Chapter Text
The embodiment of all things popular. Pretty, persuasive, personable, and powerful. All in all? Perfect. These were the cards that Lizzy was dealt in life, and damn was it a good deck. Sure, maybe some of her influence was purely a result of her dad being the only teacher at her high school, and therefore being the sole figure of authority. Which, of course, gave her some leverage in deciding the academic fates of any classmate who dared to oppose her. But so what? If there was an advantage, she would take it; no questions asked. It didn’t matter if it was the result of minor robo-nepotism as long as she got what she wanted.
This strategy worked very well. In fact, it probably worked too well. Lizzy found the constant sucking up and ass-kissing to be entertaining for a while. But eventually, the monotony caught up to her. She started to get bored with the same old threats, followed by the same old responses.
One simple “I’ll get my dad to dock your frickin’ grades!” could bring cheers, praise, adoration, everything Lizzy could want. And that was all great. But eventually, it all blended together. Where are the stakes? The thrills? Where else can she seek that entertainment when her main source is bled dry? Was there really another way to satisfy her desires?
Of course. Of course there was. There was one method that Lizzy knew she could always rely on to satiate her want – no, her need for amusement. Only a single drone that she could ensure would be so embarrassing that she couldn’t help but laugh, no matter the circumstances: Uzi Doorman.
The embodiment of all things outcast. Loud, loathsome, lonely, and lousy. All in all? Lame. These were the cards that Uzi was dealt in life, but she always made for a damn good show.
None of Lizzy’s classmates liked Uzi, nor her antics. That was the understatement of the century, considering 90% of them didn’t even remember she existed half the time. Not Lizzy, though. Obviously, she pretended like she forgot who Uzi was. But, really, how could she? Her behaviors entertained her to no end. Not for any good reasons, no doubt. But it was still fun to watch regardless.
However, what could be more fun than just watching Uzi make a fool of herself from the sidelines? How about making a fool out of her directly?
This was Lizzy’s secret weapon. Her trap card. If she was in need of a fix, Uzi was a perfect vessel to pull down. It’s not like it mattered too much anyway. That drone had been great at bouncing back several times to “prove herself” to everybody. So what’s another one, or two, or three hundred harmless jabs gonna do? She’ll be fine!
Speaking of the devil, the freak finally decided to show up to class, albeit 15 minutes late. Good timing, too; Lizzy was about to fall asleep from how boring her dad’s lecture was (she loved him, but he certainly wasn’t the most charismatic drone out there.)
“Maybe today won’t be so boring after all,” Lizzy thought whilst smirking to herself. She crossed her arms, relaxed in her seat, and prepared to enjoy the spectacle.
Uzi clumsily stumbled through the classroom door, slowly wiping her optics. Clearly, she was up late last night doing whatever losers do past operating hours. If it wasn’t for the risk of being held back, she probably wouldn’t have even bothered showing up today.
“Ms. Doorman,” the teacher deadpanned whilst tapping his pen. “You’re tardy.”
Uzi, wearing a dazed expression, turned to the teacher, “Huh?”
“Tardy,” he replied, cupping his cheek from his own boredom. “You’re 15 minutes late for class.”
Lizzy could already feel herself snickering as the emo began stumbling over her words, desperate to come up with a good excuse.
“Oh– well, you see…” she stammered. “Y’know… I was just so busy with– uh… things? And– I… Well… ‘late’ is such a relative concept anyway, right? Heh…”
An awkward silence enveloped the room as Uzi fidgeted with her fingers. Obviously, she didn’t even buy her own excuse.
“Just go take a seat so I can continue the lecture.” The teacher pointed to the desk behind Lizzy as he made his way to the front board for a presentation.
Begrudgingly, Uzi shuffled past students to make her way to her seat, pulling out a pencil case and a notebook (which, no doubt, was used for weird doodles rather than actually taking notes.)
Lizzy’s optics followed her the entire way, up until she sat down. In which Lizzy turned to her best friend, Doll, while covering her mouth in a poor attempt to hide her chuckle. Her (in Uzi’s opinion, obnoxiously catty) voice rang out. “Ew. She actually showed up!”
In almost an instant, Uzi’s exhausted state turned to anger as she bickered back. “Bite me! It’s not like I wanted to be here!”
“Woah girl, chill out,” Lizzy ribbed as she turned back in her seat to face Uzi. She narrowed her optics and taunted her with a smug smile. “It’s not like anyone will even notice you’re here anyway.”
“Oh, shut up! I’d like to see you pull three all-nighters in a row to finish a big project–”
“Uzi,” the teacher interrupted, causing Lizzy to turn back around. “If you don’t mind, I’m trying to talk.”
Embarrassed, she nods her head sheepishly. “Heh, heh. Sorry, Teach. It won’t happen again…”
It will. This is too much fun to be over already.
The moment the teacher began focusing on his lesson again, Lizzy spun back around. She continued to provoke Uzi whilst tapping away on her phone. “What, a new project? Is this one also gonna blow up in your face like last month’s little science project?” She pulled up an image of the emo’s previous endeavor on her phone and held it up to her. It was a photo of an explosion after she presented her “badass shades,” meant to grant her the ability to shoot laser beams from her visor. Clearly, it didn’t work as intended.
“H-hey! Wait a second!” Uzi fumed. “How’d you even get that picture–” Before she could even finish her thought, something dawned on her. “Wait, better question. Why do you even remember I did that?”
Lizzy was briefly taken aback. She raised an eyebrow quizzically, “Uh… What?”
“Y’know. All of you move on from the drama so quickly and don’t even remember my name. You included.”
Lizzy’s optics darted back and forth. “...Point being?”
“Point being, you remembering anything about me is suspicious by default!”
“Jeez, freak. lay off it,” Lizzy whispered. She pressed her hand to her chest in faux indignation, as if any of Uzi’s words meant anything to her. “Does the colony reject not think I’m smart enough to remember such an embarrassing failure?” She narrowed her optics with a big grin, anticipating—
“Bite me!” Uzi yelled, reaching her breaking point. “It wasn’t a—“
“Uzi!”
Both girls immediately shot their attention back to the front of the class to find the teacher crossing his arms, unamused by their interaction.
The teacher leaned against the board, “Is there something you would like to share with the rest of the class?” He focused his optics on the pen in his hand, already tuning out any sort of response the emo could have given him.
“Nope! Nothing at all! Everything is completely fine over here!” Lizzy could practically hear the poorly repressed rage in Uzi’s voice.
She wasn’t sure whether that tone intrigued her or not. And worse, if it was for the reason she originally intended.
Truthfully, the initial reason Lizzy targeted the emo was because of how weird she was. Always saying strange things, scaring the entire class, and overall being very unpredictable. It simply wouldn’t do. And if nobody were going to get the ball rolling, Lizzy would reluctantly (that’s a total lie) step forward. Ever since then, plenty of students have joined in. Even those who don’t actively participate in the bullying, such as Doll, have no qualms about laughing along; thus, making them accomplices.
But as time went on, Lizzy’s motives would… maybe not change, but shift.
She grew increasingly fascinated by Uzi’s temperament. Most of the other drones would simply submit to her whims. And sure, that was entertaining for a while. But that excitement would slowly wear off. It grew stale because it became the norm. So, why not gravitate to provoking something that wasn’t normal?
That was where Uzi Doorman came in. She always gave a good reaction. Her over-the-top mannerisms, no matter what, would excite Lizzy to no end. To laugh at, of course.
And ever since that realization, the number one target for Lizzy has been the weird emo girl. Until the day Uzi became too boring for her (like that would ever happen!), it would likely never change. With that being said…
Lizzy waited for the teacher to resume focusing on the lesson before she turned back over for a third time to pester the emo.
“So, about your next failure?” she said, crossing her arms.
Apparently, Uzi was too focused on a sketch to notice Lizzy’s question, because she didn’t react at all. Not even a facial expression!
That certainly wouldn’t do.
“Excuse me, freak.” Lizzy leaned in a few inches to emphasise her point. “Did you even hear me?”
And…
Silence.
What was her problem?! This was not at all part of the plan. Was she actually ignoring her?
Nobody ignores Lizzy. Especially not Uzi. This was the main source of Lizzy’s entertainment for a very long time, and there was no way in hell she was gonna let that slip away.
Lizzy moved even closer in the emo’s personal space, almost hitting her head. “Hey! You don’t get to pretend like I don’t exist!” she chastised. It was enough to get Uzi’s attention, but before she could say anything–
“Lizzy!”
To the surprise of nobody except Lizzy, the teacher immediately scolded the source of the disruption. But this time, it happened to be his own daughter.
That definitely never happened before.
Lizzy’s dad would often turn the other way regarding his daughter’s behavior. It was easier that way. But in this situation, it seemed like it was too much, even for him.
“Sit outside for the remainder of class, please,” the teacher said.
“W– What?! I didn’t even start it–”
“Lizzy. Hallway. I won’t argue with you.”
Dumbfounded, she turned back to Uzi for a brief moment, noticing her stupid triumphant grin that was still facing her notebook.
What a bitch.
“I didn’t even want to know what your dumb project was anyway,” she grumbled. “It’ll probably be super lame.”
With a huff, Lizzy collected her belongings and begrudgingly made her way out of the classroom. She leaned against the wall next to the door and slowly slid down to the floor.
I can’t believe that just happened. What a joke.
Just what was all of that? First, Uzi completely wrote her off. Totally ignored. That never happened. And then her dad – her own freakin’ dad! – told her to leave! He never did that! What were their problems?!
I bet that freak convinced him to do that.
No, she probably didn’t. She couldn’t convince anyone to do anything. Nobody – not even her dad – would listen to her. And she totally deserved that. She was weird. It was Uzi’s fault that she was so… Uzi.
Who cares? Lizzy didn’t care. That would be stupid to care so much. She was just another drone that she could mess with for her own entertainment. Nothing she did actually meant anything.
Who cares?
—
Holy hell.
Holy hell!
She did it. She won. Uzi finally beat Lizzy! And robo-god, did it feel good to see her look so angry.
And on top of all of that, her dad actually stepped in and got her in trouble! Uzi must have been blessed by a robo-guardian angel or something because her lucky streak — not counting being late — was on fire today.
If it was so easy to get Lizzy upset by just ignoring her, then there’s no way she could just stop here! After all these years, that girl finally had it coming. Uzi surely wasn’t going to let her only weapon (for now) go to waste. She might as well make the most of it.
Of course, it wasn’t the first time Uzi had tried to ignore Lizzy. Far from it, actually. She had tried on several occasions, but circumstances made it hard with her temper. It didn’t take long before she’d give up and yell at the bully— inadvertently giving her exactly what she wanted.
But this time was different.
She didn’t even get a chance to bite back before Lizzy’s dad stepped in. And with that, Uzi was able to truly understand how much being ignored affected her.
And that was just enough to convince her to keep going. Maybe if Uzi stopped giving Lizzy any sort of reaction at all, then she would get bored and move on to some other unpopular drone. Perhaps it was just wishful thinking, but it was enough to motivate her to try.
What's the worst that could happen?
—
After several more minutes, (Uzi stopped paying attention to how long class was), the dismissal bell finally rang. However, class went by much faster since she had something to focus on the entire time. So much so that she barely made any progress on her secret project sketch.
Well, maybe not secret anymore since Lizzy knew. But she didn’t know the details. So that didn’t count!
Which actually reminded her. Why was Lizzy so curious about her project? Obviously, it was to make fun of her in some way. But she seemed way too persistent for it to be just that. If Uzi really wanted to be stupid, she would think that she might have actually been interested in her life.
But that was dumb, stupid, idiotic wishful thinking. Nobody thinks of her as anything more than just an outcast. The weird, eccentric drone that can’t sit still. Even Thad, one of the nicest drones in the colony, didn't talk to her all that much.
He’s probably afraid of ruining his reputation by being around me. Stupid freakin’ popular drones.
Uzi grabbed her school supplies and made her way to the hallway. By the time she reached the threshold, all of her classmates had left well before her to make their way to the cafeteria. But before she could have even turned to find her locker–
“You!”
There it is. That obnoxious voice that Uzi grew to hate. That voice she was forced to associate with a mean-spirited comment or a horrible prank. But this time, she can’t give in. No matter the cost, she has to simply ignore her.
Lizzy made her way to Uzi from her place on the ground, not wasting a single second in her verbal onslaught. “I bet you’re real proud of yourself, huh?” Attempting to seem nonchalant, she turned her attention to her nails. “Happy you finally got some attention on you?”
But while Lizzy briefly distracted herself, Uzi had already made it halfway down the hallway, not even giving her a glance.
Uzi knew this would piss her off.
And that’s exactly what happened. Lizzy stormed over to Uzi, who was already at her locker. As she put her belongings away, Lizzy continued to berate her. “You’re still a loser, y’know. None of this actually means anything has changed.”
Uzi was starting to get a bit frustrated, but she had to internally remind herself of the mission.
Piss. Lizzy. Off.
And if that meant having to swallow her pride and not give a reaction, then, well…
Uzi retrieved her lunch sack from the locker, turned in the opposite direction from the cheerleader, and walked off without a word. No retorts. No witty remarks. No response.
Just pure rejection.
And Uzi knew Lizzy had to be fuming.
—
Lizzy was fuming.
Not only was she completely ignored once, but twice?! She wouldn’t let that go. Not now, not ever.
She just had to orchestrate a plan. A plan that could not only force the attention of Uzi but also humiliate her as well. She 100% deserved it, especially after this whole mess she’s gotten herself into. Lizzy would just have to put her in a situation in which she couldn’t escape, and would get far too upset to hold her tongue.
And when she would finally relent, Lizzy would be crowned the victor. It was genius.
She wasn’t getting worked up over this. Why would she be? It’s just some nerd ignoring her. And that nerd just so happened to be Lizzy’s main source of entertainment for a very long time. That’s all it was. She was being perfectly reasonable.
Really, Uzi should be thanking her. Nobody ever even bothered to acknowledge she existed. She was pretty much invisible to the rest of the class, outside of maybe Thad. So Lizzy messing with her should be a good— no, great thing. It meant that she’d finally be getting the attention she’s always wanted. So what if she was a little mean? It was all in good fun! Why did it matter? None of it mattered. None of this mattered. It’s all stupid. This whole situation was stupid. Uzi was stupid. Lizzy was—
“Привет?”
That voice. That methodical and meticulous voice that Lizzy grew to associate with companionship. That was Doll. Her long-time best friend. Upon her approach, Lizzy’s internal processor automatically began translating Doll’s words. She had come from a distant colony, so her pre-programmed language was different from the rest in the outpost she currently resided in, which should make it difficult for her to communicate with other drones. But it just so happened that the parent company had programmed built-in translators. Was that the only good thing JCJenson did? Probably. Lizzy didn't know. She rarely paid much attention to robotic history anyway.
Out of instinct, Lizzy turned over to Doll, who was carrying a lunch tray, and put on a fake smile. She carried herself with the best attempt at a cheerful voice she could muster. “Hey, Girliepop, what’s up?”
Doll shot Lizzy an unconvinced look. She narrowed her optics and tilted her head slightly. “[You’re brooding.]”
“What?” Lizzy scoffed. “No I’m not.”
“[You were thinking about something. You don’t do that often.]”
Damn that red-eyed Russian drone. Lizzy always forgot that she was practically psychic. Doll always had a strange sense for when something was wrong with her. Perhaps she was too easy to read, or Doll was too observant. Either way, Lizzy couldn’t hide for long.
“Ughh. It's that stupid weirdo that sits behind me in class,” she complained. “What was her name again?”
Don’t lie. You know it.
“[Uzi.]” Doll set her lunch tray down on a nearby table and beckoned Lizzy to join her. “[Uzi Doorman. That’s who you’re thinking about.]”
“Don’t say it like that!” Lizzy bickered, walking over to the seat opposite of Doll, and sat down.
Doll looked up, raising an eyebrow. “[Say it like what?]”
“Like… y’know!” She gestured wildly with her hands as she attempted to articulate her point. “She just got on my nerves a little.”
“[A little?]” Doll responded. She rested her chin on the back of her hand, deepening her frown. “[You looked like you wanted to kill her.]”
“Wh—… I did not!—“
“[I saw the entire thing. I sit right next to you, remember?]”
Lizzy groaned. She crossed her arms, as if she was detesting the idea of being affected by such a thing. “None of it matters. And I wasn’t even upset about the whole thing. I thought it was funny, actually.”
Lying through your teeth now, are we?
Doll paused for several moments, almost lost in a trance. Finally, though, she resumed. “[Really? It didn’t bother you at all?]”
“Not one bit.”
“[None.]”
“None.”
More silence lingered between the two as Doll’s optics pierced through Lizzy’s. She was growing self-conscious over every small movement, knowing Doll was trying to get a read on her. But she wasn’t going to let that happen.
“[And you’re still bothering them for the same reason, I take it?]” Doll inquired.
What kind of question is that? Of course Lizzy’s reasons haven’t changed. Why would they? She still did it for her own entertainment and nothing else. What was wrong with that?
“Uhh… Duh?” Lizzy said. “What other reason would there be?”
“[Nothing.]” she replied. Once again, she let the silence follow for a few moments before continuing. “[Nothing at all.]”
Doll took out a small notebook and began jotting something down. Lizzy attempted to catch a glimpse, but each time, Doll would shift over to block her view. Until eventually, she rose from her spot and dusted off nonexistent dirt on her attire.
“[I’m leaving now. I have a study session to make in five,]” Doll said.
This time, it was Lizzy’s turn to raise an eyebrow. “Not a very long lunch break, huh?”
Doll hummed and discarded her lunch tray into a nearby trash can. As she returned, she retrieved her notebook and tore out a piece of paper. Clutching it, she folded it several times over until it couldn’t be folded anymore. Finally, she handed it to Lizzy before walking off without a word.
All the while, Lizzy watched her entire process, somehow raising her eyebrow even more. She was cautiously curious about the note Doll gave her. She was an unpredictable drone, after all.
What is it that Doll wanted to tell her, but couldn’t say out loud?
With her curiosity piqued, Lizzy carefully unfolded the piece of paper. By the time she was done, it was the original size, though much less neat. Her optics attempted to focus on the words, but it was hard with how small the writing was. Her translator was struggling to make it out.
But eventually, it worked, and she could read it perfectly. And so, Lizzy scanned the note slowly.
“[I know what you are.]”