The city of Facade stretched before Nier and his group, the labyrinthian architecture casting long shadows as the sun set over the horizon. The big man was scowling. He hadn't stopped doing so since their battle at the factory. "Oh, do wipe that drole look off of your face," Grimoire Wiess said, giving Nier a withering look. "And remind me again why we're traipsing around searching for one shade out of thousands?" "You heard Popola," Nier replied, scowling despite the book's advice. "That robot has one of the keys to get to the Shadowlord's castle. Unless I find that damn thing, I'll never rescue Yonah." "Well, at least try to appear cheerful," Weiss said scoldingly. "We're here for the king's marriage ceremony, and I doubt they want you here with that murderous look about you. Besides, the chances of that shade and it's automaton being in the desert are next to none."
"And what's a tree?" Kalil asked P-33 as the robot trudged through the sandy expanse before them, carrying his young friend on his metal head. "A tr-tr-tree," the robot replied, stuttering due to his malfunctioning voice-box. "A biological life form, uses le-le-le-leaves to gather-er-er sunlight, produces simple suga-gar-gar-gars." Kalil clapped his hands in appreciation. "Yeah! Wow, Beepy, you're so smart now!" They had been playing this game daily ever since they had met, and now that they were actually in the outside world, the young shade thought it pertinent to give his big friend a refresher. The pair continued through the desert, playing their game, unaware that they were being watched by eyes neither human nor shade.
"And what's grass?" the young shade asked. P-33 replied promptly, as he always did. "Grass. Green tufts, similar to hair, sprouting from the grou-grou-grou-grou-grou-ground." "Good job, Beepy!" exclaimed Kalil. "Now, what's-" suddenly, the ground around them began to shake. Kalil clutched the tiny handrails fixed atop P-33's crown. "Wh-what's that?" he asked fearfully. His robot guardian looked down at the shifting sand beneath them...when suddenly, a huge creature burst from the ground, hitting P-33 right in the face. The robot staggered slightly, more from surprise than anything else. The creature dove back into the sand as quickly as it had appeared. Another one leapt from the ground behind them, lashing a stinger-tipped tail. P-33 whirl;ed around and caught the tail in one massive metal hand. He held the creature at arm's length. Kalil peered down from his friends head. "Hey! That's a-" "Scorpion," P-33 finished, sounding proud of himself. "Insect. Uses ta-ta-ta-tail to sting. Poisonon-on-onous-s-s-s." Kalil nodded sagely. "We better watch out. They could hurt us." "Negative," said P-33. "Scorpions stings cannot penetrate my armor." Indeed, several of the large bugs had already attempted to sting the robot, only to have their stingers bounce off his metal hide. And Kalil, perched on his friend cranium, was too high up for them to hit. And so, the two continued onward, with the scorpions still harrassing them.
"And what's a-" *clang* *clang* *clang-clang* Kalil gave a sigh of exasperation. The scorpions had followed the duo for a while now, and the young shade was tired of them interrupting his game with P-33. "Hey, you dumb bugs!" he yelled, not for the first time. "Just leave us alone, will you! We don't want any trouble!" The scorpions ignored him, pointedly it seemed to Kalil, and continued their vigorous but ineffective assault. Kalil slaumped back on top of his friends head. "This is going to be a long day," he said aloud. "Negative," said P-33, and Kalil looked up in surprise. "What do you mean?" "Day-ay-ay. Is almost over. Sun is set-et-et-et-etting." The young shade looked up, and sure enough, the moon was rising, and the feeble rays of sunlight that managed to escape through the clouds above had faded. Then, he noticed something. "Hey! The clanging stopped!" He looked down, and sure enough, no scorpions were in sight. "But, why did they-" then Kalil heard something that chilled him to the bone. Howling. "Wolves," said P-33 matter-of-factly.