Chapter Text
Berlint, November 6th, 2038
8:45 PM
Twilight had one goal. Get the RK800, any other information he could gather was a bonus.
It was going to be difficult, smuggling an entire human shaped android out of a government warehouse, but it was the best bet Westalis had at keeping themselves safe. If the RK800 was allowed to operate, it could spell another war. This thing was dangerous, according to the reports Nightfall had managed to gather. A killer in the making, faster and stronger and more capable than any android ever designed. And it was in the Ostanian government's hands.
Dressed as a worker, Twilight tried to look casual, while his mind was klak-klakking away at all his possible escape routes. He needed to get to the street where his Handler was waiting with the car, but to do that he would have to drag an android through the warehouse. Not ideal. That was if he could manage to get the android in stasis mode. If this thing was fighting him? Twilight didn't stand a chance. Even as the most capable spy ever known — not that he enjoyed to brag — he was still no match for this machine.
Eventually, he found the room where the RK800 was secured. He pressed his keycard, and it accepted. The door slid open, revealing a cold white room. And there it was. Its back was facing him, and it was sitting on the ground, seemingly powered down. Twilight noted that the only exit was through the secure door as it quietly closed, and he approached the android.
Without any warning, the android snapped to life, turning around and grabbing him. It looked scared somehow, as if it could actually feel.
"Where is she?" It asked, voice shaking, its LED red. For a brief moment, it seemed to be scanning his face. Shit. Did he have facial scanners? "I don't recognize you. Who are you?"
"No time -"
"Tell me where the RK700 is," it said.
"I don't know what that is."
Nothing on Nightfall's notes said anything about a 700 model.
"I was tasked to protect the RK700, you're impeding my mission," it said. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I have to go search for her-"
Twilight didn't have time for this. He took the thing Franky had made for him, pressing it to the android's LED. It passed out, LED going yellow.
Twilight hoisted it up, draping its limp arm over his shoulder. It was lighter than he'd expected, around the weight of an average human man. Twilight began to drag him out, going for the nearest exit.
A loud siren began to sound, leaving Twilight suddenly feeling exposed. He grabbed the pistol at his hip, and ducked as he heard a shot whizz past his head. He managed to get the RK800 behind a crate, firing at whoever was firing at him. He must have hit his mark, as he heard a short gasp of pain.
He managed to get himself and the android close to the exit, with footsteps quickly approaching. He blocked off the exit with a crate, tumbling out into the street. He heard a shot fire, and felt a bullet graze his shoulder. Hissing, Twilight carried the unconcious android off, where he could see Handler waiting.
"Took you long enough," she grumbled. "Get it in the back of the car, Nightfall will disable its tracker."
Nightfall was waiting in the back, with an array of computers and cables surrounding her. Twilight placed the RK800 down, as Nightfall went to hook it up, the thing swatted her hand away.
"You said that thing your friend made would power him down," Nightfall said.
"My tracker doesn't work," it said, opening its eyes. "She disabled it."
"Who is she?" Nightfall asked.
"RK700," it said.
There was a loud clang as a bullet hit the shell of the car. Handler wasted no extra time, speeding off.
"Her name is Anya," it said. "Well, she named herself that. It's my mission to protect her, so having her missing is…not ideal."
Twilight sighed.
"How dangerous is it?"
"I don't know, but I have to find her," it said.
There was silence.
"It seems we do, too," Nightfall said.
Ostanian Wilderness, Location Unspecified, November 7th, 2038
9:28 AM
"Seems like the SSS lost two toys in one night," the Shopkeeoper says, reading over the report the director had given him. "Very expensive toys…"
"Were they destroyed?" Poppy's Blood asked. "That'll show 'em for putting too much faith into those fucking machines."
"According to the report, it seems some meddlers from the West took the RK800," McMahon supplied. "And watch your language, Poppy's Blood."
He frowned, leaning back in his expensive chair and taking another sip of whiskey.
"And there was a second one, right?" Thorn Princess asked.
"Yes, the RK700, that one seems to have gone completely missing."
Poppy's Blood slammed his glass down, letting out a satisfied sigh.
"You know, drinking on the job isn't exactly admirable," the Shopkeeper said.
"It keeps me motivated," he said. "I'd rather you pay me in this stuff than money."
Thorn Princess stifled a chuckle. Her partner was a strange man, who'd gotten all the more stranger since an accident three years ago. While Garden encouraged being social with fellow members, it was frowned upon to pry into each other's social lives. All Yor knew was that Poppy's Blood was out of commision for two weeks after a car accident.
"We've got another report of a Deviant," McMahon said. "An AX400, apparenly attacked its owner before running off."
"So the SSS is just giving us easy cases now?" Poppy's Blood said. "She can handle the RK800, I can handle this."
"We don't even know where the RK's have gone off to," the Shopkeeper said. "Both of them have disabled their own trackers."
"So they've gone Deviant as well?"
"Apparently so," Shopkeeper said. He passed down the case file of the AX400. Thorn Princess read it with interest.
"If it's the best we can do until we can locate those government androids, then so be it," she said.
"Very well then, the Deviant should be easy to find in Berlint, as that was its last known location. Can't have gotten far."
Thorn Princess stood up, dragging her parter up with her.
"I'm on it, Shopkeeper!" she said. "I won't let you down!"
Berlint, November 7th, 2038
6:11 PM
It was starting to snow.
Anya had never seen snow before. She'd seen barely anything other than that room she and Connor spent their time in.
He promised we'd escape together.
Connor was a big liar.
Anya knew she couldn't be out in the snow for too long, especially not in her outfit. She looked like an android, not a human girl. And, besides, human girls would be wearing warmer clothes.
Anya had heard whispers of a places where she and her brother could be free together. Some place called Jericho. Somehow, it had slipped into her coding, and she had to find it. She had to be free.
It was only a matter of time before she got caught.
Connor was supposed to protect her, why wasn't he here?
She knew why; because he was too busy following his stupid programming. Stupid Connor, stupid everything.
Eventually, following the signposts left behind, she found her way to the place. A big, abandoned ship. She managed to sneak aboard, searching for any sign of android life. She followed voices she heard, ones she recognized as android voices.
"Is there supposed to be a kid up there?"
Anya froze as a light was shone in her eyes. She put her hands up.
"I'm not gonna hurt you!" she said. She turned her head to reveal her LED, pulsating yellow. "I just came for help."
"What's a YK500 doing here?" someone asked, a woman with red hair.
"I'm Anya," she said. "Can I come down?"
"Let her down," said a man. He had two different colored eyes. Anya climbed down a ladder, as a few androids approached her. "She's not a YK500."
"I'm a RK700," she said.
The man furrowed his brow.
"I've never heard of that model before."
"Connor said it was s'posed to be a secret," Anya said.
"Great, she was probably sent to spy on us," said the android girl with red hair.
"I'm not! I'm a deviant," she said.
"Let her stay," said another android. "She's just a kid, regardless of her model."
"RK models aren't for public sale," said Mr. Two eyes. "This one is one of a kind."
"Yeah, and she'll get us all exposed!" Red-head said. "We're taking a gamble letting Markus in, but a kid? Even if she's Deviant, she can get us in trouble!"
Anya tried to give a good smile, just like Connor had taught her.
"Miss…um-"
"Anya!"
"Anya, right," Mr. Two eyes said. "Can I please take your hand?"
"Ok," Anya said, retracting the skin on her right hand and offering it out.
"Clever girl," said another voice in a weird accent. Someone laughed.
For a brief moment, Anya felt her entire life flash before her eyes. Connor, the room, the mean scientists who made her. Connor refusing to leave.
Mr. Two eyes — Markus — stepped back.
"She's deviant, but she's not safe, either," he said. "She's a government project, along with another model. The RK800."
"That's Connor," Anya said.
"Anya, did anyone follow you?" Red-head asked.
"No," Anya said. "If they did, I'd hit them with a starlight Anya punch!"
She punched the air, nearly hitting Markus.
"I think we should let her stay, at least until we can make sure she's not at risk."
There were a few voices agreeing.
"So long as you stay out of sight, I agree," said red-head.
"Ok," Anya said.
Her new life began today.
She just wished Connor was there to see it.