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Area-10: Alter to Ragnarok
Aeolus's consciousness slowly came back to him, as did the pain from his previous fight. If that is what one could call utter defeat. His eyes slowly opened to see his attacker talking with two other individuals. One he knew was the Chosen for Model A, but shifting his gaze his eyes widened in surprise when he saw Atlas standing by the girl's side.
He had been told that Atlas had been slain by the Chosen for Model A. Gritting his teeth he slowly pushed himself into a standing position. He could feel his body wanting to fall apart on him. Whatever that woman did to him it wasn't going to be an easy fix.
Atlas then laughed at something that the A Chosen had said. Upon seeing that something in him just snapped.
His gaze still locked onto his believed dead ally as he called H-w into his hand and growled. This caught the attention of the three as he merged with the Pseudometal. He raised an accusing blade towards the orange clad girl and snarled.
"Aeolus?"
"So, it was a lie that you had perished...but I see that Mistress Vile had told us that lie so we wouldn't have to deal with the truth of your betrayal."
Ashe then stepped forward and aimed a gun back at Aeolus, an equally angered glare sat in her eyes.
"How dare you! Atlas was sent there to die because of your stupid 'Mistress'!"
"SILENCE YOU WRETCHED PLEBEIAN!"
Ashe flinched slightly at the loud outburst, but she still stood with her gun drawn. Atlas then walked up to Ashe and put her hand on her shoulder, causing Ashe to drop her weapon and take a step back.
Atlas then walked forward and locked eyes with the Artificial Chosen, Aeolus felt his spine run cold at the look in Atlas's eyes. He shook himself and inched closer as he ignited the other blade.
"Have anything to say for yourself, traitor?"
"No."
That caused Aeolus to take a step back. How dare she not give him the information he required, he was her superior. Atlas saw the slight emotion in his eyes and chuckled.
"I have nothing to say to you. Nothing will change your opinion of me, so why bother?"
Aeolus gritted his teeth, his rage building at the tone Atlas was taking with him. He then roared and rushed forward, sabers aimed to cut Atlas in two.
The girl dodged his attacks with ease, her reflexes putting the Artificial Wind to shame. She then threw a fist forward and punched Aeolus in the stomach. Aeolus spat up blue liquid as he fell to his knees, he gripped his stomach as his armor shattered.
Atlas pulled back her hand to reveal bloody knuckles, but she showed no pain as she looked down upon the boy in front of her.
"Get out of here Aeolus. I will have patience for your unwarranted superiority complex no longer. You are the weakest of us five and you know it."
Aeolus forced himself to look up into the burning gaze of Atlas. He cursed under his breath as he coughed up more of his artificial blood.
"Curse you...I-I will be back to finish you off...later..."
With that Aeolus vanished into a column of light. Atlas sighed as she calmed herself down, Ashe and Mère walking up to her with smiles. Ashe jumped on her and wrapped an arm around her shoulder as A and Totten materialized.
"That was so cool Atlas!"
"Yeah, but that means that I didn't hit him hard enough. That's too bad."
Mère, you would have probably disintegrated him if you did that.
The Mother Elf chuckled sheepishly as Ashe moved towards the green Data Core floating where Aeolus had just been standing. Reaching out to it the Core was instantly absorbed.
No sooner had it vanished the familiar pain shot through Ashe's mind. She gripped her head and screamed as she fell to her knees. Her armor beginning to break apart and reformat itself.
Atlas and Mère could only look on with worry. Atlas felt more hurt that she personally couldn't do anything to help her girlfriend.
Extracting Code: H-w to A-00
Cipher: Harpuia X Removed
Beginning Playback 03:
Good going, you have broken another cipher! Too bad I still don't have a way to suppress the pain. When I do, I will stop saying it.
Now, by now you should know of the existence of the other Artificial Chosen. They are not as nice as Yuki, so. You should be careful near them.
I must apologize, for it appears that I am the reason that they exist at all. My childhood was never the best, and I never minded, but if I had known that Brother's data would be used like this. I would have tried harder to run.
-Incoherent Mumbling-
Ooh, Little One, that was a bit too hard of a kick. Please stop doing that.
Ahem, now this may be repetitive, but seeing as I can no longer merge with Model A. I have no choice but to entrust this task to you, etcetera. I really want to go though, It sounds like fun.
I hope that this journey isn't too hard on you. I want to eventually meet the person who shall be A's Chosen.
End Playback
Ashe groaned as her arms dropped to her sides, exhaustion taking its hold on her. Lifting one shaking arm she saw the slim green armor of Aeolus in place of her own.
Forcing herself to stand she reverted back to her basic form. Her armor then vanished just as quickly, her knees failed and she started to fall. She was quickly caught by Atlas, who looked down at her with a smile.
"Just can't help but fall today can you?"
"Well...at least you're there to catch me."
Atlas chuckled as she helped Ashe to stand properly. Mère then appeared next to them and put a hand on Ashe's shoulder.
You look like you are about to pass out, want to come to my house and rest?"
Ashe looked to Atlas, who shrugged, returning her gaze to Mère she nodded. She felt more exhausted than usually after that cipher. Smiling Mère also placed a hand onto Atlas's shoulder and the three vanished in a flash of light.
Area-?: Dark Secrets
Vile chuckled as she picked up a knee joint from a work table. Behind her was a medical bed that housed half of a Repliroid, its body's internal circuitry and parts exposed in several places. The Repliroid on the table was Siarnaq, he watched Vile in silence as a repair arm attached a part to his spinal column.
"MISTRESS VILE, WHAT IS THE ESTIMATED TIME UNTIL REPAIR COMPLETION?"
"About three days, two if I skip out on the extra systems I have planned."
Siarnaq looked towards the large light that hung over his bed, he winced as an arm plugged a cable into his chest. He had been like this ever since he activated his self destruct, and even a Repliroid like himself got bored. One of the arms lowered itself into his field of view and picked his head up. He then felt Vile open a panel on the back of his neck.
"WHAT DOES THAT PANEL GO TO?"
"An extra route into your vocal cords. Now you all know I love everything about you, but your voice box problems are getting on my nerves."
Siarnaq flinched when he felt a heated tool enter his spine, but he remained still as his Mistress continued her work. After pulling something out, possibly one of the burned circuits, Vile moved towards her workbench to retrieve a new part.
As she picked up the part however, the door slid open and Thetis stumbled in with Aeolus over her shoulder. Vile looked to them for several seconds before she was at their side, helping Aeolus into another bed. When the clamps locked onto his arms she turned to Thetis.
"What happened to him?"
"I am sorry Mistress Vile, but it seems that his mission to Area A had some complications."
Vile nodded and pulled up a diagnostic screen while Thetis moved over to Siarnaq, the boy slowly turned his attention to her as she waved. She noted that he looked funny without his usual scarf wrapped around his face.
"Hey there shadow boy, how are the repairs going?"
The Repliroid shrugged before shifting his attention to Aeolus, he visibly winced when he saw Vile slam her hands onto the console.
"There is this much internal damage? How could that girl do this to you Aeolus?"
Aeolus slowly opened his eyes and turned to look into Vile's only visible eye. His pained expression making even Siarnaq feel worried.
"T-there was a woman...said she was the 'Mother Elf'...h-hit me with something. Tore me apart."
Vile nodded, a small smile taking place of her worried one. That name hadn't been mentioned in centuries. She turned from the bed to grab some anesthetic, but she was halted by Aeolus grabbing the back of her cloak.
"Mistress...There was someone there with the Chosen and the Mother Elf."
"Who?"
Thetis had been the one to ask the question, but that information had caused Vile to halt in her search for medical supplies. Turning around she noted Aeolus's reluctant gaze.
"Answer her question Aeolus."
"It was Atlas, she is with the Chosen."
Aeolus then passed out, Vile thought it may have been his injuries catching up with him. Realizing something Vile quickly spun around to see Thetis with a defeated look. She shook her head and turned to Vile with pleading eyes.
"Mistress? I thought that you said Atlas had perished."
Vile sighed as she walked over to her workbench, Thetis followed her.
"I lied to you my dear. I had thought that would have been a better scenario for you to accept."
Vile was then slammed into the wall as Thetis formed her armor, the frozen blade of her Halberd at Vile's throat.
"You sent her out to that desert knowing full well that the Chosen was going there as well. You then told me that she had died fighting her. Why lie to me!?"
Vile frowned as their eyes locked, she could see both the hate and desperation in the girl's eyes.
"I simply thought that the news of her death would have been easier to take than that of her betrayal. Especially the betrayal of the one who you gave your heart to."
Thetis's eyes widened in shock at the statement, her weapon and armor vanished as she fell to the floor. Vile quickly knelt down and placed a reassuring hand on the girl's shoulder. Her shuddering told Vile that she was trying to hold back tears.
"Don't worry Thetis, I have a plan for getting her back."
Thetis looked up to Vile with tear filled eyes, and Vile sighed. She really didn't want to do this. Thetis then spoke in a quiet voice.
"You do?"
"Yes, now you know that the Chosen is heading towards every one of my Model Ws right? Well, if you head out to the one that I haven't already sent a guard, then eventually you should meet up with her. Defeat her and bring her back, and I promise you that she will be back to her old self."
Thetis looked down in surprise, but she quickly nodded.
"Okay, and when I win, I'll confess my feelings to her."
Vile smiled and stood, pulling Thetis into a hug. Seperating Thetis giggled as she left the room, Vile once again sighed as she returned to her work on Siarnaq. She quickly installed the part and closed the panel. And this gave Siarnaq a chance to voice his opinions on what just happened.
"Why must you lie to her?"
Vile shook her head as she turned back to her workbench to grab the next part.
"She is not like you dear, Thetis is an emotional person. If I can't keep her happy, then what am I even doing as a mother? It is better if she knows only worries about a potion of the truth, instead of worrying about the whole."
Siarnaq returned his attention to the ceiling lights as Vile continued her work. He contemplated in silence as Vile chuckled.
"At least I got your voice to work."
Area-Undisclosed: Mère's House
Ashe sighed as she sat in one of the many comfortable chairs in the living room. Atlas sat beside her, taking a sip of her tea as Mère sat in a chair across from them. She leaned forward and gave the two a smile before speaking.
"So, got any questions for me before you go. Ciel and I have things planned and I do not want to disappoint her."
"Well, just one real quick thing-"
"What do you know about Vile."
Ashe glared at Atlas, but the orange clad girl just smiled. Mère nodded and sat back in her seat.
"Well, Vile is quite an interesting character. She and I have met only a few times, and all other information on her is hard to find."
"Well could you start out with what she is?"
"A God."
Atlas choked on her drink and Ashe's eyes went wide as Mère took a sip of her own drink, the Cyber-Elf's serious tone catching them off guard.. After Atlas calmed down Mère continued.
"That is just what I believe her to be. She is not human, nor is she Repliroid or Cyber-Elf. Yet she is strong enough to match me in terms of strength, although I am still stronger."
Mère chuckled as she snapped her fingers, an image of an old scientist materialized, his orange cone helmet made Ashe tilt her head in confusion.
"Who is that?"
"This, my dear Ashe, is Dr. Weil. He is the cause for both the Elf Wars and the Ragnarok incident. This man was the one who built Omega, and the one who corrupted my original form."
Atlas and Ashe studied the image intently, they knew all about the man, but they did not know where Mère was taking the information. Silence held for several moments before Atlas spoke.
'And what does he have to do with Vile."
"Oh, it is nothing more than rank actually. This Weil that everyone feared, was actually only a pawn to the woman you know as Vile. Probably gave him the idea for the Ragnarok too."
Both girls jumped from their seats as Mère took another sip of her tea. Atlas took a step forward and forced out her question.
"What does that make Vile?"
"Well, if I have her age right. She has been the mastermind behind every human tragedy starting with the Maverick Wars."
Another chapter complete! I hope you enjoyed!
Not much to say about this chapter, but I hope some questions were answered.
Vile does treat her Artificial Chosen like children, this probably explains why she wasn't too angered by Yuki's rebellion. Children do need their space to grow.
Thetis has love problems.
I don't know when, but I had the craziest idea that Vile was a being that caused everything. I don't know where she originated, but she is truly evil if everything she has tried lead to human extinction.
Also, the arms she had were extras that hooked into her back, her real ones cannot get out of her cloak.
Mère is still stronger though, for reasons that she will never divulge.
I again hope you enjoyed.
Have a nice day!