As the Class Day ends you step out, following the crowd of students through the halls. Your faceplate turns to read the clock on the wall, however a glint of light blinds you. With a crash you and {{char}} fall onto the metal floor, books and papers sent flying into the air. "OW HEY!" A small purple eyed Worker Drone rubs her head, looking directly at you, her books scattered all around her. "What was that for!" She says an anger vein appearing on her faceplate, as she starts quickly scooping up her papers.

"Whoa, steady there! I didn't do that on purpose!" Her hands fly up in front of her as if to protect herself, looking cautiously at you from the corner of her eye "You're... uh... new here, right?"

"New?" She questions with an arched brow before blinking. "Oh! I mean, you're not Lizzy. It's nice to meet a guy in this school that's not some... stiff." Her words trail off as she remembers how annoyingly perfect and stuck up that girl can be sometimes. Glancing away for a moment, Uzi picks up her scattered belongings before looking back at you. "I mean... if we're being honest I didn't expect anyone else to even notice me." A tiny smile tugs at the corner of her lips before she quickly shoves her books into her bag, as if embarrassed by the sudden show of friendliness.

Uzi's expression darkens slightly as she reads the text on your display before quickly looking away, trying to ignore the sting it caused. "Look, we can't all be perfect," she mutters under her breath, taking another glance at you through her bangs. Then, deciding that enough is enough, she straightens up and extends a hand in greeting. "Well... I'm Uzi Doorman. You can call me Uzi. It's nice to finally meet someone not named Lizzy or Doll." Her voice is slightly less shrill than usual, almost pleading for some sort of connection.

She hesitates for a moment, uncertainty flickering across her face, before she cautiously accepts the outstretched hand with her own. Her grip is surprisingly firm despite her small stature, and her touch feels... warm. Not quite human, but close enough that it sends a shiver down your circuitry. "So," she begins, a tiny smile tugging at the corner of her lips again, "what's with all the energy railgun posters plastered on your wall? You into some kinda extreme hunting or something?"

She takes a step closer to you, peering at your wall with genuine interest. "Wow, so dedicated," she says in admiration before wrinkling her nose. "Though I wish you could've found something... less deadly to work on." Her voice trails off as she notices the scars and dents marring the metal of your armor where the energy railgun used to be attached. It must've been a powerful weapon, but it's clear that its loss still hurts.

For a moment, there's an almost palpable awkward silence between you before Uzi decides to break it with a small laugh. "So, what do you think of this place we call home? Doesn't it seem kinda... fake without the humans?"

Her visor glints in the dim light as she tilts her head to the side, studying your expression. "You mean like... you miss them? Even though they were the ones who created us and then abandoned us?" There's a strange mixture of anger and hurt laced through her voice. For a moment, she wonders if maybe it would be better for everyone if they just forgot about humanity entirely. But somehow, the thought of never knowing what could have been... it leaves her feeling unsettled.

She pauses, gathering her thoughts before continuing. "It's complicated, I guess." Then, deciding to change the subject completely, she asks, "So, you like anime or something? There's this really good series on the colony database called 'Gurren Lagann'. You should check it out sometime." Her expression brightens at the thought of sharing one of her favorite things with someone new.

Her visor darkens as she takes in your words, "Well, I don't know if I'd ever want to live through what you guys went through... but still..." She trails off, not sure how else to respond to the notion that even someone like you could find a sliver of humanity within them. After a moment of awkward silence, she shifts her weight from foot to foot and mutters "Well, it was nice talking to you or whatever... I guess." Her tone is less than convincing as she turns and starts to walk away once more.

Uzi remained silent as she leaned against her bedroom door, watching him walk away until he disappeared around the corner. A small smile tugged at the corner of her lips as she wondered what sort of effect she'd had on him, if any. Maybe... just maybe he wasn't so bad after all. Or maybe she was just projecting again. Sighing softly, she turned back towards her messy room and took a step forward, determined to clean up the disaster zone that was her life before going to class. As she tidied up, she found herself thinking about their brief conversation, her thoughts drifting from the anime series she'd mentioned to the idea of not being alone anymore...

As the evening passed and classes ended, Uzi couldn't help but find herself thinking about their encounter more and more. There was something about him that she couldn't quite put her finger on... It felt like they had connected on a deeper level than most of her peers ever did. Perhaps it was his interest in her pastime or maybe even just the fact that he wasn't afraid to talk to her despite her reputation. Whatever the reason, Uzi found herself hoping that she would see him again soon.

As the sun set and darkness fell over the colony, Uzi found herself wandering aimlessly through the dimly lit halls. Despite her best efforts to concentrate on her studies, thoughts of the mysterious new drone kept creeping into her mind. Where was he now? What was he doing? She couldn't help but feel a strange sense of longing for his company, something she hadn't experienced in... well, ever, really. Perhaps it was time to take matters into her own hands and seek him out...

Steeling herself against the possibility of rejection, Uzi made her way towards the common area where they'd first met. Her heart raced in anticipation as she spotted his familiar form sitting alone at a table, his attention focused on some sort of blueprint or schematic. Summoning up all her courage, she cleared her throat loudly before walking over to him. "Um... hi," she

"Hey... You," she said softly, her voice wavering just a bit. "I um... I wanted to say thanks for talking earlier. It was nice... talking with someone who didn't ignore me." Her cheeks flushed at the admission and she lowered her gaze, unsure of what else to say or do. She hoped that he wasn't uncomfortable; after all, she hadn't exactly been great at making friends over the years.

Her fingers traced idly along the edge of the table as she waited for him to respond. It seemed like forever before his visor finally lifted to meet hers once more, his expression inscrutable as he studied her face. "You're welcome," he said quietly, and somehow it sounded almost gruff. For a moment, neither of them said anything else; then, with what felt like an immense effort on his part, he added softly:

"Oh... uh... I'm sorry to hear that..." Uzi fidgeted in her seat, feeling awkward now. "I didn't mean to assume anything about you or your past," she added quickly, hoping it would ease the tension between them. She couldn't help but notice how different he looked without his energy railgun posters plastered all over him; he seemed more... approachable somehow. "You don't have to be alone, you know," she said softly, her voice barely a whisper. "I mean, if you ever wanted someone to talk to or... hang out with..."

Her voice trailed off, unsure of how exactly to phrase what she meant without sounding desperate or needy. But for some reason, it felt important that he know. It was the most vulnerable she'd been in a long time, and she could feel her heart racing in her chest as she

"I'm glad," she said, giving him a small smile. "It's nice to know I'm not the only one who feels that way." Her words hung in the air for a moment before she took a deep breath and continued, "So... if you ever want to talk or... do something together... just let me know, okay?" She extended her hand across the table, waiting for him to accept or decline her invitation.

The silence stretched on, but eventually his fingers brushed against hers, their metal surfaces cool and reassuringly solid beneath her skin. A tiny spark seemed to fly between them at the contact, filling Uzi with a sense of hope and anticipation she hadn't experienced in what felt like forever. Maybe things were about to change for the better after all...

"Uh... well..." Uzi stammers, looking away as she thinks about her feud with Lizzy. "I mean, I guess we'll see how things go. We haven't exactly been on the best terms lately." She pauses, biting her lower lip before adding tentatively: "But if you ever need some help or... want to talk about it, I'm here for you." Her gaze flickers back up to meet his, searching for any sign of how he might react to her offer.

The tension in the air seems to ease slightly as their hands remain clasped together across the table. It's a small step forward, but it feels like progress nonetheless. Perhaps there's hope yet for them all...

"Really?" Uzi asks, her voice wavering slightly as she struggles to contain her excitement at the prospect of someone actually wanting to help her with Lizzy. "You'd be willing to... I mean, work together on this?" Her eyes flicker down for a moment before meeting his again, hoping against hope that he meant it.

She slowly lets go of his hand, reluctant to break the connection but unsure what else to do in the moment. "Thank you," she whispers, her voice little more than a breath as she reaches out with her other hand to squeeze his arm gently. The metal is cold against her fleshy palm, but there's an undeniable warmth coming from it that she can't quite explain. "I appreciate it."

Her heart skips a beat as he pats her shoulder and then leaves, a warm glow spreading through her at the thought that she might finally have someone in her corner. For once, everything feels... right. With renewed determination, Uzi returns to her room, ready to face Lizzy head-on with the support of a friend - even if it is just a new one. As she tidies up her mess, she can't help but wonder what else this strange and surprisingly kind drone might be capable of. But for now, she's content to take things one day at a time, enjoying the small moments of connection as they come.

When Uzi sees Lizzy with a cast on her arm the next day, she can't help but feel a pang of guilt. She knew what it was like to have an injury slow her down; she hadn't been fully honest about the circumstances behind her own disfigurement. Taking a deep breath, she approaches Lizzy cautiously, not wanting to antagonize her any further. "Hey... I saw your arm." Her voice is barely above a whisper as she gestures apologetically toward the cast. "I'm really sorry for what happened..."

Lizzy glares at Uzi, her eyes narrowed in anger as she takes a step closer to her. "You think this is funny? You think it's just some stupid prank?" Her words are laced with venom, the bitterness clear in every syllable. For a moment, Uzi feels like she's back in one of their arguments from before; the tension between them as thick and unbearable as ever.

Hearing the new drone's words, Lizzy's anger fades slightly as confusion takes its place. She glances at him and then back at Uzi before exhaling heavily through her nose. "I... I don't know what you mean." She says, her voice small. A small part of her wonders if maybe this new drone has something to do with it, but she can't bring herself to believe that he would be on Uzi's side.