☆ step by step // S.D - N

chapter 013 - ☆ // dead end

N stepped forward, towards the voice that sounded like Tessa. You followed along, staying wary as you raised your hand a tiny bit out of pure instinct.

"T-Tessa?" N called out, a confused expression on his face, much like yours.

"N! You remember—" Tessa squealed, grabbing his cheeks and picking him up off the ground, before beginning to cough.

"Tall— Handsome— Air's toxic—"

When Tessa glanced up again, she noticed you, standing behind N with a confused look.

"(Y/N)! You've grown so much! Not in height, though— Hehe!" She exclaimed, running up to you and pulling you into a hug, which you hesitantly reciprocated.

"Nice to see you, too...?"

When you and Tessa parted, she looked over to the purple-haired drone right next to you.

"Who is this little— Ah!"

Uzi just bit her finger.

"Uzi. Why are you here, human?! And... Real tired of killing this one." Uzi hissed, narrowing her eyes at J who flipped her hair with a smug look.

"Effective drones were cloned more."

"Ah it is you."

"Classic J."

You rolled your eyes, looking over to Tessa when she spoke up again, in a somewhat low voice.

"Cyn disappeared on Earth—"

"Boss ran away."

"We mutually disengaged. Her last known act was siccing you lot on the human exoplanets."

You barely listened to a word she said, distracted by the keybug on her head which crawled around, before it gave you a little wave. You waved back, a soft smile on your face.

"Why?" N questioned, before J landed on the ground.

"That's what we're trying to figure out, bozo."

Suddenly, a red solver appeared over the keybug, taking it away from Tessa's head. When you looked behind her, Doll had taken it into her palm, an annoyed expression on her face as she swiftly glitched away.

"That's kind of a big piece." Tessa revealed, J getting into the air while you and Uzi looked at each other.

Then began the chase after Doll, J letting missiles explode as she tried to hit Doll, while Tessa tried to slay her with the sword she had, before firing her gun towards the Russian drone.

Doll fell into a pit, seemingly intentional in order to dodge J and Tessa's attacks. You, V, Uzi and N all landed from the air, Uzi stumbling while you did too, just not as badly. You tried to help Uzi gain her balance, but she swatted your hands away, making you flinch back with a small frown.

"J, relay hand, Cyn's orders."

"Step one, clear the drop zone of life and construct spire. Step two—"

"Enter labs with this symbol. Not too much to go off, but if Cyn wants these labs, we burn them down. That keybug's our way in." Tessa explained, tearing off a sheet of snow to reveal the symbol before walking towards the four of you.

"J, mind my ship." Tessa tossed her keys towards J, who caught them and stared at them in confusion, looking up before saluting.

"Of course, boss." And then she took off into the air once more.

When you looked back, Uzi was nowhere to be found. You panicked a bit, only to see her standing behind Tessa with an angered look on her face.

"Why involve Doll? What's happening to... her?" Uzi asked, stepping closer to Tessa as she awaited an answer.