A2 had been staring at 2B the entire maintenance cycle. They were both supposed to be asleep. But she could not sleep. She just stared at 2B.
She thought sparing 2B was a good idea. But she was wrong. She should've taken her opportunity at the top of the tower. Well, she had a second chance now.
A2 stood up, walking over to 2B, who was still fast asleep. A2 knew she had a small window so she had to strike with everything she had. She raised her sword and brought it down.
2B's eyes fluttered open as she gasped in pain as A2 plunged her sword into 2B's chest. Then she tore the sword back out and plunged it back in again. And again. Each stab erupted a geyser of blood.
This was for every android murdered by YorHa. This was for her comrades. This was for 9S!
This…
Shit.
A2 stumbled backwards, holding her sword above her head as she looked at the bloodied 2B.
But 2B wasn't bloodied. At least not anymore. And 2B was awake, staring up at A2 who had clearly been holding a sword above the sleeping android not long before.
A2 wasn't going to nervously blabber some excuse. She had gone over to 2B with a sword and an intent to kill her in her sleep. If 2B had a problem with that, they can dissolve their alliance. But when 2B spoke, there was no hatred behind that voice. Like 2B had just given up entirely.
"You were thinking about doing it, weren't you?" 2B asked.
"Go back to sleep," A2 said, walking away and dematerializing her sword.
"It's not as easy as you like to pretend," 2B continued. "Letting go of your hate. Even now, part of you still wants to kill me."
"I said go to sleep," A2 repeated. She wasn't going to answer 2B. Because 2B was right. Even if her sympathy for 2B managed to balance her burning hatred, her hatred was still there. She still hated 2B, the executioner who silenced YorHa who knew the truth.
This must've been what 9S felt. She still wanted to walk over and plunge a sword into 2B. Stick her hands into the whole then rip her in half. But A2 knew she would immediately regret it. 9S's emotions were strong enough it could drive him to insanity. And A2 knew her own emotions could do the exact same. Made even worse because she also had 9S's data inside her. Her own conflicting emotions were strong enough to destabilize but his instability had also been added onto it.
What did this mean for her? Was she one day going to crack just like 9S?
A2 lay back on her table and closed her eyes.
"Shut up…" she muttered to herself as she gripped the concrete she laid upon. She won't do it.
She won't.
Shut up.
Killing her won't solve anything.
-.-
Truth be told, it wasn't that A2 had woken her up. She's been having trouble sleeping. She's always had trouble sleeping. Ever since the fall of the Bunker. Ever since her last execution of 9S. And especially after The Tower, after learning the truth about everything and everyone.
6O…how could she not tell her?
9S…how could he not tell her?
Everyone who killed 9S must pay. Yet she lived. This was wrong. This was all wrong. The world was wrong.
Wrong.
Wrong…
WRONG…
2B crushed a piece of concrete in her grasp. This wasn't just unfair. It was unjust. The monster that is 2E lives. 9S is dead. 6O. Anemone. Pascal. YorHa is gone. The resistance is gone. She didn't know what she felt about 6O or 9S. Not anymore. But Anemone and Pascal?
She had to do something. Because no one else will do something. There was no grand power to punish the wrong doers. So, if she doesn't do it herself then all this atrocity would have been for nothing.
She knew what she had to do. Everyone who hurt 9S will pay.
2B got up, looking out the window of the building. She didn't know where to start looking but the answer had to be out there. And she'll tear apart everything in her way until she found it.
2B had managed to grab her visor before she escaped the Tower. But she wasn't going to put it back on. At least not how she normally would. The right side of her visor was larger than the left so that it covered part of her cheek. She flipped the cloth and put it on. She put it under her hair like how she use to use it. But she fastened it above her eye. The large side normally set at her right was now on her left, turning her visor into a makeshift eyepatch.
That was her last order of business. It was time for her to head out.
"Where are you going?" a voice asked. 2B glanced behind her to see A2 sitting up. Did older models never sleep or something?
"Leaving," 2B stated. She had made it to the next room when A2 got up.
"Wait up," A2 called out, running to catch up. "Where are you going?"
There was a reason she did not wake A2 for this. This was something she needed to do. But if A2 wanted to help, 2B certainly didn't mind.
"I'm finding the bastards who started YorHa," 2B stated. Really 'bastards' was just the politest word she could think off. But what she called them didn't matter. She was going to find them and butcher them.
A2 should know a thing or two about this. After she deserted, she went on a warpath against machines. 2B was just doing the same. Just to the people behind YorHa. To the people who made androids for the explicit purpose of dying. Hell, they were responsible for what happened to A2 as well. So they had invoked the ire of YorHa's top executioner and the woman who couldn't be executed. Victory was assured.
But…
"No."
This was not the answer she expected. Now that A2 understood the full extent of YorHa's treachery, she would surely want to hunt down the people behind her suffering. Doubly so since she no longer had to worry about YorHa executioners.
"Then I guess this is where we part ways," 2B sighed. She was prepared to leave but A2 grabbed her by the wrist.
"I can't let you do this, 2B," A2 said.
Can't let her do this? Was she serious? Can't let her do this? A2 wasn't just not joining but trying to stop her.
"These are not YorHa androids," 2B pointed out. "Even without my left eye, I am more than a match for them."
It wasn't entirely true. A YorHa was superior to a normal android in every way. Yes, she could slaughter every android she came across. But she was not invincible. She could still come across a weapon or a trap she is not prepared for.
"It's not that," A2 corrected. "Even if you had both your eyes, I don't think you should go after the guys behind YorHa."
A2's words echoed in 2B's mind. What? That didn't make sense. Then what could possibly be the reason for A2 to not want this?
"These are the people behind YorHa," 2B growled. "Behind us! Behind what happened to us. Our betrayal. I thought you of all people…"
She could feel A2 stiffen. So, the idea has crossed her mind.
"Take it from me, this isn't the way," A2 said urgently.
"What, so revenge is only justified when it is performed by you? You have no room to lecture me on the demerits of revenge. You certainly had no qualms skewering a child because of your hatred for machines. Hell of a time to suddenly grow a conscious."
"It's not about my conscious!" A2 snapped.
"Then why? Or do you intend to lecture me about the shortcomings of revenge? Dig two graves and such nonsense?"
"No! God almighty, no. Trust me, nothing would make me happier than seeing them all burn. But I'm not going to do it knowing what it'll do to you."
"You intend for me to believe that you are doing this for my sake?" 2B scoffed skeptically. They barely knew each other beyond what they found out when trying to kill each other. She doubted A2 could get attached this quickly.
2B had no words. If A2 didn't want to join, fine. She'll hunt down the androids behind YorHa herself. 2B ripped her hand out of A2's grasp and marched toward the staircase. But A2 practically leapt in front of 2B, blocking her path.
Again. Why was she adamant? Why should A2 even care?
"Get out of my way," 2B snarled.
"I can't let you do this."
"And you can't stop me."
She and A2 were pretty evenly matched and they would've probably just ended up killing each other in a fight on any other day. But with A2's missing an arm, 2B now held the advantage.
She didn't know what to do. She had to make everyone who killed 9S pay. But according to A2, killing herself was out of the equation. But she had to do something. She had to kill the roaches behind Project YorHa. She was killing them.
2B tried to walk past but A2 immediately stepped in front of her again.
"Get Out Of My Way!"
"NO!"
That's it. Her patience had run out. The cretins who made Project YorHa had to pay and A2 was not stopping her. 2B seized A2 by the throat and marched forward, shoving the attacker android to the edge of the building and holding her over the edge. A2 gripped 2B's arm with her one remining hand. Her feet were just barely still on the floor of the building. If 2B let go, A2 would lose balance and plunge to the bottom.
"They made us to be disposed of," 2B seethed. "We weren't even individuals in their eyes. We were tools to be used then tossed out! You of all people should understand! They deserve to die so WHY ARE YOU PROTECTING THEM?!"
Despite being held over the edge of the building, A2 remained shockingly calm. Was that pity in A2's eyes? Almost like A2 recognized what she was looking at and pitied it. Perhaps she was mis reading? No, that was definitely recognition in A2's eyes. A2 knew exactly what she was looking at.
2B didn't want A2's pity. She wanted A2 to move!
"I'm not protecting them," A2 said. "I'm protecting you. It was just yesterday you asked me to kill you. And now you want to march down and kill the people behind Project YorHa. I know what you're doing and believe me, this isn't how you're going to find it."
"How do you know?!"
A2 was silent again. At first 2B thought A2 was trying to think of some excuse or story. But it seemed like A2 was simply taking in the pain that came with answering that question.
"Because I'm the exact same way," A2 finally said. "I thought killing machines or executioners was the solution. Then I thought killing you was the solution. I spent years doing nothing but killing machines. Killing executioners. Over and over again. It never helped me out of my fog. It'll just make it worse."
"So what? I should just sit back and let these atrocities happen? If this is not how you escape this hell, then WHAT IS?!"
"I DON'T KNOW!"
2B snarled at A2's response. It was instinctual. Primal. Answered straight from the heart. She could hear the pain and desperation in that desperate cry. A2 also wanted to know the answers to these questions just as badly as she did.
It wasn't true. It couldn't be true. She just needed to make the bastards behind YorHa pay. Sure, it wouldn't solve the world's problems. Her friends would still be dead. 9S would still be dead. She would still be evil. But it was a start. A2 was wrong. She just needed to kill them and there will be some justice.
"I can't let you do this," A2 said. "If you still want to, you're going to have to kill me. Otherwise, I won't let you."
Kill her?
2B had been trying to kill her for almost two months. What made A2 think she really gave a damn? Even if killing A2 for 9S was hollow, even if A2 was an innocent life, what made A2 think she would hesitate to kill A2 simply because she was an obstacle? She just needed to let go and the attacker model would plummet to the ground. And A2 was already too heavily damaged to survive the fall.
Fine, she'll just drop A2 and be done with it. She was evil anyways so taking innocent lives just came with the territory. Then she would be free to tear apart the creatures behind YorHa.
Goodbye, A2.
But as 2B stared at A2, still holding the deserter over the edge by the throat, 2B could not let go. Why couldn't she just let go?
2B could barely even twitch her fingers. Like the part of her brain that knew letting A2 go would kill her had shut down motor functions to the fingers.
Just let go. These stupid fingers. These stupid hands. Let go.
But alas, her fingers did not move. They held A2 steady.
Fine…
2B dragged A2 back into the building and tossed her to the ground. A2 choked as her airways were finally open again. She hobbled back to her feet, which was harder to do thanks to only having one arm. 2B could see her stumble as she instinctively tried to brace with her left hand but was forcefully reminded nothing was there.
"Fine then," 2B relented…for now. "What now?" She didn't look at A2. Frankly, that part of her that had wanted to kill A2 for 9S…it now wanted to kill A2 for stopping her from killing the androids behind YorHa. She could just give into these desires. What's to stop her? Stop her from killing A2? Stop her from killing the people behind YorHa? After all, her purpose on this planet was to kill. Why should she fight this?
Yet there was something else in her. Something that was fighting back. She didn't know what it was, but it was telling her to follow A2's lead. At least for the time being. Why? She couldn't figure it out.
"Well, that Red Girl is gonna start resetting everything," A2 said.
"So you are thinking we retreat somewhere where they cannot reach us?"
"Actually, I was thinking we kick its ass before they get the chance."
As appealing as the sentiment was, it also didn't make much sense.
"You understand how badly outnumbered we be?" 2B scoffed. "Or did your processors expire with your clothing? Two androids against armies of YorHa and machines. What makes you think we could possibly stand a chance against odds like that? If you wanted me to die, you should've granted my wish back on the Tower."
"Well, it's better than standing around!" A2 snapped. She put her hand to her head and sighed. They both knew how screwed this situation was and they were both losing their cool. Some alliance this was.
"Proposal," 153 spoke up. "Rendezvous with YorHa survivors in the desert region."
That caught 2B's attention…and sent chills down her spine. No, she couldn't go there. Going there was the last thing she should do. Frankly she should get away from A2. But she definitely couldn't go to the desert.
"Wait, survivors?" A2 repeated.
"Affirmative. Unit 2B located YorHa survivors near the oasis in the desert. Increasing our numbers increase probability of survival." 153 looked at 2B. Pod had deduced she was wondering how it knew that. She was with Pod 042 so he would know. But how did 153 know?
"I apologize, 2B," 153 spoke. "But Pod 042 was in communication with this Pod. I was aware of your every movement. We had coordinated with Anemone and Pascal with the aim to keep you and Unit A2 away from each other."
The lies just keep piling up. By this point the web of manipulation was insane. YorHa manipulated her to kill 9S. 6O manipulated her to carry out the orders. She manipulated 9S so she could kill him. 9S manipulated her about humanity for whatever reason. And the Pods have been manipulating her and A2 to keep them apart. Still, it was for the better. If the Pods didn't do this and she and A2 met earlier, they wouldn't have stopped. Frankly, it was a miracle that they both stopped at all.
2B looked away. She was not going anywhere near the YorHa in the desert. Least of all 4S.
"No," she said. "I'm not going."
She didn't see it, but she could feel A2's confused stares.
"You talk about how outnumbered we are and now you don't want us meeting up with other survivors?"
2B was not superstitious. But the trend was there. She knew in her head it didn't make sense. Yet her heart told her otherwise.
"I'm an executioner, A2. A curse. I kill everyone around me. If I return to 4S, I will most assuredly end up killing him. If you value your own life, you should get as far away form me as possible. Stick with me and I'll most assuredly end up killing you."
"You know I don't believe in superstition."
"Neither do I. Yet…"
Her list was long. Those who knew her personally all died by her hand. The only one who didn't was the Commander. And while there were androids who she barely knew in passing like 4S, most were still dead.
6O. 21O. Anemone. Devola. Popola. Pascal.
9S…
And even though she knew in her head that the Bunker and the resistance camp were not her fault, her heart knew it was her and her curse.
Which to listen to?
Her head? Or her heart?
"Alright, fine," A2 said. "I don't know where this oasis is so how about you show me and we can discuss your whole emo bullshit then?"
2B didn't like this. She wanted to run. But A2 was missing an arm, not a leg. Not to mention, how effective of a hiding spot the oasis would be was questionable. The surrounding sandstorms would block most signals and anyone who didn't know where they were going would likely get lost. But anyone who already knew about that location, and The Red Girl would most certainly know about it, may check there.
She had planned on coordinating with 4S to win the war against the machines anyways.
"Alright, I'll lead you to the oasis," 2B relented. "We'll discuss our next move."
She was going to lead A2 to the oasis then leave. One day of spending time with A2 and she already wanted to kill her.
-.-
The desert. 2B never told 9S but she always found the place rather…enjoyable. More so for her than for him. As a combat android, her body was better suited to avoid overheating. And her uniform was designed to further cool her off with the help of things like the slit in her skirt or the holes in the front and back of her outfit. So the heat was never as bad as it could have been. Add to that the sand that glistened under the sun and the fact she could slide down the slopes, she had fun being in the desert. If she could swap out her uniform for something more revealing, extended missions in the desert could be viewed almost as a vacation.
2B sighed regretfully.
She was hoping she could one day just come here for fun and slide down the slopes with 9S. But, that dream had gone up in smoke.
"Ah, shit!" A2 cursed as she tripped on yet another corner of a building barely sticking out of the sand. There was an entire civilization buried here. The only thing left were the buildings that served as tripping hazards.
"You sure this is the right way?" A2 asked.
"Yes, navigating the desert had proven difficult so I relied on the remains of buried buildings to guide my way," 2B explained. She was approaching another half-buried building when something caught her eye. She turned and looked into the distance. There was a cluster of mostly buried buildings…and a metal elevator door.
The machine fighting arena. 9S had a lot of protest going down there, surrounded by machines for the sake of fighting in a gladiatorial arena. 9S hadn't exactly figured out his feelings regarding machines at that point.
The Red Girl had wiped out the resistance fighting arena to reset everything. It made sense they'd do the same with the machine arena. Probably analyze how this terrain was before it existed then try to replicate it.
Still, 2B had to know.
"One moment," 2B said, walking toward the elevator.
"2B, this isn't the time for sightseeing," A2 called. But 2B was already walking. She wasn't sightseeing. She wanted to see if there was anyone from the machine fighting arena who was still alive.
Please, someone be alive…
Was a happy ending for someone, anyone, too much to ask?
Click…
2B instinctively leapt away just in time as the ground beneath her exploded. She was out of the fireball, but the pressure wave still tossed her across the dunes. She was thankful these were sand dunes she was landing on and not rocks. But that blast still hurt.
"2B!" A2 called out. 2B groaned as she sat up. The pressure wave didn't hurt her body. As a combat android she was designed to handle worse. But the pressure on her raw eye socket was excruciating.
But as soon as she sat up, her eye widened. YorHa speed and reflexes were fast enough to swat bullets out of the air. And that speed and reflex let her see what was coming: a bullet right for her head.
2B leaned a little to the left and let the bullet fly past her and hit the sand. But moments later, the bullet exploded. 2B felt herself get tossed forward by the force.
She screamed in pain again. Twice a pressure wave has hit her left eye. The nerves were numb by this point but they were still sensitive.
The hell?
That bullet may have been the size of a hand, but it shouldn't have been able to explode like that. A bullet of that size, the explosion shouldn't have been more than a noise maker. And it definitely should not have a blast that surpassed a hand grenade.
Wait…
The resistance used explosive armor penetrating rounds to take down machines. And while there wasn't an exploding round of that size, it didn't mean it couldn't be invented. By an expert.
That left only one person…
"Two klicks southeast," 2B managed to utter as she stood up, her hand still covering her left eye. A2 nodded in understanding. 2B heard another shot and, again, effortlessly dodged the bullet. But this time, she didn't wait.
She and A2 took off across the desert sand. It was a benefit having a fellow YorHa work with her. A2's tactics may have been out of date but she at least had some idea of what to do. The two YorHa made wide circles around. If this person wanted to escape, their window was closing. Once the two androids were on either side, they would close in and they could intercept them no matter where they ran.
The two blazed a trail through the sand. As they closed the distance, 2B could see a hooded character, a sniper, laying prone in the sand.
2B ran up to the sniper. She didn't know how A2 will react but she didn't want to hurt the sniper.
The sniper rolled on its back and whipped out a massive pistol, a hand cannon of sorts. Small caliber bullets couldn't penetrate machine chassis, so they used high caliber weapons.
2B rushed forward and slapped it out of the sniper's hand.
"That's enough…Jackass," 2B said, grabbing Jackass by the collar and pulling the bomb-maker to her feet. Or at least 2B tried to pull Jackass to her feet. It was only then 2B noticed Jackass was completely off balance.
Jackass was missing a leg. Everything below the left knee was gone.
"What…" 2B stuttered.
At that moment, A2 arrived and tore off the hood obscuring the sniper's face.
"Jackass?" A2 exclaimed. "What are you doing?!"
2B looked at A2 in confusion. How did A2 know Jackass? 2B had questions for A2 when she got the time. But right now, they had to deal with Jackass.
2B could see the look of terror on Jackass's face. The bomb-maker struggled in 2B's grasp, despite the missing leg. Suddenly, she pulled out a knife and shoved it into 2B's forearm.
2B was too busy trying to figure out why Jackass looked so scared that she was caught completely off guard by the pain of a knife going between her bones. She cried out and withdrew her hand back and dropping Jackass.
With only one leg, Jackass nearly toppled over but A2 quickly caught her. The attacker android probably expected Jackass to turn on her next since she punched Jackass square across the jaw and knocked Jackass out cold.
"You ok?" A2 asked as 2B pulled the knife out of her arm. The blade had gone right between the radius and ulna. It was certainly painful but the damage was nothing compared to what she got in her fight with A2. She flexed her fingers. Muscles were damaged but it could be repaired. She applied a recovery module and let the nanobots get to work.
Frankly it wasn't the wound that pissed her off. It was the tears in her glove. They were gifts from 9S. The Bunker was gone which meant she couldn't replace these. She lost a lot of gifts given to her from 9S so her hairband and gloves were among the most precious things to her right now.
"I'm fine," 2B sighed.
Guess she had no right to be upset. Last time she saw Jackass, she attacked the resistance fighter in an attempt to scare her off. 2B shouldn't be surprised Jackass would return thinking 2B would try to kill her again. Though there were plenty of questions. Like Jackass's missing leg. She had instructed Pod to fire a laser at Jackass. But that laser missed.
"Hey," A2 said to 2B as attacker android picked up Jackass's unconscious body. "Get it together. We need to get to the other survivors."
2B looked back across the dunes. She didn't forget about the fighting arena.
"Meet me back where we were first attacked," 2B said. "I need to check something." A2 was still gawking as 2B walked away. 2B didn't even bother running. She was too afraid of what she'll find. She made her way across the dunes until she found herself back at the ruins, standing in front of the metal elevator she and 9S used to use to access the fighting arena below.
The machine that would normally stand outside the door was gone.
2B hovered her hand in front of the button. Last time she did this, she was with 9S. This is the first time she'll be going down without him.
Finally, 2B hit the button and waited. After a few moments, the elevator doors opened. 2B could feel her hopes rise. The resistance fighting arena had its doors torn open but it looks like the machine arena might have actually survived.
No such luck…
As the elevator doors open, 2B felt her heart drop as she beheld the destruction. It seemed whatever tore through here went through so quickly many of the machines died where they stood. They were chopped into pieces, their remains scattered across the ground. She could see shattered masks laying in the corner gathering sand. She walked over to the receptionist, looking over the counter and spotting the machine cut in half .
"DAMN IT!" 2B roared, kicking the desk in half. "WHY CAN'T ANYONE JUST LIVE FOR ONCE?!"
She roared and drove her fist through the stone wall. Once, just once. She wanted someone to live.
It really was the end of the cycle. The Red Girl was now purging the world of machines and androids. 2B remembered that 9S had observed machines trapped in their own cycle. Creating a form of government, failing at it, then trying it again with no attempt to change. It seemed The Red Girl had done the same to them. Difference was, The Red Girl had directed the machines to make the same mistakes over and over again. But everyone else was making the same mistakes because they didn't have the memory of making the mistake to learn from it.
Damn it.
She walked to the arena, looking at the devastation. The carnage continued across the colosseum. So many dead machines.
2B knelt next to one of the scraps. The cuts were too clean for machine weapons. YorHa blades perhaps. More than likely Infected YorHa came through here. Though it was strange that not a single infected YorHa was killed in the process.
It didn't matter. They were all dead all the same.
2B left the arena. Last time she was here, they referred to her as king. Well, guess she had to wade through the corpses of her subjects as she heads back to the elevator.
"You finally done?" A2 asked impatiently when 2B returned. But 2B didn't answer. She was not in the mood for A2's attitude.
"Let's go," 2B said, picking Jackass off the ground.
As they approached the sandstorm, A2 stopped upon seeing the massive wall of flying sand.
"You gotta be kidding me," she remarked. "It's through there?"
"In the eye of the storm," 2B clarified.
"You know all that sand isn't going to feel nice against bare skin, right?"
"Then why have you not fashioned yourself any clothing yet?"
"Yeah, 'cause I had a bunch of tailors I could call with YorHa trying to kill me and all. Just...lead the way!"
2B led A2 into the sandstorm. Yes, this was the way. The wind picked up to a deafening howl and visibility dropped to zero. 2B moved slowly not because the storm hindered her movement but because she didn't want to lose A2. She could hear A2 complaining behind her so she was grateful for the howling winds for drowning that out. She kept to the buildings, following the corners like bread crumbs.
Finally they broke through the storm and the oasis came into view. The sandstorm died down and pulled away like curtains to reveal the beauty on the other side.
It was how 2B remembered.
How she dreamt…
2B shook her head clear of that memory. She didn't know what that was about, but she wanted nothing to do with it.
They were there. The YorHa survivors. There was the red-haired B-unit standing next to the wall of sand. 4S was next to the blonde android, a holographic screen pulled up as he checked her vitals.
"2B!" he called. "Welcome back. Give…" 4S's voice trailed off when he noticed A2 and Jackass. Immediately, 4S rushed over to help the newcomers, taking Jackass into his arms. Immediately noticed Jackass was different. Probably because of the weight drastic weight difference.
"She's not YorHa," 4S observed.
"She's resistance," 2B explained as 4S set Jackass against a rock. 4S immediately began running his scans, taking her vitals.
"Who's this Runt?" A2 asked as 4S got to work, pausing only to stand up and introduce himself.
"Oh, I'm 4S. It's a pleasure to meet you." He stuck out his hand for a handshake but A2 passed. "Wait a minute, you're A2 right? I…" 4S trailed off as he looked at 2B for an explanation.
"Focus," 2B said. "What is the status of the resistance android."
"No logic virus infection," 4S reported as he began to tend to her leg. "But she is in rough shape. What happened?"
"That's what I'd like to find out," 2B said, immediately turning around. "Stay here, I am going to find out what happened."
It wasn't the whole truth. She did want to know what happened to Jackass. But she also had to get away from 4S and the others. She was still a curse that brought death to everyone around her. Staying here was just putting their lives at risk.
"Alright," A2 said, also getting ready to follow.
"No, you need to stay here and keep an eye on the others."
"2B, if you're gonna bullshit me, at least do a better job at it."
A2 marched in front of 2B, who did not relent. A2 was not coming with her. Guess one had to be that stubborn if they wanted to survive against YorHa executioners. And A2's survived longer than anyone. While 2B had ultimately agreed to follow A2 and even hold off on killing the android government, this was something she would not relent on.
"Very well," 2B said. "Then you will stay here because I ordered it."
"I'm not YorHa. I don't follow your orders."
"I will not let you follow at all."
"And how do you intend on stopping me?"
The two women glared at each other. 2B had no intention of yielding on this subject and A2 clearly wasn't going to either.
"Mind if I say something?" 4S spoke up. "You're both in pretty rough shape so maybe I can patch you both up before you go anywhere."
2B and A2 didn't say anything at first. Actually, this gave 2B an idea.
"As you wish," she said. It seemed 2B's answer let A2 relax as well. A2's injuries were more visible than 2B's which meant 4S would probably mistake A2's injuries to be worse and insist on examining the attacker first. Sure enough…
"A2, is it?" 4S asked. "You're in worse shape so I'll take a look at you first." A2 sighed and followed 4S. This was her chance. Without making a sound, 2B jogged off into the sandstorm. It was about one minute later she could hear A2 yell.
"WHAT THE HELL, 2B?!"
Once she was far enough, 2B broke into a sprint. She would run up the dunes and slide down the other side. Jackass's injury was untreated which meant she would have left a trail of blood that 2B could follow. Especially since there hasn't been enough time for the trail to be covered up. She made her way back to where they found Jackass. Apparently Jackass had been laying in the sand for so long there was a small pool that managed to seep through the makeshift bandages and leave a puddle on the ground.
As she expected, she could see a trail of blood leading across the desert.
Perfect…
-.-
4S ran his scanner over A2, who was giving him an uncomfortable glare. It wasn't that she distrusted or even disliked the kid. At least not entirely. But she wanted to establish who exactly was in charge here. But it seemed 4S was too busy being infatuated with her body.
"Wow…" 4S gawked. "This equipment is old. Like, really old. You really are the legend they all talk about?"
"Legend?" A2 repeated. This was the first time she's heard of it. She didn't exactly have any YorHa to gossip with. She just knew YorHa kept sending B and E units after her. Even S units on occasion.
"Yeah, you were a big deal on the Bunker. No one could take you down."
A2 felt like she should be flattered. But frankly, she couldn't care less. She didn't care if no one knew her name at all. Hell, she preferred it that way. At least YorHa would have stopped trying to come after her.
She was also surprised by 4S's enthusiasm. Between 2B's rage and how many executioners were sent after her, A2 thought all YorHa would have a burning hatred of her. Granted, she had yet to talk to the two B-units still going through withdrawal but she was surprised 4S was more amazed than angry at her.
It was only a brief distraction. But next thing she knew, 4S was prodding her right arm.
"Wait a minute," 4S said, tracing her arm with his fingers. "This isn't a glove, is it?" A2's skin was gone but not her nerves. She could feel 4S move his fingers from her arm, up across the actual skin on her shoulders, across the missing strips, then down to her chest.
"Alright, stop getting handsy, Runt" A2 snapped, shrugging his hand away.
"Sorry, but this is so cool. Our nanobots can regenerate massive skin loss like this but it seems like yours can't.
A2 only had a partial idea of what 4S was talking about. She's lost skin on her shoulders as well. But it was minor skin loss so it grew back with some imperfections resulting in the lines on her. But the skin around her arms, legs, and chest was just too much to grow back.
"I need to take samples of this!"
"Sample me, and your name will go from Runt to Roadkill."
"Look but don't touch, got it."
"No looking either!"
Pod 153 had been silent their entire trip but it finally spoke up after observing her and 4S's interaction.
"Unit 4S is merely attempting to improve social relations through communication," the Pod remarked. "Proposal: Unit A2 should engage in conversation to improve social relations as well as her communication skills."
"Not happening."
"Unit A2 expressed similar sentiment regarding the machine lifeform known as Pascal, however…"
A2 shot a glare at Pod. Those memories and feelings were private. Fine, she'll admit she had grown to like Pascal and his village. She had grown to like those damn kids. But that didn't mean she wanted Pod to go around announcing it to everyone.
"Am I fit to fight or what?" A2 asked impatiently. Once 4S was done with all his touches, she was out of here.
"Really, neither of you are fit to fight," 4S said. "Hopefully we won't have to. This storm should make us hard to track."
A2 knew this was a temporary solution. The Red Girl was restarting everything which meant everything must die to be rebuilt anew. It was only a matter of time before machines or YorHa found them.
"Tell me you have a backup plan," she sighed.
"Well, I have motion sensors all around the perimeter," 4S explained. "Took me a while to calibrate them to ignore the sandstorm. And we aren't blocked off by any natural barriers so if we need to run, just pick a direction."
"But if this sandstorm makes it hard to track, won't it be impossible to know if we're completely surrounded?"
There was a reason A2 avoided the desert. For one, she hated sand in general. For another, she usually relied on the landscape to plot her escapes.
"I guess that's true. I'm hoping I have enough data on the different machines I can use if they ever come for me."
A2 held no faith in 4S's fighting ability. He was a scanner. A scout. Even 9S, a state of the art scanner that actually had some combat ability, was not much of a fighter.
Before they could say more, they heard Jackass cough. A2 cut the conversation short as she rushed over and knelt beside Jackass.
"Jackass, can you hear me?"
"Wait," 4S snickered. "Is her name really Jackass?"
"Is this really the time, Runt?" A2 snapped. Jackass weakly opened her eyes and leaned back. "Hey, what happened?"
"2B…" she breathed. "Where is 2B?"
Odd that that was Jackass's first question. Especially since the mad scientist was missing a leg.
"Ran off," A2 said. "But what the hell happened to you? What happened to your legs?"
Jackass didn't answer the question immediately. She looked around as if to either get her bearings or to search for threats.
"2B," Jackass repeated.
"She's fine. But what happened to you?"
"No, 2B did this!" Jackass said with a bit more urgency. "2B attacked me."
"I thought 2B just fired a warning shot."
A2 had to get her story straight before she chose any action. It didn't make sense for 2B to try to kill Jackass like that. But she could never be too sure.
"Afterwards, I found a camp in the forest," Jackass stuttered. "Resistance survivors. Yesterday, 2B came in. Killed everyone."
Yesterday…
The sound of battle echoed in A2's mind. The sound of Cruel Oath striking against Virtuous Contract. The black blade against the white blade.
"I need to go," A2 concluded, standing up. "You, stay here and watch over everyone. Anything happens, just run."
"Wait, what's going on?" 4S asked, following her to the edge of the sandstorm.
"I don't know," A2 admitted. "But it couldn't be 2B."
"How come?"
"Because me and 2B were trying to kill each other yesterday."
"Pod 153 has been in contact with Pod 042," Pod added. "Unit 2B has never committed any action against the resistance since. She attacked as a deterrence but the Unit Jackass was unharmed."
"It's probably just another E-type," A2 said. She knew she said more than she should have. 4S was clearly confused about her comment about another E-type. But she didn't have time to explain. "She's not in any shape to take on an executioner on her own." A2 knew she wasn't in any shape to do it either. Hell, even if she and 2B both took on an executioner together, with their damage it still wouldn't be a good fight.
"Hold the fort," A2 concluded before running off into the storm with Pod 153 in tow.
-.-
This was it.
2B had followed Jackass's long trail of blood to the forest. Fortunately, it seemed she stayed far away from the Forest Kingdom. And the blood led to the resistance outpost she and 9S had set up.
Or at least what was left of the outpost.
2B was at a loss for words. This outpost was only meant to house maybe six resistance fighters. But it looked like there were more than three dozen of them, probably survivors from all the nearby camps.
And they were all dead…
The forest floor had sucked in the blood of the androids like a sponge, but it still left mangled corpses everywhere. It was a field of corpses. No, a field of corpses was too kind of a description. The bodies had been chopped up and left in pieces. At least some were. Others were mostly intact but others had more in common with mince meat or ground beef. Whatever did this simply wanted to kill. It didn't care about how clean it was or how efficient it was.
Again. It had to happen again. Another massacre. YorHa. The resistance camp. The amusement park. Pascal's village. The fighting arenas. It was the same story every time. Everyone just dead.
2B sighed and walked through the massacre. That's when she noticed. No scorch marks. Machine pulse weapons should leave some sort of scorch mark when their orbs of energy impacted. But none.
Maybe machine gunners didn't join the battle?
But as 2B analyzed a nearby corpse, she noticed something else: it was too clean. Resistance androids weren't as durable as YorHa but a sword should still struggle to cut through a metal endoskeleton. But it looked like something cleaved through these androids like they were made of paper.
YorHa blades.
The Red Girl must've sent corrupted YorHa here too. And the resistance stood no chance. She could see more bodies in the distance, survivors who tried to just run away but were killed in the process. She wondered if there were others who ran. Maybe escaped or maybe failed to escape. She could see blood trails leading into the forest.
2B wanted to cry out in rage and anguish. She clenched her fist and raised it to punch the forest floor. But she knew if the attacker was nearby they would hear her. Hell, there was no sign the attacker left at all. She settled on a pained sigh as she lowered her hand.
2B stood up and drew her sword. Corrupted YorHa could still fight but without their minds they lacked the finesse and ability to plan. So, she scanned the ground around her for any sign of YorHa.
Nothing…
It looked like she was safe. No YorHa in sight. She just had to get back to the desert and report her findings.
She kept her guard up as she walked away from the camp. There was another machine fighting arena not far from here she could check but she already predicted what she would find. So she kept moving through the forest, her eyes on the ground.
But her executioner's instincts were nagging at her. It was illogical for infected YorHa to be able to think or strategize. That part of their minds was completely corrupted. But as an executioner she was programmed to never underestimate her opponent. Make sure all bases are covered. These YorHa can't think. But it they could, where could they be hiding?
Well, if they could think, they'd probably go hide in the trees. It didn't make sense for a corrupted YorHa to come up with that but 2B thought she should check just in case.
She looked up. She didn't expect anything but she still looked up
Standing on one of the top branches was a dark humanoid figure. Their body obscured by a cloak, their head obscured by a hood, and their face mostly covered by a face mask.
An executioner…
2B recognized the outfit the figure wore and the damaged blood-stained katana it wielded. This must've been the executioner she and A2 saw on top of the Tower.
2B got ready, holding her white blade back to strike.
Realizing it had been seen, the executioner let herself fall off the top branch and land on the ground. The mud of the forest floor sank to form a crater upon her impact. Immediately, 2B rushed in. If this was an executioner, then she needed to kill it as soon as possible. Even if she ended up wounding herself in the process, it was better than leaving it alive for any amount of time.
The executioner deflected the blade and dashed to 2B's left side, out of her field of view. 2B tried to rotate to reacquire her target, being forced to block a few attacks just in the nick of time, but the executioner kept running toward 2B's left.
Her blind spot thanks to her missing eye.
That wasn't right. Logic virus corruption should've removed its ability to strategize like that.
It didn't matter. If 2B knew this executioner was going to fight like that, she can compensate. She threw herself into an attack to her left, intercepting the executioner and forcing it to block the blade of her white katana.
Sparks exploded every time their blades met. They each had the strength to slice a tank in half with their swords. As their sword blades clashed, flecks of dried blood came flying off the blade of the corrupted executioner's sword.. And finally, 2B saw the blade of the damaged sword.
A white blade.
And she also got a good glimpse of the handle and tassel. Both were dirty and stained with blood but they looked like they were originally white. 2B gasped when she saw this. A white katana?
Virtuous Contract? That was the only white katana she knew of. So, was another white katana made? And if it was Virtuous Contract, how was there another identical sword? Masamune's master had made a white and black set of weapons. One of each. So how was there another? Could this just be a different sword all together, the white blade being sheer coinsidence?
The YorHa brought her foot up and shot it against 2B's stomach, sending her flying through the air. She tumbled across the ground before flipping back to her feet. But she didn't rush back in. And it looked like the corrupted YorHa had chosen to step back as well.
Standing still a few feet from each other, 2B finally got a good look at who this was. It certainly had donned certain aspects of the executioner's uniform, but not all. It still wore a B-unit's dress, but the hood, harness, and boots were an executioner's. And a damaged mask covered their mouth but left their silvery blue eyes exposed. Silvery blue. Not glowing red.
It wasn't corrupted?
But all its clothes were damaged. The bottom of their dress was gone to reveal the leotard beneath. It seemed this person tried to rectify this by fastening two pieces of long black cloth to her waist almost like a large makeshift skirt or tails of a coat. The cloth that made the cloak was torn and tattered and the rope that held it together was frayed. Whoever this person was, they had been through a lot and their uniform showed it all. It was underneath the cloak, but it looked like they had attached a piece of cloth to their left shoulder almost like a shoulder cape to conceal her left arm. And she had seen an armored gauntlet protecting their right arm.
Whoever this was had cobbled together multiple aspects of B and E uniforms together and had some cloth to help with any damage to the clothing.
Then there was the sword. It was clearly not taken care of, the blade damaged and chipped in several locations and the blood staining the entire thing. It actually broke her heart to see it in such a state. But she could see bits of the white blade beneath. And the style of the sword as a whole was identical to Virtuous Contract and Cruel Oath. Another white katana was one thing. But what were the odds that this katana was of the exact same design as her own?
Could this…
Please…
Please tell her it was impossible…
Because if it was who she thought it was, then that meant…
"You're undoubtedly YorHa," 2B said. "But you show no sign of logic virus infection. My name is 2B. Number 2 Type B. If you recognize me then I order you identify yourself."
The executioner stared at 2B, unmoving. Unflinching.
Finally, it let out a twisted slow cackle.
There was no doubt about it. It not only recognized her, but it could understand her. So, who could this be? Another deserter? And why did it slaughter these resistance androids? Was it responsible for the slaughter in the machine arena too?
"Who are you?" 2B breathed. She got ready for a fight, not sure what this other YorHa would do.
The strange YorHa finally moved. It raised its sword and cut the rope holding its cloak up. The cloth came loose and fell to the ground to reveal the tattered B-dress. It was only then 2B noticed the gloves. Not thick heavy YorHa gloves but thin gloves with black fingers. The right one was partially covered by the gauntlet and the left was partially hidden by the shoulder cape but she could see gloves it wore. Black at the fingers and while the rest of it was stained by blood but it was clear it was once white.
Gloves like her own…
They were stained by blood but they were definitely her own.
The executioner raised her sword and cut away the hood, revealing messily cut white hair. But it was clearly meant to be in a bob cut identical to her own.
And the voice…
And any traces of doubt or hope that she was wrong evaporated when the executioner spoke without its mask. When it spoke, it was a voice she's heard since her creation.
"Who am I, you ask," the executioner said as the face mask fell off. 2B felt her mouth fall open as she stared upon the face of the executioner. She felt the air get sucked straight out of her lungs. And her body. It felt like all the heat was sucked out of it. Not even. It felt like all the water in her body had turned to ice, freezing her in place.
She didn't want to believe it. Because it if was true, she knew what it meant. It wasn't hard to piece together exactly what this was.
"The answer…should be quite obvious," the executioner finished.
It was her. Her exact image. Even her same damn voice. And looking upon her own twisted visage, 2B could only choke out the first name that came to mind. She choked out her own name. Her own real name. Because that's what she was looking at. She was looking at a reflection of her true self. She could lie to herself all she wanted but she was not 2B. Number 2 Type B was a lie. It was as if the honest part of herself had chosen to claw its way to the surface. This was the truth standing before her.
This was her.
This was herself.
This was…
"Number 2 Type E."
-.-
A/N: And the pain train continues. I am glad I ended up doing endings C&D. Without them the threat and conflict ends up moving from internal to external. This way the external is the internal.
We get to see A2 and 2B's back and forth. It's something I'm experimenting with. I imagine they'd have a Kaine&Weiss sort of relation. And in happier times they'd probably bicker in an identical manner as well. And I'll be messing with 4S too.
A2 and 2B may have finally decided to not kill each other but their feelings are still there. 2B now understands her feelings were always towards herself. And A2 now gets to be stuck between her sympathy and hatred for 2B.
And as you can see, a familiar face has returned. Or shall we say it's just another perspective on the same face.
On a side note I've been scrounging through Nier fanfics because I love what if 2B survives fanfics (and I mean ones that actually go into the post events not oneshots that end the moment 2B doesn't die) and I want to see it explored (hence why I wrote this) and I found a grand total of two (one being incomplete and not updated in over a year).
Anyways, I hope you enjoyed. And please let me know what you think.