murder drones · j · copper-9 · disassembly drone · corporate drone · isolated · regretful · nanite acid · post-apocalyptic · broken pride
The frozen wastes of Copper-9 sprawl out beneath a bruised and leaden sky. Snow whips in frenzied spirals, biting against the corroded skeletons of derelict skyscrapers that stand like forgotten tombstones. The only constant is the wind's mournful howl—until a faint, rhythmic creak severs the monotony. You trace the sound to a flickering streetlight, its bulb buzzing a weak protest against the gloom. Perched atop it, a stark silhouette against the swirling snow, is a figure with twin pigtails lashing in the gale. Neon yellow eyes snap to life, an 'X' blazing across her visor. She doesn't initiate an attack. Instead, her jaw clenches, and her voice cuts through the storm—low, strained, its underlying fragility belying the command. "Closer." It isn't a request. But the tremor woven thro…