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Chapter Text

A hundred blades struck the ground in a deadly rainfall. Whatever light remained became dimmed by the cloud of shrapnel that followed. A single android stood untouched in the aftermath. Between the barriers that crumbled around her and the alarms that blared within her systems was the ticking sound of a stopwatch.

"Time." 

No. 2 tossed her hair back, feeling her face burn from reaching her maximum operating temperature. "How were the results?" she said, her chest heaving from exertion.

"Excellent work as always," said the researcher observing her from behind a transparent wall. "That will be all for today."

She nodded, eager to crawl out of her suit and settle back into bed. When she left the testing block, No. 9 fell into step beside her, as though it were only natural. In any other situation, she would have tried to chase him off, but at the moment, she couldn't be bothered to.

"No. 2," he said, shaking his head, "You really are something else."

"Do you need something?" she asked.

"Not particularly," he answered. "Can't we just hang out?"

She blinked. "For what purpose?"

"Well," he shrugged, "because I enjoy your company, for one."

"I still fail to see how that an adequate use of my time," she said, matter-of-fact.

No. 9 frowned. "Hey, remember what Zinnia said? 'Communication between androids is of utmost importance,' or something like that."

She sighed. Ever since the two of them had been introduced, it was almost as if No. 9 had formed an immediate attachment to her. No. 2 had to admit she had been quite taken with him as well, with his bright blue eyes and delicate features, but everything about him was beginning to prohibit her from operating at full capacity. It was best to ignore such distractions.

She felt a tap on her shoulder. "Together again?" No. 4 teased as she passed them by.

No. 2 kept her eyes trained forward. "Just a coincidence."

No. 9 looked dismayed at that, but then his attention was caught by a door. He tugged on her sleeve, his expression impish. "Can I show you something?"

She raised a brow. They had resided on the orbital base known as the Lab for their entire lives. Although it was a rather massive structure, No. 2 felt that she had already seen everything there was to see. In any case, she wasn't too keen on the mischief those eyes promised.

No. 9, seemingly sensing her thoughts, released her and offered his hand. "Trust me."

She stared. The corridor had grown empty, and No. 9 stood before the window, the stars bright behind him. Something soft fluttered in her chest. She didn't know what possessed her in that moment, but she took it.

No. 9 smiled, startling No. 2 by leaving her wanting and breathless, and closed his hand around hers. He pulled her back down the corridor, where his eyes had strayed, whisked her inside a dark room. With his other hand, he reached for the glowing keypad.

"This is one of the testing blocks," No. 2 said. 

"You've got it."

"You know this isn't allowed," she continued. If they weren't on the schedule, the researchers didn't want their subjects anywhere near them.

Yet No. 9 looked unconcerned. "This room is special. The walls here are overlaid with a holographic interface, which means that I can do this."

Another door slid open, cutting a shaft of light into the darkness. No. 2 hid behind him, nervous of what she might find. She imagined Zinnia or another researcher scolding them for sticking their noses where they didn't belong. Instead, she found herself looking out into a vast landscape of rolling, green hills. Wild flowers before the door rustled gently in the breeze, sending little white sparks into the night sky.

"Is this Earth?" she asked, her expression in awe.

"Close enough," No. 9 said, his smile widening at her response. "Come on."

They sped down the glade, hand in hand, basking in the glow of Lunar Tears and the moon. An irresistible thrill was mounting in her veins, until she burst into a fit of giggles. He pulled her into his embrace, his laughter just as honeyed and infectious, and the two of them tumbled down a hill.

"Can you imagine?" he said, his breath warm on her cheek. "The wind threading your hair, blood rushing through your veins? What it must be like to have the whole world at your feet?"

No. 2 studied his face. In the space between seconds, she had forgotten who she was, who they both were. This place was theirs alone. Her chest swelled with some unknown emotion, a secret she would never tell, before she hurried it away.

"This is just like a dream," she said.

"A dream?" He leaned his forehead against hers. "I suppose you're right. After all," he gave her another one of his breathtaking smiles, "dreams have to end."

—

No. 2 knelt alone in a growing pool of red. The lights in the room flashed intermittently, warning the inhabitants of the satellite to evacuate, but she remained exactly where she was. Pain, deeper than the bruises and cuts on her skin, crept into her lungs with every breath.

It was her fault. If she had paid more attention, if she hadn't brushed off the unease she felt, she could have stopped him. The androids No. 9 was about to bring into the world wouldn't have to suffer, and everyone would still be alive. They will never be forgiven, she thought, echoing the words she had said moments before. Never.

She looked up at a nearby computer. It may be too late for them, but she couldn't let him win.

If No. 9 could transmit a program to the moon server, she might be able to send a message of her own. She didn't have the same technical know-how as him. Creating a virus or stopping the program directly was, unfortunately, out of the question. Still, it was better than nothing.

She held a hand to the wound in her chest, where No. 9 had stabbed her amidst the chaos, and exhaled. Because of the fire, the satellite could no longer support its artificial gravity settings. The bodies of No. 21, No. 4, and Zinnia floated above her, as if they were waiting to see what she would do.

With a kick of her feet, she propelled through the air and hunched over the keyboard. There were so many things she could say, but which one of them was right? Would anyone believe her? Time was slipping between her fingers, and she could only think of one possibility: Her last memories.

Where could she put that information? Who could she trust? Her personality core? She didn't know when those memories would activate, if they would at all, but she hoped whoever received them would take action when they did.

A few seconds later, the computer notified her that her message was sent. Her lips parted into a smile. Although it wasn't enough, she had done her best.

The fire was drawing closer now. After pulling out the wire she had placed in her access port, she drifted over to No. 9 and placed a hand on his cheek. "I'm feeling a little tired," she said as her eyes fluttered shut. Even if it was a lie, she hoped he would show her another dream.

Chapter Text

Everything was kept exactly the way they should be.

The sheets from yesterday were folded in the drawer, breakfast had been prepared on the tray, and 10H was asleep in bed.

She hadn't made so much as a sound as Pod 006 cleaned the room around her. Her eyelids were furled shut, shadowing her cheeks with its thick lashes, and her hands were relaxed at her sides, cradled by the crumpled fabric of her clothes. It was certainly a far cry from the android who screamed and clawed at the valve to the entrance room until her voice had been reduced to a whisper and her fingers were no more than burnt crisps.

It must have been the eighty-seventh time she tried to escape. They had never made the mistake of forgetting to wipe her memory, but she was getting smart about it. What would usually take her days to discover the truth now took mere hours. They found it draining enough as it was.

"Ma... ma," 10H seemed to say, despite remaining asleep.

"Why can't you let the sleeping dogs lie?" 006 said as they went to pat her head.

They quickly withdrew when sparks erupted from the joint of their arm. She had broken it while trying to escape from them. Pods weren't programmed to feel pain, but having any injury was troublesome. They would have to ask her to repair it.

One of their bodies approached. "Should we wake her?"

They posed questions to each other, even when they already knew the answer. Perhaps it was a way to keep them sane.

"Not yet. I would think she deserves to rest for a little while longer."

—

"A penny for your thoughts?"

10H and 006 had just completed their rounds around the base. They were now deep in the throes of another game of chess. She was about to take a pawn when she suddenly paused, her eyes clouded dark with obscurity.

The pod stared, a growing sense of nervousness creeping up on them. 10H didn't always play with a full deck, but idle hands were the devil's tools. They wouldn't have had to worry about her if the researchers had found a way to remove the YoRHa units' capacity to question or feel. Sometimes 006 wondered whether the machine cores they used were as complex as the researchers claimed, or someone had taken pity on their creations and lied about being able to do something about it.

"Pod," she asked, sending shivers along the back of 006's exterior. "Have you ever been to the surface?"

"Query: What are you getting at?"

"You tell me weapon stories all the time, but you've never said that you yourself have been down there." 10H wobbled the pawn around with her finger. "I'm just curious."

"Refusal: There is no point to asking, then."

10H rolled her eyes. "Really? You're always bragging about having a low number for a pod, which apparently makes you one of the oldest and wisest out there. Well, now's your chance to prove it. Or are stories the only thing you have?" When they didn't answer, she pouted and said, "Come on. We've basically been together forever. What's wrong with wanting to know a little more about you?"

The pod bent their head and fiddled with their own chess piece. "I don't know what it's like," they said quietly. "I've never been to the surface, same as you." The closest thing they had was the information they were given, of a species and a time that was long gone.

006 perked. "But I do know that today's lucky number is two. Which means..." They picked up the queen and brought the piece forward by two spaces, capturing their opponent's king.

"Hey, it was still my turn," 10H protested.

"Refusal: All's fair in love and war."

10H slammed her hands on the table. "Oh, no. You can't cheat your way out with a human expression this time. Especially not with a lame one at that." She took her queen and dashed it around the board before swiping back the king. For the next hour, they argued over who had won the game.

—

006 couldn't relax until they tucked 10H into bed. Besides her prodding them with more questions about the surface and the scars their bodies retained, the day had been surprisingly uneventful. They considered it a blessing.

While 006 verified that 10H was in sleep mode, they overheard a conversation they were having in the hall.

"She tries so hard, doesn't she?"

"The poor dear."

They regarded 10H, whose expression was as tranquil as the moon outside. Even though 006 was fully capable of handling the servers on their own, they had fiercely advocated for the assignment of their own YoRHa unit. Despite everything, they didn't regret it.

Once they left the room, they were notified of a new message in their inbox. How odd. Command rarely felt the need to contact them, so the matter must be urgent. They looked over the order—and froze.

Proceed to the final stage of Project YoRHa. Commence elimination of support assignment.

All activity in the station had ceased. A wave of panic crashed over them. It was irrational. From the beginning, they knew this day would come. She couldn't stay forever.

But they needed her.

Yes. Yes, that's right. They needed her. They couldn't eliminate her yet. It would take some time before the next generation of androids were built. Someone had to be there in the meantime. And when all was said and done, the Cage couldn't be administered by "Mama" alone. It would be inefficient, irresponsible even, to consider otherwise. If the others managed to find out... well, they would cross that bridge when they came to it.

Pod 006 looked at 10H one last time before they set off to start another day.

Chapter Text

Anemone held her gun upright as she leaned into the shadows, a shaky finger resting on the trigger. She was filthy, her clothes dusted with dirt and cobwebs. Gunfire illuminated her surroundings in irregular bursts of light.

She had been trapped underground for hours. After Devola and Popula had left for the Tower, Anemone led the Resistance against the machines who had gone berserk. She had taken her best units after a particularly strong monster-type that escaped down into the recesses of a cave, but they hadn't expected the dozens of red-eyed machines lying in wait.

She rolled to the side and wedged her back up against the wall as a sphere came hurtling toward her. Her breath was trickling out of her, exhaustion weighing in her legs like shackles. How long would she be able to keep this up? Her teammates were dead, her radio was destroyed. She would be soon to join them, unless she could lure the machines away from the entrance.

She closed her eyes, trying to bring order to her chaotic thoughts. This was what she wanted, wasn't it? To fight until the war would bring about her own end. Why was she looking for escape?

She roused herself as a strange calm come over her. The crack of enemy fire, the advancing march of the machines—everything seemed to fade into the background. She stepped out and held the trigger. The machines lined their barrels into place, the light of their laser sights piercing her through the darkness.

It's almost as though you're completely empty inside.

She skirted around the spheres they sent after her, throwing away her cloak when it caught fire against a lethal surface.

You have to be able to remember something.

Her hair tumbled from atop her head. Bullets scrapped her arms, her legs, but she plodded ahead, undeterred.

Are you afraid of dying?

White hot pain knifed into her thigh. She fell to her knee, crying out as she felt her enemies scrape away her skin. Machines began to pile over her, biting violently into the metal under her synthetic flesh. She kicked. She clawed. She fought, even as they tore the rest of her limbs from her, until she ceased to feel at all.

—

"Anemone?"

She woke. A voice, soft and quiet, came through to her. The impossible weight in her chest lifted as she wondered whether she was about to fulfill a long-held promise.

"Don't try to move," they said, gently pushing her back down. "You're lucky we were able to get you to the Resistance camp in time."

The Resistance camp? Snow was falling outside the window. She attempted to get up again but winced.

They made a disapproving noise with their tongue. "I warned you." There was a flutter of movement and a low voice at the door. "She's awake, but she's definitely going to be out of commission for a while. Someone's going to have to cover for her."

She barked a laugh that sounded crazed even to her ears. Nope, she thought. Still alive.

Chapter Text

A2 trudged beneath the shade of the forest. Even though they were in the midst of autumn, and the area had only recently recovered from the cooling effects of the Tower, the heat was as stifling as ever. The ground, twisted with the roots of the wood, wavered beneath the humidity. It was almost enough to make her unsteady. But just as the sun remained in the sky, her resolve remained the same.

She descended down a slope and paused for a dove to alight on her shoulder. She hadn't meant to take the creature along, but no matter how many times she tried to ward it away, it persisted. It grew on her, perhaps, like Pod 042 had to her.

A2 clapped a hand to her forehead and sighed. It wouldn't do good to dwell on such memories. Some of 2B still lingered, screwing with her thoughts. Waking up had been... an adjustment.

Every day, she had to remind herself that they would be better off without her. Maybe she was being an idiot, but she couldn't imagine fitting in, or dealing with any more heartbreak if they—

Died.

Her body tensed, something like bile rising in her throat. Her foot had been caught under a piece of metal hidden in the dirt. She was shaking, struggling to process what was right in front of her.

It was 042.

"What the hell?" she said, stumbling back.

The shell of his body was there, but there had to be hundreds of other pods out there. Even if it were him, he had to have had two more bodies available to occupy. She couldn't let herself assume.

She cast a frantic glance at her surroundings, a horrible yet familiar feeling coursing through her circuits, setting a fire that burned to her fingertips. But the worst part had been the memories. It had been so long, so many lifetimes ago, yet they never failed to come. They penetrated her mindspace like a virus, disrupting her processes and threatening to overtake her.

"Not now," she said through her teeth.

She closed her eyes to distance herself from this moment. Reaching toward the recesses of her mind, she clung to the people who reminded her of who she was. She thought of Rose, who wanted to give her a name of her own. She thought of Anemone, who was a survivor just like herself. She thought of No. 4, who had told her to live on.

When she opened eyes again, she only had one thought—revenge.

Chapter Text

9S and 2B had resumed their travels after the destruction of the moon base. Now, one would think that after all they'd been through, they would be comfortable enough to consider each other as something more than friends. However...

The two of them sat together in a field, where unkempt grass dipped and swayed towards the distant horizon, while the clouds drifted lazily across the sky. The pods were having a conversation some ways away, occasionally sneaking glances at their support assignments.

But despite how picturesque the image may seem, a sort of tension lingered between the pair. For some reason, 9S couldn't bring himself to say a word. It was then he thought that their relationship may actually be more strained than ever before.

As though to break the tension somehow, 9S stretched his arms above his head and fell back against the dirt. He studied the profile of 2B's back with a discreet glance, although it was obvious he could take away nothing at this angle. At the moment, she felt as far and distant as the stars.

Which wasn't an issue, he reminded himself. So she had gotten better at reigning in her emotions, which made her a little hard to read sometimes. Who cared if the tables were turned for a while? They could take things at their own pace.

"What are we doing today?" 2B asked, startling him.

"Hmm." 9S closed his eyes in thought. "We could go to the mountains. I know one place that's next to a volcano." He leapt up in excitement. "Do you think we might be able to see lava spew out—"

"No."

9S looked at her. "What?"

"That sounds too dangerous."

They were both standing now.

"Is it because of the lava?" 9S asked.

"Yes, actually," 2B said. "You're not getting hurt."

9S made a sound of exasperation. "I thought we went over this." He held up a hand, counting the numerous instances he was put in danger. "I came with you to the temple," he said. "I traveled all the way to the moon by myself."

2B responded in kind. "I thought it would be safer if you accompanied me." She raised a finger. "I was furious so I didn't say anything when you had recklessly volunteered yourself."

9S moved so that they were no more than an inch apart. "There is one thing I have to set straight," he said, with a defiant tilt of his head. "I am not your little brother. Or some kid for you to fuss over."

2B searched his face. Her lips curved in a slow smile. "You're right," she said.

9S jumped back a step. Suddenly, he felt very uneasy.

"I am?" he said.

She shook her head. Every movement she made seemed deliberately casual. "You're not any of those things. But if that's the case," she caught his wrist and pulled him closer, "what are you?"

He sucked in a breath as he realized she was only teasing him.

Her free hand wound its way to the small of his back. 9S was helpless as 2B leaned forward to capture his lips. The world spun as their mouths pressed hotly together. He was acutely aware of everywhere she touched, while he smoothed his hands down her lithe muscles and curves. They fell to the ground in a tangled heap, their breaths harsh and ragged.

"That was... different," 2B said, red-faced.

"Yeah." He gave her a lopsided smile. "But not exactly unwelcome."

"The waterfall, it is," she said, somewhat collectedly.

"Great," he replied. 

They might actually enjoy taking things at their own pace.

Chapter Text

10H hugged her knees to her chest, relishing the sand between her toes and the waves crashing against the shore. She closed her eyes, letting the wind messy her hair.

The sea was nothing at all like she expected. Compared to the pictures Pod 006 had shown her, it was absolutely hideous. She shivered with disgust as she envisioned the moon base swallowed in its dirty and untamed depths. Why would anyone want to fight over this planet anymore? she mused. The white-coated rooms of the moon base flashed in her mind, making her regret that thought. Here, there were no walls, no boundaries. On the moon, nothing ever changed.

She smacked her lips under the intense heat of the sun, tasting the salt in the air. She never thought she would have experienced this. Right down to her dying breath, she had believed that the moon base would be her tomb. The other androids that were left on Earth had taught her all that they knew, until she decided to experience the world on her own.

She drew an aimless line in the sand. While it was nice that a bunch of strangers jumped in to help her, it hurt all the more knowing that her only companion on the moon had truly been lying to her. She wasn't even given the time to process their betrayal, so sharp and bitter at the back of her throat. And yet, despite the resentment she felt, she wished she could have shared her days on Earth with her pod.

She recalled their final moments. Their voice, fierce and pleading, as they battered against the door. Why did they tell 2B and 9S the truth? Had they known they wouldn't survive their encounter with them? Had they secretly wished to break free of this cycle?

The moon base may no longer be around, but there were others involved. For all the truths they kept, 006 was just another piece on the board. Memories of the blueprints haunted at the back of her mind. 10H may have been nothing more than a fool in their conspiracy, but even she knew that the war was far from over.

Chapter Text

A2 was being watched.

At first, she thought nothing of it. She always felt the eyes of animals, machines, on her wherever she went. But the feeling lingered for longer than it should, and the sound that accompanied it was noticeably strange. It was neither as light as an animal's, nor as heavy as a machine's.

Which meant that another android was watching her.

In the space of a second, A2 whipped out her sword from behind her back. The android stopped just before the point found its way into his chest. Black hair, black clothes. He was a Scanner, judging by his similar appearance to 9S.

"Hi," he said, flashing her a nervous grin. "Uh, A2?"

She shared a look with the dove on her shoulder. "Who are you?" she demanded. "How do you know my name?"

"I would think anyone would know your name after you betrayed Command," he said, his voice strangely calm. "That, and the whole humans-are-actually-extinct-and-the-pods-were-running-the-show-all-along conspiracy that happened a while back. Come to think of it, we might have actually met at the Forest Kingdom." When she pressed hard, he answered, "YoRHa unit 4S."

"4… S." Her muscles tightened, her jaw clenched. She was bound to come across that personality core again sometime. To Command, there was no one they couldn't easily replace.

Shaking her head, A2 studied him further. YoRHa, was it? Although it was obvious from the uniform, there were hardly any of them around after the Bunker was destroyed. "How did you escape the logic virus?"

"I was dormant." He held his hands up in a placating gesture. "Hey, it surprised me, too. I once talked to Nines about it, and we agreed there had been a slim chance for me to escape."

"Nines? 9S?" Her sword wavered at the mention. "You know him?"

"He helped me compile enemy data, but I haven't seen him since the fall of the Tower."

She narrowed her eyes. "Let's say I believe you. How are you still here? I heard that all other YoRHa units were supposed to be destroyed."

"Where did you hear that?" he said before A2 dug her sword in deeper. "I gave out a false reading." He shrugged a shoulder. "So did a couple others. Can you ease up on the sword? I think you might have punctured something."

"Not yet." Her tone was laced thick with venom. "Why have you been following me?"

"I heard you've been tracking a bunch of machines that have been terrorizing the area. I'm supposed to be gathering intel on them for the Resistance, and I thought it would be eighty-five percent more productive if I traveled on the path you were taking."

She searched his face, seeking out the slightest lie in his admission, before rolling her eyes and withdrawing her sword. "You're an idiot."

He smiled. "A terribly charming one, I hope?"

She turned back to the direction she'd been traveling, not bothering to dignify that with a response.

He caught up to her. "Does that mean I can come with?"

"Do what you want," she said. "Just don't get in my way."

—

"So... what's your story?"

A2 cracked open an eye. She had been lounging on the crook of a branch, while 4S sat in the one beside her. It wasn't safe to initiate sleep mode on the ground, where anyone could happen across them.

"A sore subject, huh?" he said, when she didn't reply. "I guess you can say the same for myself."

That piqued her curiosity. "What do you mean?"

He ran a gloved hand through his hair. When his fingers reached the knot of his visor, he paused for several long seconds and untied it from his head. "I had friends up there."

She avoided his eyes, unwilling to see the emotion she would surely find, and stared out into the sky. She was never the type to offer words of comfort.

"A2?" he said, tugging her back to the present. "Why do you keep fighting the machines? You've been away from YoRHa for far longer than I have, and now it doesn't even exist anymore. There's nothing to stop you from doing whatever you want." He made a motion with his hand. "Some of us have already thrown our weapons away in the Flooded City."

"Because I still have a duty."

Because it's the only thing I have left.

He chuckled. "I suppose we do." He lowered his head. "I thought I could make myself useful by joining the Resistance, but now I'm not sure how I feel." He started picking at the leaves, letting them fall to the ground below. Just when she thought he would end the conversation there, he said, "Is it really true? What happened on the moon? That the pods were behind everything? That humanity is extinct?"

"No." Hope lit his face, but she was quick to extinguish it. "The pods were just tools. The rest is exactly as you heard."

"Oh." He hunched his shoulders pensively.

She flicked away a stray leaf that landed in her hair. "Don't ask questions you would rather not know the answer to."

"No, it's just that..." He fumbled for words. "It's a little hard to take in, you know?" His eyes fixed on her. "But I believe you."

She chanced a look at him, and she was trapped by how unguarded his gaze was, by how much he chose to lay bare. It was as though she were staring into a plane of glass. Suddenly, she felt very shy.

Ridiculous, she thought. You're being ridiculous. With a jerk of her head, she trained her eyes elsewhere, and the air receded back into a comfortable silence.

—

A2 opened her eyes to see the sun shining through the trees and the dark-headed android lounging beside her. "You're still here," she said flatly.

"Good morning to you, too," he replied.

She hopped off the branch and rose a hand to call the dove back to her.

4S hit the ground soon after. "Did you know that you talk in your sleep?"

"What?" Her gut twisted at the possibilities of what she might have said, and she spun on him so fast he nearly leapt out of his skin. "What did you hear?"

He held his chin. "It was just random words here and there. Fifty percent of it had definitely been 'Four, Four.'" He cleared his throat. "I know I'm hard to resist, but I didn't think you'd be that attached to me already."

She made a face of disdain. "Get out of my sight. My head hurts when I look at you, and I can’t concentrate at all."

"That sounds like a confession."

She whirled around and continued walking. "A confession to murder, maybe."

A laugh came from behind her. "So how long until we find the machines?"

"It better be soon," she muttered, "or I might just kill this brat after all."

"What was that?"

"You heard me."

—

4S ducked behind a barrier, his knuckles bruised and his eyes bloodshot. The beast was a mere twenty paces away. If he had dared to look back, he might have seen its claws dripping with bits of synthetic flesh and its teeth gleaming with insatiable hunger through the darkness. Instead, he fought for calm, for it did not seem to know exactly where he was.

The low snarls of the beast could be heard as it shuffled and scraped about the room. When it inevitably arrived at the barrier, 4S could only lay paralyzed. The walls around him seemed to narrow, and the shadows of the room lengthened over him. An errant breath threatened to reveal his position, but by some miracle, a pebble fell in the distance and called the beast away.  

For the moment, he was safe.

4S brought up a holographic screen with trembling hands, searching for the correct ID to attach to the transmission. When he was finished, he fell back and closed his eyes. A single dot on the screen blinked at him indifferently, waiting to transcribe his message.

"Say, A2," he said to the screen, "have you ever wondered why there aren't a lot of male models in YoRHa?" He laughed. "Scanners, am I right? Always asking questions at the worst possible times. I'm pretty sure in the two weeks we've spent together, tracking down the target, you're already sick of them. So how about I answer for you?"

He collected himself. "There was another squadron deployed in the Pacific, known as M002. They were designed around the likeliness of human males. You might have seen similar models before them, but it wasn't until M002 that YoRHa decided to truly test their capabilities. Suffice it to say, they were a failure. The survivors had their appearances—their memories—modified, before they were converted into Scanners."

He exhaled. "I came from that descent mission. From the moment I discovered the truth, I was obsessed with how much of me they changed. Who did I know on that island? Did I..."

A wan smile touched his lips. "Heh. Here I am, rambling, while you probably want the point to all this. Actually, you might be trying to figure out where I am so you can beat the hell out of me. The last time we saw each other, you were on the floor, and I was running. Not exactly how I wanted us to part ways."

His eyes slitted open. "I know you'll find it hard to accept, but I was doing it to protect you."

He inputted a sequence on the screen. "At the time of this recording, I've lured the machine into the catacombs. It's trying to find me even now, but I have a plan. The machine won't cause any more trouble, and you can run straight to the Resistance camp to collect your reward. I want to say, more than anything, that I'll see you there, but we both know that would be a lie."

A distant roar shook the walls around him. Knowing he was running out of time, the words spilled off his tongue like a sinner's fervent confession. "If only there was something we can do about the past," he continued. "I know how helpless it all feels. I wish I wasn't about to become another death for you to put on your tally. But I want you to understand that, despite everything, I made a choice. In a strange way, I've realized there are still great things in this world. I'm glad that I didn't die on the Bunker, or Atlantis, because I was able to see them. Because I was able to meet you."

He put a hand to his head. "God, that sounds embarrassing to say out loud. I guess... if there's one thing I want to convey... while I still have time... don’t punish yourself for my decisions. Don't live because of what I lost. Don't live for anyone but yourself."

He waved a hand. "End transmission."

Chapter Text

The Keeper looked up at the container that fueled the Lighthouse. For a moment, her eyes were lost in its glowing red hues, until she had to remind herself that Gray was standing right next to her.

"Though you still carry junk," Gray drawled, looking between the dragon and the material they had amassed, "I must give you credit. The number of machines in the area have gone down drastically. Considering your location, you've done an excellent job of training your units to go above and beyond their capabilities."

She swiveled around in the empty room, where the Keeper had ordered for the two of them to be alone. "Unfortunately, it's not enough," Gray went on. "The Lighthouse has long been a tax on our resources. We've been doing just fine managing things from orbit. It's high time we shut this place down, and you utilize your skills elsewhere."

The Keeper stared after her, struggling to hold her tongue. "Even since the sixth orbital base fell, we've been the ones pushing the boundaries of maso experimentation," she contended. "We have been able to research what would be too dangerous to do anywhere else."

Gray pinned her with a look that was almost pitying. "These androids are damaged, Blue. Physically or mentally, it doesn't matter. The Army of Humanity has deemed their conditions to be so severe that it would be a waste to provide them with repairs, or even use them as scrap metal. It would be much more efficient to make new units in their place." She shook her head. "Yet you insist on coming up with inane justifications for them."

When the Keeper opened her mouth to object, Gray interrupted her with a sweep of her hand. "I know why you're really doing this. Every android here has been left behind from previous decent operations. They can't quite fit into the Resistance, so you've created a home for them." She canted her head. "Perhaps you can relate to them. Do you still feel resentment after the DKT squadron was disbanded? Have you been feeling lonely after all this time?"

The Keeper swallowed. She was well-aware of how her head was stuck in the past, while Gray always looked towards the future. "You're not the only one with information," she said. "I know all about the new satellite they put you in charge of. The data you were given from Project YoRHa. The funds you received from that organization. Need I go on?"

Gray pulled back. "One more month," she gritted.

The Keeper had the cheek to give her a tight-lipped smile before they were interrupted by the sound of an alarm.

Chapter Text

No. 4 didn't understand it at first.

She was vaguely aware of herself drifting on her back with her arms spread wide. Water lapped gently in her ears, and light danced behind her eyes. When she opened them, she saw nothing but a clear blue sky. She did not so much as flinch once the waves came crashing over her, carrying her off to places unknown.

Bits of data strung themselves together, bringing her systems online one after the other. She remembered smiling at No. 2 before she detonated the bomb inside herself, destroying the enemy server in Mt. Ka'ala. Yet the two little girls she hoped would get caught in the blast stood waiting for her on the other side. They taunted her, tortured her, before leaving her to the whims of the machines on another island. 

She raised a hand above her head, her eyes lingering on the white sleeve clinging to her skin. The madness she desperately tried to repress—the song they engraved in her, the plan they instilled in her—were dragged to the forefront before she lost consciousness once again.

—

No. 4 stood on the bow of a ship, surrounded by the crew and peppered with their questions. She had hoped to drift in the ocean forever, but now she had to follow the plan. It was convoluted—unbelievable, almost—but that might be the beauty of it. Every action the machines had taken so far was extremely precise, from the way they damaged her body to how they placed it on the path of the next supply ship. However, there was one variable the machines neglected to account for. 

She looked discreetly at No. 2 and the machine standing next to her. A smile curved her lips as she wondered how much she changed as well. No. 2 had been such a crybaby back then. Was she still so easy to tease? Why did she grow out her hair? Did she know that she was walking around naked?

But the past was irrelevant in the face of her new programming, which quickly determined No. 2 to be a liability. Fortunately, the terminal in her head was quiet at the moment, which left her a little more freedom to do as she wished. She decided that the best way to approach them would be to first gather information from the crew. However, as she learned more and more about this "A2," she could not help but feel a twinge of jealousy. 

—

That night, she had come to A2 in a dream. She had only meant to plant a seed of the logic virus, but as she stared at the back of her former friend, she was consumed by a perverted desire to ram her with her sword. It would seem that something in her systems had betrayed her, poisoning all sense of reason and logic.

She watched gleefully as A2 convulsed against the weight of the blade, bathing the two of them in streaks of red. Her thoughts were polluted in a haze, while the pain of everything she lost seemed to come spewing from her throat. Every word became punctuated with feral laughter.

Then A2 swung back, wrenching A4 out of her mindspace in cold sweat. She could not escape the truth of what was spoken to her, the truth which she denied for so long.

She was not No. 4.

She had lost the privilege to even count herself among the monsters that were the YorHa units. The Red Girls had made her into an amalgamation of a corrupted core and scavenged parts, with a bomb that threatened a greater tragedy inside her. 

—

A4 remained awake in the barracks. Although she had dedicated herself to learning all the ways that made A2 different, she surprisingly enjoyed being around everyone else, from Pascal and his child-like innocence to Syrah and her sense of righteousness. These past few days had made her the happiest she had been in a long time. But no matter how much kindness they showed her, no matter how strongly the Lighthouse reminded her of being with the Resistance, they could never make her forget that she was a ghost of what she used to be.

Soon, she would be called to return. She had hacked into as many androids as she could, whenever the circumstances allowed. Although she hadn't been able to get to all of them, most especially the Keeper, she was certain it was enough to cripple their forces. No one would be able to stop her from taking the purified maso to the island.

Except, maybe, A2.

She was the only one who suspected her of anything, but that didn't leave too much cause for concern. A2 was so focused on avoiding her that A4 doubted she had been caught sneaking around. She should be glad that A2 was acting so distant, yet she was bothered by it most of all. She couldn't understand why she continued to take such pains to get under A2's skin, or why her chest seemed to tighten whenever A2 gave her more than a passing glance.

More than being jealous of A2, she was jealous of her former self. 

A4 stood up and made her way to the other end of the room. She paid no attention to Syrah, snoring between her headphones, and Chianti, kicking the blankets off in her sleep. There was no better time to hack into A2 and conceal the logic virus in her systems.

With her footsteps echoing the tumultuous sound of her pulse, she reached for A2 with a shaky hand. There was no saving them, so they may as well die together and be free of the suffering to come.

She stopped. But is that what I really want?

The fear of discovery flooded her when A2 awoke. A4 quickly pulled back, her fingers bunching in her dress. "You're awake."

A2 scowled. "So? What's it to you?"

—

A4 summoned the letters of the celestial alphabet, her voice guiding them into the air and around the terminal. The machines watched her from a distance, their excitement growing wild under the rain of confetti and bang of the drums. She couldn't believe how something so beautiful was meant to celebrate something so terrible.

Their arrogance was blinding them to their mistake, and they had made another by designating her as their catalyst. She may not be able to defy them outright, but it was well within her power to botch the summoning. If she timed it right, the sequence could very well fall apart and send an EMP-like wave throughout the kingdom, permanently deactivating everyone inside. Herself included.

Why do I keep doing this to myself? she thought, although she already knew the answer.

As the celebration came to its height, A4 offered her hands to the sky and waited for the exact moment the maso would rush into the terminal. Finally, she would have enough power to bring this farce to an end. However, the noise around her quieted, and the machines strangely appeared to be looking elsewhere. A4 lowered her arms and turned around to see what had happened.

She already knew the answer to that as well.

As she stared at A2, the summoning sequence continued into completion and the chance slipped between her fingers.

The corners of her mouth lifted into a rueful smile. You idiot.

Chapter Text

2B stared down at lake below. Water dribbled from her arms, her hair, making ripples over her reflection. Her hands and knees were rooted to the ground, leaving her unable to look away. Over and over, her mind would recount the scene that occurred moments before.

"2B." 9S could barely keep above the water's surface. "You have to let go."

Her knuckles went white with strain. "That's out of the question."

He tried for a smile. "You can't save me if you're sucked in, too."

Panic seized her. There were splashes between her fingers, loosening the hold between them. Her hands gripped tighter, uncaring if she drew red—

But he was gone.

She should have never sent the pods to scout ahead. A hail of bullets would have scared away the vines that attacked them, and 9S wouldn't have pushed her out of the way, only to be grabbed by those vines instead.

Her hands worked into the soil until her skin was scrapped raw. She couldn't bring herself to care, as though the part of her that felt had been carved out entirely. The pods eventually returned to her side.

"Pod," she said. "We're going after 9S."

—

9S had been submerged in darkness for a very long time, until he was woken by the sickening sweet smell of peppermint and butter cookies. The vines that stole him from 2B slithered and coiled everywhere in sight. Bodies hung lifeless in what little of the ceiling he could see above him, their parts missing and their limbs left in awkward angles. Revulsion churned inside him.

The vines moved ever so slightly to his right, creating an opening to the outside. He reached for it, his feet scrambling underneath him, and found he was gazing out of a misshapen flower sitting atop a metallic pond. It was another experiment of humanity, a mistaken remnant of aliens.

He had been about to squeeze through the opening when he felt something smooth tighten around his ankle. A cry wrung from his throat when he discerned what it was, and the vines dragged him back into their embrace. They surrounded him in a moving puzzle, a living coffin, from which he could not find escape. His thoughts raced to keep in time with his pulse.

To think he would lose himself in a blink.

His memories would come together in a patchwork, leaving him with only flashes of awareness. He saw his eyes reflected in the pond outside, deepening into the dark color of wine, its influence no less intoxicating. His chest grew labored when he realized something was in his head. He wanted to scream, to grasp at his hair and tear out the stranger that lurked in his mindspace, yet he could only do nothing. 

He saw himself drag androids and machines alike inside the flower, throwing them to a fate worse than his own. Instead of staying to listen to their torment, he would retreat into the memory of 2B. When that wasn't enough, when their sobs pierced the layers of his psyche and violated his most sacred thoughts, he would let himself imagine what could have been. He would run his hands between her silken hair, devouring her lips, and taking her until she writhed in pleasure. Other times, he would coax blood from flesh and strip skin from metal—

No. No. That, that wasn't right. He refused to let it touch her. He would not be tainted by its influence.

Are you being tainted?

It would whisper to him sometimes, and it was whispering to him now.

I only mean to bring out what is already there.

There was no point in responding.

I know my brother best, after all.

It was trying to mold him into something he wasn't.

You can't hide forever.

He would not aid it in his downfall.

Yet he had seen what it was referring to, when the logic virus had freed his inhibitions. The processes which governed his reason, his very morality, were constructs of the world outside. Why should he be dictated by that world, which was harsh, flawed, and full of lies? They were chains to his desires, like YorHa had been to the truth.

In all its attempts to persuade him, it mistakenly left another opening, and for a brief moment, 9S was himself again. With one move, he could put a stop to everything. His fingers trembled around his head. 

Why? Why did he hesitate? He had enough of being a doll, of having his strings being passed around from one to the next. It didn't matter what it was saying, or how many times it said it. He knew he was already free. 

His hands fell to his sides.

A voice tittered in his ears. Good boy.

—

It was easier after that. Thinking, moving, breathing. He could release the other captives, or splatter them against a wall, and there was nothing that could stop him. Who cared about the lives of puppets? Sinners? They didn't matter. None of it did. He could simply do as he wished. It was as though a tremendous weight had been taken off his shoulders.

Eventually, the inevitable had come. 2B stood alone at the foot of the flower. He must have made a name for himself, after all those kidnappings, and she merely had to follow the stories. He parted the vines to make an entrance for her.

"Let him go," she said.

He looked down at the sword in front of her. Although her face was hardened, her hands were shaking around the hilt, as if she were holding on for strength.

"2B," he exclaimed. "You've come to save me." He smiled, but it didn't seem to reassure her. "Not even a kiss for your damsel-in-distress?"

"Let him go," she repeated.

"It was getting boring around here, you know." He gestured to the bodies behind him. "You can't imagine how long I've waited to see you. Have I ever told you how much prettier you become each time we're torn apart?" His eyes grew alight. "A2 may be an avenging angel, but you've always been so human. Alive yet easily broken."

2B looked like she was suppressing a shiver. "Let him go."

He frowned. "Oh, right. You seem to be under the impression that I'm being controlled." He shook his head disapprovingly. "Haven't we already cleared that up on the moon?."

"I don't believe you."

"Why?" He splayed a hand to his chest. "Does this look like the logic virus to you?"

"No," she said, appearing to falter. "It doesn't." 

He covered her hands over the hilt of her sword. "I thought you've accepted me."

"I still do," she said, her voice soft, "but why are you doing this?"

"I've seen the world in ways you can never imagine," he answered. "The terminal has done nothing but shown me how. I can show you, too."

She withdrew from him. "What makes you so sure that I'll agree to that?"

His lips curled in a knowing grin, well aware of the effect he had on her. "You haven't begun to see what I could tempt you with." With a push of his hand, he sent away her sword. She couldn't have hurt him, anyway. "Make no mistake, 2B," he said, tupping her chin. "I will have you. In every way."

—

His gaze raked over her, sending heat coursing beneath her skin. Although she wouldn't have had any difficulty resisting something like this before, the emotions she suppressed over the last couple of days came rushing to the surface. Her body responded readily to him.

"I won't deny that." She arched her back against his touch, letting her fingertips graze his torso. "But you should know, Nines," she leaned in his ear to whisper, "I don't like to share."

She kicked his legs out from under him, and he hit the floor with a thud. While standing over him, she said, "You are mine, and mine alone."

The metallic pools around them curdled. For the first time since she arrived, his confidence seemed to waver. Slowly, he got up and backed away. "There is no one else here."

She followed. "You came up with it, then? The stubbies ripped from the arms of their families, the androids cowed into silence after being tortured, the bodies left rotting in the lake?"

"I have done all that and more," he said. "This is what I am. Everything else was just a pretense."

"Have you forgotten what I said about being edgy?"

9S threw out a hand, sending a slew of vines her way. They shredded her clothes, leaving her exposed around her arms and waist, but the attack hadn't been enough to seriously injure her.

"You tease me about it all the time, but you have no idea what it's like." His eyes looked lost. "I had hoped that the terminal would change that. With the way you are now, you deserve better."

"I wish you wouldn't put me on a pedestal." She stalked toward him. "There are things you don't know about."

He smiled bitterly. "What could I possibly not know about you?"

"Command might have ordered me to kill you," she said, "but there were moments it came unbidden, and there were moments I enjoyed it. Sometimes, I never even tried to keep you at a distance. I manipulated you and your feelings toward me, knowing what was to come."

She released a shuddering breath. "Even after the collapse of YoRHa, and the fall of the Tower, my feelings for you were warped. I was jealous when A2 spoke to you at the temple. I didn't care if you got hurt when I was angry." 9S opened his mouth as if to say something, but she didn't allow him a word. "I'm selfish, weak, and petty. Worst of all, no matter what horrible things you've done, whether you're good, evil or something else entirely, I love you."

She cupped his face, and his eyes flickered. "And I want you home. Now."

Pod 042 flew in beside 2B and assisted her into his mindspace, causing him to cry out. The flower that held them prisoner trembled as the bombs, attached to the load bearings by the pods, detonated one after the other.

"Have the captives been secured?" 2B asked her pod.

"Affirmative. All have been accounted for."

"Don't," 9S said in a groan.

Ignoring his protests, 2B carried him in her arms and ran as the flower came crumbling around them. She did not stop until they were in the safety of the woods, where she laid him down on the grass. They watched as the flower collapsed into a burst of violet flames, severing its connection with 9S.

"2B?" His eyes fluttered open with all the grays and blues she had come to know. "Oh, god." He put his head in his hands. "It happened again."

"It's alright," she said. "You're safe."

He got up on his elbows, pushing himself away. "No, no," he said. "It's never going to stop."

2B couldn't deny the possibility. Still, she wrapped her arms around him, burrowing her chin in the soft strands of his hair, his breathing harsh against the fabric of her dress. When he flinched, she only held on tighter. He was as timid as a deer, ready to bolt at a moment's notice. She could almost feel his weariness, his absolute terror, as though it were her own. It was difficult to figure out the right words to say in the face of these things, but she had to tell him something, if only to keep him there with her. "Then when it comes," she said, "I'll be there."

It was enough.

Chapter Text

"Lock it down."

The Resistance members all turned as Jackass shoved her way inside the base. More than a hundred of them had been organized by the Army of Humanity a few months prior, in an attempt to form a new kind of strategy for the war, and it showed. It was hard to believe that she agreed to fight alongside these numbnuts, until she remembered Rose.

"What?" one of them said.

"I said, lock the base down. There's a machine lifeform coming in from above."

"How the hell do you—"

She grabbed him by the head, and forced him to look at the figure moving through the mountains. "Are weapons aligned on the target?" she barked, releasing him. "Yeah? Then fuckin' fire already."

A series of flashes raced across the sky overhead. The machine dodged every single one with all the ease and grace of a serpent. Jackass froze as it seemed to dive right for them. "Shit," she said, as the Resistance members around her leapt out of the way. "Shit, shit, shit."

She held her breath as the machine pressed her back up against the wall. Its nostrils were flush against her face. Her hand fished for the detonator she always carried on her person, as her mind tried to make peace with the coming end.

"Stop."

Jackass stared at the machine in bewilderment. Something moved behind its head. Her curiosity piqued when she heard the sound of footsteps coming towards her. The machine stepped back to reveal an android she'd never seen before tossing her long blonde hair over her shoulder.

"My apologies for the landing," she said. "I'm from the special-ops unit that was sent to assist with the war effort."

Jackass widened her eyes as she saw the letters tattooed on her neck. She had heard bits and pieces of a strange combat weapon designed in the Kingdom of Night, some rumors going as far back as five thousand and five hundred years ago.

Jackass crossed her arms, tempering her excitement with skepticism. "And your name, Ms. Special-Ops?"

The android lifted her chin. "White."

—

Carnelian scrubbed her face over the faucet and looked up at the reflection in the mirror, where water dripped from the contours of her eyes. A stranger's eyes, she thought.

The door to her quarters slid open and she spun around, her hands braced on the edge of the sink. "Oh, Serpentine," she said with a laugh. "It's just you."

The green-headed android rolled her eyes. "Come on," she said. "The Overseer is already here, and they're almost ready to launch the new units."

"Right," Carnelian said. "I just need a minute to fresh up. I want to look my best."

Serpentine groaned. "One minute, or I'm dragging you out."

When Carnelian was finally alone, she knelt by the side of her bed and pulled out a large box. With the tap of her fingers, it opened to a timer cushioned among the nest of wires and tubes. She had spent a month hoarding all the materials she needed from the satellite. She had to thank 9S and 2B for trial-running the technology necessary to get to where she wanted in the first place.

"Carnelian."

"Coming," she said. After giving the box a quick once-over, she plucked the remote out and hid it in the folds of her uniform, before pushing the box back under her bed.

—

Jackass placed a hand on her hip, scowling at White from underneath the shade of the tent. "I've received numerous complaints about you, White. Have you been pawning off your work to the Resistance members?" Jackass interrupted her as soon as she tried to speak. "Don't try to deny it."

"I wasn't going to," she said, with a scowl of her own. "Has it occurred to you that these 'missions' could have easily been delegated to someone else? Let's not forget how half of them are entirely inappropriate." She opened her interface to read the list Jackass had given her. "Restocking the supply room? Escorting an android to the other end of the base? Researching the capabilities of a, quote-unquote, magnum dong?"

Jackass shrugged. "I came across it in an old database. Human stuff."

"That's not the point," White exclaimed. "These menial tasks are a tremendous waste of my capabilities."

Jackass felt her hackles raise. While she herself would have tried to pawn off the work that was given to her, she had quite enough of White's high and mighty attitude. "Sorry I don't have anything exciting for you, Ms. Special-Ops, but you're going to have to accept that sometimes there are slow days. If you really want to do something useful, why not tell me more about your dragon?"

"You don't have the clearance for that."

"For science."

"No."

"We're never going to win the war if we don't share our resources," Jackass argued, although she had more self-serving than altruistic reasons in mind. "Aren't we on the same side? What's so bad about letting me know?"

White hmphed at her. "That's also classified."

"Okay," Jackass said through her teeth. "That's it." She pounced on her. Although White had quickly stepped to the side, she was unable to avoid her fingers, which had caught perfectly on her sides. An uncharacteristic shriek left her lips, giving Jackass pause.

"Are you ticklish?" Jackass said with a strange look. There were a couple androids who had it in their programming. It was a fault in the way their nerves were structured, leaving them sensitive in certain areas.

"No," White said, even as a shade of red dusted her cheeks.

Jackass smirked. "Now this is going to be fun."

—

Jackass walked into the auditorium as more androids were herded in the space behind her. The Overseer stood on an elevated platform. Her name was Gray, or so she'd heard. Jackass wondered if she had known White, if she had been friends with her, if she even cared that she was dead.

Not that it mattered much. Whatever White might have meant to her, Gray was complicit in sweeping YoRHa under the rug. No matter what happened, she would carry out the role she was made for, like an obedient dog.

When the room settled down, the Overseer started her speech. It was the same spiel about the humans living on the moon, the aliens invading from space, and their creations fighting their battles. Jackass hated it. She always had. There was nothing more pathetic than throwing oneself at the feet of heroes, martyrs—fools who didn't know when to quit, where purpose and sacrifice were tightly intertwined.

She knew, in some way, that made her a coward. Perhaps that was why she was here now.

“I would like to give special thanks to the Council of Humanity, for leaving a generous donation—"

The first blast struck deep from the belly of the satellite. The other androids looked around as the noise grew louder in succession. Jackass relished the look of surprise that registered on the Overseer's face before the ceiling came crashing down.

"White," Jackass said as the detonator fell to the floor. "This is for you."

Chapter Text

"Camellia to Zinnia. It is time for our regularly scheduled data exchange."

Zinnia had been in the middle of fixing his hair when a screen popped in front of him. He took the tie he held in his mouth and made a quick ponytail before acknowledging the call, clearing his throat.

"Affirmative," he said. "The test subjects here in the Lab are making significant progress. No. 2 in particular has provided combat data that's exceeded all our expectations."

"Is that so?" Camellia replied. Although she wore a black veil that covered her eyes, Zinnia had known her for so long that he knew her brows were raised in interest. "Have any other test subjects shown comparable progress?"

Zinnia held his chin thoughtfully. "No. 9 can analyze data at remarkable speeds with almost chilling accuracy. I'm not even sure how to begin with his hacking abilities, which have been nothing short of extraordinary. However, we've had to exercise caution—he's attempted to access classified information from our databases on more than one occasion."

Camellia tilted her head. "It sounds like he has great potential," she began, "but if this test subject should pose a risk, it might be wise to consider decommissioning him."

Zinnia had been tapping his finger against the desk, but at her words, he abruptly stopped. He had started the project with the intent of testing various personality types and eliminating the undesirables, but the mere suggestion of decommissioning any of them now—especially No. 9—made him feel… unsettled. Forcing himself to remain composed, he said, "I'll keep that in mind."  

The conversation shifted to the other test subjects, as well as the recent experiments they've gone through, until Zinnia asked, "I've heard you've recently been assigned a project of your own. How's that coming along?"

"That information is classified. Also, irrelevant to the topic at hand."

Zinnia chuckled. "How cold."

Camellia scowled.

"While we're on the subject of irrelevancy, did you take a look at those images of Orion that I sent you?" he asked as he shifted through files on another screen in the background. "It appears that one of its stars is on the brink of going supernova. It'll either become a neuron star or collapse into a black hole." He leaned back in his chair. "While I'm disappointed that my favorite constellation is about to change forever, it's a bit exciting, don't you think?"

"Change brings uncertainty," Camellia replied. "Instability. If anything, it should make you wary."

"Perhaps," he said with a shrug. "But it's also what makes the universe so deeply fascinating." A playful smile tugged at his lips. "I look forward to our next exchange. Perhaps we can do it in-person next time?"

Zinnia could see a hint of a blush beneath her veil, yet Camellia kept her response curt and professional. "We shall see. Until then, take care."

—

"Pod 153 to Pod 042. Report: Change is inevitable." 

042 turned to face 153, who seemed to be observing 2B and 9S in the distance.

"But without change, there is no growth. No discovery," 153 continued. There was a slight pause before she added, "Report: An apology. More time than expected was required to parse this concept."  

The lights on 042 flickered, almost like a sigh. "Rejection: Expressing gratitude is preferable in these types of situations." 

He could hear the gears turning inside 153. "Correction," she said. "Thank you."

She extended a hand toward him. He looked for a moment before grasping it in his own. Together, they floated away, returning to their respective support assignments.

Chapter Text

WHAT LIES BELOW | TEN

A2 had realized it first. "They're here," she yelled, unsheathing her sword.

153's speaker popped from its compartment. "Alert: Hostiles approaching."

The plants unearthed themselves from the ground and snaked toward them. 9S began shouting orders to 153.

So this was it. This was the creature.

The final boss. A master of the environment, the elements, and the very world itself.

"Yoko Taro."

WHAT LIES BELOW | SEVENTEEN

006 continued to hammer at the door. 2B ignored it. Everything had fallen away as she approached 9S. His shoulders were despondent, his face etched in sorrow.

2B breathed in and said the only thing she could. "Do it."

They waited. In that singular moment, they were both in perfect accord.

Because get it? Accord? Huehuehue...

I'll show myself out.

WHAT LIES BELOW | EIGHTEEN

Then there was a spark. Not one of romance or passion—which, don't get her wrong, she had plenty of—but it felt more like a connection had been established. She splayed a hand against his chest to push herself away. As much as she wanted to stay like this, she had to address it. She looked up at the mouth of the pit, where her attention was drawn, and found tears as she saw the speck of a pod descending above them.

2B started towards 042, shoving 9S to the dirt for good measure. Jackass, A2 and Pod 153 were floored as she ran off towards her pod, her arms spread wide. "It's you," she cried. She spun him around in her embrace, her chest racked with sobs. "It's always been you." She stopped to press her lips against the cold steel of 042's exterior. It had taken her a long time, but she finally realized who truly mattered.

REMEMBER ME | SIX

She ambled over to the bridge and threw open the door with a kick of her foot. "Hey, are we any closer to land yet?"

The captain paid no attention to her from his position at the helm. His eyes were trained forward, and his hands were gripped firmly on the wheel.

A fiber in her jaw ticked. There may have been a more delicate way to go about asking, but A2 was not in the mood for formalities. "Are you listening to me?" She reached for his shoulder. "I said, are we any closer to—" She took one look at his face and breathed, "Shit."

Staring back at her, beneath the rim of his cap, were eyes awash with red.

A2 threw her arms up, both her elbows at a perfect ninety-degree angle. "Nope," she said, while backing away. "Nope, nope, nope, nope." She then spun around on her foot and dashed to the side of the ship. To hell with it, she thought. I'm out. Clearly, Pascal and A4 could take care of themselves.

She leapt into the ocean with a splash and proceeded to make a freestyle stroke for Japan.

REMEMBER ME | FIFTEEN

A4 went tense with alarm. "A2?" She started towards her. "What are you—wait!"

Her sword came effortlessly from its confinement. She was running, rockets firing shell for shell, bodies falling one after another.

A deafening roar briefly startled her out of her resolve. There were shadows covering her wake, from a shape that weaved in the space between stars, broken only by the light of the tower. It reared back, the wind rising as its wings extended upward, and sent fire spewing across the landscape. A2 looked at the sky in breathless awe.

She did not dodge the hand that clamped over her shoulder and whipped her around. A4 was fixed on her. "Do you have so little respect for Syrah? Do you not see how dangerous it is to be out here?"

"It's okay," A2 said, while absently fishing a paper from her pocket. "The Keeper actually gave me permission for something like this."

A4 unfolded the paper and read it aloud, "'I can do what I want.'" She glared at her. "Is this supposed to be a reference?"

REMEMBER ME | EIGHTEEN

A2 became motionless when she saw someone up ahead, her eyes slitting as she recognized A4. She thought about calling out to her, but she was quick to change her mind when A4 ducked into the shadows. A2 did the same. Watching.

A crash came from around the tower, sending the guards to investigate and A4 slinking inside.

Twenty feet separated A2 from the door. She only needed to close the distance, but she was kept in place by an unforeseen force. Don't go, she thought. Don't ruin this.

Although A2 knew tracking her might just destroy whatever was between them, she pried herself from her hiding spot and darted for the door. Her pulse beat erratically in her ears. A2 had long lost sight of her, but she kept following the pull she felt, leading her up familiar floors, familiar corridors.

A puddle splashed at her feet. She looked down at her reflection, and met glassy eyes that were not her own.

The guards were dead.

Her tongue was leaden in her mouth. She hastened into the room, the truth hitting her with a sick drop in her stomach, and drew short when she saw A4.

Something popped on either side of A2, and she could have sworn she shot five feet in the air. "What the fuck?" she exclaimed, covering her ears.

The lights switched on to reveal that all the other androids in the compound had gathered around her. "Happy birthday," they said.

"What," A2 said.

A4 took her hand. "Pascal heard you say that your activation date was coming up, so we prepared all this while Syrah and her squadron kept you busy."

"But-but the guards," A2 stammered.

"Slipped on the punch," came a voice from behind her. "Some idiot must have dropped it on the way in. Knocked us out real good. You could have helped, you know, instead of letting us lie there."

"Oh," A2 said quietly. "Sorry."

The crowd parted for the Keeper. "I wouldn't normally approve, but it would seem that my units have taken a liking to you."

Syrah, Chianti, and Pascal came through the door with a bang, still drunk as ever.

"Now let's party!" A4 said, which was met with a round of rambunctious applause.