2B had never thought that the bridge connecting the ruins and the forest could have ever been so wobbly, until she herself was forced to rely on the support of the flimsy and not at all steady rope as support.
For as little of a support it could have been anyways.
It wasn't just the bridge wobbling around, as she forcibly dragged her legs forward, trying her best to not trip into them and fall below, she'd lost count at how many times her wobbly legs made her fall over during the devastatingly tiring task to reach the commercial facility from all the way from the flooded city she had managed to crash land her flight unit to.
The logic virus was quickly spreading through her whole circuits and systems, steadily and painfully making her lose control of all of her functions one by one.
Her whole being hurt in ways she had never experienced before, a searing pain flared through her entire body every time she'd try to make a move, trying to drag the weight of her android body just one more step forward on more than precarious balance, as her motors wouldn't respond correctly, the task further aggravated from the heels she had to wear.
Slowly she'd been losing her ability to see, as static filled her vision and hearing systems. She could barely register her Pod's voice as he spoke to her, the poor thing was just helplessly floating beside her as she couldn't even order him to protect her, as she lost those functions too.
Her vision had faded to black and white as a constant ringing flooded her ear. She was surprised she could somehow still form a coherent sentence even as her head felt like it was about to explode, barely managing to register what was happening around her.
"Just one more step." she kept telling herself, she was so close to the facility, so close to her objective. At least, if the virus took over her, she didn't have to risk harming the resistance androids, or 9S.
9S… her beloved… she hoped with all her might that at least he was safe.
She couldn't bear to have to kill him again, not when she had been herself and even more if his death had to be because of a bloody damn virus that made her go crazy.
He'll be sad, she knew, but it was better that way. At least she'd stop hurting him once and for all…
She could barely spot the infected androids in front of her as she finally wobbled off the bridge and onto solid ground again. With all the little remaining strength she had, she lifted her sword in a futile attempt to defend herself.
Behind her blindfold visor she closed her eyes, waiting for them to strike at her.
She was indeed pushed back from something, almost falling into the void she opened her eyes again, taking in a sight that she never thought would happen.
In front of her stood the unmistakable form of A2, even in her state she'd been easy to recognize, no one else 2B had seen ever had such long hair as her, nor such a similar face to hers.
She watched as the rogue android slashed down the infected Yorhas, almost with effortless ease, and then turned towards her. A2 saved her, but, as much as 2B appreciated the gesture, she knew she was far too late for her to be saved.
With the aid of her sword, 2B tore the blindfold off, a crimson light shone in her eyes as the virus took its reins on her. And with the last of her strength, she planted Virtuous Contract in front of her, with her memories, and her everything.
And begged A2 to finish her off, while at least there was that 1% left of her that was still sane…
Wordlessly the other android stepped towards her, however, she didn't collect the sword, watching her with an unreadable expression instead. What was A2 waiting for?
Instead she crouched over to her, one hand gently laying on her cheek.
"That floating box of yours, can it allow me to hack into you?" she barely heard her ask.
2B didn't have the energy to answer, and was thankful when Pod did in her place.
"Affirmative, this Pod can successfully give permission access to unit A2, however Yorha until A2 does not possess the ability to issue commands to this Pod."
"Oh for the love of… just give them to me already." she snarled.
With a pitiful groan, 2B found her voice back. "Pod… assist her…" she whispered.
"Acknowledged, this Pod will now assist unit A2."
She felt A2's other hand on her forehead. "Just hack in, quick." she barked.
In a mere second A2 was swept in the cyberspace that was 2B's mind, finding it surprisingly empty for it being plagued from a virus…
"I need to find the virus, tell me where it is located." she ordered the Pod.
"The virus is just up ahead, however removal will be difficult and time consuming, unit 2B's data and consciousness has been corrupted up to 98%, full corruption imminent. Query, what does unit A2 intend to do?"
"What does it look like to you?" she growled, running up ahead.
"The idea in question is highly dangerous, as such this Pod cannot approve such destructive behavior from unit A2."
"I'm saving your owner, and you can't stop me."
She ignored whatever else the Pod was telling her, too busy running towards the source of the logic virus keeping 2B's being hostage. She carried her legs as fast as she could, pushing her old and overused motors as much as possible when the floating box alerted that she didn't have more than a single minute to reach her target.
A2 could feel her whole being aching as she pushed herself further beyond, she couldn't afford to waste a second, as she could finally see 2B's resting form up ahead of her.
She made a desperate lunge, managing to reach 2B just as the time almost ran out, she barely had a few seconds left as she touched the sleeping android's consciousness. Thankfully the Pod didn't complain as he began transferring the virus from his owner to her.
A wave of relief instantly flooded 2B's systems as the searing pain slowly faded away bit by bit, and her senses rebooted, coming back to her. She could hear and see again.
And her eyes immediately fell on the still form of A2, that was currently residing into her mind, saddening as she could witness the other android's face twisting in anguish as she took the virus away from her, and into herself.
Why? 2B found herself wondering, the two were enemies, well, herself more than A2, she was just defending herself when she and 9S found and attempted to kill her at the forest castle.
A2 had no reason to help her, yet, here she was, taking the suffering away, saving her yet again. This woman was a mystery, a big one 2B would love to solve, or at least get some answers.
She had always wanted to know more about the rogue that looked so similar to her. Though she doubted she could have a chance to ask her now, as A2 would probably die from the virus in her place…
2B wasn't sure if she wanted that to happen, but the damage was already done, there was no turning back. She so much wished they had met in different circumstances, that it didn't have to end like this…
Why was she destined to kill others? Why did she have to make them suffer for her sake? First 9S, all of them, and now A2 too…
A2 tore herself from her head with a grimace, she slowly opened her eyes, they were still blue, but in the very back 2B could see a glimpse of red already.
The older android didn't speak as she got up from her crouch wobbling slightly as the virus started to take its toll already. Wordlessly she walked away from 2B, there was nothing to say, she had done what she meant to, she would be out of her way now.
However it seemed that her counterpart had other ideas, as she stood next to her, helping her stand after a particularly bad step. A2 had to use all of her willpower to not just turn around and tear her arms off.
"What are you doing?" she snarled, she didn't mean to, if she had to be honest, but the throbbing in her head made her angrier than she should have been.
She did inflict this upon herself after all.
"I'm trying to help you." A2 felt the other android pull her along, and despite herself, she couldn't find it in her to shove her away. "You saved me, and I have no intention to leave you to suffer alone, at the very least."
"I didn't do it so you had to feel like you owe me something." she replied, still 2B pulled her along, holding her up so she wouldn't fall over.
"While I want to know why you did this, I want to do what I can, even if it just means not having you die alone."
2B didn't know why, but she refused to let A2 die off like a stray animal. She knew the woman was probably all alone, if she could have, she would have held the hand of every single one of her friends that died in the Bunker, A2 wasn't a friend but hell if she left her be. A machine could find her, more androids, anything could be, if she couldn't stay by her friends' side, she would at least be by hers.
"Hypothesis, this Pod believes that unit A2 might be able to survive the logic virus, as said unit does not possess the full logic capabilities of a newer model, such as unit 2B." Pod 042 piped up.
"You knew that?" 2B glanced at the limping woman in her arms, her long hair obscuring her face from her.
"I had a feeling, let's say." she spoke with such a low voice that 2B wondered if the virus was working even faster than it did with her before.
"This Pod has estimated a 10% chance of unit A2 successfully surviving the infection, based on the fact of said unit possessing an outdated logic system, the virus might not be able to infect said unit fully, and might just be able to counter it due to unit A2's self modifications to resist hacking. However, this Pod believes that unit A2's body and consciousness will be under extreme excessive strain regardless of the ending result."
"Can you tell your box to stop poking around in my head?" A2 glared at it.
"He's just looking out for you, he doesn't mean any harm." 2B held her tighter, relieved that, even if there was a slim chance, A2 could survive this. Which made her even more determined to protect her from harm.
"Alert, high magnitude quakes detected in this area, it is recommended to move to a safer place." Pod 042 floated by.
"Let's get moving then, I have a place in mind." 2B pulled A2 along, wincing at the pained sound she made at the motion.
"Shouldn't you go back to your Scanner boy?"
"My Pod can let him know I'm safe, but I have to stay with you, no way I'm leaving you alone in this state." again she dragged the other woman almost limp form, despite her strong facade, she could feel A2 leaning on her for support.
"Why are you so determined? I'm not your friend…" A2 sighed, maybe if it had been different…
"I can't quite place it, but I feel like I have to, like I need to be here. You can think of it like a debt of gratitude I'm trying to repay as well." 2B kept walking, there was a safe place close by where they could stay, she was sure Emil wouldn't mind.
"You don't know if I'll survive even…"
"I'll take the chance either way. You're not getting rid of me anytime soon A2."
2B held her strong against her as they walked, patiently helping her out as A2 often lost her balance, but she wouldn't let her plant her face into the ground like she did many times before, she caught her every single time without fail.
They walked in silence, aside from the occasional weak and pained moans from A2. 2B was thankful that the trip was short enough to not meet any more machines nor androids, as they made it up the steps to the elevator of the commercial facility, she then had A2 sit against a thick root as she called said elevator.
"Where are we going?" A2 weakly asked, looking at her with tired hooded eyes. 2B could see them be more red than before.
"Somewhere safe, where no one can find us."
2B pulled the key of the elevator from her inventory, this was the closest and most secluded place she knew, no one else but her and 9S had the keys of the basement, and of course Emil, but he owned it so she couldn't say anything about that. She just hoped he wouldn't ask questions should he find them, but as nice and innocent he was she doubted he would be a problem at all.
When the door opened, instead of pulling A2 back to her feet, 2B instead lifted her in her arms, despite the weak complaints of the other woman she wasn't going to budge, it was best for A2 to save her energy. The other android felt lighter than she thought she would be.
A2 was greeted with a vision she thought couldn't exist, before her in the cave stretched a field of white flowers, as they shone in the dark. Immediately she was greeted with a feeling of sadness and nostalgia, something pulled at the back of her mind, those memories of that little child that weren't hers, but felt like it in this whole moment.
She just wished she could see better, as she tried to blink away the static beginning to fill her eyes.
Well, if she'd die from this foolish and reckless compassion, at least it would be in a nice place. She wouldn't admit it out loud, but she was glad that 2B brought her here, instead of having her die off in some forgotten corner.
"I'm sure Emil won't mind that I brought you here, only 9S and I know of this place, no machine or android should find us."
2B gently laid her down in the flower field, she watched as slowly A2 moved a hand to touch the flowers, without picking any of them out, their light casting her in their ethereal glow. She sat down next to the crippled android.
"This is pretty…" she heard A2 whisper, and she just nodded.
Had they been still alive, A2 was sure her friends would have loved to see this too, should she join them she'd tell them about this for sure.
The two stayed in silence for a bit, save for A2's ragged breaths as the virus continued to plague her mind and body. 2B wished she could give her some sort of comfort, just like she desired to have when said virus was still into her.
"2B…" A2 called her, she gave a hum to signal that she was listening. "Shouldn't I make it…"
"Yeah… I know…" 2B hugged her knees to her chest, she still wanted to hope that A2 would pull through.
"I'm sorry… 2E…"
She let out a shocked gasp at the mention of her true name. How did she know? It seemed that A2 noticed that, because she resumed talking. 2B wasn't sure she wanted the woman to keep doing that, to force herself this way, but she did want to know more. Her curiosity won over in the end.
"I have been chased from Executioners so long… I know one when I see it… I know what she makes you do…" she watched in silence as A2 turned on her side to look at her, and 2B could just see how tired she was, the red glow of her eyes looked way more intense in the dark of the cave.
"The Commander, she… she's always making others suffer to cover her ass up…" there was a lot of venom on A2's words, though 2B didn't think she was wrong. Perhaps there was more to her than she knew, or that she'd been told.
Suddenly, 2B was reminded of a question she made herself a lot of times about A2, a question that perhaps now would find the answer.
"You didn't desert Yorha, didn't you?"
A2 slowly shook her head, wincing at the motion as her head pounded harder because of it. Out of instinct she placed her hands over it, trying to calm the pain, with no luck.
"I… I survived…" she spoke through gritted teeth.
2B wanted to tell her to not force herself, it was evident that the virus had become hard to bear, even for her. It was hard to think clearly, even remotely, when the pain became too much. However A2 continued talking.
"She sent all of us on a mission… we were just mere data for her… a sacrifice to make better androids than us…" she growled, and 2B wasn't sure if A2 was that coherent anymore.
"Experiments… all of us… I'm you and you're me… another Number 2…" that explained the similarities in the looks then.
Things made more sense though, A2 wasn't a fugitive, from what she gathered, she was just a survivor of something the Commander had her do, that should not have survived, so, to cover up everything she'd tried to kill A2 as a response, sending E units after her.
A2 was just trying to protect herself, she wasn't evil like the Commander had her thinking.
"Who you see in front of you is the enemy." the Commander's words rang in her head. Bullshit, A2 was just a victim.
2B didn't know if she wanted to be more mad or sad, she believed the Commander was having them do the right thing, it hurt her to keep killing 9S, whenever he got his hands on data he wasn't supposed to find. She was just a tool to cover her up, just like A2 had said.
Kill whoever knew too much, that was what White was all about.
However, she didn't have the time to dwell on her feelings as a scream tore her out from her thoughts. She was reminded that A2 was the one in need of help here, as the poor woman laid curled up with her hands tearing at her head.
And for once, 2B had no idea what to do, she couldn't help her, she could do nothing but sit and watch as A2 suffered from her own act of compassion.
2B never felt more helpless than now...