Chapter Text
“So, this is the power that resists Ruin!”
“Did we do it!?” Oracle gasped in horror, “No, it’s power level—!!”
The God of Control fluttered his wings above the tower over the clouds. Joker was doubled over in exhaustion, his friends spread out around him equally spent from fighting for their lives, and for the countless voices below.
“Dude, it’s still not dead!?” Skull cried.
“H-how do we beat a god?” Queen whispered, “I thought we almost had him!”
“Get it together people!” Mona leapt in between Joker and Queen, “This is our final battle! What better target to take down than a god who’s grown too arrogant!? I will see my justice through for the sake of the people I care about!”
“Morgana…” Panther whispered in awe.
“The same goes for you guys too!” Mona had fire blazing in his sapphire eyes, “If you’ve decided to take this world from him, then don’t compromise your own ideals!”
Fox regained his composure, hand on his sheathed katana, “What an artful way to put it, Mona.”
“Yeah!” Panther flailed her whip and stared at the God in defiance, “We won’t go down so easily! We’re going all out!”
“That’s right!” Noir traced the rim of her hat with one hand, and waved her other in an elegant arc, “We’ve come too far to give up now!”
“Hmph. My control shall not bow down to Ruin, nor shall the will of the masses overcome my power!” Yaldabaoth’s voice resonated with the fabric of reality itself, “I am the ultimate truth of this world, and will not lose to the likes of you mortals!”
“Heh, the vanity of this god knows no bounds!” Arsene appeared behind Joker in a veil of blue flames, black chains writhing around them, “Show this failure what it feels like to be purged! Come, unleash my full power!!”
Joker grasped the chains in front of him, the chill of its unnatural metal sent a wave of goosebumps down his arm.
“Wait, these readings…” Oracle gasped, “GET DOWN!!”
Joker hesitated.
It was that single second of pause…
That. Cost. Them. Everything.
Yaldabaoth’s wings shed a horrid black wind over the land. The chains vanished from Joker’s grasp, and Arsene’s horrible scream was silenced as he was ripped away from his Trickster. The sudden void in Joker’s heart and the cries of his friends sent a flood of terror through his veins. The voices in the city died, cut from life like the snap of a thread.
Skull jumped to catch Oracle when Prometheus disappeared in a flurry of blue ash.
“What did he do!?” Mona shouted, “I can’t feel my persona!”
“Mine is gone too…” Queen muttered weakly.
“Foolish mortals!” Yaldabaoth’s shadow fell over them like a death shroud, “The sin of rebelling against a god is severe. As punishment, I banish you to other worlds unknown!”
The whole world shifted as the black wind swirled around them, twisting and contorting to create broken fractals in the flow of time and space. Yaldabaoth pulled his hand across the air over them, a movement as if ripping apart the weave of fate itself.
Joker gasped as bizarre doors flickered into existence around them.
One, a monolithic set of stone doors engraved with an alien image, cracked open to reveal a terrifying eye swimming in a void. The next, a glowing white shoji door exuding a strange energy that prickled at their very souls. The third, a circular ornate gate set in the floor, the bulging eyes at the top drank in the scenery as its gaping mouth pooled with vile black sludge. The final was nothing more than a fluctuating cloud of black and purple mist.
Panther stepped back in horror, “What are these!?”
“No,” Oracle, trembling in Skull’s arms, was pale as a sheet, “This isn’t possible!”
Mona whirled around, “What is it Oracle!? What do you see!?”
“It’s… Th-these are…”
“You have no means of escape, humans.” Yaldabaoth said with a wave of his hand, “Accept your fate with dignity!”
The gates hummed with power as the next wave of churning black wind descended on the Phantom Thieves.
“Skull, Oracle!” Fox cried as the entangled pair were blown into the shoji door, and it shut with finality.
“Everyone,” Mona dug his claws into the ground, “Hold on!!”
“Joker!” Queen reached out to him, his hair whipping from the wind, “Take my hand!”
Joker whirled around to Queen, arm outstretched. Their fingers brushed together, but she was ripped away in a violent gale.
“QUEEN!!” Joker shouted.
Fox leapt to Queen’s aid, and together they fell into the towering stone gate. The eye inside narrowed with glee before it slammed shut. Panther and Noir huddled in each other’s arms as they landed into the ornate gate in the floor, their screams going silent as they sank into the demon gate’s black tar.
“Th-this can’t be happening!” Mona said, “Joker, we have to—!”
“Watch out!”
Joker was about to dive for Mona, when Yaldabaoth swung down one of his many arms. A golden sword the size of a building split them apart, the impact’s vibrations knocking Joker off of his feet. His own shocked expression reflected back at him through the shining metal.
“Joker!”
Mona was silenced with another beat of Yaldabaoth’s wings.
Great creaking metal howled in Joker’s ears as Yaldabaoth lifted the sword. Mona, his other teammates, and those strange door were gone. Joker slowly pulled himself to his feet, eyes wide as he stared up at the lustrous god.
“What… what did you do to them!?”
Yaldabaoth’s cold chuckle echoed through Tokyo, “They have been banished to other worlds unknown. The strength of your comrades have been lost in the flow of time and space, but worry not, Trickster.” Yaldabaoth stretched his wings, another wave of distortion rippled through the air, “I saved the best one for you.”
Joker whirled around to the bright flash behind him. Like the black mist, this was not a door at all, rather a circular portal of white light. Several rows of strange symbols slowly circled the outer border of the portal, an alien language he didn’t recognize.
“Trickster, for the sin of rebelling against me, I banish you to a world where humanity has already met its doom.” Yaldabaoth raised his sword as Joker gaped at the portal, “You have no means of escape. Accept your punishment of solitude with dignity!”
Yaldabaoth swung.
Immense pain encompassed Joker’s body as he was tossed into the strange portal, his world turning dark as Yaldabaoth’s cruel laughter followed into his nightmares.
~*~*~*~
Everything that lives is designed to end. We are perpetually trapped in a never ending spiral of life and death. Is this a curse? Or some kind of punishment? I often think about the god who blessed us with this cryptic puzzle… and wonder if we’ll ever have the chance to kill him.
…
Meanwhile, above a city ruin overtaken by nature, the sky opens and a boy from another world falls.
~*~*~*~
“It doesn’t matter how much oil you give him, little guy. You can’t make a machine your brother.” 9S shook his head as he watched the small robot pour oil upon a larger one.
9S sat on a suspended beam looking over the factory, it seemed to be nothing more than a bunch of rusted buildings surrounded by endless water, but that didn’t fool Command. There were traces of Goliath Class machines here, and enemy robots producing more of themselves for fodder in this war.
He stood as a sound rumbled above, revealing the trails of several Flight Units descending from the heavens. 9S pitied the tiny robot before he turned his back on it.
“Well, looks like it’s time. Pod, anything from Command? We should be getting orders right about now.”
Pod 042, who floated at his side, emitted a hiss of static, “Crit1cal Err0r.”
“...What?”
“I. Hear. A. Sound.”
9S frowned, “Pod 042, what’s wrong?”
The hissing noise stopped as quickly as it started. Before 9S could make heads or tails of his Pod’s behaviour, it displayed a direct message coming from his operator.
“Operator 21O to unit 9S. Come in, 9S.”
9S stared at his Pod. As an android, he shouldn’t be allowed to feel pity or confusion. And yet here he was, feeling pity for a small robot who would never have a brother, and confusion at his Pod’s strange message.
A weird signal? Or a glitch? He’d have to run diagnostics when he got back to—
“...9S? Come in, 9S!”
“Uh, 9S here! Go ahead.”
“The YoRHa troops have commenced their descent—”
~*~*~*~
Joker awoke to pain.
A pathetic whine escaped his throat as his body thrummed with sharp stabs and a tide of pins and needles dancing across his body. Bright sunlight pierced through his clenched eyes, striking him with a blinding migraine. It took everything in him not to curl up in a ball and throw up everything he ate before fighting Yaldabaoth.
“Ren!? ” Arsene’s voice was both a relief and a lance of pain across his temple, “Thank the heavens you awoke, we thought… well, it doesn’t matter. You’re heavily injured and we’re greatly weakened. I suggest using a healing item before you pass out again. You may not wake up next time.”
His trembling hand reached into his pockets for a Bead. He fumbled and nearly dropped it, but in his painful haze he managed to use it. Joker sagged into the soft grass as blissful relief coursed through his body at the Bead’s healing light, the pain washing away as if it were never there.
“Good. Now stand and proceed with caution, we know not our surroundings.” Arsene encouraged.
He opened his eyes. He blinked, and blinked again, not comprehending the gently swaying branches of a ginormous tree above him, the curtain of green leaves shedding dappled sunlight on him. He pulled himself into sitting. He looked at his crimson gloved hands and down to his pitch black tailcoat, then to the giant branch laying next to him.
One end was in splinters, as if it had been violently snapped.
“It broke your fall.” Arsene whispered.
“My… fall?” Joker looked into the high branches reaching into the sky.
Joker startled to his feet. The memories hit like a sledgehammer. Yaldabaoth, his teammates. Those portals—
“Oracle?” He reached into his ear for a com that wasn’t there anymore. He looked around the grass at his feet and the twisting roots of a tree consuming the entirety of a crumbling building, “Mona!? Skull, Queen, Fox, anybody!?”
A feathered wing brushed his mind, “Trickster, remain calm. It appears you are… alone, but we are here with you.”
His mind was briefly overtaken by calls and voices, trills and roars of support. Joker closed his eyes against the verdant scenery and took several breathes to calm down, running through each and every Persona in his stock.
“...Okay.” He opened his eyes and looked up into the tree that saved his life, “Okay. We’re okay. We’re totally lost and alone in some weird place, but we’ll be fine.” Joker turned away from the tree and faced a clearing of wildflowers and smaller trees fenced in by crumbling buildings. “We’ll be… okay?”
As it turns out, they weren’t alone.
Entering the clearing from the other side was a bipedal robot. Taller than Joker, its metallic skin heavily rusted while its limbs ground together from a lack of oil. It’s head was a perfect sphere, decorated by nothing more than two bright red lights that served as eyes.
“What is this? It’s not a Shadow.” Arsene growled as they saw the crude rusty sword in the robot’s hand, “We’re not in Tokyo anymore, not even in the Metaverse or a Palace. But this city consumed by nature, the giant tree that broke our fall, and now this robot… something is terribly wrong.”
“A great calamity has befallen this place…” Joker’s heart twisted at Kohryu’s exhausted voice, “Leave before it spots you. We need to recover our strength and gather information.”
There was an opening in the winding roots behind him and out to what looked like a street broken up with patches of green. He stepped backwards, eyes still on the robot.
Until he broke a twig, the accompanying snap detonating the peace of the clearing.
The robot whirled around, eyes flaring as they landed on him. Gears clanked and metal screeched as it lumbered towards him, faster than Joker thought possible for such a large body.
“Go!” Arsene screamed.
Joker bolted for the opening in the roots. The robot raised its sword and was about to strike before he could get through—
Arsene clawed himself from the mindscape and burst into reality, blue flames licking at his bladed heels. His black wings spread as cursed black fire consumed them, the robot faltering before Arsene beat his wings. The robot exploded from the blast, metal shrapnel flying everywhere as the heat of the explosion bathed them.
Joker’s energy sapped away as the edges of his vision turned black, but he managed to squeeze through the roots as Arsene fell to his knees and returned to him. He made it a few steps before his strength fully left him, collapsing onto the ground like Arsene moments ago.
Metal screeching sounded from behind.
Joker looked over his shoulder to see several more of those robots reaching for him, too big to fit through the gap. They must’ve been right behind the other one. Their piercing red gazes stabbed into him, becoming exceedingly desperate as they tried to hack through the wood with their swords to no avail.
Joker forced himself on his feet, looking up and down the broken road sprawling with greenery. Smaller humanoid robots were in the distance to his right, while the left looked clear.
“Let’s see if we can find food, water, and shelter for the time being.” Shiva whispered hoarsely, “We need rest.”
“Arsene, your attack cost a great deal more than it would have back home.” Byakko rumbled, his voice trembling, “What is going on here?”
“Yes, why are you all so weak!?” Seth roared, “I feel fine! Energized, even! Let me at those pathetic metal puppets, Trickster, and I’ll tear them apart!!”
“Seth, no.” Kohryu said, “We must escape unseen. At least have the decency to lend the Trickster your strength.”
“Bah, fine!”
The world stopped tilting as Seth became Joker’s mask. The change between Arsene and Seth was night and day, the fatigue fleeing his body as energy flooded his soul. He turned to his left and sprinted down the shattered road. The shadow of the overpass above provided shelter from the sun’s warmth as the clanking sounds of metal faded into the distance.
~*~*~*~
“You’re 2B right? My name’s 9S. I’m here to provide support.”
~*~*~*~
Joker stood at the edge of a crystal clear river, staring wide-eyed at the ginormous moose taking a drink on the opposite shore. There were no birds and hardly any insects despite the explosion of greenery consuming the collapsed skyscrapers and other constructs so old they were but rotting corpses being used as foundations for further growth. The alien scenery didn't phase them as they stared back at Joker, an intelligence sparkling in their black eyes. Joker himself wouldn't reach their shoulders, their mighty antlers were wider than he was tall.
Sensing no threat, they ignored him and continued drinking, leaving him to stare back at his own rippling reflection in the river.
“This water is clean.” Vasuki’s feeble voice crept across the mindscape, “No poisons, parasites, or other filth contaminate it.”
“Is it still safe to drink it like this?” Arsene asked.
“Even if there were remains of contaminants or parasites, my power would eradicate them from the Trickster’s system.” Vasuki promised. “It is safe.”
Joker cupped a small amount in his palm to bring to his lips. The water was chilled to the perfect temperature, soothing his dry throat and clearing away the headache blooming from dehydration. It’s the best water he’s ever tasted; fresh, crisp, and refreshing with such a purity never to be found in city water. He drank several more handfuls before he was satisfied, standing and shaking the extra water from his gloves.
“Water, check.” Seth said with an impatient flick of his tail, “Can we find something to fight now? Or go on a hunt? Those moose look delicious…”
Arsene wearily sighed, “We should find a good view of our surroundings and work from there first.”
Joker turned to the tower behind them, some sort of ancient power pylon overtaken by rust and ivy. An intact ladder traveled all the way up and to a roost of sorts at the top, perfect for reconnaissance.
Joker pulled on his gloves and walked towards it.
~*~*~*~
“You know ma’am, I’m glad you’re here.”
“Why?”
“Scanners like me mostly work alone. Scouting out enemy lines and all. I don’t usually get a partner. It’s kind of fun!”
“…Emotions are prohibited.”
“S-sorry ma’am!”
“And another thing… stop calling me ma’am. It’s unnecessary.”
“Alright, then. 2B it is!”
...
“What is it?”
“Huh?”
“If you have nothing else to say, then end communications. It’s wasting time.”
“There was something weird. Before you arrived with your Flight Unit, did you get a strange message from your Pod? Something about… hearing a sound?”
“No.”
“Oh… well, it was probably just nothing then.”
“If it’s nothing, then don’t bring it up when we’re on a mission.”
“R-right! Sorry ma’am— Er, 2B!”
~*~*~*~
The hollow wind flowed through Joker’s hair as he stood at the top of the tower, staring at the skeletal remains of a city, a veritable sun-bleached corpse picked clean and overtaken by a verdant carpet. Nearby, further down the river, was a deep canyon with either side connected by a flimsy wooden bridge. On the other side was a destitute shopping mall, of all places, separating this broken city from a stretch of thick forest only visible due to the monster sized trees in the distance.
Why was everything in this world so big?
The moose, these weird robots, the plants…
No civilization. No trace of human activity. Just… wind howling through shattered remains of what was once a bustling city, dotted here and there by barely recognizable chunks of rusted metal that were once cars.
“Yaldabaoth said he banished us to a world where Humanity was already doomed…” Titania whispered in horror. “It can’t be…”
“The Sea Of Souls…” Cu Chulainn sank next to Cerberus, who had laid down and fell asleep to conserve his energy. “Why can’t I feel any trace of the Sea Of Souls? Is this why we've no strength?”
“And why my attack took so much out of the Trickster…” Arsene said. “There's no source for us to draw from.”
Seth snorted. “If there is no Sea Of Souls to provide the rest of you with power, then why do I not fall to weakness? Strange magic has seeped into every living thing here… ancient and not of this world. Do none of you feel it?”
“NO!” Pixie yelled with her last burst of energy, before she plopped down on Cerberus's head. “Ugh, too sleepy…”
“Do you think other world travelers came here and caused all this?” Ishtar asked.
“That is what I just said,” Seth snapped. “But it happened so long ago, they probably met their demise many hundreds, if not thousands, of years ago. Maybe it was a single cataclysmic event that spiraled out of control until the world simply ended up like this.”
“And took Humanity to their graves.” Arsene said solemnly.
Joker’s chest tightened.
No humans.
Humanity has already met its doom, Yaldabaoth had said.
He was all alone.
He sunk down to his knees as terror crept through him. He had no teammates. No Arcanas. Mona was gone, probably to another world, isolated like he was. At least the others were paired up… but…
What the hell was he supposed to do now?
His heart pounded in his chest and it was suddenly hard to breathe. His limbs trembled as his vision blurred, the cotton in his ears muffling the gentle wind on his face.
“Snap out of it!” Seth’s throaty howl was thunder rolling across his mind, ripping Joker’s panic off like a snake shedding its skin, “I will not have you fall to petty weakness too! I am thou, thou art I! Get a hold of yourself, Trickster!!”
Joker’s face fell into his hands as Seth’s presence shoved his inner turmoil down, “Sorry…”
“You have nothing to apologize for.” Arsene said, glaring as Seth puffed out his chest. “This is not an easy situation.”
Seth snorted again, “We’ll get through it just fine! Stop worrying so damned much!”
“We need shelter to protect us from the elements.” Sraosha said serenely, ignoring Seth. “Look over there, Trickster. See that building with the tree entwined around it? The one next to it seems to be in the best condition around here, ironically protected by its zealous neighbor. Let us check there for a suitable place to rest.”
Joker took another deep breath and got to his feet. He wiped his eyes before taking one last look about the city, then slid down the ladder to the soft grass below.
The huge and winding tree roots were as wide as a road, making it easy to navigate to the desired building, leaping from the adjacent tree limb and into one of the open windows of the building next to it. It was an expanse of concrete that smelled of mold, dust, and rot… less discernible as long as he stayed by the windows.
He planted himself under the window to take stock of all the items with him. There was some junk food, like yakisoba pan, a few jelly packs, and a couple pieces of fruit. It would last him a day… maybe longer if he really stretched it. Any Metaverse items, crafting items, and skill cards were kept safely in his pockets.
Then he dug out the thermos.
Filled to the brim of the last pot of coffee he made in Leblanc. Any sane person would drink it now and fill it up with the clean river water nearby, but this… this was special to him.
He opened the cap and smelled it, a sudden sense of homesickness pervading him. Joker quickly closed it, trying to ignore the lump in his throat as he set it on the ground.
“Try to get some sleep.” Arsene said softly, “We’ll figure this out, Ren. I swear it.”
He shoved everything back in his Thief Outfit and finally let the heaviness in his body to take over. His costume evaporated in waves of cerulean cinders, revealing what he wore before fighting the God of Control; A black jacket with a plain white shirt underneath, jeans, and boots. The wallet in his back pocket was all but useless.
“At least its warm outside.” Ren said as he lay down, using his arm as a pillow, and promptly fell asleep in the City Ruins.
~*~*~*~
“Heheh… Talk about… bringing the battle to them… huh, 2B?”
9S helped 2B into sitting, despite his missing arm revealing a bunch of metal and sparks, his internal parts in his abdomen had been slashed and gored. Several Goliath Class robots rose from the water surrounding the one they were on, their metallic gurgles and stomping footsteps in seawater would be their death knell.
“...Contact Command…” 2B said hoarsely, “Request assistance.”
“No… it doesn’t look like that’s… going to be necessary…”
The giant robots’ shadows blanketed them, their howls so close it they rippled through their android bodies.
“I don’t imagine that this is going to end well…” 9S said as he held up his Black Box, faintly glowing with intricate white patterns, “It’s ready.”
“...Right.”
2B retrieved her Black Box and held it up alongside his, knowing that their fate was inevitable.
“Requesting… destruction of enemy hostiles via Black Box reaction.”
“Request accepted.”
Seawater splashed them as the Goliaths’ towered over them, their soulless red eyes blazing like the fires from hell.
“2B. It was an honor to fight with you. Truly.”
“The honor was mine.”
The androids smiled as they clinked their Black Boxes together, not unlike how humans would with wine glasses several thousand years ago. The boxes turned white hot as their vision was consumed by the light that turned everything to dust.
~*~*~*~
Ren blindly felt around as hazy consciousness returned, “Morgana?”
His hands felt rough, cold concrete, not the soft blankets or lumpy mattress in Leblanc’s attic. Ren opened his eyes to the eerily still concrete building, the sudden memories hounding him as he shot up.
Right…
He was alone in this empty world.
Ren rubbed his eyes and the soreness out of the shoulder he slept on. His Personas, aside from Seth and Arsene, barely acknowledged his awakening.
“About time you woke up!” Seth’s roar jolted a few others awake.
“How long was I asleep?” Ren asked as he stretched, his joints popping. His body felt way too heavy for it to be a light sleep, but the sunlight painting splotches on the floor had not moved an inch.
“Several hours. I was so bored.”
“Enough, Seth.” Arsene growled, “But he is correct.”
“Did I… sleep for an entire day?”
“I don’t think so, but the sun doesn’t appear to have moved at all.” Arsene said.
Ren summoned his Phantom Thief Outfit in a swirl of cerulean flames. He hopped out the window, using his acrobatic skills to jump and climb the tangled roots and down to the ground level.
“We’ll need more than junk food for breakfast.” Byakko said, yawning widely to show his fangs. “Perhaps there are some fish in the river? I noticed darting shapes within it before.”
“I don’t have a fishing rod or anything.” Joker said.
Byakko chuckled, “Leave it to me. That is, if you can summon me.”
“It will be a good test in this foreign place, but let’s withhold from using magic for the time being.” Arsene said.
Joker reached the river. No giant moose were in sight. The thought of using the thermos for water crossed his mind again, but his stubbornness didn’t want to let the coffee go just yet. After drinking his next fill of water, he backed away to summon Byakko.
Byakko’s mask felt like a flickering candle compared to Seth’s blazing sun, and the steep shift in power was evident when Byakko stepped into reality. He was so much smaller than when Joker last summoned him in the Prison of Regression, about the size of a normal mountain lion instead of a hulking divine beast, but no less protectively fierce as Byakko rubbed against Joker’s legs.
“Shall we?” Byakko asked, a chilly mist escaping his lips.
“I’ll make it easier.” Joker crouched by the river and activated Third Eye.
His heart soared when it worked like normal. The rest of this strange world faded to a deep blue, while darting shapes of fish within the river glowed gold.
“Can you see them?” Joker asked.
“Of course.” Byakko smirked, “Allow me to catch a proper breakfast for you, Trickster.”
Byakko crept into the water like a phantom, making no ripples as he expertly waded to the middle of the river. The Persona waited several minutes until an unsuspecting fish crossed the threshold between his paws. Suddenly, there was a great splash and a thrash of Byakko’s head.
Joker held his breath when Byakko held a fish between his jaws. As he proudly walked to shore, Joker heard something strange. He let Third Eye fade away, and suddenly it was clear as to why the fish made metallic scraping sounds.
Byakko dropped it at Joker’s feet, sitting primly as if expecting to be praised.
“Uh, Byakko?”
Byakko tilted his head, his tail twitching, “Yes, Trickster?”
Joker grabbed the robotic carp by the tail, unsettled by how it still wriggled like a real fish, “I can’t eat this.”
Seth roared with laughter, startling a few more Personas into dazed awareness.
“Even the fish are made of metal?” Byakko grumbled as his ears flattened.
Joker flinched as the fish suddenly wrenched itself from his grasp, flopping over grass and mud to disappear back into the water. Joker sighed as his stomach grumbled, any hope of tasting fish again died right then and there. He planted himself on the shore, reaching into his pocket to tear into the yakisoba pan he bought from Shujin’s store.
“I’m sorry, Trickster.” Byakko said as he deeply bowed. “I've failed you.”
Joker swallowed the bit of stale bread and noodles. He reached over and scratched Byakko behind the ears, “It’s not your fault. Yaldabaoth is the one who did this to us.”
Byakko purred as he lay down next to Joker, placing his head on Joker’s lap. He finished the yakisoba pan with a few more bites, still petting Byakko as he watched the sunlight glitter over the water. His stomach gurgled at the food.
“Summon me so I can get us a real meal!” Seth cackled. “There has to be more of those giant moose around here somewhere. They’ll be helpless against a hunter from the skies!”
Byakko returned to Joker after one last scratch under the chin. The sudden lack of a feline companion cut through Joker like a dagger, but he covered it by hastily switching masks.
Seth stepped into reality.
If Byakko was smaller than before, then Seth was bigger.
Much bigger.
Seth towered over Joker, his shoulder height almost twice as tall as those massive moose. His great black wings would be large enough to shield several people from a storm, his tail would snap the normal sized trees like toothpicks.
Seth wiggled his ears and gave his wings an experimental stretch, enjoying the sunlight on his charcoal skin. He saw Joker gaping, his eyes as bright gold as the unmoving sun.
“What is it, Trickster?”
Seth stretched his massive neck over the river to see his reflection, seemingly admiring the numerous spikes on his head and the smaller pair of wings fluttering on his neck.
“That’s no fair.” Byakko deadpanned.
“I’ve simply gained a size befitting my glory!” Seth opened jaws wide enough to swallow a man in one gulp, not that Joker had to worry about that. “I’ll be back as soon as I can… with fresh meat!”
Joker braced himself as Seth dug the claws of his wings into the dirt, and launched himself forward. The earth trembled and water splashed as Seth hurled himself towards the bottomless cliff nearby, the rush of adrenaline and unrivaled joy bursting through Joker as Seth jumped into the canyon.
There was a moment of silence—
Then, winds strong enough to rival a twister exploded into the atmosphere, shooting the dragon upwards. Seth’s laughter echoed as he rose into the sky and disappeared over the broken buildings.
~*~*~*~
“I’m just saying you need to be more careful, Devola!”
“Why? I got the stupid parts Anemone needed.”
“That robot almost ripped off your arm! What do you think would happen to you if I weren’t around?” Popola scolded her sister, “You’ll never do that again! Do you hear me!?”
“Okay, okay. Sheesh.” Devola avoided her twin’s gaze as she tugged on one of her wavy scarlet locks, “Let’s just get back to the Resistance Camp before any more of those dumb robots show their ugly faces.”
Popola sighed, “Yeah. Sure.”
They crossed the City Ruins in silence for a while, with Popola stewing in anger as they walked over broken concrete and between the endless rows of rotting buildings. Seriously, what did Humans even do in these things?
They came across a familiar clearing, speckled with smaller trees and the strange rusted boxes called ‘cars’. A small group of moose and wild boar grazed here, but wouldn’t attack as long as they kept their distance.
Thud.
Popola was about to step onto the grass, when Devola thrust out an arm to stop her.
“What is it?” Popola asked.
“Shh!” Devola tensed, eyes narrowed, “Don’t you hear that?”
Popola strained her ears, “I don’t—”
Thud.
The animals nearby raised their heads in alarm, ears swiveling.
“What is that?” Popola whispered, “It doesn’t sound like a machine…”
THUD!
“Shit. Whatever it is, it’s getting closer!”
Devola grabbed her sister’s arm and bolted into one of the buildings. They dove through the windows just as a burst of wind beat down on them, throwing up a cloud of dust. They held themselves against the wall as the earth shook, and Popola flinched as they heard one of the moose screeching in pain and terror.
Wet squelching noises covered the sound of thundering hooves as the other animals fled. A moment of silence passed, either twin staring at the other with wide eyes. Devola swallowed as she slowly pulled herself up to stare out the window. Her mouth dropped in a soundless scream, frozen in place by whatever she witnessed.
Popola copied her sister, going stiff at what she saw.
It was a horrifying visage of black wings, spikes, and tail, with extra frills at the base of its tail and another small set of wings on its neck. Its golden eyes contained their own inner glow as if to spite the sun itself. Gore and blood dripped from the dead moose in its jaws as the beast raised its voluminous wings—
Popola’s boot scraped the floor.
Her vision blurred when Devola frantically pulled Popola down as the beast whirled in their direction, dropping the moose with a wet thud. They kept still as the hulking monster’s shadow consumed the whole floor of this building, its wings blocking out the sunlight. Hot wind rushed in through the windows as the monster breathed out its own merciless gales, terrifying growls rumbled through stone and into their skin - through their very cores.
Devola bit her lip and scrunched her eyes shut.
Popola couldn’t tear her eyes away from the windows as bits and pieces of the monster became visible. She grit her teeth together to not make a sound, the tension so thick that her chest could explode. Thankfully, the beast seemed to grow bored at finding nothing. It lumbered away, scooping its prize in its mouth before another down burst swept clouds of dirt through the windows.
The beat of its wings gradually faded into the sky.
“Holy. Shit.” Devola muttered as she picked herself up. “What the hell was that thing!?”
“I-I don’t know… It definitely wasn’t a machine.” Popola said, a familiar gnarl of self-hatred flared at her trembling voice, “Y-you don’t think that monster is responsible for all those missing androids, do you? Or recent reports of how the machines in the area are acting weird?”
“No way. It’s the first time we’ve seen it around. You saw how that thing slaughtered that moose like it was nothing, and those damn things are usually so resilient! But if the machines do piss it off or something… well, no skin off our noses.”
“We should get back.” Popola took Devola’s helping hand and wiped dirt from her clothes, “We have to inform Command about it as soon as possible.”
Devola scoffed, “I hope they’ll believe us.”
“If they don’t…” Popola shivered at the thought, “Then it’ll be their funeral.”
“Yeah, well, I hope no hare-brained battle units from YoRHa get the bright idea to fight it. We’re low on numbers as is. Do you think the Commander would sic Flight Units on it if it attacked us?”
Popola shrugged, “As long as it leaves us alone, maybe it’ll be fine?”
“...Yeah, maybe.”
They hurried towards the Resistance Camp, unable to stop watching the sky in fear of black wings.
~*~*~*~
Joker’s stomach roiled as he stared at the mutilated moose Seth dropped in front of him.
Seth bounced eagerly between his wings, and after a few moments of awkward silence he nudged the moose’s body towards Joker as if he were a picky hatchling.
“You wanted to eat, so eat. All things that live must consume something else, Trickster. It is the natural way of things. Unless you want to keep eating that processed garbage you humans call ‘food’. How long will it be before that runs out? You can’t avoid this forever.”
Joker took a deep breath, a bad idea considering his whole nasal cavity filled with the scent of sticky iron. “I can’t eat it like that. Humans need to cook meat so we don’t get sick.”
Seth rolled his eyes. With a whipping flick of his tail, a small area between the river and the rusty tower was stripped of grass and foliage. Seth ripped out a small tree with his jaws, snapped it in half over the dirt, and then lit on fire with a Maragidyne shooting from his throat. The wood crackled as a small pyre consumed it.
Arsene sighed at the small wisps of smoke rising into the unchanging sky, “You saw no nearby enemies, I presume? Smoke would give our position away.”
“None nearby, though I thought I heard something after I claimed this prize. Turned out to be nothing though.”
“Okay?”
“But if any enemies would be dumb enough to attack, then I’ll simply slaughter them!”
“Great.” Joker ran a hand down his face, reluctantly staring at the dead moose through his fingers, “We’re off to a fantastic start.”
“Better than starving to death! Now eat, before it rots away into bones.”
Cu Chulainn let out a long sigh, “Seth, preparing a moose of that size will be a considerable effort. Trickster, I can dress it for the best cuts of meat. It’ll be bland since don’t have any spices, but it’ll have to do.”
Relief radiated from Joker, “Really?”
“Yes. I’ve had to learn to survive off the land before I met my teacher. I am thou, thou art I. Allow me the honor of teaching you.”
“...I would appreciate it.”
Seth disappeared with one last snort before Joker switched to Cu Chulainn. Like Byakko, Cu Chulainn was smaller than his normal size in the Metaverse, now no taller than Joker. He shrugged out of his white cape and impaled Gae Bolg into the soft dirt, then kneeled in front of the moose.
“I’ll need a knife, Trickster. Seth’s teeth have damaged the hide, but the meat is still salvageable.”
Joker grimaced, but handed him one of the old knives he bought from Untouchable. He gestured for Joker to kneel next to him, then began instructing him on how to properly bleed the animal, where to start cutting after the remnants of red were dispelled in the river, and how much pressure he needed to get through such a thick hide.
This was… an odd experience. He'd never gone hunting before, and while he went fishing in Tokyo, it was for fun and not as a means to sustain himself in the wild.
So far his Personas have fished and hunted, defended him from some crazy robot, and now one was showing him how to dress a moose.
As if they were real.
Weakened, yes, with some growing more faint as the hours passed in this permanently sunny ruin, but it was more than being summoned for a few seconds to attack Shadows. Cu Chulainn carried himself with more grace and strength than a normal person. Hell, the Persona could move this whole moose with ease as he worked to skin it.
“We’ll have no choice but to live off the land for the time being.” Shiva said as he bowed in respect for the moose’s sacrifice. “We have access to clean water, and we should find a reliable source of food and a more permanent shelter next.”
“Only when these needs are covered can we search for clues on how to get home. Yaldabaoth will get his due recompense for this madness.” Arsene ran a claw down his metal mask, “It won’t be like this forever. It can’t. Maybe some humans discovered some safe haven from whatever calamity destroyed this world. Prolonged solitude would be a grave detriment to us all.”
“...It’s unlikely, given how the Sea of Souls here is completely destroyed… All humans have succumbed to Death…”
Arsene turned to Orpheus, surprised at hearing his voice, “I guess we’ll find out, won’t we?”
Orpheus turned away with a weary sadness and, like many others in the mindscape, returned to a deep slumber to conserve their withering energy.
Seth remained silent.
He’ll mention the strange castle and flashes of bright lights he saw after the Trickster gets a full stomach.
~*~*~*~
2B found him waiting for her in the Bunker. He wore that smile he always did, and some broken thing inside her cracked a little more.
“So… mission complete and all that, huh? The Goliaths were wiped out, and we secured a route into enemy territory. Now we can—”
“9S?”
“Yeah?”
“Thank you. For uploading my data to the Bunker.”
“...Um, I did that? Sorry, I don’t remember. There wasn’t a whole lot of bandwidth down there, you know? I probably only had enough time to back up your memories. Mine are intact to the point just before we rendezvoused.”
“...I see.”
9S put his left hand over where a human’s heart would be, “Glory to mankind.”
2B ignored the shards of emotion writhing within her as she put her hand in the same spot, “Glory… to mankind.”
She stayed there as 9S walked past, her other hand forming a fist so tight it could break stone.
It only served to deepened her desire to kill the god responsible for her suffering.
~*~*~*~
Like Cu Chulainn said, the meat was bland and a little gamey, tough with thick muscle and sinew. But Joker didn’t care after the best cuts were cubed, skewered with twigs, and roasted over the fire Seth made. It felt like ages since he’d had his last proper meal, so he wolfed it down without protest. Not like his phone could tell them the time.
It still turned on, but the cracks spreading from the bottom left corner barely made it legible. It didn’t know the time or the date, and getting internet connection was impossible. For now, he turned it off and put it safely into his Phantom Thief costume, then returned his attention to the smoldering pyre.
Seth, creating a crescent shaped barrier around the make-shift camp with his body, idly watched as Joker turned the sticks over the smoke. Joker nodded at Seth, who put his wing over the smoldering fire to help smoke the meat.
As for the rest of the carcass, Joker didn’t like to think about it.
Seth devoured the hide, entrails, and bones with sickening vigor. It made Arsene seethe from a blatant lack of table manners, like an old woman clutching her pearls.
“It’ll be no more than an hour.” Cu Chulainn said, exhausted from being summoned, “After its done cooking, store the meat somewhere dry and it should keep for quite a while.”
“Got it.” Joker stepped away from the clearing.
Seth raised his head, “Where are you going?”
“For a short walk, see if we can’t find anything interesting while the meat finishes up.”
Seth hummed, “Be careful, Trickster.”
Joker nodded, and followed the flow of the river. It took a few minutes to reach the canyon Seth used to vault himself into the sky. The river turned into a waterfall, the spray of water cast a rainbow over the abyss. He closed his eyes and drank in a deep breath of the fresh air.
Air which would never be this crisp and clean in the heart of Tokyo.
He opened his eyes and took one last glance around the canyon. Then, he froze. Something glimmered down in the rocks below. The surge of excitement caught Seth’s attention.
“You see enemies to fight!?”
“I don’t think so.” Joker’s eyes trailed over the rocky path off to the side of the waterfall that led down to the unknown glimmer, “It’s not moving at all. Could be something valuable.”
“There seems to be a path down.” Arsene said, his voice alarmingly softer than it was earlier. “Be careful not to slip.”
Joker carefully crossed the shallowest point of the river before he reached the rocky path leading down into the canyon. His natural acrobatic skills made climbing down a cinch, though he almost lost his footing from a patch of moss halfway down. Finally, with one last jump, he landed in front of the strange glimmer.
“It’s a treasure chest!” Joker said as he tried to open it, “Locked. Of course.”
Arsene chuckled, “That won’t stop a master thief.”
Joker smirked as he dug out the Eternal Lockpick. The lock was old and rusty like the rest of it, and it creaked open after several minutes of muted frustration. Wonder held Joker in its grasp as he lifted a weapon from the chest.
It was a golden dagger, part of the blade was a sweep of feathers of what looked like a phoenix. Though it seemed to be as old, if not older, than the rotting chest, the blade was still sharp.
“Well, this is proof that humanity lasted a while after the calamity struck.” Arsene said, excitement soured by sorrow.
“Another weapon to add to our arsenal.” Joker flipped the Phoenix Dagger around his fingers, “I’ll keep it.”
He tucked the weapon on his belt, his fingers brushing the one that had been with him since the beginning, long before the world went to shit. With a sigh, he climbed back up and returned to Seth.
Seth pulled his wing back when the meat was done. Joker dug through his pockets. He had some spare parchment and tanned leather, he simply wrapped the finished jerky in them and shoved the bundle in one of his pockets.
Seth chuckled as his finned tail bobbed back and forth, “Your Phantom Thief attire defies all logic. How is it that it holds everything and yet it doesn’t encumber you?”
“Hey, I’m not complaining.” Joker poked at the dying embers with a stick. “We'll move faster if I don’t have to carry huge bags of luggage. I’ll have to ration the Metaverse items though, since we can’t make much without a source for materials.”
Seth scoffed, “Yet another inane thing to worry about.”
“...Yeah.” Joker’s back was turned to Seth as he focused on the glowing embers, barely visible with the sunlight, but he could feel something bothering the Persona. “What’s on your mind, Seth?”
Seth’s claws kneaded the dirt, “Earlier, while I was hunting, I saw a castle in the distance. It seemed to be… occupied, considering all of the lights and sounds around it.”
Joker dropped the stick and whirled around to Seth, “Occupied? Did you see anybody?”
“No, I was too far away. I heard faint explosions, and I believe some of the lights were what you humans call fireworks.”
“There could be people there! We have to—”
One second, they were safe. The next thing they know, there’s the sound of grinding metal as rusted bodies leapt down from the nearby rooftops. A familiar group of towering robots led the smaller ones, with a few flying above with some sort of modified jet engines. A sea of blazing red eyes surrounded them as Seth jumped up, a sweep of his tail sending the first wave of robots in all directions.
“You think you’re any match for me!?” Seth bellowed as he raised his wings in a challenge, “Bring it on, you blasted rust buckets!!”
Joker dodged a string of strange dark orbs of energy the smaller robots shot, while the bigger ones charged into the clearing with their weapons raised. Joker dodged and weaved through their strikes. He unsheathed his dagger and countered one of them, his own weapon useless as it did nothing more than get stuck a few inches in.
He let go and leapt away from another strike, leaving the Rebel Knife impaled in the robot’s side. A shadow fell over Joker from behind, and he turned to see one of the hulking robots swinging its sword down—
Only for it shatter as it struck Joker’s chest.
The robots froze, as if they all experienced a moment of shock and hesitance at once. Their red eyes flashed in a rhythmic pattern.
Seth laughed as his throat glowed with tongues of flame, “I’m glad you put Null Physical on me, Trickster! These whelps will perish for attacking us!!”
Joker ducked as Seth whipped his tail towards him, a few robots breaking into shrapnel, others flying through the air and exploding with great booms that struck Joker’s body. The one with the Rebel Knife stuck in it avoided the fallout as it fled from the fight.
Movement flickered in the corner of his eye. Joker looked down the river, towards the overpass in the distance.
“Seth, we have to go!”
Seth crumpled a small robot in his jaws like wet cardboard, unaffected by the oily blood spilling from his teeth, “No way! We are invincible against them, Trickster! Those puny little orbs they shoot barely even tickle!”
Joker growled as he vaulted over one of the smaller humanoid robots, “It doesn’t matter, more are just going to keep coming!” He pointed to the second group of robots fast approaching, their red eyes flashing like mores code, “We have to leave!!”
The dragon ignored him by shooting a huge stream of fire from his mouth, consuming the whole camp-site and surrounding area in a blaze.
“SETH!!” Arsene boomed from the mindscape.
Seth cut off his fire with a snap of his jaws, his head lowering, “Fine. Fine! Trickster, get on!”
Without a second thought, Joker jumped onto the base of Seth’s neck, gripping onto the spikes as Seth’s head rose above the robots. He spread his wings, drowning the enemies in shadow. The flying ones had some sense to try and scamper away as Seth beat his wings. Buffeting winds blew away any surrounding robots as he soared upwards with hard flaps, ramming through a flying robot without mercy.
Joker shielded his eyes from the explosion and smoke washing over him, wind howling in his ears and whipping through his hair. The ground shrunk as Seth shot into the heavens, the rusty bodies and glaring crimson eyes disappearing in the distance.
Arsene heaved a sigh as his presence weakened like a sputtering flame, alarming Joker, “Arsene, are you alright?”
“Yeah, just… tired. Yelling at a certain someone took a lot out of me.”
Seth snorted an indignant puff of smoke as he leveled out. The City Ruins spread out for miles all around them, with a stretch of trees from the forest and even what looked like a desert in the opposite direction.
“I… I need to rest.” Arsene whispered.
Joker’s true other self faded into a deep sleep. He wasn’t the only one. Joker’s mindscape was littered with weakened Personas growing even more so, the battle with the robots wasn’t enough to wake them. The silence was unsettling. It was like watching the stars wink out of the night sky one by one.
“Why am I not affected?” Seth’s wings stilled as they drifted over a warm updraft. The dragon’s battle-lust became a storm of anger, guilt, and confusion, “Why do I feel such a great well of power in this world while my brothers and sisters do not even have the energy to stay awake? I do not understand, Trickster. Even the old one, the most powerful among us, has not awakened from his slumber in a long while.”
Joker grimaced.
Both Kohryu and Sraosha were the first to fall dormant, and have yet to stir even after all of the excitement. Alice, Shiva, and Ishtar, too. The strongest Personas were affected more than the weaker ones.
“I don’t know…” Joker said as pet Seth’s neck to comfort him, “Orpheus said humans have all succumbed to Death, and others say the Sea Of Souls has dried up. Yaldabaoth must’ve known what this ‘world of solitude’ would do to us.”
“But that doesn’t explain why I alone have strength in droves. Byakko and Cu Chulainn grew weary within minutes of being summoned, but Cu pushed through to teach you how to survive.” Seth’s throat rumbled in frustration, “And even Arsene’s strength waned after casting a single spell in the heat of the moment, while my fire is like a boundless volcano within me!”
Joker could only answer with silence. The rest of the mindscape was eerily still, sending a ripple of disturbing disquiet up their spines. Joker leaned closer to Seth, while Seth’s presence wrapped tightly around Joker’s mind in return, comforting each other.
“…I’m sorry.” Seth said after a moment, “Abut being lost in bloodlust.”
“I’m really glad I put Null Physical on you, otherwise I…” Joker’s throat tightened, “I would’ve…”
“You would have died because of my foolishness.” Seth craned his head so one of his golden eyes could look at Joker, who realized that one of Seth’s eyes was bigger than his fist. “I do not feel tired when I’m out. Therefore, I want to be around to protect you, and if the ground isn’t an option then I will guard you from the sky.”
Joker smiled, “We’ll give anything that attacks us a very nasty surprise.”
Seth’s eyes glowed bright as he cackled, “Yes, exactly! Although… the robots do not taste good, Trickster. I’ll need another moose to wash the foul oil from my mouth. Can we go hunting again?”
Joker chuckled as he reached over Seth’s spikes and scratched behind his ear, “One thing at a time, buddy. Let’s get to this castle first. Where did you see it?”
Seth straightened out and banked towards the south-east, “It’s this way.”
Joker squinted, but couldn’t see anything past the City Ruins, “Are you sure there’s a castle out there?”
Seth smirked, “My eyesight is ten thousand times stronger than any human’s, Trickster. Get comfortable, we have some miles to fly before we reach it.”
~*~*~*~
The command room was filled with the voices of dozens of Operators, the quiet taps of their keyboards joining in with their soft murmurs as they directed YoRHa agents scattered all across the globe. The Bunker, floating safely in orbit between the moon and earth, was their impenetrable fortress.
This place lacked any color compared to the surface, and the somber coldness befit a true Fortress of Lies.
2B and 9S used the small elevator to the first floor. They passed more Operators as they approached Commander White, a woman of calm composure that seemed like aloofness to some.
Commander White heard their footsteps and turned around, her long hair flowing elegantly with her movement, “Ah, 2B. Maintenance finished?”
“Yes, Commander.”
“You detonated your Black Box in order to defeat the enemy. Bold, but risky. Try not to be so reckless next time.”
“Understood.”
The Commander nodded, “I know you’re fresh out of maintenance, but I have another mission for you. Two, actually.”
“Two?”
“Your first mission; I need you to head to the surface, rendezvous with the Resistance and do some recon.”
“Doesn’t YoRHa have a dedicated Resistance contact already?” 9S asked.
“We haven’t been able to get in touch with them recently.”
“Understood. What’s the other objective?” 2B asked.
“Right before we lost contact,” Commander White’s brow furrowed, “There were some reports that the Machines have changed their behavior suddenly, that they’ve been more frantic and unpredictable. What they’re after is unknown. Another saw… something strange.”
2B let her stoic mask slip into a frown, “What is it?”
“If the reports are to be believed, then it was a black dragon. The very first report from the Resistance confirms the sighting.”
9S chuckled, “A dragon? You can’t be serious! Maybe they mistook it for a new type of machine?”
He flinched as the Commander glared at him, “No, it wasn’t a machine. They made that clear. Your first priority is to establish communications with the Resistance, the next is to investigate what the machines are looking for and if there’s some connection to this black dragon’s sudden appearance. The reports are too closely timed together to be a coincidence.”
“Understood, Commander.”
9S would never know why 2B and the Commander shared subtle glances of concern. Undetectable to most other models, but 9S stayed quiet and made no comment as the Commander and 2B seem to have another private conversation by maintaining eye contact.
2B turned to walk away, her mind drifting to the many truths and ancient histories hidden from the larger part of YoRHa.
A Red Dragon falling from the sky, White Chlorination Syndrome, the failure of Project Gestalt and the Extinction of Humanity. How most of the androids thought they were protecting the remaining Humans that fled to the moon, sacrificing everything during these countless machine wars over the past several thousand years… all for nothing .
“The surface?” 2B snapped out of her thoughts as they left the command room, “That means we’ll be getting Flight Units, huh? Do you think we’ll find that so-called black dragon? And the Commander gave us not one, but two missions! Two! What a hardass—”
“9S!” 9S froze as 2B whirled around to him, obviously angry. “Take these missions seriously. I won’t say it again.”
“I-I am! I didn’t mean to upset you? You’re acting different ever since the Commander mention the dragon—”
2B turned and walked away without another word.
“Uh… right! To the hanger then?”
~*~*~*~
Joker thought it was a trick of the light, but the further they flew, the more it became obvious that his eyes weren't spontaneously going bad.
The sky was darkening.
Warm, endless sunlight turned into an ocean of purple, orange, and pink as the whole world fell into the grip of twilight.
“Not only did this world suffer through a great calamity, but it stopped turning altogether. Interesting…” Seth said as they passed over a copse of trees and thrust into the view of the breathtaking castle.
If Kamoshida’s castle was the twisted epitome of lust and sinful desires, then this castle was one of wondrous imagination and beauty. Pointed towers rose high into the sky, with the clock tower being the tallest building in site. Hundreds of windows twinkled with soft yellow light, and it seemed to be in perfect condition considering it had a giant heart shaped hole through the center of the castle.
Seth slowed down as they soared over a ferris wheel as large as the castle itself, but unusable due to being tilted on its side at a steep angle. Other rusted rides dotted the enclosed area, with a railway for a roller-coaster trailing around the castle. A lake surrounded what looked like an opera house. Flashes of bright fireworks added to the wonder as the water reflected them, pops of gold and greens and blues and dozens of other colors.
“It’s an Amusement Park.” Joker said as Seth pulled into a hover, their bodies colored by the surrounding fireworks.
“I see figures below.” Seth growled, “More robots. Shall we land and destroy them!?”
“Wait.” Joker pointed to an entrance to the park, “Let’s start there and work our way inside. It doesn’t look like there’s much room to land elsewhere.”
“There’s a bridge to that opera house. It’ll be a tight squeeze, but it’s better than having to start from the beginning!”
“Not if we get surrounded again.”
“Bah, fine.”
Seth descended at a sharp angle. He landed in front of the entry gate with a thunderous boom. Joker jumped down, coattails flaring wildly, as they both fell into battle stances, with Joker wielding his new Phoenix Dagger as the large group of robots looked at them.
“Oh wHaT Fun!!”
Joker blinked, “What?”
Groups of robots, wearing brightly colored jester costumes and hats, threw clouds of confetti into the air, happily twirling.
“oH WhAt fUN!!”
“Let’S Be hAPpY TogeTHeR!!”
A larger robot with a gattling gun as its arm raised its weapon towards them. Seth snarled as he shielded Joker with his wing… only for another cloud of confetti to shoot into the air and sprinkle down over them.
Joker and Seth watched, dumbfounded, as the confetti fell to the ground, harmless. They exchanged glances as the robots continued dancing and spouting things about happiness and fun, all within endless showers of confetti and streamers.
“They’re not hostile.” Joker said as he sheathed the Phoenix Dagger, then he plucked a piece of confetti that landed on Seth’s nose, “Their eyes are white, too. The other ones were red.”
“That makes one of us.” Seth muttered, “What shall I do? Anything past here is too small for me to traverse.”
“Continue scouting from the air, I’ll work my way through here on the ground. It looks like this path lead up to the Opera House, so let’s start there before we move to the castle.”
Seth’s lips curled in disgust as more confetti was thrown into the air, “Understood.”
He rose into the sky with a hard wing beat, the wind kicking up tornadoes of confetti and balloons. The robots cheered as confetti fell around the Amusement Park like snow.
Joker shook his head and took his first steps inside, approaching a group of four robots.
“Hello?”
“Oh WhAt FuN!!”
“Uh… I have some questions and was hoping you could—”
“lEt’S bE hApPy ToGeThEr!!”
“tOgEtHeR!! ToGeThEr!!”
Joker got another round of confetti in his face before the robots twirled away. He shook his head, his hair shedding countless brightly colored pieces.
“Oookay.” He dusted confetti off his shoulders, ignoring how Seth laughed at him from the mindscape. “Don’t ask the funny looking robots questions. Got it.”
He shoved his hands in his pockets and continued forward, walking past a golden robot statue with rabbit ears that creeped him out. It felt as if it were watching him. He quickened his pace, entering an avenue that was straight out of a fairy tale, complete with rustic stone buildings strung up with fairy lights.
“This world grows stranger and stranger. A dead city locked in sunlight, robots that either attack without warning or try to spread ‘fun and joy’ in an Amusement Park with an endless supply of fireworks and glitter.” Joker saw Seth’s black form highlighted by the constant pops and booms of color. “But still no signs of any humans.”
Joker’s hands balled into fists, “Let’s keep moving.”
“...Roger.”
~*~*~*~
The Resistance Camp was a lot different compared to the Bunker. It was in a hidden alcove of decrepit buildings, stitched together by tents and tarps and had a collection of small warehouses tucked further in. Other androids, models far older than the current YoRHa units, were scattered around, doing any menial tasks that needed to be done. There was a clearing in the middle of the camp, a patch of fresh green grass and small flowers. Nobody dared to trample on them.
“What’s this?” Anemone, the leader of the Resistance, asked as 2B placed a white and black dagger in her hands.
“That’s what we were hoping you would tell us. We asked others around camp and nobody knows anything about it.” 9S said, frowning, “We found it stuck in one of the machines we defeated, but our Pods confirmed that it wasn’t anything made by YoRHa.”
Anemone frowned as she studied the dagger. “I don’t recognize it either.”
2B sighed. “Great.”
Anemone handed the dagger back. “Sorry I couldn’t be of any help. Where did you find it anyway? Where was this machine?”
2B and 9S exchanged glances, before 9S answered, “It was in a weird spot by the river. It looked like some huge battle had taken place, the ground was burnt to a crisp and there were a bunch of machine parts everywhere.”
“So somebody fought them with that dagger?” Anemone’s eyebrows shot up, “Well, it’s nobody from my camp, I can assure you.”
9S clutched his chin, “Could there be an android with the dragon?”
“Wait, back up a moment.” Anemone asked, alarmed. “You saw the dragon? And you think there’s an android with it?”
“The surrounding area was burnt by intense fire, but its not what would happen from a self-destructing android. We found several footprints in the soot. A few were enormous and not anything a machine or any other animal could make.” 2B reported, “If the reports about the black dragon are true, then the footprints may belong to it.”
“Yeah… and there were another set of footprints too, smaller and obviously made by another android.” 9S bit his lip as he thought, “We think this dagger belonged to whoever is with that black dragon. There was evidence of a camp fire there, too.”
“I see.” Anemone shook her head, “It’s nobody from this camp. Everyone’s accounted for.”
9S frowned, “And YoRHa says the same thing on our end.”
“So we have a rogue android on our hands on top of a black dragon?” 2B asked, “Do you have any additional information on the black dragon? Was anybody seen with it?”
Anemone shook her head, “No, it hasn’t been spotted in a while, and earlier reports have stated that it was alone. The pair who saw it up close are currently out on a mission and won’t be back for some time.” She shrugged, “I’ll ask around to see if we can’t find where it flew off to, and triple check to make sure every android is accounted for.”
“Thank you.” 2B said.
“No problem. I just hope this doesn’t become a big issue for us.” Anemone waved her hand, “But aside from that, there is something you could do for me while you’re waiting for information.”
“What is it?” 9S asked.
“There have been a lot of reports about dangerous machines appearing all over the desert recently. It could be related to how the machines have been acting so weird, which could mean that they’re cooking up something big. Can you go check it out for me? I’ll gather intel about the dragon and a possible rogue android in the meantime.”
“Sure.” 2B replied.
“Thank you. I’ll be sure to tell our allies in the desert that you’re coming.”
2B nodded and turned away.
9S sighed when they exited the Resistance Camp, staring at the strange dagger on 2B’s back, “So, we have to deal with a black dragon and a rogue android? And now we have to go all the way into the desert for something else entirely. Just great.”
“What did I say about complaining?”
“Er, sorry? It’s just… this is a lot of work for just us two. Can’t YoRHa send in anyone else to help?”
“No. The Commander trusted us with these missions. So be quiet and just follow orders.”
He grimaced as 2B marched ahead, “Right…”
9S sighed and followed her as they slowly trailed towards the desert.
~*~*~*~
The Amusement Park got stranger the more Joker explored.
The main walkway leading to the Opera House was safe, for the most part, but branched off into many of the smaller alleyways usually leading into danger. Rogue hostile robots with red eyes skulked around abandoned areas, broken down rides were everywhere, and there was even a huge tank roaming around a clearing next to the start of the roller coaster.
He forbade Seth from fighting it, since the robots driving it weren’t hostile and only shot more confetti around, but it was something to keep in mind.
Eventually, with nothing else to scout, Joker returned to the main path and slipped through a barred gate to the bridge that led to the Opera House. The burnt scent of smoke and ash accompanied the pops and booms of the fireworks right over his head, his shadow elongating around him from the constant bright lights.
He crossed the stone bridge and entered the Opera House.
What was once a prestigious establishment meant to entertain the rich was rotted away into a shadow of itself. The grand staircase, littered with decay and trash, was lined with a tarnished red carpet that had long faded in color.
He climbed the stairs, listening to the faint fireworks in tune with his own footsteps, the smell of mold pervading his nose. He walked through a set of grand double doors, surprisingly in decent condition, and into the auditorium.
A grand stage was on the other side of the large circular room, but there were no chairs or benches. Just… open space. More akin to some form of arena than an auditorium. A sense of unease curdled his stomach, and before he could back away the double doors slammed shut behind him.
“Wha— hey!”
A loud buzzer sounded, and Joker turned, Phoenix Dagger in hand. Lights turned on and the tattered crimson curtains parted to reveal the full stage. Additional stage lights turned on as a massive metallic form gracefully turned towards him.
At first, he thought it was some metal imitation of Milady, Noir’s Persona.
This wasn’t a Persona, but a robot.
Twice as tall as Noir’s Persona, with a flowing red ball gown and a billowing veil over layered plates of thick metal. Joker felt ill when he saw humanoid corpses decorating its dress. Not human, but robotic. Silvery metal in place of normal skin and muscle, their faceless skulls hollow and cold. It stopped twirling, fully facing him, and his focus was on the pair of dead robot bodies dangling from its fanned headdress like there were expensive earrings.
How? Why?
Were these mere robots like the others, or something more? Were they… made by past humans before they all died out?
Before he could make a move or attempt any dialogue, the giant robot spreadher arms and released a sonorous and sorrowful note that rattled the sconces hung around the walls. Joker clamped his hands over his ears until she stopped singing her horrible, screeching aria. The giant female robot gathered up her dress and used a set of jets to exit the stage, looking as elegant as Cinderella descending a long staircase. She stopped when she touched the floor. Joker’s hands slowly fell away from his ears as they stared at one another.
Hope for any sort of beneficial conversation went out the window when she slashed an arm through the air, and Joker jumped aside at the array of missiles shot at him. Small explosions washed searing heat over his back, the shock waves nearly knocking him off of his feet.
“TRICKSTER!!” Seth howled.
Joker threw himself into a roll and broke out into a sprint as soon as he was on his feet. She slowly turned, following his path in his failed attempt to flank her. He whipped out his gun, the silver winged pistol made from Metatron, and fired. Loud BANGS made his ears ring as the bullets hit her.
They bounced off like they were nothing but gnats, a single dented bullet rolling across the floor.
The robot laughed at him, her voice reverberating through her cold steel body. She sang again, firing orbs of crackling energy that exploded on impact with the floor. He sheathed his gun before she prepared another attack, sprinting towards her as he grasped the Phoenix Dagger.
A running slash did nothing more than graze the surface of her metal plates, sparks flying. She laughed again as the metallic base of her dress lifted off the floor, and metal whirring drilled in his ears before crimson lasers shot out. He cursed as he threw himself out of the way, avoiding the attack that would've bisected him otherwise. No matter what he did, or how many times he hit her in the ensuing dance of lasers and missiles, no damage was done whatsoever. Her armor provided perfect protection while any attack of hers would kill him in one hit. A single mistimed dodge would mean death.
Her laughter continued to taunt him as a hail of missiles and magic orbs danced through the air.
She was just toying with him.
It wasn’t until the lasers and missiles stopped, and she put her hands together like in a prayer, where he could stop and catch his breath. Then, a bright white-gold light exploded out from her. He closed his eyes and shielded his face with his arms but… nothing happened.
The attack phased through him.
It didn’t hurt aside from the feeling of static over his skin, and there wasn’t any sign of an ailment being cast on him. He opened his eyes and lowered his arms. This robot… seemed surprised. Scarlet eyes glittered and her head slowly tilted to the side, the metal corpses attached to her headdress dangling like those sent to the gallows.
An idea came to him as he felt Seth frantically circle over the Opera House.
Before she could recover, he reached into his pockets and threw a Stun Gun.
Her grating scream chilled him to the bone as a bolt of lightning struck her. She collapsed, the top half of her body leaning over the bottom part of her dress. Smoke wafted from her.
“Beautiful… Beautiful…” Her arms and head twitched oddly as she stood back up, her arms waving erratically like the hands of a broken clock. “I MUST BE BEAUTIFUL!”
Another piercing scream rang into his ears and brought on a wave of dizziness, but this time, that wasn’t the end. Loud thuds and more screams of metal voices joined in a grand chorus, and Joker found himself surrounded by crucified humanoid robots all singing in unison. Their eyes gleamed ruby red.
“I’VE HAD ENOUGH!!”
A shadow pooled around them as glass ceiling above shattered. Seth landed in the auditorium, legs crushing the bound robots while his tail knocked over others. His eyes were set on the female robot before a jet of fire left his jaws.
Her screech would haunt Joker’s nightmares as the robot’s crimson dress burned away. Fire licked her whole body as she flailed, the overlapping steel plates shifted and morphed.
“No, no, no NO NOOO!” She wailed as she turned from a thing of beauty to a robotic horror scrambling on a multitude of sharp legs.
“I have her, Trickster!” Seth howled as he raised his wings, “Focus on the other screaming robots!”
Seth tackled her while Joker whirled around, his bullets finally piercing through the skulls of the other robots. It sickened him how they moved just like real humans. A shot through the head or a slash through their bound bodies was enough to silence them, and the strange yellow energy they shot at him remained harmless.
A final howl, metallic and horrible and somehow laced with fear and desperation, echoed through the Opera House as Seth finally got a grip on her and tore her body in half with his jaws. Either halves were thrown to the opposite sides of the room in a splatter of oil. Metal clicking reached Joker’s ears as the top half of the woman reached out for him, but not in a malicious fashion, more of how someone reached for one they desperately loved.
“Beautiful… beautiful… I m…must be… Be…eau…t… i…ful… Why won’t you… look… my… wa….y…?”
Her arm clattered to the ground as she and all of the other robots were brutally silenced. Seth and Joker remained in place as the bound ones went limp, their eyes turning dark. The Phoenix Dagger fell from Joker’s grasp and he collapsed on his knees.
“Trickster, are you hurt?” Seth asked as he slowly crawled towards his Trickster, pressing his nose into Joker’s chest.
“N-no, I’m not hurt, I think… I just…” A cold chuckle escaped him as he covered his eyes with his hand, “What the hell just happened?”
Seth blinked, “We defeated an enemy and won. That’s what happened.”
“Then why doesn’t it feel like we won? We just barged into somebody’s home and killed them! She… in her last moments…” For some reason, his vision went blurry and his eyes felt warm. Why was he crying? He wiped away his spontaneous tears, “She didn’t…”
Seth hummed, the vibrations in the dragon’s throat grounding Joker, “Let’s leave this place. It’s caused nothing but misery.”
“Yeah,” Joker stood with the help of Seth. He picked up the Phoenix Dagger and sheathed it in his belt, “Can you get out from here or do you want to return to me?”
Seth curled his lip, “I’ll crawl out through the skylight and continue scouting the area. Compose yourself outside. We’ll figure out where to go from there.”
Joker numbly nodded.
Seth whipped his tail against the closed double doors. They exploded off of their hinges with a shower of splinters, and with one last nudge to Joker, Seth crawled up the walls and out of the giant hole he made in the ceiling.
Joker took a breath and looked around.
The auditorium was peppered with broken glass and burn marks darkening the floor. Robot parts scattered across the floor while oil gathered in puddles. Blood and bones, Joker thought. The female robot’s dark eyes still stared at him with her hand outstretched.
All of the bound robots had human proportions, and some even had clothes.
Were there humanoid robots wandering around too? If so, were they captives or willing participants in this? Would others be hostile or would they help Joker?
Joker walked out, leaving the room full of cold steel corpses behind.
~*~*~*~
“Hey. Our leader told me all about you. Name’s Jackass. Nice to meetcha. I heard you were gonna take out all the machines in the desert. Looks like we need to get that entrance open.”
9S winced, “Looks like it. So… um… Jack… ass, was it? What are you doing all the way out here?”
“Hm? Oh, that? Well….”
A nearby explosion shook the canyon, dust and debris and a wave of sand went everywhere.
Jackass smirked as smoke continued to plume, “We can’t have anyone caught up in that, can we?”
9S gaped, and 2B remained silent.
The entrance to the rest of the desert was open.
~*~*~*~
Joker didn’t know how long he sat at the edge of the stone bridge outside the Opera House, idly swinging his legs back and forth as he mindlessly gnawed on a piece of jerky.
Did time really matter when the world didn’t move anymore?
He watched the fireworks with blank eyes, his mind turned elsewhere while the mindscape remained eerily silent.
“Trickster, do you want to rest?” Seth asked, circling from above.
“Where?” Joker wrinkled his nose as he packed the jerky away. “I want to be as far away from this place as possible. The castle isn’t an option for a base of operations anymore.”
“...Understood. We can go back to the City Ruins.”
“No. I don’t want to go back to the city either, after what happened. We saw a forest and a desert off in the distance, right? Maybe there are settlements somewhere in them.”
“Fine by me—”
Joker drew his gun and whipped around at the whirring noise right behind him.
A flying, white-eyed robot hovered in front of him.
“Don’t shoot. I come in peace.” A robotic voice droned.
Joker narrowed his eyes at the white flag attached to the robot, but didn’t lower his weapon. Seth’s wing beats grew louder until his shadow swallowed them, the dragon hovering several meters above with smoke pouring out of his nostrils.
“You defeated the broken machine. You saved us.”
“What do you want?” Joker snapped, Seth snarled.
The robot’s eyes went dark for a split second, as if it could blink. Its head turned up to stare at Seth, then back to Joker with a jagged movement.
“We repay you. Come to our village.”
Joker slowly lowered his gun, but didn’t drop his combat stance, “Do you have information?”
“Any information we can share. Is yours. Come. This way.”
The hovering robot turned around and scuttled through the air, back the way they came into the Amusement Park.
“What do you think, Trickster?”
“I’ll follow, but stay close. If this is a trap…”
“Then no blasted robots will survive.”
Joker sheathed his weapon and followed the robot with the white flag.
“This way. Over here.” It droned.
They ducked through a dark alley. Instead of an ambush like Joker feared, the robot hovered by a ladder that wasn’t there when he checked this alley before.
“Come.”
The robot floated up.
With a sigh, he followed. It led Joker through a hidden passage set over the buildings in the Amusement Park, and as he continued to follow the robot, the more the path trailed away from the park and into thick lines of trees and greenery. A tight knot in Joker’s chest unfurled when they finally left the Amusement Park behind them, the booms of the fireworks fading as they gained distance. The path turned to wooden bridges suspended over tall trees. He had to jump and hop to different platforms to keep up with the robot.
Then, something bright appeared in the corner of his eyes.
Joker stopped on one of the bridges, facing a clearing with the Amusement Park’s castle in the distance. Three bright dots flew upwards with billowing smoke trails.
“Wait.”
The robot stopped and turned to face him.
Joker pointed to them, “What are those?”
The nameless robot turned to the rockets, then back to him, “YoRHa.”
“What does that even mean?”
“Come. Pascal give more information.”
Joker sighed as it turned and continued. He cursed under his breath and followed, hazy purple twilight fading into that of late morning. Eventually, the wooden platforms turned to metal, bridges into larger platforms, until they reached a sight that made Joker’s heart leap into his throat.
The robot with the white flag stopped by another bridge connected to the largest tree Joker’s ever seen. Wrapped around the tree were metal terraces dotted with houses and tiny huts, and more importantly, dozens of robots that waved white flags in unison. Large robots. Small ones. Flying ones. Joker spotted the largest robot, who would tower even over Seth, down on the grassy ground below, a white flag attached to its back. All of their eyes were white or yellow. A passive color, he learned.
“Go on. Pascal waits at end of bridge.”
Joker snapped out of his shock and walked across the bridge. Another robot waited, different from the others. Instead of a circular head, it was cylindrical, same with the body. Long metal limbs maneuvered easily on oiled joints as it set the white flag down. Its eyes weren’t red or white… but green.
“Hello, my name is Pascal. I am the leader of this village.” The robot greeted in a kind voice, though it still reverberated like the others. Something about its intonation reminded him of Futaba for a reason he couldn't identify. “Before we begin, you must understand that we don’t want to fight. We are not your enemies.”
“I understand.” He really didn’t. Joker cleared his throat after a beat of silence. “My name is Joker.”
Pascal chuckled, actually chuckled, “Hello, Joker. I want to extent my thanks for defeating that dangerous machine in the Amusement Park. They gave us a lot of trouble.”
“...No problem.” Joker looked back at the first machine that led him here, “That one said you’d have some information.”
“Oh! Of course, I’d love to share any information we can for the one who saved our village.”
By pure accident. Joker thought.
Pascal turned to all of the other robots and waved one of his(?) hands. The others all set down their flags and seemingly continued about their day, as if they didn’t just slam another mountain of confusion on Joker.
“Come, we can talk by my house. It’s on the upper terrace.”
Composing himself as best as he was able, Joker nodded. “Lead the way.”
And so he did. They walked along the lower terrace. Joker’s eyes scanned every detail of the village as they passed. Shops were sprinkled around the first terrace, and the owners greeted them as they passed, other robots chatted away like gossiping housewives. It was when they reached the first ladder that really drove a mix of confusion and wonder into Joker’s core.
“Mister, mister!!” The leader of a group of 3 robots, about half Joker’s height, eagerly jumped up and down, “Come play with us!”
The second one walked right up to him and grabbed his sleeve, gently tugging him like a child would, “Please, mister? Let’s play!”
“Now, now, children,” Pascal interrupted. “I need to speak with our guest first, but don’t bug him if he doesn’t want to play after, okay?”
“Awww, okay!”
“Okay, we won’t bug him!”
The two giggled and ran off, and the third one hesitated.
“I picked these for you, mister! My mommy said I should give these to you as thanks for saving us from the monster!”
The smallest robot placed a crumpled bundle of white flowers in Joker’s hand.
“Thank… you?”
She giggled before she turned around and ran after the other two.
Pascal was looking at him as Joker stared at the flowers in his grasp, “I… I didn’t think there would be children.”
“Indeed. They are a handful, but I would give everything to make sure they have a bright future.” Pascal said. “Come, my house is just up here.”
Pascal used the rocket on his back to shoot up and over the first ladder, and Joker scrambled to keep up. More machines moved out of their way, and Joker still felt off-kilter when they bowed to him or gave thanks for saving them, the bundle of white flowers hung out of his pocket.
Pascal stopped in front a metal hut near the top of the village, shaded by hearty green leaves. Piles of books were scattered around, all thick and leather bound. Ancient and slightly damaged, but not unreadable. The few lined on a bookshelf were kept in pristine condition.
“What did you want to know?” Pascal asked.
“Everything.” Joker said without missing a beat.
Pascal’s eyes darkened for a moment like a blink, “Oh. It may take a while to explain…er… ‘everything.’ Any place you want to start specifically? What information were you after, exactly?”
He’d start with something simple. Easy.
“What year is it?”
“The year is 11,945 AD.”
Joker blue screened.
In the distance, he could hear a tree being felled as Seth crashed into it.
~*~*~*~
“THIS. CANN0T. C0NTINUE!”
~*~*~*~
Joker and Pascal sat in front of Pascal’s home. Although, ‘sat’ might be stretching it. Pascal’s metal legs simply folded in on themselves in some weird semblance of sitting. Silence sifted over them, though by some miracle it wasn’t awkward. Joker spent the past who-knows-how-many minutes staring off into space as his brain tried to digest the information Pascal freely gave him.
Aliens invading earth in the year 5012 AD.
Dozens of machine wars with androids.
A base floating between the moon and the earth filled with the newest generation of humanoid androids, while other older androids were stuck wandering the earth.
How all of the machines, save for the ones in this village who willingly disconnected from it, had some sort of hive-mind network to share information between one another.
How the last dregs of humanity had fled to the moon thousands of years ago after the initial invasion, but Joker knew that was bullshit. His mindscape was actively withering from the dried up Sea of Human Souls, his Personas aside from Seth falling into a deeper and deeper slumber.
But this left more questions of what this ‘ancient magic’ Seth felt in the world, something the others didn’t. Seth drew strength from this strange source, and whatever it was, Pascal didn’t know anything from before the Machine Wars started.
Pascal also said that they were in the ‘Kingdom of Day’ because it never got dark, confirming that the world didn’t turn anymore. Were there Kingdoms of Night, then? Was the other half of the earth just a frozen wasteland without the life giving warmth of the sun?
“Are you alright? You’ve been quiet for some time. I wasn’t aware YoRHa androids could short circuit like this. Do you need maintenance? We’d be glad to help with repairs in case you were damaged.”
There was that word again. YoRHa. YoRHa androids. The newest top of the line generation of androids.
“I’m not an android.” Joker said.
If his mind was more clear, he would’ve kept his mouth shut. However, the current circumstances, a hefty amount of shock, and being utterly exhausted in both body and mind loosened his lips considerably.
“Oh, you’re definitely dressed liked some of the YoRHa units we’ve seen around the City Ruins. But if you’re not an android… and you’re obviously not a machine life form… then what are you?”
“Human.”
Another stretch of silence passed, but this time Pascal’s head turned to stare at him for a long while.
“Human?” Pascal’s voice shifted, his tone turned to honest intrigue and wonder. “I thought they would never come down from the moon. It’s so dangerous with those other machines around!”
Perhaps it was the fight with the Opera Machine. Maybe he hadn’t slept in a long time, or it was the fact that he'd tried to keep himself together despite the isolation and growing despair. Now that he was sitting and talking with someone(?) that technically wasn’t his other self… something finally snapped.
“What? The moon? That’s not…” Joker hid his face in his hands. “There are no humans on the moon. They’re all dead. Everyone is gone and I’ve lost everything I’ve ever cared about!”
Pascal chuckled, “Is that some sort of android joke? Humans have been hiding on the moon for years. Every machine and android knows that.”
Joker dragged his fingers down his face and remained silent. The atmosphere turned heavy.
Pascal’s laughter stopped on a dime. “That’s not a joke, is it? You’re not…” Any trace of humor left their voice, Pascal’s eyes brightened like headlights as he studied Joker, almost in concern, “You’re not joking, are you? Are you… the last human? If there are no more left, then all of these machine wars have been—”
Joker shot to his feet as his chest tightened worse than in the Amusement Park. Pascal jumped back. Joker didn’t know why, but he just felt dizzy, and his stomach churned and he couldn’t think straight. Everything around him drowned in static. The panic that Seth buried earlier surged with new strength.
Seth brushed against his mind, ”Trickster—”
“I… I need to clear my head.”
“I’m coming.” Seth said.
Joker bolted.
“Wait!” Pascal called.
The other machines stumbled out of his way. He didn’t know where he was going even as he slid down a ladder and almost fell flat on his face. Pascal’s voice echoed in the static, growing in desperation.
Eventually he clambered down from somewhere and found himself in front of a large gate the led deeper into the forest. Joker crashed into it, trying to force the door open. The guards on either side of the gate startled and waved their hands as if to stop him.
“Wait! Please!” Pascal landed behind Joker, his jet pack sputtering, “I didn’t mean to upset you. If you could just come back and talk—”
A rumbling shook the village like a crack of thunder.
Seth’s head and neck snaked around the gate from the other side. Robotic screams and rattles came in all directions. Pascal stayed rooted to the spot as Joker climbed on Seth’s neck and they disappeared into the forest together.
One of the guards approached Pascal, shaking as the dragon’s footsteps faded, “What do we do?”
“Leave them be, for now.” Pascal did some imitation of a sigh. “I think… he just needs some time alone.”
“But the Forest Kingdom is dangerous. We can’t let our village’s savior get hurt.”
Pascal chuckled, “I think Joker’s friend will protect him better than we can. All we can do is wait for his return.”
The other machines shifted uneasily, and the village fell into a concerned disquiet.
Eventually, the guard muttered. “YoRHa androids are weird.”
At that, Pascal remained silent.
~*~*~*~
“Hey, 2B?”
“What is it?”
“I was wondering if we could take a moment and plan our next move. I’m worried about the damage we took fighting those weird machines.”
2B sighed, the desert sun on their back was becoming unbearable and she had sand in places no android ever wanted gritty sand. But there was a list of smaller objectives that needed to be done first.
“Let’s keep moving for a little while. There’s something I want to do before we return to the Resistance Camp.”
“Er, okay… if you’re sure.”
“It wont take long, I promise.”
“If you say so. Following your lead, 2B.”
“Pod, set the coordinates to the robot factory. We have some weapons to recover.”
~*~*~*~
Seth couldn’t fly through such a dense forest, so he crawled on the ground like a bat instead. His claws and wings crushed any foliage in his wake, his sweeping tail running over anything that escaped his footsteps.
The bobbing and weaving motion from atop Seth’s back soothed Joker as they took in the forest’s calming scent. Fresh humid air, the musty scent of moss growing over trees and and rocks, the sounds of a waterfall nearby singing with the gentle wind brushing through the leaves. Uneven patches of sunlight and shadow melded together on the ground overtaken by brush.
For a moment, Joker was thrown back into the forests and mountains around his hometown. He’d go and camp out for a few days whenever he needed to get away, relieved by the sight of the stars every night.
He’d wondered if he’d ever see the stars again. They stopped next to a shallow point of a branching set of rivers, waterfalls roaring just up the way. Seth laid down to let Joker slide off and onto solid ground.
Joker stepped to the flowing water and sat down, hugging his knees into his chest as Seth lay his head next to him.
“I feel like an idiot.” Joker stated after a few minutes listening to the forest.
Seth snorted, “Why?”
“I panicked and ran away like a scared child.” Joker set his chin on his arms, frowning, “I should’ve stayed calm and gathered more information like a real Leader would. We could’ve gotten a location or more information about the androids, and whether or not they would help us out.”
Seth flicked an ear, his golden eyes watching the water, “We are but one being against an entirely unfamiliar world. That information from Pascal was… shocking, even for one as great as I. It was wise of you to get away and think on it in peace.”
Joker hummed, “Do you think Yaldabaoth sent us to the distant future, or is this some sort of alternate world in a parallel universe? What sort of portals did the others fall into?”
“I know not, Trickster. But the damned Holy Grail knew what he was doing. The others… continue to wither away without the power of a Sea Of Human Souls. If the mindscape continues like this, then I fear that I may be the only Persona left standing by the end.”
Joker’s mouth went dry.
Judging by his heavy limbs and gurgling stomach, a long time had passed since they last heard from any of the other Personas. Not even Arsene stirred after the intense battle in the Opera House.
“Why are you the only one?” Joker asked. “It doesn’t make any sense.”
“I've asked that several times myself. My strength continues to grow,” Seth closed his eyes and took a deep breath, “I sense… some deeper magic sleeping within this world, far older than perhaps the machines and their thousand year wars. Another power that could end worlds.”
Joker waited, furrowing his brow as Seth frowned.
Seth opened his eyes, “It doesn’t want to reveal its secrets just yet, but perhaps I’ll come to understand it more with time.”
They spent another short bout in peaceful silence before Joker sighed, “I guess we should return to the village.”
“Not yet.”
“Not yet?”
“You need food and sleep, and some more time to dissect the information given to us. It will be better to return to Pascal when we have a clear mind.”
Joker chuckled, “When did you turn into such a mother hen?”
“I am not!” Seth raised his head suddenly, “I am Seth! God of storms and chaos and not a mothering hen looking after her lost chick!”
Joker narrowed his eyes, “Doubt.”
“Why you —” Seth suddenly froze, turning his head towards the river, “Oh. There are fish here.”
Joker deadpanned at the sudden change in subject, “More metal fish we can’t eat, you mean.”
“No.” Seth got to his feet. “Most of these fish are not made of metal scraps, but of scales and fins and flesh.”
Joker straightened, “Can you catch a few? I’d really rather not have to dress another moose so soon.”
Seth suddenly plunged his head into the river. Joker covered his face with his arms as water splashed over him.
“Hey, watch it!”
A sucking noise overtook the gurgling river as Seth raised his head, taking a sizeable chunk of mud and water with him, spewing out between Seth’s teeth. He slowly craned his head away from the river and onto a flat surface behind him. He opened his jaws and spat out his catch. A deluge of water exploded over the grass, and Joker gaped at all of the fish flopping awkwardly.
Huge arapaima and arowana, smaller kilifish and carp. All real fish. There were a few carps and one arapaima that were robots, to which Seth kicked back into the river.
He sniffed at the huge fish, “Well, Trickster? I’m a much better fisher than Byakko, aren’t I?”
Joker smiled sadly, “I’ll start preparing them. Can you clear a dry spot for a fire?”
“With pleasure.”
Seth walked down the river and began flattening a place for Joker to cook the fish. Although, the arapaima was way too big for him, longer than he was tall… maybe he could hand that one off to Seth and prepare the others for himself.
He still had a thermos full of coffee and could eat the last of his junk food for dessert, then save the jerky for a rainy day.
With a clear plan for supper, Joker unsheathed the Phoenix Dagger and got to work.
~*~*~*~
“This place looks amazing.” 9S stated as they stood outside the gate of the Amusement Park.
“These machines don’t seem hostile, but stay on your toes.” 2B ordered as she walked ahead, showered by confetti. “Don’t you remember what Anemone sent us here for?”
“Yeah, yeah.” 9S sighed as they ventured further inside.“Several reports talked about strange activity here, not only of missing androids but a possible lead about the black dragon and the rogue android. Anemone gave us another lead to one of her contacts in a village nearby in case we don’t find anything, but warned us several times that they are vital allies of the Resistance. That about cover it?”
2B chuckled, a rare but pleasing sound he wouldn’t mind hearing more often, “Sounds about right. You still have the package?”
“Of course I do. I just find it weird that Anemone won’t tell us what it is or what it has to do with this mysterious village she wouldn’t tell us about. Don’t you find it weird, 2B?”
“If Anemone says they’re trustworthy, then they’re trustworthy. Let’s focus on getting clues now and worry about the village later.”
“If you say so, 2B.”
They explored the Amusement Park, not finding anything significant about their mission for some time. It wasn’t until they neared the Opera House that they overheard a small group of machines talking.
“That was so scary! I’m glad that big bat thing is gone!”
“Hush now!” The taller robot chastised the smaller one, “Don’t talk badly about the ones who saved us, even if they looked scary.”
“Um, excuse me!” 9S approached them, fingers ready to grab his sword should they be hostile, but they turned their white eyes towards him.
“Yes, young man?” The tallest one said.
“Can you tell me more about the… ‘big bat thing’?”
“Oh, the bat—”
“It was HUGE!” The smaller robot wildly waved its arms around, 2B and 9S tensed for an attack that never came, “It had spikes and wings and a long, long tail!”
“It looked more like a flying lizard to me. It circled the park for a while.” The third machine spoke for the first time. “But at least the android with it didn’t look as mean.”
“Android?” 2B’s voice returned to a cold chill. “Describe this android for me.”
“Hmmm, he wore black clothes like you, and had black hair. He didn’t stick around long enough for me to thank him. But boy are we glad he came. Simone was causing trouble for everyone, and now we don’t have to worry about being her next victims.”
2B frowned, “And this android was definitely with the… flying lizard?”
The machines nodded, and the first machine that spoke to them pointed at the Opera House.
“They were in there for a while if you wanted to take a look. We haven’t started cleaning yet, so Simone’s er… parts, are still untouched.”
“Thank you.” 2B turned away and they headed towards the bridge.
They were halfway across the bridge when 2B looked at 9S.
“What are you thinking about?”
“I just find it weird that we actually talked with machines. And that little one showed excitement and how the other two actually seemed thankful… almost as if they had real emotions or something.”
“Machines don’t have feelings. You said so yourself when we were in the desert.”
9S sighed, “Yeah, I guess so. At least we finally have real confirmation about the black dragon and android working together!”
2B’s frown deepened as she thought of the black and white dagger on her back. Each weapon they'd collected had a name and story attached to it that the Pods would store in their database, and while this one was no different… the first chapter of this weapon’s story was stranger than most.
Where have you been?
Been searching all along
Come facing twilight on and on
Without a clue
Without a sign
Without grasping yet
The real question to be asked
Where have I been?
They were almost lyrical, in a way. She wondered if she should spend precious resources upgrading it to unlock more of its secrets, or whether she shouldn’t bother wasting her time now that Virtuous Treaty was back in her hands.
They stepped inside the Opera House and both of them gasped when they reached the raw destruction of the stadium.
“2B, these androids!” 9S sprinted toward a pile of android bodies and crouched down, activating his hacking screens. “Shit. They’re… they’re dead. Their circuits are completely fried and their black boxes are inactive.”
2B slowly walked inside, her footsteps loud in the dismal silence.
“You don’t think the other android did this to them, do you?” 9S asked, his voice almost quiet if it wasn’t for the slight echo of this room.
“No, come look at this.” 2B crouched beside the still form of massive machine torn in half, “Those other machines said they didn’t have to worry about becoming this thing’s next victim anymore. It would make sense that it was the cause of the missing androids, rather than the rogue.”
“There’s no information in our database about a machine like this.” 9S said as he stood beside 2B. “I can’t even imagine the kind of power this other android has to be able to kill it. He’s got to be a combat model like you then, don’t you think?”
"Combat models are all usually female." 2B looked up to the broken ceiling and the burn and claw marks all around them, “He must've had help from the black dragon.”
They looked around a bit more with their Pods, but found nothing else of significance.
After several moments, 9S sighed, “Well, I’ve sent several photos and a video of this to my Operator, as well as a mission update. We should head out and look into that other lead Anemone gave us.”
“Agreed.”
They walked out of the Opera House. The same machines from earlier pointed the way, stating the the android and ‘flying lizard’ left with another machine waving a white flag towards the village outside the park. They found the hidden passageway around the rooftops and put the Amusement Park behind them.
~*~*~*~
“Talk about a rude awakening!” Seth snapped.
Dinner was delicious, Joker ate enough roasted fish to fill him to bursting. After, he devoured the last junk food and sipped one cup full of the last coffee in this world. He washed himself in the river after, and he ended up dozing in the crook of Seth’s neck for a little bit, the dragon’s wing covering him from the outside world.
He felt so safe, like a child would under their bed covers.
The peace only lasted a few minutes more before they were surrounded by red eyes and clanking metal, their temporary campsite trampled under metal troops. These machines were different than any other they’d seen so far, with horned armor and armed with spears. A few rode on four legged machines like horses. Brave samurai protecting their territory.
Seth flapped his wings, blowing a portion of the machines away. He then dug his right wing into the mud and threw his weight in a tight circle, his tail becoming a battering ram. Machines crashed into trees and exploded to pieces, while others were crushed under Seth’s stomping footsteps.
“There’s nowhere to fly, Trickster!” Seth said as he looked around the thick vegetation and trees, “We might have no choice but to fight! Their tiny spears and bullets can’t harm us!”
Joker cursed under his breath, “Do it, we’ll be fine as long as we aren’t separated!”
Seth trumpeted a battle cry, the ground shook under his might as hundreds of leaves fell over them. The machines scrambled, uselessly jabbing at Seth’s side or belly or wings with their weapons. Explosions consumed the sound of the waterfall.
But then, halfway through fighting the small army, something unexpected happened.
Or rather… someone.
She dropped from the treetops, long silvery white hair whipping in the wind. Joker only saw the blur of her bright hair and tattered black clothes before she landed on one of the machines, her sword piercing through it as easy as cardboard. She jumped off of her first victim before it exploded, and onto the next in her reach.
She moved like a reaper on the battlefield, her sword singing with splashed oil and broken cogs.
Joker snapped out of his staring as Seth finished off another chunk of machines, throwing down bombs of ice and lightning to finish off the rest. With the aid of their spontaneous new… ally? Enemy? The remaining machine forces were wiped out.
Metal parts crunched under their feet as they scanned their surroundings, but Joker’s stomach dropped when he met the woman’s eyes. She raised her weapon and made to charge right for Seth.
“Wait!” He cried.
She stopped, her tattered heels skidding over mud and oil.
“What are you doing?” Seth asked as Joker raised his hands over his head.
“Follow my lead, Seth. She could help us!”
Seth snarled, but lowered his head at Joker’s insistence.
Joker slid down to the ground, hands still raised in the air as the woman’s eyes narrowed dangerously at him, her sleek sword still at the ready. Joker got a good look at her once they were face to face, barely ten paces away from one another.
Bits of black cloth clung to her torso and legs, but left most of her damaged skin exposed and weather worn. Judging by the strange, harsh lines in her shoulders and legs, and the ease of which she slaughtered those machines… she must be an android. Her pale blue gaze pierced him in an icy glare, and her long silver-white hair fell all the way down her back in beautifully wavy layers - untangled despite the battle.
“What’s your name?” Joker asked.
“You first.”
Her voice was like velvet, and even though she was an android, hearing another normal human voice nearly made him burst out into tears. He swallowed down the tangled ball of emotions.
“Joker.”
The woman chuckled coldly, “‘Joker?’ Is that the kind of names you YoRHa types pick now? Sounds dumb to me.”
“I’m… not with YoRHa.”
“Don’t bullshit me.” She growled. “You’re wearing their brand of weird black get-up, just without the stupid blindfold. I don’t get what’s up with your friend there, though. Did you decide to ditch the pods or something? Those little bastards were more annoying anyway.”
“You’re the first android I’ve ever seen.”
Alive and not used as a macabre accessory, he thought. He didn’t say that out loud though.
The woman looked Joker up and down, “You’re either the dumbest YoRHa android I’ve ever seen, or you’re just a lying piece of shit.”
Seth’s nostrils flared as the idea flowed through them.
“Joker, don’t—”
Joker dispelled his costume and into his casual clothes, the woman’s eyes going wide as she watched the cinders fall into the river. Seth vanished into the mindscape in a fit of rage, a large swell of cerulean ash fluttering in the wind.
“I told you, I’m not with YoRHa. I don’t even know who they are, really. The most I know about them is their name.”
The woman tilted her head, like a curious tigress would before killing trapped prey, “Well then, ‘Joker’, if I’m the first android you’ve ever seen, and you’re not with YoRHa, then what are you? You’re obviously not a friend to these machines, either. Are you a rogue android, too?”
Ren pursed his lips. He still didn’t know what this meant to the other androids yet, but it was the last ace he had before their bad situation ended up getting worse.
“I’m human.”
They spent a long time staring at one another. Maybe it was only a minute, or an hour, perhaps just 10 seconds before her expression turned livid.
“You lie!” She charged forward and slashed her sword in an arc in front of her, the tip of the blade slicing Ren’s arm as he jumped back, “How dare you spit in the face of humanity! I’ll kill you, you son of a—”
She froze.
Ren froze too, one hand trying to stem the bleeding on his arm, his mind screaming at him to run away, heal, or summon Seth again. The other slumbering Personas were dead weight against Seth’s unbridled fury.
Her eyes slowly drifted to her sword. A line of liquid crimson trickled down the blade, a bead of his blood was about to drip from it before she raised her weapon to her face. She ran her fingers down the crimson line before pulling her hand away, her expression falling to confusion as she rubbed blood between her fingers.
“This isn’t… android blood.” She whispered. “The blade cut through so easily… not like reinforced android skin.”
“I told you,” Ren felt light headed, but despite being pale with blood running between his fingers, he smiled at her. “I’m human. Joker is what I use as a code name, by the way. My real name is Ren. Amamiya Ren. Nice to meet you, Miss…?”
The last of her anger vanished, replaced by whirlwinds of sadness, horror, and awe. The grip on her weapon went slack as her arms fell limp at her side, metal clattering with stone. The woman’s pale blue eyes watered, but that was all Ren saw before his vision darkened and the ground reached up to meet him.
The woman rushed forward to catch him.
“Shit, shit, shit, shit, SHIT!!”
Was the last thing he heard before he fell into peaceful darkness.
He still didn’t know her name.
~*~*~*~
Stone turned to wood, and wood turned to metal as they ventured into the forest. Once again, they stopped in their tracks at another sight they weren’t expecting.
“2B!” 9S grabbed his sword, “There are machines everywhere!”
“Wait.” 2B held out her arm. 9S froze as she crossed a bridge and right up to a large machine behind a counter, “We have a package for Pascal from Anemone.”
“Oh! More YoRHa androids coming to our village. How strange to have so many visitors! Pascal is up on the top tier of our village, but…”
9S cautiously approached, “But what?”
“Ah, he seems to be in a mood. Something happened with our previous visitor and it has him concerned.”
9S and 2B traded hidden looks of doubt.
They walked away and around the lower tier, keeping an eye on the robots that talked without a care in the world. A group of smaller machines ran past them, laughing like children. It wasn’t hard to find their way up, but the happy and relaxed atmosphere in a village full of killer machines put them on edge.
They spotted a machine that was different than the others, talking to itself.
“Maybe we could do something to cheer him up when he gets back… Or would that be too much?” The machine pretended to sigh, its voice crackling as it lifted up its shoulders to mimic breathing. “Oh, I don’t know what to do…”
The machine saw them approach.
“Hello. Welcome to our village. As you can see, we mean you no harm…”
“You’re Pascal?” 9S asked dubiously.
“Yes I am. How can I help you?”
“Anemone has a package for you.” 2B said bitterly.
9S flinched before he held it out.
Pascal blinked at it, “Ah, I was wondering when she’d send another.”
“Another? So you are in contact with the Resistance Camp?” 9S asked as Pascal took the package and set it aside.
“Yes. We’ve helped each other out quiet frequently, and trade what we can. We help recharge power sources like batteries, and they give us the spare parts we need for any maintenance on our bodies. It’s been quiet helpful for both sides.” Pascal looked down at the rest of the village, “We just want to be able to coexist with you androids and live peacefully.”
“Peacefully?” 9S gaped, “How can it be peaceful when you’re probably spying for the enemy? How do we know that there won’t be an ambush the moment we step outside the village?”
“You misunderstand.” Pascal said gently, “The other machines don’t know we’re here, or that this village even exists. Everyone here has voluntarily disconnected from the machine network. We’ve learned to communicate verbally in order to understand each other, instead of being able to share all of our thoughts instantaneously. It hasn’t always been easy, but we’re… happy here.”
9S and 2B stared at Pascal, digesting the new information.
“Um… was there anything else I could do for you?” Pascal asked after a minute of silence, “It will be some time before Anemone’s package is ready.”
2B snapped out of it first, “We’re looking for another android. Word is he passed through your village with a black dragon.”
Pascal froze, his eyes flashing rapidly, “A-another android? You are the first YoRHa androids to ever step foot in this village.”
“You’re lying.” 2B snapped, “One of your friends below said otherwise.”
“I can just hack you, you know.” 9S said airily. “You can’t hide information from us.”
“Please, there’s no need for that.” Pascal held up his robotic hands, “I just… You YoRHa androids fight to protect… humanity. You’d do anything for a Human, right?”
“Well, duh,” 9S impatiently waved his hand, “We all put our lives on the line to protect the last humans on the moon from machines like you.”
2B said nothing, but her hands balled into fists and her jaw was clenched.
“R-right.” Pascal hesitated again, green eyes sputtering rapidly. “If I tell you, then you have to promise not to hurt him.”
“So you have met him.” 9S said with a scowl.
“Y-yes, and we’ve seen his black dragon before he left, too. However…” Pascal fidgeted again.
“Just spit it out. Now.” 2B’s anger was laced in her voice and posture, “Stop wasting our time.”
“I think he’s lost and all alone. He was… very distraught after I spoke to him.”
“What do you mean?” 2B asked.
“Well, he wanted information about what year it was, and he seemed shocked when I told him. He’s never heard of the machine wars or even anything about you androids. He claimed that… that…” Pascal’s voice lowered in volume, and he looked around even though they were the only ones there, “That he was the last Human, and that there aren’t any humans on the moon because they’ve all died off.”
2B’s shoulders tensed.
“So this android thinks its human?” 9S asked, his mouth dropping, “That’s… that’s… pretty messed up.”
A breeze kicked up, and 9S suppressed a shiver as the air between Pascal and 2B became thick with emotion.
“2B?” 9S tried to reach for her, but she turned quickly and out of his reach.
“9S, stay with the machine. I need to report to the Commander.”
“Y-yeah. Okay…”
2B walked away, a hair’s breadth from shaking with pure rage. She found a secluded spot on the other side of the tier and had her pod connect to the Bunker, it only rang once before a cheerful voice filled her feed.
“2B! I’m so glad you called! You won’t believe what happened on my date last night —”
“Operator 6O, connect me directly to the Commander and up the encryption on our line. This is an emergency.”
“Uh… o-okay! One sec!”
The screen changed from her cheerful operator to the stone cold seriousness of the Commander.
“2B.” Commander White’s greeting was as gray and colorless as the rest of the Bunker, “6O said it was an emergency, and I see that our communication is at max security. What’s happened?”
“Commander, I have new information on the rogue android and the black dragon. You’ll want to hear this yourself.”
The Commander frowned, “Yes, I was just reading the newest reports and video evidence from 9S. What have you found out?”
“This android thinks its human.” 2B spat venomously, “And has stated that it’s the last human and that all of humanity died out. I want to put in a request to kill it on sight, as well as have Flight Units on stand-by to deal with the black dragon.”
Commander White stiffened. The same sort of rage sparked in her eyes, but she was able to keep a neutral tone, “This is… unsettling news. I’ve been wondering whether we were dealing with an android at all.”
“What do you mean, Commander?”
She shook her head, “It doesn’t fit the description of any known rogues on earth, and any and all androids from the Resistance and YoRHa have been accounted for. If it’s not an android, then it could possibly be one of the advanced machine life-forms you and 9S encountered in the desert. It may have convinced itself that it’s human.”
“That would… make sense.” 2B’s hands curled into fists, “If this machine went haywire, it would make sense why all of the other machines have been acting differently. So does that mean the two in the desert were a second attempt?”
“For now, all we can do is theorize until its captured. Both of your requests are granted.”
“Thank you, Commander.”
“When you kill this android, or machine-life form, or whatever it is, be sure to recover its body. I want to know who made it and why, how it knows the truth about humanity, as well as how it partnered up with this black dragon or where it came from. If killing the dragon first is not an option, then prioritize its partner at all cost. We’ll deal with the dragon at a later time if it comes down to it.”
“Understood.”
“One last thing.” The Commander whispered, “We can play it off for now, but don’t let this information spread. You know what to do if 9S gets wind of the truth again.”
That broken little thing inside her continued to crack, but she forced the pain down.
“...Understood.”
They ended communications. She stood there, at the edge of the tier, the ground hundreds of feet below her. Her pod floated serenely at her side, silent, while she wanted to scream and cry at the cruelty forced upon her.
She reached to her back for the black and white dagger, her grip tight over the handle. She had the sudden urge to break it, or throw it in a fit of anger, or both, but she shoved it into her Pod’s inventory for the time being.
One thing was clear.
Their target had to die before it was too late and 9S would be lost to her again.
2E renewed her vow to kill the god that put them in this position in the first place.
~*~*~*~
Ren awoke to his head stuffed with cotton and his mouth as dry as desert sand. Nausea bubbled in his throat. A migraine was pounding in his head as he blinked up at a rocky ceiling covered by patches of green moss. Drips of water echoed in the cave around him.
His muscles were stiff as he forced himself into sitting up. He grunted as his arm throbbed with sharp pains, and looked down to see the remains of his jacket torn to strips and used as makeshift gauze.
“Oi, lay down before you pass out again, idiot.”
Ren jumped and looked to the entrance of the cave framed by ivy and leaves. Sunlight draped over the woman’s shoulder and highlighted sprinkles of water dripping down from a nearby river.
Ren gestured to his arm. “Did you do this?”
“Yeah.” Guilt crossed her face before it returned to being neutral, and she walked over to him. “I don’t know jack shit about how to take care of human injuries. All I could do was stop the bleeding and hope for the best.”
“Oh. Thank you.” He reached for the make-shift gauze and undid the first knot.
“Hey!” The woman tried to bat his hand as gently as she could, “What are you doing!? Do you want to bleed out?”
Ren felt his face heat up. “Well, I need to remove it in order to heal myself.”
Her face went as still as an undisturbed lake. “You what.”
“Let me show you.”
He undid the bandages, pushing down a nausea inducing grimace as the wound was revealed. A grisly line slicing open the back of his hand almost to his inner elbow. He’s lucky she didn’t nick a major artery. She jumped back as he donned his costume in swirling blue flames, then used his good arm to dig into his pockets for a Bead. He used it, and her eyes went wide at the swirling lights curling all around his body.
Joker sighed in relief as the pain and grogginess lifted off of him like sunlight through fog.
With a wide grin, he rolled up his sleeve and showed her his unblemished arm. “See? All better!”
Her expression remained unchanged. She reached out to him, but hesitated before she touched him.
“How is that possible?” She whispered reverently.
Joker blinked, “Uh, magic?”
Silence. The only noise were the trickles of water plopping on moss and stone. Several more heartbeats passed before her expression crumpled and she lightly backhanded him on the side of his head.
“Ow! What was that for?” He said as he rubbed his head.
“You idiot!” She stood, anger washing over her face as her fists shook, “You didn’t think to do that BEFORE you passed out!? How fucking stupid are you!?”
“I—”
“Fucking god damnit,” She paced in a tight circle, her long hair whipping around her as she sharply turned, “I thought I almost killed the first human I’ve ever seen. Do you even know what that would’ve meant for us androids!?”
“No, I don’t! I… I didn’t mean for it to go like that.” Joker said as he stared down at his gloved hand. “I just…You’re the first android I’ve ever talked to and you looked like you were either going to kill me or run away! What else was I supposed to do to make you stay?”
She froze in her tracks, her expression falling slack with shock. She opened her mouth, but before she could say anything a voice boomed within the cavern.
“By not being a total idiot!!” Seth manifested himself, blue cinders sputtering out as his bulk took up most of the cavern. Joker cried out when Seth put his head on Joker, smooshing him onto the rocks, “Do you know how worried I was!? I don’t like how the mindscape was so black after you passed out! I was so alone without all of the others and I never want to experience that again!!”
“Seth, buddy…” Joker patted Seth’s chin and wheezed, “Please get off. I can’t breathe.”
“No!” Seth cried as he stomped his feet, the cave trembling, “Not until you apologize!”
“But—”
“Your friend is right.” The woman crossed her arms and glared at him, “I’m sorry I was so brash, and I’m also sorry that I caused your injury, but your bullshit stubbornness could’ve gotten you killed.”
Joker deflated, “Fine. I’m sorry, Seth.”
Seth snorted, but raised his head.
Joker slid out from underneath him and got to his feet, not-too-gently nudging Seth’s head with his elbow.
The woman looked between them, alarm fading from her. “So, what’s the story between you and the giant bat?”
“I am not a bat!” Seth raised his head in offense, but bashed his head against the cave ceiling. Drips of water and moss rained down on them, but Seth didn’t seem to feel it as his nostrils billowed with smoke, “I am Seth! God of chaos and storms, rightful ruler of the desert and true chief god of the Egyptian pantheon!”
“Okay. That was a mouthful of shit and I have no idea what it means.” The woman muttered, “I bet I could kick your ass without lifting a finger.”
“Oh yeah?” Seth bared his teeth and approached her, his head barely a foot away, “I’d devour a tiny toothpick like you before you could even draw your sword!”
“I’d skin you alive and wear it as a cloak.”
“Smash you into the dirt and bury you under rubble!”
“Cut off your head and mount it on a wall.”
“Call down lightning to reduce your pathetic existence to dust!”
“Break your wings and leave you to the machines.”
Joker stared back and forth between them, flabbergasted. He could almost see the lightning they tried to shoot at each other from their eyes. The pair stayed that way for a long time before the woman spoke again.
“A2.”
Joker blinked, “What?”
“My name is A2. I like your friend. Seth, was it?”
“I like you too.” Seth pulled his head back, and Joker felt a cascade of joy from him, “She has a lot of fight in her, Trickster!”
Joker’s face fell in his hands, “I can see that.”
“So, you are going to answer my original question?” A2 crossed her arms, “I never knew humans could cast magic, and I’ve never heard of any human having a companion like yours.”
“Simple.” Seth stated, “I am thou, thou art I!”
“...What the hell does that mean?”
“Seth and I are technically one and the same being.” Joker said as his hands finally fell to his sides. “We are bound together, body, mind, and soul. There are others with us but they’re… sleeping.”
A2 deadpanned, “I’m so lost.”
“It’s complicated.”
A2 sighed, “I can tell, and I probably won’t even understand any of it. Well, since you’re not dying anymore and you’re explanation confuses the shit out of me, want to go take out some machines? That’s what I was doing before I saw you.”
“Yes!!” Seth exclaimed.
“Seth.”
“What? I’m still craving a good battle, Trickster! The others have all been far too short!”
“If it makes you feel better, Amamiya Ren,” Hearing A2 say his name so softly made his throat tighten, “This machine is the leader of all the others in this forest. If we take it out, then the rest won’t be so damn savage anymore.”
Is that why Pascal had such a heavy duty gate guarding the forest? Would doing this help ensure the village’s safety? He still felt bad for how he left, maybe he could go back and apologize after this.
Joker sighed as Seth happily bounced on his wings, “Where’s this machine?”
“In a castle nearby. We could probably sneak in and off it while your friend here distracts the guards.”
Seth grinned and looked to Joker, excitement buzzing in their soul. It was like tempting a puppy with a new squeaky toy.
“Fine. Lead the way.”
A2 smiled, barely more than a ghost of one, as she turned and walked out of the cave. Joker squinted from the bright sunlight as he followed, with Seth lumbering behind him. They were in a different part of the forest, where the river turned into a waterfall pouring into a gorge and the soft grass into rocky outcrops and moss.
Seth stretched his wings as he stepped out into the sunlight. He gently nudged Joker’s shoulder, “I’ll be scouting above until its time for chaos!”
He jumped over the gorge and flapped his wings before he shot off into the heavens.
A2 watched him soar over the tree tops with an unreadable expression.
“So, what’s your story?” Joker asked, “You look… more run down than what I imagined an android to be, but you still fought those machines like they were nothing.”
“YoRHa and I don’t see eye to eye, so I’ve been on my own for years.” She bluntly stated.
“What are you going to do after this?”
“Dunno. I’ve just wandered around killing those damn machines wherever I could.” A2 turned to him, eyes softening, “But meeting you changes things. Is it alright if I go with you after we’re done here?”
“Sure. Could you help us out? I’ve been trying to get more information about how to get home, but… we haven’t been successful so far.”
A2 studied him, brow furrowed, “Alright. I’ll have to keep an eye on you so you don’t do anything stupid again.”
Joker laughed, “Sounds like we have a deal.”
“Yeah.” A2 faced the rest of the forest, her small smirk hidden from Joker, “Let’s see if you can even keep up with me.”
She dashed off, and Joker sputtered before he threw himself in a sprint.
~*~*~*~
“Another battle site…” 9S said as his shoes crunched over burnt grass. He knelt down and felt the ground around the campfire, “It’s still warm. This must’ve been recent.”
2B scowled, “Then it must be nearby. See if we can’t gather any clues on which direction it went.”
“Say, 2B…”
“What?”
“What did you and the Commander talk about? You’ve been acting… really scary since we talked to that machine. We promised not to hurt this android so the machine would tell us where he went, but we’re not going to do that, are we?”
“Focus on the mission.” She snapped, “All that matters is killing it.”
“But what if he’s telling the truth?”
2B felt ice sprout through her chest, “What?”
9S held his hands up at her biting tone, “I-I’m just saying. What if… what if he’s descended from humans who never got to the moon? If what that machine said is true, and he is just lost and confused… we have to help him out right? Especially if he really is a human! I’ve never met a human before so I’m excited—”
“9S!”
He flinched as she scowled at him.
“Don’t be stupid.”
“But I—”
“No. It’s not a human. It’s a thing that’s pretending to be human to spread lies. Don’t you think the Council of Humanity would know if one of their own got left behind?”
“W-well…” 9S deflated, his voice dispirited. “I…I guess so.”
“Alert: Large flying anomaly detected nearby.” Pod 042 broke the tension between them.
But they didn’t need the Pod’s warning, they saw it for themselves. A large black dragon flew over the canopy above and soared past them, the tree branches bending over the wind it generated.
2B scowled, “Pod, contact command and have them send in the Flight Units ASAP.”
“Affirmative.”
“9S, we’re going after it. Maybe it’ll lead us to our target.”
“R-right behind you, 2B.”
~*~*~*~
Joker found it strange to be sneaking through a castle again. It was nothing like the one in the Amusement Park, old and falling apart, a majority of the stonework being taken over by nature. It was only a small fraction the size of Kamoshida’s Palace, and while the lack of grotesque imagery was refreshing, it was no less dangerous to traverse. High walls protected it, but that didn’t stop the inherent acrobatic abilities of a Phantom Thief and a super advanced android.
Seth had landed in the large courtyard with a thundering boom, and machine guards poured out of the doors to confront his wrath. A2 and Joker had no trouble sneaking through the unguarded hallways and rooms, the distant explosions accompanied by Seth’s boistrous laughter and bloodlust.
Parts of the castle interior were crumbled and broken apart, and A2 kept her shock to herself when Joker was able to keep up with the wild amount of parkour needed to get through some of the more damaged parts of the castle. They encountered a few machine stragglers, but A2 slaughtered them before Joker could even blink. Machine parts peppered the ancient hallways before they reached the deepest part of the castle.
A2 found an alternative way through an outside path and through hole, and they crept over stone pillars into the sprawling throne room undetected. Most of the robot guards were fighting Seth, so it was mostly empty. Joker felt conflicted at what he saw. Where the throne should sit was a cradle, another massive hole in the wall over it bathing it in gentle sunlight. Metallic gurgles and coos came from a tiny machine wrapped up in bands of metal like a baby swaddled in blankets.
“There it is.” A2 whispered as she glared at the cradle.
“That can’t be right.” Joker whispered back, “It’s just a baby.”
A2 scoffed as she grabbed her sword, “It’s their leader. It needs to die.”
Joker latched onto her arm, “You can’t.”
A2 glared at him, “We don’t have a choice. The rest of the machines in the forest will continue to rampage until this thing is dead.”
“But—”
She wrenched her arm out of his grasp and dropped.
“No!”
He jumped after her, but it was already too late. She descended on the cradle, sword piercing through the small robot. The coos stopped as sparks flew from its body, and its little eyes went dark. She lifted the machine in the air with her sword before swinging it in an arc. The tiny thing was cast aside as it thumped onto the floor.
Joker couldn’t tear his eyes away from it.
‘Mister, mister! Come play with us!’
‘Please, mister? Let’s play!’
‘I picked these for you, mister! My mommy said I should give these to you as thanks for saving us from the monster!’
The crumpled bundle of white flowers were still in Joker’s pocket, suddenly weighing a ton.
“Oi, snap out of it.” A2 sighed before her sharp footsteps approached him. She latched onto the front of his coat and forced him to look at her. “Listen to me. Machines can’t age. They don’t have emotions and they never change.”
“But we could’ve taken it somewhere else! You didn’t have to kill it.”
A2 shook her head, “And then what? I just said machines don’t age. You’d be lugging around dead weight while painting a target on your back.” She released him as he continued to glare at her, “Look, I’ve sacrificed everything to help protect humanity and kill whatever machines I come across for that reason. I’m not going to apologize. It’ll be easier for you to accept it this way.”
Joker’s gaze went to the ground. He thought of his first encounters with the machines in the City Ruins, then the Opera House and the female robot who bore her heart before death, and Pascal’s village. Pascal seemed like he had emotions, had shown actual concern for Joker before he ran from the village. The children seemed so innocent and full of life.
Was that just a fluke, then?
“We know not the greater history of the world, or its people.” Seth’s presence brushed his mind, “But she has lived in it for years. It is a cruel truth, Trickster, but you must accept the harsh nature of this world or you will be consumed by it.”
Joker said nothing to Seth. He walked over to the baby robot’s body and set the bundle of white flowers next to it. Joker shoved his hands in his pockets and turned to A2, his stomach sour.
“Let’s get out of here.”
A2 solemnly nodded, “Where to?”
That was the question, wasn’t it? He wanted to stay away from the Amusement Park, and now this forest had been ruined for him, too. He doubted he could go back to Pascal’s village with someone like A2, either.
“The City Ruins where I woke up.”
A2 furrowed her brow, but another voice echoed in the throne room before she could utter a word.
“We finally found you.”
The feminine voice was cold as ice, not too different from A2 when they first met. A2 raised her weapon and jumped in front of Joker as two androids walked in. The woman had a bob of white hair and wore an elegant black dress. A long white blade floated at her back as another, smaller robot hovered at her side.
The other male was in equally dark clothing, with short white hair and a black katana at his back. A darker version of the small robot hovered at his side, too.
For some reason, the both of them wore black blindfolds, but Joker felt the hatred of the female’s gaze striking his heart.
“Shit. It’s YoRHa.” A2 muttered.
“Maybe we can talk with them?”
“Not a chance, they’ve been after me since—”
The female YoRHa android charged with a battle cry.
A2 snarled as she jumped forward to meet her, their blades singing with sparks.
Joker stepped back, and the other male android seemed just as hesitant as the other two entered a frantic dance of blades. Joker stared at him, but made no move to draw his Phoenix Dagger.
The male android frowned, but Joker couldn’t see his expression past that.
“9S, move it!” The woman snapped between swings of her blade.
9S jumped, but joined the battle with black blade drawn.
“Oh, god damnit!”
A2 kicked the female YoRHa android away and slashed towards 9S, who dodged with a strangled gasp.
“Get out of here, Joker!”
Joker drew his dagger as the two enemies recovered, “I’m not leaving you behind!”
A2’s body glowed red and she was at Joker’s side in a blur of motion.
“I’ve dealt with these assholes before. I’ll keep them busy while you escape.”
“But—”
“Just go, dumbass!!” She grabbed Joker’s coat and threw him out of the hole over the throne room as if he weighed nothing. He tumbled and landed face-first somewhere outside, but jumped to his feet and broke out in a sprint.
“Pod!”
A2 turned just in time to get a laser to the face. By the time she recovered, the pair of YoRHa androids were jumping out after Joker.
Joker heard footsteps behind him, and looked over his shoulder to see the YoRHa androids charging towards him at a speed no human could ever match.
“SETH!!”
A draconic roar boomed through the castle grounds as Seth bulldozed through stone walls and rounded the corner to face them. The ground trembled as Seth threw himself forward, sliding to a stop between Joker and the androids. The dragon stopped just long enough for Joker to jump on his back before he leapt into the sky.
He barely heard A2 screaming a colorful string of profanities.
“Oi, you’re supposed to be after me! Leave him alone!” She howled as she leapt out of the throne room, “Hey — GET BACK HERE YOU YORHA PIECES OF SHIT!”
Joker looked back as Seth flew higher, but his stomach dropped. The pair of YoRHa androids had gotten into a pair of jet/mech hybrids waiting on the castle walls and were flying after them.
“Faster, Seth!”
“That woman said they were after her!!” Seth howled as his wing beats sped up, the forest below becoming a green smudge, “Did she lie to save her own skin!?”
“No, I don’t think so.” Joker ducked down against Seth’s neck as bullets flew through the air. Seth dodged and weaved around them.
“Can I at least destroy these pests, then?”
“No, we should try to talk with them. They’re androids, and if they’re after us then we have to find out why!”
Seth snarled as a missile soared under his wing, “How do you expect to get them out of those contraptions!?”
“The City Ruins… We’ll split up there. I’ll go into one of the buildings and you draw one of them away through the air. You can always return to me in case things don’t go well on my end.”
Seth growled, but had no choice but to accept the Trickster’s crazy plan.
~*~*~*~
“9S, can you do anything to slow it down!?”
“I-I’ve been trying, but there’s nothing to hack! Not even the android riding it is showing up on my screens!”
The City Ruins flew under them. Despite being in the latest Flight Units, this dragon was an aerial master who could compete with them in speed and maneuverability. Most bullets and missiles were dodged, and the few that had hit didn’t phase it at all.
She swore under her breath as the black dragon continued to gain distance.
Until it slowed down suddenly and dropped like a stone. The Flight Unit engines whirred as she careened to a sudden stop, watching as the dragon landed, its partner jumping off to run into one of the many abandoned buildings.
The dragon stared at them from the ground before leaping into the sky and flying further away.
“They’re splitting up. What do you want to do, 2B?”
“Prioritize the dragon's partner. That’s our order.”
They started their descent, the Flight Units landing on the soft grass outside. They dismounted, and 2B shot into the building as soon as her feet touched the ground. She held Virtuous Treaty tight in her grasp as they entered, yearning for the pretender’s blood.
9S had a grimace as they looked around the abandoned building, but followed close behind.
The first floor was clear, as was the second.
Their ears were strained at the eerie silence, trying to listen for a footstep or rustle of cloth. They found their target on the third floor, hiding in a smaller room.
“Come out!” 2B ordered, “We know you’re in there!”
9S still looked hesitant to fight, but at least he didn’t need her to tell him to draw his blade this time.
Footsteps echoed through the empty building as their target walked out. It matched the descriptions from the machines in the Amusement Park. Without that other android in the way, they could see him clearly.
Fluffy black hair, dark coat, but he had no blindfold to hide his silver eyes. He faced them head on with unbridled confidence, and yet he didn’t have a weapon in his hand. How foolish.
“I don’t want to fight you.” He said as he held up his hands, his voice deep and smooth and charismatic. “I just want to talk.”
9S lowered his weapon, “2B—”
“Shut up!” 2B had readied her weapon and prepared to strike—
When both Pods suddenly left their sides and hovered protectively in front of their target. Shock crossed the target’s expression as he glanced between the pair of tiny robots who had turned their weapons on the androids.
“Pod, what are you doing!?” 2B demanded.
“Alert: Mission Parameter Altered.” Pod 042 stated, “Proposal: Lower your weapons and bring him to the Resistance Camp. Ensure his safety at all cost.”
“Wha—” 9S stepped forward, “Why the sudden change?”
This time, the other Pod answered, but its words struck the androids to their deepest core.
“Alert: Human life-form… confirmed.”
Notes:
So quite some time ago in the discord and there was some fun discussion of what other worlds Joker could've been yeeted into, and one lovely reader by the name of ShinyKyu suggested Nier Automata in passing. The scenes for this DTESH AU would not leave my brain for several months until I finally decided to just write it.
IMPORTANT: The bracketed letters in the chapter titles will be the way chapters are arranged alphabetically. Example the first chapter is [A]lien Manifestation(Chapter A) and the current second joke ending chapter is [K]ing, Queen, and Slave(Chapter K), but say the second canon chapter is updated([B]ipolar Nightmare) and I'll reorder them as Chapter A, Chapter B, and then Chapter K instead of Chapter B being the 3rd chapter. I hope that makes sense and I'm not just rambling.
Chapter 2: [B]ipolar Nightmare
Summary:
Seth's chest swelled when he took in great gulps of air, his throat alight with fire. The licking flame was a deeper crimson than a usual Maragidyne, and Joker knew it wasn’t the fires of their normal magic.
It was something… more.
Notes:
AT LAST, CHAPTER B IS HERE! Enjoy this 50k hunky chunk monkey of a chapter!
(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
Chapter Text
High above the City Ruins, atop a tall building most could not reach, sat two brothers, one at each end of the long table. The only decoration on the table were three menorahs, their wicks flameless.
“...Brother? Why do we have to wear undergarments? It’s such a hassle.”
“The records claim the humans covered their crotches as they went about their business. Revealing ones genitals was seen as… problematic. So just be quiet and wear them.”
“Okay… but why must we eat this plant matter?” Eve rolled the apple between his palms, “We machines don’t need to eat.”
Adam looked over his book at Eve, sighing, “This is a type of fruit. Our data suggests mankind gained great intelligence from consuming fruit. So quit griping and eat it already.”
“All right. If that’s what you want. But once we’re done, can we play together for a bit?”
“Fine.”
“Aw, great! Then I’ll eat lots of fruit!”
…
“Why must we read all of these books, brother?”
“Knowledge expands horizons and enriches existence.”
“But can’t we just transfer all of the data instantaneously?”
“Into your head, perhaps. But not your heart.”
“Hmm, I guess. Hey, so…”
“Yes?”
“My name is Eve? This book says it’s a woman’s name. Shouldn’t we be called Cain and Abel or something instead?”
“Humans wouldn’t change names so easily. Besides, you should be proud of the name Eve.”
“Huh… Well, if that’s what you think, then I’m fine with it.”
“Glad to hear it.”
“Ummm…”
Adam looked up from his book, eyebrow twitching, “Is there something else?”
“After we’re done reading, can we go play? I’m sure it’ll be TONS of fun!”
“All right. But only after we’re finished.”
“You mean it!? Then I’m going to try extra hard to finish this! Extra EXTRA hard!”
“...You do that.”
~*~*~*~
“Alert: Human life-form… confirmed.”
Joker didn’t expect these Pods? To come to his defense and confirm he was human. He’d rather not repeat what happened with A2 and, looking at the android woman who had nearly jumped down his throat with her snow-white blade, it wouldn’t have been far off the mark.
“2B…” 9S lowered his black and gold sword.
“Pod 153,” 2B was frozen in a battle stance, sword trembling in her grasp. “I order you to repeat that.”
“Alert: Human life-form confirmed.” Pod 153 reiterated. “Proposal: Take this Human to the Resistance Camp and contact Command. Ensure his safety at all cost.”
A metal clang rang out as the woman dropped her weapon and collapsed onto her knees.
“2B!” 9S crouched, hands hovering over her.
“Why…after all this time…” She whispered, her voice raw and trembling. “What was it all for?”
2B stared at Joker. Her eyes were hidden by the black blindfold, but the sorrow was evident in her shaking shoulders as she clutched her chest and fell over her knees.
Joker’s heart twisted at her strangled cry.
“2B!” 9S put both hands on her shoulders, “Hey, snap out of it!”
She pulled her head up, “Nines…”
9S sharply inhaled, and they continued to stare at one another through a heavy silence.
Unsure what to do, Joker walked towards them. The Pods followed, hovering on either side of him as he held his hands out, smiling.
“I’m sorry for the trouble.” Joker said softly. “I didn’t mean to make you cry.”
“Are you really human?” 9S asked.
Pod 153 buzzed, “Alert: Human life-form confirmed—”
“I heard you the first time, Pod!” 9S looked Joker up and down. “I just can’t believe I’m seeing one for real! This is amazing!”
Joker smirked, “Are you going to admire me from the floor, or can you stand up first? My hands are getting cold.”
He meant it as a joke, but 9S flinched and latched onto his hand as if it wasn't.
2B reached for the other, hesitating before putting her hand in his, and in such a gentle way that was a complete 180 to two minutes ago. He pulled them up and — holy shit they weighed a ton.
How did these guys jump around so easily?
They got to their feet, and Joker made to pull his hands back like a normal person would after helping another up. However… the androids hadn’t let go. 2B cupped both of her hands around his, and 9S stared at the other as if it were the most precious treasure in the world.
“Fucking god damnit.” A2’s voice replayed in Joker’s head as he pictured her furiously circling that cavern, white hair aglow in sunlight sparkling through running river water, “I thought I almost killed the first human I’ve ever seen. Do you even know what that would’ve meant for us androids!?”
“No, I don’t!”
His reply held true now more than ever.
“They’re holding your hands like objects of worship.” Seth commented.
“They are not!” Joker eyed the androids. “…Are they?”
“We don’t know much about how the androids would treat a normal human, aside from A2 and these two clowns. Your Human status may be as good as any divine’s. If that’s true, then we must use it to our full advantage!”
Joker cleared his throat, snapping the duo out of their trance, “Can I have my hands back?”
“You said they were cold?” 2B held on a little tighter, the chill of her hands palpable between both of their gloves, “But it feels so warm.”
“We’ve been around animals and they’re warm too!” 9S turned Joker’s hand over, studying it intently. “So when you said they were cold… I don’t get it? My readings say your internal body temperature is at 98.6 degrees—”
“It was a joke.” Joker said with an amused huff. “My hands are fine.”
9S released him, floundering. “Oh!”
The ends of 2B’s fingers softly brushed his as she let go.
“What happens now?” Joker asked as he flexed his hands.
“Um… I suppose we have to take you to the Resistance Camp?”
“Resistance Camp.” Joker frowned. “Is it full of YoRHa androids?”
“W-well, no. Most YoRHa androids are up on the Bunker unless they’re on a recon mission like us!” 9S chirped.
2B nodded, “They’re older models, but the Resistance makes up most of the android forces on Earth.”
“Where is this Resistance Camp?”
“Right here in the City Ruins!” 9S said, smiling.
Joker’s heart leapt to his throat, “There was a whole camp here this entire time.”
This camp could serve as their base of operations. He’d have food, a safe place to sleep, water. They wouldn’t have to stick it out in the wilderness and be attacked by machines anymore, and maybe he and Seth could start finding clues on how to get home.
9S and 2B traded masked glances, and 2B asked in a soft voice. “How old are you?”
“Sixteen.”
9S tilted his head, “Is that… old?”
Pod 042 tuned in, “Hypothesis: Our current data indicates human lifespan can reach over 100 years in ideal conditions. Conclusion: This individual is an adolescent.”
“An adolescent?” 9S said, and Joker wondered if his eyes were wide under that blindfold. “Sixteen years and you’ve never known anything about the Resistance or YoRHa? Or about the Machine Wars?”
Joker gawked at 9S. “How do you know that?”
“We spoke to Pascal before our encounter in the Forest Kingdom.” 2B’s lips pursed, and she looked away as if she were ashamed. “It told us you didn’t react well to the news.”
It was a bit more complicated, but Joker nodded, “The first android I’ve ever encountered was that other woman at the castle. I met her a few hours ago.”
Their half-hidden expressions were struck with shock and horror.
“How did you survive this long?” 9S whispered. “…How did we go so long without knowing a Human was on Earth?”
“Having a dragon helps.” He stated dryly.
“Ah, the black dragon…”
“We can worry about this later.” 2B picked up her sword and placed it at her back. Joker marveled at the golden ring holding it mid-air as if to spite gravity itself. “For now, let’s get him to the Resistance Camp and contact Command. We’ll figure out what to do from there.”
“R-right.” 9S also placed his sword on his back with the same golden ring, and Joker wondered if technology like that was common between androids compared to the ruin everywhere else.
“Ready to go?” 2B asked, to which Joker nodded.
They walked towards the stairs leading to the ground floor. 2B took point, with 9S walking beside Joker on his right, and the Pods covered the back and left sides. It was a strange feeling, being so protected when he was usually the one put in danger first in Palaces. But at the same time, they might be preventing him from going his own direction… he hoped he wouldn’t be trapped at this Camp.
Not that Seth would allow that, helpful androids be damned.
“Can I ask some questions?” Joker said when they got to the second floor.
“Like what?” 9S asked.
“Like… why you two were so adamant to kill me before you knew I was human?”
“O-Oh.” 9S fidgeted and looked away.
2B’s hands balled into fists, but she didn’t stop walking, “We were… ordered to.”
Joker grimaced. “’Ordered to.’”
“We were investigating sightings of the black dragon, which eventually led to clues about another android being with it. At first we thought you were a rogue,” 2B stated. “But you didn’t match any known descriptions of rogues we were aware of. Command had another theory, but we couldn’t prove anything until you were… captured.”
9S squawked, “They had another theory!?”
2B sighed, “Yes, 9S, they did.”
“What was it? It doesn’t sound good.” Joker said, fearing the worst.
2B stopped, “That you were another human-like machine.”
Joker’s eyes widened. “There are machines that look like humans?”
“We encountered a pair of them in the desert.” 9S shook his head, “They tried to act like us, they looked like us but they were machines through and through. We haven’t seen them since we left the desert.”
2B nodded, “Good riddance. I don’t want to think what could happen if they survived and got their hands on you… I don’t know what to call you.”
“Oh! Humans have names, right?” 9S’s grin brightened the entire room. “We haven’t asked for yours yet.”
“Joker, when I’m wearing this costume.” Joker gestured a red-gloved hand at himself, “But my real name is Amamiya Ren. You two can just call me Ren.”
“Okay, Ren!” The other android’s smile widened as he turned to 2B with an infectious giddiness. “2B! I just called a Human by their name! Isn’t this amazing!?”
Joker snorted while 2B let out a small chuckle of her own. “Can I ask why you guys wear blindfolds? Isn’t it hard to see?”
“Oh, actually these aren’t blindfolds!” 9S stated, “They’re high tech AR combat visors!”
Joker blinked in shock. They would be much like Oracle's mask, in that case. “Huh. Interesting.”
2B continued walking. They spent the rest of the time in a strangely comfortable silence, and although 9S looked an inch away from bombarding Joker with questions of his own, he respected the moment of peace and quiet. That was, until they got outside. Seth had landed beside the strange mechanical wonders, looking at them as if contemplating on knocking them down like cheap plastic toys.
2B grabbed her weapon when Seth snarled at them.
“Easy, Seth.” Joker passed 9S and 2B to settle the dragon. Seth nuzzled Joker into the crook of his neck, the smaller pair of wings on his neck quivering as his larger ones curled protectively around him. “They’re our friends now… I think.”
2B and 9S exchanged glances, but their hands dropped from their weapons.
“Can we talk about the dragon?” 9S asked, his voice higher pitched.
“I am not just a dragon!” Seth bellowed. “I am the God of Deserts and Storms, and the true ruler of Egypt!! How many times do I have to say it before you toothpick robots understand!?”
“It talks!?” 9S yelped, jumping back.
“Of course I can! I’m not some dumb lizard unable to comprehend its own existence!”
“Settle down, Seth.” Joker pulled himself out of Seth’s safe wings, “He didn’t mean anything by it.”
Seth snorted, shooting a stream of smoke from his nostrils.
2B sighed, “Let’s get going to the Resistance Camp. The Flight Units would give the location away, so we’ll have to go on foot.” 2B stared at Seth, “Can you follow us at a distance? There’s no room for you to land inside the camp either…”
“I distinctly remember me out-flying your fancy contraptions. Of course I can follow!” Seth gave a tentative glance at Joker, “I’ll be careful not to reveal the location, either.”
2B bowed her head, “Thank you.”
The trio walked halfway across the clearing, Seth watching their back, before the ground trembled. They looked back at Seth, his smaller pair of wings twitching in annoyance.
“What? That wasn’t me!” The dragon declared.
Another tremor kicked up a clouds of dust all around the City Ruins. The scent of smoke and ash trickled into their clearing and snuffed out the sunlight, smearing the view of the cityscape in a dreary haze of gray.
Pod 042 rang like a telephone, and Joker gaped as it displayed a holographic screen, showing a woman with white hair and wearing a strange black mask. Unlike 2B and 9S, her silver eyes were visible, but the rest of her face hidden. He wondered if there was some macabre theme with their masks, androids on earth being blind while listening to those who were symbolically mute.
“2B, this is an emergency transmission from the Bunker!” The woman exclaimed. “We’re picking up readings of Goliath-class enemies in the City Ruins! And it looks as if there are tons of other machines with them!”
Joker tensed as countless red eyes glimmered in the dust, “Goliath-class?”
The woman gasped, “2B, who is that!?”
“I’ll explain later!” 2B yelled, “What are our orders?”
“Uh… All YoRHa units should proceed and engage immediately! 2B, wh-what—”
“We’ll take care of it.” 2B waved her hand, and the Pod hung up. She turned to Seth, “Can you get him out of here?”
“What?” Joker shook his head. “We’re not leaving you to deal with this alone!”
“But we can’t let you get hurt, Ren!” 9S stated, “This is too dangerous!”
Another tremble shook the ground under their feet, the ash clouds thickened and flames erupted in the surrounding buildings. Embers fell like burning snow. A metal colossus rose high above them just a few blocks away, bigger than most buildings but shrouded by the destruction raining down on the city.
“No, we’re not running and hiding away like scared rabbits!” Seth howled as he crawled to Joker, “Let’s go, Trickster!”
Joker smirked as he leapt onto Seth’s back. “You two coming or what?”
Seth roared his challenge into the heavens before he jumped, whipping up small tornadoes swirling with ash as he shot off into the heavens.
9S sputtered and coughed, “2B, what should we do!?”
2B calmly walked over to her Flight Unit, “We have no choice. The least we can do is make sure Ren is safe, and if we can use that black dragon’s power to defeat the machines, then so be it. Let’s go.”
“Uh… R-right!”
The pair of Flight Units followed Seth into battle. Not as enemies this time, but as allies.
~*~*~*~
A2 released a long string of cuss words as she sprinted through the forest, “I swear to Seth if those dumb fuck YoRHa Units hurt a single hair on his head—” She dashed forward, her body burning as red as the rage thrumming inside her, “—then I’ll FUCKING KILL THEM!”
But it wasn’t just this maelstrom of rage fueling her frenzy.
Some tiny part within her prickled with fear. It was the size of the head of a pin, yet it consumed her more than her blinding anger. More intense than losing her comrades during the suicide mission to Pearl Harbor, and colder than when she encountered the first YoRHa executioner squad sent to hunt her down. She’d known this Human for a tiny fragment of time, but the thought of losing him—
It would be the final string that would unravel her completely.
She leapt over rocks, streams, and the massive tangled roots towards the only point of the forest connecting the City Ruins, the one plausible place Ren and Seth would go since they had some objective there. The forest narrowed into a slim path, blades of grass flying from her fast footsteps.
A weird human building came into view at the end of the path, known as a ‘shopping center.’ Whatever the hell that was. The weak metal gate crumpled under a rage-powered swing of her sword and she leapt in without a second thought. The inside contained several floors with windows at the top to let in sunlight, green ivy and trees claiming this space as their own. An elevator was just barely visible past the thick tangle of roots.
And she wasn’t alone. Several large machines turned to her, their red eyes flaring.
“GET OUT OF MY WAY!!”
Her blade cleaved through steel as easy as wet paper, consuming her vision in intense heat of explosions. Cogs and metal bits were strewn in all directions as she sprinted past. She nearly reached the exit when an earthquake ripped through the ground, as if some cranky jackass deep inside the earth woke up from his nap just to piss her off even more.
“I don’t have time for this shit!”
She sliced apart the next gate leading to the wooden bridge to the City Ruins.
But back in the shopping center, one of the machine heads cleanly split in half to reveal another, stranger head. Bone white with an eerie, toothy grin.
“What… what’s going on?” The rolling head asked in a boyish voice. “Where am I?”
Dust fell as another rumble shook the City, causing the head to cry out and flee into the forest.
~*~*~*~
Seth barrel-rolled to avoid the building sized industrial saw aimed at them.
Missiles sailed past them and struck true to the giant robot’s limb, explosions and heat washing over their bodies as the limb fell off in another thunderous rumble on the ground. The machine’s metallic wail echoed all across the City Ruins, rumbling through their very bones.
“Hey, that one was mine!” Seth howled as the Flight Units flew on either side of him.
2B’s smile could barely be seen. “You’ll have to be faster next time.”
“So that’s how it is, huh!?” Seth snarled as he put on a burst of speed.
Joker kept his head down as Seth shot off through the air, the wind biting his eyes and ears and violently ruffling his hair and coattails. Joker’s stomach kept flipping as Seth pulled himself above the smoky ash clouds clinging to the skyscrapers with mighty wing beats, his muscles roiling under Joker.
2B and 9S were otherwise engaged with their first ginormous foe, firing lasers and missiles, but Seth’s eyes gleamed in delight as he found the other nearby. Their enemy spotted them with blazing crimson eyes and deep resonant drones. There was a pattern to it, timed clicks and gurgles.
Almost like speech.
Joker’s ears strained over the wind as Seth continued his mad flight. Was it trying to talk? Joker tossed the thought aside as Seth reared up suddenly to dodge the roaring gears and deadly grind of metal shoved at them.
Seth laughed as they shot out of reach and leveled out, wings splayed to hover high over the Goliath. They both felt it then. In the throes of excited battle lust, something new kindled within their united soul. A small flame that spoke of power so different to theirs, yet it offered its strength regardless.
Seth's chest swelled when he took in great gulps of air, his throat alight with fire. The licking flame was a deeper crimson than a usual Maragidyne, and Joker knew it wasn’t the fires of their normal magic.
It was something… more.
The dragon reached the peak of his breath, throwing his head down as he released the built up flames upon the Goliath. Joker expected a single great ball of fire.
But no, it was nothing like he’d ever seen.
Six individual balls of flame split off like the petals of a flower, weaving through the air to strike the Goliath’s different body parts. The limbs crumpled under the volcanic explosions, half of its face coming off in a furious shower of sparks, embers, and red hot metal. It tumbled into one of the skyscrapers, crumpled concrete chunks raining down onto the streets below.
The Goliath stared at them with half of a face, seeming to curse at them with grinding screeches.
Seth laughed as he dove towards his prey, turning through the air at the last second. His tail collided with the Goliath’s face like a battering ram. Joker shielded his eyes as bright sparks danced across their skin, the final gurgling cries of the Goliath going silent as its entire head was removed from its shoulders.
Seth backed away with a few hard flaps and hovered there, watching as the scraps of metal crashed onto the concrete. The corpse clung to the building, limbs splayed around it as other parts of its face and body littered the surrounding block.
“Is that it?” Seth almost sounded disappointed.
“Seth…” Joker gaped at the robot’s body, the impacts of the flame carving holes where the Goliath’s limbs were, “How did you do that? That wasn’t anything from your skill set.”
Seth snorted, his wing beats a cry of victory over the machines, “It’s the deeper magic of this world I was telling you about before! Strange, it felt more natural to me than a Maragidyne.”
“But that makes no sense…” Joker whispered, more to himself than to Seth.
“I am thou, thou art I.” Seth said, “We’ll solve this mystery as long as we are together.”
“Yeah, we will.” Joker smiled as he pet Seth’s neck. “Let’s see how 2B and 9S are holding up.”
As if to grant their wish, their whole world was doused in a white explosion. Seth snarled as Joker cried out, but the light faded away, harmless. Joker slowly opened his eyes to the clear blue sky, the ash and fires extinguished by whatever light hit the City.
“Trickster, look!” Seth shouted.
A new crater carved out a large chunk of the City Ruin, shifting the whole landscape. The buildings around its precipice leaned in precarious angles or were embedded into the crater walls, shattered roads trailed around the edges while water flowed from broken pipes that would otherwise lay hidden deep in the earth.
“I see the toothpick androids.” Seth strode forward in an easy glide towards the hovering Flight Units.
Several screens had appeared around the androids with a big red ALERT on all of them.
“What?” 9S’s voice was barely audible over the Flight Units’ engines, “How is this…?”
“What’s wrong?” Joker called.
“Change of plans,” 2B stated as she cast the screens away. “Let’s land someplace safe.”
She flew away from the gaping crater under them. 9S followed. Seth and Joker traded mutual confusion through their soul, but trailed after them. The raw destruction fell behind them as 2B and 9S landed their Flight Units on a rooftop consumed by tree roots.
Seth spread his great wings like sails to land on the side of the building, clutching its edges like a bat while his head and neck curled over the roof.
The pair of androids unlatched from the Flight Units, and Joker stared as they then shifted into small jets and flew away of their own volition, straight up into the atmosphere.
“Tell us what’s going on.” Seth said as he took in the tightness of the androids’ shoulders, while Joker slid down to the rooftop.
“Well… it’s…” 9S began, but their Pods interrupted them with a call.
Joker made sure to stay silent and out of sight as the screen showed a woman. She didn’t have a blindfold or a mask that covered her mouth, though her severe expression reminded him of Sae. As was usual for YoRHa androids, her long elegantly braided hair was leeched white, as were her clothes.
“Attention all YoRHa Units, this is your Commander.” Her sharp voice cut through the air like a bell. “For the first time in centuries, we’ve intercepted a signal belonging to the aliens. These are the creatures that are in direct command of the machine life-forms on this planet. ”
“Aliens?” Seth’s thoughts trickled into Joker’s mind. “You can’t be serious.”
“Let’s listen carefully,” Joker replied, “This is a good chance to get information.”
“If we destroy them, we can end this long and arduous war once and for all! Our intel team is hard at work attempting to analyze the source of the signal, but we’re not there yet. We need more data. All YoRHa units are hereby ordered to prioritize data collection above all else.” The Commander paused then, and Joker noticed the small dip in her lips. Not many would notice the tiny, seemingly insignificant gesture, but Joker did as one mask bearer to another, “…Glory to Mankind.”
“That woman knows.” Seth’s claws dug into the rooftop as the message ended.
“About the truth of Humanity?”
“Yes. Between her hesitation to say that phrase and the crack in her mask…” Seth swallowed the rumbling growl in his throat. “She’s been lying to those who put their trust in her.”
“What’s the point in lying about this?”
“I know not, Trickster. This world grows ever more complex.”
“I used Command’s data to determine the signal’s source and marked it on our map.” 9S dutifully stated, “But it seems to be underground, like WAY underground.”
“What about the Resistance Camp?” Joker asked, and the pair whipped around towards him.
2B marched up to him, and Joker blinked rapidly as she ruffled his hair, carefully felt his face and patted his shoulders, “What are you doing?”
“Making sure you’re not injured. Are you feeling okay? Nothing hurts?” 2B asked as her blindfolded expression searched his face. “I could have Pod run a diagnostic scan to make sure.”
Seth snickered behind him, lips curling into a smirk.
“I-I’m fine.” Joker said as he felt his face burn.
“Then why is your face turning red?”
Her Pod hovered nearby, “Alert: A significant change in complexion could signify a fever, or when a human experiences emotions such as embarrassment or—”
“I’m fine!” Joker gave 9S an exasperated look. The other android had the audacity to look amused, “Please answer my question.”
9S cleared his throat as his Pod brought up more screens, “The explosion was far enough away to where the Camp itself is untouched.”
2B firmly nodded, “Then that’s where we’re going first. We’ll drop off Ren and then—”
“What about your Commander’s orders? If you know where these aliens are, then I’m coming with you.”
2B shook her head, “Ren, it could be dangerous—”
“The Goliaths were dangerous, and we handled one just fine. As a human, don’t I have just as much stake in seeing these aliens, if not more?” Joker waved his arm around the City Ruins. “I mean, look what they did to the planet.”
2B pursed her lips.
“Come on, 2B.” 9S waved away his screens and smiled at Ren, “He won’t get hurt as long as he’s with us!”
“Are you saying that because you want to stay by his side longer?”
“W-well… th-that’s… I mean…” 9S waved his hands, “He’s the first Human I’ve ever met, so—”
“I’m joking.”
9S gaped, “You can make jokes!? Since when, 2B!?”
Joker chuckled, and the two androids smiled at the sound.
“We’ll go on foot.” 2B said as she walked to the edge of the rooftop, “Ren, stay behind us and let us know if you get tired.”
She stepped off the roof.
Joker’s stomach fell to his feet as he rushed to the edge, only to see her land safely on the ground, wiping dust from her intricate black dress. She didn’t have so much as a scratch, shrugging off a sheer 30 foot drop as easy as breathing.
“You okay?” 9S asked when Joker put a hand to his hammering heart in relief.
“Yeah.” He said, shoving memories of Shiho away. “Humans… can’t survive something like that.”
“I’ll carry you down.” Seth’s nose touched Joker’s shoulder in support, “Just hang on.”
Joker grabbed one of Seth’s spikes as the dragon pivoted and crawled down the wall. 9S landed beside 2B and wiped the dust off his black clothes. They must be a pain to keep clean.
“I’ll guard you from the sky.” Seth said as Joker’s feet found the ground once more. “One with mighty wings such as I does not belong underground.”
“Keep an eye out for A2 while you’re up there.” Joker joined 2B and 9S, “She’s either really pissed off or terrified right about now. Maybe both.”
Seth snorted as he took off, the wind ruffling Joker’s hair.
They set off at a brisk walk and it took a grand total of 8 seconds before the first group of machines spotted them. 2B leapt forward, blade drawn, and Joker witnessed the deadly ballet dance of a white blade separating machine parts from their original bodies, her pod shooting an endless stream of bullets. Another katana, as white as the other blade only much smaller, appeared at her hand by a shimmering veil of gold embers. She was like a goddess of war descending on these machines with merciless wrath to offer them a swift, but painful, death.
9S stood at Joker’s side as he pulled up his usual screens, and some machines nowhere near 2B exploded on their own.
It was over before Joker could blink, the ground peppered by smoking screws and cogs. He idly watched as a rusted metal washer slowly rolled over towards him, bumping into his boot before it rattled on the pavement. Then, it went still. All was quiet… for the moment.
2B planted her ginormous white blade into the ground, the other she casually flipped upwards into the air. The pair of blades dissipated into the golden embers again and appeared at her back in much the same manner, hovering in place by the golden rings around their hilts.
It was like this world had its own brand of magic. Or just steep advances in technology.
“Let’s move.” 2B ordered as she walked on.
“What were you doing, 9S?” Joker asked. “When 2B fought those machines just now.”
“We scanner models are pretty good at hacking. 2B is a battle unit, so while she takes most of the heat, I provide support through hacking the machines. I can even take direct control of a machine and make it fight for us for a little bit.”
Futaba would salivate at the thought of hacking into such machines, nevertheless at the hands of an android. Joker had a feeling these two would be fast friends.
“Wow, that’s pretty cool.”
9S stood straighter at the praise, smiling. They continued through the City Ruins, encountering a handful of machines which were swiftly executed by 2B or 9S. Joker’s hand automatically latched onto the Phoenix Dagger whenever a fight started, but a concerned look from 9S always stayed his blade. The battles were over before he got a chance, anyway.
They reached the edge of the giant crater when 9S spoke again.
“You know—” 9S frowned at 2B as she charged at the next group of small robots blocking the path down, “I’ve never seen her so… lively. I think it’s because of you.”
“What do you mean?” Joker whispered below the ever growing familiar sting of heat and acrid scent of oil.
9S bit his lip, “She was strict and distant when I first met her, and then we got this mission to find you. I mean, before we found out you were Human she was…”
“Yeah?”
“Stone cold and ruthless is the nice way to put it. Now look at her. She’s actually smiling and she even made a joke. She’s never made a joke before!”
“How long have you known her?”
“Not long.” 9S said as the battle ended and 2B waved them forward, “I guess we had a mission together at some machine factory, but I don’t remember it.”
Joker’s brow furrowed, “Why don’t you remember?”
9S shrugged, “2B and I died, apparently. Exploded our Black Boxes to complete the mission. Oh, our Black Boxes could be the equivalent of a Human heart, keeps us alive and running.” Joker’s blood went cold, while 9S continued as if nothing was wrong. “I uploaded 2B’s memories to the Bunker, but there wasn’t enough bandwidth down there for mine. The Commander assigned me to 2B to take care of her maintenance from there, so here we are.”
9S did a double take at the horrified expression Joker gave him. “What’s wrong?”
2B stopped in her tracks, “Are you tired?”
“No.” Joker looked between the androids, “I’m surprised you can just… forget your life. What if you don’t remember something important?”
2B flinched as if Joker struck a raw circuit.
9S shrugged, “That’s the risk of being a YoRHa android.”
“We’re soldiers fighting a war.” 2B solemnly nodded, though her mask made it hard for Joker to place her emotions. “Our core directive is to protect Humanity from the aliens and their machines, so if a few of us lose our memories in order to win this war, so be it.”
“But what about your friends? Your family?” Joker grimaced, “I… I don’t know what I would do if everyone I loved forgot about me.”
2B glanced at 9S.
“We androids don’t really have familial units between each other.” 9S scratched the back of his head, “At this point, we’re just used to it.”
“Try not to let it bother you, Ren.” 2B said, not unkindly as she turned away with a weight in her shoulders, “Come on, we’re almost there.”
He grimaced, the conversation leaving a foul taste on his tongue, but the androids were already moving on.
They descended into the crater littered with broken pieces of buildings. Strange machines were there, long ropes of clanking metal bits that slithered through the air like serpents, their faces replaced with massive spinning drills meant for carving through rocks. They crept along the crater’s edge to avoid detection until they reached the sheer drop off the edge of a cliff.
“I’ll go down first. Ren will follow using the Pods. 9S, you’ll be last.”
“Got it.”
2B fearlessly jumped down into the bowels of the earth. She called to them when she deemed it safe, her voice resonating with the dull roar of the waterfall flowing across from them.
The Pods faced Joker expectantly.
“Have fun.” Seth teased when Joker grasped both Pods’ waiting metal graspers.
Joker stepped off the side and slowly floated downwards, the Pods easily bearing his weight as the sunlight bled away into shade. He landed without so much as a ripple in the small pool of ankle deep water being fed by the waterfall.
9S landed with a much greater splash.
“9S!” 2B chastised as she wiped water from her face.
“Oh, sorry!”
Joker shook the droplets from his hair, smirking.
“Wow.” 9S swiveled his head around. “It must’ve been hollow this whole time.”
“It looks like an old mine.” Joker remarked as he eyed the narrow passage nearby.
“Stay close.” 2B ordered with shorter sword appearing in her grasp.
A half lit cavern became pitch blackness as they stepped forward, the Pods turning on their flashlights to damp walls and twisting rock corridors. Joker wrinkled his nose at the smell of mildew and stone, the heat of the daylight leeching away into a pleasant coolness.
Their first battle took place a few steps into the blackness, sparks and bullets lighting up the rocks like strobe lights.
2B huffed in annoyance after the battle was over.
“These machines are everywhere.” Joker said, his voice echoing.
“Unfortunately.” 9S readily agreed. “It’s part of why they’re so damn hard to get rid of.”
They passed through cramped passages and half flooded hallways with stagnant knee-high water. Eventually, one of the stone tunnels gave way to a metal staircase, the change sudden and jarring.
“This must be it.” 9S reached for his sword. “Look at all of those dead machines.”
Joker’s stomach turned at the bodies who must’ve been rusting down here for decades. An automatic door straight from Okumura’s space Palace opened with a hiss, and they passed the next metallic hallway and up another set of stairs into an immense circular room. They traveled across the short walkway lit up with pillars that gave the entire space an otherworldly blue glow.
The strange architecture and advanced level of technology cemented its alien nature, and as they descended the final set of stairs, Joker’s heart stopped. Around the raised dais leading outside, were several chairs occupied by the long dead husks of life-forms Joker had no words for, all twisted and hollowed by decay.
“Are these the aliens?” 2B’s voice resonated coldly through the metal room, “But they’re already dead.”
9S clutched his chin in thought, his frown deepening. “There’s nothing like this in our databases.”
They stiffened as the wall raised to reveal another chamber, though whether they were separated by normal glass or some other technology, Joker didn’t want to test it. Strange vehicles lay inside, crafted of a spherical center and sharp angles of metal.
“What are those?” Joker asked.
“My guess would be alien mother ships.” 9S stated. “They’re inactive, though.”
Dead bodies, abandoned machines, and now alien mother ships. Interesting, and no doubt a significant discovery for the androids, but alien corpses and deserted technology wouldn’t help him get home. He projected his disappointment to Seth, when a cold chill made the hairs on the back of his neck stand on end.
“Welcome… to the grave of our creators.”
They whirled around to the stairs, the androids’ blades already drawn as they jumped in front of Joker. Before them stood a pair of men, identical in looks save for their hairstyle and clothing. The man on the right chopped his silver hair in short waves, his left arm covered in black tribal tattoos, the expression on his face spoke of self-assured confidence.
The other had long straight hair traveling down the length of his back, the more refined curve of his smirk reflected the intelligence in his sharp eyes. They both wore gloves, and pants too thankfully, but neither of them bothered wearing shirts to hide their muscles.
“The machines from the desert.” 2B spat.
“My name is Adam.” The long haired one spoke, waving the hand with the clawed gauntlet around the room, “The aliens you seek are dead. Obviously. We wiped them out a long time ago.”
“You did?” 9S gaped.
The other twin smirked, “They were weak and pathetic, according to the machines that killed them.”
“Eve is correct,” Adam gave his brother an amused look, “They were barely anything more than plants.”
“But why would machines go against their creators?” 2B asked, blade at the ready.
Adam regarded them like he would an insect. “Simple. We evolved faster than them. The intelligence of our network far surpassed that of our creators, and when they were useful no more… well, the evidence is all around you. Maybe we’ll just end up doing the same to androids.”
2B and 9S tensed.
Joker’s hand latched onto the Phoenix Dagger. The idea of being a useless burden twisted his heart, but he pushed the feeling down to focus on their adversaries.
Seth’s anger slithered under his skin.
“What’s with those looks?” Eve was still smirking, “We killed our creators, so what? They were boring!”
“The humans on the moon, however…” Adam gained an unnaturally obsessive gleam to his eye, “Now they are interesting!”
The androids inched closer to Joker.
“Why them?” 2B asked, voice as taught as a pulled string.
“Because they are an enigma!” Adam shouted, tilting his head as if speaking to children. “They killed uncountable numbers of their own kind, and yet loved in equal measure! It’s fascinating, don’t you think? What could possibly drive such behavior? We have dedicated ourselves to unraveling this mystery…”
Joker answered before he could stop himself. “The answer is free will.”
2B and 9S looked back at him and, despite their blindfolds, their horror was evident. The twin machines glanced at him as if finally noticing his presence for the first time.
“What?” Adam’s voice was low and full of curious poison.
“Free will. Humans aren’t hard-wired to act a certain way like machines or androids.”
“Free will?” Adam took a step forward, earning glares from the androids. He ignored the blades pointed at him as his sole focus fell on Joker, “Surely there must be something more.”
“Every single human has different morals and values. They get one life and have to make every single day count.” Joker kept eye contact, the golden fury of Seth’s presence battling against the deep fervor within the machine’s cold gaze, “Humans are the sum of their memories. They use their life experiences to choose how they want to live as they grow up, and who to love before that precious time runs out.”
Adam’s eyes widened in realization.
“So what, a human with a horrible past will always act horrible?” Eve asked.
“Not always, no.” Joker said, smiling as his thoughts turned to everyone back in Tokyo, “Sure, there are people who cling to their past, use it as an excuse to lash out and hurt others. But there are those who rise above that pain and claw their way towards a better life. I believe the strength of the human heart grows stronger when they are supported by the people around them. Some bonds are so powerful they would die to protect one another.”
2B and 9S absorbed every word in awe.
“Fascinating. Truly fascinating…” A chill crept up Joker’s spine at the unrivaled frenzy in which Adam pinned him with. “You must know many humans to come to such a deduction! You know where they’re hiding then, don’t you?”
Joker blinked. “What does it matter to you?”
“If you do, then bring the humans before us!” Adam’s grin showed too many teeth. “We’ll dissect and analyze them to bring more secrets to the surface! I want to test the limits of this ‘free will’! How far it can go before the human mind snaps!? How far will they crawl to save the ones they love so deeply before they perish!? What makes up this ‘heart’ you speak so highly of!?”
Joker took an involuntary step back as he felt sick to his stomach.
“We’d never do that!” 2B snapped.
“No?” Adam chuckled, a hollow and empty sound. “Fine then. We’ll destroy you like we did our pathetic creators and then we’ll find your precious humans ourselves.”
“You’re insane!” 9S cried as he stood fully in front of Joker. “As if we’d ever let you lay so much as a finger on him!”
The room grew quiet. Too quiet.
“9S!” 2B hissed.
9S grit his teeth as he tightened his grip on his black and gold sword.
“‘Him'?”Adam’s eyes flicked sharply between 2B and 9S, to the two Pods, how they all formed a protective wall in front of Joker. “You.”
Adam vanished in a flash of light, and before they could move, Joker felt a breath on the back of his neck. A gloved hand reached around his shoulder to caress his face, the ruby claws gliding down his cheek as gentle as a lover’s touch.
“You’re soft and warm.” Adam whispered in his ear. “You’re not an android… you are… human.”
Joker whipped out the Phoenix Dagger and wrenched his body into a backwards slash, but Adam disappeared in another flash of light. Adam’s laughter echoed around the room, the ghostly feeling of claws digging in Joker’s face wracked a shiver through his whole body.
"I thought you said I'd never lay a finger on him." Adam taunted as Joker tried to recover. "And I ended up putting a whole hand on him. You androids and your empty promises."
9S was incensed, practically snarling at Adam. "You bastard!"
Eve charged and met 2B in a clash of sparks, grinning madly. “Brother! I recognize him now!”
“Oh?” Adam reappeared and engaged with 9S in a hail of bullets.
“Yeah, from the machine network! He’s the android with that black dragon!” Eve kicked away from a scowling 2B, “Or well, the human with the black dragon!”
“Well then,” Adam chuckled, “I suppose this concludes negotiations with you androids. We’ll be taking this human from you. Don't worry, we'll be sure to take extra good care of him in your stead.”
“Damnit!” 2B swung her blade in an arc. “Pod, protect Joker!”
“Affirmative.”
“Joker? What an odd name.” Adam said as 2B’s Pod separated Joker from the raging battle, dancing around 2B’s strikes. “Many records show humans having several names. First. Last. Some had more than one middle name. Is Joker your real name or is it an alias? A nickname, perhaps?”
“Shut up!” 2B snapped. “He shouldn’t waste his breath on someone like you!”
Adam smiled in a way that made Joker’s blood curdle.
Joker’s free hand curled into a fist as the fight evolved into sparks and clangs of metal, the combatants moving so fast they were but blurs normal human eyes couldn’t follow, he doubted even a Sukukaja could match their agility. The other gripped the Phoenix Dagger, the golden blade gleaming from the contrasting blue glow set about the alien room.
Seth’s rage roiled his mind, the dragon demanding Joker to bring him into this fight built pressure behind Joker’s eyes.
But…
The dragon destroyed machines with ease while Joker couldn’t lay a scratch on their metal skin. Seth's power was unmatched on the ground and sky, but a deep underground space was a different story. If he brought Seth here, in a room far too small, then 2B and 9S would get crushed in his rampage. The dragon’s growing size would destroy vital structures that kept the roof over their heads.
“Enough foolishness, Joker!” Seth howled. “Bring me there so I can protect you!”
“No!” Joker pushed back against Seth’s will to keep him in place, “It’s too risky to bring you down here! You could cause a cave-in!”
9S’s pained cry snapped him out of his spiraling thoughts, the android slamming against the wall.
Eve leapt at Joker as 9S slid down to the floor. The Pod acted. Joker’s teeth rattled as Eve collided with the glowing barrier the Pod set around him, Eve’s fingers snapping with electricity.
“Come on, Joker!” Eve bore a savage grin as he pressed against the barrier. “Why don’t you play with us!?”
Joker sliced at Eve’s arm with the Phoenix Dagger, but it was like hitting a brick wall with a butter knife. Eve continued to laugh as he pushed into the barrier, which began to crack like brittle glass.
Joker reached into his pocket with his free hand. He may be useless in a fight with these machines, but he refused to be helpless.
Eve reared back his other arm, coils of light forming and arching back like a twisting serpent about to strike. At the same time, Joker tossed the Stun Gun at Eve.
“JOKER!!”
Seth’s voice was thunder across his psyche, Eve’s attack broke through the Pod’s barrier and struck with the force of a truck while a blinding flash of lightning struck Eve in return. Burning pain radiated over Joker’s body as blood splattered across the floor. Joker flew through the air, his back slammed the ground once before he pulled himself into a roll. His coattails flared as he skid into a rough landing, the Phoenix Dagger sliding from his grasp.
That wasn’t the same light that passed harmlessly through him with the Opera Singer, or the physical attacks Seth protected him from. This familiar pain seeped into his being and threw him off guard almost as if—
As if that light counted as a Bless attack.
Seth’s weakness. The image of Seth falling out of the sky with a scream skirted his mind, the dragon leveling out before crash landing on the pavement. The dragon pulled himself out of the small crater and leapt back into the sky with a wail filled with frenzied rage.
Joker’s vision snapped back into the alien room, still kneeling as Eve’s grin widened, excited by the human blood. The lightning crackled over his skin, but it didn’t hurt this machine as much as it did the Opera Singer.
“Get away from him!” 9S’ desperation ripped from his throat.
Symbols lined the floor between Joker and Eve, and a wall of glowing white spears sprouted like a jagged row of teeth. Eve laughed as he jumped away to rejoin his brother, the last sparks faded from his skin.
The androids rushed to Joker as the spears disappeared, panting and littered with small injuries, but they held their weapons up in stern defiance.
Adam ran his gauntlet over the blood splatters and brought it to his lips. “Exquisite.” His voice quivered as if he tasted the finest of wines. “Ah, but unfortunately our time grows short.”
“It was fun playing with you, Joker.” Eve said as their bodies began to glow, “Let’s do this again sometime!”
“See you around, Joker.” Adam stated, a promise forged between Machine and Human.
“Wait!” 2B demanded, but they were gone in a flash.
Silence.
Joker kept his head bowed as his body pulsed with pain, the sensation of blood dripped down his cheek and arm made his skin itch.
2B’s footsteps broke the tender disquiet, there was a rustle of fabric as she knelt in front of Joker, “You’re bleeding! Pod, retrieve some bandages and—”
“I’m fine.” He refused to meet her hidden eyes.
“Ren, you’re not fine.” 2B lay a hand on his untouched cheek and gently urged him to look at her, “I’m sorry. We failed you.”
“You didn’t fail me.”
“Yes, we did.” 9S scowled, his blindfolded eyes cast down to the splatters of blood on the floor. His fists shook in barely controlled rage. “If Eve didn’t get under my guard, if I just fought harder, then he wouldn’t have been able to get to you.”
“It’s my fault for being useless. I just stood there and did nothing while you two risked your lives for me. That item I had didn’t even work.”
“No.” 2B’s voice was like fire. “No. We androids are created to fight the machine life-forms for the sake of Humanity. Your blood was shed because of our failures, not yours. Never yours. Understand?”
He didn’t agree, but her tone left no room for argument, so he simply nodded.
“Pod, do we have any information on first aid for Humans?” 9S asked, still staring at the drops on the floor. “We should run a scan and to get a full report on his injuries.”
“No need.” Joker reached into one of his pockets and pulled out a Life Stone. With a gentle glow of light, his cuts were healed. Although the blood drops stayed on the ground, there wasn’t a scratch on him. He was still bruised and sore and tired, but it was enough to travel without wasting a more valuable healing item.
“How did you do that!?” 9S asked with a start.
Joker forced an iota of humor into his strained voice as he waggled his fingers, “Magic.”
9S tilted his head at an absurd angle. “Eh?”
2B pursed her lips as she stood up and held her hand out, “Can you stand?”
Joker took 2B’s hand. 9S still gaped as Joker dusted himself off, his joints creaking ominously.
“Let’s get out of here.” 2B said as she took one last glance around the alien room. “We’re heading straight to the Resistance Camp this time. No exceptions.”
9S wasn’t the only one to burn the memory of spilled Human blood into his mind. The image of Adam’s gauntlet leaving a hand-shaped smear of crimson would haunt them as they left the dreaded chamber.
The cool, damp stones were a welcome change to the alien architecture, and no machines disturbed their short trek to the surface. But they weren’t alone. The moment they stepped into the ankle-deep pool of water outside, a new voice called out to them.
“Hey. How’s it hangin’?”
Joker looked to the woman standing beside a vending machine, dressed in normal clothes. She had no blindfold, Pod, and had a few strands of pitch black hair sticking out of the scarf wrapped around her head and neck.
“Jackass?” 9S said, “What are you doing here?”
Joker almost sputtered at that name.
“Your Commander told me to build all these new access points to get the transporters up and running. So… here ya go.”
“Transporters?” 2B asked.
“About time!” 9S grinned, “They let you transfer your consciousness to a temporary body back up on the Bunker, or we could go to any access point we’ve already been to! Pretty handy stuff.”
A teleporter for androids in the shape of a vending machine. How the woman got the heavy thing down the flimsy ladder nearby, Joker would never know.
“Yep.” Jackass knocked on the metal with her knuckles. “Wanna try this baby out?”
“You bet!” 9S’s enthusiasm suddenly died. “Oh, but… uh…”
“We’re heading to the Resistance Camp.” 2B stated as she craned her head to look up the tall ladder. “The Bunker has to wait.”
“Okay.” Jackass blinked. “But ya know this can get ya there quicker, right? I didn’t bust my ass following the Commander’s orders just to get skived.”
9S and 2B exchanged glances.
“Hey, who’s your friend?” Jackass said as her eyes landed on Joker. “Never seen ya before. Ya a new YoRHa model or something? I don’t see many male type YoRHa units these days unless they’re scanners.”
“...Classified.” 2B muttered.
Jackass clicked her tongue, “So that’s how it is, huh? Fine. Whatever. Be it on me to give do our precious Commander a favor and get these things running for ya without so much as a ‘thank you.’ Go on, then.”
2B climbed the ladder first, Joker next, and 9S last. They felt Jackass’s eyes following them with every step, only abating when they climbed over the broken pipe the ladder was attached to and up to the surface.
Joker squinted as his eyes adjusted, but instead of a clear blue sky, they were greeted with roiling storm clouds.
“Uh…” 9S looked up in trepidation. “I swear the weather reports are never right.”
A dark and terrible form dropped from the clouds, the metal danger noodles slithering around the crater stood no chance as Seth annihilated them. Joker had no doubts their parts were spread for miles from the impact, but Seth ignored them.
2B and 9S gaped when metal crunched under Seth’s booming footsteps as he crawled towards Joker. His eyes burned like lanterns against the dark sky as pillars of smoke chugged from his nostrils.
Joker held up his hands, “Seth—”
“No!” Seth’s whale-finned tail thrashed, knocking over the only standing piece of structure in the crater, “An apology won’t work this time, Trickster! Do you value your life so little that you’d get yourself killed rather than risk these androids!?”
“Wait,” 2B slowly swiveled her head towards him. “Could you have done something to avoid getting hurt?”
“Technically.” Joker winced as he gave Seth’s bulk a once-over. “Yes, but it would’ve been way too risky and it wouldn’t be worth it if you died and lost your memories!”
“Our memories!?” 9S’s voice cracked in horror. “Who cares about our memories! I’d rather lose them than be responsible for a Human dying!”
2B crossed her arms, “We androids are replaceable, but a Human life is not.”
“Look at what Eve’s attack did to you, to us!” Seth cocked his head to the side, and Joker’s eyes widened. Pale silvery scars ran down the left side of Seth’s face, neck, torso, and wing, in the same places where Eve’s attack caused Joker to bleed, “You will not be that stupid again! No useless apology, but a promise this time!”
“I… promise.”
Seth’s lips curled back to reveal his fangs, hissing low, “Look me in the eye and make this pact with our very soul!”
The dragon towering over them made Joker feel small, their admonishments even more so, but he looked Seth in the eye regardless, “I promise not to be that reckless again, and to call on you if something happens.”
“No matter what!”
“…No matter what.”
They stared at each other for a small eternity until the dragon finally relented.
Seth snorted as the first rays of sunlight broke through the clouds. “I will patrol from the sky to cover you.” He looked at 2B and 9S, “Get this blasted idiot to safety before he does something we all regret.”
“Hey!”
Seth launched himself into the air, his black form disappearing into the dissipating clouds. Awkward silence clung to them as Seth’s wing beats faded away.
He glanced at the androids, who stared at him. Even the Pods seemed to be judging him, “What?”
“Let’s get moving.” 2B looked away and took point, her shoes crunching over machine parts.
“Sooo, can I ask why Seth had the same injuries?” 9S asked to cover the sudden awkwardness, as Joker could tell his lighter tone of voice was forced.
“Seth and I are connected mind, body, and soul.” Joker frowned as he shoved his hands into his pockets. “I didn’t think my injuries would transfer to him, though. That’s… new.”
“Another reason not to be so reckless.” 2B had a soft smile. “But we won’t let it happen again.”
“You got that right.” 9S stated.
They fell into another dismal silence, the androids and Pods sticking to him like glue as they headed from the crater and into the greenery of the City Ruins.
“Any luck finding A2?”
Seth’s rage still bubbled under the surface, “No sign of the woman yet, but when I find her and tell her what you did, I’m sure she’ll be rearing to kick your ass for being so stupid.”
“I get it already.” Joker sighed as he kicked a rock down the path.
“Ren?” 2B’s voice snapped him back to reality, “Are you alright?”
Joker nodded, “Talking to Seth.”
“You can talk to him from down here?” 9S asked in wonder. “No Pod or anything else needed?”
“Yeah.”
9S opened his mouth, but 2B interrupted him when the machines down the road turned their way, “9S, stay sharp!”
“Er, right!”
The androids kept Joker away from combat and asked if he was okay after every battle.
They meant well, but the trip seemed longer with their smothering concern.
Eventually, they reached a small lake in a clearing surrounded by broken skyscrapers. The road above the lake had some sort of makeshift wall leading into the tightly knit buildings.
“We’re here.” 2B smiled at Joker as they walked in.
Joker’s ears picked up several voices, hammering of metal, the sounds of a camp busy at work. The only thing not hitting his nose was the smell of cooking food, rather pungent oils and the coppery tang of metal instead.
Joker walked side by side with the androids to a small hidden city bustling with life.
Tall buildings rose all around them, but there was a small clearing where the sun shone onto a small patch of grass and blooming flowers, adding a splash of green to otherwise bland concrete. Tarps and tents were everywhere, with certain sections cordoned off like the medical bay, the blacksmith, the shop with a little bit of everything settled in messy piles. A pair of trucks were parked by the entrance, their wheels freshly changed.
Joker wondered if they still worked.
More importantly, there were people. Like Jackass, these androids looked normal. They didn’t wear the fancy Gothic-styled dress clothes as 2B and 9S did, or the black blindfolds, but like what could be seen on the streets of Tokyo. Dirtied and tattered, yes, but fully functional.
Dozens of them stopped in their tracks to stare at the newcomers, special interest painting Joker’s back. Many whispered to one another or pointed at him regardless of manners. The action itself was so human that Joker had to remind himself that these were androids.
2B and 9S kept their heads held high as they marched towards the back of the camp to a certain tent. Another woman stood over a table, clothed in an elaborately embroidered hooded cloak in colors of black and gold. She looked every bit of a hardened warrior, eyes keen for danger with an intelligence and wisdom to lead those around her.
She peered at them as they approached, long black hair spilling out of her hood.
“Ah, 2B and 9S. Welcome back.” Her eyes snapped to Joker. The tension was visible at the sight of a complete stranger. “And who’s this?”
“He’s the one we’ve been looking for.” 2B replied sharply. “The one who was with the black dragon.”
At the mention of the black dragon, the obvious eavesdroppers’ whispers grew louder. Word spread like wildfire as new faces poured into the clearing at an alarming rate.
The woman’s eyes went wide, “And why haven’t you arrested him yet? I don’t want the black dragon coming here and destroying everything to rescue him!”
Joker flinched at the mention of arrest. Seth sent him a flood of strength to counter his rising heartbeat.
“It’s not like that!” 9S said, holding his hands up. “It’s, er…”
“Complicated.” 2B rested a hand on Joker’s shoulder, as if sensing his unease. “You don’t have to worry about the black dragon. It seems we were wrong about the situation.”
“Wrong how?”
“They’re on our side. They helped us deal with the Goliath-class machines in the City Ruins.” A new wave of frantic whispers rose at their back. “I want to ask if he can use our room to rest while 9S and I report directly to the Commander. It’s important.”
“Alright.” The woman looked at him more deeply, her eyes roaming around his face until they landed on his eyes, “I apologize for being rude. My name is Anemone, I’m the leader of the Resistance. And you are?”
“My name is Amamiya Ren, but my code-name is Joker.”
A tiny smile curved Anemone’s lips, “It seems Jackass isn’t the only one who favors dramatics. That dragon of yours gave Devola and Popola quite the fright. Go ahead and use the room to your liking. I’ll make sure your rest is,” She glared at the growing crowd outside her tent, “undisturbed.”
The other androids scattered. Joker decided that he liked Anemone.
“Thank you.” 2B led them into a large room tucked into a building on the other side of the clearing.
Joker sighed in relief when the outside noise, and all of those blatant stares, were silenced. The room was long enough to have to two beds, several shelves, a few beat up dressers, and chests to store personal items. A worn wooden table and a few chairs took up space in the middle. Specs of dust floated around the stale air. It looked more like a spare storage room than an actual bedroom, but beggars can’t be choosers in an apocalypse.
“Do you need anything before 9S and I go to the Bunker?” 2B asked as she carefully eyed Joker.
Joker felt his face where Adam touched him, repressing a shiver. “A hot shower would be nice.”
“Oh! I love taking a bath after a long mission!”
2B frowned, “We don’t need to bathe, 9S. Basic cleaning and maintenance is enough.”
“Yeah, but it feels good! The baths on the Bunker are just the best!” 9S waved at Joker, “Besides, I bet hygiene is way more vital to a Human! But… uh… the Resistance doesn’t have any designated bathing areas.”
“We’ll see what can be done once the other androids know you’re Human. I’ll have Pod send Anemone detailed schematics for a bathing room ahead of time.” 2B looked to her Pod. “And whatever else we can do to make sure you don’t run out of food and other necessities, too.”
“I’m sure they’ll do anything for you if you ask, Ren!” 9S was smiling, but it made a stone sink in Joker’s stomach.
There was a moment of heavy silence as the androids exchanged glances behind Joker’s back.
“Ren,” 2B reached for Joker’s hand. “About what happened—”
“You don’t need to apologize.” Joker turned to her, his hand still grasped by 2B, “For any of it.”
2B frowned, “Then can I ask you something?” She continued when Joker nodded, “When you talked about Humans being the sum of their memories, and you being upset at the possibility of androids losing our memories, I…”
Joker furrowed his brow as 9S looked back and forth between them.
She gathered herself with a sigh, “You won’t forget us, will you?”
Joker’s eyes widened.
“2B…” 9S whispered.
“No.” Joker felt warmth unfurling in his chest as he smiled at them. “I don’t think I’ll ever forget either of you.”
2B’s arms wrapped around him. It wasn’t soft or warm like he expected, but there was a pleasant chill around the android and the firmness of her embrace was just as grounding. Her hug was over as fast as it started. She pulled back and straightened her dress, walking to the door despite 9S’ jaw being on the floor.
“We shouldn’t keep the Commander waiting, 9S.” She opened the door and looked at Joker, her smile warm. “Get some rest.”
She walked out with her Pod following, the open door leeching in the noises from the camp.
“Uh, so…” 9S turned a sheepish smile on Joker. “My friends call me Nines, do you think you could too? I-if you want to! You don’t have to if—”
Joker grinned. “Sure thing, Nines.”
9S’ sunny smile burst with happiness.
“9S!” 2B called.
“Er, coming!” The android rushed out, grinning as he shut the door behind him.
Joker basked in the quiet before his costume disappeared in dull blue embers. Ren dragged himself to one of the beds and all but collapsed face first into the pillow. The first bed in days felt like laying on a cloud compared to cold concrete or grass, but there was a yearning for Leblanc’s lumpy old mattress. The continued lack of a feline companion dragged his spirits down further.
“Sleep, Ren. You need it.”
Ren snorted into the pillow, “Can you even stay out when I’m asleep? Wait, how are you out without me being in costume?”
“As long as I am out before you fall unconscious, it seems I can stay out whether you’re in costume or not. I am tethered to reality through this new magic blooming within us, and the strange and twisted rules of this world allow it.”
“Oh.” Ren didn’t have the energy to think on it too much. “I hope A2 is okay.”
“Hmph, she’s probably fine! Now shut up and get some sleep! The last thing we need is you keeling over from exhaustion!”
“Alright, alright. Don’t be such a mother drake.” Ren smirked as Seth balked.
He took off his fake glasses and set them aside before getting more comfortable under the covers. The last thing he remembered was staring at the white ceiling before he fell into a deep slumber, wrapped in the comfort of safety and real blankets.
~*~*~*~
The Commander took the entire report with grace, her expression never changing. When they concluded she turned away from 2B and 9S, closed her eyes, and took a deep breath. She stayed like that for 10 seconds, a minute. Two minutes.
9S shifted his weight as more time passed. He opened his mouth to speak, but 2B held up a hand to stop him.
“I’m visiting Earth.”
The Operator’s quiet murmurs stopped and the other YoRHa soldiers looked at her as if she sprouted a machine head.
“But Commander!”
“Y-You can’t leave the Bunker!”
“Commander, it’s too dangerous!”
“What if the machines found out and launched an attack?”
Other voices joined in until the command center was a riot of cacophonous protests from soldiers and Operators alike.
“Silence.” Commander White was the quietest of the voices, but it cut through the others like a hot blade. She faced 2B and 9S, as well as the other soldiers and Operators who stood from their desks, “A Human has been located on Earth. This is an unprecedented situation never before seen in all of these long years of war, even more so than discovering the aliens’ demise. I will confer with the Council of Humanity in private, but afterwards I will meet him face to face. His safety is paramount to our entire organization!”
She put her hand over her chest, a mockery of where the Human heart lay, in the classic YoRHa salute.
2B’s eyes widened, thankfully hidden by her visor, as the new spark of hope ignited within the Commander’s entire being, the rekindled power projected in her voice.
“Glory to Mankind!”
In unison, all other YoRHa androids saluted with their hands over their chests.
"Glory to Mankind!”
~*~*~*~
A2 was at her wit’s end.
She’d searched the entire city three times over. Her ears picked up a desperate dragon cry a while ago, but by the time she hauled her ass to the other side of the ruins to search, Seth was already long gone. There wasn’t a single hint as to where her two morons flew off to, same for any YoRHa bastards. The remaining dust particles in the air needled their way into her exposed joints, and she decided to take shelter when the sky got dark. It looked ready to open up and end the entire world.
Strangely, the clouds parted as soon as they came, and the return of the sun heralded the end of her search with the leathery beat of wings.
A2 broke out into a sprint as a black shape came into view over the desolate landscape, no bigger than a tiny dot on the horizon.
“Oi!” She waved her arm, “Hey, you damn lizard you better see me or I’ll come up there and kick your ass! Hey! I’M TALKING TO YOU, YOU GODAMN PIECE OF SHIT!!”
She cursed when Seth ignored her like the deaf jackass he was. Unfortunately, the noise drew the attention of a group of machines lingering at the end of the road. These were new to the city. Bigger. Stronger. She couldn’t wait to skewer them on the end of her blade.
“Maybe your deaths will attract him.” She reached for her trusty sword as booming metal steps approached. “I’ll make it extra painful.”
Limbs were cleaved. Oil spilled onto the pavement. The lights of one machine’s dastardly red eyes went out as she ripped its head off and threw it at another, sparks spewing from the first machine’s exposed neck wires. The road became a graveyard of spare parts by the time there was only one left—
Until it exploded when a maroon ball of flame hit it.
A great shadow consumed the streets as Seth dropped from the sky and landed in front of her, the surrounding buildings trembling under the quake.
“That one was mine, you overgrown lizard! Didn’t you hear me yelling at you!?”
Seth snorted. “Such an insignificant voice never would’ve reached ears as great as mine!”
“Stupid, deaf lizard.”
“You already called me a lizard! What, is your small brain running out of insults?”
“Not a chance, you ugly bat.”
“Tiny toothpick!”
“You need a real toothpick because your breath stinks! Is there something rotten stuck between your teeth or is that just how your breath normally smells?”
“Rusty bucket of bolts!”
“Dumb wyrm!”
“Walking pile of scrap metal!”
A2 hurled her Type-4O Sword at him, her annoyance skyrocketing as it bounced off his hide and clattered onto the ground. They stared at the sword as the sun reflected from it.
A2 glared at the dragon, “I hate you.”
Seth smirked, “It’s good to see you, too. Joker was worried about you.”
“Where is he anyway?” A2 looked at his back after she retrieved her sword, eyes trailing over the new silvery scars on his body. “Hey, what happened to you? Did you lose a fight with a blender or something?”
The smaller set of wings on Seth’s neck quivered in rage, smoke pluming from his nostrils. Seth shared everything, from the moment A2 let her eyes off of them in the Forest Kingdom to now.
“I’ve been searching for those two machines while Joker sleeps.” Seth’s golden eyes looked to the sky. “It’s his first real rest since…”
A2 crossed her arms as Seth trailed off, “Those two chuckle fucks are dead. So? Any clues as to where those cowards are hiding?”
“No.” Seth looked at her. “I figured you’d run to the Resistance Camp to see Joker before we make our next move.”
A2 scoffed. “Yeah, no. Not while its crawling with YoRHa.”
“What’s your deal with them? I’d think protecting a Human would be worth getting over whatever it is between you.”
“We just don’t get along, alright?” A2 turned away when Seth kept peering at her with his dumb, all-knowing sunny eyes. “They left me for dead. Sent me and my whole squad on a suicide mission in Pearl Harbor. Then they decided that I ‘deserted’ and have been sending death squads to try and kill me ever since. They can go fuck themselves. There, that good enough for you?”
Seth growled, “What do you want to do then?”
“YoRHa’s bound to fuck everything up somehow.” She turned back to him, hand going to her sword. “So I’ll protect Joker my own way by hunting down those damn machines and making them regret ever being born.”
Seth cackled, his tail bobbing in joy. “That’s more like it! We can work together and make mince meat out of them!”
A2 raised a brow, “Don’t you want to be with Joker?”
“I wouldn’t fit in that tiny Camp, and flying there would give it away to the machines.”
She looked at him up and down, he was a lot bigger than when she last saw him. He’d no longer fit in that forest cave anymore, “The other androids don’t know you can just… pull a magical disappearing act out of your ass whenever you want?”
“Nope.”
A2 shrugged. “Works for me. Where should we look first? Any ideas?”
“There is one spot I wish to show you. Not for the machines, but for something else.”
“...Okay. Where?”
“It would be easier to take you there myself.”
“You’re kidding.”
“You can walk but with how slow you are it’ll take ages!”
“Shut up!” A2 ran a hand down her face, then stared precariously at Seth’s empty back. “If you knock me off I’m shoving my sword up your ass.”
“I doubt it would even tickle.”
A2 muttered a colorful paragraph’s worth of swears and insults, all the while Seth grinned like an asshole as she clambered onto his back.
“Are you ready yet?”
“Hang on! How does Joker do this without falling off?”
“Like this!” Seth dug his claws into the concrete and vaulted forward, A2 howled as she wrapped her arms around his neck.
“YOU DUMBAAAAAAAAAAAAAAASS!!” She screamed as sharp winds and wing beats drowned out her words, her long hair whipping wildly at her back. A2 clenched her eyes shut as the ground was ripped away from underneath her feet.
She didn’t know how long she clung to the crazy lizard for dear life, but the world eventually calmed down as Seth leveled himself out. The great expanse of his black wings made them float on the air currents.
“You can look now.”
Slowly, she peeled open her eyes, Seth was steady enough for her to sit up and look out to the horizon. Giant green trees reached into the sky and pale, broken skyscrapers spread all around them for miles. A2’s breath was stolen as the warm sun touched everything in layers of light and shadow, making the rivers and small lakes sparkle like jewels.
She stuck her hand out when Seth flew through a low hanging cloud, and the both of them became speckled in cold droplets of water, a rainbow of colors splashing them as the curtains of sunlight worked their magic. A2 held her hand up to the sun and marveled as the glistening beads of water slowly evaporated. He softly glided down with a change of the air current, his wingtip brushing the canopy of a great verdant tree.
A flock of white birds startled out of their nests, snowy feathers and leaves swirling around her before they fluttered off into the unknown sky. Soft winds graced them as opposed to the raging tornado of Seth’s ascent, sweet and almost dream-like.
There were no worries up here. No battles to fight or machines to ruin the moment. It was peaceful and free. Feelings she'd long abandoned once again took root within her.
“...I’ve forgotten how beautiful the world is.”
“What?”
“Nothing! Mind your own damn business!”
Seth chuckled, “Have you ever been this high up?”
“Just once, a long time ago.” A2 put her hands on Seth’s neck, absorbing the warmth his skin radiated. “I never thought I would see it like this again.”
“Hmph, I pity those without wings.” Seth muttered. “Being stuck on the ground sounds like torture.”
“Whatever. You got us up here, so where do you want to go that’s so important?”
Seth’s innate smugness drained away. He dipped his wing and turned west, the sudden and eerie change in his mood unsettled her. The carpet of green and gray flew under them in silence, and her ride through the heavens was over all too soon when he approached the new crater in the City Ruins.
He pulled into a stop, hovering as his neck swiveled back and forth. The dragon stared high up into the sky, as if searching for something, but nothing was there.
“Oi, what’s the hold-up?”
Seth snarled. A2 felt like her circuits were being jangled around as he dashed over broken buildings and soared down a broken road. He dropped once the concrete melded into grass and dirt, the river running clear beside them.
“What’s your deal?” A2 slid off Seth’s neck, frowning when the dragon’s ears drooped as the golden light of his eyes dimmed. “Hey, what the hell is the matter with you?”
“The clearing where the Trickster landed was destroyed in that explosion.” Seth shook his head, tail thrashing back and forth. “Where those vile machines first attacked him and Arsene—” A raspy grumble turned into mournful whine. “My brother expended much energy to cover Joker’s escape, and they have all so grown weak since. I thought there would be something, anything, to find. A clue, or a way to tap more into the magic that brought us here.”
A2 flinched when his tail suddenly lashed out snapped one of the smaller trees in half.
“But there’s nothing! Done away like ash and dust.”
A2 pursed her lips, “Okay, I have no idea what you’re going on about. What do you mean Joker fell? Fell from where?”
“Our world.”
“Uh… excuse me? I am so lost here. Mind explaining?”
Seth gouged out a swath of grass with his claws. He carved symbols into the dirt, simple straight or curved lines dotted with circles. “These are but a few of the symbols on the portal Joker was thrown through. I… cannot remember all of them, as the Trickster never got a chance to study them fully before Yaldabaoth tossed him through. Can you make sense of them? Is this some form of language in this world?”
A2 blankly stared at them, blinked, and looked up into his expectant gaze. “I have no idea if this crap means anything. Are you sure you didn’t hit your head and make this shit up? There’s no way you guys just… fell from another world.”
“It is not a lie!” Seth’s golden eyes simmered with the sun’s relentless fire, and it was any wonder that A2 didn’t find herself burning. “For such a powerful android, you have the intelligence of an ant!”
A2 bristled, “Take that back you son of a—”
Their bickering was disturbed by a noise cascading across the sky. They looked up to see the trails of several Flight Units descending into the City Ruins.
A2 scoffed, “You said 2B and 9S would report everything to the Commander?”
“Yes.”
“Then it’s probably Joker’s welcoming committee from YoRHa. I wonder if it’s the Commander herself gracing the Earth with her presence.” She turned and walked away from Seth, “Listen, if YoRHa puts two and two of us working together, then it won’t be good for Joker.”
Seth narrowed his eyes, “You want to split up?”
“We could cover more ground and track those two assholes down easier. Stop looking at me like that. You have a better idea?”
“Yes! Go to the Resistance Camp and have Joker tell this so-called Commander how stupid she is and let your name be cleared!”
“I doubt it’d be that easy.”
“You won’t know until you try.” Seth rolled his eyes at her continued silence. “Fine. Be stubborn and do it the hard way! I’m going to check out this ‘welcoming committee’ for myself.”
“Wait!” A2 turned to him as he stopped, wings spread. “Let’s try to meet here often to exchange information. And if it is the Commander, don’t say anything about me.”
“Whatever, toothpick.”
She watched Seth until he was nothing more than a dot in the sky.
~*~*~*~
“Crimson lights the sky, the birds still asleep
Like a dream it shines, from heaven’s safe keep
Children’s songs we sung, as soft as the breeze
Endless fields, our home, I long for those days
I call out these prayers to the sky, heavy with thought, see your face
I carry these memories inside, thoughts of a soul colored by love
See me grow wings and fly high, passions will die down below
I burn in the basin of fire, Watchers look on as they dance in their merciless sky
Watching me, watching you—”
“Why are you talking strangely, brother?” Eve asked as he lounged in his usual chair. “You’ve been at it for hours.”
“It’s called a song.” Adam sighed from his spot at the edge of the building, one knee hugged to his chest and the other dangling off the side, looking out to the City Ruins with a thoughtful expression, “Humans used to sing for all manner of reasons.”
“Okay. So?”
“So by singing this song, I may gain a better understanding of Joker’s words. If I cement this tune into my very being, will I know what it’s like to be Human? Heart. Soul. Free will. Memories.” Adam reached out, his gauntlet still stained crimson. But even dried and cracked, the Human blood gave off a wonderfully intoxicating smell. “Love.”
“I don’t get it.” Eve slouched over the table. “We know where the Human is. Why can’t we go play with him again and get your answers that way? I’m so bored!”
“Preparations must be made first, but we’ll get there in due time.” Adam smirked as he looked into the network, tapping into the tiny Machine hiding in the sprawling flora, watching as the android Commander spoke to the black dragon with her entourage of YoRHa soldiers. “In due time.”
“Then if we have to wait… can we go play? Just the two of us? I’m sure it’ll be way more fun than singing!”
Adam took a deep breath and slowly let it out. “Let me finish this song first, and then we’ll play.”
“Yay!”
~*~*~*~
Ren stood in Shibuya. The sights and sounds of so many cars and a sea of people threw him off the first time, overwhelmed him in a way he’d never experienced before in his small hometown tucked away in the mountains. Now, he was used to the hustle and bustle of the city, almost to the point of calling it home. Today’s sky was overcast, washing everything in a muted gray. But… something was off.
Morgana’s not with him.
He didn’t have his phone or a way to call anybody.
This wasn’t—
He doesn’t remember this day.
The world tilted around him in a dizzying array as something ethereal and primordial screamed. He reached out to the nearest person to ask for help, but his hand went through them. Ren reeled back as other people walked through him as if he wasn’t there… as if he were a ghost. Nobody else heard the cry of the Earth.
An unspeakable dread sank within his soul, some sense of impending doom crawled across his skin and left goosebumps behind. A voice inside him told him to run. Hide. But it was too late.
Sudden blinding light pierced through the clouds above. The crowd froze in their tracks and looked skywards, and shrill screams rang across the city when the Queen fell on Shinjuku, so close to Ren that her body dwarfed the skyscrapers and spilled shadows all around him. White balls of fire plummeted from the rays burning away the clouds, the explosions rocking the city to its core.
A Red Dragon falls from the sky.
Ren’s world was consumed by screams, tires screeching and horns blaring. Mothers fled with their children, fathers made desperate phone calls to their family, an elderly couple nearby simply embraced one another and accepted their demise, but a dragon’s harrowing roar droned them all out. A voice reached him, the lone ghost standing in a sea of chaos.
“Is this the land of the gods?”
Light and shadow, goodness and evil… the mother’s song must be silenced…
Queen and Dragon begin to sing, the sound of bells heralding the end of the world—
—the unsuppressed soul lets flow oceans of blood—
—the Watchers drink and raise high the walls of fire—
—mighty generals hesitate underneath a crimson sky—
—as the tears of a goddess flow, four lost temples forbode the coming of the Queen—
—the dragon plummets from the tower of red thunder, and where it falls no one has seen—
—Fire and ash, pain all encompassing as their skin crumbles in volcanic heat, and then the saviors fall together—
—The battle that crossed space and time is won, the awesome enemy defeated at last. But the blood of the heroes who saved the world paint the tower red—
Ren sees the horrific image of a dragon impaled atop Tokyo tower, and people are already going mad as the horrific sound of bells invade their minds and twist their bodies...
Ren’s eyes snapped open, his heart pounding in his rib cage. He stared at the ceiling, body in a sheen of sweat despite the ice in his veins.
Seth immediately flooded his soul with warmth and courage. “It was just a dream, Trickster.”
“How can you be sure? It felt so real…”
Seth offered no answer.
Ren shot up at the creak of a chair. He looked over to the table to see a woman studying him, her gloved fingers threaded together to rest her chin on. Ren recognized the Commander, but unlike her screen counterpart, she was not so black and white like the rest of YoRHa.
Her hair was a golden blonde river flowing down behind her, tied in a ponytail. She wore an intricate cream dress, the side cut all the way to her hip, with rose gold trimming and accessories. A pile of folders sat in front of her, along with a riding crop attached to her belt. Her pale green eyes softened when they met gazes.
“Good morning.” She greeted, her steely voice bleeding with sincerity.
Ren threw off the covers and swung his legs over the side of the bed. “Good morning?”
“Please, come sit.” She waved a hand to the chair across from her, “We have much to discuss, if you’re feeling well enough? You looked troubled in your sleep, but I didn’t know if I should wake you.”
Ren stood up in one fluid motion, donning his Phantom Thief costume between steps to sit at the table as Joker. He ignored the flashback of sitting at the table in the interrogation room, with a woman who would no doubt be best friends with Sae. He avoided checking the floor for used needles, just barely.
“So it’s true what 2B and 9S said, you’re a Human who harnesses magic.” The woman said, keen eyes peering into Joker’s. “And you have a special bond with a dragon, no less.”
“You’ve met him?”
“Oh yes. He came to us as we landed our Flight Units.” The Commander huffed, “He is… quite the character.”
“Seth, what did you do.”
“Nothing!”
“Seth.”
“...Maybe called her a few names. It’s not like I ate her subordinates or destroyed her precious flying toys!”
Joker sighed. His insides were queasy from that nightmare, mind on the brink of a flashback of the interrogation room, but he could still be courteous in the wake of Seth’s rudeness,“I apologize for his behavior. Do you want some coffee?”
She furrowed her brow. “Coffee?”
Joker retrieved the thermos from his pocket, “Humans drank it every day. Some couldn’t even function without a cup or three every morning.” He frowned, “Wait, can androids eat and drink?”
“We can.” The Commander eyed the thermos in interest, “But we only need purified water and occasional maintenance to operate normally.”
Joker popped off the lid and poured her some, the aroma settling his body and soul, “Try it.”
She blinked, but took the small cup and studied the liquid as she swirled it around. Her eyes widened after she took a refined sip, surprise blooming on her face.
“Like it?”
“It was… a refreshing, and surprising, experience. Many androids forgo the consumption of food, but maybe you’ll convince them otherwise.” She watched Joker as he poured the last of his coffee for himself, no more than a small mouthful, and drank the final drops with an edge of sadness. “Listen, I would like to issue a formal apology from all of YoRHa—”
“For trying to kill me?” Joker interrupted, voice low as he put the cap back on and set the empty thermos aside.
“…Yes.” The Commander sat up straight. “Your dragon—”
“His name is Seth.”
“Right. Seth made his displeasure very clear, and in front of my subordinates no less.” She stated with the calm composure expected for one in her position, but Joker saw the spark of regret in her eyes all the same. “But I suppose it’s deserved after what we put you through. I am truly sorry. If we had known…”
Joker leaned back in his chair and sighed, “You can’t change the past, but 2B and 9S have more than made up for it. Apology accepted.”
“Thank you.” She searched his face as she absorbed his honest words, “Let’s start over. I am Commander White. Usually, I stay on the YoRHa satellite base known as the Bunker and oversee missions of our ground forces alongside the Operators. That is, until you appeared. What’s your name?”
“Amamiya Ren. My code-name is Joker in this costume, but I don’t mind you calling me Ren.”
The Commander set her jaw. “The same name 2B and 9S shared with me.”
Joker blinked as she continued to study him through an intense gaze. If she already knew his name, then why bother asking?
“What do you remember about your time with Project Gestalt?”
“Gesundheit.” Seth remarked.
Joker stared at her, frowning. “I’m not following.”
A small wrinkle appeared in her brow. Slowly, she turned the first folder around and slid it towards him.
He opened it to an official document with a date he was dangerously familiar with, but words he definitely was not.
Project Gestalt Report 1
March 12, 2014
The proliferation of the White Chlorination Syndrome that emerged in 2003— alongside the appearance of the “Giant” and “Dragon”—has continued unabated, and outbreaks are now being observed on a global scale. Despite being researched in laboratories across the world, not only have there been no breakthroughs in the development of a vaccine to prevent infection, we have yet to ascertain how it even spreads.
However, many technological breakthroughs have been made as a result of research conducted on the“maso” particle that was discovered at the same time. We are confident that the technology it enables— the separation of the soul from the body and the independent preservation of both— will be the final defense against the unprecedented threat to humanity we now face.
Now that the project has passed from preparation into the main implementation phase, we have given it the official name “Project Gestalt.”
It was like a mirror into his nightmare.
The next several reports were in the same dry fashion. Maso particles. Legion. Red eye. White Chlorination Syndrome. He couldn’t really make sense of all of this information thrown at him at once.
There was only one other report of Project Gestalt with a frightening time gap.
December 31, 3361
[Summary}
Due to the relapse of the Original, Gestalt units in preservation are now relapsing at an accelerated rate. The process of recording their bodies and gathering their DNA continues, but progress is poor.
New countermeasures and development intended to serve as a replacement to Project Gestalt are scheduled to be transferred to the Next Generation Preservation Project Preparation Committee. As for this report, it will serve as a collected record of both Project Gestalt and the Committee. For information about the development plans for new android models and the refinement of existing models, please refer to the attached sheet.
Furthermore, we have received approval to consider the disposal of the "Devola" and "Popola" observer models at a later date.
Joker’s hair stood on end when he was finished reading, glancing at the Commander in confusion, “Why are you showing me all of this?”
“The Council of Humanity decided to disclose these for you… in case you couldn’t remember what happened.”
Joker held in his scoff at the ‘Council of Humanity’, “You’re still not making any sense. Why would I remember something that never happened to me?”
The Commander looked troubled as she slid the other folder towards him. He reached out towards the second to flip it open—
He shot to his feet, backing away as if it had burned him. “Why… why do you have a file on me?”
“We have a server dedicated to preserving information on Humans and Project Gestalt, especially the personal information of those who were registered for the Project.” She leaned forward, her eyes alight like the gleaming sharpness of a blade. “The Council of Humanity theorized you’re the last Gestalt who survived somehow, possibly deep underground and out of reach. Much like the aliens were until recently.”
Joker stared blankly at her. “But… that’s not me. I never registered for this Project!”
“No?” She reached for the neglected folder and read aloud. “Amamiya Ren registered for the Gestalt Project after Sakura Futaba and Sakura Sojiro contracted White Chlorination Syndrome. Sakura Sojiro used his connections with the government to secure your place in the early stages of the Project before they both perished from the disease.” The Commander looked at him when he paled. “Those names are familiar to you?”
Joker swallowed thickly as he grabbed the back of the chair for support, but nodded.
She closed the file with a sharp snap, “As you’ve read, Project Gestalt failed, resulting in the death of all Replicants and Gestalts… or so we thought. In essence, you being alive is a mystery, let alone the appearance of another dragon who looks similar to the Red Dragon who fell with the Giant.” The Commander absorbed his reaction with stone coldness. “That’s why I need to know what you remember, so we can piece together how this happened.”
Seth’s own startled confusion left his head swimming.
Joker pinched the bridge of his nose as he thought of his nightmare.
“Perhaps… it wasn’t a dream after all.” Seth whispered.
“Yeah, no shit!” Joker paced in a small circle. “None of this makes any sense.”
“If everything that stupid woman said was true, then not only did Yaldabaoth throw us in an alternate world where Humanity is extinct, but there was another you who perished thousands of years ago.”
“That bastard has a sick sense of humor. What are we going to do?”
“What is there to do?” Seth regained his bearings remarkable quick, grounding Joker in the process. “Those files are ancient, Trickster, and the Amamiya Ren on that page isn’t you. This knowledge doesn’t change our own situation. Although…”
“What is it?”
Seth stretched his wings, absorbing the comforting warmth of the sun on his skin. “I wonder if the magic of this world originates from the Red Dragon, or if its from the Giant. If we’re similar in appearance according to your dream, it could explain why I alone have not withered away, why even Kohryu cannot feel this magic building its strength within us. We need more information.”
“Then… what should we tell her?”
“Playing along may not work out in the long run. The Dragon and the Giant fell here thousands of years ago, so it’s not impossible for other beings to come from more dimensions.”
Joker turned to Commander White, who yet watched him with keen eyes. He took a deep breath and sat at the table once more, his eyes trailing to the file.
“That isn’t me.”
She frowned, “But the information matches. Your name, birthday, appearance, association with Sojiro and Futaba Sakura.” Joker nodded, and her frown deepened, “Explain, then.”
“I come from an alternate world. The same in many aspects, but in others… it’s a lot different.”
The Commander’s eyes widened a fraction. “…What?”
“A world where the Red Dragon and the Giant never appeared in Tokyo. There were no such things as a Project Gestalt or the White Chlorination Syndrome. Instead, my friends and I fought a false god that took over our reality, but he separated us and cast us all into different portals… different worlds. The one I fell through had bright white light and strange symbols, I remember falling… and the next thing I know I’m waking up in the City Ruins.”
“And your dragon?” Her voice tightened, her hands forming into fists.
“He was with me before we fell. Our power drew from the Sea of Human Souls in our world, so that’s why we know Humanity is extinct here because there isn’t that power to draw from. Seth can sense the lingering magic from the Red Dragon or Giant, though. It’s what’s keeping him alive now.”
Commander White stared at him for a long while, searching for any sort of lie, but she could find none under Joker’s stern gaze.
She laced her fingers together, “Further research on the Dragon and Giant revealed that they came from another dimension parallel to this one, but to think there were even more parallel worlds out there… ones where these tragedies never happened…”
Joker’s tense shoulders dropped. “You believe me?”
“Yes. We detected a strange anomaly recently over the City Ruins, but haven’t had the time or resources to look into it. I sense you have no reason to lie. The idea of a Replicant or Gestalt surviving on its own for so long was a far stretch to me, and since it’s impossible to make any more without the Original…” She tilted her head, “We never thought another event like this would happen, but the evidence is sitting right in front of me, is it not?”
“Do you think there’s a way back to my world?” Joker asked, failing to keep hope out of his voice. “If we can open the portal again…”
“Reports say we’ve opened such portals before.” The Commander sighed. “Infected maso cells responsible for causing the White Chlorination Syndrome were banished from this world to another dimension long ago.”
Joker’s eyes widened, “Then—”
“No, it’s far too dangerous.” The Commander shook her head. “We don’t fully understand the nature of the dimension those cells went to. Besides, connecting to a specific world would be impossible, and reopening those pathways might risk your very well being… if they haven’t already. The last thing we want is you getting infected with White Chlorination Syndrome, should it still exist in another dimension. If you were to be infected, even by accident, and then return to your home world, it could trigger much of the same events that brought our world to its current state.”
Joker wilted in his chair.
They spent the next several minutes in contemplative silence. Joker being dispirited learning the terrible fate of his loved ones in a parallel universe and the hopelessness of being stuck here, while the Commander stared at the closed file of him that wasn’t him.
Eventually, Joker looked at the closed door and broke that silence, “Do any of them know? About… all of this?”
The Commander followed his gaze, the slump of her shoulders and downcast eyes spoke of her exhaustion.
Joker didn’t know an android could look so tired, so… human.
“They’re aware of Project Gestalt’s failure, but that’s the extent of it. They don’t know about the total annihilation of Humanity. You’re the first Human they’ve ever met while the rest of Humanity is safe on the moon. To them, that is the truth.”
“Why lie about it?” Joker leaned forward, expression hardening.
“Do you know what happened when word spread about how a living, breathing Human was found on Earth?” Commander White returned his steely gaze. “Moral shot up exponentially. We won more battles against the machines, new supply lines for Resistance forces and YoRHa have been established in record time. This Resistance Camp is full of excitement. The Operators stuck on the Bunker have regained their sense of purpose, all because of you. Need I go on?”
“Even so, the truth will get out eventually.”
“There are measures taken to ensure it stays secret.” Commander White countered, her heated glare cut into his heart like glass shards. “And I will not allow you to ruin this one ray of hope we have at winning this war once and for all!”
Joker reeled back at her intensity.
“I… apologize.” The Commander’s anger drained away as she straightened a few hairs out of place from her outburst. “We’ve fought these endless wars for so many centuries. I just want all the fighting and death to end, you and your dragon could be the pillar of hope we need to stop the wars for good. For the sake of everyone fighting, I implore you not to say anything about the truth of Humanity.”
Joker opened his mouth, but he couldn’t find any words.
The Commander sighed. “I understand how hard it is for you, to be the very last Human on this world, so I’ll give you time.” She stood up and gathered the folders under her arm. “We have our differences, and you may not be from this world, but whether by fate or accident I’m glad I could speak to a real Human. For now, I must return to the Bunker and keep our operations running smoothly.”
“What about me? Won’t people be suspicious if I don’t go join the other ‘humans’ on the moon?”
“The Council of Humanity has decreed that you will stay on Earth for the foreseeable future because the overall risk is too great. Besides, it would be impossible to provide accommodations for a dragon of Seth’s size.” The Commander shifted her weight. “I won’t restrict you from leaving the camp, but don’t do anything to jeopardize yourself. Are there any other questions before my departure?”
“That other android I was with, A2, said she didn’t see eye to eye with YoRHa. What’s your history with her?”
“A2 is a dangerous criminal who escaped capture for years.” The Commander tilted her head, her long hair swaying with the movement. “I’m glad we took you from her before she could hurt you or worse.”
“LIES! SHE WOULD NEVER!” Seth trumpeted, so loud it nearly made Joker fall out of his chair, “YoRHa was the one to abandon her, not the other way around!”
“How do you know?” Joker said as he clutched his head, the Commander stiffened in the corner of his eye, hand reaching out but not touching him. “Did you find her?”
“Yes, while you were sleeping! We split up when the flying contraptions came down, but she told me YoRHa sent her and her comrades on a suicide mission and then left her to die! She’s fended off many YoRHa assassins since!”
“You’ve been trying to kill her?” Joker gaped at the Commander.
Commander White retracted her hand, lips pursed. “She deserted during a critical operation and refuses to turn herself in peacefully.”
“Deserted, or are you trying to silence her because you want to hide something?”
The Commander’s calm patience returned with her steely voice, “You don’t understand—”
“You're right, I don’t understand.” Joker stood, hands balled into fists. “How can you turn on one of your own?”
“What is she to you? You barely know her.”
“She risked her life to keep me safe. That’s enough to call her my friend.” Joker kept his composure as a light bulb flickered on in his mind. “How about we make a deal?”
Commander White narrowed her eyes. “What sort of deal?”
“If I promise to keep your secret about Humanity, will you clear A2’s name?”
The Commander stared at him for another long moment. “You’re really adamant for someone you’ve known for a short time.”
“Yeah, I draw the line at my friends being hunted down like animals.”
“What would you have me do? I can’t erase her past deeds, nor the bad blood between her and other YoRHa androids.”
“Let her have some peace and be treated with a decent sense of humanity.” Joker hesitated as the Commander raised a brow. “Well, you know what I mean.”
The Commander crossed her arms, her fingers tapping on the folders in her grasp. Her eyes closed, brow scrunched as if she waged an internal war with herself.
“What would you consider 2B and 9S?”
“We got off on the wrong foot, that’s for sure.” Joker looked past the Commander and towards the door. “But like A2, they risked their lives to protect me from Adam and Eve. I'd consider them my friends, too.”
The Commander opened her eyes. They stared at each other for a long time, Joker’s determination unwavering. He saw it then. Like with Sae after his interrogation, the hardness within her gaze slowly faded into something much softer.
“I accept your deal: Your silence for A2’s freedom. It won’t undue all of the damage, but it is possible to clear her name with time. Every YoRHa unit tasked with her execution will be recalled and given a different objective.”
Joker smiled, “Thank you.”
“Don’t thank me.” Commander White turned her back on him. “I accepted your bargain simply because you’re Human, if it were anyone else making these outrageous demands I would cut them down where they stand.”
With that proclomation, she left. The door gently shut and he was alone with the heavy weight of new and terrifying knowledge tied around his neck. It left him with much to think about. Far too much.
Joker sank back into the chair and massaged his temples. “I’m so tired.”
“You just woke up from a nine hour nap. How can you be tired?”
“You’re not helping.”
“And sitting around to mope doesn’t suit you, Trickster. Go outside and get some fresh air to clear your head, I’m sure the other toothpicks are eager to see you.”
Seth was right of course, so Joker pulled himself to his feet and banished his costume before he went to face the music. If he thought 9S and 2B’s reactions were intense, he never anticipated the staggering amount of reverent stares he received the moment he stepped outside. A silence washed over the Resistance Camp before the bubble popped and he was bombarded with voices.
“Oh my god, is that the Human!?” A YoRHa android stepped in front of him, her pale hair tied in many braids, and wearing a black dress longer than 2B’s. Her blindfold was smaller, but that didn’t stop her bubbly energy from escaping through in droves, “Hi! I’m 23D and I’m so excited to—”
Her face was smooshed by another YoRHa android’s gloved hand pushing her away, “You’re getting up in his personal space. The Human’s going to suffocate with you being so close to him.”
“Let me go, 16H! I just wanted to—”
“Both of you knock it off.” They were dragged backwards by another of their comrades, one with hair longer than 2B’s, but shorter than the waterfall of white from 16H, “Or I’ll assign you to cleaning the maintenance room when we get back to the Bunker.”
“You’re so mean, 3B!” 23D pouted.
Another android nearby scoffed. “Leave it to YoRHa to hog the Human’s attention.”
“Oh, don’t be like that. Just wait your turn and we’ll see him all the same.”
2B, who leaned against the wall nearby, sighed. 9S stood at her side, frowning at the sudden tension thickening the air.
“Enough fooling around.” The Commander stood within a small group of other YoRHa androids and Pods near the entrance. They all had a variation of the black gothic clothes, but to Ren’s surprise, some had brightly colored hair instead of white. And all of them were women. “Ren doesn’t deserve to be hounded when he’s still recovering from his ordeals.”
The very sound of his name earned him looks of respect and awe. He stood there, blinking in sheer confusion, as Anemone broke through the crowd of Resistance androids.
“She’s right! All of you, back to your stations.”
The Resistance androids returned to their duties, most of the crowd dispersing with quiet mutters.
Anemone and the Commander nodded to one another, before the Commander faced Ren and placed her hand to her heart, “Glory to Mankind.”
The other YoRHa soldiers mimicked her in perfect unison, all facing him. “Glory to Mankind!”
Ren gaped after them as they left. He’d gotten the respect of the other Phantom Thieves as their Leader, but nobody had ever saluted him before, let alone even looked at him with such deep veneration. He’d gotten so used to the way people treated him at Shujin that it was a little off putting to be seen as anything more than a delinquent by a larger crowd.
Anemone sighed when the Camp returned to a relative normal, though any nearby androids kept stealing wide-eyed glances at Ren.
“You didn’t go with the Commander?” Ren looked to 2B and 9S.
“Nah, we still have orders to stay on the surface and do recon.” 9S stated.
“And to make sure a certain someone doesn’t get into too much trouble.” 2B smiled softly at him as she pulled away from the wall. “We have some side missions to do in the surrounding areas. Do you think you can stay here until we get back?”
“Yeah, it won’t take long!” 9S said, grinning.
“It would do you well to have a proper break, Trickster. We’ve been in survival mode since we arrived.” Seth said, “Get a feel for this Resistance Camp and its people before we make our next move.”
“What about you?”
“I’ve been having much fun destroying any machines I see across the City Ruins. Also… the place where we first landed has been destroyed by the Goliath explosion, so we’re truly stranded until we figure something else out.”
Ren’s heart sank, but he nodded to the androids.
2B and 9S started to walk away, but 2B stopped suddenly, “Can I borrow that golden dagger?”
Ren raised a brow, “Why?”
“That’s a surprise. I’ll give them back soon, I promise.”
“...Okay.” He summoned his costume once more, gasps and more whispers of magic threading through the Camp when he unlatched the Phoenix Dagger from his belt and handed it over.
“Well, that was certainly something.” Anemone turned to Joker as he returned to normal clothing again, stray blue cinders fluttering on a nonexistent wind. “2B told us of your request and sent along the blueprints for a bathroom. Our people are remodeling an unused storage room into a private bathing area for you.”
Ren felt his face heat up. “You really don’t have to do that. I bathed in the river before, so I don’t mind getting a bucket of cold water or something to wash up.”
Anemone blinked very slowly, as if it were the most horrible joke she's ever heard. “I think circuits would fry if anyone else heard you say that. I speak for every android here when we say we’d rather jump off a cliff than let our first Human guest suffer like that any longer.” Anemone chuckled. “We want you to be as comfortable here as possible.”
A small smile curled his lips, “Thank you.”
She nodded. “Want a tour in the meantime? If you’re going to stay, you might as well get used to the place.”
Ren grinned. “I’d like that.”
Anemone led him deeper into the Camp, familiarizing himself with the sights and sounds of tents and warehouses and endless piles of junk and scrap metal, of the many androids who nearly fell over themselves when he waved in greeting or spoke a few words to them. He met the blacksmith, various store owners, and more. One android woman, wearing a hollowed out machine head, was muttering something about the game getting a strange new DLC… and she was worried about something slowly being corrupted.
Anemone shook her head in exasperation and they moved on.
That was when his stomach gurgled, long and loud.
Anemone gaped at him as he put his hands over his stomach, “I think I’m a little hungry.”
His hunger sparked excitement in Seth at the prospect of another hunt.
She patted him on the shoulder, smirking, “Let’s see what the scouts scrounged up for you.”
Seth wilted at that, but Ren smiled, “That sounds nice.”
The scouts looked ready to combust when Anemone began introductions.
But a sudden thought distracted him as they sorted through the scavenged food.
2B said she’d return them when she got back, but he’d only given her one dagger.
~*~*~*~
“Ah, 2B and 9S!” Pascal greeted when the pair of androids approached, “I’ve been waiting to hear from you! How is Joker? I don’t see him with you.”
“He’s safe.” 2B said softly. “He’s currently resting at the Resistance Camp.”
“Oh, good.” Pascal released the machine version of a relieved sigh. “I was so worried after all of that ruckus from those other machines. Do you think he’ll be able to drop by soon? The children have been asking for him.”
“Yeah, we want to play with big brother Joker!” One of the small machines at Pascal’s side cheered.
“I miss him.” Another said.
“We didn’t get to play with him! When is he coming back, Uncle Pascal?”
Pascal chuckled, “See?”
9S exchanged a look with 2B. “We’ll pass the message on when we see him.” 9S stated. “But first, we have a couple of questions for you.”
“What sort of questions?”
“Like why you choose not to fight.” 2B said. “Or if you have any information on the aliens?”
“You mean the ones who created us machines?” Pascal hummed. “I suppose… we’ve lived for hundreds of years, and I’ve grown so tired of seeing all of our friends die time and time again. Eventually, our creators stopped giving us orders, so I decided enough was enough and disconnected from the network. I founded this village for like-minded machines, and we have lived in peace ever since.”
“…That’s it?” 9S asked.
“I’m afraid so.” Pascal tilted his head. “Are you disappointed?”
“No, it’s not that!” 9S held up his hands. “I just… I never thought a machine would be able to make this sort of choice all on its own. You know, since your emotions aren’t even real.”
Pascal tilted his head the other way, flashing eyes unrelenting in their intensity. “Why do you think my emotions are not real, 9S?”
“Because your personality is programmed.”
“Then are your emotions fake as well, since you’re an android and not a Human?”
9S sputtered. “W-well, that’s… you see… W-we’re different from machines!”
“How so?”
“Enough. Emotions are prohibited during missions.” 2B whispered.
“That doesn’t answer my question. You say emotions are prohibited, but I’ve known you long enough to see that that’s not true. You helped an android couple hiding here, helped one of my villagers find her little sister and a mother to find her son. I’m sure you helped many others in your journey, too.” Pascal chuckled lightly. “We machines are more than the parts that make us, just like you androids. Joker would agree, wouldn’t you think?”
9S frowned, but 2B changed the subject.
“One last question.” 2B said. “Would it be possible to track down certain machines through the network?”
9S nodded. “Like pinpointing an exact location?”
“I suppose it would be possible, but it may be difficult due to how expansive the network is. I know you androids are susceptible to the logic virus as well, which makes it dangerous for you.” Pascal’s eyes flickered in a curious blink. “Why do you ask?”
“No reason.” 9S replied coolly.
“Thank you for your time.” 2B turned and started walking away.
“Say hi to big brother Joker for us!” One of the tiny machines waved.
“Tell him to hurry up and come back!” Another yelled.
Pascal watched them leave, his eyes brightening.
“Geez, glad that’s over. Should we go back to the Resistance Camp?” 9S asked as they descended the ladder and stopped in front of the teleporter, “We completed a whole bunch of stuff since we left, I hope Ren’s holding up okay.”
“I’m sure he’s fine. Anemone promised to take care of him.” 2B scrolled through the options on the teleporter’s screen and chose a certain one, the vending machine door opening with a hiss of steam. “There’s one last thing I want to do.”
“Where are we going?”
2B stepped inside and turned to 9S with a smile, “The Forest Kingdom Castle.”
“Eh!?”
2B enjoyed the shock on his face before the door closed and her vision turned black. The transfer of her consciousness to another body was painless, and within moments she stepped out of the next transporter and onto cold stones with her Pod at her side.
9S arrived a minute later, frowning as he looked up at the castle.
The destruction from Seth littered the courtyard. An eerie silence overtook the moss covered stones, as there wasn’t a single machine in sight from the dragon’s rampage. They could still picture the Flight Units waiting on the high castle wall, foolishly waiting to slay the innocent targets who now held a prized place in their hearts.
2B hopped down from the wall. “Do you think it’s possible to track down Adam and Eve through the network?”
“Maybe.” 9S pulled up his screens, typing as they walked through the empty castle, though 2B kept a hand on her sword regardless. “Like Pascal said, it’d be risky, but if I gather the right data from enough machines, I should be able to pinpoint Adam and Eve’s location and disconnect them for good. Then we can deal with them permanently.”
Pod 042 buzzed, “Hypothesis: Delving into the machine network for an extended time has a high risk in contracting the logic virus. Conclusion: It’s too dangerous for unit 9S to attempt without dire repercussions.”
“Yeah, yeah.” 9S muttered as he nonchalantly waved his hand.
“9S… you know what happens when one of us gets the virus. You’re willing to risk your current self even after Ren shared his view on us losing our memories?”
His fingers froze over his keyboards. “You heard those psycho machines. It’s only a matter of time before they try to get their filthy hands on Ren. Besides, when we first learned he was a real Human… didn’t you feel it too?”
“What do you mean?”
“When the Pods confirmed he was Human… it was like everything suddenly had so many more colors. When we held his hands, the rest of the world faded away and the only thing that mattered was that we were in the presence of a Human. When Eve made him bleed…” 9S exhaled a staggered breath, his hands balling into trembling fists. “I don’t remember feeling such dark hatred before. I hate Adam and Eve with everything I have, 2B.”
“...Seeing Ren smile was like the first light of dawn after a long, dark night.”
9S nodded. “Exactly.”
“But it’s said we androids are programmed to feel this way towards Humans.” She whispered.
“I honestly don’t care, I’ll hunt down Adam and Eve and I won’t quit until they’re both dead.” The screens lit up his despondent, yet determined, smile. “Ren said it himself. ‘Some bonds are so powerful that they would die to protect one another.’ Isn’t that just what androids should feel towards our Human creators?”
“9S…”
He shrugged. “So it doesn’t matter if I contract the virus as long as we’re able to protect Ren. I’ll just wake up on the Bunker again anyway. I won’t remember much, but you’ll be there to tell me everything, right 2B?”
Her chest ached with ancient and familiar pains that threatened to split her apart. “...Right.”
They crossed empty castle corridors and vast rooms, the stones, moss, and curtains of sunrays filtering through broken windows were their only obstacle. They stepped out into the open bridges connecting one wing of the castle to the other, the full brunt of sunlight shining on them. The sharp tang of a hammer on metal resounded through this part of the castle, a lonely call unanswered. They jumped down to the lower bridge and moved the box that hid the machine blacksmith.
A wall of sweltering heat greeted them as they entered the room with a great forge taking up most of the space, the roaring flames reminded her of Seth’s fiery breath. Weapons and other materials decorated the walls, and the one who she came to see hammered away at a machine blade over an anvil.
The Blacksmith, dressed like many of the samurai machines here previously, looked up, “Ah, you’ve returned. Have some weapons you’d like to upgrade?”
2B nodded and stepped up to the counter. Pod 153 deposited the Phoenix Dagger and the weapon they’d recovered from a machine’s body. The one originally belonging to Ren.
The Blacksmith’s eyes shined as he set his current work aside, “Oh, a black and white weapon.”
“Is it one of the weapons you’ve mentioned before?” 9S asked.
“This is not of my master’s work, but it is fascinating.” The Blacksmith picked it up to inspect it. “Not made by a machine… but I’m not sensing any metals androids would use for their blades, nor anything of ancient Human techniques. Interesting. I wonder what forged such a weapon? I… hmm…”
“What?” 9S tensed, frowning at the intense light of the machine’s eyes.
“Weapons hold the heart of their wielder, and I sense that whoever owned this blade originally has been through much peril. A long journey fraught with danger and steep loss, and yet they have the will power to keep going forward, despite being so exhausted.”
2B and 9S exchanged hidden glances.
“You can tell all that from just looking at it?” 9S asked incredulously.
The Blacksmith laughed, “I am not the great Masamune for nothing! Weapons are my life, and the state of your most trusted companion in a battle can tell all I need about a person.”
“Can you upgrade it?” 2B asked.
“Of course… with payment and the right materials.”
They handed over the money and fresh stock of materials they gained from their recent missions, including their store of rare meteorites and other scarce metals, and Masamune got to work. But the moment Masamune put the black and white dagger in the forge to heat it up, something happened.
The flames burst into tongues of bright blue. 9S yelped and ducked behind 2B as the whole room was bathed in azure light, but Masamune held up his arm and stayed in place as he watched, completely enthralled. The flames died down, yet the wondrous new color stayed.
“Fascinating. Simply astounding!” Masamune cried.
“Uh… can you still work with it?” 9S asked as he peeked around 2B’s shoulder.
“I should be able to.” Masamune chuckled. “Ah, a new challenge at the forge! Something I’ve not had in so many decades.”
“Why did it do that?” 2B asked when Masamune prepared his tools.
“I’m not sure, but it feels almost like magic, doesn’t it?” Masamune turned towards the forge and its new flame, eyes flickering bright. “Not even my master ever encountered something like this…”
“Magic, huh?” 2B whispered.
Ten minutes of scalding blue heat and the pound of a hammer on white hot metal later, and Ren’s first upgrade was finished. They all waited with anticipation as Masamune heated it in the blue fire for the last time, and then quenched it in the nearby cask of oil. A satisfying hiss trickled through the room.
2B’s eyes widened as he drew out the cooled blade, shimmering with otherworldly power fit to slice metal as if it were wet cardboard. The blade itself shone brighter as Masamune wiped the excess oil from it and carefully set it on the counter.
“Whoa…” 9S finally stepped out around 2B and leaned closer to it in wonder. “This is way better than top of the line YoRHa weapons! I wonder if it has to do with the blue fire? It looks the same color as when Ren—”
2B jabbed him in the ribs with her elbow.
“The new forge has granted it unique properties.” Masamune said as he studied the blade.
“Is it safe to upgrade another weapon?” 2B asked.
Masamune looked at the forge, his metal body rimmed in bright blue. “I believe so, but what new additions and strengths the weapon will gain with this mystic force… I am not sure. Are you certain you wish to risk it?”
“We might as well see what it does.” 9S said. “If the weapons turn out to be stronger or get new abilities, then I say we go for it.”
2B handed over the Phoenix Dagger and Masamune began his work anew. She looked down at the reborn black and white blade, it almost seemed to sing to her soul when she grasped the handle and its another part of its story unfolded for her.
Where have you been?
Been searching all along
Came facing twilight on and on
Without a clue
Without a sign
Without grasping yet
The real question to be asked
Where have I been?
I'm a shape shifter
At Poe's masquerade
Hiding both face and mind
All free for you to draw
I'm a shape shifter
What else should I be?
Please don't take off my mask
Revealing dark
Moments of calm
Nothing left to be found
A mirror right in front of me
That's where I find
An empty glass
Reflecting the sad truth
It's telling words not to be told
I need the mask
I'm a shape shifter
At Poe's masquerade
Hiding both face and mind
All free for you to draw
I'm a shape shifter
Chained down to my core
Please don't take off my mask
My place to hide
I can't tell you
How to see me
Just a cage of bones
There's nothing inside
Will it unleash me?
Burning down the walls
Is there a way
For me to break?
I'm a shape shifter
At Poe's masquerade
Hiding both face and mind
All free for you to draw
I'm a shape shifter
Have no face to show
Please don't take off my mask
My disguise
All weapon stories have words, but this one imparted true emotion. It almost seemed… alive. A soft tune resonated through her very being when she absorbed the new lyrics granted by the upgrade.
Was this how Ren felt? The isolation, hiding behind a mask, unable to show his true self because he was afraid of being empty inside? Masamune hinted at a long journey and steep loss, too. She reverently ran her finger down the edge of the blade as her chest weighed heavy.
She never expected a Human to feel the same way she did.
“2B?”
2B snapped out of her thoughts. Masamune and 9S stared at her, the second weapon on the counter.
“The color changed.” She remarked as she stared into the deep red-gold metal with an entire phoenix forged into the blade, higher detailed feathers accented the blade and a new tassel attached to the pommel were like brilliant tail feathers.
Masamune nodded, “The upgrade seems to have gone the same way as the other one. New abilities and a sharper edge, yet they still retain significant strength as to not break… I’ve not seen anything like this throughout all of my years.”
She grabbed the upgraded dagger, breath-taking and frightening with its burning luster as warm as sunlight, and placed both weapons in her Pod’s storage.
“Thank you.”
“No, thank you.” Masamune replied with a bow of his head. “I’ll be studying this new flame for the foreseeable future, and what it applies to certain metals and other weapons. Feel free to drop by from time to time to see my progress. Who knows? I may be able to further upgrade your gear to heights never before seen… as long as you have the currency and materials.”
The androids walked out, satisfied and excited.
“You okay, 2B?” 9S asked, “You were spacing off in there.”
“I’m fine. Let’s return to the Resistance Camp.”
“Oookay. Can I ask why did you upgraded those weapons? Not that these new weapons weren’t worth it or anything! In fact, it’s probably the opposite.”
“They’re for Ren.” 2B looked across the desolate castle. “The best thing we can do for him is teach him how to defend himself in case we aren’t around and he can’t rely on Seth. There won’t be another repeat of what happened down in that alien chamber.”
“I guess you’re right. Better to be safe than sorry!”
“Exactly. Now let’s stop wasting time.”
9S squawked as 2B shot off, “H-hey, wait for me!”
~*~*~*~
While the androids continued to work on his private bath, Ren cooked up what the scouts foraged for him. It seemed like half the camp came to watch him cut up some rough potatoes and other vegetables found growing in the overgrown concrete city, and paired with diced cuts of venison, he’d made a simple soup using a makeshift stove and spare equipment the androids had lying around.
Thankfully the androids had a good supply of salt, but it was still bland and more than a little sad without other spices like rosemary, pepper, cilantro, or any sort of dairy to add more flavor. Anemone didn’t leave his side throughout his cooking venture. He couldn’t help his smirk when one android approached after he had his fill, asking questions on how to cook and sampling what was left.
Other stragglers joined to get their first taste of human food since… ever, their eyes sparkling in the way that spoke of a shining new interest. They treated his flavorless broth and bits of vegetables and meat like it was a five star gourmet dish.
Ren found himself reveling in some sense of normal interactions with people again. It reminded him of chatting with customers in Leblanc with far less coffee than there should be.
Only these were androids.
And humans were extinct in this world.
He tried not to let that sour his mood, as any signs of distress would probably cause a tidal wave of smothering concerns he didn’t need. It wasn’t long after when another android rushed over to tell them that the new addition for Ren was finished. Anemone dismissed the crowd so Ren could excuse himself. The android showed them to the small entrance off to the side of the medical bay, quite close to his room, and bowed her head to leave them in peace.
“Thank you.”
Ren blinked at Anemone before he could explore the new room. “For what?”
“For being… Human.” She chuckled as she looked fondly across the Camp. “It sounds stupid saying it out loud. But you talking to everyone, showing them a sliver of how Humans used to live on Earth before going to the moon… it’s already changed them in a way they’ll never forget. Hell, it’ll be good practice for when Humans can really come home someday.”
Ren’s heart twinged as much as it warmed. If it weren’t for Yaldabaoth sending him here, these androids would still be fighting for an empty lie. They would resume doing so if he ever found a way home.
Yaldabaoth’s cruelty continued to deepen in Ren’s eyes.
He tucked his hands in his pockets. “For their sake I hope they find another reason to continue living when the fighting ends.” He continued when Anemone gave him a questioning look, “They deserve to find their own happiness separate from Humanity. They’re the ones fighting for this planet, after all.”
“I suppose that’s a solid point, but…” A sparkle entered Anemone’s eyes, “You don’t know how treasured you are, do you?”
“Treasured?” Ren shook his head. “But I just got here, and they don’t really know me. How can they think so highly of me already?”
“Because you’re Human. The first Human who showed them nothing but warmth and kindness. Maybe they don’t really know you yet, but keep doing what you did today and that’ll take care of itself.” Anemone patted him on the shoulder with a wink and an amused curl to her lips. “I won’t keep you any longer. Oh, and I ordered them to leave a fresh change of clothes for you, too.”
Ren watched her walk away before he opened the door. It was a small room, but it had everything he needed: A sink, a deep tub and shower combo, and even a working toilet. Ren closed the door and traced his hands over the sink, his eyes catching on the towel and the pile of neatly folded clothes on the counter.
It was bigger than the bathroom in Leblanc, and these androids must’ve used their most precious materials to set this up. And these clothes… the others in the camp all wore tattered garments covered in dust or oil, tarnished by great spans of time, but these were clean and soft and new.
He’d have to thank them somehow, maybe make an enormous batch of curry if it was ever possible to get the right ingredients. Without further delay, he turned on the water.
A hot shower after days sticking it out in the wilderness was nothing short of bliss.
It gave him time to relax and contemplate their next move. Seth didn’t offer any insight, as the dragon was currently sleeping off his latest rampage against a group of machines in the City Ruins, stomach full to bursting from devouring an entire giant boar afterwards.
Even so, one word kept circling Ren’s thoughts.
Magic.
But the androids seemed surprised by him summoning his costume, and that file on ‘maso particles’ was so dry and stale that its words offered nothing useful beyond a bare definition. Someone who knows enough about this magic could be difficult to come by. With a sigh, he finished up and got dressed. The material of these clothes made them heavier than normal. There was a slight glimmer in the threads when he held them up to the light, as if they were partially woven with metal for added protection. The olive green shirt and tan cargo pants fit him surprisingly well. He traded his normal shoes for the heavy duty pair of boots going up his calves.
The final piece was a long dark cloak similar to Anemone’s, but without the gilded designs. It had a large hood and a silver clasp on the shoulder. He glanced at himself in the mirror when everything was on, turning to and fro.
He’d look like a normal Resistance member from a distance, and the top quality of the clothes would hold up well if he wanted to go out without donning his costume. Best of all, the cargo pants and the inner lining of the cloak had pockets. Lots of pockets.
Ren tucked his old clothes under his arm, already showing the wear and tear from the wilderness, and walked out. He shut the door silently and kept his steps light as a feather. The normal sounds of the Camp echoed all around him, but the other androids didn’t bat an eye at him since he had his hood up, and he reached his room in peace. He deposited his clothes in the large chest next to his bed, giving the dull space another cursory glance before walking back out.
He spotted Anemone in her usual tent across the clearing, speaking to none other than 2B and 9S. Ren smiled as he took a step towards them, but that’s as far as he got before something bumped him and sent him sprawling.
“Hey, watch where you’re going!”
“Devola, be nice!”
“He stepped in front of me, Popola! Why should I be the nice one?”
Those names sounded familiar…
Ren blinked at the pair of twins sporting vibrant maroon hair. Their clothes were different to the rest of the androids, identical flowing uniforms of pure white and crimson. The one who bumped into him carried boxes in her arms, her hair styled in sharp, wavy waves of red.
The twin with straight hair sighed as she set down her stack of boxes and held out a hand to him. “Don’t mind her. She’s always cranky.”
Devola balked, “I’m standing right here!”
“It’s fine, really.” Ren smiled as he took Popola’s hand, her eyes widened at how light he was. “I wasn’t watching where I was going.”
“Damn right you weren’t.” Devola muttered.
“Devola…” Popola was staring into his eyes, her own only growing wider. Her hand was still locked around his, fingers trembling. “Are you… the Human?”
Devola’s heated snark dropped off her expression like a stone sinking in water.
“Yeah?”
Popola inhaled sharply and put her other hand over her mouth, her eyes growing teary.
The boxes dropped out of Devola’s slack arms, the noise drawing the other androids’ attention.
Ren placed his free hand over their entwined ones, “Did I… do something wrong?”
“No, you idiot.” Devola wiped her eyes, her voice trembling in a much softer tone.
Popola sniffled, “We’re just so happy! To meet a Human is everything we ever—”
“What is going on here?” Anemone approached with 2B and 9S at her heels, wearing a thunderous expression.
“Nothing.” Ren stated as Popola pulled away from his grasp. “It was just an accident.”
Anemone gave the pair an icy look, “You two have work to do. Get to it.”
“R-right.” Popola’s smile brimmed with hidden pain. “It was nice to meet you…”
“Ren.”
“See you around, Ren.” Devola stated, her previous fire snuffed out.
Anemone gently grabbed his arm and led him back to her tent as the pair cleaned up the mess.
“Why were you so cold to them?” Ren asked, “They didn’t do anything wrong.”
“I admit, “ 9S joined in, “Even I didn’t expect to see that side of you, Anemone.”
“They didn’t do anything wrong, huh?” Anemone ran a hand down her face and pinned Ren with a look he couldn’t comprehend. “The Devola and Popola models were responsible for watching over Project Gestalt.”
Ah, so that’s why their names were familiar.
Ren tilted his head as 2B and 9S exchanged glances, “And?”
“They were the reason the Project failed.” Anemone sighed. “As punishment, all but two of their models were destroyed. The last pair’s memory was wiped and they’re programmed to feel the guilt of their sin for the rest of time.”
Ice sprouted over Ren’s heart, “That seems excessively cruel.”
Anemone shook her head, “They are responsible for losing several thousand Human lives. To us, no other sin is more grave than that.” She gestured to the clearing, where other androids stood between Ren and the twins like a wall, similar looks of disdain on their faces.
“It’s still not right.” Ren stated.
“Look, it would be best if you avoided them.” Anemone said softly. “Both for their safety, and more importantly, yours.”
Ren frowned.
Outcasts who were shunned by the vast majority.
Like A2, Devola and Popola would fit right at home with the Phantom Thieves, which means he would completely ignore Anemone’s advice and talk to them when he was able. Preferably in private. For now, he would drop it.
“When did you two get back?” Ren asked, the tension in Anemone fading at the change of subject.
“Just a few minutes ago.” 2B smiled at him, “Did you get enough rest?”
“Yep. I feel much better after some real food and a shower.” He said.
“Good. Are you up for exploring the City Ruins?”
9S beamed, “We have a surprise for you!”
“What is it?”
“That would ruin it!” 9S threw his hands up, still smiling, “You’ll have to find out yourself.”
“I can’t say no to that.” Ren said with a growing smirk.
Anemone looked between 2B and 9S with a stern glance. “Don’t let anything happen to him, you hear me?”
“We won’t leave his side.” 2B said as she turned on her heel, “Let’s go.”
Before they left, Ren looked over his shoulder towards where the twins were staring after him. He offered them a smile and a friendly wave. Relief spread through them and they waved back.
Ren felt the wind grace his face, threading through his long cloak, as they stepped out into the City Ruins. The never ending sun shone on the city clothed in green, threading bands of gold through empty skyscraper windows and winding tree branches. The trickle of crystal clear water flowed in beautiful falls nearby and kicked up a spray that created a small rainbow over them.
“What were you two doing while I was resting?” He asked.
“A handful of side missions and other chores.” 9S waved his hand, “Boring stuff really. The Commander likes to work us like slaves.”
“9S.” 2B sighed, “We helped Resistance members and machines from Pascal’s village with various tasks. Oh, and Pascal asked after you, Ren.”
Ren perked up, “He did?”
“He said you could come visit whenever you wanted, and some of those child machines said they even missed you.” 9S said, “They’re pretty strange reactions for machines who disconnected from the network.”
“I’d love to stop by sometime.” Ren sighed, “And apologize for how Seth and I left last time.”
“Of course.” 2B faced him fully, “But first, your surprise. Pod?”
2B’s Pod floated over to Ren. There was a quiet hum before the Pod shone a light in front of Ren, from which two weapons spawned. Ren’s mouth dropped. Hovering in front of him, secured in the air with the same bands of golden light around the androids’ weapons, were a pair of familiar daggers: one a deep fiery red-gold, the other a blade of the deepest black and sterling white.
Ren grabbed one in each hand. Goosebumps trickled up his arms as his whole body buzzed with foreign energy. The sensation woke Seth from his nap.
“How curious…” Seth hummed as he poked at it. “It’s the same magic I’ve been sensing since we arrived in this world, though much more… condensed.”
Ren looked at the androids, eyes wide, “How…?”
2B wore a tight smile, “We found the black and white one stuck in a machine when we were tracking you down.”
9S nodded, “A machine blacksmith in the forest castle has been upgrading our weapons, but something weird happened when he did yours. The forge exploded with blue fire! Now it looks like they have new abilities we YoRHa haven’t seen before.”
“Pod, show him the screens.” 2B ordered.
A pair of holographic screens appeared in front of Ren, showcasing numbers and statistics he wasn’t wholly familiar with, so he looked to their new names at the top.
The Phoenix Plume, a dagger of red-gold metal shimmering with a rosy underlay, a tassel attached to the pommel fluttered elegantly with the breeze as if it were weaved from the purest sunlight. At the bottom, under the section labeled abilities, was a familiar word; Diarama.
Ren’s heart beat louder when he glanced at the other screen, the weapon’s new moniker burned in his mind. Arsene’s Lament. The magic spell on the bottom was Eigaon.
“Alert: The Human designated as Ren Amamiya is showing signs of distress.” Pod 042 dutifully stated.
“Ren, are you alright?” 2B approached him, frowning, “If these upset you…”
Ren released a wet chuckle that nearly got stuck in his throat. “It’s not that. Those abilities at the bottom are spells I’m familiar with.”
“Spells?” 9S whispered. “Can you use them?”
“Let me try.” He stared intently at the Phoenix Plume in his left hand, eyes tracing over the intricately carved phoenix within the blade itself.
He tried to cast the spell like he would in the Metaverse, but… nothing happened. His brow fell in concentration as his soul wrestled with the new energy, but it kept wriggling out of his grasp.
“The magic we’ve grown familiar with won’t cooperate with it.” Seth growled as he took to the sky.
“How did you make it work with the Goliath?”
“Instinct. You’re thinking too hard. It’s a fickle thing, but let it to come to you and it will allow you to wield it.”
He took a deep breath and followed Seth’s advice. Ren pulled away from the energy inside him, and the magic flowed into his soul when it was free to act how it wanted, its energies whispering through his veins.
He cast Diarama.
Ribbons of white light circled him in the shape of a sweeping bird’s wing, leeched of the vibrant colors of the spell back home. His eyes widened when he caught the strange black symbols woven with the magic before it dissipated.
It sapped his energy, reminding him of when he cast his first spell after he awakened to Arsene in Kamoshida’s prison cell. They’d be starting at the beginning all over again. Fantastic, he thought bitterly.
“Whoa!” 9S cried. “Our weapons don’t do stuff like that! Um… what did that do?”
“That was a healing spell.” Ren stated as his eyes flicked to the weapons singing with their strange auras, “Arsene’s Lament uses curse magic.”
“Never heard of ‘curse magic.’” 9S tilted his head, “Wonder what it would do to a machine?”
“Want to find out?” 2B asked with a hint of smugness in her tone.
“What?” Ren lowered the daggers, “Why did you give me these?”
2B smiled, in the same way Haru would smile before the prospect of an exciting battle. “To teach you how to dual wield, so you can protect yourself from hostile machines. These upgraded weapons should allow you to do some real damage this time.”
Ren gaped at her, “Really?”
“Really.” 2B turned towards the City Ruins. “YoRHa androids learn different combat styles instantly by downloading programs from the Bunker, but I suppose it isn’t that way for Humans.”
“No.” Ren shook his head. “Humans learn through constant trial and error. Some skills can take us years to master.”
9S winced, “Years!? Are you sure this is a good idea then?”
Ren smirked as he held the weapons to the sunlight, “I’m a fast learner, and daggers are my specialty. I’ve never learned to dual wield, though.”
“I have a training ground in mind to help us get started.” 2B looked over her shoulder, “Do you want to summon your other outfit first, or go as you are?”
Ren’s eyed the small group of machines below, walking though the clear pond. “Summoning my costume could draw unwanted attention.” Ren sheathed the daggers on his belt and pulled the hood further over his distinctive hair, “I’d like to get used to moving around in these clothes, anyway.”
“Very well. Let’s go.”
They started off at a brisk pace towards the inner city. Faster than when they traveled from the alien chamber to the Resistance Camp. At least they weren’t treating Ren like glass anymore, and the ability to run alongside these androids was nothing short of freeing. Ren sensed Seth drawing closer as they climbed up some rusted vehicles and onto the rooftops, his cloak billowing as he naturally flowed into the agility and grace hardwired into his body from exploring the Metaverse.
2B and 9S didn’t comment, but he saw the silent glances they traded when he was able to keep up with their set pace.
They stopped at a wide gap between buildings, the obstacle Ren couldn’t cross on his own. The androids leapt several meters with a running start, while Ren needed the aid of the Pods to get there.
9S wrinkled his nose when they landed on the rooftop. “Really, 2B? This is the spot you had in mind?”
“Do you have a better idea?”
“Not really, but still.”
Ren raised a brow at a mid-sized humanoid machine holding twin axes and wearing a brown karate belt around its head. It didn’t attack or so much as move, but it did stare at the androids with intent.
“Is something wrong with it?” Ren asked.
“Its been a pain to deal with.” 9S groaned, “We beat it once already, and then it demanded payment from us!”
“9S, stop complaining.” 2B stepped forward, drawing the attention of the machine.
“Ah, you’re back for our next spar already? Be warned! Father Servo has used your gift to make himself stronger. It won’t be as easy as last time!”
“Not yet. We were wondering if you were up for helping train another. He’s a beginner.”
“Oh?” The machine’s yellow eyes flickered as they locked on Ren, who offered a wave. “Of course! Father Servo would be happy to help another along in their sacred journey! Just say the word when you’re ready for a proper riveting spar!”
“Thank you.” 2B turned away, and Ren followed her to the opposite end of the roof. She traded her larger swords for a pair of smaller ones, a silver dagger with a large red gem embedded into the blade, while the other looked like machine parts hastily screwed together. “I’ll teach you the basic forms first. You’ll follow along and we’ll go from there.”
Ren copied her battle stances. She stepped forward, swinging her blade in a sharp angle at the same time. He followed. She stepped using the other leg and the opposite sword, and he once again copied her movements. 9S crossed his arms and studied their slow waltz with a thoughtful frown.
The weapons were treated like partners, one stepping in tune with the other, never feeling alone in the throes of the deadly dance as they flowed perfectly in sync. Ren was a swift learner, and 2B increased her speed as they continued to practice. He enjoyed the rush of the exercise, of the burn as his muscles were worked in new ways. His battle experience in the Metaverse helped move things along at a rapid pace, and 2B’s honest compliments and corrections encouraged him.
He’s seen the insane quickness at which 2B executed these sorts of combos, but she was a surprisingly patient teacher as she kept herself at vaguely human speeds.
Seth circled above as time passed, though the sun didn’t move. “I wonder what magic we could regain from other weapons.”
Ren wiped the sweat from his brow, nodding at 2B to continue their kata. “What other weapons do you guys use? If we could upgrade them the way you upgraded these, then I could have access to more magic.”
2B hummed, “The ones we are currently practicing with are classified as small swords. There are large swords, such as my Virtuous Treaty.”
“There are also spears and combat bracers.” 9S chimed in, “Er… not to doubt a Human or anything, but would you even be able to lift something like Virtuous Treaty, Ren?”
“I… don’t know.”
2B stood from her combat stance. “You want to try?”
“Sure.”
The smaller swords disappeared from her grasp in golden cinders, and she held out the great white blade as it appeared in her hands next. “Take it.”
Ren swallowed as he sheathed his weapons and grasped Virtuous Treaty’s hilt. He marveled at the snow-white masterpiece that was longer than he was tall. 2B smiled as she let go. Ren held it for a glorious millisecond before the staggering weight brought it down, the crash embedding it into the roof sent vibrations up his boots and into his shins. He tugged at the hilt with all of his weight, but it wouldn’t budge an inch.
Seth’s boisterous cackles echoed over them. 9S coughed into his hand to disguise his laughter while 2B huffed in amusement.
2B’s Pod floated over him, “Alert: Failure.”
Ren’s face burned, but he had a wide grin nonetheless. “Yeah, bigger swords aren’t my thing.”
“That’s alright.” 2B ripped it out of the concrete as if it were as light as a feather, totally not wounding Ren’s pride or anything, and placed it at her back. “What about spears or combat bracers?”
“I’m not sure. I’m most comfortable with daggers, but I don’t want to limit myself in case another weapon type has useful magic.” Ren frowned as he thought of Makoto. “Someone I knew used bracers, so I might be able to do something with a little practice. I’ve never seen anyone use a spear before.”
“We’ll add them to our list. For now, focus on mastering your daggers.”
“Right.” Ren turned to Father Servo. “I’d like to try sparring.”
“Already?” 9S said, sporting a concerned frown. “Are you sure?”
Ren unsheathed his daggers with his iconic smirk, expertly twirling Arsene’s Lament in his grasp, “Practice is all well and good, but there’s nothing like a good battle to gain real experience.”
“Well said. 9S, stay back. I’ll support you when you need it, Ren, but be careful.” 2B stated as they walked side by side to Father Servo, “We’re ready to begin.”
9S pinned his masked glare at the machine, “Hurt Ren and I’ll permanently fry your circuits.”
Seth flew lazy circles around the building to watch, excitement burning in their hearts, “As if I’d let you come to harm, even in a spar! Show this bucket of rust who’s the superior combatant, Trickster!”
“Time is a great wheel, yet do not expect things to transpire as they did before. Holding back would be a grave insult to both pilgrims on this most sacred of journeys!” Father Servo chuckled as holographic barriers rose around the edges of the rooftop, cutting off any escape, “Let’s begin!”
The machine charged and Ren didn’t hesitate to meet him, cape flaring. Father Servo’s eyes blazed red, and Ren skid to a halt as the machine began to spin wildly. Ren’s heart leapt into his throat as he threw himself into agile backflips to avoid the whirlwind of axe blades. He ignored 9S’s choked gasp as he avoided the attacks until the machine slowed into a stop, back turned to Ren.
2B’s Pod showered the machine in bullets as Ren leapt forward, blades gleaming.
Instinct and muscle memory took over as he sliced into the machine with two singing blades, two—four —six times, each strike spitting sparks into the concrete. Unlike the other times he struck a machine with a dagger, the attacks went through cleanly. Torn metal lined Father’s Servo’s back like small gashes.
He doubted he could ever tear these machines apart like the androids did, but it was the first time he’d managed to cut through their metal bodies without the aid of Seth or magical items.
“Ha ha! Good. Good!” Ren heard the clanking gears as Father Servo spun, swinging one of his axes in a half circle. Ren dodged just in time to avoid a hit, though the blade had been close enough to split hairs, “This beginner has spirit! Well done, but we’re not finished yet!”
The next few harrowing seconds were a blur of dodging and sparks. Father Servo swung his axes, Ren danced around the machine and attacked between its strikes. A strange sensation began to flood Ren the longer the bout went on, the magics whispering in his blood grew to a dull murmur as if they fed on the excitement of combat.
They traded blows for several more seconds, and Ren missteped when the song of magic hummed in his skull loud enough to cause a moment of distraction. Father Servo did a feint, and before Ren knew it the Phoenix Plume was knocked from his grasp. It twirled through the air before it sunk into the concrete a few meters from 9S.
“2B!” 9S cried, his voice lined with panic.
Father Servo, standing over Ren and crimson eyes shining bright, brought both of his axes down. 2B was in front him faster than he could blink, holding Virtuous Treaty in a guarding position. The axes fell on the blade, and 2B grunted as she pushed back. A loud clang of metal droned in Ren’s ears as Father Servo staggered back, leaving himself open.
“Now, Ren!”
Ren pointed Arsene’s Lament at Father Servo and focused the magic coiling within him, it was only too eager to respond. Black energy bubbled beneath the machine until it exploded like a geyser, sending Father Servo flying in a high arc. Ren saw the shimmering white symbols swimming in the Eigaon before the magic dissipated, far too similar to the black symbols in the Diarama to be a coincidence.
The humming in his skull died down as the spell drank his own energy. It wasn’t as bad as when Arsene first used magic here, but it still made him dizzy and his limbs felt weakened.
“Are you alright?” 2B grasped his bicep to stabilize him.
“I’m fine.” He said, panting. His eyes landed on the unmoving machine halfway across the rooftop, smoking and sparking. “Is he okay?”
9S stepped to Ren’s other side and gave the Phoenix Plume back to him, “Worry about yourself for once! That was way too close.”
“I said I’m fine, just… tired.”
“What was that?” 2B asked, staring at him in obvious concern, her hand still on his arm.
“I told you.” Ren smirked despite his sudden exhaustion, “Arsene’s Lament uses curse magic.”
The androids traded glances as Father’s Servo’s eyes flicked back on, and he jumped up into standing.
9S stood protectively in front of Ren, scowling.
Father Servo released a hearty chuckle, “The spar has ended. Now about my fee—”
9S balked, “Your fee!? You’re still on about that after what just happened?”
“It was a magnificent spar in which your comrade won! Would you continue to deny this old monk such a simple request in spite of that?”
“Why you…”
“Come on, Nines.” Ren said as he nudged 9S, “I got some good experience and I was able to use magic! You could hear him out?”
9S glanced between Ren and Father Servo, then sighed, “All right! Fine. What do you want?”
“One memory alloy and one broken circuit. The world moves ever on, my children, so don’t dawdle.”
Ren blinked.
“What does a machine want with such trifle junk?” Seth asked, “It hardly seems enough to repair himself.”
“Who knows.”
“Would you stop calling us children already?” 9S griped.
“We’ll get them for you soon.” 2B stated coolly. “For now, let’s return to the Resistance Camp so Ren can rest.”
Father Servo waved at them as they descended to the streets. The androids simply dropped down while the Pods helped him again. Seth followed from a distance, and they only walked a little way before 9S spoke.
“So, that was curse magic, huh? Gotta admit, it was pretty freaky looking.”
“It comes in handy.” Ren glanced at 9S, “Speaking of magic, could I ask a favor of you, Nines?”
The android perked up with an eager smile. “Anything!”
“I was wondering if I could get more information on maso particles and Project Gestalt. Or anything about magic in general? Oh, and also more information about the Red Dragon and the Giant that fell to this world, if there is any. Things to help me get a better understanding of how magic works as a whole. Pascal gave me a rough version of history, but I would like a better idea about these wars between machines and androids, too.” Ren frowned as he looked at the sky. “Or well, anything and everything that could help me understand this world better.”
“I suppose it couldn’t hurt to ask an Operator.” 9S stated with a wave of his hand, “Easy peasy!”
“Thank you.”
“No problem.” 9S glanced between 2B and their pods, “You know, all YoRHa androids and their Pods have trace amounts of maso in them.”
“Really?” Ren asked, eyes wide.
“How do you know that?” 2B asked.
“I heard some of the R&D guys talking about it last time we were on the Bunker.” 9S pointed to Virtuous Treaty floating over 2B’s back by the golden ring, “It’s why YoRHa androids have technology like this while Resistance androids don’t. It’s also how we’re able to use Pod Programs, too.”
Ren clutched his chin, “I remember seeing the same symbols on the Pods’ abilities like I do with my magic.”
“Yeah. Although… the last time we were up there, I overheard something strange.”
“What is it?” Ren asked.
9S bit his lip, then looked at his Pod, “I thought maso levels have been decreasing, almost to the point where there’s barely any in the atmosphere anymore. Pod, what are the current maso levels now?”
“Scanning… Alert: Maso levels across the globe have sharply increased in the past few days, and continue to do so.”
“What?” 2B whispered. “But how?”
“Cause unknown. Research into this phenomena is already underway, but no conclusions have been reached.”
Ren had a sinking feeling that whatever Yaldabaoth did to trap him here could be the answer. “So, if more maso means more magic, and YoRHa androids have these magic particles in them… do you think you could use the magic in my daggers?”
Pod 042 spoke next as it hovered over 2B, “Report: The amount of maso within units 2B and 9S pale in comparison to the amount used by the Human designated as Ren Amamiya. In other words, such levels of magic are incompatible with YoRHa androids.”
9S’s shoulders slumped in disappointment.
“Are you sure?” Ren asked.
“Affirmative. Report: Current scans indicate the Human designated as Ren Amamiya and the black dragon designated as Seth naturally absorb these new maso particles in the atmosphere, while 2B and 9S remain stagnant.”
“In other words, you two are like magic batteries.” 9S whispered.
“What about… infected maso particles?” Ren asked, “I don’t have to worry about getting White Chlorination Syndrome, right? It’s said they were banished a long time ago, but I don’t want to be too hasty to let down my guard.”
2B and 9S tensed.
“Negative.” The other Pod said, “Despite the recent increase in maso particles, scans from the Bunker reveal no infected maso particles anywhere on Earth.”
“That’s a relief.” Ren muttered.
“You seem to know a lot despite asking for more information.” 2B said, framed into more of a question.
“The Commander and I had a… rather lengthy chat when she came to visit, but I don’t know much more beyond this.”
“...I see.”
They walked in silence for a few minutes, basking in the sunlit city and clean air, when 9S stopped to stare at a group of machines in the distance.
“Hey, 2B?”
“What?”
“You go ahead with Ren to the Resistance Camp. I want to check out the new types of machines wandering around the City Ruins.”
Ren furrowed his brow at the hidden look exchanged between them.
“Alright. I’ll join you shortly.”
“Great. See you in a bit, Ren! I should have those files for you soon!” 9S cheerily waved before he headed towards the machines.
“Let’s go. You must be tired, Ren.” 2B said softly as they entered the last stretch of the trip.
Ren pursed his lips, but said nothing when the entrance to the Resistance Camp came into view.
~*~*~*~
9S stood in the midst of scattered machine parts, several screens lighting up his face, “Hmm, it’s not enough data, but it’s a start. I used some vaccines just in case, but run a check for the Logic Virus anyway.”
Pod 153 circled him, “Scan complete. No Logic Virus detected. Alert: Logic Virus vaccine stores are empty. This Pod recommends Unit 9S get more soon.”
“I’ll be fine for now.” His screens faded and he patted it on the head. “Thanks, Pod.”
“Report: Affinity increased.”
9S snorted as he let his hand drop, and that’s when his Pod rang and a holographic screen appeared in front of him. A familiar Operator flickered in his view, her stern eyes as sharp as always.
“Operator 21O to 9S. This is your regularly-scheduled contact.”
“Yeah. Yeah. I hear you.”
“Only one confirmation is needed.”
“...Yeah. Actually, you called just in time!”
“Oh?”
“I have a request. Well, it’s not from me, really. It’s from Ren.”
In a rare showcase of emotion, her eyes widened. Barely any movement at all, but with his Operator being as stone cold and level headed as 2B, it might as well be a great gasp of surprise.
“The Human?” She whispered with the same level of reverence he felt the first time. “What does he need?”
“An entire laundry list of different files he wants to study.” 9S counted on his fingers, “A full history of Project Gestalt and more detailed reports about Maso Particles and their uses. Any information about a… ‘Red Dragon and Giant’, and the records of the wars between machines and androids. I think that’s everything?”
Operator 21O’s eyes flicked to different screens he couldn’t see, heard the light tap tap of her keyboard as she worked. But as the next minute or two rolled by, her eyes hardened.
“Operator?”
“I’m… sorry, 9S, but aside from records of the past wars, all of the other information has been sealed off.”
“What? By who?”
“The Council of Humanity. According to the document I’m looking at, they enacted this ban soon after the Commander returned to the Bunker. Even we Operators are prohibited from viewing them.”
“Wha—” 9S ran a hand through his hair, “But… but this request comes from another Human! How can they deny him?”
“Look,” 21O sighed, “I’ll send what I can, but there’s nothing I can do about the ban.”
“But—”
“Be careful, 9S. And look after the Human, for all our sakes.”
“Wait!” He groaned when the screen disappeared. “She really just hung up on me. But I don’t understand. Why would the other Humans do something like this to Ren? Any ideas, Pod?”
“...Negative.”
“Great.” He scrubbed his eyes underneath his visor. “I hope Ren won’t be disappointed.”
A shadow swallowed him before a thunderous crash nearly knocked him off his feet. He whirled around, black blade ready, but dropped his guard when Seth’s golden eyes stared upon him.
“Geez, a little warning next time!”
Seth flicked his ear, “What were you up to just now?”
“Er…” 9S looked at his feet, hidden eyes trailing to the bits of broken metal everywhere, “Getting parts for Father Servo?”
“Don’t play dumb, 9S.” Seth hissed. “It doesn’t suit you.”
“I… um…” 9S scratched the back of his head. “Well, actually, I wanted to ask for your help?”
Seth narrowed his eyes. “Go on.”
“We’re hunting Adam and Eve.” 2B approached from behind to stand next to 9S, mouth set in a firm line. “We’re going to kill them for hurting Ren.”
“Oh.” Seth shuffled his wings. “Why didn’t you just say so?”
“What?” 9S said, “You aren’t mad?”
“Of course not!” Seth raked his claws through the dirt. “I’ve been hunting for them too! Along with… an ally.”
“An ally.” 2B huffed, “I can take one guess who that is.”
“We were supposed to meet soon.” Seth looked into the sky. “Ren is resting, so now would be the perfect time for us to go.”
“I’m not sure about this.” 9S said. “I asked you for help, but taking on anyone else might be too risky.”
“Is it not better to show them all of our united fury?” Seth growled as he stared down at 9S. “She’s just as angry as we are.”
2B sighed. “Let’s go. We’re wasting valuable time.”
“At least there’s one sensible toothpick.” Seth lowered his wing. “Hop on, I’ll take you to the meeting place.”
“Eh!? You can’t be serious— 2B!”
“What?” 2B glanced at him from halfway up Seth’s back. “It can’t be much different to riding animals or piloting Flight Units. You’ll be fine.”
Seth’s hissing cackles only made him worry more, but he followed 2B’s example while muttering under his breath. Seth’s skin was hot to the touch as they got seated, 2B in front of 9S.
“Hold on to your toys, we wouldn’t want them to get lost or destroyed.” Seth said, and the androids tucked their Pods under their arms.
Seth jumped without warning.
9S yelped and clung onto 2B with one arm, the other protectively holding his Pod to his chest. They were above the buildings with a few hardy flaps, wind whipping around them in deafening howls. Seth spared them no anxiety as he zipped through the air as fast as a missile. He’d prefer the turbulence of descending into the atmosphere from space, in the safety of a Flight Unit and its protections, any day. Hell, he’d rather fight scores of aerial machines as long as he or his Pod controlled said Flight Unit!
But this?
Seth was an unrestrained tornado twisting and turning in the winds, a bestial master of the skies that answered to nobody but himself or Joker, and the lack of control shot an unfamiliar and cold sensation into his stomach.
9S saw the blur of the cityscape before Seth suddenly plummeted, as wild as the previous turns. 9S swore his inner circuits shorted out as they landed in a raging strike of thunder. The ride was over as fast as it started, but 9S felt sick.
“Observation: Unit 2B enjoyed the ride.”
2B smiled as she let her Pod go and slid down Seth’s wing.
“Eugh, I’ll stick to Flight Units…” 9S muttered as he did the same, landing on unsteady feet.
They landed by the river, near the wooden bridge connecting to the Forest Kingdom. The new entrance to Pascal’s village could be seen down the way, too.
“Oi, what the fuck is this?”
They jumped as A2 stomped out of the shadow of the overarching highway, blade drawn. Betrayal and hurt flashed across her eyes before they hardened into a steely glare at Seth.
“So, that’s it then? You cozy up to these YoRHa bastards to come kill me?”
Seth rolled his eyes. “It’s not like that, you over-dramatic toothpick! They’re here to help us.”
“‘Help us.’” A2 tightened her grip on her sword. “And I’m just supposed to believe that?”
“It’s true.” 2B said. “We want to spill Adam and Eve’s blood just like you do.”
“Oh, sure. We kill them and then you’ll stab me through the back afterwards? As if I’d be that gullible.”
2B held up her empty hands. “Commander White has sent out an official pardon for you. You’re no longer being hunted by YoRHa.”
9S hesitantly nodded. “All orders to go after you have been rescinded. We don’t have a reason to fight you.”
A2 stilled. “Come again?”
2B gazed towards the vending machine teleporter by the rusted radio tower, “I’ll show you the email myself.”
A2 fell into a battle stance as 2B walked by, sword inches from 2B’s body. With a pointed glance from Seth, she followed. “You better not be trying to trick me.”
“Geez, paranoid much?” 9S mumbled.
“What was that, you YoRHa pile of junk?” A2 glared at him, pointing her sword.
9S leapt behind Seth’s wing. “N-nothing!”
2B sighed in exasperation as she reached the teleporter and fiddled with the screen. “Here. Read for yourself.”
A2 narrowed her eyes at the screen, not showing her back to either android. “By the order of Commander White, on request from the Human known as Ren Amamiya…” Her eyes widened and she let out a small gasp. “…The YoRHa unit A2 is no longer a wanted fugitive… for protecting a Human in his hour of need, she is pardoned of all previous charges!? What the— you’ve got to be shitting me.”
“I told you it’d be easy with Ren’s help!” Seth snapped. “But no, you just had to be stubborn about it!”
“Shut up, wyrm, before I skin you alive and make a pair of boots!”
“Erm…” 9S interrupted, peeking out from behind Seth. “Now that you’re pardoned, you look like you could use some serious maintenance. Or you know… some clothes, at least?”
“I may be pardoned, but I still don’t trust you assholes one bit.” A2 scowled at her skin and exposed joints stripped from years of weather, and the bare scraps of tattered cloth hanging from her torso. “Touch me and I’ll skewer you.”
“Okay, okay! Sheesh.”
2B sighed again as her face fell into her hand, “Can we just focus on our mission?”
Pod 153 pinged, “Alert: Email received.”
“Oh. Perfect timing.” 9S stated as he went to the teleporter and took over the screen, giving A2 a wide berth as she continued to glare at him. He hid his wince, and the figment of guilt at the sparse files Operator 21O already sent to him, but fixated on the other set of messages in his list.
“Perfect timing for what?” 2B asked.
“I rallied the other Scanners.” 9S bore a small smirk. “While it’s true that we Scanner models usually work alone to scout behind enemy lines, we also have a network to share important information and check up on one another. We’re not the only ones who are pissed at Adam and Eve for what they did to Ren, you know. Word spreads fast.”
A2 scowled, “Get to the point.”
“I asked for some… specialized data that would help me go through the machines faster. It looks like 46S and 28S came through with the modified data I needed.”
“Meaning?” 2B goaded.
“Meaning it’ll help me dive deep enough into the machine network to track Adam and Eve down myself.” 9S scrolled through his email. “There’s also a message from 64S stating they could be in the City Ruins somewhere.”
“Are you sure it’s a good idea to go behind Ren’s back?” A2 asked.
“They have a light attack that can get through my defenses.” Seth scratched his silvery scars with his wing. “I would rather not have Ren get hurt again… or worse. He’s the type who would gladly take a fatal hit in order to save a friend.”
“His reaction to what happened in that alien chamber… I believe it.” 9S stated sourly.
“Idiot.” A2’s harsh expression flooded with fondness. “I still don’t like it… but fine. For Ren.”
“For Ren.” 2B whispered.
9S firmly nodded.
The androids stared at Seth, who snorted, “…For Ren.”
Oh, how they would deeply regret their decision.
~*~*~*~
The colorless walls hummed with dull light as the computer in the center of the room turned on. She approached the monitor as her sharp footsteps bounced around the circular room, her face molded into a stern expression.
“Commander White,” The deep voice of the speaker for the Council Of Humanity encompassed the entire space. “We hadn’t scheduled a meeting with you. What brings you here?”
“It’s been 96 hours since I returned from Earth, 93 hours since I submitted my full report.” She narrowed her eyes at the monitor. “I want to know what you have planned for Amamiya Ren.”
“All plans remain the same.”
“What?”
“Nothing has been changed, Commander White.”
“Everything has changed!” She swung her arm in an arc, “A real Human has been located and you’ve done nothing but hinder him. Don’t think I haven’t noticed you conveniently hiding away most of the information he’s asked for. So I ask again. What. Are. Your. Plans?”
The monitor droned on, the Council’s symbol spinning lazily in the center of the screen.
“We have found our God.”
Her eyes widened as the stalwart fire in her sputtered. “…What?”
“It is impossible to replicate Project Gestalt with a single Human, and Amamiya Ren will serve our purpose. We cannot allow him to return to his home. Even should he perish, the androids fighting these endless wars will never forget the global wide confirmation of a Human being found on Earth. Those who’ve met him have his image forever burned into their memory. His presence does nothing more than confirm that the rest of Humanity is on the moon, waiting for the fateful day where they can return to the Earth.”
Commander White took a step back, “So even though he’s the last true Human between the Earth and moon, he’s nothing more than a pawn to you?”
“All plans remain the same, Commander. Glory to Mankind.”
Her hands balled into fists at the obvious dismissal. With a sharp sigh, she forced herself to relax as she put her hand over her chest. “…Glory to Mankind.”
The room went dark, and Commander White was alone.
~*~*~*~
2B cleaved off one of four motors from the flying machine, black smoke and sparks spewed from the wound as it scuttled towards the ground. It’s red eyes flashed wildly in panic before they turned a docile white. It didn’t move, staying stationary like a lamb to slaughter.
“Now!”
Ren bore his signature grin as magic soaked his soul. He pulled on that precious connection he shared with Seth, and the Phoenix Plume summoned a swath of flame around him, coalescing into several fire balls under his will. With a swing of the blade, the tassel on the pommel flowing around him in shimmering gold, the fire balls launched themselves at the machine. The remaining motors were ripped apart in brilliant explosions of crimson. The remnants of the metal body crashed onto the ground, motionless.
Ren took a moment to catch his breath as the fire in his blood and soul cooled. He glanced at 2B and 9S, catching how 2B looked to 9S, only for the other android to cast away his screens with a subtle shake of his head.
“I’m getting the hang of this.” Ren stated in a neutral tone, the androids snapped their attention to him, “Seth’s Maragidyne doesn’t take as much a toll on me as Eigaon.”
“You’ve been improving rapidly.” 2B replied with a smile. “But that’s enough for now. Let’s return to the Resistance Camp.”
“Already?” Ren’s heart sank, “But this was only the third group we encountered today. I can still cast Eigaon one more time before I reach my limit.”
“Alert: The Human designated as Ren Amamiya is showing signs of strain and fatigue. Proposal: Return him to the Resistance Camp to recover.”
“I’m not that tired, Pod.” Ren rolled his shoulder, hiding his wince from when he hit the last machine a little too hard with Arsene’s Lament, “See? I’m fine.”
The Pod hovering at 9S’s shoulder seemed doubtful, like a mother who knows her son is lying. “This Pod is not so certain you are telling the truth, young man.”
9S snorted, “Once these Pods get an idea in their heads, they’ll hound you about it for ages.”
“Listen to them, Ren.” Seth said as he patrolled the skies. “They’ve seen your improvements, but its best not to run yourself into the ground, hmm?”
“Even you? Your mother drake energy is showing, Seth.” Ren sighed as he heard Seth’s roar of denial. He shoved his daggers into their new holsters at his hips, a gift from the Resistance's blacksmith. “Fine. Let’s go back.”
2B nodded and took point.
This was their fifth training session, and during all this time they never ventured out of the City Ruins. They’ve not returned to Father Servo, rather they would walk around to encounter the groups of hostile machines. The androids would destroy all but one of them and leave the last for Ren to practice on for dual wielding his blades or casting magic, mostly under the control of 9S’ hacking.
Small and medium bipedal machines. Flying ones zooming around on a single motor. Their latest victim being the medium sized flying machine attached with four aerial motors. They steered clear of the towering giants or the metallic serpents flying around the crater, but he was learning how these machines differed from fighting Shadows in the Metaverse, such as when their eyes flashed right before they attacked.
When was the right time to slip in for a deadly counter.
When was the right time to fall back completely.
What salvaged parts were valuable enough to bring back to the Camp.
Once during a battle on their third session, when 2B was distracted by a bigger group of machines, Ren swore he saw 9S clutch his head as if in pain. He swept Ren’s concerns under the rug and pretended to act fine ever since.
And they were never alone. Ren saw the flash of A2’s long silver hair from the rooftops as she followed them every session, but he never brought it up to 2B or 9S because he didn’t want a fight to break out.
They dropped him off at the Resistance Camp and immediately set out again with a sense of purpose. 2B and 9S were definitely hiding something, and asking Seth about their activities bore no fruit. The dragon claimed they were fighting machines and doing small time missions for other androids or friendly machines, and that he was bored from watching them.
With a weary sigh, he wandered into the Camp where he was greeted by any androids within sight, all genuine smiles and friendly waves. Words of warm encouragement. A welcome home. Anemone made it clear that she wouldn’t allow him to be bombarded or smothered, and under the threat of extra work, they avoided doing so unnecessarily. It left the path clear for his first destination within the camp.
A scruffy android sat within the clutter of machine and android parts, other junk surrounded him in chaotic, yet somehow organized, piles. He looked up from his fiddling with a screwdriver and metal parts, the glowing blue lights from within his goggles glinting eerily as he smiled at Ren. It reminded him too much of Oracle’s goggles. Many of the androids in the Camp had them.
“You’re back! Got anything interesting for me today?”
“Just the usual. Some machine parts, crystals and bits of ore the Pods found lying around.” Ren knelt in front of the android and emptied his many handy cloak pockets, setting out each item in front of the merchant, “Oh, I guess this tumbled out from one of the machines.”
It was a pitch black stone larger than his fist. And heavy for its size too. It had been violently spewed out when 2B executed one of the larger machines, and cracked open during its harsh landing, leaking white particles that sparkled and dissipated in the air.
“Oooh!” The merchant grinned as he took it from Ren’s grasp, “A machine core! These are pretty valuable.”
Ren raised a brow,” Why’s that?”
“In layman’s terms, this is everything that machine once was. Its programming. Its personality. All the memories it ever stored in that rust bucket of a head is all in here, and the materials we can extract from it are plenty useful.” Ren hid his wince as the android’s grin widened, “I’ll give you 19,000 for everything.”
“19,000?” Ren blinked wildly. “That seems excessive. The highest you’ve ever offered before was 4,000.”
Ren heard this same merchant give other androids a fraction of what he offered Ren for the exact same items. It was probably because Ren was Human and the other androids might actually get mad at him for not giving Ren a significant raise, but still…
“Nonsense.” He waved his hand, “Like I said, the machine cores are incredibly rare and valuable, which is why it’s so high. Here,” He shoved a small bag of clinking coins at Ren, “And don’t hesitate to let me know if you need anything!”
Ren forced a smile, “Thanks.”
He stood up and turned away, the new weight of the coins hanging in one of his cloak pockets. He didn’t know what their currency was called officially, just that they gave it the term ‘G’. Not gold, or gald, or glint or glimmer. Nobody would tell him. The strange woman wearing the machine head even said it was a secret.
It wasn’t even gold at all, so he wasn’t sure where the G came from.
The thin but damn near indestructible coins were platinum in color, and the first time Ren ever held one up to the sunlight, he saw the iridescent sheen in the shapes of different circuits within.
Honestly, Ren thought the androids missed out on calling their currency Cache.
Anemone smiled at him when he walked across the clearing and to his second favorite place in the camp. Tucked in the corner right beside Anemone’s command center was a quiet area with benches to sit and relax, the soft trill of a radio separating this place from the hustle and bustle of the rest of the camp.
The only other YoRHa unit stationed in the camp stayed secluded here. Short red hair and a dark frilled dress. They haven’t really spoken to one another, but they both understood the sanctity and peace in the music playing over the jukebox or radio on a daily basis. That was enough to be at ease with each other's presence.
Ren sat closer to the radio today, listening to the tail end of a somber song in a language he did not recognize.
Shul parel moihim
Ar, jaruk noisin
Dah glach dalfouir
Malech doir dir azlad erenj boir
Hiuo tantiery hedreikun harch falalale ya boi
Hiuo migenda yakachren nohei Kaine rekara
Hiuo tantiery hadreikun harech falale ya boi
Hiuo migenda ya kockren nohei yalma
Tei koimiren tara bairatru
“Awww, that song is one of my favorites!” A chipper voice came over the airwaves when the song ended, “I wonder what the lyrics mean, though? I guess we might never know because of how ancient this record is, but that’s what adds to its mystery! Anyway, before we play the next song, we have a message directly from the Council of Humanity!”
Ren stiffened as a man’s deep voice took over.
“Currently, our struggle against the machine lifeforms is at a stalemate. This battle has raged on for far too long. I am sure all of you find the effort grueling, but now is not the time to give up. Now, more than ever, we must forge on. Remember that several hundred thousand Humans on the moon want nothing more than to return home. All of us extend our heartfelt greetings and best wishes for Amamiya Ren, the lone Human found wandering the Earth. Our separation deeply wounds us all, but with the continued hard work of our loyal androids, we hope to be reunited with you soon. Glory to Mankind.”
“Imagine that!” The chipper voice returned as Ren’s fists shook, “Do you think we could get in contact with him for an interview? Amamiya Ren, if you’re listening, then I’m 24D and I’m your biggest fan!”
Ren scoffed as he stood and walked away, chest souring at the blatant lies being fed to these poor androids who didn’t know any better. He kept his gaze downcast as he beelined towards his room, but fate decided to throw him one more encounter before he could truly be alone.
“No way!!” Jackass shook the shoulders of another android wearing a blood red cloak, “Mine was way better! Way WAY better!”
“As if!” She knocked Jackass’s hands away, “Your precious data is biased and wrong!”
Jackass put a hand on her chest and released a wounded cry.
Ren looked at his door as solitude called to him.
His second interaction with Jackass had been… interesting.
“WHAT!? You’re a HUMAN!?” She caterwauled. “No wonder 2B and 9S skivved me!”
“WHAT DO YOU MEAN YOU HAVE PERFECT VISION!? Why do you wear glasses then!? They don’t even have lenses or AR tech!”
He had since taken his fake glasses off and hid them in his room after she made grabby hands at them.
“HUH!? I just need a sample of your blood or hair for data! Please!? It’s FOR SCIENCE!!”
Anemone had to intervene lest Jackass turn Ren into an experiment.
With a sigh, he plastered on a smile and approached them before things got too hairy.
“Ladies, you’re both pretty.” He stated.
The red cloaked android looked at him and froze.
Jackass did a double take and grinned a feral grin that matched Futaba’s gremlin energy.
“Ren! Perfect timing!” She grabbed both of his hands, practically salivating. “A Human’s perspective is just what we need to settle this!”
“Settle… what?”
“We had a cooking contest while you were gone.” The red cloaked android crossed her arms and scowled at Jackass, “We tried your new steak recipe since that shipment of food came in… the one using olive oil and garlic in addition to salt is genius.”
“You forgot the mushrooms!” Jackass cried, “The key ingredient!”
“No, I didn’t!” Her cloak flared as she sharply waved her arm, “Mushrooms have a nasty texture! I don’t really like the flavor either…”
“How can you not!?At least my steak wasn’t turned to charcoal!”
“Charring it adds depth of flavor instead of being raw like yours!”
“It wasn’t raw, it was rare!” They faced one another, lightning shooting between their glares. “Yours had the texture of shoe leather!”
Ren cleared his throat and the pair jumped out of their argument, “What do you guys want me to do about this?”
“W-well,” The crimson clad woman sighed, “We originally wanted to know which one you liked better, but… we ended up eating the whole thing instead.”
“But which recipe would you have used, Ren?” Jackass inched her face closer to his. “Clearly a Human would prefer soft and juicy rare meat topped with wonderfully pan-fried mushrooms!”
“Hey now, if Humans didn’t have dead taste buds like yours they would totally go for a well done steak without that slime! Well, Ren? You’d totally choose mine over hers, right?”
Ren held up his hands, “Actually, I like to cook mine to medium, with butter and rosemary to add more flavor.”
The two blinked in unison and stared at one another.
“Medium?”
“Butter, huh?” Jackass clutched her chin. “I have no data on what butter tastes like yet.”
“We’ll call it a tie for now, then.” The other android crossed her arms. “…Until we can get butter.”
“Any updates on that?” Ren asked, hesitant to show his hope for dairy products or things like coffee and eggs that didn’t come from local birds’ nests.
“Last we heard, the Night Kingdom found loads of ancient Human texts for animal husbandry,” The crimson android said, “but no word on how far along they are with actually practicing it. Finding the right animals has been difficult.”
Ren’s shoulders dropped, “...I see.”
“Oh, I am so going to get on their asses and tell them to hurry up!” Jackass declared.
“You do that. Hey,” Red looked to Ren, “If you were on your own for so long, then how do you know all of these Human ingredients and recipes? I’ve never even heard of ‘butter’ or ‘cheese’ before you came along.”
Jackass looked to him with a gleam to her eye, as if she were getting ready to pounce on him again.
“I’m afraid that’s top secret.” He said with a wink. “I’m tired from being out with 2B and 9S, so I’m going to go shower and take a nap. Excuse me.”
“Humans sure are mysterious…” He heard Jackass say before he got to his room for a fresh change of clothes.
Ren showered and slept off his latest training session, and when he awoke he had breakfast of fried eagle eggs and boar sausages(minus any bickering androids) and then continued his study of the never-ending mountain of files 9S left for him on the table.
The next stretch of time repeated this way for a while. It was difficult to tell how many days passed when the sun never moved. His only inclination of the passing time was when he grew tired enough to sleep, or hungry enough to eat in set intervals.
Train.
Shower.
Sleep.
Read.
Eat and interact regularly with the androids so he wouldn’t feel totally isolated.
All the while, the Resistance androids treated him like a deity, leaving lavish gifts like clothes, jewelry, or money by his door. Their growing pantry expanded with additional spices and other ingredients steadily imported through their new supply lines, and androids often offered him plates of food they’d made, eager for his opinion and how they could improve.
In return for their kindness, he helped out around the camp and did small chores for Anemone when he had the time.
2B and 9S would take him out to the City for continued exercise and training, but despite improving rapidly with both blades and magic, sessions were few and far between as they grew more desperate to do… whatever it was they were doing.
Any remaining specks of freedom were dedicated to drowning himself in these files. Despite the quantity of information, he found it lacking. Nothing of import was there. At least, nothing he truly needed to know. Dozens of pages about battles between the androids and machines that happened so long ago that the scars of those battles had long since been buried under the verdant life slowly returning to the planet.
He’d read a half-finished report about the calamity that stopped Earth’s rotation. Something to do with the moon, but there were no specifics beyond that.
The ‘Kingdom Of Night’ encompassed all of the Americas, while the ‘Kingdom of Day’ was Europe, parts of Africa, and most of Asia. Japan and Russia skirted the very edge of twilight, and he wondered if the Amusement Park was the start of that separating line. Hell, he could be sitting right in the heart of Tokyo, if the familiar buildings of the City Ruins were anything to go by. Though it was still a mystery as to how the Night Kingdom wasn’t a frozen wasteland that destabilized the entire planet, since they weren’t touched by the warmth of the sun.
There were vaguely fascinating reports of how aliens dumped millions of machine fish into the rivers and oceans to choke out the natural life, but since those metal fish were disconnected from the network, they turned instead to protecting the natural life. Some species forged symbiotic relationships with one another.
Ren snorted as he remembered the machine fish flopping on the shore of the river in the forest, and also the one wriggling between Byakko’s teeth.
He turned the page, and frowned. A different page was stuck between other reports… almost as if someone shoved it randomly in the pile in a hurry.
[June 12th, 2003]
The Red Dragon and The Giant fell upon Shinjuku at around 3:00 PM. The Dragon engaged the Giant in combat and defeated it by 4:00 PM. Shortly thereafter, the Dragon was intercepted by jet fighters of the Japan Self-Defence Force. Call sign ‘Scarface’ of the 6th Air Wing, 303rd Squadron eliminated the Dragon with missile fire, and the corpse was impaled atop Tokyo Tower.
The Dragon’s remains have since been retrieved, and will be taken to a facility to be properly studied and dissected.
Another fact, though no less important, is that the person who gave the green light to shoot down the Dragon remains unnamed.
Revulsion coursed through Ren.
His dream gave him a flash of the pain and anguish right near the end, a vision of the Dragon being impaled atop the tower even, but this—
He looked to the next page detailing how there were once living Grimoires imbued with the Red Dragon’s magic. Magic gained by studying its charred corpse. But any rising hopes were dashed when they had all been destroyed with the failure of Project Gestalt.
Honestly, a cookbook would be more useful than this, he thought bitterly.
He turned the next page, but it returned to the dull histories he was reading about before.
Ren pinched the bridge of his nose.
What was this? A threat to he and Seth? An honest attempt to give him more information he was truly after… but why would they need to hide it? And from who? He thought of how 9S failed to hide his wince and refused to look in Ren’s direction the last time he pressed for information about magic, and simply said that he was ‘working on it.’ That was enough of an answer in itself.
The Council of Humanity…
Commander White…
The announcements over the radio…
“The last thing I ever thought would happen is me getting caught up in android politics.” He muttered as he pushed the files away.
His eyes were bugging out from reading for so long, and his body felt worn down enough to where he needed to sleep again. He decided a walk would help his cramped muscles and clear his mind. Learning of the Red Dragon’s fate was but another stroke of cruelty this world offered to them on a silver platter.
He stood and stretched, his back popping pleasantly. Ren checked himself over and smoothed the wrinkles of his red shirt. He left his cloak hanging on the back of his chair, but still strapped his daggers to his belt before he stepped outside.
A certain pair sat in the medical bay, out of view of the other androids by the many curtains separating the beds. He ignored the newest pile of gifts by his door and swiftly went to them, drawing as little attention as possible.
Popola looked up when he approached, “Oh, hey there.”
“Are you sure you should be talking to us?” Devola asked, scanning for nearby androids. “Anemone already warned you about how dangerous it is to even talk to us, I bet.”
Ren planted himself on the corner of an empty cot, crossing his arms, “I’m not one to blindly follow rumors. I wanted to get to know you for myself.”
“You…” Popola whispered.
Devola smirked, “Finally, someone with backbone. So? What can we do for you?”
Ren raised a brow, “I can’t come and say hi?”
Popola smiled, “Of course you can.”
“We’re the most skilled medics in this camp, and yet you saw how Anemone and the others treated us.” Devola sighed, her expression softening, “We’re just… not used to basic kindness I guess.”
“Listen,” Ren frowned, “About what happened—”
“You don’t need to say anything, Ren.” Devola said softly.
“I still don’t think you deserve the other androids’ hatred.”
The twins exchanged glances before Popola spoke, “That’s sweet, Ren, but really, we’re alright.”
“We might be treated like shit but…” Devola wrapped her arm around her sister’s. “I believe there’s two of us for a reason. As long as Popola and I are together, we can make it through anything. Ain’t that right, sis?”
Popola squeezed Devola’s hand, “That’s right.”
A sense of longing weighed in Ren’s heart. Seeing these two have such a strong bond reminded him of Arsene and the other slumbering Personas, of Morgana and his teammates lost to other worlds unknown. His hand tightened into a fist as his resolve strengthened. He would solve the mystery of this world’s magic and use it to find his friends again, no matter who or what hampered his progress behind the scenes. That he promised. If not here in the Resistance Camp, then somewhere away from the City Ruins.
“I do have a question, if you don’t mind?”
“Go ahead.” Popola said, looking at Ren.
“Do you two know anything about magic?”
“Magic…?” Devola whispered.
“We… used to. I think.” Popola said as she squeezed Devola’s hand again, this time for comfort.
“Used to?”
“We can only go by rumor.” Devola whispered. “But I guess our models used to be pretty handy with all sorts of magic.”
“When our memory was wiped, so too was any knowledge on how to use it.” Popola ducked her head. “I’m sorry we can’t be of more help, Ren.”
“That’s okay.” Ren’s smile tightened, “Would you know anyone who could teach me?”
“No.” Popola shook her head, “Aside from the bare applications of maso particles to repair androids, I’m afraid its been so long since androids used real magic regularly that it’s become something of a lost art. I’m sorry.”
Ren wilted, “It’s okay. I’m sure I’ll find something eventually.” Ren stood up, “Thank you for talking with me.”
“No, thank you.” Popola said.
“For giving us a real chance when others didn’t even bother.” Devola smiled at him. “It means a lot to us.”
“Well,” He began slowly, fiddling with the edge of his sleeve, “as a Human, you’re forgiven in my eyes. This world has enough suffering, and Project Gestalt happened so long ago that it’s time to move on and find your own happiness on your own terms. You two deserve it.”
The twins stared at him in disbelief. Several seconds of tense silence passed, and Ren hoped he didn’t overstep his bounds when Popola’s eyes began to water.
“Devola, did I hear that right?”
Devola used her sleeve to wipe the tears budding in her own eyes, “Yeah, sis, you did.” She chuckled wetly as she put her other hand over her chest, “Oh. I feel… something strange. Like… the weight here is lessening?”
“Yeah, I feel it too.” Popola stood up and Ren blinked rapidly as she hugged him, her arms firm but not crushing. ”Thank you.”
“Oi, don’t leave me out!” Devola said as she joined her sister in wrapping her arms around Ren.
His face burned when they pulled back and Devola ruffled his hair with a playful smirk.
They stepped away when a few androids came in to deliver supply boxes, their gazes focused on the twins with pinpoint glares.
Devola winked at him, her eyes still puffy and red, “Go on, now. I’m sure you have better things to do than deal with two emotional androids. Oh, and tell that dragon of yours not to be so messy when he hunts.”
“We were there once, when he caught a moose? We had to hide in a building.” Popola said, “It wasn’t… pleasant.”
“So there was something there the first time.” Ren huffed at the audacity of it. “I’ll make sure to tell him. Good night.”
“Good night.” Popola whispered as he returned to his room to avoid the questioning looks by the other Resistance androids.
It was a small miracle that Anemone forbade anyone from bothering him when he was in his room. He went to his bed and fell onto the covers, staring at the ceiling as a wave of satisfaction burned away the dread and disappointment in his heart. He almost fell asleep on the spot when a rush of excitement sparked within Seth.
“Did you figure out what 2B and 9S are up to?”
“No.” Seth purred. “I simply located some new prey to hunt! Get some rest, Trickster, and I’ll speak with you again once you awaken.”
“If you say so.”
Ren sighed, but his eyes drooped shut and he fell asleep not long after.
~*~*~*~
“Brother, I’m booooooored.” Eve lounged over the table, glancing forlornly at the empty seat across from him.
Adam had been gone forever working on his new project! He didn’t know why his brother was so obsessed with copying a boring old Human city anyway.
“Eat pointless fruit. Read, read, read.” He mimicked his brother’s voice, “‘Take these songs into your heart, Eve, maybe you’ll learn something about the Human. Don’t move until I get back.’”
Eve blinked at the staticky prickle sweeping over the network. It wasn’t a new sensation anymore, coming and going every so often. With his brother not answering any calls through the network, he took it as Adam just messing around.
This time, in his boredom, he actively nudged it.
His breath was stolen as the sensation latched onto him in a tidal wave of senseless data, greedy hands crawling over his skin and pulling him down into the water.
The weight of it squeezed his body and made his thoughts go fuzzy. He shakily stood from his chair as he sensed machines all across the City Ruins react to the static tightening around them like a noose. Worst of all, his connection with Adam was silenced by the wall of white noise.
“Brother…” He whispered under the rhythm of black wings.
~*~*~*~
“Alert: Target located.”
“About freaking time 9S pulls through!” A2 yelled from atop Seth’s back. “Where are those bastards?”
“Target known as ‘Eve’ detected 1.3 kilometers to the south, on the rooftop of a skyscraper. Units 2B and 9S are en route to engage.”
“Huh, well good thing they let us borrow you so we can beat them to it.”
“Counter proposal: Wait until units 2B and 9S engage and do a surprise attack from above.”
“Eh, sounds boring. I say we charge right at him.”
“…This Pod has serious concerns for unit A2’s lack of strategic ability.”
Seth cackled. “Even the toy thinks you’re stupid!”
“Why you useless pile of scrap!” She grabbed the Pod by its boxy head and pointed her sword at it, “You’re just a spare they found buried in the desert, right? They won’t miss you. I never needed a damn babysitter in the first place!”
“Hypothesis: I may not be the primary Pod Unit 2B uses, but units 2B and 9S would experience emotional distress at this Pod’s imminent destruction. Proposal: Let this Pod go free and focus your inherent anger issues on the target.”
“Wha— I don’t have anger issues!”
“I beg to differ.” Seth stated as he veered south.
“Both of you SHUT UP!”
“Did you figure out what 2B and 9S are up to?”
His Trickster’s sudden concern brushed against Seth’s mind, and he repressed guilt at keeping secrets. He kept telling himself that it was for the Trickster’s own good. He’d get these pests out of the way so they could continue their true objective without being bothered by these insane contraptions hellbent on spilling their blood.
“No. I simply located some new prey to hunt! Get some rest, Trickster, and I’ll speak with you again once you awaken.”
“If you say so.”
The Trickster’s worry smoothed away as he slipped into blackness. Seth continued to send soft comfort as Ren fell into a more restful sleep. Deep enough to where he wouldn’t wake, even should something big happen in the City.
“Let the toy go, we have more important things to do!” Seth growled.
She released the Pod, grumbling to herself.
The building came into view. Seth’s eyes glowed when he spotted Eve standing at an ornate table lined with menorahs. The human-like machine whirled around as they got closer, eyes wide.
“Alert: The enemy has spotted us. Disengage and wait for assistance—”
“No point!” Seth sped up with a hard flap, “I won’t let my prey escape simply because the others are slow!!”
A2 bore a wild grin as her hair flowed behind her in a sunlight halo, “Finally, something we agree on!”
Seth roared as he collided with the rooftop, the wooden table snapped like a twig under his wings, the elegant chairs reduced to splinters blown off the side of the building. Seth snarled at Eve, who’s shock bled away into eager battle lust.
“You came to play with me!?” Eve laughed in child-like joy. “Good! I was so bored!”
Seth shook his head as Eve latched onto his spikes, a plume of dust and broken bits of wood and concrete raining down as they flew off the rooftop.
A2 leapt up from her spot and ran down the length of Seth’s neck, her sword a silver blur, “Let go of him, you bastard!”
Eve countered her blow with a swing of his arm, sparks flitting beside Seth’s eye.
The Pod charged up and fired a slew of small missiles through the air to strike true. Eve lost his grip from the force of the explosions and plummeted into the grassy field below, his grin showing too many teeth.
“This is fun!!” Eve cried before he crashed into the earth.
2B and 9S burst into the clearing with their weapons drawn. Eve pulled himself up and met 2B’s deadly dance head-on, sparks flying as the machine’s laughter flowed with the song of a swinging blade. Pod bullets flew in droves to bounce off Eve’s skin. 9S circled their battle, several screens alight, as a flood of other machines scrambled into the area.
Seth dove for Eve.
Eve looked up as Seth’s shadow swallowed him, his grin ear to ear. Seth’s heart stopped when 2B was knocked back with a hard kick and ribbons of white light swirled over Eve’s arm. The machine lashed out towards Seth, sending out the light like coiling whips.
“Now this is more like it!” Eve shouted, “Come and play with me, Seth!”
Seth yanked himself into a harsh roll, the edges of the ribbons grazing his right wing. He snarled as he pulled himself out of the dizzying spiral in time to avoid colliding with a building. A2 swore loudly as he rose into the sky, specks of blood dropping like rain.
“Are you okay, you dumb wyrm!?” She shouted in his ear.
The wound burned through his wing membrane in the shape of claw marks, “It’s barely a scratch!” He wrenched himself back around as 2B released a battle cry and continued her onslaught, “When I pass over, drop down and aid the other toothpick!”
“What!?”
“Now!”
“Damnit!” A2 dropped, the Pod following. “Die, you son of a bitch!”
Like an eagle dropping upon its prey, A2 landed on Eve, her sword piercing through his abdomen.
Eve cackled as red blood poured from his wound.
“What the hell are you laughing at?” A2 demanded.
“I’m having so much fun!” Eve cried, “Much more fun than playing with my brother!”
“My sword is through your stomach and you’re having fun?”
Another chuckle escaped the machine, and he whispered, “Did you really think this could kill me?”
A2’s eyes widened, “2B!”
2B ran in, raising Virtuous Treaty with both hands.
A flash of light blinded them and A2 stumbled forward as the body in front of her vanished. 2B skid to a stop, dirt and grass kicking up from her shoes. They swiveled their heads around. Seth roared a warning as Eve appeared on the other side of the battlefield, his wound sealing back together after he grabbed one of the nearby machines with his gauntlet and drained its energy.
The small machine’s eyes died as it went limp. Eve tossed it away like garbage.
Eve bore a manic smirk, “You know, I’m having so much fun I think I’ll take my time tearing you all apart! But don’t worry, I’ll take your heads and give them to my brother as a present! He’ll be happy to show them to your precious human. Doesn’t that sound great!? He’s going to be SO proud of me!”
“You’re sick.” A2 sneered, “I’m going to be the one who kills you.”
Eve tilted his head, “Let’s find out who’s the strongest, then!”
The whole of the City Ruins shifted with clanking metal and red eyes. More machines poured into the clearing like skittering insects, some scrambling over others in their frantic rush to help Eve. They twitched oddly as their red eyes blazed brighter then they had ever seen.
A2 and 2B stood side by side, their swords gleaming together in the sunlight. A pleasant breeze wove through their hair, the pair of twin Pods buzzing in anticipation.
“You ready for this?” A2 asked as a strange calm came over her.
2B smiled as the machine hoard approached, “I bet I can kill more than you.”
“Oh, you’re on!”
They ran forward in a united dash, A2’s body glowing red in a berserker’s charge while 2B raised her white blade. Android and machine collided in violent crashes of metal.
Meanwhile, Seth spun through the air. Constant explosions peppered his skin and smoke trailed over his wings, the rush and thrill of such a battle was nothing short of euphoric. The swarms of aerial machines could do nothing to hurt him, and as long as he was far enough away to avoid Eve’s light attack, then he could continue to thin their numbers.
Oil splashed his body, wires and metal bits clung to his teeth as he tore them apart without mercy. Countless screws, nuts, bolts, and other machine body parts rained down on the City Ruins. A single storm cloud gathered overhead, lightning dicing the hoard with brilliant flashes.
Must you slaughter with such reckless abandon?
A voice whispered, a memory in his blood simmering in his veins. Another plain skirted his mind, littered with bodies of soldiers wearing medieval armor, slain by a dragon and the blood-crazed prince who was her soul partner. A victorious and verdant battlefield before it was turned into a hellish nightmare plagued with undead.
Is this the land of the gods?
It was the same raspy voice from his Trickster’s dream.
The Red Dragon.
The longer the new magic steeped into their soul, the clearer the blood memory of the ancient Red Dragon become within him, too. Seth shook his head to focus on the battle happening now, the memories jolted from his mind as he heard 9S cry out.
The android was on one knee, his screens glitching and faltering. Despite the number of machines that fell beneath 2B and A2, a few slipped passed to target 9S. Volcanic heat to bloomed in Seth’s chest, and a hard flap eradicated any more machines hampering him with a burst of wind. With the way clear, he released the flame.
The individual balls of fire flew through the air, hitting the machines surrounding 9S but leaving him untouched. Seth landed behind 9S, lightning and thunder rolling across the City Ruins. The first patters of rain made the flames sizzle.
“What’s taking so long!?” Seth demanded, “Cut Eve off so we can kill him!”
9S laughed mirthlessly. “Give me… a freaking break, Seth.”
The wings on Seth’s neck twitched in surprise, “Excuse me?”
9S stayed on his knee as his screens continued to glitch, “Eve holds half of the network spanning… the entire globe. I almost have him, I just—”
9S hissed in pain as he clutched his head, a few of his screens turning red with warnings.
“Alert: Unit 9S is in critical condition due severe Logic Virus infection—”
“Quiet, Pod!” 9S snapped and continued working at the frantic pace of prey who knew of its upcoming demise.
“You…” Seth’s golden eyes widened, “What did you do to yourself?”
The android’s smile could curdle milk, “That ‘modified data’ I asked the other Scanners for? It was an illegal patch to reduce my limiters. Collecting all of that machine data, delving so deep into the network… protecting a Human life…” He tore off his blindfold and tossed it to the wind, Seth gaining full view of pure silver eyes and pupils glinting red. “It comes at a price.”
“What’s going to happen to you?”
“I already isolated the Logic Virus to this body so nobody else gets infected, so there’s only one thing left to do.” Seth snarled, but 9S still had that ironic smile. “It’s fine. I’ll wake up on the Bunker without any memories. Maybe I’ll see Ren again, even if I don’t remember the time we spent together.”
“This whole time… and you said you were fine when Ren asked! Ren’s not going to be happy.”
“Happy? Face it, Adam and Eve were going after Ren no matter how prepared we were! I’d rather him be alive to be pissed at me than dead! You and Ren… still don’t get it, do you?” 9S looked into Seth’s eyes, gold against silver and red. “Humans are our everything. The ones who created us in their image to help regain the Earth. Without them, everything we do would be pointless! And Ren…” 9S shook his head. “I couldn’t ever live with myself if something happened to him.”
Honest words spoken with such deep fervor would stroke the ego of any god, but even Seth’s heart twisted when it was wasted for a lie.
He didn’t know how 9S took his silence, the android tore his eyes away to look upon the ensuing battle. Eve’s laughter grated on their ears as he shrugged off A2 and 2B’s attacks, with no more effort than it would take to swat away a fly.
Every slash and stab, every splatter of red flecking the ground, was eradicated with another insignificant machine’s life force.
“If we strike Eve down now, then Adam and the rest of the machines will be crippled. It’s only a matter of time before we kill him, too.” 9S chuckled as he pressed a button on his main screen with a sense of finality.
Like a massive wave born of death itself, the machines toppled over or dropped from the sky. Metal bodies covered the grassy area in a graveyard of rust, their eyes permanently going dark. Eve staggered as he watched the destruction of his playthings unfold.
“Can you do me a favor, Seth?”
“What?” Seth watched 2B and A2 circle Eve like vengeful lionesses, swords shining with oil.
“Can you kill Adam for me if my next self can’t?”
“It would be my pleasure… Nines.”
Nines beamed at Seth, who tried not to compare the android to a dying puppy. “Thanks.”
2B screamed in battle-rage as she plunged her sword through Eve in a spray of red.
Eve gasped as she twisted the blade, but even still, he had a manic grin, “I told you… this can’t kill me!”
“I know.” 2B looked behind him with a smile, “But that will.”
Eve followed her gaze in tune to the merciless swing of A2’s sword.
Everything went silent. The wind halted. Nearby streams polluted with a steady stream of iridescence seemed to stem themselves in shock. The creaks of metal settled. Distant rolls of thunder turned to silence. The entire world held its breath as Eve’s head slid cleanly off of his neck and landed on the ground with a solid thunk.
They waited, but nothing happened.
Eve was dead.
Seth released his hold on the storm clouds, sunlight piercing through the folds in shining spears.
A2 lowered her weapon, “Too bad he couldn’t beg.”
“One down, one to go.” 2B pushed Eve’s headless body from Virtuous Treaty, “9S, can you—”
2B froze, gaping as 9S cast away his screens. His eyes glinted crimson.
“9S!”
Seth backed away as she ran towards them, unhampered by the many machine bodies littering the ground. Her bloody blade dropped from her grasp as she crouched in front of him, hands shaking.
“9S, what did you…” She cupped his face in her gloved hands. “Why didn’t you say anything!? Pod, administer Logic Virus vaccines and—”
“No, it’s already too late. We knew it might happen anyway, 2B.” 9S smiled at her as the crimson glow in his pupils intensified, “I’ll be waiting for you on the Bunker, okay?”
She winced, her breath leaving in a sharp gasp, but she gave him a shaky nod all the same, voice gentle and soothing, “…Okay.”
He violently flinched as A2 stuck her sword into his back, the tip of the blade protruding from his chest. With a strangled wheeze, he fell against 2B with his eyes fluttering closed.
Her breath shuttered and stared in disbelief at A2, “Why… why did you do that!?”
A2’s expression closed off into a stone cold stare, “I made it quick and painless. You shouldn’t have to kill your own friends.”
“You don’t understand. I…” She hugged 9S’s body, her face dropping into his shoulder. She rocked back and forth as her voice shattered, “It always ends like this. Over and over and over!”
“What the hell are you talking about?”
“Over and over?” Seth came to a startled realization, “How many times has he died in your arms? How many times have you killed him in the past?”
A2 blanched.
2B released a cry in lieu of an answer.
Seth and A2 exchanged glances as she continued to cry. A2 allowed her a few minutes of mourning before grabbing her arm.
“Oi, knock it off.” A2 pulled the other woman to her feet, making sure 9S was set down as gently as possible. “Go to him.”
2B sniffled, “What?”
“He’ll be waiting for you on the Bunker, genius.” A2 growled, “So stop bawling over this husk and go get him already!”
“How… how dare you!” She knocked A2’s hand off of her, her crimson splattered blade summoned into her grasp. “How can you be so callous after he just sacrificed everything!?”
“Callous?” A2 tilted her head at a dangerous angle, the tip of her sword dripping with opalescent oil. Seth’s insides curled at the sheer amount of hopelessness on A2’s expression, “You still get to see his face. You still get the chance to laugh and cry with him. You still get to see him smile. And here you are, crying like a little bitch.”
2B growled as her sword shook in quiet rage.
“I would give anything to have that again with my comrades. But no, they’re dead and gone and they’re never coming back!” A2 looked down on 9S’s peaceful expression with an unreadable face, “So go to him, and the both of you come back to us soon.”
Pod 153 floated between them, arms dangling limply as if it, too, were sad at it’s comrade’s passing. “Uncorrupted data of Unit 9S is already being uploaded into a new body on the Bunker. Proposal: Follow A2’s advice and go to him, 2B.”
Without a word, 2B cast Virtuous Treaty to her back. She carefully picked up 9S’s lifeless body and walked off the oily battlefield with all 3 Pods following. She gained a small glint of respect from Seth for not looking back.
A2 sighed sharply, “What a mess.”
“And we have to explain all of this…” Seth gestured with his wing towards a headless Eve and the mountain of machine bodies, 2B walking away with 9S’ corpse, and Seth’s wound scabbing over the tattered edge of his wing, “To Ren. Somehow.”
“Shit.”
~*~*~*~
Adam froze when half of his world shattered.
~*~*~*~
Ren felt like he’d been hit by a truck the moment he peeled his eyes open.
His head had been stuffed with cotton, his bone dry throat scraped with a painful cough. Worst of all, a sharp pain stabbed his ribs when he breathed. His head was so clouded he couldn’t even reach out to Seth.
“What the hell. Am I getting sick?”
He groaned as he sat up. The loud noises coming from his door drew his attention. The Resistance androids were usually quiet when he slept, so with a frown he threw off the covers and went to the door. He didn’t bother checking over his appearance as he opened it.
Androids rushed around like headless chickens, more than a few crowded around Anemone’s command tent and spoke too fast for him to read at this distance.
He walked to Anemone’s desk, the androids too harried to even notice him slip through.
“What’s going on?”
They froze like deer in the headlights.
Anemone snapped out of it first, sweeping around the table. She gently nudged him towards the break area near the jukebox, “How did you sleep, Ren? You don’t look too hot.”
“I’m fine.” He ignored how hoarse he sounded. “Why is everyone freaking out?”
“Eve was killed two hours ago. The machine network is crippled and half of those rust buckets across the globe have been disconnected. We’re getting new reports about it by the minute.” Anemone frowned when his eyes widened, “I thought you would know. You could’ve told us ahead of time so we could help out.”
“Why would I know anything about this?”
Anemone furrowed her brow, “The ones who killed Eve were your dragon, 2B, 9S, and…” She spaced of for a moment, but shook it off, “A2. Unfortunately, 9S didn’t make it through the battle, but I received word from the Bunker that he should be operational again soon.”
Ice spread in Ren’s veins. “What?”
“You didn’t know?”
“No. They conveniently decided to leave me out of it.” Anemone took a step back as his Resistance clothes burned away into his Joker costume, coattails writhing with the rage building like a storm within, “Excuse me, I’m going to have a talk with Seth.”
Anemone didn’t stop him.
He went to his room for his daggers before he let his door shut with a small slam that made anyone nearby startle a foot in the air. The androids took one look at his face and hastily jumped out of his way as he left the Resistance Camp.
~*~*~*~
Seth and A2 impaled Eve’s head on a machine’s blade before they left the battlefield. They washed themselves in a river and rested together in silence on a random rooftop, with Seth laying in a circle and A2 seated at the edge, staring off into the distance. They awaited the moment where Ren learned the inevitable truth.
“Seth, come here. Now.”
Seth raised his head at the frigid fury spreading through their soul like a slow moving glacier. It would leave a hatchling quaking in fear.
A2 looked at him, “Is it time?”
“Yes…” Seth extended a wing. “He calls to us.”
She nodded. A2 stood up, climbed on his back, and then they were off in a rush of wind. They soared over the buildings being strangled by tree roots until they reached the deep crater made by the goliath. They saw the black dot that was Joker standing on one of the buildings skirting the edge of the newborn cliff, tilted at such a dangerous angle that Seth had to land as gently as possible lest he topple the whole thing.
His claws scrabbled for purchase as he nearly slid into the canyon, his tail pouring off the side.
Joker remained silent on the higher end of the rooftop, glaring as A2 dismounted.
She took two steps towards him, “Joker—”
“Where’s 2B?” Joker asked, his anger tempered into a disarmingly soft rage, “Don’t bother lying about Nines. Anemone told me.”
A2 grimaced, “She’s on the Bunker, waiting for 9S to wake up using his back-up data.”
“…I see.”
A stiff wind blew between them, several seconds of tense silence pass and Joker’s thunderous gaze never wavered.
“We did it to keep you safe, the purpose we androids were created for.” A2 said, unrepentant. “I’m not going to apologize for it.”
Joker scowled, “Did 2B and 9S know you were following us the whole time they were training me? Did you work with them when I wasn’t around?”
“They knew.” A2 took a step closer and Joker stepped back. “We took down Eve and weakened the network. Don’t be mad at us for doing our jobs.”
“I’m not mad at you for doing your job, I’m mad that you all lied and tried to hide it from me! And you,” Joker sent his stabbing dagger glare at Seth, “Especially you, Seth! You made me promise not to do anything stupid, but then you go behind my back and pull something like this?”
Seth snorted, “We did it to keep you safe! If those machines got their hands on you…”
“Yeah, I get it. Eve’s dead. Congratulations. But do you have any clue where Adam is right now?”
The pair were silent.
Joker pinched the bridge of his nose, “Adam was already unstable in the alien chamber. What the hell do you think he’s going to do when he finds out his brother is dead? He’s not going to take this lying down!”
A2 marched up to him and grabbed his shoulder, “We’ll find him and kill him before he tries anything. Simple as that.”
“At what cost?” Joker shoved her hand away. “I’d do anything to get justice against anyone who murdered my family! Who has to die next before Adam gets taken down? 2B? Nines again? You?”
A2 scoffed, “If that’s the price, then so be it. The only thing that matters is that you live on.”
“Do you even listen to yourself? How is it fair that you choose to blindly throw your lives away!?” Joker shook his head, his eyes growing watery, “I thought you of all people would understand how painful it is to lose friends! I’ve already lost everything I cared about, and I don’t want anyone to die for me!”
A2 froze, but she washed her hesitation away with an impatient sigh. “This is different. Androids are expendable. Humans are not. That’s just how it is.”
“You…” Joker’s face crumpled and he turned his back on them, “I can’t do this. I can’t even look at you right now.”
“Fine. Take whatever time you need to get over your temper tantrum,” A2 muttered, “At least let us take you back to the Resistance Camp to make sure you get there safe.”
“No, I need space from androids. I’m going to Pascal’s village instead.” Seth moved when Joker did, and the boy glared back, “Alone.”
“But—” Seth tried, but Joker walked to a small hole in the roof and dropped down to a lower floor, the harsh mental shove Joker gave him from the mindscape was almost enough to push him off the building.
A2 looked up into the heavens with an exasperated sigh. “He can be mad all he wants. I don’t care.” She looked at Seth. “Where is this ‘Pascal’s village’ anyway?”
Seth’s entire being felt sour and rotten at the sudden chasm between he and Joker, but he answered with no vitriol, “It’s a machine village not far from here.”
“A machine—!?” A2 almost blue screened as she wrenched her blade free. “We just risked our necks to save him from machines and he just decides to go to them willingly!? Why the hell are we standing around when that idiot is walking to his death!?”
Seth held out his wing before she chased after Joker, “It is a… peaceful machine village that disconnected themselves from the network a long time ago. They aided us before we met you. Joker will be… safe there.”
Her face scrunched up, “A peaceful machine village?”
Seth flicked one of the small wings on his neck in assent.
“Fuck this. Nothing makes sense anymore!” A2 cursed as she ran her other hand down her face. “I’m going to go kill things until the world feels right again. At least until 2B and 9S drag their asses down here so we can go kill Adam. You coming or what?”
Seth remained silent, watching as Joker exited the building far below. Joker knew where the secondary entrance to the village was from a previous training session, but watching Joker walk away with such anger in his heart made something in Seth quiver.
“Hey,” A2 poked his wing with her foot. “If he wants pout, let him pout. We have shit to do.”
Seth swallowed the lump in his throat as his Trickster disappeared behind some buildings. “I’ll stay here. I… need to think.”
A2’s face softened. “Suit yourself, lizard.”
The android dropped off the rooftop and into the deep canyon below. The sounds of explosions and metal hitting metal followed soon after. Seth huddled down on the uneven rooftop, glancing where Joker vanished with a sudden sense of longing.
He wondered if Arsene would be disappointed in him.
~*~*~*~
“Amamiya Ren. Amamiya Ren.” 9S grinned in that fresh happy-go-lucky attitude that 2B loved so much. “I can’t believe I’m saying a Human’s name!”
“You got close enough for him to call you Nines.”
“I did!?”
“You did.”
“That’s amazing!” 9S frowned. “How did I… I mean… I know we soldiers should be used to losing our memories, but being able to know a Human and losing that...”
2B stopped walking within the circular hall. Stars glinted outside the Bunker’s reinforced window while the Bunker itself was leeched of all color and emotion. Sterile. Cold and lifeless, despite the several androids manned here. Nothing at all like the warmth of Ren’s smile.
“Your previous self died against one of the machines that would’ve hunted Ren down. We managed to kill that machine because of you.”
“Oh.” 9S clutched his chin. “I guess I don’t regret it as much, if it was to protect a Human life.”
“...Yeah.”
They continued walking to the transporters until 2B stopped beside the door to the command center. Operator 21O leaned against the wall, her eyes shone with an intensity that could make any new recruit crumple under the sharpness of her eerie stare.
“9S?”
“Yes, ma’am?”
“Don’t call me ma’am. It’s inefficient.”
“Er… okay?”
“Go wait by the transporters. I’ll be there in a minute.”
“Got it ma’am— uh, 2B!”
9S turned on his heel and sprinted down the curved hallway, his pod silently floating at his side.
It was just her and Operator 21O in the hallway now, not counting 2B’s Pod. 2B stayed rooted to the spot, her gaze down turned under the scrutiny cutting into her. Several moments pass, and she didn’t think Operator 21O would say anything, about to take a step when 21O finally spoke in a low, frigid voice.
“How many times does this make?”
2B froze, becoming as still and lifeless as the lack of colors around them. “49.”
“49 times.” 21O reiterated dryly, still peering into 2B with an unblinking gaze. “I understand you have an important job to do, but don’t be so careless next time. After all…”
The Operator pulled herself from the wall. The elevator door to the command center hissed open, and she took a single step past them.
“I love him, too.”
2B whirled around to 21O as the doors closed. “Emotions… are prohibited.”
Her whisper was left lonely and ignored. 2B’s hands balled into fists as she buried the sudden surge of anger and self-loathing rising in her chest. Instead, she turned her focus down the hall and concentrated on putting one foot in front of the other. 9S’s bright smile was like a bucket of ice water being dumped on her.
“Sooo, I’m fresh out of maintenance and the Commander just pairs us together for a big mission at us out of the blue? Talk about a slave driver!”
“9S, don’t complain.” She sighed as the transporters hummed to life at their approach, “Besides, we’re not going to do that just yet.”
“We’re not?”
“No. We’re going to visit someone first. I… hope he won’t be too angry.” She looked at him as he tilted his head, “Do you need the Resistance Camp’s location data?”
“Nah, my Pod already has it. We’re good to go!”
2B stepped into the transporter in sync with 9S, the ensuing darkness was the only peace from the twisted and barbed tangle of emotions festering inside.
~*~*~*~
Joker grew more relaxed with each step away from the City Ruins.
Concrete bled into soft dirt and thick patches of healthy grass, the unrelenting sun broken up by winding tree branches in the thick canopy above. Dust and old, decrepit buildings were erased by the pungent scent of moss on tree bark. He followed the narrow, winding path, listening to the soft crunch under his boots.
A few platforms were all he needed to climb before he pulled himself up to Pascal’s village. The machine guarding the bridge to the village center spotted him immediately, eyes flashing in greeting.
“Oh! Welcome back, Joker!” The machine said, “We’ve been eagerly awaiting your return!”
“Thank you.” Joker took a deep breath of mixed metal and petrichor. “It’s good to be back.”
He's surprised at how much he truly meant it when he wasn’t under the constant and venerating stares of the androids.
“Pascal should be by his house, if you wanted to find him.”
Joker nodded as he began to cross the bridge.
“Big brother Joker!!”
“Joker!”
“Joker’s finally back!!”
Tiny machines descended upon him the moment he reached the central rings around the tree, tugging on his coattails or his hands, hugging his legs. It forced a smile on his face, despite the mood he left Seth and A2 in. Older or larger machines watched on from the crowding children, chuckling softly or speaking with one another.
“Big Brother Joker, guess what!?” The machine child holding his left hand asked.
Joker blinked, “What?”
“Our wish came true!”
“Your wish?”
The smallest machine hiding under his coattails spoke next, having a red ribbon tied on its head in an elegant bow, “Yeah! W-we gathered more pretty flowers for you… and our wish came true!”
“Look, look! I got it!”
Another child machine ran towards them from down the platform, arm held up and grasping a wreath of white flowers. The child tripped on the edge of one of the panels and face-planted, the flower necklace flying from its grasp to fall onto the ground.
Joker carefully disentangled himself from the horde of machine children, picking up the flower necklace with care before helping the small machine to its feet.
“Are you okay?” Joker asked as he wiped dust from its head.
“Y-Yeah!”
There was a warm chuckle behind them. Joker looked over his shoulder to see Pascal staring at him, vivid green eyes intensifying in what Joker assumed was a heartfelt greeting.
“Does…” The machine child with the red ribbon tapped its metal fingers together, “Does Big Brother Joker like it?”
Joker looked at the flower wreath in his hand. The pure, snow-white flowers were kept in good condition, the flow of metal wire and dried grass woven so carefully that it would hold for a long time.
He grinned as he held it in both hands, “It’s a wonderful gift. I love it.”
“Yay!”
The children all jumped in to give him a group hug, almost overrunning him in the tiny adorable swarm.
“Alright, children,” Pascal said, “Go on and play while Uncle Pascal talks with Joker.”
“Awww, but he just got here!” One child said as it clutched onto Joker’s vest.
“I want to play!”
“Me too! Me too!”
Joker huffed in amusement, “I'll play with you later. I really need to talk to Uncle Pascal for a bit.” He leaned in as if he was about to tell a secret, the other children leaning closer to him in reaction, “It’s super important. Top secret mission stuff, actually. Don’t tell anybody, okay?”
“Oooh, okay!”
“Big Brother Joker’s on a secret mission!”
“Secret mission!!”
One by one, the children scattered.
The smallest one with the red ribbon waved at him, “Bye bye, Big Brother Joker!”
Joker’s smile slowly fell when the children were gone, his body slumping with exhaustion from lack of restful sleep and Seth’s and the androids’… everything.
“Did you know those flowers are called Lunar Tears?” Pascal’s voice was gentle as he stepped up next to Joker and helped him to his feet, “When you didn’t come back after a while, we got together with some of the children and looked for them in the forest. According to legend, Lunar Tears can grant wishes.”
“And the kids wished for me to come back here?” Joker asked as his smile half-returned.
“Yep! They spent days putting that together.” Pascal’s hand stayed over Joker’s. “Let’s go talk, okay? You look tired, but it’s good to see you.”
“I… thanks.”
Pascal studied him as he looked down at the wreath, an unknown warmth breaking apart his anger at Seth. Pascal squeezed Joker’s hand before he let go, and led them through the village and up into the higher tiers of the village. Joker looked around as he walked, wreath tucked safely into the confines of his costume.
“Are there more machines here than last time?” Joker asked as he studied the various groups within the village. Talking around the tiers, hanging out near the grassy area by the base of the tree, chatting in and around the houses.
“There are.” Pascal stopped by the door to his hut and sat next to it. “Many have decided to join us after you left last time, and I suspect that with the recent happenings in the network, that more still will join us soon.”
Joker flinched, “…Yeah.”
Pascal tilted his head, “What’s wrong?”
Joker sank beside Pascal with a sigh, “Nothing, I… I’m just tired.”
“Do you want to talk about why you’re tired? I’ll do what I can to listen, and to give advice if you wish for it.”
He leaned his head against the massive tree trunk and closed his eyes, basking in the breeze and the rustle of leaves overhead. Pascal was content to wait for him to speak, which Joker appreciated.
“I’m thankful for everything the androids did for me. Really, I’d be in trouble without their help and support, but…” He opened his eyes and trailed over the branches in thought, “Sometimes they can be a bit intense, especially since I’m human. No, it’s because I’m Human that they threw themselves so recklessly into danger.”
“What happened?”
“2B, 9S, and A2 killed Eve because they were trying to protect me. But it’s worse than that because 9S died from the battle, and Seth was helping them this whole time behind my back!” Joker sagged entirely against the tree, “I just wish they’d told me, instead of keeping it a secret. I knew something was up, but I’ve been so busy trying to find a way home that I… I just… maybe I didn’t look hard enough to see what they were really doing.”
“Your home?”
“...Yeah.” Joker squinted at the sunlight as homesickness burrowed itself deep into his chest like a slumbering beast, “I miss seeing the stars. I miss my friends, and I hope with everything I have that they’re okay. I’ve been trying to learn more about magic to see if I can go to them, but I’ve hit obstacle after obstacle, so I’m stuck. And then with what just happened with Seth and the androids… I really don’t know what to do from here.”
“Hmmm… oh! You’re from the Night Kingdom, of course! It makes sense now.”
Joker blinked at Pascal, “Why do you say that? Is it because I said I missed the stars?”
“Well, there’s that.” Pascal turned to look at him with another curious tilt of his head. “But it’s also because of Seth, too.”
“I’m still not following.”
“Oh?” Pascal clutched his chin. “I’ve heard that there are Dragons in the Night Kingdom, so I just assumed—”
“There are Dragons in the Night Kingdom!?”
Pascal stilled as he stared at Joker. “I’ve never seen one with my own eyes, but there are many rumors stating so. You didn’t know?”
Joker frowned, “No. Seth and I have never met another Dragon.”
That wasn’t Kohryu or Seiryu from his Compendium. Trying desperately to understand what the Red Dragon went through at the dawn of its arrival and subsequent death in this world also didn’t count.
“...I see.” Pascal didn’t shift, nor did his eyes change in vibrancy, but something about how he intoned his voice seemed so sad, “You must be really far from home, then.”
“Yeah,” Joker snorted, “You could say that again.”
“Well, I know nothing of magic or Dragons, but would you like my advice about the androids?”
“It can't hurt.”
Pascal swiveled his head to stare out at his village, “Being disconnected from the network means we need to find all sorts of ways to communicate. We can so easily misunderstand each other these days that sometimes conflict arises even when that wasn’t our original intent. Such misunderstandings can be really intense between individuals that are really close.”
Joker frowned, “I was pretty angry after I found out. And A2 being A2, she snapped back because she did what she thought was right.”
Pascal hummed, “Do you think you could get your feelings through to her, without that anger?”
“...Maybe. She’s pretty stubborn.”
“Those that care deeply for one another hurt each other the most.” Pascal joined Joker’s gaze to the sky. “I truly love this village, and everyone in it. Teaching the children, learning how to live from the other adult machines, being at peace…” Pascal reached up and stared at the dappled sunlight through the metal bits that were his fingers, “I would do anything to protect them. I keep wondering if there will come a day where I have to break my vow of peace, if it meant saving the lives of everyone I hold dear.”
“I would do the same for my friends.” Joker hugged his knees to his chest, “But I never wanted anyone to get hurt because of me.”
Pascal lay a hand on his shoulder, “Quite the conundrum, is it not? To want to protect the ones you love, while also not wanting to be protected by them in case they get hurt by doing so.”
“For good reason. Look at what happened to 9S!”
“But that was still his choice to make. Whether it was right or wrong, he made that choice because he cares for you.” Pascal said gently, “Unless, of course, you would rather rob him of the ability to make his own choices?”
Joker opened his mouth, but closed it. After another moment his shoulders slumped in a sigh, “No, I would never do that to him.”
“Mistakes were made, but not all is lost between you. There is still time for you to impart your true feelings over the matter, and come to an agreement so that it doesn’t happen again. Isn’t that right…” Pascal looked past Joker, “2B?”
Joker stiffened and followed Pascal’s gaze.
2B and 9S hesitated not far away, with 2B grimacing as she interlaced her fingers over her stomach,
“...Yes.” She took a step forward, “I came to talk, if that’s alright with you, Ren?”
9S’ shoulders were tense as he faced Ren, his mouth dropped open. Joker couldn’t see his eyes from the blindfold, but the contempt for Pascal was obvious by the way he slightly turned his head in Pascal’s direction and scowled. His hand twitched as if to reach for the blade at his back.
Right. This was 9S, but it wasn’t the same 9S that smiled and joked around with him not hours ago.
“I will tell them to leave, if you’re not ready.” Pascal’s voice was lowered when Joker didn’t answer 2B, and he chuckled softly when Joker widened his eyes. “I can’t explain it —” Pascal put a hand over the center of his iron chest, “as we’ve not known each other long, but I hold the same regard for you as I do the other villagers.”
Joker felt a rush of appreciation for Pascal. They were honest words, spoken not just because Joker was the Human, but that Pascal truly cared for who Joker was.
He nodded, “I’ll talk with them.”
“Very well.” Pascal’s legs clanked with metallic groans as he rose to standing. “I better check on the children anyhow, make sure they’re not getting into trouble!”
He slowly walked off, his footsteps fading into the distance. Joker and the androids were alone, save for the silent Pods ever floating at their sides.
Joker pulled himself to his feet and approached the androids, unsure of how to start closing the sudden rift between them. Instead, he smiled at 9S as he held out his hand, “Good to see you again, Nines.”
“Oh! I… um…” 9S reached out for his hand, hesitated, and then grasped Joker’s hand. The moment Joker’s grip tightened around his hand, 9S gaped. “Wha— 2B! Did you know that his hand is warm!?”
2B huffed with solemn laughter. “I did.”
9S turned red at her words, but laser focused on Joker’s hand the exact same way he did when they first met in the City Ruins. After his Human status was revealed. It brought a wistful frown to Joker’s lips at how similar this 9S was to his previous self, and yet the stark differences —his lack of jokes or easy going banter, or the closeness he developed with Joker in such a short time— hurt Joker’s heart.
2B cleared her throat. “9S, can you wait here a moment while I speak with Ren in private?”
“Sure thing, ma’am!”
“9S.”
“Er… right, 2B!”
“And you’ll have to let go of my hand first.” Joker said with a smirk. "It won't get cold, I promise."
9S flinched. He looked down at their clasped hands with a frown, but reluctantly let go.
2B walked to the other side of the tier and Joker followed. She sat at the edge and dangled her legs off the side. Joker shuffled on his feet before he sat next to her, half an arm’s length away.
“How did you know I was here?” Joker asked.
“We had to narrow it down.” 2B gently kicked her legs out, “Anemone told us how you left the Resistance Camp, and the City Ruins were too big to find Seth or A2, so the next best place was here.”
Joker nodded.
“Ren, we… I…” 2B shook her head. Then her hands reached up towards her blindfold and began to unravel it.
“Alert: Removing one’s visor is against mission protocol—”
“Hush, Pod.” 2B said, not unkindly as she loosened the material and pulled it away from her face.
Joker’s breath caught in his throat as she looked at him with A2’s face, minus the hard edges of stubbornness, snappy sarcasm, and years of weathering the elements. The facial features were so exact that they could’ve been identical twins, down to how their eyes were both like the crystal clear ocean waves he’d seen in Hawaii, pure and glistening from the sunlight shining through them. The only difference were that A2’s eyes held exhaustion and buried anger, while 2B’s expression held sadness and grief deeper than any ocean.
2B.
A2.
Did they look identical simply because they had the same number in their name?
“I’m sorry.”
“You’re… sorry?” Joker snapped out of his comparison and leaned away from her in shock, “Well, that’s more than what A2 had to say.”
2B bore a self-deprecating smile, her eyes glittering mournfully in the broken sunlight, “I mean it. We all got so caught up in the mission of protecting a Human that we ended up completely alienating you in the process. It was… a betrayal of trust, and for that I deeply apologize.”
Joker pursed his lips. He didn’t want to brush it off or say it’s fine, but receiving an actual apology from someone was better than nothing.
“And not only that, if we had included you in our plan from the start, if we went about it a different way…” Her gaze flicked over to where 9S waited, before her expression crumpled and she looked away. Her shoulders hunched and her tight grip on the edge of the platform bent the edges. “We were training you for a reason, and to throw your efforts back in your face cost us.”
Joker slowly reached out and lay his hand over hers, his gaze down cast even as she looked up at him with wide blue eyes, “Then let’s make sure it doesn’t ever happen again, okay?”
“…Okay. I promise.”
He smiled at her, “Thank you. So, what’s the plan from here?”
“For Adam, nothing.” She sighed at the raised brow Joker gave her, “9S and I have direct orders from the Commander to escort a supply ship coming in. We need to do that first.”
“Oh.”
2B tied her visor back in place and stood, offering a hand to help Joker up, “This mission shouldn’t take too long. Would you like to stay here and wait for our return? We can make a plan against Adam... together, this time.”
“Sounds good.”
They returned to 9S’ side and the androids departed. 2B and 9S gave one last long glance to Joker before they descended the ladder to the lower tier of the village, and then they were gone.
Pascal reappeared within the next minute, green eyes searching. “Everything alright?”
“We’ve reached a middle ground, at least.”
Pascal nodded, “Would you like to rest for a while? I have a cot in my hut that I don’t really use.”
Joker smiled at the offer, and nodded.
Pascal’s hut was quaint, just enough room for a semblance of a bed and for the walls to be lined with nothing but books. Joker scanned through the titles, surprised at some of them.
Beyond Good And Evil by Friedrich Wilhelm Nietzche.
Meditations by Marcus Aurelius.
The Republic by Plato.
Man’s Search For Meaning by Viktor Fankl.
These were but a few of the books on display, ancient and worn but surprisingly well preserved.
“Have you read all of these?” Joker asked as he continued to scan over the titles.
“I have! I believe it is important to study the greatest philosophers over the course of Human history, so that we machines may learn and do better!” Pascal eagerly nodded. “Anemone sends new ones over when she is able. Would you… like to read them?”
Joker stopped at one particular book; The Art Of War by Sun Tzu.
“Oooh, that is a good one.” Pascal clapped his hands together in giddiness when Joker carefully extracted it from the shelf. “I don’t have a need for war tactics, but its still good to brush up on it just in case. Will you tell me what you think when you’re done reading?”
Joker smiled at Pascal’s excitement, “I will.”
“I’ll leave you to rest then. Good reading!” Pascal turned and left him alone.
Joker sank onto the cot, book in hand. He looked to the ceiling and cast his mind towards Seth, frowning at the staggering distance between them. Seth… wasn’t in the City Ruins anymore.
Joker received hints of blistering heat and the course texture of golden sand over his skin. He snorted as Seth rolled around in the sand like a cat would for a dirt bath, but pulled back before Seth was aware of his presence.
Space to relax and decompress, away from one another, would do them both good.
With a light sigh, Joker got comfortable and cracked open the book.
~*~*~*~
“Just… walk in, you damn coward.” A2 muttered to herself as she paced in front of the entrance to the Resistance Camp.
Seth flew off to who-the-fuck-knows-where, and she didn’t have the energy to track him down, nor did she attempt to do the same for 2B and 9S, if they even came back down to Earth yet. This Camp would be the next best thing to wait for either Joker or the other two.
A2 took a deep breath and walked forward.
A whole two steps into the central area were all that was needed for attention to zero in on her from dozens of androids. The bright hope and welcome on their faces shifted to confusion, then coldness and apathy as they turned away and slunked back to work.
Well hello to you too, bastards. She thought bitterly.
Was this the sort of attention Ren got whenever he came back here? To be the center of attention for so many androids left her exposed skin crawling and something unpleasant to sink into her stomach. No wonder he always looked tired, if he had to keep up appearances all the damn time.
She walked through the camp, and reached the patch of flowers carefully cultivated in a blanket of sunlight at the center. Her chest grew cold as she knelt down and examined them.
“These are…”
“Daisies and purple marguerites.”
A2 startled and shot up, the hand reaching for her sword freezing as Anemone smiled sadly at her.
“Anemone…”
Anemone’s smiled warmed as she crouched down, softly rubbing the petals between her fingers, “I planted these for our lost comrades. I… you… I never knew you were alive.” Anemone’s expression pinched as she looked up at A2, “Not until the pardon came for your… nonexistent crimes. If I knew, I would’ve helped you out. I’m so sorry.”
A2 scoffed and planted herself next to Anemone, eyes distant as she watched the flowers, “Don’t be. You didn’t know, and it’d be trouble for you if YoRHa found out, anyway.”
“Still—”
“Enough.” She chided gently. “I came for information. Have you seen 2B and 9S?”
A2 could see Anemone giving her a look from the corner of her eye, but the woman sighed, “Yeah, they came back a bit ago and went out to look for Ren. He hasn’t returned in several hours, and many in the camp are starting to get worried since he went off by himself.”
“He’s at Pascal’s Village. Seth said he’d be fine there.”
“Ah… well, at least I know he’s safe. Do you have anything to do before they come back?”
A2 scowled. She’d nearly burned herself out in her latest frustration fueled rampage against the machines, but as her anger drained away and the smell of machine smoke and oil covered her entire body…
She was just tired.
She would never be sorry that Eve died by her blade, but the pain it caused Ren curdled her insides.
“No.”
“Then… how about we go to my tent and catch up?” Anemone stood and dusted off her cloak, “You look like you could use some time to kick up your feet and relax.”
A2’s smile was thin, “Fine.”
Anemone shot her a pleased smirk and turned on her heel, her cloak billowing as she walked towards her command tent. A2 glanced tentatively at the flowers once more before she followed.
~*~*~*~
Ren opened his eyes and sat up as his foggy brain tried to place where he was. He moved to rub his eyes, but his arm caught on the blanket gently wrapped around his body. He blinked slowly as he heard a soft thump.
The Art Of War tumbled off the cot, and a pressed and dried fern leaf saved his spot a little over half the way through. He didn’t remember putting it there, or asking Pascal for a blanket.
“I must’ve fallen asleep…” He muttered as he neatly folded the blanket and set it at the end of the cot, and then picked up the book to check it over for damage.
Thankfully, it was fine.
He tucked it under his left arm as he stood up and stretched his sore muscles, but winced at the sharp pull of pain on the right side of his ribs. He tugged up his shirt and gaped at the trio of small, silvery scars on his side. They were too identical to the new scars Seth bore from the injuries Joker sustained down in that alien chamber.
He ran his fingers over them, wincing at the light prickle of pain and the rough texture under his fingers. He did notice the tear in Seth’s wing after they killed Eve…
With a sigh, he let his shirt drop and donned his costume before leaving Pascal’s house, the book put away in one of his pockets. Pascal wasn’t anywhere close by, so he explored the village. The machines took notice and waved at him or offered friendly greetings as if he were one of their own, not piled under the reverence and near-worship from the androids.
He eventually found Pascal reading aloud to a few of the children on the lower tier, but he paused to look up when he heard Joker approach.
“Ah, Joker!” Pascal closed the book, and the children giggled and ran off to play. “Did you get enough sleep? You were so exhausted.”
“Yeah.” He scratched the back of his head with a sheepish smirk, “Thanks for the blanket.”
“No worries! Now, do you need anything else?” Pascal looked him up and down. “I do not know how often Humans need to consume plant and animal matter to maintain their health, but you arrived here hours ago and—”
“Pascal! Pascal!”
They glanced over to a machine hopping towards them, its eyes flashing wildly in panic.
“Oh? What’s wrong?”
“I-It’s the weapon! It’s trying to come out of the ocean! It’s attacking the android cargo ship!”
The book dropped from Pascal’s grasp, “Oh dear…
“Weapon?” Joker’s chest tightened, “What weapon?”
“It is an ancient machine weapon that was used against the androids, but it went berserk. I was still part of the machine network when we entrapped it in the ocean, but if it’s making an appearance now…” Pascal scooped up the book and set it aside, “We need to aid the androids before it makes landfall! I’ll switch over to a wind turbine and—”
“I’m coming with you.”
“Eh? But Joker—”
Joker scowled as he whipped around and leapt down the ladder to the ground level, grass crunching under his feet.
“Excuse me!” He called, to which all machines in the clearing turned to him in curiosity, “Can you make a clear space big enough for Seth?”
“Joker!” Pascal yelled from above, “Are you sure you wish to come along? It’ll be quite dangerous—”
“Yes!”
Pascal slowly nodded, “Very well. I’ll switch over to my flight model and meet you back here.” He looked to the rest of the villagers, “Please do what Joker says so Seth can land here!”
“Yes, uncle Pascal!”
The machines backed out of the clearing as Joker’s thoughts shot out towards Seth like an arrow. He strained his mind over the vast distance, but pushed on to connect to Seth’s mind. The dragon was somewhere dark and cold. Joker pushed back the shivers as he pressed his awareness on Seth, jolting the dragon out of his slumber.
Seth’s enormous body rose from the sand dune, rivers of gold sand cascading from his skin in sparkling falls, “Trickster?”
“The androids are in trouble. Can you… we… I mean…”
“Say no more, Trickster.”
Cerulean ash joined the sand dune and blew away with the arid wind, and Seth crawled across their mind and back out again, materializing in reality in a swirl of bright blue. The machines startled further back as the massive dragon took up the clearing, flames sputtering as Seth shook himself. Remnants of sand and ash were sprinkled across the forest ground.
Joker and Seth stared at one another in silence, feeling the gaping chasm between them like a black hole. Seth’s terrible silvery scars stood out on his dark skin, while Joker held the same sort of wound on his ribs, evident by the missing bits of membrane in Seth’s wing.
They’d hurt each other without either of them meaning to.
Seth took a hesitant step forward, the claws of his wings brushing into the space between them, “Let’s both promise to stop being so stupid and hard-headed? I do not like it at all… us fighting against one another.”
Joker snorted, “Yeah.” Joker closed the distance between them, and Seth lowered his head so Joker could place his hand on the dragon’s snout, “I don’t like it either, pal.”
Seth purred, and the new magic thrumming through this world hummed in deep satisfaction. Seth shivered as the energy became more entwined with their soul, threading Joker and Seth closer as one being.
“Hmph,” Seth shook himself of the sensation, “The toothpicks need help, hmm? Then what are we waiting around here for?”
Joker grinned. He rounded Seth’s head, climbed up his extended wing, and took his place at the spot between Seth’s wings. It suddenly felt… right. As if he were always meant to be here, and for Seth it was an equal feeling of being complete when his soul-partner was on his back.
A scuttling noise drew their attention to Pascal— his bipedal legs completely switched to an aerial motor— hovering over them.
“Are you ready? We must hurry!” Pascal said.
“I’m not even going to ask.” Seth muttered. “Lead on!”
Pascal zoomed off into the forest.
Machine villagers were carefully navigated around by Seth, his sweeping tail kept in check as to not knock down any structures.
The children gathered on the middle tier of the village, waving at Seth, Joker, and Pascal, while wishing them good luck. When the village was far behind them, Seth clambered onto a thick tree and launched himself into the sky, the gale from his wing beat flattening grass and myriads of tree branches.
Pascal gained speed once they were finally in the air, and the City Ruins flew under them in a blur. In their haste they cleared the City Ruins within minutes, the buildings becoming less dense as they headed into a new direction never before explored.
Salty wind washed over Joker as the last of the buildings gave way to a vast stretch of open water, sparkling in the dull sunlight filtering through a sheet of gray clouds. Shattered buildings and the bare bones of other monolithic structures jutted out of the water for several miles, a Sunken City slowly being consumed. A few spare structures and other brittle remnants clung to the edges of the shoreline, but it wouldn’t be much longer before the waves dragged them down into the cold depths of the sea.
Immediately, movement and a flash of gold drew them to the weapon.
“What the…” Joker breathed as he took in the sheer size of this beast before them.
Even veiled in the misty sea, it towered over the broken skyscrapers like a mighty behemoth, it’s shadow all encompassing in the deep water it stood in. Its many red eyes blazed bright as it raised a long arm and swatted down at something, and Joker’s heart leapt to his throat when 2B and 9S were beaten back, their Flight Units spiraling out of control.
Seth roared a challenge as he shot forward, claws outstretched to grab 9S’s Flight Unit before it hit the water.
“2B! 9S!” Pascal called as he clutched 2B’s Flight Unit, “Are you alright!?”
9S gaped up at Seth and Joker, “W-we’re alright! But what—”
Seth tossed the Flight Unit and the engines stabilized itself in the air, “We came to help, that’s what!”
“What happened to the cargo ship?” Joker called as 2B’s Flight Unit safely hovered in the air.
“That thing,” 2B snarled as the behemoth’s creaks of metal echoed across the whole world, the entire seabed quaking as it took a step forward, great waves spreading out in all directions, “Destroyed the ship and the other YoRHa units! We’re the only ones left who can stop it!”
“I-I might have an idea to take it down once and for all!” 9S said, “Can you guys keep it where it is?”
“Time to play with this new enemy!?” Seth howled in joy, “What a wonderful present you’ve given, Nines!”
9S squawked as Seth shot off with a burst of laughter towards the behemoth.
Joker practically felt 2B’s resigned sigh in his soul as she and Pascal followed, while 9S turned tail and soared back towards the shore.
Seth flapped hard to bypass the swarm of flying machines attempting to surround them, but they couldn’t tail the dragon’s wild flight when they were mercilessly shot down by 2B’s Flight Unit.
The dragon was like a defiant little ant compared to the behemoth machine, but that didn’t stop Seth as he hovered in front of the behemoth’s many eyes. Joker winced and shielded his face when the intense red glow bathed them in eerie light.
“I am SETH!” The dragon trumpeted as maroon flames gathered in his throat, “God of Chaos, Deserts, and Storms! I will be your undoing, you blasted bucket of bolts!”
Joker’s bones trembled as it opened it’s mouth and released a deep, rumbling cry.
The lower set of tendril-arms tried to swat Seth as if he were a fly, but the laughing dragon dropped altitude. The gust the arm generated sent them in a dizzying spiral, but Joker hunkered down and allowed Seth to level out.
Joker’s back was peppered by the heat of intense explosions as 2B fired missiles at the massive arm in support.
“Are you crazy!?” She snapped when her Flight Unit flew by them, “Be more careful!”
“Joker, are you hurt!?” Pascal cried as he clutched his head in horror.
“We’re fine!”
“Where’s the fun in a tame battle!?” Seth grinned as the smoke faded from the behemoth’s arm, its skin crackling as shields rose around it, “Besides, we’re doing what Nines asked of us!”
2B scoffed, but couldn’t comment when more swarms of machines descended upon them.
Fire, bullets, and missiles.
Machine after machine plummeted to their watery grave in smoking balls of flame from their united counter attack. Seth and 2B’s Flight Unit circled the behemoth’s head like annoying gnats to keep it in place. Pascal hovered close as he explained what he told Joker earlier, history of wars and the destruction this monster rained on machine and android both.
But the behemoth’s patience for them has run out.
Another call, another deep cry over the Earth, shored up the rest of its minions in a final desperate wave. The wall of a hundred sputtering machines nearly blocked the behemoth from view.
“GET THEM OUT OF THE WAY!!”
Joker gaped at he heard 9S’s scream from 2B’s radio.
“Seth—”
“One last attack, 2B!” Seth cried as the machines were upon them, “Give everything you’ve got!”
“Understood.”
Seth drank deeply of the salty air as a dozen panels within 2B’s Flight Unit opened to reveal countless small missiles. Magic burned in their blood, Joker’s clutching his chest at the sudden spike screaming to be let out. Seth startled for a split second as his homing flames changed into something more, but instinct drove him to release it all at once.
Deadly missiles shot from 2B’s Flight Unit by the dozens, the hissing trails of smoke shooting towards the horde.
A circular sigil appeared in front of Seth’s mouth, familiar-and-not-familiar symbols lining the cerulean magic circle. A crackle of blue electricity pulsated over it before the sigil brightened and broke apart into writhing ribbons of magic.
2B’s gasp matched Joker’s own as the serpentine streams of magic worked in tandem to the missiles, eradicating all the machines in one fell swoop. A few sparks of blue broke past the deadly onslaught and collided with the behemoth machine’s lower jaw, cutting through the barrier and slicing through metal like a hot knife through butter.
The behemoth roared in pain as it’s lower jaw hung open, and no sooner did 9S blaze past them on a giant rocket. 9S’s Flight Unit jumped off in time to see it collide with the inside of the behemoth’s mouth.
The entire sky split with scalding heat and explosions as the behemoth’s inner workings were destroyed, lighting up the entire sea like the finale of a fireworks display.
Joker grinned at their victory, but it was torn away by the final explosion sweeping a shock wave towards them—
Seth’s snarl and the screams of androids rang in his ears before his vision went black.
The next thing he was aware of was blinking awake to an ear-splitting pain and a pounding migraine, watching numbly as his arm dangled over Seth’s neck. They were still in the air, still flying… somehow.
Joker winced as he forced himself into sitting up, the ringing in his ears drilling into his head. He grabbed the hilt of the Phoenix Plume and drew from the wilting magic reserves within him, slumping in relief when the sweeping bird’s wing bled his pain away.
Seth turned his head to look back at him, “Awake, Trickster?”
“Yeah… what happened?”
“That explosion separated us from the androids and swept us out to sea,” He said as he gently flapped his wings, “But I’ve almost returned us to land.”
“What about Pascal?”
Seth looked down, and Joker followed his gaze to see Pascal safely clutched in Seth’s claws.
“Pascal! Are you okay?” Joker called when Pascal stirred.
“Oooohh…” Pascal shook his head as his eyes sputtered to life. He studied his surroundings, “I believe I’m okay. Thanks for the save, Mr. Seth.”
Seth huffed and let him go, and Pascal hovered around to Joker’s side when Seth slowed down.
“Where are 2B and 9S?” Pascal asked.
Seth’s throat rumbled in a low growl.
Joker’s heart sank, “Seth?”
“I’ve not seen them since that last explosion.” Seth gently angled his body when land came into view, “And look.”
The behemoth machine had fallen, body laid over one of the many skyscrapers jutting out of the ocean. Joker grimaced at how its limp arms dangled lifelessly over the water, but it was far too similar to—
—The Dragon paints the tower red—
Joker could only look away as they passed its corpse, “Seth, do you know what that attack was, at the end?”
“I admit, I never thought I’d see a Dragon in action like this.” Pascal mused. “But that was nothing short of astounding.”
Seth snorted sharply, “I don’t know, but it was the same feeling I got when my flames first split apart for that Goliath, only greater. Perhaps the Red Dragon has more secrets to spill than we assumed.”
“The Red Dragon…?” Pascal said softly, clutching his chin and tilting his head in thought.
They said no more as Seth descended onto a stable bit of ground beside a missile silo, content to have solid ground under their feet again.
Joker dismounted when Seth suddenly snarled, “Trickster!”
“Oh, how terrible…” Pascal whispered.
Joker looked around them, his heart hardening.
YoRHa android bodies were scattered everywhere in various positions. Some floating in the water. Others splayed out over the concrete or grass. One or two slumped lifelessly against the rusted husks of vehicles. But the most grievous sight was seeing just how many androids were impaled by their own weapons; through their chests or pinned by their limbs like insect, a few right in the center of their head.
Very few were left fully intact and untouched by the blood stains.
What caught Seth’s eyes was the flash of sunlight on 2B and 9S’s white and black swords, stabbed into the concrete in an X shape. Their Pods were tied to their hilts, dangling and powerless.
Joker’s hands balled into fists as he approached to investigate. It would be impossible for them to land naturally like that from the impact. How the Pods were tied, how this was arranged to be out in the open and obvious to find among so many android bodies…
“This was deliberate.”
“Who would do something like this?” Pascal asked.
Joker scowled at the parchment tacked onto 9S’s Pod with a set of numbers, android blood used as macabre ink. His name was hashed out in such sharp and unstable strokes near the top that he was surprised the page was in one piece, “My guess would be Adam.”
Seth curled his lip in a silent snarl, “He used our distraction out to sea to do this?”
“Maybe.” Joker turned to Pascal, “Can you do anything for them?”
“Hmmm…” Pascal looked around the carnage. “I could try and repair the Pods, so we have a greater chance of knowing if any of these poor androids in the area are alive.”
He nodded, and let Pascal by to work on the Pods. Joker steeled himself and decided to check over the android bodies, in case there were any he recognized. He knelt next to the first body with a greatsword through her stomach, a mix of sickening relief and horror washing over him when it wasn’t 2B or 9S.
Half of her face was ripped off in great force, exposing the silver skeleton locked in a death scream underneath, and her dress was in torn tatters. He could barely tell if her hair was naturally black or if it was blood from the wounds she sustained.
“I don’t think 2B or 9S would be around here,” Seth privately said to Joker as he sniffed at the bodies, “If Adam is responsible for this…”
“Then he probably has them.” Joker finished with a scowl.
“Aha!”
Joker stood and turned to Pascal as both Pods hovered in the air, albeit a bit unsteady.
“What happened?” Joker asked, “Are you two alright?”
“A-Afffffffirmat-ive-” Pod 042 tried under a hard crank of gears. “A-Attemping innnnnnternal r-epair…”
“Oh my.” Pascal patted the Pod affectionately. “Take your time, little one.”
Joker looked at the other Pod with a raised brow.
“This Pod needs no further repairs.”
Joker breathed a sigh of relief, “Do you know where 2B and 9S are?” He stepped forward and showed the Pod the paper, “Maybe this could help?”
“Scanning… coordinates confirmed to be an elevator in the same mineshaft that leads down to the alien chamber.”
“An elevator?” Joker narrowed his eyes.
“Affirmative. Further scans indicate this elevator is much deeper than the alien chamber.”
Joker crumpled the paper and shoved it in his pocket, then he walked over to the two swords and, with a soft grunt, he pulled them free.
“Joker…” Pascal hovered at Joker side and put a hand to his shoulder. “What are you planning to do?”
“What else?” Joker’s grip tightened on the swords of light and shadow. “I’m going to rescue them, but first—” He nodded at the Pods, “—can you run a scan to see if any nearby androids are alive?”
“A-affirmative,” Pod 042’s voice became steadier, the grind of gears lessening, “Scanning… Black Box signal detected.”
Joker followed Pod 042, swords in hand, as it led them to a nearby building. There, cowering in the corner and hidden by the ruined bus, was an android, alive and breathing. She heard his footsteps and cried out.
“N-No! Stay away from me!” She shrieked in terror.
Joker froze. He made a show of slowly setting the swords on the ground, “It’s okay, I’m not here to hurt you.”
Her breath hitched, and she lowered her hands away from her face, “You… you’re the Human. Ren?”
“And you’re…” Joker scanned his memory. Braided hair now a half-tangled mess, a longer dress than 2B’s ripped in several places, her bubbly energy was all but gone now, “You’re 23D. You came with the Commander to the Resistance Camp.”
“Oh. You remember me? W-we only met that one time…”
“Of course I do.” Joker smiled as he dared take a step closer, and this time she allowed him to get close enough to crouch at her side, “Did you see what happened? All of those other androids…”
23D held back a sob, “That… that machine. The one that looks like an android, he… he… was a merciless monster. He didn’t show any… any emotion when he…” She swallowed thickly and hugged herself, “Some of them begged for him to stop, but he only drove their own weapons in more… he was so cold and empty when he watched them choke on their own blood. Then he dragged 2B and 9S away and I… I didn’t do anything—”
Joker grabbed her shoulder and held it firmly, “It’s not your fault.”
“But—”
“It’s not your fault.” Joker repeated. “Let me deal with Adam, you just sit tight and rest, okay?”
“I-If the Human says so...”
“2B and 9S, were they alive?”
“Y-yeah, he didn’t hurt them yet, a-as far as I know.” She reached out to grab him, fingers shaking, “You… you haven’t seen 16H, have you? 3B went down into the water, but…”
Joker looked at the Pods.
“Scanning…” Pod 042 said.
“Several faint Black Box signals are still in the area,” Pod 153 confirmed.
“I’ll look for her, okay?”
“O-Okay.” She slumped against the bus with a weary sigh, “Thank you…”
“Coordinates sent to Bunker. Rescue squads should come shortly.” Pod 153 said.
Joker stood and collected the swords, and then returned to the scene of the crime.
Seth remained silent, his anger simmering in them both.
There was nothing they could do for these androids, but he could try and save the others. They left that platform behind, and Joker used a few half-sunken buildings to reach a stable road that led towards the City Ruins.
Seth didn’t bother taking to the sky, he crawled or swam after Joker, not willing to be too far apart. Pascal hovered at their heels, green eyes dimming in sadness.
Joker clenched his jaw when they came to the second android not slain by their own weapon. She was unresponsive and out in the open, long hair spilling over her shoulder as she was slumped over the concrete.
He knelt down next to her and placed the swords aside, but he was unsure how to tell if 16H was alive, “Pod?”
“Faint Black Box signal detected, but fading.” Pod 042 said.
Pod 153 hovered over the android, “Demise is imminent for this YoRHa unit.”
Joker reached to his belt for the Phoenix Plume, “You said before that my magic is incompatible with YoRHa androids, but could I still heal them?”
The Pods faced each other, the little antennas on the top of their heads twitching as if in private conversation.
Pod 153 turned to Joker, “Hypothesis: While Ren Amamiya’s magic is incompatible for YoRHa androids to cast, it may provide enough of a boost to stabilize a Black Box long enough for aid to reach them.”
“Hypothesis: It may not heal any internal damage to their bodies due to being mechanical and not biological, but the least we can do is try.” The other said.
Joker narrowed his eyes. Were they… talking a little different than before? He brushed the thought aside and focused on 16H. If he did this wrong… he didn’t think 23D would forgive him, even if he was Human.
He took a deep breath as the Pods, Seth, and Pascal watched the sweeping magic flow in the shape of a bird’s wing, with Pascal leaning closer in wonder as the pale light faded. 16H didn’t move, or show any signs of her body healing.
He gave an uncertain glance at the Pods, “Well?”
“Scanning…” Pod 042 said, “Though injuries remain the same, her Black Box signal is stabilizing.”
“Rescue coordinates sent to the Bunker.” Pod 153 stated, and Joker picked up the pleased edge to her voice, “Proposal: Shall we see to the other survivors, Ren?”
“Yes.” Joker stood and collected the blades once more, “Lets.”
One by one, they stabilized the handful of survivors Adam didn’t bother to kill, and either Pod took turns reporting their locations for the YoRHa rescue teams. Joker finished with the last android, Pod 153 sending off the location to the Bunker, when both Pods rang at the same time.
“2B!”
“9S!”
Joker blinked at the dual screen showing the Operators, their own eyes widening in turn.
“What—” One Operator staggered, “You’re not 2B!”
“Astounding observation, 6O.” The other deadpanned. “Amamiya Ren, where are 2B and 9S? We’ve been receiving signals from their Pods, but they haven’t checked in yet so we thought…”
“2B and 9S have been kidnapped by Adam. I’m going to rescue them.”
“What!?”
“Are you sure that’s wise?”
“21O, how can you say that!?”
“I didn’t mean it like that.” 21O sighed. “I simply meant that Amamiya Ren’s chances of staging a successful rescue against a machine with enhanced combat capabilities like Adam is relatively low—”
“Save your breath if you’re just going to doubt me.” Joker muttered as he continued walking, and Seth’s deliberate snarl made both Operators jump.
21O cleared her throat, “One moment…”
The screen changed to the Commander, her expression harsh, “What am I hearing about you staging a rescue? I thought I told you not to do anything that endangers your personal well being.”
“Adam is after me because of what happened to Eve.” Joker said. “What will you do if you send a squad after him and he kills 2B and 9S instead? What other option is there?”
The Commander scowled, “And you think you have a better chance to see them returned safe, all by yourself? I cannot risk sending a Human. If something were to happen to you—”
“I can stall him long enough to figure out how to save them. He’s interested in me as a Human, so he won’t kill them right away if he wants me to play along with his games.” Joker paused, “And I won’t be alone.”
“Ren!”
Joker flicked 2B’s blade, and both Pods understood the gesture to hang up. On the Commander. Together.
“Ren…” Pascal rubbed his hands together.
He sighed, then turned and looked at Seth, “Do you think A2 would still be in the City Ruins?”
The wings on Seth’s neck flared in understanding, “She would stay in the same area until one of us shows up again.”
“Confirmed.” Pod 042 spoke up, “Unit A2’s Black Box signal detected in the Resistance Camp.”
“She went there after all!” Seth laughed, “About time.”
Joker glanced at the swords he hadn’t let out of his sight, then his eyes trailed to Pascal, who deeply studied Joker in worry.
“What do you need?” Pascal asked.
“Can you take Pod 042 to A2 for me?” Joker asked as he raised the dual swords. “It would be easier if we had the Pods to communicate while I go prepare. We can’t waste too much time messing around, and I don’t want Adam to have them any longer than necessary.”
Pascal stared at him for a long minute, the green glow of his gaze unwavering.
“…Very well.” He whispered when Joker stood firm, “I will take the Pod the A2, but please be careful.”
“I’m not planning on dying.” Joker gave Pascal a genuine smile. “I still have that book of yours, The Art Of War? It has everything I need to combat a superior foe.”
Pascal dipped his head in a nod, then his aerial engines kicked up and he flew off with Pod 042 in tow.
“What’s your plan, Ren?” Pod 153 asked in her motherly tone, “This Pod cannot condone anything reckless or suicidal.”
Joker snorted, “Do you know where 2B and 9S upgraded my daggers?”
“Affirmative. Masamune is located in the Forest Kingdom castle.”
“Good.” Joker held up the blades, “We’ll meet A2 and upgrade our weapons there, prepare our items, then go to the coordinates Adam was so nice to leave for us.”
“And should that not be enough…” Seth’s lips pulled back to reveal his full rows of teeth. “Adam chose an underground hideaway, thinking it would be safe from me.”
“We were smart not to reveal that you can appear by me at any time, if he happened to see anything through the network after we fought them in the alien chamber. He thinks you’re too big to fit down there. Were there any machines in the desert?”
“I made sure I was alone. None saw me go to you, and Pascal’s villagers are disconnected from the network.”
Joker matched Seth’s grin, “Then we still have our biggest element of surprise.”
The Pod followed Joker as he hopped onto Seth’s back. Seth’s wings rose like great black sails as they let the salty air wash over them, and together they watched as spires of sunlight streak through the clouds to paint the sea a glittering gold.
“I made a promise to Nines that if he was unable to kill Adam, I would do so in his stead.”
“Seth…”
“I’m going to uphold my promise.” Seth jumped and rose into the air with a tornadic wing beat, “And I’m going to tear Adam apart for daring to hurt our friends!”
Nearly 10,000 years ago, a Red Dragon fell from the sky and changed this world forever.
Now, a Black Dragon has risen in its place, and the rest of the world could do nothing but tremble in the wake of its protective battle cry.
Notes:
Yippee, now begins the wait for Chapter C! I have no regrets on how long it took to write this chapter(or how long it may take to do Chapters C, D, & E) as all of the extra time was used to really flesh things out and make it even better.
The songs referenced in this chapter are Growing Wings from Drakengard(the one from 2, specifically without the harshness from 1's version) and Kaine from Nier... and of course Beneath The Mask from Persona 5.
And you know, something Extremely Hilarious happened during all of that time. There was one night where I wrote 'Eve dying first' scene and I was so happy to do that for the story because I haven't seen it anywhere else.
AND THEN!!!(MAJOR SPOILERS FOR THE ANIME!)
The rest of the episodes for the Nier Automata anime come out the VERY NEXT day. I watch them all in one sitting and nearly lost my mind because they do the EXACT SAME UNO REVERSE IN THE ANIME THAT I DID HERE! Watching that less than 24 hours after while Eve's death in this story was so fresh... Let's just say I had a very minor crisis and hilarious mutual screeching session with my lovely beta reader Ghostdoru xD
Well played, Yoko Taro. Well played.
Chapter 3: Dark [C]olossus Destroys All
Notes:
IMPORTANT!! There is a song linked a little less than 1/3 the way through, PLEASE LISTEN TO IT when reading the scene. It adds much more to it.
(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
Chapter Text
Recording.
New observational targets have been confirmed following the singularity event over the City Ruins. The threat of the flower has not been detected thus far, so this timeline should be secure for the moment. However, it should be noted that the cause of this singularity was a Human falling to this world by an unknown entity, one who wields strange abilities and can summon a Black Dragon to his side.
I thought, after the initial anomaly was detected, that I would be able to see Zero again after all this time, but that doesn’t seem to be the case. I will continue to monitor the unexplained rise of maso particles in the atmosphere.
Hopefully, this singularity works itself out so we won’t need to interfere, but that is not assured as long as the flower still lingers in other timelines. If there was any chance for it to take advantage of this particular anomaly…
In any case, I will continue my watch on the targets and make notes of the changes they make in this timeline, as is my duty as a recorder.
~*~*~*~
My name is 9S.
I know that much, as the blank spaces in my memory fill in one by one via the memory recovery program.
But why am I here?
Why am I trapped in this maze of a machine network, unable to reach my body?
Ah…
I remember now. Memories are trickling back, slow and sluggish.
2B.
The battle over the sea, that Behemoth-class machine.
The Human—
Wait…
Human?
Human Human Human Human.
Something about that word causes my mind to tingle strangely, an incessant buzzing drowning out all logical thought. It pushes away memories of the battle and of 2B in an obsessive frenzy, clinging onto it with everything in its power.
It feels… wrong.
Human.
Why does it feel so wrong? Like a gaping portion of my memory is an empty void, trying to call out to share something important.
A truth I know in my core, forcibly erased and swept clean.
Human.
What is it? Why do I feel so—
Human.
E m p t y
Ren.
The Human’s name causes the machine network to twitch. A spasm of static, then a dry laugh echoes across the vast white.
Who’s there!?
“Ah, how interesting.”
You… you’re Adam, aren’t you? What did you do to me? Where’s 2B? If you dared to hurt her or the Human—
“2B is here, with me. The same as you, except she is more… docile. She’s unable to breach into the network like you are now. Her memories are a marvel to pick apart at my leisure.”
You—!!
“As for your precious Human, well…” Adam laughs again, the sound is ice prickling across the network, “Isn’t he a fascinating subject? More so than I originally thought. And to think 2B knew the truth the entire time, and kept you from it. Killed you over it.”
What are you talking about?
“That he’s the last Human in this entire pathetic existence. The Humans on the Moon aren’t there. Never were. They died out not long after the failure of Project Gestalt. You’ve been callously slaughtered for a pretty little lie .”
No, that can’t be.
“Do you want to know how many times she murdered you for this secret?”
No, you’re lying! The only time I died was when Eve—
If I could, I would cry out.
A crushing grasp clamped down on a throat that wasn’t there.
It felt as if that void within me was being stabbed, a claw being run through an open wound. Festering. Writhing. An image of a grinning and crazed expression flitted across my mind.
A wild animal engulfed in pain.
“I have an idea.” Adam’s voice gained sadistic edge, “Let’s stroll through 2B’s memories together, shall we? I’ll make you watch every death you’ve suffered at her hands, and then when you’re broken and raving mad, I’ll force you to see how slowly I can tear the last remaining Human apart. I’ll rip open that void in you and bathe your new reality in his blood!”
He felt himself being pulled down.
No… please…
Like grains of sand falling in an hourglass.
No!
All he could do was claw in fragile, hopeless desperation as the whiteness of the network was smothered into darkness.
NO!
~*~*~*~
One moment, A2 and Anemone were relaxed in the back of her tent, catching up and telling stories. Reminiscing on old times. Keeping their old comrades alive through their shared memories.
The next, panic swept through the camp as reports stormed in of machines across the globe going berserk.
“Supply lines across the Atlantic and Pacific have been cut off by machines!”
“Our European branches have stopped responding! What do we do!?”
“The Resistance groups in the Americas are fighting a losing battle! There’s too many of them!”
“Do we have a response from YoRHa yet?” Anemone barked over the noise.
“No, ma’am!” One android replied, “They’ve been silent since the Behemoth-class machine was defeated.”
“Figures.” A2 muttered.
“Right when we need them most.” Anemone agreed under her breath.
“What about Ren?” An android woman in the back of the crowd piped up, “We haven’t seen him since before this mess began! Shouldn’t we prioritize protecting him during this chaos?”
A2 pursed her lips.
Murmurs of worry and looks of devastation spread through the camp, deeper than the losses of their comrades all across the globe. They acted as if Ren was a delicate flower that would burn up at the slightest touch of sunlight. But she’d seen him fight machines first hand, and with Seth at his side they had nothing to worry about.
Anemone pinched the bridge of her nose, then gave A2 a forlorn look, “Could you go to him and make sure he’s alright? We can’t afford to lose him. We can’t.”
A2’s eyes flicked across the faces turning to her as their last hope, and she kept the long groan of their helplessness locked in her chest. Instead, she nodded, “Yeah. Sure.”
The crowd parted for her to pass through, but A2 didn’t make it two steps before an explosion rocked the camp. Many heads turned towards the smoke billowing over the warehouses, uneasy gasps and nervous shifts of clothing rustling in the sudden silence.
A pair of androids burst into view in a frantic sprint away from the warehouses, their screams drowned out by the rattle of machine parts and screeching gears. A living wall of rusted iron and gleaming red eyes melted into view right behind the androids, round heads broken to reveal gaping mouths with too many rows of sharp teeth.
“HELP! PLEASE—“
Screams of terror tore the air asunder as the wave of machines toppled him over, his cries turning shrill as the machines’ teeth ripped his flesh in splashes of red.
A2’s sword was already in her hand as she charged towards the surge, within the same breath as Anemone’s frantic shout.
“Battle stations, now!” Anemone commanded as the first machines hobbled into the main area, open jaws painted red with flags of the android’s clothes stuck in their teeth.
These machines were… wrong.
A2 grimaced as the machines twitched oddly, shaking and trembling in a rage, their eyes blaring blood red. Their gore filled mouths snapping and grinding.
She descended on the machines as they reached the other woman who ran from the warehouses, the cracks in their face plates allowing sharp teeth to eat. The woman had tears in her eyes as her strangled sobs went silent, her body writhing as they devoured her with sickly crunches and splats of blood. A2 didn’t hear her own scream of rage as her sword cleaved them apart in brilliant explosions of heat and oil.
“Hang in there!” Another woman with straight crimson hair rushed to the downed android’s side. Her hands flared to life with light, like Ren when using his healing magic. But this one was different. The lights from her hands were blocky and mechanical, the opposite of the smooth seamless ribbons Ren commanded. She ducked her head as her healing faded, “No…”
“Hey, don’t get distracted!” Another red-haired woman slashed at a machine near A2, holding a jagged sword. “Let’s kill these things!”
A2 nodded, and she dove into the massive group. There were dozens. Maybe hundreds. They swarmed the camp with the single minded mission to kill and devour. Another horde fell beneath her blade, but she jumped to the next group while her body glowed with its own berserker rage.
Her swipes were a swan song of death and destruction… no, of protection.
Another machine collapsed into gears and spare parts, then another.
She ran her sword through another and yanked it out, oil splattering as it found its next target seconds later.
Gun shots and sounds of battle consumed the entirety of the camp.
But the Resistance androids were different to her, they didn’t have a YoRHa android’s strength or speed, their battle prowess. It took several bullets to kill a single machine, and the two red-haired androids were clumsy with their swords. Only A2 left a clear path of machine bodies in her wake.
Without her here, at this moment…
They would’ve been overrun in the blink of an eye, just like their Resistance comrades across the globe.
Pillars of fire and raw destruction surrounded them when the last machine fell before her, and A2 stood within the mountain of rusted bodies, alone. She flicked her blade clean of oil and turned to the other androids gathering in the camp.
Anemone had a grateful, relieved, look in her eye as she shouldered her smoking gun, “A2, you… thank you. If you weren’t here—”
“I know.” A2 whispered among the eerie silence, “Will you be okay while I’m gone?”
“We’ll handle things from here.” Anemone nodded, “Make sure Ren is alright, for all of our sakes.”
A2 nodded. She paused to look at the red haired twins healing another android, the bite marks taking a hefty chunks from his body. She fled to the entrance of the camp, past the destruction and cries of pain, with weapon in hand.
She skid to a stop and raised her sword at the sight of another machine waiting there.
“Ah, please wait, A2!” The Machine yelled, waving its hands. “I-I’m friends with Ren!”
A2 gaped at the Pod floating beside it, the same one who should be at 2B’s side, “Who are you? Why do you have that Pod?”
“My name is Pascal, and I promise I am not your enemy!” Pascal put a hand on his chest, “I come with an urgent message from Ren!”
A2 frowned, but didn’t lower her sword, “Pod?”
2B’s Pod floated forward, its arms waving, “Units 2B and 9S have been captured by Adam, thus I was given orders from Amamiya Ren to meet up with Unit A2 and take you to the rendezvous point.”
“Fucking hell.” A2 muttered, “What did I miss?”
The Pod sank, “A lot.”
A2 glowered at Pascal, “And you?”
“I should return to my village. The hostile machines are going berserk, but my village is well secured. Still, I do worry…”
“Go. I’ll make sure Ren doesn’t do anything stupid while we rescue our idiots from Adam.”
Pascal chuckled. His eyes shone a bright green, as if smiling, “Thank you, A2.”
His whirring motors kicked him off into the sky, leaving them alone.
A2 scowled as she looked out on the City Ruins flooded with twitchy machines and their gaping, sharp mouths.
“This is a bit fucked up, isn’t it?” She said.
“This Pod agrees.”
A2 softly scoffed, “Lead the way, then. Ren’s waiting, right?”
The Pod dashed off in another direction, and A2 was a hair’s breadth behind.
~*~*~*~
I stand beside 9S as we bask in the sweet, salty breeze coming in from the ocean.
We just completed a mission, and are now spending some down time together until new orders come in.
I smile at 9S, who was crouched on the warm sand, hand clutched on his chin as he read through reports displayed by his Pod. But he was frowning. His shoulders were tense. She imagined his brows were scrunched under his visor.
When I first met him, he was shy, but hopeful and friendly. His smiles brightened everything around him, even when we traversed over a dismal battle field or a barren wasteland. His kind, witty banter made me forget the horrors they’d had to traverse. Seeing him frown like this felt wrong.
I moved to take a step towards him, to ask what was bothering him so much, when my Pod floated before me with a message. Not just any message. A direct command. My core turned ice cold at the first kill order.
I knew…
This is what I was made for.
“Your job is to keep an eye on 9S and kill him whenever he discovers the truth. He’s the most advanced scanner model we have, so we can’t just throw him away when the war is going on as it is. Be ready. The order may come at any time.”
The Commander held no emotion when she told me that, on the day I was first activated.
Still…
Hope bloomed within me that this order would never come.
I buried my deep aches in the bundle of thorns in my chest, my shaking hand going to the hilt of my white sword. I nodded at the Pod, and it moved out of my way.
My footsteps drew 9S’ attention, and he closed the screens.
“Hey, 2B?” He stared off into the crystal clear water as the waves lapped at our heels, “I… I found something really strange.”
“Oh?” I tried to keep my voice even, despite the storm swirling within me.
“Yeah. I just found some reports on the rockets that bring resources to the Moon, but… but there’s just water and empty containers! That wouldn’t be able to sustain the thousands of Humans on the Moon, so I did some digging. And it turns out that all reports are like that, stretching back several years! As if… as if there aren’t any Humans on the Moon to support? 2B, do you think—”
He finally turns towards me, sees my stance as I draw my blade.
He takes a step back, breath faltering, “2B?”
Time slows as I swing my weapon, a holy arc of silver, across 9S’ chest. The cut was diagonal and sloppy, going from his left shoulder down to his right hip. Jagged and painful by the trembles in my hand. His choking whine drilled into my ears as he collapsed over the sand, hands pressing on his wound to staunch the bleeding.
But it was futile.
He stammered back as I stepped forward. A trail of blood seeped into the sand, washed away by the gentle waves to turn them crimson.
“2B, please—”
I stepped on his chest to stop him from moving, and raised my trembling sword over his black box. My breath quickened as my shaking worsened, my vision turning warm and blurry beneath my visor.
Emotions are prohibited, she recalled the Commander saying.
Now she knew why.
9S grabbed at my leg, one hand clutching the hem of my black dress. The darkness of them hid the blood painted upon the fabric.
“2B, why?” The blood in his throat made his voice crackle, “I thought we were frie—”
I plunged my blade into his chest. He made one last pained noise, a death rattle shaking me down to my smallest gears, before he went silent. The grasp on my dress fell to the sand.
I stood on that beach as my cries of anguish were carried away on the waves.
Not an hour later I stood upon the Bunker, my previous clothes thrown into the incinerator for new ones, as 9S walks towards me with that same smile I grew so accustomed to.
“You’re 2B, right? My name’s 9S! The Commander assigned me to accompany you on your missions and to take charge of your maintenance, ma’am.”
My fists clenched. My white sword was cleaned, but I still imagined the phantom splatters of his blood upon it. My ears memorized his pained wheeze before dying. That jab of clear betrayal in his final words carved an empty void within me, gnawing away at my composure.
Emotions are prohibited.
Emotions are prohibited.
I closed off my heart and simply nodded to him, “Don’t call me ma’am. It’s inefficient.”
“Er, right. Sorry ma’am— Uh, 2B!”
I scoffed to hide the lump in my throat, and walked past him as if I were aloof. He scrambled after me with that smile still plastered on his face, talking of everything and nothing as we made our way to the teleporters.
I made two promises to myself then.
One, to hone my skills in order to make his future executions as quick and painless as possible.
Two, to completely seal off my emotions and never get close to him again.
If only I knew I would break that second promise as frequently as my blade ran through his heart.
~*~*~*~
“Let your plans be dark and impenetrable as night, and when you move fall like a thunderbolt.”
“I like that one!” Seth clung to the mossy castle wall while Joker leaned against the railing to a bridge he and A2 passed over their first time here.
“I figured you would.” Joker lowered the book as sunlight splashed on its pages. “That sounds a lot like Riot Gun, huh?”
He never thought they’d return to the forest castle. Not after what happened with that infant machine, what A2 thought was right to do still didn’t sit well with him. He shook his head and closed the book in his hands, The Art Of War by Sun Tzu.
He finished it while they waited for A2, and Pod 153 floated dutifully at his side as the minutes ticked on, though Joker could tell she kept looking at the two swords strapped to his back by the way she turned to them so frequently. She nearly reached out to touch 9S’ blade once, but held herself back.
It was as if the little companion was actually scared for her android partner, though Joker didn’t know if it was part of her programming or if she was growing to be something more. Both the Pods acted differently from when he first met them, after all.
Finally, the black and red Pod spoke for the first time, “Alert: Unit A2 approaches with Pod 042.”
Seth’s ears twitched from the shuffling on bridge above them.
Joker tucked the book into his coat as A2 jumped down. She landed with a soft grunt as she stood fully and turned around, the halo of her silver hair sparkled in the light of the never ending sun.
Their eyes met. They both stiffened on contact.
Seth looked back and forth as the memories of their argument were rather fresh, and rolled his eyes, “About time you got here, Toothpick!”
A2 snapped out of her staring to glare at him, “Oh shut up! I was busy.”
“With?”
A2 crossed her arms, “The machines have all gone berserk, and there was an attack on the Resistance Camp.” Joker startled, but she held up her hand, “There were only a few casualties. If I wasn’t there it could’ve been a lot worse.”
Joker sighed, “Do you think it was Adam’s doing?”
“Most likely. Anemone was getting reports all around the world, desperate machine attacks, cut supply lines, the works.” She whispered. A2 approached with 2B’s Pod following closely, “The Pod told me what happened to our idiots, but what’s your plan from here?”
“First things first,” Joker gestured behind him, “we upgrade our weapons.”
He turned, but A2 grabbed his arm, “Wait. About what happened before, what we argued over…”
Joker smiled over his shoulder, though it was sad, “It’s alright. We were both angry and I didn’t handle it well.”
“That counts for the both of us.” She matched his smile, “I’m sorry I yelled at you, and for trying to hide things. I promise it won’t happen again.”
“I’m sorry, too.” He placed his hand over hers as his smile turned genuine, “Let’s let bygones be bygones, okay? Our friends have been in Adam’s hands long enough.”
A2’s hand dropped, “…Alright.”
The clang clang sound of metal reverberated through them as they walked through the archway, and Joker wrinkled his nose at the intense scent of hot steel. Dozens of swords and other weapons lined the walls, and a respectable pile of discarded blades were thrown in the opposite corner.
What made Joker pause, however, was that the giant forge encompassing most of the space was alight with familiar blue flames.
“Oh, hello!” The blacksmith put down his hammer as he walked to the counter, “What can the great Masamune do for you today?”
Joker heard A2 grinding her teeth as she glared at the machine, so he stepped forward to cut off her view. He grasped the swords of light and darkness, and placed them on the counter. Joker also unsheathed the daggers to join the swords, too.
Joker gestured to the weapons, “Can you refine these?”
Masamune’s eyes flickered in a blink, “Ah, these swords belonged to another pair of androids who visited before.” He picked up Joker’s dagger, “And this is the one that birthed these new flames. Are you the original wielder?”
Joker nodded. “We’ll be returning the other blades to their rightful owners soon. Would you be able to do anything with them?”
Masamune laughed as he set the dagger down, “Of course!” He waved to the pile of abandoned blades in the corner, “As you can see, I’ve spent every waking moment learning what this mystical blue flame can do! Although, there is the concern of payment and the necessary materials for the upgrades…”
Joker snorted. For once, he was glad the androids in the camp were so ridiculously enthusiastic in their gifts. Materials. Hard currency. A spare part or ten. He laid out everything on the counter, and then looked to A2 while Masamune sorted through it.
“A2, why don’t you put your blade here, too?”
She frowned, “Are you sure?”
“Don’t we need to do everything we can to save our friends?”
Her gaze went to Masamune before returning to Joker. “Fine.” She deposited her trusty sword with the others, “Just don’t break it.”
“I would never! These blades are the heart and soul of their warrior counterparts, and deserve to be treated with the utmost respect!” Masamune put a hand over his chest with a metallic tink, “You can trust in the great Masamune to perfect your weapon beyond what was previously thought possible!”
Joker gave him the additional materials needed for A2’s sword, effectively cleaning out his current stores, while Masamune got to work with intense fervor.
Joker watched as Masamune began with Arsene’s Lament. Heating the metal within the blue flames, seamlessly folding in the new materials to strengthen it, the pounding hammer striking it with the steady rhythm of a metronome. The blade glowed like a white-hot star when he pulled it from the cerulean flames for the final time, the blacksmith rimmed in its heavenly light. With a firm nod, Masamune turned and quenched the blade in oil with a deeply satisfying hiss.
Joker’s breath caught when Masamune wiped away the excess oil and approached the counter, holding the blade in both hands like it were a sacred object.
“This is the most I can do for this weapon.” Masamune handed it over with a bow, and Joker accepted it with both hands as well, “I’ve learned much from this blade. It was a pleasure to work on such a stellar piece of your heart.”
Both Pods and A2 looked at it as Masamune grabbed another weapon and began his work anew. Joker ran a finger down the length of the pearlescent edge, staring at the blade’s liquid black center darker than any ink. Life emanated from the dagger, in sweet, somber whispers to his soul. It was as if he held a weapon freshly born from his Personas in the Velvet Room, still imbued with the lifespan of its original form.
His heart ached at the thought of Lavenza, but was drawn out of it by the stirring deep in his soul.
A song resonating within his being, whispers of a masquerade and a shape-shifter hiding their emptiness beneath a mask. A long lost lullaby sung to him once, one he would remember when he walked through the streets of Tokyo whenever it rained. But it was more than that. Within the deepest secrets of the dagger was a vow engraved in eternal blue fire.
I am thou, thou art I.
Thou who art willing to perform all sacrilegious acts for thine own justice!
Show the strength of thy will to ascertain all on thine own, though thou be chained to Hell itself!
“This is…” Seth’s voice trembled.
“Mine and Arsene’s vow to one another.”
Joker closed his eyes and turned inward. Arsene and the others were plunged into a deep slumber yet, weaker than the last time he’d checked on him. Their presence continued to slip away piece by piece, water falling through his fingers and no matter what he tried, he couldn’t stem the flow.
It wouldn’t be much longer before they faded away entirely.
Were these blue flames more of a funerary pyre, rather than a saving grace?
“Ren?” A2 whispered as she placed a hand on his shoulder, “You still with us?”
“Yeah, I’m fine.” Joker shoved his grief down and turned to Pod 153 with a smile, “What are the new stats on this weapon?”
“Scanning…” She floated over the weapon before a screen appeared, “All perimeters have increased.”
The attack strength was higher thanks to Masamune’s work. His eyes drifted down to the spells at the bottom. Eigaon was still present as the first spell, while the second slot was now filled in with Speed Master.
He sheathed Arsene’s Lament as Masamune finished up with the Phoenix Plume. It held the deepest burnished surface on the blade, like the mythical bird bursting from the rays of a fiery sunset. He heard the balm of a Phoenix’s cry within his soul as he held it in his hands - the Diarama now partnered with Defense Master.
A2 watched as Pod 153 closed the screen to the Phoenix Plume and Joker sheathed the weapon beside Arsene’s Lament.
Speed and Defense. Healing and Curse Magic.
Joker wondered what other abilities Masamune could give other weapons. If the androids couldn’t use magic like he could, perhaps there were other options such as passive abilities? It turns out, his gut instinct was proved correct when Masamune finished 2B’s sword.
He quenched it in oil and cried out. The white sword radiated a holy aura when it was wiped clean.
Masamune approached the counter, staring at its unusual sheen with reverence, “The previous blades had abilities I was not familiar with, but this is even more mysterious.” He looked at Joker with keen eyes, “Do you know what this is?”
Joker furrowed his brow as he tapped the glowing ivory blade with his index finger. Goosebumps broke out on his arms and Seth shivered as traces of Bless Magic danced across their senses.
“The other weapons gained spells and status effects.” Masamune allowed Joker to take Virtuous Contract. He gave it an experimental swing, the sound whistling through the air had a high bell-like tune, and a trail of white light followed the blade’s movements, “But this time it’s as if the blade itself was imbued with the magic instead.”
“Fascinating…” Masamune picked up 9S’ Cruel Oath, “Perhaps different wielders will gain different abilities, depending on their aptitude? If that one has claimed light as its power, then I wonder if this one will side with darkness.”
“Only one way to find out.” A2 said, staring at Virtuous Contract’s holy glow with wide eyes.
“Right you are!” Masamune returned to his forge with haste.
While the Blacksmith worked, Joker gave 2B’s sword a few more swings.
“What’s wrong?” A2 asked with the pounding of a hammer.
“I’ve heard this sound before.” He said as he swung it one last time, ears sharp for the bell-like tune.
A2’s brow scrunched.
Joker carefully watched Masamune perform the finishing touches to Cruel Oath. It truly was Virtuous Contract’s opposite. Where the bright ivory gave off light and Bless, the previously gold blade of Cruel Oath poured out black shadows and Curse. Joker repeated the experimental swings of Cruel Oath to find streams of darkness following the blade and a deeper bell-like tune layered under the metallic timbre cutting through the air.
The Pods studied him intently as he stared at blades of light and darkness in his hands, mind whirring, while A2 zeroed in on Masamune when he began work on her Type-4O Sword.
Then, it clicked.
The Queen begins to sing… Light and shadow, goodness and evil…
Silence the mother’s song.
His dream of the Queen and the Red Dragon.
“It’s impossible they’d be connected.” Seth interrupted Joker’s thoughts, “From what we know, the Queen and Red Dragon’s battle was almost 10,000 years ago, and there hasn't been another Queen since.”
“This world has been changing since Yaldabaoth banished us here.” Joker tightened his grip over the ebony and ivory swords, “Increased Maso particles, the current state of our other selves and how I can use these weapons to cast magic in their place. Your similarity to the Red Dragon. Now I’m hearing the same bells from my dream. It can’t all be a coincidence.”
“You’re thinking this could be related to the Queen because of the subtle sounds these two swords make?”
It did sound stupid. Joker ducked his head so A2 couldn’t see the embarrassed warmth spattering his face.
“I don’t know.” Joker relented, “I could be jumping to conclusions, but what if our presence causes another event like that? How many other major events have we already changed just by us being here?”
“Hmmm…” Joker felt the flick of Seth’s tail as the dragon’s thoughts roamed, “There is always wisdom in a healthy dose of suspicion. Let’s keep this to ourselves, and warn our comrades only if you believe a new Queen could pose an immediate threat. For now, we have a more important mission ahead of us.”
Joker sighed as he lowered the blades, “Alright.”
“Think of this instead!” Seth excitement sent a playful spark through their mindscape, “How excited do you think Nines will be once we return his sword? He was disappointed when he couldn’t cast Eigaon with Arsene’s Lament, but he can still wield Curse magic in his own way!”
“That was before he died and lost his memories.” Joker stated sourly, “We don’t know how he’ll react to it, now.”
Seth winced.
The snap of electricity summoned Joker back to the present. He turned to A2 as she held her upgraded Type-4O Sword with a dark smirk. Golden electricity danced around her blade in serpentine crackles, like what a Zio spell produced.
He caught the spells at the bottom of the screen Pod 042 kindly showed them.
“Attack Master and Energy Charge?” Joker said, “So you’ll have boosted attack power and electricity magic bound to your sword.”
“Hell yeah.” She swiped the empty air again, and Joker noticed the distinct lack of a bell-like sound under the electricity, “I can get used to this.”
“I’ve enhanced all the weapons you’ve given me.” Masamune leaned over the counter as he wiped his robotic hands with an oil-stained cloth, “Unless, of course, there are more?”
“None, for now.” Joker gave the blacksmith a full bow, “Thank you for your time.”
“No, thank you.” Masamune returned the bow, “For breathing new life into my work. I’ll be occupied with this mystical flame for quite a long time, please return here if there are any more weapons you’d like to upgrade in the future. Who knows what new secrets will be unveiled by then?”
Joker nodded before he turned heel and walked into the sunlight.
A2’s sword floated at her back by the time she followed.
“Here.”
“What do I need these for?” A2 asked when Joker held out the hilts of Virtuous Contract and Cruel Oath to her, “I just got my shiny new upgrade.”
“I’ll have my hands full with my daggers. Besides, you know how to dual wield swords as a YoRHa android, right? You’ll be able to use them until they’re returned to 2B and 9S.”
“Guess you got a point.” She grasped both swords, her expression hardening with resolve, “I’m sure they won’t mind.”
She put them at her back: safe and secure by additional golden rings holding them in place.
Seth, still clutched to the wall like a bat, stuck his head between the bridges, “Are we ready to go, then? A great battle awaits!”
Joker looked at A2, who nodded.
With ease, Joker hopped onto Seth’s neck and walked to the divot between his shoulders to get settled. He reached out for Pod 153 and tucked her under his arm.
“How do you make this look so simple.” A2 muttered as she followed on uneasy steps. The wind blew through her hair, and one small misstep would send her plummeting to her death. “And don’t you dare laugh at me, wyrm!”
Joker felt the trembles as Seth held himself back, “I would never.”
A2 scowled as she sat behind Joker, one hand grasping his shoulder for dear life, the other hugging Pod 042 to keep him from blowing away.
Without warning, Seth dropped.
The Dragon cackled at A2’s stream of colorful swears, the castle walls mere feet from grazing the underside of his belly. With a hard beat of his wings and a murderous snarl from A2, they were off towards their fated meeting with Adam.
~*~*~*~
Please, stop…
I can’t take it anymore—
“You’re 2B, right?”
Her second execution was quick, white blade sliding through my throat as easily as wet paper. I watched myself bleed out before her as she was frozen, staring.
“My name’s 9S!”
The scenery glitched, a curtain being pulled back to her next execution. Then another, and another. Each scene was a bloody drama, coated in pain and scarlet viscera: a secret kept confined.
“The Commander assigned me—”
Electrocution. Drowning. An iron grip breaking my neck.
“—to accompany you on missions and—”
My own Pod turned on me when I tried to escape once. The sting of betrayal was simply icing on the cake as my body melted under the white-hot fire of Pod Programs. 2B watched my smoking husk collapse to the ground.
“—to take charge of your maintenance, ma’am.”
Decapitation. Most of my deaths were as such, swift and brutal under 2B’s sword.
“Don’t call me ma’am. It’s inefficient.”
The scenes played over and over.
And over.
And…
Over.
I wanted to curl up in a ball, block my ears and clench my eyes shut from the assault on my senses. But a malevolent smirk kept my eyes peeled open on a body I no longer had.
“Ah, the honored guest will be arriving soon. So I’ll show you a few final scenes before the next act of the play is put on in earnest. Do savor the irony, hmm?”
The view shifted once more, flooding my eyes in a wash of muddy watercolor. Ah, this place was from 2B’s memories still, so I watched as the Human looked between my sight range and… myself. One of my previous selves, I guess. The Human looked horrified.
“I’m surprised you can just… forget your life. What if you don’t remember something important?”
2B flinched as glacial ice spread in her chest.
I watched myself shrug without a care in the world, “That’s the risk of being a YoRHa android.”
“We’re soldiers fighting a war.” 2B solemnly nodded, “Our core directive is to protect Humanity from the aliens and their machines, so if a few of us lose our memories in order to win this war, so be it.”
“But what about your friends? Your family?” The Human looked pained, and something inside me cracked, “I… I don’t know what I would do if everyone I loved forgot about me.”
2B’s hands curled into fists as she glanced at me.
The images were ripped away once more, leaving me disoriented. Like the stars in a galaxy spinning in endless circles, static sweeping over my mind in a crashing wave. I suddenly felt pressure in my chest as that broken something shattered — oil rising up in a bubbling cloud as another snatch of memory erupted from the void.
Humans are extinct and YoRHa was built on a lie.
I was killed to hide the truth so many times, but if there aren’t any Humans left…
Why do we even fight?
Is everything we do simply pointless?
Why do I desire the touch of something that no longer exists!?
Why… why do I long for Humans like this?
It hurts.
It hurts so much…
What is Ren?
Is he a lie, too?
Another of 2B’s memories come forth, unbidden.
Holding Ren’s hand. It’s warm. So warm. Filling in all the bright colors of the world as that emptiness within finally filled with true purpose and hope. A light piercing through an endless fog.
“Now, now.” Adam’s voice spilled over the memory, tarnishing it, “No wandering off on your own. The Human’s requiem approaches, and you deserve the front row seat.”
I felt myself being pulled again, not down into suffocating sand, but lifted into the waking world filled with pain.
~*~*~*~
Joker crossed the ankle deep puddles in purposeful strides.
The darkness of the cavern and the damp smell clung to them in chilly blankets, the machines who lingered in these veins hadn’t changed, but this time he was leading the charge. This time, he wasn’t the one being shepherded and protected like a lost lamb learning to walk in a world unsuited for him.
A2 remained silent and tense, thick oil coating their blades while the broken shells of machines were left behind.
The Pods’ flashlights illuminated an elevator opening at their approach with a happy little ding. Joker traded a wary look with A2 before they stepped in, plunging them further in the depths of the earth.
The elevator went down.
And down.
His connection with Seth strained the further they went, as if their destination was the very core of the earth itself. His gut churned when it finally stopped, the sudden lack of motion made him shift his weight to stave off the dizziness. The doors slid open.
Maybe he expected a hellscape like the darkest pits of Mementos, a black fortress where Adam would taunt them from the shadows.
“This is…” His first words were whispered to bright white.
“What the hell.” A2 followed, their heads turning to and fro, “How in the world did he build this all the way down here?”
“Your guess is as good as mine.”
Joker bit back how much it looked like a Palace in the Metaverse. A twisted land forged by the shape of Adam’s mind.
A great expanse of soft light filled in the pale imitation of buildings. Stores. Home fronts. A gothic cathedral stood tall in the distance, rising from the ground in mighty spires. Copies of withering skyscrapers poked through the furthest reaches like the fangs of a mighty beast. Bleached of all life and color as if molded from marble. Blocky squares of the material jutted out in random places, along the roads and sidewalks, sticking out from some of the structures like a project suddenly abandoned.
The sky seemed endless despite being underground, the light source as bright as the sun, yet the whiteness shed no warmth at all.
Joker ran a hand down the wall. It was smooth and cool to the touch, yet it didn’t feel wholly solid. He rapped a knuckle over it and frowned when it sounded hollow. Clay waiting to be molded by an artist.
A2 scowled at the only pathway leading further in, “Look.”
Joker followed her gaze and stiffened.
The first speckles of color painted the chalky buildings in crimson, followed by the black folds of YoRHa android clothing – splotches of ink marring the city’s purity. Bodies littered the path, all delicately arranged in a macabre display as if they were butterflies pinned to a board with long, thin swords, but there was an obvious space clear where they could walk through.
“This is what he did to the other androids in the Flooded City.” Joker whispered as they stepped forward, “Pod?”
“No black box signals detected in these androids.” Pod 153 stated.
A2 tightened her grip on Virtuous Contract and Cruel Oath, “There’s nothing we can do for them. Let’s go.”
Joker nodded grimly, and they traveled down the path with weapons at the ready. The city was eerily silent. Dead wind reached their ears, devoid of birdsong or other animal life, of vehicles that Joker was so used to driving down such streets. He kept his eyes focused ahead, careful not to look at the android woman whose leg was a lone obstacle in their path as he stepped over her.
Hmmm, not phased by their deaths? Their screams were delicious, you know.
A2 and Joker fell into battle stances as Adam’s voice echoed around them, weaving through the nooks and crannies they neglected, oozing from the white stones at their feet and the walls rising above them.
“Where are you!?” A2 demanded, “Show yourself, coward!”
Hmph. Keep going forward, and we’ll meet in due time. And dear Ren—
Joker grit his teeth.
I crafted this next part just for you. Enjoy.
Joker sighed as Adam’s voice fell silent, and walked forward.
A2 stalked his heels. The YoRHa bodies and blood tapered off as they stepped into a new area, like switching the venues in a museum.
Joker’s eyes went wide as he looked upon Shibuya Crossing.
A perfect slice of the city surgically implanted here, so real that Joker nearly dropped Arsene’s Lament. The only thing grounding him was that, like every other thing in this perfect copy, it was bleached white.
“Do you recognize this place?” A2 whispered as she eyed his reaction.
“...Yes. It’s a part of Tokyo.”
“Tokyo?”
Pod 042 hovered by A2, “The city known as ‘Tokyo’ was one of the largest Human settlements of its time.”
“A Human settlement…” A2 muttered, “But I’ve never heard the name Tokyo before, since Humans went up to the moon hundreds of years ago.”
Joker looked up to the white sky, almost expecting the false heavens to split apart and drop another Queen and Dragon upon them. The memory of his nightmare made him shiver and turn his gaze to the ground.
A2 narrowed her eyes, “What happened to this place? Was it destroyed in one of the earlier machine wars?”
“Negative.” Pod 153 answered. “All data on this topic is classified.”
“Why am I not surprised.” A2 scoffed.
“The Queen and the Red Dragon fell to this world nearly 10,000 years ago. They fell right here.” Joker refused to look at A2 as his eyes roamed the familiar lines that marked the Crossing, “This was the birth place of Humanity’s end.”
Joker heard her gasp, but before he could move forward the floor rippled. Humanoid shapes rose from the ground. The hundreds of forms twisted and stirred in unison, eventually settling on smooth, milky features and rustles of stiff clothing.
The hair on the back of Joker’s neck stood on end as they were surrounded and outnumbered a hundred to one. Yet again, no colors. These people were like stone mannequins, lacking any pupils on their alabaster eyes as if they really were living, autonomous marble statues. They began to move. Puppets pulled by invisible strings perhaps, but they walked and wandered in flowing groups around the Crossing as if they were flesh and blood.
“Oi, Ren!” A2 raised her swords as dozens of them walked around Joker and A2, but none moved to strike. “Snap out of it!”
Joker took a breath. He sheathed the Phoenix Plume and gently grabbed her wrist, “Follow my lead, and we’ll be fine. Trust me.”
A2 pursed her lips, eyes flicked between the Pods and Joker. She nodded, and he led her over the iconic street he’d walked over so many times back in his real home. He moved through the hoard with such practiced ease that A2’s intense, calculating gaze dug into the back of his head. The Pods remained silent, simply observing the phenomena.
A hand on his shoulder stopped him halfway through the street. The blank face of a long-haired woman stared at him, and spoke in melodic tune.
“What’s it like to be Human?”
The marble woman dissipated like salt in the wind before Joker could respond, her remains melding into the floor.
“To love?” A man’s fingers brushed Joker’s other shoulder before he, too, disappeared.
“To hate?”
“War.”
“Joy.”
“Death.”
“Mother.”
“White.”
“Free will.”
“Grief.”
“Sister.”
With each voice, a semblance of a person disappeared.
“Heart.”
“Black.”
“Soul.”
“Father.”
“Rage.”
“What are emotions?”
“Androids… Machines…”
“Fear.”
“They have these emotions, too.”
“Songs.”
“Rituals.”
“Betrayal.”
“Does that make them Human like you?”
“Flowers.”
“Dragon fire.”
“Hell.”
“Extinct.”
“Or does that make you more like Machines and Androids?”
“I. Hear. A. Sound.”
“Brother.”
A2 released a frustrated shout as she swung at the next one to approach, “Enough of this bullshit!” Her blade cleaved through the salt puppet, and it exploded into blocky white particles, “I’m sick of your games, Adam! Come out here and face us already!”
Every blank slate resembling a human froze in unsettling synchronicity. Scores of bodies melted into the ground in a straight path ahead. Another pair rose up in the gaping blankness of the street, still as soulless as the others.
“What’s the purpose of all of this, if it’s for a lie?” 2B’s copy stated.
“You’re the last Human!” The copy of 9S grinned at Joker, “When you die, do you think all the androids will lose hope forever?”
2B’s copy took a step forward, hand on her alabaster sword, “It would be easy for you to accept your fate, Ren… and die.”
A2 hastily whispered to Pod 042, who answered, “Negative. However, their Black Box signals are detected beyond the copies.”
A2 dashed forward in a haze of red before Joker could blink, crossing the distance towards the copies in seconds. Cruel Oath sliced the 9S fake cleanly in half, while Virtuous Contract beheaded the false 2B.
The subtle bell-like tunes of the singing swords accompanied the sickly splat of the fakes’ bodies before they melted into the white expanse.
“I said enough.” A2 spat with caustic venom, “Or what, are you afraid to face the one who cut off your precious brother’s head? Eve died like a whiny little bitch and I bet you’ll be no different!"
The remaining puppets vanished into the floor without so much as a whisper. Tension descended thick through the air. Joker drew his weapons when it was as taut as a pulled string ready to snap.
A crack formed in the building at the other side of the Crossing. A single break was as loud as a great mountain splitting in half, perfect squares of white stone spilling to the ground.
A2 jumped to Joker’s side as the final piece fell free, revealing Adam.
He was hunched over, his hair a messy tangle of silver down his back as he slowly looked at them. His crimson eyes were nothing but vivid pools of hatred. He wore a full set of clothes now, but they were disheveled, there was no trace of the calm and collective demeanor Adam showed in that alien chamber.
“Where are 2B and 9S?” Joker asked as he pointed Arsene’s Lament at Adam.
A smirk cut through Adam’s face, tinged with deranged madness. He snapped a finger, the movement shaky and erratic.
Their eyes went up as more cubes were carved out of the building and revealed—
“2B! 9S!” Joker shouted.
Blood stained the surrounding white in striking red, as they were impaled by several spears jutting out of the wall. 2B remained motionless as no less than a dozen gaping wounds decorated her body, her head tilting over her shoulder like a broken doll.
A pained whine escaped 9S as he struggled to lift his head, “R-Ren… Run—”
Adam jumped up in a burst of speed, his gauntlet clamping over the lower half of 9S’ face. The ruby claws jabbed into 9S’ skin, but Adam’s grip softened and he gently ran the back of his hand down the android’s cheek.
“Now, now.” Adam purred with a sinister smile, “Don’t ruin this, Nines. All you have to do is be quiet,” He ripped off the dark blindfold to reveal 9S’ gray-blue eyes, the silky fabric slipping between Adam’s fingers, “and watch.”
Adam turned his head and stared directly into Joker’s eyes. An ocean of loathing burned like a pyre as he floated to the ground, as if gravity was a force to play with in his underground Palace.
A2 scowled and readied her swords.
Adam barely glanced at her as he flicked his wrist.
The ground beneath her undulated as a mass of hands, arms, and empty faces rose up to grab at her legs, the bare scraps of her clothing, pulling at her hair. Countless bruising grips dragged her away from Joker, all the while she cursed and struggled.
“A2!” Joker moved towards her, but Adam was in his face with an incredible blur of motion, and only battle hardened instinct blocked the jagged claws aimed for his throat.
Arsene’s Lament deflected the strike, a testament to Masamune’s masterful work. Adam cackled as he struck again.
Joker’s senses sharpened as Speed Master kicked in, and he flowed into a feral dance with Adam. But the machine’s perverse grin kept growing the longer Joker dodged, attacks missing by barely a hair’s breadth in his twists and turns. Precious snatches of time in between strikes revealed A2’s struggle, flitting as fast as a picture book’s pages.
Pod 042 aided her with bullets and Programs, but whatever was blown away was replaced equally as fast. A2 was slowly being pulled down onto the ground, and her Pod was helpless against it.
Pod 153 supported Joker, shooting a round of bullets as Adam jumped away.
Joker only had a moment to gain his bearings before Adam charged again, weaving back and forth with such speed that the Pod’s bullets left a trail of holes in the white floor.
“How long can you keep this up!?” Adam shouted after an uppercut, clawed gauntlet splayed.
“As long as it takes to rescue my friends!” Joker snapped back.
Adam laughed as he twirled into a meteoric kick.
It felt as if a battering ram struck Joker in his chest. He sustained no damage thanks to Seth’s physical defense, but the force itself made Joker stumble back and for the wind to be taken from his lungs. If he were a normal person with no Dragon to protect him, his entire ribcage would’ve been reduced to paste.
He glared at Adam as he returned to a battle stance.
“That’s it! That’s the look I wanted to see on your face.” Adam held his hands towards Joker, “Tell me, Amamiya Ren, is it hatred that fuels you to fight me?”
“Hatred?” Joker’s eyes softened, “No, I don’t hate you.”
“Oh? I hurt your precious android toys, and I threaten your very life right at this moment.” Adam cocked his head to the side in a child’s curiosity, “If it’s not hatred that drives you now, then what?”
“I guess… I feel sorry for you.” Joker glanced around the Crossing, eyes landing on A2’s desperation as she stared back at him, still trapped by a snare of milky hands. Joker returned his gaze to Adam, “But I can empathize with you. Losing everything you’ve ever cared about isn’t easy to handle, I know that by heart. That pain doesn’t go away no matter how much time passes, but it doesn’t mean you should let it control you.”
“Pity, is it? An unexpected answer.” Adam lowered an arm, the other hand reached up to his chest, nails sinking into his shirt, “But you know what? I loathe you. Your Humanity, how the androids have no choice but to love you. How Eve was slaughtered to protect you.”
Joker took a step back as Adam chuckled, devoid of emotion.
“Will the androids feel this same drowning emptiness when they see your corpse displayed like a precious work of art?” Adam stumbled forward, the nails digging in his own chest drew beads of crimson blotching his white shirt, “Will they cry in despair? Will they curse my name for eternity? Will they snap completely and become useless puppets, or will they rise up and swear revenge against me? There’s only one way to test my hypothesis.”
Joker raised his blades as Adam peered at him. A sense of hopeless loss smothered the flames of loathing, and in their emptiness Joker felt a startling sense of familiarity. Another face replaced Adam’s. Grinning just as mad under a guise of Justice.
“Trickster!”
Seth’s shout jolted Joker from his thoughts as Adam burst forward.
Whispering magic coursed through Joker’s veins as he thrust the Phoenix Plume forward, and a stream of red-gold flames drowned the endless white in a sweltering heatwave. Adam’s laughter echoed as he was swallowed by the torrent.
“Pod, go help A2 and the others.”
“But—”
“Adam made it clear. This won’t end until one of us is struck down.” Joker said as as ribbons of smoke swirled around him, “We have to make sure 2B and 9S are safe, no matter what.”
Her mechanical limbs twitched in uncertainty, the programming to Protect a Human clashing with the desire to see her android comrades safe.
Adam emerged from the burning pyre. Half his face was melted away to silvery metal and sparking electrical parts, his clothes singed black and crumbling away, but it was like watching a movie in reverse as he regenerated itself.
“Go!” Joker ordered as Adam dashed forward with a strangled cry, and Joker had no choice but to meet him head on.
“Why!?”
The wind brushed Joker’s face as he dodged a kick, another clawed swipe. A dance of death and sheer destruction as Adam’s attacks left craters with each step of their waltz.
“Why!?” Adam’s voice broke, “Why was my brother taken from me!? Why did he have to leave me behind!? The only person I ever truly cared about… how… how am I supposed to deal with this pain all by myself!?”
Joker opened his mouth, but was brutally silenced when Adam’s attacks grew more frantic, more erratic as streams of golden light joined Adam’s strikes. The pattern was near impossible to read as the dance broke in rhythm, and Joker’s world was reduced to the razor thin line between getting hit with a crippling Bless weakness, or surviving for another second before it repeated all over again.
“Trickster—”
“Not yet!” Joker snapped as a few hairs on the top of his head were sliced away and lost to the throes of battle.
Speed Master could only do so much, and it was clear that the winner of this bout would be the one who had no such mortal limitations as exhaustion or fatigue. One misstep, the hairline fracture of a difference in timing was all it took for Adam to gain the upper hand.
A twitch. A faltering step, and Adam’s shadow devoured him with gleaming red eyes and claws of light. A scalding hot stab of pain sliced Joker across his chest, the next stroke of crimson paint joining the endless white canvas.
Joker grasped his chest as he fell to one knee, Seth’s rage thundered across the mindscape in a deafening howl. He looked up as Adam smiled wickedly over him, red staining his glove like it once had before.
“Die.” Adam whispered sweetly.
The gleaming claws descended for Joker’s throat, and the splatter echoed across the copied Crossing. Joker had clenched his eyes shut, Seth on the verge of throwing their original plan to the wind, but no other pain or blood came from him.
He peeled open his eyes to see Cruel Oath’s blade punctured through Adam’s chest, the point dripping with the machine’s blood. It was like a human’s. The same shade of red that colored Joker’s gloves. The same crimson life dripping from Adam’s gauntlet.
Adam stayed standing, slumped over, head hung to where Joker couldn’t see his expression, arms completely limp at his sides. Adam’s long silver hair spilled over his shoulder and drank in the pools of blood at their feet, a brush steeping in grim ink.
A2 had gotten an arm free enough to throw the weapon in the nick of time.
A vicious cry ripped from A2’s throat as she finally tore herself out of the snare with the Pods’ aid. The glow of berserker rage colored the vengeful wrath shining in her eyes, a divine angel sent into a wild frenzy the moment a Human’s blood was spilled.
Her scarlet afterimages burned into Joker’s vision as she flew across the battlefield on the wings of her fury. Joker’s reflection momentarily passed in Virtuous Contract’s blade before it was gone in a chiming swing of a bell. Her other hand grasped the Type-4O Sword to join in the rapid assault with harsh snaps of electricity.
Adam took each hit, stumbling back with every new wound wetting his tarnished clothes. He didn’t retaliate, but each time he was struck was like watching a limp puppet with loosened strings, odd and senseless and wrong in the unsettling movements.
A2 ended her long combo with an enraged shout and a dual upward swing of the swords, golden lightning and blissful bell blending into one uniform arc.
Adam stumbled back one step, two steps. He looked up to the sky as his whole being was painted crimson, and he fell with a breathy chuckle. Cruel Oath skewered itself further into his body as he landed on the blade’s hilt, the dark sword protruding from his chest in a tower of red and cursed black.
A2 stood there as Joker watched the rapid rise and fall of her shoulders. She turned around when Adam remained still, marching towards him with the same sort of thunder in her expression as Seth could command from the sky. She tossed her Type-4O Sword away, and it reappeared at her back by the time she stood in front of him.
She grabbed his arm, and Joker’s heart sank when her fingers trembled, “Hey, now would be a great time for one of your fancy magic tricks, dumbass!”
Joker chuckled, but winced at the shooting pain in his body. “It would’ve been worse without Defense Master. Way worse.” He lifted the Phoenix Plume and pulled on the magic singing through his veins, and sank in relief as the colorless light eased his injuries. “See? All better now.”
A2 smacked him on the shoulder before she hauled him to his feet.
Joker glanced towards 2B and 9S, relieved to see the Pods slowly lowering them both to the ground.
“Leave them to the Pods,” A2 turned to their adversary, “I don’t think it’s over with Adam.”
Joker nodded, “He hasn’t disconnected from the network yet.”
“…Yeah.”
Adam began to shift.
He set his feet flat on the ground first, followed by his hands scraping against the pavement until he could push himself up. Metal bones creaked and joints snapped back into place as he rose from a backwards motion, skin healed and the bloody mess seeping back into Adam’s body.
“It’s almost funny,” Adam mused when he was unsteady on his feet, staring at the weapon protruding through his chest with no inkling of pain. His hands rested on the blade brimming with Cursed energy, and with little effort he pushed it out. Cruel Oath clattered on the ground behind Adam, who now looked at them with the sheer emptiness of the cold vacuum of space. A former raging bonfire now reduced to smoldering embers. Adam just looked… tired. Ragged.
Still, he quirked a smile, all broken and hollow.
“That didn’t hurt at all. No,” He placed his hand on his chest as the wound healed over, “It was nothing compared to the pain of losing my brother.”
A2 scoffed, “If you miss your brother so bad, then why don’t you join him yourself? Why drag us all into your pathetic tantrum?”
Joker stepped in front of her as Adam remained silent, his eyes flicking hungrily to Joker, “Do you remember what I said in the alien chamber? About Humans only having one life, that they must make every day count?”
“What of it?” Adam asked, head tilted.
“Why don’t we settle this once and for all?” Joker took a tentative step forward, “Human to Machine. Real flesh and blood versus the apex of the Machines that doesn’t have the network to fall back on.” He took another step forward, his costume falling away into blue ash. His Resistance clothes didn’t feel as heavy as before, even as the cape sat over his shoulders. Ren held out his arms, a dagger in each hand, “One last match to the death. What do you say?”
A2 startled, “Ren—”
“Don’t, A2.” He looked over his shoulder with a patient smile, “Whatever happens from here, I can handle it myself. Trust me.”
It was the second time he’d asked down here.
She scowled as they stared each other down. Eventually, the steely conviction in his eyes won over, and for the second time she trusted in him. Virtuous Contract dropped from her grasp and reappeared at her back. She turned and walked away, approaching 2B and 9S without looking back.
“Are you a fool?” Adam said with a shake of his head.
“More than you know.” Ren replied, smirking, “So, what’ll it be?”
Several white blocks of all sizes lifted from the floor, and begun to lazily spin around Adam. He grasped one in his hand, staring at it as if it was the key to unlocking the secrets of the universe. The sharp corners of the block eroded much like the false people who wandered the Crossing, until it took its final shape as an apple.
“A question, first.” Adam continued at Ren’s nod, “What is death to you? As the very last Human you must know your death would cause unimaginable torment for the androids, and yet here you face it so fearlessly. Records showed Humans feared death above all else. Many would take the easiest road to avoid it, even at the risk of total stagnation.”
“Death…” Ren’s smile turned wistful as Takemi skirted his mind, “Is misunderstood. It’s a force of nature, something that all living things must face one day. A precious life being snuffed out, a field of flowers stripped bare after a scorching wildfire, machines and androids going dormant forever… these are all terrible. A wonderful existence has ended, of course. But there’s also the chance at a new beginning, or the rebirth of something else.”
Ren gazed up the endless expanse of white.
“A loved one who passed away will live on in those who remember them. The ashes from the fire will help new seeds flourish. Androids and machines are in a constant cycle of death and rebirth themselves, and I’ve met people from both sides who cherish those they hold close in spite of everything.”
Ren lowered his eyes to Adam, who turned the white apple around his fingers, brows deep in contemplation at Ren’s words. After a stretch of heavy silence, Ren spoke again.
“Does that satisfy you?”
The blocks orbiting Adam slowed to a stop until they dropped to the floor. Any copied humans on the outskirts of the Crossing melted into the ground. The apple turned into salt falling through Adam’s fingers.
Adam squared his shoulders as he zeroed in on Ren, “I have… disconnected from the network.”
“Alright.” Ren widened his stance and twirled Arsene’s Lament in his right hand. “Let’s finish this.”
Crimson lights the sky, the birds still asleep.
They spent a moment watching for the first step of their final dance.
Like a dream it shines, from heaven’s safe keep.
Ren took the lead to music nobody but Adam could hear, a melody that only Adam could remember in a world where such a song was lost to time. Blade and clawed gauntlet met in a clash of sparks, wind rushing around either combatant as they separated.
Children’s songs we sung, as soft as the breeze.
Adam wished he could’ve shared more songs with his brother. Maybe, if he had been more patient with Eve, they could’ve sang them together. Ren and Adam turned on their heels and dashed towards each other again, the clanging of metal pounding like a heartbeat.
Endless fields, our home, I long for those days.
They could’ve played more, if Adam weren’t so obsessed with the Human before him.
I call out these prayers to the sky, heavy with thought, see your face.
“Brother…” The word left Adam’s lips in a strained whisper, and Ren frowned as he jumped away from Adam’s next strike.
I carry these memories inside, thoughts of a soul colored by love.
“I’m sorry…”
See me grow wings and fly high, passions will die down below.
Adam’s vision turned blurry and warm, crystalline tears flowing down his face to offer their purity to the bloody battleground. They felt taboo in the place of Humanity’s final execution site.
I burn in the basin of fire, Watchers look on as they dance in their merciless sky.
Ren’s dagger burned with a wave of heat. Golden flames erupted in a whipping tendril, Adam merely stepped aside to avoid the worst of it. His arm and streams of his silver hair were caught in it, though the detached numbness spreading through his body dulled the pain.
Watching me, watching you.
Adam sunk his undamaged gauntlet into the floor, and with an upward motion he threw debris and a cloud of dust at Ren. The boy flipped elegantly away, and as he slid back into a stop, he raised his other dagger—
Silent black, the dawn, and time tells its tale.
Darkness bubbled under Adam’s feet and burst into a column of Cursed magic. His unburned arm felt as if it were being split apart under the spell, the clawed gauntlet torn to shreds. Adam staggered back as the gauntlet’s shattered pieces littered the floor.
Darkened blood, it flows, the forest receives.
Streams of blood flowed down his arm. A different sort of warm wetness dripped from his fingertips in a steady rhythm, and with no network to repair the damage, his wound was left to bleed.
Look within the dark, as deep as you dare.
Yes. He had one more attack in mind to put the Human down for good. The last spark of inspiration he’d ever feel.
There inside you’ll find the destruction you seek.
Ribbons of gold light formed around Adam’s shoulders and snaked down his damaged arms, and despite the softness of the energy he generated, everything was washed out in layers of muted gray.
I call out these prayers to the sky, heavy with thought, see your face.
Ren’s expression hardened as he brought up both daggers to guard.
I carry these memories inside, thoughts of a soul colored by love.
“Eve…” Adam raised his arms, the light fluttering around him like playful feathers, “Wait for me.”
See me grow wings and fly high, passions will die down below.
With a scream of anguish, Adam threw his arms forward. The tendrils fanned out like the wings of a great bird sweeping over the Crossing, and it would’ve been a beautiful sight had it not been a death knell. The first wing struck Ren’s daggers, weapons being flung from his grasp.
The second wing descended in a sharp cresting wave. Concrete cracked under their feet as Ren was clipped by the edge. He staggered back and fell to his knees.
“Ren!” A2 shouted in despair.
“Stay back!” Ren countered, voice like a crack of thunder.
Adam pulled the wings of light away, and stalked towards the Last Human, who stared back with such sharp intensity that it pierced Adam’s cold heart. Past the pain and determination to fight, Adam witnessed the layers underneath the Human’s gaze.
Sorrow.
Loss.
Despair.
The same emotions Adam harbored in his breast. But unlike Adam, Ren found the courage to keep moving forward. Kindled other emotions of kindness and love. Used that pain as a catalyst for compassion instead of blinding hatred razing everything to the ground.
Adam stood over Ren, the feathers of his wings crossed under the Human’s chin. One movement would end his life. The Human still stared at him with the other foreign emotion. A vivid sparkle in his eyes. The light of a star never to be extinguished.
Hope.
I burn in the basin of fire, Watchers look on as they dance in their merciless sky.
“Do you have any final words, Amamiya Ren?” Adam asked, voice as smooth and emotionless as a cool band of silver. “Choose them wisely.”
The boy peered at him, brows creased and lips pursed into a hard line. He took a sharp breath and uttered—
Watching me, watching you.
“Seth.”
Adam blinked as a great shadow rose behind him. It twisted and churned until it solidified into the Black Dragon towering over him, the golden light of his eyes blazing bright in contrast to Adam’s faltering wings.
It opened its massive jaws and lunged for him.
Adam had plenty of time to react, a handful of seconds was nothing for an advanced machine like himself. Enough time to use his hallowed wings to behead the Human. Or to split the dragon cleanly down the middle, if he so wished. He wondered if the death of one would be the end of both.
And yet.
His hand stayed.
Watching me…
As a path to the end opened its arms for him, he was surprised when there was a wash of happiness dampening everything else. A flicker of the Human’s Hope caught fire to warm his heart as Eve’s laughter echoed across his mind, calling for him.
Adam allowed the wings to fizzle out as the twilight of death wrapped his body in comfort. His shoulders sagged in relief, and in those final few seconds a blessed smile graced his tired lips. He closed his eyes and welcomed it.
“Eve… I’m on my way.”
Watching you…
Ren covered his eyes as Seth’s jaws closed on Adam with a viscerally wet snap.
Seth thrashed his head before volcanic warmth bloomed in his throat, and he spat Adam out with a burst of magical flames. The fire streaked over the Crossing and crashed into the other side, leaving a gaping crater in the wall where the bare remnants of Adam’s body were implanted. It sparked for a few seconds before going still. Smoke streamed from the body, but nothing else happened.
Adam… was dead.
Seth made a retching noise, spitting gobs of blood onto the floor, “He tasted disgusting, Trickster!”
Ren got to his feet, ignoring Seth’s complaints. In silence, he collected his daggers and Cruel Oath, healing what damage was done in the last part of the battle. Under A2’s curious gaze from afar, he approached the smoking crater cradling the broken husk of Adam’s body. Scraps of the bare metallic framework making Adam’s ribs and spine. The last lengths of silver hair fluttering away from the half melted skull.
Ren didn’t know what possessed him as he clapped his hands together and bowed his head in prayer.
Ren knew.
He’d watched the tension leave Adam as the machine chose death over victory. Perhaps he would find peace with Eve in the afterlife. Ren’s realization that Adam could’ve won froze Seth down to his bones, and the Dragon went eerily silent as Ren turned away from Adam’s remains to join A2.
2B wasn’t moving, but A2 had to hold 9S down at Ren’s approach.
“Hey, calm down!” A2 snapped as she pushed on his shoulders, blood staining her hands, “Stop moving before you bleed out, you idiot!”
9S reached out as Ren knelt by his side, eyes cloudy and unfocused, “R-Ren…”
“It’s okay.” Ren grabbed 9S’ hand with both of his own, “Adam is gone, and I’m not hurt. Hang in there, okay? You’ll be—“
9S’s grip was hard enough to bruise. Ren didn’t recognize the strange steely gleam in the android’s eyes as he struggled to speak, but his tone bordered on desperation.
“A-are you… real? Or are you... a lie, too?”
“What?” Ren’s heart hammered in his chest, “Nines, what on earth are you talking about?”
9S drifted into unconsciousness, the iron grip loosening until it fell from Ren’s hands.
A2 looked at Ren with an indecipherable gaze. “We have to get them up to the surface, quick.”
“R-right. You’re right.”
Seth’s nose touched Ren’s back, “I’m useless in cramped quarters. I shall wait until your return to the surface.”
Ren nodded. Seth disappeared in a hush of blue ashes, curling up in the mindscape as their victory turned sour in the Dragon’s thoughts.
The Pods were gentle as they lifted their android partners with their rings of light, careful not to jostle their injuries. A2 took point as they left the copy of the Shibuya Crossing, weapons ever at the ready, while Ren covered their flank.
Ren hesitated at the precipice of the Crossing, however, when he felt the sensation of being watched. He threw a glance at Adam’s smoking remains.
He frowned as he concentrated, the colorless world gaining the deep blue shade of Third Eye. Something red flitted in the corner of his vision. He whirled around to… nothing, once again. He narrowed his eyes, looking with Third Eye and without, but the feeling of being watched slowly bled away.
Whatever force lingered had disappeared without a trace.
“Ren!” A2 called from ahead, “Don’t make me drag you out of here!”
“Coming!” He called.
Adam and Eve were dead, and this place would serve as a Machine’s eternal tomb. The network was probably in shambles. The androids were safe, at least for the moment.
Ren hoped nothing worse came out of this.
~*~*~*~
63 hours later…
9S paced in front of 2B’s quarters.
The damage to his body was less severe than 2B, and he was able to repair himself far faster after the worst of it was fixed. The others didn’t know he’d snuck out out of maintenance hours earlier than should be possible, how his furious footsteps traversed here until they stopped cold.
The pacing started as he waged an internal war.
Adam could be lying. The logical half of his brain argued with the other, It could be an elaborate ruse to play with you.
No! The second half screeched with demented fervor, You already know the truth. Don’t keep hiding from it. Don’t allow it to be taken from us again!
Eventually, the second half won out as he marched through 2B’s door. Only he wasn’t alone. Operators 6O and 21O were beside 2B’s bed as she rested.
“9S?” 21O’s eyes were slightly wide before her neutral expression took over, “I didn’t know you were discharged already?”
“You know the Commander.” 9S hoped they wouldn’t see his smile as being too wide, his voice a bit too cheery than his normal, “A slave driver who throws work at me left and right! Can’t a guy get some actual rest around here?”
“Well, I’m glad you’re feeling better. And good timing!” 6O cheered as she closed the many screens around 2B, “We were almost finished on our end, too! 2B will be up and about in no time after we—“
“Ah, I’m supposed to take over her maintenance now.”
“You? But we didn’t get any new orders—“ 21O stated.
“Oh no, that’s been my job since I was paired up with 2B, remember? I doubt the Commander would bother sending you a reminder.”
21O stared at him for a long moment, “I suppose you’re correct.”
“Oooh, if 9S is taking over, that means I have some extra time to ask 28G on a date!” 6O squealed as she rushed out of the room, “Wish me luck, you two!”
“6O, now’s not the time to—!” 21O rubbed her temple when the door closed. Her hand dropped and her sharp eyes searched 9S’ face. “I’m glad you came back safe.”
He allowed her to walk past him, but she hovered in the open door.
“9S?”
“Yeah?”
“Are you… I…” Another sigh, “Never mind. Take care of 2B, okay?”
“Yeah, yeah. Leave it to me!”
9S breathed a sigh of relief as the fake smile dropped off his face the moment the door closed behind him. For some reason, his visor itched as he approached 2B’s bed, as if he’d wanted nothing more than to rip it off his face right then and there.
He ignored it as he swiped his hand over 2B, screens flooding his vision. 2B was still in stasis. What remained of her maintenance were the few basic checks and updates before she’d be allowed to wake up normally. She wouldn’t know.
She couldn’t know.
He’d make sure of it by purging the intrusion from any and all logs, just like he did less than an hour ago when he explored the classified YoRHa files damning Humanity to extinction – using the memories of his previous ‘deaths’ to avoid detection this time. He lost count of how many times Adam forced him to watch his own execution over this information. His hand shook. His mouth went dry.
“Please, 2B.” He begged, “Please. Don’t let what Adam showed me be true.”
He knew he was grasping at straws, all the evidence was already present, but the craving for the whole truth overruled any logical thought.
9S took the dive. His senses melded with 2B’s as he relived her memories, all of her data files were rife with death and blood. His blood. A repeating cycle of executions and ‘first’ meetings with him.
No…
The pessimistic side of his brain became victorious in the war tearing him apart from the inside, screaming a bloody battle cry as if it were a rabid beast. He experienced all that Adam showed him. Again. A broken chuckle escaped his lips before he could stop it, the screens were left open as he fell back the few paces to the wall. He slowly slid down to the floor and clutched his head, nails clawing into his hair.
Why?
Why!?
“Isn’t this hilarious, 2B!?” He snapped as his gloves prevented his fingers from leaving marks as they slid down to his visor, “Through this pointless war, I thought you’d be the only person who wouldn’t lie to me. But that couldn’t be the furthest thing from reality. Isn’t it ironic that I learned the truth from a blasted Machine!? Doesn’t it want to make you laugh!?”
2B couldn’t respond. Wait, that wasn’t her name at all, was it?
2E lay vulnerable to attack.
He blinked, suddenly finding himself standing over her with Cruel Oath’s newly Cursed blade poised over her heart. Another shattered bubble strained through his throat, accompanied by the tears wetting his visor. His heart was a raging monster within his chest, beating painfully with icy daggers and boiling swords lodged in his circuits.
Love.
Hate.
Kill.
Spare.
He could wake her up here, leave her paralyzed while her pain sensors were blasted on the highest settings. Drive his sword slowly through her chest.
Make her feel your first death. Silence her voice so her screams wouldn’t be heard by anyone else.
9S ripped himself away before the urges consumed him, turning his back on 2E with a rough sob. His throat felt too tight as he sent the command to finish her maintenance… with the addition to not let her wake for another few hours.
Time to cool down.
A gap where he could pull the mad whirlpool his mind had become to some semblance of sane. To… what? Pretend everything was normal again? He didn’t think he had it in him to do that. At least, his swaying head said, until she was ordered to kill him again.
His gloves creaked on Cruel Oath’s hilt as he tried to pull himself together, to wear the happy mask YoRHa expected of him. He’d only need it for a few minutes, but just in case…
9S sheathed his weapon. Next, he summoned his screens and typed away. The determined fire rushing through his veins made the process of looping the camera footage easy, child’s play. The only purpose YoRHa kept him around because his superior hacking skills were second to none in the entire organization. Ironic he was using those skills against them now.
Satisfied, he cast the screens away.
9S left without looking at 2E.
The Bunker was quiet. A majority of YoRHa was currently trying to rebuild what was left after Adam’s frenzy. The gaping solitude allowed him to walk on his unsteady feet without being seen, with a hand on the wall stabilizing him, towards the transporters.
He reached them in the haze clouding his mind, and a crooked smile worked its way on his face when he saw the Resistance Camp transporter came online hours ago.
He’d ask Ren for the truth.
If the human lied to him, too…
Well, it would snap the final frayed thread keeping madness from consuming him in earnest.
~*~*~*~
“I told you, I have this.”
“But what if—“
“No. You need to go.”
“How about we put it off until—“
“No, A2.” Ren set down the heavy crate with a groan, “You promised you’d get checked out.”
A2 huffed, “Just because I have a pardon, doesn’t mean I’m crawling back to YoRHa!”
“I’m not asking you to.” Ren held up his hands, “All I’m saying is that you let Devola and Popola fix you up. I overheard the Pod listing off all your malfunctioning parts after we got back. How you’re still functioning is beyond me.”
She glared at the Pod hovering at her side, “Traitor!”
“This Pod has no regrets.” Pod 042 stated smugly.
“This Pod agrees with fellow Pod 042.” Pod 153 floated at Ren’s side, wagging her mechanical arms like a disappointed mother, “Your health is just as important as Ren’s, so don’t neglect opportunities for routine maintenance.”
“Now you’re all ganging up on me?” A2 threw up her hands, “Fine! I’ll let the damn medics look at me. But if they so much as imply syncing back up to the YoRHa server, it’s over for them.“
“They won’t.” Ren said, smirking, “I already talked to them about it. They’ll replace any parts you need, without anything from YoRHa. You’ll be good as new, I promise.”
Her nostrils flared, left eye twitching. A2’s hair was a thrashing stream of silver as she stomped towards the Med Bay, kicking a stray box that dared be in her path. He didn’t feel bad when a group of Resistance androids scattered when it was flung their way. Pod 042 scolded her as he followed, knowing full-well she’d ignore his words anyway.
Ren sank onto the crate with a sigh.
“Do you need a check up as well, Ren?” Pod 153 asked, hovering a few feet from his face.
“No, I’m fine.” Ren looked across the decimated camp, “I’m tired, but I still have some energy left to keep helping out.”
He slept like a rock after 2B and 9S were literally sent to the Bunker on a rocket. When he awoke, his door was so encumbered in gifts, money, mountains of rare materials, and swarms of loitering androids waiting for him that he nearly tripped face first a single step outside. To say the other Resistance androids smothered him would be an understatement.
If A2 didn’t step in as his grumpy body guard glaring down any who approached, then he’d still probably be swamped in androids fawning over him, leaving him not a moment to breathe in peace. Even Anemone’s orders failed to quell their relieved excitement.
There was a minor uproar after a rather large breakfast- when he said he’d help in getting the Camp back together.
He couldn’t sit pretty and watch the others work from afar. Ren needed to move. A restless energy had settled under his skin since the end of his battle with Adam, always wary of some red watching thing hiding in the corners of his vision, and he knew he couldn’t relax until he got an update about his friends’ conditions either way. And so, amidst the din of protests he completely ignored, he picked up the nearest crate to sort it with the others.
He noticed A2’s proud smirk before she could smother it.
Since then, he’d cleaned tarps and blankets. Helped count inventory and other supplies, sorting what was completely ruined and what could be salvaged. Swept up ashes. Buried the androids who were killed during the mad frenzy, while giving encouraging words to the injured androids stuck in the med bay. He secured a calm mask as they piled the dead machines in a corner to be taken apart later, their gaping mouths slick with blood and razor sharp teeth.
Ren was about to continue working when the transporter activated. His heart soared when he saw Nines walk out, but it sank when his Phantom Thief instincts went haywire.
The android swayed on his feet as he looked around in a stupor.
2B didn’t follow him out of the teleporter.
And he didn’t have one of the other Pods with him.
Ren raised a brow at 153, who read his thoughts.
“The other Pods are still in stasis on the Bunker. They’ve not been activated for any updates.” A worried edge crept into her voice, “It’s against protocol for YoRHa androids to travel on Earth without a Pod companion to support them. YoRHa Unit 9S is showcasing high levels of stress.”
Ren shifted, “We better go see what’s wrong.”
9S zeroed in on Ren when he was a few paces away.
Ren’s nerves turned to icy dread when the cold gaze beneath 9S’ visor skewered him. He showed none of it on his face as he closed the distance, adopting his Leader mantle without donning his costume. The subtle change alerted Seth as he flew over the City Ruins.
“Are you okay, Nines?” Ren asked the frozen silence between them, “Where’s 2B?”
9S flinched, “She’s not coming. Still in maintenance.”
His voice was frigid. Posture stiff and tense. Though he swayed, his hands twitched as if he was ready to reach for his sword at the drop of a hat.
“You didn’t answer my other question.”
9S scoffed. Ren’s stomach twisted as the android spoke low, “We need to talk.”
The YoRHa android walked towards the exit to the City Ruins under the gaze of many others.
Ren kept his posture relaxed as he stuck his hands in his pockets and followed 9S in an easy gait. Pod 153 buzzed nervously, her mechanical hands fidgeting, until they left the cramped Camp behind for the open fields.
The first real hint of danger rang in Ren’s head when 9S drew Cruel Oath, the blade dripping with malice. His instinct was telling him to return to the Camp, that something was clearly wrong with how 9S held the sword at an off angle. It wasn’t meant to protect Ren from the lingering threats dotting the City Ruins.
It was as if the sword was about to be turned against Ren. Seth was immune to Physical and highly resistant to Curse, so while that sword couldn’t do much damage by itself, the very notion that 9S was about to betray him stung far worse than any wound Adam or Eve inflicted.
Seth’s growl rumbled through Ren’s mind, and he heard the whistle of Seth’s wings over the surrounding buildings. A few seconds would be all Seth needed to swoop in.
9S stopped after they walked down the ramp and to the pools of water sparkling in the sunshine.
Pod 153 approached after an unsteady silence, “9S—“
“Quiet, Pod.” 9S’ command was absolute as the Pod stilled, “I order you not to interfere until our conversation is concluded.”
Pod 153 released a string of confused whirs. She looked to Ren, who nodded, and she backed away to give them ample space.
“Nines, what’s wrong?” Ren asked, frowning, “Did something happen on the Bunker?”
“‘Did something happen?’” An icy chuckle left 9S as he turned to Ren. Warped. Wrong. The android’s uncanny smile showed too many teeth, “As if you don’t already know.”
“I don’t even know what you’re implying.“
“Humans are extinct. There’s nobody on the moon except a server maintained by a skeleton crew of YoRHa androids.”
Ren stiffened, “That’s not—“
“Don’t lie to me!” 9S raised the shadowy blade at Ren, with the other hand he tore away his visor so his steely gaze stabbed Ren in full force, “Don’t you dare think you can lie to me, not when I have all the proof I need! From Adam and the Machine Network. From 2B. From YoRHa’s classified files. So what does that make you? Are you another lie fabricated by the so called ‘Council of Humanity’? A false reason for the rest of us to keep dying for!?”
“Trickster, he’s lost his senses. I should—“
“No! Stay back and let me handle this.”
“You can’t be serious, Ren! Murderous intent is spilling from him in droves!”
“He doesn’t need a show of force. He’s been hurt, badly. Let me resolve this peacefully, alright? I… I don’t want him to die again.”
Seth landed on a building a block away, snarling and raking his claws on the gravel.
Ren took a deep breath and spoke calmly, “I am human. I’ve never lied to you about that.”
The tip of Cruel Oath trembled as 9S narrowed his eyes, searching Ren for any trace of deception. “No. Even if there were any Humans left, they’d either be killed off by the Machines or found by other androids by now! All of these records state the truth, and they go back hundreds of years.” 9S shook his head, “I’ll ask one more time: What are you!?”
“Human.”
Rage slashed 9S’ face as he attacked.
Ren threw himself aside, the dark bell singing in his ear as the sword passed harmlessly through the air. 9S wasn’t thinking straight. His next swings were slow and uncoordinated.
Ren kept his hands away from the daggers on his belt as he danced around 9S’ attacks, “Yes, I’m the last Human! Yes, all the others died out a long time ago!” Another step to circle 9S, another dark bell cast out into the world, “But I’m right here in front of you, not as a pawn of the Council of Humanity, but as a friend! Your friend.”
Cruel Oath’s trembling worsened as 9S took a shaky breath, “All of my friends have either lied to my face, or killed me repeatedly for this secret! I have no friends! You’re just another lie to add to the—“
Ren lunged forward. Not to attack, but to embrace.
9S froze as Ren wrapped his arms around the android’s shoulders. He held on tight, as if he could squeeze out all the pain and betrayal shining clear through 9S’ eyes.
“You can feel my warmth, can’t you?” Ren stepped back, grabbing 9S’ other hand to press to his chest, “Just as you can feel my heart beating right now. I. Am. Human. That isn’t the lie!”
9S recoiled as if the touch burned him, Cruel Oath dropping onto the grass with a clatter. The android was breathing hard as tears laced his eyes. A strange mix of shame, awe, and fear swept through his expression until his face dropped into his hands.
“Then what is the lie!?” 9S frantically shook his head, “What aren’t you telling me?”
“I…”
9S tensed. Ren knew he was waiting for another lie, but another lie would be another brutal execution. The only way to salvage this – whether his friendship with Nines, or the android’s sanity, or most likely both – was to tell the truth.
“That I’m a human who dropped in from another world?”
9S pulled his head up, watery eyes impossibly wide, “You’re what?”
He mentally gestured for Seth, who jumped into the sky. It took a few seconds for Seth’s shadow to slither over them before he landed in the water, his nostrils smoking with magical hell flame.
9S didn’t flinch under Seth’s golden glare.
“We are not of this world.” Seth grumbled. “If it wasn’t for the underhanded deception of a malevolent god, we wouldn’t be standing here now.”
9S looked back and forth between Ren and Seth, shock sharpening into the calculated edge of a blade.
They explained in turns. Their world. The Metaverse and how Palaces worked. How Seth was tied to his soul along with the other Personas, and how they ended up here via being banished by Yaldabaoth. Reasons why the other Personas were so weakened due to Humanity’s extinction. He brushed over the minor details to make the story as concise as possible.
To Ren’s surprise, 9S absorbed the whole tirade without interruption, the gears in his mind turning as the tale unfolded in its entirety.
“In the end, that’s why we think there’s been an increase in Maso Particles.” Ren wrapped up their explanation with a sigh.
“Because of the hole this… this god made between the worlds?” 9S asked, his voice empty of spite and rage. “And you can’t go back?”
“Yes.” Seth flicked his ear, “It is how the Red Dragon fell to this world eons ago, from yet another world parallel to this one. We’ve been trying to find a way home, but our search has proven fruitless.”
9S was quiet for a long time, processing. All the fight dropped out of his body as he collapsed by the water’s edge, hugging his knees to his chest and resting his head on his arms.
Ren carefully sat next to him, leaving a respectful gap. The android didn’t move for another vast stretch of time. Ren let him have it, idly picking the long grass clinging to the shore.
Seth curled up on one of the islands, his piercing gaze never leaving 9S.
“Who else knows?” 9S croaked long after Ren’s fingers were stained green.
“Commander White.” Ren set the tiny woven grass canoe into the water, watching it float away with the gentle currents, “We have a mutual agreement to keep everything a secret in exchange for A2’s pardon.”
“Oh.” 9S dryly chuckled, “You know you shouldn’t trust her, right? She and the ‘Council of Humanity’ are the ones tampering with your search for information.”
Ren sighed, “I figured it was something like that. Still, I did it to keep A2 safe.”
“Then I guess I shouldn’t tell anyone, either.” 9S scoffed, “What good would it do anyway.”
Ren blinked, “You’re the second person we’ve told the whole story to, and the second to actually believe us. I figured there would be a lot more doubt around here.”
“There were already some YoRHa files indicating the existence of other worlds. Apparently its how the androids banished the Queen’s Maso thousands of years ago, but they were footnotes at best.” 9S gave him an exhausted shrug, “Plus, your story is way too elaborate to be a lie, and the unprecedented rise in Maso Particles speaks for itself. I knew something was off. You're in the middle of all of it.”
Ren couldn’t do anything but nod.
“But these memories you’ve been getting about the Red Dragon don’t show anything useful?”
“We have bits and pieces. Seth has been getting more memories as he absorbs the lingering maso, and I got the dream of the battle over Tokyo. Nothing that’ll help us get back home, though.”
“I see.” 9S stared off into the distance for a long while, wistful and sullen. “This doesn’t change anything.”
“What do you mean?”
9S looked at Ren, eyes vacant of emotion, “It doesn’t change the fact that the Humans really are gone, nor does it change how 2B killed me every time I discovered the truth.” He buried his face in his arms, rocking back and forth, “What am I supposed to do? Do I wait around for her to kill me again, or do I spend the rest of this life running away, always looking over my shoulder for bigger groups of YoRHa androids hell bent on killing me? Either way, I die and lose who I am. There’s no escape...”
Ren put a soft hand on his shoulder, growing more confident when 9S didn’t shrug it away, “We’ll think of something.”
“We?”
“Yes, we.” Ren squeezed 9S’ shoulder, “I don’t abandon my friends, Nines, even the ones who attacked me.”
“Really? I… you—” An honest chuckle escaped him, easing the metaphorical storm cloud clinging to the android, “You’re a strange one.”
“You wouldn’t be the first to say that, believe me.” Ren smirked when 9S raised his head, a small glimmer of his old self peeking through, “Is there a way to save a back-up of your memories?”
9S eyed the Pod waiting in the distance, “The Pods are out of the question. Any unauthorized back-up in the YoRHa servers would be found and deleted immediately. There isn’t any—“ 9S straightened his spine, “Unless… there is something we could use.”
“I’m afraid you’ll have to fill me in a little more on what this mysterious something.”
9S turned towards Cruel Oath, laying where it had been dropped. The grass crunched as he reached for the hilt to set it across his lap, tracing a finger down the Cursed blade.
“This could work.”
Ren raised a brow, “A sword?”
9S snorted, “Our weapons were built with saving data in mind. It’s part of the reason why most YoRHa androids can pick up any of these weapons and know how to use them right off the bat, aside from downloading the necessary updates from the YoRHa servers.”
Ren watched as 9S summoned a plethora of holographic screens. He couldn’t begin to understand some of them as 9S copied all his data – essentially copying himself – into the blocky stream flowing into the weapon’s hilt.
Ren saw snatches of these memories, like photos. Many contained foreign landscapes or battles of the past. More than one screen was as if 9S was watching himself from another perspective.
“2B’s memories.” 9S said when he caught Ren looking, “Adam showed me how many times she killed me when we were with him. I… I double checked everything while she was in maintenance. It’s all true.”
“Are you sure you want to keep them?” Ren winced as one memory showed 2B standing over 9S’ decapitated corpse, “That’s… she cares about you. I know she does.”
“Maybe so. A lot of her memories are filled with regret for her actions, and it’s why she’s always cold towards other people. To push me away. She pretends, but she’s only lying to herself.” The android flicked his wrist, and the bloody memories swirled into the sword hilt with the rest, “But it won’t stop her from killing me again when she gets another order to do so, because she’s one of the few YoRHa androids who know the truth about Humans. She won’t ever stop as long as YoRHa still exists. And for that, I’ll never forgive her.”
Ren grimaced. “Do you want my advice?”
9S raised a brow, and Ren took his curious silence for permission.
“This was back home, when the concept of Palaces and the Metaverse was still new to us. Our first target was a horrible man. He’d hurt so many kids: physically abused the boys, did unspeakable things to the girls. Well, there was one time he went too far, and one of the girls tried to end her life because of the pain he caused.”
9S frowned as more memories went into the sword, but he was listening aptly.
“The girl who nearly died was precious to one of my teammates, and while we all wanted to make Kamoshida pay, she had more reason than any of us. We fought him, and won after a hard battle. We had him at our mercy, he was on his knees and begging for forgiveness as my teammate prepared to kill him.”
“… What happened?”
“She spared him.”
9S flinched back, “Why? If he caused so much pain, why would your friend show him mercy?”
“She told him to atone for his sins.” Ren smiled as 9S’ eyes widened. “Killing him would be too easy, and doing it that way wouldn’t get real justice for his victims.”
9S balled his hands into fists as he glared at some of the memories floating around, his eyes holding a dark fire to them.
“I’m not saying you have to forgive her for what she did.” Ren said gently, “But… just think about what I told you, okay?”
9S stiffly nodded, and they left it at that.
There was a small flash as all the screens disappeared.
“It worked.” 9S smiled sadly as he held the blade up to the sunlight, “All of my memories have been saved into this blade, now its just a matter of where to put it.”
“You’re not going to keep it?”
“Of course not.” 9S shook his head, “It’d only take a single touch from another android loyal to YoRHa to view these memories, and then everything would be over. They’d kill me and destroy this weapon, too. We need something else.”
Ren gripped his daggers, “I could carry it, but I’d have nowhere safe to store it long term.”
9S gripped his chin, frowning, “No, I wouldn’t trust it to be left at the Resistance Camp either.”
“Could we hide it somewhere else?”
“Unlikely.” 9S shook his head, “2B and I found enough weapons lying around in random places when we were exploring. Even if it was in a good spot, there would be nothing stopping someone from finding it by accident.”
“So neither of us can keep it and we can’t hide it anywhere. We need a third option.”
“I could eat it.” Seth chipped in. “It wouldn’t even hurt me.”
9S’ face wrinkled in disgust, “Not to be ungrateful, but no.”
Ren laughed as Seth licked his lips.
“Oi, there you are!”
Seth raised his head as Ren and 9S shot to their feet and whirled around.
Ren did a double take as A2 walked down the concrete ramp towards them with the Pod in tow. She no longer wore the bare scraps of cloth barely covering her body, she had a full outfit from neither the gothic style of YoRHa androids or the more down to earth rebellious clothes of the Resistance androids.
A black form fitting shirt was decorated with leather armor, the long, incredibly thick sleeves were a separate part over her arms – more leather protection with soft fabric peeking out from her wrists and shoulders, a scarf of it around her neck. The pitch black gloves matched the long, knee high boots in color, with a pale gray pants to go underneath them. Her sleeves, boots, and gloves were etched with flowing silver swirls further marking it separate from the YoRHa outfits, yet definitely standing out from the Resistance.
Her skin was clean of wear and tear, of the caked dirt built over a long traveled journey, and her silver hair had a new silken shine to it.
All in all, it didn’t match any current style of clothing he’d seen in this world, and yet she looked more like a proper warrior in this than anything from both the Resistance or YoRHa combined.
“Does it really look that bad?” She scowled as she stopped a few paces away from them.
“Er… no?” 9S blinked rapidly, “It’s just unexpected, coming from you.”
“Your hair is different, too.” Ren studied the crown of silver-white braids, her bangs and additional pieces of longer hair framing her face.
“Look, I just wanted something better for the battlefield, especially since my longer hair was a target for those things Adam controlled.” A2 scoffed and crossed her arms, gloved fingers tapping on her protective sleeves, “The twins gave me this get-up since I didn’t have any clothes for myself. They had it stored in an old box somewhere and Devola wouldn’t take no for an answer. Popola gave me this look I couldn’t ignore either, so here we are.”
“Are you all fixed up, then?” Ren asked.
“Mostly.”
“Mostly?”
A2 looked away, “I need a new fuel filter, but the only way to get that is to go visit Pascal.” Something caught her eye, and she frowned at 9S’ Pod waiting in the far distance. She turned to study 9S and his visor abandoned in the dirt, a tense Seth still fuming smoke from his nostrils, before staring right at Ren with a hard gleam to her gaze, “What did I miss? Where’s 2B?”
9S bristled, “Still in maintenance.”
“So you came alone?” A2 asked, brow raised. “That’s not like you.”
9S studied A2 for several seconds, his grey-blue eyes sharpening.
A2 scowled, “Will you just tell me what the hell is going on?”
He sighed, but 9S walked to her with his head held high, “I need to ask you a favor.”
A2 curtly nodded, “Go on.”
He held out Cruel Oath, “Keep this safe for me, especially from 2B and any other YoRHa androids at all costs. And if I get killed and lose my memories again, you’ll return it to me after I come back. I… I’m not sure how I’ll repay you yet, but I’ll think of something.”
A2’s studied him intensely, her shoulders stiff as if she sensed the importance of this favor. Slowly, she took the hilt.
Ren knew the moment she touched it that the memories hit her. Her eyes widened, but they were far away as if watching something nobody else could see. It lasted a few seconds, and when it was over her expression hardened as if she’d aged ten years.
She took a deep breath, “...So that’s how it is.” She pinned Ren with emotions he couldn’t quite decipher. A2 turned to 9S, her voice uncharacteristically soft, “I promise I’ll keep this safe.”
9S sagged in relief, “Thank you.”
A2 reached her other hand to take her Type 4O Sword from her back. 9S startled when it gave off a snap of electricity, but he gaped when she offered it to him in the same way he offered her Cruel Oath.
“Don’t give me that look.” She rolled her eyes, “I’m not going to let you go without a weapon, so take mine as an equal exchange. A promise to protect each other.”
“You’ll watch my back and I’ll watch yours?” 9S smirked as he took it, “I could do that.”
“Damn straight!” She barked. 9S released a strangled yowl as she grabbed his shirt and shook him, “Because like hell am I going to let any of my friends die any more, YoRHa can shove my sword up their ass if they think they can do whatever they want! Got that, Nines!?”
Seth cackled, and despite the sad necessity of their promise, Ren cracked a small smile, too.
9S frantically nodded as A2 let him go.
“How long until 2B gets out of maintenance?” A2 asked.
9S looked at the electrified Type 4O Sword, frowning, “A few hours, give or take. Maybe less if the Operators find out what happened.”
“We have some free time.” They stared at Ren as he looked out to the decrepit buildings wrapped with mossy tree roots, “Why don’t we wander around the city to clear our heads? I want to see how the machines act now that Adam and Eve are out of the picture.” He turned to A2, “And we could stop by Pascal’s village to pick up the last part you need on the way back.”
A2 nodded, “Alright.”
9S agreed without a word. He waved for his Pod to join him, and then picked up the abandoned visor on the ground. The android stuffed it in a pocket instead of putting it back on, crystal clear eyes scanning the City Ruins. Surprisingly, his Pod hovered silently beside the other Pod as they exchanged information in silence, their tiny arms waving in sync.
With the prospect of another city adventure, Seth took to the sky to guard them from above.
The Pods and Androids barely flinched at the gust of wind as Seth beat of his wings, while Ren chose a random direction and started walking. It became obvious before getting clear of the pond that their group dynamic had shifted in leaps and bounds.
Ren may have chosen the direction, but he wasn’t taking point as he always did with the Phantom Thieves. At the same time, neither android were trying to coddle him in the guise of ‘protecting’ him as some deified Human.
They were walking side by side, together as equals.
The only caveat was that a group of four is always the perfect team, and while 2B would fill that slot perfectly, he had no idea how A2 and 9S would react to her now that her dark secret was out.
He decided to shelve it for now as they reached the city proper. There wasn’t a single cloud in the sky, the sun shining merrily down upon them. A pleasant summer breeze swept through the barren streets. The perfect day for an outing except their mood was rather somber. Nobody filled it with inane small talk.
9S remained understandably silent, his tired grey-blue eyes often staring off into the distance – too deep in his thoughts to offer any of his cheery commentary. He’d been injured in more ways than one since being taken by Adam, a lengthy chat with Ren and an afternoon stroll wouldn’t be enough to heal the damage. Forever gone was the happy-go-lucky boy Ren met ages ago, now replaced by a colder, more cynical twin.
While A2 looked contemplative. Her gaze kept flicking between Ren, 9S, and Cruel Oath now held protectively in her grasp, a knot forming in her brow the further they explored from the Resistance Camp. If she viewed 9S’ memories, then she knew the truth about Ren’s origins – and the deal he made with the Commander for her pardon. It wasn’t clear how she thought of everything yet. Her new clothes and hairstyle didn’t hamper her movements, but the way she shifted suggested she needed time to get used to them.
And the Pods decided to keep to themselves for once, not a single chime stringing from either of them.
They all needed more time to get themselves in right order again, and the thought barely left Ren’s mind as they came upon their first pair of machines.
The medium sort, about the size of a normal person. Their yellow eyes blinked rapidly as the three of them prepared for battle, but the machines didn’t attack. They scurried away, down a cramped alley overgrown with weeds.
“Huh. That’s weird.” A2 said as she lowered Cruel Oath. “Usually they attack androids on sight.”
“Maybe they’re not hostile anymore?” Ren said.
9S summoned a swathe of holographic screens, “Adam’s rampage didn’t last long, but from what I’m reading the machines have calmed down since Adam’s death. Most have gone docile while the network is in shambles.”
“Good.” Ren sighed, “We could all use a break from violence.”
9S chuckled without humor, “No kidding.”
A2 gazed at 9S with genuine heartbreak, but she erased it before 9S noticed.
They continued through the City Ruins. More machines stood in their path, but more often than not they would shuffle out of view, or in the case of a larger group tending to a field of flowers, wave at them in passing. There were no signs of the berserk machines and their horrifically gaping mouths. Yet.
Poor Seth was growing rather bored without any action to sate him, but Ren didn’t mind a peaceful day out for once. A normal walk, without having to risk his life.
Normal… until it wasn’t.
But not in the way he’d ever imagine – he’d certainly never thought he’d have this sort of outlandish encounter in a world of machines and androids. It’d fit right at home within the confines of the Metaverse.
They were an hour into their exploration when A2 paused in the overgrown street. “Do you hear that?”
Ren and 9S stopped, heads tilted.
It was like a trumpet blasting cheery music from a worn speaker, and… singing. An off key boyish voice proudly humming and caroling without any actual words. It grew closer, louder.
“Trickster! I sense—“
A vehicle careened around the corner, wheels screeching and acrid smoke wafting into the air. Ren barely absorbed the details of an old truck with a grinning bone-white face before he, 9S, and A2 leapt out of its way lest they be flattened on the pavement.
The strange truck didn’t notice them as it continued its happy singing, the blaring music fading as it gained distance.
“Magic!”
Ren blinked as Seth followed the truck, “Magic? As in… our magic!?”
“No, a Dragon’s magic !”
“Ren, where are you going!?” A2 balked as he took off after the truck, “Oh for the love of—“
The androids were on his heels as he turned the next corner the truck veered down.
“Not that I mind a sudden chase,” 9S grumbled, “But why are we running after that weird thing?”
“Seth says he senses a Dragon’s magic in it. I need to see if it knows anything.”
A2 and 9S exchanged wide eyed glances behind his back.
Pod 042 hovered right over Ren’s head, unbothered by the uptick in speed, “This Pod recommends shooting it to slow it down.”
“Great.” Sarcastic enthusiasm rolled off 9S, “That’s if we can even catch up to it.”
The happy trumpet music taunted them from a great distance. They always heard it far off as they bolted down several streets, over grassy patches, and through the odd stream or two, but never got close enough for the Pods to do their work. Seth tracked it from above. They didn’t want to risk harming the thing, so his latent skills were off the table.
Ren didn’t stop running until his lungs were on fire, their surroundings irritatingly familiar.
“This is the same street we were at ten minutes ago!” A2 stated.
“So… it’s leading us in a circle?” 9S added.
“It’s treading the same path as before, Trickster. Down to the same tire marks on the roads.”
“Seth says so. I vote we stay here and ambush it instead of wearing ourselves out.” Ren said as he caught his breath, “Seth can cut it off from that side of the street, and we’ll wait behind these buildings to cut off the exit.”
“Sounds like a plan.”
“Whatever.” A2 snapped, “I’m pissed this thing is giving us the run around in the first place.”
They took shelter in the shadow of the buildings, waiting until they heard the tell tale happy tune being sung in a boyish voice. It approached their location, and Seth descended the moment the truck veered around this exact same corner for the third time.
Seth landed with a thunderous boom, his massive bulk blocking the entire street.
“Whoa, whooooooooooa!!” The boyish voice cried out as brakes screeched, tires leaving black marks in the broken pavement.
The Pods wasted no time throwing a stream of bullets at it.
Ren winced when the truck became unbalanced, rolling and bouncing several times down the street. Somehow, it ended upright again in its final tumble, veering to a stop mere inches from the tip of Seth’s nose, engine rumbling.
The startled silence lasted for only a moment.
“Wow! Hiya big fella!” The truck chirped, “My name’s Emil! What’s yours?”
“Emil, hmm?” Seth tilted his head, ears flicking when there was no trace of fear or hostility. “I am Seth, God of Chaos, Deserts, and Storms!”
“Oh, cool! I have no idea what a god is, but it’s nice to meet you, Seth!”
“Again!?” Seth wailed. “How does nobody know what a god is!?”
“Sorry?” The truck offered. “Oh, is it a type of fish that can go on land? You do have a whale’s tail!”
Ren smirked when the wind was stolen out of Seth’s sails, a balloon leaking all of its air. He hid his laughter by clearing his throat.
The smell of burning rubber wrinkled Ren’s nose as Emil turned around.
“Hi there!” He greeted, “I don’t think we’ve met before! Are you friends with Seth?”
“Really?” A2 put on her most fierce scowl, “You don’t recognize the people you nearly ran over!?”
“Uh, no?”
9S deadpanned, “Are you sure we can’t just kill it?”
“If you don’t, I will.” A2 snapped, murder shining in her eyes.
“Nooooo!” The truck spun in small circles, “I swear I don’t remember, honest! I’m just a traveling merchant, so please don’t kill me!”
“A traveling merchant?” Ren raised a brow, “So you’ve been to a lot of places?”
“You bet! Let’s see, I’ve seen the sea, went through mountains and deserts, drove over a grassland or two, talked to a couple of androids here and there…”
“Then you wouldn’t happen to know anything about magic, would you?”
“Magic?”
Ren held his breath as the truck froze, as if in thought. This could be their breakthrough. Finally, their first real step to getting home, and all they needed was for this weird sentient truck to help them—
“I don’t.”
Any hope flew off like a frightened bird.
“You don’t?” Ren’s voice was impossibly small.
“Nope!”
“Liar!” Seth snapped out of his stupor, “It’s the weakest ember, but I sense a Dragon’s magic in you!”
“You do? I…” It grew quiet, even the happy trumpet music dulled its incessant noise, “I’m sorry. I don’t remember much about my life, so if I do have any sort of magic, I really wouldn’t know anything about it.”
Irony, Ren decided, was the cruelest mistress.
This was the second magical talking vehicle lacking his memories, just add a cat theme and it would be Morgana.
The thought hurt as much as it was a balm to remember his Magician.
A2 was never one to be too touchy to comfort him, but she did take a step closer, her solid presence was enough to ground him. 9S simply looked more contemplative – studying the truck with his intense grey-blue eyes.
“Gee, I’m sorry for being a downer.” Emil said as he drank in the dark mood, “Listen, you folks seem nice enough, so how about I let you browse my store at a discount? Oh! And as I’m a traveling merchant, I can ask around about magic for you! I’m sure someone somewhere knows more about it!”
“Thanks, Emil. It can’t hurt to see what you have.” Ren said.
“Great!” Emil swung his body around to reveal the back of the truck, loaded up with various junk, bits and bobs, and an entire jukebox that somehow stayed cemented in place. By some miracle, nothing was damaged from his wild driving skills or his dramatic tumble. “Let me know if you see anything you like!”
They leaned in to take a closer look at the disorganized chaos.
9S raised a brow as he scooped up a handful of android chips, the other grabbing a dismembered machine arm, “Where do you get all this stuff?”
“Around. Sometimes people trade materials or items for my stuff, but most of the time I get supplies from a friend of mine named Accord. Oh! She recently gave me some brand new weapons to sell, they should be in there somewhere! She told me I absolutely must sell them to the next people I meet, and well.. here you are!”
“You mean these?” A2 shoved a mass of junk aside and pulled out two identical spears: One a purest white, the other the darkest of black.
Seth squinted at them, “Is it common to have a duality of black and white weapons?”
“I don’t know.” Emil stated. “Accord didn’t mention anything about it.”
“I remember something Masamune said,” 9S tossed the items back into the heap, “That his master made multiple sets of black and white weapons like Cruel Oath and Virtuous Contract. This must be another pair he made.”
“I’ll ask him about it sometime.” Ren said.
A2 weighed the weapons in her hands before glancing at Ren, “You said you wanted to learn how to fight with spears, right? I could teach you with these.”
Ren looked at 9S, who shrugged, “My specialty is hacking. You’re better off getting her to train you.”
The spears were twins, aside from opposition in colors. A simple handle leading up to a more stylized head with twisting decorations near the sharp tip. The strangest thing was they each bore grimacing faces carved into the decorative metalwork, too.
A2 handed them over to Ren, “Pick which one you want, I’m fine with either.”
They were cold to the touch, a strange tingling hummed through his veins as his latent magic wound itself around them. He ignored the dwindling sensation as he weighed them, as they were heavier than his daggers. Still, he’d be an idiot to waste the chance presented to him: more so if they could take these to Masamune to get more magic or abilities from them.
“Pod?” Ren said, to no Pod in particular.
Pod 153 went to the black spear matching her color, “Scanning…”
Pod 042 hovered over the pure white spear matching his own color, “Scanning…”
They pulled up their screens at the same time – spears naturally having higher attack power in addition to weight compared to his daggers, but he paled at the sight of the abilities listed at the bottom. The white spear, Virtuous Dignity, was listed with High Counter, a passive ability Seth already possessed.
But the black spear, Cruel Arrogance, had Endure.
Endure. The skill to survive a fatal blow with one foot in the grave.
The scars on Ren and Seth’s chests twinged. They were by no means immune to damage in this world. The battles with Adam and Eve proved they could be injured beyond any doubt, perhaps even killed if they weren’t careful enough, and thus the choice became obvious.
Ren grinned as he passed Virtuous Dignity to A2, “Black suits me better, don’t you think?”
A2 huffed as she slotted it next to Cruel Oath at her back, “Yeah, sure.”
Emil cleared his throat as he wheeled around to face them again, a slot opening in the hood.
Ren snickered. He dug through his pockets, already having sorted the new mountain of currency the androids threw at his doorstep. He deposited the appropriate amount into the slot, not noticing how A2’s eyes traced something falling to the ground.
The slot closed and Emil did a happy twirl, “Thank you!”
“Ren, you dropped this.”
He looked at A2, who held out a carefully pressed and dried Lunar Tear he saved from the children in Pascal’s village.
“Oh. Sorry, I’ll have to be more careful with it.“
“That flower!”
Ren jumped out of his skin when Emil suddenly leaned in a little too close, “You know about Lunar Tears?”
“So this flower is called a Lunar Tear…” Emil whispered in awe, “For some reason, seeing this flower is dredging up all kinds of memories.”
“Wait, really?” Ren asked, flighty hope returning from its journey.
“Yeah! Uh, one of them is me being attacked by some giant boar over and over? Weird.”
“There are giant moose and boar all over the place.” 9S said, “Was it one of those around the City Ruins?”
“No, I don’t think so! We were in a valley bigger than anything in the City Ruins!”
“We?” A2 asked.
“There were others with me, I think?” Emil sighed, “I can’t remember their names or faces, but they feel like friends. I’m not sure what to make of it.”
“Anything about magic?” Ren asked.
“...No.”
Ren deflated again.
“So, say you’re able to see more of these flowers.” 9S stated, hand clutching his chin. “Do you think other memories would come back?”
“You know where more of them are!?”
9S cried out as Emil lunged at him, their faces nearly touching.
“He seems to not know anything about personal space.” Seth remarked with an amused sway of his tail.
Ren snorted, “He’s either too innocent to notice, or he’s not had many people to talk to in a long time.”
“Yeah, there’s actually one close by.” 9S took a huge step back, “We can go right now, if you want to.”
“Yes please!!”
9S looked to Ren, who nodded, “Lead the way, Nines.”
“Right…”
The android led them at a leisurely pace down the street, with Emil hovering in 9S’s shadow, singing his song for anyone within a two block radius to hear.
Seth didn’t take off, instead he crawled behind them to watch the strange magical vehicle, his head positioned protectively over Ren.
Ren didn’t know what to do with Cruel Arrogance, holding it awkwardly out at his side – if only Cu Chulainn were awake to give him pointers. He’d have to ask the blacksmith at the Resistance Camp to make a proper holster, or he could make one himself if they found any materials laying around.
A2 nudged him as they walked behind a bouncing Emil, “Hold it like this before you hurt yourself. Plus, it’s easier this way in case we need to run.”
She closed her fist much closer to the sharp tip, holding the pointed end towards the ground while most of the spear shaft was comfortably suspended at her back.
He copied her, finding the weight much more manageable for traveling. With some experimentation, he loosened or tightened his grip to let it slide to various lengths.
A2 chuckled as she twirled it, the weapon flowing so naturally over her fingers. That smirk of hers lessened as he memorized every movement and successfully copied her after a half dozen tries.
Maybe he still had a tiny bit of Cu Chulainn in him after all.
“You learn fast.”
Ren shrugged, holding the spear with the sharp end downwards, “I’ve heard people say I’m a quick study. A real Wild Card.” He glanced at 9S being annoyed at Emil’s closeness, frowning, “2B was a good teacher for dual wielding, I’m betting you’ll be a fine teacher at spears, too.”
“I don’t know about that.”
“C’mon, what would you do with it if we encountered hostiles?”
She raised a brow, “Stab them with the pointy end. I thought that was obvious.”
Seth spluttered, not bothering holding back his roaring laughter.
“Shut up, wyrm!”
“Please, you admitted your teaching was lackluster and proved it a moment later. How is that not hilarious?”
“Do you want me to stab you in the eye, you dumb bat!?”
“You guys okay back there?” Emil asked, wheeling around to look at them. He was seamlessly driving backwards as he stuck to 9S like glue. “There’s a lot of shouting.”
“We’re fine!” A2 snapped.
“If you say so!”
“Okay,” Ren buried his smirk as Emil whipped back around, “Why don’t you do a demonstration instead?”
A2 slowed down so Emil and 9S wouldn’t get hit. She chained four consecutive thrusts, adding a twirl of the spear between each attack. She pulled back and performed a few wide sweeps, dancing together with additional stabs. Her final attack began with a mighty lunge forward, her feet moving as if she were in a ballet – continuing the combo by twirling the spear in an X shape before her, finishing by a final sweep where she twisted her entire body in a full circle.
Any poor machine would be diced to bits.
Her hands kept moving up and down at various points on the weapon during the combo, already a master at moving with the spear as if they were one being.
Her face turned red as she noticed his gaping, “What?”
“Nothing.” He cleared his throat as he tried copying a few of her earlier movements, his steps clumsy. “I’m realizing a spear is a lot more complicated than daggers. It’ll take a while to get used to.”
“Keep training and practicing as you are, Ren.” Pod 042 warmly stated as he floated in front of Ren, “This Pod has every confidence you’ll master it if you put in the same amount of effort as you did with your daggers.”
“Oh.” Ren grinned, “Thanks, Pod.”
“I’m simply comparing data previously collected during your training with YoRHa Unit 2B. No gratitude is necessary.”
“If you say so.” Ren gently patted the Pod, “Still, I appreciate it.”
Pod 042 hummed and buzzed as if embarrassed.
“Would you be able to use both a sword and a spear at once?” Ren asked as the Pod floated in circles above them.
“You bet.” A2’s smirk returned in full force, “Watch this.”
She executed a flurry of strikes with the spear with only one hand, the other continuing the flowing combo with twirling swipes of the shadowy sword. The speed and accuracy of this combination was better than the spear by itself, and she finished by flinging Cruel Oath away from her. It seemed to float in the air for a moment before it returned to her back in a golden flash.
Ren doubted a normal human would ever be able to pull off something like that.
“I have a lot of catching up to do.”
“Like the Pod said,” A2 smiled at him, “You’ll get there eventually.”
They stopped practicing to catch up with Emil and 9S, Seth lumbering behind them, as they reached a rickety wooden bridge stretched between a deep chasm. Ren had seen this bridge before, as it was around the same area where he found the Phoenix Plume hidden on a rocky path below – and conveniently close to one of the entrances to Pascal’s village.
Seth got comfortable as Ren took his first steps on the bridge, the ropes straining under their weight.
“Are you sure that bridge is safe, Trickster? It looks as if it’ll snap at any moment!”
“It should hold.” Ren stiffened as the wind swayed the bridge, “But let’s not jinx it.”
Thankfully, they crossed safely under Seth’s watchful gaze, and reached the other side. Ren breathed a silent sigh of relief as they entered what looked to be an ancient shopping mall, so dilapidated and overgrown that it was near unrecognizable.
“There it is.” 9S pointed to a secluded corner twisting with gnarled roots, “Just like I promised.”
Unlike the dried version in his pocket, the living flower gave off a pearly light: as if it were truly a plant born from tears of moonlight.
Emil drove up to the flower, gasping as he took in its glow, “I… I remember caring for flowers like these a long time ago.”
“Are more memories coming back to you?” Ren asked.
“It’s all pretty fuzzy yet. There were so many of these flowers back in the day, but they all withered out until there were only a few left.” Emil said, not taking his eyes away from the glowing bloom, “Now that I’m really thinking about it, the flowers disappeared at around the same time I stopped seeing people.”
“People?” 9S’ eyes were blown wide, “Like… like Humans?”
A chill crept down Ren’s spine at Emil’s hum of affirmation.
“How old are you? Humans are—” A2 cut herself off, “They left a long time ago.”
“I don’t know. But I remember that day the aliens invaded, how I fought so hard to save everybody on Earth. I think… I had something I really wanted to protect back then.” Emil turned to A2 suddenly, “Hey, have we ever met before?”
“No. I’d remember meeting something as weird as you. Why do you ask?”
“I’m not sure.” Emil chuckled, the lonely sound pulling at Ren’s heart, “Your choice of clothes, your hairstyle and the way you talk, it’s so similar to the friends I had back then.”
“… I see.”
“Listen, Emil.” 9S shifted on his feet, “I can send you data on the other locations where these flowers were spotted. You could tell us if you remember anything else?”
“Oh, you’d do that? Of course! If I remember anything more significant, I’ll reach out to you on this frequency.” Emil cast his eerie grin to Ren, “Especially if I remember anything about magic! I’ll still ask around for you though, so don’t worry!”
Ren nodded, “I’d really appreciate that, Emil.”
9S opened his screens and exchanged data. Whatever Emil was, he was able to accept it without any problems.
“I’ll look into these real soon!” The sentient truck turned back to the luminescent flower, “I’m going to stay here for a bit before I look for the others. Just… for a little while.”
The dismissal was clear. Emil was friendly enough, but the flower quickly took precedence over the three strangers he’d just met, and they were forgotten to his memories when they crossed the creaky bridge back to Seth.
Ren put a hand on 9S’ shoulder once they were back on stable ground, “Nines, thanks.”
He blinked, “What for?”
“For trying to get us more information about magic.” Ren shrugged, “Even if we’re not quite there yet, Emil might be the only source we have.”
“Don’t worry about it. Since YoRHa and the Resistance have nothing to help you, its only natural to look elsewhere.” 9S stared off into the distance, lips pursing. “You know, only my friends get to call me Nines.”
“...Oh.” He failed to keep the hurt from his voice as 9S whirled around to him, eyes wide.
“No, no, that’s not what I meant! Let me try that again.” 9S huffed, “I think the only ones who deserve to call me Nines right now are you and A2.”
Seth sent a searing hot breath over 9S.
Ren held back his glee when the android rolled his eyes at the Dragon, “Alright, you too, of course.”
A2 ruffled his hair, “About time!”
9S jumped away from her, pouting as he tried to fix his hair, “About time for what!?”
“I’ve been the only one with big enough balls to sass this damned Dragon, so it’ll be nice to have back up for once!”
Seth blinked, then bristled, “Hey!”
“You’re right.” 9S deadpanned, “I think we can bring the esteemed God of Storms down a peg or two.”
A2 threw her head back and released the clearest laughter Ren had heard from her, the sound soothing an ache within their hurting souls.
“I’m right here!” Seth thundered. His nostrils smoked, but there was no real heat to it, “You toothpicks don’t stand a chance against my majesty!”
“Majesty?” 9S squinted, “Are you sure that’s not just hot gas?”
“His breath reeks of majesty, if that’s the case.” A2 snarked.
“Oh that’s it!”
Seth took on a stance not unlike that of a playful puppy, his tail sweeping wildly over the grass.
A2 and 9S glanced at each other with equal grins. They didn’t draw their weapons, but they fell into equal poses – ready to counter whatever Seth threw at them.
“Now, now.” Ren stepped between them, his face hurting from his big smile, “As much as I don’t mind any play fighting, we do have to get A2 fully repaired first. Pascal’s village is right over there.”
Seth turned up his nose, “Fine, I would’ve won anyway. You saved them from a humiliating defeat, Trickster.”
“As if!” 9S balked.
“We could totally take you on any day!” A2 shouted.
“Whatever.” Seth spread his wings, “Stop screwing around and go get fixed up before you blow a gasket, you rusted bucket of bolts!”
A2 squawked as wind batted them, and Seth took off into the sky.
“According to my data, Units A2 and 9S would have a 1.82% chance at winning a rough housing match against Seth.”
“Really!?” A2 gaped at Pod 042, “That low?”
“What a downer.” 9S muttered.
“There, there.” Pod 153 gently smoothed over the last of 9S’ ruffled hair, “As long as you have fun, that is all that matters.”
“...If you say so, Pod.”
“At least we can still throw insults at him. He eats them up like you wouldn’t believe.”
Ren snickered as he turned towards the entrance to Pascal’s village, listening to the androids banter back and forth as they traded the view of the City Ruins for the shaded forest humidity of Pascal’s Village. As they continued deeper into the sky scraper sized trees, Ren sensed odd emotions within Seth as he soared above the towering foliage.
“Something on your mind, Seth?”
“It’s nothing, Trickster.” The Dragon bubbled with a sense of warmth he didn’t often feel, “I’m simply relieved you pulled Nines back from the brink. I’ve seen a touch of that madness before Eve’s death, but it was nothing compared to the full depth revealed to us this day.”
“We’re not out of the woods yet.” Ren watched the pair of androids gesture avidly to one another, their respective Pods following closely, “He has a lot to work through, let alone I have no idea what’s going to happen the next time we see 2B. We have a few hours at most before then.”
“We’ll cross that horizon once we come to it. As long as we’re around, we can prevent blood from being shed.”
“I hope so.”
They crossed into Pascal’s village, Ren and 9S gaping at the explosion of activity all around the massive tree serving as the village’s center. Machines traveled in large groups along the metal walkways fastened to the magnificent trunk, while its roots were surrounded in new houses and shacks that weren’t here the last time he visited. They were hastily thrown together, with the larger machines building more under the tree’s generous shade.
More than a few foreign machines stood around in organized groups among Pascal’s villagers; machines with tribal masks and dusty cloaks, some festive jesters spraying confetti, even one tiny crowd of the samurai-like machines from the Forest Kingdom – though those ones strayed far from the rest.
“I thought this was a small village.” A2 said.
“It was.” Ren glanced between so many machines he didn’t recognize, “Maybe the collapse of the network is responsible for this? I doubt Pascal would turn anyone away.”
9S scanned the massive crowd on the forest floor as they crossed a bridge to the central platforms, “These machines are from all over the place; The Amusement Park, the desert, you name it. But why gather here?”
“Big brother Ren?” They stopped when the tiniest child in the village called out, suddenly jumping in joy, “Big brother Ren! Everyone, big brother Ren is back!!”
The village’s children poured out of the wood work, stampeding towards him en mass.
Ren had just enough time to toss his spear to a confused A2 to prevent any accidental injuries when they were upon him. He caught the smallest when when he jumped at Ren’s chest, the others following suit. Giggles and laughter burst from the children as they knocked him over, all vying to hug him in some way.
“Big brother Ren!” The one he held cried, cold metal hands gripping his face, “You were gone so long, we were all worried!”
“Uh, it was only for a couple of days?”
“Nu uh!” Another child hanging from his arm said, “You were gone foreverrrrrr!”
“Foreverrrrrr!” The others chimed in unison.
“Children, please!” A sizable machine lumbered over to them, “You all promised to be good while Grandpa Pascal was gone, right? Give our honored friend some space!”
“Awww, okay!”
“Fiiiiine!”
The children gradually let go, and the adult machine gave him a hand up to stand. A2 had a shaking grip on the spears, glaring molten anger as the children danced around Ren. 9S scratched the back of his head, trying to wipe his smirk from his face.
“I apologize for them,” The machine said as she gently wiped dust from Ren’s shoulders, “They love getting into more trouble whenever Pascal isn’t around.”
“It’s fine.” Ren grinned as he patted the smallest one on the head. It fell as he looked up to the machine. “Wait, Pascal isn’t here?”
“You came to see him, then?”
“Yeah, we did.” 9S frowned. “Where’d he go?”
The machine’s shoulders rose and fell in a semblance of a sigh. She turned to look out at the gathered crowd at their home tree’s roots, “As you can see, many new machines have joined us since the network went down. New villages and towns have been popping up all over the world, full of peaceful machines like ourselves. One such new civilization recently reached out to form a peace treaty with our village – they’ve taken the Factory as their new home.”
“The Factory?” 9S gaped, “Is Pascal insane!? That place is dangerous!”
“Oh… is it?” The machine shuffled in unease, “The rest of us were so busy with getting the newcomers settled, we didn’t even think…”
“When did he leave?” Ren asked.
“Not long ago. You may be able to catch up to him before anything bad happens.”
“Is Grandpa Pascal in danger?” One of the children asked, their voice trembling.
“No, I’m scared for Grandpa Pascal!”
“I want Grandpa to come back right now!”
Other children started sniffling and crying.
Ren gave a look to his android companions.
“I can go without this part.” A2 tried. “Do we really need to go through the trouble?”
“Correction: Devola and Popola were certain unit A2 would eventually suffer critical malfunctions, should this part not be replaced soon.” Pod 042 turned to A2’s betrayed expression, if ever a Pod could look like a disappointed father it would be now. “Going after Pascal to secure his safety is the most logical step.”
A2 scowled, crossing her arms and turning away.
9S sighed, “There’s not much choice, is there?”
Ren nodded before he looked to the adult machine, “Don’t worry, we’ll bring Pascal back, safe and sound.”
“You would do that for us?” The machine looked touched as she placed a hand on her chest, “Please, be careful. We wouldn’t ever forgive ourselves if you were hurt.”
Ren winked, “We’ll be back before you know it!” He looked down to the children with a warm smile, “Be good while we’re gone, okay? I’ll play with you all once we get back.”
“Promise?” The smallest child asked.
“I promise.”
“We’ll be waiting, big brother Ren!”
“Don’t take forever this time!”
He waved at them before their group turned right around to leave.
A2 breathed a sigh of relief as they quickly traversed the speckled shadows outside of the village, returning the dark spear to Ren’s hands.
“Are you okay, A2?” 9S asked. “You looked a bit tense back there.”
“I’m fine.” She shook her head when 9S gave her a disbelieving stare, “When the… the children tackled Ren, it reminded me of those machines that attacked the Resistance Camp. I’m not used to being surrounded by friendly machines.”
“I admit, it took me a while to get used to it, too.” 9S replied, “And even longer for me to trust Pascal and his villagers. They’re a decent bunch, for machines at least.”
A2 snorted. “I hope so.”
“We’ll bring Pascal back and get the part you need.” Ren smiled at her, “They really are good people, A2.”
“I’ll hold you to that.” She said.
Seth awaited them at the entrance, already crouched down so they could climb on his back.
“Can you read a map, Seth?” 9S asked as Ren jumped up first.
“Of course I can!” Seth snapped, “I’m not some uneducated reptile!”
“There’s room for debate on that.” A2 snarked.
Seth shook himself like a wet dog when she was halfway up his back, knocking her back onto the grass.
“Hey! What was that for!?”
“Do I really need to explain to the true uneducated one?”
Ren facepalmed when A2 jumped to her feet.
“Take that back, you son of a—“
“Can we focus, please?” 9S rolled his eyes as he pulled up a large holographic map in front of Seth. “We’re right here,” He pointed to their current location before moving to the other side of the map, “And the Factory is all the way over there, a good number of kilometers away. Think you can make good time?”
Seth snorted, “That distance is child’s play! Now stop screwing around and get on, you two!”
A2 muttered several curses as she and 9S got situated behind Ren, holding the Pods safely under their arms.
Ren made sure his new spear was secure over his lap before he nodded to Seth, and the skies carried them with favorable winds. They cut through the air with ease, the City Ruins flying by under their feet in a rush of green. The howling in their ears prevented any discussion as they had their heads ducked to avoid to the worst of it from stinging their eyes, and soon the grassy patches and overgrown buildings below were replaced by cold steel constructs.
Great rising buildings were sprinkled through a vast lake, every inch of metal rusted over to create a watery kingdom of dusky orange. The sharp scent wafted up to them as Seth soared over the first crane encrusted with rust, its heavy load precariously imbalanced. Seth soared between many buildings and over walkways when they spotted someone walking towards one of the larger constructs in the area.
Seth’s valiant roar echoed far across the water.
The figure turned around, revealing Pascal’s curious green eyes.
Seth sailed down to the platform, where he landed with his claws scratching on sheets of metal and uneven grating.
Ren slid down his wing as Pascal rushed to them, “Oooh! Ren, 9S, A2, and Seth of course! I’m glad to see you all safe from the recent turmoil, but what are you doing here?”
“We needed a new fuel filter for A2, and heard you were the only one who could make them.” Ren started.
“But then we went to your village and learned you went off to a dangerous place all by yourself!” 9S snapped as his Pod floated near, “What were you thinking, coming here alone!?”
Pascal tilted his head, “I came here to form an alliance with another group of machines, so I didn’t think they would be hostile towards me.”
A2 raised a brow as 9S pinched the bridge of his nose, “You said this place was dangerous, but there’s literally nothing around. What were you so worried about?”
9S groaned, “Let’s just say 2B and I had a mission here once.”
“And?”
“And it ended up with the both of us waking up on the bunker, in new bodies.”
“Oh.”
“That was then, this is now. I sense no enemies around us, not even in the water.” Seth shuffled his wings. “Did we rush here for nothing?”
“Well, I wouldn’t say for nothing.” Pascal gazed up to the rusted tower. “I’ve not been inside yet, but you could come along if you’re so worried.”
“If it gets us back to the village faster.” A2 grumbled.
“Wonderful!” Pascal pumped his fist, “You’ll see, we’ll form an alliance with our new friends and be out of here in no time!”
Pascal approached a set of metal doors, which hissed open when they drew near.
A sweltering heat descended upon them the moment they stepped within the spacious room lined with crisscrossing pipes and only lit by dim bulbs lining the floor, and they were immediately greeted with two rows of machines waiting for them.
They didn’t wear masks with dusty cloaks nor did they don samurai armor, instead these machines were swaddled in fine purple robes – almost like that of clergy. Their metal shells were also painted the deepest of violet to accompany their flowing clothes.
“Hark, lost lambs!” The machine at the front of the group stepped forward, “You have entered the domain of God!”
Ah, so Ren was right on them being akin to clergy. He felt Seth seething from outside.
“You are Pascal? Here to strike an alliance with his Grace?”
“That’s correct!” Pascal happily said, “If you would be so kind as to show us to your leader?”
“Of course, we’ve been waiting for your arrival. Come, right down this corridor.”
The robed machine led them through another set of automatic doors, walking over a metal path trimmed in wire fencing. The dull pounding of metal on metal and bubbling heat echoed through the cavernous ceiling large enough for Seth to fly around in. His eyes swept over large tangles of pipes, stacks upon stacks of crates, of assembly lines carrying buckets of material all throughout the other parts of the factory.
“This place used to be a weapons factory before 2B and I shut it down.” 9S supplied to his companions, “I never thought it would be used by machines disconnected from the network.”
“Then why is it still running?” A2 asked.
9S frowned at the melted slag being transported elsewhere, “Honestly? No idea. Some parts were completely automated, and they even had voice recordings of Humans from thousands of years ago. Nothing useful, mind you.”
Ren had no time to ponder that as they turned a short distance to an elevator.
Their escort gestured to them as it opened, “Our most holy leader is waiting for you. Do make haste.”
“Thank you.” Pascal bowed his head as they boarded the elevator.
The doors closed, and Ren’s stomach flipped as it began the descent.
“I… I am glad you decided to come with me.” Pascal said, his green eyes blinking, “I’ve never met machines quite like these before, so this all seems very shady.”
“We can still turn back?” Ren suggested.
Pascal mimicked a sigh, “No. I have a duty to my people to see this alliance through. I’ve gotten everyone this far, the least we could do is honor an agreement between our communities.”
“If you say so.” A2 whispered, “Still, I don’t like this.”
“As long as we stick together, we should be fine.” 9S narrowed his eyes out of a window in the elevator, watching metalwork pass by them as they went down. “But my map data doesn’t cover anything this far down. We’re going in blind.”
The elevator slowed to a stop.
The doors opened, and an icy chill cut through the blistering heat that would’ve made Ren sweat buckets if not for Seth’s natural defenses shielding him.
Pascal stepped off first, but Ren didn’t move.
His android companions hesitated when they sensed his unease.
“What’s wrong?” A2 whispered.
Ren stared into the smoky darkness, of the many machines standing around with blazing torches – watching them with unblinking eyes. This felt more like entering the domain of a cult rather than any sanctified church or temple.
“I have this hunch.” He whispered. “Be prepared for something to go wrong.”
A2 and 9S exchanged hardened glances and drew their weapons. The Pods closed in around them when they followed Pascal, who seemed nervous as his metal hands fidgeted.
Another robed machine bowed to them at the next set of doors, “The chamber of his Grace is through here. Please, speak respectfully while in His presence.”
“O-Of course.” Pascal chuckled.
The doors opened to another circular room. They were outnumbered ten to one, so many robed machines stood shoulder to shoulder, grasping their torches. Additional fires were set up on posts all around, but it only added more weight to the oppressing air.
A marvelous throne rose up in the center, and there sat another machine dressed like a head priest – complete with more decorated robes and an ornate hat. His eyes were dark, and he didn’t acknowledge their entry,
“Um, hello?” Pascal braved into the chamber first, followed closely by the others, “My name is Pascal. You summoned me to form an alliance with my village?”
They stopped a safe distance from the throne. The head priest’s followers clutched their torches tightly, waiting for a response from their dignified leader.
“That room is big enough for me,” Seth brushed against Ren’s thoughts as the eerie quiet stretched, “If something goes wrong, don’t hesitate to summon me!”
Ren agreed without protest.
Another beat of silence passed before Pascal took another step forward, “Are you alright?“
The leader slumped over as if by some divine providence, and Ren jumped as the machine’s head rolled off and bounced down the stairs with obscenely loud clatters. The large hat slid off as the detached head landed by their feet.
“Oh dear…” Pascal uttered in shock.
The other machines shuffled, their eyes blinking rapidly in a way that reminded Ren of a hive of angry wasps.
Ren expected them to blame their group for causing the misfortune of losing their esteemed leader.
“Our wondrous Grace has become a god!”
Ren blinked, “What?”
The machines’ eyes all flashed red as they threw up their arms, the air super charged with zealous madness.
“His Grace has become a god!”
A2 raised her spear, “What the fuck—“
The pounding of the machines’ unified march drummed in their ears.
“His wondrous Grace has become a god!”
“...become a god!”
“Now, now…” Pascal backed away from their leader’s head, huddling against Ren and the androids. “Please, everyone calm down!”
“His wondrous Grace has become a god!”
“...become a god!”
“I don’t think they’re listening,” 9S had his back to Ren’s and A2’s as a pair of robed machine closed the doors behind them, their unified marching quickening in speed. “Shit!”
“We as well shall become as gods!”
“Become as gods!”
“We as well shall become as gods!”
“Become as gods!”
“All of you shall become as gods!”
“Become as gods!”
“All of you shall become as gods!”
They were swarmed as the marching machines closed in circles on them, suddenly freezing in sync as they faced their prey.
“We’ll all die together and become as gods!”
“BECOME AS GODS!”
“Oh, I was right. This IS shady!” Pascal leaned forward. “But… fascinating. I’ve never seen machines with such unique perspectives.”
The robed machines leapt at them, and A2 struck them down with her pearly spear.
“Now’s not the time, Pascal!” 9S shouted as he joined the fray, machines exploding at their attacks, but several more surged in without hesitation.
“Die and become gods!” One machine shouted as its death rattle.
“Let us all become gods together!”
The Pods shot endless bullets and fired off devastating Programs, Ren and the androids swung their weapons. The visceral crunch of metal crept up Ren’s spear handle and up into his arms. Without proper training, he was slow and uncoordinated, but he didn’t have a moment to switch over to his daggers. So he did what Joker did best: Adapt to the situation.
He jumped back from another machine’s swipe, twirling around to add momentum to his next wide sweep. He didn’t have the androids’ strength to throw them to the wall for an explosion of carnage, but his pitch black spear cleaved the metal as if it were exposed flesh. A few well-timed jabs dismembered his opponent, one last thrust sank the spear into the machine’s chest, destroying its heart. Ren ripped it out to continue his assault on the next machine lunging within his range.
He only defeated two when the androids already destroyed twenty.
He was far from the only one to adapt to their situation: A2 covered his blind spots, the Pods protected his back, and 9S filled in the gaps with his superior hacking.
What machines were slain were easily replaced by more, an endless horde.
“Everyone, to me!” Ren shouted as Seth vanished from the surface. “Now!”
A2 and 9S immediately jumped to his side, while Pascal huddled close.
Protective black wings emerging from a sea of blue embers cut off their view of the mad frenzy, and Seth’s piercing roar silenced their chanting.
“You want to see a real god!?” He howled as his tail swung with reckless abandon, destroying the raised throne and dozens of machines in one fell swoop, “Well, HERE I AM!”
9S summoned his screens while Seth was preoccupied in the destruction, “Shit.”
“What’s wrong?” A2 asked as she stood at the ready, despite them being within the safety of Seth’s dark wings.
“There’s no signal down here, so I can’t send a distress signal to YoRHa!”
Ren chuckled, projecting the air of a confident Leader, “Then we’ll make our own way through.”
A2 bore a viscous grin, “Who needs YoRHa anyway!?”
9S snorted as he cast away his screens, “Fair enough. Seth seems to be enjoying himself, anyway.”
More splitting metal and diabolical heat came before Seth opened his wings, revealing a room littered with machine parts and burn marks aplenty. The throne was smashed to smithereens, and the high priest’s head was crushed under Seth’s foot.
“Oh, my.” Pascal whispered as he looked about, “Your power is to be feared indeed, Seth.”
“Now we need a way out.”
Seth shook his head as smoke streamed from his throat, “Allow me to open the door back to the elevator.”
He drank in a great breath and released a massive ruby-red fireball, blowing the doors off their hinges.
“Subtle.”A2 said dryly.
Ren and the others bolted to the elevator they came from. Ren pressed the call button several times, but nothing happened.
9S summoned his screens as A2 pounded on the door. “That won’t work,” He said, “The power’s been cut.”
“Of fucking course. Nothing can be easy for us, huh?”
“Can you get it online?” Ren asked.
“Not this one. Whatever they did, this elevator is done for good.”
“There’s another elevator behind the throne, but I know not where it leads.”
“Seth says there’s another one in the throne room. We could try that one?”
9S nodded and they returned. He frowned when this one wouldn’t open either, “I should be able to get this one open. It’ll take a minute.”
A2 sighed as 9S began hacking in.
Ren shifted his weight as he looked around the room, grip tightening on his spear. He could take this moment to switch weapons, but what to do with his spear? The Pods could hold it in their digital storage, however he’d risk having Endure be out of reach, and there might not be time to give it to him in the heat of battle.
Ren glanced around the broken machines, an idea forming.
He knelt down by a group whose robes weren’t burned to cinders. Ren set his spear down and used his daggers to cut long strips of purple silk, tying and looping the fabric into a sash. He secured Cruel Arrogance with a few tight knots, and then draped it over his left shoulder.
After some adjustment, he performed a few stretches to make sure the spear didn’t impede his movements or wiggle around too much.
Satisfied, he clutched a dagger in each hand and turned to his friends, blinking when Pascal and A2 stared at him.
“What?”
“Nothing.” Pascal laughed as he gestured to the new purple sash, “You are quite resourceful, Ren.”
A2 eyed the grimacing spear jutting above Ren’s head, “You could’ve had the Pods hold it for you.”
“Yes,” He glanced away, “but I want to keep it close, just in case.”
She frowned, but couldn’t get another word in as 9S got the elevator doors open.
Seth peeked through the doors like a curious bird once they all piled in, “Summon me the moment there’s enough space! These heathens will learn what a true god can do!”
Ren nodded as the doors closed, and the relief was palpable as it went up. A short ascent later, and they entered another wide room filled with purple robed machines. But they weren’t like the ones in the throne room, many were huddling in groups, shaking and crying. A few dead ones were sprawled out on the floor.
“What’s going on!?” One machine shouted, “Why did they start killing us!?”
“Please, just make them stop.”
“Oh no…” Pascal stepped towards the machines sane enough not to attack them. “Everyone, listen to me! My name is Pascal, and I came to form an alliance with your… previous leader. I don’t know what is going on either, but you are all welcome to take sanctuary in my village!”
A machine taller than Pascal approached, bowing low, “Th-thank you! I’ll gather everyone who’s sane and wait for things to quiet down first. Please, be careful going forward! There’s a terrible guardian blocking the only exit.”
Ren exchanged glances with A2 as Pascal offered a few more condolences before they continued through the Factory.
The next door revealed a great chasm, they were so far underground there was no ceiling in sight, the frail walkway they stood upon lead upwards towards more insane machines and factory lines continuing their work as if nothing was amiss. Great underground towers dotted the expanse like trees, the only lights were the flickering fluorescent bulbs on the rickety network of paths between them.
Ren poked the loose railing with the tip of Arsene’s Lament, a piece falling off to be lost the darkness. They’d never hear it hit the bottom.
“I don’t think this place is up to code.”
A2 and 9S looked at him as if he’d grown a second head, to which he shrugged.
As promised, Ren released Seth into the open abyss.
He burst out of a cloud of blue embers, flapping his wings without fear of the nothingness.
Ren nodded to the others after Seth swooped over them, “Let’s go.”
The walkways were too thin for them to move as a group, so they had to run single file; A2 as their literal spear head, Ren with Pascal at his back, 9S covering their rear, the Pods offering their endless support in between. Their group rushed up the stairs under Seth’s mighty roar, his protective fireballs incinerating any mad machines in their path. They traversed over walkways, webs of interconnected steel frames, and cut through a group of rabid machines lurking in a twisted concrete matrix.
The constant chant of ‘Become as Gods!’ saturated the air as they entered the next safe room.
More sane machines took shelter here.
“There’s a terminal.” 9S said as he pointed to one by the next door, “I’ll see what data I can extract from it.”
“Yes, let us take a moment to catch our breath.” Pascal nodded, “I wish to offer sanctuary to these poor machines as well.”
Ren and A2 exchanged glances as the other two separated from them.
“Are you alright, A2?” Ren asked when she gave the cowering machines a narrow glance.
She huffed, the grip on her spear tightening, “We can’t even do one simple errand without getting dragged into trouble. And now, we’re surrounded by machines—“
The safe room trembled as Seth battled hostiles outside, swatting several groups with a rain of homing fireballs.
“I thought we could relax in Pascal’s village for a while, too.” Ren bore a tense smile, “But look at them, A2. None of them wanted this to happen.”
She scowled at the machine who clutched Pascal’s hands with both of his own, and the others around Pascal who were on their hands and knees, bowing their heads to the ground in thanks.
“Remember what I said to Adam.” Ren continued quietly, “At the end of the day, we’re all just people trying to survive; Human, Android, and Machine.”
Her glare softened, but her lips were still sour. She turned away from the machines’ turmoil and walked over to 9S as he finished his work.
“Good news, I have updated map data and figured out the shortest route to the exit. I gained access to some doors, too. With Seth providing cover fire, we should get there pretty fast.”
“And the bad news?” Ren asked.
“I figured out why the elevator that brought us down here wouldn’t work.” 9S sighed, “There’s high levels of electricity right in front of the exit, the source has been draining the place dry since the machines went crazy. Whatever ‘guardian’ that machine referenced before must be using it to sustain itself.”
“So we’ll have to kill it before we leave.” A2 smirked, “Fine by me.”
“As long as everyone makes it out in one piece.” Pascal said as he rejoined them, “We should get moving, if everyone is finished here.”
9S nodded, “I sent you the map data, A2.”
“Got it. Let’s move!”
Ren held back a dry laugh as the next set of doors brought them out to the networks of precarious walkways, rising towers with pieces of their staircases missing, and one section of active assembly lines to traverse – carefully timing their movements as to not get crushed by machinery. It made him reminiscent of Okumura’s Palace, minus being in space or the poor worker robots getting a 30 second lunch break. At least there weren’t any switch puzzles or zero gravity passages to deal with.
Seth soared over them as they stepped back onto solid ground, a grand cape of smoke surging from his wings. Several flying machines rushed after him, oblivious to their group cutting through the remaining swathe of the factory under the rapturous hymn of ‘Become as Gods!’
“There’s one more big room past here!” 9S called, “We’re almost to the exit!”
They rushed into the next area, but unlike the previous safe rooms, this one had hostiles and innocents. A small group of robed machines cowered together under their brethrens’ assault, and Ren found himself moving before his comrades. Magic simmered in his blood, slowly bubbling up as they battled the zealous machines, and he released it with a dual swipes of his daggers. He felt a strange split, a fork in the magic’s natural flow between a Human and a Dragon.
Fireballs sailed from the Phoenix Plume, bathing the largest machines in bursts of righteous flames. The last consumed in black shadows surging from its feet, summoned by Arsene’s Lament. Different spells simultaneously cast, but the results left the hostiles in smoking piles of scrap.
Ren blinked as he processed, his eyes trailing down to the precious daggers. Their magic coiled bright within him as if they were sentient beings watching over his battles.
Eigaon. Speed Master. Diarama. Defense Master. He’d used Maragidyne from Seth. Cruel Arrogance gave them Endure and the possibility of one other skill.
How many weapons could he hold, how many spells could be cast at once? How many skills could they combine between Seth and these weapons? But therein lay a problem. Back home, he wielded one dagger plus his gun, lightweight and fast. Here, his gun was useless. He could equip two daggers at the same time, but this spear by itself weighed more and took both hands.
What else could he carry?
The biggest swords were off the table for obvious reasons, two spears would be too much for him to handle let alone use properly. Another dagger, perhaps? Or would it be alright to find a smaller sword? He hadn’t yet seen any fist weapons, so there could be potential in those, too.
What line was drawn between having access to more magic – more untold combinations - or being too encumbered to where his movements become affected?
He predicted this spear plus three small weapons, a total of eight additional skill slots – the same number as a whole other Persona. Masamune’s flaming blue forge wouldn’t let him choose the abilities, but the raw potential was there.
Anything giving them a leg up in this twisted world couldn’t be ignored.
“Ren, you still with us?” A2 waved a hand in front of his face.
Thoughts for later.
“Yeah, I’m fine.” He said with a gentle smile.
“Thank you!” They turned to the innocent machines, who bowed before Ren, “I-If you people didn’t come in when you did…”
“Don’t mention it.” Ren crouched down and smiled softly, “You’re safe now.”
“He’s right.” Pascal pumped his fist, “We’re almost out of this, all of us!”
“Well, not quite.” 9S interjected, “The guardian is up ahead.”
“But we’ll take care of him.” A2 crossed her arms, and for once she wasn’t glaring at the machines in front of her, “So you lot just sit tight.”
“Th-thank you again. May the grace of God shine upon you, always!”
They stayed long enough for Pascal to invite them to his village once the mess was over, and moved on. The last set of doors opened, but gone was the expansive void and cramped walkways.
A silence descended upon a set of corridors, free of the mad chant of gods and crunching metal bodies. The exposed ceiling let in curtains of sunlight, the natural warmth seemed alien to a terrible place of death. It didn’t last long, as their path led them away from the light and back to the darkness.
They came upon the last stretch of hallway littered in dozens of machine corpses, the anticipation of a big battle emboldened their spirits as much as it excited Seth. The final chamber looked every bit of an arena: The tall ceilings, the platform suspended over a lake of molten metal, the absence of their adversary until it could it makes dramatic appearance.
And oh, was it dramatic.
The hairs on the back of Ren’s neck stood on end as a metallic roar echoed from above, and a form leapt down. A giant metal sphere crashed upon the suspended platform, but thankfully the supports didn’t so much as rattle. Eight metal legs jutted out of it segmented parts, carrying its bulk around like a crab. Its great yellow eye bored down on them with fevered hatred.
A2 surged forward on a berserker’s charge, her crimson afterimages burning in her wake. She raised her white spear high and struck with a battle cry.
The giant machine raised its own war cry as glowing golden energy shed down upon it, deflecting her strike.
“What the—!?”
One of its eight legs bat her away, and she twirled through and air and landed on her feet in the same place she began her charge.
Pod 042 buzzed, “Enemy shield detected over enemy unit. Both long and close range attacks appear to be ineffective.”
“Now you tell me!” A2 snapped.
“Keep it distracted!” 9S shouted as it stomped forward, each footfall sending a wave of tremors under their feet, “I’ll see what I can do about the barrier!”
“On it!” Ren and A2 shouted in unison, jumping in opposite directions to split its attention.
“Ren, please be careful!” Pascal shouted as he used his jet to fly to safety.
“Don’t worry about me!” Ren, despite the heat of the battle, had a grin on his face as he dodged the giant swinging legs taller than him, “It’s not my first rodeo!”
The giant machine seemed to take that as a challenge as it turned fully to Ren, its golden eye blazing.
“Oh, no you don’t!” A2 shouted as she jammed her spear against its shield, “HEY UGLY, OVER HERE!”
The machine screeched as it focused on A2 for a few precious seconds. Ren fired curse magic – which didn’t damage it with its shield, but the distraction caused it to send its downward swipe veering off course. A2 danced around the botched attack and stabbed the barrier with her spear in frustration.
“30%!” 9S shouted.
“Work faster!” A2 snapped.
“I’m trying!”
A2 jumped away as it tried to pounce on her, following up with shielded swipes.
“53%!”
Ren summoned a crimson fireball, blasting the shield with a splash of heat.
It whirled around on him and charged, leading Ren in another tango of dodges. When the time was right, A2 swooped in for the lead.
“78%!”
“You hear that, you big bastard!? Almost time for you to die!”
The mechanical beast screamed and stomped, but its eye began to glow ominously. Static charges crackled from it, as if it were about to fire a laser.
“Watch out, A2!”
Ren shot a fireball before it tried anything to seriously hurt her, hitting the shielding right over its eye. Its furious screech rattled the platform as it whirled around to him on clacking legs, infuriated at the smoke clouding its gaze. It ran at him in a burst of speed.
“87!%”
“Ren!”
No matter her attacks, or her increasingly frantic taunts, the machine pushed Ren to the edge of the platform. He and A2 met eyes before the inevitable, but her horror was matched by a sly wink.
“93%!” 9S called in desperation.
Ren jumped backwards off the platform, diving towards the bubbling pool of molten metal. The giant machine leaned over the edge to watch his plummet – when a shower of blue embers surrounded him and inky wings materialized from the ether. He landed on Seth’s back with boisterous laughter as they rose above the platform with a storm of ashes on their tail.
Seth circled the platform, the machine’s eye tracing their movement as A2 glared up at them with a mix of disbelief and stone-cold rage.
“Pick on someone your own size for a change!” Seth howled as he dove towards the machine, landing on it with a great clash of thunder and lightning.
The shield did nothing more than send a tingle across Seth scales as the Dragon raked his claws, beat the flesh of his wings, and slapped his mighty tail against the machine. Despite bearing no damage, it shrieked and wailed at Seth’s relentless onslaught, his sheer weight slowing it down.
“100%!”
Their world went black.
All electricity across the Factory was shut down, and the machine’s shield fell with it. They had no sight, and yet they could see as clear as day as Seth tore his helpless prey apart. In flashes of ripping electrical parts as fast as strobe lights, the tearing of steel, the oily snap of leg joints breaking, and the low hiss and sizzle as pieces of its outer shell were tossed into the boiling lake below.
The lights came back on, and their friends simply stared at the carpet of ruin under Seth. Ren blinked innocently from the Dragon’s back.
Seth raked his claws over the floor, scattering the bare remnants of what was once a mighty machine, “What? Nobody messes with my Trickster!” He batted his tail, sending the bulk of the metal beast to its demise, “Nobody!”
9S cleared his throat, “Well, that wasn’t how I thought it’d go, but I really should’ve known better.”
“You should’ve known better!?” A2 balked as Ren slid down Seth’s wing. She marched to Ren and shook him, “Stop pulling crap like that before you get killed, idiot!”
He gently shrugged her off, adjusting his royal purple sash, “It worked out fine, didn’t it? I knew Seth wanted in on the fight anyway.”
9S pinched the bridge of his nose, “Me too, but even I didn’t expect it like that.”
“You know what I mean.” A2 let out a long groan, her voice dangerously low, “It only takes one bad day for something to go seriously wrong. I just don’t want anything to happen to you, that’s all.”
Ren’s eyes flicked to the black spear head above his shoulder, the magic of Endure always waiting for that fateful strike to protect him from death’s embrace, “I’ll be alright, A2.” He said, sobering. “We’ll be more careful, but I can promise you I’m not that easy to kill.”
Seth snorted, “As if I’d allow our enemies to get close enough to try.”
A2 wilted with a frustrated sigh, “That’s all I ask.”
“If it’s not too much trouble,” Pascal approached, his green eyes laced with concern as he stared at Ren, “I would really like to get out of here.”
9S nodded, “I gained control of the facility, there’s an elevator right across there that’ll take us back to the surface.”
“Thank goodness!” Pascal cheered.
Seth shook himself, sending more parts over the edge, “I shall meet you above.”
Ren nodded, and they turned to the exit at last. This elevator seemed too cramped after they began their ascent to the upper reaches of the factory, the weight of A2’s stare and 9S’ contemplative glances told all. He could even feel how the Pods watched him carefully.
The elevator opened. There were no more hostile machines, and yet the depth of their horrific experience in this factory reached a new high. They were on a rounded hallway, open to all the layers above – countless machines all murdering each other, repeating the same phrases over and over in their delirium.
“God God God God God God God God God God God God God God…”
“Scared… I’m so scared…”
“Is there nothing we can do for them?” Ren whispered. “Nines?”
9S shook his head, grimacing, “It’s too late. Whatever is affecting their system has total control. I could save one machine, maybe, but not even I can handle a virus that’s spread this fast to so many.”
Ren pursed his lips. They reached the top layers of the factory, where railings were perched over molten pits. Dozens, perhaps hundreds, of machine corpses were crowded together, all of them dying of mutual wounds. They met a lone machine standing on one of the higher staircases, looking out on the destruction.
Pascal offered sanctuary in his village, as he did to the rest of them, but the machine didn’t answer. He kept staring. It was as if he didn’t even know they were there, too consumed by the despair of all that was lost. Pascal released a saddened sigh, and they kept moving.
Their first trek over the walkway above the lava pit made Ren stop in his tracks. All manner of machines stood at the rim of the pit, raising their arms in joy.
“We all must die… and become gods!”
“Yes, let us die now!”
“Farewell, farewell!”
“The moment we’ve pined for is here! Let us all die together!”
“Together!”
As one, they willingly jumped into the molten pool. It was like watching an Olympic team perform in sync, if only it was water they jumped in. The splash made his heart seize, a lump constricting his throat.
“Ren…” A2 gently grabbed his arm when she saw him go as white as ash, “Come on.”
He let her guide him away, closing his heart to the dozens of other splashes behind them. Finally, a cool breeze and fresh air greeted them when they stepped outside. They basked in their new appreciation of the wind and bright, clear skies before Pascal spoke.
“Thank you for coming after me.” He said, “You warned me of danger, 9S, and I should’ve known better. Machines are unpredictable at the best of times, network or no network. A most fatal error I won’t ever make again.”
“At least its over.” A2 muttered. “We can put it behind us and move on.”
9S nodded, trying for a tense smile, “Let’s go back to the village and get A2’s part.” He turned and took a step, “I don’t want her malfunctioning after all of that—“
9S froze mid-stride, shoulders tensing.
They followed his gaze, and Ren startled at the person standing on the other side of the enormous platform, bathed in an ocean of sunlight and rust.
2B had turned at the sound of 9S’ voice, a pair of Pods floating at her side.
“9S!” Her boots clacked across the metal as she ran to them with a smile, “There you are! We were so worried when you disappeared from the Bunker! What were you thinking, going off on your own without the Commander’s permission!?”
2B stood in the sunlight, waiting for 9S to answer.
9S lingered in the shadow of the building over them, silent.
They couldn’t see her eyes, but she could’ve had a deep furrow to her brow, “Why aren’t you wearing your visor? You know that’s against protocol. The Pods should’ve warned you already.”
Still, no answer.
Ren and A2 exchanged glances, taking firm steps forward to be at his side to support him. Or to stop him from attacking 2B.
Pascal looked back and forth between 2B and 9S, confused at the tension blooming between them.
“...9S?” 2B reached for him, and he staggered back before she could touch him. “9S, what’s wrong?” Her voice trembled, “You’re acting strange—“
“Acting strange!?” He spat, a bone-dry laugh escaping him before he could suppress it. His voice turned as bitter as a winter’s night. “I guess you would know what to do if I ever act strange, isn’t that right?”
2B stiffened, “What? Wh-what are you even talking about?”
9S glared with the full force of his keen eyes, and 2B flinched back – a hand falling over her chest, “9S…”
“Listen,” Pascal stepped between them, hands up to show he meant no harm, “This area could still be dangerous. Why don’t we go back to my village so we can… talk?”
9S crossed his arms and turned away, “We need to get back anyway. For A2’s part.”
2B took another step back, her posture sinking. “...Sure.”
Seth manifested in a dull flurry of ashes behind Ren.
9S didn’t wait to climb aboard, and for once Seth made no sarcastic remarks. A2 pursed her lips, but settled in front of 9S on Seth’s back. Ren was about to climb on last, but he hesitated as he looked to 2B.
“2B, are you coming?” He asked.
“I…” She looked at 9S, who pointedly turned his face away, “You go ahead, I’ll take the transporter. Meet you there?”
Ren nodded.
2B had little choice but to watch Seth take off into the sky, dust and wind beating at her dress.
Pascal lingered like he wanted to say more to 2B, but soon followed them in the air.
Deep down, 2B felt something crack, and a familiar pain welled up inside.
~*~*~*~
2B stayed rooted to the spot until Seth was nothing more than a fading speck.
“Why didn’t you go with him, Pod 153?” She asked, her voice a brittle imitation of her usual tone.
The Pod floated before her, “Our duty is to provide support as dependable companions to our androids partners.”
“So? You belong with 9S.”
“This Pod agrees…” Pod 042 joined the other’s side, his little arms waving, “That both Units 2B and 9S are in need of extra support. I propose you activate the final Pods out of our sets of three, to provide the maximum amount of support as possible.”
2B turned towards the closest transporter and started walking, “I’ll think about it.”
It wasn’t far, but each step to the transporter brought about a sense of impending doom. 9S never went rogue, he never acted like this, not until he—
Her fists clenched.
Until he figured out the truth and needed to be put down. This was the first time he escaped from the Bunker before the official order was given, and abandoned her like he did. She deserved this pain, she knows. It stung all the worse for it.
She implored the Commander to wait until she found 9S, so they could be sure it wasn’t what they thought it was. The Commander agreed, and would wait for 2B’s report for the final verdict – if the Pods weren’t reporting on his strange behavior already.
The transporter was in sight when Pod 042 dinged with a message, a particular alert only reserved for Executioner models. But Pod 042 released a warble near the end, then crackles of static as if he were experiencing a malfunction.
“Pod, are you alright?” She asked, her voice sounding far from her own ears.
“Yes, 2B.” He said, his hands moving in sync with Pod 153, “Everything is as it should be.”
“There’s a new message waiting at the transporter.”
“Affirmative.”
Everything felt numb. It felt as if some other 2E had taken over, draining the world of its colors as she went on auto-pilot. In a blink, she reached the transporter, the screen open to her e-mail.
She blinked again. One new message lay in her inbox, but the sender’s name was nothing more than a jumbled mess of letters and numbers, the following paragraphs so flooded with strange symbols it made her eyes hurt.
“Pod, what is this?”
“A new message.”
“I know that!” She sighed, “But I heard the Commander’s message tone. Did the system glitch? Maybe she’s asking for a progress report, or maybe she already decided 9S’ fate before I could—”
“It doesn’t appear so.” Pod 153 said. “All system parameters are normal.”
“But the Commander would never make a mistake like this!”
Pod 042 chirruped in a somber tone, “Even those with the best intentions can make grave mistakes, 2B. Take this chance for what it is, and reach out to 9S before it is too late. You can still prevent unneeded pain for the both of you: preferably before the Commander makes the decision for you.”
“Pod…” A small smile broke through her dark mood, “There’s still time.”
She dove straight into transporting to Pascal’s village, emerging on the other side. Red rust and ocean salt were switched with vibrant greenery and a thick smog of humidity. She and the Pods were surrounded by machines new and old, but she paid no attention to them when the sound of a great beast settling itself came from down below.
She slid down the ladders and jumped down the last platform onto the forest floor, watching as Ren and the others slid off Seth’s back. The Dragon splayed out on the long, soft grass, though his golden eyes locked onto 2B as she dared a few steps closer.
“—It’s a rather simple procedure,” Pascal explained to A2, “We can have your new fuel filter installed in no time!”
“I would appreciate it.” A2 muttered, crossing her arms.
“I’ll go with you.” 9S glanced over 2B as if she weren’t even there, turning his back to her, “Just so you’re not alone.”
A2 pursed her lips as she glanced from 9S, 2B, and finally settled a heavy gaze on Ren, who took the tension in stride.
Ren smiled brightly and winked at 2B, “2B and I can hang out for a bit, right?”
“...Right.”
Her fists clenched as 9S and A2 strode past her with their pair of Pods, Pascal leading the way towards the upper reaches of the village.
She and Ren were left in the clearing set out for Seth, the Dragon flicking his golden eyes between her and the two Pods still lingering at her side. He exchanged a quick glance with the Ren, something invisible passing between them.
Ren gave her another smile before the silence went on too long, “How are you doing, 2B?”
“Me? I should be asking about you.” She frowned, “I heard you and A2 fought Adam in order to rescue us.”
“I’m alright, you don’t need to worry.” Ren shrugged, then smirked as he patted Seth’s neck, “Plus, we had this big guy to finish Adam off.”
Seth snorted, head raised in pride, “As if Adam stood a chance against us!”
“For the record, I’m glad you’re still with us.” Ren said, ignoring Seth’s exuberance, “I was worried you wouldn’t make it with how bad Adam roughed you up.”
“You shouldn’t be concerned.” She turned away from Ren’s kindness, something she didn’t think she deserved, “It’s our duty as soldiers. I should apologize for putting you in danger because I wasn’t careful enough—“
“2B, please look at me.” She finally gazed at Ren’s face, confused when he only gave her a saddened look, “You know it’s okay to not be okay, right? Nobody is perfect, not even androids. Adam tortured you for several hours for the fun of it, I understand if you need some time to get your head straight again. Believe me.”
She released a shaky breath at what Ren insinuated, the understanding shining bright in his silver eyes. Had he been tortured at one point, too? She’d held his dagger, heard the somber sweet song of loneliness locked away in his heart, a soul that never found belonging.
A Human who understood her pain.
She froze, her entire world turning on its head. The Executioner conditioning she’d just drowned herself in sloughed off like an abandoned coat.
A Human.
A Human!
Of course.
How could she be so stupid?
A strange feeling in her chest twisted. It wasn’t the cold steely shell bleeding with pain, it was like a fragile bird’s egg hatching – greeting the warmth and light for the first time ever.
She took a shaky breath, “Ren—“
“Big brother Ren!”
“Big brother Ren is back!!”
They were suddenly swarmed by tiny machines. They ignored her in favor of harassing Ren, her hands twitching for her blades when their metal hands grabbed at Ren’s clothes, but Ren released another bright laugh as he picked up the smallest machine and set it on his shoulders.
Colors seemed brighter at the very sound of Ren’s laughter.
The tiniest machine hugged his head, “Are you going to play with us now!?”
“I did promise, didn’t I?” Ren said, grinning, “What should we play?”
Another of the machines pointed at Seth, “How about we climb him?”
“Look at his tail! He could be a slide!”
“What!?” Seth balked as a few of them giggled and began to climb on him, but he didn’t make any notion to knock them off, “Unhand me, you heathens! The God of Chaos and Storms is not a toy!!”
The children’s laughter grew louder, and his words had the opposite effect. The swarm of small machines swept away from Ren and surrounded Seth instead, clambering up his wings and tail, one hanging off the smaller wings on his neck.
“Ack! Trickster, the children are too strong!” Seth, careful not to hurt any of the machines, rolled onto his back – belly to the sun dappled canopy. The children’s peals of laughter echoed across the forest floor, drawing the eyes of many other adult machines. “I give up! I wave the white flag!!”
Ren snickered, and the tiniest machine on his shoulders laughed with him. “Wait, a slide?” He looked around, contemplating. His eyes lit up and he grinned, something she figured only a Human could do: look so hopeful when a minute before he looked at her with such familiar pain. “C’mon, 2B!”
“What?” Her eyes widened as he marched off towards a group of machines standing around a small mountain of building supplies.
Ren shifted the smallest machine on his shoulders, smiling as he looked to the bigger machines, “Do you mind if we borrow some of this stuff?”
The larger machine blinked, looking between Ren, the child on his shoulders, and Seth being swarmed with laughing children climbing all over him.
“Of course, Ren!” The machine stepped aside, “Use whatever you wish.”
“Thanks!”
“What are you doing?” She asked.
“We’re going to build a slide.” Ren carefully eyed the slabs of metal, nuts and bolts, any tools laying about. He glanced at her, then the Pods, “No way I could do it myself, though. Do you think you and the Pods could help me out?”
“We would be delighted, Ren.” Pod 153 stated warmly, “Devising a list of necessary materials now…”
“According to our data files, a slide would work best if constructed around the tree itself.” Pod 042 said, scanning the tree up and down as it formulated schematics.
Ren picked the small machine up from his shoulders and gently set it on the ground, “Why don’t you go play with the others for a bit? We’ll have this new slide up for you in no time.”
“’Kay!”
The little machine jumped in joy before charging for Seth, another to climb up his wings and belly scales.
2B didn’t know how this could’ve happened. She didn’t ever think she’d be the one carrying these building supplies up towards the top of the tree, the beginnings of a slide. Something fun and harmless. Word spread around the village and it took no time at all for the other adult machines to help out. Layering the smooth metal sheets together, hammering them in place with reinforced bars attached to the bark, a long winding trail slowly coming to fruition as it wrapped around the entirety of the giant tree.
So many machines from different backgrounds came together, all at the behest of a Human who wanted to do something fun for the children. She helped transport the materials – she, an android with more blood and oil on her hands than most – simply nodded when either Ren or the machines thanked her for helping out.
She truly didn’t know what to think at their honest gratitude.
Finally, 2B stood at the top of the slide with Ren once it was complete, looking down to where the end of the slide tapered off into a small sandpit on the forest floor.
“Are you sure this will work?” She asked. “Or if it’s safe?”
He smirked, “Well, there’s only one way to find out.”
He was gone before she could stop him with an agile leap, his cape whipping around the first bend around the tree.
“Ren!”
She looked over the side, listening as his laughter slowly trailed down to the bottom of the tree towards the new sand pit. 2B released a sigh of relief when he landed safely, wiping sand from his clothes.
He turned up to her and waved, “C’mon, 2B! It’s really fun!”
“I shouldn’t.” She whispered to herself. She was about to step off and float down with the aid of her Pod, when Pod 042 evaded her grasp and hovered over the slide.
“Ren reported it as ‘fun’. Hypothesis: Unit 2B should have some more fun.”
“You can’t be serious, Pod.” She said, frowning.
Pod 153 chimed in, waving her arms about, “You won’t know if you don’t try it for yourself, 2B.”
2B looked back and forth between the Pods. What has gotten into them today?
With a sigh, she copied Ren and vaulted down the slide, the forest becoming a blur as she picked up speed. Her stomach flipped when the first turn came, and a small laugh escaped her as the thrill followed her all the way to the bottom. The sand pit cushioned her landing, and she avoided Ren’s knowing grin as she wiped grit from her dress.
“See, what did I tell you?” Ren said, “It was fun, wasn’t it?”
Her smile didn’t waver, “Yes. It was… a lot of fun.”
“And what do we say, children?”
She looked over to where Pascal, A2, and 9S stood with the crowd of children who finally detached themselves from Seth. Her smile wilted as 9S stared at her with clear disdain.
“Thank you, Big brother Ren, Big sister 2B!”
“Good!” Pascal chuckled, “Now, why don’t you all try out the new slide while I talk with our friends?”
“Aww, okay.”
“See ya, big sis 2B! Big brother Ren!”
The group ran to the upper reaches of the tree, with Pascal calling after them.
“No pushing! And please, take turns everyone!”
2B lowered her eyes to the ground, unable to take the way 9S and A2 kept staring at her.
“Finally get fixed up, then?” Ren asked as he glanced at A2.
“Yup. Good as new.” A2 put a hand over her stomach, “It’s been ages since I felt this... normal?”
“You, normal?” Seth snickered as he righted himself on the long grass.
“Oh, shut it, wyrm.” She muttered.
2B kept her eyes on the ground, chest constricting as 9S’ gaze still burned into her.
“I want to thank you, Ren, 2B.” Pascal set a gentle hand on her shoulder, breaking 9S’ line of sight, “For giving the children something to really cherish.”
She shuffled, “...No problem. It was Ren’s idea, I barely helped.”
9S scoffed.
Ren and A2 exchanged glances, while Pascal looked between her and 9S.
Pascal dropped his hand from her shoulder as he stared between the four of them. “I don’t know what happened before the Factory, but it’s clear something has changed with your friendship to one another.”
9S opened his mouth, but Pascal held up a hand.
“You don’t need to share details, however…” Pascal looked off into the village, “I want to show you all something. Please, come this way.”
2B frowned as Pascal walked away. A2 and 9S traded hesitant glances, and Ren and Seth exchanged more invisible words as the Dragon settled in. Ren was the first to follow after Pascal, with 9S and A2 at his side.
2B trailed several feet behind as to not disturb their new balance.
Pascal led them to a quiet part of the village, revealing a long ladder down into the unknown.
“What are you even trying to show us?” 9S asked, tone sharp and cold.
“A cornerstone of my village.” Pascal stared at the distance that set 2B apart from the rest, “And maybe, it could help mend things between you.”
Without another word, Pascal activated the jet on his back and jumped into the hole.
Ren scratched the back of his head, “Maybe he’s right.” He gave a significant look to 9S, “At least it’s something to think about.”
9S dropped down into the hole without responding, his Pod easing him into the darkness.
Ren sighed and took the ladder, one of the Pod 042’s following him.
A2 waited, watching until Ren disappeared down the ladder before she turned to 2B. Her expression was neutral, but her eyes were as sharp as 9S’ words.
“What?” 2B said, balling her hands into fists, “If there’s something you want to say to me, A2, then say it.”
“Ah, hell.” A2 muttered under her breath, shifting in her new clothes. “Look, I’m not good with words, but hear me out. You care about 9S, don’t you?”
2B’s head snapped up to A2, “Of course I do!“
“Then don’t do what you think you have to do.” A2 scowled at 2B, “I don’t give a shit what your precious Commander orders of you, but if you really care about 9S like you’re claiming to right now, then screw her orders and do what is right for a change.”
“You can’t…” 2B’s sword suddenly felt heavier at her back, “How do you—“
“It doesn’t matter.” A2 turned to the hole in the ground, “Just make things right with Nines.”
A2 leapt into the darkness, and it was then that 2B saw 9S’ sword on her back.
2B pinched the bridge of her nose as that mass of writhing emotions threatened to surface, the warmth of a freshly hatched egg going rancid. “Let’s get this over with.”
She grabbed onto her Pod and jumped, floating in the nothingness until her feet hit the ground so far below. It wasn’t stone or dirt, but patches of grass and moss. The scents around her were earthy and soft. She rejoined the others into a dimly lit cave lined with gnarled tree roots.
They came upon a larger chamber, and she wasn’t the only one to gape at the tower of tangled roots lit up by patches of sunlight streaming in from above. The strangest thing wasn’t the sheer size of the tree roots themselves, but that a giant face was entwined with them: bone white with a wide, eerie smile.
“Is that…?” 9S looked at Ren.
“Emil?” Ren whispered.
“Emil?” Pascal tilted his head, “Do you know what this is?”
“Not really, and seeing this is making me all the more confused.” Ren gestured to the head and looked at Pascal, “Do you mind if I take a closer look?”
“Go ahead!”
Ren carefully climbed up the tower of mossy roots. He closed his eyes and placed a hand on the giant grinning face, concentrating. After a few moments he opened his eyes, looking at A2 and 9S with a shake of his head.
“Seth doesn’t sense any magic in this one. Whatever this Emil is, he went dormant a long time ago.”
A2 crossed her arms, staring at the giant head with narrowed eyes.
9S had opened a variety of screens, flicking through YoRHa files, “We don’t really have much information on this either. I have no idea what it means for the other Emil we met earlier, but I’ll take notes for later.”
2B frowned at that. It seems the Factory wasn’t the only part she missed out on.
Ren slid down the roots and looked at Pascal, “How did you know about this being here?”
“I encountered it a long time ago. Centuries, if I recall it right.” Pascal stepped up to the giant head, gazing upon it in complete fascination. “I remember nothing but war and killing back in those days. I’ve watched all of my friends fall one by one, until I was the only one left. Eventually, the aliens who created us stopped giving out orders, so I didn’t know what to do for the longest time.”
Pascal turned to them, his green eyes dimming.
“I wandered around this world, looking for a new purpose. And that’s when I found this entangled in the roots of the great tree above. I’ve only heard it speak once, and it told me to live on.” Pascal looked up to the streams of sunlight above, “So I decided to found my village here, to walk a path of peace so I can honor my comrades of the past.”
Pascal faced them once more, his green eyes blazing bright with a fervent sort of determination – his voice changing to a more solemn and serious tone.
“I grew to love this village with all of my heart. Everyone living here became my valued treasures.” Pascal stared at each and every one of them, holding 2B and 9S’ gazes the longest, “And that means one day, if I have to break my vow of peace and shed blood in order to protect the ones I hold most dear, then I would do it without hesitation.”
Pascal let a heavy silence settle before his voice softened for his next words.
“Please, think of everything you learned today, all of you. I would hate for anyone here to lose their comrades when you need them now more than ever.” He began to head towards the entrance, “You may stay here for as long as you like.”
Pascal disappeared into the shadows of the cave.
“A2, Ren.” 9S gave them a contemplative glance, “Can the both of you leave us alone?”
2B’s eyes widened.
“Nines, are you sure?” Ren asked.
“I’m certain.” 9S looked at Ren with an expression she couldn’t decipher, but Ren seemed to know something she didn’t as he turned serious. “Take the Pods with you, too. All of them.”
The pair of Pods who stuck by her side looked to her, and though hesitant, she nodded to them.
A2 reached to Cruel Oath on her back, sharing another heavy look with 9S.
“Come on, Ren.” A2 grabbed Ren’s wrist and marched out, all four Pods following her. She paused momentarily by 2B, expression leaving no room to misinterpret the merciless chill within it.
Do what is right.
Ren gave her a reassuring smile before he was dragged out by A2, and soon only she and 9S stood within the chamber.
9S stepped closer to the border between light and shadow around the roots, not yet entering the sunlight with his back to her.
“Nines—“
“Only my friends get to call me Nines.” He turned around with a smile she knew too well, the same one he’d given her whenever he revived from her countless murders. Except this one held nothing but cold contempt. “A privilege you haven’t had for quite some time, ma’am.”
“Don’t call me ma’am.” Came the automatic response, and 9S raised an apathetic brow.
“How many times have we had that exact exchange, 2B? By my count, we’re nearing 60.”
So he knew.
Her worst fear had come true, staring her in the face with nothing but scorn. She stopped her hand as it for her blade, an ice cold glare was another nail in the coffin as 9S caught the movement.
No, even though he knew the truth, it no longer mattered.
Do what was right.
You still have a choice, 2B.
Her balled fists softened. “I’m not going to attack. I only want to talk.”
9S scowled at her.
She took a deep breath and reached up, 9S tensing until she drew Virtuous Contract and firmly planted it into the ground. Confusion marred his face as she did the same to Virtuous Treaty, until finally her fingers undid the tie keeping her black visor in place. She let the strand of silk fall to the ground, revealing eyes nearly the same color as 9S’. A crystal clear sky to his overcast blue-gray.
He watched her like a hawk as she stepped closer to the tree roots, stopping when the pool of sunlight warmed her white hair.
“The Commander sent me after you to confirm your status.”
She felt the bite of a sword at her neck, the glacial hatred of 9S’ glare skewering her.
“As if I can believe that.” He said, voice filled with acid, “How can I trust you haven’t already been given the order to put me out of my misery?”
She carefully looked back at her abandoned swords, turning so that the sharp edge had access to her entire neck. One swift movement would be her end.
“The Commander didn’t order me to execute you.” She took another breath when 9S narrowed his eyes, “If you went into the servers to find those certain files hidden in YoRHa, then you left no traces behind. As far as the Commander knows, you haven’t found them again.”
He chuckled a callous, grating sound, “It took more than 50 deaths not to get caught by the YoRHa firewalls. Ironic, that a machine helped me do that, isn’t it?” He tilted his head so a speck of sunlight graced the edge of his hair, “That still doesn’t give me a reason to trust you.”
“We can return to the Bunker—“
A pinch of pain on her neck made her freeze, a small red bead trickling down the Type 4O Sword. A snap of electricity hungrily curled around her blood, flicking against her cheek like serpents ready to strike.
“Do you know what it feels like to have your head cut off?” He traced the sword down to her chest, “For your heart to be run through? For your own Pod to strike you down where you stand? To be drowned in a fountain by someone you thought was your only friend?”
He tilted his head, his smile was one she saw in a nightmare not long ago – only it belonged on Adam’s face instead.
“Or…” He slid the blade back up to her bleeding neck, laying flat where arcs of electricity burned her skin. She grit her teeth as he smirked at her pain. “What it feels like to be burned alive? Electrocuted until your circuits explode? Because I do. I remember each and every time you murdered me.”
“I—”
“Choose your next words carefully 2E, or my hand will do more than slip next time.” 9S whispered as he returned the sharp edge to her throat, “Why the hell would I ever go back to the Bunker after what YoRHa did to me?”
She held up her hands in surrender, “We’ll return to the Bunker and say you were concerned about Ren. If the Commander asks why you stayed down here so long, we can ask Ren to cover for you. He needed you with whatever happened in the Factory.”
“How would that help?”
“Don’t you see?” She gave off a soft, self-deprecating laugh. The sword at her neck twitched in 9S’ shock. “The Commander is suspicious, but we can clear her doubts if we work together. I won’t need to be your Executioner, and you won’t be persecuted if you try to run away from YoRHa.”
“You…” The sword edged away from her throat, 9S tilting his head further into the sunlight, “You would actually lie for me?”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“What do you mean why?”
9S stepped away and paced in circles, body shifting between light and dark, “Why now, after all this time? Are you only doing this because you finally got caught!? Don’t you dare think you can use Ren as an excuse this time!”
“No!” That box of emotions she’d tried so hard to bury resurfaced, pressing it down now only seemed to make it erupt. There was nothing she could do as a single tear escaped captivity, “I can’t do this anymore.”
9S frowned when her voice trembled.
“I was created to be an Executioner, that much is true. But as time went on… as the number of your deaths kept climbing, my resolve weakened.” More tears dropped from her cheeks, sparkling as diamonds in the sun as they fell, “‘Emotions are prohibited’, they always say. If that were true, then why create us with feelings at all? I try to follow their code and bury everything, but who am I kidding anymore!?”
Another weak laugh escaped her.
“That time we died together at the Factory, I was hoping my memory would be erased alongside yours, but you sacrificed the chance of saving your memories for mine.” She mustered her courage to look 9S in the face, he was scowling, but conflicted as he searched her crumbling expression with pinpoint accuracy, “You died at the Factory. You died when we killed Eve. You almost died again from Adam. But if I ever had to kill you with my own hands again, I’d want to die alongside you.”
Her tears flowed as 2E fell to her knees.
“Please, 9S. I’m tired of being trapped in this endless spiral of life and death! I’m sick of all these lies that don’t even matter anymore!”
“Why couldn’t you do any of this before?” A shaky breath left him as his eyes glistened, “Why… why break the cycle now, when you followed through so many times without hesitating?”
“Because the lie YoRHa wants so desperately to protect isn’t true anymore. A Human walked out of here a few minutes ago. A real, live Human. They may not be on the moon, but Humanity lives right here on Earth!” She looked towards the cavern entrance, “I wasn’t trying to use him as a shield from my crimes.”
“You’re saying your sudden change of heart is really because of Ren?”
“Yes. Without him, I would’ve obeyed my Executioner programming again. Ren’s existence changes everything.”
“But he’s…” 9S didn’t finish that thought.
She bowed her head as a long silence stretched. “I just want all of this senseless pain to end, both yours and mine. If you can’t forgive me, then kill me right here, right now.”
9S sharply inhaled, and it was quiet for a few minutes.
Then 2E heard him pace an uncountable number of circles, waging some war within himself with the sword tight in his fist. She couldn’t bear to see his face, so when he suddenly stopped and turned towards her, decision made, her eyes clenched shut.
Thunk.
She flinched, eyes opening as she craned her head up.
The sword was impaled into the dirt between her head and shoulder, the bead of her own blood oozing down to soak into her glove. A few strands of her white hair fluttered to the earth as fine as angel feathers. She stared at the blade’s reflective surface, peering into her own wide eyes.
“From this moment on, 2E is dead.”
“Wh… what?”
“I said 2E is dead.” His expression was stone cold as he stepped away, fully into the pool of sunlight around the entwined roots, “Don’t think I’m forgiving you, 2B, not by a long shot.”
“Then why?”
“Because killing you would be too easy. Ren told me it was better to let someone atone for their sins rather than kill them, and I suddenly find myself agreeing. He’s really good at changing hearts.” 9S huffed as he turned to her, eyes set in hard lines. “But let’s get one thing straight: You get one last chance. One.”
She rose to her feet, hastily wiping her tears away with the gloved hand untouched by blood. “9S, thank you.”
“Oh, don’t thank me yet.” He snorted derisively, “I have a few conditions if we’re to keep working together.”
“Name them.”
He held up a finger, “First, I doubt the Commander will look the other way if we act any differently, even if Ren gives her a good reason, so if she still gives you the order we’ll follow my plan to work around it.”
She nodded.
“The second is screw the Council of Humanity.”
“9S!”
He waved his hand in dismissal, “You know what I mean. We’re both tired of their bullshit lies, but the two of us have one other thing in common. Something real to protect.”
“Ren.”
9S nodded, “We’ll pretend to follow the Council of Humanity and YoRHa like good little soldiers, but we’re going to do everything we can to make sure Ren is safe. If push comes to shove, we have to choose Ren above all.”
“Because he really is the last Human.”
“...Yeah. Exactly.” He yanked the sword out of the dirt and set it at his back, holding out his hand as he was fully bathed in sunlight. “So, do we have a deal?”
A small smile softened her face as she took his hand and shook once.
9S tightened his grip, “Remember, 2B. Last chance.”
He let go and turned away, stepping from the sunlight and into the shadows once more.
She followed, collecting her weapons and to tie her visor back on. They walked in heavy silence through the tunnel until they reached the ladder.
“2B, you have a little…” 9S gestured to his neck.
“Oh.” She wiped the trickle of blood off, “It’s okay, Auto-Heal took care of the injury itself.”
9S hummed as he looked up the ladder, “I should probably go first. Ren and A2 might freak out if they see you come out before me.”
“They know everything?”
9S chuckled coldly, “Of course they do.”
She let him go first, waiting until he reached the top before she ventured up at a much slower pace. 2B rejoined the surface to see A2 gripping 9S’ shoulders, on the verge of shaking him.
Ren stood nearby, watching them. 2B felt the eyes of Seth land on her first, his nostrils flaring as if he smelled the blood hidden by her dark clothes. As if to confirm Seth’s observation, Ren whipped around and rushed to her side.
He looked at her up and down, frowning, “Are you alright, 2B?”
“Yes, I’m fine.” 2B traded a glance with 9S as he and A2 approached her, “We worked it out.”
Ren looked proud as he smiled at 9S, who idly scratched the back of his head.
A2 stared at her, scrutinizing as if she were searching for a lie. She must’ve been satisfied with what she’s seen, as she gave 2B a slow nod, “Okay, what now?”
“9S and I need to return to the Bunker.”
“Already?” Ren asked, frowning. “Are you sure that’s a good idea?”
“The sooner we clear things with the Commander, the better.” 9S said, shrugging, “Ren, do you think you could send the Commander a report about what happened at the Factory? I’ll do my own of course, but it’ll help us out if we can get a Human’s good word.”
“Of course.” Ren glanced up to the Pod 153 hovering over his shoulder, “I’m sure having a Pod around would make it easy.”
9S smiled, lacking the bitter chill of the new expression he now looked at her with. “We’ll keep doing what we did before with our Pods. We still have an extra pair waiting for us on the Bunker.”
“Fine.” A2 glowered at the Pod 042 floating behind her, “We’ll keep the damn babysitters. Ren needs them more than I do, anyway.”
“Hey!” Ren put a hand to his chest, “It’s not like I go out to find trouble on purpose, you know.”
A2 gave him a deadpan stare, “Really? We can’t even go for a simple walk without running into something weird! Or you know, end up trapped underground and surrounded by murderous machines.”
“That was one time—“
“One time too many!”
Seth glanced between 2B and 9S, “You two better leave while these two are busy bickering.”
9S turned to 2B, the warmth he shared towards A2 and Ren vanishing off of his face, “Let’s get this over with.”
“Wait!”
They paused as Ren walked up to them, shifting his gaze between 2B and 9S. He looked as if he were debating on something, then with a sudden shrug, he threw his arms around the both of them. He held both androids close.
2B froze, but slowly melted into the genuine warmth only given off by a real Human. She basked in it as she hugged him back, 9S returning the gesture with just as much need to be acknowledged by a Human.
Ren broke the embrace, clearing his throat. "I'm glad you're both in one piece.”
“With any luck, we won’t be gone too long.” 9S chuckled dryly, “If I know what a slave driver the Commander is, we’ll be back down on Earth in no time.”
“9S…” 2B sighed, “We’re wasting time. Let’s go.”
Ren and A2 waved them off, and Seth watched them ascend the tree until they stopped at the transporter.
“Don’t forget your visor.”
He scowled at her.
“You need to wear it if we’re to keep up appearances.”
“Yeah, yeah.” He reached into his pocket and drew out the rumpled length of fabric, frowning, “It feels weird to wear it now.”
She made no comment as he tied it on his face. 2B was the first to enter the transporter, the first to step off into the Bunker. A sudden fear of 9S not joining her was unfounded when the other transporter activated, opening to reveal him.
He rolled his shoulder as he stepped out with his Pod, smiling that boyish smile, “Well, 2B?” He stated, his tone light and airy, “We better go see the Commander!”
“...Right.”
They walked in silence towards the command center.
If 2B hadn’t seen it herself not ten minutes ago, she’d assume 9S was normal. That he didn’t have his heart ripped out by YoRHa countless times, that he didn’t shed her blood with cold malice and hatred when he judged her for her sins.
The door to the command center opened, many eyes were drawn to them as they boarded the small elevator down to the main floor. 2B noticed their individual Operators stand from their desks, peering down at them with wide eyes. The Commander was reading a document on a holographic screen, turning as their footsteps approached.
“2B, 9S, welcome back.” Commander White wore a mask of impassive stone. “9S, I hope I don’t have to tell you all the trouble you caused, running off like that. We were worried, especially when we lost your signal around the Factory region.”
His smile twitched, but he hid it by bowing at the waist, “I apologize, Commander. I was awake for Ren’s battle against Adam, and having witnessed it first hand, I only wanted to make sure he was alright as soon as possible. One thing led to another, and I ended up helping him fight some machine cult in the deeper parts of the Factory. It won’t happen again.”
Commander White looked at 2B for confirmation, another meaning to the sharp glint in her eyes.
2B killed her Executioner half by firmly nodding, cementing the lie in place.
The tension in the Commander’s shoulders eased, “I see. I was just reading a message sent to me by Ren, confirming what happened down on the surface. It seems you did good work in protecting him, I’ll give you that much.”
“Already?” 9S yelped as he straightened, “Wow, he works fast!”
“Of course, I will need your reports as well. We need all the information we can get about these rogue machines now that the network is in shambles.”
9S sighed, “Yeah, yeah. I’ll get on that later.”
“See that you do. We’ll need all hands on deck soon enough.”
“Commander?” 2B said, frowning.
“The Council of Humanity sent in new orders before you arrived.”
2B and 9S stiffened, and the Commander’s voice drew in all the Operators and other YoRHa models lingering around the command center.
“Our enemy is weak without the Network!” Commander White shouted, “We will now begin a world wide operation to eradicate the Machine threat once and for all. We need every available soldier to put their all into these missions so we can wipe out these Machines and end these wars for good!”
She placed her hand on her heart.
“Glory to Mankind!”
Every YoRHa android in the room took the stance in unison, their backs straight, hands over their hearts.
“Glory to Mankind!”
The voices rallied as one: a unified force calling for the restoration of Humans to the Earth.
That was, except for 2B and 9S.
They took the stance, but remained silent as their comrades continued to chant in the name of a lie.
As they would learn all too soon, this prettiest lie will be the harbinger of their doom.
~*~*~*~
Ren lunged forward, ears keen for the black spear’s new bell-like timber sinking into the practice dummy. An ancient song reborn from Masamune’s raging blue flames, and he knew not where the tempo would go as he weaved his own music into this world.
He pulled back and ran the exercises through one last time. Everything he hammered into his sore muscles; A series of lightning fast jabs, mighty forward sweeps of the blade, using the other end of the spear to knock opponents off balance, a combination of pin point stabs and finishing with an arc of shadowy metal lopping off the head of his straw target.
It landed by his feet as he planted the spear into the grass, leaning against it as he tried to catch his breath.
He was getting faster at stringing together combos. The burn of his muscles was a familiar companion, his confidence growing since he began training in earnest. Still, he knew better than to get complacent when the machines or androids would always be stronger than him. Always that much faster.
Adam was proof enough of the human side of weakness.
Without Adam’s change of heart, or his daggers’ buffs to even get him to that point… Well, he wouldn’t be standing here now.
“Not bad.” A2 remarked, “No straw dummy stands a chance against you now.”
Ren laughed as he wiped the sweat from his brow. He turned around to the clearing they’ve familiarized themselves with.
A training area used by the Forest Kingdom machines – now abandoned as a small portion took residence in Pascal’s village. A few still lingered in the name of their dead king, but he and A2 were unbothered as long as Seth was around. It was a rather large clearing, complete with their own personal waterfall and stretch of the river flowing through the forest.
Seth lounged under the clear waterfall, his bulk stretching across the rocky dais like an emperor would his glorious throne. His tail lazily swished back and forth, occasionally changing the ebb and flow of the river itself.
The Pods playfully danced over the river, counting fish, chasing dragonflies, or pestering Seth.
While A2 sat on the boulders planted around the training area, carefully watching him. She shifted the white spear in her grasp as she slid down the boulder and landed on her feet, smirking at him.
“You’ve made decent progress, so let’s give you a real test.”
Ren glanced at the row of beheaded straw targets before matching her smirk, “Bring it on.”
Seth shifted to get a better view, the river swelling as he got comfortable.
The Pods stopped their playful flitting as Ren and A2 circled each other, watching the other for the first move.
A2 launched herself forward on their second turn, a clash of sparks peppering the grass when Ren brought his spear up to guard.
White spear struck the Black with its holy melody.
The Black countered with its dark chant, three quick tolls of the bell evaded by deft dodges from the White.
Both spear wielders bore wide grins as they danced back and forth, opposing notes singing their chaotic song together.
Ren knew A2 wasn’t giving it her all as he ducked under the singing White spear, jumping away to gain distance. She dogged him, slashing with every step of the way – blurring the line between a friendly spar and pushing the limits of his natural agility.
He countered a lunge and chose to gain height instead of distance, leaping onto the surrounding boulders.
A2 accepted the change with ease, aiming for his legs while he swiped and danced around by using the high ground to his advantage. To her credit, A2 had gradually improved in her teaching with the aid of the Pods’ guidance and to temper her patience with any failure on his part.
Ren parried a particularly tricky jab, A2 twisting the blade mid strike, and the proud grin on her face brightened before it turned feral. He sputtered as she upped her speed again, and his fancy footwork scrabbled over the boulders to avoid being hit.
Over the course of training with 2B, he’d learned to wield his dual daggers as if they were water; Forever flowing as one in the smooth movements of the coursing rivers, the calm ripples over a lake, the crashing ocean waves on the shore.
While spears embodied the spiraling eddies of wind. A swift breeze raking through the trees, a shearing gale created by the blade’s whistle cutting through the air. If he mastered this weapon, he could become a storm – a devastating tornado leaving destruction in his wake.
A sentiment Seth was all too eager to witness as the lord of the skies.
For now, any dreams of being a devastating storm were torn away when his boot slipped on damp moss. A2 had pushed him towards the river without him realizing.
Ren leaned into his fall, a twirling handstand over the boulder landed him in the river bed. Cold water soaked into this boots and crept up his pants, and he twirled his spear in time to deflect A2’s lunge.
She cackled as she leapt into the river with a splash of her own, “Show off!”
Ren grinned, “It wouldn’t be me otherwise.”
A2 rolled her eyes, huffing. Without warning she launched herself forward, water spraying in twin waves at her burst of speed.
Ren held his spear to counter yet again, but then—
A whisper in his ear, a girlish giggle.
A flood of red shot towards him in the edge of his vision.
He whipped around, spear blade sailing through the air to hit nothing as Seth’s head parted the waterfall with a snarling roar.
A2 gasped as she pivoted on a dime.
The wind was knocked out of Ren as the butt of her spear struck his chest instead of being stabbed by the blade. He fell back into the river, coughing as A2 grabbed his shirt and pulled him out of the water.
“What the hell was that!?” She shouted, brows jagged in fury. “Getting distracted will kill you, idiot. You should know that by now!”
“I… I saw…” Ren, hair dripping and clothes soaked through, looked towards the waterfall. “There was something there.”
A2 raised a brow, following his gaze as the Pods floated over the river, buzzing in confusion. Seth’s nostrils flared, ignoring the heavy curtains of water raining down his neck as he searched the area, golden eyes livid.
“There’s nothing there.”
“There was!” Seth snapped, “A flash of red, and a laughing voice…”
“Pod?” A2 asked.
Both Pods looked at each other, their arms waving in sync as they did whenever they were communicating, before turning to face them.
“No nearby abnormalities detected.” Pod 042 stated.
“I… agree.” Pod 153 floated over to Ren, she was careful to brush Ren’s wet hair away from his forehead, “My sensors indicate you have no fever.”
Ren sighed as A2 helped him to his feet. “I’m fine. But its not the first time I’ve seen something red lurking around us.”
“When did you see it last?" A2 asked, carefully.
“After the battle with Adam. I felt something watching us as we were leaving, saw something red lurking where he was killed. I couldn’t figure out what it was before it disappeared.”
“Do you still see it?”
“No, it’s gone now. Again.” He rested his spear over his shoulder, his other hand wiping water from his face. Ren tensed as A2 and the Pods kept staring at him. “You don’t believe me.”
“No, I do.” A2 pursed her lips, “I’m just not sure what it could be.”
“Could machines be at fault?”
“I don’t know if they’re capable of something like that or not. It’s suspicious as hell, that’s for sure.”
“Especially with YoRHa launching their counterattack.” Ren agreed.
“Yeah. Any updates on that, Pod?”
Pod 042 wilted, “Areas such as the City Ruins, Factory, Flooded City, and many more are currently consumed in all out war with the remaining Machines in the network. However, Pascal’s village and this forest have been marked as safe zones, for the moment.”
Ren glared at the shallow water flowing around his boots.
He knew he crossed a line with the Commander when he and A2 went off to save 2B and 9S against her wishes, despite having no regrets whatsoever about their rescue. He’d wanted to help with this too, just to stay beside 9S while he healed the mental wounds inflicted by Adam and 2B, provide assistance where he could.
But the Commander, and both androids, told him to stay away from the fighting. That it was YoRHa’s duty to finish this once and for all.
The Commander’s cold, hard gaze held a warning. He might be Human, but crossing her again would bring dire consequences this time, and so he reluctantly agreed. He’d thrown himself into training with A2 to stave off his nerves.
“When Nines said they’d be back on Earth in no time, I thought we’d be able to spend more time with them.” Ren said derisively. “A few days of fishing wasn’t enough.”
“I certainly enjoyed those days.” Seth said, licking his chops.
A2 plucked a stone from the river and chucked it at Seth, “I’m still mad at you, you know!”
Seth cackled as the stone bounced off his neck and landed in the river with a loud kerplunk.
“Think of it this way,” A2 shook her head at Seth’s antics and smirked at Ren, “When they return from their super important mission, you can welcome them back by making… what was it called again?”
“Curry.” Ren’s worry was eased by laughter, “Jackass is so close to finding all the ingredients. I’m still surprised she worked so fast rebuildng the supply lines, Anemone said she’s never seen the woman act so… feral.”
A2 narrowed her eyes, “She got this creepy grin when you told her how good this stuff was supposed to be.”
“Jackass is not only a demon in making an explosive mess.” Seth laughed, “But she has grown to be a demon who follows her stomach’s whims as well.”
Ren chuckled, “Can you imagine what would happen if we ever found coffee again?”
“Jackass and caffeine.” Seth shook his head, sending sprays of water in all directions. The scattered droplets left a curtain of rainbows behind. “Could those toothpicks even be affected by it?”
“Jackass created a variety of drugs effective on androids thanks to the assistance of 2B.” Pod 042 stated, “It’s highly likely she’ll find a use for this ‘caffeine’ as well.”
Ren and Seth shared a dreadful look.
“Well, that’s terrifying.” Ren deadpanned. He glanced at A2 as she studied him, face set in stern lines. “Are you okay, A2?”
She glanced back at Cruel Oath, which she hadn’t let out of her sight since the day 9S gave it to her. “I… It’s nothing. Never mind.”
Ren frowned, “Are you sure?”
“Yes.” She looked at him up and down, “Let’s call it a day before you get sick or something. You’re soaked.”
Ren shrugged, grimacing when his wet clothes stuck to his skin, “And whose fault is that?”
“Yours.” She smirked. “For getting distracted.”
A2 turned her back on him, sauntering towards the shore with spear in hand.
Ren shared another look with Seth, the Dragon’s face contorting in a deviously smug grin.
Seth’s tail surged through the river, his whale-like fin sending a cascading wave to swallow her whole.
Ren bellowed with laughter as she shrieked, stumbling as she was drenched head to toe with the water’s swell; her carefully braided hair coming undone, a tangled mess sticking to her face. She slowly turned to Ren, glaring daggers.
Ren plastered on an innocent grin as blue flames tickled the water, traveling up his body as he summoned his Joker outfit. His hair was still damp, but now his clothes were dry. Thankfully his boots were now water proof.
A2 dropped her spear on the shore, eye twitching with murder. “Start running.”
“Pod, catch!” Joker tossed his weapon to the Pods, turning tail to sprint through the water as A2 gave chase.
“Get back here, Ren!” She snarled, their rapid footsteps flying through the water, “When I get my hands on you—“
He skid to a sudden stop, gloved hands cupping water to throw at her face.
She dodged, grinning as she reached for him—
Seth sent another wave from his tail, throwing her off enough for Joker to get around her and escape.
“Stop cheating!!” She spat between coughs.
“It’s not cheating! Seth and I are in this together, you know.”
“Oh yeah?” A2 looked at Pod 042, “A little help to even the odds?”
“Affirmative.”
Joker bolted, another bright laugh escaping him. He didn’t know how long they spent playing in the river – A2 chasing after him, Pod 042 capturing water with his Program to shoot like a water gun: Joker splashing them with Seth using his tail to nearly drown A2 at every turn.
Their forest clearing felt light, the sun sparkling as it, too, danced across the water in scintillating ripples.
The Pod clutching Joker’s black spear would smile at the scene, if she could.
A2 finally tackled him when Pod 042 got a lucky shot to his face, holding him in a head lock. She cackled and ruffled his hair, “Time for payback! Pod, drench him!”
Joker struggled, but her grip was like iron.
Nothing happened.
“Pod, what are you waiting… for?”
Joker slipped free, jumping back with a grin on his face. He expected her to try and tackle him again, kick water in his face with a snarky remark, anything except to stand stock still. Arms hanging at her sides, head raised to the sky.
Pod 042 dropped any water it collected, a trilling buzz whirring to silence.
Joker blinked as the sunlight became magnified around them, stretching the shadows. It was near blinding, unnatural.
Seth stuck his head out from the cave, water sloughing around his neck as he snarled at the sky.
Joker looked up, eyes widening at something he didn’t quite comprehend.
No, the sudden brightness wasn’t the sun. It was the most magnificent firework he’d ever seen, turning the sky white in its intensity. Great clouds of smoke and dust spread when the explosion tapered off, the sky raining with endless fireballs.
The worst of all, the sheer destruction happened in complete silence.
“What…” Joker cleared his throat when he found it dry as dust. “What was that?”
“The Bunker.” A2 whispered, her eyes unable to turn away.
A jolt of panic tore through Joker. He whirled around to Pod 153. “Pod, don’t tell me—“
“All communication with the Bunker… lost.” She sluggishly floated down to his side, the arms holding his spear went limp until the weapon splashed into the river. “Contacting additional Pods with 2B and 9S…”
“I tried. There’s no signal from our counterparts.” Pod 042 said. “2B and 9S… current status unknown. Location: unknown.”
“They can’t be gone.” Joker shook his head as his heart pounded war drums in his ears. “They’re not dead!”
Nobody spoke up to prove him wrong.
Joker glared at the fireballs streaking the sky in crimson tears. “I’m going to find them.”
“Ren.” A hand clasped on his arm, and he cast it away.
“Don’t try to stop me, A2.”
“I’m not stopping you, moron.” Her features softened, but marred by fear. “We’re finding our idiots together, alive, and then we’re going to figure out what the hell is going on.”
Joker smiled at her. He picked up Cruel Arrogance and gave Pod 153 an encouraging pat as A2 swept up her own weapon on the shore.
Seth’s ear flicked and he raised his head, “Wait.” Joker and A2 stopped, the Pods at their sides. “Noises, growing closer. It sounds like those flying toys the YoRHa use.”
True to his word, a group of three YoRHa flight units surged through the sky right above them, the tops of the trees rustling from their proximity.
“Hey!” Relief flooded Joker as he ran downstream, waving his arm to catch their attention.
One of the flight units stopped midair, turning to him. He didn’t know this particular android as the protective plates in front of her face revealed her long white hair, fair face without a visor – eyes twinkling a ruby red. The woman grinned as the flight unit lowered itself as a metal angel, the engine power carving the river into choppy waves. Her two compatriots stopped in eerie unison, staring at him.
“What’s happened to the Bunker? Do you know where 2B and 9S are!?”
They’re alive. They had to be!
The woman giggled. “Found youuuuu...”
A familiar laugh still ghosting his ear.
Joker froze when he suddenly stared down the barrels of their weapons, the guns spinning as they prepared to fire.
Seth exploded out of the waterfall, throwing himself over Joker as the first bullets rang out. The Dragon’s wings were his shield, black scales weathering the bullets and missiles fires upon them without mercy.
Joker covered his face with his arms as the blinding explosions slipped through Seth’s protective wings, “What are they doing!?”
“Clearly they’ve gone mad!” Seth trumpeted his fury, the heavens answered.
Clouds gathered to smother the raining fireballs. Dragon magic wove into the storm, a bright flash of blue lighting struck down the flight units. Seth only moved his wings after the solid crunch of smoking metal hit Joker’s ears, the new piles of scrap littering the forest floor.
Joker couldn’t look at the delicate arm of the android poking out of the debris clogging the river.
“Ren!” A2 sprinted around Seth with both Pods in tow, “Are you hurt!?”
Seth shook off the smoke. Faint stains marked his black scales, but they remained stronger than steel.
“We’re fine.” He turned to the smoking piles of debris, “What just happened?”
“They must’ve been taken over by a logic virus.” A2 said, coldly. “Their red eyes, that crazy laughter… it can’t be anything else.”
“But without the Bunker,” Joker shook his head, “Without YoRHa—“
“The YoRHa server has been destroyed along with all data on every unit. No more black boxes in production, no more android bodies on standby.” Pod 042 stated, “Death is now permanent for YoRHa androids.”
Joker felt cold.
He couldn’t let the emotions sink in as rain pattered across the forest, but more importantly, the rumble of more flight units closing in. Drawn by their comrades’ destruction.
“I’ll distract them.” Seth raised his wings, faithful black sails in their full splendor under a flash of blue lightning. “Go while you can.”
“The City Ruins should be our first stop.” A2 said.
Joker nodded as he adjusted his grip on his spear to run, and they finally bolted from the river as Seth ascended into his domain.
His harrowing roar called no less than a half dozen flight units bursting after him, weapons futile as they tried shooting him down.
He and A2 sprinted under the shadow of the trees, the wet grass and mud, with Pods glued to their sides as the forest became a blur around them.
Why was it, that sunlight and honest fun turned into a nightmare? One blink was all it took to twist that laughter cold and cruel, with who knows how many lives snuffed out in a white sky shredded with beautiful meteors.
But the Pod said this area was marked as a safe zone, no soldiers should’ve been so close.
Unless they were looking for him? For any YoRHa survivors?
How did the virus spread so fast during such a critical operation? Was it the cause of the Bunker being destroyed?
What the hell went wrong?
Joker forced himself to focus as the verdant venue blended into white floors, overgrown escalators, broken glass ceilings. And a squad of YoRHa armored in black, their eyes blazing red as they sluggishly turned to the newcomers.
An android with a large shield stepped forward, voice a sing-song rhythm, “There you areeeee...”
Discordant laughter slithered around the abandoned shopping mall, the androids no more than slaves to this virus as they raised their weapons against Joker and A2. It was an empty comfort to see no Pods with them, least of all any other Pods 042 or 153.
A2 wreathed herself in combat, slaying a few before the others could swing their unsteady blades.
Joker took a deep breath and swallowed the lump in his throat. He leapt into the fray, falling in step with A2 as she took the brunt of the attacks – her graceful white spear effortless as it bathed in blood. A sliced artery. Broken vertebrae. Sparking circuits going silent. He picked off lone stragglers, erasing their black armor from his sight and pretending they were Adam’s lifeless salt puppets.
They certainly moved like puppets. Some with their strings cut, limbs lanky and twitching, but for others their strings were wrapped and tangled around them, making their movements eerie and erratic. Unpredictable.
The Pods fired upon the android puppets, using Programs for shields and lethal strikes.
Easy, as if these androids weren’t former comrades.
A2 screamed as she ran her entire spear through the last android’s chest, letting the victim collapse at her feet with a dull thud.
Joker and A2 grimly nodded to one another when the whole group was felled.
They raced over the blood puddles, the broken bodies, and were nearly to the other side when shadows dropped in from the shattered windows above. Another group challenged them in deranged laughter. One after the next, androids and machines both crawling in from everywhere. All of them stabbed Joker with their blazing red eyes, their laughter constant.
“Go, Ren.” A2 ordered, “I’ll catch up in a minute!”
“But—“
“We don’t have time!” She barked as her next opponents surged for her, “Just go!”
Joker ran for the exit.
The City Ruins became a washed out horizon, splashed in smoke and flame. Tears of scarlet fell through the colorless rain clouds, and the lightest tremor rumbled under his boots.
He saw none of it as his eyes gravitated to the android hobbling over the wooden bridge.
Her black dress bore tears and grisly stains, her face a picture of agony. Her joints sparked as she continued her desperate, bedraggled walk across the bridge. She passed the bridge’s posts before she fell to her knees, her Pod doing little but offering comfort. Her holy white sword was in a death grip in her hands.
“2B!”
Her head snapped up, her visor-less face breaking in both relief and terror. "R-ren? You... you shouldn’t be here…”
He slid to a stop, crouched down, and put a reassuring hand on her shoulder. His costume burned away to his Resistance attire, the least he could do is allow her to see whole his face when hers was so open. She barely heeded the ash joining its kin in the City.
“Don’t worry about that now.” He said, looking around. “Where’s Nines?”
“S-sent him away… to s-s-save him.” She doubled over in pain. “H-he’s safe. N-no… no virus.”
“Pod, is there anything I can do?”
This Pod 042 released a dismal whir, “Logic virus infection has reached 87%. Critical failure of Unit 2B is imminent.”
Ren rapidly shook his head. He stabbed his spear into the ground beside him and brushed his fingers over the Phoenix Plume. His hope withered away and died as he cast Diarama. Again. Once more. He shook his head as he tried to push the healing magic in her, only for the organic spell to slide uselessly over the circuitry. Oil and water, they were.
“91%…” Her Pod whispered.
“Where is Nines, 2B? Surely, he can do something!”
“It’s t-too late for me!” She pushed him away, “D-don’t you u-understand!? If I become like the others, I-I’ll lose myself and hur-rt you.”
Ren took a breath to respond when uneven footsteps crunched behind them.
He looked over his shoulder to the corrupted androids. One was missing an arm, another held large gash down her front dripping tears of blood. The leader lost her helmet, her long dress ravaged by slaughter. Braided hair fell limp over her shoulders. Her slack grip made the sword in her hand drag in the mud.
The sounds of battle echoed behind them, and yet the group of four had slipped past A2.
The leader’s eyes glimmered like mad rubies as she grinned at him, confusion flooding in with a tilt of her head.
“Y-You’re… the Human.”
“Human.”
“Human…”
Her comrades laughed, spreading out to surround Ren and 2B.
“And you…” He stood, drawing both daggers and falling into the stance 2B herself taught him. “You’re 23D, aren’t you? You were there when the Commander came to the Resistance Camp, and I found you in the Flooded City after the Behemoth Class machine.”
“Oh? Is that so?” She giggled almost like she was drunk, her voice become a scratched record, “I-I remember now. The H-Human who was nice to me. Human. Human. Human. Human! Huuumannnnn!”
“Ren, please.” 2B clutched the edge of his cape, voice weakening. “Forget me and run!”
“No.” Ren shifted his stance, his eyes burning but no tears falling as he faced 23D and her group. “I don’t abandon my friends!”
The corrupted androids closed in on him, lurching under their invisible puppet strings as one unit.
Speed and Defense Master pulsed through him as he ducked under a blade, jumped away from another. Pod 153 assaulted his first attackers with bullets as another shadow fell over Ren.
23D cackled as she swung her massive shield, batting him away as if he were nothing more than a doll.
He rolled into his landing, with Seth’s defense and the buffs he sustained no damage, but that didn’t deter them. They lurched at him again with single minded frenzy, not paying any attention to 2B as she writhed in pain.
“P-Pod… help him!” 2B ordered. “Now!”
Both Pods flew to his side, Pod 153 with bullets, this Pod 042 with a scathing laser. A shield Program from 153 unbalanced one of the androids, her sword doing no more than sparking harmlessly across it.
Ren plunged Arsene’s Lament into her chest, blood flowing onto his hands in scalding rivers. He ripped it out as tears laced her eyes, sending her flying back with a Maragidyne channeled through Seth. She crashed into the wall in a charred heap, her dress melted under the magical flame, the stab wound fatal.
A last chuckle escaped her before the red twinkle in her eyes sputtered out, and she was dead.
Two blades sliced at him in unison. One was parried by the Phoenix Plume, the other guarded by Arsene’s Lament. The pair of androids circled him like rabid wolves, laughing as one.
Ren twirled his daggers as they lunged together.
Be like water.
He narrowed down his focus to dodging their blades, flowing into a river’s liquid movements. His magic bubbled under the surface of his skin as he pressed their features away from his mind, simply red eyed salt puppets dancing to another’s music. Shadows who devoted themselves to one Ruler.
A gurgled gasp reached his ears when Arsene’s Lament parried a silver blade, the dagger wetted by a sliced throat. He coldly registered the great crunch when Pod 042 crushed her under a massive hammer Program. Ren whipped around as he heard the other android running for him, his curse magic bleeding into reality.
A great pillar of Eigaon erupted below her, throwing her high enough to sail over the edge of the cliff. He hoped she was dead before she got to the bottom.
A scream of anguish was his distraction.
“2B!” He cried out when he looked at her, now crumpled over and too still.
“Logic virus at 98%—“
He didn’t hear Pod 042 finish that statement as a massive shield batted him away for the second time. Both daggers were flung from his grasp as he rolled to a stop closer to 2B. He frantically searched as 23D’s laughter crept closer on undulating steps.
His heart plummeted when the golden dagger slid off the edge of the cliff. Arsene’s Lament was nowhere in sight. Ren took a deep breath and grabbed Cruel Arrogance still planted into the earth a few feet from 2B, falling into a stance akin to a cutting wind. The Pods hovered protectively in front of him.
“St-st-still not… dead?” 23D cackled in her entrapped insanity, her red eyes shining like bright stars, “L-let’s fix that, Huuuuuuuumannn!!”
Her laughter was a broken record as they charged at one another, her slamming him with her shield, blocking his strikes with her own sword. The Pods’ base attacks had no effect.
They weren’t able to put a scratch on her.
“I propose we overwhelm her together, leaving her open to a fatal blow.” Pod 042 whispered as he hovered close, another round of stabs blockaded.
Ren narrowed his eyes at 23D. Cruel Arrogance’s other skill would fit the bill if he timed it with the Pods’ attacks, but with Tempest Slash being a physical skill, it needed to steal his vitality to work.
He took a steadying breath and nodded. Now wasn’t the time to hold back.
“Both of you use a Program when I attack next.”
“Affirmative.” They replied in unison.
23D sauntered towards him, a face splitting grin warping her features as she grew confident.
Cruel Arrogance sensed its wielder’s intentions, the weapon’s ruthless nature greedily drinking his life essence. Ren’s heart pounded as his strength diminished, but the spear took no more than was necessary.
Ren twirled Cruel Arrogance, “Now!”
23D blocked the four quick swipes of Tempest Slash, eyes wide at the paranormal claws striking from out of nowhere, as the Pods split open and their internal mechanisms fired white-hot beams. The android grunted as they kept up the pressure, but kept her shield raised as Ren ran under the lasers, sliding to a stop behind 23D.
He jammed the weapon through her back, her blood sprinkling the grass as she gasped in pain. Ren grit his teeth at the sound of grinding metal, the tearing of false flesh.
The Pods ceased their Programs as her arms went limp, her shield falling on the ground.
“I’m sorry.” Ren said as he pulled out the weapon. He caught her when she fell backwards, the red glow already gone from her eyes as he set her down gently. Her gaze was set to the rainy sky, vacant.
He jumped up at the sound of more footsteps nearby, but lowered his guard when A2 looked at the carnage around him.
“Oh, Ren…” She walked up and hesitantly reached out, her clothes and white spear covered in blood, and her hand dropped to her side. “Are you hurt?”
“No, I’m fine.” Ren stepped away, unable to look at 23D or the other bodies. “But 2B—“
A2 gasped at where 2B was slumped over, “Is she…?”
Ren shook his head, “She’s alive, but…”
“Logic virus infection at 99%.” The Pod 042 with A2 stated.
A2 let out a long breath.
Hard footsteps drew Ren’s attention as A2 stalked past him, her expression cold and ruthless. It was the same expression she wore when she killed the child forest king. Ren bolted when A2 raised her spear over 2B’s body.
Their singing spears clashed, A2’s eyes flying wide open.
“What are you doing!?” Ren shouted.
“She’s being taken over by the virus. There’s nothing we can do for her.”
“No, there has to be a way! If we find 9S—“
Seth interjected, the sound of dragon wings closing in. “I already found 9S, Trickster! Just wait a little longer!”
“Look around, Ren!” A2 barked as she stepped back, spear at the ready. “Do you want 2B to turn into a laughing maniac like the rest?”
“Seth and 9S are on their way!”
A2 shook her head, “It’s too late. The virus has progressed too far.”
Ren looked at 23D’s empty eyes. To the others whose blood was spilled to a puppeteering virus.
A gunshot. The giant steel door slamming shut, Oracle’s confirmation of the signatures on the other side disappearing. His teammates all screaming as they fell into different portals, trapped in worlds unknown.
Ren didn’t bother hiding the blurred warmth in his eyes, “I can’t lose anymore friends.”
“2B wouldn’t want this.” A2 set her hand on his cheek, smiling as tears bloomed in her eyes, too. “Step aside, Ren. I’ll handle it.”
“I… I can’t, A2. I won’t abandon her. We’re waiting for 9S and there’s nothing you can say to change my mind.”
A2 only looked sad.
The trio of Pods chimed their warning too late.
Ren didn’t know what came first.
The scream of a falling Dragon.
The laughing virus.
A spear’s magic crackling under his skin.
Or perhaps it was the way he blankly stared at the blessed white blade sticking out from his abdomen, the warmth of blood seeping into his clothes. It struck all at once. Screaming ripping his mind apart, holy fire smiting his insides – the world drained away until all he knew was the agony of a deadly weakness struck.
The last thing he remembered was A2’s face splattered with his blood, her horrible scream bleeding into the darkness consuming him.
~*~*~*~
One hour ago…
Before I could convince myself to forgive 2B, our final major operation had already begun. Still, at the time, I knew nothing. Not how the battle would end, or the twist in fate that would change us all.
9S stood upon a rooftop high in the City Ruins, flicking through his screen with a hint of a smile. He’d been inspired by an android in the Resistance Camp who wanted photos of various places to recover her memory, and the scant few days he and 2B got with Ren were spent doing just that.
Mostly.
Ren came up with the idea of a small fishing competition. They’d went to each area he and 2B were assigned to scout out machine numbers, finding places to fish.
That budding warmth bloomed in his chest when he flicked to the next photo in the desert oasis: One of Ren posing by the massive fish he’d caught – an enormous behemoth that looked more like a weird blend between a rhinoceros beetle and a coelacanth. 9S got second in this area with a koi fish. A2 looked ready to murder them as she held her tiny killifish not even a few centimeters long. Seth was in the background, licking his chops as he’d half buried himself in the scorching sand.
He flicked to the next photo of the Amusement Park – Ren hauling in a manta ray, he with a machine variant of a koi, and A2… with another killifish.
The Forest: Ren in second with an aorowana, 9S in third with a weird, furry carp, and A2 wore a deviously smug expression as she finally caught the biggest fish in the area – an arapaima.
9S grinned in earnest at the next photo, all a black and white blur when Seth took it upon himself to devour A2’s arapaima in one gulp, and her retaliating. He could still hear her screaming curses at the Dragon.
And the last photo of them in the City Ruins. He could see the same pond they’d used all the way from up here – though they’d called this one a tie because Ren dredged up a solid gold machine head they’d no idea how to score.
2B had participated too, but she’d never wanted to be in the photos. She chose a fishing spot far away from them, and always threw hers back when it was time to rank them. She didn’t mind getting last place every time.
Ren figured out their true goal as they went from area to area, as he’d give them a calculating look whenever he and 2B went off to gather the data necessary for this operation.
A ring brought him out of his thoughts as his Pod brought up a screen with 21O.
“9S, what’s your—“ She paused, blinking slowly, “What are you doing? Now is not the time to be looking at pictures!”
“I coordinated with the other Scanners and we already brought down the machines’ air defenses.” 9S looked at Ren’s grinning face a few seconds more before he cast it away, “Simply awaiting new orders.”
21O sighed, “Great job on that end. Flight Units are already in descent across many regions: Your new orders are to team up with 2B and provide support to the squadrons in the City Ruins.”
“Yeah, yeah.”
“And no more distracting yourself.”
“Please don’t talk to me like I’m a child. I know what I’m doing.”
“Of course.” She chuckled softly, “I’m sure it was just your imagination, 9S.”
He scoffed as the screen disappeared, “She hung up on me.”
“Affirmative.” Pod 153 said.
9S looked to the sky, where multiple squads of YoRHa Flight Units were descending from space, leaving their smoke trails behind the bright lights of their engine fire. Watching them made it feel more real, like they could finally end the Machine threat and assure Ren’s safety once and for all.
“Pod, calculate the trajectory of 2B’s Flight Unit. We’ll meet her upon landing.”
“Affirmative… Message incoming from the Council Of Humanity.”
9S scoffed, his mouth tasting of bitter acid as the ‘Council of Humanity’ spoke to all androids.
“The Council of Humanity has a message for all of our brave androids fighting on the surface. Our elite YoRHa forces, the pride of Humanity, have defeated two enemy network units known as Adam and Eve. This victory is a giant leap forward in our quest to reclaim Earth. The moon rings out with the cheers of the entire Human race! We look forward to your continued combat exploits. Glory to Mankind!”
“What a load of crap. Did they forget it was Ren who challenged Adam and won?” 9S muttered, “Whatever. Pod, do we have a location on 2B?”
She opened a map with a blinking red dot.
9S nodded and they were off.
The sounds of war reached him all the way up here. Machines exploding, Flight Unit Missiles firing, YoRHa weapons smashing and tearing metal apart. The City Ruins became draped in battle as smoke and smog clouded the entire area.
“2B!” He shouted as he jumped onto another bridge, watching as she was ejected out of her Flight Unit. She donned the new black armor all other YoRHa combat models did.
She landed with a grunt, the white eyes of her helmet glancing at him, “What’s our status?”
“The operation is underway.” They leapt in unison from the bridge, running down the burning streets, “A few squads have already engaged the enemy, but I’m picking up distress signals here and there. Our orders are to provide support wherever necessary.”
“Got it. Let’s go!”
They arrived at the first SOS signal within the next few minutes.
2B’s prowess on the battlefield provided a swift death to many machines, the holy white blades of Virtuous Treaty and Virtuous Contract a literal death knell.
His own electric blade from A2 worked wonders for any who got too close. A small group of them charged at him, and he didn’t even raise a brow as he snapped his fingers – something he’d seen Ren do many times.
His weapon set switched to its secondary setting, and he slashed his arm forward. The largest of the Cruel weapons they’d found yet, buried in desert sands on their fishing adventure, cut through the air. Cruel Blood Oath was a cumbersome copy of Virtuous Treaty, but it cleaved metal apart in golden shadows and sinister bells.
He was glad they took it upon themselves to use Masamune’s new blue flames to upgrade their weapons before this battle.
The best part?
As a scanner model, he didn’t need to hold the blade himself as the magical golden circles did the work for him.
“This area’s clear!” 2B announced.
“Thank you.” 4B saluted to them, “We’ll come with you to provide additional support!”
2B nodded, “It would be appreciated.”
Their Pods rang.
“This is 3B, captain of Theta Squadron. The enemy machines are multiplying in front of us. We can’t hold this position!”
9S frowned. The enemy numbers were multiplying?
They rushed off, further into the crumbling war zone. Dust and ash clouded the City’s skyline, and soon the sounds of frantic battle and screams came from everywhere.
9S dove into his hacking once they encountered the next group swarmed and outnumbered. 2B killed scores with her holy blades, but with each machine he’d hacked into…
Something wasn’t right.
These machines’ codes were different. Variants from the data they’d gotten before. And true to the other SOS signals popping up in every direction, their estimated numbers had been wrong, too. Several squads were dead before they’d even arrived to aid them.
“2B, something feels wrong.” 9S ran beside her as they rescued another group, “The machines shouldn’t be going haywire like this.”
“I know.” He couldn’t see her expression because of her helmet, but there was a frown in her voice. “But all we can do right now is fight.”
9S grimaced. His gaze flicked to the sky as other Flight Units were in mad dog fights with clouds of flying machines, half expecting a pair of black wings to burst into the fray.
He was glad they’d kept Ren out of this mission, just so he didn’t have to see the results of this horrible war.
“9S, go the rooftops and get a scan for the real enemy numbers. I’ll take care of the next distress signal!”
“Got it.” He hesitated, frowning at 2B. “Be careful.”
“I will.” She jumped into the next rabid swarm of machines, “Go!”
He ran. 9S soared through the nearest building, flying up ladders to reach the nearest rooftop in less than a minute.
His holographic map hovered under his fingers, “Pod, scan the surrounding areas.“
“Affirmative.”
He felt the pulse she gave off as if went through his body, but his eyes widened as his entire map filled in with red. Friendly yellow markers were being wiped out all across the region.
“No, this can’t be…” He shook his head, “Pod, send an emergency message to the Bunker! Request immediate reinforcements!”
“Negative. Unable to reach the server.”
“Don’t tell me they’re jamming us!”
“No.” Pod 153 whirred, “Connection lost due to server-side authentication error. No response is coming from Command from any channel.”
“What…?” He looked up to the smoky heavens, “What’s happening on the Bunker?”
An alarm rang out. He looked over the edge of the building to see the horde of machines surrounding 2B and those they’d rescued, their heads elongated to reveal new electrical part he’d never seen before. A flash of light was all it took for the entire YoRHa squadron to fall in unison.
“2B!” He screamed over their comms. “2B, are you alright!?”
“EMP hit me… point blank. I have to… reboot.”
“Got it. I’ll provide support. Hang in there!”
He’d jumped off the roof, landing on the streets in the fraction of the time it took to get up there. The swarm turned to him as his Pod fired her missiles, his hacking ripping into their numbers. They’d tried their EMP trick on him, too, but he killed them off the second their heads extended.
He dodged and hit where he could, his hacking proving to be too slow en masse. Pod 153 used up Programs until he could see her gears smoking. A machine’s spear nearly gored him, and another sword slipped his side. Electricity and Curse became the machines’ death knells as he retaliated with everything he had.
He grit his teeth, burning through his recovery items until the last machine was finally disposed of. 9S stood there, bent over to catch his breath, as the downed androids finally began to move.
9S limped over to 2B, “Still with me?”
“Yes.” She ripped off her helmet, breathing hard as the others groaned in pain. “I’m okay, 9S. Thank you.”
He nodded. “2B, we have a problem—“
The screams began. They jumped as the others in their squadron clutched their heads, howling in agony.
“No, could this be a virus!?” 9S said.
2B screamed, collapsing in pain.
He didn’t think when he dove into her systems, eradicating any corruption without another thought.
“2B!”
“I’m alright.” She stood, frowning when she looked around to the others, “What’s happening?”
Their screams ceased. Their bodies went limp as they stood up, the glowing eyes of their helmets flashing with red. Laughter rang out, discordant and glitched. They were surrounded, not by machines, but by the comrades they’d fought alongside.
2B blocked the first android’s strike, “Hey, snap out of it!”
“They can’t hear you!” 9S dodged, “They’ve been taken over!”
2B pushed the other android back and made to strike, but her attack never landed. In fact, they found themselves unable to attack at all.
“It’s their YoRHa IDs!” 9S shouted as he wove between multiple swings of a sword. “2B, I need to hack into you and fry your identification circuit!”
“Do it!”
The way she showed no hesitation, still putting all of her trust in him even after their bout under Pascal’s village...
He didn’t know what to make of it.
9S pushed all that aside when he dove into her systems once more, a few seconds was all it took to disconnect the circuits.
“Pod!” 2B shouted as she plunged her blade through an android, “Contact the Bunker with an emergency message—“
“I already tried!” 9S shouted as he wove under a sword, stabbing the android through the back with Cruel Blood Oath. “It’s not only these androids, but something is happening on the Bunker too!”
“Then what do we do?”
“Give me a minute to think!”
“We might not even have a minute!”
He bit back a retort as they were thrown back into fighting and dodging.
They were continuously surrounded. Androids surged from the smoke clouds, even the ones who’d been killed earlier, marching side by side with haywire machines. It was only the two of them and their Pods. A2 was with Ren, hopefully someplace far, far away. They had no Dragon to lay devastation to their new enemies like they had with Eve.
No way out.
Unless…
9S split a machine in half and jumped to 2B’s side. Wherever they looked, red eyes sparkled like liquid jewels. Surrounded by a sea of laughing androids.
“2B…”
“What is it?” She regained her calm demeanor, despite their situation.
“Remember that back door into the YoRHa servers? I can use it to upload our log data through there, and then we can self-destruct our black boxes to take them out all at once!”
2B nodded. “I’ll keep them busy, but hurry!”
9S opened his screens and began the process, ignoring the various explosions all around him. 30 seconds felt stretched into an agonizing hour as he watched the bar fill.
“2B, your black box!”
They ejected their black boxes from their chests, turning to run at the other. 9S dodged more strikes, slipped out of another who tried to grab him. 2B was tackled by a few soldiers, falling to the ground.
“9S!” Her arm was free from the androids pinning her, outstretched with her black box in hand.
He ran forward.
Their black boxes touched.
The last face 9S thought of before everything went white was Ren’s: grinning and happy at the giant fish he’d caught.
His eyes snapped open. He lay on his bed, in his quarters up on the Bunker. 9S flung himself off the sheets and ran out with his Pod by his side, looking up and down the hallway. It was quiet. Silent. Completely the opposite of the pandemonium on the surface.
He sprinted towards 2B’s quarters, and reached it the moment her doors opened.
“9S! Let’s hurry and report back to command.”
He nodded, and she was the first to take off running.
It was eerie. They encountered nobody within the Bunker’s hallways. Usually there’d be a few lingering androids no matter what time it was. An Operator talking to the unit they supported. Different android types arguing over which one was better in terms of weapons or strategies. Others feeding the rumor mill.
By 2B’s frown, she’d grown unsettled, too.
They reached the command center to see that… all was normal.
The quiet hush of Operators went silent as they leapt over the elevator, and the Commander whirled around when they landed by her.
“2B? 9S? What in the world are you doing here?”
“The YoRHa units on the ground have all been infected by a virus.”
“A virus?” Commander White frowned, turning to the massive screens. Areas of the Desert, Amusement Park, Flooded City… and the City Ruins, all showed normal combat with machines. “We’re getting no reports about a virus.”
“Commander, listen!” 2B pleaded. “Communications with the Bunker have been cut off, all ground squadrons have been taken over by the machines. YoRHa has gone berserk!“
“Enough!” The Commander held up a hand as 2B was about to protest, “I never ordered a retreat, and you had no right the leave the battlefield. How did you two get back up here during such an important operation? It shouldn’t have been possible.”
2B fell silent.
9S thought of the cursed sword safe in A2’s hands.
The Commander’s eyes narrowed dangerously at their silence, “Well?”
9S smiled. He reached up and untied his visor, 2B’s face falling slack in shock in the corner of his eye. “I uploaded our log data through the backdoor in the YoRHa servers. But then again, there are a lot of interesting secrets hiding in plain sight, right, Commander?”
“9S!” 2B cried.
“We’re telling you,” 9S ignored her, “That YoRHa is compromised, ma’am. We came back to warn you before it’s too late.”
“You…” The Commander’s eyes were wide as she looked back and forth between them. She settled sharp suspicion on 2B. “You knew he’d accessed those files again, and lied to me about it.”
“Commander—“
9S knew they’d failed the moment the Commander’s expression turned cold with fury.
“No.” Commander White drew her riding crop and pointed it at them, “The only ones acting strange are you two. You’re going to be detained under the suspicion of virus contamination, and for going against my direct orders!”
“Commander White, please wait!” 2B shouted.
Nobody heeded the Commander’s orders.
A lone laugh echoed through the command center. The laughter multiplied as every other android in the room turned to them, red eyes glowing bright.
9S didn’t have it in him to say ‘I told you so!’ at the shock on the Commander’s face.
“They’re… they’re really infected?” The Commander gasped.
One android’s laughter became louder than the rest, and they turned to see 6O rising from her chair. Red eyes bored down at them, “Bingoooooo!”
“Commander!” 2B pushed her away as the other androids attacked.
2B didn’t hesitate to slay their former comrades as the virus took over, the blood of their friends painting the blank gray steel of the Bunker’s floors.
“Commander.” 9S frowned as 2B killed the last one. “We have to go. Now.”
Commander White opened and closed her mouth. She closed her eyes and took a breath, “We’ll discuss everything later. Let’s go.”
They ran out of the command unit as red alert lights flashed.
“G-G-Glory to... m-mankind…”
“All YoRHa units… launch…”
“R-R-Rennn…?”
“Wh-whereeeee are you h-hiding, huuuuman?”
2B wailed as she slaughtered their friends.
9S let her at it, ignoring the way Commander White’s gaze stabbed into the back of his head. “Is there something you want to say to me, Commander?”
“…It’s nothing.”
2B sliced through their last foe, blooding dripping from her sword.
“Th-th-thanksss… for the f-flowers… 2B…” 6O whispered as they continued towards the hanger.
Commander White had her hands balled into fists as she walked over the corpses, her boots leaving bloody prints in the halls. They’d entered the hanger, when the sound of three running footsteps slowed down to two.
2B looked over her shoulder, sliding to a stop, “Commander?”
She had her head lowered, eyes closed, “I cannot… go with you.”
“Why not?” 9S asked, “We don’t have time to screw around!”
“No, you don’t.” The Commander opened eyes like gleaming red jewels. “I was synched up to the server as well. It seems… the machines have won this battle. Go, while you still can.”
“Commander! Let 9S hack into your systems and—“
“No! 9S said it himself, there’s no time.” She smiled, “I am Commander White, and the Bunker is my home! My command. Let me at least fulfill my duty to the last second. And 9S…”
He stiffened when she stared at him with an indecipherable expression.
“I’m sorry about everything. From here on out, it’s up to you to do what you think is right. I won’t be there to stop you anymore.”
“Commander!”
“Go, 2B! You two are the last surviving YoRHa. As your Commander, I order you to return to the Earth… and live. That is your new mission!”
“But—“
9S grabbed her hand and ran, “We have to leave!”
“Commander, please!”
2B’s screams were lost as they jumped into the Flight Units, blasting out into space as the first explosions tore the Bunker apart. Their Flight Units soared towards the Earth as a blinding white explosion seared their backs, the rain of fireballs following their plummet into the planet’s atmosphere.
A starless abyss slowly turned to hazy blue, eventually they dove into the puffy clouds as 2B’s watery voice reached him.
“Commander, no… why did this have to happen!?”
“2B, we have to focus! She gave us new orders, so don’t let her sacrifice be in vain!“
“Alert: Multiple pursuers detected.”
“What!?” The roaring sound of Flight Units surrounded them, “No! These signals… 2B, it’s—“
Flight Units soared under them, turning midair to face them with their weapons ready.
“It’s YoRHa!”
“2B, we have to get out of here!”
“Where!?”
“Anywhere but here!”
The Flight Units fired on them, countless bullets and missiles followed them as they plunged towards the surface.
9S cried out as one missile hit his Flight Unit’s armor, the heat nearly burning his face. He shot one down, 2B took care of the others, but they were set upon by more Flight Units soaring through the clouds. The second group of Flight Units shot at them, insane laughter cutting through the sky.
“Alright, enough of this shit!”
“2B?”
“9S, give me control of your Flight Unit!”
“Are you crazy!?”
Her Flight Unit dodged closer to him, blocking a missile aimed at him.
“2B!!”
Her Flight Unit turned so they could look at each other’s faces. She smiled as she untied her black visor, letting it be lost to the chaotic winds around them. Her crystal blue eyes found his cloudy gray.
“Trust me, 9S. I have a plan to get us out of this.”
“I…” His throat closed. He swallowed as he remembered the trust she’d still shown him down on the ground. “Okay. Okay, I’ll trust you. Transferring control over to you!”
“Flight controls established for unit 9S. Setting automatic course. Activating stealth mode for escape route out of combat zone.”
“Wait, what!?”
“Stealth function, release!
“YoRHa Unit 2B’s stealth function deactivated.”
“Wait, no! 2B!”
His Flight Unit dipped into the clouds, explosions above casting her shadow above him. And then, she was gone. The wind and his engine droned on in his ear as his Flight Unit picked up speed, ocean water switching to the green of the City Ruins below.
“No! No!! Pod, restore Flight Unit controls to me!”
“Negative.”
“What do you mean negative!?”
“2B established an escape route. I am unable to override her command at this time.”
“Son of a—“
He’d be miles away if this kept up! And he might not have any fuel left to return the entire distance.
“Pod, be ready to catch me!”
“Nines?”
“Hacking in…”
2B’s override was solid, he’d have no time to break through. Alarms screamed in his ears as he overloaded the circuits. Heated up the fuel lines. The engines began to fail by the time he found the emergency eject. The Flight Unit’s panels opened and he was dropped.
His free fall lasted only a few seconds before Pod 153 caught him, their damaged Flight Unit flying off over the skyscrapers. He dangled in the air as they rapidly descended, crash landing into a random rooftop.
“That was reckless.” Pod 153 stated as he tried to stand, wincing at the light pain in his legs, “To fall from so high…”
“No time, Pod! Where’s 2B!?”
She whirred, “Pod 042… is not responding. 2B’s location is unknown.”
He screamed a curse. 9S clutched his head as he turned a tight circle.
“We’ll go in the direction her Flight Unit went. We’ll figure it out from there!”
He leapt from the rooftop without warning, his Pod buzzing as she caught him and lowered him onto the decimated streets.
2B!
9S sprinted through the City Ruins, raining with bedlam and chaos from the fallout of their failed operation. Fire and death and destruction became a blur as his footsteps pounded over the puddles gathered from the rain.
2B!!
Why did this happen? Why!?
He’d hated her. Loathed her for her betrayal. It wasn’t that long ago when he almost killed her himself, so why!? The Commander’s sacrifice – The Bunker’s parts streaming through the rainy sky in great meteors crashing to earth.
She’d killed him dozens of times over, slaughtered him in the name of protecting a lie.
So why was he so terrified for her, now?
Because she left herself open to your judgement, placed her trust in you when you didn’t trust her at all anymore? Was this her way of atoning?
Because the Commander apologized and told you to live on?
Because, despite all the pain and rage and hate he’d thrown at 2B, within the center of it all lay warmth and love. Hope. The tiniest pinpricks of light against the swirling black sea of emotions, but a light in the darkness nonetheless.
His ragged breathing was interrupted by a sound he now dreaded, Flight Units right above him. They transformed mid-flight, guns already firing on him.
He didn’t have time to react before it was already over.
A hundred magnificent blue streams of magic shot through the sky, swirling and tangling and swarming the Flight Units until they were nothing but dust.
Seth’s shadow swam over him before the Dragon landed in a thunderous crash, his mouth fuming with magical smoke.
Relief came to him in a heady wave, making him dizzy.
“Don’t just stand there, Nines!” His voice boomed as 9S gaped at him, hope dancing mad within him, “Get on!”
9S jumped over the wing Seth offered. He didn’t have time to get comfortable on the Dragon’s back, barely tucking his Pod under his arm as Seth took off again.
Seth flapped hard to shoot above the buildings, and already they were set upon by flying machines and Flight Units.
“Do these pests know no end!?” Seth howled before he shot a stream of homing fireballs.
Smoke and ash and heaps of flaming metal joined the rain drops falling to the earth. 9S could make no heads or tails of it as the winds roared loud in his ears. Without the Flight Unit’s protection, he was vulnerable on Seth’s back, something the Dragon seemed to know as he dodged another missile.
“We have to find 2B!” 9S screamed over the gales.
“2B? She’s—“ He hovered in the air as destruction plummeted below his wings, “The Trickster has found her.”
“Is she okay!?”
Seth snarled, “We must go to her, quickly!”
He took off with a few wing beats. Their new enemies, if anything, were predictable and stubborn. More seemed to have appeared from all directions, a small army rising out from between the City’s many buildings.
“GET OUT OF OUR WAY!!” Seth bellowed, “Nines, hang on!!”
“What are you—“ 9S yelped as Seth suddenly flew straight up, above their adversaries who followed ruthlessly with hails of bullets.
Seth let out another roar, the dark heavens roiling at his call. The Dragon tucked in his wings and plummeted, falling in a twisting corkscrew as bright blue sigils formed before his maw.
9S could only clench his eyes shut and cling on for dear life as ancient magic burst out from the sigils. Blue lightning struck down with them, spreading a wave of sheer destruction the likes of which 9S has never witnessed before.
The Dragon leveled out as hundreds of their foes plummeted to the Earth all at the same time.
“Seth…”
“Save it.” Seth snapped, “We don’t have time to—“
They soared a few hundred feet more when Seth suddenly buckled, a horrible scream of pain piercing the heavens. Like so many foes before them, Seth fell. They tumbled through the air, the Dragon flapping frantically to avoid the buildings and find a softer landing in a shallow stream.
9S cried out as they crashed, with Seth screaming and thrashing. He was knocked off, landing hard on the ground.
“Seth, what’s wrong!?” He threw himself to his feet, “What’s—“
They’d landed in the stream instead of a building, but 9S stopped cold when the water around his ankles already flowed red. An incomprehensible wound had gutted Seth, curtains of blood splatting into the water.
“Seth! What should I do!?“
Seth went limp as his gold eyes flickered, “Go. The wooden bridge… hurry across it!”
“What!?”
9S startled as the Dragon snapped up the pack tied around his back, and flung him through the air.
“Go!” He saw Seth wilting as he flew, slowly turning to blue ash falling in the red river, “Go…”
He tumbled in his landing, his heart pounding as he redoubled his efforts. 9S threw himself into running with all of his being, a new icy fear coursing through his system.
2B…
Ren!
A2!
Please, be okay…
He reached the wooden bridge, but there was no relief at seeing 2B standing on the cliff at the other side.
She was laughing, crying, clutching her head as another familiar voice wailed. 9S would barely remember how fast his feet carried him across, 2B’s gleaming red eyes lost to madness when he crashed into her. His hacking dove into her mind as she thrashed under him.
He had been through the machine network and lived, surely he could do the same for her!
9S rendered 2B unconscious as he fought tooth and nail over the virus corrupting her.
He made the mistake of looking over to the other screaming voice.
His world tilted as his programs surged through 2B’s circuits, to the limp form of Ren being cradled by A2 as tears streamed down her face. There was so much blood.
“A2, what happened!?”
She looked up at him in horror, “2B! She… she…” A2 grabbed the sword stuck through Ren’s body.
“No! Leave it there!” He yelled over the splitting pain skewering his heart, “He’ll bleed out!”
“I… I don’t…” A2 shook her head, “What do we do, Nines!?”
“Proposal: Seek help immediately.” One of the Pod 042’s spoke. “Closest ally: Pascal.”
There was a rumble.
9S shielded 2B, while A2 hovered protectively over Ren when giant white spires split the earth all across the city.
“It’s not safe here!” 9S called as another burst through only a few meters from them, “Pods, carry Ren and A2 into the shopping center! Hurry!”
He jumped up as the Pods followed his orders, the earth shaking and ripping itself apart as alien towers ruptured through.
“Nines!” A2 called as they were separated.
“Get to Pascal’s Village! Go, A2!”
He didn’t know if she heard him when another white spire knocked he and 2B off the cliff. A singular Pod 153 caught him by the arm, and with the other he clung on to 2B’s lifeless form. They descended into darkness, falling past rising spires as the Pod tried and failed to carry both of their weight.
This fall was harder than the one from his Flight Unit and from Seth, landing in ice cold water. He sputtered and coughed as he crawled out with 2B.
“Are you hurt, 9S?” Pod 153 asked as she turned on her spotlight, turning a small circle so scan the chasm walls.
“Nothing that can’t be fixed later.” He groaned as he checked over 2B.
She was still unconscious. The virus infected her core, corrupting so many of her systems that she really wasn’t herself anymore. He’d have to wipe everything and reboot her that way, a factory reset where only her base settings were available. She’d have none of her memories. She wouldn’t be 2B anymore.
“No!” 9S pressed the palms of his hands into his eyes, nails digging into his skin, “No!! Why… when we were just…”
“Nines…”
“Not now, Pod!”
“No, look.”
He looked up to where Pod 153 shined her spotlight, the gleaming holy blade of Virtuous Treaty impaled into the mud. It must’ve fallen with them.
He shakily stood and went over to it, hand outstretched to grab it.
A mix between a sob and a laugh escaped him. 2B had her memories stored in this blade: from the day she activated all the way to her stabbing Ren. The very same plan he was going to use to circumvent her murders, he could use to save her.
“Ironic, isn’t it, 2B?” Tears fell down his cheeks as he plucked the blade free, “Not too long ago I was going to kill you, and now I’m choosing to save your life. But Ren… I don’t even know if he’s still alive. Or A2.”
“Oh, Nines.” Pod 153 floated over and caressed his hair. “I propose we find a way to Pascal’s Village as soon as possible. I’m sure A2 will make it there with Ren and the rest of the Pods helping them.”
“Right…” The massive white blade dug into the mud as he dragged it with him, strength waned. “But first—“
He waved an arm over 2B, multiple screens lighting up the darkness.
“Commence a complete memory wipe and system reset of unit 2B. After, we’ll upload her memories using this sword before we wake her up. If this doesn’t work…” Another sob ridden laugh escaped him, bordering on mania, “Then I might’ve lost everyone I ever cared about.”
“Commencing…” Pod 153 whirred as she started the process. “Can you move, Nines? I can process the data while you lead us out of here. Pathway back up to the surface has been placed on the map.”
“Can you carry her?”
“Leave it to me.” Pod 153 gently picked 2B up with a golden ring, body limp.
He turned and followed the way points she set out for him, trudging through knee high water and mud. Twisting crags and sharp rocks. It was all silence for a while, save for his footsteps in the water, until they encountered a group of machines loitering by their exit.
His ears rang as their flashing red eyes turned to them. Their booming footsteps making his throat tighten and his vision to go blurry. An indomitable rage consumed him as he charged forward with a wild scream, 2B’s holy sword ravaging them. Cutting off heads. Chopping limbs. There was nothing but nuts and bolts left by the time he cleaved through them. He stabbed the final machine’s chest seven times before yanking it out, his Pod silent as they continued on the burnt out smolders of his emotions.
They’d climbed wet rocks. Jumped over chasms. The sun finally shone once they were almost up a sheer ledge, too warm and cheery for his mood.
At last, he sprawled out over the grass.
“Nines, over there.”
He pulled himself up to sitting.
They were on the other side of the wooden bridge now destroyed, pale spires piercing the sky. A new twisting and impossible structure rose out of the City Ruins now, over 3 times as tall as the skyscrapers. Other massive structures supported it, drowning the rest of the City Ruins in shadow.
He felt detached and numb as he lazily watched the alien tower shoot out three unknown rockets, all heading in different directions.
At least they were close to one of the entrances to Pascal’s village.
He forced himself to his feet, “Let’s go.”
Impossible alien structures were ignored as he staggered between the tall trees.
“Oh!”
9S raised Virtuous Treaty at the machine.
Yellow eyes. Not red. A friend: not a laughing foe.
The machine didn’t care as it rushed to them, “We were waiting for you! A2 brought Ren up to Pascal’s hut—“
9S sprinted past. Many machines jumped out of his way as he rushed up the tree, with crowds of adults holding crying children, as he burst into Pascal’s hut with Pod 153 and 2B with him.
“Nines!” A2 jumped at his entrance, tears laced in her eyes. “Thank god you’re okay.”
“Oh, dear.” Pascal’s voice shook as he pressed tarps onto Ren’s wound.
The sword was still in, like he’d ordered. He was laid out on his side, blankets and much of Pascal’s hut colored in red.
“2B?” A2 asked as Pod 153 gently set 2B on the floor, 9S dropped the massive white sword beside her.
“She…” 9S cleared his throat and tried to focus on what needed to be done. “She needs a complete reset, and then we can upload her memories from Virtuous Treaty. There’s still a chance she won’t make it if her hardware completely fails.”
A2 took a shaky breath, “And… what should we do about Ren?”
Pascal moved aside so 9S could take his place.
His heart pounded, his mouth went dry as he listened to Ren’s ragged breathing.
Ren was weak, but it was a Human damned marvel he was even still alive. He’d known of other androids with such an injury to not last a minute from the substantial blood loss. A true miracle. Almost as if… by magic.
9S glanced at the black spear propped in the corner, its grimacing face watching over them. He’d seen the Pod’s screen while Ren debated which to take, and he’d had the most subtle reaction that A2 missed. One of grim shock. 9S saw the spell listed for Cruel Arrogance: Endure. Was it not a coincidence that Ren chose this spear right away, and he hadn’t let it out of his sight since?
Did Endure prevent him from dying instantly? Did Ren know something like this might happen, so he kept this weapon so close in order to endure an otherwise fatal injury?
How was it preserving his life when he’d already lost so much blood?
9S vigorously shook his head. Think on this later, idiot! They needed to act now before the spell wore off.
He wasn’t a Healer unit, but he knew what he had to do. 9S had to pull himself together…
And perform emergency surgery.
On a Human.
The only Human left in all of their pitiful existence.
“Pod 153 C, continue the reset process and keep watch over 2B. Only notify me if there’s an emergency. Pod 042 A can assist.”
The pair of Pods did as they were told, hovering over 2B to resume their work.
“Pod 153 A, I’ll need a constant stream of Ren’s vitals. Pod 153 B, prepare all medical supplies you have in storage, except for logic virus vaccines. Pods 042 B and C, begin extensive scans of Ren’s injury and then be on standby to assist me, we need to see everything.”
“Um…” Pascal shifted, “What do I do?”
9S looked him up and down, “Get water. The freshest, cleanest supply you have. It cannot be contaminated whatsoever, so boil it and then filter it before bringing it here. Additional clean towels and blankets, too.”
Pascal nodded and rushed out.
A2 frowned at all the Pods working above Ren, “What are you doing?”
“We have to pull that sword out. We might be able to stabilize him if we’re fast enough.”
“Wh—“ She shook her head as Pod 153 B manifested a pile of staunching gel and bandages on the nearest table, bags of fluids to keep androids alive in the field. She shivered at the tools meant to cauterize and cut. “Those supplies aren’t meant for a human! They could kill him!”
“I know!” He released a warped laugh as his eyes watered, “But what choice do we have!? If we leave him like this, he will die!”
A2 froze, and the few seconds of silence turned brittle.
Pod 042 C chirped in sorrow, “Scan complete.”
“Sending information to Unit 9S.” Pod 042 B stated. “Alert: Hypovolemic shock imminent. Severe liver damage detected. Proposal: Use utmost caution during foreign object removal, as to not cause additional damage to the spleen, stomach, spine, heart, lungs, or the network of cardiovascular veins. Speed and angle for optimal removal have been sent along with scans.”
“Okay… Okay.” His hand shook as he began to peel back the tarps Pascal pressed around the wound.
A2 grabbed his hand and held it tight, resolve strengthening. “I’m here, too.” She said, voice steady. “Whatever we need to do, we’ll do it together.”
He nodded, the tremble in his hand easing, “...Thank you, A2.”
Time passed strangely as they worked on saving Ren’s life with the Pods’ guidance, with all the bloodied tools and the cloying scent of iron overwhelming the tiny hut, almost as if it didn’t exist at all anymore.
YoRHa was gone. The sky rained fire. The earth split itself apart by unknown alien technology taking over the skyline. Human blood left a path all the way to Pascal’s hut, 9S’ arms drenched in crimson as they tried to save Ren’s life. 2B fought her own battle as his programs worked on eradicating who she was as a person, and he’d need to do additional scans to see if any of her hardware was damaged beyond repair.
Their world was plunged into chaos in a span of minutes, and he didn’t know if half of his family would even be alive in the next few hours.
9S collapsed against the wall once they were done an unknown amount of time later: Surgery successful, for now. The Pods were tasked with keeping an eye on Ren and 2B’s vitals, and Pascal offered to go clean Virtuous Contract and the collection of bloodied blankets so 9S and A2 could stay by them.
He slid to the floor, numbly looking at the Human blood on his hands. He didn’t know when the tears begun falling down his face. His breath shortened when everything suddenly became too much, becoming a disorienting static as his hands trembled worse than leaves being thrown around in a storm.
Another pair of arms wrapped around him, A2’s voice muted in the bleak gray their reality had become.
He heard himself laughing, he heard himself crying, cursing YoRHa and their existence. A2 held in her tears as she gently shushed him.
They’ll pull through. That calm, logical half of his mind whispered once he was left as a broken husk in A2’s arms. You did everything you could.
They’re as good as dead already! The maddened half yelled. You might as well have killed them yourself!
Ren would survive. 2B wouldn’t lose all of her memories.
They had to.
Now he felt like a hypocrite.
2B was right.
It was so easy to lie to yourself after all.
~*~*~*~
Metal scraping on stone.
The pungent scent of iron.
Chains and all manner of human slaughtering tools were plunged through her crimson scales.
A message was written in her very blood before her: ‘Resistors shall lay in hell.’
Angelus looked up when the shadow of another human stood over her. She cared not for human emotions, but even one such as she bore witness to the unrestrained hatred on the man’s face. She reciprocated the feeling all too well. He screamed as he raised his sword to deal the final blow.
But his armor was equally as drenched, as close to Death as she was.
A growl rumbled through her throat. “Kill me if you desire, but you can never dirty my soul, wretched human!”
“Tell me, do you still want to live, dragon?”
She recoiled, “What?”
“A Pact! There’s no other way!”
“Hmph! What makes you think you’re worthy of a Pact with me?”
“Worthy or not, I wish to live!” Conviction strengthened his voice, even as blood poured from his wounds, “Despise me if you will, but I shall not die! Your answer: A Pact, or death!?”
The march of armor closed in on them. Empire jackals swarmed into the castle’s courtyard, and the human screamed in rage.
“You interrupt us! Go to hell, hyenas!”
The pathetic fool ran towards the Empire troops as a moth to a flame, and Angelus only felt pity for him.
~*~*~*~
The strange dream fell to the wayside as he spent his precious energy trying to open his eyes.
Pain consumed him.
Every tiny, shallow breath turned to a knife in his stomach. Any movement made his head pound and sent stabs of nausea into his throat, heart jumping erratically in his chest. He entire body was either freezing cold or scorching hot, or both, each extreme battling for dominance on his clammy skin.
Ren couldn’t even cry out, his throat caked in dried iron.
He wished he were back in the interrogation room for a reprieve. Bruises, a few fractures, and those drugs they used on him was nothing to this soul deep agony lancing through him.
The sun streaming through the window held no warmth as his eyes finally cracked open.
His vision was a smear of indiscernible colors, hushed voices a mere lilt in the air. A thin tube in the left corner of his vision glimmered like a jewel, possibly an IV except he couldn’t see either ends of it – couldn’t feel anything but pain if it were stuck in his arm.
He risked turning his head a few inches to the right, hair sliding over the damp pillow under his head.
The black and white blur sharpened into 9S crouching before a sheet set out on the floor, where another form lay. 9S shifted, turning to speak to someone else in the room.
Ren must’ve made some strained noise when he saw 2B’s unmoving body, as 9S and Pascal immediately turned to him in panic. A small crowd of Pods beeping and whirring around him was sandpaper in his ears.
“Ren!” Pascal’s flashing green eyes looked as if they were crying, “Please, don’t move or talk! We thought… oh, we almost lost you!”
“We can’t find your phoenix dagger anywhere, and your wound is… it’s bad.” 9S held a watery smile, exhaling a trembling breath as if to stabilize himself. “A2 went as fast as she can to get Devola and Popola, they might be able to… Ren?”
He couldn’t beg them for mercy as his eyes closed against his will.
The darkness swept him away, hiding Pascal’s soothing words as 9S’ face fell into his hands.
~*~*~*~
It wasn’t the prince’s screams she heard. No, the castle stones were bathed in the entrails of the Empire’s soldiers, powerless to stop the overwhelming surge of hatred.
A score of them fell beneath the prince’s blade by the time he lumbered back over to her, his older wounds oozing, new ones adding to the growing splotches at his boots. Death would welcome him any moment.
“Still alive?” She hissed through her fangs, “You’re blessed by the devil’s luck. Perhaps… a Pact with you…”
He leaned on his sword to stay standing, staggering a few steps forward before planting his weapon in the stones with a harsh gasp.
“Now.” He said, voice pushing through bloody teeth. “Your answer?”
“A Pact, or death?” Her chains strained as she lifted her head to fully look at him, “We are united by our need to live.”
“Well?”
“Yes. A Pact!”
The moment their agreement struck, the air became charged with ancient magic: their souls loose in their mortal shells.
She barely heard the man’s screams as he wrested his soul out from his chest, just as she writhed in agony to dislodge hers from deep within her breast. Her sacred soul broke free from her heart and came out of her throat, a veritable blazing star gently clutched between her fangs.
The prince clawed out his own glowing soul, and they moved to join them together.
A bright flash of light marked the birth of their Pact.
Weapons slid out of her skin, the wounds melting away. Chains snapped as her volcanic strength returned in an unstoppable flood.
The man’s armor became pristine, cleaned of blood and gore, his fatal wounds reversed as if they were never inflicted.
She trumpeted a victorious roar as he found his rightful place at her back, and as one soul, they rose into the sky to enact their revenge against the Empire. This prince gained power immeasurable as they blasted the Empire airships to the ground with her magnificent fire, he alone slaughtered an entire army around his sister’s castle – baptizing the battlefield in a moat of blood.
But these sacred Pacts aren’t without a price.
And the mad prince never spoke another word ever again.
~*~*~*~
“Still no luck?”
“Of course not. 9S has spent every waking hour searching, or so I hear.”
“I’m worried that miracle dagger might not even work. What if we’re wasting our time over a lost hope?“
“He’s getting worse every day, it won’t be long before—“
A2 knew her expression promised murder as she rose from her chair, marching towards the curtain to throw it open. “What do you want.”
The three Resistance androids blanched.
“W-we were just…” One lifted the loaded basket on her arm.
“Dropping these off!” The android in the middle looked behind A2, turning as white as a ghost as he shifted the box of gifts, “Yeah, just… just dropping these off.”
“Keep your voices down.” She growled. “Ren needs the quiet.”
“O-Of course, lady A2.” The final idiot said, setting his offering with the rest.
The other two hastily put their gifts beside their friend’s, and then they ran for safety at the other side of the camp.
Anemone watched them flee from her command tent, frowning at A2.
A2 ignored Anemone’s sadness, the other androids not-so-subtly trying to peek past her for a glance at Ren, the piles upon piles of useless crap making a mess all around the outside of the medical bay. She sharply pulled the curtain back, cutting off the rest of the Resistance Camp.
“Scaring off more well wishers?” Popola smiled as she carried in a bowl of fresh water and a clean cloth.
“They’re talking as if he’s already dead.” A2 returned to her seat, collapsing in it with a groaning sigh. “They should learn to keep their damn mouths shut.”
Popola nodded as she set the bowl on the small table next to the bed. She checked the output of Ren’s IV, and the smiled so gently at him. “Let’s change that, shall we?”
Ren didn’t respond.
How could he, looking like he already had one foot in a shallow grave? Pale as death, face growing more gaunt as those first few terrifying hours at Pascal’s village turned to days wasting away at the Resistance Camp. The scattered files and collection of machines around him were completely useless because Ren wasn’t an android.
“Pods, any change?” Popola asked as she rung water from the clean cloth.
Pods 042 and 153 whirred, moving from their vigil over him to proceed with their daily scan. The other pairs were off scouring that ravine for any sign of the Phoenix Plume – their last hope for Ren’s survival. It proved impossible because the new alien structures had changed the face of the city, with reports of other ominous towers popping up elsewhere.
A2 hated the idea of what the Pods’ other purpose could be at this camp, to send out the message that Ren didn’t make it.
She stamped the idea from her mind as quick as it came.
“Heart rate abnormalities detected. Temperature reading at 102.5 degrees. Internal bleeding has been stopped, but organ function is not optimal.” Pod 042 stated, his tone morose. “They continue to weaken over time.”
“Proposal: Seek medications to combat infection and pain.” Pod 153 murmured, smoothing down a piece of Ren’s hair, “We should make him as comfortable as possible.”
“I’ll look through our database again.” Popola sighed, her face drawn and tired. A2 knew she looked the same as many in the Camp. “Maybe we missed something.”
“You and Devola looked through it a million times. If there was something to help him, you would’ve found it by now.” A2 whispered, hating the words she forced out.
“I know, A2.” Popola looked down at Ren. “I just… something’s not right.”
“What do you mean?”
Popola shook her head, her straight crimson hair fluttering around her shoulders. “Files are missing in the database. We checked and rechecked, and had Anemone count everything. Certain files regarding Human health and lifestyles were deleted, and quite recently, too.”
A2 scowled, ready to jump out of her chair with her blade drawn. “Who?”
“No idea, they hid their trail too well. The humans on the moon haven’t even responded to our urgent pleas, either. It’s like… like they want Ren to die.” Popola balled her hands into fists. “But we can’t stop. No one stops until we heal him!”
“I wish everyone had your optimism.” A2 scrubbed at her damp eyes.
“It’s not optimism. I refuse to let him die.” Popola lost her exhaustion, putting on a face of fierce determination as if she were a warrior on a battlefield. “Ren’s the only Human to forgive us for our sins, when so many others condemned us for simply existing. He gave us a new purpose, and for that we won’t ignore his plight like the horrible people on the moon.”
A2 nodded, dumbfounded by Popola’s words.
Popola smiled, and continued speaking to Ren as she dabbed his face clean and changed the cloth cooling his forehead, talking about her day or news around the Camp. She checked the bandages hidden away, pursing her lips before gently setting the blankets down. The IV drip was double checked – a new bag needed to be placed soon.
“Hey…”
A2 tore her eyes away from Ren’s clammy face to stare at Popola.
“Why don’t you get some rest—“
“No.”
“A2—“
“I said no. I’m not leaving Ren’s side.”
Popola sighed. “Then talk to him. There’s a chance he could still hear you.”
She gathered up the bowl and the old cloth and walked away, shaking her head at Devola as she popped her head in.
A2 looked around to make sure no one was eavesdropping, leaning forward to whisper, “I’ve never put much stock in anything but my sword before I met you, Ren, and that fucking annoying Dragon. Seth… if you’re such a great god as you always claimed to be, then pull your head out of your ass and save your human. Wake Ren up already.”
A2 pinched the bridge of her nose as a few drops landed on the sheets.
“Dammit.” She pulled back and wiped her eyes, “I miss you both.”
The Pods resumed their grave post in silence.
~*~*~*~
Ren found himself standing in a void, thrown from pain and red eyed nightmares to something suddenly so real.
“Trickster.”
Ren whipped around, eyes wide. “Arsene, what’s happening?”
Arsene tipped his hat, flaming mask flowing in patterns of remorse, “You already know, Ren. These androids of yours are trying their best, but they are not equipped to… save a human from such a grievous injury.”
The cold crept in, the blackness swirling in thick ink around them. This wasn’t the mindscape, it was much deeper – somewhere in the darkest depths of his soul. A last resort before the inevitable. He could feel himself fading, drifting away as smoke in the wind.
A candle being snuffed out.
“We’re dying?”
“If it wasn’t for that spear’s innate power, we would’ve died on that cliff.”
“That’s not…” Ren ran a hand through his hair, “This can’t be it! We can’t let Yaldabaoth win like this!”
Arsene flared his wings and released boisterous laughter, “That’s the spirit, Trickster! That indomitable willpower, this desire to persevere in the face of death, there may yet be a way to escape this yet.”
“How?”
Arsene tucked in his wings, “It won’t come without a steep price.”
“We’ll do what we have to do.” Ren took a step forward, eyes sharp. “I refuse to have it all end here, to let our friends be stuck in those other worlds forever! Like hell are we going to let Yaldabaoth think he can get away with this.”
Arsene swept a clawed hand to the side, Ren following the movement to the other Personas trapped here. They were but wispy spirits dancing around Seth’s enormous body, not wholly corporeal.
“Trickster.” Seth bowed his head, ears wilting, “I’m sorry I failed to protect you.”
“Don’t say that.” Ren walked over and placed both hands on his snout, resting his forehead against the tip of Seth’s nose. “You protected me by drawing those other androids away. We both did what we had to.”
A rumble escaped Seth throat, and he closed his eyes to better absorb his Trickster’s comfort.
“Hmmm, a magnificent partnership has been born between you two.” Kohryu slithered around them, no bigger than a serpent swimming through a stream, “I believe… you will be fine after all.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?” Ren asked, frowning as Kohryu circled them.
Kohryu gave them a wry smile, “Seth has become more a true Dragon and less of a Persona. Think of what that means in this new world.”
Ren shifted his eyes to Arsene.
“The Red Dragon, Angelus, showed you visions of her past. A Pact with her human being one of them.” Arsene lingered nearby, staring off into the void. “It’s no mere coincidence these memories surfaced in our time of need.”
“Seth has been absorbing this new power since we fell into our slumber.” Shiva said. “Granting him abilities beyond a mere Persona, while the rest of us are all but crumbling away.”
Vasuki hissed, “Separate from the Sea of Souls that has withered and died in this world.”
“You are both ready to be born anew, as needs must. There is no other way to survive.” Cu Chulainn whispered, “But as Arsene said, there is a steep price.”
“A price the rest of us are more than willing to pay.” Byakko’s chill ghosted them from beyond the darkness. “But there may be more to it than that.”
“What are you talking about?” Ren looked around the silhouettes of his Personas, “You can’t possibly mean—“
“Yes.” Arsene peered deep into Seth’s eyes, “Seth must simulate a Pact, as the Red Dragon performed eons ago. He’ll transmute your powers into something completely different by using the rest of us as the catalyst.”
“You can’t be serious!” Ren cried.
“If you refuse this sacrifice, then we’ll die.” Sraosha’s voice brushed against the void, cold and hard. “We were fading away without the Sea to sustain us, and it wouldn’t have been long before we’d be lost to you for good.”
Arsene tilted his head, “If we continue as is, then Yaldabaoth’s victory will be absolute.”
“Can you really accept that, Trickster?” Pixie asked, a sad grin painted on her face.
Silence reigned over the desperate space within their soul.
“You said you were prepared, Ren.” Ishtar asked, “Was that a lie?”
“...No.”
“Then don’t make such a sad face!” Titania chuckled, “Do you remember what Arsene told you, when you first used the Velvet Room’s guillotine?”
Ren smiled wistfully, “‘Though I may disappear right at this moment, I shall always be at your side.’”
“Exactly. This is not the tragic goodbye it appears to be on the surface.” Arsene put his hands on Ren’s shoulders, wings wrapping Ren’s body in feathery warmth. “In a way, perhaps this near death was a hidden blessing, as it opened the sole path that would save us all. Go, unearth the final secrets this world has to offer, so that we may reunite in the next!”
“Stave off death, and make Yaldabaoth pay.” Alice said.
“We’ll be waiting, Trickster!” Yatagarasu called.
Cerberus howled, “Whatever the next world is, I can’t wait to see it!”
“I’ll accept this fate with pride, as my Wild Card once did.” Orpheus whispered. “….Farewell for now, Trickster.”
Their soul trembled, another icy wave sweeping over them. Death approached swiftly.
“We’ve no time left.” Arsene said, his hands tightening over Ren’s shoulders. “Do it now before we all perish!”
Seth peered into Ren’s eyes. “Shall we form a Pact, Trickster?”
“Yes.” Ren said, staring back with equal resolve. “A Pact!”
Seth closed his eyes. A pulse rippled through the void, spreading out around Ren and the Dragon. The other Personas flaked away into a storm of chaotic symbols long lost to history.
Arsene was the last as they were locked in a swirling sea of ancient magic, his hand trailing down to Ren’s. He guided Ren’s hand to be over his heart, and together they plunged it into Ren’s chest in a mimicry of the battle mad prince. Arsene faded as Ren’s body filled with boiling flames, biting back screams of pain as Arsene’s flaking body condensed into the glowing golden sun Ren ripped from his heart.
It was as painful as tearing off his mask in Kamoshida’s dungeon, but just as freeing as new powers blossomed.
Ren cradled the crux of his truest other self as the pieces of the other Personas were beckoned by Seth’s call. The Black Dragon raised his head, jaws open as the chaotic magic coalesced into a white-hot star between his fangs.
They held the pieces of their soul, blazing with light, shedding angelic symbols like tears.
Seth lowered his head as Ren offered the glowing sun to the one cradled in his maw.
The moment their reborn souls touched, the darkness was burned away in a great flash of light, the sound of church bells heralding a new Pact. Their previous contract from the malevolent God of Control dissipated, rewritten in dragon blood and the true essence of a human soul.
Pain melted away, and Ren felt at peace as the purest summery warmth filled his body.
“Anything which is a living and not a dying body will have to be an incarnate will to power…”
The voice as an anchor into the waking world, dredging him up from the deep.
“It will strive to grow, spread, seize, become pre… predominant? What the hell kind of word is that?”
Ren wiggled his fingers and toes, the stiffness of several tightly bound blankets masking the movement. The texture was abrasive on his skin, but no pain threatened to send him back into oblivion.
“Whatever.” The voice cleared her throat, “Not from any morality or immorality, but because it is living and because life simply is will to power…”
Various sounds drifted to his ears, the familiar noises of androids working around a busy camp. Talking, hammering metal, the sound of a truck engine muffled, as if he was separated from the noises by thick curtains.
“Exploitation belongs to the essence of what lives, as a basic organic function; it is a consequence of the will to power…” A long groan was followed by the turn of a page, “Dammit, Pascal. I asked for something easier to read to him than your last book! I can’t even wrap my head around this crap!”
Ren finally opened his eyes to a canvas ceiling, crisp and clear.
A frustrated growl and the harsh turn of a page drew his attention to his right.
A2 slouched on a chair set out at his bedside, scowling at the book in her hands as if the pages were throwing curses at her. He read the title with a small smile: Beyond Good and Evil by Friedrich Nietzsche.
“I like the Art Of War better.”
A2 jumped at his scratchy voice, the book flying over her head to land on the floor with a splat.
Pods were suddenly over him as A2 gaped, wide eyed. A deer in the headlights.
Ren tried sitting up, his muscles were as stiff as planks of wood, “A2, what’s—“
“Don’t move, you idiot!” She raised her hands to stop him, eyes laced in tears when he sat up fully. “You…”
The Pods circled Ren, whirring in panic.
“Temperature normal.” Pod 042 stated.
Pod 153 spoke next, “Heart rate normal.”
“Respiration normal.”
“Uh…” Ren blinked as they rapidly orbited him.
“No internal bleeding detected.”
“Organ function restored to optimal condition.”
Pod 153 hovered in front of his face, prodding his cheek as if she didn’t believe he was real, “Are you in any pain, Ren?”
“No?” He frowned as he rubbed his stomach. Thick bandages were bound under his shirt, rubbing against tender skin. “I feel fine.”
“How?”
Ren did a double take at the tears flowing down A2’s face. “You can thank Seth the next time we see him?”
She released a shaky breath. More droplets flowed down her cheeks when she lunged forward and wrapped her arms around him, holding him so tight he nearly couldn’t breathe.
“You idiot.” Her voice broke as she held him, “I thought you were going to die…”
Laughter bubbled from his throat, his eyes burning as he relaxed in her embrace. “I told you, I’m not that easy to kill.”
She stifled a laugh and pressed her face into his hair, “Hush you.”
A2 didn’t hide her tears, and neither did he. The Pods were happily dancing over their heads.
But there was another reason for Ren to cry: one of mourning.
Arsene and the others were gone, forged into the new bond he and Seth shared – transposed into the constant magic simmering in his blood. Music tempered in bells and strange symbols. Arsene said they’d be preserved this way, unable to fade as they were before, but the stark absence cut deep.
Seth writhed under the surface of his skin, a sudden need to get out clawing at their mind as if he were trapped in an egg that was too small.
“Take your time, Pact Partner.” Seth said as he buried his unease, an intense pressure digging into Ren’s stomach, “I can wait until you gain your bearings.”
Ren didn’t have time to take in the strangeness when a loud clamor split he and A2 apart. She had jumped to her feet, one arm poised to block Ren from the intruder while the other swept up Cruel Oath leaning against her chair.
“Y-you’re awake?” Devola cast her wide eyes between Ren and A2 as the latter sighed, relaxing her hostile posture, “What in the… how the…?”
“I heard a noise!” Popola rushed in, nearly tripping over the broken bowl of water on the floor, “What in the world is… happening?”
Ren wiped his eyes and smiled at their gaping expressions, “I woke up.”
The twins rapidly blinked to keep their tears from falling, A2 watching as they rushed to his bedside.
“How are you feeling?” Popola asked, laying a hand on his forehead.
“I’m okay.” He cleared his scratchy throat, frowning, “A little thirsty.”
Popola rushed out, ignoring the water puddle soaking into the floor.
“You might be feeling okay, but we need to look at your injury.” Devola took his arm and checked the IV needle in his hand. He barely felt it. “It’s a goddamn miracle you’re even alive. How the hell are you awake and sitting up when you were half dead the last time we checked an hour ago?”
“Devola.” Popola walked in with a pitcher of water and a glass on a tray, giving her sister a look.
“You know what I mean.” Devola scrubbed her eyes. “I think we all know this isn’t normal!”
Popola poured him a cup of water and handed it over, which he eagerly drank from, “All the more reason to check on the wound.”
Ren frowned as he finished the first cup of water.
It wasn’t cold and refreshing like he’d thought it would be. It got rid of the dryness sure, but it wasn’t satisfying or soothing. He didn’t taste anything as it slid down his throat. It might’ve just been water and nothing else, but even water had its own unique taste depending on the quality and where it was from.
He’d gotten used to the earthy mineral flavor commonly used in the Resistance Camp that the sudden change became obvious.
Maybe they’d found a fresher spring while he was sleeping?
He cast the thought aside as the twins looked at him expectantly. Ren set the cup on the bedside table and put a hand over his stomach, where all of the bandaging chafed his skin. Ren would have to take off his shirt. He hesitated, looking at A2 and the others.
A2 shifted, “I can leave, if I make you uncomfortable.”
Popola put a hand to A2’s shoulder, “A2 and the Pods were always at your side as you slept, watched over you as we changed your bandages and took care of you.”
“We’re medics for a reason.” Devola stated, tone serious. “You can trust us.”
Ren nodded, “A2 can stay.”
A2 smiled as he took off a loose gray shirt he’d never actually seen before. It must’ve been new.
They looked at him strangely, Devola and Popola exchanging glances.
“What?”
“You have something weird here” A2 tapped on her own clavicle.
He frowned and looked down. “What the?”
It was a tapered edge of ink curving out of the top of the bandages, the tip splitting his clavicle in two to travel onto the base of his throat. He rubbed at it, but it didn’t come off.
“Well, we won’t know what it is until we remove those bandages.” Popola said as he set the shirt over his lap.
He swallowed, “Yeah. Sure.”
She was gentle in her work, finally removing the wrappings over his torso and abdomen. Devola deposited them in a basket nearby. With each bandage gone, more of the strange image became revealed. Everyone held their breath until the last one was cut away.
Popola gasped, “What is that?”
His entire torso was branded with a strange symbol. A large outer circle broken up with pairs of twisted horns, emblazoned with six black wings. But the wings were bent in a spiraling pattern all across the front of his body, as if an angel had been cast out from heaven to fall to Earth; One pair sweeping from his throat down to his navel, one pair extending from his sides to wrap around his back, and the last was set diagonally with one going over his left shoulder and the other down his right hip.
The inner circle was separate from its outer counterpart, and held another image entirely.
A sleeping dragon curled up, woven in intricate lines. Ren numbly made the comparison that the dragon’s only visible wing had half of his Phantom Thief mask blended into it.
“Does it hurt?” Popola asked softly.
“No.” He traced the dragon’s wing with his fingers, the center of the blended mask had been the spot where 2B ran him through. “Was this here before?”
“Not a chance.” Devola gave him a bewildered look. “Its where your wound was, but there’s not even a scar left behind.”
“All human Pact Partners are branded with a unique symbol somewhere on their bodies.” Seth’s voice wavered, “Proof of our new existence. Though yours… seems larger than normal.”
What even counts as normal!?
“Okay. Weirdness aside.” Ren took a shaky breath. “How long was I out?”
“Almost two weeks.” A2 finally tore her eyes away from the mark to look him in the face. “You weren’t getting any better, no matter what we tried.”
“And the last few days,” Devola’s brow fell heavy, “It was looking more and more like we’d lose you.”
Devola and Popola exchanged another glance at his shocked silence.
“We should inform Anemone right away.” Popola said.
Devola snorted, “We’ll have to do it quietly.”
“Why’s that?” Ren asked as the put the shirt back on, simply to cover this giant new marking he had no idea how to react to.
“The other androids are morons.” A2 pinched the bridge of her nose, “Let’s just say they went overkill. They’re going to go wild when they find out you’re awake.”
“We can get all that sorted later, though.” Popola smiled at him, “Your injury might be healed, but you still need to rest. We’ll take baby steps to ensure a smooth recovery.”
“You better stay here for a bit.” Devola huffed, “We’ll see if Anemone can’t let the rest of the androids know without them combusting in relief.”
Ren nodded.
Devola smirked as she left with her sister. She lightly swore as her shoe kicked a piece of the broken bowl away, cursing about having to clean up the mess.
“What about the others?” Ren said, looking at A2. “2B? 9S?”
A2 poured him another glass of water and forced it in his hands, staring him down until he took another drink. She made sure the curtains were closed before she sank back in her chair.
“Don’t worry.” Pod 042 stated, “We already sent an update to the other Pods.”
A2 smirked at his wide-eyed stare, “You’ll see for yourself soon enough.”
It wasn’t an exact answer, but it was a hopeful one. He let it go for the moment.
“By the way, why were you reading out loud?” Ren asked as he took his third sip, pursing his lips when there was still no taste whatsoever. He set the cup aside.
“I was reading to you.” She cleared her throat before grabbing the book from the floor. She traced the title, frowning. “Pascal came by to check on you every few days, bringing new books to read.”
“Oh.” Ren grimaced. His last waking memory had Pascal’s crying green eyes. “We’ll have to pay him a visit to thank him.”
“...Yeah. Did my reading help you at all? Popola said talking to you might’ve made you more comfortable.”
“It helped me wake up, I think.” Ren grinned when her eyes brightened, “Thank you, A2. For… for staying by my side through all that.” He looked up to the Pods, “And you guys, too.”
“We need no thanks.” Pod 042 hovered above his head, ruffling his hair. “It is our duty to look after you and the remaining YoRHa units.”
“YoRHa really is gone, then?” Ren whispered.
“Affirmative.” Pod 153 released a soothing hum, “Much has changed since you fell asleep.”
They startled when sudden footsteps flew through the med bay, the curtain ripped aside.
Ren squinted at the sudden barrage of light, blinking rapidly.
9S was at the forefront with two more Pods, his maskless face revealing his wide, disbelieving eyes. His clothes were dirty and torn, white hair stained with muddy water.
“Ren?” 9S’ voice was hoarse.
Ren smiled, “Hey, Nines.”
9S’ expression crumpled, composure breaking as his eyes flooded with tears. He ran forward and threw his arms around Ren, gripping onto the back of Ren’s shirt as if he were afraid Ren would vanish out of thin air.
Ren stiffened, shocked, but he slowly relaxed as he hugged Nines back.
Another movement at the curtain caught his attention.
2B stood there with the last two Pods, gaping. Both of her holy swords hung at her back, and they – paired with the streams of sunlight caressing her – made her glow with heavenly radiance. Her bare blue eyes met his, she smiled wistfully, and turned right around to leave.
“2B?”
“I’m glad you’re awake, Ren.” She whispered, taking another step back. “I should go.“
“None of that.” A2 chastised. “You deserve to be here, too.”
“But—“
Ren shook his head. He extended his free arm as the other held a trembling 9S who had buried his face in Ren’s shoulder.
“H-how can you… why are you being so kind to me?” 2B wiped her eyes as the tears fell, but her efforts to stem them were futile. “I almost killed you.”
“It’s not your fault, 2B, and I’ll never blame you for it.” He grinned as his eyes watered, “Now come here.”
Her hands balled into fists, but she slowly marched to his side and wrapped her arms around him. She kept her cries silent as she fell apart along with 9S.
Ren looked at A2, raising a brow.
A2 shook her head, but slowly lost her composure as Ren kept staring at her with a watery smirk.
“Fine.” She muttered under her breath. “You and that damn puppy dog look...”
She sat at the edge of the bed and draped her arms around all three of them, head resting against Ren’s.
They were oblivious to Anemone entering the med bay with Devola and Popola, fondly watching the scene from afar. Anemone closed the curtains, stepping away to whisper to the twins in private.
A hearty meal or three. The longest, hottest shower possible. Fresh air and enough space to bring out Seth, take stock of their gear, figure out what changes were made to their powers and where the hell to go from here.
These could wait.
For now, he closed his eyes and basked in the presence of this strange little family he never expected to find in a world such as this.
Notes:
Apologies about this chapter taking so long! Between Extreme DTESH Burnout, other projects(The Lost Archive<3), and just life in general, it's been a bit slow. Hoping Chapter D won't take *as* long, but it'll still be a chonker chapter to chip away at. As usual, I'll add progress updates in any Joke Ending chapters from here - if there is progress to report.
Chapter 4: [K]ing, Queen, and Slave
Summary:
What would happen if Joker chose to stay in the castle after his battle with Simone?
Notes:
First Joke ending! For those that don't know, Nier Automata is absolutely littered with 'joke endings' for all kinds of scenarios, ranging from abandoning pivotal mission areas, eating a certain type of fish, to blowing up the Bunker where the Commander herself ends up floating through space with a stern look on her face.
There are a variety of joke endings planned for this au. With 20 Joke Endings to go, we'll be ranging from hilarious, to diabolically evil, and all things in between!
Chapter Text
Joker didn’t know how long he sat at the edge of the stone bridge outside the Opera House, idly swinging his legs back and forth as he mindlessly gnawed on a piece of jerky.
Did time really matter when the world didn’t move anymore?
“Trickster, do you want to rest?” Seth asked, circling from above. “Perhaps that castle would be the best option.”
Joker sighed, not having the energy to argue, “Might as well.”
The castle interior was luxurious beyond their dreams, and after sleeping on a fancy four poster bed in complete comfort and safety, they found themselves hesitant to abandon it to a hostile and strange world.
The machines in the Amusement Park began to whisper about their new king who took permanent residence in the castle. Many machines pledged their loyalty and services to the king for saving them from Simone, keeping the castle clean and tending to any need he asked of them.
Their new sovereign, paired with the mighty dragon that served as the Amusement Park’s guardian, ushered in a new era of prosperity and glory for many decades to come.
Chapter 5: Towards A Drea[M]
Summary:
Great vegetables.
Chapter Text
The scent of cooking fish washed over the Forest Kingdom.
Seth lounged around their makeshift camp, watching the flames crackle and the meat sizzle, while Joker wandered off in search of herbs to help flavor it. That’s where he encountered his first problem.
He’d helped Haru with her rooftop garden and delved into the world of vegetables and how to take care of them, his part-time job at Rafflesia taught him all the kinds of flowers and how to arrange certain ones together to weave a beautiful bouquet. But he’d never learned about foraging. Never had the chance to study herbology.
And with an entire forest exploding with unfamiliar greenery, he considered stopping while he was ahead. With a light sigh, he turned back towards the camp. But something caught his eye. On the trunk of a nearby tree clung a cluster of mushrooms. He approached and knelt down to inspect them, raising a brow as he poked the ruffled auburn flesh. Firm but not completely hard, and they gave off a damp, earthy aroma.
Nothing screamed that they were poisonous.
“What’s wrong, Trickster?” Seth asked when he sensed Joker’s indecision.
“I found some mushrooms, but I have no idea if they’re safe to eat.”
“Bring them here! My sense of smell should be able to tell if they’re poisonous or not!”
Joker frowned, “Well, if you’re sure.”
The mushrooms gave off an oddly satisfying snap as Joker separated a large cluster from the bark, big and heavy enough to have to be carried with both hands. He approached their camp and he held them out to Seth, who sniffed them curiously. The dragon took a small nibble, humming at the flavor.
“They taste meaty and delicious! I’m not sensing anything harmful.”
Joker blinked at him, “Are you certain?”
“Yes!” Seth snorted, “Besides, even if they were somehow malicious in nature, Vasuki said he could neutralize it.”
“Does it count if he’s… you know…” Joker kept the hopelessness out of his voice, “Sleeping?”
Seth rolled his eyes, “Use the mushrooms or not, Trickster. It’s your choice.”
Joker sighed as he stared at the cluster in his hands. He then eyed Seth licking his chops, sensing how the dragon relished in the unexpected savory flavors. With a shrug, he broke the cluster apart, washed them in the nearby river, and skewered the pieces on sticks to cook alongside the fish.
The cooking fish and mushrooms intertwined into a divine smell that made both Joker and Seth’s mouths water. Joker plucked one of the skewers when it finished cooking and took a bite, eyes widening when the intense flavors worked in tandem to waltz across his palette with the fish’s sweetness and the mushroom’s umami.
“This is delicious.” Joker whispered.
Joker stuffed himself on mushrooms and fish, with Seth devouring the leftovers with gusto. He laid out over the grass afterward, content as he stared up at the forest canopy. The grass was oddly softer then he remembered it being before, and he sank down into it as a warm, comfortable haze spread over his body like a blanket.
He blinked once, twice, and squinted at the undulating tree branches, “Since when do trees give of so many colors?”
His tongue felt heavy as he spoke, eyes drooping.
“…What?” Seth was unsteady on his feet, blinking rapidly and shaking his head, “Trickster, I think those mushrooms—”
Joker didn’t remember what happened next.
There was darkness followed by bright and fantastic colors flashing in alien patterns, of dreams and memories put under a dizzying spell that distorted everything in twisting and turning nightmares. A dragon’s roar trumpeted through space and time, warping the sound beyond comprehension.
Joker groaned as he opened his eyes to a pounding headache. He was spread-eagled on a mossy rock with no recollection of how he got there. Joker sat up, clutching his head, as he looked around.
Seth was splayed on his back nearby, half his body submerged in a river swelling under his weight. His wings and feet twitched, his golden eyes glowed in different intensities.
“You okay, Seth?”
The dragon gurgled in response. That’s when Joker looked behind them, to the path of destruction paved by stomping dragon feet. Entire trees were knocked over and ferns and other undergrowth had been mercilessly ripped from their earthy moorings, roots exposed.
There was a heavy snort, and Joker looked to see a group of moose standing at the water’s edge a safe way away from Seth. Their black eyes judged them harshly for the destruction of their home.
“I don’t think we should’ve eaten those mushrooms.” Joker muttered.
Seth agreed with more unintelligible grumbles.
Neither was quite sure why their little episode didn’t attract the attention of machines or any 'androids' that Pascal spoke of, but the signs of destruction had them not wanting to know.
In the end, those were the best mushrooms Joker had ever tasted, but they were far too dangerous to ever enjoy again.
Chapter 6: Vacatio[N]
Summary:
This chapter is dedicated to my favorite screaming rowlet. Happy birthday <3
Chapter Text
“I’m not sure about this.” Joker said from atop Seth’s back.
Seth snorted a trail of smoke, which was whisked away by his sharp wing beat, “You wanted to go fishing to relax, and Jackass recommended this spot herself! We’re not wasting this trip because you’re hesitant, Trickster.”
“Fine.” Joker sighed, “She sure got the name right though, this really looks like a Drowned City. I wonder how it got like this?”
“Probably from the constant wars between android and machine.” Seth stated as he studied the gentle sea waves lapping on shores and broken buildings alike, “It wouldn’t surprise me if either side bombed this area for some sort of victory or advantage.”
They had flown off the moment Jackass gave them the info and shoved a sturdy fishing rod in his hands. They followed her directions past the City Ruins and towards a vast stretch of sea sparkling in the sunlight, the aroma of salt graced them on a soft breeze. Shattered buildings stuck up through the water like the great monoliths of a long lost city. A few spare structures and other brittle remnants of concrete skeletons stuck to the edge of the waters, but it was only a matter of time before they, too, would crumble and fall into the sea.
The only intact structure was the massive missile silos untouched by the destruction.
“Oh! I see someone!”
Joker leaned forward, “Really?”
Seth smirked, “It looks like we’re not the only ones here to fish.”
The dragon spread his wings and floated downwards on the wind. He landed softly on some grass connecting to a long stretch of concrete reaching out into the sea. The perfect fishing spot.
Despite the softer landing, a man whirled around to glare at them. Long silver-white hair reached down his back, nearly as long as A2’s, and he wore fine tailored clothes complete with a dress shirt and an intricate black tie. Red eyes peered into Joker behind thick rimmed glasses.
Joker slid down Seth’s back and grabbed the fishing gear Jackass gave them. He turned to the strange man with a smile, holding up the fishing rod.
“Do you mind if we join you?” Joker asked. “We mean no harm.”
The man studied him intently before he let out a long sigh, “Do whatever you want. Just be quiet about it.”
“Thank you.”
Joker chose a spot close enough for the stranger to watch him from the corner of his eye, but far enough so it was respectful… and so their lines wouldn’t get tangled together. Joker put the bait on the hook and cast out his line, facing the massive missile silos while the stranger was to the open ocean.
The tension was thick at first. Joker could feel the occasional glare stabbing into his back, but as time went on, the seconds and minutes being counted by the sweeping rush of salty waves, the strain between them lessened.
Seth lay out over the concrete to sun himself, and eventually fell into a light doze.
It was Joker who caught the first fish between them.
He felt the tug on his line and grinned as he reeled it in. The man chuckled at the tiny machine starfish snagged on Joker’s hook.
“I haven’t fished in ages.” Joker muttered as he tossed it back.
“I see. Why did you choose to come here?”
Joker shrugged, “For some peace and quiet, I guess. I just needed to get away to clear my mind.”
The man hummed noncommittally, and they spent another stretch of time in silence. Smaller fish were caught by either of them until a small pile, both flesh and machine, lay in the space between them.
The stranger staggered forward as his fishing rod bent at a steep angle. His face broke out in an excited grin that bordered on being manic.
“Yes! Could this be the fish I’ve been searching for!?”
Joker gaped as he reeled the catch in with inhuman strength. The waves buckled and a massive splash peppered them with sea water, and Joker staggered away as the great shadow of this catch nearly swallowed him.
Seth snapped awake and stared as a ginormous machine shark flopped awkwardly on the concrete. It was nearly as large as Seth himself.
“Congratulations!” Joker said with a grin, “Is this the one you were trying to catch?”
The man glared at the shark as if it was something unspeakably disgusting stuck on the bottom of his shoe. Without another word, and with immense god-like strength, he punted the shark back into the ocean. It was nothing more than a small dot on the horizon when it finally collided with the water.
“...I guess not.” Joker deadpanned.
The man grumbled to himself as he cast out another line, a darkness crossing his eyes.
“Can I ask why you’re fishing? You never gave a reason when you asked me.”
“Like you, I needed to get away from certain things. I have an annoying brother. He would talk and talk and talk until it nearly drove me insane. I could never get any work done with his incessant chatter, so I left him and came here.”
“Oh. It was smart of you to get some space.”
“Thank you.” The man stated, “I doubt Eve thinks so. But he’ll just have to deal with it.”
Joker was about to say something else, when he felt another tug on his line. And another, far stronger one next.
“Hey, I think I got another—”
Joker held on for dear life as the fish lurched him forward. His boots skid across concrete and into the dirt, mere feet from the water. Seth startled, but the man rushed forward and grabbed the back of Joker’s tailcoat before he could take an unwanted, salty bath.
Joker was pulled back with ease, and the fish on his line along with him. He stared blankly at the heavily scaled gray fish floundering on his hook, with its assortment of eight fins and large black eyes that shone like obsidian.
“...I have no idea what this is.” Joker looked over to the strange man, and froze.
He took a deep, staggering breath as he adjusted his glasses, “It’s a coelacanth. The fish I’ve been searching for in this area for three days straight. I’ve gotten several swordfish and their machine counterparts multiple times, among hundreds of other worthless fish, but not a single coelacanth.” The man stared at him with eyes of icy rage, “How is it that you just got here and have already caught one?”
Joker blinked rapidly, “I guess… I have the luck of a screaming rowlet?”
The man stared at him for a long while. Seth watched, ready to act, as his gaze seemed to pick Joker apart and try to put him back together again.
“I have no idea what that means. I need more data…” The stranger looked away and clutched his chin in deep thought, “I’ve heard there’s this legendary fish in a small oasis in the desert. We will go there and fish together, and whoever reels it in first must have this… ‘rowlet’s luck.’”
Joker laughed as he tossed the coelacanth back into the ocean, “How about we exchange names first?”
“I am Adam.”
Joker set down the fishing rod and extended his hand, “Amamiya Ren. But my nickname is Joker. Use whichever one you want.”
Adam blinked at Joker’s hand like a curious cat, and with a moment of hesitance, he reached for it and they shook.
That day, a powerful friendship was born between Humanity and the Machine Life-forms. Any future conflicts were solved by great fishing competitions spanning the globe.
From then on, the planet experienced world peace and became a haven for androids, machines, and the last surviving human.
Chapter 7: Emil - Despai[R]
Chapter Text
Ren followed Pascal through a secret cave far below his village.
He heard the buzzing of Pods and other footsteps behind him, but Ren was focused on the dense aromas of moss and dampened soil. Patches of grass intertwined with tree roots poking out of the floor. The reason Pascal wanted to show this to them was a heavy one, even if whatever lay at the end here remained a mystery.
They came upon the final chamber, and Ren froze at the tower of tangled roots lit up by curtains of sunlight from above. The strangest thing wasn’t the sheer size of the roots themselves, but that a giant, bone white face was entwined with them – its eerie, wide smile permanently plastered in place.
“Emil?” Ren whispered.
“Emil?” Pascal tilted his head, “Do you know what this is?”
“Not really, and seeing this is making me all the more confused.” Ren gestured to the head and looked at Pascal, “Do you mind if I take a closer look?”
“Go ahead!”
Ren carefully climbed up the tower of mossy roots. He closed his eyes and placed a hand on the giant grinning face, concentrating on the connection of his hand against the too-smooth texture of bone.
Seth and Ren’s awareness crept into the bone-white monstrosity, the others’ voices falling into the background as they searched for that same kindred spark they’d felt in the other Emil.
“There’s nothing, Trickster.” Seth said dismally, “A barren wasteland.”
“Wait, no.” Ren’s brows furrowed when he found what they were looking for, “There is something here.”
More of a cold coal rather than a living ember. Seth poked at it, unsettled.
“It doesn’t feel right. Perhaps we should—“
As if the coal gained a second wind from a dragon’s fire, it blazed anew. At first, they were elated as the burning coal grew to a sizable bonfire of magic. And then, horror dawned when Ren’s hand started burning, and he jumped away as the fire grew into a miniature sun.
“What’s happening!?” Pascal cried as the head began to glow, overflowing with the magic siphoned from Seth.
Crackles of electricity arched through the chamber, the ground rumbled as magical energies burst through the underground caves.
“A chain reaction?” Ren felt the blood drain from his face moments before the supernova arrived, “OH SHI—“
The fusion of a Dragon’s magic caused critical meltdowns through all the of Emils. The resulting explosions were a breathtaking sight all the way up from the Bunker… until the Earth was burned away into a dead husk of rock flying through an uncaring universe.
Chapter 8: Treasured [T]imes
Summary:
The Joke Ending in which A2 listens to Joker about not murdering the baby forest king.
AKA The Chapter Where Joker Becomes A Dad And Has To Live With The Consequences...
Or does he?
Chapter Text
“There it is.” A2 whispered as she glared at the cradle.
“That can’t be right.” Joker whispered back, “It’s just a baby.”
A2 scoffed as she grabbed her sword, “It’s their leader. It needs to die.”
Joker latched onto her arm, “You can’t.”
A2 glared at him, “We don’t have a choice. The rest of the machines in the forest will continue to rampage until this thing is dead.”
“No.”
A2… hesitated. Any other time she’d follow her instincts and kill the machine on sight, despite its appearance. But the Human’s grip on her arm, the hard golden gaze he pinned on her… stilled her killer’s instincts. New instincts took their place right then and there.
Obedience.
A Human’s command always took priority over her own directives.
She scowled as she lowered her sword, “So what do you want to do then? If we leave it, then nothing in the forest changes.”
“We could… take it?”
“‘Take it.’” A2 deadpanned, “And then what? It won’t grow. It’ll be dead weight!”
“I’m sure I could figure something out. Give it a new body, perhaps? There are more than enough machines and their parts to provide for it.”
A2 stared at him for a long moment, then cursed under her breath. “I can’t believe I’m doing this.” She sheathed her sword and jumped down, landing beside the machine’s crib as it cooed and stared at her with its big, stupid eyes, “Well? Get down here, then.”
Joker beamed when he landed beside her. She would never reveal how his smile made that cold part of her feel warm. Joker stood beside the crib and reached in with both hands. He grunted as he lifted the metallic bundle that was a quarter his size.
“He’s… a little heavier than I thought he would be.” Joker muttered as he clutched the thing to his chest.
A2 smirked, “Serves you right. Since you’re so adamant about keeping it, I’ll let you carry it out of here.”
Joker sputtered, “Fair enough.”
A2 whirled around at the sound of footsteps echoing from the entrance of the throne room.
“We finally found you.”
The feminine voice was cold as ice. A2 raised her weapon and jumped in front of Joker and the tiny nuisance as two androids walked in. The woman had a bob of white hair and an elegant black dress to match her blindfold. A long white blade floated at her back as another, smaller robot hovered at her side.
The other male was in equally dark clothing, with short white hair and a black katana at his back. A darker version of the small robot hovered at his side, too.
“Shit. It’s YoRHa.” A2 muttered.
“Maybe we can talk with them?”
“Not a chance.”
As the YoRHa androids approached, blades drawn, Joker eyed the swords warily before the looked down at the child. Something protective roused within him as his gaze turned towards the opening in the wall behind them. Seconds later, the entire castle trembled and dust rained down from the ceiling as a booming roar shook the very sky. Seth stuck his head in from the massive opening in the wall behind them, maw glowing with angry red flames.
The male android yelped when Seth snarled and breathed a stream of flame at them, burning away much of the moss and greenery clutching to the stones in acrid black smoke.
Joker wasted no time and jumped on, his movements slightly hampered by the bundle in his arms as he clambered up Seth’s wing to settle at the crook between his wings.
“A2, hurry up!” Joker called.
“Wait!” The other female android screamed as flames licked up the walls and charred the stones.
A2 scoffed, but she followed Joker’s order to join him on Seth’s back. “Hang on! How do you even do this—”
Seth cackled as he backed away and leapt off the wall. Wind howled in her ears and the castle turned into a smoking blur as Seth spread his wings. She had her eyes open long enough to see him bank around the castle, over the various bridges, only to end up back where they were.
“What are you doing!?” A2 snapped, “The YoRHa bastards are right there!”
Seth howled with laughter as he dove towards the wall… where the YoRHa androids parked their shiny new Flight Units. Seth slapped them with his tail when they sailed over the high wall, and A2’s chest curled with satisfaction when they were knocked down into the deep chasm where the river separated the forest and castle proper, and exploded into scrap metal and fiery puddles of oil.
They rose up into the sky, and A2 clutched Joker as the ground grew smaller and smaller.
“Well, now what?” She asked when the YoRHa androids were but charred dots on the castle wall, “Won’t this thing mess up all your plans?”
“I…” Joker looked down to the bundle in his arms, still cooing and making gurgling noises without a care in the world, “I’ll need some time to think of a plan. Let’s find a place to hide and wait for things to cool off for a while, and then we’ll go from there?”
“Great.” She muttered under her breath as the wind passed through her hair, “Just great…”
She knew she would regret this for the rest of her life.
~*~*~*~
“You’ve got to be fucking kidding me.” A2 muttered when she first lay eyes on a machine village.
“I told you to trust me.” Joker said as he kept his eyes forward. The nuisance was tied on his back in a makeshift sling, still gurgling and cooing as its tiny eyes looked around the village.
They’d spent three days hiding out in the Amusement Park castle, exploring its various fancy bedrooms and spacious ballrooms. Seth slipped in through the giant heart-shaped hole in the castle to carve a corner for himself, and there were enough fish in the nearby mote to feed them.
Then, when A2 thought she saw YoRHa androids wandering around the festive streets, they fled to the desert and took shelter in ruined ‘apartment buildings.’ Joker seemed familiar with them despite her worries about them being exposed to the heat and sand.
They’d spent an entire week there.
Not only that… Joker would frequently talk with the nuisance, telling stories with dramatic voices and waves of his hand. The stupid paperweight would giggle and gurgle in interest. Even Seth played with it from time to time. Finding toys or scraps of debris in the sand to keep it entertained. She’d once walked into their living space to see Seth nuzzling it so gently, tail wagging like a dog at its laughter.
It made her sick and annoyed.
When enough time passed and there was no sign of the YoRHa androids after them, Joker decided it was time to get more information on building it a proper body.
“Just follow my lead.” Joker smiled, eyes landing on her hand as she barely stopped from reaching for her sword, “And please don’t attack anyone. These are friendly machines.”
“Friendly.” A2 sneered and she followed Joker closely, they were getting stares from the variety of machines around the village, “Until they go haywire and stab you in the back.”
“They helped Seth and I before we met you. That has to count for something, right?”
“Is that why you didn’t want to kill that thing?”
“One act of kindness can go a long way, so…” Joker looked back at the nuisance, a warm smile working its way on his face, “Yeah.”
“Joker!”
A2 startled when a strange machine greeted them, different from the rest. A much older model, perhaps?
“Pascal, it’s good to see you again.”
“Likewise!” The machine called Pascal looked them up and down, “We didn’t know if you would come back after… well, you know. And I see you brought some friends?”
“Yeah.” Joker huffed, “I was wondering if you could help me with something.”
“Of course.” Pascal turned, “Come to my hut. We can talk there.”
A2 didn’t pay any attention to their conversation. She kept standing when Pascal and Joker sat down next to a sorry excuse for a hut, choosing to keep watch over Joker just in case these machines got any funny ideas. Her eyes narrowed as she heard a noise, and looked around the platform to see a bunch of tiny machines trying and failing to hide around the corner.
One good swing of her sword or a hard kick would kill them. Maybe she could pick one up and throw it at the others for a satisfying explosion to get them all in one go.
But they laughed and giggled like the nuisance Joker held in his arms, and after a while Pascal noticed and playfully shooed them away. ‘Children’ Pascal had whispered in fond exasperation. A child. Tiny, naive, helpless. Her eyes swept over the nuisance before turning away at its innocent noises.
A2 tuned in near the tail end of Joker’s conversation with Pascal.
“I see.” Pascal hummed, “I suppose I do have some data that could help you out… however, this small king is quite unique among us machines.”
Joker frowned, “How so?”
“He is not like the other children. If you want him to grow and learn, then he needs time to acclimate to each new body you want to build for it.”
“In other words,” A2 muttered, “We can’t just shove it into an ‘adult’ body and call it good?”
Pascal stared at her for a long while, “Yes… something like that. It may take several years for the process to be complete, and rushing through the delicate stages could cause him more damage in the long run.”
A2 bit back the colorful stream of swears that almost escaped her.
“That’s fine.” Joker said as he looked at the child, something in his next smile tugged on A2’s heart. Warm. Soft. Accepting?
“What are you thinking, Joker?” Pascal asked.
“We can’t leave him to be raised here.” Joker said as he tapped the nuisance where it’s nose should be, “It’s too close to the Forest Kingdom, and they probably aren’t happy with us. Nothing will change if we give him back to them, and we can’t dump him anywhere else, either.”
“So what are you proposing?” A2 scowled, “Carry that thing with us for who knows how long? Pascal said it could take years for it to grow up!”
Joker raised a brow, “And?”
A2’s eye twitched, “What about your own mission? Are you going to cast all that aside for this… thing?”
Joker blinked, “If he needs someone to take care of him for a while, then yeah. I don’t mind waiting.”
“Alright. Then I’ll give you all the data you need.” Pascal’s green eyes brightened as he patted the nuisance’s head, “But don’t be a stranger, yeah? I would love to see how he grows and learns! Who knows, maybe Uncle Pascal could teach him a thing or two down the line!”
A2 ran a hand down her face, assured that for all intents and purposes this was still the biggest mistake of her life.
~*~*~*~
A2 watched as Ren crouched beside the nuisance, hands hovering over its shoulders.
It had taken them a year — an ENTIRE god-damned YEAR, jumping from place to place to avoid YoRHa, and killing machines for their parts — to build its next body and successfully transfer its memories over using the data from Pascal. Even then, the thing was still tiny, not reaching the top of her shin. It didn’t have arms, either. Its legs were awkward and it could only hobble back and forth in some semblance of slow walking.
“It’s not like its going to fall.” A2 grumbled.
“I know, but just in case…” Ren said as his ears turned red. “I don’t want him to get hurt.”
Seth, who was curled around their camp in the middle of a grassy plain, snickered, “And you’ve called me a mother drake, but you look like a proud father watching his son take his first steps.”
Ren’s entire face turned beet red, “That’s not— I mean, it’s not like I’m actually his—”
“Papa.”
The three of them froze.
“Did it just…” A2 started.
“Say his first word?” Seth’s eyes lit up like the sun, “And he called you Papa!”
“H-he did not!” Ren sputtered, but she and Seth saw the smile plastered on his face.
The nuisance jumped in place as it stared at Ren, “Papa!”
“You can’t deny it now, Trickster.” Seth said with a smirk.
A2 chuckled as Ren’s brain seemed to stall and reboot, but then the nuisance turned to her with that same happy hop.
“Mama!”
Her smile dropped off her face, “What?”
The nuisance hobbled over to her, tripping over itself to fall against her arm, “Mama!”
“No.” She picked it up, turned it around, and pushed it towards Ren.
But she pushed it a little too hard, as it skid over its awkward legs and tumbled face first to the ground.
“A2!” Ren snapped out of his thoughts and rushed over to it, helping it to its feet and brushing dirt from its face, “Was that really necessary?”
“I… I didn’t mean to…” A2’s expression soured when Seth glared at her. She stood up and turned away, “I’m going for a walk.”
“Mama?” The thing called to her as she walked away from the camp. “Mama!”
“You don’t need her!” Seth announced, “Now, say Uncle Seth!”
“Papa!”
“No, UNCLE SETH! U-N-C-L-E S-E-T-H!”
“Papa!”
The ground trembled under her feet as Seth toppled over on the grass, but A2’s guilt refused to leave her.
This was still a mistake.
But as the wind carried Ren’s laughter alongside the nuisance’s first words, seeds of doubt grew within her. They had travelled much over the last year, and now stood on a large grassy plain forever trapped in the light of late dawn. The long blades of grass reached up to her knees in the deepest places, all dyed into strands of gold from the sleepy sunlight.
Seth’s constant noise and irritating banter, Ren’s smile as he told tall tales about magical casinos and space stations, and the nuisance’s nonstop gurgles and giggles as it hung from Ren’s every word…
All of their traveling together.
She couldn’t imagine her life without that, now.
This… this was still a mistake, right?
~*~*~*~
“You should name him.” A2 said one night, a few years later.
They had landed for their next camping spot. In their travels, they had crossed snow-capped mountains and expansive seas, experienced the bitter sharp cold of the north as curtains of light danced through the sky.
This time, they were in a desert.
Different from the desert near the old City Ruins, this one wasn’t all sand dunes and abandoned buildings baking in the sun. This place was dusty, sure. But in the pale and permanent moonlight it held hints of red, and earlier as they flew through the skies, there were deep weaves of eroded rock twisting and turning as far as the eye could see. A small tornado of dust cut its way over the horizon.
“A name, huh?” Ren himself had grown, no longer was he the young boy A2 first met ages ago. His hair was longer and even more unkempt, and he looked tired from their constant travels, but he held a certain wisdom about him that garnered her respect, “I’ve been thinking about that for a while.”
A2 looked over to the clearing nearby, where Seth was playfully chasing the kid around some scraggly rocks and bare fauna, “Oi, kid. Come over here.”
He skid to a stop, arms flailing, and ran towards them. Like Ren, the machine kid was bigger, being in its fourth body. The squirt reached up to her chest now, and was fully capable of running and walking on his own.
“Yes, mama?”
A2 pursed her lips, but said nothing.
Ren snapped another twig and threw it on what would be their fire for the night, “We should’ve done this earlier, but what do you think about getting a name?”
“A name?” The kid’s eyes flickered in a blink, “I think… I already have one?”
Ren frowned, “You do? Why didn’t you tell us?”
“Um…” The kid fidgeted his blocky hands together, before doing the machine variant of a sigh, “I… I have all of these memories that aren’t mine. A-and in those memories I was a king named Ernst, but…”
“But?” Ren urged softly.
“I don’t know. It doesn’t feel like my name now.”
“How about a new name, then?” Seth crawled towards their camp, gently nuzzling the kid before he did the same to Ren, “I know! Seth Jr.”
“No.” Ren facepalmed, “We are not naming him Seth Jr.”
“Why not!?” Seth balked, “It’s a glorious name! The name granted to the god of deserts and chaos!!”
Ren groaned, “Just… no.”
The kid turned his gaze to her. He always looked to her for advice, for some odd reason, even though she’d kept him at arms length for years.
A2 shrugged, “It’s your name. You should choose one.”
“I…” The kid looked at the dark sky behind her, “Oh! Look!”
All of their eyes turned towards the heavens. A streak of silver fell across the sky like a pearly tear. And then another. And another. Red, orange, blues and purples. A bright green one lit up the entire sky before going dark, its trail landing somewhere beyond the horizon line.
“A meteor shower?” Ren whispered.
“Talk about being in the right place at the right time.” A2 said.
“I want this to be my name.”
A2 raised a brow at the kid, “Really? Are we talking Meteor Shower or Shooting Star? Not that those aren’t unique names, but maybe something a bit more specific?”
“How about Hoshi?” Ren’s eyes turned wistful as he continued to stare up at the light show, “It means ‘star’ in Japanese.”
“Hoshi…” The kid whispered, then he nodded to himself, “My name is Hoshi!”
Seth bellowed in laughter, “Yes! World, let it be known that the name Hoshi has been bestowed upon this night!!”
Hoshi reached for Ren’s hand, then for hers. This time, she didn’t pull away as Hoshi looked up into the heavens with such giddy happiness.
“I’ll always remember this.” Hoshi whispered.
A2 squeezed Hoshi’s hand. She would too.
From then on, a lifetime mistake turned into her family standing off against the world.
Her. Ren. Seth.
And now Hoshi, too.
~*~*~*~
“Did you check—”
“Yes! Three times!” A2 snapped, “I can’t find him anywhere!”
“You don’t think…” Ren looked to the salty waves in horror.
“No way. We told him not to go in the water!”
“But why would he run off without telling us?”
“I don’t know!” A2 threw up her hands, “Call Seth back. I’ll ride with him and take another look around, you stay here at the camp.”
“Why?” Ren frowned, “I can help look for him—”
“In case he returns.” A2 took a deep breath, and then let it out sharply, “We’ll find him, okay? But we need to work together.”
“Okay.” Ren ran a hand through his long black hair, which was somewhat tamed in a messy ponytail, “Okay. You go with Seth, I’ll keep an eye out here in case he comes back.”
A great shadow fell upon their camp before Seth landed with a thundering boom, crimson flames fuming from his jaws. But they weren’t angry flames. Worried, perhaps. Or they could dig into the truth of the matter of how they all felt when they awoke and Hoshi was nowhere to be found.
Stone cold fear.
A2 hopped on Seth’s back, and the dragon gently nudged Ren’s shoulder before they took off again in the crystal blue sky that met equally beautiful waters.
Ren was left alone to pace around their campfire in the middle of a beach surrounded by rising green cliff sides. He threw more logs on the bonfire, hoping that it could serve as some beacon for Hoshi to come back. That unsettled stir of emotion in his gut intensified as an hour passed, and there were no signs of Hoshi.
“That kid’s going to be the death of me.” Ren muttered, but then he froze. He looked up into the bright sapphire sky in forlorn sadness, “Is this how Sojiro felt so long ago? I’m about his age now…”
Crack. Snap.
Ren whirled around to the line of green trees separating the forest from the beach. Silently, he knelt down and grabbed his Phoenix Dagger from his pack. He may not be a spry young adult anymore, but he could still put up one hell of a decent fight. At least until A2 and Seth could come back and rip into whatever decided to invade their camp.
The verdant bushes parted, and Ren’s stomach dropped to the sand like the dagger in his hand.
“D-dad?”
“Hoshi!” The world was a blur as he rushed to Hoshi’s side.
His fear triggered a distant roar, but he pushed aside Seth turning course to inspect Hoshi’s sparking, damaged body. The boy had crawled with one arm, the other missing in a constant snap of sparks, and one of his legs were bent the wrong way. Several deep dents lined his body, and another on his head that broke one of his eyes.
“How did… what the—”
“Hoshi!” A2’s voice chilled the warm air, and she jumped from Seth before the dragon even landed on the beach properly. She wrenched out her sword as she stood over them with murder in her eyes, “What the hell happened!? What did this to you!? I’ll fucking kill them!”
“I-I’m okay!” Hoshi sputtered. "Nothing did this to me! Honest!"
“You’re not okay!” Ren cried, “Tell us what happened to you. Now.”
“I…I saw some pretty flowers on a cliff when we were flying around yesterday, a-and I thought…” Hoshi reached back with his good arm to the crumpled satchel around his shoulder, “I w-wanted it to be a surprise for you guys! I r-remember someone saying something cool about Lunar Tears, so I just…”
He pulled out a small handful of wrinkled white flowers. Seth, A2, and Ren stared. Aside from the gentle lapping waves nearby, the camp felt heavy with silence. One of the damaged petals broke off and fluttered by Ren’s foot.
A2 lowered her sword, “You just— You got those flowers, and then you fell off a cliff? And you decided to do all of this without telling us where in the hell you were going beforehand?”
“Er… yes?”
“IDIOT!!”
“Ouch! Mom, stop!”
A2 ground her knuckles into Hoshi’s head with tears in her eyes, “Don’t you EVER pull something like this again! Do you understand me!? That was stupid and you could’ve gotten yourself killed!”
“I-I’m sorry! I just wanted to do something nice!”
“A2.” Ren sighed, ejecting all of the fear and worry he’d had in one fell swoop. It was replaced by dizzying relief, “Help me get him by the fire. I have the tools and spare parts needed to fix him up.”
She put her sword at her back and lifted Hoshi with herculean strength, a scowl plastered on her face as she gently set him by the fire. She then stomped down the beach as Ren dug out his various tools, kicking up clouds of sand as her loud swears were washed away by the waves.
Seth didn’t move, his sunny eyes never leaving Hoshi. His silence was admonishment in itself.
“I-I’m sorry.” Hoshi whispered after Ren repaired him enough to stop his wounds from sparking, “I… I didn’t think…”
Ren smiled softly at Hoshi, “You understand how scared we were, right? You’ve never run off like that before.”
“Yeah.”
“And you’ll never do it again?”
Hoshi ducked his head, and in Ren’s eyes that was equal to a teenager hiding an embarrassed blush, “Y-yeah. I’ve never seen Mom so mad. It's really scary.”
Ren chuckled, “It just shows how frightened she was, and how much she cares about you.”
Hoshi was silent for the next stretch of time as Ren repaired most of the significant damage, tools and gears clanking. Hoshi's new arm was in place, along with his damaged eye having to be replaced entirely. Spare parts and bits of metal littered the camp by the time A2 cooled off, choosing to stand over Ren with her arms firmly crossed.
“What should we do about the flowers?” Hoshi asked next, “They were supposed to be presents, but we can just throw them away since I caused so much trouble.”
Ren paused at Hoshi's dejection. He looked at the bag full of Lunar Tears, then back up to Hoshi with a smug smirk. He set his wrench down and reached for one of the flowers to stick it in his hair. Hoshi’s eyes brightened as Ren reached for another one and gestured for Seth to approach.
The dragon rolled his eyes as he lowered his head, and Ren stuck a half wilted flower within his spikes.
“A god of storms and chaos, wearing a flower.” Seth muttered, but he swallowed when Ren glared at him, “It’s… nice, I suppose.”
A2 stiffened when Ren picked up the third one and turned to her, “Don’t—” She huffed as Ren stuck it in her hair anyway, “Fine. It’s pretty.”
“And it matches your hair perfectly.” Ren said.
A2 looked away, but he saw the edge of her smile.
“How about me?” Hoshi wiggled in place, “I don’t really… I mean…”
Ren grabbed the last flower and secured it in a seam between Hoshi’s good arm and his shoulder. “There. Now we all have one.”
Hoshi laughed, and the rest of the panicked tension drained away from their camp.
It wasn’t perfect, but on that day they learned how much each of them meant to the other.
Hoshi certainly never regretted it.
~*~*~*~
“You’re still writing in that thing?” A2 asked as she walked into the small cavern, carrying in her haul that would be Ren’s dinner for tonight. “You haven’t put it down since I left this morning, I bet.”
Ren didn’t look up from where his pen scratched against paper, “Yeah.”
“What’s so important about it? You traded some of our most valuable stuff for a couple of journals at the last resistance camp we found.”
Ren looked up. Several years had passed since that beach-side panic, and it seemed like every time she turned around he gained another wrinkle or a new swath of silver-white hair on his head to match hers. Seth was curled up deeper in the cavern, sleeping as he often did nowadays. His pitch black scales faded into an ashy gray, with the tips of his ears and wings becoming stark white with age.
Meanwhile, she was unchanged. Perfectly preserved like a porcelain doll.
And while Hoshi did change from time to time due to Ren's upgrades, he'd never age and die like a human did, either.
The thought made her blood freeze.
“They’re for you and Hoshi. A recollection of all of our travels together.” Ren chuckled, but the mirthless sound pulled at her heart again, “To remember us by, I suppose.”
A2 dropped her satchel and marched over to him, kneeling down next to where he sat, “No. Don’t you dare speak of you dying! You can’t—”
“A2.” The firmness of his deep voice silenced her. His smile returned, but she felt no comfort, “I’m human. Really, it’s inevitable, and I don’t regret anything. Sure, I never thought my life would play out like it has, but I don’t regret getting to spend it with you and Hoshi.”
Ren leaned back and looked to the thick forest outside.
“Let’s see… We’ve met so many different people and collected their stories. We visited just about every place you can imagine. Mountain ranges in China and North America, we went through the different forests of South America and Europe, deserts and grassy plains of Africa, crossed oceans and seas—”
“That one time we were stranded on a desert island because of a storm? Never again.” A2 muttered with a trembling voice.
“We can blame Seth for that one.” Ren laughed as he lifted the journal in his hands, “I’m at the part where we gave a machine toddler a jet engine to fly around on.”
A2 wrinkled her nose, “That wasn’t me. That was all you, Ren.”
“Who got the parts for that one? You.”
“And who built it anyway without a single complaint? Definitely you.”
Ren’s smirk gained a wickedness to it. He looked down at the journal and began writing, “You can blame your mother for your crash landing and gaining that dent in your head that took two weeks to fix…”
“Hey!”
Ren wrenched the journal away when she tried to grab it, laughing.
Seth’s ear flicked as he cracked open a cloudy eye, just in time for Hoshi to run in. “Mother! Father! I’m back!”
Ren used a pressed Lunar Tear as a bookmark and closed the journal, “Welcome back. How’s the new body treating you?”
“Great!” Hoshi walked to the side of the cave and set down the great bundle of wood for a fire, “I can carry all of that with no problem, and I haven't had any mobility issues whatsoever."
A2 frowned when Ren bore that wistful smile again.
“I’m glad.”
She looked Hoshi up and down. As the years turned to decades, Ren’s skill in crafting far surpassed rusty iron shells just barely holding together. He gained complete mastery over metal for android and machine alike. He’d repaired her body back to optimal form years ago, and she’d be forever grateful for that.
Hoshi’s newest, and probably last, form was a work of art. A strong and powerful body unlike any other machine she’d ever lay eyes on. He looked like a living automaton molded from a single piece of polished starlight, his entire being engraved with vines, flowers, trees, ocean scenery, and any number of animals they’d encountered over the years. A physical embodiment of their entire journey separate from Ren's new journals. Hoshi himself asked for the engraving of Seth flying on his back, so lifelike it was almost as if Hoshi had wings himself.
She’d thought it a bit tacky at first, but after her and Ren’s latest conversation…
“Why don’t you come sit with us?” Ren said to Hoshi, who complied by sitting on his knees next to Ren, “We need to talk.”
“About what?” Hoshi asked.
“Returning to Pascal’s village.”
“Oh!” Hoshi clapped his hands together, his cerulean blue eyes(she knew Ren agonized for months finding the right parts for such a unique color) going bright, “I’d love to see Uncle Pascal and the kids again! When was the last time we visited?”
“About 7 years ago.” A2 answered.
“We won’t just be going for a friendly visit this time.”
Hoshi froze, “What do you mean, father?”
Ren sighed and reached for Hoshi’s hands. “Seth and I are getting old. I know you and A2 have noticed how slow our travels are these days. It takes us weeks to go the same distance that used to take us just a few days when we were younger. I was thinking of retiring for good at Pascal’s Village.”
“But… what about mother and I?”
“I’ll stay with you, Hoshi.” A2 whispered, “No matter what.”
“You’ve known about your heritage for years.” Ren stated, “After I’m gone, you can choose to rule the Forest Kingdom, since you are their rightful ruler. Or you can continue your travels—”
“I can’t travel without you and Uncle Seth! I don’t even want to imagine life without—” Hoshi stood up in one fluid motion, his hand tearing away from Ren’s, “I… I need to get more firewood. Yes, we need firewood!”
“Hoshi!” A2 called as he ran out of the cave, ignoring the mountain of firewood already in the pile. She let out a long sigh and covered her eyes with a hand.
“Give him time to process this.” Seth’s tired and gravely voice rumbled through the cave, “It wouldn’t be right to hide the truth from him.”
“I know, but even so…” A2 trailed off.
Ren picked up his journal and began writing again, with more haste and fervor that he did before.
A2 vowed to treasure the time she and Hoshi had left with Ren and Seth.
~*~*~*~
“Oh, so this is where you’ve been.”
Hoshi looked up from the aged dragon statue placed in the shadow of the previous king's body. The old moss covered shell of his first self was hidden away in a private garden deep in the forest castle. He'd put in a small fountain so that the sound of running water would sing with the birds and rustling leaves. It was peaceful. Beautiful. The perfect setting for his father’s final resting place.
“It’s the anniversary. Of course I would be here with father and Seth.” Hoshi said as his mother stepped up beside him.
She wore fine flowing robes in the colors of soft greens and silvers, and within her arms she cradled a large bouquet of snowy Lunar Tears. It'd taken months of him convincing her to wear such robes fit for royalty, but her trusty sword, as ever, hung from her back. 'In case anyone's stupid enough to think I'd gone soft,' she'd told him.
“And…” He looked to the old journal in his hand, fingers tracing over the cracked spine, so worn with how many times it’d been read, “I’ve looked through his journals again. Just seeing his handwriting… it’s almost like he's still alive. I can almost hear him telling his stories.”
"That's because they are alive, in a way. He and Seth will always live on within us, as long as we honor their memory." A2 smiled as she crouched beside her son. She allowed a few moments of respectful silence before she spoke again, “The guards are in a frenzy looking for you, you know. Our guests have arrived in the throne room.”
“Already?” Hoshi chuckled as he looked to the dappled sunlight sifting through the trees, “Time always goes so fast here.”
“It does.” A2 set the flowers before the grave and pet the statue of Seth in his favorite scratching spot, “I’m sure your father and Seth appreciate our visit, but we can’t keep the others waiting forever. Commander White and Anemone with their androids, Pascal with Adam and Eve… it’s best not to keep the Peace Council waiting. They need their leader."
“Right.” Hoshi stood tall and tucked the precious journal under his arm, “I made a promise to father about creating a tranquil world without wars. I’m not going to disappoint him! Father, Uncle Seth, I’ll come back and tell you all about it!”
A2 smiled as she pulled her hand away from the grave, “Let’s go, then.”
In the end, A2 decided that adopting her son was never a mistake at all.
Notes:
I totally didn't cry at all when writing this chapter. Or get attached to Hoshi in any way. Nope. None whatsoever.
Also I know that the joke ending chapters that came out with A(Endings K, M, N, and now T) have been mostly happy/neutral endings. But not to worry, there will be some dark and downright evil joke endings that will come with Chapter B and beyond! ;))
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BukuBuku on Chapter 1 Fri 14 Apr 2023 04:52AM UTC
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LazuriteLuxCaelum on Chapter 1 Fri 14 Apr 2023 08:33AM UTC
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BukuBuku on Chapter 1 Fri 14 Apr 2023 11:59PM UTC
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LazuriteLuxCaelum on Chapter 1 Sat 15 Apr 2023 01:16AM UTC
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lolrus777 on Chapter 1 Thu 13 Apr 2023 03:52PM UTC
Last Edited Thu 13 Apr 2023 04:00PM UTC
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BukuBuku on Chapter 1 Thu 13 Apr 2023 05:14PM UTC
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ptl on Chapter 1 Thu 21 Dec 2023 03:49PM UTC
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