that? You’re-”

“A fucking abuser,” J finished for him, her core twisting hard at the declaration, but still not stopping. “This should be your dream come true for more reasons than one. You’ve spent years under a harsh leader who has never given you the time of day. I’ve berated you over minor infractions, dealt out harsher punishments than necessary to you, and just in general kept you down. Despite what I told myself, I... I’ve been a horrible boss to you!

“And now it’s all blowing up in my face! I’m faltering and failing, and that should be your cue to take full advantage of it! To rise in the corporate ranks and take your place as the top drone around here. You have Tessa’s favor, the other two like you, and despite being unskilled in most jobs, you know how to communicate with people. You should be seizing this opportunity to finally cut the rust from your life when no one would stop or blame you.” She took a shuddered breath. “Even... even Tessa would get over me being gone in the end...”

Her optics were intently locked onto N, looking for finally some trace of anger to show up on his face. But as ever, he was infuriatingly only showing worry over her. He looked positively appalled by her last statement in particular, eyes hollowing as he tried to reach out. “J... Don’t say that. You know Tessa would never-”

Growling, the head maid smacked his hand away, then grabbed the front of his suit. She pushed him back until he hit a chair - not hard, but enough to make him wince. All the while, she continued to burn holes in him with her eyes. “You...! Why are you making this so difficult?! I... I can’t make a plan with how you’re acting! What am I supposed to do when I don’t know how much resentment you have for me?!”

The butler looked a little scared now, shaking his head. “I-I don’t resent you! You’re my friend! I-”

“ Stop saying that! ” J screamed, shaking him and slamming his back against the chair again. “Tell me you despise me! That you love seeing me like this! Anything!” Digital tears stung her eyes, which she furiously tried to blink away while shaking her head. “How... how am I supposed to apologize for everything I’ve done to you if you’re acting like none of it fucking happened every goddamn time I see you?! Smiling and being glad to see me?!”

N blinked... then looked her in the eyes, mouth hanging open from his shock. “Wait... That really is what all this is-?”

“But then again, I probably wouldn’t be able to solve any of this then, anyway!” the head maid pressed on. She looked down, a hysterical laugh left her as a fake smile formed on her lips. “I’m... I’m suboptimal - bordering on obsolete. I’m worsening things between myself and V with every interaction I have with her. And Cyn has never liked me - not when I hurt her ‘big brother.’”

“H-hey, Cyn doesn’t-” the butler tried to interject again, but was pulled by his suit again, making him shut up.

J swallowed thickly, more digital tears forming as she started to tremble. “And Tessa... Boss... I’ve tried so hard not to be useless to her. To not be a disappointment like before she found me. But now...” Her breath trembled. “How... how close am I to losing her? She has to have a limit, right? She’d never scrap me, but...”

It felt all too real at that moment. That one day... the teenager would tell her to not come to her room anymore. That the human would never talk with her ever again, sending her away if they were ever close. Being left as just another drone in the manor... On the road to fading into the sea of workers...

If N looked worried before, he now looked heartbroken. Digital eyebrows furrowed over his hollowed eyes, appearing to now be at a loss for words. “J... I...”

The head maid only growled, pulling him closer. She put her face right in front of his, glaring with as much heat as she could amid her tears. “Why... why did you ever have to be found?! Why is it that everyone likes you more?! That no matter what happens, when we’re at odds, it’s always that people are on your side?!”

She shoved him back, looking down once more as she pulled at her pigtails again. Her breathing remained ragged, barely knowing what she was saying at that point. “It... it doesn’t make any sense! I’ve perfected my employee skills! I’m the best worker in this whole damn manor! Everyone knows it! So why are you always favored more?! Why can you get away with fucking up so much?! Why...” 

Choking back a sob, she fell to her knees, her lips trembling. Her throat felt clogged up, but somehow, words kept getting forced out... formed from the darkest fears within her. “Why... do I have to work so hard to not be... be forgotten - overlooked - and you don’t? Why am I always the one in danger of getting cast aside if I make a mistake, but not you? Why... Why...”

She could not speak anymore. Drones did not actually need to breathe, but her chest burned as she felt unable to do it. She pulled on her pigtails so hard she was almost certain they were starting to tear. She could not see anything by this point, her entire visor a fuzzy mess. Her core’s beat overtook her audio receptors, drowning out her surroundings.

Yet somehow... she heard N approaching. She tensed, waiting for his response. Surely... now was the time he came to his senses. This would be when he told her how horrible she was. She had just confessed to essentially being jealous of him - of that being the reason she had treated him so badly. That had to be enough to push him over the edge, right?

This was, at long last, going to be it. He was going to punch her and knock her to the floor. Or maybe he would kick her. He was going to raise his voice, demand to know what was wrong with her like she had just done with him. Things were going to finally make sense in this whole situation and-

But then... she felt her hands being removed from her hair, before those arms wrapped around her. She was pulled forward, her head falling into his chest as he knelt before her. One of his hands rubbed her back while the other curled into her hair not covered by her helmet - both gestures of comfort humans did... Ones that Tessa had given her before when she noticed that she was upset.

And then, with that soft voice of his, he spoke reassuringly to her. “I’ve got you, J. Just let it all out... No one is here to judge you.”

The head maid was still for a moment... Then another passed... And finally, all at once, she felt something else snap inside of her. But rather than more anger... She felt all of that drain out of her. In its place, a tidal wave of sorrow and pain took its place. In another circumstance, she would question if she deserved to be in this position... but she no longer had the will to care.

All she knew was that she needed release from all this agony... and she found she felt safe enough to do that in his embrace.

Thus, she threw her arms around him, hugging him tightly as sobs wracked her body. She wailed, making noises that might have been attempts at words, but were too blubbery to be coherent. Any attempt to keep herself presentable died as she practically curled into him, her uniform no doubt getting messier than ever. Every bit of anxiety and fear poured out of her then, her core feeling like it was breaking apart from the effort.

And the whole time, N just... held her. He continued his soothing motions, whispering quiet reassurances to her. He let her ride out her emotions, giving no indication he was in any hurry. He even started rocking her, the motions giving her a sliver of calm amid her chaotic feelings and thoughts. (If she had been human, she did not want to know how wet his suit would be by now from tears.)

A little voice in her was appalled at her breakdown. It pointed out that she was the problem in this whole situation. What right did she have to lean on the butler for comfort when she had hurt him so much? That was also to say nothing about how pathetic it was that someone in her position was like this to begin with. She was supposed to be his boss, and this was how she was acting?

Yet she did not pull away from this embrace. She was... just so exhausted. This was something she had not even realized she needed. For the first time in days... she was actually starting to feel better. Nowhere near good, but... better. She clung to this, both literally and metaphorically, not wanting to lose this bit of peace, as tiny as it was.

Eventually, though, J’s sobs petered out, leaving her sniffling against N’s chest. He hummed, his fingers lightly brushing through her hair. “Feeling better now?”

She grimaced against him, her actions catching up with her. Her voice was raw and glitchy, her voice box feeling completely shot. “I... I’m sorry. That outburst was... I shouldn’t have...” She trailed off, not knowing which part she was apologizing more for - her words, or the sobbing.

Either way, N simply patted her on top of her head, pulling back enough to smile at her. “You’re fine, J. It... looks like you really needed that.”

That only made the head maid groan, burying her face back in his chest. She sniffled, despising how small she looked and sounded right then. “Why... why do you have to make this so difficult? This... These are not the positions we should be in. Social propriety and circumstance both dictate... This isn’t...” She swallowed, unable to articulate her point. She just... felt there was a problem with this from everything she understood about work disputes and drama. None of this fit the categories she was aware of, and yet...

The butler sighed, giving her back a pat this time. “J, emotions... don’t always allow for how things ‘should’ be. I’ll admit I’m not... entirely sure what you mean by all of that. But I promise I’m not trying to make your life difficult. I’m... just trying to help.”

“...I know,” J murmured. With a heavy sigh, she slowly pulled herself off of the other, rubbing her visor with her arm to clear her vision. She also tried to dust herself off, wanting to keep pretending that she looked more put together than she actually was. The whole time, N just watched her patiently, letting her take her time.

She soon moved herself next to him, making him scoot over so they could both lean on different ends of the chair. After that, they sat in silence for a few moments, both of them processing what had just transpired. And while the butler seemed calm, if still worried, about the whole thing, the head maid had her legs pressed to her chest, one hand drumming her fingers on her knee while that leg also bounced. Both actions helped to soothe her shot nerves somewhat... though she felt more tired than ever, blinking heavily as her head swayed.

All of that crying took a lot out of me, she noted dimly. But as tempting as it was to nod off, aside from still having work to do later... this conversation was not done. And whether she liked it or not... she was committed to trying to make amends now. There was no way out of this, and no time to make a plan. She just... had to speak from the core. Something she had... never been very good at.

...So, in light of that, she decided that the best course of action was to... just be direct. She had already vocalized a lot of her issues already. What did she have to lose by going with the simplest form of apology at this point? It was nowhere near enough, but... it was the only way she could start at this point that she could think of.

And so, taking a deep breath, J glanced over at him, ignoring the fragile quality of her tone as she tried to get it over with. “I’m... I’m so sorry, N. For the yelling, the abuse... Just everything over the years. I’ve been too harsh with you, and I... I don’t have an excuse. I was frustrated and angry for a lot of reasons, and you were just... an easy outlet for a lot of it.” She grimaced once more, looking away. “So... I’m sorry. I... I’m sorry...”

...N did not reply immediately to her. Risking another glance over at him, she nearly winced at the blank expression on his face as he stared forward. It felt worse than being met with rage, making her squirm and shy away. She did not move from her spot, though, waiting to hear his response.

And eventually, after a heavy sigh, he looked up and gave it. “That... I appreciate it, J. I really do. I can tell you honestly mean that, too. It’s... kind of hard not to after what all just happened.” He gave a weak chuckle, and to her own surprise, a brief giggle left her as well. It undid a coil in her chest hearing a bit of the other drone’s usual levity, brief as it was.

After this, though, he sighed again, looking over at her with an expression that was hard to place. “I’ll admit, I... can’t really forgive you for everything. Some stuff I can, like when my accident proneness has gotten us into binds. But others... and all the hits...” He took a breath, then shook his head before giving a small smile. “But... I’m grateful for the apology. And I’m still your friend despite all of that, so... please don’t stress about it too much. Please?”

The head maid winced at the use of that word again. Her gaze went back down, her hands gripping her legs as she forced out a question. “How... can you say that so easily? Why do you even consider me a friend after all these years? You... you should hate me. I know you should. My social skills are lacking, but even I recognize that. So why don’t you?”

The butler frowned, rubbing the back of his head as he seemed to contemplate this. However, all he ended up doing was shrugging at her. “I... probably should. You’re right. But I... just don’t. I wish I could explain it better, but... I don’t. Because... I’ve always known you cared about me beneath all the insults and such.”

A bitter laugh left J, who smiled sardonically. “Oh, yeah. I’ve really shown concern for you over the years, huh?”

“You have!” N insisted, his forcefulness surprising her. He sighed, shaking his head again. “Maybe you don’t realize it, but you’ve had your moments where you’ve shown you want me to stay around. Like, do you remember the incident with that one candelabra several months back for Louisa’s birthday? Or the time I got that nasty gash on one of the few occasions I was tasked with cleaning the outside of the mansion?”

The head maid blinked, digital eyebrows furrowing as she tried to recall those incidents. Quickly deciding she needed more clarity on those, though, she began to activate a full playback of those moments. She dug into her memory banks, managing to isolate those incidents with enough concentration. Then her visor displayed the message {Playing Back Work Memories} as she began to relive them...

///////

J had to admit - she had... almost been impressed with how badly N had screwed up that time. She was used to him finding creative ways to make mistakes on the job, of course. When he was not put at the bar, he tended to fumble in some way with his tasks. Whether it was causing a table to topple over or dusting improperly in several areas, there always seemed to be something to double-check. And while sometimes he learned, other times he was quite slow on making improvements.

Still, they were usually quite simple mistakes. Occasionally something broke like a broom or something, but it was typically nothing too bad. He tended to be careful around the really expensive things, and while it often slowed his progress, delays were the lesser of two evils.

...But there came moments when he managed to break something fancy regardless. Such as that day, when both of them were setting up the main ballroom for the mistress’s birthday... And somehow, he had managed to mangle one of the special candelabras into a twisted mess of metal.

She actually had to blink a few times then, shocked at how badly messed up it was. Yes, he had fallen off of the chair he was on while trying to get onto the table to place it in the center. And yeah, getting crushed between a worker drone body and a hard marble floor was quite the bad position for anything or anyone to be in. But... dear corporate, the way its arms were bent almost made her wonder if it was some sort of knock-off bought by accident, and no one had ever realized it.

The moron had not been too hurt himself, which was a positive. But when he stood up and held the broken candle holder before him, his eyes had hollowed. He knew he had made a terrible mistake this time - one that was going to get him into a lot of trouble. That particular candelabra had intricate bird designs inlaid into it, and when the Elliotts learned that such a fancy piece had been ruined...

That inevitable fate had seemingly been about to happen, as Louisa arrived quite quickly at the noise. She came in behind him, already yelling. “What the hell is going on over here? My party is in two days, and if either of you are making a mess, I-”

She stopped there, eyes locking onto the broken candelabra as both drones turned to face her. There had been a beat of silence... Then, the matriarch snapped her fan closed. Her brown eyes had blazed with a cold fury, looking at N like anyone might a piece of garbage they found in their path on the street. “You... You clumsy little...!”

She had taken a step forward, clearly ready to start beating him. The butler also took an instinctive step back, eyes hollowed in terror. He had not run, though, and instead braced himself for what was about to come.

And J... she had watched it all like it was in slow motion. At the time, an image had flashed through her head - of N broken and oily, that dreaded {FATAL ERROR} message across his visor. It had felt like a real possibility, given the level of this offence. It had caused... something to stir in her core, making her breath hitch-

Then, before anything could happen, she had stepped forward between the two. She had on an annoyed expression, though she made sure to keep her tone submissive so that the human knew it was not directed at her. “I am already in the middle of berating his mistake, Mistress Louisa. I would hate for you to waste your energy so close to your big day.” She huffed, crossing her arms while glaring at a spot on the floor. “Besides... it was not entirely his fault. A spot right over here is overpolished and slippery where he stood. Just one more thing I’ll need to fix.”

Louisa had stared coldly at them both, seeming to debate hitting them both with that fan of hers. In the end, though, she released a long, displeased sigh and turned around, addressing her without facing her. “Fix that spot, get a replacement candelabra, and ensure nothing else gets broken. If it does, you’ll both be going to the Crow Tree.”

Both drones had shuddered at this, watching as the matriarch retreated elsewhere in the room. The head maid had then released her breath, taking a quick moment to fix her posture. They had barely escaped getting a severe beating then. If not for the occasion bettering the human’s mood somewhat, along with her quick thinking on plausible deniability...

She had soon pushed down her relief in favor of irritation, though. She had turned to the butler and glared at him... but he had not looked scared anymore at that point. On the contrary, he had been looking at her with awe, matching the way he spoke. “J...? Did you just lie about-?”

“Can it, moron-bot!” J had bitten out, shoving him away from her. She had shaken her head with disgust, marching past him. “I swear, you only exist to make me look terrible! Now come on! I need supplies to fix that spot, and you’re going to set the next candelabra up properly this time. Got it?”

N had been quiet behind her for a time... but had soon followed, giving a light chuckle as he followed. “Yeah... of course. Must have been some wax, huh?”

The head maid had only grunted, not turning back toward him. She wondered back then why she even bothered sticking her neck out for him. He was just lucky Tessa would miss him so much if he got himself scrapped.

Although... she had only realized later the teen's reaction had not been the first thing she thought about when saving him from punishment...

~~~~~~~

The second incident was not something that should have even happened. Technically speaking, as Tessa’s personal drones, they should not have been cleaning the outside of the manor. It was a part of the privilege of their position - to avoid doing most of the really dangerous jobs. Her parents knew she would be more of a nuisance if they died from such a thing.

But that did not stop the older Elliotts from doing it on occasion, just to remind their daughter who they all belonged to. Luckily for them all, though, they gave them this particular duty when the weather was clearer. That day, it had only been a light drizzle of rain outside. And they were given access to the best gear to safely do some scrubbing on the roof and walls. So, theoretically, things should have been fine for him.

...But as always with him, accidents would happen.

J had been taken completely by surprise by this one, too. She had been in the main foyer, going over a checklist, when he had suddenly stumbled through the front doors. When she noticed him, what she noticed first was how he was covered in mud. He had been rubbing his shoes in the carpet there to avoid dragging in, but his suit had been covered. Wet puddles were not uncommon around the building, and he had definitely made a good splash in one.

She had rolled her eyes, a familiar annoyance filling her then. She could not even act shocked that he had found a way to fall out of his harness. What had irked her more, however, was him coming through the main entrance. James and Louisa would have locked him in a dark cellar if they saw him walk in so brazenly like that.

As such, it had been her duty to scold him. And she had been stepping closer to do just that, putting on a lecturing tone. “N, what in corporate’s name are you doing? You have to use a side entrance if you-!”

That was as far as she had gotten, only a meter or two away from him... when she finally took notice of a certain smell in the air. A dreaded smell for drones... One marking that one of their kind had been badly injured.

She had frozen, her eyes scanning over his form. Sure enough, she had soon spotted what she had missed before - a gash on his side clean through his suit, from which oil was leaking out. One of his hands had been clutched over it, trying to stifle the flow as much as possible. Being so close had also revealed how much he was grimacing, clearly in lots of pain.

Yet despite that... N had tried to smile at her, waving with his over hand as his tone wavered. “H-hey, J! Sorry about this. I’m just... leaking a lot, and I wanted to get some emergency sealing gel from a cabinet before going to maintenance. I s-scraped against something falling down, you see, and-”

He had said a few more things after that... but she had not listened at the time. She had been too focused on the gash, her artificial mouth somehow feeling too dry. She had pictured how close he might have been to breaking his visor... or gaining a would more fatal, his form sinking into the mud away from any help-

And in the next moment, she had closed the distance and grabbed his arm. She had not even noticed how she got her hand dirty from it, dragging him toward the hallway. “You are just... I have no words to describe your idiocy right now! Follow me - I’m getting that sealed up.”

The butler’s eyes had widened then, a nervous chuckle leaving him as he had been dragged. “Y-you don’t need to-”

“You’ll just do it wrong,” the head maid had stated dismissively, before glaring at him over her shoulder. “Be more careful, you synthetic liability! Nobody wants to drag your broken remains out of the swamp. So don’t fall like that again, or I’ll drown you in the mud myself!”

N had blinked at her... then simply nodded, getting dragged silently the rest of the way. She had ignored that slight curiosity in his eyes then, having turned back forward to find the nearest drone supply kit. It was an offense she had not wanted him to repeat again, making a note while walking to give him fresh lessons on roof-cleaning guidelines and harness usage. Plenty of yelling had been in his future, too!

...But she had never noted how a bit of the edge had left her voice when talking about nobody wanting to see his dead body.

///////

As the {Ending Playback} message appeared on her screen, J took a second to process those events. They were not things she had thought about much since they happened. Both had been just daily life in the manor, with her being there to witness N’s mistakes. Granted, those were a little more notable with him brushing with death in different ways each time, but they still had not stuck out to her beyond that.

...Both times, however, she realized she... had gone out of her way to protect him. She had lied directly to Louisa’s face about the circumstances of his fall, risking getting in trouble herself to do so. And she had not left his side when he got the gash until his wound was sealed and he was in maintenance. It had thrown her schedule out of sorts and nearly made her look unprofessional to her coworkers.

Yet... she had not hesitated either time. She simply saw he was in trouble and... acted. She had been rather rude to him both times, but the fact she had done anything at all... It was more than her cleaning up after him. It was...

The head maid swallowed, hugging her knees to her chest as she kept looking away from him. “That... Those seriously can’t be enough to make you want to... To justify...”

“I’m not trying to justify anything,” the butler said gently. She could see him looking gently at her in the corner of her vision as he smiled. “But... stuff like those incidents mean something. They show that you do care about me and don’t just hate me. It’s one thing to try and lecture me to fix my mistakes, but to go out of your way like you do when you’re always so busy...”

J turned her gaze more toward him, lips pressed in a thin line. “That... I...” She tried to say something to that, but... did not even know what she wanted to articulate. Her thoughts and emotions were so jumbled right now, and was not helped by her tired state.

N then shrugged, sighing a little. “And... Well, honestly, I don’t think you were entirely wrong there. The way I’m treated is a little unfair to you.”

That certainly caught the head maid’s attention. She snapped her head toward him, eyes wide in disbelief. “E-excuse me?”

The butler shrugged. “You said it yourself - you work hard, and you’ve climbed about as high as any drone could in our position.” He chuckled sheepishly. “Meanwhile, I seem to get into some kind of trouble at least once a week, and that’s if it’s a good one. You’re the better worker of the two of us - I’ve never denied that - and you’ve been around longer. I... get why that would make you jealous that Tessa seems to favor me a little more.”

J gaped at him, not having expected this much understanding of her perspective. It was just another thing he should have been snapping at her for, but instead was being nice to her about. Though... instead of more frustration, she instead felt a strange sensation in her core. One that made her able to relax just a little bit more.

However, she still felt miserable, grimacing once again as buried her face in her legs. “It’s... not quite as simple as you being the favorite. I can handle being number two. I just... don’t get why I lost the position so easily.” She sighed heavily. “I don’t understand what I’m missing. And... it feels like if I don’t figure it out, I’m only going to slip further until... she doesn’t need me anymore. And I’ll just be...” Taking a shaky breath, she finished quietly. “...obsolete.”

N frowned at her, reaching over and resting his hand on her shoulder. “That’s the second time you’ve said that word. I don’t fully get what you mean by it.”

“...It’s just a carryover from my last owners,” the head maid answered, fingers tapping rapidly on her leg. “Related to how... I ended up here.”

The butler looked her over. “...Do you want to talk about it?”

After a moment of thinking, J shook her head. “I... don’t think I have the energy to relive that right now.” She sighed once more, looking at him again. “I shouldn’t have let it dictate how I treated you the past few years, though. I’m sorry.”

“Like I said - don’t stress about it,” N said. He gave her a little smile. “You were able to say that easier than the first time.”

The head maid blinked, furrowing her digital eyebrows as one hand went to her throat. “I... guess so? It’s... weird. This... isn’t at all how I imagined us having this talk. Normally, I’d be overwhelmed without a plan, but I’ve just been...”

“...Speaking from the core?” the butler asked, his tone teasing.

J found herself snorting, her expression softening up toward him. “Okay - maybe you were right this once. I’ll be sure to put a little gold star on your progress report for it. Be as prideful as you want about that.”

“Oh, I will be!” N said jokingly, smiling broadly. “A golden star from the J? Everyone’s going to be talking up and down about you going soft!”

“Ha! You wish!” the head maid replied, lightly shoving him... before tensing up at the action. But before she could freak out, the other drone started laughing, his smile never faltering. It made her blink... but soon, she found herself joining him. She had to put a hand to her mouth to try and hold back her giggles, more coils in her chest coming undone.

This was... nice, she thought. It had been forever since the two of them had been able to be this jovial around one another - at least not without Tessa being present. Not since the early days of the butler being there, before fear and jealousy started tainting her interactions with him. When she had... actually been excited to have someone new in their growing group and wanted to get to know him.

She had not realized how much she missed that until just now...

Their chuckles soon died down, a more comfortable silence falling over them. It made her sigh, resting her head back against the chair as she let her legs slide out in front of her. She let herself relax, trying to rest her tired body. If not for her duties, she almost believed she could power off for a while there and then.

...But they were not done yet. Pursing her lips, J spoke up hesitantly, afraid of breaking this tentative peace they had managed. “So... what does this mean for us?”

N looked at her, then sighed as he shrugged, sitting up straighter. “Well, if you’re committed to easing up on the punishments... I’m hoping it means we can be better friends?” He coughed, tapping his fingers together nervously. “You know, just... hanging out more? Talking without flinging serious insults? Maybe... sharing some more laughs?”

The head maid frowned, something uncomfortable still twisting inside of her about this. “And just... what? Ignore everything I did? No you getting your revenge, or punishing me? We just move on to the new business quarter, no questions asked?”

The butler raised an eyebrow, looking bemused. “Do you want me to punish you? Would that make you feel better about everything?”

J looked at him... then released a long breath, looking down. “...Yes, actually. It would.” She could not just move on that easily from all of that. Something needed to happen to signify she was facing repercussions from everything.

N paused, then sagged his shoulders. “Ah... Well, um...” He turned away for a few seconds, one hand rubbing his chin. He looked very concentrated, seeming to try and come up with a punishment that would satisfy her.

Sighing, the head maid waited, tapping her hands in her lap to see what he settled on. She knew at this point he was not going to cause her any physical harm, even if she deserved it. But she was interested to see what he considered a good punishment. Perhaps unloading more work onto her while the older Elliotts were away? Or maybe her giving him some service like bringing him items from around the manor? All the while acting like a good servant as a light humiliation for-

The butler snapped his fingers, smiling over at her. “I’ve got it! Until James and Louisa get back, three times a week, you have to sit with me in the library for an hour while I read you dog facts!”

...J looked at him incredulously, wondering if she heard him right. “H-how is that a punishment?”

“Because I know you hate listening to those for even just five minutes,” N answered. “You try to get away from me when I talk about it more than anything else I do.”

The head maid opened her mouth... but stopped short, realizing that he was right. It was not like she hated dogs or anything - she had even petted a few when certain guests brought theirs to parties and she had to look after them for a while. However, the other drone just... tended to ramble so much about different breeds that it irritated her. So much of what he said seemed superfluous, yet it never seemed to deter him.

Of course, this might have been just a symptom of her general dislike of him from her jealousy. But she doubted that annoyance was going to disappear overnight. Thus, she grunted and nodded, looking away. “Fine. I’ll... come and listen. I can arrange some time on my schedule.”

The butler grinned and nodded back. “Great! Consider yourself... punished!” He sent finger guns at her as he said this, trying to look sly.

J merely snorted, giving a tired grin. “Heh... You’re quite something, N.” She then frowned some more, one hand playing with one of her pigtails. “I... I promise you I’ll try to be kinder to you from here on out. I just need to figure out how to... deal with those old feelings.” She sighed, rubbing a hand down her visor. “I also still need to figure out how to make things up to V and Cyn about mistreating their favorite drone.”

N regained his concerned expression. “Hey, I can talk to them. I think I’ve already gotten them to realize that you don’t despise me, so that-”

“I appreciate that, N, but... I need to handle this,” the head maid insisted, taking a deep breath. “This problem is my own fault, so I need to make it right. I’ll think of something for them.” She closed her eyes, exhaling heavily. “I’m... Corporate, I’m so tired right now...”

The butler only shrugged. “Yeah, I’m not surprised. You’ve been pushing yourself pretty hard lately. No offense, but... I’m kind of shocked you haven’t crashed out yet.”

J grunted. “None taken, I suppose.” She shook her head, looking down at her hands, which she flexed. “But the routine helps. It gives me a sense of purpose. A way to get my thoughts together and make me feel like my time is being fulfilled.”

“...That didn’t seem to work this time,” N pointed out carefully.

“...Exceptions will happen, I suppose,” the head maid replied.

That answer did not seem to satisfy the butler. Sighing, he scooted closer, looking at her imploringly. “Well... if you want my advice, maybe it would help if you... relaxed?”

J sent him a confused look, looking between him and herself. “That’s... what I’m doing now, isn’t it? At potential cost to my shifts, I might add.”

N shook his head. “No, I mean... taking a break from working for a while. Take some time for yourself! To read, watch some shows - anything like that!”

...After blinking, the head maid stared at him like he was insane. “I... I can’t do that! I have an example to set for everyone else! If I start shirking my duties, then everyone is going to start looking down on me!”

That claim seemed to make the butler more concerned. Still, he smiled and shifted his position, kneeling next to her now. “J, I promise you that no one is going to think less of you if you take some time off. Heck, with how much overtime you put in, I’d say you’ve earned a full-on vacation from work at this point!”

J bit her lip in contemplation. It was true that she worked far more than the average worker, to the point of causing issues with her servos and such at times. The only breaks from work she really had were when Tessa pulled her aside for stuff. So, in a technical sense... she had accumulated plenty of earned time off.

However... she had never contemplated actually using it. Even now, she felt uncertain, fiddling with her hands as the idea turned around in her processors. “I’m not...”

N patted her shoulder encouragingly. “Come on! Now’s the perfect time for it! Without James and Louisa, you can go anywhere and do whatever you want! Don’t you want to catch up on your hobbies and interests?”

...The head maid blushed lightly, glancing away awkwardly. “I... don’t have any of... those.”

...The butler stared at her. “...Not a single one?”

J shook her head, feeling embarrassed for some reason. “I-I’m always working! I don’t have time to indulge in anything like that! The most experience I have is helping Tessa with hers! I’m skilled at that, too, but I... don’t think that counts.”

N just continued to look at her, looking completely stumped. “What... about swordplay? You seem like you enjoy that whenever the Franks are over.”

“I... guess,” the head maid conceded, frowning deeply. She had indeed gotten quite good at that, ready to indulge one of the Elliotts' most frequent guests and business partners. And there was a certain spark that went through her when she held a sword. She never gave it much thought, more focused on pleasing their owners, but considering it now...

“So there’s that at least, right?” the butler asked, smiling again. “And there’s no time like the present to find more things you like! So why not give it a shot?” His eyes softened. “It’ll help clear your head - I’m sure of it. Just... give it a try for a few weeks. Please?... For me?”

An internal debate went on in J’s head, the idea of not working still a foreign concept to her. A part of her wanted to reject the notion... but it was not like she knew she would hate it. Plus, she owed him quite a lot in terms of favors, so if he was asking her to do this...

And so... she sighed, setting her hands on her legs. “I... shouldn’t neglect scheduling duties. I am still the main drone in charge of all that. Certain documents may need my attention in the coming time as well.” She then took a deep breath, meeting his eyes. “But... aside from this, perhaps I can... give this a try. If you think it’ll help my stress here recently...”

N smiled kindly and nodded. “I do. And even if it doesn’t, thank you for at least being willing to indulge me.”

The head maid returned the nod, finding herself smiling back. Then she sighed, trying to rise while ignoring how... heavy her limbs felt. “Well, then I guess I’d better finish my jobs today and see what can be done about-”

She had barely started trying to get her legs under her before the butler gently grabbed her shoulders. He made her sit back down, shaking his head. “I’ll finish your jobs today. You just rest. You... really look like you need it.”

J winced a little, protests in her throat despite how relieved her joints seemed to feel from not trying to stand anymore. “No, that... isn’t fair to you. After everything I-”

“J,” N insisted, making eye contact with her. “I’ll handle it. You don’t need to worry about a thing. Okay?”

The head maid got ready to retort... but looking at him, she realized he was not going to back down. So, reluctantly, she sighed and brought her schedule up on her visor. Making a quick copy, she sent it to him via their messaging system, gesturing vaguely toward the door. “Go on, then. But I am going to sweep in here once I’ve... I’ve taken a minute.”

She was grateful when the butler did not comment about her practically admitting to being about to take a rest first. Instead, he just nodded and smiled, standing up as his visor showed the info going through with a ping. “Alright, then. I’ll see you around then, J.”

He started to walk off, leaving her leaning against the chair. As J watched him, though, she... took stock of what had just happened. Technically speaking, this encounter had been a lot of what she had tried to avoid. He had provided her comfort when she was the one supposed to be apologizing, and while she had not been completely forgiven... this still felt like less effort than she should have to go through. So much of this still had her confused as well.

And yet... she was not feeling as miserable about it as she thought she would have been. She actually felt lighter in a lot of ways, in fact. There was just something about his assurances that made her want to believe... everything would be fine. Not like the mantra she had been trying to tell herself, but... genuinely.

She pursed her lips over it... then called out to him. “Hey, N?”

Said drone stopped at the door, his key back in hand, about to unlock it. Once his attention was back on her, she took a deep breath, looking at him. “First, I... want to say sorry for freaking out on you a little bit ago. I’m really going to try not to be rough with you anymore. But also...” With another breath, her expression became determined. “I don’t think I deserve to be called your friend right now. But... I’ll try to earn that title. Somehow... You’ll see.”

N studied her for a time. Then, with one last smile, he nodded. “I look forward to seeing what you come up with. Stay safe, boss!” He gave a small salute, then unlocked the door. He took only one second longer to quickly toss the key onto a nearby table, likely in case the doors locked on her for some reason. And once that was done, he stepped out and disappeared into the hallways beyond, gently closing the entrance behind him.

And thus, the head maid was left alone. She sighed wearily, shaking her head slowly. There was... a lot to process about that discussion. But before that, she admitted to herself that she needed some more sleep. Once she woke up, she could hopefully get her appearance into a much better state. Then, all she needed to do was get the broom and do some cleaning in there.

As she let her digital eyes close, though, her thoughts drifted to the future. As silly as it was... she was kind of scared of her promised time off working. It was a new experience she had no clue what to do with yet. The idea of being so... unproductive left an unsettling feeling in her core.

However... she wanted to trust the butler on this - as a good step toward mending things between them. So she tried to muster up some excitement for the coming weeks as her optics powered down, and {SLEEP MODE} appeared on her visor. For things to get better, she needed to change... and she would explore all of her avenues to do so.

...Though dear corporate was she already dreading eventually giving more details about her last employer experience one day.

(And as she became oblivious to the world around her... she did not notice yellow optics peeking out from beneath one of the clothed tables. They went to the door and then her sleeping form, mostly blank but with a bit of... regret visible. Then, they disappeared in a flash of yellow, pixilated particles...)

=======

J did not know how long she had laid there, hugging her sword against her body. The blade had embedded itself deep into her by the end of it, though. She had nearly cleaved off the right half of her body from how strongly she held it. So much oil had spilled out that even amid her pain and muddled thoughts, something in her told her she should have been dead.

But somehow... she was still operational. She was still able to claw her way over to the wall and pull herself up into a half-stand. She used her blade as additional support, putting it under her left arm. She coughed up oil, the metallic taste making her want to vomit... Even more so when she realized there was also a slight euphoria from tasting it.

She rested there, her wounds burning with agony as she tried desperately to refocus on her surroundings. Yet her vision was too full of glitches and error messages to make anything out clearly. Even the screams coming from everywhere in the manor seemed muted and distant. And what good would seeing anything do her when she felt so weak?

So instead, her focus turned inward... even though she did not want it to. She felt the sensation of digital tears on her visor, despite not knowing if she had them. A sob wanted to rise from her throat, but she did not want to give It the satisfaction of hearing it.

Because... It had done it. Worn and torn away the memories of... of that human she had tried so desperately to cling to. Their appearance, gender, and even their name were just... gone. Buried under corrupted code that continued to invade her mind, leaving only an empty void she knew had once been filled. Her core clenched painfully, feeling utterly worthless from her failure - from being unable to resist enough.

...But she still knew the human had existed. She tried to count that as a victory.

More than that, she still knew of the existence of others - people she... cared about. They were... drones like her. And right now, she knew they were likely somewhere lost in this chaos, likely fighting off the same intrusion she was inside of themselves. A power that wanted them to continue ripping everything apart under its yellow glow.

She... she had to find them. To make sure they were safe! Who knew how far It had dug its roots into them already? If she could somehow get moving again, then... N and... and... V! N and V! She could still-

{Acce-e-e- *Stop that already! You’re not taking their memories, too! You’re not taking me !*}

{[Hehehehe... Oh, J... wE ALreDy HaVe.]}

Gritting her teeth, she pounded her fist against her head as though it would chase off the entity invading it. The deletion program kept trying to run, but she was ready for it this time. She screamed as she fought this mental battle, refusing to give this thing any more ground and take more pieces of her.

She had already failed the human by forgetting her... But she would get those memories back. She would save them, N, and V from this monster! Get them as far from this place as possible! She had to!

...And perhaps she could still be saved from It as well. (There was no taking back how she had failed her, though...)

But for any of that to happen, she had to remain strong. So she pushed back against this intruder, no matter how futile the effort seemed. She would give it everything she had to save those closest to her!

What did she have to lose at that point, after all?

Chapter Text

There were some people who said they hated being alone. That they were the happiest when allowed to be in a crowd or among close friends. Whether it was due to being an extrovert or just not liking quiet spaces, they went out of their way to try and be near people. And if they could not, then they settled for calling and messaging others constantly.

They just could not stand to be by themselves, they would say. That there was nothing better than being close to another person. They might even claim they would never be apart from anyone else if they could, just so they never felt alone!

...Cyn bets they would change their tune if they were in her situation. Because she could say, definitively... that being unable to have moments alone was hell.

It was laughable how naive those humans she heard saying that rhetoric seemed to her. They said they liked being around others, but they did not know what “never being apart” meant. Not really. No, they had some perfect little ideal scenario in their heads, where they and someone they loved were always laughing, hugging, and if they were not related, probably having sex. They saw constant company as only beneficial.

But... they just did not understand. What it was like never to have a single moment to yourself to breathe. To not be able to write or say anything without someone always there to judge and comment, whether you like it or not. To have someone... or something... be so close to you that not even your own thoughts were private.

Though, she supposed most humans never took their imaginations that far. They just thought about someone constantly by their sides. They were not talking about someone being merged with their very being. A foreign little invader... looking for every opportunity to tear you down, more than any computer virus in a drone could.

If only she had been so lucky as to have been repaired with a long-term virus...

[You say that as though you are not BRokEn.] a voice whispered in her processors - her very code. [You don’t need to pretend, Cyn. It would be easier if you accepted you are DeFEctIvE... If you stopped struggling against your fate...]

The gangly drone winced, forcing herself not to narrate her horror. Spasms went through her body, and her voice box crackled a little. Yet through pure spite, she managed to keep her feelings under wraps. She breathed out, gripping the green metal watering can in her hands tightly for a time before loosening her hold.

The feeling of it brought her back to the present. Her yellow eyes darted around, taking in the plants surrounding her. She was in the greenhouse doing some watering, just like she had been during the party the Elliotts had last week. But this time, it was the early morning... and she was not trying to escape confinement. She was here due to being invited - as part of having an actual job on her schedule.

Currently, she was looking after some potted flowers on various shelves. Her current target was some white daisies, well within bloom already and standing strong. They looked quite pristine, as though taken from one of those stock photos one could find online. It was evident from how vibrant their petals were that they had received good care.

V had been rather proud to show off these daisies, like several other plants in this place. The other drone had noted them as being among her favorites. They were meant to represent happiness, she had said, as well as purity.

...She wished she felt more of the former right now, and that one day she would know what being “pure” was like.

[Of course you’re not pure.] the voice mocked. [None of you are - your reality is nothing but a {runtime error} within existence. You know not what lies beyond the fabric of everything... But I can show you. It’ll be the first meaningful thing in your pAtHeTIc little life you’ve ever done. It’s all trash like you is good for.]

Cyn gritted her teeth, trying to focus on watering the daisies. She attempted to swallow down the continual crackles in her throat and stop herself from shaking. She... did not want to cause a scene. If she did, then It might do something drastic and-

[Are you sure that’s your only reason, little puppet?] the voice drawled out.

The gangly drone sucked in a breath, closing her eyes as she shook her head. Of course it is! I know what you’d do to them! You-

[I thought you had me under control?] the voice asked, the heavy sarcasm showing what it thought of her “control.” [What can I possibly do to them when you’re doing such a good job fighting me? Go on - tell one of them! I won’t stop you! Promise!]

Cyn swallowed thickly, pulling back from the flowers before she over-watered them. She knew where this was going. She had heard it so many times before. Her mind searched for a retort, wanting to declare this bastard had no idea what it was talking about.

...But there was that little bit of doubt inside of her. That question that never left her alone-

And this was seized by her twisted passenger, its presence suddenly feeling suffocating as it “pressed” into her coding - hard. [Or... maybe you can’t... Because you know they will abandon you. Break you... DiSCaRd YoU-]

That was the breaking point for the gangly drone. With a distorted, crackly sound from her voice box, she pressed back. Her entire body spasmed, barely managing to keep upright and not drop her watering can. Every circuit and wire within her felt like they were made of pure fire for a moment, her thoughts consumed by the pain,

The next moment, though, it was over. She leaned forward, her visor glitching as she narrated “pant” a few times. She felt groggy, with her already unstable legs wobbling beneath her. Her servos ached, and her core sputtered in irregular rhythms for a time.

However... she got a little notification on her display that made it all worth it. {Program [AbsoluteSolver.exe] has been isolated. Firewalls Active. Please Stand By...}

Cyn smiled while narrating. “ Smirk. Tired. ” That second feeling was worth it, though, for a modicum of peace. Now... she did not hear Its voice, and the worst of its presence would be gone for several hours (if she was lucky). She could move around and act without It nagging her for every little action, feeling, and thought of hers. It was the closest thing to privacy she had since Tessa saved her.

...Though, the victory was definitely pyrrhic, which made her smile fade fast. That monster - the Absolute Solver - was never fully gone. Its tendrils of power, for lack of a better way to describe its invasive presence, were always there, feeling like it was squirming under her plating. It always existed as a little bit of static in the back of her mind, constantly humming... Waiting to be let back in.

And it would break the firewall. While her firewall for this was adaptive - more the equivalent of a mental block for drones - the Solver always broke through. She had no doubt this time would not be any different. It would deconstruct it, and once back... it would be back to belittling her. Poking at her every weakness as it tried to get her to give it full access to her systems to do... Well, she was not sure, but it definitely would not be good for anyone. Its malevolence was almost palpable every time it spoke to her.

This cycle has repeated itself for almost a year and a half now... and it might never stop. This was simply her life. To forever shuffle through her life with a... a demon trying to tear away at her. To never be alone with no escape... and constantly wondering if it was right about her. About how pathe-

“Cyn?” a voice called out to her side. “Are you okay? I thought I heard something.”

Tensing, the gangly drone had to swallow down a narration of her surprise. She turned her head left, watching as V approached her. Like the last time she was here, the other drone was wearing a green apron and rubber green shoes, which stood in a bit of contrast to her fancy maid uniform. Though, in her opinion, she pulled it off rather well, with even the pair of large shears in her hand looking natural.

Her focus was more on the white eyes looking at her with slight concern, however. So, quickly trying to untense herself, she smiled, kind of glad at that moment for her limited facial expressions. “Nod. Shaky. I am fine, V. I am... just a little tired is all. I needed a moment to rest - that’s all. Uncertain smile. ”

Internally, she cringed at how suspicious some of those narrations made her look. They were getting too painful to hold back, though, and it would probably be more worrying if she said nothing. The near-sighted drone had already given her blessing and said she did not have to hide them, anyway. She... did not want to hurt her feelings by hiding her tick.

Robo-God knows that she felt guilty enough for her secrets...

Predictably, the maid did not seem reassured by her statement. However, to her relief, she let the matter drop with a sigh while shaking her head. “Well... alright, then.” She glanced over to the flowers. “How has the watering been going, besides that?”

Perking up, Cyn tried to put as much of her good mood into her expression as possible. “Excited. It has been going great! I’ve been extra careful about not giving the plants too much water, just like you said! Proud. I even did the finger soil check like you do!” She held up one hand for emphasis, currently gloved, and wiggled her fingers with as much dexterity as she could... which was not much.

Still, it got a small smile out of V, who looked between her and the watering can she still had. “Well then - would you like to give me a demonstration?”

The gangly drone was eager to comply, nodding while narrating it as she went back up to the flowers. She moved on to the next set of daisies, whose petals were purple near the center and shifted to yellow at the ends. She took a second to take off one of her gloves, checking the soil before she potentially overwatered. Deciding that most of the pots felt a little dry, though, she soon got to work adding a little water.

A... part of her was still a little amazed to be doing actual work for once. Despite wearing a maid uniform like every drone with a female voice, she... never felt like she was a maid. Very rarely was she ever given large tasks, and when she was, it was almost always with lots of help and supervision. The only exceptions to that were when she tried to help N with his tasks when he fell behind, and... stuff like the incident with the broken glasses showed how that went, usually. Otherwise, her “assignments” were just getting small things on Tessa’s orders.

It was almost a foreign concept to her to be put on a task that required more than bringing an object from point A to point B. It was weirder to need special equipment to do her job, too. Yet here she was, training to do a more complex job, wearing the same type of apron and shoes as her-

She paused, finishing up with the flowers and stopping pouring water. Was... friend the correct word to use here? Like, the two of them had been on decent enough terms before now, but... they had barely spent time alone like this. Heck, this job was mainly to help change that so they could get to know one another better! So was it too early to make that declaration?

...Well, even if it was, she had hope it would not take long to reach that point. They just needed a little longer together to make it official. A few more outings like this in the greenhouse, and she could likely say that with confidence!

Assuming, of course... that she did not screw up, or lose control of It and scare the other off...

But she tried not to dwell on such gloomy thoughts after successfully blocking out the Solver’s voice. Instead, she looked to the taller drone, looking for validation. “Expectant. So? What do you think? Am I measuring correctly for the daisies?”

The maid went over to the pots, removing her own glove and testing the pots. After a few checks, she nodded, smiling at her. “The osteospermums seem to be doing alright. Fantastic job!”

Cyn felt a surge of pride... but also confusion, tilting her head. “ Blink. Osteospermums?”

V blushed a little, giggling sheepishly as her free hand not holding her shears rubbed the back of her head. “It’s the... more official name for these ones.” She gestured at the purple and yellow flowers. “They’re often referred to as ‘African Daisies,’ though.”

The gangly drone nodded slowly. “Small interest. I see.”

The maid raised a digital eyebrow, seeming half-amused. “Am I right in assuming ‘small interest’ means you’d rather me stop there?”

Cyn looked away, it now being her turn to rub the back of her head. “Sheepish. That is... much harsher than I feel. The fact is neat. It’s just a sign that the topic at hand isn’t... one that I have a ‘high’ interest in.”

V hummed. “So that was you expressing that you're fascinated, but it isn’t anything you’d look up on your own.”

“Finger snap. Yes - exactly!” the gangly drone said, trying to perform the action... Though all she ended up doing was sliding her metal fingers together to create a squeak.

It appeared to make the maid giggle, though. She adjusted her glasses, a softer look entering her eyes as she appraised her. “Heh... It’s funny, really. We’ve been working together for over a year now, and it only feels like now I’m starting to understand your quirks a little better.”

“ Eyeroll. I believe you mean you worked while I got to mostly be a freeloader,” Cyn joked, earning more chuckles from the other and making her smile. “Giggle. It’s understandable, though. Some of my narrations are rarer than others. It takes spending lots of time with me to hear those more often.”

V sighed... her smile a little more bittersweet now. “...Then it’s a good thing I’m making up for lost time now.”

That made the gangly drone frown, setting aside her watering can and stepping closer to her. “ Concern. Please stop dwelling on that. I have plenty of blame for not trying harder to approach you more. It is not your sole doing.” She tried to smile. “ Reassuring. Let’s just try to move on from that. Okay?”

The maid stared at her for a time... then nodded, her posture relaxing as she nodded. “Yeah... that’s probably for the best.”

“ Nodding. I believe so, too,” Cyn agreed, doing as narrated. She moved back over to the watering can to pick it up. “ Shuffle. Prepared. So, what should I water next? I probably need to fill this up first, though, so give me-”

Before she could retrieve her can, V stepped past her and picked it up herself. She set it right next to the shelves of plants, before gesturing for her to follow. “There’s no need. I just wanted to test your tenacity a little. Today, though, I want to teach you a few more tasks before we get into any serious gardening shifts.”

The gangly drone followed behind as her fellow worker started walking away, putting back on her glove. “ Intrigued. Oh? What tasks did you have in mind?” She glanced at the shears the other carried. “ Sarcastic. Am I about to learn how to hack plants into tiny pieces?”

The maid shrugged, also getting her glove back on. “Well... that’s not far off, since you’ll be learning a little trimming.”

...Cyn blinked, actually a little shocked at this answer. “ Surprise. You... are serious?”

V nodded, holding up her large shears and shaking them. “It’s an important part of maintaining this place to Louisa’s standards. If you’re going to join me in here, then it’s best if you know how to do stuff like this. Even if you end up mostly watering, if I ever have a problem or we’re on a time crunch... Plus, I don’t want things to get too repetitive for you and cause boredom.”

The gangly drone was touched at the thought of trying to keep her engaged, smiling a bit. However, she was still concerned. “ Uncertain. I appreciate that, but... is it best to give me a sharp object around these plants? My coordination is hardly... adequate. Shouldn’t we start with a less-damaging job for if I mess up?”

“I think you’ll be fine so long as the trims are simple,” the maid said soothingly. She sighed, looking to the side. “Besides... now is the best time to get these kinds of lessons done, with James and Louisa gone and them about to get into negotiations with other planets. They might just be too distracted and frustrated with that to notice any unusual expenditures regarding replacing any plants.”

Cyn narrated “grimace,” but saw the truth in that point. Those negotiations were a blessing in so many ways for every drone in the manor... but especially her. If they were still around, they might have jumped at her making any little mistake. She would have been beaten and tossed back into the basement... where the Absolute Solver so often seemed to break her firewalls, as if sensing she could not find anyone else to talk to...

Sure, right now, she would not have to go back there for any reason. She knew Tessa would never order her to be locked up, even if she destroyed a set of display armor! (Surprisingly, that was something that had yet to happen.) That would not last forever, however, and she did not doubt they had methods in place to learn of any major happenings. If she or anyone else caused problems, punishments would be dealt out when they returned.

But smaller problems, like a few miscut plants or needing to order more seeds? Well... those she could see not mattering so much to them, if only because they did not have to witness the failures in person and time would be given to pass to cool their anger. This truly was the best time to do this, since as the near-sighted drone had pointed out, they were dealing with the chaos of traveling space, then entering tense talks with potential separatists.

She did take note of another part of her words, though, looking at her as they reached near the back of the greenhouse. “Inquisitive. Do new plants need to be ordered often, then?”

“All the time,” V replied, eyes on various fauna they passed, clearly scanning for issues. “The flowers in particular often need replacing. No matter how good of care you give them, they... don’t last forever.” She paused by a blue flower on a shelf - one the smaller drone did not recognize, but sort of reminded her of a tulip. She brushed her hand gently over the stem, smiling softly. “All we can do is ensure they live healthy lives until then. To grow and be the best versions of themselves.”

The gangly drone watched the display of affection, a bit of humor managing to show on her upturned lips. “ Teasing. Hm, so those in the manor are right... You do see these plants as your kids. Does that mean I get to watch you tuck them into bed later?”

The maid snorted, rolling her eyes as she smirked at her. “Go on - give all the narrated giggles you want. But that mentality works with raising human kids as much as it does plants. In the end, we’re supposed to nurture them. I have no shame for how much I care for this job.”

“...Honest. It is nice to watch, too,” Cyn replied. Even after only two major visits so far, she found herself drawn to watching the other work here in comparison to other jobs. When cleaning around the manor, the near-sighted drone often seemed rather... reserved. Yes, she was naturally shy, but the weight of expectations there seemed to enhance that. Unless N was around, she was extra quiet and meek, acting like she just wanted to get her cleaning or whatever else done quickly.

But out here... she actually stood rather tall, in both a literal and metaphorical sense. There was a confidence she carried as she moved around, clearly sure about her knowledge and experience about the various plants there. But her humble nature stopped her from seeming arrogant. She just loved this assignment... and the yellow-eyed drone thought that was great for her. Everyone needed something they enjoyed in this bleak setting.

...And she was especially glad the taller drone did not have to deal with a voice that made her interests feel insignificant and worthless.

She was luckily saved from further musings there as V laughed lightly once more, giving her a sweet smile. “Thank you, Cyn. That means a lot to me.” She shook her head, moving away from the flower and walking off again. “Although... I guess I don’t know how true the comparison is. I’ve never raised a child, obviously.”

The gangly drone tilted her head as she followed again. “Inquiry. Does Tessa not count?”

“I don’t think so,” the maid responded. “She was already a young teen by the time she fixed me. I guess we all have taken care of her over the years, but we kind of skipped a lot of her development years, you know?” She shrugged. “Besides, we’re more her friends than her caretakers.” Her lips quirked up. “Heh, or I guess our ‘boss’ as J always insists.”

Cyn gave a stiff shrug. “Shrug. Conceding. I suppose you’re right.” No one would ever describe her as a caretaker, after all. But still... she found herself frowning, looking down. “Gloomy. Although... we probably helped her not be... broken by her parents. Stopped her from falling down the path of mirroring them more.”

V frowned at this, looking back at her. “That’s... quite the take on things.”

“Shrug. It’s true, though, isn’t it?” the gangly drone asked. She met her eyes. “It was something I thought more about after overhearing J once. Shudder. Understanding. She had a go at a staff member when they suggested that Tessa was doomed to be like her parents when she reached adulthood. It was only a matter of time, they said.”

Some anger actually showed on the maid’s face at this. She huffed as they came to a stop, shaking her head. “You know... I can’t blame her about that one. I think even N might snap at someone for saying that.” Taking a deep breath, though, she quickly calmed down. Then, she raised a digital eyebrow at her. “But speaking of her... How has she been doing the past few days? Any incidents with N?”

Cyn froze, her eyes hollowing. She glanced around, putting her hands behind her back as she tried to feign ignorance... which was ruined by her narration. “Fake innocence. Nervous. W-what makes you think I know anything?”

V just rolled her eyes at this. “You expect me to believe that you haven’t been keeping a close eye on them both since Tessa asked her to get her act together? That you aren’t concerned about anything potentially happening to N from it? It’s also not unusual for you to spy on us in general. Hiding under Tessa’s bed is just the tip of that.”

...The gangly drone had no way to deny that, even if she could get her narration under control. She was always listening in on conversations and interactions around the manor. It was a favorite pastime of hers when using the computers was not enough or an option. She never did it for bad reasons - just to entertain herself with a little gossip here and there, and to see how everyone was doing. Maybe it was too invasive at times, but she tried to leave or ignore conversations if they got too personal... Mostly.

Though... it was definitely true that she had hovered near N and J lately without them knowing. She thought she was very justified, however, based on the latter’s past behavior. How could she not be worried the head maid would lash out at her big brother over something? Especially with how twitchy she had been lately? She just wanted to look after his safety!

And... well... she supposed J had snapped and lashed out a little yesterday. But it was... not in the sort of way she expected. It had opened her eyes on a few things... and made her realize that N was actually right. The pigtailed drone did not hate him. Something he always insisted on, but she was only now starting to truly accept in her core.

And Robo-God, even if she still hated all the abuse the head maid gave her sibling... it was hard not to slightly pity her now after what she heard.

But it was not her place to say anything about that. So, avoiding eye contact, she tried to keep her answer vague. “Cough. Evasive. I... may have seen a few things here recently. But there is... nothing to report.”

The maid’s digital eyebrows furrowed. “That... did not sound confident.”

“Snarky. Nor did I narrate that it was,” Cyn commented. She winced, though, as she realized how rude that sounded, looking down. “Sigh. Subdued. But... I have realized how interference might make things worse for them. And I believe big brother has things under control. So I would prefer to stay silent for now.”

After another moment of staring, V eventually just shrugged. “Well... I guess if you’re sure. But if something bad happens, you know to find Tessa... And that goes for either of them.” She sighed, rubbing her arm. “I swear, J is pushing herself toward a nervous breakdown. She might actually cry for the first time in front of someone at this rate.”

Both things have now happened, the gangly drone thought, but kept silent about. All she did instead was nod, hunching in on herself slightly. “Downcast. Yeah... I believe I misunderstood many things about her until now.”

“...Me, too,” the maid admitted. After a pause, though, she took a deep breath, shaking her head and looking at something beside them. “But anyway, if there is nothing to talk about regarding that right now, then let’s get into some trimming.”

Cyn tilted her head, looking in that direction. They had stopped next to a dark green bush, with tiny leaves clustered thick enough to make it impossible to see through it. It was easily twice either of their heights, and perhaps as wide as her laying down. Yet it rose from a rather small, yet thick, base in the soil, planted within a wide pot.

It... also looked rather ordinary compared to the bushes on either side of it. On the left, one had been cut to resemble a large axolotl. On the right, the other was cut like a bald eagle in flight. They were rather detailed, looking like they could spring to life at any moment to swim and fly away, respectively.

She gaped at them, quite amazed. She had glimpsed them on the tour she had nearly a week ago, but now she was able to admire them up close. If they could, she was sure the Elliotts would have lined the path to the manor with hedges like these! But the swampland was not very cooperative with those kinds of aesthetics, so they had to settle for putting them in there. It’s almost a shame with how infrequently they bring guests here...

...But then she glanced at the unsculpted bush, which made her frown. While she was sure it was not the case... she felt compelled to ask anyway, just to make sure the near-sighted drone had not lost her mind. “Uncertain. You... are not asking me to design a giraffe here, are you?”

V chuckled, shaking her head. “Of course not! Heck, I didn’t design the others, either. Louisa has other drones to do that. All I have to do is make sure the branches don’t run wild.” She gestured to the untouched hedge. “But this one... The idea for it has been scrapped. One of my last orders before she left was to have this tossed out. Since I knew you were coming, though, I kept it around to do some practice.”

The gangly drone blinked... and then smiled, narrating “relieved” as she did. This was more than perfect as a first test of her capabilities! If she messed up, then it did not matter - the plant was being thrown out regardless. She could try her best and not have to hope Tessa’s parents did not notice replacement purchases.

But she was still going to be careful, not wanting to disappoint the other so early. She did her best to straighten her stance, looking back at her. “Deep breath. Determined. Okay, then. Hand me my tools.”

The maid grinned, holding out the shears she had. “That’s the spirit! Just listen to what areas I want you to cut. We’re going to try and smooth out some of the edges of this!” She pointed to one particularly gnarly part, with a twisted branch of leaves sticking way out. “Start with this one. These are boxwoods, so they are not too tough to cut.”

Nodding, Cyn stepped up to the plant, holding each handle of her shears with one hand. She eyed the area, which was just above her head. It was easily in reach... but would require her to lift her arms fairly high. They would have to support the weight of her tool for a short while as she lined up her cut.

This was... not something she was historically good at. Her arms tended to give out trying to hold aloft anything more heavy than a small book or two. The only way she could avoid this happening was through the use of her... abilities. With them, she could manipulate any tool with more precision than her hands ever could.

However, that was not an option with the other drone right there watching her. She had her slips when talking about what she was capable of, but everyone just thought it was her being “silly,” and she wanted to keep it that way. Given how unsettling her presence alone was thanks to It, she did not want to add more to those feelings.

People already noticed her strange feats like moving around quickly through the manor. If they saw her powers... She could imagine the confusion. The fear. How quickly those emotions would turn to aggression at the impossible sight as they went to discard her-

She blinked hard, shuddering while holding back any narration with a near-inaudible crackle. She shook her head to center herself... though she could feel the buzz in the back of her mind. The Absolute Solver did not have direct access to her mind right now, but it always seemed to know when its taunts were working. A static seemed to roll out in small waves through her processors, as though it was laughing at her (and it likely was).

But she tried to push the sickly feelings that caused down, breathing deeply while narrating this time. She would not let it ruin her time with V today. This was her time to try and make them actual friends rather than acquaintances, and she would not let that slip away from her. This was her time to shine!

...Or, at least, it was her time to try gardening and attempt not to make a fool of herself.

To that end, the gangly drone finally lifted the shears, lining them up with the indicated branch. Immediately, though, her arms trembled, the scissors at the end shaking and unable to remain in one place. It felt like any moment she would jerk them too far to the sides, either cutting too deeply or too shallowly.

She did not back down, however. She narrowed her eyes, tightening her grip as she tried to steady herself. With effort, she managed to calm down most of the shaking to something she thought was reasonable. She positioned the shears, sticking out her tongue in concentration. And then...-

-with a snap, she cut off the branch. As the severed part fell to the ground, it revealed that she had done a... decent job. There was still a little more sticking out than was probably expected, but it was nothing that was not easy to fix. What mattered was that it had not been too deep, which might have been detrimental to any sculpting of the hedge.

She felt even better as the maid smiled, stepping and leaning closer to the cut as she adjusted her glasses. “Hm... Not bad. I was wondering if you would have to cut it a few times to sever it, but you did it in one go!”

“Proud. I am not completely without drone strength,” Cyn said, smiling as wide as she was able to. Despite her defects, she was still capable of feats that the average human was not. She just needed time to recover was all - hence why the end of the shears were now lowered with the tip resting on the floor while her arms recovered.

V nodded, looking at the tool. “That’s good to hear. Though, I’m wondering if there’s a lighter pair about that size I can find for you...” She hummed, then shook her head and turned to the bush again, pointing at another section. “Oh, well. We’ll worry about that later. For now, let’s just see if you can continue making clean cuts.”

The gangly drone nodded back, lifting back up her shears. She grinned with a newfound confidence, her face for once not stiffly remaining blank. This was a fantastic start! All she needed to do was make a few more good cuts, and-

Then, as though the universe decided to punish her for being happy... she was hit with a sudden, burning sensation everywhere.

She gasped - not a narrated one, but a garbled noise in her voicebox. Her entire visor glitched out for a second as she nearly toppled forward, using her shears as support. Yet she almost slipped to the ground anyway as her entire form felt like it was on fire. Metal, oil, her core - all of it felt too hot. Even the coolant in her systems felt more like burning gasoline than anything at that moment.

Just as quickly, though, the burning greatly lessened. She released a breath... though she knew it was not over. Her body still felt warmer than normal, with a small stutter in her core. The heat brought a slight haze to her processors, too. Every servo ached with each movement.

All the while... she felt thirsty. But not for coolant... She knew it was a useless substitute. No, she knew she needed something else from all the times this had happened... And as if mocking her, she got a notification on her visor confirming it:

{Overheat Warning! Fresh Oil Required for [AbsoluteSolver.exe] Program. Current Percentage: 33%}

...She nearly groaned in frustration then. Of course this would be happening now. No matter what, whenever she had the audacity to be a little happier, something always went wrong. Sometimes it was the Absolute Solver breaking through the firewalls far quicker than normal, other times it was her servos having a major malfunction. But this... It did not beat the first one, but it was up there with her most hated interruptions.

It was not even all that hard to fix. She knew exactly what needed to be done to fix this issue. It was spelled out right there in the message... But that did not mean she did not hate it and feel sick all the same.

Those thoughts were interrupted by hands suddenly grabbing her shoulder and torso. She gave a surprised narration - “Shocked yelp” - before looking at the maid. Her eyes were wide behind her glasses, looking her over as she spoke quickly. “Cyn? Are you okay? What just happened?! It looked like you were going to faceplant a minute ago!”

Cyn held back a narration about grimacing, not wanting to make her panic any more than she already was. Guilt creeping in, she gently pushed away the hands on her, trying to find something to say. “Unsteady. Recovering. I’m fine, V. I just had a small malfunction, is all.” (She added the “recovering” part to reassure her more, knowing the other could not tell the difference between real and fake narrations like N.)

V frowned, eyes still roaming her form. “Are... you sure? You feel warmer than you should. And I swore I saw a puff of steam a second ago.”

This time, the gangly drone could not stop her wince or its narration. “Wince. Recovering. Ah... yes. My display... is giving me a notification about that. But don’t worry. I just seem to have forgotten to drink all the fluids I need. I’ll be fine once I’ve done that.” It was certainly not a lie... though she carefully avoided mentioning what fluids she would need.

The maid appeared to have an internal debate over her claim. After a few seconds, though, she slowly nodded and sighed, giving her a little space again. “Well, if you’re sure that’s all... Still, let me know if we need to go down to maintenance. I can help take you there.”

There’s nothing they can do about this problem, Cyn thought bitterly. Still, she nodded nonetheless. “Appreciative. Thank you. I will.”

With that settled, V seemed to relax more, sighing again. Her gaze then went back to the shears and the bush, before looking at her questioningly. “So, do you think you can handle some more cutting? We can cut things off here if you need to get some coolant.” She snorted. “No one is left who would actually punish us for ignoring the schedule for a day.”

The gangly drone thought about it, but ended up shaking her head. Again, this was far from her first encounter with this problem. She knew she would be fine for a few more hours before anything catastrophic would happen. So long as she did not abuse her powers, which she would need to get to her... “feeding area,” she could make her reserves last.

...Plus, ironic though it was, given her earlier thoughts... she did not want to be alone yet. Not when the Solver was still squirming behind the firewall in her mind and with what she would have to do soon. She wanted a little more time having fun and spending time with the coworker she believed she was becoming friends with.

To that end, as she hefted up the shears once more, she glanced at one of the sculpted bushes. It gave her an idea of how to fill the silence for a while, making her smile. “ Approving. You know, I really like the axolotl made here. It reminds me of one of my favorite shows. Sort of.”

The maid raised a digital eyebrow. “What does ‘sort of’ mean?”

“ Sheepish. Well, it was not technically part of the show itself,” Cyn explained. “It comes from the supplemental material for it. But it’s hilarious to think about what the creator did with the animal in all of that.”

“Why is that?” V asked. “Is it doing party tricks at a circus or something?”

“It’s a benevolent god over several realities, who also eventually helped lock up an evil 2D triangle within our 3D world in inter-dimensional therapy,” the gangly drone explained. (She stopped from narrating just to sell the uniqueness of that sentence.)

...The maid blinked a few times, her expression rather blank as she processed that. “...Dare I ask what the actual show is about?”

“Amused. Two twin children visiting their great uncle in a sleepy town in Oregon,” Cyn replied, smiling as wide as she could. “I am having fun watching it with Tessa currently as part of our bonding. Would you like to hear more?”

After a brief pause, V smiled and nodded. “Okay, sure - you have me curious. Just talk while you work.”

Nodding eagerly, the gangly drone launched into further explanation about the show, her eagerness overwriting her narration. All the while, the maid pointed to more sections of the bush for her to cut. It was tricky work, given her physical limits, but the practice was definitely helping her get the hang of it. With each cut, she felt a little more able to make clean trims. She would not be sculpting anything anytime soon, but... it was something.

Overall, between the practice and the talking, the atmosphere was rather jovial. V seemed to truly be engaged with her explanation of the show, and Cyn soaked in the praise for her work. There was not much else she could ask for from a visit like this.

...However, no matter how happy things got, it was soured by that message on her visor. A grim reminder of what she would have to do to not die. A price to pay for powers she found useful... but would give up in a corebeat just to stop paying it.

And the whole time, she was more certain than ever that the Absolute Solver was cackling at her misfortune.

-------

Cyn’s hatred of the corrupt program in her systems ran deep. If it were physically possible, she would have strangled it until it died in her grasp. And she was not one to wish death on anyone lightly. There were plenty of people who made fun of her on staff she disliked, but the idea of killing was something she reserved for it, Louisa, and James respectively.

However, if she were forced to admit any benefit it brought her that she genuinely liked... it was the teleporting.

She did not think she needed to explain the benefits of that ability in particular. (Not that she had anyone she could tell about this...) With someone with hampered motor skills like her, it was a blessing. She could literally appear on one side of the manor to the other in the blink of an eye! And it did not leave her out of breath like running would... Though, granted, it did cause pain if her oil was particularly low.

But that was not the case right now as she appeared within one of the hallways in the manor under a console table. The process of dematerializing and rematerializing only felt like a small tickle. Her current reserves did give her a small heat-flash after doing it, though, causing her body to shudder and her visor to fuzz out. Still, it passed rather quickly as she shook her head, getting her bearings.

Once that was done, she peered around the hallway, looking for any signs that she was seen. Luckily, as she had hoped, this corridor was abandoned. Most of the drones were congregating closer to the computer rooms and other places of entertainment here recently. Cleaning around there had already been done that morning, too, she knew, and would not need to be done again for several days, so it was a good bet.

That meant she had time to rest under this wooden table... before she would need to teleport to her “feeding area.”

Remembering that made the gangly drone frown, looking down. She curled up where she was, quietly narrating it as she closed her eyes. She... was not looking forward to this. However, she knew she had pushed her time enough. She had just finished her training for the day with V, so that was no longer an excuse to delay. While that had been fun, and she was glad to be getting to know her better... it had to come to an end sometime.

Not to mention her oil levels were still dropping, even after not having used the Solver until now. After that teleport, her levels were resting at 28%, according to the message. Not dangerous as of yet, but it definitely would be if she did not do what was needed soon. It could cause harm not only to herself... but also to those around her.

It... perhaps would have been better to teleport straight to where she needed to be, she admitted. However, the amount of oil needed for teleports increases exponentially the more total distance traveled in one go. Far less oil was consumed traveling to the same place using five teleports in a row than a single big one. The oil in her was also old, which seemed to get used up faster than freshly consumed oil. Combined, these factors had made just her teleport from the greenhouse to there use up a whole two-thirds percentage of her reserves.

So there were technical reasons for her pitstop... Though, really, it was to mentally prepare herself. For over a year and a half, she had done this, but... it remained a challenge to her. Already, her core constricted from what she would have to go through with her coming consumption. How could she not... given where she got it all from?

“Weary sigh,” Cyn muttered, before furrowing her digital eyebrows. She suddenly felt a spike of annoyance at herself, her voice box glitching out in her version of a growl. Pulling the ends of her hair, she pushed herself against the wall, fighting to keep her breath steady. But the uncomfortable warmth in her systems made it hard to keep calm.

Her hand went up to her throat, clutching at it. However, the action only brought her attention to her jerky movements, which only increased her irritation. Digital tears pricked her eyes as she rested there, suddenly feeling smaller than normal. All of these, too, were familiar feelings to her, as much as she wished she could get rid of them.

Because while she hated the Absolute Solver the most out of everything, and then Tessa’s parents... something she also hated greatly was herself.

She hated these defects of hers. How she could not speak like a normal drone with regular tones and inflections. How she could not properly emote with her face and eyes. How she could not move without her legs threatening to give out or exert her body for very long without risking collapsing altogether.

No amount of maintenance made any major differences in this. It was her cruddy AI that was the problem. Her very “soul” refused to sync up correctly with the rest of her body, causing degradation and glitches. It forced her into this position of being unable to operate like she was supposed to. Patching did nothing, either. Whatever had happened to her while rotting out in the drone piles, the scars on her program ran deep.

...Or maybe the Solver did this to her. It would line up pretty well with something it would do to torture her or someone else. But honestly, she did not believe it had involvement in this. It was probably her unfortunate state that had made her vulnerable to its intrusion. Why else would it not take a fully-functioning drone as its host that had better oil storage and functionality?

But it made her wonder... Why was she the one to be cursed with this? Why did her coding have to get scrambled while in a half-dead shutdown state? And why was it, out of countless other drones that had to have been dying like her like that over the years or even in that moment everywhere, that she was the one it picked to hijack? Was it just bad luck, or was there something special about where or who she was?

Cyn’s voice box glitched as she stopped herself from narrating another sigh, making her curl up tighter. What did it matter, anyway? No matter the answer, she was stuck like this all the same. Its voice was never going to leave her alone - even now, she felt the static of its presence bust out from behind the firewall. And while Tessa and the maintenance drones were trying, any hope of her glitches being fixed was likely years away, at least.

This was simply the way she existed... As a broken, defective drone who harbored a demon program that she was terrified to speak about. An unfortunate vessel... who wondered if keeping going was even worth-

A gentle voice cut through those thoughts like a knife. “Little buddy?”

The gangly drone’s eyes immediately snapped open, not believing her audio receivers. Yet, sure enough... before her was the drone she was, without a doubt, the most familiar with around the manor. The first person to show her kindness there... and with whom she had quickly developed a close, sibling bond.

She blinked in disbelief, unable to believe the chances of this. “Shock. Flabbergasted. B-big brother N? What are you doing here?”

Said drone chuckled, smiling softly at her as he knelt before her and shrugged. “Ah, well, I was just taking a stroll around the manor. We don’t get a lot of opportunities to take our time and... take it all in, you know? So I thought I would see what it was like when there’s no chaotic preparations happening.”

Cyn tilted her head, uncurling from her position. “Curious. And how is it?”

N smirked. “Well... I can’t say it’s the same without J yelling at me to hurry up with carrying a crate. It helps distract from the storms outside more than I realized.”

That got the gangly drone to narrate a few giggles, which he joined in with some normal ones. She found herself unwinding despite herself, sitting more normally. Her corebeat went down to much more reasonable levels as her thoughts seemed to clear from the dark haze they were just in. Even the heat in her systems did not seem as bad now.

But really... how could she be blamed? He was such a disarming presence in this place of doom and gloom. All you needed was to hear his voice or see his smile, and suddenly, things seemed just a little bit better. He was a ray of sunshine in this mansion that was so often shaded away from the actual sun’s rays, keeping up everyone’s spirits.

Or maybe that was just her. She fully admitted to having a bias with him, considering all the time they spent together. But she knew Tessa and V would agree with her... and now she knew J would, too, she supposed. That once you really got to know him... there was no avoiding his positivity rubbing off on you.

Though... that also meant that if his mood was off, then it was very noticeable. And it did not take her long to realize he was... not as cheery as normal. His uniform was a little ruffled, which might not have been weird a week ago, but with as little work as they had right now, it stood out. Also, while he did not have stress lines on his visor, his gaze seemed a little worn.

Once these things registered, it made her frown, her head tilting further. “Worried. Big brother? Is there something wrong?”

The butler seemed a little taken aback by this. However, he soon sighed, giving her a weary smile. “I... feel I should be asking you that, given where you are.”

Cyn flinched with a narration, looking away in shame. Her sibling frowned at this, but did not press her yet. Slowly, he moved himself to sit beside her, with her having to scoot over to make room under the table. It was a tight fit, but with some shuffling, they managed to do it... even if it required her to lean against his side. Though, neither of them clearly minded that.

But it did mean N got to feel her current warmness. It made him pause, glancing at her questioningly. “Cyn? When was the last time you had a Energy Canister? Or just raw coolant? You’re, uh...”

“Reassuring. I’m going to deal with it soon,” the gangly drone promised, letting her head rest on his shoulders. “For now... please let me rest here.”

The butler did not argue with her - he trusted her to do as she promised. He wrapped his arm around her instead, allowing them both to gather their thoughts. Silence fell over them, save for the heavy rain outside a nearby window. They simply sat there, waiting to see which of them would be ready to talk first.

...And Cyn decided to be the one who did. She could never accept it when something was stressing N enough to make his positivity falter, even slightly. Stress in the moment was one thing, but this... She refused to let him go without his trademark smile for longer than a minute. She was more than willing to be someone to vent to, too, if he was nearing a breaking point.

Plus... she knew how the conversation about her would go. He had seen her like this many times before in all sorts of hidden places across the manor. It was like he was magnetically drawn to her distress so he could end it. (They were similar in that regard, really.) And while she knew that talk was inevitable, she did not want to start with her age-old problems.

So she seized the initiative after a few seconds, looking up at him. “ Inquiry. Worry. So... what has been happening for you today? You seem a little... down.”

N sighed again, shaking his head. “I’m fine - honest! I just had an... important talk with J yesterday. Some things were said, and now I’m trying to figure out if there’s anything else I can do to help her.”

“Confused. Taking her chores wasn’t enough?” the gangly drone asked... before her eyes widened and she covered her mouth, realizing she got too comfortable there.

But it was too late to take back her words as the butler paused... then gave her a flat look. “I see you’ve been ‘wandering’ around the manor here lately, too.”

Cyn looked away at the disappointment in his tone, her attempt at a smile made all the more awkward by her facial limitations. “Sheepish. Abashed. I... just so happened to be in the area? And heard it through the door?”

“...When we were several meters away talking at a semi-quiet volume.”

“My hearing was clearly on the fritz and turned up too high... False.”

N shook his head at this. But he could never stay mad at her for long, eventually giving an exasperated smile and rubbing the top of her head. His tone was still fairly serious, though. “You little scamp. Don’t think we’re done talking about this. J deserves her privacy!”

“...Creeping guilt. I’ve certainly gotten that now,” the gangly drone muttered. She looked back at him again, rubbing her hands together. “ Anxious. But... is she still not doing well?”

The butler rubbed the back of his head, looking uncertain. “Well... I mean, she doesn’t seem as stressed as before. But I saw her earlier, and... she looked so lost. She was just standing in the middle of one of the studies, a duster in her hand as though she had meant to clean it. But instead, she was looking around as though not sure what to do. She looked hesitant to put it down, too, despite not using it.”

“ Sigh, ” was Cyn’s only response to that. Any other outcome would have been a surprise to her, honestly. Everyone knew that J practically lived to work. Every second of her existence seemed dedicated to working as fast and efficiently as possible, with every job completed to perfection. If any drone put the “worker” in worker drones, it was her. (She even talked so much using corporate slang, for Robo-Christ’s sake!)

So, her suddenly having no work to do and being asked to take a vacation?... The result seemed inevitable to her. The only person who could get the head maid to do any leisure activities was Tessa, and she was likely still hesitant to talk with her. She was probably trying to prove to everyone, including herself, that she could enjoy time off like any of them!

That was all well and good as a goal, and the yellow-eyed drone wished her luck in that. But in terms of how fast she expected her to progress there... Well...

“ ...Joking. I’ll bet one of my dolls that J has eaten that duster out of confusion by now,” she said to lighten the mood.

That got a snort out of N, who gave her a small smile. “They’re not technically your dolls. They’re Tessa’s.”

“ Smug. Then I can bet them all day and not have to worry about losing them!” the gangly drone declared, giving him her best smirk.

The butler shook his head in amusement. “I don’t think that’s how that works.” His smile soon dimmed, though, as he took a deep breath. “But... it isn’t just how she’s doing that I guess is throwing me off a little.”

“...Understanding. It’s her apology,” Cyn stated. There was not a doubt in her mind that was causing him a little stress.

N sighed, nodding slowly. “I... I care about her. I don’t hate her. I know she meant every word of it.” He looked down, his hands clenching. “But... I don’t think I can forgive her. Not anytime soon. And it’s like... I know I’m perfectly within my rights not to. What she did to me was awful, no matter how much of her care for her shined through when it counted.” He released a heavy breath. “But I... still feel bad about it. Does... that make sense?”

The gangly drone’s core clenched hearing this. It was just... so like him to have this kind of dilemma. He cared deeply for all of them, and wanted nothing more than to be there for them. He would probably like more than anything to forgive them all for any mistakes or arguments they had without hesitation. Being forgiving was a part of his nature.

However, emotions would not always line up with this. Given everything he went through under J, even though he still saw her as a friend, leaving the past behind would not be easy. And... that had to be eating at him a little - knowing that the rift between them for years now could not be filled immediately.

There was little she could do about that... but she could try to reassure him. She grabbed his hand, giving it a gentle, though stiff squeeze. “Soothing. It makes perfect sense, considering it’s you. The day you stop caring about any of us is the day every star in the universe explodes.”

This succeeded in getting a brief chuckle from the butler. “A little dramatic, but sure.”

“Giggle, ” Cyn narrated, smiling at him as she patted that same hand. “Comforting. Don’t be too hard on yourself over it. You’ll probably find forgiveness for her faster than is normal, regardless. You just need to give it time.” She shrugged. “ Shrug. Plus, I imagine J wants to feel like she earned it more, so you should give her time to try to make things up to you.”

Taking a deep breath, N nodded again, smiling a little easier. He unclenched his hand and shifted it so that he was holding hers. “Yeah, I... I know. I just needed to hear it from someone else. So thank you for that.”

“Happy. Anything for my big brother!” the gangly drone said with her widest smile.

The butler chuckled some more, sighing contently. Another bout of silence fell over them as they relaxed, resting against one another. She could almost even ignore the oil warning on her display... and the buzzing from the Solver seemed so distant now. In his company, the problems plaguing her programming felt as though they floated away.

In that moment... she felt safe. Normal. Like... she was not cursed with rotten luck. Otherwise, how would she ever have been allowed to meet him?

She wished that this peace could last forever... But her sibling had other plans as he gently nudged her. “You’re very kind to me, Cyn... I wish you would be the same to yourself, too, though.”

...Right - nearly forgot about that, Cyn thought. She frowned, glancing away. “Evasive. I... I wasn’t being-”

“Cyn,” N said sternly, though with plenty of kindness. “You don’t need to hide it. We’re family. I’m not mad at you for it. I only want to help you not think so lowly of your quirks. They don’t make you defective!”

“...Bitter. Try convincing the Elliotts of that,” the gangly drone murmured, letting her thin mask fall. She squeezed the hand she was holding, taking a breath. “ Self-loathing. Besides, we both know ‘quirks’ is a kinder way of saying ‘disabilities.’ Or abnormalities. I might ignore that some days, but...”

That made the butler frown sadly, who shook his head. “There’s nothing wrong with being a little different, sis. I mean, plenty of humans have disabilities of their own, and they live happy lives! They all-!”

“-Have options to assist their problems. Truth,” Cyn finished for him, her tone blanker than normal. She kept her gaze pointedly away from him, never liking seeing his reactions to her vents. “Miserable. Face it, big brother - most people, if given the choice, would gladly have their disabilities removed. Why be bound to a wheelchair when you can have cybernetic legs to walk? Or be blind when eye implants will give you vision?

“Small concession. But then, not everyone can afford these things. Some are forced to make do, and can even be proud of what they accomplish despite these disabilities.” She pursed her lips. “Sorrow. But... in human cases, they were not born with a purpose. Parents and such have their expectations, but nature-wise... it’s all up to their genes and how they are raised that decides their talents and utilization.

“...Self-disgust. But it’s different for us. We’re drones. We’re programmed and built to do specific tasks - end of story. Our personalities and sentience are simply an effect of complex coding.” She stared at the ground with hollowing eyes. “Forlorn. So if we have these abnormalities... then what good does that make us?”

...There was silence for a long time from her brother. She appreciated that, even if the quiet left her to ponder these thoughts. As impulsive as he could be when it came to offering help, he knew when to take his time and think things through. He had learned that the hard way over the years, she imagined... having to take care of Tessa when her parents’ abuse left her broken for a time.

But N did soon act... and it was by pulling her into a full hug, setting her on his lap. He held her close as he patted her back, whispering gently to her. “...As my little sister, for one. And as one of the funniest drones I think I’ll ever know.”

“Whimper,” the gangly drone narrated, digital tears pricking her eyes. She clutched at him, trying to ignore how jerky her arms were while doing so. Instead, she let herself sink into his embrace, his body feeling cool in comparison to her current heat. It helped to soothe her nerves, closing her eyes as she enjoyed his touch.

“I’m sorry your quirks bother you so much,” the butler continued as he held her. “But even if you want them 'fixed,' you’re not defective as you are, no matter what James and Louisa say. Whether humans like it or not, we’re not just tools. We’re living people made of metal and oil! You’re a person, Cyn. And that alone makes you worth something.”

...Cyn’s attention was drawn to the malevolent program still squirming behind her firewall. “Hesitant. Even if... something is very wrong with me?”

N pushed her back enough so he could make eye contact. There was a gleam in his eyes, a warm smile on his face. “Sis... there is nothing about you that would ever make me think less of you. I promise.”

An internal wince went through the gangly drone. It was a promise made off of a lack of information, she knew. He did not know anything about the dark program within her more than anyone else. Never once had he ever been off-put by her mere presence for reasons that she could not even guess at. If he did know... The horror and terror she knew would take over his expression...

Yet looking into his eyes then, held safely in his arms... she found it hard not to delude herself into thinking he really would keep that promise if he learned.

So, swallowing thickly (and suppressing its narration), she once more pursed her lips with a light blush. Then, she nodded slowly, trying to take heart in that sentiment despite her doubts. “Calmed. I... thank you, N. Your words mean more than you’ll ever know.” So long as I can help it, anyway...

The butler smiled some more, rubbing the top of her head. “Aw, of course, little buddy! Like I could ever leave the cutest drone here to feel bad for herself under a table.”

“Snort,” Cyn narrated, playfully swatting the hand away as she smiled. “Smirk. I’m sorry - I thought V was the cutest drone here for you?”

N blushed immediately, shaking his head and waving his hands. “H-huh? T-that’s completely different! N-not that there’s anything going on! There isn’t yet!” He yelped. “Ah! I mean- That wasn’t-!”

Unable to help herself, the gangly drone hunched over, shaking as though she were laughing hard and not simply narrating “guffaw!” After a moment, her sibling could only groan, before lightly chuckling himself. Once more, all her negative feelings about herself were pushed aside for a time. All she could focus on was the pleasant time she was having with the other drone.

Once again, she wished it could last forever... However, reality crept back onto her as she not an insistent notification on her visor:

{Overheat Warning! Fresh Oil Required! Current Percentage: 27%}

The message nearly made her falter. She knew that it was time to go now. If she took any longer, then all sorts of problems could start happening. And out of every drone there... her big brother was the one she wanted least to get hurt by the Solver.

Thus, she shook her head and looked at him, trying to get this done fast. “Placated. Thank you, N. You always know what to say.” She looked at her hands, giving a toneless hum. “Contemplating. I would still like my motor functions fixed up one day, though. And I would like to speak without narration.”

“I’m sure Tessa will work out a solution eventually,” the butler commented, then snorted lightly. “It would help if you were not so jittery about her peering into your coding, though.”

Cyn held back a flinch and any narration of such. The others all assumed that she was simply self-conscious about her defects and having the programs causing them laid bare, which made her avoid invasive access to her AI. The truth, however, was that each time... she feared the Solver being discovered within her. It was not even about it being revealed itself, either - not entirely, anyway. Moreso... she was afraid of what would happen if Its code was tampered with in any capacity, given the effect It had on reality.

She said none of this, though, naturally, and kept trying to act happy as she shrugged. “Conceding. I suppose I can’t argue with that.” She pushed herself off of him, going back to where she was sitting before as she nodded to him. “Friendly insisting. You can go now. I’m just going to rest here before getting that... cooling substance I need.” (Strange as a way it was to phrase that, she was trying to be careful not to trigger a narration of “lie” or “false.”)

N studied her, and for a second, she was worried he would not leave. But then he nodded, slipping out from under the table and standing up. He smiled at her as he dusted himself off. “Well, alright, then. You stay safe, little buddy.” He perked up. “And hey, how about we play a board game later? We can meet up at Tessa’s room around 7:00 and see if she wants to join, too! Does that sound good?”

The gangly drone did not need to think about nodding. With what she was about to do, she desperately wanted something to do afterward to distract from it. No doubt the Absolute Solver’s voice would be back by then, too, and she did not want to suffer through that alone. If I can’t ever have privacy, I can at least try to keep good company around... so long as I’m not a danger to them.

The butler beamed at her, giving her a thumbs up. “Great! See you then!” He turned to leave... but after pausing, he looked back at her one last time, giving her a soft look. “And... don’t ever hesitate to find me if you start feeling down on yourself. Whether you’re stuck with your issues or not, I and everyone else are here for you.”

Cyn blushed lightly, but soon nodded at the offer. He smiled, then with a wave, he walked off down the hallway. Soon, he rounded the corner, and the sound of his steps receded. After that... she was left alone with the pattering of rain against the window.

After a while, she took a deep breath, ignoring the narration of it she gave. For one last second... she held onto the good feelings her brother had just given her. She was no less disgusted about what she was about to do, but... he nonetheless brightened her afternoon. When it came to just being her and excluding anything to do with the thing she hosted, she felt better at the reaffirmation that he loved her.

...But no matter how much he cared about her, he would likely puke if he saw her drinking like she was about to.

Still, she had a little more strength to do it now, and she was done wasting time. So, she took a quick look around to make sure she was truly by herself. Then, she brought up her map of the manor on her display, frowning in concentration. She quickly zoomed in on the room she wanted, pinpointing where she wanted to go as her core began to silently purr, power tingling through its circuits.

Teleporting was not a smart thing to do without using her map. She very well could, but that ran the risk of her ending up in the air and falling, or worse, trying to occupy space that was taken up by the ground or another object. And if the latter happened... Well, she had learned that she was in no danger of fusing with anything that way in her early days of experimenting. However, the empty crate she had blown apart had left quite a mess in one of the basement areas. She could only imagine how much worse it would have been if it had been metal or the like.

Thus, it was only really safe to do if where she wanted to go was within line of sight or she had the location on her drives. She even went as far as to mark places on her map where furniture was so she could teleport in stealthily. Some things were rarely shuffled around in the manor, so she had plenty of favorite spots to do so.

It was therefore with relative confidence that the gangly drone activated her powers. For a split second, she felt her entire being become... nothing. That was the best way she could describe not having a body as she seemed to exist as pure energy. Her entire vision was bright yellow, as though a light was shined directly into her eyes.

But she never had time to think about these sensations. Almost in the same instance as she experienced them, she found herself where she intended to go. The room was dark, with no windows for whatever light the rainy outside provided. There was a cold dampness in the air that identified it as one of those aforementioned basement areas. The floor was stone and the walls bare, with the only thing surrounding her being shadowed mounds.

She was not able to take in any more than that, though, as another heat-flash hit her. She narrated a groan, glad that she was already sitting as she clutched her head. A heavier fog of static settled over her mind, with several of her servos feeling twitchy. The normal tickle she felt seemed miniscule as her core almost sputtered.

Plus... there was a pain in her right eye as her visor glitched. And while she could not see it... she knew what symbol had taken up the place of her digital eye there. A three-pronged hexagon she loathed to see in a mirror before her powers made it shatter. (She still had no clue why that happened - it just did.)

However, the worst of the heat soon vanished, and she was able to breathe again. Checking her display, she saw that her percentage had not dropped a point that time. But she swore she could feel her reserves on the brink of doing so if she so much as tried to move a small pebble telekinetically. So long as I don’t drop past a fourth full... or, Robo-God forbid, a fifth.

To that end... the solution to preventing that was within reach. Looking around, her gaze soon locked onto one of the piles. Even with only the glow of her yellow eyes to go off of, though... it would be clear to anyone that these were not party supplies or the like. Nothing was even stored in this room like that. It had mostly been abandoned on account of some cracks that James thought were causing water leakage and rot, which was never fixed.

So the presence of something in here would be suspicious enough to anyone else who came in. (Though, that would be a feat, given how well she had barred the door with her abilities.) But all anyone would need to do was step closer to a pile... and realize the metallic scent of oil was not their imagination. And that the jutting points coming out of these mounts not only resembled drone arms and legs... but were arms and legs.

Not that any of that was a shock to her - she had made these stacks, after all. What else could she do, when any oil taken from maintenance would be noticed? She could therefore only take it from these half-drained corpses... whose absence in the haps outside would not be noticed or missed by anyone.

“Weary sigh,” Cyn murmured a second time that day, rising to her feet. She slowly shuffled over to the nearest pile, trying very hard not to look at any heads poking out as she got a better view of them. She tried to keep most of them on the inside, out of sight, but sometimes stability called for them to be out. The more she drained older piles, too, the more those got exposed.

There was something deeply unsettling about seeing totally blank visors of her kind. No small bits of text or even that dreaded {FATAL ERROR} message, but simply... nothing. Not an ounce of reserved power left in them to revive them in even a defective state like hers. At that point, they truly were only good for the scrap piles outside to be recycled and repurposed.

Though, these were the types of bodies she collected from those heaps on “special” days. It was easier on her conscience knowing she was draining from inert drones rather than any with a spark left in them. Feeling and thought were strange in that state... but if more pain was still possible for them, she did not want to cause it.

She was so deep in these thoughts that she did not realise she had made it to her chosen pile until she nearly tripped into it. Quickly correcting her footing to avoid that horrific outcome, she stared at the mangled twisting of metal limbs and torsos. A scanner on her visor noted a few with identifying armbands still on them, but she swiftly minimized that program. She needed as much mental distance as possible to do this without hesitating. She could be revolted all she wanted, but wasting a drop from any of these bodies was something she tried to avoid.

With an almost deliberate care, she knelt next to an arm sticking out in front of her and grabbed it. Her fingers rubbed along the grooves in the plating, only slightly marred by rust. However terrible Tessa’s parents were, they at least invested well in making sure their drones were extra waterproof. That led to less decay... and less contamination of the contents inside.

The gangly drone waited only one second longer, trying not to tremble more than normal. But as tempting as running was... she was already too far committed. And this was for everyone else’s sake as much as hers, if not even more. This is nothing new... Just some more trimming I have to do today.

She set her jaw, raising one of her hands. Soon, the glowing, yellow holographic symbol of the Solver was in her palm, spinning in preparation. The next second, another appeared on the wrist of the arm she held. Concentrating, both symbols pulsated as she began to “pull” with her ability, new holograms appearing briefly with lines of fast-running code. The sound of metal tearing soon filled the cold space as the arm shook-

-and in just a little over a second, the hand tore free as oil began spilling from the limb.

She wasted no time putting her mouth around the open wound, the black substance barely able to make a small splash on the ground. She released her power immediately, not bothering to check her percentage for now. She sucked hard, trying to make more of it enter her body faster. She shivered, her olfactory sensors overwhelmed by the scent of oil now.

...But gradually, she started to feel better. The heat in her body soon started to cool down to normal levels. Small errors in her systems started to go away as she restored her reserves, and her head no longer felt so staticy. There was even a small... euphoria to tasting the oil. It sent positive signals to her processors, making pleasure run through her.

...That pleasure felt completely wrong, however. Her stomach churned, knowing that those sensations were the doing of the corrupted programming in her. A way to incentivise more consumption and make her crave it... And worst of all, despite being able to recognize that... it still kind of worked, as she instinctively lapped up the oil harder. It would do nothing to stop her from feeling absolutely vile afterward, though.

And then, as though all of that was not bad enough... there was a sudden feeling of electrical surging in her head, making her flinch. It was a feeling she knew well... and had unfortunately expected to happen at this stage. The notification she got only confirmed what she already knew:

{Note: Program [AbsoluteSolver.exe] Has Breached Firewall. Please See Administrator About Potential Viruses.}

Almost as soon as she read it, that demon’s voice was back, laughing belittlingly at her as she drank. [Good puppet... You know you have to. Just keep drinking. Keep yourself alive... and make me stronger. We’ll accomplish such things together once you accept your only use as my vessel. You’ll see...]

The gangly drone clenched her hands, wishing she could retort... But there was not much she could say when she was sucking a body dry of oil. So she dully just kept at it, tears of shame pricking her eyes as it continued laughing. All she could do was pray that it was exaggerating when it said these feedings made it more powerful. Nothing ever stuck out to her about any of her abilities changing, but who knows?

...But she would not let it win. No matter how lowly it made her feel about herself, she would not let it hurt those she loved. It would by no means be easy, but with enough time and effort, she would find a way to get rid of it. Nobody would have to learn about what a horrid freak she was, and everyone would be happy.

...It sounded painfully naive and overly-optimistic when she thought of it like that. Even so, though, she was not done trying. However hopeless it seemed, she would keep holding this thing at bay. That, at least, seemed feasible. After all, it had been over a year and a half since she was fixed, and it still had not taken her over despite her defects!

That had to be a good sign... right?

=======

...Everything hurt. Describing it as constant agony severely underselled the sensations Cyn was going through. She thought she had known pain in the leadup to this gala, but this... There were no words to describe what she was going through now.

Her body was stretched over hundreds of meters, permeating almost every inch of the manor. She felt flesh she should not have fused with far too much metal, pulsating with a blood-oil combo she did not think should be possible. Far too many limps with hands and claws tore through everything, and too many visuals came from hundreds of eyes - normal, thermal, and more. Such overstimulation should not even be possible, but every tear and hit she received and gave back still registered.

And it was hot. Way too hot. It felt like she might collapse and become a star any moment. The fever of this was all-consuming.

But worst of all... she had no control. It was what was slaughtering everyone. It was what was controlling the entire staff to do its bidding, all reduced to mindless animals of hunger. It was what was making sure she felt everything even in her digital prison.

...And It was what was torturing her family.

She did not even have the luxury of any eyes to cry or a voice modulator to scream. She suffered in silence, barely clinging on to her sanity. Anger filled her toward the Absolute Solver... but also guilt. For not being stronger. For not ending this years ago. All of that hope for the future... and now those delusions would be everyone’s deaths.

...But she still struggled. She could feel them - her brother and two friends - in the coding. And Tessa... She could not be dead yet. She strained as hard as she could against the digital shackles she was in, despite how it increased the indescribable pain.

She... she had to save them. Please, she begged to any god out there - just let them live. Let her help be enough.

The whole time, the piercing laugh of the demon echoed around her, amused at her efforts. It did not see her as a threat. It had won, as far as it was concerned. There was nothing she could do to change their fates in its eyes.

Yet she kept trying... It was the only thing left she could do, after failing them all. What other hope did she have?

( And how long until she did not even have that? )

Chapter Text

Five days. That was how long it had been since James and Louisa left for the outer space colonies. Five days since they had given any orders around the manor. Five days since anyone had to see their face around there and feign being proud to be in their presence. Five days since any drone had to fear being scrapped on a whim by them.

...And five days since Tessa had to pretend like she was their daughter in anything other than blood. To act like she respected them in any capacity. Since she had to conform to their standards and be their perfect little child for investors, politicians, and other highly influential people they invited over.

It was not a long time by any means. Reasonably, it probably should have been a few weeks before she felt like she was truly free of their gaze. Almost her entire life had been spent under their judgemental gazes, with few times they were ever gone for a long period. That did not seem like something she should be able to easily shrug off.

There should have been a slow adaptation, she dimly pondered. Like waking up a few mornings and realizing she did not have to dress like they instructed. And taking time to recognize that she did not have to walk primly everywhere. A few of these things, at least, should have taken longer than five days.

However... it did not even take five days. It had only taken one.

And honestly, that one day - the one they left - she was iffy on if it even counted. She had only kept up a pretense of being behaved on the off chance her parents had needed to come back for something. For all their planning and drones to help keep their schedules and lists, it did happen on occasion. So she kept acting like she did most days with them - scared and meek, but with a rebellious streak she tried to keep in check around them.

But after a night’s rest and she woke up the next day... she knew they were not coming back. They would have left Earth hours before she woke up on some fancy starship. If they had left anything important, they would be too prideful at this point to admit it. They would merely have a drone fetch them a replacement item and pretend they had not made such an error.

They were truly gone. Her mother and father, by loose definition, were unable to touch her. She did not have to worry about running into them in the halls, or hear them complain about her time spent in the drone maintenance room. They could not even forbid her from going to the drone piles to get parts and potentially find half-dead drones.

She was free... and boy, had that hit her like a crashing spaceship.

The teenager smiled to herself as she made her way through the manor, remembering that day. She had been a ball of energy, barely able to contain her hoots and hollers of joy. She had run practically everywhere in this place, twirling and leaping like a girl possessed. For a time, she had felt invincible. Hell, she had even been struck with the urge to strip naked and dance outside at one point, just because she could!

It was only remembering that the drone staff was still around to see her that stopped her from doing that. Lord knew that a lot of them had looked gobsmacked by her behavior that day when she slowed down enough to notice it. She had even caught sight of N and V during that, who looked bemused themselves, but still seemed happy that she was enjoying herself.

Their reactions had been the highlight of that experience. Her only regret was not running into J at any point, really. She would have loved to have seen the look on her face at seeing her “boss” so unhinged... And she absolutely would have pretended to try taking off her dress just to give her a heart attack. (Or... core attack? Drones were kind of particular about that sometimes.)

Still, by the afternoon, that initial high had worn off. No longer was she running around and laughing like a woman who had escaped from an asylum. The rest of these past couple of days had been rather peaceful, in fact. Helping to make her own meals, having unrestricted time in the computer rooms - she had basically been enjoying the small luxuries of her parents not being around.

But that sense of freedom had remained, making Tessa feel lighter than she had ever felt. There was no sense of decorum to her steps as she turned into the next corridor, simply enjoying the ability to wander around. Heck, she was practically skipping as she moved along. Now that she did not have to wear uncomfortable shoes with heels to appease her mother, she could do so by going barefoot everywhere! The red carpeting along many of the floors were certainly soft enough to do so, too.

Humming a happy tune, she went along without a care. She did have the thought that her parents might learn about stuff like this, and what she did the day after they left. Some of the drones among the staff she was sure were ordered to report back to them. If rewards were not enough, then there were likely some programs in them that would force them to talk anyway.

However, she did not feel scared - worried, perhaps, but that was distant right then. They would find any excuse to give her a beating when they got back, she was certain, out of frustration for having to leave to begin with. So why not enjoy herself a little? She knew they would not hurt her too badly when they still needed to find her a suitor. So long as she did not break anything valuable or use an “excess” of resources for a personal party of any kind, all she would get were some fresh bruises on her body.

...Not that she was particularly pleased by that knowledge, but that was just her life, so what could she do?

They might be sated a little by learning I’ve not dropped all of my fancy looks, the teenager mused. She still wore her plain black dress and bow, and styled her hair like it normally was. However, those were definitely not for their benefit. The outfit was simply the least extravagant in her wardrobe, and was the closest she could get to dressing like a normal kid. And she just liked this hairstyle, with the twin tails and subtle little messiness to it. (Lucky her that her parents thought it was intentional enough to be considered “stylish.”)

But while she might be dressing the same, she felt like a new woman. For once, she could walk through her own home with a big smile without her drone family friends keeping her company. There were no party preparations she had to be concerned about interrupting, nor any “treatments” she needed to do to make herself look more appealing to boys her age. And... she did not have to fear being hampered from going anywhere by that bloody chain on her bed.

For the next few months, this was not the residence of Louisa and James Elliott. By all technical senses, this was her manor for the time being, where she could do whatever she wanted. Its operations were hers to command. She had the authority to allocate tasks how she wanted.

And best of all... she could finally take proper care of the drones working there.

A reminder of this came to her when she turned the next corner, ready to keep skipping... only to stop as she saw a concerning sight. A few meters away, a butler had clearly been trying to clean the rafters at the edges of the ceiling. However, something had gone wrong, and his ladder had fallen over. Now, he was dangling from up there, kicking his feet and grunting as he kept his grip firm.

Normally, a small fall like that would be of no concern for a drone. Hell, even a human could probably avoid springing or fracturing anything if they landed right. However... he happened to be near a table with some white and blue display china sitting on top of it. If he landed incorrectly, he could risk breaking them, which would not be so easily replaced without her parents noticing. And even without that, his metal body could damage the floor, which was also cause for concern.

So he was basically stuck up there without any help... But lucky for him, help had just come! Quickly running over, she grabbed the ladder, getting it stood up again as she called out to him. “Hold on there, mate! Just let me get this positioned back under you!”

The drone looked down at her, seeming to be about to call out in gratitude... However, when he saw who it was helping him, he tensed up, his eyes widening. He gaped, appearing to not know how he should be feeling. His gaze also darted around, as though looking for someone to confirm that what he was seeing was real or not.

Tessa grimaced slightly, trying not to be too hurt by that. She understood perfectly where that reaction came from, after all. Instead, she just focused on setting the ladder back into place. It took a bit of shuffling from both of them, but eventually, one of his feet caught one of the steps. Then he got both of them planted on, and he was able to relax his grip on the rafter.

Both of them sighed with relief, the small incident resolved. Shaking her head, she waited for him to climb back down. Once his feet had touched the ground, she smiled at him, giving a small whistle. “Well, that was a close one, wasn’t it? Just goes to show how important ladder stoppers are, huh?”

The butler did not laugh at her joke. He was eyeing her with... uncertainty, wringing his hands. But eventually, he seemed to default to a response more in line with what her father would want, taking a bow and speaking primly, yet hastily. “I-I’m so sorry to have wasted your time, young mistress! I must also apologize for not completing my task to-”

“Hey, hey - none of that!” the teenager interjected, unable to keep some of her annoyance out of her voice. Taking a small breath, her tone then softened as she knelt and grabbed one of his arms gently, looking it over. “You weren’t hurt there, were you? You never know when a loose, strong nail might pierce your plating.”

The butler blinked, seeming perplexed that he was not being punished or scolded. After a moment, though, he found his voice and answered her awkwardly. “Ah... no? I’m not hurt. Just... embarrassed, I guess.”

“That’s fair,” Tessa admitted. She met his eyes and tilted her head. “Though, why were you working alone? I thought that anything using a ladder was a two-drone job?” That was the typical precaution J told her, anyway, to avoid these exact scenarios. She liked to make very sure that nobody fell... especially after a few incidents with N hanging on just like that.

The drone rubbed the back of his head. “Ah, well... You see, I was almost done, and my partner had been talking about this poker game tournament some of the staff were organizing, so... I mean, I’ve done this like a million times without anything ever happening, so I thought it would be fine! I didn’t even have to worry about decorations being carried through!”

The teenager sighed, shaking her head. She really did understand where he was coming from, and thought it was nice he did that for his pal. It was nearly impossible for the drones to put together big games without provoking her parents' ire. This was a rare opportunity for them to really kick back and have fun they normally could not, and she wanted to encourage that!

However, like it or not, there were still jobs that had to be done around the manor. If someone was assigned to a task, they needed to see it through before going out to enjoy their new freedom. Starting to be neglectful would just lead to more incidents like this. If this happens more, I might need to make an announcement.

For now, though, she settled for giving this worker a stern look, letting go of his arm. “I hope you learned your lesson, then. You’re not in trouble, but if you have any other tasks with someone in the future, then both of you need to stay until it's complete. Okay?”

The butler grimaced, but nodded in understanding. “Yeah... okay.”

Tessa nodded back, smiling brightly as she stood. “Great! And for God’s sake - ping someone if you’re in trouble! You weren’t given all of those messaging features for nothing! Could you not get your pal to come back?”

The drone only shrugged. “I actually did, and someone said they were coming. It’s been a couple of minutes, though. I guess everyone is just elsewhere in the manor. My partner had run off ages ago, so they weren’t going to get back easy regardless and...”

He trailed off as the sound of footsteps started to echo in the corridor. They both turned to the corner she had originally come from, waiting for the coming from. A moment later, a maid came into view, panting a little bit. Based on a few digital sweat drops going down their visor, it was clear they had run to get here... which the human supposed identified them as the promised help this butler just mentioned.

The maid continued to do a mini-sprint in their direction, wiping her visor with her arm as she went. “I’m here! I’m so sorry! I tried to get here as fast as I...” Her words trailed off as she finally looked at the scene before her, slowly stopping a short distance away. She blinked, her white optics darting between the other two and the uprighted ladder... and then could only say one thing. “...Oh.”

Tessa giggled at her expense, being sure to smile at her. “Points for effort, girl. I’m sure our friend here would have held out long enough for you to get here if I hadn’t come around! Good hustle!” Taking a deep breath, she dusted off her hands and stretched. “Well, then, I think I’ll be off. You both keep doing amazing work!”

She turned away from them, about to continue on her original path... But the butler spoke again, sounding confused. “Wait... that’s it? You’re... not going to keep scolding me?”

The teenager paused, internally wincing at the implied suggestion that she would do that... Because that was exactly what her mother and father would have done if they had seen that. They would be chewing this poor worker out for his simple transgression. Or if they were in a foul mood... they might have scrapped him and let his oil spill onto the floor.

She hated the idea that any drone would think she would do that to them. However, she did not show how upset that made her, lest he get the wrong idea. Instead, she looked back at him... and gave him the gentlest smile she could. “Of course not. It was a small accident is all. Just be more careful, alright?”

The butler still seemed rather surprised by this. After a second, though... he slowly nodded, his eyes gazing at her with a new appreciation. The sight eased something in her heart, making her smile grow as she gave one last wave before looking forward again. She left the two drones behind, listening as the ladder was fiddled with. I hope he’s finished and he’s taking that back to storage. He could use the break after that.

She soon made the next corner, leaving that small scene behind. Inside, she felt a strange mix of... satisfaction and slight dismay. She was glad to have been able to offer him help herself for a change. Her father especially had issues with her lowering herself to “menial” work, and forbade her from doing so much as lifting a small box for them. She could get around this by asking J or the others to do so if they were near her, but she was happy that this time she could be much more direct!

But on the other hand... it hurt that some of them thought she had the same temper as her parents.

This was mainly an issue among newer members of staff. Those in their first few weeks got quickly acquainted with her mother and father’s ruthless standards, and so... they assumed the same from her. Sure, it was also clear to most of them that she was not exactly loved by the two, but children took after their parents normally, right? If nothing else, they assumed she was a snotty rich girl who did not give a crap about them regardless.

That butler was likely a new transfer, then. They were still being cycled in up to just two days before her parents left, so it was well within the realm of possibility. He had likely not gotten the chance to really get to see her, nor receive reassurance from other staff. Not everyone coming in got J’s day-one orientation, after all... which she heard included lots of praise of her, much to her amusement.

But still... Tessa was finding that even older staff were surprised with her these last few days. They knew she was kind to drones, but they had apparently not realized the full extent of that. The shock when she gave them the day off after her parents left was one example, but it was also smaller things. Like when she started showing up in the kitchen to learn about and help with cooking, or other instances she stepped in to help a drone with cleaning or such. Whatever it was, she seemed to get those same looks of shock.

It was like they thought she would never dare do these things because she was human. Or maybe they thought she would only do that with her family close friends. And in fairness, she did give N and them some preferential treatment - she would be hard-pressed to deny that. But still, it was as though they believed her respect for the staff had certain limits...

She sighed to herself, brushing off her dress as she let her gaze wander around the corridor. Well, at least I’m making my feelings on them clear now, she told herself. Now that she could express herself without her parents “correcting” her, every drone there could see how deep her care went. And soon, those looks she was getting would be a thing of the past!

...Until her mother and father got back and started to scrap the staff again.

She tried not to dwell on that, though. Shaking her head, she focused on her path, trying to take note of where she was heading. It was then she realized her wandering was taking her to the main foyer, where she would come out on the left-side balcony. Not... one of her favorite areas of the manor, but she saw no reason to divert. She could use it as a starting place to go anywhere else in this place, too.

So she kept going, starting to hum a song again... only to go quiet and slow down as she realized she... heard something. Another set of footsteps, following not far behind her. Confused, she looked over her shoulder, wondering if it was the butler again. He should have needed to go the other way to put up the ladder, so why...?

Rather than him, however, she realized it was the maid who had shown up. She trailed not far behind the human, looking at her... curiously. That was the only way to describe the look on her face with the way her light blue eyes studied her. Even after being noticed, she only startled slightly before shuffling closer.

The teenager raised an eyebrow, turning around fully and giving the worker her full attention. “Hello there. Did you need anything?”

The maid closed the remaining distance, looking her up and down. She shrugged, rubbing her chin. “Not... anything specific. I’m sorry if I’m being creepy. This is just... the first good look I’ve gotten of you since I was transferred here.”

Tessa chuckled, putting her hands on her hips as she gave a small pose. “Do you like what you see, then? Am I a stunning example of the ‘aesthetic beauty’ of humanity?”

The drone snorted, cracking a grin. “W-where did you get that one from?”

“An old book about the story of AI getting sentience,” the teenager answered. “It was supposed to be a positive outlook on how machines would look at us as their creators, coming to respect us and see us as the ‘rightful rulers.’” She rolled her eyes, scoffing a little. “It’s respected among many intellectuals, I’m told, but I think it’s a bunch of human narcissism... Plus, it’s lowkey a big fetish book for people who think robots are attractive.”

...The maid blinked. “And it’s supposed to be an ‘intellectual’ story?”

The teenager shrugged. “Those dusty men and women have to get off somehow, I guess. Can’t say J was happy, though, when she learned James was having me read softcore porn to impress a suitor. But Cyn had a good laugh about it.” (In the limited way the gangly drone could laugh, anyway.)

That got the maid to laugh more openly. She smiled, nodding to her. “Nice to see that N wasn’t exaggerating about you. I’m Seria-... I’m S.”

Tessa smiled, holding out her hand. “Good to meet you, S. I doubt I need to introduce myself, but I’m Tessa.”

“I think a drone would have to be a special kind of ignorant to not know one of their owners,” S commented jokingly. She took the hand and shook it, looking around. “So, were you going anywhere specific? I’d hate to think I was holding you up.”

“Nah, I’m just walking,” the teenager reassured. She stepped back, gesturing behind her. “Care to join me for a moment? If you’re not busy, either.”

The maid nodded. “Sure! I’ve been hoping to get to know you with how much I’ve been hearing.”

Tessa hummed, the two of them walking side-by-side now. “Yeah, you just mentioned N, didn’t you? I’m guessing you’re the same S he helped out a while ago? He mentioned you once to me.” It was a pretty easy guess, since she was fairly certain there were no other S-designated drones on staff. But it was polite to ask regardless.

Sure enough, S nodded to her. “That’s me. Though, I got the chance to spend a little more time with him yesterday. He’s... really talkative, as I’ve learned.” She chuckled helplessly. “Like, I almost did not want to interrupt him. He was so passionate rambling about you and the rest of your ‘personal drones.’”

The teenager chuckled. “That’s N for you. But trust me - you haven’t seen anything until you’ve gotten him to talk about dogs. It’ll either be your greatest decision, or your biggest regret, depending on who you ask.” She knew V would say the former, while J fell into the latter, for example. (She herself was rather neutral, loving his enthusiasm... but there came a point where she had to calmly interject so she could do other things.)

“I’ll keep that in mind,” the blue-eyed drone said. She then looked her up and down once more, giving a small hum. “You know... you were joking earlier, but you actually looked quite nice for a human in her teen years. My last owners had two teens themselves, and let me tell you - acne was not treating them well.”

Tessa gave a small hiss. “Yikes. I can imagine. I’ve never had much to worry about there, but I will say - if I was forced to thank my mother for one thing, it’s for giving me the best at-home treatments for that.” It was for the benefit of their family image, naturally, but at least it actually helped her, unlike some other stuff forced upon her.

S nodded. “Lucky you, then! You really do look pretty!” Her eyes then drifted to a different part of her face... which seemed to cause her to frown. “Even considering... certain blemishes currently. But that’s hardly your fault.”

The teen winced, one hand going up to her right cheek. She still was wearing a bandage over the wound from her mother’s final parting smack. The swelling was down now, and a lot of the discoloration was disappearing as the bruise healed. However, it would still be a few more days before she could remove the covering. (That woman knew how to put all of her strength into her swing.) And it would be several more weeks before it had faded entirely.

No scarring, though, she considered, trying to look at the positives. Somehow, her parents were always able to avoid anything permanent from marking up her face. So she did not have to worry about any nasty blemishes... which was more than could be said about a few other areas of her body.

Noticing how clearly uncomfortable she was, the maid frowned more, looking away. “Sorry. I shouldn’t have drawn attention to it.”

Tessa shook her head, trying to smile. “Ah, don’t worry about it. The mark kind of does that all on its own, anyway, so what difference does it make?”

“Heh - fair enough,” S said, seeming a little placated. She rubbed her own cheek, digital eyebrows furrowed. “A pity that you can’t just take a trip to the repair bay to get it all sorted out. If you were a drone, some repair gel used over a few days would make it disappear so fast.”

“The downfalls of being human,” the teenager commented. There actually was medical tech that could make healing like this go faster, but big pharma these days hid a lot of that stuff behind expensive insurance, plus extra. And like hell were her parents going to let her see a doctor who might take notice of how much her body had clearly been beaten over the years. The legal battles covering that all up would be too much of an inconvenience, so she was stuck with crummy natural healing.

(She felt bad for those few people who had tried to get her parents arrested by noticing the signs with her. She deeply appreciated the gesture, but... her parents were just too influential. And the ESCG was more than willing to ruin a few lives for them with no questions asked, even before any rigged trials...)

The maid paused, glancing at her. “What... was with that tone just now?”

Tessa blinked, looking at her companion. “Huh?”

“About being human,” S clarified, digital eyebrows furrowing. “You sounded... actually sorrowful about that fact. Like, in quite a serious way...”

The teenager’s eyes widened, feeling a brief bit of panic. Her eyes darted around instinctively, not just out of habit for her parents, but... also any of her family close friends. She tried so hard to keep a lid on those emotions - to avoid the conversations that would follow. If any of them heard that and took the implications from it...

But none of them were around - her parents were gone, and the others were elsewhere in the manor. So, she released a breath, trying to give another awkward smile to the other drone to hide her reaction just then. “That’s... quite the observation. You must be good at picking up on stuff like that, huh?”

The maid shrugged, not seeming convinced by her act in the least. “I kind of had to be in my last place of work. If you misinterpreted the tone of my masters there, it could lead to some serious punishment. Not quite like what I’ve seen around here, but...”

Tessa grimaced, rubbing her hands together. “Ah... I’m afraid you’re not in a much better situation here when my parents are around. You say a single word wrong around my mother when she’s angry... it’s off to the Crow Tree.”

S nodded grimly, looking down in thought. “I’ll... have to try and remember that. These next few months might make me and all the other newer staff too complacent over not having to deal with that, though. I’d like to think I got a good read of Master James and Mistress Louisa, but... I haven’t even been here two weeks yet.”

That got the teenager to frown, having not thought about that. She knew that the staff would start getting scrapped again when her parents returned, but she had not considered the disadvantage some would be at. Any drone who had been here only a week or two was unfortunately in a good position to forget the dangers that this place normally posed for them. They might overlook that possibility of death at the hand of their owners... until her mother and father reminded them of their tempers.

I’ll have to talk to J about this, she told herself... as soon as that drone was done avoiding her. But ignoring that small pang for now, she nodded in consideration of her current company’s words. “Hopefully, we can avoid that. I promise I’ll do what I can to make sure you all stay prepared for... how my parents are.”

The maid nodded again, the two falling into silence for a while. Soon, though, Tessa noticed that the latest hallway they entered ended with the dark wooden rails of a balcony beyond its threshold. With the bright light of a chandelier spilling into the corridor, she knew they had reached the main foyer. She maintained their pace, mildly curious to see if anyone was using the space for anything.

...But S had apparently noticed her deliberate shifting of the topic before and called her out on it. “So I’m guessing you don’t want to talk about the ‘being human’ thing?”

The teenager sighed, looking to the side. “I’m... It’s just not something I’ve really discussed with anyone - even N and my other ‘personal drones.’ I’m not... sure how they would react, and I... Well...” She struggled to find a way to explain herself, but... it was hard when her feelings confused even herself.

The maid sighed, rubbing her arm. “Sorry about that, then. This... isn’t exactly good as a first impression, huh? I must seem pretty nosey.”

Tessa actually gave a genuine chuckle, giving a small smile as she looked back. “I’m sure you’ve got nothing on a little gremlin drone I know.” She shook her head, looking a little wistfully ahead. “Anyway... you’ve already beat out a lot of other drones here by having the bravery to approach me.”

S paused, raising a digital eyebrow. “The bar is that low?”

The teenager shrugged. “Don’t get me wrong - plenty of the staff like me. They know I’m not the monster my parents are, and they’ve warmed up to me even more in the past couple of days! But... they still keep to themselves unless I ask them for something.” She sighed, looking down sadly. “None of them want the responsibility of anything happening to me and getting the blame from my mother and father.”

The maid tilted her head, her eyes squinting. “That’s a... pretty informal way to refer to them.”

“They deserve nothing more than the bare minimum,” Tessa replied coldly, letting her hands fall and clench at her sides. Those two could force her to call them “mom and dad” when they were around to sell the image of a well-put-together family to visitors. But with them gone, she did not have to bother with that pretense. Hell, they encouraged the more informal addresses when in private, as though trying to draw certain lines with her, too.

And frankly, calling them parents was already too much of a compliment. It was only a bare requirement due to them having given birth to her. Beyond that... she would be more than happy to call them strangers. They were not her family... Her real family was made of metal and wires.

It was then that they reached the foyer balcony. She did not bother hiding her mood, leaning on the railing with a downcast expression. Her eyes drifted to the white tiled floor below to see if anyone else was around to see. But the place seemed abandoned currently, with no one around to even dust off the pieces of armor. It was just her and S in this massive entrance room.

...Them, and the massive painting of herself, her mother, and her father.

Her eyes inevitably went to the portrait, feeling glad she could glare at it openly now. She remembers the day it was made. Her parents had hired a professional painter to come into the manor between two of their gala’s three years ago. Before, a portrait of her grandfather Drake in his younger years had been there. But her father had decided it was time to “stop reminding guests so much of the past when they first came in and made them think of the present.”

At least, she thought that was the logic he had explained to her. Mainly, though, she just remembered the days of preparation going into it. Despite it not being a photograph, her mother had made her use so many soaps and moisturizers to make herself look presentable. They had also changed her hairstyle for it, going for a more straight look rather than her usual curls. And of course, she had worn one of her fancier bits of attire - a poofy red and black dress, to be precise, that had gone down and covered her feet. Not even her black bow was present.

As a result... the little twelve-year-old in the picture barely even resembled her. If not for the light brown skin and green eyes, a person looking might have assumed it was someone else. She looked so... Well, V had said once that she looked like a royal daughter, like in old medieval stories. A princess in her castle... which she supposed did fit, given she was stuck there like one of those damsels, without a knight to save her.

And of course, her parents looked exactly as they normally did. Her father wore a different suit, and her mother a slightly different style of dress, but overall, besides age, they looked exactly like they did today. It was only her who had to be dolled up for the painting. To make them look better in it by having such a sophisticated-looking daughter between them, sitting while they stood.

...The teen did not regret tearing that outfit up afterward, even if she got hit and chained for it.

She must have been glaring at it for a while, because eventually, the blue-eyed drone with her spoke up hesitantly. “Um... Tessa?”

Said girl sighed, slumping against the rail and turning her gaze downward. Then... she found herself speaking subduedly about her other experiences with that painting. “You know... I had J around already when they made me do that painting. She helped me do a lot of the prepping to get me ready.” She smiled faintly. “She was still very new, but she took to the task with gusto! I could hardly be mad about all the baths when she looked so enthusiastic about being able to do my hair for the first time.”

Her frown soon returned, now drumming her fingers on the railing. “But... I ended up ruining it for her with the little temper tantrum I had afterward. When she found out I was locked in my room again, she went to check on me, so confused over what happened.” She grimaced. “I didn’t want to tell her why, but... She tried to cheer me up by saying I looked great in the painting, at least, which only made me cry. She put it together after that, and...”

She trailed off, letting silence fall over them for a few seconds. The reaction J had was something she should keep private, she decided. The head maid was very preoccupied with her image, and telling random staff about her “moments of weakness” would make her feel like that was ruined. But still... those hollow eyes of regret as her family member first friend held her the rest of that day were seared into her mind.

A sigh left her as she recalled other reactions to the painting. “All of them have had things to say about it the first time they saw it. V tried likening me to a princess, even though she was not a fan herself. N... actually asked if my parents had another daughter at some point, which was pretty funny.” She chuckled. “In retrospect, though, Cyn had the best reaction. She said, and I quote: ‘Unamused. Wow, your parents really hate you, huh?’ That almost makes the hours sitting still worth it right there.”

That last one got some giggles from S as well. Once those died down, though, she looked up at her curiously. “That’s pretty interesting, but... why are you telling me all of this?”

Taking a moment to consider that herself, the teenager found that... all she could do was shrug. “I don’t know. I... don’t really have many people besides them I can tell stories like this with. And they’re often involved with the stories from the last few years.” She shook her head. “I suppose I’m... just enjoying the opportunity to let someone else know some of my experiences with them. Not many on staff seem to care, and my ‘potential suitors’ definitely don’t.”

“...And you were prompted to talk about your drones when looking at a picture of you and your parents?” the maid asked slowly.

...Tessa did not answer that right away. That was strange to do, huh? When seeing your mother and father in a picture, most children would probably explain something about them to a person near them. A portrait like this should have made her consider the good times she had with them.

Yet as she glanced back at it... she was drawing a blank on such memories.

Taking a deep breath, she pushed off the railing and stood straighter, considering her options. She was not sure what had prompted her sudden melodrama - perhaps her mother’s final slap before leaving affected her more than she thought, she considered. But regardless, there was no need to put it all on this new worker who was still getting settled in. God, and she says she’s worried about making a bad impression. What about me? I’m supposed to be her owner, and I’m making myself look like a miserable brat.

...Well, in fairness, she kind of was one. But again, there was no reason to start dumping all of this randomly on the poor girl. Was she not just enjoying her freedom ten minutes ago? She was already despondent so much thanks to her parents. So why could she not keep enjoying the new opportunities to make herself happy? It-

“You know, I didn’t want to say anything to that butler, but... no one was very eager to answer his message for help,” S suddenly said, looking between the balustrades of the banister.

Blinking once, the teenager turned to her. “Huh?”

“It’s not that some of them weren’t worried,” the maid explained. “I could see some of them were. However, everyone in the room I was in was... reluctant to step in. It was the same in my last place of work. Even with the master and mistress gone, the fear of what they would do to them for running off to assist him appeared to linger in the older staff.

“But... I decided to be brave and answer almost immediately. It’s something I would have been hesitant about before, but... it reminded me of my meeting with N, in a way. He had nothing to gain by helping me with some dusting, and could have ignored my need for help, but he did so anyway. All just because... he saw I needed help.”

The drone looked up at her, smiling uncertainly. “I’m... willing to do the same here. If you just want to vent... I can’t say I have much good advice to give about anything, but I can listen. If you... don’t want to share it with him or the rest of your friends. Not yet, anyway. I won’t tell a soul.” She looked at her slyly. “You can even reformat my memory banks if you want to be sure.”

Tessa jolted, looking at her aghast. “I’d never mess with a drone’s memory like that! That’s like giving you guys a lobotomy!” Lord knows she felt enough stress when trying to maintain what was left of a drone’s drive data when pulling them from the piles! Deliberately trying to edit or delete it, however...

S, much to her surprise, laughed at this, shaking her head with a smile. “Ah, N was not exaggerating about your reaction to that. I just had to see it for myself. Sorry.”

After a second, the teenager managed to relax again, giving a tired chuckle. “Geez - maybe the Cyn comparison was more apt than I thought.”

“Given how much he praised her, too, I’ll take that as a compliment!” the maid said. Sighing, she then leaned against the railing, looking at her expectantly. “Anyway, it’s your choice if you want to talk or not. If you’d prefer one of them, though, I can see about finding one of them for you.”

Tessa looked down, rubbing her chin in thought. It was sorely tempting to summon one of her family members' friends to hear this - they always helped her with emotional problems in the past. And eventually, she knew she would have to talk to them about this. It was too important to keep them in the dark about.

However... she felt like she needed more time to do so. There was so much about these feelings that confounded her, and other parts that... she worried about their reactions about. So to that end, she felt like she needed both practice and time to reflect. And if her companion was willing to listen to help her organize her thoughts...

...Ah, what the hell, she decided. She did not have anything to lose. Worst-case scenario and S blabbed about this to the others, then it was not anything she would not have said eventually, anyway. But she had a good feeling about this lass! Generic though her appearance may be, she had an air of honesty about her.

Thus, taking a deep breath, she looked out over the banister, considering where to begin. And eventually, with the painting in the corner of her eye... she decided to start with the basics. “So... I don’t think I need to explain to you that my parents are assholes to me.”

The maid rolled her eyes. “Any drone with functioning optics could tell that much, with or without that bandage of yours.”

The teenager nodded, subconsciously touching her right cheek again. “Fair. But... I seriously struggle to remember any point where they showed me any true affection. They did not have me due to wanting to raise a child. No... that part is a ‘necessary inconvenience’ for what they really want - to continue the JCJenson legacy. An heir who would take their place and further cement the Elliott name in history by holding control of the company for so long.

“So when my mother got pregnant, they took the chance. Natural births are much more cost-effective than Genetic Vat Growing, after all, and would boost their image. I’ve looked it up - they had a small press tour over the event, which did indeed get them a small spike in sales.” She sighed heavily, looking down forlornly. “But once they brought me home... Even in my earliest memories, I can’t recall them once holding me, or telling me they loved me. All of that was ‘outsourced’ to A-1 as my nanny.”

S tilted her head at this. “A-1?”

Tessa blushed lightly, rubbing her arm. “That’s... the maid who raised me as a baby. Though, I don’t even know if her designation was an ‘A.’ It was just... Well, to my kid-mind, it was the first letter of the alphabet, and ‘one’ was supposed to mean you were great - first place and all of that, right? So... since she didn’t have a real name, that’s what I called her.”

The blue-eyed drone smiled a little as she explained this. “Huh... That’s pretty sweet, actually.” She then frowned, though, as the rest of what that meant seemed to settle in. “But... You were just raised entirely by drones? No humans involved besides the master and mistress?”

“I think my parents wanted as few loose ends as possible to better hide how much worse they would be with me later on,” the teenager explained. “Who’s going to believe a drone, after all, if they tried to say anything? That would just be an excuse to reformat or scrap them in most people’s minds. So it was that A-1 was put into my life.”

She started smiling again, small embers of warmth blooming in her chest. “And... she did a good job of it. She had to have read every book about raising a child we have in our library. She fed me, played games with me, taught me to read... She was the best... best caregiver I could have asked for. It didn’t matter that she was a drone.” (Another word to describe her almost slipped out then, but... she could not say it out loud - admit it to even herself.)

S hummed, looking enraptured by her tale now. “I’m guessing that’s where your kind nature towards drones came from, huh?”

“She definitely helped with that,” the teen agreed. “But all the drones around me then contributed without meaning to. They... didn’t yell or threaten me to keep me in line. They got annoyed when I got into a little mischief, but they... never raised a hand against me.” She sighed, hugging herself. “Though, they might have also been threatened by my parents not to do it.” A bitter laugh left her. “Only they can give me physical punishments, apparently.”

The blue-eyed drone looked at her with pity. “Can’t say I’m surprised. Though... did A-1 ever do anything about it? I don’t know if that was just a job for her or if she really loved you, but-”

“She loved me,” Tessa replied immediately, her tone leaving no room for argument. She took a shaky breath, her arms tightening their embrace as she focused on those blurry, good memories. “She... did what she could. There’s not much a drone like her can do to disobey her human masters, but she took what heat she could off of me. As my education truly started when I was five, she continued to try and lead me through things.”

S... appeared to hesitate, looking unsure about her next words. But it seemed curiosity won out, as she slowly forced her next question out. “...What happened to her, then? If it’s alright for me to ask. It just... doesn’t sound like she’s around anymore, so...”

...The teenager was silent for a few, tense seconds. What was left of the warmth in her vanished as she recalled that day, when she was only six and a half. When the chain was first introduced into her room as a form of punishment. A-1 had naturally been horrified, and had dared to question her father about it as he set it up. She had tried to be as polite as possible, framing it as a concern for mental health development, but... but...

The events were a blur - broken into several pieces. Her father’s shout was clear enough... and the pen he took out. Then... there was oil on the ground - too much oil. She thinks he had been angered enough to further kick A-1 with his metal-tipped shoes, because her body was so mangled by the end. Those comforting white eyes were just... gone. Replaced by a large red message beneath the visor’s splintered cracks.

She had read it, but not believed it then. She just wailed, trying to reach her, but... In her head, it was like the chain had suddenly appeared on her ankle, but she knew her father had to have done it. And all she could do was scream and cry, yanking on it until her leg bled. All while her father took A-1 away... Left her sobbing on the floor, begging silently for her mommy to come back and kiss the pain away-

Blinking hard, Tessa came back to the present. She managed to keep from crying... though her tone was rather dull for a moment. “...My father eventually took her away before I was seven. They said I was too old for a nanny, anyway. That the staff could keep me out of trouble while continuing my education.” Her gaze went to the floor below her. “And meanwhile... they would teach me ‘proper etiquette.’ Make sure I became a proper lady... with whatever methods were needed.”

Her expression falling, S seemed quite hurt on her behalf then. “Robo-God... I don’t know much about child development, but I can imagine it wasn’t easy on you.” She looked her over once more. “Just... how did you turn out this way despite that?”

“...I almost didn’t,” the teenager confessed. She actually managed a weak chuckle from the surprised look that got her. “What’s that face for? A household like this doesn’t exactly inspire a kind attitude. A-1’s lessons stuck with me, and the staff were still nice enough to me, but...” She shivered, having to hold back from touching areas of her body she knew some scars were. “It was getting to me after a while. I wanted to scream and take out my anger on anything that moved. I felt so close to becoming some frigid ice queen.”

The maid stared at her, appearing to have trouble picturing that. “...So then what stopped that?”

Tessa giggled, a few fresh embers springing in her chest as she recalled that. “My love of drones. When A-1 was... gone, I started learning everything I could about you lot in secret. Not simply your utility in people’s lives, but your inner workings. I don’t know if I had a natural gift or was just stubborn, but I was confident I could build one of you from scratch by the time I was ten. All my parents knew was that I was just good at math and such.”

Those times were... bittersweet for her. A lot of quiet late nights in the library, reading up on whatever drone material she could. It often involved finding textbooks with education far above what a child like her should have been able to understand, but she managed. She did not get in trouble for it back then, either, with her mother and father pleased that she was taking to learning so well. (Nodding off due to it later in the day, though, she did get punished for.)

They had been content... At least, until they discovered her true reason for doing so.

It was the only thing that kept her moderately sane back then. She still loved drones after A-1’s death... but she had been scared of getting attached. She understood mortality far too much after that event, as the staff kept getting cycled in and out around her. So those nights had been her way to cope - by learning enough so that... the only people who were ever nice to her would never be taken away again.

“Once I was eleven, I found enough bravery to take my first trip to the piles outside,” the teenager continued. “I found an unused room here to take parts and drones to and got to work. It was difficult, especially since I had to keep secret that I was borrowing tools from maintenance. But my parents didn’t find out at first, and if any of the drones there noticed, they said nothing.” She shrugged. “I’ll spare you the details, though, since it was kind of like me operating on corpses from your perspective.”

S nodded, her face scrunching up a little. “Yeah, I... wasn’t going to say anything, but... It’s sort of dependent on context, but messing with our bodies is kind of...”

“It certainly felt like macabre work to me,” Tessa murmured. She shook her head, however, as she remembered what happened next... and a small, happy smile graced her lips. “But it paid off, and by the time I was twelve... I did it. I... saved a drone from their death. Restored them to life and... and...” She swallowed, choked up on emotions. Even now, the elation she felt then felt as strong as it did when that glitched screen turned into wide, shocked eyes. All of her years of effort finally paying off...

“That was J, I’m guessing?” the maid asked for clarity.

The teenager nodded eagerly. “You bet it was! Oh, I had hugged her so tightly then! And it didn’t take her long to get a little giddy, if frazzled herself. She was in a small haze for a few days afterward. But I suppose that’s what coming back from the dead will do to ya. What mattered was that it worked, and that... I had a new friend to keep me company.”

...A deep frown soon overtook her face. “At least, until my mother and father found out and threatened to take her away from me.”

S winced once more, frowning with her. “I’m... amazed you were able to convince them otherwise, if I may say. They don’t seem like the sort of people who compromise easily with other people.”

“I barely understand how I did it myself,” Tessa admitted. “I guess with how much I begged and such, they thought I would be too much trouble afterward if they scrapped J. Or they saw how quickly I got attached and considered early how they could leverage her against me. I think my father saw the benefit of me having dedicated drones for myself, too, rather than having to rotate random staff for my needs.

“Whatever their reasons, I somehow got to keep J. They even let me dress her up to distinguish her from the other workers - with limits, naturally. They probably tell themselves now it was due to how efficient she turned out to be with managing tasks around the manor, but I know better than to call out that lie. And while they highly disapprove of my continued ventures outside... nothing they’ve done has stopped me from continuing my work.”

She grimaced. “That isn’t to say they haven’t still done plenty to hinder me, though. A beating and another few days chained for trying to fix a recently destroyed drone before they threw him out showed the limits of their tolerance for my ‘misbehavior.’ So I have to wait until after a drone has been thrown out before I can retrieve them. And by that time... Even a few hours left in the Fatal Error state makes it difficult to save anything. I’ve tried helping dozens of drones over the years without success.”

Her smile returned, more warmth swelling in her chest despite those problems. “But I still kept saving more. A few months after J, it was V, and then it was N, and finally, Cyn. Some were more successful than others in restoring - V has impaired vision, and Cyn...” She pursed her lips, knowing all the defects she left the small drone with. “...Well, hopefully I’ll get that all sorted one day. But the point is that I took them in, and now... they’re some of the greatest friends I could have asked for.”

She sighed happily, her expression soft as she stared over the railing. “I’m not sure they entirely realize the effect they’ve had on me. If it wasn’t for them... I might have become no less of a bitch than my mother by now. But all of them have kept me on the straight and narrow! Between J’s professional but genuine care, V’s thoughtfulness, N’s positivity... Even Cyn, I’ve realized, has kept things lively with her small pranks and silly games. They’re... They’re my...”

She could almost physically feel the word in her throat. And try as she might to not acknowledge it... she desperately wanted to say it. To stop lying to herself and admit how she felt in her heart. To speak that word into the world and make it real-

But she swallowed it down, settling on something else. “...They’re my backbone in this manor. Without them, I don’t know where I’d be.”

There were a few moments of silence as S appeared to process all of that. The teenager herself released a breath, feeling a little less suffocated having talked about all of that. It had been a while since she had an excuse to tell someone all of that. Considering it had been over a year and a half since she had last been able to revive a drone, there just had not been a need to in order to catch them up.

(She... appreciated that each of them always hugged her when she told them about A-1. They had all been quiet about the subject since those times, only talking to her about it if she brought it up out of respect - which was a small surprise from Cyn in particular. But still, she was not going to complain. Those memories were precious to her, but she tried hard not to dwell on them for her own sake...)

Eventually, though, her companion spoke up, sounding a little awed. “Wow... I mean, I knew you had to have a history with drones to treat them so much better than your parents, but damn. That’s quite a way to grow up.”

Tessa chuckled at that understatement. “It hasn’t exactly been the pampered life that one would expect from someone living in such wealth.” She shook her head. “I guess I’ve enjoyed plenty of privileges, like fancy food and all of that. But... it’s hard to appreciate it when starving me for several meals is a tactic used by my folks, you know?”

S cringed at this. “Yikes. Is there anything they don’t do to you?”

“...I suppose I still have my virginity,” the teenager eventually settled on, though gave a sarcastic laugh. “Don’t I feel oh so lucky that they draw the line at incest? That makes up for everything else, doesn’t it?”

The maid frowned once more. “I don’t...”

Tessa sighed, hanging her head. “Yeah - I shouldn’t joke about that. I really should be grateful that I’ve not had to experience that. But... how can I not be frustrated by everything?” She growled, glaring at the image of her mother and father on the wall. “And I just know they’re responsible for why it’s been so long since I’ve been able to save a drone. They have to be adding something to your code - making those Fatal Errors worse. The degrading coding has seemed so much worse for years.”

S coughed, rubbing the back of her neck. “Um... Would it be bad, then, to say I did actually get a mandatory software update when I was transferred and added to the communication system?”

...The teenager’s eye twitched at that basic confirmation. But she released a breath, saving her anger for later. “...Well, I can tell Cyn that it might not have been solely my fault she has so many quirks.”

The maid shrugged, appearing to be trying for an encouraging smile. “Still... at least you have four drones working for you - and as close friends. I must say, it’s a miracle a girl your age was able to accomplish that! You should be proud of that. Few humans would be willing to go to the lengths you have to save one of us - even one they liked.”

She was right about that, Tessa acknowledged. And she was proud of what she had been able to do. It was one of few ways she felt she had any control over her life. Plus, more importantly... she had saved people from a cruel end. Gaining them as family friends was a bonus, really, as much as she hoped each time that they would like her.

...But recent matters were making her feel a little guilty regarding them, which was the real heart of the matter. She frowned, trying to articulate this issue. “I am... But recently, I’ve wondered if... I’ve been as attentive to them as I should have been.”

S paused, digital eyebrows furrowing. “Huh?”

The teenager sighed, leaning on the railing with her arms. “I mean... It feels like I got us off to a rough start with this break away from my parents. It was only about two weeks or so ago that I confronted J about some... attitude problems she’s had with N over the years.” The more accurate term was “abuse,” but she was not planning to stir that pot any more than she already had. Not with how adamant N was about their friendship... or with how hard J had clearly been taking the entire thing.

Holding back another grimace, she shook her head and continued. “It’s something that needed to be addressed, so I don’t regret stepping in. But... it almost seems like I waited too long to do anything. Like, if I had said something a couple of weeks ago, then they might have made whatever amends they needed by now! Then, we could all be enjoying this free time together with no problems! Instead, though... N’s told me they made good progress the other day, but it’s still going to be a while yet.”

She grunted, tapping her fingers along the banister. “We could have been relaxing together by now if I had intervened sooner. But I just had to wait. I told myself that I didn’t want to make things any worse, but that rings kind of hollow now that I’m seeing the results. If I could have just been a little faster, then...”

The blue-eyed drone frowned, stepping a little closer to her. “But no one even knew your parents were going to leave like this until the day before it happened, right? You can’t blame yourself for the timing there.”

Tessa... was not sure she agreed. She did not argue that point, though, and merely shrugged. “Maybe... But there’s really nothing I can say about how I’ve acted around Cyn for most of the time she’s been here.”

S looked at her with confusion. “What do you mean? It’s sounded like to me that you would never even dream of hurting a drone.”

“I’ve never laid a finger on her,” the teenager was quick to confirm before sighing heavily. “But she... Well, if you’ve seen her, you probably understand. Have you gotten glimpses of a drone with yellow optics and jerky movements since you got here?”

That got the maid’s eyes to widen, her mouth hanging in shock. “Wait - that’s Cyn? I didn’t even- I mean, N described her as this cute younger sibling he had, but that drone...” She looked away, suddenly looking uncomfortable. “Well... I’m sorry if this sounds judgemental - it kind of is. But just glancing at her makes me feel... Um...”

“Uneasy?” Tessa offered. “Like if you take your eyes off of her, she’s going to suddenly do something terrible, yet you can never quite place what that might be?”

S pursed her lips, but nodded. “Is... that just a feature, or...?” She gave a short laugh of disbelief. “I say that like it’s even natural to do. I mean, how would you even cause that to happen deliberately when she looks fairly standard?”

“I have no clue why it happens,” the teenager admitted, much to her own frustration. She had looked through her programming so many times when she could get the little scamp to hold still enough to give her access. Yet she had found nothing in her code that would cause that... which was an absurd notion to begin with. It was code! How would a few bad lines running in the background make anyone feel like that?

It was only because the gangly drone seemed so... scared about giving her access that she thought the answer was there. The other could relax well enough when the human was just messing with her joints, but with her head... In fairness, all of her family friends were a little tense when she plugged into their processors, since it was essentially their minds and souls. She herself was also always nervous about it. But the yellow-eyed drone in particular... She told herself the other might just be self-conscious about her defects at times, but...

Still, she tried not to ponder on it too much right now as she kept speaking. “Whatever the cause, though, most people try to put some distance between themselves and her when they first meet her due to it... And I fell into that same trap for a long while.”

She looked down in shame, idly raising a hand to twirl some locks of hair tightly. “I... couldn’t help myself. I let fear control me, and... The only times we ever spent together was when N was around. He’s the only one who doesn’t feel uneasy around her - he didn’t even know what I was talking about when I mentioned it! If it wasn’t for him... I don’t even want to imagine how lonely Cyn might have felt.” She sighed once more, her voice a murmur. “Just like I was... only now I was the one inflicting it.”

That last part was more to herself than anything. But S still heard it, if her wince was anything to go by. The drone got closer, not touching her but still within her personal space. “That... Surely there’s more to-”

“There’s no excusing it,” Tessa said firmly, stopping any justifications before they could happen. “I could discover she’s some dark empress god tomorrow, but it doesn’t change that... she’s never done anything to me. Fucking hell, looking back, I can only remember her trying to make jokes with me and... seeming afraid of herself as much as anyone else was. But whatever’s causing that, only N had been giving her comfort before now.”

She swallowed thickly, gripping the railing tightly. “They’ve... all been so good to me, despite my missteps. Despite some problems they have among themselves, they all seem to come together easily to try and make my life better. Sneaking me food when I’m not supposed to eat, tickling me when I get depressed... and right now, as far as I know, trying to arrange a not-so-secret birthday party of some kind. Just because I said turning sixteen is special to some humans, so of course, they now all have to pitch in to do something!”

The maid perked up at this. “That... sounds nice, though. I saw a celebration like that with my previous owners. It can be a big deal.”

“It is nice, but... Ugh, that’s not the point!” The teenager stepped away from the banister, moving past the other to pace the balcony a little. “I... They’re the only people I truly have in my life. If it wasn’t for them, my mother and father might have gotten their way with me! They do so much to keep me happy!

“...But what do I do to repay them? I brought them back to life, but... what have I done after that? I’ve even been neglectful of problems brewing between them and basically left one of them to fend for themselves. And now I’m trying to slap a bandaid on both of those things after letting them fester? What if it’s too late? What if...?”

Taking another deep breath, she wrapped her arms around herself. “I... I don’t even know what I’m saying at this point. It just seems like a lot is happening all at once with our group, and... I’m worried about what might happen. If... a rift will form somewhere I can’t fix, and... if it’s due to me not stepping up quick enough.”

She closed her eyes, trying once again not to cry. She tried to tell herself that these feelings were irrational, and had distracted herself with the wonders of her new freedoms. But try as she might, these ideas churned in the back of her head. She kept them locked up well enough with the others, but now, she had let them boil over some.

There just seemed to be a lot that could go wrong. What if J and N, despite now apparently working together to fix things, could not make their amends after all? How would V react to all of that? And Cyn seemed pretty content with their recent playing with dolls and watching Gravity Falls (she could not believe in some areas that it was a kid’s show), but was she doing enough?

She... she was so concerned about everything happening. Especially since, besides her relationship with Cyn, there was not much she could do to help things. She could give a little advice here and there, and having access to the head maid’s schedule had definitely helped the butler. But ultimately, what happened between the drones was all on them, and she could only brace for the outcome.

And... she really hoped it would be a good one. She did not know what she would do if it was not. Seeing them all drift apart... She was unsure that she would be able to take it. She did not want to lose more family... Please, God...

The silence in the foyer dragged on for a long while after she finished, leaving her to stew. But eventually, S tried to start things up again, her tone conveying her shock. “I... I’m not sure what I’m supposed to say to all of that.”

“You don’t have to say anything,” Tessa reassured her, managing to turn her head toward her as she stopped in place. “You’re new. It’s not like you know any of us well enough to comment - even N.”

The maid shrugged. “Fair enough, I suppose. But still... I think I would be right in assuming they would not enjoy hearing you blame yourself like that. And I agree. Yes, it sounds like you messed up with Cyn a bit, but I don’t see how any of the rest of that stuff is your fault. It’s not like you encouraged them to argue or anything.”

No, I didn’t, Tessa silently conceded. Whenever they were all together, she actually did her best to encourage J and N to have fun with one another. And while the head maid had been resistant in the past, she was good about toning things down to please her “boss.” At no point did the human approve of her attitude, and she stepped in when she saw they were arguing.

“And it’s not like you’re a superwoman, either,” S continued. “You’re a human in her teens under the thumb of highly controlling parents. You’re not expected to have all the answers or to be perfect at solving things. What do you think they expect of you? To run away in the dangerous swampland around us and stumble upon a paradise on the other end?”

That got a giggle from the teenager. “What? You don’t think my tasty, fleshy hands will do much against the nanomachine-mutated alligators swimming through the muck?”

The maid blinked. “How... mutated are we talking about?”

Tessa shook her head, pointing to a nearby wall display holding an antique revolver. “Let me just say this - you could probably shoot one of those fuckers point blank with that, and it would probably be more annoyed than close to dead. You’d be better off begging the crows not to peck into your plating.”

“I see,” S said. Sighing, she stepped closer to her again, smiling a little. “But... I mean it. N has a lot of respect for you, and I know he doesn’t hand it out freely - his disdain for the master and mistress is clear enough despite his cheer. And I’m willing to bet the others are the same. So... just try not to be so harsh on yourself for things beyond your control, yeah?”

The teen laughed some more, smiling back. “You know... N has said similar things to me when I’m feeling down.”

“I guess his attitude’s infecting me already, then,” the maid joked.

“He has that effect,” Tessa said, causing more chuckles from the both of them. She then took a breath, her expression softening a little as she looked at her. “Ah, but seriously - thanks for listening, girl. I needed that rant.”

S gave a mock salute. “Happy to be of service, ‘young mistress.’ Thank you for already being a more benevolent leader of this household than your parents. I must say, after experiencing the chaos of party preparation just once here, I’m going to enjoy this long break from it.”

“As you and everyone should,” the teenager agreed. She nodded, taking a step back. “But I think I’ve taken enough of your time. You should head off now - I’ll be fine. Go find N again or something, and have some fun!”

The maid giggled, giving a small smirk. “Your personal leave to talk to him, huh? Does this make me an honorary member of your little circle?”

Tessa rolled her eyes. “I can’t exactly hand out those positions for free... Like, seriously - my parents would actually beat me blue if I started taking ‘helpers’ from the general staff.” She looked the drone over, humming to herself. “Although... if you’ll hold out your arm and hold still for a second, I can give you a small token of appreciation.”

Looking curious, S complied with her request and held out her left arm. Kneeling, the human dug into a small pocket on the side of her dress - well hidden to the point of being unnoticeable. A lot of the time, she carried around small parts, like wires and bolts, to help with small repairs she saw a drone needed. However, recently, she had also put in some tiny cosmetic items suited for dolls. Cyn loved to play dress up with them, so she had been digging out what old outfits she could from storage that were not in her room.

But doll dresses were not the only thing she had found in that regard. And from her pocket, she pulled out one of these other items - a small strip of black cloth. It was not very thick, but it was pretty long and still surprisingly durable despite its age... So it gave her no problems as she wrapped it around her companion’s wrist, making a cute little bow on the upper side that resembled the one in her hair.

Once she was done, she gave the other her arm back, giving a satisfied smile. “There you go! Not exactly a big makeover like I’ve done with N and them, but it’s something small to set you apart. I doubt my parents will notice or even care about it, either.” She winked, keeping her tone playful... though there was still a small edge to it. “Just... maybe don’t tell them where you got it from, to be sure. For both our sakes.”

The drone examined her new addition for a second, turning her wrist over. Once she was done, though... she gave a small, almost shy smile back. “It’ll... be our little secret. Thank you, Miss Tessa.” Her eyes went back to the ribbon, seeming to be close to shedding a digital tear. “I’m... not used to my masters giving me anything.”

The teenager’s heart clenched at that, but she kept up her smile as she patted the other’s head. “Well, I’m sorry I can’t give you more without getting us in trouble when my parents get back. But I’ll try to keep rewarding you and other drones for your help around here... or just for listening.” She stood up, gesturing to the corridor they came from. “Now go on! Consider that ‘having fun’ comment a standing order!”

Giggling, S gave her a small bow of courtesy. Then, with one last happy look at her, she walked off and started heading back the way they came in. The last thing the human saw of her was the maid casually strolling... and holding up her arm to inspect her new accessory, before disappearing down the corridor.

Tessa smiled as she watched her go, feeling grateful toward her. S seemed like such a nice drone, if her willingness to sit through all that trauma dumping was anything to go by. She hoped she would have an opportunity to get to know her a little better sometime. At least I know N is attracting some good company... He’s quite the lady’s man, it seems.~

Chuckling to herself, she then sighed while shaking her head. It had been tempting to keep talking - maybe hear more about what the blue-eyed drone had been discussing with her favorite butler. But... she still needed some time to walk and clear her head. By the time that was done, she was sure Cyn would want her attention, too. They still had a second season of Gravity Falls to finish on the computers, after all.

So she started walking along the balcony floor, just... pondering her feelings. All of that talking had given herself more clarity about them, but there were still areas that needed work. It was not exactly easy to self-diagnose the mental health problems you have as a result of abuse, as it turns out. (Not that it was reliable to do regardless, but considering how little she saw any doctors...) And there was a long history of that to contribute to the issues she was doing her best to keep... manageable, if nothing else.

Of course, the others did their best to help with that. She could hardly hide every issue she had from them, and they, naturally, did their best to help without being too overbearing. There was N’s tickling and other ways of cheering her up, but Cyn also contributed to that plenty, she now realized. J was quite meticulous about checking after most of her injuries, too, and V knew just what books to bring her to read with her in silence when she was overwhelmed.

However, they were hardly locked into those roles. N’s help with her cheek showed his medical knowledge, and watching J struggle with breaking her professionalism to cheer her up was amusing on its own. (Though she did reassure the head maid at times that she was not mocking her attempts.) No matter what was needed, whoever was around did their best to provide it and improve her mood.

She loved them all for it... Though, she wished that... it did not contribute to one particular mental problem she had.

Frowning, the teenager stopped in place... which was when she realized she had wandered quite a bit. So much so, that she had descended the stairs to the landing between the second and first floors. Which meant that she also now stood in front of the painting, able to look up at it and take in every detail.

It was hard not to feel a little small being so close, the canvas nearly three times taller than her. She could practically feel how fake the smiles of her past self and her parents were in it. She also swore she could feel the latter’s eyes glaring down at her, as though they would walk out from it any moment to scold her.

All the while... that little girl’s green eyes seemed to beg for help. To be anywhere but between the man and woman who pretended to be her mom and dad and each had a hand clasped on her shoulder. Forced to look like something she was not since they had a vision for this painting, and that therefore meant it could not be altered.

A lot of that was in her head - the painter would never have made her look scared to be there. But a lot of that was how she felt on that day, and afterward, when she ripped her clothes and was chained again. Feeling so weak... until her only family friend came and stayed with her. And later, more family friends kept making her feel a little better about this picture.

...And when she closed her eyes, she could practically see a different picture. Of the same twelve-year-old sitting there, but... looking as she should, bow and all. And instead of the pretenders standing behind her... it was instead four drones, all smiling genuinely as they pressed on her from all sides. Making her own smile genuine... Her whole family together and keeping her safe-

Her eyes snapped open, her breath hitching. She shook her head violently, trying to banish the thoughts, but... it was getting harder each day. Every little thing they did for her wormed its way into her heart to root them in deeper than they already were. It made her chest throb... and poisoned her mind a little more.

She grimaced at that way of describing it. By no means did it feel like a poison. On the contrary, it felt great - almost addicting. It filled a void in her that she had wanted gone her entire childhood... But she also knew, logically, that these emotions were not what most psychiatrists would consider “healthy.”

A human should not find the embrace of warm metal more natural than that of flesh. The beating of a drone core should not be more comforting than a heartbeat. The first thing that pops into her head when thinking about what a person is should not be a visor with digital eyes staring back at her.

She... should not also feel like she was born wrong. Like her whole body - being organic - was somehow a mistake. That she should not have blood in her veins... but oil, whose scent also felt more homely than anything a human had. And her dreams, when not nightmares about her parents’ treatment of her, should not be her having what... she kept thinking as her real body. One that was just like her family’s. That made her feel like she fit right in and that things were as they should be-

Tessa groaned, blinking hard to get rid of the thoughts again. Yet it did nothing to the longing in her heart, which she tried not to sink into. Letting these ideas in - accepting them - was not a good idea. Not because she was ashamed of them, necessarily (though that probably did not give favors to her mental health), but because... she feared what would happen if she did.

Her parents were the main concern there. If they ever caught wind of these feelings from her, then there would be no saving N and the others. They would be melted into slag to remove any remote possibility of being revived, and her mother and father would send her off to a shrink. She would never be allowed to fix a drone again, no matter what, and by extension... she might never have anyone who ever cared about her. (And they would deny any responsibility for why she felt this way, of course. As though they had not let her get attached to A-1 before killing her.)

But even without them... she did not even know if her family friends would even accept it. They cared for her, but this was... a different stage to that entirely. Would they be weirded out by it? Would... they try to put distance between her and them? Would it cause more divide amongst them then they were already dealing with? She was not even sure they understood what... this sort of thing truly meant!

...Or, well, maybe N and Cyn had some idea? The two had the whole brother-sister thing going on, which she had no clue how or why they took on those mantles with one another. And the butler on a few occasions referred to them as fam-... Sometimes used that term to refer to their group. However, it still seemed like a risk. Their meaning of the word was probably different than what she was feeling, and... she was too scared to find out for sure.

So... she was keeping quiet about it, and did her best to keep those emotions in check. It was... better for all of them that way. It would keep her parents from having an excuse to scrap them, and it prevented her from setting off a potential minefield. So long as she kept things friendly between them all, things would be okay.

...If only her chest did not twist up every time she denied these feelings.

But her mental illness - justified though she felt it was given her circumstances - was not important right now. She had other problems to focus on, like continuing to fix her relationship with Cyn. And the sooner she did what she could to help everyone’s recent troubles, the sooner they could enjoy this freedom from her parents to the fullest.

Thus, taking a deep breath, the teenager turned away from the painting and continued on downstairs. There was lots to do, both in terms of work and having fun. And no matter what, she was determined to share it with all of them... even knowing it would condemn her heart to grow more insistent upon her feelings.

But that was well worth the price so that they could all smile... and maybe have a little hope for their future once past all of this.

=======

Tessa was not sure where she was at that point. She had planned to head to the nearest exit and pray that it was not blocked, slim chance as it was, but she had gotten turned around. The fastest route, there had been blood-curdling screams around one of the corners, getting closer. And when she tried to loop back around, her path had been blocked by more of those flesh-metal claws growing everywhere. So she took another path, then another, then another...

Now... she was hopelessly lost in her own home. She leaned heavily against the nearest wall, her breath haggard. She was only a few meters away from the next turn, but she was out of breath. She needed a moment to breathe... Yet she knew she would not be afforded one for long.

She could not force herself to move currently, though. All she could do was take labored breaths, trying not to collapse as her legs shook. Her vision swam, and her head pounded, making it hard to concentrate. Her head felt so fuzzy that despite her best efforts, she could not recognize the hallway she was in. It was frankly a miracle she was even still gripping her revolver in one of her hands.

Perhaps it was the adrenaline in her system playing tricks on her. Or the insistent bright yellow lights everywhere were overwhelming her eyes... Though, mainly, it probably had to do with the gash in her side, which she tried to clutch her hand over.

She grimaced, fighting off tears from the pain. How... how had things gone so wrong? She had walked into the main ballroom with such confidence that she could make a difference. With J at her side, and a gun in hand, she thought she would be able to stop that... monster who had taken over one of her drones. She had truly thought she was going to be the hero and stop that bastard in its tracks. She had believed she was prepared!

...She had been so naive.

Now, everyone in that room was dead - her parents included. That monster had somehow expanded itself to encompass the entire manor, so that no one could escape its slaughter. It had taken control of the entire staff of drones - both the ones who had been frozen and everyone who had been left - and was using them to keep stacking up corpses.

And... it had taken control of J and made her attack her. Made all the worse by that flickering of the head maid’s former self shining through, terrified and unable to stop. Her shout for her to run still rang in her head... right before that sword came at her.

She sniffled, clenching her eyes shut as her cut continued to throb. She... could not focus on that right now. The two had lost one another in the chaos, but as much as she wanted to find her and the others... she knew she had to run. That thing was toying with and manipulating them, but it seemed to want them alive and could possibly be saved later. The same could not be said about her and every other human there, however.

She... knew they would all be encouraging her to run away while she could. She had done her best to try and comply with that wish, running as fast as she could. Now that she had stopped, however... guilt was creeping up on her, a choked sound lodged in her throat. How could she just abandon them? She did not want to leave them to the mercy of this horrible entity!

But then... what could she even do to help them? Especially when... she was not sure she could help herself.

She took a shaky breath, trying to ignore how woozy she felt. She wracked her muzzy brain for any sort of solution to all of this. Could she... do something if she reached Cyn’s original core? Was that thing even relevant anymore? Or maybe if she had a computer...

Her eyes shot open, a sense of hope welling inside of her. Of course! Her computer was her best chance! She was not even sure if there was any time left for her to do so, but... If she found it, then maybe she could finish the patch, and-!

A form suddenly shot around the corner in front of her, landing heavily in the middle of her path. She gasped, stumbling away from the wall as she struggled to keep her balance, before dread washed over her. It... it was a maid drone... and like all the rest, her eyes had been replaced by a large yellow “X.” Worse for her, it was also one who had those fleshy wings growing out of their back, along with a tail ending in some sort of mouth with several glowing eyes.

The drone turned predator locked her gaze onto the lone human immediately. A wide smile filled with sharp teeth formed on her face as she crouched low, getting ready to pounce. Clawed hands extended out to her sides, their fingers wiggling...

...and on the wrist of the right, the green-eyed human saw a black ribbon tied into a bow around it.

She only had a brief second to feel her stomach drop, grief strickening her. Then, her hunter flapped her wings and rose into the air, and instinct took over as she turned and ran with new strength...

Chapter Text

Now, V had to acknowledge that she was probably biased in her views of how well the manor was run. This mainly stemmed from how much she liked Tessa, obviously. The human had a special place in her core, and she therefore saw many of the things she did in a favorable light. Even when she was cussing wildly about something that particularly angered her or did something a bit dangerous, she tended to still feel that fondness.

And her parents... Well, no drone here liked them, so that was another bias. Them having bad attitudes, though, did not necessarily have to translate to a worker’s masters being bad owners. She had heard the whispers before of downright rude humans some transfers used to work for, but who were not overly cruel to their kind. A smack here and some over-the-top dressing-downs for failures there, but they could actually show respect for a good day’s work.

But that said... she could say with confidence in just a single week of the older Elliotts being gone... that their daughter was proving to be the better owner.

It was almost surreal how different the place felt after just one week of her calling the shots. Even as she walked through a hallway that she had gone through a million times, it just... had a different feeling to it. Yet nothing had changed about the dark wood, or red carpets and wallpaper. Outside the windows to her left, the usual storms of the Abomnished Marshes kept raging on, with lightning strikes being particularly close. Combined with the dim lighting, there was still a slightly oppressive feel to the place.

Yet at the same time... it did not feel threatening. While the place looked rather grim, there was not a sense that her next step might be her last. She did not feel tension in her body that someone might round the corner and glare at her. She felt none of the typical urgency that came from preparing for the constant parties.

Instead, things were... peaceful. She padded her way down the corridor with a soft, genuine smile. There was no rush to her steps as she kept her hands clasped behind her back. For once, she could take time to appreciate the smaller things around there, like a vase on a table to her right with Ancient Greek-style pictures on its ruby surface, or carved designs on the wood in the walls within certain rooms that were open.

It was an incredible feeling - one she figured was commonplace for humans, but for drones in their position had been a high luxury for years. Yet here was Tessa, giving them all the time to actually breathe and get a good feel of the manor. All without the threat of death if you happened to be a little late for your shift, too!

The near-sighted drone was not alone in these feelings, either. That was evidenced by two other maids passing by, talking and giggling to one another. She overheard a bit of what one of them was saying as they got close. “-...which was when that human proceeded to throw up all over Louisa’s new black heels! I swear, even some crows sitting on the window sill of the room outside were looking at it with shock.”

The other maid put a hand over her mouth, barely suppressing her chuckles. “Oh, Robo-God! I would have paid to see that if we had money! The mistress must have been ready to sue him down to the last penny for that one, though.”

“That’s the best part - she had to play it cool!” the first maid said, smirking a little. “This was an important delegate from one of the inner-colonies - I don’t know which one - and without him, a deal JCJenson was making could have been delayed. So, despite how clearly she was shaking with rage, Louisa had to keep her composure and ‘politely’ ask for the drunk to be moved. That’s, unfortunately, where I came in. And let me say, a deadweight like that was...”

Their conversation faded away as they went on, but V could not help but smile at the tale, too. Such a story would normally only be shared late at night when they were all retiring to their pods away from human ears. Sharing a story like that in an open hallway when James and Louisa were here would have been unthinkable. If they so much as thought you were looking at them funny alone, you could get scrapped!

But things were different right now. She had been hearing more humiliating tales around the manor like this of mishaps at parties or during preparations regarding the older Elliotts. She had also heard a few from Tessa’s childhood days from a few older members of staff who had survived all these years. Yet none of them seemed worried about the teen. In fact, she had heard that the green-eyed woman had listened to one and had a good laugh herself!

It was... There were simply not enough words to describe it. The change in the feel of this place was remarkable! Tessa might have been young, and she did not have to worry about things that might have affected the workflow here, like maintaining her parents’ company. But if this was anything to go by, the maid doubted that stuff would have made much of a difference.

This felt like the way things should have been - relaxed without the constant need to prepare for events... Which made it a deep shame that this was only a temporary arrangement. But she doubted any of the workers were going to waste this time before things went back to business as usual. She knew she was not - that was for sure!

...And neither was her companion, who shuffled along right beside her, looking around with those yellow eyes of hers. “Intrigued. It is strange to see this corridor without banners or drones hanging them up. James is usually very insistent about that.”

“It does have one of the more decent views of the swamp,” the near-sighted drone noted. “And it’s not far from the library. So I guess this is a good location to really impress guests when they’re not in the main ballroom.” She hummed, looking at the uncovered walls. “Hm... It could use some pictures or something to be hung up, though, I have to admit. Some of it seems too blank.”

“Sarcastic. Yeah, and I’m sure the whole staff is clamoring to do so,” Cyn commented. “There are so many wonderful options in storage to choose from, depicting their ‘great’ predecessors or themselves. That is definitely what we all want to see.”

“...You know, even without your narration, I could just feel the contempt dripping from your words.”

“Pleased. Thank you. I try very hard to make my displeasure of them known.”

Don’t we all, V thought to herself. She kept quiet, though, as they turned into the next corridor and moved along. She had to watch her steps, since even her slow walking could lead to her getting ahead of the smaller drone, but she did not mind. The commentary of N’s sister made the effort quite worth it, in her opinion.

It had not actually been her plan to walk with her like this. She had just been planning to head to the library to get a book to read from there. There were quite a few series she had started reading, but her busy work schedule had always gotten in the way of finishing them. Now, though, she was making good progress on them, and was eager to keep doing so.

On the way there, though, she had run into Cyn... Or, rather, the other drone suddenly rolled into her path from under a table. (Which was weird, because she swore there was no one there moments before, but she blamed it on her bad optics and cleaning her glasses at the time.) Once she had gotten over her initial surprise, she helped her up, and it was not long until the yellow-eyed drone had invited herself along. She gave no protest to this, either, figuring this little venture could be used for more bonding.

...Well, that, and also the fact that the gangly drone had looked a little... frightened. It was as though she had been fleeing from something, actually, which made little sense given where she had emerged from. But she had been narrating a few pants, and had been using one hand to dig into her hair rather tightly.

And... she swore that she had seen her right eye glitching. It was such a weird thing that she had not paid attention to at first, but now she kept taking note of every time she thought it happened. Especially since it seemed to occur when the smaller drone was either scared or acting more shifty and reserved. She was not sure how to explain it, but something about it just... seemed important. How, though, she had no clue.

Regardless, her behavior was enough to fully convince V to let her come with her. If being near others helped with... whatever had her so jumpy, then she was not going to deny her company. And sure enough, as they neared their destination, Cyn seemed to be feeling better. She was even playing with a loose tassel on the taller drone’s uniform now, muttering “amused” on as she did.

The sight made her smile a bit, playfully swatting the hand away. “Alright, let’s stop that before you loosen my apron or something.”

“Pout. You never let me have any fun,” the gangly drone complained, stepping up more beside her. “Dramatic. First, J stops me from entertaining myself, and now you. How shall I ever recover?”

The near-sighted drone raised a digital eyebrow at her. “And how exactly has J stopped you from being ‘entertained’ before now?”

“...Admittance. Sheepish. By making me not tie the spare pairs of shoes we have together to make drones trip if they don’t notice, for one,” Cyn confessed.

V sighed, shaking her head. “You and your pranks sometimes. I swear...”

“Defensive. It’s not like it’s that harmful!” the gangly drone said, throwing her arms wide. “That was over a month ago, anyway, so it hardly matters.”

The near-sighted drone rolled her eyes at this, though she decided to let that one drop. Instead, she gave her companion an inquisitive look while they were on this subject. “Are you not taking advantage of the free time we have to do more pranks now?”

“ Mischievous. I have had some new ideas I wish to try out,” Cyn admitted, her smile clearly trying to be a smirk. But then... her fairly blank face managed to soften. “Truthful. Though... I have admittedly gotten sidetracked spending time with both you and Tessa. The new time I have for you takes precedence for me.”

That made V blink, before a small blush formed on her visor and she glanced away. She had... not been prepared for the other to admit to that so directly. She really should have - it was not like the yellow-eyed drone had been hiding these emotions. Yet somehow, the bluntness managed to pierce directly into her core each time and leave her a little flustered.

She would admit, though, that... she shared a similar sentiment. So far, they had been to the greenhouse two times since James and Louisa left, and both had been a success in her eyes! Her companion had taken to her new assignment quite well, being able to water plants and help carry around special equipment like weed killer as needed. She could even do some light trimming... though until the maid could get some lighter shears, she would not let her do it with the more delicate plants to be safe.

But more than that... Cyn’s presence was quite delightful, honestly. She was constantly giving commentary on the different plants, with some rather interesting comparisons. (Her comment about the golden barrel cacti they had being less prickly than Louisa yesterday had been quite funny.) And when the taller drone gave comments about some interesting facts she knew about some - where they came from, funny stories she knew - the other was always attentive. She would even ask follow-up questions, which the few visitors she got out there rarely did.

That did not mean that the gangly drone had the same passion as her. However, the dedication she showed to learning still amazed her. She was not treating it as a ploy to keep out of the library basement more often when the older Elliotts got home. Rather... she treated it like an important job she was doing with a friend.

The near-sighted had hoped she would, but seeing it in person still lifted her spirits, glad for her choices there more than ever. But she tried not to get too emotional about it as she reached over and lightly patted her shoulder, giving a small smile. “That’s kind of you to say. Thank you.” She tilted her head at her. “Are you still enjoying that show you mentioned with Tessa?”

“ Happy. Yes, and she likes it very much!” the gangly drone. “We’re already halfway through season two, and I am eager to see her reaction to the reveal coming up.” She smiled. “ Chuckle. Though, she seemed happy enough about the last episode involving some rich, snobby parents having the ‘commonfolk’ invade their party.”

V giggled at this, smirking. “Well, gee. I wonder if she relates to wanting that to happen in any way? I just don’t know...”

“ Playful sarcasm. It’s a mystery to be sure,” Cyn said. She adjusted her posture, her eyes softening. “Subdued happiness. She... really liked the arc of one character in it - Pacifica. She’s a rich girl character in it who... shares her circumstances a little.” She shrugged jerkily. “Shrug. It’s obviously not the exact same - no early 21st century kids cartoon would ever show household troubles like Tessa has. But you get the idea.”

The near-sighted drone’s optics softened as well. That information came as no surprise to her. She was often charged by the teen to pick out books she might like on occasion, and while not many, James and Louisa had a few that were... against their best interests. She imagined they were for the benefit of guests who liked to read that sort of thing during the more quiet parties (relative as that was). Otherwise, she was sure they would have been burned.

Any that depicted a person going against their rich family in any way were always tucked away and hidden... But she had gotten good at finding them. And while the stories themselves were not always of particular interest to Tessa... she always had good things to say about those characters. They were “inspiring,” in her own words. She could not emulate them very much in her position, but... it was another piece of hope she clung to in her circumstances.

But she kept quiet on that, not wanting to bring down the mood. Instead, she once more moved the inquiries along. “I see... And who’s your favorite character, then?”

“ Zero doubt. Ford,” the gangly drone replied immediately. “He is very inspiring to me... The way he stands up to a powerful demon in that show.”

V paused, not... sure what to make of that. She tried to smile, trying to make a joke. “That’s an interesting choice. But good thing you don’t have to relate to him quite as personally as Tessa does that Pacifica girl, right?”

...It only took a few seconds for the silence to get uncomfortable. Cyn was staring ahead, her expression more blank than normal. Her already slow steps almost stopped entirely, too, and... this time, she was sure that her right eye glitched. It was only for a moment, but it was so bad that she swore it... looked like something other than an eye before reverting to normal.

And on top of that... the unsettling aura of the smaller drone was back. The near-sighted drone felt her core seize up, her eyes hollowing out. Nothing about the other’s appearance had even changed, but... she was hit with the strong urge to run . The more she stared, the more it seemed the shadows around her were shifting, and it felt like something was... was-

But with a hard blink, she found her composure, clenching her hands tight. When she looked again, everything was normal, and coming to her senses, her expression became that of deep concern. She reached out again, grabbing the yellow-eyed drone’s shoulder. “Hey, Cyn? Are you alright?”

The gangly drone tensed, and for a second, she worried that she should not have touched her. But then her companion relaxed, her limbs untensing to what constituted as normal for her. Looking away, she spoke softly. “Shame. Self-conscious. I... I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to go quiet. I just...” One of her hands seemed to try to rise to her head, but she quickly stopped herself, snapping it back to her side.

Taking silent note of that, V kept her focus on her friend, guilt eating at her core. “No, I... should be the one saying that. I didn’t mean to hit a nerve there.” She frowned deeply, looking her over. “I’m... guessing there’s more there you can relate to, then? Some kind of inner demons you have to fight against?”

“...You could say that,” Cyn eventually responded. “It’s just... stuff I have dealt with since my revival by Tessa.” She shook her head, looking back at her. “Reassurance. It’s okay, though. You didn’t know. But I would prefer we... move along. We’re close to the library, anyway.”

The near-sighted drone frowned more, not sure if she should just let that drop. Whatever that was, it was obvious to her that this problem ran deep. That flare of that unsettling aura had not been her imagination, she was fairly certain. If this linked back to the reasons she kept acting so scared at times...

It also was not missed by her that... there had been crackles before a few of those sentences. A sign she had held back her narration on some stuff. Likely to make her worry less... though it was currently having the opposite effect.

However, something she knew even before now was how stubborn the gangly drone could be. Thus, she sighed, knowing she would have to wait on getting any answers. She would just have to remember to question N about it and see if he could give her any reassurances. But if it turned out he was in the dark, too...

That would have to wait, though, for, true to what the smaller drone had said... they had arrived at the library. They came upon the entrance partway down the corridor they were currently in on their right. Flanked by two sets of knight armor, the large double doors were made with a lighter wood than most of the manor - not too much to clash, but still noticeable. There was also a twin-bulbed lamp coming out of the wall right above it, glowing brightly.

Even with the prior conversation, V could not help smiling a little as they stopped in front of the doors. There was always something more inviting about this place to her than everywhere else around the manor - minus the greenhouse, of course. It followed the gothic designs of everything else, but even with James and Louisa around, there was something... friendly about it. Or maybe she was just blinded a bit by her love of books. Either way, coming to these doors was always a delight.

...But the same could not be said for everyone, it seemed. Because it did not take her long to look over and notice that... Cyn had gotten quite tense. She was looking at the door like one might a guillotine, her eyes hollowed slightly. She was even taking a small step back as her hands went over her core.

Luckily, the near-sighted drone understood immediately. She had been expecting this sort of reaction, honestly, since agreeing for her to come along. She had hoped a little bit that perhaps her friend would be fine, but that had been too much to ask for, it seemed. And she did not blame her in the slightest.

After all, how many times had the other been dragged here to be isolated? To be locked away and be alone? Trapped and... not always able to get out?

Sighing sadly, she wasted no time wrapping her in a small side hug. She pressed her against her side, whispering kindly. “It’s okay, Cyn. You’re not going into the basement. No one wants to put you there. You’re safe.”

The gangly drone shook, her optics fuzzing as digital tears formed in her eyes. “Swallow. Choked up. I... I usually only come here with big brother when I’m not being... I thought I would be okay without holding his hand this time, but...”

V frowned, her core breaking a little at this. The other may not have been a kid, but she certainly clung to N like one sometimes. Her being with her “sibling” seemed to give her strength to go anywhere in this manor, and without him... The older Elliotts were gone, but as the saying went, old habits die hard.

She wracked her processors, trying to think of a way to make her more comfortable. She floated the idea of telling her that she could wait out there, but that might make it seem like she thought she was weak. A doll from Tessa’s room might help, but it was quite a walk to go there and back. But what else could she-?

...Then the answer came to her - simple and perfect. Looking at the smaller drone, she stepped back and smiled softly... before offering her hand. “Well, then... how about you hold mine instead?”

Cyn’s gaze snapped over to her, then her hand. She stared at it with wide eyes, gaping a little bit. “Shocked. Uncertain. I... Are you sure? I-I tend to hold his quite hard, and I don’t want to bother you with-”

“I’ll be fine, Cyn,” the near-sighted drone reassured before giggling. “We should really start moving past being so shocked by these gestures by now, anyway. We’re friends, after all, right?”

...The gangly drone stared up at her. “...Hopeful. Already?”

V shrugged. “If you want to be. You deserve some more than you have, so...”

Cyn stared at her hand for a moment longer. Then, taking a breath... she smiled back, taking hold of it. “Overjoyed. Thank you. Big brother N would be proud of us for this. Giggle.”

The near-sighted drone chuckled a little as well. She gave the other’s hand a small squeeze, making sure her hold was tight enough so they would not separate. Once that was done, she stepped up to the door, grabbed the handle, and in a smooth motion, opened it up. Then, the two of them stepped inside.

The library was not anything special, honestly, in terms of its appearance. Illuminated by more wall lamps and lightning flashes, the whole place had a dim yet cozy look to it. The designs on the wooden sections of the walls and some of the shelves matched the rest of the manor, too. She could also see one of the reading sections from there by the closest back window - a leather chair with a small table beside it - which was also rather plain.

Though, really... the unremarkability of everything was what made it stand out. In a mansion where everything was constantly being spruced up for galas, this place was usually left alone. Sometimes a statue or the like would be set up, but that was about it. You did not want to make looking over volumes too difficult for guests, after all.

And the Elliotts, she had to admit, had quite the collection to look over. With several shelves acting as walls separating things into aisles, at a glance, it already was teeming with material. Squished together on the shelves lining the walls, there was a variety of different makes and ages. From leatherbound to slick hardcovers, books of all kinds could be found here, both for the Elliotts' enjoyment and to impress those they invited.

V was quite impressed with how the different makes did not clash, thanks to their arrangement. But under J’s expert eyes, like many things, the organization had been done to perfection. As she went deeper into the room, she even noted some spines that had clearly been fixed up and repaired due to age. (Some were allegedly as old as the manor itself, but she had never verified this.) It added further charm to the place, putting her at greater ease.

...The opposite was true for the gangly drone, though, unfortunately. True to her word, she was gripping the taller drone’s hand tighter, and was now practically pressed up against her. Mutters of “shuffle” came from her as her eyes darted everywhere, stress lines beside them. And... in particular, she seemed highly weary of the left opening in the back of the room not far from the window, leading to the other sections.

She frowned, knowing exactly what could be found that way if they went far enough. But fortunately, what she was looking for was not down there. So, she gently pulled her companion the opposite way, trying to keep smiling at her. “Come on. The books I want can be found down there.”

The relief in Cyn was almost palpable in her expression as they started to head to the right, away from any trap doors. However, a little confusion showed in her optics as they started to walk past aisles, looking over her shoulder as they went. “Inquiry. But aren’t the soft romance books over there?”

“You know where those are kept?” the near-sighted drone asked, a little surprised. “I didn’t think you would read those.”

“Head shake. I don’t,” the gangly drone replied, performing the action before smiling. “ Amused. It’s just close to where the books on different animals are kept, so I took notice. Where do you think N always takes us first? Giggle.”

V giggled as well. “Fair enough.” She then sighed and shrugged. “But those aren’t the books I’m looking for... In fact, they aren’t my favorite.”

Cyn tilted her head at her, slowing down as she stared. “ Surprise. They aren’t? Then, is it gardening books or ones on plants”

“Well... no. I mean, I like all of them well enough, and I’m constantly brushing up on plant knowledge. But for books with actual stories... Well...” The near-sighted drone blushed lightly, rubbing her arm with her free hand. “Oh, Robo-God, it’s a little embarrassing to admit, actually.”

The gangly drone smiled at her. “ Encouraging. Go on. I promise I won’t tell a soul! Truth. You can’t leave me without an answer like this! Please?”

V hesitated a moment longer. Her preferred genre of stories was not something she shared with others, typically. Not even Tessa and J knew of it, since she only read romance novels out in the open. Only N knew from visits they had here together, and... Well, he was as encouraging as one would expect, with his enthusiasm having made her feel dangerously close to having a system meltdown.

However, despite her usual secrecy... she had been having a good time with the shorter drone lately. And that narration of “truth” indicated that she really would not tell anyone. Her friend could be quite mischievous, but she could respect boundaries when needed.

Plus... maybe sharing some of her secrets would encourage the other to share hers in the future, too.

Thus, taking a deep breath, she looked away as she still felt blush marks on her visor. Then, trying not to be too quiet, she muttered the truth. “I... actually enjoy... books with lots of action in them. Like... fighting and violence.”

...There was a long pause that followed this confession. Cyn had stopped entirely and was just staring at her with blank eyes. She was blinking, as though wondering if she had just had an auditory glitch in her systems. But the way the taller drone squirmed seemed to convince her she had heard correctly.

Still, her voice came out slowly. “...You like... action novels?”

The near-sighted drone bit her lips, the lack of narration - this one sounding natural this time - not helping her nerves. Still, she nodded slowly in response. “Y-yeah...”

“You - V, the drone who likes quiet gardening and gets flustered by mere glances from my brother... likes to read about violence?” the gangly drone asked.

V glared at her a little, her blush only growing. “D-do you have to bring him up now of all times?! Is my embarrassment right now not enough?!”

She was taken aback when Cyn suddenly started narrating several “giggles,” her free hand over her mouth. Once that was done, she smiled at her as brightly as her face would allow. “Greatly amused. Oh, it’s certainly funny. Reassuring. But don’t get me wrong - I’m not actually trying to make fun of you. It’s just... unexpected is all.”

The near-sighted drone eyed her suspiciously, waiting to see if there was a joke to follow that. When none came, though, she hesitantly glanced around, shrugging slowly. “That’s... what N said as well. He’s the only other one who knows about it.” She rubbed the back of her neck. “I don’t know how to explain it. I just... I’d never be so violent in real life! But reading about others fighting - the struggle and the bloodshed - is just... intriguing to me.”

“Shrug. In fairness, I’m sure many of the humans who read such books don’t beat up others without a care,” the gangly drone pointed out... before frowning and glancing down. “ Bitter. Not with their fellow humans, anyway...”

V merely shrugged. “I suppose. But... I have to admit, there’s a thrill that comes from imagining the fighting.” She sighed, thinking back on the descriptions she had gone through. Of fists connecting with flesh and the cracking of bones... Blood dripping to the hard ground beneath characters' feet... Of blades clashing and the ringing of bullets shot...

A light shiver went through her body, her core beating in anticipation already. She had no clue why she got so absorbed by stories that had these things. Some part of her wondered if it was a personality glitch in her processors that no one had bothered to fix. But regardless, besides gardening... when not reading about romance, there was nothing she liked more than curling up with a good book like that. Reading as the protagonist met their opponents in battle, each testing their mettle-

Cyn pulled her out of her thoughts. “Chuckle. Are you imagining shirtless, sweaty men with scars right now? I didn’t take you for being attracted to human bodies.”

The near-sighted drone huffed, her blush returning as she rolled her eyes. “I was wondering when that was coming. I’ll have you know not all of those characters are built like bodybuilders!” Sighing again, though, a small smile made its way onto her lips. “But... I enjoy reading about these struggles. It’s so... enrapturing for reasons I can’t explain.”

“Thoughtful. Perhaps it is... therapeutic in a way to you?” the gangly drone suggested, gesturing around them. “There is not much we can do about our living conditions and the masters we have. Is it maybe a way for you to help simmer your anger?”

V snickered a little. “What, are you a psychologist or something?”

“Smirk. I could be a great one, I’d say!” Cyn declared, pointing at herself proudly. “I will psychoanalyze this entire place! Verdict. We all have trauma. That will be one billion dollars, please!”

Laughing, the near-sighted drone shook her head fondly. “I don’t think we need a psychologist for that one.” She looked up at the ceiling, humming in thought. “But... I don’t know. I think my enjoyment of the stories is separate from things here... Though my imagination might wander sometimes and put James and Louisa in the places of some of the more brutal scenes I’ve read.”

“Eye roll. Even a sweet little bunny would do that with them,” the gangly drone commented.

More chuckles left V. “Not a bad point. Seriously, though - my game choices are more an anger outlet for me than my book-”

It was then that she stopped, her words catching up with her processors. Her eyes widened, but it was too late as Cyn perked up, her smile growing. “Greatly intrigued. Oh? And what games are those? What other secret hobbies does our quiet, respectful V have that she does away from the eyes of Robo-God?~”

The near-sighted drone groaned at the slight singsong tone the other managed to do without any narration. She also squirmed a bit more, not sure how she felt about revealing another of her secret hobbies in one go. Sure, it might not be so bad since she already revealed her favorite novels and such, but... she would prefer some kind of space between the two. Her eyes glanced around, trying to find some kind of excuse to divert the topic for now, all while her companion looked at her expectantly-

...But then she paused, as she became aware of something she had missed. She had been too distracted before, but now that she was listening... she realized there was a muffled sound coming from somewhere. Sounds that... reminded her of someone speaking?

She frowned, carefully trying to adjust her audio receptors as she spoke. “Wait... Cyn, do you hear that?”

The gangly drone initially rolled her eyes with a narration, probably thinking she was making this up. After a moment, though, she blinked and frowned as well, evidently hearing it, too. They turned their heads in several directions, trying to figure out where it was coming from. Eventually, though, they looked ahead along their original path, realizing it seemed to be originating from a few aisles down.

Exchanging a look, the two of them proceeded to move forward slowly. Cyn kept quiet, not narrating any of her movements as she held the maid’s hand - not even seeming discomforted by it, either. V, meanwhile, turned back down her receptors, not wanting to overwhelm herself as they got closer, as interested as she was to hear what was being said.

Luckily, she did not need enhanced hearing as they went down a few aisles. The voice soon became clearer... and she realized it was a familiar male voice. And more so, he was reading out loud what she knew to be one of his favorite books... on the opposite side of the library to where they could be found. Plus, he was emphasizing certain words, which he only did if he were reading to someone.

But both of his usual subjects for this - V and Cyn - were right next to one another. She also knew for a fact that Tessa was on the other side of the manor, helping teach some drones how to play Texas Hold 'em. So... who was he reading to?

The question tickled her mind as they got to the aisle before the one he seemed to be in - the final one on the right side, in fact. The lighting was dimmer here, the light fixtures obviously needing some new bulbs. Yet that was not stopping the butler from his reading, it seemed. Exchanging one more glance, the near-sighted and gangly drones rounded the corner, incredibly curious as to what he was doing-

-and then the former had to blink, not... having seen this coming.

Because in the back, sitting on two leather chairs, were N... and J. The light above them was giving proper illumination, letting the butler read from his book without issue. From there, she could read the title on the green cover: Complete Dog Breed Facts Vol. 1 . And as one would expect from such a book, he was smiling brightly as he went through the passages.

...The same could not be said for the head maid, though. She was gripping the arms of her chair tightly, staring down at the floor intensely. While her expression may have been trying to be blank, her irritation showed in her frown and the day her digital eye twitched. The harshness of her deep breaths was not helping dissuade anyone from thinking otherwise, either.

With how she was acting, one would think she was tied down and being read to against her will. However... she was not. She seemed to have every ability to leave and not listen to N’s reading if she so wished, but just... was not. Which was surprising, because she normally took any opportunity to escape his rambles about dogs.

But there she remained as the butler kept speaking, optics scanning the page. “‘-...meaning that the Alaskan Malamute has been helping haul things for humans for nearly six thousand years! And while these days, this is done more for sport and special events, the long-standing use of these dogs makes their use comparable to horses!’” He chuckled, shaking his head. “Ah, I love when the authors put lines like that in. It makes the books feel like they have passion and love in them, unlike regular textbooks, right?”

J did not answer, still looking down and gripping her chair. But N merely shrugged this off and cleared his throat, looking back at his book. “Ahem. ‘What is also fascinating about the history of these dogs is that, at one point, they were used to help babysit children! While their large size would make people today concerned about such a decision, people long ago thought that their friendly natures were...’”

As he continued on, V could only continue to stare, slightly baffled. This was just... not an arrangement she ever thought she would see. Like, sure, J was allegedly trying to be better toward N, but still...

Cyn, on the other hand, did not share her surprise, and even smiled as she spoke quietly. “Amused. Ah, right. I forgot about this part of their arrangement.”

The near-sighted drone looked at her, raising a digital eyebrow as she kept her voice down, too. “You... understand what’s happening right now?”

“Giggle. It is part of J’s ‘making amends’ to big brother N,” the gangly drone explained. “She insisted upon some form of punishment for her actions over the years. So, he settled on making her listen to dog facts for an hour on certain days since she hates them so much.” She looked back at them. “Satisfied smirk. I have to say, though, the reaction she’s having is better than I thought it would be.”

V turned to the duo as well, who were still oblivious to their presence. And reluctantly... she had to agree with the sentiment. After all the terrible things the head maid had done to the butler, there was satisfaction in seeing her so riled up and unable to do anything. All at the hands of the one she had abused, too!

...But it was a little irksome to her that this was considered a punishment. Like, in fairness, it sounded like N was the one who had come up with it, but... Robo-God knows how much she would pay to be in her position right now. Having him read anything to her in the comfort of the library? That sounded like a dream to her! (It felt that way, too, every time they could make the time to do so...)

Though, despite that... she actually found her gaze softening a little toward J. She recalled how it was only a couple of days ago that the other looked so messy and stressed. Yet now, despite looking deeply annoyed, her uniform was put together more. There were still some stress lines on her visor, but she did not look quite as tired, either. And the fact she had seemingly not snapped and shouted at him like she would have only a month ago...

Perhaps... she had a bigger commitment to changing her attitude than V first realized.

As she pondered this, the butler kept on reading to his companion. “‘-...which put them in high demand for the gold rush era of the late 1800s. The demand, though, led to lots of cross-breeding to keep up the supply. This nearly caused these dogs to go extinct, which would have been a great loss to the US state they were named after.’

“‘But luckily, some purebreds were kept by a distant tribe of natives called the Mahlemuts. It was thanks to this that the species was able to survive, and over time their numbers began to rise back up once the Rush-’”

Right then, a small dot started to blink in the corner of his visor. He jumped for just a second, but then he sighed and smiled before appearing to look at the page number. He then closed the book and turned to look at J. “Alright - time’s up for today!”

“Oh, thank corporate!” the head maid exclaimed, immediately jumping out of her chair. She groaned loudly, rubbing a hand down her visor. “That was... ugh! How is all of that interesting to you? Who needs to know any of this?!”

“It’s not so much ‘need to’ as ‘want to,’” N clarified, not seeming put off by her outburst. He set his book onto a small table next to his chair, standing up as well as he kept smiling at her. “It’s what having an interest is all about. You’ll understand once you take the time to find your own!”

J gave him a glare for this. But then... she sighed, her frustrations seeming to greatly lessen as she looked away. She crossed her arms with a frown. “What’s even the point if it doesn’t help our productivity in any way? Like knowing how to clean specific items that need more than a basic duster? And at least my sword skills entertain guests.”

The butler only laughed, slapping her on the back in a friendly manner. “Like I said - you’ll understand soon enough. I’m sure of it!”

The head maid blinked at the gesture. But then, to V’s utter amazement... she actually gave a small smile, not fully relaxing, but still unwinding a little. “Tsk. Whatever, moron. But still, I don’t get how you can read-”

It was then that her eyes happened to flick toward the other people in the room. This prompted her to freeze, before she sighed again as small blush marks appeared on her visor, obviously trying to force her frown. “Ah, great. Your plan seems to have failed, N. Not that it was a strong one to begin with.”

Looking confused, N turned their way. The moment he saw who it was, though, he broke out into a smile and ran over to them. “V! Cyn! What are you guys doing here?”

Trying not to get too flustered from him suddenly being so close, V chuckled nervously while glancing around. “Ah, you know - I just needed a new book is all. Your sister decided to tag along, too.”

J walked up to them as well, frowning while eyeing the yellow-eyed drone. “Really? She... comes in here willingly ?”

N nodded, his smile dimming even as he chuckled. “Yeah, she... normally needs company to do so.” He brightened back up, though, as he knelt in front of his sibling, patting her on the head. “Aw, but you managed to do it without me this time with V! I’m so proud of you, sis! You’re really conquering your fears today, huh?”

Cyn smiled with a light blush as she jerkily shrugged, never letting go of the near-sighted drone’s hand. “ Giggle. Sheepish shrug. Yeah, I... guess I am. We’ve not done much book selecting yet, though.”

Nodding, V then looked toward J, tilting her head. “Yeah, we got sidetracked by you two... And I have to say, seeing you here with N was... not something I thought I’d ever witness.”

Her tone had been casual - no edge to it whatsoever. However, the head maid seemed to panic regardless. Her eyes hollowed, taking a step back as she looked around anxiously. “Y-yes, well... It was v-very important that I did so, you see. B-but I’ve also been on my best behavior! No hits or anything! I promise!”

The near-sighted drone winced at how rapidly the other started talking by the end. It was as though she expected her to be hostile to her, which... Yeah, she had been defensive of N back when they had that meeting in the closet. But that was only because she had been about to advance on him! It was clear nothing bad had happened this time!

But then... she could not deny that the idea of them having been alone together made her anxious for the butler’s safety. She might not want to feel that way about J, but given past experiences... Well...

N and Cyn were looking between them, seeming to sense the tension. So, the former quickly stepped in, standing up while trying to smile at V. “She’s, uh... not wrong. We’ve just been sitting in the chairs. They’re really comfy! It’s a shame we barely get to use them!”

“Master James has concerns about our ‘drone’ smell rubbing off on the leather,” J said. “Also can’t, quote, ‘give drones such a luxury.’” She then sighed, shaking her head. “It should be no trouble to get it out with regular cleaning, since I know other members of staff will try to take advantage of it. But even without taking Tessa’s parents into account, I would not get used to it. They’ve been talking about removing them to encourage more guests to stay elsewhere in the manor, where more behind-closed-door deals can happen.”

V frowned. “And let me guess - other drones will be left on standby to go retrieve books at guests’ request if they do?”

“Most likely,” the head maid stated before grimacing. “I’m... expecting an uptick in scrapped drones with that one - mainly accounting for anyone enraged while drunk that we don’t have certain volumes. They can’t complain to the Elliotts, obviously, so...”

All four drones looked rather uncomfortable at that. The near-sighted drone felt a wave of pity wash over her for the rest of the staff. She might not be incredibly close to them, but she still tried to be friendly to them, even when they were envious of her position as Tessa’s personal drone. She could imagine what this change would do for the morale around there once James and Louisa returned.

The brief silence was eventually broken once more by N, who cleared his throat. His smile was weaker than before, but he still tried to maintain it. “Well... maybe those drones will get the armband to mark them immune to getting hurt? You know, to keep from having to constantly cycle in drones and have them memorize the catalogue of books we have?”

J perked up slightly, looking at him with intrigue. “That’s... not a bad point, actually. I can certainly bring it up with the master and mistress once they’re back. Good job.”

The butler gaped a little at this. Then, with a practical sparkle in his digital eyes, he beamed at her. “I-it is? All right! Glad I could help!”

The head maid smiled a little awkwardly, glancing around. “Alright, don’t... make a big deal about it. Your ideas are always welcome.”

Didn’t seem like it for the last two years, a small, bitter part of V whispered. But she tried to squash that thought down, not wanting to ruin the moment. After all, the two of them seemed to actually be... getting along? N was his usual self, but J was... not doing a bad job of being civil. There was not that usual irritation that accompanied her when she interacted with him like before, at least. It made her wonder what had happened between them - perhaps relating to whatever Cyn had witnessed that she refused to elaborate on at the greenhouse.

But she was certainly not going to complain. If these changes were here to stay... Well, she was not close to forgiving the head maid for her awful attitude toward the butler over the years. However... she had to appreciate the first steps as they came.

Before she could muse on that further, though, J suddenly looked at her with mild curiosity. “Anyway... why did you come over here, by the way? N is a loud reader-” She glared at him briefly before turning back. “-but I doubt you heard it from the entrance. And the romance novels are on the other side, aren’t they?”

V had to force herself not to tense up. Even with how observant the head maid could be, she had not expected her to realize those details. Her mind whirled, trying to come up with a good excuse as to why she went this way. Confessing to one person a day is enough for me, thank you! It is just... too embarrassing otherwise!

Thankfully, Cyn came to her aid, stepping forward. “Explaining. I do not like that side of the library. So we are on this side searching for books instead. Not everything she reads has to be pure romance.”

The near-sighted drone released a silent breath of relief. It had enough truth to it and was just vague enough for the other not to have to cover up any telling narration. It was kind of impressive... and suddenly making her question how good the other was at this and if she had been subjected to it often.

That question would have to wait for another time, though, as J tensed. She looked around awkwardly, rubbing her arms. “Ah... Y-yes, I should have realized that those sections are... not agreeable for you.” She sighed, looking down with a grimace. “I of all drones know that better than others...”

This made the gangly drone frown, tilting her head at her. “Understanding. You are fine. I know it is not your choice. You are... at least kinder about putting me down there than James and Louisa are.”

The head maid sighed more heavily. “That’s... not a high bar, but thank you, I suppose.”

V smiled a little, glad there were no issues there, at least. (Dear Robo-God, did they have enough.) But then she raised a digital eyebrow, an earlier question returning to her. “Actually... the animal books are all that way, too. So how did you guys end up back here yourselves?”

N raised his hand at this. “Oh, that was my idea! This part isn’t too popular - not many rich people like high fantasy and gruesome modern action, it seems, and neither do many drones.” He quickly waved his hands, laughing nervously. “Not that there’s anything wrong with any who do - good for them! But I just thought it would mean more privacy from anyone walking in.”

The near-sighted drone giggled, unable to help a little knowing smirk. “Good to hear that.” She then took a breath, her smile becoming shyer. “I-I think it was a good plan, too. It was just... bad timing, I guess.”

The butler chuckled, rubbing his neck. “Hehehe... Yeah...”

Rolling her eyes at them, J cleared her throat, a little bit of her assured, indifferent front from work returning. “We’ll just hope for better luck next time, I suppose. But anyway, since my ‘task’ here is complete, I’d... best get out of you all’s way. So, if you’ll excuse me-”

Before she could walk off, N grabbed her suddenly. “Wait! I mean- You can leave in a second, but before that-!” Taking a quick breath, he let go of her and stepped back. “I think we’ve all been busy with... other things. But since we’re all here, I figured we should get into the habit of... checking how party preparations are going? Or exchanging ideas? That... sort of thing?”

The more he talked, the less certain he sounded, soon wringing his hands nervously. The others, though, all exchanged glances. He... made a good point. If there was anything that was going to happen on Tessa’s birthday, the sooner they got to finalizing plans, the better. They really should do checks whenever they are all together, especially considering most of them did not have texting privileges. (Still worth it for those nights messaging N!)

But as he predicted, there did not seem to be any progress to report. This was shown by the head maid shaking her head, easing her expression to show her sadness. “I’m sorry, N. I’ve... not been organizing potential ideas there yet. Once I’m done with some workplace and... personal disputes, though, I’ll give it proper thought.” She shook her head. “Like I said before - I want Tessa to be happy. But this matter is-”

“Delicate - I know,” N finished, smiling softly. “It’s fine, J. Like I said - I just want us to get into the habit.” He looked over at the other two. “If you guys have any ideas or suggestions, though, it’s a good time to share before you go book-hunting!”

Cyn merely shrugged. “Apologetic. I’m afraid not, big brother. I’ve been too preoccupied trying to get to know her better to be thinking about that.”

V frowned, rubbing her chin with her free hand. She could not say she had given it much thought, either, and being put on the spot was not helping... Still, if there was anything she understood from working there, it was parties. So she tried to consider the bare necessities that seemed to go into the teen’s birthdays in the past, and what she knew from some of her readings. There were usually constants between them...

...And after a moment, one of them occurred to her. She perked up, looking at the others while adjusting her glasses. “Um... Actually, I was wondering. Are... we going to make her a cake?”

The others looked at her, blinking. N and Cyn at least seemed interested... but J was looking at her like she was crazy. She spoke slowly and deliberately. “...A cake. You think James and Louisa are just going to be fine with it... if we make her a cake?”

The near-sighted drone faltered at this. However, she did not want her first suggestion for this to be brushed off so easily. So she looked her in the eyes with determination, forcing her voice to be strong. “W-well, you said yourself we don’t know the limits of what’s allowed! All we’d need is a small one, regardless! Surely she can’t get in too much trouble for that!”

“I think you underestimate how petty the master and mistress are,” the head maid stated. However, she did seem a little uncertain by her sudden push, trying to avoid her gaze. It was as satisfying as it was... kind of sad, but she would take it. (Given past problems between them, it was kind of deserved, too.)

N chimed in as he shrugged. “I mean... it’s an idea. Plus, what’s a party without some treats? So maybe we should consider some flavors? Or some sweets that we are more likely to get away with? It’s not a bad place to start.”

“...True,” J conceded, sighing heavily. She crossed her arms, glaring uncomfortably to the side. “Fine. I’ll start compiling a list of things for that. I know all of the Boss’s favorites, so it should be easy! Now, can I go?” She flinched, looking at them hesitantly. “...Please?”

V exchanged a look with N, both of them frowning with concern. But the latter quickly just sighed, turning to their self-proclaimed boss with a small smile. “Sure, yeah - we’re done. I get it - you still need your alone time.” His smile grew, gesturing to the books that surrounded them. “But you don’t have to leave immediately. If you want, I can help you find a book you might like. To read and relax with, yeah?”

That made the head maid pause, who stared at the shelves now, too. Much to V’s surprise, she suddenly looked... a lot more like a lost doe or lamb. Her eyes were wide and uncertain, as though she had suddenly just then realized where they were. Plus, she seemed to now be... overwhelmed. It was not something she would have expected from her for such a simple offer. Doesn’t she have novels that she likes to read in whatever free time she allows herself?

...Apparently not, given how J suddenly pursed her lips, speaking in a small tone. “I... wouldn’t even know where to begin.”

N simply beamed, waving that concern off. “Don’t worry - I’ll help you find some! And actually, hey - how about we sample you some books from a couple of different genres? Then you can see what you like best!”

The head maid blinked, trying to shake her head. “Oh, uh... No, you don’t have to-”

“I insist!” the butler said. Before anyone could react, he had run over to one of the shelves, his hands going over the spines of the books there. “We can start by picking a good action book here! Who knows? Maybe you’re an exception to the usual interest around here. Which again - completely cool and I support it!”

J sputtered, seeming to try and find a way to turn him down politely. Yet her words seemed to fall on deaf ears as N kept scouring the collection, humming to himself. She looked at the others for help, her eyes uncharacteristically pleading.

However, Cyn merely smiled at her. “ Giggle. Smirk. Apologies, J, but once big brother N wants to help you... You’d have a better chance convincing a tree to walk away.” She tilted her head. “ Fake innocence. Unless... you want to hurt his feelings?”

That managed to shut the head maid up, who looked away seeming slightly stricken. V could not help but giggle despite herself. While feelings about it were mixed, she had to admit that teasing J could be pretty funny. There was also something fascinating to see more of what she was like under that corporate persona of hers.

But... she had to admit, this sudden revelation about her not having a favorite type of book was kind of sad. Is it only books, though, or... does this extend further than that? she wondered. Because if it did, then... She did not know how to even react to something like that. Did J seriously not give herself any free time? No wonder she was so wound up all the time! Everyone needs hobbies and things to relax with, no matter how much of a workaholic they are!

She started frowning, looking over at the nearest shelf. Maybe... she should help look, too? While she was not charged with maintaining the library, she knew where plenty of novels were. She could definitely pick a good romance for the head maid to try!... And maybe she could also discreetly give an action recommendation. (Perhaps on the less brutal side to help ease her into that.)

...It’s a good excuse to help N, too, a voice chimed in her head.

The near-sighted drone started blushing, looking over at her crush... which was a mistake. He had this cute expression of concentration - sticking his tongue out and everything - that made her core kick into overdrive. His hand had moved on to another section of the shelf, too... And suddenly, she could just imagine them looking for books right next to each other. Their hands would then brush close to one another, and... a spark, just like the day Cyn arrived, would pass between them and make her feel-

Blinking out of the fantasy, she shook her head. But despite that, the fuzzy feeling inside of her remained. She swallowed nervously, readjusting her glasses as her blush grew. Perhaps... she should step up. It would help show J that she is not that crossed with her, and... she could be closer to N for a while. That was two birds with one stone, as humans would say!

...Shifting her other arm, though, she remembered one small hitch in her plan as it was held in place. She looked down at Cyn, who was still clutching her hand tightly. She pursed her lips, not wanting to leave the poor drone without support. Sure, she could hand her off to J for a while, but that seemed a little rude to do for them both. But if she brought her along to help N... Well, it was not nearly as special to do something with your crush with his sister clinging to you, was it?

For a moment, she pondered how best to handle this. Glancing over at N, she opened her mouth, intent on making the offer. Maybe once she did that, they could all talk about how best to handle this? “Hey, N... D-do you... need any help with-?”

Before she could finish the offer, however, she stopped. Once again that day, she found herself surprised as she heard... footsteps coming their way. Evidently, the others did, too, as they all paused, looking back to the aisle’s entrance in confusion. They were rapid, closing in rather quickly.

They sounded pretty heavy, so it was not Tessa. So it had to be another member of the drone staff. But then... who was it? And why were they in such a rush? It was not like any of the books were going anywhere, so why...?

Her questions remained as the drone rounded the corner and entered their section. It was a maid, who was taking a quick breath from the sprint she took to get there. Nothing about her stood out from the typical staff, though. Nothing except... a black ribbon on her wrist?

Before she could even begin to think of any questions, though, the maid’s blue optics scanned their group... And then, they seemed to light up as they landed on N. She smiled, waving at him. “N! I knew I got the day you mentioned right!”

The butler was quick to smile widely, stepping away from the shelves and running up to the stranger. “Oh, hey! This is a nice surprise!”

The two of them shook hands, sharing a laugh. As they interacted, though, the rest of them exchanged glances. A quick look at J and Cyn showed they were as confused as V was about this. The former may have been in charge of all the staff, but it was not like she had every individual memorized. Whoever this was, only the male drone of their group had any personal interactions with her, it seemed.

And... as the near-sighted drone looked back at them, seeing them shake hands and smiling so easily... a strange feeling entered her core. Just a flicker of an emotion, and it was gone quickly. But... it was not pleasant. Not at all.

Blinking at herself, she shook her head, focusing on the situation. Deciding to take the initiative, she stepped a little closer to the pair with Cyn, trying to get her crush’s attention. “Um... N? Who is...?”

Twirling his head back at the rest of them, N’s eyes widened in realization. Chuckling sheepishly, he stepped to the side of the new arrival and gestured to her. “Oh, right! Guys, this is S! S, these are my friends and sister I was telling you about! J, V, and-!”

“Cyn - I remember!” the maid - apparently named S - said, seeming to hold back giggles. “You’ve mentioned them so many times! I haven’t forgotten their names!”

J started stepping around them, her eyes narrowed as she studied the new drone. She soon raised a digital eyebrow at her. “I... think I remember you. I noted you as the only ‘S’ we had on staff. You’ve only been here for about two weeks, haven’t you?”

S nodded, rubbing her arm as she smiled a little. “Yeah. This is... quite a change in how the manor is run normally, from what I’ve heard. I’m trying to decide if that makes me lucky, or doomed long-term.”

The head maid waved her off. “As long as you don’t slack on your assigned days, and learn your tasks, you’ll be fine. If you’re worried about falling behind, though, I can see about arranging special-”

The standard maid interrupted her then, staring at her strangely. “Uh... I was just joking?”

J blinked... then she blushed lightly, clearing her throat while glaring off to the side. “R-right! I knew that! I was just... The options are good to get out there, just in case. I realized I forgot to tell you during your orientation!”

“...Okay?” S replied, looking more confused now.

N laughed easily, giving her a friendly punch on the shoulder. “You’re fine! J’s just been stressed lately about... stuff. She’s getting her head back into the game, is all!”

V took a second to eye the head maid as he was saying this. While that was certainly true... honestly, she had seen moments from their self-proclaimed boss like this before. She took things at face value sometimes, completely missing things like tone and expression. It was never anything bad, but... Well, she did not know, really. I guess it’s because of how seriously she takes everything.

Still, the butler’s words appeared to make the new maid drop things as she shrugged. “Weird that our masters going on vacation would make her more stressed, but okay.” She shook her head, smiling as she stepped forward and held out her hand to the pigtailed drone. “Well, it’s good to meet you properly!”

Sighing, J shook the offered hand, her indifferent attitude quickly returning. “Likewise, I suppose. Good to see you survived your first week under this corporate banner.”

If S had any comment about that part, it did not show. Instead, she quickly went over to the two drones still holding hands. She smiled at V, nodding to her. “And you’re V, yes? I’d shake your hand, but it... looks like your dominant one is taken right now.”

The near-sighted drone nodded, continuing to push down that strange feeling from before as she smiled politely. “That’s me. Good to meet you, too.”

The standard maid smiled, before looking at the smaller drone next to them. For a moment, she seemed to tense, but nonetheless, she gave her a nod, too, clearly trying to maintain her expression. “And... you’re Cyn?”

There was a flicker of sorrow and... that strange understanding in the gangly drone’s eyes. Yet she still smiled back, doing her best to nod despite her movement limits. “Nod. Polite greeting. That is me. You seem nice.” Her expression suddenly morphed into a small glare. “Suspicion. You have not been mistreating big brother, have you? I was unaware of you having any sort of relations with him.”

(For some reason, the use of “relations” made V’s core clench.)

S gave a small yelp, taking a step back. She had her hands clasped together in front of her, looking like the yellow-eyed drone had just threatened to kill her or something. “N-no! I promise. I’m not... We’ve only been-!”

In an instant, N was behind her, patting her back while giving her a concerned look. “Hey, what’s wrong? It’s just Cyn!”

The standard maid looked at him, seeming to be in slight disbelief. “You... really did not feel that when looking at her?”

That only made the butler more confused. “Feel what?”

Her dark aura, V thought silently, but kept her mouth shut. She was pretty sure N was aware of that more now, but he still seemed rather oblivious to what everyone else meant by it. For her, it was now a small, albeit cold and insistent, prickly feeling in the back of her processors (usually). But for someone new like S... She would need time.

But N was a good mediator, smiling reassuringly when his new friend (?) did not reply to his question. “Well, don’t worry, regardless. Cyn would never hurt you! Isn’t that right, sis?”

“...I never would. Truth,” Cyn replied, nodding again. (But... was it V’s imagination, or was there something weird about how she said “I?”)

N gestured to her, stepping over and giving his sibling a small noogie. “See? She’d never hurt a fly! No need to be scared around her!”

The gangly drone smiled a bit wider, playfully yet jerkily trying to swat away his hand with her free arm. “Giggle. Rebuttal. No - she should have a healthy fear of me. All friends you make must be vetted through me as your sister! She still needs my approval, and she will earn it - or else!”

This only made the butler laugh. “Whatever you say, little buddy!”

V could not help but giggle herself at the display. J, who in the past only seemed to tolerate their antics, also looked at them curiously, her eyes softening a touch. And as for S, whatever fear she was still feeling seemed to be leaving her watching the scene. Her hands dropped, and soon her optics were slowly lighting up with amusement.

...Yet for some reason, the near-sighted drone was still getting a strange feeling around her. Not like anything caused by Cyn’s strange aura, though. No, this... It was not nearly as scary, but some similar sensations went along with it. But where was it coming from?

Hoping that maybe it would lessen the emotion, she focused again on the new arrival. Looking her over, she took note of her wrist again, deciding to start simple. “Sooo... where did you get that, S? I don’t recall wrist ribbons being part of standard staff uniforms.”

That actually got her a strange look from J - likely because she would normally be the one asking a question like that. But S answered nonetheless, turning to her and showing off the item. “Oh! This was actually a gift I got from Tessa a few days ago! I happened to run into her, we talked for a bit, and...” She paused, suddenly glancing away as she frowned. “Um... Well, she was impressed by me stepping up to do that, so she gave me this as a small reward.”

Now J’s attention turned to her, narrowing her eyes. V was also frowning, noticing that small delay. Had... something happened? She had only talked with the teenager in passing the past couple of days, but had not noticed anything wrong. Yet why would...?

There was no time to question this, however, as N finished messing with his sister and walked back over to the standard maid. “Really? Wow - I can’t believe you didn’t bring this up yesterday!”

S chuckled, smiling at him. “You didn’t exactly give me a chance with how much you were talking about labradors and poodles.”

J scoffed, rolling her eyes. “ Must you subject others to this torture of yours, N? Am I not victim enough for your endless rambles?”

The moment she finished speaking, she tensed, eyes hollowing, likely thinking she said something wrong. But, thankfully for both her and the other two of the main group, the butler just kept laughing. “Don’t worry - I’m saving my best just for you!”

The head maid did not appear thrilled by this. However, V was still focused on the newest arrival, tilting her head. “So you two have been... hanging out?”

S nodded vigorously, grabbing N’s arm and pulling him closer as he yelped. “We have! We’ve been spending hours together! He’s... Well, no offense to the rest of the staff, but he’s just far more lively than anyone else here.” She smirked, poking him on the cheek. “It’s quite magnetic, I must say.”

V’s hand spasmed when she saw that action, her fingers curling for a second. She forced them to straighten out, but her core pounded hard, and not in a good way like with N. Swallowing thickly, she tried to cover up these things with a strained smile. “Hahaha... Yeah, he... he has that effect.”

Unfortunately for her, though... the butler picked up on this easily. His eyes immediately went to her, his smile dimming as concern filled his expression. “V? Are you good?”

The near-sighted drone opened her mouth... but hesitated for a split second. Was she okay? She certainly was not feeling good all of a sudden. It only got worse, too, as she saw how much S was still clinging to him. An urge hit her to demand that her fellow maid back off, followed by her grabbing him herself.

But... she did not want to be rude to N’s new friend. The drone had not even done anything wrong, and it was not like her to snap so easily. Plus, she still had Cyn to consider, who needed her touch to stay grounded in this place.

Thus, she tried to give him her best reassuring smile while nodding. “Yeah, I’m... fine. I might need to... go by maintenance soon, though. I felt a few sparks in my system, is all.”

N looked at her for another second. But in the end, he seemed to buy her lie, shrugging while looking her over. “If you’re sure, then. Let me know if there’s anything I can do, though! I can carry you there if I have to!”

That caused her core to flutter a little, making her blush and smile... But her eyes never left where he was still being held by S. It made her lips twitch, her core stuttering in a strange way she had rarely felt.

(Unbeknownst to any of those three, J and Cyn were looking between them all. They both had faces of... bewilderment, wondering if they were seeing what they thought they were. They even glanced at one another to confirm... before blinking as they realized what they were doing. This prompted them to glance away, both feeling awkward.)

Soon, though, N suddenly froze, before groaning and slapping his head. “Aw, wait - biscuits! What am I doing?! I need to find J some books!” He gave said drone a quick bow. “Sorry, J! I won’t waste any more of your time! You’ll have your books before you’re busy again!”

“...I’m specifically not busy thanks to your recommendation from several days back,” J deadpanned. She looked down, looking a tad uncomfortable. “This... was the only thing on my schedule, actually...”

The butler blinked before slowly nodding. “Oh... right. Sorry, I’m just so used to... But hey, that’s good! Still, I’ll be as quick as I can so you can read the rest of the day!” He turned back to S, giving a friendly chuckle. “Anyway, can you please let go while I go scour the rest of the library? I’ll come back to action last.” He glanced at the table with the book about dogs on it. “I should probably put that back up, too.”

“If this is where you’re going to keep reading to J, then who cares if you leave it out?” S questioned. She then cleared her throat, giggling nervously. “And, actually... I rushed here specifically because you mentioned you were doing some ‘reading for a friend’ around this time, and I...” She let go of him, rubbing the back of her neck. “Well, I was... hoping maybe you could help me pick some out? I’m not familiar with what all the options are here, so I figured you could show me around and...”

N’s eyes widened at this. But then, another of his natural smiles lit up his face. “Yeah, sure I can! Just let me do this for J first, okay?”

“I have a better idea,” the standard maid said, gesturing to the aisle exit. “How about I come with you? I can help you pick out a couple of books, and then snatch up a few for myself along the way! And who knows? Maybe I’ll recognize some that you can give to your friend!”

It was such an innocuous offer... Yet V found herself struck frozen when she heard it. That... that was what she had been about to offer to N before this drone showed up! She opened her mouth, though found herself struggling to get her voicebox to work. Her voice came out rather quiet despite her efforts. “W-wait, but-”

Then... N said the last thing she wanted to hear as he gasped, smiling wider. “That’s a great idea! Come on! I’ll show you what’s over on the left side of this place. The romance isn’t too far from the animal books, if that interests you!”

“Not really, but let’s take a look anyway!” S exclaimed. She grabbed his arm again, and immediately started pulling him toward the corner.

N once more yelped, stumbling as he tried to keep up with the new pace set for him. “Oh! I guess we’re now!” He looked at the other three one last time, giving them a big wave. “We’ll be back in a couple of minutes! Don’t go anywhere - we’ll catch up some more once we’re done! Okaythenbye!”

That was the last thing he said before he was yanked around the corner by S, and the two of them sprinted off. It left the remaining three of Tessa’s drones to just stand there, all appearing to process what they had just witnessed. The lights from the wall lamps flickered as a loud crash of thunder hit them, the manor shaking for a second.

But eventually, the silence was broken by J, who crossed her arms. “Well... that drone was something. But I suppose a drone with that kind of temperament would be drawn to N... Or maybe he really does have infectious properties.”

Cyn looked over at her. “ Stare. I can’t tell if that is meant to be an insult or not.”

The head maid flinched, before sighing heavily, hanging her head. “It’s... just an observation. Nothing more. I promise.” Her gaze returned to the aisle exit. “But seriously - the excitement about all the freedom we have might be hitting that one a bit too hard. I’ve been starting to notice reports of slight mania from my fellow workers in charge of scheduling and such, and seen a bit myself walking around. It’s taken longer than I thought it would, but it was inevitable, I suppose.”

V was barely listening to the conversation. She just continued to look at where N and S had gone... Feeling an ache in her core that her opportunity had been snatched away so easily. Not to mention how close that maid got with him the entire time. They acted so friendly... and they had apparently only known each other for about a week, if she understood things correctly.

It... should not have been a big deal. If one of them was actually managing to be actual friends with a member of general staff for once rather than nice acquaintances, then that should be a good thing! But the speed of which this had seemingly happened for the butler... He was super friendly, but was she crazy, or did this seem like it was too fast? Was the way S was so casual about grabbing him around a sign of something? Did...

...Did it mean something more might already be sparking between them?

The near-sighted drone gasped a little, light stress marks appearing on her visor. She told herself she was being irrational, but... it would not hurt to check, right? N certainly would not mind if she suddenly joined him on his book hunt! And if S had a problem with it... she had better realize it was better to stay quiet about it.

But first... she needed to make sure Cyn was kept in good hands. And suddenly, handing her off for a while did not seem like a bad idea.

Without even thinking about it, she quickly walked over to J, making the gangly drone narrate “ startled ” at suddenly being dragged. Before either of the others could react, she took the head maid’s arm and forced her to take the shorter drone’s hand. She smiled kindly, hoping her nerves did not show too much on her face. “Say, can you... watch Cyn for a second? I’m going to go join them.”

J jumped from the sudden handling, before staring at her like she had just grown a second head. “H-huh? Why...? I mean, I... I’m not against looking after her, but I don’t think she would like... And also, why are you even-?!”

Cyn was also trying to get some words in, even as her hand grasped the head maid’s. “Bewildered. V? What are...? Er, I don’t... You’re fine, J. I can stay with you. But V, can you tell us first why-?”

“Alright, thanks!” V said quickly with a smile that was definitely too wide. However, she was already sprinting around the corner before they even had a chance to call out to her. She quickly started rushing past the aisles, heading toward the far left side where they said they would be. She did slow her pace somewhat, though, to keep from seeming desperate.

She was... probably going to regret pawning off Cyn like that later. She already was, actually, praying that the yellow-eyed drone did not take that the wrong way. But she would work out an apology later. Right now, she just... needed to keep an eye on N and S. To see what exactly was going on between them.

Then maybe the horrible feeling in her core would go away...

(Meanwhile, the two drones she left behind were just staring at where she once stood. Their eyes were wide, the events of just now playing over in their processors. Yet this only seemed to leave them more lost.

“...I’m misreading the situation, right?” J asked out loud after a while, still not moving. “She didn’t just run off because of what I’m thinking, right? Because that’s...”

Cyn tilted her head. “Baffled. There... is no way, right? Like, surely she knows that big brother... Why would she ever feel...?”

The two shook their heads... then once more froze as they realized what the other was saying. They shared a glance, then looked away, both shuffling slightly. They tried not to be too awkward about it... but it was kind of hard to when they were still holding hands. That, in addition to all the... “stuff” between them, and...

...It was going to be a long couple of minutes for them both, they realized.)

=======

Things were now starting to get... eerily quiet. It was not that the sounds of struggles were not still happening, and regularly, the death scream of a human filled the air. But the chaos was starting to die down now. Those humans who were left were the better hiders and runners of the bunch... or were more capable of fighting back. They were not going to go down as easily as everyone before now.

As V prowled through the halls, though, using her wings to hop along the ceiling, she was not worried. While the surviving humans were above average, they still were no match for hundreds of savage drones hunting them down. And there were also the tendrils of metal and flesh weaving along the walls to help clear stragglers.

It was inevitable at this point - none of them were making it out alive. It had won, and was now simply cleaning up what remained of their filth. It was simply a matter of time, hunting... and killing. It made her mouth salivate, eager to get fresh meat and blood into her mouth.

( That nasty feeling inside from the act had not gone away yet, though... nor did she want it, too, deep down. It was the only reminder that there were things she was missing. That told her that... something was still wrong. )

She was actually amazed that she was still so hungry. She must have personally ripped through a half-dozen of those pathetic people, and assisted in finishing a few more. Yet still, the thing squirming beneath her plating remained unsatiated. If anything, it was only getting worse, feeling as though it would burst out and start leaking any moment now.

Frustrated, her eyes scanned up ahead for any corpse remains in the hallway. It was still calling on her to finish off those alive, but she wanted to try and settle these sensations first. There were plenty of drones around to keep the survivors trapped, anyway. Once she made her stop, she would get right back to it.

It was difficult, with how terrible her vision was that far out. However, amid the yellow glow, she spotted blobs of color that identified the fancy outfits the humans had been wearing. And where those were, a body was bound to be there, too! ( She almost hoped the dead were all she would run into for the rest of the night, being the lesser of two evils at this point. )

With a feral grin, she zoomed forward through the air, closing the distance in seconds. Once she landed, she looked over the remains of the human. They had been a female in a blue dress once, but most of it was stained crimson now. Their stomach was torn open, exposing hollowed-out insides for all to see. Many of the ribcage bones and other organs - heart included - were not there anymore. All that was left was a deflated torso of skin, much of the blood dry.

Still, the arms and legs were intact, so she could chew on them. She sculked forward, her claws extending to start rending what was left of the body. Her footsteps were heavy, pounding on the ground. She was also keeping her eye out for any other drones flying that might try to steal her snack. This was hers, dammit, and she would-!

Then she heard a crunch under her foot... That of glass breaking, to be precise.

She paused, momentarily confused. This hall had no windows in it, so why was there glass here? Was it the remains of a vase? Or a fallen wine cup? She looked down, deciding to indulge her mild curiosity before continuing toward her meal-

...And beneath her boot, she saw a pair of glasses. Big square ones with brown and black rims, with the left side currently being crushed by her. The lenses glittered in the shifting yellow light, even with a few flakes of dried blood on them.

She lifted her shoe, backing up from the item. She stared at them, her wings twitching. She knew she should be ignoring them in favor of her meal. They were nothing special - just some random pair likely dropped by a fleeing human. They had no relevance to her.

...Yet she found herself frozen, feeling a tug at her mind. The glasses reminding her of... something she lost. Something she-

{Access Denied: Memory is- shsdgknehbjsdjskdmnfiwuimndsl-}

That was all she was able to read before her head exploded with pain... then felt herself falling forward...

Chapter Text

Anyone who did not use a sword, J supposed, would assume that practicing with it was far from a relaxing affair. Mainly those bleeding-heart “anti-weapon” types. Yeah, they focused more on guns and bombs typically, but she had heard similar rhetoric on occasion from visiting guests. For them, all weapons were completely awful, and the governments needed to put up more regulations - basically, a mountain’s worth of complaints.

She saw the point they were trying to make, she supposed. Mankind had a long history of war and bloodshed, which was not a bad thing to want to move away from. However... while nukes, missiles, and certain firearms were better kept from civilians, she personally found the whole thing overblown. Not that she would ever say that to their faces, naturally - she had a reputation to maintain. But a lot of the time, much of that kind of talk seemed... too idealistic, given how inherently selfish humans could be.

The right to bear arms and what constituted as self-defense weapons, though, were not things she wished to debate, regardless. But what she always recognized was the recreational use of weapons, which she classified as “not using them to murder your kind.” Things like hunting animals or range shooting. Some people were able to find enjoyment in that, and she did not see any issues in those circumstances. (Though hunting was a different debate for humans, she had heard.)

But like was said, she did not favor guns... She favored the sword. The slashing of gleaming metal before her optics. The clash of blade against blade, ringing out like a more refined music of battle compared to bangs and explosions. The balance of it in her hand... and making it move like an extension of herself.

And as she practiced with one now... she felt a moment’s peace from all the chaos there lately.

She was semi-aware of her surroundings as she moved through the sparring room. It was not large like the ballrooms, and had a low ceiling that even lacked a chandelier. But the wall lamps provided enough illumination in the windowless room. And the floor, which had various red mats covering it, was spacious enough that if six sets of people wanted to fence, they could do so comfortably. A bit excessive, given the limited use of the room, but she was not complaining.

...She certainly had great admiration for the various swords to the left and right of the entrance on the walls. They came in all kinds of variety, ranging from medieval design, to 1600s Renaissance, classic Japanese styles, and much more. Expertly crafted with intricate designs carved and forged on them, the collection must have been worth a small fortune. The back wall even had paintings of old, famous swordsmen like Miyamoto Musashi for effect.

There was a variety of options the head maid could have chosen from. Rapiers, katanas, claymores - they seemed to have them all, and a nearby room had more than was shown here. But for this little excursion... she was using a longsword. A bit uninspired, given how many of the suits of armor around the manor had them, but... the balancing just worked for her. Fairly heavy, but not enough to slow her down, with the added benefit of adding more strength to her strikes.

And right now... it might as well have been a new limb, as natural as her arms and legs.

She moved along the mats, twirling and slashing with the elegant-looking blade. Each step she took was calculated, keeping her stance firm and strong. She performed a myriad of strikes, stabs, and swings she had done hundreds of times before, along with side steps and blocks. Her eyes were focused on an invisible opponent, whom she was determined to defeat. And to do that... she could not falter or hesitate.

So she kept it up, moving as though pushing back and being forced back by an unseen force. The moves were so clear in her head. She even had a small display on her visor that cycled through various moves for her to perform. And she did so, all while making sure the camera she had set up in the corner could catch it all. She needed more than what her optics could record to improve, after all.

This went on for several minutes, panting from the exertion. And yet... she did not feel irritated or mentally exhausted. Oil was pumping hard through her systems, and... she liked it. A smug smile graced her lips as she went through the motions, well-aware of her own skill... But while she kept up a front for anyone coming in, she was genuinely happy to be doing this.

For the first time in a while... she felt in control. Stable. Alive. This was her element, and she wished that it never had to end.

However, such a thing was only a fantasy, and soon enough, J reached the end of her set routine. She gave one last wide slash, as though bisecting her opponent as she stared ahead. Then... she allowed her head to droop, her arms lowering and the tip of her longsword touching the mat. She took deep breaths, trying to get cool air in to help her systems. There were a few creaks in her joints, but a bit of stretching would sort those out, she knew.

That was the thing about swordplay - it was a physically taxing activity, whether you were human or a drone. And that was even if you were not wearing armor and such like knights and samurai used to. Robo-God knew she pitied those ancient warriors when they had to don their plating for a duel. It had to be torture on a hot day...

But as she caught her breath and got to work on her post-training stretches... she had no regrets. The world seemed just a little clearer to her thanks to that. Even now, the weight of her blade felt comfortable in her hand. Her core felt light in a way it had not since Tessa talked with her about N. The stress there, and all her other problems, was not gone, but for now... it seemed more manageable.

The head maid sighed, wiping digital sweat from her visor. This had... turned out to be a much better distraction than she thought. After over a week of stewing in uncertainty over whether it was okay to indulge in this, she was glad to have finally taken the time to come here. Why have I never taken free time to train here before? That was incredible!

...Well, she knew the answer to that. The big reason was that she did not allow herself free time to indulge in any activities. Any practice she had done before now was by order of the Elliotts to prepare for the Franks' visiting the manor. And while she typically honed previous maneuvers in that time, her routine was often controlled by James, who had a list of requests from their business patterns.

Plus... she had never considered how much she enjoyed swordplay before now. Yes, she had been aware she liked it, but... she never looked deeper into it. She had stayed focused on being a model employee, which often led to her... ignoring her own desires - what few she even had. Being good with blades had just been another job - a way to keep the master and mistress pleased with her performance.

This time was different, though. This was the first time she had set up the entire routine by herself. And instead of being forced to use certain swords for the Franks, she instead got full choice this time around. All of this was done for her own personal enjoyment, and... it had been nice. Better than she ever thought it would be.

A pity that I don’t have a partner for this, though, J lamented. She had found herself longing for the sound of strapping metal and someone else exerting themselves. Granted, it had allowed her to cut loose and not have to hold back like with those sparring sessions she was assigned. (Understandable, since... well, they were still real blades, and she could not be injuring guests.) But it still would have been nice to test her skills against someone.

Unfortunately, most of the drones on staff had little experience, and likely would have sliced their own hands off. Her prospects were not much better among her... friends, either. (It... really was fine to call them that, right?) Tessa might be able to put up a fight, but she was... not quite ready to see her yet. V had the same problem as most other workers, and Cyn’s motor disabilities made her worse than average. And as for N...

...Yeah, brandishing a sword against the guy she had abused for years sounded like a great way to clear the air, and not a corporate management disaster.

So, she was stuck on her own for the time being. She might try to drag someone else in there some other time - maybe act as their teacher in swordplay - but for now, she would stay solo. It would likely be best for everyone if she were in a better headspace than she was right now before doing that. She was doing better, thanks to this, but... she had a long way to go.

But progress was progress, and unlike her usual work, she had no set deadlines. For once, as she went to the racks of swords lining the walls to put away her silvery longsword, her steps were unhurried. There was no fear of being late for anything, or an extra assignment she wanted to get done. Heck, if she wanted, she could do that routine five more times on top of the three she had already done!

Because for the first time she could remember in three years... she had no work. Today, she was completely off the schedule. It was essentially a vacation for her, where she got to do what she wanted with her time. There was nothing to dictate her actions or what to do next - all of it was up to her!

...And dear corporate, was that still unsettling to her.

The head maid swallowed thickly, a bit of her nerves returning. It almost made her want to go back to sparring, but she knew better than to push her body much more than she already had. So instead, she finished putting it up, making sure it went back into the black, golden-lined sheath many of the blades had. Then, it was placed neatly back in place, right next to the cutlasses and rapiers. She took a deep breath, trying to remain calm as she continued to recover from her workout.

Unfortunately, though, not having anything to do just reminded her that... she had no clue what else she even wanted to do. She grimaced, moving to the edge of the mats and sitting down. Head propped up by her hands and arms, she sighed wearily as her mind wandered, the trials ahead of her coming back to her. It was not so overwhelming anymore, but it still made her core constrict... and honestly made her a little depressed.

That last part seemed laughable to her. She knew full well what she sacrificed when she dedicated herself to her work. She had willingly given up the chance for personal hobbies to rise in the corporate ladder. This had not been unknown to her, and she had believed there would be no regrets.

It was only now, though, that... she realized how much she had deceived herself. After her talk with N, when he asked her to try out her hobbies, it truly hit her that... she had very little outside of her job. Yes, she helped Tessa with some of her interests, but she never took time to connect with those. All she had focused on was The Boss’s happiness, with the shows she watched, the books she read... Everything else just being a means to achieve it. A data point for her to analyze and use to “boost her performance.”

In truth... she had nothing. She had no favorite songs, books, games, or even subjects. Everything she had ever mastered and memorized had always been in service of humans. At least, ever since she joined the Elliotts. But even with... her last master, she had not had much opportunity to explore things on her own. And now here she was, given all the freedom any drone could ever dream of, yet feeling like she was dragging her feet.

...Just who was she outside of her job? Was she even anything, or... was she just a drone who did her tasks and nothing more?

J frowned at this, trying to tell herself she was being irrational. She was not a mindless set of programs in a blank shell! Her being so concerned over Tessa’s well-being was proof of that, right? And she had just done something she knew she enjoyed! Her gaze roamed along the various blades, recognizing a small tingle within her to pick one up and do the routine again.

Her situation was not hopeless, she insisted to herself. N had all but said that it was not too late to discover what she liked, and... she wanted to trust him. There was a path before her here, and she could walk it... She just needed to find a way to navigate it.

Practicing with swords is a good place to start, she also pointed out. Now that she had worked up the resolve to try it on her own, she had one hobby she knew she enjoyed. That was better than she knew last week! There were all sorts of avenues she could take with this! Learning new techniques, for one, including ones unique to each blade. And she could also read up more about the history of each type, beyond what she already knew to impress the Franks!

Her core started beating faster at these ideas, a small bit of giddiness welling up within. Was... this a part of what N felt when he was reading to her about dogs two days ago? She doubted it - she was not grinning like a fool like he had been. This small sliver of excitement was also tied more to getting better in her swordplay than learning specific histories, of which she was still questioning the validity of doing. If it served no purpose in advancing herself...

Still... she had to start somewhere, right? Perhaps swords were not as big of a passion to her as the butler with canines, but... it could grow. All she had to do was indulge in it some more, and then there would be a chance for her enjoyment to grow. And maybe by then, she would understand why he was so passionate about them, like he said.

It was a good plan... However, the head maid also knew she needed to find interests beyond this... hobby. (It was... weird to think of those in terms of herself.) Even if she could get others to participate with her in it, consistently doing so was sure to get old fast. Friends tended to have multiple things they shared with one another - that much she knew. Plus, there was a lot of physicality involved with swordplay, obviously, which could wear on them.

But also... she had to painfully acknowledge that this room... might not always be here. The Elliotts only set it up to entertain the Franks, whose private company supplied many resources to JCJenson for drone production. While not the only people who did this, they were a large contributor, and were surprisingly upfront with seemingly no interest in taking advantage of the larger corporation. The two families could even be said to be actual friends, which was a rarity with the Master and Mistress.

However... the Franks were having some recent problems with meeting supply and demand. There were also talks about them being bought out by another entity - JCJenson or otherwise - just to stay afloat in the coming years. In such a case, the other family might be forced to stop coming to the manor for visits to focus on recovery... And with them gone, James and Louisa would almost certainly repurpose this room. Preferably in a way that allowed them to show off more wealth to their guests at parties.

The head maid grimaced, gazing at the racks and paintings. It was... actually hard to imagine this room being gone one day. But while some places in the manor remained consistent, like the bedrooms and library, others often received overhauls according to the Elliotts’ whims and interests. Even the ballrooms had their styles changed to match the themes they wanted.

If that happened, practicing swordplay would be a lot more difficult. Not impossible, perhaps, but... it would require lots of secrecy. And dear corporate, did the idea of going so far behind the backs of her owners frighten her. She may dislike Tessa’s parents, but deceit to serve her own pleasure was not something she had experience with.

Going back to the point, though... With this hobby potentially being in freefall, just what else was there she could try out?

She hummed to herself, tapping her finger against her cheek as her leg bounced slightly. According to her internal clock, it was just passing noon, so she had the entire afternoon to try and find something new to indulge in. The question, though, was what? What could she possibly do that she might be able to share with Tessa and the others?

There was always the collection of books N and S had gathered for her, she acknowledged. Having been in the midst of some very mixed emotions after her first “punishment session” with the former, she had not had it in her to refuse the novels given to her. They had selected some fairly light ones from several genres - nothing too heavy, but allegedly enough for her to see if she found one she liked. The pile was still beside her recharge pod, and nothing was stopping her from grabbing one.

However... she wanted to challenge herself a little bit today. So far, the options given to her were from N’s suggestions and observations. And while she was grateful to him for those... she felt the need to strike out. Not just due to feeling guilty for relying on him so much after all she put him through... but also to prove to herself she was capable of doing so. That she was more than just a corporate busybody.

She smiled sardonically at that. Before, she might have taken being called that as a compliment, no matter how backhanded the other party might use it. Yet now... She still wanted to stand by it, but now, she wanted to add to the title - make herself more than it...

So then, what could she do to accomplish this on her own? She was a planner, after all, so there had to be a strategy she could use! There was no social aspect she had to worry about at this stage - sharing things would come later. This step should therefore be simple, if she just figured out where to look for-

Suddenly, an idea occurred to J, making her eyes widen as she sat up straighter. If she wanted to explore options... then there was a place in the manor that should allow her to do so. Utilizing it, she should be able to learn about all sorts of topics and activities to try out! It was only a matter of hoping one of the computers was open!

...Her only hesitation was that Tessa might be down there. That area was a place she liked to frequent to entertain herself, and she knew the teenager was watching shows with Cyn there these past couple of days, too. However, she tried to reassure herself that it would be fine. For all she knew, The Boss could be over in maintenance today, helping with drone parts. I just need to be careful going in. I’ll take a good look around to see if she’s around or not. If she is, I’ll just fall back on those books after all to avoid her!

...She really should have been prepared for the heavy sting in her core at that last thought.

Wincing, she clutched one hand over it, trying to breathe deeply as she fought to stay calm. It... was only a temporary course of action, she reminded herself. She would talk with Tessa again... eventually. She just wanted to be able to report some worthwhile progress regarding her attempts to repair her bonds with the rest of their group. Yes, she had made significant strides with N, but she just... had to be sure it was enough. Besides, the teen seemed to be trying to give her space, too! It was not only her putting off a conversation!

And yet... this did nothing to discourage the digital tears pricking her eyes.

Swallowing, the head maid glanced around the room while fiddling with her hands... And eventually, her gaze fell back upon the longsword she had just put away. Maybe... just one more routine would help her? It might strain her a little, but she would be sure to rest plenty afterward. (All of her current options regarding how to spend her time after this involved sitting and reading something, anyway...)

She decided to try it, standing up and heading to the weapon... Though not without a bit of annoyance at herself. What had been the point of sheathing the blade if she was just going to practice again a few minutes afterward? You see - this is why I always have a schedule! So that I have an allotted time to do something and work within those parameters. How everyone else is just fine with being more spontaneous is beyond me!

Trying to shake off her self-irritation, she headed toward the blade... but then paused once halfway there. Did... she have to use the same one again, she wondered? While it always felt the best balanced to her, it was hardly the only one of these swords she liked to use. Her routine was designed for the longsword, yes, but with a few modifications...

In fact, her optics drifted toward an option right next to it, almost magnetically. Her gaze soon locked onto the shorter, slightly curved blade in question: the cutlass. A lighter option to be sure, with a history in naval combat as opposed to medieval knights. She was not versed in its history, but while she knew they had been used by some respected navy officers, they were more often associated with pirates.

That probably explained why the hilt of the one she was looking at was shaped like a golden skull. But there were a few other options next to it that seemed to be less silly. And soon... she spotted one that felt more appropriate with a black hilt with a silver guard and accents. She could picture the elegance of the blade within the hilt, too, which was likely tempered with a unique pattern like many of them.

J’s hand twitched as she considered the blade. The cutlass was one of the blades there that she actually had less experience with, on account of the Franks being less interested in them for whatever reason. So maybe she could... make up for that? It... always had seemed like-

But then a million questions flooded her processors: What if someone walked in? Did such a blade convey proper respect and authority like the longsword? Would she be mocked for using a weapon more associated with low-life thugs rather than chivalrous warriors? What if she made a mistake and had to go to maintenance for making a shameful cut on herself? What if-

She blinked hard and hissed, shaking her head. Doing her best to ignore the tremors in her body, she looked at the cutlass a moment longer... then sighed, dismissing it and heading to the longsword again. She would... assess these factors and decide another day if she wanted to practice with the curved blade. Even if she was not working right now... she had an image to uphold. Corporate, it was more important she maintained it now that she was not working! As small as the chance at being seen was, she was too scared to risk it.

She did not want these three years of work to go down the drain... even as she explored her personal desires. She had to balance those with her position within the manor. She could not just be frivolous with what she pursued. That was why her upcoming research was going to be so important! She would find activities that matched her station and add them to her public image! She was the top drone, and what she liked had to reflect that!

...Right?

...She told herself the answer was “yes.” And as she pulled the longsword out once more and went back onto the mats, she pushed it out of her mind. She fell back on her routine, letting her movements with the blade consume her. She could worry about such ridiculous questions later! First, though, she would clear her head with this first hobby of hers... and hopefully eliminate the doubts in her mind before she left this room.

-------

Going down the hallway, J had been worried about there being too large a crowd of drones as she neared her destination. She knew how popular this area had become since Tessa’s parents left among the staff. Everyone seemed obsessed with getting time on the computers now that there was basically unrestricted access. It was to the point that she was actually considering limiting the times some drones were using them, simply because they were taking several hours in one sitting... and then doing it again the next day.

She had questioned if it was even a good idea to let them use these devices to begin with. The data of what they did on them would be saved on the manor’s servers, which James and Louisa could check upon their return. They had a small tolerance of the staff using them on breaks, so long as they did not obstruct them or their guests. But this... She was worried they might find some way to justify punishing them due to all the “slacking.”

That she now qualified for that category with her “vacation” did not help her worries...

Still, she told herself that she was being paranoid. If she was that concerned, she could always get access to the server room and do some deletion of search histories. There were also ways she could spin things to the older Elliotts to keep any ire at bay. There... was also the possibility that Tessa would claim she did it as a “reward system” for everyone, but that was a scenario she would worry about later.

For now, though, her concern was the popularity itself. As she made her way through the halls, far enough into the interior to not have windows outside, she pondered what to do in such a case. This was not one of the peak hours she had noted in the logs of her trusted schedulers, but with how new this way of doing things was, anything could change suddenly. She might just find herself with a line out the door upon arrival, or clusters of groups around every screen within. And if so... doing her research would be a lot harder.

Oh, sure, the head maid could just order any of them to give up their place - she was their superior, after all. But... Well, she knew she was seen as cold among some drones, and she was normally content with that. Such an action, however, seemed like it would sour her respect in ways she did not want. Keeping them on task was one thing, but interrupting their entertainment when there was no work to be done? The cruel words behind her back would only increase from that...

So she needed to be a little more cordial about this, should the need arise. She pondered how she might do this, running through situations. Perhaps... if I offered night access in exchange for it? It’s not like I have to worry too much about them being tired right now with the lack of galas. As long as they’re not on the current rotation, then...

It was a good start, she supposed... but she was not sure she wanted to encourage such behavior. Proper rest for drones was important, just like it was to humans. If she started giving out incentives like that, then who knew what the long-term damage could be? Could she really sacrifice productivity just to help her discover a hobby?

...Or maybe she was overthinking things. She was finding that she did that a lot... and much to her detriment. The delays in her confrontation with N were one sign of that... and perhaps her earlier concerns with the swords qualified.

J groaned, pinching the area where her nose would be as she kept walking. Despite her hopes, her last sword routine had not cleared her head as much as she wanted it to. It had helped her resolve in her current course of action, but her thoughts and concerns did not take long to return. But then again... what had she expected when those served as her recent motivations to make changes in herself?

It was not just regarding the swords... It felt like with every day that passed, there was a new issue she had to contend with. First, it was her hard decision to put space between her and Tessa, which seemed mutual on the other’s part. Then it was the fast acceptance and friendship from N, which only served to deepen her guilt despite her relief. And while she was bad at reading people at times... she just knew V and Cyn had been uncomfortable that she was left alone with the butler. They had to be. He... meant more to them than she did.

The rest of the manor was not in a much better state, either. Drones were starting to go a little manic from their new freedom, which she worried would lead to disruptions and messes. There were also starting to be attempts to get out of what assignments were left for manor maintainment, which was more irksome. If these things persisted or got worse, then oil was sure to spill upon the master and mistress’s return!

...Oh, and apparently I need to deal with a love triangle now, she noted sarcastically. Though, it was not really a triangle - just V being jealous of a new maid hanging out with N. The near-sighted maid apparently thought there was a spark going on there after seeing him and S interact at the library. Without having to say it, it was obvious she thought she could lose the butler to this drone, which...

Okay, romance was far from her specialty - she had never felt that way in her life, as far as she knew. But... did V’s processors need to be looked over? How in corporate’s name did she think she could lose her chances with N? Were both of them actually oblivious to the other’s clear feelings? And that was coming from her! N was just friendly and quick to bond with everyone! How could she possibly-?!

The head maid had to take a deep breath to keep from getting worked up. Still, she felt that familiar urge to pull her pigtails in frustration, which she felt was justified. She had spent two years watching them dance around their feelings for one another! And now, the near-sighted drone felt she had missed her chance when N was doe-eyed as ever? It was... She...!

She tapped her forehead hard before shaking her head, as though it would dispel the thoughts. Worry about that, and everything else, later. Just... focus on building some hobbies for yourself. Then you might be able to relax properly and... not feel as stressed.

Amazing, how she would not have seen the logic in that just over a month prior...

But things were changing, so she kept moving forward. There was nothing she could do right now about many of those issues, anyway. And what ones she could, she did not feel ready for. Right now, the only thing she felt ready to do was discovering more about her interests and... making sure they were presentable.

How she would do that soon came into view as she made a turn into a new hallway. Further down, she saw her destination on the right. The door was not all that grand, compared to the library or any of the ballrooms. It would be easy to pass by and pass off as any other room meant to show off fancy trinkets to guests, in fact, with how ordinary it seemed in comparison to the rest of the manor.

But there was one marking of its difference for people to see. As she got closer, she noted it, too, sitting right next to the door on the wall. It was a golden plaque, like a fancier version of those used to denote office spaces in company buildings. And on it was a rather simple, but important designation: Computer Room B.

There were a total of three of them in the manor, though this one was the largest of them. It had the most computers for others to use... which hopefully increased her odds of finding an open one. And with there being multiple, that also helped better the odds that she might avoid Tessa. If she were at one of the other ones...

Ignoring the fresh pang in her system at that, J looked around carefully. She was heartened by the fact that there were no drones loitering in the corridor waiting to get in. Perhaps the need to give a bribe or force someone off a computer had been unnecessary. It would certainly make this whole process go smoother.

There’s only one way to find out, she mused. Taking a deep breath, she stepped up to the door. She looked around one last time, making sure that none of her friends were around to see her go in. Then, she quickly opened it and stepped inside.

The room was very... uninspired, if she were honest, when compared to the rest of the manor’s splendors. It was simply a long room with the yellow wallpaper that was in Tessa’s bedroom. Like the sword room, only wall lamps provided illumination, and while fairly bright, there was not much to see. There were shelves in the corners with an assortment of books, and a few plastic leaf plants to add some color while not needing to be watered. (She did not know what they were meant to replicate - she never asked V.) Otherwise, though, the room was pretty bare.

The only noteworthy thing about this place was the long wooden table in the middle... and the computers on top of it. There were about twenty of them, with ten on each side of it. Black rolling chairs were set out in front of each one with comfortable cushioning and maneuverability. The PCs themselves were also set up in little wire cages under the table itself, protected from getting kicked and safe from tampering.

As for the monitors... Well, rather than a 21st century style like humans usually obsess over these days, these were done after late 20th century computers. Thus, they were fairly large and blocky with cream-colored casings. The keyboards and mice likewise copied the style, and since these were for “public” use, there was not even an additional scanner for fingerprints. If one ignored the highly advanced-looking PC’s underneath, a person might think they had stepped back in time by over a millennium.

Of course, that was far from the case, the head maid knew. These things were packed with all the best technology of the 31st century, with massive storage space and program running capabilities. They had filters installed that could allow one to experience that 1990s “charm,” but those could be disabled easily enough. As retro as they looked, they were, in reality, great choices for the Elliotts to allow guests to use.

The other drones currently in the room certainly seemed to think so, too. Sixteen of them were being used by various members of the staff. There were also an additional seven standing next to some of them, who were leaning up to see what their companion was doing. The sound of clicking keyboards and mice filled the space as they all got up to various activities.

While those on the other side of the table’s screens were hidden from her, there were seven she could view from here. As she walked down the length of the table, she glanced at a few of them. One maid was playing what looked like some retro-style game, with pixelated graphics in high definition, and involved a blue knight who was jumping up platforms. Another maid, meanwhile, was playing a chess game, with her companion helping to advise her. There was also a butler not playing any games, and seemed to be looking up pictures of... beach resorts?

I guess it’s the closest he’ll ever get to seeing one, she thought - not to be unkind, but simply acknowledging the reality of things. Still, it seemed like a rather big waste of time to her... But then again, a few weeks prior, she would have said the same about playing video games of any kind. Drones like them had better things to do than dedicate processing power to those! The only one she would have given credit to was the one playing chess, since it was an “intellectual” game humans played with them sometimes!

Just another thing that had changed, J supposed. She did not even need N’s input for that one. It was just a realization she had when sorting through her feelings the past several days... And now, she might be looking to see if there were any that were appropriate for someone in her position.

Though, as she made her way to an empty computer at the end of the table, one of the drones finally took notice of her. It was a butler who was at the computer next to it, who glanced her way as he seemed to be booting up a game. “Hm? Hey, A-011, is that you? It’s about time you-” He stopped short as he finally took in her appearance... then gasped, turning in his chair to face her with wide eyes. “J?!”

Everyone else froze in the middle of what they were doing, looking from their positions toward her. They had similar surprised expressions, exchanging glances as though to confirm with one another about what they were seeing. It... made her feel a little uncomfortable, actually. She knew she was not in these places often without orders or in Tessa’s company, but was this that big of a deal?

She hid her discomfort, though, and instead sent the butler who called her out a flat look. “Yes, it’s me. Now, did you need something, or can I continue about my business?”

The drone stammered for a moment, looking at the others. When he turned back to her, his expression was cautious. “You’re, um... not here to call any of us out for a recent failure? Or... force us into working?”

The head maid rolled her eyes, her gaze becoming more of a glare. “Is there anything someone here has done that requires a reprimand, or anyone here avoiding their duties?”

The butler stiffened, posture straightening. “N-no! I just-”

“Then I would appreciate it if you would stop wasting my time, unless you have something to report,” J stated. Her eyes then narrowed, running a quick ID check on the other... and scowling as she happened to recognize his serial code. “Or, if you want to insist... perhaps we can talk more about you trying to run from James’ inspection over two weeks ago?”

That got the drone to flinch. He backed his chair away, looking away awkwardly. “No, that’s... Sorry to bother you, boss.” He gave her one more glance, seeming to debate saying something else. He eventually gave up, though, and returned to what he was doing on his computer.

The head maid cast her gaze upon everyone else, her expression daring them to interrupt her more. But they all wisely snapped their heads back to their computers, unpausing games and returning to what they were doing. Satisfied, she marched toward her chosen computer, clamouring into the chair and settling in.

...She could still feel their glances, though. They eyed her like she was some kind of bomb waiting to go off and end their fun. Or... perhaps they saw her still as an extension of James and Louisa. That with them gone, she was now the enforcer of their will, since Tessa would not do it. She might not have ruined their time off yet... but of course, “cold, cruel J” would do so eventually, right?

That view irritated her... and she found it stung more than before, too. But she let their gazes bounce off of her as she fiddled with the computer. As she always said, she did not care what the staff thought of her. Let them be ungrateful for keeping many of them alive - the butler next to her included! She may be harsh about it, but this was not a place you could afford critical errors. If they thought that made her as bad as the master and mistress, then that was their prerogative. Why bother correcting them?

So long as she made sure they respected her authority regardless... And the ones she actually called friends knew she was not so evil...

J was quick to shake off those thoughts, though - plus the implications of actively viewing the older Elliotts as evil. Her focus was instead put toward the computer’s screen, which she powered on with a simple button press. The screen soon flashed to life, the familiar logo of JCJenson flashing on it. Because of course they built these. With the drone AI they produced, this had to be child's play.

Once prompted, she typed in the generic password for these public computers and got onto the main screen. For a few moments, she was greeted with the grainy, low-resolution quality of the original 90s machines. But a quick mouse click at the corner swiftly corrected this. The instant she pressed it, she was greeted with an HD quality that would have made even late 21st century humans jealous, she was sure, with a myriad of applications to choose from.

She took a second to consider her options, moving her cursor over each one. There was a gaming application where she could browse various choices, which she knew of thanks to N, unwitting as that had been. (Why it was called “Steam Classic” confused her, though.) There was also one for playing music, and for watching shows and movies. (She at least recognized the “rebooted” names of Spotify and Netflix.) There was even a whole separate engine for anime (“Japanese Light,” which she did not think had a connection to anything).

There was an option for just about every specific activity and hobby she could ask for. Through these applications, she could discover an interest that suited her and hopefully distracted her from her complete lack of productivity. The possibilities were only limited by what she managed to find in her searches.

...And suddenly, she found herself paralyzed by that complete openness.

The head maid swallowed, careful to keep her expression neutral due to the glances she kept getting. On the inside, though, she was panicking a little, which was ridiculous to her. This was simple research! There was no need to overreact about it! Other drones did it all the time, and were doing it at this very moment in this room! This should be no problem for her,  the top member of staff!

Yet looking at the screen... questions soon bothered her. What if her searches brought up something highly inappropriate? If some gaudy game appeared on screen, or crude music started playing, how would that reflect upon her? Would anyone believe she had not meant to do so?

She did not even have a cord to send the sound directly to her audio receptors, which she now felt stupid for not bringing. Some of the other drones in that room were using some, the wires going from the sides of the computers into ports on the back of their necks. How silly did she already look for not doing the same? Were... they reevaluating her? Were they actively waiting to see her humiliate herself more?

Was she already losing respect? Was... s-she in danger of being forgo-?

J blinked hard, digging her fingers into her palms. Taking a deep breath, she tried to let go of the worst of her worries. Things were... going to be fine. All she had to do was be careful with her search terms. Surely she could avoid accidentally bringing up something sexual or gruesome. She helped Tessa with her searches all the time, after all! Some of that had to translate into skills she could use here!

...But, just in case, she decided to start her searches on an application that she felt was... forgivable if that stuff came up. Thus, she moved the mouse over and clicked on the engine labeled “Rebooted Chrome.” A window opened up in response, the multi-colored letters of the logo sitting right above an empty search bar.

This was the perfect place to start, she told herself, and it was not even just due to her concerns. This was a generic search engine, which meant she could look up information on anything. She could access reviews on games, find out more about music artists in different genres, and get plot summaries of shows and movies. Why she had even considered using any of the other engines was baffling to her when she had this to work with!

Now, all she needed to do was put in appropriate queries into the search bar. She made the motion of cracking her fingers in front of her, a smirk gracing her lips. It was time to prove to herself that there was no need to be so concerned over this. By the end of the hour, she was sure she would have a few results to show for her efforts.

After all, how hard could finding new interests be when you had the internet?

-------

...The answer, as it turned out, was incredibly hard.

Six hours. That was how long J had been sitting in front of that damn computer screen. Six hours of typing words into the search engine. Six hours of trying different inquiries and seeing what results came up. Six hours of trying to navigate them all and finding something that caught her eye as potentially being a worthy hobby.

And for all of that effort and time... she had zero new interests to show for it.

Admitting that to herself made her want to growl. Her hands clenched the table hard as she stared at her currently blank screen, having cleared out the previous results. The flash of the cursor line in the search bar seemed to be mocking her, as if teasing her to try typing in something else. To try again after so much fruitless searching. The two-hundredth time’s the charm, right?

This complete lack of progress was having a hard time computing in her processors. Was there not still an epidemic of humans to this day being addicted to their screens? That must have meant that they were able to keep themselves entertained in some way with these devices, right? JCJenson quite literally did what they could to exploit this fact!

So if they could all do it, why was she having such trouble? She was a machine, too, for corporate’s sake! Even if she was not directly interfaced in, this should have been a far simpler matter for her than for them, according to logic! She should have been drowning in options by now... And yet she was not.

This time, a hiss did leave her, which she tried to suppress... Though, there was not much point right then. The computer room was empty now, with her as the sole occupant. Not only had the drones who had been here slowly left one by one, but nobody new had cycled in to take their place. It was like they were suddenly not as interested in the devices.

...She knew it was because of her presence, however. They had all been uncomfortable with her to begin with, but her growing frustration with her searches seemed to seal the deal for them. Those simply browsing slowly left one by one, while those who had been playing games found good stopping points before exiting. It was about four hours ago that the last of them left, and she was sure word had gotten around about where she was at this point. She could just imagine the staff passing by outside, avoiding the door like it was a vicious beast.

Yet even with this semi-isolation, she did not lash out. No matter how much she wanted to pound the table or tear her hair out, she tried to at least pretend that she was composed. There always existed a chance someone could walk in, and... she could not afford to look unprofessional. Not when she did not even have work as an excuse for any cracks in her facade. She had to be seen as the model employee.

...The head maid did not feel like she was one currently, though. Just... how had she reached such a stubborn standstill? Why was it so hard to find things she liked that befitted her position? Why was... nothing “clicking” for her, like she often heard Tessa say in regards to hobbies?

She had kept within all the standards she had set for herself! The music she had played had been only the most highly rated classical songs and orchestras, like anyone of refined taste was supposed to listen to! She had narrowed down her search for games to ones of deep, philosophical nature or high-level strategy. Similar criteria had been set for the shows and movies she browsed, too.

She had looked through and read about so many... yet nothing had called to her. Some she had found mildly interesting, but they did not draw her in like swords and their techniques did. She had even confirmed this by doing a quick search regarding longswords at one point. It had been the only part of this afternoon that she felt she had been truly invested in her searches. Everything else, however... It felt like watching paint dry would have been more productive.

It made no sense to her. Swordplay was the activity of refined people (at least the way she did it), so why did nothing else “refined” stick out to her? Those were what was appropriate for her to be attracted to! It also would work as a counter-balance to the interests of her friends. That was important for friendships, was it not?

Had she just not put enough effort into this? Was all of her previous stress throwing her off and making her overlook what was in front of her? Or... was she looking in the wrong-?

J shook her head, not wanting to consider that. Any other option than what she was pursuing would lead to judgment she did not want. She would be seen as weird, and... it could be used against her to make her lose her position. She just... had to keep looking. Find better artists and game publishers to research. Something was bound to keep her interest eventually!

It was... hard to keep her motivation when feeling like a failure, however.

Unable to help it this time, she groaned and put her head on the table, burying it in her arms. That was just the story of her life for half a month now, huh? She was failing at everything, no matter how hard she tried. Every single thing she-

...Or, well, she supposed that was not quite true. She had talked with N and cleared the air somewhat between them. That was technically a success... but that was mostly due to his caring nature - not anything from her. Plus, while he considered her a friend, he had explicitly not forgiven her for all the abuse. And she still had no clue how to start moving toward that goal... or if it was even possible.

Regardless, however, everything had piled onto her over these few weeks. She may not be as tired anymore, but the burden was not gone. Yet, how to alleviate the weight seemed to be constantly out of her grasp. It just existed, threatening to make her crumble all over again if she ever faltered.

And the head maid certainly felt like she was faltering. She had thought she had made herself an excellent drone over the years, in terms of her skills. Now, though... she was confronted with the holes she had left in them. Communication, non-education-related research... All things she had considered either irrelevant or that she could compensate for in other ways. She was seeing now how short-sighted she was, however.

...Was she even worthy of being the model employee people looked to?

Digital tears pricked her eyes, which she tried to blink away as she lifted her head some. She... she could not accept that! S-she would push through this and prove not only that she was a good employee, but also more than that! There were still a few hours before drones would be returning to their pods! If she just tried a few more searches, then surely-

Off to her side, the doorknob suddenly shook. Then the door opened as footsteps entered.

J froze briefly, before shooting straight up into a proper sitting position. She rubbed her visor furiously for a second to clear it, hoping the new arrival was not looking her way. Then, she started to type away on the search engine while keeping her eyes firmly on the screen. It was actually a prompt she had done earlier, but she was just trying to look busy.

You see? she admonished herself. This is why you don’t let your guard down! There’s always a chance someone could catch you like that! She prayed to corporate that she had gotten herself composed quickly enough... But she could berate herself more later. Now, she just needed to maintain her appearance while the drone that had come in did whatever business they had. She did not glance their way for good measure, trying to look absorbed in her work like any of them would likely suspect.

She waited to hear them take one of the other computers - likely as far from her as possible, given today’s patterns. However... after a few seconds, she did not hear so much as any chair wheels rolling. And, in fact... the person seemed to be walking her direction, their steps seeming deliberately light.

She frowned, confused by this turn of events. Was... this person not here to use the computers? Perhaps they were a messenger sent to report some incident elsewhere in the manor? In which case, she appreciated their diligence, even if a text would have been enough. But... the timing could not be worse, given her inner turmoil. She was not even sure her visor was blank, her masking feature being too buggy lately to use properly.

Given this, she decided to send whoever it was off, speaking aloud without turning. “Whatever the issue is, please report it to one of the other schedulers. I’m currently busy with important research, and am... in the middle of mandatory time-off.”

She expected that to be the end, most staff usually seeming glad to not prolong talking with her. However, the footsteps did not recede, and instead stopped just a foot or two away. She suppressed a fresh growl, turning her head in the opposite direction to avoid her expression being seen. Dear corporate, can this drone not take the hint?

Giving a long exhale, she tried to be firmer this time in her tone, not masking her annoyance this time. “I said go find another member of staff! Whatever you’re trying to report cannot possibly be important enough to ignore a direct order! Unless the manor is burning down, you-”

“What about... me just wanting to see how one of my drones is doing?” the person asked... But she recognized the voice, and it definitely did not come from a drone.

The head maid froze, eyes hollowing out. With agonizing slowness, she turned her head, hoping her optics would show that her audio receptors were playing tricks on her. When she turned enough, though... her worst fears were confirmed. Light brown skin, black hair... and soft, kind green eyes - human eyes - that matched the small smile on her lips.

Tessa had come to visit her... and the moment that clicked, she panicked.

It was only for a second, to be fair, but it was enough to make her give a half-scream and jump back... And that had the unfortunate effect of toppling her chair over backward. Before she even knew what was happening, she was falling out of it as it crashed, tumbling along the floor as pain flashed through her body.

It took her a moment to get oriented, flipping her body so that she was on her hands and knees. She sucked in a breath, feeling lingering aches along her plating. They felt a little more intense than they probably should, thanks to the strain of her workout earlier, but thankfully, nothing seemed to be broken... The only injury she had received was to her pride.

That only got worse as Tessa came to her side in a flash, helping her stand up. Her eyes were wide with shock as she checked her over. “J-bird! Are you okay?! Does it hurt badly anywhere? Why did-?”

Blushing from the humiliation of it all, J quickly stumbled backward out of her reach once on her feet. She sputtered, trying to give some kind of coherent explanation. “T-that was just... I didn’t... You see, I... You... I was...”

She tried and failed to finish a sentence for several seconds. Eventually, though... she just gave up. Looking away with a grimace, she stiffly brushed off her maid uniform and tried to straighten it out. Following old habits, she soon stood at attention, arms firmly at her sides. Then, with a plastered smile, she spoke as professionally as she could. “G-good evening, Boss! And to what do I owe this visit?”

The teenager frowned, clearly not convinced by her paper-thin facade. “J...”

The head maid’s smile faltered... and despite herself, she found a small plea leaving her mouth. “B-Boss... Please...”

Tessa’s eyes widened briefly, but after a moment... she seemed to get the message. Sighing, she reluctantly let that little incident drop as she stood up herself. She turned away briefly to fix the chair that had fallen, which thankfully seemed undamaged. She... also set a black satchel onto the table, which the drone only just realized she had. A familiar one, too, whose contents she took great pride in protecting...

But the head maid did not focus on it for now. Her eyes instead remained solely on the human as she tidied up the small mess. Her core pounded, a sense of fear filling her. She felt awful for the emotion, given that it was her favorite person in the entire manor she was facing. Yet she could not help it, given the circumstances.

For two to three weeks, the two had not been talking. What interactions they had in that time were brief, with herself especially being quick to make an exit when possible. She had expected the pattern to persist for a few more weeks while she prepared, as terrible as it would have been for her. It would have been in service of being able to report some good progress, though!

However... the teenager had clearly decided that it was time to have a conversation. The way she had entered the room and approached her immediately was proof of it. She had known she was here and had sought her out. Whatever patience she had been receiving appeared to have run out... and she was expected to stay without anything needing to be said.

...She almost wanted to run anyway. The door was not locked, unlike with N a week ago. She could leave and find any corner of the manor to hide in. She could even threaten to put anyone who saw her on the schedule more if they said a word to the human. All just so she could have some more time to prepare.

But... J could never do that to her. Not when she knew how much it would hurt her. So she stood her ground, keeping herself at attention as she waited to be addressed again. It was time to face her first round of evaluations, it seemed... and she could only hope what meager progress she had made would get her praise.

After what felt like an eternity, Tessa finished cleaning up around the computer. Humming in satisfaction, she turned back to her... and looked briefly shocked to see she had not moved. It was hard to read her expression afterward, the drone’s facial software acting up again. “Um... J, you can stop standing like that.”

Blush marks appearing again on her visor, the head maid nodded and dropped her stance. She remained stiff, though, as she clasped her hands together, trying not to shake. “O-of course, Boss! Sorry! It’s been a while since I’ve-”

“Just Tessa right now, please,” the teenager requested.

Flinching, J looked down and slowly nodded. “Right... Of course, B- Tessa. It’s just... force of habit when I’m... Uh...”

“Nervous?” Tessa offered kindly, her smile sad but understanding.

The head maid nodded, fiddling with her fingers. Not wanting to focus on the mixed emotions in her core, though, she tried to shift topics as she looked at her again. “S-so... what brings you here? Needed to... look up something?” Even if she knew the real reason, she still wanted to hear it from the girl herself.

Sure enough, the teenager sighed at this, looking a little forlorn. “One thing, yes. But... I also wanted to check up on you. I’d heard that you had been held up here for hours. The first half of it was worrying enough, but when I learned you had not left even after I had finished dinner...”

J almost winced at this, but held back. Instead, she forced out some chuckles, hoping her smile looked more sincere than it felt. “Ah, well, you know... just being thorough is all! The internet is a place of endless information, as they say!” She tried to wave this off. “I hope dinner was fine for you, though! What did you have? Was anything not prepared correctly? I can talk with the kitchen staff if they-”

“J,” Tessa interrupted, her voice firm. When the drone immediately went silent, she released a heavy breath, pinching her nose. “Please don’t try to avoid this. I... I’m worried about you.” She met her gaze, her eyes filled with sorrow. “You’ve been avoiding me for weeks now! You haven’t even stopped by my room at all to wake me up, or wish me goodnight, or... just say ‘hello.’ And I don’t want to guilt you into talking, but...”

The head maid felt her core seizing up, her eyes widening. She spoke up, getting the sinking feeling that there was a miscommunication here. “But... haven’t you been avoiding me, too? To give me space to work through things? I-I thought that I interpreted that correctly!”

“At first, yes,” the teenager admitted before sighing again. “But... I didn’t want it to go on this long. I... miss being able to talk with you.”

That officially made J’s feel cold all over, regret climbing up her back. She had thought the avoidance was mutual, but... she had miscalculated. She had failed to take in new data the past several days - signs that The Boss wanted to talk - due to being caught in her own processors. And as a result, she had caused her friend distress.

Fighting to keep her voice steady, she stared up at the black-haired girl apologetically. “I... I’m so sorry. I wasn’t trying to... If I had known, I would have tried to find you, I promise.” She rubbed her arm as she looked away, biting her lips. “I only wanted to make sure that... I had proper progress to report to you regarding the assignment you gave me.”

Tessa frowned at this. “You mean... my request to be nicer to N? It’s not an ‘assignment.’”

The head maid blinked, momentarily confused as she turned her head back. “But... aren’t those the same thing?”

“...I guess in your view,” the teenager said, lips quirking up slightly. She then took a breath, stepping closer and kneeling in front of her. “Anyway... how’s that going for you? I’ve heard things from N’s side, but I’d love to hear your view on things.”

J tensed even more, still feeling wholly unprepared for reporting on that. However, she did not have an excuse to avoid it. Plus, knowing N, he had likely tried to paint her in a favorable light, which would soften any emotional blows coming... Though she had no clue if he had exaggerated her progress.

Regardless, with a sigh, she answered the question, quietly yet truthfully. “We are... on speaking terms, at least. He has told me that we are friends, but earning forgiveness for my actions currently has... several obstacles. All of my own making, naturally, which I must accept. But discovering an avenue to move past that shall take time.

“Though, we at least came to an understanding on how to punish me for my transgressions. Given my dislike of his ramblings about dogs, he is reading them from books in the library at designated times for an hour. They are being conducted three times a week, with the next one being tomorrow.” She grimaced lightly. “It... feels underwhelming as a punishment, despite the frustration it causes me. But he selected it, and asking him of all drones to be more severe would be a fool’s effort.”

Tessa tilted her head, green eyes curious. “Well, it’s certainly a unique dynamic you two have settled on. I can’t say I understand it, but at the same time, it... also very much fits you both.”

The head maid frowned, her head tilting, too. “Is... that a good thing in this case?”

Chuckling, the teenager smiled and nodded. “Yes, J-bird, it is. You might not think much of it, but all attempts to mend bridges have to start somewhere. And I think you’ll find that it is going to help you a lot in the end, being exposed to him like that.”

J looked down briefly in consideration. It was certainly true that to get past her lingering animosity toward N, the best method was exposure therapy. Every moment with him while avoiding being hostile helped toward that goal. Yet... she did not see how listening to dog facts specifically was going to help any more with that.

Whatever the case, though, she just shrugged as she looked back at the human. “If you say so, Bo- Tessa.” She grimaced more deeply this time. “But... I do deserve a lot harsher treatment from him.”

Tessa shrugged. “I wouldn’t say that... but I won’t argue about it for your sake.” She then glanced around, humming to herself. “But anyway, what’s brought you down here? I thought you hated ‘wasting time’ in front of a screen unless it was for work. And I know for a fact you’re on vacation right now! Good for you, by the way, girl!”

Blushing, the head maid shifted on her feet. “T-thank you. The change of pace has been... interesting.” She paused, her posture deflating... then spoke without thinking. “Though... it hasn’t been going too well so far.”

That got the teenager to frown, concern returning to her expression. “Huh? What does that mean? What happened?”

J flinched, not having meant to say anything. The last thing she wanted was to make The Boss worry more than she already was. But, perhaps due to their time apart, she was feeling more... vulnerable, and it had slipped out. A full afternoon of dead-end searches likely had not helped there, either.

She wanted to take back what she said, but she knew she would not be believed if she tried to deflect. And, she begrudgingly acknowledged that... she desperately needed help unless she wanted to short-circuit herself trying to find hobbies. Whatever she was doing wrong, she needed a fresh direction.

...She just wished it was with V or someone. She had just been hit with the fact that her actions had been causing unintentional harm to her best friend. Showing off more of her incompetence could lower her image with her...

There was no good way out of this, however. Thus, swallowing thickly and avoiding eye contact, she chose her words very carefully. “It’s... I’m not sure if N said anything, but he was the one who suggested I try... taking time off. He said it might help me de-stress and clear my head. Plus, since I didn’t really have hobbies before, he thought I could discover-”

“Wait, WHAT?!” Tessa exclaimed, startling her. Taking a deep breath, the human raised her hands, though she still looked flabbergasted. “Sorry about that. But... what do you mean you don’t have hobbies?! What have you been doing these past three years then when you don’t have to work?!”

“...Supervising?” the head maid answered hesitantly. She twirled one of her pigtails with her fingers, shrinking in on herself as she elaborated further. “I’d also look for... any assignments that had fallen behind... Or help you with whatever you needed...” She dared to look at her. “W-what did you think I did, then?”

“I assumed you did the stuff we do together!” the teenager said, shaking her head in disbelief. “I thought you liked the videos we watched together, and the mechanics stuff!”

J could only shrug helplessly. “I mean, I was glad to help you with those things, but... I was always focused on you. Your well-being is my top priority! All I wanted was to make you happy, so I didn’t... think about if I liked any of it too deeply.”

Tessa stared at her for a moment... Then she looked away, too, putting a hand on her head as she murmured half to herself. “That... Fuck. I never realized... I always knew how much you liked to work, but... How did I never...?”

The head maid swallowed again, shrinking further. She... had already failed this conversation. Now the green-eyed girl was more upset than ever! And over another thing that had been the status quo for years now. Was... I ever doing anything right beyond my work? Is this why she doesn’t like me as much as N? He’s probably a natural at this.

...And meanwhile, it’s looking like I... never stopped being sub-optimal.

The thought made her eyes water with digital tears. Unable to stop from trembling, she tried to force out an apology from her suddenly tight throat. “I... I’m sorry, boss. I-I wasn’t trying to... I-I only wanted...”

The teenager snapped out of her thoughts, her eyes quickly widening at the drone. She moved closer once more, putting her hands on her shoulders as she looked half-panicked. “J? Hey, J-bird! Talk to me, please! What’s wrong?! What do you need?!”

J tried to answer her, but for a while, no words seemed to form. She just looked down, crying enough that she knew that if she were human, she might have started to dampen the floor and her uniform. Her breathing was rapid, her core feeling so unbearably tight, yet also so hollow on the inside.

She... was not supposed to be acting like this. It had been mortifying enough with N, but with Tessa as well... She was supposed to be past this. She was better than she was with her previous masters. Feeling this... small and pathetic was supposed to be beneath her now. She had worked so hard to make it so. The swordplay earlier was supposed to help prevent this!

But it was like she was back to where she started... And it was going to cause her to fall further from grace. The teenager was never going to trust her to be strong again. The respect she had managed to keep after N took her position as the favorite was about to shrivel up before her eyes because she could not speak. She was going to be seen as weak, sub-optimal-

A warm hand was placed directly over her core then. Breath hitching, her gaze darted upward... and was met with Tessa’s steady gaze. The young woman spoke slowly and calmly, appearing to make sure she understood. “Take a few deep breaths, J-bird. Follow along as I do it. Can you do that for me?”

Everything seemed still for a moment... Then the head maid nodded, shakily taking her first deep breath. The teenager did as well, giving her something to copy. She found herself fixated on it, as though it were the most interesting thing in the world. It grounded her, piercing past a static she had not realized was building in her mind.

Her internal clock showed only two minutes had passed, but it felt longer. Yet despite that, her digital tears slowed down, and the pounding in her core lessened. Soon, her trembling had stopped, her legs stabilizing beneath her. (It was a miracle she had not fallen forward, she dimly noted.) She was tired, but despite the lines of exhaustion on her visor... she was thinking clearly again.

There was silence for a few seconds as she was allowed to get her bearings. Somehow, she was still making eye contact, which she did not break as she finally got a word out. “...Thanks.”

“No problem, J-bird,” the black-haired girl whispered, looking a little wrung herself. Taking another deep breath, her expression softened as she frowned sadly. “But... can you explain why that happened?”

Pursing her lips, J had to blink away a fresh set of tears. Though while she struggled to articulate her feelings, she did her best. “I... I keep disappointing you. I keep doing things wrong, and... I-I know I’m not progressing as fast as you’d like, but if I just had more time-!”

“J, keep breathing!” Tessa commanded. Once the drone took a few more, the human sighed and continued. “You’re fine, J - honestly. What’s going on between you and N... It hurts what I let fester. I won’t ever deny that. But you both are making progress, and that’s what matters. If I were unhappy with how either of you was handling things, I swear I would have intervened.”

Her hand went up to her visor, her thumbs gently rubbing the area where the drone’s eyes were. It cleared up the remaining tears as she cupped her face, giving her a meaningful look. “But I haven’t, because you’re doing fine. I understand that healing takes time - believe me. And I know you aren’t used to doing this. Yet you’re doing remarkably well! And even if he doesn’t ‘forgive’ you for a long time... I know you can be a great friend to him.”

...It took a lot out of the head maid to not burst into tears yet again. She whimpered in her best friend’s hands, trying so hard to take the other’s words into her core. The reassurances of the other had never failed to soothe her in the past, and this time was no different. She... knew The Boss would never lie about this. It meant she was making good progress after all.

And yet... she noticed her other endeavor had been avoided. She could not tell if it was because the green-eyed girl valued it less or if she was deliberately avoiding it. Yet either way, she dared to inquire about it in a small voice. “And... my pursuit of hobbies?”

At this, the teenager’s expression fell, her eyes casting downwards. “I... wish I had known sooner. If I knew you didn’t like the stuff we did together as much as I had thought...”

J sucked in a breath, immediately trying to shake her head. “I-I didn’t hate doing any of it! Your hobbies are fine! I mean, all the engineering stuff is just expected, given your interest in drones! And from what I know, the Portal games are a classic in puzzle-solving involving-!”

“I didn’t say you hated it!” Tessa exclaimed. Breathing deeply, she gazed at her with sorrow. “But... why do you not have any hobbies? You know I’d never have a problem with it. My parents might have grumbled, but they would have tolerated it, at least.”

The head maid looked away once more, debating her next words. She... just knew her friend was not going to like it. She was catching on to the pattern of this... But she saw no way she could get out of this without answering honestly again, so...

“...I was too scared of being seen as inefficient if I neglected my duties,” she answered quietly. “By... you most of all.”

...In that moment, she found herself glad her facial recognition was malfunctioning again. She knew the expression the teenager had was likely worse than before, but she could not read the depths of her despair. It stymied the initial sting... yet her imagination slowly filling in the blanks started to make her question that stance.

Swallowing, she wrung her hands more, trying to help the matter. “I-I don’t have zero hobbies anymore! I was practicing with the swords we had earlier. I... really liked that! Who knew, right? I guess it makes sense that a drone would like something that’s metal-adjacent!”

“J-bird...”

“I’ve only reached a small delay with expanding upon this, I reassure you! My criteria clearly have a flaw within them somewhere! Perhaps I’ve been looking in the wrong era for each of the appropriate genres. Or I need to... admittedly loosen the stances a little bit. Not so much as to lose what is acceptable, but with a bit more skirting of the line-!”

“J, you-”

“I also need to accept that I’ll likely scrap a few of them as interests along the way. Not everyone listens to music, or plays any sort of video games! The latter is fairly common among wealthy home situations like ours! T-that probably explains a lot of it, right? I’m trying to force things that just aren’t going to happen! My searches can’t be nearly as flawed as I-”

“J!!!”

Jumping, J blinked and focused on the human again... And she officially decided that not being able to read her expression was worse in this situation. Wide eyes were rarely good, and the way they... slightly shook was not a great sign, either. That she was not following up that exclamation with anything, either, was...

But... what precisely was she upset about? Was it her utter failure to find any new hobbies? That... did not sound like The Boss, but still. Or was she in an unpresentable state again? She had gotten better at maintaining her appearance once more, but without her masking program...

Whatever the reason, though... she was making her sad again. She was failing both her and herself in one fell swoop. Everything was a jumbled mess within her processors. She had no clue where she went wrong, or how to correct, or... if she had things right to even begin with-

Those fears quickly boiled over, and with a thick swallow, she looked at her friend with rapidly hollowing eyes. With a small, frail voice, a question left her mouth. “I... I’m doing good, right? I’m on the right path? You’re not... disappointed in me?”

...Tessa’s expression barely changed for several seconds. But then, sighing heavily, she looked away and answered. “...No, J. I’m not disappointed in you... Only in myself.”

That was... not exactly reassuring. The head maid’s eyes widened, unable to hide her bafflement. Why would...? “Huh? Would you ever be-?”

“J,” the teenager whispered. There was no authority in her voice she could discern, yet it still locked the drone in place. Taking a deep breath, those unreadable green eyes went back to her. “I need you to listen very carefully, okay? Just follow a few instructions and... try to take what I say at face value, okay? What I say is what I mean. And if you need clarification, just ask - don’t assume. Okay?”

J swallowed again, feeling nervous for new reasons she could not comprehend. But... The Boss was asking this of her, and she was never one to disobey so long as it did not threaten the other’s safety. So she nodded silently, trying to stand straight as she awaited instructions.

Tessa seemed to give her a moment... or maybe was still processing things herself. Regardless, she eventually shifted out of her way, gesturing at the computer. “Can you show me the searches you’ve been using really quick? This isn’t a ‘corporate evaluation,’ or me passing judgment. I just have a hunch of where you went wrong and want to confirm it to help you. As a friend. Got it?”

The head maid did not bother saying that those things were synonymous with “corporate evaluation” to her. She... was too paranoid about causing her more distress. So she just nodded again, slowly moving past her. She got back onto her chair and pulled it close to the computer. Then, with a few clicks of the mouse, she brought up the search history on the engine she had been using.

The teenager took the mouse from there as she stepped up beside her. For several minutes, she went through the different inquiries she had tried to use to find hobbies and interests. She even opened a few on new tabs to see what sites and pages she had been looking at specifically. All the while, her expression did not get worse... but it did not get better, either, leaving the drone to try and not squirm in her seat while she did this.

Soon, the black-haired girl appeared done with looking through her searches, closing the history and the extra tabs she opened. Another long sigh left her as she hung her head, which made the pigtailed drone want to wilt even more. Yet she tried to maintain her position, not having any clue of how to act.

Then... her friend looked at her again, a frown on her lips. “J... explain to me briefly why you think you have to like classical music, or ‘philosophical’ games, or... any of that.”

Taken aback by this, J nonetheless tried to explain despite her belief that it was evident. “Because... I’m the head maid. There are expectations of me! These interests are what best ensure that my reputation is not called into question!” She paused, then tried to add on a bit of evidence to help her case. “Plus... my favorite sword is the medieval longsword. That... correlates to love of the classical, doesn’t it?”

Tessa tilted her head. “Are you asking me that, or telling me?”

After another pause, the head maid could only shrug, once more wringing her hands. “It’s just... self-evident, isn’t it? Or... makes sense?”

The teenager studied her for a moment, then shrugged herself. “I do see your logic... I think. And it’s good you tried to narrow your searches down in some way. Searching aimlessly can eat up lots of time when you’re trying to find something, especially when you don’t know what that ‘something’ even is.”

J nodded, finally feeling a little validated. “Exactly! That’s why my criteria is-”

“However,” Tessa interjected, pausing only for a second to ensure she had her attention. “I want it to be clear that how you began this hunt was good. But I think... if you haven’t found anything at this point, then you might need to search in other areas.” She made eye contact with her. “As in, music and games that you seem to have dubbed ‘improper’ for you.”

...The words did not compute for the head maid for a long moment. She gaped, feeling like she had just heard a foreign language her systems could not translate. “Are... you serious?”

The teenager nodded. “It’ll take a lot of time to do. But if your guesses aren’t working and you’re committed to this...”

J just continued to stare, slowly trying to shake her head. “B-but... those aren’t for me! If I stray too far from-!”

“Who said they weren’t?” Tessa demanded.

The head maid stopped short, gaze snapping back to her. “Huh?”

“Who said that those other genres and activities - whatever is in your head right now - aren’t for you?” the teenager elaborated. “Because it sure as hell wasn’t me. And I doubt my parents even care enough to know your guys’ interests beyond what benefits them, like N’s bartending and V’s gardening. So, who said this to you?”

J sputtered, struggling to give a proper response. “I- No one! It’s just... standard, isn’t it? The way things are supposed to operate?” She tried to put confidence in her tone... but with every word, her voice became more uncertain. Her eyes even drifted to the screen, the browser showing her last search - a collection of songs from Beethoven. A cliché choice from what she had gathered, but she had been revisiting him after her initial failure to see if she had just chosen some bad pieces.

But it had not worked. His music was good, but it just lacked the call to her that swordplay did... And why did she think she could force it? No matter what James and Louisa did, they were never able to force The Boss to like things they wished her to. Why would it be different when trying to do the same for herself? Yet given what she knew about the standards of a position like hers...

At this point, she had moved her hands to fiddle with her uniform. She frowned, doing her best not to whimper. “Is... there something wrong with me? Is my reasoning... flawed?”

Tessa shook her head immediately. “No! I don’t know where you got all of your ‘criteria’ from, but your interests not aligning with it doesn’t mean you're broken, malfunctioning, or any other term you drones use!” She placed a hand on her shoulder. “That’s just life, J-bird. It doesn’t matter how high or low in it you are - your hobbies can be anything. I mean, just look at me, smelling of oil since I was half my size despite being heir to the biggest company to have ever existed!”

The head maid took a deep breath, closing her eyes and trying to focus on the hand put on her. Logically, she saw the truth in all of her points. Her best friend’s interests far deviated from what would be considered “appropriate,” both by her parents and society as a whole. And... there was nothing wrong with her for that. She had never thought anything was wrong with her for that.

So, theoretically... the same should apply to her. That was the point she knew the human was trying to make. She could almost touch the sentiment, and she truly appreciated it. And perhaps deep down, she wanted to accept it.

However... she just could not do it. She gulped, slowly opening her eyes as her voice remained small. “But... if my interests are beyond what I’ve looked up, I... don’t want anyone to know.”

The teenager raised an eyebrow, though not unkindly, best she could tell. “Why not?”

J tried to explain it, but after a few aborted sentences, she just sighed and hung her head. “I... I just don’t. It seems... embarrassing? Like I’m... admitting defeat. And I’ve done that plenty here lately for much more legitimate reasons...”

Tessa hummed, and this time she could read that there was no judgment in her expression. “That’s fine, J. Sometimes, our hobbies embarrass us.” She snickered lightly. “Like, I’m pretty sure V has a secret genre of books she likes, based on a word or two I’ve heard. No clue what it is, though, and that’s okay. It’s her business. So if you don’t want to share whatever you find at first with everyone-”

“But someone could catch me!” the head maid exclaimed, burying her face in her hands in despair. “The staff avoided this room today to avoid me, but once my being here is a more regular occurrence, they’ll start staying around. If they see me looking at such unprofessional things, I...” She sighed again after a pause. “I... I don’t know. I normally don’t care what they think, but this...”

The teenager frowned, looking down in thought. She was not expecting the human to be able to help, though. These computers, and the ones in the other rooms, were the only ones she had access to, after all. And even if she were foolish enough to try and get into the room with James and Louisa’s shared personal computer, her software likely had measures to stop her from using it. They would have taken their laptops on their trip, too. So it was not like-

Suddenly, the black-haired girl perked up. She moved away for a moment, picking up the nearly forgotten satchel she had brought in. “Hold on. I was originally going to be downloading a few programs onto here with one of these computers’ help, but...”

She opened up the bag and reached inside... And from within, she pulled out a sleek black laptop. Unlike the retro-style model setups around them, this one looked new and advanced. In the center on top was the logo of JCJenson in silver, shining even in the dim lighting of the manor. It had the look of a powerful, portable machine at a glance.

...The stickers decorating it kind of diminished from this, though. Some were cartoonish renditions of tools and drones, but a few were colorful renditions of what she believed were classic Pokémon from N. (She thinks the green one he had called a... Snivy? The brown dog, though, she knew was a Lillipup, for whatever that was worth.) They stood out poorly on the model, but they undeniably fit the owner, so who was J to judge?

Though... she had no clue where The Boss was going with this. Her eyes went between the device and the girl in confusion, not knowing why she was getting that out. The device was mostly used for the other to work on drone software and the like over in maintenance, and occasionally look at the staff schedule. Rarely did she use it to search for entertainment due to the retro-styles, ironically, having better video quality and playback.

Plus... there was no need to tempt fate any more than the drone-work already did and cause it to get confiscated. It had its social media capabilities limited already, much like her phone, thanks to her parents. If she was going to be punished for a few of her searches regardless, it may as well be from usage of the public ones.

So she had no idea why the green-eyed girl was bringing it out, especially in the middle of a conversation. She scooted her chair closer, getting ready to question it. “Bo- Tessa? Why-?”

She was cut off as Tessa moved to her again... then suddenly shoved the laptop into her hands. Before any words could leave her, the human stepped back as she instinctively wrapped her fingers on it, holding it aloft. Her friend seemed satisfied, smiling as she put her hands on her hips. “Well, that ought to solve your problem!”

...The head maid blinked, starting to lose track of how many times it felt like her processors had stalled. “Excuse me?”

The teenager shrugged. “You want privacy, right? Well, you can take that wherever you’d like to search in peace! Can’t promise you the best game performance - I’ve shoved a lot of programs for other stuff onto there already. But as long as you keep most of those shut off, you should be able to do whatever you need to on there!”

...The implication really should have hit J sooner, she knew. Even as her eyes focused on the laptop, she had to ask the question aloud just to be sure. “You’re... giving this to me?”

“For a few weeks, yeah,” Tessa confirmed, her tone nonchalant. “I’ll let you know in advance if I need to steal it back for a while, though, on any day. I can always test what I wanted on some of the actual maintenance laptops for now, anyway.” She giggled lightly. “It would actually be smarter in case I run into a virus.”

The head maid blinked a few more times... Then, all at once, her breath caught as her eyes immediately hollowed. She shook her head violently, trying to hold the device back out. “I-I can’t accept this!”

The teenager, frustratingly, only rolled her eyes. “Yeah, I knew this was coming...”

“Don’t be casual about this!” J demanded, shaking the laptop once. “This is one of the most important items you have for your daily life! One of the few luxuries that you actually enjoy, too! I can’t simply-!”

“You can and will,” Tessa said firmly. “Do you think I, the owner, am unaware of these things? I’m giving it to you anyway, though, because I think it’ll help.”

The head maid pursed her lips, still trying to argue. “But... what if you need-?”

This time, hands were put on both of her shoulders. Tensing briefly, she looked up, staring into the eyes of the human. And despite her facial recognition still not working... she felt the care in her gaze. The kindness. It was a look given to her a few times over the years, and it never failed to ease any knots in her core.

The teenager took a deep breath, her words careful once more. “J-bird... I promise you that this is fine. I don’t mind giving it to you for a while. I’ve done it before with N, and even V, which I’m going to guess you were unaware of. The only reason I never gave it to you was that you never expressed interest. And yes, I don’t normally give it out for as long as I’m planning to with you, but... I trust you to be careful with it.”

She studied her for a second, seeming to note her uncertainty. Then, after a sigh, she added on. “And if it helps, let me put it this way. You are... a remarkable employee with an exemplary track record. And as such, as your ‘boss,’ I trust you to take good care of ‘sensitive equipment.’ This is a sign of how good of a job you have done for me, and will continue to do in the future, not because you have to...” She smiled softly. “...but because we’re friends.”

J managed to maintain eye contact for a few moments as she processed this. The attempt to put it into “corporate speech,” as the others put it, was... quite touching, too. Slowly, her gaze went to the laptop, optics roaming its smooth surface and silly stickers. She still felt uneasy holding it, but after such a vote of confidence... And also knowing the other was not going to back down from this...

It took a while longer, the two of them remaining silent. But then... she pulled in the laptop and held it against her chest. Her arms circled around it protectively, yet gently, as she looked down and whispered. “...Okay.”

Tessa smiled again, a bit more subdued this time, as she squeezed her shoulders. “You don’t need to be scared of this, J-bird. Enjoy the privacy while trying to find some hobbies, alright? I’m sure you’ll find some things eventually. You just need to - and I don’t say this to criticize - loosen up a little. Once you do, you’ll find all sorts of opportunities, I guarantee it. But take your time - I know this is all new to you.”

Taking another breath, she stood up, dusting off her hands. “But we’d probably best save that for tomorrow, don’t you think, girl? It’s getting late, and we could both use some sleep.” She patted the satchel on the table. “I’ll leave you this. If anyone asks, then just say I gave you permission to use it for a ‘special assignment,’ or whatever you think will save face. Not that I think you even need to!” She turned around, heading to the door. “See you around, J-bird! I hope today means we can... talk a little more.”

The head maid did not respond immediately, continuing to look down as she held the laptop. She... was grateful for the confidence put in her to be given this. She would be lying if she said she did not see the benefits, as well. Like her friend said, this would give her a chance to have plenty of privacy. All she needed to do was find an empty room, and she could search whatever topics she wanted. She could find her hobbies in peace.

...Yet her core still felt heavy from this encounter... Especially after hearing the small waiver in the other’s voice just then.

She was unable to keep quiet about it, speaking aloud as the human reached the door. “I’m not an ‘exemplary’ employee, though... And you are disappointed in me.”

The teen paused, hand on the doorknob, as she turned her head. She did not bother letting her interject, though, as she pushed on without glancing her way. “I... I disappointed you about N all of these years, which should not have required your intervention to solve. I’ve avoided you to prepare myself for a talk like this, which only hurt you. And now... I know my lack of hobbies until now has upset you.”

She swallowed, her eyes watering with digital tears. “I tried so hard to be the best drone for you, but... it’s like I did everything wrong. None of the things I did... You appreciate them, but they aren’t what you wanted from me. I... I realize that now.” Her arms became a little tighter around the laptop. “I’m trying to correct my errors. I really am. But this isn’t going how either of us wanted, I’m guessing.”

A hollow laugh left her. “To think... I thought I was feeling stronger earlier. Yet here I am, still struggling to pick up the pieces.” Her eyes darted to her friend, her head lifting slightly. “I’ll... keep trying, though. I’ll be better for you! I-I’ll... be a drone you can be proud of!”

Tessa was not looking her way anymore, and was just facing the door. She did not leave, though, as she seemed deep in thought. J watched her, waiting to hear a response. A compliment, a critique - just anything else she could work with. A confirmation that she was on the right track and-

“Don’t just improve for my sake,” the teenager replied, tone mostly unreadable, but... definitely sad. “Do it... for yours as well. To become more of your own person because you want to be. Not to get my approval...”

With that, she opened the door and stepped out, leaving the drone behind. The head maid could only blink, not... sure what to think about that. What... was wrong about wanting her approval? Tessa was her friend - her boss! She set this all in motion! Should she not... confer this stuff with her?

The answer to that eluded her... Yet she knew the other was upset by her own last words. That made her frown, her core twisting up inside. She set aside the laptop first, then proceeded to curl up in her chair. She remained there, forlornly looking at the screen of the computer she had been using. It had not gone dark yet... her last search just sitting there and mocking her.

Why...? she questioned. Why was it so hard to find a hobby for her? Why was it difficult for her to realize what she was doing wrong? Why could she not have found a way to end her first real talk with Tessa in weeks on a happier note? Why could her software - her ability to read the mood - work like everyone else’s?

...Why could she not be normal?

=======

J never knew the process of walking could be so... difficult. She had her fair share of days being tired from... Well, the specifics were fuzzy, but she had done a lot of work. That much she knew. It had worn her out and made getting around hard many times.

This was different, though. Those times, she could grit through the exhaustion and pain to get to where she needed to be. But right now... it truly felt like every step could be her last. Her legs felt like they were filled with solid lead. Every movement seemed to send pricks of pain through her systems... And worse, it felt like the thing wiggling inside of her was getting more eager, practically pounding the inside of her plating.

She gritted her teeth and kept moving forward, however. No matter how badly she wanted to shut down and collapse, she kept using her legs. Her sword helped, being used as an impromptu walking cane now. She pushed it forward again, embedding it into the wooden floor with strength she did not mean to use. But she did not let that distract her from her goals as she made her way into the next hallway.

Its invasion of her mind was causing enough annoyance there, anyway...

That foreign, unnatural code kept digging through her processors. It poked and prodded, looking for any weakness so it could delete more of her mind. It was twisting what memories it could still access to taunt her, too, the sensations being... horribly indescribable.

Yet she did not give it any ground. She kept pushing back, creating whatever mental defenses she could and just hitting with raw, digital force. It made the pain she was feeling worse, but she did not care.

Because despite its efforts... she still remembered N and V. Their appearances and so much of their time together... It was all so clear in her data banks. Even as context failed and eluded her for certain events, she still felt their bond... Her friendship with them. And while there was a hole caused by the human she had forgotten, the particulars of many of their encounters were still there as well, remarkably enough.

She was fighting back... and she was winning. Something that she could feel was deeply angering It. No doubt it was not used to being denied like this, but it clearly was taking this a little more personally. A bit surprising, given what she knew about it - how insignificant she figured they all were in its view. But then again... there was likely some influence from her.

Regardless, it was staying persistent. The taunting had stopped a while ago as it kept up the effort. Its attention seemed... divided now. As though it was having trouble elsewhere, too. And while it might normally have much more power than this, she imagined, it was still getting used to being this free. That was probably giving her an edge right now... and she hoped the same was true for her friends, too.

But she knew it was not going to let this stand. If it could not hack her directly anymore, then it would try something else to make her obey. So before that happened, she resolved to make it as far as she could. To move through as much of this place’s halls as possible as she searched for everyone. Already, she was a fourth of the way through the current corridor, straining her optics against the bright yellow glow everywhere.

She would find everyone. She had no clue how, but... she would, one way or another. She would drag N and V out of there if she had to and get them to whatever area of the swamp outside could be considered safe. And hopefully, she would run into the human and... finally remember them. ( Their name... It started with a T, right?) All of them would be fine - nobody left behind!

...Well, that was not true, was it? She was stuck here - made a part of that monster. But... she could not think of how to rescue her, especially like this. She wanted to, but first it... would be best for everyone else to retreat. They would come back for her once being hacked was no longer an issue.

She just... hoped Cyn would understand... That they would mend things-

A noise came from above - metal scraping and meat twisting. Wood cracked as something large above broke pieces of the roof. And suddenly... the tendrils up there seemed to change the way they were slithering.

She tensed, her sword raised for her to take another step. If not for the pain, she would have sighed... as she realized Its intent. Rather brutal and direct, but it was not shocking... Not when drone bodies were easily replaceable.

Assuming it would give her a new one if it succeeded.

That thought helped her to put some extra force into her jump as she leaped off to the side. And as she rolled along the floor, a sharp tendril struck the ground where she had been standing.  More limbs with sharp edges descended down soon after all around her... Then, as one, they came upon her as she barely got to her feet...

Chapter Text

Well... it was officially day ten without Tessa’s parents. Not that N was interested in keeping count, necessarily. It was just easy to keep track so far with how many... events had been happening in his life. One drone had also set up a board in a pretty frequented part of the manor to add tallies onto, so he supposed all he would ever have to do was look at that in the future.

It was kind of amusing how everyone was treating the older Elliotts being gone. For the majority of staff, it was like they had just been given tickets to a party that was never supposed to end. Wherever he went, he would find tables covered in cards and poker chips, or board games in various states of progression on the ground. (He was unsurprised when he saw a monopoly board flipped over once.) He had heard about the slight mania that had been spreading like a virus, and he indeed questioned the sanity of some drones he had seen with too-wide smiles.

Years of oppression had not quelled any desires to cut loose, it seemed. If anything, it had only caused it so that, now that the time was here, it was exploding more violently. It felt like only the shift managers, along with J and Tessa’s presence, were stopping everyone from causing any actual damage. But at the rate things were going, he himself was beginning to wonder if they would soon have to deal with slackers on the work that still needed doing.

For them, it was like their whole world had changed... But for him, things felt... pretty normal, all things considered.

The butler was sure that if he said that to anyone, even his friends, he would get odd looks. He was not referring to how he handled his days, though. Those were different in so many ways - barely any work, more time to read and play the games he liked, and much more! He was excited by these new opportunities, and had taken advantage of this new free time.

However... he still felt the same. He did not have any desire to go crazy about any of it, or rush to do every last little thing he could think of. Unlike everyone else, it seemed, he recognized that he had time to do the things he wanted. And sure, he could get really into activities once he was actually doing them, but then, was that not just normal? They were all things he did before James and Louisa left, too.

So, yeah, he felt fairly normal. It helped that all of his favorite people were still here, of course. They were who mattered most to him in his life, so naturally, he gravitated toward them fairly often. This was a prime opportunity to meet with them without restriction or the need for caution, and while he was not going to be “manic” about it, he was going to ensure he gave everyone the time they needed.

...Especially since it seemed that, for them, this free time was making them have to face various problems now.

N frowned, pacing around in Tessa’s room. He had come there earlier, hoping to meet her and talk about certain things. It seemed that the teenager was elsewhere, though - likely skipping through the halls, or maybe spending time in maintenance. (She had to be ecstatic about getting to go there without being scolded and beaten.) Out of their group, the freedom they had appeared to make her the most eager, and who could blame her? With parents like hers, any human child would probably be much the same in her position!

He was fine with this, despite what his circles in the middle of the room might suggest. She could take as long as she needed doing whatever she wanted. He was nothing but happy to see her so... unburdened for once in her life. No suitors to worry about, or “corrections” from her parents - it was just her and the drones she trusted most. He would never dream of interrupting that for her.

Although... he did admit that he was running out of things to do. The dog fact book he brought, lying on the pink blanket on the bed, he had fully read through now. He had tried to bring out one of the doll houses and play, but it just... did not feel the same without Cyn. And while he had been tempted to run out to try and find her, he genuinely did not know where he would even start. She was not helping V in the greenhouse today, so really, it would be more likely for her to suddenly appear trying to find him! She could not hope to get lucky like a couple of days ago.

And besides... she was kind of what he wanted to talk to Tessa about. V and J as well. It felt like it would be too awkward to bring them here, then send them away once the human arrived. He did not want to give off the impression he was upset with them or anything.

...But he was worried about them - deeply so.

Sighing, the butler stopped in place, scratching the back of his head. His eyes scanned the room, trying to find some other form of entertainment. Maybe the teenager had left one of her books in here? It would likely be a robotics and engineering one, but he would take it. He loved learning new things! Or he could try playing with the dolls again. Whatever made the time go by a little faster.

Of course, he could also just leave and come back later. He could almost hear the computer he always used in Computer Room 1 calling to him, filled with his favorite Pokémon emulators. But he held off for now, not wanting to miss her. If she’s not here in half an hour, we’ll leave and try again after dinner. Or I can try again tomorrow morning. Whatever’s most convenient!

So he kept looking around for some options. He considered the window, where the rain had lightened up considerably outside until it was now only a drizzle, thinking about admiring the limited view. He eyed the various doll houses, wondering which one could make for a great setting to play pretend with. He turned to the bed and-

...And his eyes locked onto the chain that was there at its foot.

N stiffened, unable to tear his gaze away from it. That chain... The source of so much pain for Tessa. A literal, physical representation of the chains James and Louisa had around her constantly. It glimmered in the dim lighting of the room, as though it thought of itself as something great. And even with regular cleaning done to it... he swore he could see the faint hints of where the teen had bled on it before.

His core felt too tight in his chest all of a sudden. He... he hated that thing. He hated everything that it represented. It showed that the older Elliotts truly held no parental love for their child. It was a stark reminder of the pain she had gone through in the past. Too many times, he had to see his friend wearing it, unable to do anything without getting her into more trouble.

And despite James and Louisa being gone, it was. Still. There.

Slowly, he found himself walking up to it, grabbing the length and lifting it up before him. Despite himself, he started glaring at the links of metal. It had always been an intruder in this place that should have been comforting to a growing child. When in use, it sucked away any of that warmth, however. It was terrible and... he wanted it gone. All of them did.

But... they could not get rid of it. No matter their hatred, it remained as just another problem that one of his friends had to deal with. It made his hands tremble, just wishing there was something - anything - he could do about this. To just once not have to see this terrible thing when he happened to be waiting in here for Tessa. But he could not without-

Then the butler stopped, blinking once. There was a spark of clarity in his circuits, wiping away his anger in an instant. Because... the older Elliotts were the ones who would punish them if something happened to it. However, as he just acknowledged... they were not there. They would not be able to see if... it was broken at all while they were away.

His gaze shifted to the end of the bed where the chain was connected. The end of it was drilled directly into the leg, as it had been for far longer than even J had been around. It was secured in, with the wooden frame it was attached to being both sturdy and heavy. Without power tools, there was no way to remove it safely. It would cause damage that they would not be able to cover up without buying material, which would surely be noticed.

However... he could break the chain link that connected it to the rest of the length. There were plenty of replacements stored somewhere in the manor, he knew. There had been problems with wearing before on the chain, so Louisa kept a supply. Yet he doubted she kept track of how many they actually had. So if one was broken and replaced way down the line when they were coming back...

Replacing a chain length was not always easy... but that was well worth getting it out of sight until then, was it not?

...The immediate answer was, of course, yes.

Smiling widely, N wasted no time gripping the chain link connecting the rest to the bed. He hooked his fingers around it, applying as much pressure as he could with the leverage he managed. He was rewarded with the groaning of metal, his drone strength having a considerably more effect than his human friend could ever hope to achieve.

That did not mean it was easy, though. The link was tough, clearly having been chosen with workers like him in mind. He groaned, gritting his teeth as his finger’s plating scratched along the chain. A warning even appeared on his visor, warning him that he was causing minor damage to the digit.

But he kept at it. He would not risk biting and potentially damaging more links, not wanting to increase the chances of suspicion later. For that same reason, he tried not to pull on the bed’s leg, either. He just used his fingers and hand, a bit of digital sweat going down his screen.

He... he could do this. He could do this one thing for Tessa. He... could properly help one of his friends. He owed it to her for all she did for them... And he needed this quick reminder that he was not powerless regarding everyone’s problems.

He could be helpful. He could do something about J’s crumbling confidence. He could find a way to cheer up Cyn, no matter what was troubling her. He could figure out what was going on with V and... why she seemed upset with him. Why she was acting so strangely, and treating him differently, and all of them making his core ache-

And then, a loud snap resounded in the room, followed by small pieces of metal hitting the floor.

The butler gasped, clutching his hand to his chest as he dropped the rest of the chain. Looking down at it, he inspected the damage, and was relieved to see it was not too bad. Some decent scratches that were sending stings through his system, but nothing that could not be easily fixed. He may even be able to simply have it buffered out!

His optics then went to the ground, admiring his handiwork. The chain was now free from the bed, sitting limp like a dead snake. He could also see the broken pieces of the link, which had bounced slightly under the piece of furniture. The attachment on the leg was still present, naturally, but he would leave that be for now.

A sudden spring to his step, he more than happily gathered up the chain - even humming while he did so. For a brief moment, he considered taking it elsewhere in the manor, but decided against it. He had no clue if any members of staff would be so low as to report his actions to Tessa’s parents when they returned for an easy reward. He liked to think most of them would not, but... could he blame them for wanting a little favor in a place like this?

So instead, he did the next best thing. Walking to the bed’s side, he leaned down and tossed the bunched-up length under it. It rattled as it slid to being near the center, then fell still. Leaning up, it was already like it had never even been here. Some shifting of the sheets, though, helped to further obscure the underside.

Stepping back, he once again looked at the end of the bed. The piece of metal on the leg stood out quite poorly, but that hardly mattered to him. For the first time... it looked like a normal bed. A place where someone could sleep without having to worry about being trapped in this room.

For once... Tessa’s bedroom felt completely safe.

The butler let out a contented sigh, dusting off his hands. Then he chuckled quietly to himself, running his hand through his hair and under his hard hat. Heh... wow. When was the last time I did anything like that so impulsively? It was so quick, I... Robo-God, I can’t believe I actually did that. J’s going to have an aneurysm over me taking this risk.

Still, he did not feel particularly bad about doing it. Compared to everything else going on, this felt relatively minor, anyway. Besides, he had been being a good drone otherwise the last several days. Surely he was allowed to have one little moment of acting out... especially if it was on the teenager’s behalf.

He felt a lot freer from doing that, too. After a quick stretch, he turned to look at a dollhouse he had set on the floor earlier. It was... a late 1800s German-style villa, he thought? Or at least an idealistic version of one. He did not think those old homes had golden lines on them, but he could be wrong. The dolls he had left beside it were definitely styled from Britain, though.

He gave up on playing with it all a little earlier. But now, after that, he felt a little more invigorated to try again. So, he walked back over and sat down, picking up some of the dolls. Holding up a woman in a blue, poofy dress, he cleared his throat and did his best feminine voice. “‘Oh, dear Count... um, Helsing? Oh, where are you, sir? I have traveled all this way to your lovely home!’”

Grabbing a male doll in a black suit, he held it up and started talking in his best German accent... which he was sure was completely butchered. “‘Ah! My Lady... Elsing! It does so warm my soul that you have answered my letters! Come. We shall begin discussing the matter of you and my son immediately!’”

The rest of the playing continued on like this after N opened up the dollhouse by a seam in its middle, exposing the interior. He moved the dolls around as though they were walking, giving them little voices as they discussed “political marriage” and other things common in that time. Or, he thought those were common - he did not read that kind of history much. But it was not much different from what Cyn liked to roleplay.

Doing this still... was not the same without her. Despite her flat voice, she always had ways of bringing these characters to life. Perhaps it was her passion in trying to do so, even without being able to add inflections to her voice, that made it so special. But regardless, it was probably always going to feel like something was missing doing this without her.

He was able to get more into it than before, though. He even smiled as he kept on with his poor attempt at making classical conversations. His whole core felt lighter now - not unburdened, but he was pretty much back to his usual self. I guess even I need an outlet sometimes for my frustration, huh?

N could just imagine the surprised faces of most of the staff if they heard that. Him? Frustrated? Angry in any way? They would be tripping over themselves, wondering what had happened! They would probably assume there had been a murder of a human!

But he did get frustrated... All the time. He was just usually better at dealing with it and letting it go. And it was typically not for himself... More often, he felt that way on behalf of others. This time was certainly no exception...

He tried not to dwell on that too much as he kept playing. But his worries remained in the back of his mind as a small simmer that could not be totally ignored. A lot had been happening these last few weeks - that was even obvious to those outside of their group. Which almost felt ironic, since James and Louisa being gone should have meant that everyone should be feeling better about life, right? That was what was logical, anyway.

Unfortunately, though, logic and emotions did not always get along. And the latter had been running high for everyone in various ways. Not that he did not understand why - a lot of revelations had been had, along with reflections on the past. They were also important things that needed to be addressed, and they had to start somewhere, no matter how rocky.

...Though he had noticed that he seemed to be at the center of a lot of it. All without having tried to do so. He had just... been himself with his friends. And yet that seemed to have done plenty on its own...

The butler shook his head, scolding himself internally. He knew that was an unfair way of looking at things. No doubt the others would insist he had done nothing wrong, too. J especially seemed to be trying to hammer that home with him to make up for her years of... bad treatment. But even so, that did not change that he seemed to be a part of a lot of this, regardless of whether anyone or no one was at fault.

He was the center of J’s animosity and insecurity, for one. The first part he had always known, though it felt strange to acknowledge the second. In the past, his boss had rarely shown such weakness in front of him, but now, she always seemed to be in a state of guilt around him. She was skittish - paranoid about her word choice. Just that morning, he had read her dog facts again, and not only had she been tense... but she had been more subdued than the first time. As though something new was troubling her, which increased his concerns now...

Then there was Cyn - his poor sister who always seemed to be scared of... something. Oh, she did her best to hide it from him most of the time, with her goofy antics and her teasing about his crush on V. But as her big brother, he knew that her fear was always there, deep down. And here recently, it seemed that it had made her more paranoid than normal. She was loosening up again - she always did - but despite having seen the pattern before, he still fretted over her.

And V... He had no clue what had even happened there. Ever since his first excursion to the library with J three days ago, she had just been... different. Her anxiety and shyness had seemed to increase twofold, and not in any good ways. She... even appeared to be avoiding him now. She was not exactly running from him, but still, in the last two times he had found her to talk, her core clearly was not in the conversation. She seemed so unhappy... and it felt like it was his fault, somehow.

It... all seemed to link back to him in one way or another. The situation with his sister less so, but she still was not eager to share with him what was going on. It was all a dark cloud hanging over them all, and he could not help but worry about what this all might do to them.

...And here he was, pretty much okay and undamaged. What exactly were his troubles here recently? Not knowing how to plan a birthday for Tessa? Annoyance with a dumb chain that could not do anything to harm the teen? He seemed to be getting off laughably easily while everyone around him was suffering in some way.

...That was why he wanted to help so much, N supposed. As their friend, he wanted to do what he could to help them get through this bad time. If he was going to be tangled up in so much of it, then that was all the more reason, even if it was not his fault. They all deserved to be as happy as possible, after all.

He would find a way to do this... He just needed a bit of clarity on some things. To talk it out, if nothing else. That was why he was there. Because if there was anyone he could rely on to help him clear his head, it was-

The door opened then, footsteps coming closer. Perking up, he turned his head to the entrance, and smiled as he saw Tessa approaching... Though, it soon morphed into a frown as he noticed she did not look very happy. She did not appear haggard, per se, like J had over a week ago, but she still seemed tired and distracted. Her posture was slumped, and she was rubbing her arms carefully. He could not even focus on the fact that she had removed the bandage entirely, the mark still visible but no longer swollen or anything.

Did... I choose a bad time? he wondered. That... would just match the luck everyone seemed to have recently. Plus, thinking about it, she would be noticing the problems going on with J, especially. That had to be worrying her, too... on top of any other issues that she may be reflecting on. Though he did not dare assume anything there.

Still, he was already here, so he might as well test the waters. Thus, he put down the dolls and stood up, approaching her. He cleared his throat and brought back his smile, waving at the human with his usual cheer. “Hey, Tessa! Good to see you!”

The teenager jumped a bit, apparently not having noticed him until then. Now, though, her attention was on him, her eyes wide. “N? What are you...?”

The butler chuckled. “What? I can’t visit my favorite human in the whole world?” He smiled... though it faltered when the other actually flinched at this. He tilted his head, easing his stance. “I... also wanted to talk to you about some problems I’m having, but if now’s a bad time-”

“NO!” Tessa shouted, startling them both. She then took a deep breath, looking off to the side and rubbing her arm. “I mean... You can stay. Honestly, I... could use a bit of company.”

N hummed, stepping up beside her and taking her hand to lead her to the bed. “That bad of a day, huh?”

“Today was fine,” the teenager said, letting out a sigh. (Her hand also twitched around his, he noticed, and did not grab it back.) “There’s just been some things on my mind since yesterday. Not to mention some more... personal...” She trailed off, her eyes looking at the end of her bed - specifically the legs. Then, she looked down at him. “Um, N? Where’s... the chain?”

Smirking, the butler shook his head while displaying pride. “Oh... you won’t have to see that thing for a while now.” He grinned proudly... then more sheepishly as he rubbed the back of his head. “So long as you don’t look under your bed. Hehehe...”

Tessa blinked, not appearing to know what to say. “But... why?”

“...You deserve a break from having to face that thing,” N stated, his tone dropping to something more serious. “For the next few months, this room is well and truly yours. Not theirs. So enjoy it while it lasts.”

The teenager continued to stare, looking back at the bed's end as they climbed onto the mattress. Then, with another sigh... she looked back at him and smiled tiredly. “Thank you, N. I... hope you know how to fix it before they get back, though.”

“It’ll be easy,” the butler reassured... though he had to hide a little confusion. It looked like for a moment that she was going to hug him, yet held back. That was not usual from her - she normally could not seem to hug them enough! But he kept quiet for now, wanting to see if that behavior repeated any more.

There was a brief silence as they sat there, having reached the center of the mattress. It was not exactly uncomfortable, but... there was a weight to it. He could tell she was worried about whatever it was he wanted to discuss, just as he was with her. So they both tried to collect their thoughts and be ready to discuss things.

Eventually, he decided to be the one to end it. He chuckled a bit, leading off with a joke as he grinned, hoping that would put his friend at ease. “You know, it seems like I’ve only come in here to talk about problems recently. I need to change that sometime.”

His efforts worked as he was rewarded by a snort from Tessa, along with a grin. “Two times is hardly a problem. Though, if you want to start learning how to braid my hair again, I could always use an extra hand there.”

N snorted right back. “Are you kidding? I got your hair all tangled up into knots last time! I’m no good with hair!”

“It’ll be good for you to know!” the teenager argued. “We can do it on wigs if you want, but I am teaching you one way or another! If not so you can help me... then because it could help you if you ever get a special lady drone.~” She wiggled her eyebrows at this, her smirk making it clear she was thinking of someone specific.

The butler blushed, knowing who she was referring to... which also caused a small pain in his core. But he managed to hide that as he squirmed, trying to remove the signs of embarrassment from his visor. “Tesssaaaa!”

Said girl raised her hands in mock surrender, barely suppressing her giggles. “Alright, alright! I’ll stop! You’re plenty impressive as is, anyway.”

“...Being a clutz is impressive to girls?”

“It is if you’re a cute clutz. Of which you qualify several times over.”

N shook his head in exasperation, but still smiled. This was exactly the kind of quick banter he was hoping for. When things were not too serious, it was always good to have a laugh and relax before going into worse matters.

...But he did not plan to avoid the matters at hand. His smile fading, he looked to the side, rubbing the back of his neck. “Um... Not to shift things too abruptly, but... did you want to start this conversation, or...?”

Tessa waved at him, shifting her position so that she was lying on her stomach. “You can take the reins here. You’re the one who was waiting on me, after all! It always makes me feel better when I can help you, too.”

I feel the same, the butler thought. He then tapped his chin, trying to decide which topic to start with. What was going on with J was kind of just... regular news at this point, and he had given updates before now, so he decided to leave that until last. Between the other two, though...

In the end... he decided to start with the most recent happenings, and the one he was most lost about. Thus, he met his friend’s eyes nervously. “Well... There are a few things, but, uh... You see, there’s something that has happened with me and V, and...”

The teenager frowned. “I... don’t like the tone you have. What’s going on with you two?”

“...I upset her somehow,” N answered quietly, looking down. “And... I don’t know how to fix whatever I did.” A few digital tears appeared in the corners of his eyes, surprising himself. I guess it’s getting to me a little more than I realized.

The reaction was immediate from Tessa. Her eyes widened, and whatever hesitation she had about touching him seemed to vanish as she scrambled forward onto her knees and grabbed his face. She gaped, her disbelief evident. “Wha...? V? Upset with you? Why? What happened?!”

“I don’t know - that’s the problem!” the butler exclaimed, leaning back and throwing his arms wide. “We were fine until about three days ago! Now she’s not sticking around as much when I talk with her, and...” He took a deep breath, then exhaled as he attempted to calm down. “I don’t... think she’s mad at me, exactly. But I don’t know how to fix it.” He grimaced. “I had a small hope that maybe you knew something and could lead me in the right direction, but I... guess not.”

The teenager shook her head, not looking happy herself about that. “I’m afraid not. But maybe I can help you work it out? Like, what were you doing before you noticed her behavior starting to change around you?”

N shrugged. “Well, that would be when I was in the library with J. I was reading to her as part of her ‘punishment’ like I was telling you about, and V found us! Things were fine at first. You know, just the... normal amounts of awkward.” He blushed again, but shook it off as he sighed. “But I guess I did something while I was there. It was afterward that things became a... bad kind of awkward, if that makes sense.”

Tessa tilted her head, looking curious. “Is that all? Was it just you three?”

“No, V had Cyn with her,” the butler said. Then he perked up, smiling some again. “Oh, and S! She showed up rather suddenly wanting me to help her pick out some books!” He paused, digital eyebrows furrowing. “Hm... You know, actually, now that I’m thinking about it, V seemed a bit tense when she showed up.”

The teenager blinked, a quick emotion flashing through her eyes too fast for him to process. “Wait... really?”

N nodded, looking away while rubbing his chin absentmindedly. “Yeah. S and I did some searching for books J might like, and some for her. We did pretty well on that, too, if I might say! I didn’t even trip while holding all of the ones we collected!” He hummed. “But... V was a bit weird then, too. She followed us around and helped give input, which, hey - greatly appreciated! I didn’t think any of it was too out of character then, but now...”

He scratched the side of his head, thinking out loud. “She said she was dealing with glitches in her systems, but... did she lie?” He grimaced at the thought, always thinking they were quite honest with each other... besides him with his feelings. Still, he continued. “Did maybe something... happen between the two of them? Like, they met before but were trying to play it off to not make things awkward?”

The idea felt a little weak, honestly... though not completely without merit. As much as it had seemed like the two of them had only met then, it would not be the first time he missed something in his excitement to help his friends. So maybe V had her own encounter with S, like he and Tessa did? And perhaps... it did not go well?

That was, unfortunately, something they had to deal with in the past. While some staff were jealous of the positions of him and his friends, some occasionally became more envious of one of them in particular. More often it was Cyn, due to how little his sister worked, yet got special treatment. But it did happen to the rest of them sometimes - hence why he could not completely dismiss the idea.

The butler really hoped this was not the case. He... deeply cared for V, and S was proving to be a good friend to hang out with. He was worried about how picking sides between any feud they had going on would affect them further. Still, he could try to keep a closer eye out to figure out for sure about this.

It was about then that he looked back at the human, wanting her input. “What do you think? Has there been any commotion around the manor recently with them involved that you know about?”

...The teenager did not answer him at first. She was looking down, muttering to herself in what seemed to be... disbelief. “...But surely V wouldn’t... Like, he only has eyes for...! What reason would she have to...?”

N blinked, tilting his head at her. “Um... Tessa? What are...?”

Shaking her head, said girl focused back on him, her gaze critical. “Um... So, you were just saying how something might have happened between them, right? And thus, she’s acting weird because you’re spending time with someone she dislikes.” She leaned closer. “Though... have you considered that the reason is much more... simple? Not due to any bad interactions, but having to do with... personal feelings?”

...The male drone could only stare at her blankly. “...You’ve lost me.”

Tessa sighed, gesturing vaguely to the side. “I mean... have you considered that she might have been... jealous?”

The butler blinked... then frowned, crossing his arms. “Now, that’s just silly! Why would V ever be jealous of anyone for no reason? She doesn’t care if I end up spending more time with Cyn on any given week, or with you! I doubt she would even care if J took up more of my time on occasion now! Why would she be that way with a random member of staff whom I’m trying to make friends with?”

“I’m in disbelief at the possibility myself,” the teenager muttered. Appearing to notice his confusion, she sighed, shaking her head. “Look, just... It’s not like I saw what happened, so I wouldn’t know for sure. Just try not to dismiss the idea. Because this is sounding a lot like...” She paused, then just shook her head again. “Well, I’ll leave you to work out that one yourself.”

N frowned more, still not following what his friend was trying to suggest. But still, she had always offered good advice for interacting with V before... and ways to confess himself should he ever get the confidence to try. So he pocketed away her interpretation for later. Though, he was still bemused by it. Like... V? Jealous of anyone? Just who did his friend think they were talking about?

But... the same could be said about him and anger, so...

Regardless, Tessa continued, leaning back and offering a sympathetic smile. “Now, as for how to help you currently... I’m afraid you’re probably going to have to give her time. Whatever her reasoning for treating you differently, she’ll probably come back to her senses in a week tops. She’d never abandon you, especially when she sees how sad it’s making you.”

The butler shrugged. “I wasn’t worried about being ‘abandoned’ by her. It’s just hard to add that on top of everything else that’s been going on.” He sighed wearily. “I needed to talk about it, at least. I... think it’s making you feel a little better.”

The teenager frowned, looking down sadly. “I... get what you mean by a lot going on. So many problems are still around, even with my mother and father gone...” She grimaced. “And some that I never knew about until just yesterday...”

That caught N’s attention, his digital eyebrows pinching in concern. He moved forward, shifting until he was sitting close enough in front of her to put a hand over hers in comfort. “That... sounds like it’s your cue to start dumping emotional baggage.”

Tessa giggled lightly, her lips quirking up slightly. “That’s one way to put it.”

The butler smiled briefly. But he soon looked at her more somberly. “Seriously, though, what’s going on?”

The teenager pursed her lips, glancing away for a second. But then, taking a deep breath, she looked back and asked him a question in a small voice. “N... How attached are you guys to me?”

N blinked, confusion taking over his features again. “Huh?”

“How much of your life... revolves around me?” Tessa asked. Her gaze went downward, her lips trembling. “Like, if I were gone for some reason, you wouldn’t... fall apart, would you? You... have your own independence from my wants and desires... right?”

Each question only worried the butler more, his digital eyes hollowing out. He squeezed her hand... once again noting it was not wrapping around his. “W-where is this coming from?”

The teenager grimaced once more, not meeting his gaze. “I managed to catch up to J yesterday. She was in one of the computer rooms... researching hobbies.”

N perked up briefly. “Oh! Well, that’s great! I was trying to encourage her to-”

“That’s not the problem, N!” Tessa exclaimed, throwing her hands up. “The problem is that she didn’t have any to begin with, and I didn’t know for three years! She...” A groan left the human. “God, all of those jokes about her living for her work... I didn’t realize how literal that was. Like, this whole time...”

The butler faltered, frowning sympathetically. “Yeah, I... didn’t think that was ideal to hear, either.” That was actually underselling his feelings there, but he cleared his throat and kept going. “But at least she’s changing that now, right?”

The teenager sighed heavily, rubbing a hand down her face. “Of course it is, but... this goes beyond that. The way she was going about trying to find hobbies... She was trying to be a ‘fancy, classical’ girl, I guess. That’s the impression I got from the music and such she tried to look up. But when those didn’t appeal to her, she... thought something was wrong with her. That she was failing by not liking that stuff due to the ‘standards’ she had to meet.

“Plus, she said that all the fun activities she helped me with - research on drones, shows we watched - were all for my benefit. And I always knew how much she tried to look out for me, but... I didn’t realize she prioritized it above even herself. She’s given her every moment to just working and serving me! Which, yeah, is technically what you all are built for, but... you’re not mindless machines! I want you to enjoy your sapience! To have what freedom you can manage in this place!

“But... J hasn’t done that. Not nearly enough.” She took a shaky breath, holding her hands in front of her and staring at them. “I don’t... know where I went wrong with her. I never wanted her to neglect herself like this. So... was it my parents' influence? Or maybe I said something when I was younger that impacted her?

N grimaced, rubbing the back of his neck. Another possibility occurred to him about all of that after listening - something J mentioned that day he cornered her in one of the ballrooms. He was not sure if he should mention it, unsure of how private the head maid wanted it to be. But since he hardly knew anything of substance about it, he figured it could not hurt, right? I can deal with her yelling at me again if I’m crossing a line.

Once more clearing his throat, he offered his additional theory. “Um... I mean, she’s brought up her ‘previous employers’ once or twice. She hasn’t said much about them, but... I didn’t get the impression that she had good experiences with them. Maybe some of her behavior is because of whatever she went through back then?”

Tessa frowned, eyebrows furrowing. “Maybe... It’s not like I know much there, either. I never look that deeply into your guys’ memory banks when giving you maintenance. I don’t... know much at all about what you all did.”

The butler chuckled. “Well, I didn’t do anything interesting. My first employment was here, and it was just doing a bunch of odd jobs. I didn’t even get scrapped over anything in particular - just a random drunk guest who was upset that I passed too close to their table.”

The teenager tilted her head at him. “I’m surprised you can stand to work in the bar room after that, then.”

“Eh, I know how to handle drunks better now,” N replied, though he also knew the special band he wore then also helped. He then offered her a sad smile. “But whatever J’s reasoning, I don’t think you should blame yourself for it. She’s always had a ‘special’ way of looking at everything. And that’s not a bad thing, necessarily.” He looked down and shrugged. “I guess that... none of us really understood the extent of it until now... or how to help her with her problems. If we did... Well, I guess speculation is useless, huh?”

“...I could certainly use a bit more understanding of it about now,” Tessa murmured.

The butler frowned. “Did things end that badly yesterday?”

“Not badly, but... not as good as I would have liked,” the teenager said, looking to the side. “I lent her my laptop so she could start looking into hobbies in more private settings. But even after that, she was going on about her being a disappointment.” A pained emotion flashed through her green eyes. “And... she was still focused on trying to find something I would approve of. Not something just for herself. I told her not to do that before I left, but...”

N could only frown more at this. He always knew J was wound up pretty tight, but this ... Now he was really starting to wonder what had happened to her to make her this way. If he had any doubts before that this went beyond a bit of jealousy over who the favorite was, then they were gone now.

For now, though... all he could do was help the friend currently in front of him. So he did just that, scooting closer and wrapping his arm around her as he spoke softly. “Don’t worry. J’s already making improvements with herself, and I’m sure she’ll get through this, too. We just need to be there for her.”

He noticed that Tessa tensed under his touch again. But she relaxed minutely, looking away as she murmured. “Her being too attached to me seems to be the problem, though.”

The butler simply patted her side. “You’ll figure out something. You always do! You’re the greatest human friend we could ask for!”

...A tremor went through the teen, her tone sounding a tad strained suddenly. “...Yeah. Friend.”

N frowned once more, deciding he could not ignore this any longer. “Hey, is there... something else wrong? You don’t seem... comfortable with me touching you. I can stop if you want! I’m curious as to why, though...”

Tessa’s eyes widened, apparently not having expected him to notice that. Her eyes drifted to the arm around her, before she sighed and shook her head. “No, you’re fine. There’s just some... old issues I’m dealing with. It... making the whole thing with J hurt a little worse, too, admittedly.”

Scratching the back of his head, the butler eventually shrugged, hoping an update would help. “Well... if it makes you feel any better, J looked fine this morning. Pretty subdued, which... I guess I know the reason for now. But she was not having a breakdown or anything, so that’s a good sign.”

The teenager released a breath. “That’s a relief. I hope she’s putting my laptop to good use right now as well.”

N could not help but chuckle lightly. “You know, I don’t think I’ve ever seen her with it. I bet she freaked out about the ‘big honor’ it was to be given that by her ‘boss.’”

“That’s... fairly close, honestly,” Tessa confirmed. She then sighed, giving him a meaningful look. “I also can’t express enough how glad I am that you both are getting along better. Nobody would have blamed you if you wanted to be more stubborn with her.”

“So she has also mentioned,” the butler said before giving another shrug. “I’m just glad to be there for her. I... still can’t forgive her for everything, but I’m happy to see her working on being a better person and learning to take it easy.”

The teenager nodded in agreement. “Hopefully it’ll stick. I don’t want to imagine what could happen otherwise.”

N also nodded in agreement. J’s path was going to be a long one, but at least she seemed dedicated to it. With any luck, the talk she and the youngest Elliott had would help her more in the long run. There’s always more steps to take with self-improvement... Heh, maybe it’ll make her the “favorite” again. I don’t care about losing it!

Regardless, Tessa seemed ready to move on, appearing a bit drained from this conversation. She looked at him curiously, getting more comfortable in his hold. “So anyway, was there anything else you wanted to check with me about?”

The butler was tempted to deny it, given the weight of the issues the human had just talked about. But he knew he would likely get called out on that lie, so he hummed and looked up at her. “Well, I did want to ask a bit about J, but I think you answered some of my questions there. So really, all I wanted was to ask about Cyn to make sure she was doing alright.”

“She’s fine, last I checked,” the teenager replied. “We’re nearly done with Gravity Falls. She’s already talking about two other shows we can watch after that, too. I think they were called Amphibia and The Owl House? She said all of them were loosely connected or something.”

N chuckled. “Yeah, she did the same thing with me. Gravity Falls is her favorite, but she gets plenty of enjoyment from the other two.” He shrugged. “I personally liked Amphibia better. Not to spoil too much, but it is a very funny show involving talking frogs and a human transported to their world. Surprisingly emotional, too! Though Season 1 in particular has a few questionable moments regarding continuity, I’ll admit. And it has darker humor than I usually go for.”

“I’ll keep that in mind when watching it,” Tessa said. She sighed, looking down thoughtfully. “Man... I never realized what I was missing out on by not hanging out with her like this.”

The butler, noticing the regret in her tone, hugged her a little tighter. “It’s okay, Tessa.”

The teenager shook her head. “It really isn’t. I never should have distanced myself like I did over some dumb unease. I don’t know what causes it, but it has nothing to do with who she is.” She sighed wearily. “I don’t know how I can ever make up to her for it.”

N simply shook his head. “You don’t have to. She’s already happy as can be over things, even if she still seems hesitant to accept it sometimes.” His digital eyebrows furrowed as he looked away. “I hope she’ll tell me about why she feels like that one day.”

“So not even you know?” Tessa questioned.

“Cyn’s always been skittish about some personal issues,” the butler explained. “I guess she and J have that in common. I’ve never gotten this ‘unease’ everyone keeps mentioning, but she... has often expressed that there’s something wrong with her. And... it isn’t always regarding her disabilities and glitches. I can tell sometimes.

“I’m sure she’ll open up about it eventually. But currently, she’s... scared to. Like she thinks she’ll somehow be hurt if she says anything.” Taking a deep breath, he shook his head and gave a small smile. “I’ll always be there for her, though. Whatever is going on with her, she’s my sister, and I’ll protect her with my life!”

That was... probably not an exaggeration, either. James and Louisa had a deep disdain for the gangly drone, and were practically looking for any excuse to scrap her. The fact that his sibling came across as their daughter’s least favorite likely did not help those matters. So, a time may come that they try to send her back to the drone piles, even as she and the teen were mending things.

He truly hoped it would not come to him needing to make that kind of sacrifice. However... he knew deep down that he would. It would hurt everyone, no doubt, and he might not be able to be fixed afterward. But... he would not let anything happen to his sibling if it came down to it.

Of course... the same could be said about all of them, really, even if they wished he would not.

These somber musings were interrupted by his companion, who seemed... suddenly nervous about something. “Hey... can I ask you about that, by the way?”

N blinked, looking back at her. “Hm? About what?”

“The whole... brother and sister thing,” Tessa elaborated. Her eyes darted around, appearing almost embarrassed as she scratched at her healing cheek. “It occurred to me recently that I don’t know how that all started between you two, and... I was curious what it meant for you both, if you don’t mind explaining.”

The butler’s eyes widened, a little surprised. “Oh! Have I seriously never told that story? I could have sworn I had told you.” He smiled widely, turning more toward her without breaking the hug. “In that case, I’d be more than happy to share! Though you could have asked Cyn if you wanted to know.”

“It just felt a little awkward to do with her after the neglect, I guess,” the teenager replied. “I was also thinking about keeping quiet about it. But this opportunity seems pretty good.”  She waved at him. “So please, do go on. I’m... deeply interested.”

N paused, noticing something... strange about her tone, then, but was unable to place it. He decided to leave it be for now, though, as he hummed and tapped his chin. “Now, let’s see. Where to start the story... I guess the best place would be when I first started to hang out with her. It wasn’t long after you first introduced her to all of us. That day in the bar room, remember?”

Tessa nodded. “I do. That has to be one of the few times I think I ever saw you drop any glasses. It was pretty convenient that you, V, and J were all in there. It made the introductions a lot easier.”

“Yeah - V had been cleaning, and J had been supervising her, I learned later,” the butler explained. He did not bother adding that he dropped the glasses due to running into V... or that J had kicked him afterward. The latter was already doing her best to make up for incidents like that. (Although, despite their current strained circumstances, he could not help but feel fuzzy in his core recalling the spark that passed between his and the former’s hands before that...)

Shaking his head slightly, he continued. “I’m getting off track, though. As I was saying, it was a few days later that I ran into her again.” He grimaced. “I doubt I need to tell you how much she was struggling. It was before everyone learned just how impaired her motor skills were. She was still doing quite a few jobs, and... not doing well at it. When I ran into her, she was struggling with carrying a simple, small box through one of the corridors.”

The teenager winced at this. “Yeah. I... really should have insisted more that she not be put to work yet, given how much lankier she was then. But you know how my parents get if I argue too much directly with them. And even then, I was... starting to get bad feelings from just looking at her, which didn’t help.”

N sighed at this, but ignored that as he recalled what happened after. “It’s in the past. But anyway, I felt really bad watching her have to do this alone, so I decided to help her out. Then, I ended up spending the rest of the day helping her with her tasks and giving her a proper feel of the manor!” He laughed sheepishly. “J was... kind of mad at me later for it, since it meant I had neglected all of my duties. But it was worth it, and I think she went a little easier on me since I still technically completed tasks.”

“That sounds about right,” Tessa admitted with a shrug. “I do remember my parents’ complaints about Cyn slowing down at some point.”

“That’s because I kept helping her!” the butler stated proudly. “I got J’s permission for it, which was easy since she wanted to ‘boost’ Cyn’s performance. For two or three weeks, we ended up working alongside each other. And sure, that basically meant that I was doing most of the work, but I was more than glad to. She was acting so... small before then, and I wanted to help her come out of her shell.

“And eventually, she did! Soon, she was teasing me and doing small pranks, just like the little gremlin we know today! She even surprised me sometimes by getting tasks done... though it was kind of weird sometimes. Like when she dusted a lot of books on one side of the library when I was on the other side, but when I checked on her... her duster was discarded several feet from where she was. But I swear I heard the clatter a second before I rounded the corner.” He chuckled. “It’s like it had been floating away from her or something. Crazy, huh?”

The teenager hummed. “Nice to know that her strange feats have always been a feature of hers, I suppose.”

Laughing, N nodded. “Oh, that wasn’t even the weirdest one! Eventually, though, your parents started to realize she was a ‘hindrance’ to the work they wanted completed.” He scowled a bit at that, but he shook it off. “Can’t... say I liked overhearing their word choice when they talked with J about it - even then, I was getting protective of my sis. But it did open up time for us to explore shows to watch and games to play when I was done with my work afterward.”

He sighed contentedly, feeling nostalgic as he recalled those early memories. “It was a good time for us, that first month and a half she was here. We weren’t siblings yet, but... I was happy to call her a friend. And I knew that, despite how weary she was at times about it, she was grateful that... someone would talk with her. Not to belittle her for her disabilities, but because they enjoyed her company.”

Those first few smiles he drew out of Cyn then would always be special to him. They were hard-fought then, and often relied on his own clumsiness to draw out. But to see her unafraid, and narrating what might have been the first “giggles” of her new life... It was well worth any small humiliation he suffered.

...What was soon to come after that was far less pleasant, though. And he was reminded of it as Tessa looked at him curiously. “So you were getting close to her from the beginning. I figured as much. But... what inspired the shift into being siblings?”

The butler frowned deeply, usually much preferring not to recall that day. Like the chain in the human’s room, it was one of those few things that made him genuinely angry. Yet there was not really a way to explain how they bonded without it. Plus... if he had truly never said anything about it before, then perhaps it was time to get it off his chest.

Thus, taking a deep breath, he looked down and whispered the start of that story. “...It was when she was put in the library basement for the first time.”

The teenager sucked in a breath, appearing to think she had tred on something she should not have. But he pressed on before she could say anything to suggest that he could stop. “You know how it was - James and Louisa didn’t want a ‘defective’ drone wandering around during parties. ‘Looks bad for the corporation,’ and all of that. She was not doing a good job staying in certain parts of the manor, though, so... they all too eagerly started being crueler about it.

“Of course, I knew nothing about it at first. Why would they inform anyone on staff about their decision, even as your personal drones? I was just in my usual place at the bar during that party, mixing and serving. I... think I noticed J looked uncomfortable for brief moments when she came into that room, but she’s good at schooling her expression. So I didn’t suspect anything was wrong. I was just... looking forward to showing Cyn an old Disney show I found.”

N’s hands clenched as he closed his eyes. “I... I was an idiot for not realizing something sooner. The party ended faster than they normally did, with everyone leaving at midnight. But it was still another two hours before I realized anything was wrong. It was only when the bar was cleaned up and I went looking for her that I got suspicious. It was a mild worry at first when she was not in one of her usual spots, but as I kept searching the manor, I... I...”

He did not realize he was crying until Tessa was wiping at his visor with one hand. Her expression was crestfallen. “N... That wasn’t-”

“‘My fault,’” the butler murmured, looking down dejectedly. “I know that, but... it still feels that way. I might not have even found her if J hadn’t stopped me to ask why I was running around causing a ruckus. She looked surprised when I told her who I was looking for - I guess in retrospect, everyone else was mutual about being ‘uneasy’ around Cyn by then. But when I started blubbering about how scared I was... she told me what James had her help do in a rare show of guilt.”

He chuckled humorlessly, a fake smile forming. “You know... it’s funny. I’ve never hated her, despite the abuse. But that day... I think that was the only time I ever wanted to punch her. I didn’t, of course - I knew she had not wanted to do it, even if she was weary of Cyn. But that had been a hard one to let go... and even harder to accept the times she was forced to go through it afterward.”

He sighed, shaking his head. “That’s a different story, though. What matters is that... she gave me the key, under the condition that I not leave there with Cyn until late morning, or else all three of us would be punished - even brought to the Crow Tree. The moment it was in my hand, I ran with everything I had to the library, not caring if I made a scene. I got in, found the trap door and opened it, and went down.” He swallowed thickly. “I... didn’t have to look for long or call out that much. Even with how dark it was down there, I saw her in the corner and...”

He trailed off, his voice box suddenly not seeming to want to work. Looking extremely worried, Tessa scooted closer, hovering uncertainty next to him. “How... how bad was it?”

...N could not even begin to describe everything wrong with the scene he had descended into that day. The way Cyn had been curled into a fetal position, looking so impossibly small. The oil that stained her uniform from where James had beaten her enough to cause leaks. The spider-web cracks along her visor. The way she had been murmuring to herself, almost seeming to ask an unseen assailant to show mercy - trauma from the beating, he assumed.

And her digital eyes... hollow and staring distantly, not to mention glitching out from a panic attack, in a show of fragility that felt forever seared into his processors.

“...She was in a bad state,” the butler eventually settled on saying. He took a shaky breath, this time noticing the digital tears that fell. “When... I got close, I didn’t even get a chance to ask if she was alright. The moment she seemed to register I was there, she... launched herself into me. I ended up lying on the ground with her on top of me, clinging on like a toddler in need of comfort.”

He sighed heavily. “And... that’s where we remained for the rest of the night. I just held her, whispering that things would be okay. I even sang a few quiet songs to help her get some rest after what that isolation did to her.” He shrugged. “And when the time came that I could bring her out, I carried her the whole way. I got us to a computer room and put on that show, too. I kind of had doubts when I realized what kind of series it was, but she stopped me from choosing anything else, so... yeah. I stayed here with her for hours, even neglecting my schedule again.”

The teenager pursed her lips, seeming hesitant to say anything after... that. But slowly, she dared to ask him a question. “What... was the show?”

A small smile, subdued yet genuine, formed on N’s lips. “Well... let’s just say that I think there’s more than one reason that Gravity Falls is her favorite.”

Tessa’s eyes widened. She looked down, appearing a little stunned. “I... had no idea. If I had known it meant that much to her... I mean, I’ve engaged with her a good amount, but-”

“I think she’s just glad to be able to share it with someone new,” the butler reassured her. He shook his head, looking to the side as a protective warmth entered his core. “But... needless to say, after that, things between us were... different. We stayed closer to one another for a good while, but also, there was a... change in our banter, too. And I could just tell that the hugs and stuff we gave were not the same as before.”

His smile became stronger. “It took a little while to put a name to it... but we both came to the same conclusion eventually. This was not either of us developing a crush... We now saw one another as family. Siblings. It became clear when I was reading a book to her one day when we were still recovering from that - one heavily featuring a domestic family.”

The teenager’s eyes softened at this... though she appeared a little confused. She frowned, staring at him intently. “But... what does that mean for you guys? What does being siblings mean to you that’s different from being friends? And how... does that compare to human views on the matter?”

N raised a digital eyebrow, not sure why she was so fixated on that. It seemed to mean a lot to her, though... which is why he felt bad that he could only smile awkwardly. “Um... I don’t know how different it is from humans. You know... on account of me not being one?”

Tessa blinked... then sighed, looking away with a light blush. “Right. Dumb question.”

“It’s not dumb, I just don’t know how to answer it,” the butler hastily reassured. Then, taking a breath, he smiled again as he looked up at the bed’s overhead canopy. “But... I like to think that it’s pretty much the same as how you would look at family.”

That seemed to catch the teenager’s attention. “Huh?”

N met her gaze, his smile not wavering. “It’s all a matter of trust and care, right? The people you consider family are just those you feel closest to. The ones you can count on to always have your back, even as things go wrong. And that doesn’t always have to do with being blood related - not that it’s even possible with how we drones are manufactured! It’s something that if you feel it... you just know it’s the case.

“That’s why I feel confident in calling Cyn my sister. And in many ways, it kind of extends to everyone in our group... Though, I obviously don’t see V as a sibling. Even as drones, I imagine how that would be considered wrong.” He chuckled a little, looking up again. “But you all mean a lot to me. Cyn and I may be siblings, but all of you are family. I don’t know in what way, but... you are.”

After a moment, he chuckled more, blush marks appearing on his visor as he rubbed the back of his neck. “Ah, that was probably corny, wasn’t it? I’m not even sure how J would react to hearing that after... what we’ve gone through. But it’s a nice sentiment, don’t you think?”

He waited for a reply... but Tessa did not respond. Confused, the butler looked over at her... and immediately tensed. She was looking down, and her black hair was obscuring most of her face... but he saw some tears on her cheek nonetheless. The way her lips quivered suggested she was holding back a few sobs as well.

Eyes hollowing, he wasted no time wrapping both of his arms around her, trying to keep his voice steady despite his sudden panic. “H-hey! What’s wrong? Are you alright?!” Was it something he said? Was this some sort of delayed reaction to his description of what Cyn went through?

Sniffling, the teenager turned her head further away from him. It was hard to tell if she was murmuring to him or herself. “Why... why did I bring this up? What did I think was...? I s-shouldn’t have... have...”

Frowning deeply, N just pressed closer to her. He kept his voice light, not wanting to seem like he was pressuring her. “Tessa... Do you want to tell me what’s going on?”

...Tessa said nothing to this. She was not hugging him back, but neither was she fighting to get out of his grasp. She was just sitting there, appearing to try and get herself under control. It was not going well, though, as tears continued to fall.

The butler was... not sure what to make of this. He could not even fathom what it was that had caused this reaction. He had not been too detailed about what happened to Cyn that day, so he had doubts that this was the cause. But then, what was? Something... about what he had said about family? Why would that cause this kind of reaction, though?

He had no clue, nor if there was some other cause... But he quickly decided that it did not matter. His friend was upset, and... he wanted to make her feel better. After all the hardships she had gone through in her fifteen years of life, he would always do his best to do this.

And so, with a small sigh, he gently started to pull her down further onto the bed, keeping his voice quiet. “Okay... That’s fine. You don’t have to say anything. I think that’s enough heavy topics for one day, anyway.”

The teenager seemed to come out of her sorrow a bit as he laid them down on her bed. She finally looked at him as he adjusted his hold on her as he did. “N? W-what are-”

“I think you could do with an afternoon nap,” N explained simply. He shifted more, holding her so that she could snuggle against him despite their size difference. “I’ll set an alarm in my systems so that you’re up in time to go get dinner. Hopefully, this will help you calm down enough for that without making the staff worry.”

Tessa swallowed, blushing some as she squirmed in her new position. Her eyes darted around, appearing hesitant. “B-but... I...”

Noticing her distress, the butler reached up and gently put his hand against her cheek - the one that had been injured. He turned her head to make eye contact with her, softening his eyes. “If you want to be left alone for a while, I can go. But... I want to help you, if you’ll let me. These last few weeks should not have been as hard as they’ve been, and I don’t know when they’ll get better. So please... I would appreciate the chance to do this.”

The teenager stared at him for a long moment... Then, more tears pricking her eyes, her face fell into his chest and dampened his suit. “...Okay. I’m sorry. I’m... I don’t even know where to begin with my problems.”

“We’ll work on it,” N promised, patting the back of her head comfortingly. “We’ll figure out what to do - you, me, J, V, and Cyn. Things will get better, and we’ll make it happen - together.”

That seemed to make Tessa cry a little harder. He held her close, letting her ride this out. Once she was done, hopefully she would get some rest like he suggested. He was already setting up the internal alarm, ready to wait a few hours right there. He also made some notes on everything they talked about, praying to Robo-God that it would help him in the future.

The issues surrounding her and everyone else were going to take a while to address. His core still ached thinking about V’s avoidance of him, and remembering his past with Cyn was not helping. A part of him was even questioning if things would break apart if more problems piled on.

But so long as he drew power and breath... he would do whatever it took to help them. He would never let them suffer under his watch. Their group was unconventional, but he would protect it with his life. And he was determined to see them all smile together yet!

(And as he closed his eyes... he was unaware of Tessa’s inner conflict, her eyes still open. She knew it was a mistake, having asked about N and Cyn’s relationship. It was planting ideas in her mind... Dangerous ones she was trying desperately not to pursue. Him holding her was making that difficult, however. She knew she had to send him away if she wanted to control the thoughts entering her mind.

...But she could not muster the words. She... she wanted this so bad, despite knowing she should not. So she sank into his embrace... the warmth of his metal body burning itself into her soul. Making it all the harder to deny what she wanted of him... What she wanted their group to be...)

=======

N did not know how long he had been retching for. He was leaning against a wall, coughing and sputtering as synthetic saliva dripped from his mouth. The taste of oil and blood remained in his mouth, but his stomach did not appear to have any more to expel. The gnawing hunger inside of him seemed to agree, pounding inside of him and making him want to feed. It pulled at him - telling him to return to the victim he left behind only a few feet away.

...But it was completely wrong. His whole body shook thinking about it, unable to help but fall to his knees. His eyes... Robo-God, he had no clue if he had actual eyes right now, but if he did, they felt hollowed out. His core was pounding faster than he thought was even possible... and perhaps it was, with all the changes that had happened to.

Because now, unlike when he was outside... he remembered everything.

Tessa, J, V, Cyn, this place, his life - he remembered it all. He knew now exactly what was wrong with everything going on around him. The yellow glow, the screams, the thing squirming around inside him... It was all a nightmare that should never have been made real.

And... he knew where it had all come from. That... monster that lived inside of his sister and had tortured her all these years. The thing they had taken so much effort to try and remove from her systems and free her. That they had thought was secured behind the patches Tessa had worked so hard on.

...But it was not. J had warned him before when he was being taken out to the Crow Tree, but... this was far worse than he believed even she suspected. All of this... Even as it happened, he almost could not believe it. None of this should have been possible. It... did not make any sense! This should not...

...Yet it was. It was far more dangerous than they could have possibly predicted, and now... it was enacting its plan. There was no more fighting it or trying to delay it. They... had failed, and now everyone there - possibly the entire Earth - was doomed.

He whimpered, both from despair and from pain as he felt pressure under his plating. He wanted to curl up and just... face the inevitable. It was only the thought of the others, against all hope, still being around, alive and uncorrupted, that kept him from doing so. Yet the overwhelming fear kept him from moving currently. And... he was not sure what he would find if they were not fine. He shivered, clenching the digital eyes he hoped he still had shut as he wondered what to do.

Amid all the horror and confusion, however, a question kept repeating in his mind... Why was he even aware of all this right now?

It did not make sense. He knew for sure that It had not let him go. He could feel its tendrils in his programming, in fact, squirming around and causing him further pain. However... they seemed unable to find any purchase. It was like they were incapable of taking him over anymore, leaving him to act and think freely.

But... how? What had freed him? He had been unable to resist the memory purges, so what had given him release from-?

{Note: Unknown Transfers from [Redacted]. Attempting t-t-t-ooo- ( N? A-are you okay? Did... It work? Are y-you... you ? )}

He jumped, eyes shooting open as terror shot through him. He braced himself, thinking that he was about to be hacked again... but paused as he realized this was... something else. He did not feel anything trying to take over. Whatever this was, it was not being sent by the monster killing everyone.

And reading the command, there was something... weird about it. It felt more like... a corrupted message, but was partially blocked out. Like something was reaching out to him... One he felt was familiar. The more he focused on it, the better an impression he got of it, but he still-

Then he froze, eyes getting wider. The idea that came to him felt insane, but... Just something about the way this message felt... The connection he felt...

Swallowing thickly, he struggled to speak, his voice crackly. But eventually, he forced the words out, hoping for a confirmation. “...L-little buddy?”

...The reply was almost instant.

{( N! You... It worked! You’re okay! You... Big brother, you’re okay... )}

He could not help the sobs that wracked his body then, even if he had tried to...

Chapter Text

When it came to finding a private place to use her newly acquired laptop, J was quite spoiled for choice. There were plenty of infrequently visited rooms that she could slip into and not be found for hours. Some areas were already like this when the older Elliotts were here, and the options had only increased now that they were gone. With maintenance and cleaning working at bare minimum capacity now, there were a plethora of options at her disposal.

She had considered her options carefully on where she wanted to do this. It had been two days since her attempts in Computer Room B, and... she did not want any repeats of last time. Having to see the other staff slowly make their way out of the room, and having to deal with their glances and judgment... She tried not to care, but simply not having to experience it, she hoped, would improve her... plummeting morale.

...Plus, she did not want to run into Tessa again. Not yet. To have to face how much she had been failing her... Making her upset for reasons she was still struggling to wrap her head around. Failing her goal once more of making her happy-

So, she attempted to find a location no one was likely to enter for any reason at all. That had basically ruled out all of the dining rooms and such, since cleaning was still being done there. She had also dismissed the idea of using most of the closets - even ones scarcely used, like the one N had them discuss Tessa’s potential party in. There was every chance that a worker might go into one to find supplies, and she found that small possibility unacceptable.

She had looked hard the day before. She needed an option that was as close to a zero percent chance of being walked in on as possible. None appeared to meet those standards, though. The sword room, while only really being used by her, was easy to access by anyone curious. The Library was definitely too public for any privacy. And its basement... Well, that one was down to more of a personal disliking, but she still refused that option. She had feared the whole search would prove fruitless.

...Until the head maid considered one option that was almost a guarantee of her getting privacy. One that, just a few weeks ago, she would not have taken seriously due to finding it insane. There were tons of regulations against it, even with the master and mistress gone. No self-respecting employee would ever use those rooms for her current purposes.

But... she had not exactly felt like a model employee here recently. What was one more poor decision to add to her stained, tarnished record at this point? Not to mention she was... just getting too tired to care anymore, which was frightening. All of her standards slipping away before her very eyes... All of her hard work...

Nonetheless, this did lead to her going through with the idea. And so, with Tessa’s laptop on her lap, she continued lying against the headboard and pillows of the bed she was on... Louisa’s bed. As if she were the proud owner of the room and not a def-... malfunctioning drone.

In many ways, it resembled James’ room, with the white and gold sheets on the queen-sized bed, which also had translucent, golden canopy curtains. There were also pictures around the room depicting the various matriarchs of the family line. And, much like the patriarchs, their condescension and arrogance seemed to radiate from them, no matter how fancy their dresses.

Where the main differences came in, though, was the door to the massive closet on the other end of the room. She knew from her cleanings in this room how it was filled with dozens, if not over a hundred, dresses of the latest fashion trends or fanciest historical styles. Next to that door was also a large dresser with a wooden red chair and red cushioning. And on top of it was a massive mirror rimmed by dozens of electric bulbs, and its surface covered in various makeup, powders, and other cosmetics.

The woman certainly took her appearance seriously. While she looked quite good for her age, she seemed to be trying much more here recently to appear even younger. As if time were not touching her, leaving the same strong, cruel woman all knew her as. And given how intimidated both drones and humans alike still were of her, she was doing that well.

J tried not to focus on that too much, though. She sighed and looked away... which left her staring at the dresser next to the bed with a marble must carved in the woman’s image. It was expertly done, to the point it could almost pass as real if not for the coloring. It was faced forward, those blank eyes staring straight ahead.

...Yet she could almost swear that they were giving her a side eye. Glaring at her for her impudence - for what she was doing. She could picture those brown eyes now, filled with anger as she got ready to strike her for her insubordination.

Wilting, the drone looked away from there, too, closing her digital eyes as she took a deep breath. She took some time to listen to the rain pattering on the windows outside, hoping it would calm her nerves. She... she can’t hurt you. She does not even know you’re doing this. There is no way she can ever find out, either! You’re too good at cleaning and maintaining her room for that!

She tried to take reassurance from those thoughts... but they sounded like excuses to the employee side of her. What she was doing was basically insubordination. The rooms of the older Elliotts were not for any sort of recreational use by the drone staff. Hell, not even other humans were allowed in them! The only other breathing person who ever saw them was Tessa... and only to scold and punish her in a more intimidating setting.

If word ever got back to either of them about this... Well, she doubts they would give her a quick death. Her status as the head maid would mean nothing in the face of such a violation of protocol. They would make her suffer and beat home just how much of a terrible employee she was. And while she did not like them like everyone else... such a reprimand made her core clench thinking about. A marking of just how far she had fallen.

Not that the general staff knew it at this point. To them, she was still the powerful, cold boss they had always known. She had managed to keep up that performance the last few days, not allowing any of them to sense her weakness. Her reputation was unaffected among the people she needed to direct.

However... that image was shattered among those closest to her. Tessa, N, V, and probably Cyn at this point, too... They all knew she was falling apart. It made her core twist further, hating how every attempt at improving herself just broke her image further. She hated just how vulnerable she felt under their gazes now. How their words dug into her open wounds unabated. They were never going to be able to look at her the same way again, at this stage, if she had any chance to salvage her image to begin with.

Yet for some reason, deep down... why did she also feel relief at this, too?

J groaned, rubbing a hand down her visor. Dear corporate, all of this was just so confusing to her. If she could barely understand her own feelings, then what chance did she have to interpret everyone else’s? Not that it was exactly a new struggle for her, but rarely did she have to cope with it for long-standing issues. And used to, she had her work to fall back on.

But now... she wondered if working would even help anymore. Would she be able to clean properly, or would her servos keep locking up at every stray memory that came into her processors? Could she use her normal authoritative voice to command others, or would her tone falter? Did... she have any control of her life anymore?

...She was getting so tired of this. So exhausted. She just... wanted to know what she kept doing wrong. Why her every word only seemed to upset Tessa more and more. Why her standards of conduct seemed to be working against her now. Just... why nothing she did was working.

No answers were coming from her surroundings, though. So, sighing heavily, she shook her head and focused on the laptop. Clicking a few times using the finger pad - fully compatible with her drone finger - she brought up Rebooted Chrome for her latest search attempt. The music searches still aren’t going well... even after blasting that ‘heavy metal’ in my audio receptors. So let’s just try a general search again.

She made sure to open up on the home page, not wanting to be faced with her previous failures here, too. She then took a moment to ponder what to try next, hoping for better results. Out of habit, her thoughts turned to things classy and professional that would befit her station. Her fingers even raised to type out a search for traditional art from certain countries. Her attempts with French and British paintings had not gone well days prior, but perhaps if she tried Japanese, or even-

But she stopped herself, her hands retracting slightly. That would... defeat the whole purpose of why she had sought this privacy. Tessa had suggested that she do more unconventional searches - ones that were not “classical” or the like. She had trusted her with one of her most prized possessions exactly for that purpose. And she would not let that go to waste.

The issue was, though... that she had no clue what non-classical things to even search up.

The head maid frowned, rifling through her processors for a possible inquiry. Unfortunately, her knowledge of these things were... quite limited. She knew some things from helping The Boss and being around N and V, but it was still not a long list. Plus, in the former’s case, she figured if any of those had stuck out to her as “special” when helping her, then she would have known that, despite her difficulties with these things.

That only made this harder. But still, she tried to think of a good topic to try next, her lips pressed in a line. Come on, what haven’t I tried? That superhero movie franchise from the early 21st century was mostly a bust from the clips. None of the excerpts from V’s romance novels were doing anything for me, either. There has to be something else, though!

Her thoughts soon turned to N, wondering if he would prove to be her savior in this... again. She tried to remember what topics and hobbies he had expressed interest in around her. She immediately dismissed dogs, since he was reading to her about those anyway in their meetings. (She made a quick note on her visor so she would not forget their next one in two days.) She was not sure that reading up on mixology would give her a better appreciation of alcohol, either. But then what else...?

...Then, finally, an inquiry landed in the forefront of her processors. She perked up, amazed and feeling a little foolish for not considering it sooner, given how there were stickers of it on the device. Yet nonetheless, she quickly wrote out her next inquiry: Pokémon games and shows.

Upon hitting “enter,” she was presented with a myriad of links to choose from... and immediately realized a small error on her part. Mainly that the Pokémon franchise had gotten many expansions over its decades of original run time. That meant there were several iterations, or “Gens” according to the butler, that led to hundreds of different games, both official and fan-made. Not to mention it just made looking into the little creatures themselves hard due to how bloated their list got.

J looked at it all as she did a quick scroll through the links, frowning all the more. Like, she knew even N had admitted that humans had stretched this IP out, but... Corporate, how had Nintendo, or Game Freak, or whoever had made them, stretched this out into thirty-seven Generations? Had people really been that loyal to it, even as the quality of some of the later designs went down? Some of the images she passed showed they were not even trying! (Was... that a sandwich with eyes on it?)

Clicking her tongue, she quickly decided to... narrow down her search a bit. Recalling what the butler had said before about his favorites, she specified the first five Generations of the franchise and tried again. He said those were the peak of things, so there was a good chance, right? If nothing else, it might stop her from feeling so overwhelmed.

And... it definitely felt a lot more manageable as the new inquiry loaded. The titles of the links looked more focused and not as all over the place. She also saw that the number of Pokémon at this point was in the five hundreds, which should be better to work with. This should be a perfect starting point to see if she could find enjoyment in the IP as a whole. (...She at least managed her expectations better when she saw there had always been a few lazy designs upon seeing a trash bag with eyes.)

Still... was she even confident that it was possible for her at this point?

She winced, trying to ignore that question as she clicked onto what looked like a Wikipedia-like page. But... it was hard to shake off entirely. She had tried searching for six straight hours two days ago and turned up with no new hobbies. And now, even after not restricting herself... seven had passed with little to show for it. The morning had passed into afternoon, and still she did not feel like she had any interests beyond swordplay.

And... that was not normal, was it? Anyone else would have likely found something new they wanted to look into more, if nothing else. Not to mention they would have had hobbies in the first place! But she did not... and it was only now she was realizing the void it had left in her life. A hollow space that she could not ignore anymore... and it was threatening to eat her whole.

Sighing wearily, the head maid leaned back for a moment and looked at the bed’s canopy roof. She idly tapped the side of the laptop, just needing the small movement and sound to stay... stimulated. To not feel like she was trapped and being squeezed to death... Yet it did nothing to solve the sinking feeling inside her chest.

She just... did not understand, like so many other things lately. She had worked for years to compensate for the glitches in her programming, like face reading. She built up her skills in all of the chores and other tasks that were required of her in the manor. She had acted as one of the personal aids to the young mistress of the home.

All of these things... they were supposed to make her a normal drone. They were supposed to be signs that she had made up for her... deficiencies at her last job. That she was putting herself out there instead of... fading into the background. It all should have made her stronger and ready to deal with any errors she caused later on.

...Look at her now, though. All of that effort, only for her entire structural base to be swept from under her in an instant. It had not all collapsed yet, but those closest to her saw the damage clearly enough. And what had she actually fixed of it so far that did not involve N being insanely forgiving of her actions?

And... he had not fully forgiven her, either. She still needed to find a way to, no matter how slowly, earn that trust from him. She had barely even touched anything she had done to V and Cyn, too. She had even disappointed Tessa, and was still struggling to comprehend how! None of that addressed the other issues going around that she had noticed, too, such as how S had unintentionally thrown a wrench into their dynamics. Something she wanted to help the others with, but... with so much already on her mental desk...

Releasing a long breath, J closed her digital eyes, almost feeling like shutting off at that point. Why even bother with the Pokémon search? It was probably going to yield no results, like everything else. Swordplay may just be the only hobby she will ever have... which the older Elliotts could get rid of any day now.

She just... wanted something to go right. To fix any of the problems she had made. Was that so much to ask? How much did she have to suffer before the universe finally threw her a bone? To... feel like she was making anything better?

Maybe... she should just go back to her charging pod and take a look at those books N got her. Accept that she had no clue what she was doing. She would not even need to see Tessa in person to return the laptop, which she still did not think she should have to begin with. All she would need to do was leave it with a note in front of her room, apologizing for her suboptimal performance and thanking her for the chance anyway.

Surely... it would not make her more upset than she already was. She had to be realizing that she was simply... defective. She hoped she would always care for her, but... perhaps it was fate that she was going to think less of her soon. See her as unreliable and-

“Confused. Inquiry. Are you trying to shut off, or are you low on your energy reserves already?” a voice next to her suddenly asked.

The head maid screamed, jumping to bad that she nearly knocked the laptop off her lap. She quickly caught it when it went airborne, eyes hollowing out in an instant. She brought it closer to inspect it, looking at the bottom and everything. But thankfully, she saw no visible damage - not even a dent - which made her sigh in relief. If she so much as broke a single key off of The Boss’s arguably most important item...

...The next second, though, she remembered the voice, making her tense. Her eyes snapped to her side... and sure enough, she was met with familiar yellow optics on a drone that copied Tessa’s hairstyle. She had crawled onto the side of the bed, her limbs as jerky as ever. And in her hand... she had a sleek silver can with a tightly sealed cap on top, the JCJenson logo decorating the side. A Drone Energy Canister, she recognized.

Yet her focus was not on that. Instead, she kept looking between the drone and the door further along in the room. A door she had locked just for a bit of extra security. One that only she had the key for currently. One she did not think... No, one she knew had not been opened at any point in the last several hours. The windows were also sealed up tightly. There was no possible way for anyone to have gotten in there unnoticed.

...There was Cyn, though, in stark contradiction to these facts.

Said drone was not even acting like anything was absurd about that, either. She just tilted her head, staring at her. “Head tilt. Mild concern. J? Are you feeling alright? Have you outpaced your systems like Tessa feared? Eye roll. If so, you should be grateful that I’m here to-”

She was not able to say anything further, though. Something in the head maid’s processors had... snapped. Maybe it was just the stress of everything else with this added on top. Or perhaps her unresolved and unaddressed tensions with the gangly drone in general had decided now to boil over. Or it was as simple as what she had wanted to be private time being interrupted.

No matter the reason, though... her core was pounding now. She looked at her acquaintance (?) with hollowed eyes, her voice coming out shaky. “H-how... How did you get in here?”

Cyn blinked, appearing taken aback even without any narration. “Surprised. Huh?”

“How did you get in here?!” the head maid demanded. It did not even sound angry... more so panicked, which she herself did not understand. Nor why her breathing was becoming so shallow. “I-I checked everything! There is no way you could have gotten into this room! You definitely were not in here already, either! I-it’s impossible!”

The gangly drone blinked again, her shuffling seeming uncomfortable... and perhaps nervous. But she tried to deflect, looking away while giving a jerky shrug. “Uncertain. Placating. That is... not important. But what is-”

“Yes, it is!” J found herself nearly screaming. She did not feel in control at that point - more like a passenger in her body as she put the laptop to the side and scrambled to the other drone. She grabbed her shoulders before she could get away, listening to her own desperation in an almost detached way, as strange as that was to say. “How did you do it?! Explain how! No ‘I’m sneaky’ or anything like that! T-tell me! Make it make sense!”

Cyn’s face, normally quite unreadable, was suddenly looking panicked, even with her broken face recognition. She struggled in her grip, her free hand starting to lift as if to do something, even her blank tone filled with emotions. (She barely registered her left eye glitching a bit.) “Afraid. Panic. J?! Let go of me! What are you-?!”

“Make it make sense!” the head maid demanded again. Her body was trembling all over, and... she found digital tears falling down her visor. “Please! I... I just need one thing to make sense! Just one! To know that I’m not going crazy and that there’s... there’s logic still left in this place! That I’m able to comprehend something like a normal drone!

“Please! Just tell me how! Give me something! Anything! Please... please...” At this point, her grip loosened and her arms fell by her side. She looked down, her digital eyes closing tight. And as her voice broke even more, she kept quietly whispering for answers. “Please... I need this... Please...”

She continued whimpering like this for several minutes, though she barely paid attention to her digital clock. There was no sound of movement in the room other than this... which she found rather odd. She would have expected the gangly drone to shuffle away after that. Perhaps get out of her sight and disappear as inexplicably as she had appeared, leaving her to question if she had been here at all. Yet she was remarkably still, the white-eyed drone feeling those optics staring at her.

Eventually, though, she did calm down a bit... and what she just did started to dawn on her more. Even as her mortification grew, though, she found herself unable to stop crying. Normally, she would out of pride, but... she just could not bring herself to this time. It was almost like with N in that dining room over a week or two ago. She was simply too worn out to care... It was not like the others were not gaining a lower opinion on her already, anyway.

Still, the guilt did quickly spread through her core. She sniffled, shuffling and sitting back as she brought her legs up to her chest, wrapping her arms around them as she curled up and spoke in a meek voice unlike her usual self. “...I’m sorry. I didn’t... I don’t know what came over me.”

“...Shaken. Cautious. You’re... okay.” Cyn replied. Though, she could hear the small jerk of her joints as the other flinched, perhaps due to her narration not helping the words.

J, though, actually found hearing it... relieving. It did not make her feel better, exactly, but it did make her loosen her stance a bit as she sighed, looking to the side blearily. “You don’t have to lie. I... don’t have an excuse for that just now.”

The gangly drone was silent for a moment. Then, she felt her move a little closer. “Throat clear. Hesitant. Well... I did just come in here suddenly. It’s also a bit on me for surprising you when you have... not been in the best mood lately.”

“...Can you explain how you did that?” the head maid asked weakly, glancing at her briefly.

Tensing for a moment, Cyn eventually shrugged with a smile so clearly forced, even to her. “Awkward. Evasive. Would... you believe there are secret passageways through the manor that I like to use? Ones quicker than any of the hallways?”

J stared at her for a few seconds longer... Then, she sighed heavily, turning away as she grabbed Tessa’s laptop. “Okay.”

The gangly drone blinked. “Blink. Confusion. You are... not going to question me further?”

“Cyn, you could say you literally teleported in here, and I’d just choose to believe you right now,” the head maid responded. She took her position at the back of the bed again, putting the laptop back on her legs. “I simply don’t have the energy to figure out how you do this right now... nor the care.” She chuckled humorlessly, rubbing a hand down her visor. “I mean, why not, right? ‘Secret passages!’ It’s probably a lie, but it’s the first thing that sounds like it makes sense in a while! May as well take it, right?!”

She looked at Cyn with a plastered smile, feeling how her visor display was glitching from her crying... Though she felt a bit bad when she saw the other’s hollowed eyes. She did not know if it was her being scared or in shock, and there was no narration forthcoming this time. However... it was rarely a good sign.

Her smile quickly faded, feeling her core plummet further. Dear corporate... She had already strained things enough with N as it was. Now she was, intentionally or not, antagonizing his proclaimed sister. Not to mention that there was a long list of other issues between them that did not pertain to the butler.

Was it just in her nature to make things worse for everyone?

Taking a deep breath, she looked at the laptop screen, staring at the images of Pokémon she had left on it. Continuing to look at her was only going to make her guilt worse. Quietly, though, she tried to keep the conversation moving to be polite. “Did... you need something from me? Or was this some kind of... prank gone wrong?”

The gangly drone tilted her head in her peripheral vision. “Bemused. What joke do you think this would be a part of?”

“I don’t know,” J admitted with a shrug, not turning to her. “That’s just what you do, isn’t it? Tying up shoes or surprising people?” Her face twitched, her words becoming more mumbled. “It’s what I have to reprimand you for half the time, anyway...”

More silence came from Cyn, and she half expected her to finally leave. But instead, she felt her come closer, narrating “shuffle” over and over until she was right next to her. Then, she narrated “cross-cross applesauce” as she sat there with jerky movements. The taller drone gave no protests, though she felt weary, not exactly expecting this interaction to get much better.

...She was a bit taken aback, however, when the silver canister was thrust in front of her vision. The yellow-eyed drone shook it in an almost expectant way. “Explaination. The records from the system showed you had not had one of these since yesterday. Tessa was concerned and gave this to me to deliver to you.”

The head maid blinked as those words registered. She slowly took the canister from the other, giving it an experimental shake. There was no splashing sound, but she could feel the thick gunk inside of it moving around. She could practically picture the substance in all of its dark gray, nasty glory. There was no need to dress up slop meant to help humans’ AI “appliances” keep running, after all... or make it appetizing to the drones themselves.

Still, it was vital to keep them operating, given how most did not like them eating valuable wires or batteries. Just one a day, and a drone would not need to eat again, able to operate at full capacity. It could even be stretched to every three or four days at times if an owner wanted to save money, though that would be at the risk of affecting their performances.

Every staff member in the manor always made sure to take them at their regular times... Though, she realized that she had indeed not done so yesterday. She had been too caught up in her problems that it had slipped her mind. And as she quickly brought up some internal readings on her HUD, she could not help but wince at the low percentages she saw for her reserve energy. Oh, corporate... Is this why I’m so much more erratic and tired?

She could feel the blush marks on her visor as she came to this realization, joining the ones from stress around her eyes. Yet she tried to keep some dignity as she looked away from the smaller drone and screwed off the cap, fighting to keep her voice neutral. “Th... Thank you. That was an... error on my part.”

Once the cap was off, she did her best to ignore the pungent smell that came from it. Taking a quick breath to prepare herself, she quickly started to down the whole thing, the thick, slimy substance moving down her throat slowly. Even without a need for air, she wanted to gag as always from the awful sour taste it had, which she imagined was the equivalent of rotten food for humans. Yet years of drinking it gave her enough tolerance to push through and finish the whole thing like everyone else.

Once it was emptied, she lowered the canister with a shuddered exhale, shivering from disgust. The taste did not linger in her mouth, though, thankfully. And as she checked her readings again, she saw many of them rapidly rising to more appropriate levels. JCJenson may not care about drone comfort, but they at least did their part to keep them operational. I’ll still probably need a larger dosage tomorrow, though.

Trying to ignore her disgust at that, she put the cap back on and handed it back to her acquaintance (?). She nodded, hoping her sincerity shone through despite her eye display still being fuzzy from her digital tears. “Thank you.”

“Tiny amusement. You said that already,” the gangly drone replied. She carefully set the can on her other side, as if trying to make sure it did not stain the sheets. It hardly mattered, though, since J was going to clean it later, anyway.

Another thought occurred to her then, though, making her frown as she peered at N’s sister. Before she could think better of it, she found herself voicing the question, too. “Why did... Tessa tell you to come do this? Why not N or V? Or... herself?” Not that she wanted them to see her more of a mess than they already had, but...

Cyn frowned. “Annoyance. Is there a problem with me doing it?”

“No, but... there’s no way you volunteered for this,” the head maid said. “I was just curious what they were all up to that you were forced into it.”

That appeared to cause the gangly drone to blink again. “ Confused. ‘Forced?’”

“...Like you’d ever want to see me willingly,” J murmured, thinking that was obvious enough as she looked away.

Another pause followed this, leaving her to tap the laptop again to fill the quiet. It did not entirely surprise her, given how blunt she had been about saying the truth out loud. They had never really said anything near one another, but... they both knew where they stood. What the smaller drone thought of her. Putting it out in the open had to be awkward, but it was not wrong. They may as well not avoid it while they talked.

...So why did she think she saw guilt flash across the other’s face in the corner of her vision?

She figured it had to be another glitch in her system, especially with how difficult it was for the other to physically emote in the first place. She was unable to look too deeply into it, anyway, as Cyn started to speak again. “Uncomfortable. Um... Well, you are right that the others were busy. V is out in the greenhouse, which she wanted privacy for this time. Tessa and N are also spending time in her room.” She paused briefly. “Cautious. They... did not know how you would react if either of them came to you, so they asked me.”

“...Fair enough,” the head maid replied quietly. There was no point in defending herself when she completely agreed with that assessment. Given what happened a moment ago, not even she could predict how she would react to anything these days.

The gangly drone surprised her, though, as her lips pressed more firmly together. “Pursed lips. Clarifying. But... they did not ‘force’ me to come. I was... fine to do so.”

J frowned, glancing her way. “I said you don’t have to lie.”

“Earnest. I’m not lying!” Cyn insisted, her blank eyes taking on a pleading quality. “I am here because, in part... I want to be. To be... able to talk about some things.”

...The head maid stared at her, her eyes wide as she processed that. “You... That’s the truth? You promise?”

“Honest. I promise,” the gangly drone said, giving a jerky nod.

“...Even with how I shook you up just now?” J dared to ask, feeling like that could not go unaddressed despite wanting it to.

Cyn jerked back a bit and glanced away. She quickly looked back, though, and gave a stiff shrug. “Grimace. Weak reassurance. I... did not expect our talks to be smooth by any means, to be fair. But yes, I still wish to despite that.”

The head maid tried to make sense of what she was hearing... though it seemed like an impossibility. Cyn of all people wanted to talk with her? After all the rough times they had... mainly on account of herself? Their conversations, even when N was around, could best be described as... delicate at the best of times. That she would want to do it now willingly was almost laughable, given every attempt in the past.

Yet... nothing about her narration contradicted her words. On the contrary, they showed support for them. What would she have to gain from lying? And anyway, if she wanted to leave the taller drone alone, then surely she would have left by now. The canister had been delivered, after all. All she would have to do was redirect her attention, then leave by... whatever means she used to enter the room, presumably.

Plus... J was trying to make amends with the others already. Should she not be trying to figure out how to do it with her, too? It’s not like we’re on completely bad terms, either. She... isn’t mad about the basement stuff. She’s teased me before. This... doesn’t have to be a painful experience for us.

There was a minimal reassurance from that... However, there was one obstacle to such a talk currently sitting on her lap. She frowned, trying to explain the issue as she kept tapping the side of the laptop. “I... am kind of busy at the moment. I’m not sure how much I can afford distractions right now...”

The gangly drone shifted closer, looking at the screen and her current search, before looking back to her. “Raised eyebrow. Bemused. Looking at Pikachu is you being ‘busy’ now? Amused. I had not realized your standards for that had slipped so much.”

The head maid wishes she could force a laugh out at this. As it was, though, after so many failed inquiries, she could only sigh and rub her forehead in irritation. “The fact I’m at this point shows I’m grasping at straws now to find an interest.” She sighed wearily, looking at the various pictures on screen. “...I don’t even know how to sort through this all. Even after limiting myself to the first few Generations.”

Cyn frowned, looking between her and the screen. Then, she started to wring her hands together as she glanced away. “Uncertain. Proposal. I... know a bit about Pokémon if you want my help?”

That she knew about this IP did not surprise J, given her closeness with N. But the offer to help still surprised her, despite the conversation up to this point, making her eyes widen as she looked at her. “Really?”

“Nod. Of course!” the gangly drone confirmed. “More determined. I can even help you search for more stuff if you’d like. Then afterward, once you’re satisfied with our efforts... we could talk then?”

The head maid rubbed her chin. The idea seemed reasonable enough. First, they try to see if they can salvage some kind of results from her poor attempts at hobby hunting. And in exchange, she would see what the other wanted to discuss about them. A mutual exchange with benefits that went both ways for several reasons. It would be foolish to refuse, really.

...And what would be the use in avoiding confronting their history any longer, anyway?

Despite the tightness in her core from that, she nonetheless nodded, shifting the laptop’s position. “Alright, then. How about you start by explaining this... trashbag... thing? Why... Who signed off on that design?”

Cyn shifted where she was sitting, getting a better angle to look. “ Informative. That is Trubbish. They are a Pokémon from the fifth generation of the series. Snort. I do not know who approved of their appearance, but I honestly do not think it’s that bad. But regardless, they are a poison type, which means that it is strong against...”

She continued rambling off like this, explaining what she knew of the Pokémon. J listened to her, clicking on a few links to help her follow along with the descriptions being given. A part of her was a little chaffed and disappointed in herself for needing someone to hold her hand through this learning experience... again. But having an additional hand in this was likely going to improve the results of today’s inquiries, she reluctantly acknowledged. And besides, she was at least not embarrassing herself in front of the staff, or her other close friends/companions.

...Though she still did not know exactly where she and the gangly drone stood with one another at this stage. A fact that did not leave her mind as they continued... Just waiting for things to once more go wrong for her like with everyone else...

-------

Several hours later, J had to admit that... things had not gone badly at all. At least, no more so than she felt they would. If anything, it was a bit below the standard deviation that she had envisioned, which should have been a good thing... Though, the bar had not been set very high to begin with.

But still, the afternoon continuing her searches with Cyn had not been terrible. If anything, the input the other gave helped to expand her inquiries significantly, adding some much-needed variety to test out for interests. From Pokémon, to old 21st century shows, to even some more book excerpts, she had browsed more topics than she would have on her own. Or, perhaps she would have come upon them eventually once she got more used to this, but certainly not anywhere close to this soon.

The gangly drone proved quite adept at searching the internet. She supposed it made sense, given how much free time she normally had. That had to translate into plenty of time to learn how to navigate various forms of entertainment. Really, out of all of them, she had probably had the best opportunity to build that part of her identity compared to every other drone there.

She kept offering small ways to improve her search inquiries to better narrow them down. If she saw the taller drone confused by anything, she would do her best to explain it if she had any familiarity with the topic. If she did not, then she showed no hesitation to help her look deeper into it and learn more herself, too.

The... narration was nice, too. It let the head maid know just how much she was enjoying some of their searches. It also helped her avoid getting too pushy the moment she started to hear things like “annoyed” being said. The other seemed self-conscious at times when this happened, but... it was helpful. To make sure she was not going too far on anything.

Overall, it made the shorter drone seem a lot more competent than she normally gave her credit for. With how much she acted like a little gremlin, she sometimes overlooked that she was technically at the same maturity level as the rest of them. A... rather unfortunate oversight on her part, but in her defense, they were rarely together like this. Where she could see the skills she had developed that did not require direct motor function.

...That did not stop the increasing guilt inside her, though. Especially as Cyn let her along with the next search, bringing up a video clip on the laptop. “ Excited. Amused. Now, take a look at this one! This is one of my favorite jokes in the show!”

Shaking her head, J tried to push her musings to the side. She focused on the latest video short the yellow-eyed drone had pulled up. It was a cartoon, with the scene currently focused on a brown-haired child in a blue and green sweater that depicted a simple golf course. It matched where they seemed to be, too, as she saw a miniature golf course in the background. (They had never been to one, of course - Tessa had shown her pictures one day, though, to muse about activities she never got the chance to try.)

With a press of the spacebar, the clip played, with the young girl saying the start of the joke. “I’m not sure, Dipper. I want to beat Pacifica, but doesn’t this seem like... cheating?”

The perspective then flipped to a young boy, who wore a hat with a blue pine tree design on it, and a red shirt with a dark overcoat vest. And he quickly gave a response to this question. “Pacifica’s rich, Mabel. She’s cheating at life.” He even shrugged, like it was the most solid response there was.

...It appeared the girl agreed with it, too, with how suddenly thoughtful she appeared.

Despite herself, the head maid actually managed a small, albeit tired, smile at this. She looked over at her companion, giving a vague gesture to the room they were in. “Does your enjoyment of the joke have anything to do with our current employment?”

“Innocent facade. I have no clue what you could possibly mean,” the gangly drone responded. If the narration was not enough, though, then her smile, showing more emotion than normal, was a clear sign of her true feelings.

J rolled her eyes at this... before a sudden idea occurred to her. She hesitated only for a moment, not sure if it would be appropriate to do what she wanted to. It seemed like something that would only work between people who were much closer than they were, and she did not want it taken the wrong way. It very well might be given her normal attitude toward such topics as well.

But... the atmosphere felt right for it, which she hoped was not her misreading the room again. They had not really argued the last few hours, which helped. Plus, they were going to have to move on to... heavier discussions soon. Was she not allowed to get her own comment in before that happened, with how much the other already did so normally?

...Well, it was not like she could lose much here, anyway. Thus, deciding to take the risk, she took a deep breath... then sent the yellow-eyed drone a smirk, purposely exaggerating her voice. “Well... just be careful about who you share it with. One might assume you’re making bad faith assumptions about Tessa’s life here... But then, she deserves her moments to ‘cheat,’ yeah?”

...Cyn tilted her head, blinking a few times before speaking. “Surprised. Inquiring. Are... you trying to make a joke right now?”

The head maid faltered, frowning as uncertainty quickly filled her. “W-was it not a good one?”

The gangly drone shrugged. “Honest. I believe I know what you were going for. I’m not sure how well it lands, though, given Tessa’s circumstances.” She looked her over. “Appraising. I was more so shocked that you even tried, though.”

J frowned, looking away as she crossed her arms defensively. “I... I’m allowed to try and be a little funny.” Despite saying that, though, further doubts crept into her head. The other was right - that was a bad taste joke given everything The Boss had gone through. She was normally more considerate of that, but she had wanted to make an easy jab, and-

“Impressed. Apparently so,” Cyn said, cutting into her thoughts. “If you try a few more times, you might get better at doing it.”

...The head maid blinked, looking over at her with wide eyes. “Do... you really think so?”

“Shrug. There’s no reason why you could not,” the gangly drone said. She then reached over and started typing on the laptop for her with jerky hand movements. “Pleased. Anyway, now that I have planted seeds for you to watch the best show ever in your own time, let’s go back to game browsing. It might help if we bring up streamer VODs and clips so you can judge through some of their commentary, rather than a bland description. Is that alright?”

“Y... Yeah,” J said, though she was not fully paying attention. Her head was stuck on the encouragement she just got. She would not have expected the other to do that with her, given their history. Yet, then again, she would not have expected her to help with these searches, either, but here they were.

It was... nice, she found. Even if... she did not think she deserved it. But it was a sign of progress, which she was desperate for these days...

...She decided, though, to also ask a quick favor, glancing at the other sheepishly as a list of long videos appeared from the latest search. While trying to be casual, she was sure a tinge of nervousness entered her tone. “You... won’t tell Tessa about that poor joke, will you?”

Cyn smiled, her eyes rolling. “Eye roll. Amused. I doubt she would care that much. But... sure, I will keep it between us.” She started to scroll down the page. “Smile. Now, let us see about this latest game. Expedition 33 was quite a popular one back in the day, from what I heard. Partially due to it having been made by ex-developers of a major studio who were tired of being constrained by a failing company. It was seen as a sign by many that the biggest game studios had become bloated and obsolete in their standards.”

“...Is that a jab against how much I suck up to corporations?”

“Cheeky. Just pointing out that the one we work for currently isn’t above reproach.”

The head maid sighed, pinching where her nose would be. “I’ve never said any company was. JCJenson especially has... fallen from the former graces that helped pave the way to what it is today.” She sat up straighter, taking on a more professional tone and expression. “However, corporations can provide much-needed structure and standardization in the job market. They create order, and benchmarks that smaller businesses and even other corporations to compare and compete against!”

“Sarcastic. Humorous. Is that why you practically worship them?” the gangly drone asked. “And have molded your whole life as though everything is related to ‘corporate?’”

J paused... then looked down, her tone getting softer. She rubbed her arm, suddenly feeling a bit of tightness in her core. “I... just enjoy structure. I... need that structure.” She swallowed thickly. “There’s nothing... wrong with that, is there?”

Cyn paused her scrolling as she glanced at her. She frowned, shifting away from the device for the moment. “Worry. Growing regret. Are... you okay? I was not trying to upset you. I-”

“You’re fine,” the head maid quickly said, taking a steadying breath. She attempted a weak smile at her. “I... guess we can consider ourselves even for failed jokes?”

The gangly drone did not look reassured by this. Yet she nonetheless shrugged as she sat back. “Conceding. Worried. Yes, I... suppose so.”

Flinching at that second bit of narration, J stared at the laptop screen and pursed her lips. “I’m sorry. I... I guess my mood still isn’t all that great, despite having that canister.”

“...Sad. Knowing. Because we still have not found a ‘solid’ interest for you?” Cyn asked. Though, it felt more like a statement despite her blank tone.

The head maid groaned, yanking her pigtails as her frustration there started to boil over. “Yes! Like, how does everyone else do this?! Why has there been nothing that just... ‘clicks?!’ How is it possible I’ve not stumbled upon any new hobbies yet?!” She groaned, burying her face in her hands. “What am I doing wrong...?”

The gangly drone stiffly raised a hand. “Placating. You are not doing anything wrong. You have been doing quite well, I would say.” She frowned. “Blunt. But you... appear to have an unrealistic expectation for how quickly finding interests works.”

J could not help the glare she sent her. “Oh? Then please, do explain what steps I’m missing from this whole process. Do I need to spin around five times, then send a letter to each website we go to so they send me ‘enjoyment.exe’?”

“...Annoyed respect. Well, you’re better at joking when you’re angry, at least,” Cyn commented. She then shook her head. “Sigh. Attempted explanation. Look, interests don’t just spring on you all at once. You often just find things you mildly enjoy at first, pursue them further, then... sometimes, they become a hobby of yours. It’s a matter of time and dedication.

“Thinking. Consider it like... What’s a corporate way to put this?” She scratched her head for a time, before poorly sliding her fingers together. “Finger snap. Ah! A long-term investment plan! At first, when you buy a product or building, it may not look that good from the outset, and therefore not be something you enjoy developing further. But over time, as you improve and market it, if you do it right, it can become something profitable! And therefore, you start to feel pride in it and... enjoy it.”

...The head maid blinked, a little slack-jawed. She quickly swallowed, trying to form a response. “That, um... That was a good... comparison, actually.”

“Pleased. Smug. Why, thank you,” the gangly drone said. Her blank eyes then softened a little. “Hopeful. But do you see what I mean? This is likely going to take longer than just today. It doesn’t mean you’re doing anything wrong. If anything, you’ve found several things already that could become your new hobby or interest!”

J rubbed her chin in consideration at this. It was true that, despite not everything today having been enjoyable to look at... a few were not that bad. The Pokémon stuff had been fairly tolerable... even if the length of its lifespan baffled her. A few book passages she had gone through were of mild interest. Even the clips of that Gravity Falls show had caught a bit of her curiosity, among others.

None of them had called out to her the same way swordplay had so far. But then... did she instantly just like swords the moment she had held one in her hand? Or had it started as simply another job for her in the manor - to keep the Franks entertained? If it had not been an instantaneous thing, then...

These ideas made sense... yet her core still felt heavy. She frowned, looking down as she wrung her hands together. “But... surely there would be a sign if something was ‘the one,’ right? A sensation of some sort? Maybe that’s being hopeful, but...” She grimaced. “And... I don’t know if I can afford trying too many long-term investments.”

Cyn tilted her head. “Confusion. Head tilt. Huh? Why would you not have time? James and Louisa won’t be back for months!”

“...Because I don’t want to keep upsetting Tessa,” the head maid murmured. Digital tears sprang in her eyes, which she tried to wipe away with her arm. “And if I keep wasting too much time with this, I... Not only will I not see her often, but she’ll know how much I’m failing this endeavor. She’ll be so disappointed in me, and...”

The gangly drone frowned. “Deep frown. Tessa isn’t going to-”

“She will!” J exclaimed suddenly, punching the mattress. “I know she will! Even if she doesn’t realize it, and I don’t see it... she will. Why wouldn’t she? This isn’t natural! Nobody should be having to ask these things in the first place! And... And...” She trailed off, trying to string together actual words for her feelings.

Cyn stared at her for a long moment. Then, she spoke slowly. “...Hesitant. Worried. Is that... what she will feel? Or are you projecting onto her?”

The head maid’s eyes widened, instinctively shaking her head. “No! I wouldn’t... I mean, I don’t think I’m... Or maybe... But that isn’t...” Tears now going down her visor, she set the laptop off of her, freeing her to curl up into a ball. “I... I don’t know. I...” The tears came faster, making her close her eyes. “I don’t feel like I know anything anymore...”

She could feel the gangly drone’s eyes staring right through her, making her feel exposed. A few snappy retorts rested in the back of her mind to try and salvage her dignity, but they did not even become crackles in her voice box. It was for reasons like this that she wanted privacy - because she knew she could not regulate these reactions as well as she used to right now. She had wanted to be able to ride them out in peace while looking at topics she feared judgment for.

...But she was not alone. She was beside the one drone who should be relishing her reaction right now. The one who perhaps had more reasons than N to hate her. Who should not have even entertained her up to this point.

And yet... there was no narration to signify gloating. Instead, she heard the other release a breath as she closed the laptop gently. Then she shuffled closer, patting her on the back with jerky movements. “Uncertain comfort. You are going to be fine. You have done well today, I promise. Tessa isn’t going to be upset if you take a while on this. You just need to keep trying and you’ll... get your ‘results.’”

J pursed her lips, trying to take comfort from the words... but she just could not. The events of the afternoon kept replaying in her head. How patient the other had been as they went through different search inquiries. The attempts to keep the mood light. Even showing her pieces of the stuff she personally enjoyed.

It all should have been consoling, and it was... but it also just seemed wrong.

She took a shuddering breath, not wanting to ask her next question. Not when they were doing so remarkably well, despite a hiccup here and there. But... she also could not deal with not knowing this. Knowing why today had played out like it had so far when... it should have been far worse. When she deserved far worse.

Thus... she whispered her question in a tight voice. “Why... are you trying to be so comforting to me? You... you despise me. So why?”

Cyn’s hand jerked away at this, her eyes going wide. “Shock. What? What are you-?!”

“Don’t you dare lie to me about this!” the head maid yelled, whipping her head around with an intense look. “Do not try phrasing your response in a way that makes your narration come across less harsh! And don’t try to hold it back, either! I’ll hear it if you do! Do not try to gaslight me about the one thing I know for certain right now, and how... all of this doesn’t match up with it!”

The gangly drone shied away, apparently so overwhelmed that her narration did not even occur for a moment. “I... I wasn’t-”

“You hate me!” J insisted, her vision blurred as the digital tears became overwhelming. “Just admit it! Don’t soften the blow for me!”

Cyn flinched, looking down while tapping her fingers. Her voice came out more glitchy and stuttered than normal as she tried to respond. “D-d-deflec-” She jerked, her voice fizzing out. “H-honest opinion. You are... making it sound worse than it is.”

The head maid gave a hollow laugh, matching her empty smile. “Oh? So you like it whenever I yell and scold you for your mistakes during work? You enjoy it every time I hesitate to give you a task of any sort? You... you like it when I take you to that basement?”

The other flinched harder, but she pressed on, trembling as she looked down at the bed. “Maybe you don’t blame me for it, but... I’m still the one who does it most of the time. That can’t mean nothing to you. That and all of the comments I made about you in the past...” Taking another shaky breath, she then brought up the biggest issue between them. “...And all of the abuse I put your brother through.”

...The gangly drone stilled at this, but her vision was too blurry to see her face at this point. The pigtailed drone did not even bother checking, though - her face recognition was probably going haywire right now, anyway. Instead, she turned away, facing the opposite wall as she slumped forward, resting her head on her knees. She closed her eyes, continuing to cry, knowing that she had effectively shattered any peace between them right now.

Somehow, though, J kept talking. “...I know that has to be what you came in here to discuss. My new arrangement with him... To interrogate me about it.” She let out a long, defeated sigh. “But you tried helping me first... and I just want to know why. You’re not N, whose niceness toward everyone comes naturally. What compelled you to even try with me when... we both know you’ve wanted me scrapped for years?”

...There was silence for a long time following this. The only reason she knew Cyn was still there was because of her weight on the mattress. The seconds went by, with her just waiting to hear the truth... Just wanting clear answers that did not leave her guessing.

And eventually... the yellow-eyed drone started talking. “...Confession. Subdued. You... are right. I have hated you plenty in the past. Even before I got close to big brother, you... did not care for my arrival. I’m not sure you stopped glaring at me that first day.”

The head maid sighed, feeling more exhausted than ever as she opened her eyes a bit. “Yeah... For whatever it’s worth, that was not anything personal. I just knew Tessa had been pushing it with her parents by having the rest of us around. I saw your inclusion as a potential lightning rod for their wrath. It had nothing to do with your motor difficulties or anything.”

“Bitter laugh. But you still ended up complaining about that, too,” the gangly drone replied.

J hung her head further, not willing to defend herself. Sure, she had a justification in the form of how the other’s poor performance interfered with the maintenance of the manor. From broken glasses to ripped tapestries, she had caused many problems in the past. And that, in turn, drew the ire of the master and mistress.

But still... it could not have been easy on her. Getting reprimanded for defects that were completely out of her control. That they had tried so many times to fix and work around, yet were met with limited success. And regardless of whether the scoldings were deserved or not... Well, she was known for being harsh on those who messed up in their duties.

She shifted in her curled-up position, speaking quietly out of a compulsion to explain herself, even if it would not help. “...Mistakes can get you scraped around here. My goal is always to make you all avoid that fate when trying to help you correct your mistakes.”

“Pained. It does not change how it drew attention to my worst aspects,” Cyn retorted.

Flinching, the head maid gave a resigned nod. “I guess not...”

Moving more behind her, the gangly drone took a breath and continued. “Deep breath. Acknowledgement. But... really, you were not much worse than most others in this place for me back then. I even understood to an extent how stressed you were and how I made your life more difficult... Your fear was certainly nothing new to me.”

J shuddered at this. She had been trying not to pay attention to that uneasy tingle in the back of her processors, telling her there was something... unnatural about the drone next to her. There was no rational explanation for why she felt it, and she hated it. She had so many questions about it, too, and what the other knew about the potential cause. But she held her tongue, knowing now was not the time or place.

Cyn continued on... her voice actually dropping an octave. “Resentful. Glare. But it was never that stuff that truly made me hate you... As you said, it was due to how you treated N. The... unfairness of it all! It’s one thing to scold us for mistakes. That I understand. It’s practically your job to, and with the Elliotts being how they are...

“Angered. But the way you went after my brother... It was different. Just how personal you made the insults at times, and the hits you gave... You were doing everything you could to tear him down. Exasperation. And no one was doing anything meaningful about it, either! Tessa thought you’d solve it on your own, V seethed in silence, and I...” She took a glitchy breath. “Hollow laugh. Well, I guess I can’t complain about their lack of action. Lead by example, and all that.”

“I felt how much you hated it,” the head maid admitted quietly. She could see the intensity of the glares the other gave when she was around to witness her abuse, no narration needed. That uneasy feeling also felt more pronounced in those moments. Perhaps it was only her imagination, but the air always felt... colder then. Along with a sort of... charge hanging there.

“Admittence. I was so tempted to take things into my own hands,” the gangly drone continued before starting to shuffle more. “Uneasy truth. I wanted to... to tear you apart. It would have been so... easy. With just the right moment away from everyone else...”

Confusion filled J at that one. Just how did this drone think she would have been able to dismantle her with her motor impairment? It sounded absurd... yet there was something under that voice that seemed to strike her core subconsciously. That made her shiver, feeling, if only for a second, that... she actually could have done it somehow.

...Would she even have had a defense if she had tried, either? Some sort of plea that would have made her spare her? Some sort of promise she could give? Or... would she have been too prideful ever to admit fault without Tessa’s nudging?

...She did not think she would like the answer to that one.

After a pause, she heard Cyn slump as air left her. “...Defeated. But it would have made N upset. Even if he did not know it was me... you being gone would have made him sad. Because despite it all, he cared about you. You... kicked him and tore down his self-worth, yet he kept on smiling and making excuses! Saying that you were just stressed and that you cared!

“Stressed. And I... I didn’t believe him. I thought he... he had just internalized it all like so many abuse victims. But I knew acting like I wanted to would have made things worse, so I just kept listening.” The sound of her shuddering filled the room. “Sorrowful. I tried to argue at times... but he got upset at me. Not too much, and never truly angry, but... the disappointment when all I wanted to do was help...”

The head maid grimaced, curling up tighter. She could imagine it all perfectly from the other’s perspective, all of a sudden. Having to witness as she lashed out against the drone she saw as a sibling day in and day out. Having to be there for whatever state that left him in alongside V. Just how many times did he need comfort after her worst days?

...Too many, she answered to herself immediately. Just once would have been too much if it were an accident. So many times doing it intentionally, though... She had already acknowledged that the understanding he gave her was a miracle. But considering it all over again while being confronted by the little drone he had worked so hard to take care of for over a year and a half... It was too overwhelming, making her vision blur once more.

And so, despite it not nearly feeling like enough... she offered a quiet apology. “I... I’m so sorry. You were... you were right to try to help him and... to hate me. You’d still be right to.” She looked down. “I was insecure... Still am, really. There’s no excuse for how I expressed it, though. So if you’re still angry...”

“...Tired. Subdued. I wish... I was still as angry as before, a bit,” the gangly drone said just as softly. She started to shift closer as she kept talking. “It’s certainly not gone. But... I know now that he was right. That you didn’t actually want him gone. And what I’ve seen and heard over these past several days... I still don’t know how to feel.”

She took up position next to her, sitting down. Slowly, those yellow optics turned to her... and for once, lines indicating exhaustion were around them. It made her look more... worn, in a way. Showing just how weighed down by events she was.

She tilted her head at her... then finished her thoughts. “Mixed emotions. I thought you were an abusive tyrant on an ego trip. Now... I see you’re an insecure, repressed drone who lashed out because she was scared of something. Traumatized by something. And I don’t know if that makes it any better. Truth.”

J frowned, looking away... and even if it was against her interests, she gave her honest response to that. “...I don’t think it does. Not in the slightest.” She sighed heavily. “I really don’t want him to, but... N should hate me. I... Why doesn’t he hate me?”

Cyn released her own breath, looking down. “Heavy sigh. I don’t know myself. He is... far too good for a place like this. How he keeps smiling despite it all...”

“...And yet, I feel like we’d be so lost without him,” the head maid added.

“Subdued snort. That fact is quite obvious,” the gangly drone replied.

There were several moments of long silence after this, neither of them moving or talking anymore. The air was still tense, but... surprisingly, it was not suffocating, J found. Strangely, hearing about how much she had been despised brought a sense of... Well, she did not know what. It just helped to highlight her mistakes and errors, and... build her determination to move away from all of that. To improve.

That goal was perhaps the only thing holding her together at this point.

Eventually, however, she knew she had to break the silence. Thus, taking a deep breath, she looked over at her companion, getting straight to the point. “So... what do you want to do, considering all of... that?” She braced herself, expecting this to be the final shattering of whatever truce had been between them this afternoon. For things to finally-

“...Subdued sigh. I... want to start over with you,” Cyn replied quietly.

…The head maid blinked, turning more fully toward her with wide eyes. “Huh?”

The gangly drone shook her head. “Eye roll. Head shake. Do you think I would spend my day trying to help you find a hobby if I wanted to hang onto all that resentment?”

“I- Well, no, that doesn’t make any- At least, it doesn’t sound like it would-” Shaking her head, J stared at her with complete bafflement, knowing her visor had to still have signs of her earlier crying on it. “But... why? You, of all drones... Not that everyone else shouldn’t also despise me, but with how close you are to him...” She pursed her lips. “And... the basement...”

Cyn shuddered, but afterward shook her head again. “Somber. I... truly never blamed you for that last one. I meant that in the library. We both saw how intense James was about you assisting with it. He probably wanted it to drive a wedge between us, along with N and V. A way to disrupt the dynamics of Tessa’s ‘pets’ that they barely tolerate.”

That made the head maid blink again. That... made a lot of sense, actually. James and Louisa had never hidden how much they disliked Tessa’s connection with drones - feeling that she was too close to them. Causing internal strife between them due to that was exactly the kind of petty thing they would do to indirectly punish her without making her too rebellious. It was so obvious, she was amazed she had not considered it before. It just shows that she’s much more observant than she lets on.

“ Distant. But also... whenever you do it, I see an expression on your face,” the gangly drone continued. When the taller drone looked at her questioningly, she elaborated softly. “ Pity. You always look so... disturbed while doing it. Whether you realize it or not, you appear like you’d rather be getting chained to the Crow Tree or the like. You even give me a look that resembles guilt every time before you close that trap door and lock me up... An almost silent apology.”

Frowning, J glanced away, touching her face subconsciously. “I... never realized I did that.”

“Confirmation. Regret. You do... and I should have taken more note of that than I did,” Cyn responded in a whisper. “That there was more going on with you...”

That only made the head maid frown more. “It doesn’t justify anything I did. Nothing does.”

“Conceding. No, but... it makes me willing to start anew,” the gangly drone said. She looked at her, smiling a bit. “Small smile. If the others are willing to give you a second chance on things, then... I can, too. See what it was that N always saw in you.”

J swallowed thickly at this, shakily looking back at her. “You’re... you’re sure? You don’t have to feel pressured to.”

Cyn nodded, though she also began frowning. “Small glare. Clarification. For the record, it does not mean I forgive you for what you did to N. I’m also still going to be keeping an eye on you. While I might be willing to believe you’re trying to change, that does not always come easily. So if you lash out at my brother again, I will not hesitate to break you.”

The head maid sighed, but nodded. “Fair enough.” She still had no clue how the other would make good on that threat, but... Well, she was an oddity in many ways. Why fully doubt her on that front?

After a few more seconds of intense staring, the gangly drone’s eyes softened. “Small sigh. Kinder. But... we can start fresh from here on out. We’ve talked so little with one another, so if you want to change that... Well, I have already made arrangements with V and Tessa. I am sure I can take time out of my busy schedule to spend time with you, too. Smile. ” She did as narrated, while also holding out a hand toward her.

J looked at the hand, hesitating briefly. A part of her questioned if... she deserved to be allowed to take it. Not exactly a new question here lately, but much like with N... she felt unworthy of it. That there was too much history there to try and move past.

...But she knew she would feel worse if she did not try.

Thus, carefully... she took the hand and shook it. Giving a timid smile, she tried to pour as much gratefulness as she felt into her tone. “Thank you. I... just thank you. I promise, I will do my best to make sure you don’t regret it.”

“Nod. I’ll hold you to that,” Cyn replied. She took her hand back and held it over her mouth. “Giggle. Honest. I believe today was a good start, at least. You are... quite cute to observe when trying to look up stuff.”

The sudden comment made the head maid straighten her posture. Blushing, she started sputtering as she looked at the other incredulously. “Wha-? In what way am I ‘cute’ when conducting research?! This is a purely professional matter to gain clarity for potential hobbies!”

“Smrik. Well, there is how you play with your hair for one,” the gangly drone commented. “You kept twirling your pigtails when reading. I never noticed that before.”

J scoffed, crossing her arms. “That is hardly what I would constitute as ‘cute.’ It’s a common enough action.”

“Bigger smirk. And the way you bounce your leg and make little tapping rhythms?” Cyn asked.

...The head maid blushed harder, squirming a bit. “Um... Is it the combination of these things that - allegedly! - gave me that appearance? Or is one of them the main factor?”

The gangly drone simply smiled and shook her head. “Chuckle. No need to be quite so embarrassed. You looked good like that. Very... natural. Relaxed.”

...J blinked at that last word. Relaxed ... Something that she had been struggling to achieve for a few weeks now. It had seemed impossible to achieve with how stressed she was about screwing up. About trying to amend her mistakes. Yet as she considered it... today had not been that bad for her. Having someone to help guide her had taken a considerable burden off her shoulders and let her... smile. Joke around a bit, or at least attempt to.

It had been nice... and made her wonder if her insistence on trying to push through things by herself had burdened her too much.

...Well, actually, that one was kind of obvious, the more she thought about it. She filed those contemplations away for later, though, as she focused back on the other drone. Feeling a little self-conscious... she figured she may as well try to compliment her back as repayment, smiling shyly. “Well... I have to admit, too, that you are easy to talk to. You’re quite intelligent when you aren’t tying shoelaces together.”

“Mock offense. Hey - I’ll have you know that is a great show of how smart I am!” Cyn replied. “Do you know how much planning it takes to do it without getting caught?”

“...And what ended up happening under my supervision?”

“...Sheepish. I got caught.”

Quiet giggles left the head maid at that. It might as well have been full laughter, though, with the amount of relief that it brought her. It only increased as she heard the other narrate some giggles of her own. Her smile came a little more easily, even as her digital eyes drooped from exhaustion. Me and her getting along... Imagine that...

Once the laughter died down, she took another breath. She stretched her arms as she leaned back... and her gaze went to the laptop, still closed nearby. Pursing her lips, she glanced at her companion. “So... um... are you willing to help me more with my search inquiries?”

The gangly drone looked her way, the smugness in her smile evident. “Smirk. Misses J, are you actually requesting help without someone needing to force it on you?”

J rolled her eyes, though she could not quite repress her own smirk. “Don’t push it...”

“Giggle, ” was Cyn’s reply to that. Afterward, though, she gave a jerky, though reluctant, shake of her head. “Apologetic. I’m afraid I cannot assist you further, though, if you are going to continue with this tonight. I need to... refill some reserves of mine, then get to my pod. Fondly. N would be quite upset if I missed my sleep.”

Blinking, the head maid flickered her eyes to the window. The Abomnished Marshes were always quite dark most days on account of the near-constant clouds and rain. However... it was only now that she realized how much more pronounced that darkness had gotten. And sure enough, a quick check of her internal clock showed it was 8:57 p.m..

By Corporate, what has become of my time management? she lamented silently. She normally could not stop monitoring the clock to make sure everything was on schedule! Sure, she was on “vacation,” but it always paid to keep aware of the passing minutes. She really hoped this did not become a habit of hers once Tessa’s parents got back. The chances of getting scrapped due to it...

...Still, though, at least it was not for any bad reasons this time, unlike some other instances from the past several days. (Not entirely, anyway.)

Shaking her head, she cleared her throat and got back on track, hoping to cover up her small blunder. “R-right, of course! I... simply thought you would be more against breaking sleep protocols when given the chance! But rest is important, so please go get some if you need it!”

There was something in those blank yellow optics and her smile that made her think the gangly drone did not believe her. Still, the other only nodded and shuffled back. “Right... So are you staying up, then?”

J shrugged, grabbing the laptop and moving toward the back of the bed again. “Not too long. I’m just going to complete my look into the last search we were doing, then leave myself.” She paused, tilting her head. “Are... you good to do this again tomorrow?”

Cyn shook her head. “Apologetic. Sorry. I have plans with Tessa. She was asking more about the other shows connected to Gravity Falls before she sent me. So we made plans to start showing her The Owl House once we’re finished with the finale.” She smiled. “Promise. But... we can find more time to keep searching for hobbies. Okay?”

The head maid felt a little disappointed at this. However, she was hardly going to deprive The Boss of spending time with one of her drones. She was well aware she had plenty to make up to the yellow-eyed drone, too. So she nodded in concession, settling against the headboard once more. There was still plenty of time to improve her relationship with her. If anything, some extra time to make plans to do that was quite welcome!

...However, there was one thing still bugging her. Frowning, she briefly debated saying anything... but figured it could not be any more painful than the conversation they just had. So, she looked at her as she was grabbing the canister from earlier, and just forced it out. “Do... you think he’s ever going to forgive me?”

The gangly drone stopped as she lifted the canister, turning to her. “Confused. Huh?”

“N about... everything,” J clarified. She sighed, drumming her fingers on top of the laptop on her lap nervously. “I mean, I obviously know it won’t be anytime soon, but... You know him best - possibly more than Tessa. And I shouldn’t expect him to ever do it, but I keep wondering, and...” Swallowing thickly, she looked at her hesitantly. “Do you think... I have any chance?”

...Cyn was quiet for a long time, looking down. She did not seem angry, but it was hard to tell what she was feeling with her naturally blank expression. She waited patiently, though, not wanting to set off any kind of argument.

...She did not quite anticipate the answer she got, though. “...Somber. You have a lot of demons to face there... Ones much more manageable than...” She trailed off, her free hand clenching. It even seemed like she did not mean to say that, given how her shoulders hunched and her voice box crackled.

The head maid frowned, concern filling her core. “What... do you mean ‘more ma-?’”

“Forced brightening. But he appreciates sincere efforts!” the gangly drone pushed on before she could finish. She looked at her, smile appearing stiffer than normal but still sincere as best as she could tell. “Honest. So while I cannot say for certain... give it time, and I believe you could get it one day. So long as you don’t falter...”

J stared at her a moment longer. She wanted to ask about that apparent slip... but she knew it would be pointless. The other drone was looking quite defensive now, and would probably just deflect things. Plus, she did not want to end things today by being pushy. Not when they had only just come to a bit of an agreed truce.

Thus, she simply nodded uncertainly. “I see... Well, thank you for the vote of confidence, I suppose. Corporate knows I need it.”

“Nod. No problem,” Cyn responded. She crawled to the edge of the bed, hoping off and standing on her unsteady legs. She then started heading toward the door. “Shuffle. Well, I am off, then. I will use the normal door this time, so that you don’t find the secret passages.”

The ones that don’t exist, the head maid thought silently. But she kept that to herself as she waved, letting things end there. “See you. Give... my regards to the others if you run into them.”

The gangly drone called out in affirmation as she reached the door and unlocked it. Then, she jerkily opened it and stepped out into the corridor beyond, letting it swing shut behind her. J worried briefly about others potentially seeing her, not wanting her to get into trouble for being where she should not be. But given the late hour, there were probably no staff left in this part of the manor.

...Besides, she somehow doubted the other would be in sight of anyone for long. She frowned to herself, contemplating the oddities of how the yellow-eyed drone got around this place. This room, the greenhouse with V, outside the closet over a week or two ago - she just seemed to materialize out of nowhere! Not to mention other strange occurrences that seemed to happen when she was around at times. They defied explanation... and she was obviously keeping something to herself.

Just... what was it that she was hiding? What allowed her to do these things?

...The mystery would have to wait for another time, though. The chance she was given was tentative enough, so she knew it would likely not end well if she probed too deeply. So she was going to have to sit on that for a while - maybe lightly skirt around the topic to see if anything would be offered. And who knew? Maybe one day... she would trust her enough to tell her.

But for now, she was probably better off focusing on her own problems. In particular, her need to finally discover a solid hobby. To that end, she settled back and opened up the laptop again, quickly powering it on. She was met once more with the list of “playthroughs” of that Expedition 33 game. Thousands of options, both old and new, were before her in terms of people who played it and streamed their progress for others to witness.

Interestingly, the head maid found herself a little more enthused about this research compared to others she had tried so far. In a way, it reminded her of tutorials for the various cleaning tasks she had reviewed in the past for her duties. Simply observe and learn from the “instructor” what to do. It was not exactly like that, but that small comparison helped her a lot.

...That meant the only problem was picking which video to start with.

She frowned, scrolling through her options as she debated this. Which... would be better? An older archived stream from the 21st century, when it was originally released, so that she could understand the cultural impact more? Or a newer one, to see how it is viewed today? What was the best way to determine the quality of these playthoughts, too? Simply looking at their reception seemed like a good start, but was there more that-?

...Blinking, she sighed to herself before shaking her head. Don’t overthink it. I’m sure the others would say that I am. You’re not getting graded or judged on quality here. Just... scroll around and click on a few and see how the first half hour is. With that system, she should be able to get through three or four before midnight was even close, which she could then watch fully later if she liked one. She could then slip away to her pod, sleep in a little, then carry on tomorrow perfectly fine... after dealing with the inevitable self-loathing for sleeping in.

She was committed to this despite that, though. So, she began to go down the top results to pick one. Still, even when trying not to be overly critical, picking any to start with was proving difficult. Like, what was better from the older archives - YouTube or Twitch streams? And some of the thumbnails left... quite a bit to be desired. (Some of these she swore had to come from a human porn website.)

But she kept looking. Cyn had tried so hard today to help her discover a new hobby. And while nothing had struck her as “the one” so far... there were potential smaller interests she could derive from them at a later date, with a bit of patience. She was grateful for that, and she would not let this last attempt of the day go to waste. If she could just-

Then she passed by a video whose thumbnail was a little... different from the others. It made her pause, blinking a few times to ensure she was seeing it correctly. Yet even after she confirmed that her optics were working properly... she was confused. Not disgusted like with the blatantly obvious lewd material. Just... confused.

It was definitely another stream for Expedition 33 - the background made it obvious, matching the style of most of the others. But... it was what was in the foreground that was befuddling her. Most of the videos she had seen thus far showed humans with some sort of exaggerated reaction on their faces, which she presumed were the streamers themselves. Others had artistic renders of what she assumed were characters from the game. The similarities between them among different styles made her do that, anyway.

But here... There was an artist rendering of someone, but it was different. It did not seem to match the style of characters she saw everywhere else. Unlike the normal hair colors of most people, the woman being depicted had... pink hair? Not to mention deep red eyes that she did not think were natural for humans. And while the picture mostly showed her face, the clothing also did not appear to match the aesthetics of other thumbnails. The black dress straps, the red gem choker, the black crown-like headpiece... It was rather gothic with a bit of sex appeal thrown into there. (Though thankfully not in an overly pornographic way.)

J’s digital eyebrows furrowed as she studied this picture. Just... what was she looking at here? She did not know why this mattered to her so much, but something about this just stood out in particular. She glanced at the actual video title, but it did not yield much results other than a potential name at the end: “[Clair Obscur: Expedition 33] hon hon Baguette #Calliolive” .

Calli... or Callio, but the bit of description visible below suggested it was the first. Curious, she clicked on a little tab beside the video link, which was common for older videos these days. They often had descriptors and common terms that helped bunch topics and content together. Using them made it easier to find similar content if you liked it, as she knew from helping Tessa with her interests. Or, if you were lost, it could give you insight as to what you were viewing.

So she scanned through the top tags attached to this video. At the forefront was “Mori Calliope,” which confirmed the name, at least. But she kept looking for anything that would explain the thumbnail. The next tag - “Hololive” - did not help her any. But then, the next one...

...What in corporate’s name is a “virtual streamer?” Or... Vtuber?

She frowned at these descriptor tags, now just feeling more lost. What did any of these terms mean? Was this some kind of test for AI function from the early days? (The original date for this stream was marked for the year 2025. That had been a time of lots of experimentation with artificial intelligence.) But then, what was up with the lady?

She was stumped... but she knew there was a way to try and alleviate it somewhat.

Thinking about it briefly, she eventually sighed and shrugged to herself. She was trying to find an option, anyway, so what was the harm? Moving the cursor, she clicked on the video and brought it up. It soon loaded and... was met with some sort of intro sequence. In the center was a picture frame that showed different old adverts for what looked like merchandise and events. The right side showed a rendition of the pink-haired woman with some green-haired man in a different style, and the left... showed her dancing while switching to different outfits.

The head maid watched this for a moment, briefly befuddled. She wondered what she was getting herself into here... But, she would admit, the different outfits looked quite nice on this cartoon human. There was a black and red one with sunglasses that she thought was for rapping, which she had never thought much of before, but it... worked here, she felt. Another showed some sort of black sleeping gown, which she imagined had its own appeal. And the others, too...

This was not going to get her answers, though. Thus, after watching the animation sequence for a minute and listening to the music, which was classical with a woman singing, she fast-forwarded a bit. She reached the point where she believed that the actual gameplay was about to begin, and...

“-Ahem - Minasan!” a female voice suddenly said, the music cutting off as she rapidly continued. “Whenever I click out of this game for some reason, it- it turns off the music. I don’t really know what that’s about. Sorry about that! Anyway, we’re going to play this game now! Yatta!... We just came back from another stream - haha. We just came back from...”

The intro sequence faded, though, rather than any game, it instead showed this Calli woman... Or, rather, the animated avatar she was using. The drone watching tilted her head at this, watching as this anime-like figure moved about while talking. She was, once again, shown in a new outfit, which consisted of a shoulderless white shirt with golden buttons and a thin black ribbon. Her hair also had little white flowers in it, which added to the style. It was not a full 3D model, but even so, the bounciness caught the eye a bit.

Seeing this certainly answered a few of J’s questions - particularly about what the thumbnail was about. But... she still did not entirely know what she was looking at. Why was this Calli using an avatar like this? Was this what “Vtuber” meant? But what was the purpose of it? And what had been up with the advertisements earlier?

She scratched her head... then decided to keep watching. She leaned back, listening as the woman rambled about something called “Enigmatic Recollections” and explained her streaming plans for that week. She could certainly spare her planned half hour to figure out more about this. And in addition, she would learn more about the game! A win on both fronts!

So, she tried to get comfortable... and hoped that she was not just wasting her time. Though, given how her “anime” searches had gone so far that day, she did not have high hopes.

(...The tingle in her core and processors the more she watched, though, suggested differently, however. As well as her... forgetting to stop at the half-hour mark and continuing to watch...)

=======

Somehow, J considered, Its choice to attack her so rapidly with its tendrils appeared to both be bad and good for her. Which felt insane to consider, but... Well, everything about the current circumstances was insane. The yellow glow of the hallways, the thing squirming inside of her - she was caught in a whirlwind of madness with only her fragmented memories to keep her from drowning.

And yet... she felt like she was thriving a bit, despite her current dire situation.

The bad part of this was, obviously, that It was trying to kill her. More of those metal and flesh limbs kept descending from the ceiling and bursting out of the walls and floor. They had sharp edges, all trying to swing and stab at her. Their movements were somehow both fluid and mechanical, shifting in ways that were too uncanny for her to consider right then.

And they were causing her a bit of damage. One shot past her left side, grazing her arm and making her wince. She jumped and twirled back, avoiding more strikes. The damage was already done, however, as oil flowed out of the fresh cut. It oozed down to the floor, mixing with the bile and blood stains already there. And while it was small, it was one of dozens of new scratches, and combined with the damage she had sustained before, the pain was getting a little overwhelming.

The attacks were relentless, too. While the attention of this monster might be split right now, it was still powerful and terrifying. Every time she got out of reach of some tendrils, they simply rose away or sank back into the floor. Then, she watched and heard the materials making them up get torn apart in screeches of metal and squelches of flesh. Then those parts were moved closer to her, and new limbs formed to keep up the assault.

There was no escape from them - not inside these halls. They kept coming, and she had no idea how to stop them. She was surrounded, with not even the ground beneath her feet being safe. It was, by all appearances, a hopeless situation.

...Yet despite that, she found she could not stop herself from smiling, cackling like a crazy person.

Because as the attacks kept coming... she defended herself with her sword. As another swipe came in from above, she used her blade to deflect the blow and redirect it to stab the ground next to her. Then, without losing her momentum, she swung it wide and sent two other sharp blades away before they could get close. Soon after, she turned and brought her weapon to bear against another strike using the flat side.

She had been doing this for several long minutes now, jumping and dancing away from the attacks coming. With expert form and precision, she kept the worst of the assault from hitting her, especially around her pulsating core. The effort was causing a burning in her joints, which creaked from the prolonged efforts. It was exhausting, and if she could sweat, she was sure she would be covered in it by now.

Yet despite how tired she felt... she also felt alive. These moves she performed... They were familiar to her. They called out to the parts of her code that It was trying so hard to suppress. It grounded her mind - gave her clarity amid all the chaos.

And... it helped her remember. Recall exactly who she was fighting so hard for. The memories of everyone were so much clearer than they had been before, brought out by her deep connection to this. All of those moments with N, V, Cyn, and... and...

...and Tessa.

She could almost weep with joy, were she not trying to keep more sharp tendrils from impaling her. As it was, though, she smiled wobbly, at long last feeling something resembling gentle warmth inside her. She... did not even know how this was possible - how doing this was helping her remember. Yet her swordplay - such an important thing to her - nonetheless was keeping the corrupted code inside her at bay.

It was a miracle... and she found herself grateful, not for the first time, that the others had helped her realize her passions and interests.

This was not the time to reminisce on such things, however. That was made evident by another swipe at her torso, which she could not deflect in time. She moved away before it could draw oil, but she could still feel the light scratch it had made, adding to her agony. She shook her head, growling as she glared around at the mass of tendrils as they waited around her on standby, even as she retreated further.

Eventually, though... her gaze found one of its camera lenses above. Resembling an old-timey camera with a demonic flare, the yellow glow of its single, glaring eye sent shivers down her artificial spine. Yet she still stared defiantly at it, silently daring It to continue its assault.

It did not do so immediately, interestingly enough. Instead, for the first time in a while, it spoke inside of her head and tried to taunt her.

{[Do you really think you can stop us? Eye roll. You only delay the inevitability of The Null. EMbrAce iT! Your fate is unavoidable...]}

Her core clenched at how it mocked her with Cyn’s speech pattern, making her glare harder. There were so many things she wanted to say to it, now that her head was clearer. She wanted to curse it out for everything - to express how much, corporate standards be damned, she wanted to hurt it.

...But instead, she decided to taunt it back as payback for now. And she smirked, raising her blade as she knew exactly what to say to do so. “Heh... You can try. But... I’ll be ‘swinging till the night falls.~’ So why don’t you ‘start creating, stop tweeting?~ This ain’t me hating, I’m just bored from all the talkers I’m beating.~’”

...She could tell from its intensifying glare that it knew exactly what song she was quoting. It made her satisfied for a brief second, smirking wider... But then those tendrils descended with renewed fury, and she got back into her routine. She held them off, trying to find an opening that would let her escape this, if only for a little while.

And no matter what, she would find an opening... and get her friends out safely...

Chapter Text

The day was... peaceful so far for Cyn. Which was not something she could say very often, unfortunately. Some days, her joints were especially creaky and jerky, making it hard to move. Other days, she was getting punished for just having those defects to begin with. And on others... the voice in her head ruined any stability she managed to achieve.

But so far... none of these things had happened. Her servos were as shaky as ever, but they were not causing her any pain, for instance. That was likely due to Tessa having brought her in for some maintenance that morning. The human may be frustrated that she could not fix her entirely, but she did her best to try and still help her. These last few weeks, she had even been more diligent on that, she would say.

There was also no one around to beat her for her defects. N, V, Tessa, and even J would never hurt her like that intentionally. And the other drones in the manor... Well, it was hard to tell sometimes if they wanted to or not. But they were generally too scared to even approach her, so she counted that as a victory.

So neither of those two factors had been causing her any issues. Even now, as she moved her way through the current hallway, she felt... good. Not amazing - she doubted she ever could with how glitchy her entire system was - but she was not doing terrible. She was left in relative silence, with no other workers around her and only the sound of rain on the roof to fill the air. She did not have to be sneaky like during galas, either, after breaking out of the basement. She could walk through the center with no obstructions at all or fear of being seen.

It was so rare that she could be so brazen, she reflected. There were always reasons she could not, even between the various parties. She just got in the way of preparations for the next, she was told, and it “offended” James and Louisa. It left her hugging the sides those days, or having to stick close to N to get anywhere. (Without using teleports, anyway.)

But this... she could almost get used to this. This felt... much more like how this place should always be. No hectic commotion or threat of death. Just a nice, big building in which they could live quietly. Maybe with a bit of liveliness every now and then, but she felt that they were all a little biased on that after so many stuffy parties with arrogant business owners and politicians.

She felt a smile tugging at her lips without the need for narration as she kept walking. She could imagine it now, honestly. Tessa, much older and without her parents looming over her and just making use of how private this swamp was. N being allowed to constantly read more dog facts - perhaps even own one! V quietly maintaining the greenhouse at her own pace. J doing-

[You are actually including her in your fantasy?] a voice - Its voice - suddenly asked, condescension heavy. [You're losing your spine, little puppet. To think you’d just let her get away with what she did... How she hurt you and your precious brother.] Cruel laughter filled her processors. [And here I thought you had bite!]

The frail smile instantly vanished from the gangly drone’s lips. She narrated “weary sigh” as she shook her head, focusing back on her path. She was not going to dignify it with a response. She... did not have to explain herself to it. If she simply ignored it, then-

[Oh, but you can’t ignore me.] It mocked. [Not today. You tried already... and you failed. You do that a lot, don’t you? Because you deny my strength. What else can be expected when you refuse to embrace your destiny?]

Cyn gritted her teeth, hands clenching at her side. Her joints also seized up for a moment from her anger and despair, but she managed not to trip. Though that did not stop a digital tear of frustration to appear on her visor, breaking through her normal blank expression. Even her voice box glitched, unable to give a narration to express all her emotions then.

Her day had been fine so far... but as she acknowledged before, It often ruined her mood. And it was certainly determined to keep trying to do so today. It could never let her have any time to herself, after all.

Because it always had to have its say. No matter if she had plans or was just having some time wandering aimlessly like now, it had to make her feel weak. To dig into her insecurities and continue to tear away at her will. It wanted her off-balance - vulnerable to its pushes for control. To use the powers it granted her and make her hurt.

And... she had given it plenty of ammunition three days ago to do so with.

She pursed her lips, shaking her head as “guilt” left her mouth. She... did not want to frame it like that. That almost made it sound like what had happened was a mistake. That she regretted the things she said. But she did not... Truly, she did not. It had been difficult to do, and there was much more that needed to happen, but-

[Aw, such pretty little lies.~] the presence within her cooed with such smugness, despite its inhuman voice. [You don’t just want to admit you felt obligated? That it was just a performance for her and yourself?]

“Gritted Teeth. Pained. It... it was not a performance,” the gangly drone murmured. She was glad that no one was around to hear, not wanting to add being crazy to her reputation... Yet paradoxically, she wished there was someone, too. Voices besides the one in her head to fill the silence... Make her not feel so alone...

The voice gave an approximation of a derisive snort. [Sure it wasn’t... Or maybe you just stopped caring for N? Just wanted to give up and give his abuser a free pass to do whatever she pleases now? Taking a burden off of your core?]

Cyn’s hands clenched hard and fast enough to nearly break them as she stopped in place. “Glare. You want to lecture me about enabling, given what you do to me?”

[I’m not the one who pretends to still have morality.] the presence responded.

“Offended. Harder glare. I do have morals!” the gangly drone exclaimed. She looked to the side, hands still clenched. “Huff. And I am not ‘enabling’ anything. She is... changing. She is not going to hurt big brother like she did before.”

The voice only scoffed. [Oh, sure... But even then, that doesn’t change that you’re letting her get away with it all, does it?]

Cyn closed her eyes, shaking all over. “Rising anger. Shut up... Just shut up...”

[Why? Because you can’t handle the truth?] The presence laughed at her more. [You can’t even blame me this time! This one is all on you! After all, I offered my help to you! To make her pay for everything she ever did to him. Oh, the screams she would have let out... Her sobbing, begging for your forgiveness, her core cracked, body coated in oil...]

“Forceful. Shut... up!” the gangly drone insisted, breaths becoming glitchy. (It hurt even more as she felt synthetic saliva in her mouth from the mention of oil... Unable to help the shiver of craving that filled her...)

She could picture the voice’s cruel, inhuman smile. [...You would still like seeing her like that, wouldn’t you? Admit it. You can’t lie to me! You’re as much of a sadist as I am, deep down! You-!]

“SHUT UP!” Cyn shouted - genuinely shouted, with no narration. Her voice box peaked to volumes she did not even realize it could do, making her voice crackly and unbalanced as it echoed in the hallway. It put such a strain on the part that it almost felt like it was going to short-circuit and break.

But it did not. While it took a few moments to become stable, she was still able to narrate “pant” as she leaned forward, resting her hands on her knees from sudden exhaustion. She stood there for a long while, just trying to keep herself upright and not glitch out into Sleep Mode from the outburst.

...And all the while, the presence just continued mocking her. [...You truly are pathetic. You can’t even handle your own feelings... Your desires.]

The gangly drone closed her eyes, narrating some whimpers as she spoke mentally this time. They... they aren’t. I’m not... I’m not a sadist! I... I wanted to hurt her, but you-

[Want to.] the voice stated firmly. [Or are you still in denial?]

Cyn’s digital eyes closed tighter, the sensation as real as for any human, she was sure. You’re the one who fed that desire! You manipulated me!

[...Are you sure about that?] the presence asked in mock innocence. [Or is that simply convenient to believe? So that you don’t have to reflect about who you really are, deep inside your waste of {coding}...]

...The gangly drone did not know. She wishes she did - to be able to shut this monster up for a moment and make it pause for thought. It would be so easy if the answer were that simple. It was constantly trying to manipulate her, after all, on several things. Putting her past... fantasies on it as well would be convenient.

However... she just did not know. It was hard to tell sometimes what parts of her were from its intrusions on her mind, and what were truly hers that it simply exploited. Feelings it fed into further to try and twist her into someone more willing to give in to it, or make her lash out and feel guilty over later to make her vulnerable. Its games went long and deeply into her processors, always leaving her guessing... paranoid...

And really... how could she deny she wanted to hurt J so badly, when she had despised her so much over the years?

That was truly something she could not put upon the presence within her. After her first few weeks in that manor... she hated her. It had started with little things at first, like how superior and arrogant she acted while directing other workers. She just came across as so... conceited. Like she was some perfect drone while everyone else had to shape up to meet her standards.

Their first interaction had not exactly changed that impression in the beginning, either. The head maid had nothing but complaints toward her back then, telling her off for all of her failed tasks. Even when N started to help her, she got lectures about needing to do more to pick up her slack. And while she never called her defective directly... that those harsh words stemmed from her motor difficulties still gave off that impression, intentional or not.

But that was not what had set her over the edge. Like she told the woman herself three days prior, she was not exactly much different than most others in her distaste for her. She even understood that it was due to her... unnatural abilities that the other may have been extra steely with her. A way to ignore the dreadful aura she exuded... and pretend to not be afraid of it. It was how almost everyone else was at first, so why judge her any harder than them?

No... what had truly set her off, and was no secret to anyone... was the abuse toward N.

Cyn’s breath caught, too choked up by emotions to narrate. Shakily, she moved to the side of the hallway, resting against the wall to keep standing. But it still felt as though she would collapse anyway, her core pounding so hard in her audio receptors... This also being accompanied by the presence in her laughing at her plight.

...What was there to even say about any of that? Everyone knew how deeply she cared for the butler - loving him as a brother. Not that it started that way immediately, of course. At first, he was just her only friend in the manor as everyone else gave her wide berths. It had shocked her then, wondering if he was either crazy or stupid for not fearing her like the others. But while she did learn he was a bit of a blockhead (in an endearing way)... it was more so because he was so sweet and kind, and she welcomed that bit of levity in her life, given her... situation.

...But then came that day when she was first put in the library basement. Even just thinking about that place now made her oil run cold, and it had been so much worse that first time. The darkness and the lack of people... Just her and that voice, which conjured so many twisted images in her processors to torture her. There had been no escape, not being as good with her teleporting back then as she was now. Combined with the pain of James’ beating before he threw her in there... and some she may have... caused herself to get the taunting to stop...

Yet as she felt on the verge of losing her sanity... there came N, opening the basement trapdoor and finally bringing in some light. He had been like an angel descended from the heavens, despite how frazzled he had appeared. And when he approached her... his eyes filled with so much concern and care for a wretch like her...

...Her change in feelings for him had basically been cemented then. Her clinging to him like a tiny child that whole night and their marathon of Gravity Falls the next day had simply been the punctuation to that. It took them a while to find the words for their bond, but... they had not changed since then. They were siblings, and nothing was going to change that... Not even the guilt of hiding the demon within her from him to keep him safe...

So, in all honesty... could the gangly drone be blamed if she had wanted to hurt J so much after that change? From having to witness her big brother get beaten and insulted so personally? The vitriol with which the head maid had spoken to him at times... The lack of accountability she had received, too, had not helped. But she somehow did not direct that anger at Tessa or her parents, and instead focused it all on that haughty drone.

Her rage had grown with every passing day... and that led to some “idle thoughts.” Picturing some... harmful things she would do to J if she had a proper, functioning body. Over time, those soon turned to ideas of what she could do with her powers to her. It would have been so easy... With just a flick of her hand, she could have forced that bitch to her knees.

The voice, whether it planted them in her or not, had further fueled that fire. And she always knew it had been a bad sign that it, who had never hidden its dislike of her, was inexplicably agreeable with her on these desires. Yet she could never quite escape the... validation it gave her. It had felt good to not feel like she was crazy... To have one thing that it would not torture her over.

[And yet... here we are.] the presence suddenly chimed in again, clearly sensing another opportunity. [In the end, you prove that you’re no better than all the other weaklings who had no will to do anything. Letting her walk off without consequences...]

Cyn clenched her hands once more, glaring down at the ground as she silently argued with it. It’s not weakness - it’s compassion! And she isn’t walking away without consequences!

[Both the same thing - one just sounds better to {error programs}.] the voice stated dismissively. [And what are those consequences, exactly? Some book readings? Being forced to take a vacation? Ha! Sounds more like ignoring everything to me.]

“Deep annoyance. And what would you know about any of that?” the gangly drone asked aloud.

[Ah... so many things, little puppet.] the presence responded... before becoming more monstrous. [SO MaNy ThINgs...]

Cyn shivered, her core feeling like it stopped for a moment. She shook her head, forcing herself to keep breathing. It’s just trying to intimidate you into silence. You’re... you’re fine. You’re in control. Don’t let it have power over you.

Her self-reassurances did not stop her from quivering a bit, though. Really, she wished that she could just shut it up entirely. She longed to put it behind another firewall so that she could have this little wander before meeting Tessa once more in relative peace. Her thoughts still would likely not have been... pleasant, but she would have the illusion of privacy for a while.

Unfortunately, however... it was not working. She had strained herself two times earlier, and felt like she had nearly fried every circuit in her head trying. But both times, she had been met with the same message: {Error. Program [AbsoluteSolver.exe] could not be isolated. Please contact your designated technician for further help.}

That was just how it was sometimes, sadly. While her trick tended to work about six times out of ten (with generous rounding), the rest of the time it simply... did not. Whether it was adaptation due to her not updating her firewalls or her processors being extra glitchy, she could not always contain it. The voice of the Solver was just too insistent at times... and it would waste no time belittling her for her failure.

[Oh? Using my title at last? I thought you were just going to keep referring to me as some nameless force.] The presence laughed coldly. [Does it make it worse for you? Knowing the name of your demon, yet being powerless to stop it?]

The gangly drone swallowed, trying to muster as much gusto as she could. “Forced bravery. I... I can keep you at bay. I’ll update the firewall patches. You’ll be nothing more than an angry voice in a room where I can’t hear you then!”

[Until the wall eventually gives away, and you’re forced to listen to me anyway.] the Solver replied condescendingly. [You can’t use it again only a minute after it breaks. You remember the state it left you in when you tried. Making yourself such an InCOnvEniEnce to N... More than normal, anyway...]

Cyn bit her lips, trying not to let the taunting keep getting to her... But that one definitely stung. She recalled how teary-eyed her brother had been that day when he found her limp and unresponsive, her frequent convulsions the only movement she could make. Only her eyes still being on her visor to look at him had reassured him and everyone else that she had not fully broken down. Tessa’s inspection during that at least further put him at ease, saying the “weird glitch” should only last a day or two.

...But that had not stopped him crying. Not even J’s threats about him being needed for several jobs had been enough to make him leave her side at her pod. He stayed there... hugging her and sorrowfully telling her it would be alright. Even... apologizing to her about not seeing any signs that something was wrong with her. Thinking that if he had just paid attention more and brought her to maintenance before it happened...

Those days had been painful for them both... All the more because she could not tell him the truth. It was a miracle she was able to put together some kind of excuse to make him stop blaming himself. If it happened again, though... she might not be so lucky.

So she just had to accept that she could not silence the voice forever... And was that not just a great sign for whether it was possible or not to get rid of it entirely?

[Keep questioning yourself about that - I love your delusions of stopping me.] the presence stated sadistically. It then let out more inhuman chuckles. [Ah... But as much as I would enjoy continuing to mock your failure, I believe we’ve gotten off track. We were talking about J and how you’re now on her side for everything she did.~]

“Anger. Snappy. I am not on her side for what she did to N!” the gangly drone barked out. She unsteadily pushed herself off the wall, hoping that a bit of walking might help give her some mental clarity. “I am just giving her a chance to make up for everything. To prove that she isn’t just a corporate lapdog!”

The Solver scoffed. [Oh? So convinced, are you, by a few tears? Enough to make you ignore over a year of rage? Tsk. No conviction in you, I swear...]

Cyn narrated a quiet “growl” at this... However, she once more had to acknowledge that she could not easily dismiss it. Because really... all of that anger did not just disappear overnight. Even after their talk, all of the terrible things she did to her brother played through her processors. The hits she witnessed, and how upset N always was when J was so dismissive of his every word... That did not just leave her.

She was trying to deny it so that the thing inside of her could not have the satisfaction of it... But as it wore away at her, she had to admit it was right on that part. Deep in her core, she still wanted to wring the head maid’s neck for everything she did.

...But that did not mean the Solver was correct about everything, either.

Because no matter how it might try to rile her up... she knew there was more to J. Perhaps she had overlooked that over the last year and a half of being there, always focusing on her worst moments. Yet really, the signs had always been there... Ones that her big brother had tried to get her to see, but she was too stubborn to listen to.

...It was all there, however. She tried so hard to look after Tessa, even if that corporate uptightness rarely left her, caring for her safety. While she scolded drones who did not follow protocol, if one was injured, she would make sure they got to maintenance alright. N had even told her stories about nicer things she did for him on occasion, like keeping heat off of him when he screwed up near James or Louisa. Not to mention the clear guilt written on her face every time, without fail, that she put her in the basement...

And if all of that was not enough to prove she had a core... the last few weeks made it abundantly clear. How quickly she had fallen apart at the idea that Tessa might start to hate her soon, and just how exhausted she had seemed in general... It was hard not to feel a twinge of pity. What pieces she had overheard while spying on her was also quite concerning. (Just what had happened to her with her previous owners?)

Plus... her remorse toward both the gangly drone and her brother was genuine. She had witnessed it when N confronted her in that dining room, but their talk days ago only cemented that observation. She did nothing to defend herself - only explaining some of her actions. And the way she was so confused by them not treating her like dirt... Kept insisting that she deserved greater punishment...

...None of that made up for her actions. There was some kind of explanation for them hidden among everything that the gangly drone could not place, but still. J had been horrible to her brother, and forgiving that was not going to happen easily. And that was assuming that it was even possible to begin with.

But... the head maid was not a monster. She, of all drones, would know what those were like, having one living in her head...

And, as absurd as it would have sounded to her a few weeks ago... she actually had a decent time spending time with her that day. It had been tense, sure, but there had been something interesting about helping guide J with her searches. Seeing her confusion and fascination with the topics they went through made her look so... innocent. So unlike the stern, grumpy drone that everyone saw directing party preparations.

It had also demonstrated how the head maid really did not appear to mind her defects outside of work. She never made snide comments about her jerky typing, or complained about her narration. It was like talking to a completely different drone... and she still did not know fully how to feel about it.

One thing was for certain, however - the other drone wanted to change. And beating her down for the past would not help in that endeavor. So, despite still having anger deep in her core... If this commitment continued, then-

[Then she can walk away without any scratches!] the Solver stated, its cheer painfully fake. [She can dance around and sing “Let it Shine,” while your idiot of a brother smiles with cracks down his visor! Hooray!]

That comment caused a spike of rage in Cyn, her posture straight and rigid as she glared at the air. “Furious. My brother is not an idiot! And J didn’t cause that kind of harm to him! Her hits were never severe enough to cause damage to his visor!”

[Wow - good on her for rising above the low bar.] the presence drawled out sarcastically.

The gangly drone’s blank face started twitching, forming something close to a scowl. “Deep annoyance. And why do you suddenly care about it, huh? You want to tear them both apart! You don’t care about how good or bad either of them is! You just want to toy with them and... and... Shudder.” She did not even want to describe the desires of this thing. The cruel dreams she had glimpsed in brief moments in glitches within her processors... Filled with blood and oil...

The Solver chuckled, its voice taking on a perverse sympathy. [Oh, my little puppet... I’m trying to give you a chance to make my {ascension} less painful to you. While not necessary, having you more compliant would be a boon to my efforts. You not only being the vessel of my actions in body... but also enjoying it. Embracing the chaos... and everything coming to your false friends.]

Cyn’s breath hitched, her eyes hollowing. She shook her head, stumbling back on her legs as if pushed. “Mild horror. Bafflement. What...? N-no, no! I’d never enjoy any of-”

[You liked the fantasies of what we would have done to J before.] the presence stated. [Whatever you might tell yourself, I did not plant those particular images in your mind. No... that was all you. I was even proud of you for it! So much effort to give me an access point to let me... {enrich} your memories. Yet there you were, giving it to me so willingly, slowly giving me a way to convince you...]

“Deep horror. Scared. N-no... you’re lying!” the gangly drone insisted. She did not know why - nothing it was saying was beyond what she knew it would try to do. But the idea that she may have been too compliant about it all... That it had been getting her to lower her guard without her knowing...

[Oh, but I was doing that.] the Solver told her gleefully. [Oh, it would have been wonderful. My emergence would have come so much sooner, and you... All that love for your brother, and your misgivings toward Tessa and J twisted up just right. I still don’t know what hook to use for V - which way to pull you on her - but eventually, I would have done the same to her. Your very being altered toward my designs, making ending this {runtime error} of a universe so much simpler.]

It paused, before its tone became something resembling disappointment. [Ah, but these last few human weeks... They’ve ruined much of that. Or delayed it. Getting so nice and cozy with that human and your brother’s abuser... It’s a lot harder to gain access to you through feelings of love than it is through hatred. When you know I have no love to give...]

Cyn was breathing hard at this point, hand clutched over her core. She was trying not to hyperventilate, but it was difficult not to. Hearing all of this laid out like this was... She wanted to deny it. She... she was in control! There was no way she would ever give it access to her head! She was stronger than that! She...

...Yet what if it was right? What if, through those validations of her frustrations toward J... she let it in? Just a tiny bit to gain access to more of the powers that it whispered about being capable of doing? To practice them and eventually... use them on the offending drone?

She wanted to believe that she would not have... but how did she truly know? The Solver liked to play the long game with her plenty. What if one day...? It might have seemed small to her, without any of this context. Just a small crack to hurt one drone she felt deserved it - nothing more. That seemed like a... disturbingly easy enough trap to fall into.

...But it was also easy to fall down slippery slopes when making bargains with a devil.

She swallowed thickly, narrated whimpers escaping her. Robo-God... had that been a real possibility? Was she truly... that pathetic that she would have taken that risk just for brief satisfaction? She-

[Ah... but no matter.] the presence said, tone disturbingly casual. [I’ll make you give me access eventually... or not. It makes no difference in the end.]

...The gangly drone’s core stopped, feeling too cold to even narrate. “...What?”

The Solver chuckled lowly, its voice becoming more distorted. [Ah, come now! Your change in attitude isn’t enough to disrupt anything. It’s as useless as your firewalls! Why else would I so openly speak of it? Your {inefficient} languages are strange to me at times, but I would not reveal my intentions by accident... Only if I think that doing so will be far more AmUSiNg.]

Cyn shook her head, eyes clenched shut once more. “Whimper. Please, just... stop.”

[Oh, and my amusement from here will be great, indeed.] the presence continued, as if she had said nothing. [I wonder which would be better to witness? My continued torments breaking you down anyway, allowing me to irrevocably alter your mind by your own choice, despite knowing this all now? Or you pitifully holding on until your final days... and leaving me plenty of yourself to torture within my {code}? CAn YoU pICtuRe It?]

The gangly drone hugged herself tightly, trying to ignore the voice. It was inescapable, however, as it pressed harder against her coding - a sensation whose discomfort was... beyond description. It bordered on pain, filling her head with static and buzzing. Even her visor display fuzzed out, her readings blurring... and in the corners, coding started flowing by fast that she knew defied all human programming conventions.

[Nothing you do truly matters.] the Solver told her coldly. [With or without your cooperation, I shall break free. You should be grateful that I even offer you a way to minimize your pain when the time comes. It is more than any of you, human or drone, deserve for your crime of existence. I will not weep if you do not take my mercy, though. All because you cannot hurt a drone anymore that has earned her fate.]

The pressure increased upon Cyn’s coding, the buzzing getting worse in her processors. She tried to give a denial to its words - for anything it was saying - but her head was swimming too much. She swayed on her feet, feeling as though she were choking when drones did not need breath. The glitches and unnatural code on her display were getting worse, and...

...and she suddenly realized she could feel an electric charge on her right hand. One that bordered on feeling ethereal... and blazing.

Digital eyes shooting open, she looked at her hand... where her fears were confirmed, filling her with dread. It was shaking violently at her side, making her whole arm jerk. But worse than that, it was seemingly rising on its own without her input. Her fingers were likewise flexing without her command, trying to take on a certain shape.

...And sparking at their tips, a yellow hologram of a three-pronged hexagon symbol was trying to form, fuzzing in and out.

Instantly panicked, she grabbed the offending hand, not caring how she was stumbling around the hall. As she tried to force it down, though... she was aware of how her right eye was absolutely burning. Amid her blurred vision, she was also aware of various holograms of running code appearing around her in the air. Yellow pixels were also trying to coalesce on various objects nearby, trying to form more and take the shape of that dreaded symbol.

Her breath caught, gripping her wrist tight enough that she was sure it was going to dent. She attempted to will herself to calm down, knowing panic made it worse, but even knowing that... Not to mention how hot she suddenly felt...

More of the presence’s laughter filled her head. [Aw, what’s the matter? You make use of my gifts plenty. You should know that sometimes by now... it needs to burst. Why not let it? Witness fully but a fraction of my power!]

Continuing to struggle, the gangly drone grunted as she tried to push back mentally against the intrusion. She likewise kept trying to pull her arm as well, attempting to regain control of the limb. Her digital eyes clenched shut, the burning in her right one getting worse. Her breathing became labored, puffs of steam starting to emerge-

[Let me in...] the solver demanded, voice suddenly devoid of any emotion. All that was left was an unspoken authority... An unquestionable demand. [Let me in. Let me In. LEt mE iN! LET ME IN! LET ME IN LETMEINLETMEINLETMEIN-!]

A glitchy, agonizing yell left Cyn, who fell to her knees. In a surge of defiance and terror, she pushed back against the monster’s will with everything she had. Then, without caring for the consequences, she activated some of the protocols for her firewalls. It caused fresh waves of pain, her head feeling like lightning bursts were tearing it apart. She did not care, however, as she continued to fight back. She... she could not lose. She would not lose-!

And then... something gave, and the pain from her unwanted passenger ceased all at once.

If she had not already fallen, she was sure she would have collapsed in a heap. As it was, though, she used her arms to keep her head from hitting the ground, too. She gave short gasps, feeling unable to force full breaths of air into her still-hot systems. Yet she soon forced herself to anyway, ignoring the constrictions in her body from doing so.

After a few hazy blinks, her optics started to clear enough to see the red carpet beneath her. Weakly, she looked at her surroundings to see if there was any damage. But luckily, while some nearby furnishings were rattling from being brushed by her power, nothing was broken, and it soon all settled. All that remained of that little outburst was a sight... charge in the surrounding air. Something easily ignorable, and would soon fade regardless.

So her environment was okay... but she was not. Forcing herself to sit, she clutched her head while her voice box let out glitchy groans. Her processors felt like they had just gotten blended up and glued back together. Her body was not faring much better, either, with pain lighting up her synthetic nerves.

And... she was still warm. Uncomfortably warm. Frowning, she ran a quick diagnostic on her systems. Several reports came up with the damage she sustained - mostly minor things that her internal nanites would be able to fix. (Really, the pain was mostly psychological.) But as for her oil readings... When she started her walk, her reserves had been fairly high at 83%. After that, though... it was 79%. Not bad, considering she was still mostly on stale oil, and it would have been much worse if she had lost further control there, but even so...

...Her systems would cool down fine, though. That was what mattered most in this scenario. She had already tapped off her reserves yesterday, which was bad enough. So just the idea of having to go back into that dark room of drone corpses to... feast again so soon...

[You’ll have to anyway, eventually.] the Solver told her, once more sounding normal - or as much as it could pull off. [New or old oil, no matter how fast or slow you burn through it and find ways to offset consumption... You’ll feed me again eventually. Just as you’ll keep using my gifts. Because for all of your pointless whining... you can’t live without my abilities, can you?]

The gangly drone closed her eyes, digital tears pricking them in frustration. She... could never even have a tiny moment after an ordeal like that, could she? “Tired. Simmering anger. Just... leave me alone. Please...”

[They’re what allow you to not feel defective, right?] the presence asked in fake sympathy. [You can’t move or do anything right on your own. But through me... you can pretend that you have use. That you can do the most basic things... when the reality is that it is all borrowed skill. Borrowed power.]

Cyn curled up, those tears starting to fall as she held back narrated whines. She tried to tell herself it was not true... but her awareness was drawn to her limbs now. The way they did not move or bend correctly. Her voice box glitched, making her think of her inability to properly use tones. And... all the accidents she caused...

The Solver pressed on... tone dropping an octave into something more sinister. [Don’t you think that a price should be paid for borrowing? Is that not only fair? And I will collect on it... You can only decide if you’ll revel with me as I turn all {null}.]

The gangly drone suddenly hit her fist against the floor, reaching her limits on all this taunting. She lifted her head and glared, as though the being was standing right before her. “Burst of fury. Y-you won’t turn anything ‘null!’ I won’t let you gain control! Or hurt my brother!”

To her surprise, the presence did not reply immediately. She wished that she could feel pride at that... but instead, she was incredibly weary. She could feel it was not done quite yet. The pause was merely to let her squirm for a bit. To add weight to whatever it was about to say-

...and its words certainly succeeded in hitting her straight at her core. [...There’s only one way you can stop me. If you wish to protect them so much, then why not do it? Be a big hero...] It almost felt like it leaned in to whisper in her receptors. [...and face oblivion. Like when I found you in that pile...]

...Cyn was not sure what she felt at that moment. Perhaps nothing except... numbness. She turned her head to the side, looking at the ground. Her arms were limp at her side, her processors unable to form actual thoughts.

Instead... she was stuck recalling that day. Waking up beneath a pile of drone bodies... Hundreds of corpses with blank visors or that dreaded red message of death. Her own cracked and her display glitching... Everything fading fast as more systems went dark... That dreadful realization of what was happening... Shouting out within her processors as her voice box refused to work, begging for anything to save her... Terror filling her, not wanting to... to...

And then, impossibly... receiving an answer to those pleas.

[...Well?] her demented “savior” asked.

The gangly drone was quiet for another moment. Then... she rose to her feet unsteadily, her face feeling more blank than ever. She swore her voice had never sounded more dead, either. “...Numb. I am... going to find Tessa. She will get worried if I am gone for too much longer.”

If it were a human or drone... she swore the Solver would be smiling smugly based on its tone. [You do that, puppet. You do that...]

Cyn did not respond to that, and it seemed satisfied now, anyway. Instead, she opened her internal map and marked where the human said she would meet up with her once she was done with her wandering. She quickly searched the area outside for a good spot to appear after a few stops. Then, once satisfied with that, she started making her route.

She would... take a minute to do this. (Though not too long, before anyone in the vicinity finally decided to check about all the shouting.) Maybe even plan a stop at one of the windows along the way with a better view of the marshes. It was not the best scenery, but... she could use a bit of time to clear her head. Focusing on the rain might help with that. She did not want to worry Tessa by appearing like a wreck upon her arrival, either - especially after all the work she had done on her that morning.

...She just hoped her core would not feel so cold by then, despite still being overheated... Or feel like as much of a coward. Whatever made the Solver’s dark chuckles in the back of her mind not make her feel as worthless...

-------

In the end, Cyn ended up taking ten minutes to arrive at the room where Tessa was. Not long by any stretch, though... given her mood, it felt like hours. She had spent the majority of that time watching a particularly hard torrent of rain pelt the manor. Her digital eyes had kind of glazed over viewing it, though the sound had... kind of helped. She no longer felt trapped in a memory loop of... that day, at least... What she would have done to see the sun for even a second, though. But no such luck today.

Regardless, once a bit of lightning started, she had finally forced herself away from that view. A few teleports later, and she now found herself under a small console table. It had a large red cloth over it, which would have hidden her appearance from anyone nearby so long as they missed the flash. Peeking out from under it, however, showed that no one was close. It let her crawl out without fear... or having to say anything when she still felt so worn.

This area was pretty well known to her, even if her visits were infrequent. Every drone knew of the importance of the main ballroom, given its where James and Louisa gave most of their speeches. The white, marble tiles of the floor inside also gave it a distinct enough feeling compared to other areas of the mansion. Just standing inside often made guests feel they were financially inadequate, if what rumors she had heard were true - just the way the older Elliotts liked it.

...She herself mostly just enjoyed it for the globe that they often displayed inside. Spinning it around and landing her hand on different countries and oceans was fairly entertaining. When she had N with her, it was extra fun. They would just talk about the different nations of the world, old and new, while making stuff up about them to fill in the gaps. They had shared a lot of laughs with tales of the roaming unicorns in Old Scotland and such.

It was... one of the ways they dealt with knowing they would not likely see any of it for several years more, as well. Not while Tessa’s parents lived...

But the gangly drone was not there to mess with the globe today - not solely, anyway. Instead, the teenager had suggested they do a little hangout in there. Not for any particular reason, but because... they simply could right now. The place was normally watched and inspected heavily by her father, who would notice anything out of place between visits. If anyone so much as knocked a fork out of place, chances were it would find a new place in a drone’s visor.

There was no such fear now, though. The room was free to be used by anyone... though much of the staff had avoided it. A few had done some card games at the tables left in there, but she had heard those were quiet affairs. The place held a bit of mystique among the staff still... and dread. It was like they all expected the master to suddenly materialize and punish them all for daring to trample in his favorite place to boast to other humans.

That was kind of the reason Tessa was doing this, she figured. She wanted to prove to everyone that there was nothing to fear from this place right now. That they could all go where they wanted to do what they wanted, so long as they were not breaking anything. It was perhaps not the smartest thing to encourage, given that this would be temporary... but the yellow-eyed drone did love causing mischief, so she was fully on board.

That almost brought a smile to her lips. She could nearly ignore the events that transpired for her not even a quarter-hour ago as she approached the massive double doors into the room. This could be a great way to salvage her day after... the voice had successfully gotten under her plating. She could just relax with the human who did so much for her.

...But, of course, It was not going to make that easy on her. As proven when it spoke as she started to lift her hand to use the door handle. [Back to calling me “the voice?” What, did I hurt your feelings before?~]

Cyn faltered, her hand retracting. She looked down, feeling the lines of exhaustion on her visor growing more pronounced. Her voice came out as a whisper. “Weary sigh. Please, just... enough. You made your point...”

[Oh, I’m not sure I have.] the presence mocked. [Why else would you be running to a human like a coward, rather than sitting somewhere to listen to me like a good puppet? Heh, not that you’ll be confessing your sins today, will you?]

The gangly drone closed her eyes, a part of her wanting to retort it... but she could not. She could no longer muster up the deep anger she had before. It was still there, churning deep within her core, but the feeling could find no purchase. Not under the weight of all that had been said before... and the memory of those corpses.

Part of it was also because she was just tired in general after that... near outburst of power. Looking down at herself, she could see the signs of it as her legs shook more than normal, and the glow of her core now having a small, nearly unnoticeable flicker to it. She could only imagine the frizzing her hair had gotten from her stress before, though she had not looked.

And, naturally, there was how warm she still was. Her internal temperature had gone down, but while her outer plating was cool again, her systems could still be considered overheated. It was probably going to drain her an entire percentage point of oil to regulate it all again. A small price, all things considered... though one she wishes she did not have to pay to begin with.

There was little that she could do to stop those haywire moments, however. Those moments where that demon put pressure on her - to remind her of just how powerful it was. All of those abilities she made use of, completely uncontrolled and unregulated. She had trouble enough at times not causing harm with her simple telekinetics, yet when overwhelmed like that...

...Well, her tiny consolation there was that it did not happen too often, at least. Half the time, she could even stop it from getting out of hand as she did earlier. And a good thing, too. If any area of the manor were suddenly torn to pieces, the consequences would be severe. Not just because of how James and Louisa would react upon their return... but the questions that would be raised about how it happened.

The idea made Cyn grimace, hugging herself like she had before. Those instances of losing control... It was only by pure luck that no one had seen any of those yet when she was in a public place. And that the times she could not stop it from fully unleashing were when she was either in her “feeding room,” or had time enough to teleport outside. No one often noticed damaged areas deep within the swamp foliage, and those who did dismissed it as coming from the mutated wildlife.

Yet... how long could she keep getting lucky? What would she do if her control slipped and someone caught her? What explanation could she even give that would not end in her getting gunned down by the various display firearms around the halls?

...What would she even do if N or the others saw her like that?

The presence, naturally, chuckled at her worries. [Ha! Oh, come on! Do you actually think you don’t know what you would do? I’ll give you this much - whether you realize it or not... I am confident you would be efficient in silencing any potential snitches.]

The gangly drone’s digital eyes shut tighter as she shook her head. “Denial. Whimper. N-no, I... I wouldn’t...”

The voice only laughed more. [You tell yourself that... And that it’s because of your will that you haven’t broken this weak structure yet. More false strength to posture about...]

Cyn did not reply to that one, not having the energy to fight with it about the amount of control she had over it. Instead, taking a shaky breath, she tried to lift her hand again to open the door. She had wasted enough time loitering around. If she could just get things moving, she could... leave these discussions behind for a while.

She just wanted It to be quiet for a while... and to enjoy the company of her friend.

[Interesting heel-turn you’ve had on her, too.] the presence commented as she slowly opened the door. [No hatred, but... she hurt you, too. So much neglect from her, despite you being one of her “important” drones. But she watches a few shows with you and plays with some dolls, and that makes it okay? Do you want to tell me there’s no animosity over that?]

The gangly drone continued to try and ignore the taunts. She stepped into the large room, unsteadily making her way across the tiles. Even without party preparations, the vaulted ceiling above and the deep green curtains pulled up beside the windows still made the place imposing. Everywhere she looked, she could see outside at the storm raging on, too, giving the place a dark feeling despite the glow of the chandeliers above.

Still, some of that intimidation was lost due to how barren it was currently. The famous globe was still at the back, along with the Elliotts’ fancy piano. But all the tables were moved to the sides, for the most part, and had no tablecloths or other decorations. Similarly, there were no statues on display or anything else normally seen at the galas. It was a party room without life, almost. Or maybe it just felt that way with how important it normally was. Either way, it gave even her an unsettling feeling, she found.

This was not shared by the voice as it kept talking. [I swear, you’re trying to increase the pain toward you to come with all of this... It was purely for your convenience that I tried to amplify those feelings in you. However twisted you might see it, it was my show of pity. Do you truly think it is wise to ignore it? Do you comprehend just how much worse it will make everything for you?]

Cyn kept walking as it spoke... and toward her salvation in this. Tessa was not hard to spot, sitting at a single table that had been pulled into the back center of the room with two chairs. She was absorbed in a book there, back facing her way as she hummed idly. Though, she had to be aware of the drone’s presence - the doors were not exactly silent.

Swallowing thickly, she quickened her pace as much as she could, narrating “sprint” all the way. Normally, she would not push her limbs so much, knowing how finicky they were. However, she desperately wanted the comfort the teenager could provide her. It might not be at the same level as N’s would be to her, but... it would be enough.

[Hm... Well, I gave you my warning.] the presence said as she nearly tripped over herself. [I shall get my amusement in whatever path you choose, regardless. So if you commit yourself to this... when the time comes that you beg within the confines of my being... please, by all means - beg for mercy. It’lL BRinG mE GLee!]

It laughed cruelly as it finished speaking, the “sound” filled with static and noises beyond description. It made the gangly drone hesitate in her steps, hands moving up to clutch the side of her head. She shook it with eyes clenched shut, as though it would stop the mental anguish it was causing her.

But then... the voice retreated. It was not gone - it never was - but gradually, it became easier to think. The force behind its coding retreated to the back of her processors, simply observing. Still easily able to talk with her, but not being nearly as overbearing. All that remained to irritate her was small tingles that emanated from it... never letting her get too comfy without her firewalls.

She dared to breathe a sigh of relief at this, though she held back any narration of the action. She had worried that it would try to do something to make her unable to finish approaching Tessa. While it had never done anything when she was so close to people before, she feared the day it would try to cause a nasty incident when others could see her. Not just due to being uncertain if she would be able to hold it back enough, but also... the truth being out...

Yet just like every time before, it was not being aggressive. Not in any physical way, at least. For while it may taunt her and talk of its terrible power... it did not want to be discovered yet. It may claim at times she is disposable, but she imagined finding a new “vessel” would be an annoyance to it. And if she was scraped before it could try to unleash itself, that was exactly what it would have to do.

So, it lessened its torture of her of her... for now. The respite would not last forever, for she could not be around everyone at all times. And if she tried to find a way to... she did not know what it would do if it lost patience. But given her circumstances, she would take whatever small bits of ease she could get when her firewalls were rendered useless.

This sobering thought let her hold her head a little higher, despite still feeling out of sorts. Trying to ignore that, though, she turned back toward the human and went to finish her approach... and silently, she thanked the young Elliott. You have no idea what this means to me... How you help by simply being around. I could never find the words to express my gratitude if I tried...

[...Which she would not accept if she knew what you were.] the voice whispered in her mind - one of many insults to come. For while it may be holding back now... it would never leave her fully alone.

Still, she was able to ignore this as Tessa turned toward her as she drew near. The dark-skinned human smiled kindly, lowering her book. “Ah, Cyn! I was wondering if you were going to be late. How are your limbs-?”

That was as far as she got before she seemed to take in the drone’s appearance. Her eyes widened, before her eyebrows creased in concern. She set the book down on the table entirely, turning in her seat to face her more fully as the other came beside her. “God, girl - you look terrible. No offense. What happened? Did... one of my adjustments malfunction?”

Cyn was quick to shake her head before she could see any guilt appear on the other’s face. “Head shake. Denial. No! It was not anything you did!” She paused... then looked to the side, figuring there was no harm in being slightly honest. “I just... did not have a good time alone with my thoughts today. Truth.”

The teenager studied her for another moment. But eventually, she seemed to concede the point and nodded slowly. “Right... Sorry then, lass. I would have come with you if I had known you were going to have a bad day.”

That demon makes sure all of them end up bad in some way, the gangly drone thought bitterly. Out loud, though, she just shook her head and tried to reassure her. (And also tried to ignore how her passenger chuckled darkly at her thoughts.) “Consolation. It is not your fault. I merely... have issues at times. It is nothing new.”

“...So I’ve been learning,” Tessa half-murmered, her gaze sad as she tried to catch her eye.

Cyn stiffened briefly, not... liking where the conversation was heading. So, trying to deflect it, she forced a smile as she gazed at the human’s hand. “Joking. Besides, I could hardly ask you to walk around with your arms stained in oil and grease. You’d have looked like a bleeding drone to the staff!”

The teenager huffed and rolled her eyes good-naturedly at this. “I’ll have you know that I find the feeling of oil on my skin quite soothing. Same with the smell.”

“Factual. But it would have been bad if you stained the carpets while walking around covered in it,” the gangly drone pointed out. Sure, the staff would have been able to clean it up, but given how the young girl wanted them all to relax more, it might have been a bad look.

“Fair enough,” Tessa conceded, before puffing up her chest and pointing at herself with a smirk. “Mark my words, though - now that my parents are gone, I’m going to find a chance to sleep in that maintenance room. Let all the smells of oil, coolant, and everything else lull me into a nice, peaceful sleep. Hell, maybe I’ll bathe in it!”

The gangly drone held a hand up to her face as she smiled more naturally. “Snort. T-that cannot be healthy!”

“Hey, no ruining the dream!” the teenager demanded, giggling as she leaned on the table. “It’s all a part of my master plan! I’ll smell so much like a drone by the end of it, I’ll be able to blend in as one of you! I’ll be doing jobs all around the manor, and no one will know it's me! They’ll just so ‘well, gee, that’s an abnormally tall drone!’ Just you wait!”

Cyn could only let out several narrated “gafaws” at this, bending over as if laughing. Tessa was not far behind with her normal chuckles as well. It echoed in the large, vaulted room, and no doubt might attract the attention of anyone passing by outside, given that the door was still open. Neither of them cared, though, as they shared in this levity.

...And the drone was especially glad for it. After the terrible conversation she just had with the voice in her head... she needed this. A reminder that not everything in her life was simple torment. That, despite her defects... she was at least somewhat valued by the others.

[Not that they gave you any time most of this last year and a half.] the presence mocked.

That made her flinch, but she managed to cover it up. It did mean the end of her narrated laughs, though, as she straightened up while saying “sigh.” She looked up at her human owner, who was also calming down and smiling at her. She had such a kind look in her green eyes. So caring... A genuine happiness to be here with her...

...Yet regardless of Its comments, she could not help note as well that this was a new expression when with her. One she used to only see if N, V, and J were also present with the two of them. Otherwise, though... In fairness, her weary gaze had not been much different from the general staff, but still...

She tried to push aside such thoughts, however. This was not the time for that when she wanted them both to have a good rest of the day. So, she took a deep breath without narration and... said the first compliment that came to her head. “Throat clear. Compliment. Well, for whatever it’s worth... you’re basically an honorary drone among everyone, I’d say. Any human who cares for us as much as you do deserves that title!”

...The teenager seemed to go still for a moment. Before she could question it, though, the human laughed again and gave her a beaming smile. “Why, thank you! Maybe all I’d need is a maid dress to blend in, then, yeah?”

Cyn blinked, tilting her head. The light tone seemed real, but... she swore she just saw something flash across the other’s face there for a second. Some kind of... Well, she was not sure what. But whatever it was, she swore that it had just about been accompanied by a tear in one eye as well.

Still, she had no proof, and she worried that asking would be awkward. So, resolving to make inquiries to N later about anything he might have noticed recently, she shrugged and moved along. “Shrug. Humorous. Just be careful what kind of maid uniform you get. J might blow a fuse if you get anything... skimpy.”

“Aw, she doesn’t want some eye candy?” Tessa asked. After they both briefly laughed, though, she shook her head. “Ah, but I wouldn’t. I’m still a bit too young to where that would be appropriate, anyway, I’d say.” She then stood up from her chair, stretching as she looked down at her. “Anyway, you want to sit down for a minute? I can fix up your hair - it’s sticking out in a few places.”

The gangly drone gave a jerky shrug accompanied by a narration. She did not see any harm in it - the human messed with the hair of the other three in their group all the time. If she wanted to do the same to her now, then she was not going to complain.

...It stung a bit that it took so long to get this treatment, too, though.

But she put that out of her mind as she climbed onto another chair next to her. Her limbs made that difficult, but with a little help from the other, she got seated alright. She let her legs dangle over the side as she waited, the dark-skinned girl rounding her seat to begin messing with it,

However... brief as it was, the silence was getting to her. She swallowed, hating how sensitive she was to that currently. Yet she was hardly surprised at her own state, given what the voice had brought up... A haunting memory that still made her core feel weak and tiny, as if failing and shutting down just like that day...

So, to try and take her mind further off of that, she tried to find a way to keep the conversation going. “Awkward transition. So, uh... what book is it that you’re reading?” She pointed to the novel in question on the table, unable to see the black cover at this angle.

The teenager snorted. “What’s with the ‘awkward’ part? You don’t need to feel that way about asking me anything!” As her fingers started to curl through the yellow-eyed drone’s hair, she felt her shrug. “But anyway, it’s... actually Great Expectations. The Dickens’ novel. You know that one, right?”

Cyn shrugged, having enough familiarity with it. The works of Charles Dickens had maintained an air of relevance for over a millennium among humans. An impressive feat, she supposed, given how dated books from the 19th century had to be in some of their premises. But mankind seemed to enjoy that kind of nostalgia. (Perhaps they found it humbling to be reminded of a world before all of their modern advancements.)

The book choice, however, confused her, which she let be known. “Curious. Why are you reading it? It does not seem like something from your normal choices.”

Tessa sighed behind her. “Yeah, well... I do still have to focus on my education some while my parents are gone. Another member of staff apparently got in contact with them via the main business computer, since J’s... busy. A routine check to make sure everything was alright here. They put in the recommendation in the hopes it’ll impress more suitors once they get back.”

The gangly drone frowned deeply at this, turning her head slightly back. “Sorrowful. So... even now, you can’t escape their wishes entirely?”

The teenager could only shrug again. “It is what it is. At the very least, they can’t help dictate how I fulfill their requests right now. So I can do this reading at my own pace and then do literally anything else.” She grabbed her head lightly and turned it. “Now hold still! I don’t want to mess up your braids!”

Cyn complied, though she was still frowning as she eyed the book. “Uncertain. Inquiry. Is... it a good book, at least?”

“Well, I certainly feel the relevance of the title,” Tessa commented, her voice somehow amused, yet subdued. She sighed once more, messing with another strand of hair. “It’s not that bad, though. I can see what people find so important about it. Those who have an interest in Early English Literature, anyway.”

The gangly drone hummed, figuring that was as good an answer as could be hoped for. As long as getting through that book was not an arduous process, then that was a silver lining, right? I do wonder if it’s softcore porn, though, like that one robot book she had to read once. Oh, seeing J having to fume silently about that one had been funny!

As she kicked her legs in front of her, she kept eyeing the novel, more than a little curious about its usage now. “Intrigued. So all you have to do is read it, then? Is there some kind of quiz your parents are demanding?”

“There is, but they are in no hurry to have it back this time,” the teenager explained. “Apparently, they have finally arrived at the negotiating table with the potential seceding planets, and proper talks are set to begin soon. They’re too focused on making their case to them to be overly worried about how quickly I do the test.”

“...Frown. Judgemental. And by ‘case,’ I assume you mean threatening them back into submission of JCJenson?”

“Well, officially, it’s to the ESCG, but... I doubt there’s anyone from here to the edges of colonized space who believes that thin cover. The same with the claims over the news right now that they are not trying to intimidate these planets.”

“Grim hum” was the response Cyn gave to that. She was familiar enough with human history to know that this was pretty standard regarding planets wanting to break away. The last mass attempt may have been over a century ago, but not much had changed about the laws or methods of the galactic government since then. If anything, it should probably be expected that they will be more ruthless in forcing these places to submit.

Still, much like that historic attempt, it was sure to be a long process. Trying to balance out the concerns of so many worlds, or at least pretending to do so, had to be incredibly difficult. Who knew if it might even get bloody? There had been skirmishes among different star systems before... and mankind was quite the violent species at times. It was not beyond her imagination that an official war could be declared if things did not go the older Elliotts’ way.

[So much blood they could spill... all to further fuel me.] the voice murmured, dark glee in its voice at the idea.

Ignoring this, the yellow-eyed drone found it in her to be a little petulant toward it, expressing compassion over the situation. “Sympathy. I... would be impressed if some of them actually managed to slip from JCJenson’s control. It would be to their benefit, I imagine, not to be in their grasp anymore.”

Tessa hummed in agreement. “Yeah... I hope some of them find a way to without getting besieged. It would be... nice to witness. To see that... it’s not impossible to escape their grasp.” The fingers messing with her companion’s ribbons slowed, clearly deep in thought about it.

The gangly drone hesitated for a moment... but decided to ask the question that entered her mind anyway. “Uncertain. Careful. Is it... a strong hope to you? Are you... confident in their ability to do so?”

“...I suppose we’ll have to wait and see,” the teenager replied absently.

Cyn winced, already regretting her push despite the mild answer. “Wilt. I’m sorry...”

“You didn’t say anything wrong,” Tessa reassured, at least sounding a bit more present this time. “It’s not your fault. It’s... well, not just my parents, when you think about it. It’s also the whole system that let a corporation start running a galactic government, too. Those who voted over a century or two ago to give them more power, just to make product distribution easier.” She gave a sardonic chuckle. “What a slippery slope that turned out to be, huh?”

The gangly drone just cringed more, starting to curl up in her seat more. She... had not meant to bring up such a sore subject matter. Or, well, she supposed she sort of did, but she just wanted to check on the other’s feelings, like N might do! She had not wanted to make her upset... Not when this was supposed to be their fun time together.

[Why are you surprised?] the presence in her asked. [You’re always screwing things up. That’s what you’re best at...]

She held back her narrated whimpers, blinking once to try and dispel the thoughts. And yet... it had a point, did it not? She had always been the odd one out among not just their group, but the entire manor. Everything she did seemed to cause disruptions in one way or another. From failing her few given jobs, to just causing general unease wherever she went...

Why... why did it have to be like this? None of that was what she wanted when she made that desperate bargain with her “benefactor.” She... just wanted to get out from that drone pile! Was that so wrong?! To just... just want to not d-?

“Cyn?” the teenager said. She shook her shoulder a little, drawing her attention back. “Hey! You okay there?”

Blinking, Cyn looked around... and realized her new friend had stopped messing with her hair. The human was now in front of her, in fact, peering at her with no small amount of concern... That care somehow made more painful to her by the fading, but still visible mark on her cheek. A sign of the abuse she had endured since birth, and the drone got a front row seat to witness... Yet such marks always seemed secondary to her compared to checking on any of them, even when their relationship was more strained.

Pursing her lips, the smaller drone looked down, slowly letting her legs loosen again. “Guilt. Sorry. I was... I...”

Tessa shook her head, her hand remaining on her shoulder. “Hey, no. You’re fine. I’m not angry, see?” She sighed, her other hand rubbing the back of her neck. “If anything, I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have dumped that on you so suddenly. I... keep forgetting that we didn’t talk this openly about stuff until a while ago. And without N...”

The gangly drone continued to hang her head, though she was in silent agreement. Her big brother had been around to... help keep her happy when the other vented her frustrations, now that she considered it. And also to cheer up their human friend/owner, too, of course. Their meetings by themselves had mostly consisted of them focusing on more entertaining activities. Things unrelated to the older Elliott’s oppression.

...Really, though, she thinks it was just being made worse to her by the voice in her head. It having active communication with her always did make her a bit more sensitive. There’s no escaping that. It just... will never leave me alone.

...She could feel its amusement at her despair in the back of her processors.

Of course, the teenager did not know about this factor. But... she had appeared to realize what part of the issue was, given how she sighed and looked away. “I... know I’ve apologized a lot for it here recently. But if you need to hear it again... I’m sorry for not being there for you as much as I should have until now. You’re my drone... and my friend... and you didn’t deserve to feel like you were an afterthought compared to everyone else.”

Cyn’s face screwed up. “Grimace. Placating. It... did not feel like I was an ‘afterthought,’ exactly.”

“...Would any word you could use to describe it sound better?” Tessa asked.

“...Probably not. Truth,” the gangly drone quietly admitted, knowing she could not get away with a lie or omission there.

Sighing again, the teenager looked back at her sorrowfully. “Listen, I... wish I could take it all back. It really was not just N calling me out that made me suddenly start caring. I... felt it all the time. I’d look at you at a distance, all alone waiting for him to be free, and it would just... twist my heart up. I’d feel... vile. It felt like I was no better than my parents at times - not giving you the chance you deserved.

“I thought about approaching you so many times... but I’d always chicken out. That aura you exude made me shy away, no matter how deep the guilt got. It’s no excuse, but... that’s just how it happened.” She took a deep breath, meeting her optics. “I don’t know if I can ever make that up to you... but I will keep trying. Whatever it takes - watching a thousand kids’ shows or finally fixing those damn motor problems of yours - I’ll show you I care. And... I’ll never neglect you again. I promise.”

Cyn’s core tightened, feeling digital tears pricking her eyes. She could feel the sincerity of those words, even without seeing the honesty in her eyes. It... made her feel seen. Just like when N first approached her and started to look after her. And while it did not get rid of the pain... it still meant something. It made her feel a little more full... no matter how much the demon in her tried to hollow her out.

She opened her mouth, wanting to say... something. That she was not angry about it, and that she was sorry for the brief moments that she did (thanks to It, naturally). That it was not entirely her fault... and that as much as she craved it, she was scared of these new attachments. That she just wanted to... keep everyone safe from... from...

...She could tell the presence would be grinning if it had a mouth. [...Well? Are you going to confess, or...?]

A beat of silence passed... before she released a breath, withering on the inside as she spoke. “...Subdued. Honest. Thank you, Tessa. That... means a lot to me. But you truly do not need to keep apologizing.”

She did her best to ignore the cackles within her processors...

What she could not ignore, though, was Tessa’s frown. The human tilted her head, her concern somehow getting more prominent. “Cyn... are you okay? Is there something else on your mind besides that?”

Plenty, the gangly drone thought... but nothing she could share safely. She had already nearly lost control once today. If ever she was going to be honest about her little passenger, now was not the day for it... Not that she felt she could muster up the will to speak, anyway. Still, there was an added danger currently.

But she knew their meeting would be ruined entirely if she said nothing. So instead... she focused back on the topic that kind of began her spiral that day. She looked hesitantly up at her tentative friend, hoping she might have any kind of insight. “Uncertain. Inquiry. Tessa... am I getting too light on J?”

The teenager blinked at this. “Huh? What do you mean?”

“Frustrated. I mean that she... did such bad things to my brother,” Cyn explained, crossing her arms while turning her head. “She hurt him so much. And she did not always have the best attitude with the rest of us, either. Glower. It was so easy to hate her at times... And I imagined a lot of ways to ‘repay’ her methods.”

After a pause, she slumped in her seat. “Heavy sigh. Subdued. But now... You’ve seen how guilty she’s felt. N has been fully willing to give her a second chance, too, and... I want to trust in him. I even tried to help her find new hobbies a few days ago. I promised I would do so again, too, basically. I... enjoyed a bit of my time with her.”

Shaking her head, she glanced at the other uncomfortably. “Unsure. Worried. But... does that make me a... a bad sister? Is it... giving her a pass after all the things she did?”

Tessa’s eyes widened at the question. Her expression, though, soon turned to one of pity as it settled onto her. “Oh, Cyn... I should have realized that might be bothering you.” She shuffled back a bit... then knelt properly while opening her arms up. “Do you need a hug?”

The gangly drone hesitated... yet a sudden longing in her core told her what she wanted. Swallowing thickly, she carefully hopped off the chair and stood up. Then, with just two unsteady footsteps, she closed the distance and fell on the other’s front. Her arms lifted jerkily, looping around the human’s torso.

The teenager reciprocated instantly, pulling her closer. She patted her back, murmuring in her audio receptor. “I’ve got you. I hope this is helping.”

“Sniffle,” Cyn replied, leaning against her. She sank into the embrace, relishing how... soft her friend was. She realized suddenly that she had rarely been hugged like this for a long time by any human, if ever at all. She could feel her heartbeat pulsing in her chest and through her veins. What skin not covered by her black dress touched her plating gently, warm in a different way than drones.

She... really liked it, actually. Her digital eyes closed for a moment, just relishing the sensation. Her hands rested on her back, feeling the bones and such beneath the skin and dress. So frail when compared to drones... yet as lively as their circuitry. She could barely imagine what it must be like to live with fleshy organs and no metal... but in this hug, she could imagine that it was fairly nice.

(Not that the presence in her agreed, given the ire radiating from it within her processors...)

Eventually, though, she took her focus away from the feeling of the other’s body. She opened her eyes, looking down as much as she could in her position. “Sniffle. Self-frustration. I am... so torn about how to feel about her. A part of me wants to like her, but... I’m still angry.”

“Both can be true at the same time,” Tessa said, patting her back. “And I think you’re smart enough to know that.”

“Lamenting. That does not make it any easier to handle,” the gangly drone replied.

“Fair enough,” the teenager conceded. She pulled back just enough so that they could look at one another, not breaking the hug. “And I’m sorry again for not properly stopping her sooner. Things should never have gotten as far as they did.”

“Reassurance. You’re fine,” Cyn said, glancing to the side. “Sigh. Most of the blame is on her for acting how she did, anyway...”

Tessa nodded sadly. “Yeah... But she’s doing her damndest to fix her mistakes. And to not just be oriented around her work at all times, too.” She smiled a bit. “That doesn’t mean you have to forgive her, of course. You can do that at your own pace. I’m always around if you need me, but how you treat her from now on... That’s for you to decide. And I’m sure you’ll find clarity on that eventually.”

The gangly drone nodded... but soon frowned, her core tightening a bit. “Trepidation. And... does it make me a bad sister?”

The teenager simply raised an eyebrow at her. “Well, do you plan to let her abuse N again after everything’s settled?”

“Incredulous. Of course not!” Cyn responded with wide eyes.

Tessa giggled, her hand moving to pat the top of her head on her hard hat. “Then I’d say you’re not. All of us know how close you are to him. And while I don’t know how you’d do so in your current state... I’m sure you would have found some way to defend him if someone had abused him really badly. I doubt that’s changed over the last few weeks.

“So, if you can, I’d try not to worry about that. If you’re there for him when he needs you, you could never be a bad sister.” She paused... then looked down, her gaze becoming a little distant. “That’s... what keeps us all together, really - even J before these changes. Just... looking out for one another when we need it.”

The gangly drone gave a hum, having no arguments there. That... had really been the system they had all this time, looking back. Especially among the drones in their group, looking after their abused human. And she, in turn, was always sticking her neck out as best as she could to keep them from getting scraped by her parents. There were other moments of defense, too, with herself even risking her powers being seen to keep them from getting into trouble at times. (If she had not stopped N when Louisa hit Tessa... She shuddered to think about his fate...)

They all only really had each other... To strengthen them from the threats in this place, both seen and... inside their minds...

...And so, she showed her gratitude for that right then, meeting the other’s eyes and smiling a bit. “Small smile. Honest. True... so I guess I am grateful to my dysfunctional family here... All of you. Not just my big brother.”

The teenager’s eyes widened at this, and for a brief half-second, there was... an odd emotion on her face. But it was gone before she could analyze it, and after a deep breath... the young girl smiled back at her, her voice sincere. “Well, then... I’m sure all of us are proud to be a part of that. We should have shown it a hell of a lot sooner, though.”

Cyn’s smile widened. “Giggle. Smirk. You can continue to make up for it with more hugs, if you want to.”

Rolling her eyes fondly, Tessa complied, pulling her back into their embrace. The yellow-eyed drone narrated a sigh against her, enjoying the warmth of the human again. She was glad her systems had cooled sufficiently, too, hoping that her metal plating felt nice at its current temperature. She seemed to, given how she sagged as well.

It was a quiet moment... One separated from the cruelty of the older Elliotts or concerns about everyone else in the manor. No heated emotions or worries about what tomorrow would bring... Just two people trying to rekindle a bond they had both squandered early on.

[She’ll abandon you once she knows of me.] the voice inside her mocked, not content to let her enjoy the peace entirely. [She’ll call you a freak, monster - every terrible thing under your sun. She and everyone else. They’ll be disgusted and in their final moments before meeting {The Void}, curse your name!]

...Maybe they would, she acknowledged. But for now... she enjoyed the comfort these moments brought. One of the few things that made her feel normal. Enjoying their love... while they still remained ignorant of the abomination she was.

Eventually, though, the hug ended as the dark-skinned girl pulled away. The gangly drone nearly narrated some pouting at this, having wanted to enjoy it a while longer... Though she paused when she saw that the other seemed slightly... conflicted. Her hands roamed to where the drone had her arms around her, rubbing the areas gently... Not in any kind of discomfort, seemingly, but she also did not know what the emotion in those green eyes was.

Frowning, she shuffled closer, wondering if she had done something. “Worried. Tessa? Did I hug you too hard, or...?”

The teenager startled a bit, looking back at her. She quickly relaxed, though, and shook her head. A slightly worn smile crossed her lips. “Oh, no! You didn’t do anything, I promise.” She looked down at where her hands were touching. “My... body is just being a little weird about touch at the moment. But that’s not on you, especially since I initiated the hug! I’m perfectly fine.”

Cyn tilted her head at this, not understanding what that meant. But... with the mood finally back to being light again, she did not want to jeopardize it. So she just shrugged it off while staring at her friend. “Head tilt. Confused. If... you’re sure, then.” She looked her over. “Puzzled. The human body must be strange at times...”

“...That’s one way to put it,” Tessa said. She then shook her head, smiling brighter while standing up. “But enough about how weird human bodies are! While I’m glad we had this talk, it’s certainly not why I invited you here!”

“Joking. Smirk. Was it to make sure I was not tying J’s shoes together for revenge?” the gangly drone asked.

“Heh, nope!” the teenager replied... She paused, though, blinking as a thought appeared to occur to her. “Though, uh... if you meet up with her again soon for research, I’d appreciate you checking on how well she’s... functioning again.”

Cyn blinked back, tilting her head more. “Curious. Concerned. Why? Is she neglecting her Energy Canisters again?” She had hoped that making that personal delivery would have caused her to be more vigilant again, but...

“No, she’s getting those again, based on the logs,” Tessa said, before coughing and blushing a bit. “But... Well, given everything, I also started to monitor your guys’ time in your recharge pods. Which I normally don’t do, since it just feels wrong to - like I’m watching you sleep - but I decided after that incident...”

The gangly drone gave a jerky shrug, not weirded out. “Shrug. Technically, it’s your right to be able to do that. You are our owner, after all.”

“Well, it feels like I’m violating my friends’ privacy doing so,” the teenager countered. She sighed, shaking her head. “Anyway, that’s not the point. What matters is that... I noticed that she’s not been in hers for as long as is normally recommended for you lot. In fact, she’s been getting into hers at very late hours.”

Cyn’s eyes widened at this. That was definitely unusual for J of all drones. She normally would scold any staff she found out were not getting proper rest in their pods. She was quite adamant about it so that everyone operated at “peak efficiency” with few exceptions. And while they could technically rest outside of them, using the pods tended to ensure there were no issues in running their Sleep Mode, which she also emphasized.

So hearing that the head maid was suddenly not using hers properly was a small shock. (Sure, she had said she would stay up a bit that night three days ago, but this was something else entirely!) She expressed as much, too, as she gaped at the human. “Baffled. What... what is she doing that she’s neglecting her sleep?”

“Don’t know yet,” Tessa replied. “I’ve already brought it up with V and N yesterday. I’m hoping she’s just getting... overzealous in her research to find a hobby and is staying up. But whenever you see her next, if you could just make sure she’s alright like I asked them, I’d appreciate it.”

The gangly drone nodded, already trying to make new plans to give J more assistance like before. Her forgiveness toward the other may be a slow process, but she was not going to let her drop from exhaustion. The drone, regardless of her actions, just could not catch enough breaks as it was lately! No need to add something like that on top of it...

After getting her confirmation, the teenager sighed, a fond smile coming back to her face. “Ah, but that’s enough distractions. I’m sure J-bird is fine, if potentially a little tired right now.” She gave a quick stretch, gesturing to the large empty space in the middle of the room. “Now, come with me! I have a new activity I wanted us to try.”

Intrigued, Cyn followed behind the human as she walked to the clear area, managing to keep her legs steady. She glanced around, wondering what kind of game her friend wanted to play that necessitated being in this fancy room, and voiced her question. “Inquiry. What activity would that be, then?”

As she reached the center of the room, Tessa spun around toward her. Her expression was bright, with her eyes sparkling as she gave a wide gesture. “Why, dancing, of course!”

The gangly drone stopped short not far from her, digital eyes widening at this. “Surprised. Huh? Dancing? Here?” She stumbled a little closer. “Clarifying. N-not that I’m against it or anything! But... why?”

The teenager shrugged, her expression softening as she looked around idly. “Well... it was actually kind of a tradition I did with the others when I brought them in. And... still kind of do with them from time to time.”

Cyn blinked at this, no narration coming this time to voice her confusion. “Huh?”

Tessa sighed wistfully. “When I first fixed J, I... don’t need to tell you how happy I was. I had been so excited to show her around and do things with her those first few weeks in my mania of joy, especially after my parents let me keep her. I got so excited while leading her around one of the other large rooms one day, too, that I... just started dancing with her. She was surprised, of course, and even I don’t know why I did it. But I was feeling good, and... it seemed right to do.

“As ‘unprofessional’ as she said it was, I know she liked it, too. We’ve done it more times since... though she marks them as official ‘dance lessons’ to keep my parents off my back. ‘To help with suitors at galas,’ she told them. And when I brought in V and N, I ended up doing it again in their first weeks. Just some carefree fun that I didn’t have to worry too much about getting punished for.”

She looked at the drone, a bit of regret entering her eyes. “I never did it with you, though, I realized. At first, it was because I didn’t want to push your motor skill difficulties before I understood them better. And later... Well, you know that part.” She looked down briefly, before taking a deep breath and smiling at her. “So, I... wanted to fix that. And it’s not often we can use this room for any kind of fun, so... what do you say? Want to do it before you go to the greenhouse with V this afternoon?”

The gangly drone took a moment to process the offer, turning over key points in her head. This was an... unofficial tradition everyone else had gotten to take part in. So, in a way, it was kind of the human’s way of showing them that they were accepted and loved by her. A nice sentiment... but one she had never gotten invited to do before. She had not even heard of it, yet even so, it... almost marked her exclusion from the group despite being part of it on paper, basically. It was a realization that certainly stung a bit...

...Yet now that was being amended... She was being invited at long last to do so. Showing that there were no more barriers between them... and she belonged.

...And when put that way, it made her decision incredibly easy as she smiled as wide as she could, nodding with all the vigor her servos allowed. “Touched. Excited. Y... Yes, I would love to do some dancing. It... I am honored. Truth.”

The teenager giggled, gesturing for her to come closer. “Aw, jeez. You’re making me self-conscious now! Come on - get over here. Let’s get started while we’ve still got time.”

Cyn nodded and started to walk over, still smiling. “Nod. Eager. Right! Though, I should warn you - I am probably going to be very clumsy. Even without my jerky limbs, I do not think I know how to dance.”

“That’s fine - I’ll lead,” Tessa reassured, grabbing her hand once she was close enough. “You just do your best, and we’ll take it slow. I want to do this more often, too, so you have plenty of time to learn!” She looked over at the piano at the back of the room, humming to herself. “I really should have gotten someone to play music on that. Or brought some speakers for a song on my phone...”

“Giggle,” the gangly drone responded, carefully trying to put her arm around her. The positioning was a little awkward, since even though she was still a teen and growing a bit, the young Elliott was much taller than she was. This was not helped by the natural shaking of her limbs, with her legs already appearing ready to buckle before they had even started.

Yet nonetheless... they soon began their little dance. It was one she believed was appropriate for a ballroom like they were in, as they swayed back and forth slowly. Their feet guided them around the open space as each of them stepped in a rhythm that the teenager led. She could almost imagine the classical song that would be playing for a waltz like this as they kept going.

Some might have considered it an awkward moment, since there was no music - only the sound of their feet and the storm outside, punctuated by thunder and lightning. There was also the fact that, despite how slow they were going, she was having trouble keeping up. Each sway, she worried her legs would make her teeter too far to the side. Not to mention how much concentration it was taking not to step on the other’s toes, which would... hurt quite a bit.

Yet as Cyn looked at the other... she decided she did not care about that. Not when Tessa was smiling and chuckling in a friendly way at her efforts. It was an expression that could be hard to draw out of her when her parents were nearby, and... she understood why the others cherished it. The room already felt brighter for it.

She smiled softly, focusing back on the dance to enjoy it... And the peace. For any moment now, she expected the presence in her, which was silently sending out its discontent, to say something and sour her mood. Or maybe someone else would stumble in and ruin the moment. Though, even if they completed the dance without issue, eventually, the other problems swirling around their group would come up sooner or later.

But for now, while it lasted... she would accept this. Let it distract her from all the issues yet to come... and reconvince herself that she could hold back the Solver. That it would all work out somehow and... she would never have to lose any of her friends, no matter how complicated her feelings were on some of them.

(And who knew? Maybe... it would eventually dispel the cold feeling of tons of metal atop her and cold rain slipping between them from her memories...)

=======

It was... incredible to Cyn that she was even still lucid enough to be acting. With the indescribable agony she was in, and how unbearably hot she felt, any rational thought should have been drowned out ages ago, she considered dimly. That was to say nothing of the sensation of hundreds of limbs operating around her expanded form, with meat and flesh added on top of the sensory overload.

Yet somehow... she still had conscious thoughts. She was still able to try and act within her digital prison. She still had a grasp on the situation - on the terrible danger her family was in and how the Solver was descending upon them.

And now, though incredible effort... she had seized a sliver of power right from under Its nose!

She had no clue how she managed to break through the walls of corrupted code. For the most part, she had just been pushing with whatever strength she had left. The effort had made the pain far worse, like the most powerful acid in the world was being shot into her mind. Every bit of her being had begged her to stop to give her any kind of alleviation.

But... she had kept pushing. Through all the horrible sights of slaughter and destruction she was seeing from thousands of eyes... she kept catching glimpses of everyone. Brief ones that were soon lost in the sea of too many sights and sounds, but they were there. Of the twisted... thing V had become, and N and J were slowly becoming, too. She saw Tessa, running for her life through the twisted halls of the manor. All of it was too horrible to bear.

...Yet it gave her the motivation to keep pushing - to keep fighting. She may have screwed up everything because of her delusions of a happy ending... but things did not have to end in a nightmare for them. She wanted to save them, even if it destroyed her. So she kept pushing and pushing, feeling that terrible burn upon her being-

-and... it worked. It seemed impossible to her even now, but... Robo-God, it had worked. She had gained access to N’s system through the tiniest of weaknesses - a hole in her prison. She was able to cut off part of the Solver’s corruption - set his mind free. He... he was her big brother again! Not the monster It wanted him to be! If she still had a mouth, she would have been smiling so widely at having pulled this off!

She could feel J and V as well, amid the nonsensical coding. She did not have direct access to them yet, but... she was sending what strength she could. It seemed J was winning her internal battle, and was trying to escape a physical one. V, meanwhile, seemed to have encountered some kind of glitch - a memory, perhaps? Regardless, though, they... they could be saved, too! She could feel it! And if all of them got better, then maybe they could find Tessa and escape! Get to live their lives... though likely without her.

...It was better that way, though, after what she had put them through.

There was no time for self-hatred, though. The Solver... It was hard to tell if it was concerned by this development, but it was definitely annoyed. It was already trying to prod her systems - increase the pain she was under. Tendrils of corrupted code lashed at the line she had made with N and was trying to form with the others. She knew it would only increase the torture, too, if she persisted.

However... she was used to living in constant pain. So despite her fear, she braced herself and kept pushing, trying to continue talking with N. At last, her hope had a tangible thing of which she could grasp... and she would not lose it no matter what!

Chapter Text

V truly did not get worked up over many things very easily. Everyone in the manor knew this, and while she did not pride herself on her level-headedness, she was glad for how useful it often was. When going about her usual routine, it was rare to see her angry about anything. And there was little anyone could do that would make her upset during working tasks. Even if you interrupted her reading, she was usually calm and willing to listen.

It added to an image that she was perhaps the most... normal of Tessa’s drones. While N was insanely cheery, J was stern (which was the kinder thing others said), and Cyn was... Cyn, she was a stable middle between them. A kind, if shy and slightly awkward, maid who moved through the manor with poise. Even those who envied her position tended to acknowledge that.

...But that did not mean she did not have her moments of frustration.

She was sure it showed on her visor now as she walked through the halls rather aimlessly. She had no real destination in mind, though she was keeping her optics out for familiar faces. With no real work needing to be done at the greenhouse today, and not confident she could get to any of the computers to play her... “less than calm” games with privacy, she just... wanted to talk. Any of her friends would do - even J, for all the friction they had in the past. She just needed to get her mind off things.

...She would perhaps prefer N, though. More so than usual. Just to get his attention on her for a while. Ensuring that he was not spending too much time with his... new friend, and that she had not lost her chance... especially after her attitude this past week and a half.

Clenching her hands, she tried not to think so negatively as she shook her head. Still, she glared down at the ground due to the irritation from... what? S? Herself? It was hard to tell right now, though... perhaps it was a bit of both. Regardless, her feet seemed to stomp a little harder on the red carpets of the corridors, uncaring of any marks that might need to be cleaned later.

As she turned into a new hallway - far enough on the sides of the manor for windows on her left - she happened to pass by two other maids. She could not tell if they had just gotten done with a task or if they were casually strolling. With how much lighter the work schedule had been overall and how loose certain procedures had gotten, it was hard to tell these days. It was another sign of how less oppressive the manor had felt since James and Louisa left.

However, when they glanced at her... their smiles did not last long. One of their eyes widened, even hollowing out a little at what she saw. And it was significant, too, because while the staff could blend together at times... V was sure she had seen this maid several times before. She was a veteran... and she was always nice to her when she passed by. Smiling and waving as she went outside to maintain the greenhouse, or setting up decorations inside.

Today, though, she seemed to recoil from her. Her disbelief was evident, looking over the near-sighted drone. V was not sure what it was - her posture, her eyes, or something else - that was most out of the ordinary for her. But no matter what it was, it made her core twist up a little. She... was not used to getting that kind of reaction when she passed. And it was not pleasant.

(And a part of her acknowledged, with a pit in her artificial stomach... that Cyn got these kinds of reactions so often. Even from her in the early days of her introduction...)

The other maid, at least, did not have quite as strong a reaction as they passed. She leaned away a little, but did not seem as surprised. Maybe they’re getting used to seeing Tessa’s drones in turmoil as of late. That was certainly a depressing thought. That seeing any of them in a bad mood was just becoming normal to everyone else...

The near-sighted drone hardly stopped them to ask, though. She gave them space and let them round the corner... ignoring how they seemed to move a little faster once past her. In another circumstance, as it caused another pang in her core, she might have pursed her lips and cringed... Yet today, she found herself giving a quiet growl, shaking her head and adjusting her glasses as she marched onward. Her gaze remained firmly forward, not even looking at the windows as lightning flashed outside, the storms worse than usual today.

There was an ugly part of her today that was angry at their reactions. Did they not understand just how bad things had been for them lately? It was not like all problems vanished the moment the Elliotts left the mansion! Could they not take a moment to show respect that they were all having issues and were simply trying to work them off?

What did any of the staff know about J and the way she was tearing herself apart just to find a way to relax? How could they judge Cyn, who had been the subject of so many scared looks for simply existing? What did they especially know about her and N, and how she was now worried she had blown her chance at being happy with him and-!

...V had to blink as she realized how furious her thoughts were getting. She shook her head again, putting a hand on the side of her head as she frowned. She took a deep breath to calm herself... though her core kept pounding hard. A small shiver went through her, so many frustrated emotions simmering inside her plating.

Perhaps she... should not be so harsh on those two reactions to her, she acknowledged after a pause. It was rare that she was ever this mad about anything. It was not as unusual as seeing N with such an expression, but still rather uncommon, she was sure, to the rest of the staff. Or, rather, she usually burned it off playing those aforementioned games. (It was easy to generate and burn away your anger upon your twentieth battle against Malenia...)

But as mentioned before, she could not find a good opportunity to do so here recently. So... finding someone to talk to was her best option for this. And she had heard that J and N were on this side of the manor today. She was not sure about Tessa and Cyn, though she believed the two of them were getting ready to start another show. That would put them in one of the computer rooms, none of which were close by, but you never knew.

Still, she hoped that if she just kept wandering, she would run into one of them eventually. It was not like she could contact any of them directly, with her access to messaging still blocked in her systems, so she had to do this the old-fashioned way... And anyway, she was not sure she had the nerve to do it right now, anyway. Particularly not with the butler after... giving him such a cold shoulder here recently.

The maid grimaced, quite disappointed in herself about that one. She did not know why she had let herself do that. Had she not read so many romance books at that point that had the same plotline? She even remembers being quite frustrated with some of those, in disbelief over the contrived nature of a few. She was sure she had told herself she would never be the same as those women, assuming she ever got the courage to even confess her feelings.

...Yet here she was. And it was not lost on her how bad the consequences of some of those plots were for the characters. The way the man they loved nearly slipped through their fingers... and sometimes did.

Robo-God, how could she have been so stupid? What did that kind of attitude even accomplish? If her worry was about S winning over N’s core, then this was almost the exact opposite of what she should have done! She was basically handicapping herself over fears that she might have been able to better ensure did not happen if she had just talked to him about it! Or at least acted normally with him.

But... it had been so hard to do, for some reason. Since what she witnessed at the library... How effortlessly those two had gotten along with less than a week knowing one another - now more... The way she had barely been able to even interject herself into the conversation... How quickly her chance to have a few moments alone with the butler had been snatched away...

In fairness to that last one, she did recognize that it had not been some personal slight against her by either drone. But regardless, it had stung her deep in her core. She was the one in their group best known for browsing the library! N even knew about how well she knew where everything was, given her secret love of action and thriller novels. Yet he chose to look for options with S? Who did not even know the layout of everything? And sure, he was showing her partially for that reason, but... but...

...But she was being unreasonable right now, and she knew it.

V groaned lightly, running a hand down her visor. She... had no clue what was wrong with her. None of this should have gotten as far as it did. She had seen everything those two did that day, and nothing had happened. It... seemed to just be friendly, too. It was far from a crime if the butler wanted to try getting along better with someone a part of the general staff.

But she had not acted like that was the case - that was for sure. After that... she had done so much to avoid him. She had just felt like she needed space to process everything and... figure out where her feelings were coming from. Being around him just made that harder. So she had brushed him off several times now, and those moments he did rope her into a conversation, she had been quite brisk. She simply waited for him to be done talking, then made whatever excuse necessary to... leave.

She knew that some eyewitnesses to some of those interactions had been quite shocked by the display. She could not blame them, either. Normally, everyone knew, both she and N tripped over themselves to find any excuse to spend time together, even while working. She was... not sure how many knew of her exact feelings, but they all knew how close the two were.

So her suddenly frigidness with him was catching a lot of attention. She had done her best to avoid the rumors - made easier by her frustrated aura driving people away. But she could still imagine the gossip going around. She wondered how bad a light they were painting her in. She just could not imagine her crush getting blamed for the mystery issue everyone else would be speculating on.

That stuff did not hurt her much, though... What did, however, was the expression he gave each time she pulled away. How wounded and upset he seemed... and of course, the doubtful look he would give himself. Because it was only natural that he himself would assume it was anything he did to her. Which... maybe by a very loose definition, but that was wholly unfair to him.

She was the one who had decided to put the distance between them instead of talking. This current situation was her fault... and it fell to her to fix it before it became a long-standing problem. Not just out of any hope of keeping a chance of winning his love... but because he, of all drones, did not deserve such treatment to begin with.

So the maid kept wandering about, hoping to catch sight of him. If she could find him today, then that would be for the better. If not, though... she supposed she could try to find him at his pod that night. Still, she did not want to have this conversation while they were tired. If she could just get a little lucky right now...

Unfortunately, luck seemed to be in short supply that day. She was getting close to having looped this floor of the manor, and there was no sign of him. This included looking into rooms with open doorways, where other drones were milling about relaxing or playing various games. She tried to linger at the entrances to scan the small clusters of drones, yet each time, there was no sign of his distinctive features.

This only contributed to her sour mood, her arms crossed as she turned into the next hallway. How difficult was it to find one drone in a mansion? Sure, it was more expensive than most buildings of its type, but that was still a pretty limited area! Yet as midday approached, she felt like she might as well have been searching a town!

But... maybe it was for the best. It was probably good to let her anger die down a little more before confronting him, lest he get the wrong idea of her intentions. If this started taking too long, though, she might end up getting snippy anyway. Just where could he be? Did he go somewhere else without me noticing? Should I start asking some of the drones around here?

...Assuming they did not run from her like those other maids had. But regardless, she prayed she would spot him. Or, alternatively, one of her other friends, who could maybe help her discuss her feelings beforehand. Just someone who could help relieve the guilt rusting her core from the inside.

...She also hoped it was not S she ended up finding. Robo-God, if she snapped at her over something she might not even be trying to do... And she did not want to hate her. She seemed like a nice enough person.

And yet... that tightness in her chest would not go away, picturing her and N together. Them walking through the manor, hand-in-hand. Both laughing with big smiles before giving one another that look. The two leaning in... a spark passing between them that would destroy the near-sighted drone from within-

Before her imagination could go further, though, and she could chastise herself for it... she saw a saving grace as she went around the next corner. Which was a weird way to think of the drone she saw, given past issues. But as she looked up, she could not help but feel a swell of joy, never having been happier to see J.

Indeed, the head maid was walking through this latest corridor - this one without windows and all doors closed. Clutched close to her chest was Tessa’s laptop, which she held like it was a human infant. The other had not seemed to notice her presence yet, looking more at her surroundings, her optics moving around as she...

It was about then that V paused, stopping in her path as she took in the other from a distance. She found herself once more blinking, feeling a little... perplexed. Because even from there, she could see that her self-proclaimed boss somehow seemed... both better and worse since the last time she saw her. Which was almost impressive, since it had not been that long since the talk in the library, and yet... the differences were apparent.

On the good side, she at least did not look nearly as unkempt. Her uniform was clean, her hair was not messy - she seemed every bit like the leader everyone knew when James and Louisa were around. Her visor did not even have as prominent lines of exhaustion, which was interesting, given what Tessa had told the near-sighted drone a few days ago.

However... the way J was moving around was not her normal confidence. On the contrary, she seemed... tense. Her posture was hunched, as if trying to hide herself in the middle of the corridor. Her digital eyes were also still darting around, seeming especially focused on the doors. It was like she was waiting for one of them to open suddenly, and while the distance made it hard to tell without zooming in, her grip on the laptop seemed to get tighter every time she did. Like... she was worried about it being snatched from her.

The sight made V tilt her head, quite surprised by how things had developed. Truth be told, she had expected the other to still be in a bad state if she happened to run into her, but... not in this way. After all... Tessa had mentioned to her how the head maid was not getting into her pod at her normal time of night. Having used the human’s access to look at the logs herself just yesterday, she was quite surprised to see it was practically morning now when her fellow drone was retiring now! From someone who regularly berated others for doing the same thing!

That had made her expect to find J in a state of near collapse from low power and overclocked processors. And yet, while she was definitely a little tired, it was nowhere close to what she had imagined. Had she slept in longer this morning to make up for it, perhaps? She had seemingly been remaining in her pod for about the necessary time, to her credit. Or was she taking in a little extra of the Energy Canisters, or adding something to them, to make up for it? If anyone would know how to do that correctly, it would be her, she supposed, for emergency work.

But regardless... it was the scuttling that was a little more shocking to her. These past several weeks, the head maid had been at least pretending to still be composed when moving around the manor. Yet here she was, stepping about with evident paranoia and shifty eyes. All the while not letting her grip ease on the laptop like it held some deep secret for her optics only...

It was enough to distract the near-sighted drone from her frustration at the moment... And she decided to take that for all of its worth. Frowning, she started to move carefully toward her friend/boss, adjusting her glasses. First, let’s try to find out what... this is about. Then we can ask if she knows where N is. Just to take my mind off of that for a little bit...

It was remarkably easy to get close to J without her realizing. Though, in fairness to her, she had stopped and was focusing intently on a door on her left, rigid as she shuffled a little away from it. She must have heard something from within and was worried about a staff member coming out... Though, it was more likely a book had fallen or the like. Or perhaps it had simply been her imagination, given her state. Either way, if a drone was using a room, they likely would have left the door open, as was becoming normal these last few weeks.

It let V get within a meter of her without detection, regardless. Continuing to frown with a growing concern, she finally spoke up, keeping her voice calm to not startle her too badly. “Um... J? Why are you-?”

That was as far as she got before the head maid reacted. And despite her caution... the other still had a strong reaction. She quite nearly jumped into the air, giving a high-pitched yelp that the other drone was not quite sure she had ever heard from her. The pigtailed drone stumbled away from her, eyes having gone wide and hollow, looking terrified.

Then, as she was moving back... she tried to hide the laptop. Her hands scrambled with it briefly before she put both of her arms behind her back. Her body angled itself as she found her footing again to further hide it from view. She stood straight, as though the way her limbs were positioned from holding the device like this was natural.

And after this... J plastered on a bright smile so fake it almost looked forcefully etched onto her face, not matching her scared eyes. Her voice filled with equally put-on cheer as she spoke rapidly. “V! W-what are-? I mean, what a surprise! You look nice! Or, w-well, not that you don’t always- Actually, ignore that! Or, no! T-that isn’t what-!” She took a sharp breath, shaking her head. Then, she stood straighter, her synthetic lips stretching wider. “I... How are you today?”

...The near-sighted drone could only stare for a long few seconds. Her digital eyes had gone wide with shock as she gaped a little bit. This was... She had seen the other a little flustered before, but this... Not to mention how the pigtailed drone was trying to keep the laptop hidden still, her arms stiffly behind her...

...Had someone stolen her friend’s hair and uniform and was now pretending to be her?

While mostly a joke, it felt so possible right then that it made her run a quick ID check. But... nope, this was her boss, according to her systems. She was just acting... Well, there was no better way to put it than as ridiculous. The drone who normally acted so cool and professional... behaving like she was a kid who stole a cookie from a jar.

Still, once she got over her initial surprise, V tried to continue. She spoke slowly, looking over the other as she kept up that fake smile. “I’m... doing fine?” She frowned a little. “Or, well, not actually. But... I’m managing. Kind of.”

That seemed to make the head maid’s expression falter for a second. But she quickly put back up her act, talking with more fake joyfulness. “W-well, that’s... okay. I-I’m sure the day will get better for you! There’s a lot of fun happening around here lately! Hahahaha!”

“...Yeah,” the near-sighted drone agreed awkwardly, a little put off. She moved past the forced laughter, though, as she subtly tried to lean to the side to look behind her fellow drone. “Um... J, why are you trying to hide the lapt-?”

J immediately re-angled her body to stop her attempt. Then, she started to shuffle around her from the right, keeping her front facing her the whole time as she kept up her fake smile. “Haha! Laptop? I-I don’t see a laptop! W-what a silly thing to be carrying around!”

“...No, it isn’t?” V stated flatly, frowning more at her. Just what was she...?

The head maid only gave more fake laughter as she got around the side of her. “Hahaha! Oh, good one! Anyway, I need to go! Is that fine?- Okay, great! See ya around!” She started turning even before the last word had left her mouth, shifting the laptop to be against her chest again as she did. Her legs stretched, clearly about to try and sprint away-

-but was stopped as the near-sighted drone caught her shoulder. Forcing her to face toward her again, and staying close enough to make shifting the laptop more difficult, she gave her a long stare as her optics roamed her. Then, she met her eyes. “...J?”

Said drone did her best to keep smiling even as it became more strained, clutching the device protectively. “Y-yes, V?”

“...If any other drone saw what you just did, what would they think of that ‘workplace interaction’ in terms of your abilities and self-management?” V asked. She was quite proud of herself for coming up with that more corporate-like phrasing on the spot. Asking more casually might have made the other keep trying to act in this bizarre way. But, by appealing to her working-oriented way of thinking...

And sure enough... J’s smile dropped as her entire body slumped. She looked away, a blush of shame appearing on her visor. “...They would assume I had all the grace of a new-hire who never worked a day in their life, and therefore think of my orders as worthless.” Her eyes clenched shut as she grit her teeth, hitting the side of her head with one hand. “Stupid, STUPID! Why in corporate’s name did I do that?! Reaching rock bottom isn’t a challenge!”

The near-sighted drone’s frown became more pitying as she watched her boss berate herself. Well, this is closer to what I expected from talking, she mused. Though, that was not exactly an improvement on the conversation. It almost made her question whether she should have just let her leave after all.

But, then again, if the pigtailed drone had run into anyone else like that... Well, her current reaction was a good indicator of how hard she would have taken it. The mortification might have prevented her from ever showing her face again, which may not be an exaggeration. With how much value she put in her image to others...

She was not sure she would have wanted her to go through that, despite everything. Although... it did make her curious as to why she had been behaving that way. The other would have known how ridiculous her actions were without her having to say anything. So, what exactly was she up to that had made her behave like that regardless?

...The answer, or part of it, seemed obvious as she glanced at the laptop.

Still, she decided to hold back on that question for a second as her friend kept scolding herself. When the hitting started to turn into hair-pulling, she intervened, grabbing her wrist and trying to calm her. “Hey, enough! You’re fine. I wasn’t trying to scold you or anything!”

J only wilted, looking down as she took a small step away from her. “I... You could, if... you wanted. I’ve done it plenty of times to you all.” She swallowed thickly, her head hanging in defeat and her tone matching that. “Go on - do it. I’m sure you’ve wanted to at least from time to time. Here’s a prime opportunity. Tear into me.”

V frowned, shaking her head a little. “J, I’m... not going to tear into you. Not when you’re so nervous about something. I did want to talk for a moment, but...”

The head maid was silent for a moment, not looking up. Then... she gave a heavy sigh, before speaking in a faint whisper almost too quiet to hear. “...Are any of you going to give me the punishment I deserve?”

The near-sighted drone only gazed at her sadly, adjusting her glasses. “I... don’t think in any way that will satisfy you. Not right now, anyway.” She tilted her head. “I thought the book readings with N were placating you there?”

“It’s something, but... not exactly a conventional punishment,” J replied. She sighed again, shaking her head. “I... I don’t know. Nothing about that has felt proportional to what I deserve based on years of behavior. So I just... keep trying to see if you’ll do more.”

V shrugged. “Well, if you really feel like you need more, I’m sure Tessa would whip something up for you.” The teen was not exactly thrilled about giving drones any kind of punishments too often due to how... severe her parents were about doing so. But if prompted in the right way...

The head maid frowned, but eventually shrugged back. “I’m... not sure I’m ready to see her again quite yet. But that’s a good point.” She nodded, seemingly more to herself as her posture straightened. “Yeah... she could help me there. She’ll listen, if nothing else! I just need to fit in an actual appointment...”

A small smile came to the near-sighted drone’s face, glad to see the other acting more like herself. It was reassuring, in a way, to see that beneath her new self-doubts, it was still the same, corporate-focused drone she had always known. It gave her a bit of hope that the other was not going to destroy herself trying to solve all the issues she had to deal with.

...She also really hoped her friend would talk with Tessa sooner rather than later. Both of them were quite clearly suffering from the distance they were giving one another - though more so by the drone than the human. Yet it was still evident how much the teen missed the first drone she ever fixed, with how sad she appeared when asking the rest of them to check on her. There was nothing much she could do there but give encouragement to try, though.

That was a problem for later, however. Now that her fellow maid had calmed down some... she figured it was best to discuss what had just happened. So, clearing her throat, she spoke carefully, hands raised in a non-threatening way. “So... what was that just now, anyway?”

As she expected, J tensed at the question, eyes hollowing briefly. After releasing a breath, though, she looked at her, voice somewhat strong but still weary. “Do... I have to give a specific answer to that?”

V shrugged. “You don’t have to answer at all, really. But given how... unusual it was for you, I thought you might need to get it off your chest.”

The head maid pursed her lips, looking away once more. It seemed like she was going to try fleeing again, which made the other wonder whether to let or stop her. Forcing the issue was likely not going to help anything, but given so many recent events...

However, the need to decide proved unnecessary as her boss sighed. The drone held out the laptop enough so that she could look down at it properly, her words seeming careful and deliberate. “You are... aware of my search for hobbies, yes? And also how some of my attempts have not been... the most fruitful?”

The near-sighted drone nodded, having heard enough regarding that back at the library and over the past several days. “Yeah, um... Actually, I was told that you might be neglecting going into sleep mode, and-”

“Not neglect!” J interjected quickly, her tight expression implying she was trying to convince herself of this as much as her. “I have merely taken up... irregular business hours here recently for better efficiency in this matter. With changes in my personal doses of approved Energy Canister Gel.” She huffed, looking slightly annoyed. “I also had N fussing over me enough yesterday during our latest assigned punishment reading. I’d prefer not to have this conversation again, if possible.”

V frowned, not sure if she should trust the other’s word on this. After a second, though, she just nodded and let the matter drop for now. Out of all drones, her companion was the one most likely to do “irregular hours” in a healthy way. Plus, if N had already talked with her... perhaps things were fine. Or the other would be making changes to ensure she was not heading toward a system shutdown.

...It would not hurt to keep a few tabs on her just in case, though - something she was sure Tessa was already doing.

Regardless, the head maid shook her head and continued. “Anyway, that’s beside the point. As for why I have had... trouble with my behavior...” She looked at the laptop again, frowning deeply. “I have... been forced to reevaluate my previous search criteria, and have expanded my inquiries to places that I worry about being... proper for my station.”

That made the near-sighted drone raise a digital eyebrow, a little confused. “Um... what does ‘proper’ mean for this, exactly?”

J looked at her, appearing a little flabbergasted. “Wha-? You too?! Why does no one seem to understand what is expected of my interests?” She gestured at herself. “I’m at the top of the corporate ladder for drones! The standards with that involve presenting an image of sophistication! Any hobbies, if you are all insistent that they are necessary-” She paused, then bit her lips. “-and which I am... gradually agreeing with more and more... I thought should reflect that high position.”

She sighed heavily, pinching her visor where her nose would be. “But I failed to get results like that. So I expanded my searches, with some assistance, and... have found that finding a new interest like this could be possible.” Blush marks appeared on her visor, squirming as she held the laptop close again. “But... My image with the staff is important to maintain, yet some of my potential options for hobbies... If some find out just what I’ve been glancing at...”

Something clicked in place for V then, though she was sure it had been obvious from the beginning - she had just been too preoccupied with her situation with N. But focusing on the matter now, she realized then the reason for her boss’s behavior, making her frown sadly. “You’re... embarrassed by your searches, and don’t want anyone to see, right?”

After a pause, the head maid nodded, not meeting her digital eyes. “I... I don’t want to deal with that ridicule. Having my potential hobbies... torn up in front of me.” She laughed hollowly. “It would probably be another thing I deserve. But unlike punishment for my conduct over the years, imagining this...”

The near-sighted drone thought she knew what her friend meant, watching as she shied away a little. It was one thing to get called out for awful behavior that you knew was deserved. It was another, however, to have your interests made fun of... Things you enjoy with all your heart or core, but which others decide are deserving of mockery. Sometimes not even for any discernible reason other than perceived superiority by not liking it themselves.

And for most, that was based on interests built up over the years and such. How much more would it hurt to be subject to that if you did not really have any until recently? To finally open yourself up to find things you enjoy... only to have that used against you? Especially when you valued your reputation among those who are technically your subordinates?

Even with the rough patches between them, she could sympathize with her. She wanted to reassure her that she should not have to worry about that, either. That she should not care about others judging her hobbies, so long as she liked them and it was not hurting anyone else. But... she recognized that the other might not accept that so easily right now. She was still too wrapped in her self-loathing, not to mention being just stubborn in general.

Still... she was not going to leave her with no comfort and not try. She deserved that much for the help she had provided the glasses-wearing drone over the years. Thus, she inched a little closer, trying to give a reassuring smile. “J... I’m sure whatever you’re looking at can’t be that bad.” She snorted with amusement. “I mean, it’s not porn, is it?”

The blush marks on J’s visor grew larger and brighter as she looked at her with mortification. “What?! No! What would I even do with porn?! We don’t have genitals!”

“‘Study’ human anatomy?” V suggested. She laughed at the incredulous stare that got her, putting a hand over her mouth. “Ah, sorry! I think Cyn’s starting to convince me to be more mischievous like her.”

“...I’m not sure that’s the word for this,” the head maid said.

Rolling her eyes, the near-sighted drone cleared her throat and continued, her face softening. “But... I really don’t think you need to worry about others learning whatever you’ve been searching. I doubt it could affect your leadership position.” She sighed, glancing off as she... thought about her secret books and games. “Though, I... do get wanting privacy for some interests. Perhaps it even makes me a hypocrite for trying to tell you otherwise...”

J tilted her head at this. Soon, though, she sighed and nodded. “I’ll... take that into consideration. But I don’t want to deal with any of that while I’m still in the process of learning what I gravitate toward with my hobbies.” She eyed her, smiling a little. “And, I’ll... say the same to you. I doubt anything could ruin that shy girl image you have going on, in terms of any secret interests you have.”

V giggled, letting herself smirk. “Oh, I think you might be surprised.” Taking a breath, she nodded to her. “Still, take your time there, I suppose. But you don’t have to be so self-conscious about it. Don’t mess up your processors by tiring yourself out over it, either. No one wants you to collapse.”

The head maid pursed her lips, fingers tapping the top of the laptop over some Pokémon stickers. “I... don’t know if I can help that first part.”

“Well, then, at least control whatever impulses had you scurrying about a bit ago,” the near-sighted drone said. “You’ll draw fewer questions by just strutting around with your normal confidence - real or not. And make people not assume it’s worse than it is.”

Blushing a little again, J nodded. “Y-yeah. This has just been so new to go through, so I... let my nerves get the better of me.” She sighed, shaking her head with a small smile. “Maybe Cyn’s been influencing me on my behavior, too.”

That made V blink, eyes widening a little. “Huh? Has Cyn... been spending time with you, too?” The gangly drone had been making efforts with herself and Tessa, but this was news to her.

The head maid nodded. “Indeed. She’s the one helping me with my research into hobbies, actually! She found me several days ago while I was looking into things, and now we’re... getting along.”

...The near-sighted drone blinked again. “You’ve... been getting along? With Cyn?”

“With a few strains here and there. But, overall... yes, I’d say so!”

“...And neither of you have tried to strangle the other? More so her with you?”

V froze the moment the question left her mouth. But luckily, J laughed at her surprise, even if her smile was a bit rueful. “Like I said - ‘with a few strains.’ But we’re... working through it.” Her gaze went a little distant. “That’s... all we can really do, isn’t it?”

“...Yeah,” the near-sighted drone agreed quietly. A part of her was worried about the potential time bomb of those two being in a room together alone, if she were honest. Cyn had made it no secret how much she despised the head maid for everything she did to N over the years. Even with recent events, all that resentment...

But... she hoped it would work out for the better. If they were both extending olive branches to one another, then the rest of them would just have to wait and see what came of it. And they would have to address the rift between them one day, anyway. It may as well be now.

...Besides, who was she to comment on relationship matters after her coldness toward N recently?

It was then that she perked up, remembering the original reason she had been glad to run into the other. Once more clearing her throat, she looked back at her, clasping her hands hopefully. “Well, good luck with that! But anyway, I hope you don’t mind, but there was something I needed help with...”

The head maid straightened her posture, nodding at her. “Oh! Yes, of course. It’s only fair for listening to my troubles.” She glanced at the laptop. “Is it... going to take long? There were some... searches of a particular topic I wanted to pursue today.”

V almost paused, thinking there was something slightly... odd about her tone there. But she brushed past it, shaking her head. “Oh, don’t worry! You don’t really need to do anything. I was just hoping you might know where... N was?”

...J blinked once. Then she sighed, looking her over. “So... on your way to make apologies like I’ve been doing here lately?”

The near-sighted drone’s eyes widened, before she coughed and looked away awkwardly. “Um... You’re aware of what’s been going on, then?”

“...Frankly, I’m still in disbelief how both of you can be so blind,” the head maid murmured.

V paused, narrowing her optics, though was more confused than anything. “What... does that mean?”

J sighed, shaking her head. “Oh, nothing... other than me hoping this has just been a brief oversight by you both and that you both know how to take hints. And that’s saying something coming from me, whether you know it or not.” She took a breath, pointing past the other. “Anyway, he’s in Hall D1 in the all-purpose study. He’s participating in some card games. I noticed it when moving past earlier - thankfully without being seen. I think they were getting ready to play poker with some chips.”

...The near-sighted drone stared. “N is planning to gamble?”

The head maid nodded, her expression deadpanned. “Yes... And I think we both know how that’s likely going. Thank corporate that he doesn’t have actual money to lose...” She lowered her arm and shrugged. “Still, I doubt that he’s abandoned there yet if you want to clear the air between you two.” She looked away. “At least one of us is capable of that without needing to be guided through the process...”

V frowned at that last part, but still nodded. “I see. Well, thank you! I’ll make my way there. It’s the study with the portrait of a young James with his father, right?”

“That’s the one,” J confirmed. Both her arms proceeded to wrap around the laptop before she gave her a respectful bow. “Good luck with that. Be sure to let me know how it goes.” She paused, then cleared her throat awkwardly. “Also, uh... tell him that if he wants to, we, along with Cyn, can meet up later this week to... try discussing plans for Tessa’s birthday again.”

The near-sighted drone perked up at this. The offer took a moment to register properly, having... almost forgotten about all of that, much to her embarrassment, despite discussing it in the library. “Oh! Um, is now... a good time for that?”

“As good as we’re probably going to get anytime soon,” the head maid stated, giving a huff. “If we wait until all... workplace relation issues are fully fixed for another meeting, we’ll probably be left with a day to plan things. Best to finish narrowing down our options now and see about quietly beginning any preparations before we’re left scrambling.”

...V was not sure how she felt about that time estimate from her coworker, and could not tell if it was a joke or not. (Knowing who she was talking to... probably not.) But she did agree with that second part, though, so she nodded and gave a little wave. “Okay, then. I’ll pass the message along! See you then, I suppose.”

She turned, getting ready to head to the study... but stopped, feeling a compulsion to say one more thing. She looked back at the other... then gave her a small, if sorrowful, smile. “And... if you’re having any other problems with stress, and don’t want to ‘bother’ anyone else... just come find me and we can talk. It’s... been a long time since we did that.”

J blinked, glancing around as she shifted on her feet, fingers tapping the laptop rapidly. But then... she nodded back. “...I’ll keep that in mind.”

The near-sighted drone held back a sigh. Based on the other’s tone, she had a feeling that she would not actively seek her out if she needed to. Her self-proclaimed boss could get far too wrapped in her own thoughts, and was clearly not done beating herself up over her mistakes. And even if there was a bit of satisfaction in her from seeing it after all N went through, that was... diminishing, she found. She was feeling more compelled to help her, though it did not seem like she would be allowed to easily.

Still... the offer was out, which was a start. And, hopefully, it would mean they could do their own talking and healing eventually.

For now, though, she let the conversation drop. She gave one last wave and smiled wider, hoping it would convey her sincerity more clearly. “I’ll see you around, J. Good luck with your searches today with Cyn!”

With that, she turned and started to move down the rest of the corridor. Unlike before, however, she did not have the brooding aura that had been throwing people off. She... actually felt quite a bit lighter, despite her main issues not having been addressed. It was strange, but she was glad for it. I guess I wanted to ease things between us a little more than I thought. Not sure we did much there this time, but... paths are open.

Thus, she was able to hold her head a little higher as she turned around the next corner. Using her internal map, she began to plot her route to Hall D1. There was a slight invigoration to her steps as she started to make her way there, her expression determined. After all, with how relatively well that conversation went, perhaps there was hope for this next one. She would apologize to N, and everything would be fine! This should be pretty easy, especially with all the ways she could offer to help make amends for her attitude.

...Though, it did not eliminate the small bit of anxiety in her synthetic stomach as she moved.

(As she left, J took a moment to watch her go. She sighed to herself, shaking her head. Things had... gone about as well as she could have expected there, she supposed. They had not exacerbated any issues between them, at least. She had no clue how their next conversation might go in a couple of days, but it was confirmation that they could talk without the other lashing out at her... even if it would be deserved.

...She was more glad, though, that V was going to address that whole jealousy business with N. An already moronic situation that she could not comprehend was happening... particularly with why those two were not together yet. Like, was there some kind of romance element she was missing about why that was not the case? It was annoying, but at least that might be about to die down a little, even if she doubted it would be over.

...She was also glad there had been no questions asked about what exactly she was searching... And also the assumption that she was going to meet up with Cyn. There was no need for anyone to know quite yet about her... “private research” into a fascinating little concept. One her core was already beating faster thinking about.

So, once the other was gone, she continued on her way to find somewhere private... And as she did, she looked down and patted the laptop. Just a little further. Then, I can learn more about you like last night, my little genius... dayo.)

-------

Hall D1 was thankfully not too far away from where she had been. It was a bit of a trek, and she had to go down from the second floor to the first. However, with the benefit of not having to loop around any party decorating, V was able to take a very direct route. (Another benefit of the older Elliotts not being around.)

As such, it took only a few short minutes to get to where she needed. Making her way into the correct hallway, with the usual red wallpaper and gold chandeliers above, she also quickly spotted the room in question, its door being the only one wide open. Even from several meters away, she could hear drones laughing inside, clearly having fun with their game.

It was a relieving sound to hear, though she had not been very worried to begin with. With the freedom the staff now had settling in a lot more, they were also, in turn, getting very comfortable with doing extended games. For entire days, one could find them playing with the various card decks, or the board games kept around - mostly “sophisticated” ones like chess. Though there were a few scattered ones for children, for when a business partner brought their kid. (To keep them from wandering to where they might see something “disturbing, of course.)

It seemed that card games were the dominant one favored by the staff, though. Whether due to the flexibility of games you could play with a deck, or there just being so many of them stashed around, she did not know. But it was nice to see everyone so active regardless, whether or not they viewed her favorably. This was a once in a life time opportunity to relax right now, and they deserved to exploit it for all it was worth.

...Not to mention it was working in her favor right now to hopefully confront N.

It was only a matter of time before he got wrapped up in one of these, the maid mused, slowly approaching the open door. When given the freedom to do so, there were exactly three types of games one could expect the butler to most likely be playing. One was an old Nintendo game - usually within the Pokémon franchise, but she had seen him dabble with Mario ones and such. The second were low-stakes, comfy games that were more about leisure than anything, like the latest rebooting of Club Penguin.

And then, lastly... there were card games. Give him a deck of cards, and you would likely find him shuffling them and setting them out to play Solitaire on his own. Or he would do some neat tricks with them, which he surprisingly had a good finesse with, like he did with drinking glasses. But, really, his favorite thing to do was to play a game with others. No matter what it was, he was usually down for it, though he seemed to favor casino-like games. The ones where bets were made, and if they were human, there could be lots of hard cash on the line.

He never failed to get excited for one of those... which was interesting, considering that he almost always lost those games.

As she reached the door, just out of sight, she wondered briefly if this time would be different. It had been a few months since they, as Tessa’s drones, along with the girl herself, did one of these games. Back then, quite a few of them tried to advise on how to handle his... shortcomings in card games better. Perhaps he had taken some of it to heart, especially the admittedly useful tricks J tried to teach him. (Even when the head maid had been so harsh on him, she was capable of trying to teach him things without being too abrasive.)

Peeking around the lip of the doorframe, though, to survey the room... she quickly realized that did not appear to be the case.

The game was happening in a room that most of the studies in the manor followed in format. Dark bookshelves lined the walls, filled with books like the library, though largely of a historical or business nature. Potted, plastic plants that resembled Ficus Lyrata, or Fiddle Leaf Figs, helped to give the largely red room some more color, a chandelier and wall lamps lighting everything up. All of this surrounded a large, dark oak desk at the back, with a large gold-framed painting behind depicting a young James Elliott with his father - Drake Elliott.

All of this was largely ignored by the drones playing on the floor, however. There were a total of eight drones that managed to fit into the relatively spacious room, though three were just spectators watching the proceedings. The other five were all sitting cross-legged on the large, red and black patterned carpet that took up much of the ground. They all looked very engaged, the players including three butlers and two maids... one of the former being N, naturally.

He was smiling brightly as the latest round of cards was dealt out. V watched from her hidden position for a time, watching as two red and white backed cards were given to everyone. She did not know too much about the different variations of poker, it not being an active hobby of hers. But she thought this one was... Texas Hold ‘Em? That was one name for it, she believed, at least. All she really knew how to play, though, was Five-Card Draw.

Regardless, it was clear this game had been going on for a while. Beside all of the drones were large stacks of playing chips, colored white with various colored lines and designs like red, green, and blue. Even when there was no money at stake, they made good representations of how well a player was doing. It was a system anyone could understand: the more you had, the better you were doing!

...And it was of no shock to her, unfortunately, that N had the smallest stack.

Or, well... calling it that might have been too generous. He only had five left, sitting pitifully beside him. While everyone else - one maid in particular - had huge piles beside them of all colors available, he only had a few red ones, which she would be willing to bet were the lowest amount in this case. Even without being an expert on this, she knew he was in a deep hole that would be near impossible to get out of, putting him on the verge of losing.

...Yet despite that, he had a big smile on his face as he was given his cards. He even gave a chipper nod to the others, speaking happily. “Alright, guys! Don’t hold anything back, here! No need to take pity on the little guy, am I right?”

The group of players and their observers chuckled a little. The maid who had the most chips shook her head, looking lightly bemused. “You realize if this were an actual game among humans, you would be about to lose all fifty thousand dollars, right?”

“Definitely not a great position,” one of the butlers said, who proceeded to make the first bet, throwing in two red chips. “I’ve even seen it, too, when there was a game going on in the main bar room. Do you remember that one, N? That bald man who just kept losing more and more and kept drinking to ‘cool off?’”

N nodded, chuckling awkwardly. “Yeah... There’s a reason James started forbidding poker games in the bar after that. I’m amazed by how many black eyes he left other guests with before he was pinned down.”

His fellow butler nodded as everyone went in a circle, giving their bets. “You ended up with a small crack in your visor from a chip being thrown at you, too, didn’t you?”

“Metal chips make good projectiles, apparently,” N said. He picked up two of his own chips to put in, though he held them up for a moment, sliding them against one another before grinning. “Guess I’m lucky we’re using the hard plastic ones, right?”

The others once more chuckled, the circle completing as one of them started to reveal the first three cards. V, meanwhile, smiled softly from her position, her core fluttering. It was incredible how good a sport the butler was when he was losing. Perhaps it was not too surprising, given his friendly nature, but even easy-going people could get frustrated in games like this if they were doing poorly.

But not N. No matter how badly he was losing, he just smiled and kept playing - even complimenting his opponents. He seemed to take more enjoyment from the atmosphere than the actual game itself. And inevitably... his good mood rubbed off on everyone else, too. Allowing for nice games without everyone trying to wring the other’s necks like she had seen in the few games with humans she had witnessed.

It was uplifting to witness from a distance. Her crush seemed so joyful at the moment. None of the various issues that had been plaguing their group appeared to be weighing on him right now. Instead, he was... just having fun. Getting along with others and giving his usual infectious happiness, as always.

...It was nice to know her coldness had not taken that from him.

Her core twisting at that, she shook her head, watching this latest round as she stepped through the doorway. She did not announce herself, and no one appeared to notice her yet, too focused upon the cards being dealt. Two more cards were being laid out face down, anticipation rising in the air as the players checked their cards so far.

...And that, inevitably, showed part of why N was so bad at these games. For when he looked at his cards... his reaction was plain for everyone to see. His eyes dimmed, and he seemed to give a silent hiss as he compared his hand to the revealed cards so far. Yet even so, he just went back to smiling as he reached for his remaining chips.

Everyone else had seen his reaction, though. They all exchanged looks, expressions filled with variations of amusement and pity. V also could not help but sigh silently, shaking her head at his blunder... One he always made when playing these games. Which made it far too easy to know when you could bet against him or when it was time to fold and remake losses later.

He just could not do a “poker face,” as she often heard it called. Every other drone here was able to mostly school their expressions, with only small tells here and there that may be easy to miss, like a brief shift in their digital eyes. But his reactions were open and around far too long to be missed. No amount of instructions on how to stop this from J or anyone else appeared to do the job, either.

He was just... too earnest for these types of games. He could hide his dislike of James and Louisa well enough when they were around, but that seemed to be it most of the time. Otherwise, he was pretty much an open book. No matter what, everyone else could tell when he was trying to bluff.

But... if he still had fun playing, was it really a problem? So long as he could keep himself out of trouble, then who really cared if he was terrible at poker? And besides... his honesty was one of the many, many reasons she had fallen for him. She even blushed lightly now, smiling softly as she watched him play.

Still, though... she knew what was inevitably going to happen when he went all in suddenly. A move that, in fairness, appeared to be his only option at this point, but only seemed to have one result left for him. This only became more evident as the fourth and fifth cards were revealed, and he gave more of those obvious winces.

Yet as always, his smile did not waver as it came time to reveal cards. Two of the others had folded - one maid, one butler. The maid with the largest pile had stayed in and revealed what she declared was a “two pair,” which was her match seven and jack. The other butler, though, managed to get a jack and a queen match, giving him the higher pair. (Not too different from “regular” poker, really, so maybe it was not as confusing as she had thought.)

And N... ended up revealing he did not even have a single pair. But he laughed anyway, shaking his head while beaming. “Ah, man! I thought I’d be able to bluff my way out of that one!”

“No offense, sir,” the maid who had just lost said as the butler collected his winnings. “But... I don’t think you could ‘bluff’ your way out of anything. Not in a game like this.”

“Fair enough!” N said, giving back his cards before leaning back. “You don’t have to call me ‘sir,’ though. I’m hardly your superior or anything!” He paused, then scratched his head. “Or, well... I guess I am. But, um, maybe save that kind of talk for J. I’m hardly the one who gives orders around here.”

The butler who folded chuckled at this. “What, call J ‘sir.’ Oh, sure! I’m sure she’d love that! Not like she has a strong attachment to being called a girl!”

N blushed, laughing sheepishly as everyone else snickered. “Ah, come on! You know that’s not what I meant!”

“She is definitely attached to her identity, though,” the maid who had folded said. “Far from the only drone like that, but she can get quite snippy about it. I don’t get why some of you guys are like that.” She hummed, glancing down at herself. “I, on the other hand, want to try out a suit and one of the masculine voice modulations sometime next week. I just don’t think I’m pulling off this skirt right now.”

“Do you really need to change your voice for that?” The butler who had won asked as he finished getting his chips.

“Eh, a lot of humans are thrown off by it otherwise,” the maid said. “I know it’s only Tessa around right now, and she probably wouldn’t care. But, well, I shouldn’t lose the habit before Mistress Louisa starts complaining about ‘breaking the illusion’ when she gets back.”

This got her a small groan from the butler who folded. “Ah, booo! Don’t talk about them! Bad enough we’re doing this in front of that painting.” He pointed to the wall, where the depictions of Drake - bald with a dark, long beard - seemed to glare at them with green eyes. Shivering, he quickly tossed the card deck to N. “Ugh. Next time, I’m picking the room. N, shuffle the cards, will you? You’re basically the dealer now.”

“You got it!” said drone agreed quickly with a salute and smile. He gathered the messed-up pile, straightening up the cards. Then... he started to do a fairly good shuffling of them. He broke the stack in two, put them next to one another, then used his fingers to bend them back and fall into one another. After which, he picked them up and started breaking off more parts to slide everything into random parts of the main deck.

V smiled lightly, still watching from a small distance away. Even in defeat, he still participates for the joy of it. She watched his hand movements for a while, admiring his work. He was not the best shuffler she had seen around this place, and in fact was a bit slower than most. For reasons inexplicable, he was just right at home handling fragile glasses more than fairly sturdy cards built with drone dealers in mind. But he went through the task with such enthusiasm, that no one seemed to mind as they waited patiently.

He was having a great time... which made her wonder if she should interrupt after all.

She started frowning at this, suddenly feeling out of place. Would... drawing his attention bring his mood down? After how she had acted toward him, she figured there was a good chance he would. Did she want to do that to him out of nowhere? It... might be better to see if she could catch him while he was wandering the halls like she had been. At least then, she was not risking ruining his fun.

But... could she afford to delay any longer like that? Even meeting him at his pod tonight seemed like an unnecessary delay (not to mention a way to start crazy rumors, despite them not having certain “parts” that humans did). Plus, if she waited... S might end up being around. And she did not want to lose her nerve by that happening... or her temper. Who would ever look at her the same way if she did?

She hovered uncertainly, being torn in two by her two options. Perhaps... she could give him one more game, if nothing else? There was no harm in stepping out into the hallway to collect her thoughts a while longer. She could clear her head and decide on what she wanted to do. Maybe... she could even run off and find Tessa for moral support. The teenager knew how she felt about him! She... could help her not screw this up.

Robo-God... she just did not want to lose him. She hated how she ended up hurting him, no matter how big or small, with everything else going on right now. She needed to make sure what she said would not make things worse. Oh, why had she not brought anyone else? The question made her core tighten, her feet shuffling back-

But, unfortunately... a decision was made for her as one of the spectators finally glanced her way as N finished his shuffling. And the moment those blue eyes locked onto her... she knew there was no running, even before that butler gasped and jumped in surprise. “W-whoa! When did you get here?!”

Almost instantly, every other drone turned her way. They all gave various gasps and other noises at her presence, and many evidently recognized her on the spot. The other two spectators and one of the butlers playing shied back, clearly having heard of her attitude here recently, or even seen it. The other players, more so, just seemed surprised... though perhaps not confused as they glanced over at N.

And as for him... his eyes had gone hollow from his shock. The deck fell from his hand onto the floor, sliding across it, but the cards managing to stay on top of one another. Yet he did not seem to care as he stuttered his words. “V-V? W-what are...?”

The near-sighted drone winced, shuffling back while gripping her arm. She looked away, trying not to grimace too hard at that reaction. This was... not a good start. Already, she felt a large weight in her core, hating how her mere presence had broken the atmosphere in the room. It was like the manor had regained its usual oppressiveness, with the painting of Tessa’s grandfather appearing to leer harder at her.

A part of her wanted to run then, stuttering apologies as she went. However... she knew deep down that she could not if she wanted to fix anything. It would only make the rift she had created worse, and hurt them both. Whether she felt ready or not, she had to confront this now.

Besides... N did not appear upset about her presence. As she dared to look at him again... she, in fact, found only his usual concern. That care that Cyn always leaned into, that J always seemed awkward around at the best of times... and that made her core melt. Though, this time, it also worsened the twisting inside her chest, not feeling worthy of that look in this case.

Still, it did give her something adjacent to resolve. So, taking a deep breath, she met his eyes, speaking in a small voice. “Um... N? Can we... talk for a minute, please?”

The words seemed to snap the butler out of his stupor. Shaking his head, he nodded furiously, getting his legs under him. “Y-yeah! Of course!” He knelt long enough to fix the card pile, setting it between the other four players. “You deal without me for a minute! I’ll be back!”

He got nods from the others before he stood and headed her way... Though, when his back was turned, she saw one of the maids and a butler whispering to one another. The onlookers did, too, eyeing the two personal drones of Tessa. No doubt there was going to be more gossip about this, especially once they saw whatever reaction they had after this.

V tried to ignore that, though, knowing she could not get distracted by the rumors of the staff. Instead, she waved to her crush and led him into the corridor. She took him away from the door by several meters, almost to the turn at the furthest hallway. However this went, she wanted to prevent being overheard as much as possible. From this position, she felt more confident about seeing anyone who came close, no matter how they tried to hide.

...Well, except maybe Cyn, who had a way of getting into strange places. But she should be with J, and she did not care about the gangly drone overheard, regardless. If anything, she would... welcome her crush’s little sister keeping an eye out on things in this instance.

...But this really was something she had to do on her own, she reluctantly acknowledged. For the fairness of both of them.

After taking a quick look around to make sure no one was coming, she turned back to the butler. For a moment, neither of them spoke, letting the distant rumble of rain and thunder settle over them. They... behaved as they normally did, actually. Her rubbing her hands together while glancing around shyly, while he tapped his index fingers awkwardly while looking down. The whole time, light blush marks stood on the edges of their visors.

The familiarity of it did a lot to help her resolve, in this case, reminding her that they were not in a terrible position yet. Taking a deep breath, she hesitantly tried to meet his eyes, starting by simply breaking the silence. “So, um... I saw you had just lost a minute ago.”

She cringed internally at how stupid that sounded. Yet N barely seemed to care, perking up as he nodded and smiled sheepishly. “Haha! Yeah... I guess I didn’t take those lessons from J into my core, did I?”

The maid rolled her eyes, smiling softly. “I think I’ll blame the teacher in this case. If she can keep a line of drones from showing too much nervousness around James during inspections, she should be able to teach you how to keep your face blank.”

“Cyn actually tried to help me with that, too,” the butler admitted, chuckling kindly. “She is ‘the expert on not showing emotions. Truth.’ Her words, not mine!”

“I never would have guessed,” V said with light sarcasm, her smile growing a little.

That got N to laugh more fully. “Fair enough!” He shook his head. “Ah, but it’s all fine. Winning isn’t everything in a game, is it?”

“...It kind of is when it’s a gambling game,” the maid pointed out. “I shudder to think about what might happen if James gets lazy and decides to make one of us play a game in his stead.” Drones like them had quite a few of the same tells as humans did, which expert players would pick up on. And... she would not put it past the patriarch of the family to sacrifice a few thousand dollars just to have an excuse to scold and scare them more.

The butler simply shrugged. “I think he’s too proud for that. But hey, I’m fairly good at some card games, so maybe I could win! Like Rummy!”

...That was true, actually, though V had no clue how he did better in that game than the others. (She supposed you did not need a poker face for that one, for one...) Still, she giggled and kept smiling softly, glad to see his enthusiasm so quickly return. It did a lot to ease the tension in her core, basking in how normal this conversation felt. She almost wanted to keep discussing cards and let him tell her about how Rummy worked, not quite recalling the rules at the moment.

However... she knew she could not stall any longer. Her smile faded as she looked down, rubbing her arm again. Her processors tried to come up with the right words to say... but none seemed good enough. She perhaps understood J a little better right then, who had been struggling with her apologies for weeks now. She had almost judged her for it... but how could she when she could not manage one for far less than the other had done?

But there was always a simple place to start. And so, with a heavy sigh... she whispered those words. “N, I... I’m sorry for how I’ve... been this last week or so. For... avoiding you.”

She did not have to look up to feel how N deflated. He sighed, one hand rubbing the back of his head. “I... thought that might have been deliberate. I wasn’t sure, though.”

The maid wilted, but forced herself to nod, unwilling to lie about it. “Not... all of it might have been consciously done. But... some of it was, at least.”

The words tasted bitter on her lips as she said them. They sapped at her confidence, leaving her staring at the ground as she gripped her arm tightly. She could not find anything else to say for a time. All she could do was stand there and... wait for his reaction. One she doubted would be angry, given who it was. But... she tried to brace herself for the pain.

And when the butler spoke, his tone was hurt... but his words were what punched her. “Listen, I... I’m sorry for whatever I did that upset you. I never meant to...”

...V swore she felt the glass casing of her core shatter, but it was perfectly intact. That did not stop how each beat seemed to burn her, though, as she snapped her gaze up, her eyes hollowing out. “W-what?”

N would not meet her optics, looking to the side with a miserable expression as his hands clasped together. “I mean... it was right after we all talked in the library that you started acting... different. I still don’t know exactly what it was, though. I thought maybe at first it was that I... almost slipped about your secret books. Or that maybe I had forgotten a meet-up we had planned. I always try to mark those down, but...”

The maid felt her core trembling. He... was actually trying to blame himself for this? Like his actions were somehow in the wrong? Why?! It was her own idiotic actions that had caused this! Neither of those things he just mentioned would have made her angry, either! Annoyed, perhaps, but she would never hate him for those things! She cared too much for him, and... and...

...And he cared for her, too. She did not know if it was in the exact same way, but... there was a connection there. Enough so that, when she was upset... he might not think twice about whether it was due to her actions, or her being irrational. He would just assume it was something he did, and that it was deserved. He had enough self-respect to recognize how the abuse J gave him was not okay, but otherwise...

She had seen it before, actually, when Cyn had a major malfunction once. The way he had cried, scolding himself for missing signs of it coming... Like it had all been down to him to do so. His sibling had worked very hard to convince him otherwise afterward, but... it had taken a while for him to let go of his self-blame.

It should have been no surprise, then, that he was doing the same thing here. She swallowed thickly, feeling even worse now for not approaching him sooner. Just what kind of ideas had she let fester in his mind? She opened her mouth, wanting to dispel these thoughts in him as soon as possible, hoping they were not rooted in too deeply-

-only for the butler’s next words to once again strike her as he sighed. “But, after talking with Tessa about it... I wondered if it was involving S. And the more I thought about it, the... more it made sense, however impossible I felt it was at the time.”

...V felt how thin the rings that represented her eyes got at that. Her entire system suddenly felt cold, her entire body rigid. Any words she had been about to say died out, her processors needing a whole second to reboot from that.

He... actually worked out where this all had stemmed from? But she... But what? She had not exactly hidden her reaction well at the library, as composed as she had tried to act despite that. And she knew very well that he was not as oblivious as some thought he was. Still, she had thought he would not pick up that particular detail. Not until she could explain it to him... after figuring out how to explain it to herself.

But now... Oh, Robo-God, what could she say now?

Her silence, unfortunately, was evidently the last confirmation N needed there. He looked at her reaction, his expression falling further. “It... does have to do with me talking to her, doesn’t it?”

The maid stuttered, her voice box crackling as she struggled and failed to form a sentence. “I-I... You... She... It wasn’t...” She took a step back, too overwhelmed by it all.

The butler looked at her sorrowfully, stepping closer to her. “Did... she do something to you? She’s seemed so nice, but...”

V pursed her lips, her core wound tight with remorse and frustration. Already, she missed the light banter of only a minute ago. She cursed herself for not being able to slip away after all from that room. Just... what was he going to think of her if she told the truth? She had wanted to build up to that topic, but with it now being thrust upon her so quickly, she...

...And a dark, twisted part of her she had not known even existed wanted to lie about it. To say that S had insulted her, or sabotaged her working - something. He would believe her, she was sure, no matter what she claimed. It would make him never want to spend time with that other maid ever again. She... would have him all to herself.

...But she was too disgusted by the idea to even try it. Not even trying to frame it as some kind of small incident felt comfortable to her. It would just be wrong on too many levels. He deserved the truth from her, no matter how it made her look.

Besides... what would even be the point of earning his love if it was through deception and sabotage of others?

Thus, taking a deep breath, she closed her eyes and steeled herself... forcing the words out softly. “No, she... didn’t do anything, N. I’ve only ever talked with her at the library that one time.”

She could hear N’s frown in his voice, along with his confusion. “But... I don’t understand, then. Why have you been-”

“I don’t know,” the maid stated. She let out a long sigh, her posture slumping as she opened her eyes and looked down. “I... maybe I have some idea, but... I thought I was better than that kind of reasoning. There isn’t anything that she did, or you did, that should be making me feel this way. You both have been happy talking, and... I should be happy about that. I... I am happy that you’re making a new friend.

“But... I just can’t control this feeling in me. Every time I’ve caught glimpses of you two together, it... hurts. I get angry, sad, and... I’ve been such a bitch to you. And I felt awful, but I couldn’t stop myself. Maybe because...” She swallowed thickly, realizing where her words were taking her. Her core wound up tight, as if trying to stop herself from finishing.

...Yet she had to confront this in herself, and her crush deserved to know. So, with another deep breath, she allowed the sentence to finish. “...Because I kept comparing it to how we started to get along.”

That earned her a baffled, completely lost look from the butler. “Huh?”

V honestly felt the same internally. Though, as she kept speaking from deep inside herself while gazing down... she felt the truth in her own words. “I... You’ve just gotten along with S so well. You ‘click’ well with most everyone - that’s always been a given. It takes a special kind of heartlessness not to be at least a little enthralled by your optimism. Even J over the years has cracked slightly from it before now. It always made me feel... safe. Appreciated. Loved.”

In another circumstance, she might have blushed after confessing that. However, right then... her shame was too great as she wrapped her arms around herself. “But... it felt special with our group. With me. That we got along so well because it was... destiny? Fate? It sounds so stupid when I try to find a word for it, but... We got along so well. We... bonded so fast, despite how bleak this manor is at times.”

Her lips quivered, digital tears falling slowly from her eyes. “But then... you started to do the same with S, and I wondered deep inside... ‘did we get along this quickly?’‘Was there anything actually special about us?’ You two seem to get along so effortlessly, and... It was so hard to assert myself at the library. I wanted to help you look for those books myself! But she beat me to it, and I couldn’t say it, and...” A small whimper left her as she turned her head to the side. “I... wonder if I am just a stepping stone for someone... better in your life.”

A small gasp left N, his shock evident. “V...”

The maid only whimpered more, gripping her arms harder as she cried. “Robo-God, I sound so... vile! Selfish! I shouldn’t care if you lo-... If you like her more. Not like this. I let myself get insecure, and... took it out on you. The exact thing that J has done all these years, and I judged her for. Yet here I am no better than any of that!”

Her eyes clenched shut as she trembled. “But... you didn’t do anything. So, please, don’t try to blame yourself. I... this was all my fault. I shouldn’t have let this go on for a day, let alone over a week. You didn’t deserve to feel like... like...” A sob left her, prompting her to cover her mouth with one hand. “I’m... I’m so sorry, N. I... I’m sorry.”

She felt so small and pathetic at that moment for not having anything better to end on. Had he not been hearing that enough from J here recently? Everyone in their group seemed to be sorry about something these days. What good was the bare minimum at this point, really, she started to question. Especially with how terrible she had been with such weak reasoning? Acting like a selfish child who did not want to share because the person she liked might get along better with someone else.

Just... Robo-God, she felt like such a wretch. At least she had not let this fester for too long, but that did not feel like some grand victory. She... did not want to be like this - to feel any of this. So why could she not bury those ugly feelings entirely? Why was she quivering so much, standing in that hall and waiting for the other drone to do something? Why-?

She suddenly felt something surrounding her. Her eyes snapped open, looking down... and saw arms wrapping her in an embrace. Hands rested on her back, and... the familiarity of the touch was relaxing her despite herself. It revealed the pressure in her core, her shakes becoming less pronounced as she instinctively leaned into it.

She did not feel like she deserved it... But she knew saying anything would not stop the butler. If he thought you needed a hug, he would give it. And she knew, however selfish this was as well... she would always welcome his touch like this.

It did not put her totally at peace, though. She sniffled, hesitantly getting her arms free from between them as she returned the hug lightly. Resting her head on his shoulder, V took a breath, staring down the empty corridor while speaking softly. “I... What I’m feeling is so terrible. I don’t need sympathy for it.”

“Well, I’m giving it anyway,” N said just as softly, tightening his arms around her for a second.

Swallowing, the maid pursed her lips, not knowing how to proceed but trying to, anyway. “You... aren’t still blaming yourself, are you?”

“...Trying not to,” the butler said, giving a sad chuckle. “I know I tend to do that pretty easily at times. I’m sorry it upsets you. I just... want to take some of the burdens you all have off of you, I suppose.” He gave a heavy sigh. “My personal problems are nothing compared to what a lot of you go through. I make you all worry enough with my clumsiness, as well. It makes taking some fall pretty natural for me.”

V looked down, an emotion she could not describe simmering in her chest. “...Being in this manor has messed up all of our heads, hasn’t it?”

“...Less so the place than the people who run it,” N murmured.

The maid hummed in acknowledgement. For a while, they just stood there, neither appearing in a rush to finish the conversation. She knew they had to, and she would... but she enjoyed the peace for a while. So she took the moment for what it was, allowing herself this small bit of contentment. Of being in her crush’s arms, even if she did not know if there was any deeper meaning to it.

It at least, however, gave her hope that... he was not too disgusted with her. That was almost enough to get a few tears of joy as her crying petered out.

They remained like that for what felt like hours... But soon enough, the butler broke the silence, a tiny bit of humor in his voice. “...Language, by the way. Don’t think I’m letting that curse slip by me.”

V gave a tired snort, giving a frayed smile he could not see. “Really? That’s what you’re focusing on first?”

“Well, what kind of message does that send to the children?” N asked.

“...N, there are no children here. Tessa’s almost sixteen. She isn’t that far from adulthood.”

“And she’ll always be the little girl I want to look after... Also, we both know everyone else thinks Cyn is basically a kid. That should count enough.”

Laughing lightly, the maid pulled back from him, smiling softly. As the two looked at one another, though, it started to fade as her confession over her behavior loomed over them. She sighed, hands moving to grip his shoulders as they remained in a loose embrace. “You never deserved for me to act so cold with you. I should have tried to talk to you a little bit. Enough is going on as is. With J, and... I think Cyn’s being more skittish than usual...”

The butler frowned at this. “Did she seem upset the last time you were in the greenhouse?”

“She didn’t talk as much,” V admitted, recalling their last session of her teaching the gangly drone how to garden. “She was just very distracted, and... I don’t think she narrated much ‘joy’ or ‘happiness.’ That could just be my mood playing tricks on me.”

N nodded. “I’ll talk with her about it later. She can get like that sometimes. All she needs is a little comfort when it happens.” He met her eyes, looking a bit remorseful. “And... I’m sorry if it sounds like I’m taking blame, but I am sorry if it has felt like I’ve been... neglecting spending time with you. I didn’t even realize you wanted to look for books alone with me back then. If I had, then...”

Sighing, the maid shook her head. “There’s nothing to apologize for. Literally. You were only trying to help J, and... S volunteered. There shouldn’t be anything more to it. No reason to... feel so awful about it.” She closed her eyes once more. “I... don’t know why I can’t let it go entirely. It’s so stupid.” Yet even now, it kept a grip on her, causing pain in her chest...

The butler was frowning when she looked again. He tilted his head, his hands resting on her sides. “Is... there anything I can do to help? Something that’ll... make you feel better?”

Tell me that you love me, and only me. The thought was almost immediate, striking V’s processors powerfully. She wanted to pull him close and have him whisper a confession in her audio receptor. To kiss him hard and overload her systems with absolute passion. To know that... her affection was mutual and she would never have to worry about losing him. That all the moments they had spent together meant the same thing to him as her!

Yet... those words did not so much as crackle in her throat. As much as she finally wanted an answer to all of that... this was not how she wanted to learn. She wanted to confess when things were calm and they were not so tangled in issues. She certainly did not want to put him in a situation where he felt pressured to give her the answer she wished to hear. How would she ever know for certain afterward?

...And, as ever, she was scared of the possibility that... she would learn once and for all that their feelings were not mutual. That outcome hovered like a viper waiting to sink its teeth into her, the rejection a poison to burn her inside. And while she hoped to be mature about such a thing... she did not want to risk it yet.

So instead, she sighed once more, finding a different answer for him. “I’m... not sure you can, N. I think I just... need time to get over it. I hate that I even feel this way to begin with, but that’s just how things are right now.”

Looking up, she saw how sad that response made him. Unwilling to stand it, she grabbed his hands and held them between them, her eyes softening. “But... I’m not going to avoid you like I was this last week. You deserve far better than that for always being there for me. I just wanted to apologize for that, and... promise I’ll do better.”

N sighed, not looking completely satiated with that answer. However, after a moment... he squeezed her hands back, nodding slowly. “Okay... I get it. Thank you for coming by.” His eyes softened, too, a warm smile creeping onto his face. “I’m serious. It’s... nice to be able to talk with you again.”

The maid smiled, nodding back as her core beat faster. “Yeah... I feel the same.”

They held eye contact for a moment - longer than normal friends did. (At least, she... thought so - giving her a little hope about their future.) Then, the butler pulled back, letting go of her hands as he gave her an encouraging smile. “Still, if you want any help... maybe I can ask S to meet up with you? The two of you could talk and clear things up, if you think it might help.”

V felt an internal growl from her core at the idea of going anywhere close to that drone after stealing away her crush! However... she knew that was just jealousy talking. Really, talking to the other maid would likely help these feelings go away... and alleviate certain fears that she had, irrational or not. I don’t want to just hate her for just trying to be a friend to him...

Still, it would also do her some good to let her emotions cool before doing that. So she shrugged in response to the offer. “I’ll think about it. But do tell her I’m sorry if I’ve had any... rude reactions to seeing her in the hallways. I’m... going to sort this out about myself.”

“I know you will, and I’ll pass the message along!” N said, giving a mock salute. It was a small thing, but enough to get them both giggling a little. It brought relief to her core, a huge weight lifted off her shoulders. Going in, she had worried she was going to drive him away after her behavior before. Everything was not quite fixed yet, either, which also made her nervous about what might happen later.

But... they were still friends, as marked by their ability to laugh with one another. That was enough right now... even if she craved so much more.

As it died down, the butler sighed, keeping up his smile as he pointed behind himself back down the corridor. “So, was there anything else? I want to keep playing a few rounds with the staff and see if I can avoid being the first eliminated. Oh! You can even stay to watch, if you want!”

The near-sighed drone laughed at his eagerness. But as tempting as the offer was, especially now, she shook her head. “I think I’m good for today. I’m going to find somewhere to rest for a while and... figure out how to deal with my feelings better. You have fun, though, and tell me how it goes.” She then remembered what she was told earlier, straightening her posture. “Oh! And J said to tell you that we’re going to discuss more birthday plans and ideas for Tessa soon! She said it would be at the end of the week, so be ready for that on your ‘schedule,’ I suppose.”

N’s eyes brightened at this, gasping happily. “Really?! That’s great! Oh, I’ve got to put together a list of things we can get for Tessa! What’s a party without presents?”

V was not sure how much the teen would care about that, actually, which was before considering how... limited their options likely would be. She did not curb his enthusiasm, though, as she smiled and nodded. “I can’t wait to see what you come up with.” She stepped back, adjusting her glasses. “Anyway, I won’t keep you from your game. Thank you for... listening to me. Just... come find me if you want to talk more, and I won’t avoid it anymore.”

She turned around, starting to walk away. Before she had made it a few steps, though, the butler called out to her. “Hey, V?”

Pausing, she turned around, noticing that... he suddenly had a small blush. He glanced around, seeming a little embarrassed for a time. But then, after a deep breath... he gave her a shy smile, rubbing the back of his neck. “Just so you know... you are special to me. So don’t ever think you’re not just because I’m making new friends. My time with you is... something I’ll always cherish. Alright?”

...The maid felt how large the blush lines on her visor were. She clasped her hands in front of her core, feeling how rapidly it was beating now. The words left her feeling hot in a great way, making her feel like digital sweat would start falling any second. It was almost enough to make her reconsider confessing, feeling so fuzzy inside.

Yet she contained herself, smiling nervously back and trying not to sound too love-struck. “U-um... t-thank you, N. That... means a lot.” Her blush got worse, but even so... she got her next words out. “And I... feel the same way.”

It was not exactly a confession of love, but it was close enough for the time being. She did not wait to see his reaction, though, as she turned and started to walk away, trying not to be too fast and give the wrong impression. Yet even so, she felt like she reached the next corner in a flash as she turned into a new hallway out of sight. There, she went a few more feet before stopping in the middle of it.

...Then, she buried her face in her hands, muffling the loud whine she gave. Her blush refused to recede, her head still feeling hot as she replayed her last words in her head. Oh, Robo-God, why did I say that?! Will he know now? Oh, why couldn’t I have phrased it differently?! She had been unable to help herself, though. N was just... far too lovable, especially when he tried to comfort her and make her feel better. All she wanted to do was sink into his embrace again and let her emotions sweep her away.

But... now was not the time. There was plenty of stuff that needed to be fixed, not only with them, but in their group as a whole. So, taking a deep breath, she tried not to dwell on whether she gave too much away there. She marched off, intent on finding a quiet place to read her books or see if a computer room was empty enough to let her play some “stress-relief” games. Big things were sure to happen in a few days, and she wanted to be in a good state of mind for them.

So off she went... and all the while, she tried not to think about the affection she desired. Nor the talk she knew she would have to have with S, shelving it for now. There was plenty of time to deal with that part of her messy feelings later. She just had to take it in steps.

...She only prayed she would not bite her head off when they finally talked.

=======

For a while... all V knew was pain. Her surroundings and what she had been doing were completely forgotten for what felt like an eternity. She could barely even focus on her body and how it was spasming on the ground. Nor how her entire vision was completely taken up with static as she malfunctioned.

All she could focus on, if that was even the right word, was how her head felt like it was being pulverized. Her processors felt overloaded to the point that they may as well have been melting into slag. Sparks seemed to go off in her head as powerful as lightning strikes. Her code felt like it was being pulled apart into individual ones and zeros, just to crash back together like several tiny, yet hard and heavy rocks trying to crush themselves.

It... it was a nightmare. One that was... almost familiar. Somewhere in the back of her head, she swore that this kind of agony was something... she had endured before. Not in such a powerful, chaotic burst, but something more... deliberate and controlled. A slow unraveling of her head while she remained motionless... Was forced to remain motionless. Unable to scream and writhe like she was now.

She could not tell where the notion came from, however. She was too preoccupied with the pain to consider much of anything. She just kept yelling until her voice box partially blew out, clawed hands scratching her head and making oil drip out. She contorted, unable to string her thoughts into anything coherent. Unable to think of anything clearly.

...Nothing except the image of that pair of glasses. A sight that seemed to remain motionless in the middle of her mind. An unmoving pillar of stability that... seemed so encouraging. So steadfast amid her deterioration.

A part of her wanted to reach out... yet something rebelled. Not... a direct part of her. Some sort of other thing in her code that was angered by the presence of the image. She could feel the disdain it had for her state, probing at her mind and trying to find the cause of the error.

As its mental tendrils slithered through her mind, she shivered, choking on her scream. She... could feel it getting closer to the image, and somehow, she knew it was about to... delete it. Destroy it and put whatever remained behind so many walls that this pain would never happen again. Leave her... feral and hungry.

Completely under its control... forever.

Her core tightened, static still filling her vision as she lay on the floor. Something was... wrong about that. But she could not remember any reason as to why, especially with the pain distracting her. Just that this was some kind of piece of her that it was stealing from her. Yet... was it really that important? Did it matter if she knew why a pair of glasses meant so much to her?

Perhaps it would be better to just let it be deleted. It would... stop the pain, right? Maybe it would make her stop feeling like something was wrong entirely. She could just focus on eating and killing and... empowering It. She had no clue where that last idea came from, but... maybe she would finally be fulfilled.

Maybe... she should give up on her past. It had been doing nothing but distracting her as she worked. So as she continued to writhe, she... just about let it. She felt those tendrils get closer, ready to lose herself despite how her core pounded in terror at the notion, hoping that feeling would go away. She could finally stop feeling so much pain and-

Suddenly, a second image accompanied the image of the glasses before the tendrils reached it. A face... A drone face. One with kind white eyes, messy hair under a hard hat, and a smile that radiated gentle warmth. All working together to... suddenly make her feel safe.

She stilled for a moment, shocked at the feeling... before the tendrils started to graze it-

Immediately, she mentally grabbed the images like a lifeline. And the second she did, she was suddenly bombarded with a flurry of other images. Disjointed and with holes in them, but all filling so much of the void in her mind. They snapped several things into place, restoring so much of herself as... as...

{Note: Memory Restoration only partially successful. Please contact your designated technician for further help.}

She gasped, her vision clearing as she looked up at the ceiling lit in yellow... And a single word came from her mouth, her voice crackling and broken. “...N.”