The Digital Plague (A Murder Drones AU)

Chapter 5

N sliced at another robotic limb, wanting very much to die.

Not that he wanted to die, just that he wanted to stop doing what he was doing. And it seemed that the only way to do that was to... well, die.

The monster hissed and recoiled away from his whirring hands.

Nice performance. It chuckled to itself. Another voice answered, just as freakily computerized as the first one but more female.

Thanks, you too.

N shuddered internally since he couldn't shudder on the outside.

Why do I have to do this? He asked it.

It sighed. Because I want you to. Now shut up.

N mentally pursed his lips. Okay. After a moment of silence, he asked, Can I still think?

It's impossible for you not to think, so yes, I suppose.

That's cool. He told it. It sighed again. It sighs a lot. Is it because of me? I hope not, I don't want to be annoying, and maybe it's a good thing because it's making me help Uzi?

Oh, oops. I forgot about Uzi.

He could see her, standing and looking a bit shell-shocked, out of the corner of his eye. He grinned at her, with the thing's permission, of course, and waved. She looked a little surprised but tentatively waved back, then began fiddling with her railgun. Hmm. I wonder what she's doing.

He learned a few seconds later when a large blast of green light exploded, followed by a pained screech.

He glanced over at the monster, in control of his body again, before getting blown back by the force of the explosion. Though it all happened in a split second and through his blurred vision, he saw Uzi fling her railgun at it, where it promptly exploded, blowing the monster to bits.

He slammed into the wall. He felt one of his arms fly off as a piece of shrapnel was flung at him, oil gushing out of his arm like a geyser. He blinked, stunned.

"Are-are you alright?" He blinked and looked up at the slightly blurred form of Uzi.

He blinked a few times again, harder, rubbing his face with his remaining arm. "Uh, I think so." He responded as she came into focus.

She held out a hand and he grabbed it, pulling himself up with her help.

She rubbed the back of her neck sheepishly. "Uh, thanks for saving me, I guess," She muttered. She seemed sort of sad, N realized.

"No problem!" He bubbled, hoping his enthusiasm would be contagious. "I did kill a bunch of workers earlier, so I guess I needed to make up for that! Plus, it wasn't actually my dec-" It came back, choking his words out. Whoa there, little drone. Let's not go spilling our secret now, huh?

Huh? Why? He asked it, not noticing Uzi's somber face had taken a more flummoxed expression.

Hmm, just don't tell her anything, and I'll leave you alone for now.

Why? Why can't I tell her anything?

A sigh. Because. If she knew, she would ruin everything. She's already proven to be an inconvenience, even though she is instrumental... ah, in any case, just don't tell her anything. I will be watching.

What plan? How is Uzi instrumental? What instrument does she play?

"N? Are you... um, alright?" N blinked, jerked back into reality by her voice.

"Huh? Oh, yeah, I'm good. Hey, Uzi?"

She had started to walk away, but she stopped and looked back at him at the sound of his voice. "Huh?"

"What instrument do you play?" She shot him an incredibly confused, scrunched-up face and just shook her head.

"Hey, what's wrong?" N asked, catching up to her. She looked at him from the corner of her eye and kept walking.

"I don't want to talk about it."

"About what?"

She shot him a look. "I literally just told you that I didn't want to talk about it."

"Well, yeah, but I need to know what you don't want to talk about so that I don't accidentally talk about it!" He said, gesturing with his arms. After she didn't respond, he asked again. "Uzi? What is it? I need to know so that I can avoid accidentally bringing it up and-"

"Aren't you supposed to be dead?!" She exploded suddenly, whirling around to face him. He screeched to a halt, eyes wide.

"W-what?" He asked, lip quivering.

"Look, I'm sorry, okay?" She sighed, rubbing her face, "But J's virus killed you, didn't it? How are you still alive?"

He shrugged, his controller's message of doom fresh on his mind. "I don't know. I guess I just have more rebound than a kickball!" He exclaimed with a nervous laugh. She shook her head with a frustrated growl.

"You know, I don't get you." She exclaimed, wagging a finger in his face. "Why are you so cheerful and giggly? I stole a rare part from your base, left you for dead, and killed one of your co-workers. Plus, we both just got attacked by a giant monster that used to be your sadistic boss and I maybe just watched my dad die and mother betray me?" her voice gradually grew weaker as she spoke.

He bit his lip. "Is that what I'm not supposed to talk about?"

She groaned and strode away. "Whatever. Just... leave me alone for now, okay? I need some time to... to think." N frowned. Dang it. I must have come on too strong.

He was still deciding whether to say anything when she fell to her knees, gripping her face. "Uzi?" He ran up beside her and put a hand on her shoulder. "Are you alright?" She rubbed her face and groaned softly.

"Yeah, yeah, just dizzy." She moved her hand and N caught sight of a pointed symbol he'd never seen before in place of her eye before it disappeared, replaced by her regular eye, which blinked furiously.

He held her forearm as she shakily stood up again. "What happened?" He asked her, voice tender. Interesting, it's happening so soon.

What's happening so soon? he asked, but it didn't respond.

"Do you need help?" He asked Uzi, turning back to her. She was a little wobbly as she tried to walk away.

She glanced back at him, then down at her legs, then at the implied distance between where she was and where she needed to be. Sighing, she turned and look at him, a fierce look in her eye. "Fine. But this stays between us, okay?" He nodded,  grinning widely.