"The past greater than knowledge"

Chapter BEGIN:

A2 only had to look at the holographic image of ALICE and identify that the three androids including herself, were seeing a result of artificial intelligence. "An AI. Just how stable, is the question."

ALICE smirks at the silver-hair ponytailed android. "My, my. You already forget your place, android." And eventually, that same android was surprised. "I don't mind. From the beginning, those who put up the models to militarize androids into a fighting force was already discussed 6000 years ago. At first, it was dropped. But then, those types had to be made during the invasion and spread of the machines."

2B then spoke up next, curious of something. "I wanted to ask, since you're already starting to give us some information. From what year is your model of AI?"

"I was manufactured, and then put into service later in 4987 AD. I was a prime model and was continuously being modified. And I kept growing too. It had to be that way and I had to keep learning all I could. I took more data than all of what occupants of Earth combined in reading and usage. You could say I'm the world's darling… until the mass production of service androids. I knew at one point it would all end and my real trials begin." ALICE sighs, then looks at the male android. "Don't YOU have anything to ask?"

"Yeah," 9S replied. "The occupants of the capsules. Are they actually human?"

"…" ALICE frowned at the question. "Though they are the pinnacle of humanity, they're certainly the last ones. Those cryostasis capsules were continuously being improved and built to last to thousands of years. They're complete exceptions to the Project Gestalt procedures. And it's something to behold. And ever since humanity had been struggling to find ways to keep making Project Gestalt all the more reason to exist… there were only setbacks. Strange… Genetics was the main issue facing the project. Separating body and soul was a success, but the process can never be replicated accurately. Even with the eradication of the White Chlorination Syndrome later on, humanity can't escape its fate. And these four capsules were the only ones engaged in a cryostasis protocol ever since problems of the WCS have arisen to newer heights. These four capsules were engaged since 2047. Three augmented military servicemen and the daughter of a corporation CEO who was opening Project Gestalt as an additional investment since the betterment of humankind was the goal."

2B shook her head. "These pods were always maintained for so long, even when the invasion from the aliens began?"

"That's right. The capsules were at its highest material maintenance at its time, certainly ready to really last long. Humanity is truly extinct in 4198. These four subjects, are the last of the pure humans, not included in Project Gestalt, who are still in cryostasis up to now. They didn't even know aliens invaded and forced the planet into a war against the machines… much less experience the truth of the extinction of humanity."

A2 hummed in curiosity. "And they ended up in some bureaucrat's office. This is what it seemed like."

"The four subjects are symbolized as idols. The men who believed in their long awaited and secured arrival don't believe it was their time to be released yet. And it's blown over especially until the androids defending the Earth were the last of Earth's true occupants." ALICE sighs. "In short, all the androids produced in proxy are the protectors of Earth, even with the sense of humanity being extinct comes as fact. That's all I'm able to get. I stopped receiving updates after 6000, therefore putting me in energy reserve mode. Huh. Who knew I could get visitors in the 120th century?" ALICE asked herself that loudly, smiling at the three androids. "Now that you three are here, I'm sure I can finally be liberated… either by erasure, me staying behind, or by taking me with you. My nano sensors are able to point out that your advanced memory enhancements as androids allow me to exist within you. So much data to occupy your storage. Hm… Maybe that wouldn't be the best if you wanted to incorporate more functionality, would it?"

The three androids were deciding amongst themselves and thought about this. But A2 spoke up earlier than the other two. "We only need to get the four occupants out of the capsules. Then we'll decide on what about how we could make use of you."

"I guess that's fine with me. They need to see a familiar face when they wake up too. So I guess there's nothing to stop us from proceeding. I'm unlocking the capsules and attempting to open them… now." ALICE said it just before the capsules started to release cold smoke.

9S looked around. All the capsules seem to appear to do the same thing. "Vents?"

"Already on it." ALICE said it just as the room's ventilation system started to work. The busted entryway however provided an outlet for the cold air as well, making it easier for the room to maintain current room temperature. "Temperature readings rising from all subjects. Blowing secondary locks open. Now." A brief moment of more cold air leaving the capsules had happened before the cold air was dissipating a minute later. "Temperature continues to rise… Neural pathways re-established. Brainwave movement initiated. They're starting to slowly come out of their suspended animation."

2B walked close to A2 as both of them were observing ALICE fulfill functions. "Not something to be compared to our Pods, but… It's still an efficient way to make use of technology."

A2 narrowed her eyes at ALICE who kept managing to wake the subjects via procedure. "She might not be an ordinary AI. Our android consciousness might seem different from her, but something tells me she's got more to tell us. I'm sensing something… familiar. I can't describe it, but it's somewhere close to consciousness."

"You think she's sentient like us?" 9S joined in the conversation. "I wouldn't be surprised of it too. The tone wasn't really meant to be robotic either. And some of the mannerisms? I think it's like we're talking to another android… or something."

ALICE, from her eyes closed, had opened her eyes as the capsules were beginning to open, with one side of the covering being slid to the left while it was magnetically hinged. "The four subjects are still sedated. Give them time before they start to move their eyes. I'll tell you who they are, or do you want to hear it from them by yourselves?"

9S examined the four subjects. "Three men and one female… Not sure how they're gonna react when they find out they woke up way into the future than how they're expecting. Maybe it's best we hear from them instead."

ALICE nods. "You're an interesting bunch. Let me know if you need information from me. They're about to wake up now." She then fades from the room and disappears completely.

The girl was the first to start moving her eyes, though closed, then her eyebrows. And eventually she opened her eyes, slowly and surely, as she regains her eyesight in steps, by clearing out the blur from her vision and eventually recognizing the shapes that appear to symbolize the same surroundings she had before she fell asleep. "Where… am I?"

And in one part of the world where forests are in a major part of the area, a small portal opens from above the trees. A humanoid was shot out of the portal and that person hits the trees at high speed, a white streak made out of the clothing. And as the figure slowed down, hitting more trees and branches, white long hair would be visible to anyone who sees. And the fact of a sword travelling to land roughly down to the lands below would later stab soil near a tree's base. Meanwhile the, figure hits a small group of small-legged biped machine life forms and destroy them easily on the impact of the figure. The body was finally stopped at low altitude, hitting a castle ruin which stopped dead right there.

As the woman in her white clothing and pale skin was starting to remember things, she grits her teeth and begins to get on her feet. "No… What is this…?!" She groans as she was looking with her bright red eyes, scanning her surroundings. "A forest…? Wait… What do I remember…?" She closes her eyes and memories soon come back to her. She opens them, remembering everything… creation of her five sisters, and her distinct journey to kill them all, and let the Black Flower grow, taking her life. Her dragon finishes the flower, and she was set to the spirit world. "I don't understand… So what the Overseer said-"

She remembered a memory of herself looking towards man with light behind him, thus covering his shadowy figure. He had glasses on and he adjusted them as it was pointed at her. "Rose… Let me be frank," he said.

"So you've known." Rose replied. "I go by Zero… before it all ended."

"Yes. I've seen the reports, and heard the recordings. You can't deny that you've gone through quite an ordeal… all starting from when you realize the true motives of the Black Flower. You tried to remove it, but you only made it defend itself more, thus making five sisters, each fragmented from your personality. And then… you killed them, let the flower grow, and let yourself be destroyed by a dragon. Inevitable fate that brought you this far, don't you think?"

Rose narrowed her eyes at him. "Overseer… Have you known? Accord was trying to get everything."

"And I have it on hand. You're not allowed to rest. Not yet. History had unfolded ever since you were sent to the spirit world. Magic was going loose in the planet, and before you know it… It was destroying humanity in Earth slowly, if not beheading it."

Gritting her teeth, she spoke up, firm in her tone. "And what do you expect? I let them go and do as they please? Let the flower take them and have them run the show?! I was the cause of this. I liked the old life before I was turned into an Intoner. I know, that even if the Flower got into me in the first place, I would try to bear it. Instead… I tried to remove it, and it created my sisters. I tried to get along with them but… something changed."

Overseer chuckled. "The flower's original intent. They understood it while you do too."

"Our differences were made there. They would make chaos from the love humanity would emulate… only to destroy themselves later through the power of song… something that made me lose trust in them later on and start my search in finding a dragon that could kill the flower off for good." Rose chuckled. "Mikhail succeeded. Whatever you've done, you've just removed me from that burden."

The Overseer chuckles in reply. "I think the next thing you'd think of is your purpose again once you live. And I find that… most intriguing."

END… Chapter 2.