Panting.
That's all he could hear. Panting. He ran through the abandoned building, an empty maze of hallways and corridors that echoed each footstep. He remembered he thought this place was hauntingly beautiful when he first arrived. Now it was just haunting. The place echoed with his every footstep, clear indicators of where he was. The light from his Pod being the only thing that helped him figure out where to go.
Where could he go?
He had to get away, that's all he knew.
Finally, he burst through the door and onto the rooftop. But this wasn't escape either. He was thirty stories off the ground. He peered over. This might be his chance to hide. If he hid he might make it look like he leapt off the roof and throw her off his trail.
Too late.
The black figured stepped out like a grim reaper, a raven black dress, short silvery white flowing hair, her eyes hidden beneath a black visor of cloth.
"9S," she said coldly. "You have been charged with accessing classified information from the Bunker. As such, you have been sentenced to immediate execution."
9S felt chills going down his android body. He never knew androids could even feel like this. He was terrified. He had been with 2B for the past two months, working side by side, fighting against the machines side by side. And now here she was, ready to kill him like they didn't just spend every waking moment together.
It was just an accident. He was backing up his data when he noticed something strange in the bunker's server. He started poking around when he came across secret orders for a unit 2E to monitor him and kill him if he should stumble across anything he shouldn't. It was only then he realized who 2E was. And just in time. He got pulled out of hacking space by the sounds of footsteps behind him. He barely had enough time to block 2B's strike before it took his head off. And that was how this chase began from the underground parking garage to the roof of multi-story abandoned apartment above it.
"Wait, 2B, don't do this," 9S pleaded, backing up to the edge. The black dress that he once considered beautiful on her now seemed so ominous as it made her look like a well-dressed executioner. And the black visor just served to make her look that much more monstrous since he couldn't see her eyes. But he could only imagine the cold expression beneath that cloth. In fact, it was better like this. He didn't want to see her cold expression, not after all that they've been through. He was already struggling to cope with the fact that she could just ignore their history. He didn't want to read it from her expression too.
2B didn't respond to his pleads, raising her sword.
9S let out a desperate cry as he leapt off the roof, reaching up and grabbing the arms of his pod to slow his descent. He just needed to reach the ground and keep running.
-.-
2B watched 9S leap off the roof. She was almost glad 9S couldn't see her expression under her cloth. It was one of pain. He's saved her. She's saved him. It was all part of battle. 9S wasn't built for combat. So, there were plenty of times she had to save him from overwhelming odds. And as a Scanner, he's hacked gargantuan enemies that were on the verge of overwhelming her.
But now she had to end his life. There was no joy in it. Hell, she hated it. But she had to do what needs to be done.
"Pod 153, deactivate flight mode," she ordered. And like that, instead of gently floating down, 9S was sent screaming as he plummeted down to the ground.
2B didn't have time to float down after him. She leapt off the roof, activating a downward attack. This attack would launch her at enemies below. Her joints would become reinforced and inertial dampeners would be at maximum. It essentially lets her plummet without taking damage.
9S hit the ground first, landing on a pile of scrap metal at the bottom. 2B landed soon after, hitting the ground with her fists with enough force the street cracked. She held her handstand for a brief second before gingerly getting to her feet.
The scene was grizzly. Several pipes had pierced his body, leaving him screaming in agony.
She was an executioner. She was here to make it swift.
Destruction of the chest…
"Wait!" 9S screamed right before 2B brought her blade down, piercing his black box. He let out a strangled cry as her blade struck true. She was especially happy that she couldn't see his eyes now. From his brows alone, she could barely imagine the terrified pained expression he was making. He was scared, scared of what lay beyond.
He let out a final strangled cry before falling limp.
Destruction of the head…
2B tore out her blade and realigned it with his head, bringing it down once more. 2B forced herself to look at her handywork, a hideous hole in 9S's head.
"2B to Bunker," she said. "9S…9S has been dispatched."
"Operator 6O here," a voice responded coldly. "Let me guess…he did something he shouldn't have."
"YorHa Scanner Unit 9S was caught accessing classified files from the bunker's database," 2B said, defending her actions. "I was ordered to…"
"Whatever," 6O said, hanging up the call. There was a grand total of three people outside of herself that knew of the truth. The Commander was the one who gave 2B, or rather 2E, her orders. Operator 6O was her handler, doubling as a normal operator to maintain her cover. Then there was 21O. She was 9S's handler, meant to try to guide him away from any sensitive data and report if he ever did come across it. It was 21O that informed the Commander of the data breach. So, it became 2E's job to carry out the execution.
This wasn't her first execution either. And she's learned the hard way just how resilient a 9S model was. A non-combat scanner model should've been easy pickings. But she's been caught off guard before.
As far as the rest of YorHa was concerned, the 9S models had high performance rates but were prone to corruption and going insane. So once 9S finally became corrupted, 2B would put him down and he would be reset.
Things were kept compartmentalized so if the enemy ever gained intel, their entire infrastructure wouldn't be compromised. 2B didn't know how many executioners like her there were or how many operators were handling them. She didn't even know if she was the only executioner that 6O was overseeing. And she didn't need to. She was a soldier. She followed orders and got the mission done. Too much information just runs the risk of jeopardizing the mission. As long as she brought the humans home from the moon it would all be worth it.
She flicked the blood off her blade. Job was done. She had to report back to the Bunker, get new orders now that her partner was dead and ask for a retrieval team.
-.-
Transport to the bunker wasn't really transport. Her data files were instead transferred to a 2E model in storage which would then activate. Once back, 2B went straight to the command center. No doubt the Commander has already been informed of the situation.
Before she did so, 2B chose to drop by 6O first. Once she entered the command center, rather than take the door on the right to the Commander's office, she instead took the stairs down to the operators. 6O was in the right row. It was night cycle, so the other operators were in their rooms in maintenance mode. In a way it was like sleep. Androids that ran for too long without any cooldown or repair period would eventually begin to feel wear and tear. So, most operators and even the other androids types were 'sleeping'. This left only her, 6O, and a handful of other androids in the command center.
"2B, reporting," 2B said. 6O didn't even bat an eye at her.
"Need something, 2B?" 60 asked coldly.
"Just checking in," 2B said. It wasn't entirely a lie. She knew 6O hated her for her role in offing fellow androids. 2B wished she could do something repair her image. She couldn't explain why but she didn't like this tension. But 2B knew what she did she did for the good and glory of mankind so that humans could one day return to Earth. She'll accept the ire if it means helping her fellow androids win the war or bringing humanity back to Earth.
And once they win the war, she can finally stop killing 9S.
"Come to put a sword into my back too?" 6O asked. The only reason 6O could only speak of that was because they were alone. All the other androids were out of earshot. Still, 2B has heard how cheery and bubbly 6O normally was so it stung how cold she was towards her.
"I will not apologize," 2B said adamantly. "I follow my orders and complete the mission…"
"And you see it through it like a good little soldier," 6O finished for her, mocking her in the process. "You want to check on anyone, check on 21O."
2B felt something stab at her gut. That's right. 21O was particularly fond of 9S. And 2B had put him down once more. Every kill inflicts pain on more than one person.
-.-
2B got a one-week reprieve before being assigned to 9S again. The two of them launched a series of campaigns against enemy supply routes, taking out transports of parts being sent to factories to build more machines.
Between their campaigns, the two of them spent their time exploring abandoned towns and cities. While 2B was certainly curious about what life was like for humans before the war, her curiosity was nothing compared to 9S's. He was ogling everything. A phrase she has seen in the archive is 'like a kid in a candy store'. 2B knew nothing of kids nor candy stores but this is probably what kids did in candy stores. Maybe.
"2B!"
2B turned around when she was prompted. She had been messing around with the fishing program he had recently installed in her pod. But when he called her name, she recalled her pod from the lake she was fishing from and turned around.
"What is it, Nines?" she asked. She was confused when she saw 9S holding out what looked like a pair of gloves. They were white nylon gloves with black hands and fingers, long and slender and looked like they would fit her hands perfectly.
YorHa androids already wore gloves on mission so she was confused why he would give her that. Admittedly these were far more stylish and looked more comfortable than what YorHa normally wear.
"I…don't understand," she said.
"I was going through some articles on the old world and saw that humans would sometimes wear accessories to improve their appearance," 9S explained. "And I saw a picture of these gloves and thought they would look good on you. Command never said we can't look good while completing our missions."
2B smiled as she took the gloves, gently taking off her own plain ones before gingerly sliding her fingers into the nylon pair. She held up her hands to examine them. She did like how they matched her outfit. And they were softer and more comfortable than her coarse normal ones. She probably wouldn't have given herself these things since they wouldn't help with the mission but since they were from 9S, she would indulge herself.
"Thank you," she said.
"Oh, and I have the blueprints to synthesize more," he added excitedly. "With the war, I figured you might lose these ones. This way, you can always synthesize yourself more if you ever lose this body. I'll upload them to the Bunker's database."
The Bunker's database…
Those words set off every warning light in 2B's mind. 9S was too curious for his own good. There were no simple uploads to the Bunker database, not for 9S. His curiosity would get the better of him and he would begin snooping around the classified data.
"Upload it to my personal database," she suggested instead. "I can upload it to the Bunker's database."
"Ok…" 9S said curiously. "It would be easier if I upload it straight to the Bunker."
2B didn't answer immediately. This wasn't the first time a situation like this played out. It wasn't always after giving her a gift. Sometimes it was after a gift like giving her a black hairband he thought would match her dress. But sometimes it was after discovering some new machine model and to record their encounter. And without fail, he would snoop the classified documents. If not that time, then the next time. Or the time after.
2B had tried to order him to stay away from the database. But that seems to only pique his curiosity. She's tried to be indifferent, but he takes that as an invitation. She's tried to upload things for him, but Scanner models had superior I/O speeds and he just became suspicious why she would do it in his place. She's tried to keep an eye on him while he was in the database. But sometimes he'll cover his tracks, or he'll sneak in when she's not looking. She even requested a fake database for 9S to upload to instead, but he spotted the difference and found his way into the real one.
No matter what, 9S always found his way into the classified section of the Bunker database, accessing information even she wasn't privy to. She was trapped, no way to stop him and punished for her failure to.
"Very well," 2B said. "Just remember you only access what you have clearance for." She wasn't indifferent but she wasn't ordering him either. She hoped that this could keep him in line. Afterall, she wasn't keeping him from the database. She was just making sure he adhered to the rules. And she went back to her fishing, watching out of the corner of her eye as he uploaded the data. The HUD appeared for a moment for him to upload then he was off.
2B was satisfied with this. That wasn't long enough for 9S to snoop the classified data. For a moment, she thought she may be finally free. But two days later, the inevitable came to pass. 9S didn't access the classified data that day. Instead, he did it another day. She didn't know what data he accessed but it didn't seem like he deduced her identity. Regardless, her heart sank when she saw her new orders from the Commander: terminate 9S.
2B wanted his death to be someplace nice, his last thoughts to be happiness.
"The elementary school?" 9S questioned as they approached the building. "Why we back here?"
"Well, you mentioned you were curious about it when we first walked past," she said. "Until we receive further orders, I thought perhaps we can finally see what it is like."
9S didn't need any more answers. He wanted to see what this place was like. The school was just a crumbling brick building but some of the walls and ceiling were still standing. There were abandoned buses in front of the building like the kids were either coming to or from school. And there was a large courtyard with strange plastic and tin statues. Though 2B doubted they were statues. She could make very clear geometric shapes and platforms.
9S walked up to a piece of plastic with some sort of wheel attached to it, like a valve to a steam pipe. He turned it, clearly expecting something to happen, but nothing did. It just turned.
"This is neat," 9S laughed, looking at a plastic tube that ran from the top of a platform to the bottom. "What is this?"
"Analysis," Pod 153 said in its monotone voice. "This apparatus was part of what was often called a 'playground'."
"Playground," 9S repeated with interest, stepping onto the platforms and looking out.
"The tube utilizes gravity to accelerate human children at moderate but safe speeds for the purpose of entertainment. It was referred to as a 'slide'."
2B's fists clenched. He was so happy, so eager. What information could he have possibly accessed that he had to be killed over? Not just killed then rebooted into a version from a few minutes or even a few hours ago. He had to undergo a factory reset, like coming fresh off the assembly line. His memories get wiped, his personality rewound.
She slowly walked behind 9S, her sword, Virtuous Contract, materializing in her hand in a cloud of golden particles.
Virtuous Contract. What a sick joke. There was nothing virtuous about her contact. 9S's sword, Cruel Oath, was much more fitting for her.
This was it. She had to do it.
Destruction of the head…
Destruction of the chest…
At least his final thoughts will be one of joy. But this was it. It was time. This was it. She had to do it now.
She raised her sword above her head.
Destruction of the chest…
Destruction of the head…
He was oblivious, right?
"2B, you wanna…"
2B's eyes widened. He knew?! She let out a scream and slashed, her sword taking his head clean off and sending it flying through the air, a rain of blood falling on top of her.
Destruction of the head…
She then rushed forward, seizing his collar and shoving her blade through his back and having it erupt out of his chest in another geyser of blood.
Destruction of the chest.
'2B, you gonna kill me now?'
He was going to ask her that. He had deduced her identity; she was sure of it. But it was after the deed was done, she reexamined the audio files and realized she had misheard. 9S finished his sentence mid-swing, the last words leaving his lips as his head came off.
'2B, you wanna try this?'
He had asked if she wanted to try the slide. He was still oblivious to her identity. Still, did that make her feel any better?
Pod 153 floated next to 2B now that its original user was dead. But at that moment, a call came in and an operator's face appeared on screen.
"This is Operator 21O. Time for your regularly scheduled…2B? Where is…9S…"
2B heard 21O's voice quiver. 2B clenched her fist.
"YorHa Scanner Model No. 9 has been disposed of…" 2B said, trying her best to remain composed. Unfortunately, she succeeded. 21O didn't say anything more. She hung up and left 2B in silence.
2B dematerialized her weapons and looked down, realizing her nylon gloves were now covered in blood. 9S's gift to her was covered in his blood after she literally stabbed him in the back and killed 9S once more, his gift to her covered with the fruits of her deed.
2B gripped the fingers of the glove on her other hand, ready to tear them off. She didn't want to wear them. She didn't deserve it.
But she actually liked these gloves.
Yes, that is why she didn't deserve to wear them.
They were his gift to her.
And she betrayed and killed him.
She didn't get rid of her headband, another one of his gifts from a previous version.
Yes, but that didn't make either of them any less of an insult to his memory, that his betrayer and executioner would wear his mementos.
Her hand released when warnings appeared that damage in her fingers were being registered. No matter how much she hated herself for wearing them, she couldn't bring herself to take them off. She'll keep these mementos in memory of 9S. Yet, that excuse seemed inadequate. For some reason she could not help but think about when 9S told her some humans put the stuffed head of dead animals on their walls as trophies. For some reason, she could not help but think she was wearing trophies.
-.-
Life was nothing if not torturously consistent. Like clockwork, 2B reported to 6O who coldly made a record of it. 2B reported to the Commander who then assigned her another 9S unit.
"You know, people who know me sometimes call me Nines," he said a week into their partnership.
"9S will suffice," she responded coldly. This wasn't the first time he's suggested that nickname and it wouldn't be the last. But the idea she could still utter it sent daggers into her heart. She knows if she starts humoring him and his antics, she'll start getting attached to him.
She is a soldier. She fights for others at the cost of herself. She doesn't need to make friends. She just needs to complete her mission. And hopefully 9S wouldn't get attached to her either so he wouldn't feel the betrayal. She would be cold and distant. Even hostile if it meant keeping him at more than arm's length. It would be lonely, but she would be alt to bear it. And when the promised day comes again, neither of them would feel the pain of betrayal.
Her plan worked a bit too well. One month of hostilities, when it did come time to kill him, the malice in his eyes felt just as bad as betrayal.
"These mosquitos are really driving me nuts," 9S groaned, swatting the air.
"Mosquitos are of little consequence," she said coldly. "Your complaints will not deter them, only annoy those unfortunate enough to hear you." Her hostilities were intentional. Her original plan was to generate them so they wouldn't get attached to each other when the day inevitably came that she had to kill him. But she would discover her reasoning was a lie. Yes, she did it so 9S wouldn't get attached to her, but she couldn't stop herself from getting attached to him once more. And it hurt being this mean to him. It hurt seeing his expressions of pain or even anger every time she made a callous remark.
For the glory of mankind, to help the humans return to Earth. She fought for them and for her fellow YorHa. She'll grit her teeth and take the pain.
"Ok, what's your problem?" 9S asked as 2B trailed on ahead. "What's your problem with me?"
"I don't have any problem with you," 2B replied curtly. "But needless conversation during missions serves no purpose and is a waste of energy and my time."
"You say that every time I ask but that doesn't make any sense. It seems like you go out of your way to try to be a bitch to me. Why?"
She gritted her teeth and continued walking while 9S fell silent and fell behind.
Glory to mankind. Shad to remind herself of this. She did this for mankind, to bring them home. And once this damn war was over, she can finally stop killing 9S. He might hate her but at least he'll be alive.
She looked over the edge of the giant bridge they stood upon, three or four stories to the ground below.
"Pod," she said. "Why would machines have any interest in this 'highway'?"
"Highway bridges provide excellent elevation advantage during combat," 042 reported. "Abandoned vehicles serve as excellent cover for ambushes."
"We'll mark this place down for the resistance then," 2B said. Though as she said this, she felt the hair on the back of her neck stand on end.
What was that?
It felt like some sort of static electricity. But caused by what? There were a few things that could cause a reaction like that. Increasing electromagnetic intensity. Electric discharge. A reaction to hacking.
Hacking…
No way. Did 9S just hack her? But her systems were booby trapped. If he hacked her, then he would get destroyed. No, only her innermost operating systems were booby trapped. As long as he didn't try to shut her down, 9S could hack her systems. But what would he gain? Just her memories.
Shit…
He could access her memories and see her real identity. As long as he didn't stay too long or dive too deep, he could avoid the closed circuit and logic virus. Still, what did this all mean?
She glanced at a nearby abandoned car. Dirt and rust clung to what was left of the glass but 2B could still vaguely make out a reflection of 9S coming up behind her with a sword.
2B whipped around, parrying the sword from his hand. It's been a while since he tried to kill her. She had to work fast and work to her strengths. Booby trap or not, she rather not have him hack her.
2B rushed at her opponent, 9S rushing at her in turn. Scanner or not, they both could move faster than the human eye can perceive. Sparks exploded when their swords clashed. They dodged several of the slices, launching themselves through the air so quickly it appeared as if they were in four places at once. But 2B was faster, stronger, and more skilled. Within moments, 9S was getting overwhelmed. He leapt back, trying to make distance.
"Pod!" he called out and pointing at her. 2B flung her sword at 153, the pod moving out of the way of the blade. She had learned that simply attacking in the direction of the Pod would suppress its actions. And she was fast enough to slash at it and 9S. Virtuous Contract flew out of her hand and the moment it passed Pod 153, it dematerialized and rematerialized back in her hand. She launched herself at 9S again, her left hand holding the spear Virtuous Dignity.
9S threw himself backwards and his hidden eyes widened in horror when he realized he was at the end of the crumbling bridge.
2B only stabbed at him to make distance. She didn't mean to literally push him over the edge.
"9S!" she cried out, watching as the concrete and rebar at the destroyed end of the bridge gave way. He flailed his arms to regain balance but that wasn't going to matter when the ground beneath his feet was vanishing. "Grab my weapon!" she shouted, extending her spear. But when 9S saw the sharpened point in his face, he gave a cry of terror and fell backwards, plummeting to the Earth screaming.
2B didn't hesitate. She leapt off the edge and activate a downward attack. She was launched to the ground, spear first. She hit the floor with enough force a small crater formed beneath her feet as she quickly dematerialized her spear.
9S was laying on the ground screaming in pain. A massive chunk of cement had landed on his left leg. 2B could see several pieces of rebar sticking out of the cement piece and imagined there were some that stabbed into his leg as well.
"Don't move," 2B said. She was going to lift up the piece of debris and free him. But to her horror, 9S took his sword and brought it down upon his own leg. Blood poured out of the wound as he screamed in pain. He tried crawling away but was in so much anguish he mostly just flailed on the ground.
Hearing his screams of agony was pure torture. Seeing him crawl away in terror was worse. She could not believe he just hacked off his own leg.
"Why?" she choked. "Why would you do that?"
She ran up to him. He couldn't really get far crawling away.
"Why?" he scoffed, almost cackling maniacally. "Why? Because you're here to kill me!"
2B felt her heart drop. So, her suspicions were right. He hacked her and found out exactly who she was. What's worse was that now that he knew, she had to kill him. He didn't even access the classified database. He had to die because he accessed her memories. And the only reason he did that was because he wanted to know why she was always so callous towards him. This was all her fault.
The way he moved, the way he acted, it seemed like he was desperately trying to escape a monster. But he soon realized it was futile. She had legs. He didn't. He stopped, his groans of pain through gritted teeth devolving into laughter as the situation sunk in.
"DO IT!" he screamed at her. "What are you waiting for?!" he hollered at her. "Do it! That's what you're here for. Kill me, coward!"
"Nines…" she breathed, accidentally uttering the nickname she had refused to use this entire time. She normally embraced that nickname, but it had become too painful to use. And she didn't want him to get attached to her. But it seems she overdid it. Instead, he hated her.
He hated her…
He hated her…
He hated her…
"Oh, don't pretend like you care," he hissed. "You're an executioner. You don't care."
He hated her…
He hated her…
She knelt down and went to stroke his cheek, but he slapped her hand away.
She had to do it.
Destruction of the chest…
She wrapped one arm around him in an embrace as she plunged the sword into his chest. He let out a strangled cry as blood and fluids flooded his systems. His body went limp and she finally reached up to stroke his cheek.
Destruction of the head…
She plunged her sword through his forehead.
The deed was done.
But something was different. She thought perhaps some blood splashed on her cheek. But when she wiped it away with her fingers, it was not red. It was clear like water.
Was she crying?
She's never cried before, least of all over killing 9S. Still, the evidence was undeniable. Her visor was damp and there was a single tear flowing down her cheek.
-.-
One week later she got a new 9S model. And two months later, she had to kill him again. She took him to a stone temple for the execution, they ran into some machines. Amidst the battle, she got infected by a logic virus and 9S had to hack her systems to save her, uncovering her memories as an executioner.
2B was beginning to reach her wit's end. She offered 9S her life, even putting the blade against her throat and the handle in his hands. But he instead turned the sword on himself.
2B went back to the Bunker to collect her thoughts. But instead of going to her room, she chose to spend the next hour in the elevator to the server room. Her room felt too big, too spacious, too furnished. It felt like a reward, a reward for killing someone who trusts her. This plain, enclosed elevator felt more fitting. It felt like a prison cell. She sat against the wall, her legs pulled up against her chest and her arms wrapped around them.
She just sat there, alone with her thoughts and memories of 9S. She was his executioner. There was no playing off her role. And no matter what persona she used, it seemed pain and heartbreak lay at the end of it. Cold. Cruel. Warm. Loving. Distant. Friendly. No matter what she tried to be, 9S would be hurt one way or another.
When will this war end? When can she finally stop killing Nines? She had to. There were hundreds of YorHa androids and thousands of humans counting on her. She had to bring them home. But can that day come sooner? The day she can finally stop killing 9S.
She just sat there in silence for the next hour, unmoving while she replayed old memories of him. Over a dozen 9S's in the past, each one with slightly different personalities and different reactions. Some died oblivious. Others let the end come, sometimes with a smile and sometimes with resignation. And some of them went down fighting, even goading her to kill him. They were all different individuals and yet all the same person. But they all held one thing in common: her. Whether it be because she failed to protect him, or because she had to deliver the final blow, she was always responsible for his death.
-.-
6O had just finished her break. She's heard humans used to have a 'lunch break' where they would eat, rest, and recharge before they continue working. She didn't really need to eat and she had to be careful what she did eat but this was in a way a lunch break. She just wanted to stop by the server room to get some upgrades before heading back.
She hummed a jaunty tune as she bounced down the hall, spotting the elevator up ahead. The doors opened as she approached. But as she went to step in, something or rather someone made her stop in her tracks.
And just like that her cheery attitude was no more as she looked down upon 2B, or rather 2E. The executioner.
She didn't like that the Commander could order the death of their own but at least she supplemented that with medical androids, accommodations for the injured, and support for any android in need. She even sent androids out in search of the missing and injured. 2E here just killed because she's ordered to. And was fresh off a recent kill too.
But…
Was 2B crying? Her visor was wet again and so were her sleeves. 6O also saw the dark spot on her dress where the tears fell. 6O has never seen 2B cry before. Didn't even know she was capable of it. It was always business. Emotions were prohibited. For the glory of mankind. Just following orders. Just for the mission. Yet here 2B was, her face red and her dress wet.
2B cleared her throat and stood up at attention. And she wiped away any tears on her cheek quickly.
"I apologize," she said, trying to put on her normal rigid voice. "It was a moment of…I was simply…this will not happen again."
6O stared at 2B for a good ten seconds, neither of them moving. Neither of them speaking. 6O was still processing what she just witnessed, something that went against all her beliefs. Even now when evidence of emotion was evident and undeniable, 2B was still trying to put on the 'good soldier' act. How often has she been like this? Where else has she hidden?
But executioners weren't emotional. They couldn't be otherwise they'd be unable to complete their task.
But what if they were?
If they were, then the task of killing their friends and teammates would have been torture. And 2B not only has dispatched the most but has to kill the same one over and over again. The executioner models always went mad with grief. But 2B had the ability to refresh her psyche, making sure she never went insane. But that didn't stop the hurt. With 2B's constant mantra of doing things for the mission and emotions being prohibited and psychological refresh, 6O thought 2B's psychological refresh let her be cold and uncaring about the pain she inflicted.
Emotions were prohibited…
All of a sudden, it didn't seem like 2B defending her actions. More like she was reminding herself what she had to be to get the job done, some attempt to stay sane in spite of what she has to do. Especially since she couldn't escape into madness.
"Here, you may use the elevator," 2B said, moving to get off. But as she approached 6O, the unthinkable happened. 6O suddenly reached out and hugged her.
2B went stiff for a moment. But when she realized what was happening, 2B returned the embrace. Even then, 6O could feel 2B trembling in her arms, water slowly seeping through the shoulder of her uniform.
-.-
Four days later, 2B got another 9S model and they headed down to the resistance on the planet. The resistance was planning a large-scale offensive against the machines, so they needed to help.
Their flight units took them to a rainforest where they had to walk the rest of the way to the local camp.
The flight units swooped down above the ground, letting her and 9S get ejected. They stepped onto the jungle floor and it sounded like they landed on a sponge. The dirt and plants were drenched in water.
"This is 2B," 2B reported as she watched her flight units take off into the sky on autopilot. "We've landed and are making our way to camp."
"Roger that, 2B" 6O said with a much more optimistic voice. "So, how's the jungle down there? I hear it's beautiful."
"It is very…humid," 2B admitted. The moisture in the air was making her clothes stick to her. Not enough to impact performance but definitely enough to take note.
"I hear the humidity there is so high you can feel the water on your skin. It must be so amazing."
"Not quite the word I would use to describe it," 2B said, flexing her arms as her sleeve clung to her.
"Oh, I hear the vegetation there is even bigger than it is in other parts of the planet."
2B was staring up at a tree that size of a skyscraper. And all the trees had created a ceiling of leaves and branches that blocked out the sun.
"That may be an understatement," 2B said. "Please give me a moment." 2B hung up the call for a moment since she needed her Pod. "Pod, take a picture of the landscape in front of us and email it to 6O."
"Affirmative" 042 said. There was a click and 2B knew that her Pod had just taken a picture of the environment, including the giant tree. 2B smiled slightly. 9S, 6O, she was going to cherish both of them. At least 6O will help the pain as she continues her dark mission. She fought for the good and glory of mankind, to bring the humans back to Earth, to bring them back home. She would need to hold onto that as tightly as she could, or she'll go insane from grief. Well, she won't go insane, her psychological refresh wouldn't allow it. At the very least, she had two people she cared about by her side.
"You know, Command should really issue us different gear for the different environments," 9S remarked. "I mean the dress looks good on you and all but I'm not sure how effective it is for combat. And your heels are sinking into the ground."
2B looked down. Sure enough, the small surface area meant her feet were sinking into the moist dirt.
"As long as it doesn't interfere with the mission, I will be fine," she said. "Still, I cannot help but agree. And thank you for the compliment about my dress."
2B stifled a laugh as 9S choked. He definitely said more than he intended.
But this was all bittersweet.
The offensive lasted four months. But the resistance overextended itself. They took out a machine storage facility holding thousands of deactivated units. The machines managed to attack the headquarters and take out the leadership of the resistance in that area.
Still, the offensive was over and 2B got to enjoy being with 9S for an entire four months.
She had hope that perhaps for once, 9S could learn to keep his head down. But the inevitable came to pass yet again.
2B was on her way back to their tent to tell 9S they were free to go back to the Bunker, maybe they'll get a mission in a more pleasant location.
"9S!" she called out, pulling back the cloth at the tent entrance. "9S, we have been relieved of…" She stepped into their tent, her eyes falling upon a cot the massive pool of blood that covered it. And laying on his cot, his sword, Cruel Oath, in his chest was 9S.
2B felt something stab through her chest as the fact that 9S lay dead before her began to sink in. He killed himself? Why? When was the last time he backed up his data to the Bunker? If it wasn't recent then she essentially lost him in a way since the 9S who went through all this would be gone.
"Pod 153!" 2B called out. On command, Pod 153 appeared from the corner. "Pod 153, what was the date of 9S's last memory backup?"
153 didn't answer. Instead, she responded with something entirely unrelated.
"Audio recording available from 9S to 2B."
153 started playing the recording without prompting.
'Hey, 2B. If you find this then I'm gone. Sorry it had to end like this. But while I was performing maintenance on your OS, I may have accidentally stumbled across your memory files. I'm sorry I intruded without asking. But I saw enough. I saw what you've been doing, and I know what you're going to have to do. Confession time: while I was backing up our data to the bunker, I may have taken a stroll into the classified section. So, it's only a matter of time before I have to die again. I know how much it hurts you. I didn't want you to go through that again so…I'm sorry it had to end this way. But don't feel bad. I had a great time. If anything, I'm sorry for being such a pain in the ass with my curiosity. It's weird. So many 9S's. The ones that hated you, don't take it personally. I promise you they'd change their minds if they actually knew the whole truth. We'll meet each other again. Until then…goodbye 2B"
Goodbye 2B…
Goodbye 2B…
Goodbye 2B…
The first time 2B executed 9S, he had triggered a logic virus trap in her programming that isolated then destroyed his consciousness data. And his final thoughts before he was erased from existence were those two words: goodbye 2B. Those worse echoed inside her mind.
He killed himself so she wouldn't feel any pain? What sort of sick joke was this? It may not be as painful, but it was still excruciating. He was gone again. And because he had accessed classified data and her memories, it meant a factory reset. No backups.
"2B to Bunker," she said through her comms, 6O picking up.
"What's up?" the operator asked.
"I'm going to need a recovery team. 9S…9S has been disposed of."
6O fell silent.
"Alright, they're on their way," 6O finally said. "How are you feeling?"
"Feelings are prohibited," 2B said shakily.
"I know. So how are you feeling?"
2B gritted her teeth and looked away. 9S's body was smiling. That was just twisted.
"I am…in pain," 2B admitted.
"Finish up down there," 6O said. "Once you're done, drop by my room. I'll sign off early. I gotta go. 6O out."
153 floated away while 2B fell to her knees.
-.-
And thus, the cycle continued. A new 9S model, a new execution. Without fail. She was on occasion sent after other YorHa androids. Most were standard issue YorHa androids but there were plenty of notable encounters. One android was another scanner model. Knowing they were bad at close range combat, they instead hacked a swarm of pods to rain missiles and automatic fire upon her. Another had deserted along with several friends. The deserter's friends would meet their demise and the deserter herself would use parts of their corpses to augment herself into a hideous abomination with three legs, five arms, and three heads. 2B even came across a traitor that joined the machines, switching his own legs with an eight-legged apparatus and the ability to fire electrified wire at her. It was certainly her toughest foe as it restrained her to the wall with the wire. But she managed to take its head off and spent the next hour cutting herself free.
But regardless of her side missions, her primary mission remained unchanged. She would get paired with 9S, work with him for a period of time, then kill him. She found other ways of killing him as well. Twice he caught her and knocked the sword of her hand. In one instance she had to strangle him to death. In another, she picked up a brick and caved his skull in. She messed up that time. She thought he was dead after a few bashes. But his eyes flew open and he let out a bloodcurdling scream, desperate to live. So, she brought the brick down on his head again and again until there wasn't even a head left. She once got the orders mid-mission. He was surrounded by enemies when she navigated her flight unit to pick him up. He was so happy to see his rescue. But his smile vanished when she instead turned around and flew off, letting the machines destroy him.
And some of the most twisted moments were when she led him to his death. Like when they had to escape a collapsing building. She managed to get out, but he was trapped behind. So, she lied and gave him directions even deeper into the building right before it collapsed on him. She gave him phony coordinates in his flight suit that would lead him straight into enemy anti-air fire.
Every way to kill a friend, a loved one, imaginable, she did. Twist his head so far around his skin ripped. Lace foods he was trying with oil from mackerel. Landed her flight unit right on top of him and crushed him. Over and over.
But one day, all that changed.
In many ways, this could be considered her final execution of 9S. She executed him one last time. And she never executed him again. But this was the worst one. There was no comparison. There was no doubt. Her last execution was her worst and one that would haunt her for the rest of her life.
