The waves from a waterfall crashed below 2B. She overlooked the Forest Kingdom, trying to decide what she should do. To her, 9S was gone.

"Nines, I'm sorry..."

As 2B got closer to a resolution, the clanging of mechanical parts disrupted her thinking.

"It's been a while, but it's you, isn't it?"

2B turned to see a red and black machine standing next to her. "You..."

"Yep, me. I never thought I'd see you here again. But now, you're contemplating something dark. I can feel it." The machine sat down at the edge of the ravine, and 2B joined her.

"Why would you care? I'm an android, and you literally asked me to kill you once, even though all you did was pray that the souls of machines and androids who thought the same as me would reach heaven."

The machine laughed. "I prayed for those machines because I was one of them once. But that doesn't mean I liked it."

2B glared at the machine with curious eyes. "Really?"

"Yes, unfortunately. I was faced with the terrible truth of this war. And I decided that I was done with it. But I survived, learned, repaired myself, and began helping rather than hurting people. Fighting is hard, but facing your opponents with mercy is harder."

"Easier said than done."

"Don't do it. Your friend wouldn't be happy with you, no matter if he's dead or alive."

2B frowned and held back the tears. "He's going to be upset either way."

"Well, I must go. Your friends at the Resistance have accepted me for my chip making skills! You androids are really nice now that the war's over."

"Safe travels."

"You too. Keep your hopes up. You're not as bad of a person as you think. I hope to see you again someday."

The words didn't reach 2B, though. She gazed endlessly into the rocky chasm below. If 9S was dead, it wouldn't matter if she disappeared from this world. Or maybe her consciousness data would return to the Ark. She hoped that wouldn't happen. She didn't want any possibility of coming back if she did die. But if 9S was alive, would he forgive her for her countless sins? He'd seen her memories completely. He probably knew everything.

But none of it mattered to her. She walked away from the ravine, and towards the Castle.


"9S, how are you feeling?" A2 examined the wound once again.

"I told you, I'm fine. 2B needs me, NOW." 9S pulled away, rolling his eyes.

"Are you sure? She did almost kill you."

"Not on purpose! She wouldn't do it unless someone was literally controlling her movements. She'd sacrifice her life for mine any day. It would probably ease her soul a bit. If you knew what she's been through because of me..." 9S shuddered with fear. What if 2B wasn't alive? What if Captain Red had killed her or worse? What if her body was at the bottom of the chasm outside the Commercial Facility? Or melting in the Abandoned Factory's furnaces?

"I do know what she's been through, roughly. Murdering the same person 50 times? No. Losing the only teammate she's ever known? Yes."

9S snapped out of his fear. "Right." He took a deep breath before deciding his path. "Where do we start? We can't stay here forever."

"Pod, can you locate 2B's black box signal?"

After a moment, 042 completed his scan. "Affirmative. Unit 2B is making her way through Pascal's Village and into the City Ruins."

A wave of relief washed over 9S. He smiled when he thought of her coming to meet them and explain herself. "Good, she's alive. I thought she'd be destroyed with grief after that."

"We have to hurry."

Just as they got up to leave, an announcement blared over the loudspeakers in 4S's complex. "Attention all androids! We have a hostile unit approaching the facility. Please be on guard, as we don't know what she intends. Last we saw of her, she attacked 9S. Keep your distance, and stay inside. We will now be deploying self-defense protocols for your protection."

9S began bolting for the door.

"Where are you going?"

"If we don't hurry, we'll be trapped inside. Don't worry, I know a way out that's much faster than the front doors, and much less conspicuous."

9S's idea turned out to be swinging out of the window on pods. Him and A2 snuck alongside the building, out of sight of the cameras and out of range of the guns. As they approached the door, they saw 2B, shaking as 4S began focusing fire on her.

"Stop this, 4S!"

"She tried to kill you!"

"I didn't want to!"

"Bullshit! I saw you cut him open!"

"Maybe you shouldn't attack things without getting the full story!"

"Finally, you learn something!"

The screaming continued for a few minutes until A2 interjected. She pointed a sword at both 9S and 2B to separate them. "Alright! We get it! 4S is worried about 9S, 9S is worried about 2B, and 2B's having a mental breakdown because her former captain took control of her body and she hurt 9S. To the pesky scanner who everyone keeps saying I should go out with, go fuck yourself and try to keep the casualties at 0 for today, unless you're planning on taking Captain Red on single-handedly! As for you two, don't let this destroy your entire relationship. Every stupid fairy tale I've read says that love conquers hate."

A2 flipped off the cameras as she walked away and headed for the Flooded City to give 2B and 9S the space they deserved. Together, they walked back towards the Commercial Facility.

At first the walk was silent, but 2B watched 9S in order to try and figure out his current state. "Nines, you're okay." 2B smiled and kept her distance as 9S glared at her.

"No, I'm not! You scared me! You collapsed after I hacked you, and tore me open, and when you woke up, you abandoned me! What about our promises?"

"I didn't mean to scare you... I was just upset."

"I know you didn't, but that doesn't mean I'm not still upset! You've let all of your emotions bottle up inside of you until you break down." 9S reached for 2B's hand. "Don't let your fear of being caught in that spiral again make you distance yourself from me. We're a team, right?"

"I don't know anymore! I let myself get distracted, and I hurt you! I don't want to distance myself from you, I just... I didn't want to live with those mistakes. I wanted it to be over with. I was afraid of having to live in a world without you. It's hell. If you die, those are the sins I bear for the rest of my life. I broke our promises, and I don't deserve your forgiveness." 2B held out her sword with the handle facing 9S. "So please, save yourself more pain. Maybe this is redemption."

9S reluctantly took the sword. "You've already died for me once, 2B. I won't let you do it again." The sword clattered to the stairs leading to Emil's elevator. "You may not think you deserve my forgiveness, but you at least deserve to be happy. We need to defeat Captain Red. She's only doing this because she's mad that I killed A2. She's the only thing that stands in our way. We're not immortal or anything. Someday we'll break down and return to the earth. But our existences, they aren't meaningless. We are who we are. But please, don't let your emotions push you off of a cliff."

"Alright. I won't." 9S dropped the sword and pulled 2B into a tight embrace. "Thank you."

"You should be thanking yourself. Pod?"

"9S... the time that we spent together... was like memories of pure light. Thank you, Nines."

"I'm still thanking you in that clip, Nines." 2B pecked him on the cheek.

"What an amazing display of affection. Honestly, 2E, you're the most worthless Executioner that I've met. I ordered you to kill him two weeks ago, and here he is, still breathing. Do you ever follow orders?"

"And you're the worst captain I've met! I'll follow your orders when my sanity is no longer at stake!"

2B reached down to grab her sword as 9S drew his own. "Together."

"Together."

"How cute, you have a little catchphrase and everything. Now, enough chit chat... time to end this!" The captain threw her spear, and it landed right where 9S was standing.