PROLOGUE (MD Fanfiction)

Instructions

**SPOILERS FOR MD** Prologue - The Return The cold snow whipped through the air, falling heavily on the surface of the planet Copper-9, coating the damaged wreck of buildings around the abandoned battlefield. A fierce blizzard raged, dark gray storm clouds obscuring the sky. Not a sound could be heard other than the whistling wind carrying snowflakes to the ground. The land was still and peaceful. If you hadn’t been there during the incident, it would be hard to believe that just a few months ago, a battle that would decide the fate of the planet and the life of every drone there was fought. The chaos was gone now. Now it was only silence and wreckage. It hadn’t been disturbed since then. This peacefulness was rudely interrupted as a strangely shaped object dove downward in a spiraling motion, like a shooting star, a faint rumbling sound getting louder and louder before it hit the ground in an explosion of flames. Small, robotic roaches squealed before skittering away from the danger zone, while others burned away in the fire. The entrance to the landing capsule creaked open, a faint yellow light glowering out from the darkness inside. Slowly, the drone inside stepped out, metallic foot crunching the snow underneath. He dusted off ash from the windbreaker jacket he was wearing, letting out an irritated sigh. “Of course they failed.” He whispered under his breath, clenching his teeth. His yellow-orange eyes flickered around, scanning the deserted field of wreckage. “The tracking signal is coming from somewhere near here…” The Disassembly Drone hesitated a moment, calculating his next destination before spreading his steel wings outward and launching into the gray sky. As he glided over the wasteland, annoyance pricked at his sensors. This is why you can’t rely on anyone but yourself. He let out a huff before diving into a dark ravine of fallen rubble where the signal seemed to be getting stronger. “Should be somewhere around here.” He slid out his claws, flexing the three long blades before getting to work. He took a step forward, then a few more. He leaned down, his claws clasping onto a chunk of debris and chucking it to the side. He repeated this process several times before he paused, a faint shine of metal catching his eye. “Found it,” He whispered, a small grin curving his mouth. Retracting his claws, he slowly reached down, slowly and carefully pulling out the limp body so as not to damage it further. He placed it down next to him before tapping the five glowing yellow bulbs strapped over the head one by one, then placed his metal palm over the visor, keeping it still for ten seconds before pulling his hand back. “Rise and shine, Pen addict.” He snarled, snapping his fingers. J’s visor flickered for a moment before returning to her regular two yellow eyes. “Hrgh… Who in the great name of Corporate-” She growled before she spotted him. “Oh.” She grumbled, rolling her eyes with unmasked annoyance. “You.” “Have a good nap, idiot?” He snapped back. “That’s no way to greet someone two ranks above you.” “Sure, like you haven’t been sitting pretty in your fancy spaceships doing nothing while we fight all your battles for you.” J snarkily replied. The other Drone raised his needle-tipped tail in aggression before lowering it, relaxing his shoulders, and shifting his voice to a more formal tone. “Where are N and V? I didn’t receive any distress signals from them.” J twisted her face in disgust. “Those two,” She spat, “Are little runaway traitors.” “They turned against the Company? Against the Solver?” He said, shocked. *I thought…* He shook his head. “Cyn and I fought against them and some small, purple Worker Drone.” “What was the outcome?” “I… To be completely honest, I have no idea…” J looked away. “They dealt with me before the battle ended.” The other Drone’s eyes narrowed. “How strong would you say the Worker Drone was?” “Decently powerful. She worked well with the two cowards and even managed to block Cyn from getting into her head. She has the powers of the Solver. Nori’s daughter, I think.” “Darnit!” He cursed, stabbing his tail into the ground in frustration. “We need to find Cyn and those three brats.” “Don’t you and those other high-rankers have some tracking system for that?” J replied. “Use that.” The other Drone grunted in acknowledgement, focusing on locating the signals for the two missing Disassembly Drones. But… where he expected to feel two pulsing receptions, he received only fuzzy static. A bead of sweat formed on his visor. A faint feeling of dread passed over him. “So?” J asked, tapping his shoulder. “Did you get the location?” He paused. “There’s a problem.” He whispered. “I think our little Worker Drone friend found a way to remove the trackers.” His dread was replaced by determination. “But we can’t give up. We have to find them and redirect the traitors back on track.” J nodded, an adamant expression crossing her face. “Whatever it takes.”