I usually do not like to post forewords in my writing. I feel that they should be done once during the creation of the fiction, like a book. Since fanfics tend to be a bit more...living documents, I am breaking from that idea to give credit to Recycler, who has been my editor for these chapters. He has been helping the Nier fanfic community for a while, and I would like to dedicate this except before this chapter to him.

I appreciate everything you are doing, and keep up the great work.

I also encourage reviews. I am seeing quite a few views on traffic, but not much in the review part. Let me know if you are able to track through the story, or is my writing style too "random". Given, I haven't done this in a while, and I have a odd take on writing, but I sincerely hope you are enjoying my stories. Any words, cheers, or jeers are welcome.

Thanks for reading.

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I saw the fire in his eyes.

As YoRHa androids, emotions were forbidden. The official reason we could not show them was because it detracted from combat functionality, as well to exude an air of professionalism and stability to others.

But this wasn't entirely true.

We are no different than the machine lifeforms. Although they imitated humanity, they also began to develop emotions, personalities, and wants. In order to distance ourselves from becoming more like the ones we were sworn to destroy, we were told to completely ignore the things that brought us closer to being like the enemy, even though the enemy were emulating the ones we were sworn to protect.

At this moment, Nines was currently the enemy.

His left hand grabbed the handguard and his right index straddled the trigger. His right eye lined the sight. The rifle shook.

"Anemone, I'll try to ask this as calmly as possible."

He pushed the safety forward with his right thumb. His whole body was quaking.

"Why is A2 here?"

"9S, I need you to calm down. I can explain everything to you, I just need you to put the rifle down."

The entire resistance camp had guns pointed at Nines. We were standing near the maintenance ward and Anemone had her back towards the stretchers. We stood in a compromising position as the clacking of rifles filled the air behind me. Someone left the the song Wretched Weaponry playing on the jukebox. I instinctively placed my back to Nines and began point my rifle to various androids.

It was a pointless maneuver. Despite even non-combat oriented YoRHa androids having vastly superior physical capabilities to previous generations, we were hopelessly outnumbered. While dodging rifle bullets in midair would be second nature to me, there were too many guns pointed at us at once for that to be effective.

I looked around counted fifteen, no, twenty androids surrounding us. I need to stop this, and fast.

"9S! Put the rifle down! Think about what you are doing!" I pleaded with him.

"I have! Anemone, move out the way! This has nothing to do with you! Just let me kill that...that...monster...She doesn't deserve to live!"

"Proposal: 9S should disarm himself immediately. Current situation analysis detects that if you continue this current course of action, he will be killed with unit 2B in the crossfire."

Pod 153 stated the obvious. Nines was not a combat model. He didn't understand the complications of what he was doing or the collateral damage that could occur if he were to shoot.

Acting as fast as I could, I let go of my rifle and let it hang around my shoulders. I turned around and reached my hand out and grabbed Nines' muzzle with my hand and pointed it to the sky.

"Stop!" I turned and saw his face. Tears. His teeth were clenched together and a look of fear was plastered on his face. He was not alright. His ordeal with A2 was much deeper than I had originally thought.

"Everyone, stand down," Anemone informed the camp. A few androids walked backwards, guns still pointed at us. The white cubes crushed beneath their feet.

"Put your guns down. There is no danger here. We just need to talk-"

"We don't trust them, Anemone!" a random android stated. He was jumpy and shaking. "They're just machines in android bodies! What if they turn on us?!"

"No, they saved us! They saved everyone! 9S has always been kind of unstable!" another android interjected.

"Then maybe we should just kill him instead!"

I don't know what came over me. I can't explain it, but in less than a second, my body moved on its own and had my rifle pointed at the person who said that.

"Don't you DARE!"

I just lectured myself about tactics in a combat situation, and now I just reignited the tension. This feeling I had...I wanted to protect him...No...I needed to protect him. I need...I need...Nines.

I mean, after all... We all need something to fight for, don't we?

Those words lingered in my mind as I thought back to the past. Never had I felt so much rage when I heard Adam said that to me...and how much he needed to die after what he had did to Nines...

I needed to focus. I needed to stay calm.

But then Anemone walked past us. She placed herself in the line of fire and spread out her arms.

"This is my family. I will deal with them."

9S had a clear shot at A2 if he wanted it, but for some reason, he didn't fire. I think it registered to him that getting revenge would only make him lose what was truly important to him.

9S needed help.

"Put your guns down. There is no danger here. Just, please, let's handle this within the camp, and hopefully we can avoid-"

Without warning, a mail notification showed up. Everyone got the message at the same time.

The jumpy android shot. The shot passed through Anemone's stomach. It lodged in 9S chest.

Nines was shot. NINES WAS SHOT. HE'S SHOT!

"STANCHING GEL! I NEED FUCKING STANCHING GEL!" I yelled out at the top of my lungs.

His body crumpled to the ground. A blood curdling yell screamed from his lips. I was already on the ground, holding him in my arms as his internal fluid spilled out onto the floor. He was bleeding out.

No. No, no, NO! I can't lose him again. A bullet shouldn't take down a YoRHa android, but there was so much fluid.

Amid the chaos, I saw Anemone grabbing magnetic tweezers and the stanching gel. She was shot but could still move. She was clearly in pain.

"Someone get over here and help me! And someone turn off that fucking music!" she cried.

Beside the jumpy one, the rest of the androids ran to grab water, bandages, supplies, and whatever else they could do to assist.

Anemone and Nines were placed on the stretcher. Nines was placed closest to A2. He looked at me and then looked at her. My hands clenched his free hand. His other one was clenched over his wound.

"Why, Nines? Why did this happen?"

He didn't look at me, and kept staring at her.

"There are some things...people need to die for."