Chapter Text
“We’re going to ace that presentation next week. We’ve gotten a great start on the work already.” Nix happily announced as she locked the door of the spare classroom. She was working with group of her classmates to make a presentation about an assigned subject, and she had managed to convince their teacher to lend them the keys to a classroom - that wasn’t used due to prank-related damages – so they could work in peace. It was easy for Nix to convince the teacher. After all, Nix was a good student, had proven herself to be reliable and trustworthy and – generally – kept herself out of trouble.
It also helped that their teacher Lizzy Casio was her honorary auntie.
“Well, with you taking the lead, we certainly will.” A green-eyes Drone by the name of Eugene stated. He turned to his friend. “Eh, Polly?”
“More than if you’d take the reins, slacker.” The blue-eyed Drone girl joked with a giggle, getting a playful shove back in return.
Nix blushed, tucking a strand of her silver hair, like she’d tuck it behind her non-existent ear. “C’mon guys, I’m no-”
“Take the compliment, Nix.” A Drone by the name of Byron sighed with a roll of his indigo eyes.
A playfully mischievous glint sparkled in Nix’s visor. “Well, if you all are so keen on naming me leader …I’ll better do some leading.” She stated with a grin. “So, Bryon, don’t forget about-”
“Yeah-yeah, I’ll do my part!”
“Polly, you-”
“On it.”
“Eug-”
“The power has gone to her head!” Eugene jokingly cried out.
“I’m just saying. This project is good for a good chunk of point for our-!”
“We get it!” A chorus of exasperated-yet-amused teenage Drones called out. They all erupted in a harmony of giggles and chuckles.
“Okay, okay, I’ll shut up!” Nix relented with a giggle. “See you tomorrow, guys!”
“See you later, Nix!”
“See ya t‘morrow!”
“Don’t forget to bring that key back to Mrs. Casio!”
“On it!” Nix acknowledged as she spun around and made her way down the hallway towards Mrs. Casio’s – Auntie Lizzy – classroom. She was about to turn a corner when she heard a commotion. Sounded like … shouting and …laughing. And not the good kind of laughing. And someone who wasn’t laughing at all.
“Look at her, can’t even stand up on her own!”
“Yah, what’s the matter, gravity too strong for ya?”
“Onegai shimasu, stop this!” Another voice pleaded. “I haven’t done anything to you!”
Nix gasped when she recognized those first two voices. Tabitha and her stooge Kelly, two others teenager Drones who – luckily – weren’t in the same class group as her, but Nix had the misfortune to run into from time to time. They were bullies, and often picked on those younger and less popular than them. Not that they were anything near popular, but they had a big opinion of themselves.
She didn’t recognize the other voice, though. She could hear it was a girl, though. What the heck did T&K target her for? None of that mattered. Nix knew she had to help.
She turned the corner, and her core grew cold when she saw the scene. Tabitha – the tall Drone orange eye color and long brown hair – and Kelly – somewhat shorter than her friend with short red hair and matching eyes – stood over a Drone Nix definitely didn’t recognize. A female Drone with black hair tied in two buns and crystal blue eyes – currently looking terrified at her assailants. She was on the ground, her back pushed up against the lockers.
“Hey! What the heck is your glitch!?” Nix called out as she stomped her way towards the trio.
Tabitha and Kelly’s head spun towards her, and the former’s sneering grin quickly dropped to a disgusted grimace. “Ugh, it’s the halfling. This doesn’t concern you, freak. Get lost!”
“Yeah, get lost, halfling!” Kelly parroted with a mean giggle, looking so proud of herself.
Nix ignored the slur thrown at her. Undeterred, she kept closing the distance between herself and the other group. “How about you get lost, and leave her alone!”
The black-haired girl looking pleadingly at Nix – who felt her core jump with a strange feeling. “P-please, you don’t need to- OW!”
Tabitha had just kicked the girl against her shin. “Did I say you could speak?”
“Okay, this ends now!” Nix growled, having completely closed the distance between them, and now was standing right in front of them, fists on her hips. “You two are going to apologize. Then, you are going to walk away. And you’ll never bother her again! Or else …!”
Tabitha let out a mean cackle. “Or else, what, half-and-half? Are you going to run to mommy and daddy? Beg them to help you?”
“Yeah, are you?!” Kelly repeated with a cackle.
“No, not that.” Nix answered, somehow managing to keep herself form grinning. The two bullies really weren’t paying attention to their surroundings, or more importantly, what was behind them. Or rather …who.
“Oh no, are you gonna play the teacher’s pet again?” Tabitha mockingly stated. “Are you going to tattle with Mrs. Psychopath? I’ll just get my friends say that I was with them the entire time.”
“No, not that either.” Nix replied, crossing her arms, this time not able to hide away the smug grin.
“Oh, and why’s that?”
“Because I already know.”
Tabitha and Kelly froze with hollowed eyes on their visors when a pair of hands fell on their shoulders. They slowly turned their head to the person behind them, their eyes narrowing with every second. They gasped when they saw Lizzy standing behind them, and the latter was not amused. Most likely because they referred to her as Mrs. Psychopath – a clear reference to her wife.
Tabitha swallowed, her voice small and weak. “Mrs. Casio, I-”
“Oh, now you know my actual name, Miss Sunder?” Lizzy coldly asked. She turned her gaze towards Kelly, who shrunk with a squeak. “May I ask what’s going on here?”
“Y-you see, me and Kelly-”
“Actually, save it, I’ve seen – and heard – it all.” Lizzy stated sternly, tightening her grip on the two bullies’ shoulders. “One would think the two of you would be smart enough not to pick on someone right in front of the teacher’s breakroom. Which has a window in the door.” She allowed herself a small grin. “Then again, I’ve seen your grades …”
“Mrs. Casio, I-I-I can explain! This is all a … complete … misunderstanding?” Tabitha stammered, but all her earlier confidence and bravado had vanished completely, replaced with the knowledge that she had completely dug her own shallow grave.
“Oh, is that so??” Lizzy asked sarcastically, and her disapproving glare was so strong that even Nix shrunk under it – and she wasn’t even in trouble. “Well, I’m all metaphorical ears. How about the two of you go to my classroom, wait for me there, and we can all have a nice, long talk? Oh, and for the fun of it, I’ll even have your parents join us? I’ll even let you call them yourselves, to explain the situation. Sounds fun, right? Off you go.”
“But-”
“NOW!”
Tabitha and Kelly nearly stumbled over each other when they took off, quickly running inside Lizzy’s classroom.
Lizzy let out a sigh and turned her attention to the fallen girl, who looked at her with big eyes – literally, they’ve almost completely filled her visor. She knelt down to the girl’s eye level, and gave her a sympathetic smile. “Hi, my name is Lizzy Casio, and I’m a teacher here – as you’ve probably figured out. Are you okay, Miss …?”
“H-Haguruma.” The girl responded shyly. “Emiko Haguruma, sensei. And, yes, I am … mostly fine.”
“May I ask what happened?”
“I was just looking for the locker I got assigned, so I could put in some of my books, but I got lost in these unfamiliar halls.” Emiko responded, blushing a little. “I’m … new.”
“Ah, now I remember why your name sounds familiar. you’re the new student, right? You start in my class tomorrow?” Lizzy asked with a soft smile.
“Y-yes, Mrs. Casio-sensei …” Emiko answered. “When I wanted to ask those two for help, they shoved me to the ground and started shouting … a lot of horrible things. I don’t know what I did wrong.”
“You did nothing wrong, Emiko.” Nix stated, smiling as Emiko turned her gaze towards her. “Those two are just looking to cause trouble.”
“Speaking of which …” Lizzy muttered. She spun around and pointed at Tabitha and Kelly, who were attempting to sneak out the classroom. “You better get back inside, or I’ll double whatever punishment you’ll receive!” With a yelp, the duo quickly vanished back into the room. Lizzy let out a tired sigh. “Listen, I better get those two sorted. Nix, can you please help Miss Haguruma out?”
“On it!” Nix agreed with a salute. “Oh, and before I forget...” She tossed the keys towards Lizzy, who caught them. “I wouldn’t have stumbled onto them, if I weren’t coming back to give these to you.”
“Well, Miss Haguruma, Emiko, I hope that this little encounter won’t put a blight on your first day tomorrow?” Lizzy asked as she stood up. “I promise you, most student here are very helpful and friendly.”
“I’ve noticed.” Emiko agreed, glancing over to Nix with a slight blush.
“Well, Miss Haguruma, I’ll leave you in Miss Doorman’s capable hands.” Lizzy stated with smile. She quickly made her way towards her classroom. Once the door closed behind her, her voice boomed out. Having been on the receiving end of her Auntie Lizzy’s scoldings, Nix felt an enormous satisfaction imagining the terrified looks on the bullies’ visors.
She turned to Emiko, giving her a friendly smile. “Since I haven’t officially introduced myself: my name is Nicole Doorman, but my friends call me Nix.”
“Does … that include me?” Emiko shyly, almost hopefully, asked.
“If you’d like …” Nix answered with a bright smile. This girl had been through enough drama already, so she figured she’d brighten up her day a little. Something about Emiko made her want to know more about her.
“I’d like that very much.” Emiko answered with a small smile, blushing as she looked up at Nix, who blushed in response.
“Well, Emiko, not the first day you’ve hoped for, I guess?” Nix asked as she held out her hand towards the black-haired Drone. She let out a chuckle. “Or … pre-first day, more accurately.”
Emiko giggled and reached out her hand as well. “That’s an -ow!”
“Ow!” Nix retracted her hands, giving it a shake. That was weird. A spark jolted between their fingers before they could touch each other. “Static build-up, I guess?”
“Probably.” Emiko replied with a giggle.
“Wanna try this again?” Nix held out her hand again. She chuckled as Emiko – almost hesitantly – reached out and took hold of it. As she tightened her grip around Emiko’s hand, the latter let out a gasp.
“Oh, before you-” She began, but Nix was already pulling her up before she could finish her sentence.
“Upsidaisy!” Nix pulled Emiko to her feet, but was surprised when the girl let out a yelp and stumbled forward, throwing her arms around Nix’s neck as she let herself hang. Nix felt a blush forming on her visor. “Uh …hi, how’s it hanging?”
“As I wanted to tell you …I can’t walk very well.” Emiko began, her voice trembling with embarrassment. “I don’t have my crutches. Those bullies threw them on top of the lockers when they cornered me.”
“Oh? Oh!” Nix’s visor lit up in embarrassment. “I’m so sorry, I-”’
“Daijoubu, you couldn’t have known.” Emiko quickly said. “Uh … you can put me back down for now.”
“Oh, right. Sorry.” Nix gently lowered Emiko to the ground, propping her up against the lockers. She looked over to the lockers, trying to locate the missing crutches. “Where did they …?”
“Over there, somewhere.”
“Uh … oh, got them!” Nix grinned as she saw the items in questions. It dawned on her that Emiko using her crutches was probably the reason why Tabitha and Kelly targeted her. Oh, now they really had crossed a line. She fished out her phone. “Do you mind if I send Auntie Li – I mean, Mrs. Casio – a picture of this, to let her know Tabitha and Kelly did this too? She’s extra sensitive about students with disabilities getting bullied.”
“Wouldn’t that get those bullies in more trouble?”
“Oh, definitely!”
Emiko’s mouth split into a mischievous – yet victorious – grin and nodded.
Nix took a picture, and quickly send it towards Lizzy’s phone number with a bit of explanation. A few moments later, Lizzy’s voice exploded inside her classroom. Satisfied that justice had been dealt, Nix quickly grabbed the crutches and ran back towards Emiko. “Here, let me help you with those. I’ve got a bit of experience. My Aunt V also uses crutches.”
“Oh, thank you.” Emiko gratefully, albeit a bit shyly, said, holding out her arms so Nix could attach the crutches.
“So, you’re new?” Nix began as she started to secure the first crutch in its place.
“In more ways than one.” Emiko answered. “Me and papa only arrived on Copper-9 last week.”
Nix looked up to the girl in surprise. “You’re an outworlder? Where are you from?”
“Chromium-12. The third moon, to be more precise.”
“Why does that ring a bell?” Nix wondered as she started on the second crutch. “I think I heard my mom and dad talk about that planet, but I don’t recall …” She let out a gasp. “Oh, now I remember. Wasn’t Chrom-Twelve one of the last planets where they still enslaved Drones - despite the Unified Colonial Planets government having outlawed it – because of some stupid loophole?”
“Yes, that’s right.” Emiko confirmed, sounding a bit apprehensive. “Because the Drones there – myself and my papa included – were not manufactured by JCJENSON, but by the Japanese company SĀBANTOMASHIN, we didn’t fall under that law. We were … are classified as ‘Servant Drones’, not ‘Worker Drones’. The decision to give our kind independence dragged on for years, until recently.”
“That’s disgusting. It shouldn’t have taken the UCP that long to change that.” Nix stated, inspecting if the crutches were completely secure before she helped Emiko to her feet. “But better late than never, I suppose, huh?”
“I suppose.” Emiko mumbled as steadied herself, making sure she had a stable footing. She gave Nix a grateful smile. “Arigato, Nix-san.”
“No problem, Emiko.” Nix replied with a big smile. “So, you said you were looking for you locker? What number do you have.”
“369B. But you don’t have to- ”
“Nope, I’m helping.” Nix interrupted. “Besides, it’s pretty much right next to mine. We’re practically neighbors.”
“Oh, okay … thank you.”
“Don’t mention it.”
As Nix guided her new friend through the hallway toward where their lockers were, she couldn’t help but glance over, her curiosity burning a hole in her processor. She wondered why Emiko needed to use crutches. She couldn’t see any outward damage, like with her Auntie V. It was also clear that the new girl had been using those crutches for most – if not all – of her life. She used them with an ease and proficiency that easily rivaled her aunt’s.
“So, uh … can I ask?”
“My legs?” Emiko guessed, giving Nix a sideways glance, and the latter immediately noticed the frustration. “I saw you looking.”
“I promise that I didn’t-”
“It’s okay, I’ve been getting a lot of those looks since we’ve arrived here.” Emiko stated dryly with a tired sigh. “One more curious drone doesn’t matter.”
“Really, I’m sorry.” The last thing that Nix wanted to do was make someone feel uncomfortable. “I shouldn’t-”
Emiko let out a soft groan. For a moment Nix thought she’d lash out, but the Japanese Drone turned to her with a regretful expression. “No, I’m the one who should be apologizing. You just helped me with those bullies, and now I repay your help with spite and venom. I know you are just curious. So, … I’m sorry for my reaction. Growing up, I haven’t been around Drones my own age a lot, so I often don’t know how to act. I know it’s not an excuse, but … it’s something I need to work on.”
“Hey, I get it. No problem.” Nix replied with a cautious smile. “You’re forgiven. I guess dealing with those bullies didn’t help neither. How about we just … try again?”
Emiko nodded, her expression turning from sorrowful to grateful, a smile brightening her face. There was a moment of silence as the two teenage Drones continued their journey to the lockers. “So … the big question first?”
“Yeah …” Nix rubbed the back of her head. “So … what happened? An accident?”
“No, I was … I guess you could say I was manufactured this way.” Emiko answered. “Something went wrong during my construction. A malfunction on the assembly line, I think.”
“Oh, you’re a Generation-1 Drone, aren’t you?” Nix guessed.
“Yes.”
“Wow, never thought I meet a G1 so … young.”
Emiko giggled. “I’ll take that as a compliment.”
G1s were Drones who were constructed when JCJENSON was still around, like Nix’s grandparents and most older Drones on Copper-9. Mass-fabricated, identical bodies with a randomized personality traits assigned during assembly. These were the Drones that used to sold as miners, servants, crash test dummies, ect … They were the ones that were on Copper-9 when humans still were in charge … before the Collapse.
Gen-2 Drones came to be after the Core Collapse that brought upon the extinction of all human life on the planet, when the surviving Drones started to build a society of their own. Gen-2 Drones started out as Untrained Neural Networks – Pill Babies – and got transferred to their teenage/adult body after a few years of experience. It was with this generation that new types of bodies were experimented with … like Uzi’s short body.
Nix, Avery and all of her classmates were Generation-3. Like the G2, they started out as Pill Babies, but after a year, they were transferred into a Toddler Frame. At the age of five, they got a Kid Frame. At the age of 12, they would be installed into their teenage body, which was the one they’d live out the remainder of their lives in. there was a bigger variety of shapes, sized as unique features to them.
“So, may I ask … what went wrong? Or am I overstepping?”
“No, it’s fine.” Emiko assured, briefly stopping to look down at her legs, letting out a heavy sigh. She looked up at Nix with a grim smirk. “I came of the assembly line with … lots of irregularities. Malfunctioning gyro-stabilizer. Misaligned ligaments. Faulty software. Despite me being aware and otherwise functional, I was labeled as a Defect. Instead of trying to repair what was wrong, I was scheduled for … well, … Disposal.”
“Oh … I …” Nix bit her lower lip. “I don’t know how to react. That’s just … awful!”
“It’s okay. It’s a heavy backstory, I know.” Emiko replied with a giggle. “But … it has a happy twist. The Drone who was in charge of depositing the Defects at the time – who fortunately were unable to activate and just were empty shells – noticed that I was awake. And instead of doing as he was instructed; he actually did the one thing that Servant Drones are absolutely forbidden to do. He disobeyed.”
“Let me guess …” Nix grinned. “Your papa?”
Emiko nodded, pride beaming in her visor. “He saved me from the smelter. He hid me away until he could smuggle me away to the Servant Facilities on the Third Moon. He brought me to his home. He fixed me as best as he could. He made my first crutches and taught me how to walk on my own. He gave me my own name. He named me his daughter. He gave me … a family. He- ” Her expression fell, suddenly saddened. “He risked everything, so I could live. Despite knowing what could happen if Upper Management found out what he had done. The punishments for harboring a Defect are … final. For our safety, I had to remain hidden. No friends, no company besides the books that papa managed to smuggle for me.”
“Oh, … Emiko, I-” Nix really didn’t know how to react. This was … heavier than she ever thought it could be. Now she really felt anger for how Tabitha and Kelly acted towards this poor Drone. Growing up without friends, and then this becomes her first experience with Drones her own age? “I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean for you to relive all that. That must’ve been awful.”
Emiko looked up with an apologetic expression. “No, I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to – what’s the expression – put a damper on the conversation?” She gave Nix a confident smile. “Yes, it … wasn’t ideal, but … I grew up happy, despite everything. I have many happy memories of my time in our little home. And when my kind finally got declared ‘Sentient’ and given our independence … well, my papa spared no time organizing our move to somewhere a bit more … hospitable for us. And Copper-9 is known to be the Capital of the growing Drone Society, so we decided to move here.”
“You know, I’m happy you did.” Nix stated, giving Emiko a genuinely happy smile. “I wouldn’t have met you otherwise … which is a bit weird, since we’ve just known each other for like … ten minutes, give or take?”
“The feeling is completely likewise, Nix-ch …Nix-san.” Emiko blushed a little, with Nix getting the feeling the former almost said something she didn’t mean to say. What it was, she couldn’t figure out. It’s not like Nix knew Japanese. Emiko cleared her throat. “So, my turn to ask you a question, Nix-san. But, … I don’t know if you’d like to answer it.”
“Well, you answered my difficult question.” Nix said with a chuckle. “I guess it’s only fair that I’d do the same. So, ask away.”
“Right, so, uh …” Emiko began, biting on her lower lip as she tried to formulate her question. “Those bullies called you ‘halfling’. Clearly, they meant it in a harmful manner.”
“Ah, yeah, you wouldn’t know...” Nix muttered, scratching her cheek. “It’s a bit … complicated-but-not, but, uh …” She clicked her tongue, trying to come up with the best way to explain her ‘situation’. “Right, let me start with this: how much do you know about what happened on Earth and Copper-9.”
“Well, I’ve read quite a lot about it, so I do know a bit.” Emiko began. “I know that Earth was destroyed by JCJENSON’s rogue AI designated ‘TheAbsoluteSolver’, after which it traveled through the intergalactic network satellites to travel to other planets, where it did the same thing. It eventually ended up on Copper-9, where the actions of the covert UCP Agent Tessa Elliot – with the help of some local Drones – resulted in destroying the rogue AI. Afterwards, the Drones of C9 were – eventually – given the status of ‘Sentient’ and awarded Copper-9 as their own Home Planet. How am I doing thus far?”
“Pretty much spot on. Do you know what Disassembly Drones are?”
Emiko shuddered. “Unfortunately, I do. I had nightmares for a long time after learning about them. I remember hearing that they used to be regular JCJENSON Drones, before they were converted into the ruthless, barbaric killing machines that hunted humans and Drones alike.” Emiko answered. “I did read that a few started to rebel against the Absolute Solver AI and actually helped destroy it. Why do you ask?”
Nix grinned. “Guess what my dad is?”
Emiko froze mid-step, her eyes hollowing. After a few moments of stunned silence, she sheepishly turned towards Nix. “Now, what I said about them giving me nightmares and calling them ‘ruthless and barbaric’…”
A small laugh escaped Nix’s mouth, waving the apology away. “It’s fine, honestly.”
“Wait, if you’re father is a former disassembly drone …” Emiko began.
“That technically makes me half Disassembly Drone.” Nix shrugged. “Or my coding is, actually. My body is just regular Worker Drone framework. No tails or wings for me … unfortunately.”
“So that’s why they did call you that …” Emiko titled her head, letting her gaze go over Nix’s body.
“Like what you see?” Nix teased, laughing as Emiko let out a flustered yelp.
“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to stare.”
“Don’t worry about it. I’m used to it. People usually have the same reaction when they learn about my ‘heritage’.” Nix said, waving the apology away … yet again.
“Do people … how do they …?” Emiko seemed to have trouble finding the right words, as she didn’t want to sound hurtful.
“Yeah, I know what you want to ask.” Nix said. “And I would say … nah, they don’t treat me wrong. Dad neither. I mean, he’s head of the security forces on Copper-9. People respect him.” She let out a mischievous cackle. “Mostly because they knew they’d need to face my mom’s wrath otherwise.”
“Your mother sounds … interesting.”
Nix grinned. “You know, my mom was one of the ‘local Drones’ that helped with the Solver.”
“Really?!” Emiko’s eyes went wide with shock, a hint of awe in her voice.
“Yeah, but she doesn’t talk much about it. Neither does dad.” Nix stated, folding her hands behind her head as they walked. “I mean, I get it. From what we learn in History Class, some real bad things happened after the Collapse. Still, weird to think my goofball of a dad used to be … well, you know.”
There was a moment of silence, only their footsteps echoing in the hallway. Eventually, Emiko broke the silence.
“I would like to meet your parents someday.” She stated with a soft smile. “They must be wonderful people, with a daughter so kind and warm.”
Nix couldn’t help but blush a little, her core buzzing in her chest. She let out a chuckle, trying her best to hide her flustered reaction. “You’ve got a way with words, you know that, Haguruma?”
Emiko laughed, and despite she tried to push down this feeling, it sounded like music to Nix’s ears.