[TW: STRONG LANGUAGE, OILROSE, NUZI, RUDE N, ACTUALLY KIND J]
J looked at N with a weird look. "What do you mean by that?" She walked closer to him. "You're not going out there alone, are you?"
N pushed J away, which shocked her. "Maybe I am, maybe I'm not, why do you care?"
J flicked her tail. "Well, first, that is a literal death wish. Second- "
N scoffed, which made J's eyes raise. This dumb, carefree, kind drone was- no- could be rude? "Well, we should at least wait for V to wake up. Then there will be more backup if you get captured."
N shrugged and unfolded his wings, flying out of the spire, leaving J to herself. J turned around to walk over to the landing pod, climbing inside. V was laying on a pile of blankets, her crooked wing jutting out from her side. J shuddered from the thought that a worker drone could do that much damage. But then again, that purple toaster blew me up with her gun. J sat down on one of the chairs and spun around for a bit, her tail dragging along with it. Just then, a quiet whirring noise came from inside the landing pod. J stopped the chair with her leg and looked around. "What- " She turned to V, who seemed to be the cause of the noise. V's visor flashed yellow for a split second before her digital pupils reformed.
V sat up, groaning. J almost cried as she ran towards V and hugged her. "Hey, woah- J? What's wrong?" J couldn't hear V, hugging tighter.
"Do not do that again! You had me so worried!" V hugged J back. "I'm alright, don't worry."
J stepped back, letting V get room so she could stand up. V winced as she stood, looking back at her wing. "Woah, when did that happen?"
"Apparently, you were fighting worker drones with weapons. Did we not learn that lesson with N?"
V frowned. "Well, I had Uzi with me, and we didn't know they had weapons. Besides, only one of them had one."
"I DON'T CARE!" J lashed out, causing V to flinch. J wrapped her tail around herself. "You got hurt and I wasn't there to help you."
V paused before leaning in to comfort J. "I'm sorry. But we didn't even know where you were ever since Cabin Fever Labs. How were you supposed to help?"
J gave a small shrug and pulled back away from V. "I don't know."
V frowned, then proceeded to look around the landing pod. "Where's N?"
J pointed to the landing pod's hatch. "Outside."
V clambered out of the hatch, J on her heels. From the distance J could spot N, pacing back and forth, his hands clamped onto his head, his pupils hollow and a wild grin on his face. "N? You good?" J heard V call out to him.
N stopped pacing and turned around to stare at V, his massive grin fading into surprise. "V? You're awake?"
V shot a glance at J for a moment before leaning in to whisper. "How long was I knocked out for?"
J leaned back towards V. "A year."
"A YEAR?!" V almost fell over from where they were sitting on the landing pod, but J caught her in time.
"Well. That's a... long... time."
V looked around. "Hey, where's Uzi?"
J gave a silent grunt. "Let me recap, based on what I know. So, Uzi broke into the chambers to try and free N after he got captured, I don't know how. Found me, Uzi broke the glass that covered N's cage and we escaped after backup came. So basically, Uzi's still in the labs."
V just stared at J, her eyes wide and pupils' hollow. "You're fucking joking, right?"
J looked taken aback but shook her head. "N has been going crazy for the past year trying to save her."
"Well, we have to save her! Look what they did to you!"
J looked at her ripped uniform. Definitely not good-looking for the leader of the squad. "Well before we save her, we need more people."
V crossed her arms. "Who do you have in mind?"
"Just a few old 'friends.' You've met them before."
"I have? To be honest, never thought you could be able to make friends."
J frowned. "Just trust me alright, they'll be able to help."
