The Resistance guards escorted us to the pathway leading to Pascal's home in the forest, with Anemone in front. 9S was in arm cuffs that were leashed to the hands of the guards. I was in the rear. 9S wore his old YoRHa uniform. When we finally reached the point where the forest met the concrete on the ground, they unlocked Nines from his cuffs.
"These are the terms that were negotiated with 2B, 9S. You are hereby exiled from the camp. If you need to communicate with the Resistance camp, you will do so through 2B, and 2B only. Is that clear?" Anemone said.
9S let out a sigh while looking at the path into the forest. "Yeah, yeah..."
"2B, as you know, you are welcome at the camp at any time if you need to trade or share information directly. Likewise, we will perform maintenance on 9S to fix his water storage tank if Pascal finds a way to manufacture a new one, but that will be the last time he will be allowed at the camp."
"I appreciate it. I'll keep that in mind."
"Let me emphasize, however, the gravity of your situation, 9S. If you ever come within fifty yards of the camp without authorization, you will be shot on sight."
"..."
"I've already informed Pascal of your arrival. He has prepared a place for you to stay. I won't keep him waiting any longer."
With that, the small group of Resistance fighters walked back to the city ruins and me and Nines were alone.
He stood there looking at the clearing for a few seconds. He turned around and looked at me with a sheepish grin.
"Well, being exiled isn't so-"
I smacked him. I smacked him hard in the mouth. I'm fairly certain I scared a few birds who were resting in the tree tops. He leaned to the side, but his legs stayed stable and in place.
He spit internal fluid on the ground. His grin disappeared.
"I'm going to guess that you are pretty pissed off right now?"
"Brilliant deduction."
"...Okay. Look, I am sorry. I know what I did was pretty extreme but-"
"You pointed a gun at the only person in the world who was not only an ally, but someone who we could have called a friend. Does that seem even slightly logical to you?"
"...No. I guess it doesn't."
"..."
He raised a hand to his scalp and scratched it. It look like he was trying to find something to say.
I was thoroughly pissed, but at the same time... I'm terrified out of my mind. I don't want to lose him again. NEVER again. Why doesn't he understand that? I have to make him understand that I care about him.
Even if it hurts him.
"A2. She was there. I thought I wanted to kill her."
Thought?
"What do you mean by that? You thought you wanted to?"
"She got in my head. My memories. She left a message in them."
His gaze focused across the ravine towards the mall. He started to walk towards the edge. I felt the urge to stop him from reaching the edge, if he was intending to jump, but he stopped a few steps before the gorge.
"2B, I found the message you left in your Flight Unit the day the Bunker fell..."
He clutched his chest.
"It hurt. It hurt so much. I told myself that anything that was responsible for your death would suffer the same fate. When you said that the time we spent together were like memories of pure light, I lost it."
He found my message for him...
He turned around and looked at me. His midnight hair flowed through the wind like a crow's feathers in flight. I expected tears when he turned around, but a big smile formed on his face
He was genuinely happy.
"She showed up in my memories when I was in standby. She said...she was only doing what you wanted her to do. She said she was sorry, and she said to forgive her, and to forgive you."
Oh, God. My chest. It hurts. I don't know where, but it hurts. My throat is choking up. My eyes begin to water. I don't deserve this, Nines.
"Nines. No. Don't. I don't deserve forgiveness. I-I...killed you...I almost killed you when you were in the Goliath...I-I..."
His hand touches mine. It sends a shiver up to my core. This feeling of light...
"I've been pretty selfish, 2B. I've been so focused on avenging that I forgot what was really important. You have gone through much worse than this me, as 2E. You are my light, and I want you to know that whatever happened to all the 9S's before me, it is okay."
"It's not okay."
"It's okay."
"I killed you so many times."
"I know."
"She killed you so many times."
"I know."
"Is the reason you wanted to kill her..."
I know the answer.
"...is because she looks just like me?"
"Yeah."
He reached up at touched my cheek. He looked me straight in the eyes.
"I'm sure you already knew. Your eyes, face, and hair are the same as hers, but...I can see more than cold glass reflecting back at me. I can see your light."
He let go of my hand and took his palm from my cheek.
I wish he would put it back. It felt nice.
"I messed up. Asking you to forgive me for this may seem like a stretch, but I'm going to chalk getting shot as a positive. I don't hate A2 anymore. I've moved on from that part of my life, and I am ready to start a new life with you."
I said those exact words yesterday. I wonder if he hacked me while I was in the store room.
"Nines, you're an ass."
"What did I do?"
"You know you hacked me."
"I didn't hack you when you went into the storeroom."
"How did you know I went into the storeroom when your head was strapped to the stretcher?"
"Uh...Damn. You got me there. I think you look nice in that T-shirt and I didn't want to miss you wearing it for the first time."
"Nines, I think humans once called that particular activity voyeurism, and it was considered illegal."
"Woah! I mean, I'm not like that! I mean, you have a body to die for and oh my God did I just say that?!"
I love it when he digs himself into little holes like this.
"Okay, I will TOTALLY respect your privacy next time. Soldier's honor...Ugh...All this talking is making me thirsty."
"Thirsty? Nines! What is the status of your water tank?"
"Oh yeah. Uh...I disabled the alarm when I was in standby. Um...half a liter!? I need water!"
I picked him up the moment he said "half" and dashed him towards the stream behind the metal barrier before the forest. I dropped him into the water, and he laughed.
This is not funny. You should be able to last two weeks without water, not two days.
After refilling his rapidly leaking tank, we walked on the path towards Pascal's village, which was eerily quiet.
I am so happy he forgives me. I am happy that he understands A2 was only doing her best to follow my request. I am NOT happy that he constantly puts himself in dangerous situations to complete a goal.
I don't need you to kamikaze two flight units.
I don't need you to fight other androids.
I don't need you to get shot.
I need you.