Having left camp a few hours ago X1 had neared his destination having been rushing to the coordinate he hopes there were survivors and not a massacre. Nearing the area he stopped and proceeded on gaining high grounds to see his surroundings.
"Question: why does Unit X1 not reveal that he is a human to the Androids?" Pod 129 asked
"Huh that came out of nowhere why do you ask?"
"Androids were built to follow their human masters even us pods are programmed to obey any command you give."
"Pod remember back when you tried to hack me?"
"Yes the file is logged in this Pod's memory circuit."
"Well if you said androids can be hacked I don't want my information spread I can't help but not trust anything right now especially those machines in the community."
"Starlight has spoken about them being peaceful are you not able to trust them."
"That's the issue I don't want to endanger them what if some reason the machines are built with a program that if they find anything that's human related it triggers some type of reaction. What if said program causes them to go berserk and kill anything in their path to get to the Human? Then that means I will be the cause of death to those peaceful androids just because I want to be selfish and command them as so that is something I don't want to carry with me."
"Understood the sympathy you have for the androids is commendable we pods can understand human nature more with you" Spoke pod 129.
"Tch don't be trying to learn human nature from me because I am different from the next human we are flawed the emotions we have differs with different point of view crammed in our heads but enough about that anything human related with me is silence I need to focus on this mission."
Jumping off the cliff that was used to scout the area he headed into the small city having found no signs of life from either machines and androids he climb up a building and perch on the roof.
"Hey can you scan the area for enemies?" X1 spoke while surveying the buildings from the distance.
"Alert 2 Goliaths tanks and multiple enemies found in area" announced Pod 129.
"Tanks? Are you serious how the hell do I fight a tank?"
"Proposal aim for any opening in armor and attack."
"Yeah O K lets run up to a tank and smack it with a sword" X1 sarcastically added.
Looking towards movements he spotted two large tanks moving around in the distance thinking to himself he ponders how to engage such adversaries. Going back on the proposal he decided that is the best course of action as of right now with no explosive on his person he is going to aim for the tanks crew.
"Alright let's go then!" X1 commanded as he braced himself for the jump.
Leaping off the building he made his way over to the tanks spotting multiple med bipeds in front with multiple small stubby in between landing on a building overlooking his enemies he drew out the type-40 aiming at the gunner on side of the mobile weapon.
Throwing the weapon he drew the Venus gospel and followed suit leaping into the fire zone. The sword pieced the enemy ending a gunner landing on the opposite side he smashed the spear through the other gunner disabling some of the turrets as he swung the spear finishing off one side.
"Android Android must kill the android!"
"It spoke again?" catching X1 off guard he felt the tank lurch as it sped forward throwing him off.
"Shit I let me guard down!" yelled X1 as he catches himself.
The enemies all made their way to the lone fighter engaging in close range combat. The pods opened fire littering the field with bullets as all combatants began their fight. Slamming the spear into a stubby he used the machine as a weapon having been impaled the spear soon became a hammer as he smashes multiple enemies before the tank came rolling in.
Jumping up he dodges the charge attack landing he soon spotted the tracks in the front was swinging towards him. Pulling the buster sword to the side as a shield the impact of the attack flung X1 into a nearby building.
"You got to be kidding me that thing has arms?!" X1 processing such absurd design as he crashes into the building.
Hearing the roar of the tank again he quickly recovered and dodges once again knowing that it will swing its arm he waited for the attack as the tank's tracks misses he spotted the main operator being right in the front he throws the type-40 once again stopping the tank
Turning around to the last tank he spotted a giant red light from the main cannon without any warning the cannon fired a giant laser missing the target it blasted a hole straight through the side of the building causing X1 to furrow his eyebrows at such a sight.
"A laser beam… great lets put that on the list of bullshit I'm dealing with." he sighed turning this attention back on the weapon.
Spotting as both the front tracks begins lifting up he knew it will try and hit him once again but before the attack could commence the buster sword and brother hood found its mark in the armor. Having pieced the pivoting arms it was disable leaving the driver exposed having no time to react to the dilemma Venus Gospel was impaled in the machine leaving the two tanks down for the count.
"Well alright the two Goliaths are down let's begin searching for the androids." as he collected the two blades while Venus Gospel had teleported to his back along with the type-40.
Walking around the campsite X1 noticed an eerie silence having entered the site he noticed many things had been carved up. Making the way around he kicked an object peering down he noticed a YoRHa member dismembered lying lifeless on the ground.
"What the hell that doesn't look like what we just fought could've done this." scanning the destroyed body.
Looking up from the body he noticed blood had splattered everywhere following the trails it soon lead to a massacre having been torn to pieces anything that had lived once was now silent from being dismembered.
"What in the world… this…this is gruesome what could do such a thing to all these androids" commented the devastated X1.
"Alert faint black box signal found" pod 129 announced.
"Black box? Is that a record of data?"
"Correction it is the life's core of an Android unit."
"Where is it tell me now if you can pick up that signal we need to save them."
"Point marked on the map" Pod 077 spoke.
Rushing through the corpses he soon stumbled upon body missing its lower half she was still breathing her face showed signs of fading life.
"Hey don't you dare go stay with me."
"Ge…t…a..a..aw..aa..yy…n…n…no…w" the last word spoken before her eyes closed.
"Damn it we lost her is there a way to repair her!?"
"Negative black box signal has ceased all functions. Unit is unable to be repaired" answered pod 129.
"Shit…whatever did this has to be close by" he exclaimed.
"Alert unknown enemy has appeared on radar" Pod 077's alarm rang out.
"Where is it right now I'm going to make sure it pays!" Snapping his head back and fourth he scanned the area quickly trying to find out why his pod had rang out.
Finding a silhouette in the distance he notice erratic movements as it slowly made its way to the group. Dancing as it approaches the machine jumped all over the place with multiple spins soon he can hear loud voices echoing throughout the building causing him to be disturbed.
"Elegant! I am Elegant why will you not love me!" it screamed out as it stops no more than 60ft from them.
"Is… is that thing using androids body?" he looks upon a gruesome scene.
Having appeared the body of the machine had multiple pieces of androids fused upon itself creating a false image of a dancer balancing on its pointed feet it. On both its shins there were standard YoRHa blades attached as if they were bones the arms had been modified to also have blades but with it protruding out of sides creating wing like design. The face had a special mask as if it were ready for a masquerade party with a crude crown perch on its rounded head.
"Am I not elegant enough to receive your love!" it yelled out.
"The fuck is wrong with this thing."
Without any signs of warning the machine began to dance like a ballerina spinning the robot carved up the areas as it spun quickly towards the man. Pulling up the buster sword he blocked the attack only to feel a slash open up his leg as the attack continues to barrage his great sword.
Jumping back he tries to escape the attack only to have it leap over him flipping through the air the machine slashed down striking the top of his head causing sparks to fly out as the syrintanium protected his remaining human part was struck. Getting frustrated with the attack he swung the buster sword aiming for the legs the machine leaps out of the way making the attack miss. Throwing the Venus Gospel he sends the spear to follow only to have it sent flying to the side. Having pushed back the machine he jump in closing the distance aiming for the legs once again he felt a sharp pain as he watch the blade fly pass his head along with his arm.
"Damn it got my arm!" X1 screamed out as his arm was severed.
Rearing back he moves back gripping the remaining stub as the enemy regains its composure.
"I must become more elegant! Only then shall I receive his love he will tell me how majestic I am" the machine continues crying out.
"Shut the Fuck up already!"
Throwing the type-40 sword he charged in as both engages once again the sword was blocked from the spin. It then kicked out its leg aiming for X1's neck only to have the brother hood block the attack. The dancer continued its spin speeding up by bounding off the blade the machine gained enough force from the spin to knock the weapon out of his hand. Soon multiple gashes appeared on his body as it begins dicing up the combatant being ripped open fear began gripping the man getting kicking in the face he was launched into the air with the machine following suit.
Catching himself he kicked off the wall climbing up the side of the building only to be grabbed as he lands on the rooftop. Slamming him into the concrete the dancer cut off both of his legs leaving the man crippled before slamming its foot on his stomach. The constant slamming caused the roof to cave in sending both into the rubble.
Recovering himself from the fall X1 dragged himself out of sight into a room. Being crippled he sat in the darkness as his left hand shook from the fear of death. His mind had shut itself off with all the damages he can see all he could do is hide the fear of almost killed continues biting at his head until he heard that voice yet again.
"Why will you not look at my dance!" its yell caused the man to freeze in place
"Why won't you love my dance!"
"Why won't you love my dance!"
The constant yelling echoed inside his head with each screech the body started shaking having never encountering such formidable foe he ponders if he should run away.
"This thing… will my end be from this thing" he thought to himself as the muffled clicking can be heard on the floor above.
Feeling like a trapped rat he sat in the dark wondering if he will die and have to face the fact he failed his mission. Looking at his legs he watched as it slowly regenerated itself along with his severed arm. Once finished he stood back up and planned on a escaping the building. Having no weapons to support him he quietly made his way through the building with each passing second he progressed near a stairway. Inching down he soon heard the loud screech once again freezing him in place.
"damn it... damn it... damn it..." shuddering from the noises he slowly regained his nerves and continued the climb down.
only a few floors from the ground he soon heard the floors breaking from above exiting the stairs he made his way into a room and went silent again smashing to the floor X1 was on the unknown machine begun scanning its surrounding having scanned all floors prior it moved down the hallway smashing rooms before peering inside moving from room to room it was soon next to the hiding spot he had chosen smashing the wall it scanned the area not noticing a pile of rubble had hidden the man from sight.
Hearing the machine leaving a small relief spread through his frozen body slowly picking up his body he made his way towards an opening he saw the machine leaving he figured it would vanish off into the distance. But before it could leave it grabbed the girl's body and began screeching rushing off into the distance in the direction of the village.
X1 look on in fear knowing that by letting that machine escape it would mean the end of Starlight and all the peaceful inhabitants jumping out the window he was greeted by both his pods as they brought him new clothing and his weapons.
"That machine is extremely dangerous proposal: X1 should chase after it and destroy it before it reaches the village." Pod 077 spoke
"I can't its too strong for me…" feeling helpless he could not muster up the courage to chase after it when it had almost succeeded in slaying him.
"X1 leaving the machine alone would mean the lost of a flight unit" Pod 129 added.
"Shut the hell up I get it ok! I'm just scared right now that thing almost had me that knock to my head... that scraping noise is still ringing in my ears it tried to sever my brain and dismember me if I didn't have this metal surrounding it with this healing factor that would have been it for me!" X1 yelling as he fights with his inner thoughts of just running away but also the thought of wanting to protect those androids…
I want to thank all those who are enjoying the story and all the reviews you all are leaving with this the X1 introduction segment will be ending soon and will jump to the Automata cast so be a little bit more patient it will be just a few more chapters I promise. As a note I will try and update often unless work pulls me away but so far should be every other day