Taylor was since birth a daughter of Uzi, the events of Absolute End still very fresh in Uz and N's memories, both Uzi and N having taken human names, Uzi constantly having a hologram created from its powers as the main host of the Absolute Solver over their forms,
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Solving Problems
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Taylor Hebert was used to chaos.
Her life, as she knew it, was a never-ending parade of anxiety, petty cruelty, and biting her tongue so hard it nearly bled. Winslow Middle School was an unrelenting hellscape where she was either invisible or the target of someone's worst impulses.
But today? Today was a different kind of chaos.
Taylor sat, comfortably numb, in Principal Blackwell's office. Her long, dark hair spilled down her shoulders as she leaned back in the chair, arms crossed in practised defiance. Next to her stood her parents — or rather, her real parents.
The man with the eternally sunny disposition despite the circumstances was "Nick," better known to Taylor as N. He smiled with unsettling warmth, his chrome-green eyes glinting unnaturally as he shifted uncomfortably in the small space. It wasn't that N disliked offices or authority; he just had a habit of taking cues from his old Disassembly Drone programming when dealing with authority figures who annoyed him.
Beside him was "Uzelle," Taylor's sharp-tongued, leather-clad, definitely unhinged mother, who had a look on her face that could fry steel beams. Uzi — her true name — was barely holding herself together. Quite literally. The Absolute Solver's creeping influence rippled through her hologram disguise as bursts of static fractured the air around her for fractions of a second, revealing gleaming black metal beneath.
And Taylor? She was loving it.
"Let me get this straight," Uzi began, her voice carrying the kind of razor-sharp edge that had once eviscerated entire Drone colonies. "You're saying my daughter is at fault for being shoved into a locker filled with biological waste by those… carbon-based incompetents you call students?"
Principal Blackwell, to her credit, wasn't the kind of person who easily cowed under pressure. She'd dealt with angry parents before, but something about Uzi's glowing yellow eyes, flickering with hints of otherworldly purple, made her fingers tremble slightly as she shuffled the papers on her desk.
"Well, Mrs. Hebert, I assure you we take bullying very seriously here at Winslow," Blackwell said, voice tight. "But Taylor needs to learn how to—"
"Do not finish that sentence," Uzi growled, her fingers clenching so tightly into the chair arms that they started to leave imprints. The holographic overlay flickered again, and for a split second, her mechanical talons, black as obsidian and glowing faintly with Absolute Solver runes, were visible. "I'm warning you, lady. I have melted entire ecosystems for less."
"Uzi!" N chimed in nervously, stepping forward to gently place a hand on her shoulder. "We're supposed to be using our human names when solving things… you know, peacefully!"
Uzi turned to glare at him, her pupils dilating into a glowing cross shape. "Nick, I swear to Solver if you—"
"Anyway!" N interrupted cheerily, clapping his hands together as if to dispel the tension. "So, Principal Backwood, what's your plan to keep those nasty kids from hurting Taylor again? Because I think Uzi and I have some, uh, suggestions."
The room grew colder as N's smile remained perfectly intact, though his glowing green gaze flickered briefly to a faint red. "For example," he added, his voice dropping a few octaves, "we could start by moving them to… I dunno, a slightly different existence. Nothing extreme! Just maybe somewhere with less oxygen?"
Taylor snorted despite herself, covering her mouth with a hand. It was probably bad that she found her parents' particular brand of over-the-top protectiveness this amusing, but honestly? Winslow deserved it.
Principal Blackwell was less amused.
"You can't just—" she began, voice rising, only for Uzi to snap upright, slamming her hands on the desk. The motion was so quick, so unnatural, that for a moment, the hologram dissolved entirely. What sat across from Blackwell was not a furious mother but something far more alien and dangerous. Her angular frame, segmented with dark alloys and glowing circuitry, radiated raw malice.
"I'm sorry," Uzi purred, leaning in far too close for comfort. "Were you about to suggest I can't do something? You should know by now I'm a very solutions-oriented kind of gal."
The lights in the room dimmed. The faint hum of Absolute Solver energy crackled around her frame like an impending storm, and Taylor swore she could hear the faintest whispers of a hundred fragmented realities gnashing at the edges of her mother's focus. Uzi's grin stretched unnaturally wide.
N shifted awkwardly, raising a finger. "Maybe we shouldn't go full… uh…" He gestured vaguely at Uzi's glitching frame. "You know, that."
Taylor decided it was time to step in before her mom turned Blackwell into a singularity.
"Okay, Mom, Dad, I think she gets the message," Taylor said dryly, standing up. She flashed Blackwell an innocent smile. "Right, Principal? You'll make sure those girls are… what's the word… expelled?"
Blackwell nodded quickly, her eyes darting between the family and the faint outline of scorch marks forming where Uzi's talons had grazed the desk.
"Yes, yes, of course! I'll, uh, handle it right away."
N clapped enthusiastically. "See? Problem solved without too much melting!" He grinned at Taylor. "I told you your mom and I could be normal parents."
Taylor raised an eyebrow. "Sure, Dad. Super normal."
Uzi flickered back into her human disguise with a grumble, smoothing down her jacket. "Let's just go. I need to blow something up before this rage makes me short-circuit."
"Love you too, Mom," Taylor muttered with a smirk, following them out.
As they left the office, Taylor couldn't help but think that for all their murderous eccentricities, her parents might just be the best thing that had ever happened to her.
Her life, as she knew it, was a never-ending parade of anxiety, petty cruelty, and biting her tongue so hard it nearly bled. Winslow Middle School was an unrelenting hellscape where she was either invisible or the target of someone's worst impulses.
But today? Today was a different kind of chaos.
Taylor sat, comfortably numb, in Principal Blackwell's office. Her long, dark hair spilled down her shoulders as she leaned back in the chair, arms crossed in practised defiance. Next to her stood her parents — or rather, her real parents.
The man with the eternally sunny disposition despite the circumstances was "Nick," better known to Taylor as N. He smiled with unsettling warmth, his chrome-green eyes glinting unnaturally as he shifted uncomfortably in the small space. It wasn't that N disliked offices or authority; he just had a habit of taking cues from his old Disassembly Drone programming when dealing with authority figures who annoyed him.
Beside him was "Uzelle," Taylor's sharp-tongued, leather-clad, definitely unhinged mother, who had a look on her face that could fry steel beams. Uzi — her true name — was barely holding herself together. Quite literally. The Absolute Solver's creeping influence rippled through her hologram disguise as bursts of static fractured the air around her for fractions of a second, revealing gleaming black metal beneath.
And Taylor? She was loving it.
"Let me get this straight," Uzi began, her voice carrying the kind of razor-sharp edge that had once eviscerated entire Drone colonies. "You're saying my daughter is at fault for being shoved into a locker filled with biological waste by those… carbon-based incompetents you call students?"
Principal Blackwell, to her credit, wasn't the kind of person who easily cowed under pressure. She'd dealt with angry parents before, but something about Uzi's glowing yellow eyes, flickering with hints of otherworldly purple, made her fingers tremble slightly as she shuffled the papers on her desk.
"Well, Mrs. Hebert, I assure you we take bullying very seriously here at Winslow," Blackwell said, voice tight. "But Taylor needs to learn how to—"
"Do not finish that sentence," Uzi growled, her fingers clenching so tightly into the chair arms that they started to leave imprints. The holographic overlay flickered again, and for a split second, her mechanical talons, black as obsidian and glowing faintly with Absolute Solver runes, were visible. "I'm warning you, lady. I have melted entire ecosystems for less."
"Uzi!" N chimed in nervously, stepping forward to gently place a hand on her shoulder. "We're supposed to be using our human names when solving things… you know, peacefully!"
Uzi turned to glare at him, her pupils dilating into a glowing cross shape. "Nick, I swear to Solver if you—"
"Anyway!" N interrupted cheerily, clapping his hands together as if to dispel the tension. "So, Principal Backwood, what's your plan to keep those nasty kids from hurting Taylor again? Because I think Uzi and I have some, uh, suggestions."
The room grew colder as N's smile remained perfectly intact, though his glowing green gaze flickered briefly to a faint red. "For example," he added, his voice dropping a few octaves, "we could start by moving them to… I dunno, a slightly different existence. Nothing extreme! Just maybe somewhere with less oxygen?"
Taylor snorted despite herself, covering her mouth with a hand. It was probably bad that she found her parents' particular brand of over-the-top protectiveness this amusing, but honestly? Winslow deserved it.
Principal Blackwell was less amused.
"You can't just—" she began, voice rising, only for Uzi to snap upright, slamming her hands on the desk. The motion was so quick, so unnatural, that for a moment, the hologram dissolved entirely. What sat across from Blackwell was not a furious mother but something far more alien and dangerous. Her angular frame, segmented with dark alloys and glowing circuitry, radiated raw malice.
"I'm sorry," Uzi purred, leaning in far too close for comfort. "Were you about to suggest I can't do something? You should know by now I'm a very solutions-oriented kind of gal."
The lights in the room dimmed. The faint hum of Absolute Solver energy crackled around her frame like an impending storm, and Taylor swore she could hear the faintest whispers of a hundred fragmented realities gnashing at the edges of her mother's focus. Uzi's grin stretched unnaturally wide.
N shifted awkwardly, raising a finger. "Maybe we shouldn't go full… uh…" He gestured vaguely at Uzi's glitching frame. "You know, that."
Taylor decided it was time to step in before her mom turned Blackwell into a singularity.
"Okay, Mom, Dad, I think she gets the message," Taylor said dryly, standing up. She flashed Blackwell an innocent smile. "Right, Principal? You'll make sure those girls are… what's the word… expelled?"
Blackwell nodded quickly, her eyes darting between the family and the faint outline of scorch marks forming where Uzi's talons had grazed the desk.
"Yes, yes, of course! I'll, uh, handle it right away."
N clapped enthusiastically. "See? Problem solved without too much melting!" He grinned at Taylor. "I told you your mom and I could be normal parents."
Taylor raised an eyebrow. "Sure, Dad. Super normal."
Uzi flickered back into her human disguise with a grumble, smoothing down her jacket. "Let's just go. I need to blow something up before this rage makes me short-circuit."
"Love you too, Mom," Taylor muttered with a smirk, following them out.
As they left the office, Taylor couldn't help but think that for all their murderous eccentricities, her parents might just be the best thing that had ever happened to her.
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PHO THREAD: "Winslow Principal’s Office Incident – WTF??"
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PHO THREAD: "Winslow Principal's Office Incident – WTF??"
In the wake of Winslow's latest viral scandal, the PHO boards are buzzing with speculation about a recent CCTV leak that seems too bizarre to be real. The video features Taylor Hebert, her "parents," and Principal Blackwell in what starts as a disciplinary meeting and spirals into something far stranger...[Original Poster] Asphodel:
Subject: Winslow Security Footage – WHAT AM I WATCHING?Okay, did anyone else see that leaked footage? The one from Winslow Middle where Taylor Hebert's parents absolutely rip into Blackwell? I don't even know where to start. First of all, Taylor's mom—who calls herself Uzelle—literally flickered out of reality. There were glowing eyes, static distortions, and some kind of alien techno-arm punching the desk!
And her dad? He went from Mr. Nice Guy to... whatever that was when his eyes turned yellow for half a second. If this isn't some cape stunt, what the hell is it??
[User] NovaWarden:
I KNOW, RIGHT?? The moment when Taylor's mom said she's "solutions-oriented" and the entire office dimmed? Absolute chills. I've never seen a Thinker or Tinker power manifest like that.Also, did anyone else catch the moment her dad—uh, "Nick"—got all eerie with the "slightly different existence" comment? Aleph media buffs are saying this is straight out of that show Murder Drones, but... they can't actually be those characters, right?
[User] MurderFan87:
GUYS, GUYS, GUYS! THAT WAS 100% UZI AND N FROM MURDER DRONES!The flickering hologram? The Solver runes? The purple eye-crosses? And when N's eyes went yellow for just a second? That's when his programming nearly overrides him! I don't even care how this is possible; THEY'RE HERE! MURDER DRONES ARE REAL!!!
[User] BugMasterTaylor (Verified Cape):
Subject: Yeah, they're real. Here's proof.Hey, everyone. Taylor Hebert here.
So, uh… yeah. Those are my parents. Uzelle (Mom) and Nick (Dad). Or, as some of you might know them, Uzi and N. This isn't some elaborate cosplay or cape gimmick; they're exactly who they seem to be. Here's a picture of them at home, their holograms off, along with my dad holding my baby pictures to prove it:
[Attached Image: A very sheepish-looking N with glowing green eyes holding a baby photo of Taylor, standing next to Uzi, arms crossed, glaring at the camera, Solver runes faintly glowing on her forearms.]
Also, yes, the Absolute Solver thing is… complicated. Please stop freaking out. They're not here to destroy anyone. Well, mostly. Mom was close with Blackwell, but she didn't. Let's count that as a win, okay?
[User] MurderLoreKeeper:
OH MY GOD, TAYLOR, YOU'RE UZI AND N'S KID?! FaintsAlso: Can you confirm if your mom is still dealing with the fallout from Absolute Solver stuff? Because the flickering and that glitch storm were way too close to Absolute End vibes. You've seen the series, right??
[User] QueenBeetle:
Forget Murder Drones fans geeking out, the rest of us are just sitting here trying to process this.Are you telling me Earth Aleph started sharing fictional media with us, and one of their most terrifying, apocalyptic series just turns out to be a documentary? What's next? A Dragon Ball Z cape throwing Kamehamehas?
[User] HiveTechie:
Okay, but… can we appreciate the existential implications of this? If Murder Drones characters exist here, what else could've crossed over from Aleph? Are they native here or… imported?Also, Taylor, PLEASE tell me your mom doesn't have a backup of the Disassembly Drone fleet stashed somewhere. Asking for Earth Bet's continued existence.
[User] SolverTheoryDork:
LOOK, I'm just saying: Absolute Solver is canonically capable of crossing dimensions. What if Taylor and her parents are survivors of a world the Solver wrecked? They mentioned this in the show! Uzi being "solutions-oriented" probably isn't a joke—she might actually be fixing her messes!Also, N is such a cinnamon roll in the show. Does he bake cookies for you IRL too, Taylor?
[User] TaylorHebert (Verified Cape):
- Yes, N bakes cookies. He's great at them.
- No, Mom doesn't have a Disassembly Drone fleet. She's not that crazy.
- About the Solver? It's complicated, and she's doing her best to keep it in check. So don't worry about dimension-warping apocalypse scenarios… too much.
[User] Hive_Mind (Mod):
Thread locked for now due to escalating debates about Absolute Solver physics.For the record, PHO staff is not responsible for any interdimensional incidents caused by fan speculation. Thank you.
PHO THREAD: "Taylor Hebert's Latest Video – WHAT DOES THIS MEAN?!
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PHO THREAD: "Taylor Hebert's Latest Video – WHAT DOES THIS MEAN?!"
Taylor Hebert has dropped yet another bombshell, this time in the form of a video uploaded to multiple platforms, showcasing abilities that are very much not human. What started as a casual flex of her apparent lineage turned into a complete unraveling of Earth Bet's understanding of technology, cape powers, and even the nature of life itself. The Murder Drones fandom is losing its collective mind.[Original Poster] CyberByte404:
Subject: Taylor Hebert Hacked the PRT by Accident??Guys. WHAT. DID. I. JUST. WATCH?!
Taylor Hebert—yes, that Taylor Hebert—posted a video casually scrolling through PRT cyber security like it was a Reddit thread. She wasn't even trying! She just hacked it, accidentally rewrote their entire system architecture, and then upgraded it so far beyond Earth Bet's capabilities that Tinkers everywhere are going to be crying themselves to sleep for a year.
The wildest part? She admitted she's not even fully human! She says she was "born" the same way her mom was, meaning she's basically a Worker Drone. HOW IS THIS REAL?!
[User] GlitchEnthusiast:
Okay, but can we talk about how casually she dropped this? "Oh, look at me, accidentally hacking one of the most secure organizations in the world. Whoops, better make it better than anything your world has ever seen."Like… what?? She didn't just upgrade the PRT's security; she restructured their entire infrastructure into something our Tinkers wouldn't even be able to dream of building. That's Solver-level tech.
Also, the implications of her being "born" on an assembly line like Uzi and the other Worker Drones? That's insane. Are there more like her out there?
[User] Worker4Life:
As a Murder Drones fan, let me break it down for you:- Worker Drones like Uzi aren't "born" in the human sense. They're built on an assembly line, programmed with personalities, memories, and quirks that simulate a fully sentient being.
- If Taylor was born the same way, it means she's not biologically human at all. She's a machine, likely running on Solver tech just like Uzi.
- This also explains her insane aptitude for hacking and technology. Worker Drones are designed to work with advanced tech, and Taylor's clearly inheriting those instincts.
- If she's a secondary host for the Absolute Solver… uh… that's terrifying. Remember what the Solver did in the series? Reality-warping, omnipotent horror fuel.
[User] BuggedOut:
I can't believe we're living in a world where someone casually reveals they're literally a sentient robot and then flexes by making Earth Bet's best tech look like kindergarten projects.Also, the fact that Taylor made the upgrades to the PRT system look so easy makes me think: what happens if she decides to actually try? Like, could she rewrite the internet? Hack Dragon? TAKE OVER THE WORLD?!
[User] TaylorHebert (Verified Cape):
Subject: Clearing things up!Hey, everyone! Just wanted to clarify a few things from my video:
- Yes, I'm technically not human in the traditional sense. I'm part of my mom's species (Worker Drones), and I was "built" on an assembly line just like she was. That doesn't make me any less me, though. I still think, feel, and have free will like anyone else.
- The Absolute Solver? It's… complicated. I'm still figuring out how much influence it has over me, but I promise I'm not about to pull a full-on Murder Drones apocalypse. I can keep it in check.
- As for the PRT hack, that wasn't intentional! Their system was just… so basic. I couldn't help but fix it. You're welcome, by the way. Their new security is light-years ahead of what they had before, so at least now villains won't be able to just waltz in and steal their data.
- No, I'm not planning to take over the world. That sounds exhausting.
[User] AbsoluteFanatic:
TAYLOR, YOU LEGEND!!!First, can I just say how much I love the idea that you're a Worker Drone? I've been obsessed with the show for years, and knowing someone from your world exists here is blowing my mind.
Second, are there more Worker Drones or Solver hosts out there? Like, could there be other crossovers we don't know about? Maybe even Disassembly Drones?!
Third, I'm begging you: please post more videos. Seeing your mom glitch out during the Winslow meeting was epic, but this was next-level!
[User] NovaWarden:
Okay, so Worker Drones are officially a thing now. Does anyone else feel like this completely upends everything we know about life and sentience? Like, Taylor's not human, but she's still clearly her own person. How does that work? Is she running on Solver tech, or is she just… alive?Also, if she casually made the PRT unhackable, I think we might need to rethink how we classify Tinker ratings. What do you even call someone who can just think reality-defying tech into existence?
[User] GlitchHunter22:
This is officially the most Murder Drones thing ever. Taylor casually showing she's a secondary Solver host? Hacking entire systems without breaking a sweat? Upgrading them just because she was bored?Honestly, the real question is: how much of this is just her being a Worker Drone, and how much is the Absolute Solver messing with reality? Because if Taylor wanted to, she could probably turn the PRT's servers into a black hole and call it an upgrade.
[User] HiveMind (Mod):
Thread locked due to escalating Solver-related existential crises.For the record: PHO staff takes no responsibility for sleepless nights caused by fans panicking over whether Taylor Hebert can accidentally unmake reality. Please direct all further questions to the Murder Drones fandom wiki or Taylor's public channel. Thank you.
PHO THREAD: "Taylor Hebert’s Mom Just… MASSACRED Lung’s Agents???"
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PHO THREAD: "Taylor Hebert's Dad Just… MASSACRED Lung's Agents???"
In yet another explosive reveal, Taylor Hebert has uploaded a video showing her father, Nick (aka N), brutally dismantling a squad of Lung's agents. The apparent kidnapping attempt was foiled in the most violent and terrifying way imaginable, leaving viewers stunned—and the Murder Drones fandom completely unhinged.[Original Poster] Asphodel:
Subject: N (Taylor's father) Took Out Lung's Men in Seconds...I don't even know where to start. Taylor just posted a video of her dad dealing with a kidnapping attempt, and it's horrifying.
N didn't just fight off Lung's agents. He obliterated them. One second, they're trying to grab Taylor and the next? Her dad shows up, glitching into reality, eyes blazing red, claws out, and it's a bloodbath. The worst part? He's SMILING the whole time.
[User] CyberByte404:
HOLY—okay, I just watched it. This wasn't just self-defence; it was a warning.N tore through those agents like they were paper. He decapitated two of them in seconds with his talons, phased through another to punch straight through his chest, and then just casually ripped apart their weapons. The way he glitched around the battlefield? It's like something straight out of a horror movie—or, well, Murder Drones.
Also, can we talk about how Lung's crew isn't small-time? These weren't random street thugs. These were professional enforcers. And she made them look like total amateurs.
[User] GlitchEnthusiast:
Let's not gloss over the creepy dialogue. N was taunting them the entire time, saying things like:- "Oh, you thought that would work? Cute."
- "I've dismantled bigger threats than you. Try harder!"
- And my favorite: "You want to kidnap my daughter? Fine. I'll send you back in pieces, goodbye, rest in pieces"
[User] MurderFan87:
Remember how N singlehandedly took out an entire squad of Worker Drone soldiers? This was just like that, but scarier, because his smile was way too calm. His Disassembly Drone energy was practically dripping off him in that fight. The way he just teleported behind one of the agents and whispered, "Boo," before slicing him in half? Literal chills.
[User] TaylorHebert (Verified Cape):
Subject: Yes, I know my mom's terrifying.Hey, everyone. So, yeah, I posted that video because people need to stop underestimating my dad.
For context: Lung's agents tried to kidnap me earlier this week. Dad found out and… well, you saw what happened. He was holding back, by the way. If he hadn't, there wouldn't even be pieces of those guys left.
I know this will freak people out, but let me clarify: N isn't a threat unless you make him one. Don't go after his family, and you'll be fine.
[User] NovaWarden:
Taylor, I mean this with respect, but… WHAT DO YOU MEAN HE WAS "HOLDING BACK"?!he teleported into the middle of the fight, dismantled an entire squad of trained enforcers in under a minute, and then casually walked away like it was nothing. Holding back?! What does he look like when he isn't holding back? A walking extinction event??
[User] Worker4Life:
As a Murder Drones expert, let me explain why this is terrifying:- N's combat abilities are insane even by Disassembly Drone standards. he's the ultimate combination of a Worker Drone's ingenuity and the Disassembly Drone's insanely OP powers.
- His calm demeanour during the fight? That's his programming's influence. The programming of a Disassembly Drone makes you cold and logical during combat but N embraces it while still holding onto his personality. That's not just skill; that's experience.
- If N wanted to, he could've taken out Lung's entire organization in one night. The fact that he didn't shows he's in control—for now.
[User] BuggedOut:
Am I the only one who's genuinely afraid of Taylor's family now?[User] GlitchHunter22:
N massacring Lung's agents isn't even the most chilling part of the video. It's the implications.If Lung's crew thought they could get away with kidnapping Taylor, what happens when someone bigger tries something? What happens if the PRT decides Taylor's family is too dangerous to leave alone? N isn't the type to take that lying down.
And Taylor's calm reaction to all of this? She's so used to her dad doing this kind of thing that she doesn't even flinch. That's almost scarier than the fight itself.
[User] Hive_Mind (Mod):
Okay, everyone, let's try to keep the thread from spiralling into Disassembly Drone-induced existential crises again.To summarize:
- N is terrifying.
- Lung's agents deserved what they got (seriously, kidnapping? Not cool).
- Let's all agree not to poke the bear—er, robot.
Thread's locked for now. Please refrain from creating duplicate threads unless new information arises.
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Thanks for the chapter!
I haven't seen people in universe reacting to crossover shit like they know it very often, if ever really, so I'm interested to see where this goes. Hopefully it's not just PHO freaking out non-stop, I'd read it even if it was but I'm hoping for something more than that.
I haven't seen people in universe reacting to crossover shit like they know it very often, if ever really, so I'm interested to see where this goes. Hopefully it's not just PHO freaking out non-stop, I'd read it even if it was but I'm hoping for something more than that.
Brightstone
Feral Goblin
You keep saying N massacred while she glitched. Soooo... was it N who is neither female or glitchy, or Uzi just mislabeled?
Interlude: Aegis & Miss Militia – "How Do We Even Handle This?"
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PRT EN ROUTE TO HEBERT RESIDENCE
Aegis sat in the back of the PRT van, arms crossed, staring at the grainy PHO footage looping on a tablet in front of him."...This has to be a joke," he muttered.
Miss Militia, seated across from him, didn't look up from her screen. "We wouldn't be here if it were."
The van rumbled over a pothole as they approached the Hebert household.
"We've had alternate Earth arrivals before," Aegis said, frowning at the video. "But this is... different."
The footage played back the Winslow meeting in full—Uzi Hebert glitching out, barely restrained Solver energy distorting the walls, N flickering between friendly and lethally programmed, and Taylor Hebert watching the chaos like it was the funniest thing she'd ever seen.
Then, of course, there was the PHO thread where Taylor let her parents post proof themselves.
"This isn't just an alternate Earth arrival," Miss Militia murmured. "These two aren't even human."
The van came to a stop.
"Alright," Aegis said, inhaling. "How are we handling this?"
"Carefully," Miss Militia answered. "No threats, no sudden moves, and absolutely no weapons drawn unless we want to test whether our gear holds up against reality-breaking nanotech."
"...Cool. Love that for us," Aegis muttered as the van doors opened.
HEBERT RESIDENCE
Miss Militia knocked twice. The door opened almost immediately—Taylor Hebert stood there, arms crossed, a flatly amused expression on her face."Wow," she said. "PRT showed up. Thought you guys were just gonna panic in a conference room for three days first."
Miss Militia chose to ignore that. "Taylor. We'd like to have a word with your—"
BOOM.
The sound of something heavy slamming into the walls shook the house.
Aegis tensed. "What the hell—"
"That's just Mom and Dad," Taylor said, sounding entirely too casual for someone whose house just rattled. She turned her head. "GUYS, STOP WRESTLING, THE PRT'S HERE!"
There was a glitchy hum from deeper in the house, followed by N's bright, cheerful voice. "Oh! Right! Coming, coming!"
A moment later, Uzi and N appeared in the doorway.
And yup, there was no denying it now.
Uzi stood with arms crossed, her dark jacket slightly askew, giving them a look that said she was already done with this conversation before it started. She looked human at first glance, but every few seconds, tiny distortions flickered over her form—brief moments where the hologram flickered, revealing sleek black-and-yellow Worker Drone plating, jagged fingers, and Solver energy warping the air around her like an afterimage of something wrong.
Beside her, N was way easier on the eyes—still running his friendly hologram, looking like some dorky blond guy in a hoodie. But his Disassembly Drone traits flickered under the illusion every time he moved. Wings briefly hummed into view. A hint of serrated claws twitched before shifting back to human fingers. He was smiling. Way too much.
"Hello, PRT humans!" N said, far too happy. "Are we being arrested?"
"Not yet," Miss Militia said, suppressing the instinct to reach for a weapon. "We'd just like to talk."
Uzi rolled her eyes. "Great. Love talking. Especially to cops."
Taylor sighed. "Mom, don't be weird about this."
"Too late," Uzi muttered.
Miss Militia kept her expression neutral. "We've reviewed the Winslow footage, your PHO statements, and the... evidence you posted. You can understand why this is a concern for us."
"Yeah, yeah," Uzi said, waving a hand. "We're so scary, blah blah. Trust me, we really don't care about your government. We just want to exist in peace."
"Mostly!" N added. "We do get a tiny bit stabby if people hurt Taylor. But in a responsible way!"
Aegis and Miss Militia exchanged a very concerned glance.
"Look," Taylor said, stepping between them. "I get it. You guys are freaked out because this is a lot. But my parents aren't causing problems. If anything, they solved one—Blackwell's suddenly very motivated to crack down on Winslow's bullying problem."
Miss Militia sighed. "That we noticed."
Uzi smirked. "You're welcome."
"...That wasn't a compliment."
Aegis rubbed his temples. "Look, the Protectorate needs some assurances that you're not a threat."
"We're not," Taylor said flatly.
"Define 'threat'," Uzi countered.
"Uzi," N whined.
Miss Militia exhaled. "Alright. Let's try this another way." She looked directly at Uzi and N. "If a hostile parahuman or outside force targeted you or Taylor, would you escalate?"
Uzi's expression darkened. "Yes."
N hesitated. "...Only if they deserved it!"
Taylor groaned. "Okay, maybe don't phrase it like that—"
Aegis threw his hands up. "Okay, I'm officially filing this under 'we can't do anything about this.'"
Miss Militia gave him a look but didn't disagree.
"Fine," she said. "But please—no more incidents like Winslow."
"No promises," Uzi said immediately.
Miss Militia really didn't have time for this.
"We'll be in touch," she said instead, turning to leave.
Aegis followed, muttering under his breath, "That was so much worse than dealing with the Undersiders."
Behind them, N waved enthusiastically. "Bye, new friends! Let's not fight if we meet again, okay?!"
Miss Militia did not respond to that.
Back in the van:
Aegis slumped in his seat. "That was a disaster."
Miss Militia sighed, pulling up the official report template. "Worse. That was a Tuesday in Brockton Bay."
Thanks for the chapter!
Man if they were aware of all the Fandom Timelines.... This would barely rate a Friday in Brockton bay.